Lluminating The ATH TO Nlightenment

ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH
TO ENLIGHTENMENT
ILLUMINATING THE PATH
TO ENLIGHTENMENT
Tenzin Gyatso
HISHOLINESS
THE FOURTEENTH DALAI LAMA OF TIBET
A COMMENTARY ON ATISHA DIPAMKARA SHRIJNANAS
A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment
AND LAMA JE TSONG KHAPAS
Lines of Experience
Translated by
GESHE THUPTEN JINPA
Edited by
REBECCA MCCLEN NOVICK,
THUPTEN JINPA AND NICHOLASRIBUSH
Produced by the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, Boston, Massachusetts
for T hubten Dhargye Ling Publications, Long Beach, California
www.tdling.com
PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED BY TDL PUBLICATIONS
Mirror of Wisdom, by GesheTsultim Gyeltsen
PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED BY THE LAMA YESHE WISDOM ARCHIVE
Becoming Your Own T herapist, by Lama Yeshe
Advice for Monks and N uns, by Lama Yesheand Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Virtue and Reality, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Make Your Mind an Ocean, by Lama Yeshe
Teachings from the Vajrasattva Retreat, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Daily Purification: A Sh o rt Va j ra s a t t va Pra c t i c e , by LamaZopaRinpoche
T he Essence of T ibetan Buddhism, by Lama Yeshe
Making Life Meaningful, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Teachings from the Mani Retreat, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Direct and Unmistaken Method, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
FOR INITIATESONLY
A Chat about Heruka, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
A Chat about Yamantaka, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
by GesheTsultim Gyeltsen....i
PROLOGUE
Universal Responsibility....v
Question and answer period....xii
1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION....1
Thepurposeof Dharma practice....3
Intellectual and experiential understanding....6
Thebasisfor transformation....7
Investigating thenatureof reality....10
2. FEATURESOF THE LAM-RIM TEACHINGS....13
AtishasLamp for the Path to Enlightenment.... 13
Lamp for the Path: Verse1....13
Themeaning of thetitle....14
Theobjectsof salutation....15
Thetwo truths....17
TheFour NobleTruths....18
TheThreeJewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha....21
Lama Tsong KhapasLines of Experience....22
Theorigin of thelam-rim teachings: thegreatnessof theauthors....25
Lines of Experience: Verse1....27
First published 2002
20,000 copiesfor freedistribution
THUBTEN DHARGYE LING
PO Box 90665
Long Beach
CA 90809, USA
Tenzin Gyatso, theFourteenth Dalai Lama, 2002
Pleasedo not reproduceany part of thisbook by any means
whatsoever without our permission
ISBN 0-9623421-6-5
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Cover photosby Don Farber
Book design by L.J.Sawlit
Printed in Canadaon recycled, acid-freepaper
Observing thelaw of karma....85
Purification of negativekarma: thefour opponent powers....89
Question and answer period....91
6. SEEKING FREEDOM FROM CYCLIC EXISTENCE....93
Renunciation....93
Understanding thenatureof cyclic existence....94
7. CULTIVATING THE ALTRUISTIC INTENTION OF BODHICITTA....103
Lamp for the Path: Verses7 to 18....106
Theimportanceof bodhicitta....108
8. THE CEREMONY FOR GENERATING BODHICITTA....113
Introduction....113
Theseven-limb practice....114
Homage....115
Offering....115
Confessing....115
Rejoicing....116
Requesting....117
Beseeching....118
Dedication....118
Theactual ceremony for generating bodhicitta....118
Thegreatnessof thelam-rim teachings....39
Lines of Experience: Verses6 & 7....39
3. RELYING ON A SPIRITUAL TEACHER....47
Thequalitiesof a teacher....47
Thepracticeof reliance....52
Thequalitiesof thespiritual teacher....53
Thequalitiesof thestudent....57
Establishing proper reliance....60
4. BECOMING INSPIRED TO PRACTICE DHARMA....67
Levelsof spiritual trainees....67
Developing faith in karma....69
Thethreelevelsof refuge....71
Thevalueand transient natureof human existence....72
Meditation: cultivating mental discipline....73
Death and rebirth....78
Thetwelvelinks....81
5. REFUGE, KARMA AND PRECEPTS....83
Taking refuge....83
Thenatureof wisdom....142
Emptinessaccording to different Buddhist schools....142
Dependent origination....146
Establishing emptinessthrough reasoning....148
Lamp for the Path: Verses48 through 50....148
Meditation on emptiness....154
Thenon-conceptual understanding of emptiness....156
Theunion of calm abiding and penetrativeinsight....158
TheVajrayana path....161
Dedication....165
APPENDICES
Appendix 1. A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment....167
Appendix 2. Lines of Experience....179
NOTES....187
BIBLIOGRAPHY....191
GLOSSARY....194
9. BODHISATTVA OUTLOOK AND ACTION....121
Taking thebodhisattva vows....121
Thepracticeof thefirst fiveperfections....127
Theperfection of generosity....127
Theperfection of ethical discipline....128
Theperfection of forbearance....128
Theperfection of joyouseffort....129
Theperfection of concentration....130
Lines of experience: Verse19....132
Lamp for the Path: Verses39 & 40....132
10. THE PERFECTION OF WISDOM....139
Theimportanceof theperfection of wisdom....139
Stuart Scudder, Jeff Abrams, Chiyoko Aita, Mary Alexander, Janice
Allen & Jim Davidson, ReneeAllen, Nancy Andersen, SteveAnderson,
Ruben Anton, Vicari Antonina, DianeApril, Bettina Aptheker, Har vey
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Chodron, Florence P. Chotiner, Neil Christopherson, Barbara Clark,
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Silva, Trish Devitt, Theresa Dhondup, Camille N. Do, Janet Do,
Kimberly Do, Ani Losang Dolma, Jeffrey Dreher, Marie C. Droney,
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PUBLISHERSACKNOWLEDGMENTS
T
HIS IS THE SECOND BOOK PUBLISHED by Thubten Dhargye Ling
Publicationsfor freedistribution. Wehavebeen very gratified by
theexcellent responseto our first, Mirror of Wisdom, byVenerableGeshe
Tsultim Gyeltsen, our spiritual master and director, and feel sure that
readerswill enjoy Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment.
Weareextremely grateful to HisHolinesstheDalai Lama for accept-
ing Geshe Gyeltsens invitation to teach in Los Angeles in 2000, for
choosing to offer ushiscommentarieson theprofound texts, A Lamp for
the Path to Enlightenment, by Atisha Dipamkara Shrijnana, and Lines of
Experience, by Lama Tsong Khapa, and in particular, for giving usper-
mission to publish thisbook for freedistribution.
Wealso would liketo expressour gratitudeto GesheThupten Jinpa
for his expert translation during the teachings and for his work in
reviewing the translation and his numerous editorial suggestions for
improving themanuscript whileit wasin preparation.
We would also like to thank Rebecca McClen Novick and Dr.
NicholasRibush for editing thebook, Lisa Sawlit for designing it and
theLama YesheWisdom Archivefor supervising itsproduction.
Weextend heartfelt thanksto themany kind benefactorswhosegen-
erousdonationsmadethiswork possible. For major contributions, we
thank in particular Doren and Mary Harper, John and Eleanor W.
Allen, Richard Gere, Linda Bukowski, Hanh Nguyen and James N.
Smith.
Wearealso most grateful to Randall Gates, LeslieJamison, Lillie&
Ber n a rd Mc Grane, Susan Mc Kel vey, Nola Lee Mc Na l l y, Ju d i t h
McReynolds-Yantis, Men-Tsee-Khang, Georgia Metz, George Miller,
Ma ryanne Miss, Radmila Moacanin, Sally A. Molini, Ju d i t h
Mo n t g o m ery, Bonnie Mo o re, J. Mo o re, Rebecca Morales, Da v i d
Morgan, Jane Morrison, Louis Muchy, Mudra Inc., Karen Mueller,
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Nelson, Lisa Neu weld, Kham Ngo, Kim Ngo, Che & Do l m a
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Pierpoint, Margaret Pilcher, Rick Pinson, Pam A. Porcaro, Ellen Powell,
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& Tam-minh Nguyen, Linda Quakenbush, Chan Cuong Quan, Romy
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Sc h a f er, Christi ne Schneider, Butch Schuman, David & Su sa n
Schwartz, Deborah Schwartz, Skip Shaputnik, Gail Shatsky, Andrew
Shaw, Richard Shea, Allyson Shelly, Beverly Sherman, JamesSilberstein,
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Cynthia Houck, AdrienneHouse, JamesHouston, Clay Howard, Susan
Howard, Matthew Howatt, Ron Howlett, Bella Hui, Sharon Hurley,
Angela Igrisan, Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, Elaine Jackson, Sonia
Jacobs, Yunching Jan, Karen Jefchak, Rebecca Jeffs, Osel Jason, Mary
Johnson, Jeff Jones, Nigel Jones, Fred Ju, Alex Juncosa, Sri Mewaty
Jusuf, Ani Tenzin Kacho, Peter Tamam Kahn, Jacobo Kamar, Trisha &
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Kelley, Peter Kemble, Ellie Kierson, Sylvia Kimbel, Brian Kistler,
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Hong Thanh Mai, Christel Maiwald, Vicky Manchester, Stephanie
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Roosevelt & Patricia Matthews, Tracy Mays, Troy McAuley, Elizabeth A.
McBride, Michael McClure, Caroline McEwen, John McGinness,
FOREWORD
W
E AT TH U BT E N DH A RG Y ELI N G a revery happy for theopport u n i t y
to present His Holiness the Dalai Lamas l a m - r i m teachings in
book form. Due to changing times and circumstances, more and more
peoplein theWest aretaking aseriousinterest in Buddhism, or Dh a r m a .
It isfor thisreason that when HisHolinessvisited LosAngelesin 1997 to
teach on Na g a r j u n asPrecious Ga rl a n d , I requested that hereturn in 2000
to giveateaching on thelam-rim. HisHolinessaccepted thisrequest very
h a p p i l y. I did not ask for HisHolinessto teach aspecific lam-rim text, but
out of hisdeep insight and altruism, hedecided to combinetwo lam-rim
t ex t s At i sh asLamp for the Path to En l i g h t e n m e n t and Lama Tsong Khapas
conciselam-rim, Lines of Ex p e r i e n c e .
Buddhism originated from itsfounding teacher, Shakyamuni Bu d d h a ,
who gave84,000 formsof teaching. Lam-rim meansstagesof thepath to
enlightenment. It wasthegreat Indian master, Atisha, who wrotethefirst
lam-rim text, A Lamp for the Path to En l i g h t e n m e n t, which condensesall
84,000 teachingsinto a singlebody of work. Atisha wrotethistext in Ti b et
at therequest of aTibetan king. Hethen sent thetext to India, whereall
the great rea l i zed scholars and m a h a s i d d h a s rec ei ved it with praise and
a p p reciation. It must bedueto thegood fortuneand merit of theTi b et a n
people, they said, that Atishahad composed such a wonderful text.
Atishas lam-rim text is very brief but extremely profound, and
Lama Tsong Khapa knew that without somefurther explanation, many
people would not be able to understand everything that it contained.
Taking Atishaslam-rim astheroot text, Lama Tsong Khapa elucidated
the teachings in three different versions: the Great Lam-rim, the
Edmund Spaeth, Wayne Speeds, Danleigh Spievak, Jeff Stankiewicz,
Diana Stark, Cary Steen, Bill Stefanek, Regula Stewart, Phillip Stokes,
David Studhalter, David & Susan Stumpf, Preston Sult, Connie Sun,
IrisSwallow, Darren Swimmer, ValeryieSzymanski, Sara Taft, Robert J.
Talbert, Betty Tallarida, CharlotteTang, An Tao, Sandra Tatlock, Ellen
Taylor, Christina Tedesco, FrancineThomas, RichardThompson, Susan
Thurben, Jo Ann Tirado, Michele Trahan, Thanh Tram & Mai T.
Nguyen, Daniele Tran, Dinh Thang Tran, Oanh Hoang Tran, Xuan
Tran, Tse Chen Ling Center, Christien Tuttle, David Uyek a w a ,
Wilhelmina Van De Poll, D. Varano, Douglas Varchol, Leopoldo
Villela, Ted Viramonte, Tony Vitale, Kim Vo, Nathan Vo, QuinceK. Vo,
Alicia H. Vogel (Ani Lhundub Jampa), Lynn Wade, Cy n t h i a
Walgampaya, Judyth Wea ver, Patrick Wea ver, Sean Web er - Sm a l l ,
Kenneth Weed, Nick Weeks, Katherine Wehde, John Western, Ralph
Westrum, Laurren B. Whistler, Jami Whitelaw, Catherine Whyte,
EmeseWilliams, Carol Wilson Ttee, Victoria Witherow, Siewfan Wong,
JessieWood, Marta Woodhull, Key Wu, Peggy P. Wu, Susan Wyss, Y.P.,
Cynthia Yellowhair, JigmeYugay, Anna Zack, Michela Zanchi, Angela
Zaragoza, Renee Zep ez a u er, Vicki Zimmerman and El i z a b et h
Zographos.
We are also deeply grateful to the many benefactors who asked to
remain anonymousand to thosekind peoplewhosecontributionswere
received after thebook went to press. Thank you all so much.
Last but not least, weoffer sincerethanksto Lara Brookefor her tire-
less work for the Center and to all the other students of Thubten
Dhargye Ling and our other centers as well, for their devotion to and
constant support of our kind teacher, GesheTsultim Gyeltsen, and his
far-reaching Dharma work.
talk about cultivating threetypesof wisdom; thosearising through lis-
tening to teachings, contemplating their meaning and meditating on the
ascertained meaning.
These three types of wisdom have to arise sequentially in our mind
st ream. T h rough listening to teachings, we gain understanding; thro u g h
contemplation, we deepen this understanding; through meditation, we
apply theteachingsto ourselvesin other words, weengagein thepractice.
Wearevery fortunateto havethiswonderful human lifeand theopport u-
nity to study and practicetheseteachings. Weshould makeour best effort s,
t h eref o re, to follow theDharmaso that wewill experiencethebenefitsnot
only in thislifetimebut also in many futurelifetimesand not just for our-
sel vesbut for other sentient beingsaswell.
Weat Thubten Dh a r g yeLing hopethat through contemplatingand med-
itatingon theseteachings, readerswill gain great spiritual benefit. Wehope
that thispublication will facilitategreater intimacy with thethreeprincipal
pathsof renunciation, altruism and thewisdom of emptiness. May weall
beableto cultivatethesepathswithin our own minds.
Wededicatethevirtuearising from thispublication to thelong life
of HisHolinesstheDalai Lama and all other great spiritual masterswho
uphold thepureteachingsof theBuddha for thebenefit of others.
May thisworld befreeof sickness, starvation, warf a reand weaponsof
massdestruction. May weall beableto accumulatethenecessary facilities
for our own well-being and for theattainment of peacein theworld, and
may wedevelop theability to extend our affection and lovebeyond our-
sel vesso that wecan all learn to help and carefor oneanother better.
GesheTsultim Gyeltsen
Spiritual Master and Director
T hubten Dhargye Ling, Tibetan Monastery
Long Beach, California, USA
Middling Lam-rim and theShort Lam-rim .
I believethat HisHolinesstheDalai Lama hasvery deep reasonsfor
giving theselam-rim teachings. Many of uswish to practicethetantric
path with thesincerehopeof achieving completeenlightenment assoon
aspossible. For usto becomecompletely enlightened through theprac-
tice of tantra, however, there are some essential preliminaries that we
need to practicefirst. To betruly qualified to practicetantra, weneed to
cultivatethethreeprincipal pathsrenunciation, bodhicitta (thealtru-
istic mind of enlightenment) and thewisdom realizing emptiness. The
lam-rim teachingscover all thesesubjectsin great detail.
If we cannot achieve realization of these paths before engaging in
tantra, weshould at least havefamiliarized our mind with them and gained
someexperiencein their practice. In thisrespect, thelam-rim teachingsare
indispensable guides. We find explanations of the three principal paths
t h roughout all theBu d d h asteachingsbut what thelam-rim doesisto pres-
ent them in amanner that isrel a t i vely easy to comprehend and practice.
W h en ever His Holiness the Dalai Lama gives a public teaching, he
p resentsthetext in avery skillful way that meetstheneedsof peopleand
practitionersat all levels. Thislam-rim teaching is no exception. It ismy
belief that by reading theprofound yet easy to follow commentary in this
publication, many practitionerswill rec ei vetremendousbenefit. Becauseof
thedepth of HisHolinesstheDalai Lamasspiritual experiencesand rea l-
izations, aswell ashisskillful methodsand infinitecompassion and wisdom,
histeachingsareunsurpassed by any other. In order to preservetheseinva l u-
ableteachings, not only for thepresent generation but for all futureones, we
at Thubten Dh a r g yeLing aremaking every effort to ensurethat they are
a vailableto thepublic in theform of videotapes, audiotapesand books.
I would very much like to encourage readers to read this lam-rim
commentary over and over again. With each reading and contempla-
tion, you will gain deeper insight into these teachings and find better
waysto apply them to your own mental development. In Buddhism, we
II ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT FOREWORD III
PROLOGUE
UNIVERSAL RESPONSIBILITY
D
EAR BROTHERSAND SISTERS, I am very happy to beherewith you.
I always believe that we human beings are all essentially the
samementally, emotionally and physically. Of course, thereareminor
differences, such asshapeand color, but weall havetwo eyes, two ears
and onenose. Therefore, I am alwayshappy to interact with and talk to
my fellow human brothersand sisters. In thisway, I learn new things,
mainly when I receive a question on something entirely unexpected.
Audiencememberscomeup with new conceptsor points, which gives
metheopportunity to reflect and analyze. Itsvery useful.
I want to make clear, howeverperhaps even warn youthat yo u
should not expect too much. T h ere are no miracles. I am very skepti-
cal of such things. It is very dangerous if people come to my talks
bel ieving that the Dalai Lama has some kind of healing power, for
example. I mysel f doubt those who claim to have the power to heal.
Some time ago, at a large gathering in England, I said the same thing.
At that time I told theaudiencethat if there isa real healer out there,
I want to show that person my skin problems. Sometimes it can be
quite pl easant to scratch the itch, but as the Indian Buddhist master
Nagarjuna said, Its better not to have the itching than to have the
p l ea su re of scratching. Anyway, so far, I have never met such a per-
son. However, if you are here simply out of curiosity, thats perf ec t l y
and self-discipline. Weeven find someof thesequalitiesin theanimal
kingdom. However, on another level, becauseof our human intelligence
and understanding of far-reaching consequences, we can deliberately
increasecertain qualitiesand try to restrain others. In thisway, humans
aremuch moresophisticated than animals.
Human beings and animals equally have the same basic desire for
happiness or satisfaction. This is common to all sentient beings. The
uniquething about us, however, isour intelligence. Thedesireto attain
happiness, pleasureand satisfaction mainly through thefivesensesisnot
a uniquely human thing; thereisnot much to distinguish usfrom ani-
malsin thisregard. What doesdistinguish usfrom animals, however, is
our ability to use our faculty of intelligence in our quest to fulfill our
natural desire to be happy and overcome suffering. It is this ability to
judge between the long- and short-term consequences of our behavior
and actions that really distinguishes us from animals; utilizing our
unique human qualities in the right way is what proves us to be true
human beings.
Another important factor is that there are two kinds of pain and
pleasurepain and pleasureon thephysical, or sensory, level and those
on themental level. If weexamineour daily lives, it will becomeclear
that we can subdue physical pain mentally. When we are happy and
calm, we can easily ignore physical discomfort, such as pain and
unpleasant sensations. When, however, we are unhappy or disturbed,
then even thebest of external factors, such asgood companions, money
and fame, cannot make us happy. This suggests that no matter how
powerful our sensory experiencesmight be, they cannot overwhelm our
stateof mind; mental experienceissuperior to physical. It isin thismen-
tal realm of happinessand suffering or pain and pleasurethat theappli-
cation of human intelligenceplaysa tremendously influential role.
Human intelligenceitself isneutral; it isjust an instrument that can
beutilized in either destructiveor constructiveways. For example, many
PROLOGUE VII
fine. Im very happy to have this opportunity to talk to you and would
also liketo express my deep appreciation to thosewho have organized
thiseven t .
The fundamental thing is that everyonewantsa happy, successful life.
Thisisnot only our goal but our legitimateright aswell. Thequestion
then arises, how do we achieve this happy life?It seems that in these
modern times, when technology and material facilitiesareso well devel-
oped and freely available, we get the idea that material things are the
ultimate factor in the satisfaction of our desires and the fulfillment of
our goals. Thus, wehavetoo much expectation of material thingsand
put too much trust in them; our strong materialistic beliefsgiveusfalse
hopein that which truly lacksa firm basis. Asa result, weneglect our
inner valuesand stateof mind.
By relying so much on external thingsto makeour livesmeaningf u l ,
wemovefurther away from basic human values. Of course, material devel-
opment isessential and very useful, but it iswrong to expect that all our
problems can be solved through external means. When material and
spiritual development arecombined, however, wecan achieveour goal
of a happy life. Therefore, whilefocusing on material development, it is
essential that wepay attention to inner valuesaswell.
When I usetheword spiritual, I dont necessarily mean religious
faith. It isquiteobviousthat therearetwo levelsof spiritualityspirit-
uality with religiousfaith and that without. Obviously, an individual can
manageto lead a meaningful lifewithout religiousfaith, but you cant
be a happy person without the spirituality of basic human values. As
long asweremain human, thereisno way that wecan neglect this.
What arethesebasic human values?Therearetwo levels. On one
level, there is the sense of caring for one another, sharing with one
anotherthe sense of oneness that comes from seeing all people as
brothersand sistersin a singlehuman family, bringing respect, tolerance
VI ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT
Thekey factor in developing and increasing basic human va l u es t h e
senseof caring for and sharing with oneanotherishuman affection, a
feeling of closeness with one another. This quality is present within us
f rom themoment of our conception. According to somemedical scien-
tists, the unborn child can recognize its mothers voice. This indicates
that even then, thechild feelscloseto and dear towardsitsmother. Once
thechild isborn, heor shespontaneously sucksitsmothersmilk. The
mother also experiences a feeling of closeness to her child. Because of
this, her milk flowsfreely. If either sidelacked that feeling of intimacy,
the child would not survive. Each of us started our life that way and
without human affection would definitely not havesurvived.
Medical sciencealso teachesusthat emotionsplay a very important
rolein health. Fear and hatred, for example, arevery bad for us. Also,
when negativeemotionsarisestrongly, certain partsof our brain become
blocked and our intelligencecannot function properly. Wecan seefrom
our daily experienceaswell that strong negativeemotionscan makeus
uncomfortableand tense, leading to problemswith digestion and sleep
and causing someof usto resort to tranquilizers, sleeping pills, alcohol
or other drugs.
Furthermore, when certain negativeemotionsdevelop they can dis-
turb our bodys natural balance, resulting in high blood pressure and
other kindsof disease. Onemedical researcher presented data at a con-
ferenceshowing that peoplewho frequently usewordssuch asI, me
and mine havea greater risk of heart attack. Thus, it seemsthat if you
want to havea heart attack, you should repeat thesewordslikea mantra
and all thetimesay, I, I, I, I, I, I.
If we think of ourselves as very precious and absolute, our whole
mental focus becomes very narrow and limited and even minor prob-
lems can seem unbearable. If, however, wecan think moreholistically
and see our problems from a broader perspective, they will become
insignificant. For example, if weswitch our mental attitudefrom concern
PROLOGUE IX
of our sufferingscomeabout astheresult of thepower of our imagination
and ability to think about thefuture, which can createdoubt, expectation,
disappointment and fear. Animalsdont havetheseproblems. If an animal
findsgood food and shelter and thereareno immediatedisturbances, it
can exist quitepeacefully, but even when wehuman beingsarewell fed and
su r rounded by good companions, nicemusic and so forth, our sophistica-
tion and expectationsdont allow usto relax. Human intelligence, in o t h er
w o rds, is a source of worry and problems. The unhappiness that arises
f rom an over a c t i veimagination cannot bereso l ved by material means.
Human intelligence, theref o re, can be very influential either neg-
a t i vely or positivel y. The key factor in directing it more positively is
having the right mental attitude. To have a happy lifehappy days
and happy nightsit is extremely important to combine our human
intelligence with basic human values. If our minds are peaceful, open
and calm during theday, our dreamswill reflect these experiences and
be happy. If during theday weexperience fear, agitation and doubt,
we will continue to encounter troublesin our dreams. T h eref o re, to
h a ve happiness twenty-four hours a day, we must havethe right men-
tal attitude.
Instead of thinking about money and material thingsevery minute
of theday, weshould pay moreattention to our inner world. It isinter-
esting to ask ourselves such questions as, Who am I? and Where is
my I? Usually, wetakeour I for granted. Wefeel that within usthere
issomething solid and independent that istheowner of our mind, body
and possessions; if wereflect on and examinewherethisso-called pow-
erful and precious self actually resides, it will prove to be quite useful.
Weshould also ask, What isthemind?Whereisit? becausethegreat-
est of all disturbing forces are the negative emotions. When these
destructive emotions are fully developed, we become their slave; as if
mad. Therefore, when negative emotions arise, it is useful to inquire,
Wheredoesall thiscomefrom?
VIII ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT
forty-oneyearshavepassed sinceI becamea refugeeand newsfrom my
homeland is always very saddening. Yet inside, my mental state seems
quitepeaceful. Bad newstendsto go in oneear and out theother; not
much remains stuck within my mind. The result is that my peace of
mind isnot too disturbed.
This is not because Im some kind of special person. I joke with
my Chinesefriendsabout the Chineseterm h u o - f o, which meansliv-
ing buddha. Thevery term itself isdangerous; itscompletely wro n g .
TheTibetan word is lama; in Sanskrit, its g u ru. T h eres no hint of
living buddha in these words, so I have no idea how theChinesegot
l iving buddha out of them. Anyway, whether people call me a living
buddha, a god-king or, in somecases, a devil or counter-revo l u t i o n a ry,
it doesnt matter. Thereality isthat Im just a human being; a simple
Buddhist monk. T h ere are no differences between us, and according to
my own experience, if we pay more attention to our inner world then
our livescan behappier. You can achievemany things as a result of liv-
ing in a materially developed society, but if, in addition, you pay more
attention to your inner world, your lifewill become much richer and
m o re complete.
T h erearemany partsof theworld wherewholecommunitiesarestill
st ruggling to achievebasic living standards. When peoplehaveto fight for
their daily sustenance, almost all of their energy and concentration needs
to bedirected tow a rdsthat end, which doesnot really allow anxiety and
mental problemsto cometo thesurface. By contrast, thereislessof a stru g-
glefor daily surv i val in themoreaffluent No rthern countriesbecausethese
societieshavereached arel a t i vely high level of material development. T h i s,
h owever, givespeopletheretheopportunity to pay attention to pro b l em s
that aremoreemotional and mental in nature.
Through training our minds we can become more peaceful. This
will giveusgreater opportunitiesfor creating thepeaceful familiesand
human communitiesthat arethefoundation of world peace. With inner
PROLOGUE XI
for our own wel f a reto that of others, our mind automatically widensand
our own problemsappear much lessimportant and easier to face.
Theactual beneficiary of thepracticeof compassion and caring for
othersisoneself. Wemay havetheimpression that themain beneficiar-
iesof thepracticeof compassion arethoseon thereceiving end; that the
practiceof compassion isrelevant only for thoseconcerned about others
and irrelevant for those who are not, because its main benefit goes to
others. Thisisa mistake. Theimmediatebenefit of practicing compas-
sion isactually experienced by thepractitioner.
Becauseour mind broadensand wefeel morecomfortablewhen we
think about humanity and thewelfareof others, if wecan generatethis
kind of mental attitude, whenever we meet someone, we will feel that
hereisanother human brother or sister and will immediately beableto
communicatewith ease. When wethink only about ourselves, our inner
door remainsclosed and wefind it very difficult to communicatewith
our fellow human beings.
The practice of compassion and caring for others immediately
brings us inner strength and inner peace. Of course, compassion may
also benefit othersindirectly, but what iscertain isthebenefit that we
ourselvesexperience. It isquiteclear, therefore, that if wearereally con-
cerned about our own future and the happiness of our own life, we
should develop a mental attitude in which the practice of compassion
playsa central role. I sometimesjokingly tell peoplethat if wewant to
be truly selfish, then we should be wisely selfish rather than foolishly
selfish.
Thisistherea l i t y. Think about thesepointsand experiment with them.
Eventually you will develop greater awarenessof what Im talkingabout.
I am a sixty-four year old Buddhist monk and in a few daysI will
besixty-five. Thegreater part of my lifehasnot been happy. Most peo-
plealready know about my difficult experiences. When I wasfifteen I
lost my freedom; at the age of twenty-four I lost my country. Now,
X ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT
Question. In this materialistic and consumer-driven society, how does
oneovercomethedesirefor and attachment to material goods?
His Holiness. If you think deeply in termsof thespiritual practiceof cul-
tivating modest desires and contentment, I would say that in some
respects there are more opportunities for people living in materially
affluent societies. People in less materially developed societies havent
had theopportunity to really experiencethelimitationsof material con-
ditionsand facilities. If you livein a materially affluent society, it iseas-
ier for you to see the limits of material facilities in terms of providing
satisfaction. So I would say that in a materially enriched society, there
are, in fact, more opportunities for spiritual practice. Of course, it all
dependsupon theindividual sown attitudesand thoughts.
However, thisdeeply embedded idea of theWest being a consumer-
driven, materialistic culture may contain an element of imagination.
Peoplemakethesecategorical differencesbetween Eastern and Western
culturesand then, asWesterners, you start to believein them. You think
that your lives are driven by materialistic values; you project a certain
imageof your own cultureand begin to believein it, perpetuating a cer-
tain mindset.
Among my Western friends, I know individualswith a tremendous
commitment and dedication to the practice of Buddhadharma. They
also havequitea high degreeof experiencebased on prolonged medita-
tivepracticesand liveaccording to theexperiencesthey havegained. We
can find such peoplein both theEast and theWest. Thebasic natureof
all human beingsisthesame.
Qu e s t i o n. L a t el y, many Americanshavebecomedependent on anti-depres-
sant drugs. To someit isaseriousmedical concern but to othersit may be
just an easy way out. What isYour Ho l i n esssopinion on thisquestion?
PROLOGUE XIII
strength, wecan faceproblemson thefamilial, societal and even global
levelsin a morerealistic way. Non-violencedoesnot mean passivity. We
need to solve problems through dialogue in a spirit of reconciliation.
Thisisthereal meaning of non-violenceand thesourceof world peace.
This approach can also be very useful in ecology. We always hear
about a better environment, world peace, non-violenceand so forth, but
such goals are not achieved through the application of regulations or
United Nationsresolutions; it takesindividual transformation. Oncewe
have developed a peaceful society in which problems are negotiated
through dialogue, we can seriously think about demilitarizationfirst
on thenational level; then on theregional level; and finally, on theglob-
al level. However, it will bevery difficult to achievethesethingsunless
individualsthemselvesundergo a changewithin their own minds.
QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD
Question. What can Americansdo to counteract theviolencethat isso
prevalent in our society?
His Ho l i n e s s. I think I just answered that! Ot h erwise, I have no special
a n swer to your question. However, transforming our mental attitudeisour
main task. How can weaccomplish that?How can wecarry that work into
thefamily and school?Here, education isessential. Not through prayer or
religiousmeditation and so forth but through proper education. Theva r i-
ouslevelsof educational institution haveavery important roleto play in
thepromotion of thehuman spirit in theform of secular ethics. Im not an
ed u c a t o r, but peopleneed to talk moreseriously about how to improveand
expand theeducational curriculum to makeit morecomplete. Themedia
can also play an important role in the promotion of human va l u es.
Ot h erwise, Im not surewhat can bedone.
XII ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT
His Holiness. AsI mentioned earlier, if you arecalm and peaceful during
the day, your dreams will also be calm and peaceful. By extension, if
your day-to-day lifeispeaceful and friendly, so too will beyour death.
Thatsthebest preparation for a peaceful death. If your lifeisfilled with
cruelty, fear and hatred, you will find it very difficult to diein peace.
Asa Buddhist monk, I believethat thereisa next life. TheBuddhist
practiceof tantra, in particular, containsmany uniquepreparationsfor
death and it isvery important for practitionersto familiarizeourselves
with them so that we can actualize these practices when we die.
Therefore, in my daily practice, I meditateon my own death and rebirth
repeatedly. This is supposed to prepare me for death, but Im still not
surewhether or not Ill beequipped to handleit when it actually comes.
SometimesI feel that when it does, I might start getting excited about
whether or not Ill beableto implement thesepracticeseffectively.
Question. Now that Communism hasbeen discredited, how can wecon-
trol thegrowing gap between rich and poor?
His Holiness. Thisisa really important question. Everybody can seethat
on theglobal level thereisa hugegap between therich nationsand the
poor; we find a similar divide within individual countries as well. In
America, for example, thenumber of billionairesisincreasing, whilethe
poor remain poor and in somecasesget even poorer. Just theother day,
I met an old friend who told me about the work she is doing in
Washington DC. Shesaid that theliving conditionsof someof thefam-
ilies she has visited are so desperate that they are unsuitable for any
human being to livein. Whileshewasexplaining her experiences, she
began to cry, and I also felt very moved.
This is not only morally wrong but also impractical. We have to
think seriously about how to reducethisproblem. Iveheard that a num-
ber of affluent families are now willing to share some of their wealth.
PROLOGUE XV
H i s H o l i n e s s. When wetalk about medication such as anti-depressa n t
d rugs, of coursethere are different conditions. In some cases, depres-
sion may be caused by physiological or biologi cal conditions due to
imbalances within the body. Under such circumstances, usi ng an
a n t i - d ep ressant drug can actually help thei ndividual and is an effec-
t i ve way of handli ng that medical problem. However, there may be
other instances wherethe mental di stress or depression does not have
a biological basis but comes from psychological factors. It i s then
m o reeffective to rely on internal methodssuch as mind training or
m ed i t a t i o n .
Asto thequestion of peopleusing anti-depressant drugssimply asa
way of gaining somekind of relaxation or somekind of easy way out,
thats clearly an abuse of the substance. The relief that individuals get
from using drugsin thisway isonly temporary. Whilethedrug retains
itspotency in thebody, theperson remainsin a pleasurablestate, but the
moment it losesitspotency, theperson isback to whereheor shewas
before. Therefore, it is more effective to rely on internal techniques.
With these, you can later recall therelief you gained asa result of your
meditation and therelief itself will last longer.
Qu e s t i o n. How would you recommend that Americans practice
Buddhism if they feel called to it, without adopting theTibetan culture
aswell?
His Holiness. This is definitely possible. There is nothing uniquely
Tibetan about the Four Noble Truths, for example. Fundamentally,
thereisno particular referenceto Tibetan or Indian culturein Tibetan
Buddhism. It isnot about East or West.
Question. At themoment of death, how can a layperson remain in peace
instead of fear?
XIV ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT
themodern economy, therearebasically none. Moreover, information
technology and tourism areturning theworld into a singlehuman com-
munity. Therefore, theconcept of independencehaslessmeaning these
days.
Things are highly interdependent. The very concepts of we and
they arebecoming irrelevant. War isout of datebecauseour neighbors
arepart of ourselves. Weseethisin economic, educational and environ-
mental issues. Although we may have some ideological differences or
other conflictswith our neighbor, economically and environmentally we
share essentially the same country, and destroying our neighbor is
destroying ourselves. Itsfoolish.
TakeKosovo, for example. Americasmilitary campaign wasseen as
some kind of liberation on humanitarian grounds entailing the use of
limited force. Perhapsthemotivation wasgood and thegoal also justi-
fied, but becauseof theuseof violence, instead of hatred being reduced,
in somecasesit might haveincreased. Right from thebeginning, I per-
sonally had reservationsabout theuseof forcein that situation, despite
thepositivemotivation and goal. Basically, violenceisobsolete.
In thecaseof Tibet, whether welikeit or not, wehaveto liveside
by side with our Chinese brothers and sisters. Tibetans have had rela-
tionswith China for almost two thousand years. Sometimesthey have
been happy; sometimesnot. Right now weregoing through an unhap-
py period, but regardlessof this, westill haveto livetogether asneigh-
bors. Therefore, in order to live peacefully, harmoniously and with
friendship in future, it isextremely important that whilecarrying on our
strugglefor freedom, weavoid using violence. Thisismy fundamental
belief.
Another thing is that to find a solution to the problems between
China and Tibet, thesupport of theChinesepublic isessential. Thereis
growing support and solidarity for theTibetan cause among Chinese
people and this is very encouraging. But if we resort to violence and
PROLOGUE XVII
Last year, somefriendsin Chicago told methat someof thewealthier
familiesnow havemorecourageto share. Thisisgood news; themore
wedevelop thiscompassionateattitude, themorewecan diminish the
gap between rich and poor.
On a global level, however, I feel that theinitiativemust comefrom
thepoorer countries, largely through education. During recent visitsto
South Africa and other African countries, I found a great dividebetween
the elite and the masses and that many poor people lacked self-confi-
dence. It isvery important for thepoor to makean effort to transform
their mental attitudethrough education. Thewealthy can assist them in
thisby providing educational and training facilitiesand equipment.
This, then, leads us to the question of population. There are now
morethan six billion human beingson thisplanet. Thisisan extremely
seriousmatter. If wetry to raisethestandard of living of thepoor and
undeveloped countriesto that of countriesin theNorthern hemisphere,
itsquestionablewhether theworldsnatural resourceswill besufficient
for everybody. Problemssuch asthisarecaused by a lack of awareness
and a failureto usehuman intelligenceproperly. All countries, but poor
onesin particular, tend to look only at immediateproblemsinstead of
thinking long-term. Nevertheless, through education, solutions will
eventually befound.
Question. Your Holiness, with so many warsbeing declared in thename
of religion, can you explain why Tibet has not taken a more violent
approach towardsattaining freedom?
His Ho l i n e s s . First, I believethat humansarebasically kind and gentleand
that theuseof violencegoesagainst our fundamental nature. Second, it is
difficult to find in human history examplesof military solutionsleading
to lasting resolution of whatever the problem was. Fu rt h er m o re, these
days, national boundariesarebecoming lessimportant; for example, in
XVI ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT
I went to sleep around 5:30 p.m. and wokeup thenext morning around
4:30 a.m.I slept morethan eleven hours. I found it very useful. So, if
I do takea vacation, Ill havea ten-hour sleep. Then, of course, in my
daily life, meditation isalso a method for relaxation. In meditation, we
think about and analyzelife, mind and self. If your analytical meditation
goeswell, you feel relaxed; if it doesnt, you just get moretired.
Question. What singleaction can each of ustaketo demonstrateuniver-
sal responsibility?
His Holiness. Onething that weall can do asindividualsisto ensurethat
our concernsfor theenvironment becomea part of our lives. I myself
never takea bath; just a shower. Bathswastea lot of water; in many parts
of theworld, theresa seriousshortageof drinking water. Itsalso impor-
tant to conserveelectricity. Whenever I leave a room, I switch off the
light. This has become so much a part of my life that I do it without
consciousthought. Such actionsarepart of my own small contribution
to theenvironment.
PROLOGUE XIX
causeChinesepeopleto shed blood, even thoseChinesewho intellectu-
ally recognize that Tibets struggle is just and that theTibetan people
havereally suffered during theso-called peaceful liberation of Tibet will
withdraw their support because their own brothers and sisters are suf-
fering. Therefore, it isextremely important that throughout our strug-
glewecontinueto rely on non-violent means.
Question. How doessomeonemaintain a spiritual diet or spiritual nour-
ishment in such a busy world?Istherea very quick and simplemantra
onecan say when first arising or something to focuson during theday
to feel calm?
His Holiness. You can do thisthrough training your mind. Start by get-
ting up early in the morning. The late Thomas Merton, a Trappist
monk, got up at 2:30 in the morning and went to bed at 7:30 in the
evening. My schedulebeginsonehour later; I get up at 3:30 and go to
bed at 8:30. So, you need to be able to sacrifice staying up late and
nightclubbing. If you really enjoy that, maybe you can do it once a
month.
Then, getting up early, examine your daily life and some of the
pointsthat I havealready mentioned. Examineand analyze. Thisisthe
proper way; I dont know any simpler method. Furthermore, Im very
skeptical of thosewho claim that problemscan besolved just by closing
your eyes. Problemscan besolved only through developing your mental
attitudeproperly, which takestimeand effort.
Question. You spend every moment dedicated to others. If you could
takea vacation for yourself alone, what would you do?
His Holiness. I would have a long sleep! The other day, I arrived in
Washington DC from India. I tsa very long flight and I wasexhausted.
XVIII ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT
1
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
S
TUDYING THESE TEACHINGS is a bit like doing construction work
upon our mind. Thiskind of work isnot alwayseasy, but someof
its aspects make it less difficult. For example, we dont need money,
laborers, technicians or technology. Everything we require is already
there, within our mind. Therefore, with the right kind of effort and
awareness, mental development can beeasy.
I sometimesfeel a littlehesitant about giving Buddhist teachingsin
the West, because I think that it is better and safer for people to stay
within their own religious tradition. But out of the millions of people
who livein theWest, naturally therewill besomewho find theBuddhist
approach more effective or suitable. Even among Tibetans, there are
those who practice Islam instead of Buddhism. If you do adopt
Buddhism asyour religion, however, you must still maintain an appre-
ciation for the other major religious traditions. Even if they no longer
work for you, millions of other people have received immense benefit
from them in thepast and continueto do so. Therefore, it isimportant
for you to respect them.
Theteachingswearestudying herearebased on two texts: A Lamp for
the Path to Enlightenment [Tib: Jang-chub lam-gyi drn-ma] by the
Indian master, Atisha Dipamkara Shrijnana,
1
and Lines of Experience
[Tib: Lam-rim nyam-gur or Lam-rim nyam-len dor-du ], by Lama Tsong
Khapa.
It isalso traditional at thebeginning of a teaching to reciteversesmak-
ing salutationsto theBuddha, such asthosethat appear in Nagarjunas
text, Fundamentals of the Middle Way. At the conclusion of this text,
thereisa versethat states, I salutetheBuddha who revealed thepath
that pacifiesall suffering. TheBuddha presented thepath that pacifies
all suffering in thefollowing way.
Since thesufferings we all wish to avoid result from fundamentally
mistaken waysof viewing theworld, theway weeliminatethem isby cul-
t i vating acorrect understanding of thenatureof rea l i t y. T h eref o re, in this
verse, NagarjunasalutestheBuddha for revealing thepath that showsus
h ow to cultivatea correct understanding of thenatureof rea l i t y.
THE PURPOSE OF DHARMA PRACTICE
What isthepurposeof theDharma?Just likeother spiritual traditions,
Buddhadharma isan instrument for training themindsomething we
useto try to work out theproblemsthat weall experience; problemsthat
originate mainly at the mental level. Negative emotional forces create
mental unrest, such asunhappiness, fear, doubt, frustration and so forth;
thesenegativemental statesthen causeusto engagein negativeactivi-
ties, which in turn bring us more problems and more suffering.
Practicing Dharma is a way of working out these problems, be they
long-term or immediate. In other words, Dharma protects us from
unwanted suffering.
Buddhadharmameansbringing disciplineand inner tranquility into
our mind. T h eref o re, when we talk about transforming our mind and
d eveloping inner qualities, the only way we can do thisis to utilize the
mind itself. T h ereisnothing elsewecan useto bring about such change.
Thus, we should realize that much of what we do not desire
unwanted events, unhappinessand sufferingactually comesabout asa
result of our mistaken way of viewing the world and our destructive
GENERAL INTRODUCTION 3
Theskillful and compassionateShakyamuni Buddha taught diverse
typesof Buddhadharma within a collection of 84,000 scripturesfor the
diversemental dispositionsand spiritual inclinationsof hislisteners. The
essence of all these teachings is presented in such excellent treatises as
AtishasLamp for the Path, which presentsthesystematic approach of an
individual on thepath to enlightenment.
With thisasa basis, Lama Tsong Khapa composed threeversionsof
lam-rim texts: an extensiveversion known astheGreat Exposition of the
Path to Enlightenment;
2
a medium-length version known astheMiddling
Exposition of the Stages of the Path; and thetext wearestudying here, the
Short Exposition of the Stages of the Path, which is also called Lines of
Experience or Songs of Spiritual Experience.
Although I am theoneexplaining thetextswell bestudying here,
you dont necessarily have to see me as your spiritual teacher. Instead,
you can takemy explanationsto heart by relating to memoreasa spir-
itual friend or colleague. Furthermore, dont simply believe what I say
without question, but useit asa basisfor personal reflection and, in that
way, develop your understanding of theDharma.
W h en ever we engage in teaching, studying or listening to the
Buddhadharma, it is very important to ensure that weadopt thecorrec t
m o t i vation and attitudewithin our heartsand minds. Wedo thisby taking
refugein theT h reeJewels(Buddha, Dharmaand Sangha) and rea ffirming
our generation of the mind of enlightenment (the altruistic intention)
through reciting thefollowing versethreetimes:
I takerefugeuntil I am enlightened
In theBuddha, theDharma and theSangha.
By thepositivepotential I generate
Through studying theseteachings,
May I attain buddhahood for thebenefit of all.
2 ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT
doesnot changemotivation. It takeseffort. If wemakethiseffort wise-
ly, wewill attain a positive, desirableresult, but unwiseeffort isakin to
self-torture. Therefore, weneed to know how to act.
This issue of making a wise use of effort is very important. For
example, even external development, such as the construction of a
building, requiresa tremendousamount of diligenceand care. You need
to take into account its exact location, the suitability of the environ-
ment, the climate and so forth. Having taken all those factors into
account, you can then build a reliableand appropriatestructure.
Similarly, when you makean effort in therealm of mental experi-
ence, it isimportant to first havea basic understanding of thenatureof
mind, thoughtsand emotions, and also to takeinto account thecom-
plexity of thehuman physiological condition and how it interfaceswith
thesurrounding environment.
Therefore, it is important for you to have a wide, comprehensive
knowledgeof thingsso that you dont exert all your effort blindly pur-
suing your goal on thebasisof a singlepoint. Thatsnot theway of the
intelligent, theway of thewise. Theway of thewiseisto exert effort on
thebasisof much wider knowledge.
In theTibetan Buddhist tradition, therearemorethan onehundred
volumes of Kangyursutras attributed to the Buddha himselfand
morethan two hundred volumesof Tengyurthecollection of author-
itativecommentarieswritten by such Indian mastersasNagarjuna and
Asanga. If you wereto distill themeaning of all of thesesutrasand their
commentaries and incorporate them into your practice, you would
maketremendousstridesin termsof realization and spiritual progress,
but if you treat all thisgreat literaturesimply asan object of veneration
and seek instead somesmaller text on which to baseyour practice, then
although you will receivesomebenefit, your spiritual progresswill not
bethat great.
thoughts and emotions. These negative minds create both immediate
unhappinessand futuresuffering aswell.
Underlying all of thisisa fundamental ignorance, a fundamentally
flawed way of perceiving reality. In Buddhism, thisiscalled self-grasp-
ing, or grasping at self-existence. Since this is the case, the way to
eliminatenegativeaspectsof mind and thesuffering they createisto see
through thedelusion of thesemental processesand cultivatetheir oppo-
nentthe wisdom that is correct insight into the ultimate nature of
reality. Through cultivating thisinsight and applying it asan antidote,
wewill beableto dispel thesuffering and undesirableeventsin our lives.
To succeed in this, we must first recognize what the negative and
positive aspects of mind are and be able to distinguish between them.
Oncewedevelop a clear understanding of thenegativeaspectsof mind
and their destructivepotential, thewish to distanceourselvesfrom them
will arisenaturally within us. Similarly, when werecognizethepositive
aspects of mind and their potential benefit, we will naturally aspire to
gain and enhancethesemental qualities. Such transformation of mind
cannot beimposed on usfrom theoutsidebut happensonly on thebasis
of voluntary acceptanceand great enthusiasm inspired by a clear aware-
nessof thebenefitsto begained.
Time is always moving, minute-by-minute and second-by-second. As
time moves on, so do our lives. Nobody can stop this movement.
However, onething isin our own hands, and that iswhether or not we
waste the time that we have; whether we use it in a negative way or a
constructiveway. Thepassageof timethrough which weliveour livesis
thesamefor all of usand thereisalso a basic equality between thoseof
uswho area part of thistime. Thedifferenceliesin our stateof mind
and motivation.
Proper motivation doesnot comeabout simply by our being aware
that onekind of motivation isright and another wrong. Awarenessalone
destructiveemotionsand thosethat areconstructive.
TheTibetan term for Dharma isch, which hastheliteral connota-
tion of changing, or bringing about transformation. When wetalk
about transforming themind, wearereferring to thetask of diminish-
ing theforceof destructivethoughtsand emotionswhiledeveloping the
forceof thosethat areconstructiveand beneficial. In thisway, through
thepracticeof Dharma, wetransform our undisciplined mind into one
that isdisciplined.
THE BASISFOR TRANSFORMATION
How do weknow that it ispossibleto transform our mind?T h erearetwo
basesfor this. Oneisthefundamental law of impermanence; that all things
and eventsaresubject to transformation and change. If weexaminethis
m o redeeply, wewill rea l i zethat at every instant, everythingthat existsis
going through aprocessof change. Even though, for example, wespeak of
yest erd a ysperson asexisting unchanged today, weareall awareat agro ss,
experiential level of thelawsof impermanence; that, for instance, even the
ea rth on which welivewill oneday cometo an end.
If things and events did not have the nature of changing from
moment to moment, we would be unable to explain how transforma-
tion takesplaceover time. When wereducevast passagesof timedown
to very brief ones, wecan realizethat thingsareactually changing from
moment to moment. Modern technology helps us see some of these
changes; thedevelopment of a biological organism, for example, can be
observed through a microscope. Also, at a subtletheoretical level, certain
observationsindicatetheextremely dynamic natureof physical reality. It
is this fundamental law of natureimpermanencethat creates the
potential for our own change, development and progress.
Thistransient and impermanent natureof reality isnot to beunder-
stood in termsof something coming into being, remaining for a while
INTELLECTUAL AND EXPERIENTIAL UNDERSTANDING
It is important to be able to differentiate between two levels of under-
standing. One isthesuperficial, intellectual level, whereon thebasisof
reading, studying or listening to teachings, wedistinguish between nega-
t i veand positivequalitiesof mind and rec o g n i zetheir natureand origin.
Theother isthedeeper, experiential level, whereweactually cultivateand
generatepositivequalitieswithin ourselves.
Although it can be challenging to develop an intellectual under-
standing of certain topics, it isgenerally easier becauseit can becultiva t ed
m erely by reading texts or listening to teachings. Experiential under-
standing isfar moredifficult to devel o p, sinceit comesabout only as
a result of sustained practice. At the experiential level, your under-
standing is also accompanied by a strong component of feeling; yo u r
understanding is essentially a felt experience.
Becauseexperiential understanding isthusaccompanied by power-
ful emotions, you can seethat although many emotionsaredestructive,
therearepositiveemotional statesaswell. Actually, human beingscould
not survive without emotion. Emotion is an integral part of being
human; without it, there would be no basis for life. However, wealso
know that many of our problemsand conflictsareentangled with strong
emotions. When certain emotions arise within our hearts and minds,
they create an immediate disturbance, which isnt only temporary but
can lead to negativelong-term consequences, especially when weinter-
act with other people. These negative emotions can also damage our
physical health.
When other typesof emotion arise, however, they immediately induce
asenseof strength and courage, creating a morepositiveatmospherein gen-
eral and leading to positivelong-term consequences, including our health.
Putting asidethequestion of spiritual practicefor themoment, wecan see
that even from the perspective of mundane day-to-day life, there are
ness and light and so forth are opposing forcesenhancing one auto-
matically diminishestheother. In somecasesthisisa gradual process, in
others, instantaneous. For instance, when you switch on a light, dark-
nessin a room isimmediately dispelled.
If you look at the mental world of thoughts and emotions in the
sameway, you will again find many opposing forces, such that when you
encourageand develop certain typesof emotions, thosethat contradict
them automatically diminish in intensity. Thisnatural fact of our con-
sciousness, where opposite forces contradict one another, provides
another premisefor thepossibility of changeand transformation.
When wetaketwo typesof thought or emotion that directly oppose
oneanother, thequestion arises, which reflectsthetruestateof affairs
and which is a false way of relating to the world?The answer is that
thosethoughtsand emotionsthat arestrongly grounded in experience
and reason aretheoneswith truth on their side, whereasthosethat are
contrary to theway thingsexist, no matter how powerful they may be
at any given time, areactually unstable. Sincethey lack valid grounding
in experienceand reason, they do not havea firm foundation.
Also, if wetaketwo kindsof emotion that directly opposeoneother
and examinethem to seewhat distinguishesonefrom theother, anoth-
er featurewenoticeisthat they differ in their long-term effects.
Therearecertain typesof emotion that giveustemporary relief or
satisfaction, but when we examine them with our faculty of intelli-
gencethe insight that enables us to judge between long- and short-
term benefitsand shortcomingswefind that in thelong run they are
destructiveand harmful; they cannot besupported by reason or insight.
The moment the light of intelligence shines on destructive emotions,
they no longer haveany support.
Thereareother typesof emotion, however, that may seem a bit dis-
turbing at thetimebut actually havelong-term benefits, and are, there-
fore, reinforced by reason and insight, supported by intelligence.
and then ceasing to exist. That isnot themeaning of impermanenceat
thesubtlelevel. Subtleimpermanencerefersto thefact that themoment
thingsand eventscomeinto existence, they arealready impermanent in
nature; the moment they arise, the process of their disintegration has
already begun. When something comesinto being from itscausesand
conditions, theseed of itscessation isborn along with it. It isnot that
something comesinto being and then a third factor or condition causes
its disintegration. That is not how to understand impermanence.
Impermanencemeansthat assoon assomething comesinto being, it has
already started to decay.
If you limit your understanding of impermanence to somethings
continuum, you will comprehend only gross impermanence. You will
feel that when certain causes and conditions give rise to something, it
remains unchanged as long as the factors that sustain its existence
remain unchanged, and beginsto disintegrateonly when it encounters
adversecircumstances. Thisisgrossimpermanence.
If, however, you deepen your understanding of impermanence by
approaching it at the subtle levelthe moment-to-moment change
undergone by all phenomenayou will realize how as soon as some-
thing comesinto being, itscessation hasalso begun.
At first you might feel that coming into being and coming to cessation
a recontradictory processes, but when you deepen your understanding of
impermanence, you will rea l i zethat coming into being (birth) and cessa-
tion (death) are, in a sense, simultaneous. Thus, thefundamental law of
impermanence(thetransitory natureof all phenomena) givesusonebasis
for thepossibility of transforming our minds.
The second premise for the possibility of transforming our minds is
again one that we can perceive in the reality of the external physical
world, whereweseethat certain thingsarein conflict with others. We
can call thisthelaw of contradiction. For example, heat and cold, dark-
You cannot maintain a point of view simply because you like it or
because it accords with your preset metaphysical or emotional preju-
dices. If your view of reality is based simply on fantasy or conjecture,
therewill beno possibility of your being ableto cultivatethat view to
an infinitelevel.
When you areengaged in theBuddhist path of theexploration of
thenatureof reality, thereareprincipally two facultiesat work in your
mind. Oneisthefaculty of investigation, which subjectsreality to analy-
sis. In Buddhist language this is described as wisdom, or insight.
Then thereisthefaculty of method, or skillful means, which isthe
faculty that allowsyou to deepen your courageand toleranceand gen-
eratesthepowerful motivational forcethat sustainsyou in your spiritu-
al quest.
Question. Your Holiness, you said that all phenomena are subject to
impermanence. Isthepure, unobstructed natureof mind also subject to
impermanence?Doesthisnatureof mind havea birth and a death?
His Holiness. When we speak about the nature of mind in a Buddhist
context, wehaveto understand that it can beunderstood on two differ-
ent levelsthe ultimate level of reality, where the nature of mind is
understood in termsof itsemptinessof inherent existence, and therel-
ative, or conventional, level, which refers to the mere quality of lumi-
nosity, knowing and experience.
If your question relatesto themindsconventional nature, then just
asthemind itself goesthrough a processof changeand flux, so doesthe
nature of mind. This already indicates that the nature of mind is an
impermanent phenomenon. However, if you are asking about the
mindsemptiness, then weneed to consider that even though theminds
emptinessisnot a transient phenomenonthat is, not subject to caus-
esand conditionsit cannot beposited independent of a given object.
Therefore, positiveemotionsareultimately morepowerful than negative
onesbecausetheir potential for development isgreater.
These two premisesthe laws of impermanence and contradic-
tionallow us to see the possibility of bringing about transformation
within ourselves.
INVESTIGATINGTHE NATUREOF REALITY
All this suggests the importance of having a deeper knowledge of the
natureof themind and itsvariousaspectsand functionsin general, and
thenatureand complexity of emotion in particular. Also, sincewereal-
izethat many of our problemsarisefrom a fundamentally flawed way of
perceiving and relating to theworld, it becomesimportant for usto be
able to examine whether or not our perception accords with the true
natureof reality. Understanding thetruenatureof reality iscrucial, asit
isour perception of reality that liesat theheart of how werelateto the
world. However, reality heremeansnot just theimmediatefactsof our
experience and environment but the entire expanse of reality, because
many of our thoughts and emotions arise not only as a result of the
immediatephysical environment but also out of abstract ideas.
Therefore, in theBuddhasteaching, wefind a great deal of discus-
sion on thenatureof reality in termsof theeighteen constituents, the
twelvesources, thefiveaggregatesand so forth
3
and how it relatesto the
practitionersquest for enlightenment. If theBuddhist path weresimply
a matter of faith and cultivating deep devotion to the Buddha, there
would havebeen no need for him to explain thenatureof reality in such
technical and complex terms. From thisperspective, then, theBuddhas
teaching can bedescribed asan exploration of thenatureof reality.
Just asscientific disciplinesplacetremendousemphasison theneed
for objectivity on thepart of thescientist, Buddhism also emphasizesthe
importanceof examining thenatureof reality from an objectivestance.
2
FEATURESOF THE LAM-RIM TEACHINGS
AtishasLamp for the Path to Enlightenment
In termsof thelineageof theteachingsof thetwo textswewill befol-
lowing here, I first received the transmission of Lama Tsong Khapas
text, Lines of Experience, from Tathag Rinpocheat a very early age, and
later from my most venerable tutors, the late Kyabje Ling Rinpoche,
who wasalso themaster for my full ordination asa monk, and thelate
KyabjeTrijang Rinpoche.
Thetransmission of At i sh astext, A Lamp for the Path to En l i g h t e n m e n t,
was quite hard to find at one point, but I received it from my late
t ea c h er, Rigzin Tenpa, who may have rec ei ved the lineage fro m
Khangsar DorjeChang. Later I received a teaching on it from thelate
Serkong Tsenshab Rinpoche, who gavethetransmission in conjunction
with Panchen Losang Chgyens commentary, which he was able to
present almost exclusively by heart.
Lamp for the Path: Verse1
Homageto thebodhisattva, theyouthful Manjushri.
I pay homagewith great respect
To theconquerorsof thethreetimes,
To their teaching and to thosewho aspireto virtue.
In other words, the emptiness of mind cannot exist independently of
mind itself. Theemptinessof mind isnothing other than itsutter lack
of intrinsic, or inherent, existence. Therefore, asdifferent statesof mind
comeand go, new instancesof theemptinessof mind also occur.
chen-po, great enlightenment, is an epithet for the Buddhasenlight -
ened state. Thetitle, A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment, suggeststhat
thistext presentsthemethod, or process, by which wecan actualizethis
stateof enlightenment.
When wespeak about enlightenment and thepath leading to it, we
are naturally speaking about a quality, or state, of mind. In the final
analysis, enlightenment isnothing other than a perfected stateof mind.
Enlightenment should not beunderstood assomekind of physical loca-
tion or rank or statusthat isconferred upon us. It isthestateof mind
whereall negativitiesand limitationshavebeen purified, and all poten-
tialsof positivequalitiesfully perfected and realized.
Since the ultimate objective is a state of mind, the methods and
pathsby which it isattained must also bestatesof mind. Enlightenment
cannot beattained by external means, only through an internal process.
Aswedevelop and improveour statesof mind, our knowledge, wisdom
and realization gradually increase, culminating in our attainment of
enlightenment.
The metaphor of the lamp is used because just as a lamp dispels
darkness, the teachings in this text dispel the darkness of misunder-
standing with respect to thepath to enlightenment. Just asa lamp illu-
minateswhatever objectsliein itssphere, thistext shinesa light on all
the various elements and subtle points of the path leading to full
enlightenment.
THE OBJECTSOF SALUTATION
The objects of salutation in this versethe conquerors of the three
timesaretheThreeJewelsof Refuge. It isimportant to pay homage
to theBuddha not asjust somenobleobject but in termsof themean-
ing of jang-chub. TheSanskrit term for jang-chub isbodhi, which con-
veysa senseof awakeninga statewhereall knowledgeand realization
FEATURESOF THE LAM-RIM TEACHINGS 15
Urged by thegood discipleJangchub ,
I shall illuminatethelamp
For thepath to enlightenment.
The line, Homage to the bodhisattva, the youthful Manjushri, is a
salutation written by the translator who originally translated this text
from Sanskrit into Tibetan. At theend of thefirst verse, theauthor states
hisintention for composing thistext.
A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment wascomposed in Tibet by the
Indian master, Atisha Dipamkara Shrijnana. During the reign of the
Ngari kingsLhalama Yeshe and hisnephew Jangchub , tremendous
efforts were made to invite Atisha from India to Tibet. As a result of
these efforts, Lhalama Yeshe wasimprisoned by a neighboring anti-
Buddhist king and actually lost hislife, but Jangchub persevered and
was finally successful. When Atisha arrived in Tibet, Jangchub
requested him to givea teaching that would bebeneficial to theentire
Tibetan population. In response, therefore, Atisha wroteA Lamp for the
Path, which makesit a uniquetext, becausealthough it waswritten by
an Indian master, it wascomposed in Tibet specifically for Tibetans.
THE MEANING OF THE TITLE
Thetitle, A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment hasprofound meaning.
TheTibetan term for enlightenment is jang-chub, the two syllables of
which refer to thetwo aspectsof theBuddhasenlightened qualities. Jang
connotes the enlightened quality of having overcome all obstructions,
negativities and limitations. Chub literally means embodiment of all
knowledge and connotes the quality of Buddhas realization and wis-
dom. Therefore, jang-chub means the Buddhas enlightened quality of
having abandoned and overcomeall negativitiesand limitations(purity)
combined with theperfection of all knowledge(realization). Jang-chub
whereas grounding, experience and reasoning support the understand-
ing of emptiness. Thus we will come to understand that this highest
antidotethe wisdom of emptinesscan be developed and enhanced
to its fullest potential. This is the understanding of natural nirvana,
which makespossibletheattainment of theother nirvanas.
What is this natural nirvana that serves as the basis for attaining
such purity and perfection?On what groundsdo weknow that such an
ultimate nature of reality exists?We can answer these questions from
everyday experience. Weareall awareof thefundamental fact that there
is often a gap between the way we perceive things and the way things
really are. Thisdisparity between our perception of reality and theactu-
al stateof affairsleadsto all kindsof problemsand confusion. However,
wealso know that our perception sometimesdoes correspond to reality
accurately.
If wego further, wewill seethat therearetwo levelsof reality. At
one levelthat of conventional, or relative, realityworldly conven-
tions operate and our perception and understanding of things and
eventsisbased purely upon theway that thingsappear to us. However,
when wequestion theultimatestatusof thingsand eventsand theway
that they really exist, weenter another realm, or levelthat of ultimate
reality.
THE TWO TRUTHS
Buddhism discusses what are known as the two truths the truths of
conventional and ultimatereality. Theconcept of two levelsof reality is
not uniqueto Buddhism. It isa common epistemological approach in
many of the ancient Indian schools. Followers of the non-Buddhist
Samkhya school, for example, explain reality in termsof twenty-fivecat-
egoriesof phenomena.
4
Theself [Skt: purusha Tib: kye-bu] and thepri-
mal substance [Skt: prakriti; Tib: rang-zhin] are said to be ultimate
havebeen perfected. Therefore, when explaining themeaning of awak-
ening, or enlightenment, wecan speak about both theprocessby which
thisawakening takesplaceand thestateto which awakening bringsus;
in other words, themeansand thefruition.
When weunderstand enlightenment asa resultant state, wearepri-
marily referring to theenlightened quality of puritytheperfected state
whereall negativitiesand limitationshavebeen purified. Thereisanoth-
er aspect to this purity, which is the primordially pure nature of the
enlightened state. The reason why enlightenment is a perfected state
whereall obscurationshavebeen purified isbecausenatural purity isits
fundamental basis.
When we understand enlightenment asa process, or instrument, by
which awakening isexperienced, wearereferring to theBu d d h asenlight-
ened quality of wisdom. Thisisthed h a rm a k a y a, thebuddha-body of rea l-
i t y, thewisdom body, or wisdom embodiment, of theBuddha, and it
isthiswisdom that bringsabout theperfection and purification.
Thuswecan understand thesignificanceof theexplanationsof the
different types of nirvana in the scriptures. For example, we speak of
natural nirvana, nirvana with residue, nirvana without residue,
and non-abiding nirvana. Natural nirvana refersto thefundamentally
pure nature of reality, where all things and events are devoid of any
inherent, intrinsic or independent reality. This is the fundamental
ground. It is our misconception of this fundamental reality that gives
riseto all thedelusionsand their derivativethoughtsand emotions.
No matter how powerful thefalseperceptionsof reality may beat
any given time, if wesubject them to scrutiny wewill find that they have
no grounding in reason or experience. On theother hand, themorewe
cultivatethecorrect understanding of emptinessasthenatureof reality
(and relatethisunderstanding to actual reality), themorewewill beable
to affirm and develop it, because it is a correct way of perceiving the
world. Flawed perceptions lack grounding, experience and reasoning,
degreeof permanence, at least from thepoint of view of their continu-
um. Examples of this include the continuity of consciousness and the
mindsessential natureof luminosity and clarity. Thereisnothing that
can threaten the continuity of consciousness or the essential nature of
mind. Then there are certain types of experiences and events in the
world that appear evident at a particular point but cease to exist after
contact with opposing forces; such phenomena can beunderstood to be
adventitious, or circumstantial. It ison thebasisof thesetwo categories
of phenomena that theteachingsof theFour NobleTruths, such asthe
truthsof suffering and itsorigin, becomerelevant.
When wefurther examinethisdynamic, complex and diverseworld
that weexperience, wefind that phenomena can also becategorized in
threeways:
1. Theworld of matter.
2. Theworld of consciousness, or subjectiveexperience.
3. Theworld of abstract entities.
First, there is the world of physical rea l i t y, which we can experience
t h rough our senses; that is, tangibleobjectsthat havematerial pro p erties.
Second, there is the category of phenomena that are purely of the
natureof subjectiveexperience, such asour perception of theworld. As
I mentioned earlier, weareoften confronted by a gap between theway
weperceivethingsand theway they really are. Sometimesweknow that
thereisa correspondence; sometimesweknow thereisa disparity. This
pointstowardsa subjectivequality that all sentient beingspossess. This
is the world of experience, such as the feeling dimension of pain and
pleasure.
T h i rd, therearephenomena that areabstract in nature, such asour
concept of time, including past, present and future, and even our concepts
of years, monthsand days. Theseand other abstract ideascan beunder-
stood only in relation to someconcretereality such asphysical entities.
truths, while the remaining twenty-three categories of phenomena are
said to be manifestations, or expressions, of this underlying reality.
However, what i s unique in Mahayana, particularly in the
Madhyamaka, or MiddleWay, School, isthat conventional and ultimate
truthsarenot seen astwo unrelated, independent entitiesbut asdiffer-
ent perspectivesof oneand thesameworld.
Ac c o rding to the Middle Way School of Buddhism, the ultimate
t ruth, or theultimatenatureof rea l i t y, istheemptinessof all thingsand
events. In trying to understand themeaning of thisemptiness, wecan turn
to theteachingsof theIndian master, Nagarjuna, who brought together
all thevariousunderstandingsof emptinessinto thesinglestatement that
emptinessmust beunderstood in termsof dependent origination.
When wetalk about emptiness, what wearenegating or denying is
the possibility of things or events having inherent existence. This sug-
geststhat all thingsand eventscomeinto being purely asa result of the
gathering of causesand conditions, regardlessof how complex thenexus
of thesecausesand conditionsmay be. It iswithin thisnexusof causes
and conditionsthat wecan understand thecomplexity and multiplicity
of theworld of experience.
T h ereisgreat diversity in theeveryday world of experience, including
our own immediately rel evant experiencesof pain and pleasure. Even pain
and pleasure are not independently existent real experiences; they also
comeinto being asa result of causesor conditions. No thing or event pos-
sessesthereality of independenceand is, theref o re, thoroughly contingent,
or dependent. Thevery existenceof all phenomena dependsupon other
factors. It isthisabsenceof independent statusthat isthemeaning behind
termssuch asem p t i n ess and theemptinessof inherent existence.
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
If weexaminethenatureof reality moredeeply, wewill find that with-
in this complex world, there are things and events that have a certain
attainedisitscause. Therefore, thelast two truthsrelateto thecausal
processof happiness.
THE THREE JEWELS: BUDDHA, DHARMA AND SANGHA
Therearetwo principal originsof sufferingkarma and theemotional
and mental afflictionsthat underlieand motivatekarmic actions. Karma
isrooted in and motivated by mental defilements, or afflictions, which
aretheprimary rootsof our suffering and cyclic existence. Therefore, it
isimportant for practitionersto cultivatethreeunderstandings:
1. The fundamental nature of consciousness is luminous and
pure.
2. Afflictions can be purifiedseparated from the essential
natureof mind.
3. Therearepowerful antidotesthat can beapplied to counter
thedefilementsand afflictions.
You should develop therecognition of thepossibility of atruecessation of
suffering on thebasisof thesethreefacts. Truecessation iswhat ismeant
by theJewel of Dharma, thesecond of theT h reeJewels. Dharma also ref er s
to thepath to thecessation of sufferingthedirect realization of empti-
ness. Onceyou havethisdeeper understanding of themeaning of Dh a r m a
astruecessation of suffering and thewisdom that bringsit about, you will
also rec o g n i zethat therearedifferent levelsof cessation. Thefirst level of
cessation isattained on thepath of seeing, when you directly rea l i zeempti-
nessand becomean a ry a. Asyou gradually pro g ressthrough thefurt h er
l evelsof purification, you gain higher and higher levelsof cessation.
Once you have understood Dharma in terms of both cessati on
and the path, you can rec o g n i ze thepossi bili ty of Sa n g h a , theprac-
titioners who embody these quali ties. And once you have understood
Although they do not enjoy a reality of their own, westill experienceand
participatein them.
5
In Buddhist texts, then, thetaxonomy of reality is
often presented under thesethreebroad categories.
Out of thiscomplex world of reality that weexperienceand part i c i p a t e
in, how do the Four Noble Truths directly relate to our experiences
of pain and pleasure?The basic premiseof the Four NobleTruths is
recognition of the very fundamental nature we all sharethe natu-
ral and insti nctual desire to attain happiness and overcome suffering.
When we refer to suffering here, we do not mean only immedi ate
experiences such as pai nful sensations. From the Buddhist point of
v i ew, even the very physical and mental bases from which these
painful experiences arisethefive aggregates[Skt: s k a n d h a] of form,
feeling, discriminative awareness, conditioning factors and conscious-
n ess a re suffering in nature. At a fundamental level, the underlying
conditioning that weall shareisalso recognized asdukkha, or suffering.
What gives riseto thesesufferings?What are thecausesand con-
ditions that create them? Of the Four Nobl e Truths, the first two
t ruthssuffering and its originrelate to the causal process of the
suffering that weall naturally wish to avoid. It is only by ensuring that
the causesand conditions of suffering are not created or, if the cause
has been created, that theconditionsdo not becomecompl ete, that we
can prevent the consequences from ripening. Oneof thefundamental
aspects of the law of causal ity is that if all the causes and conditions
a re fully gathered, there is no force in the universe that can preven t
their fruition. This is how we can understand the dynamic between
suffering and itsorigin.
Thelast two truthscessation of suffering and thepath to itsces-
sationrelateto theexperienceof happinessto which weall naturally
aspire. Cessationthe total pacification of suffering and its causes
refersto thehighest form of happiness, which isneither a feeling nor an
experience; thepaththemethodsand processesby which cessation is
Thestyleand structureof thegenreof teachingsknown aslam-rim,
which can be translated as stages of the path or graded course to
enlightenment, follow thearrangement of AtishasLamp, and theway
they areset up allowsany individual, regardlessof hisor her level of real-
ization, to put into practice the appropriate teachings. All the steps of
themeditation practicesarearranged in a logical, sequential way, so that
the practitioner can traverse the path step by step, knowing what to
practicenow and what to practicenext.
Thereason that thistext issometimescalled Songs of Experience is
because Lama Tsong Khapa has distilled all his experience and under-
standing of thelam-rim teachingsinto theseversesand expressed them
in thestyleof a spontaneoussong of spiritual realization.
The term lam-rim has great significance and suggests the impor-
tanceof thefollowing threepoints:
1. Thepractitioner hascorrect recognition and understanding
of thenatureof thepath in which heor sheisengaged.
2. All thekey elementsof thepath and practicesarecomplete.
3. Thepractitioner engagesin all theelementsof thepractices
in thecorrect sequence.
With respect to thefirst point, theneed for correct understanding of the
nature of the path, let us take the example of bodhicitta, the altruistic
intention. If you understand thealtruistic intention to mean solely the
aspiration to bring about the welfare of other sentient beings, your
understanding of this particular aspect of the path is incomplete and
inadequate. Truebodhicitta isa non-simulated, spontaneousand natu-
ral experience of thisaltruistic intention. Thisishow you may mistakea
mereintellectual understanding of bodhicitta for a truerealization. It is,
therefore, very important to be able to identify the nature of specific
aspectsof thepath.
the possi bility of Sangha, you can also envision thepossibility of some-
one who has perfected all the qualities of Dharma. Such a person is a
Buddhaa fully enlightened being.
In thisway, you will beableto gain a deeper understanding of the
meaning of theThreeJewels: theJewel of Buddha, theJewel of Dharma
and theJewel of Sangha. Furthermore, you will recognizethepossibili-
ty of attaining thisstateof perfection yourself, and a deep yearning or
aspiration to do so will arisein you. Thus, you will beableto cultivate
faith in theThreeJewels; faith that isnot simply admiration, but some-
thing that arisesfrom a deep understanding of theteachingsof theFour
NobleTruthsand thetwo truthsand enablesyou to emulatethestates
of theBuddha, Dharma and Sangha.
In termsof an individual practitionerssequenceof realization, first and
f o remost istheJewel of Dharma. When you actualizeDharmawithin yo u r-
sel f, you becomeSanghaan aryabeing. Asyou develop your realization of
Dharma, you reach higher and higher levelsof thepath, culminatingin the
attainment of thefull enlightenment or Buddhahood. Dharmaisthetru e
refuge, Sangha comesnext, and finally Buddha.
In the historical context, Buddha came first because Sh a k y a m u n i
Buddha came into being as an emanation body [Skt: n i rm a n a k a y a]
and then turned thewheel of Dharma by giving thescriptural teachings.
By practicing theBuddhasteachings, someof hisdisciplesrealized th e
Dharma and became Sangha. Although historically Dharma comes
second, in terms of an individuals sequence of realization, it comes
f i r st .
Lama Tsong KhapasLines of Experience
Thistext, which isalso known astheAbbreviated Points of the Stages of
the Path to Enlightenment, istheshortest of Lama Tsong Khapaslam-rim
commentariesexpounding theteachingsof AtishasLamp.
subduegrossnegativeemotions, then thesubtleones.
Thereisa natural sequenceto Dharma practice. When wecultivate
a path such asbodhicitta, grosslevelsof understanding, such asthesim-
ulated, deliberately cultivated ones, arisesooner than spontaneous, gen-
uine experiences and realizations. Similarly, we need to cultivate the
practicesfor attaining higher rebirthsand other favorableconditionsof
existencebeforecultivating thosefor attaining enlightenment.
These three pointscorrect understanding of the nature of the
path, its completeness and practicing its various elements in the right
sequenceareall suggested in theterm lam-rim.
THE ORIGIN OF THE LAM-RIM TEACHINGS: THE GREATNESSOF THE
AUTHORS
A great number of commentariescameinto being on thebasisof Atishas
root text, A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment. Among these is the
genre of writings by the Kadampa masters known as ten-rim, or
Presentation of the Stages of the Path, aswell asLama Tsong Khapaslam-
rim works. Theseteachingspresent different skillful meansfor teaching
the Dharma, but they are all grounded in the writings of authentic
Indian masters. In thetextsof someof theearly Indian masters, wefind
what isknown asthefivemethodsof teaching or thefiveaspectsof
theskillful meansof teaching.
Later, at Nalanda Monastic University,
6
a unique tradition of pre-
senting theDharma to studentsdeveloped theskillful meansof the
threepurifications or thethreepurefactors:
1. Ensuring that theteaching being given ispure.
2. Ensuring that theteacher giving theteaching ispure.
3. Ensuring that thestudentsreceiving theteaching arepure.
Thesecond point, that all thekey elementsof thepath should be
complete, isalso critical. AsI mentioned before, much of thesuffering
weexperiencearisesfrom our complex psychological afflictions. These
emotional and mental afflictions are so diverse that we need a wide
diversity of antidotes. Although it is theoretically possible for a single
antidoteto counteract all our afflictions, in reality it isvery difficult to
find such a panacea. Therefore, weneed to cultivatea number of spe-
cific antidotesthat relateto specific typesof afflictions. If, for example,
peoplearebuilding a very complex structuresuch asa spacecraft, they
need to assemble an enormous variety of machines and other equip-
ment. In the mental and experiential world, we need an even greater
diversity of means.
With respect to afflictionsof themind and flawed waysof perceiv-
ing and relating to theworld, Buddhist textsspeak of four principal false
views:
1. Thefalseview of perceiving impermanent phenomena asper-
manent.
2. The false view of perceiving events, our own existence and
thevariousaggregatesasdesirablewhen they arenot.
3. The false view of perceiving suffering experiences as happi-
ness.
4. Thefalseview of perceiving our own existenceand theworld
as self-existent and independent when they are utterly
devoid of self-existenceand independence.
In order to counteract thesefalseviews, weneed to cultivateall thevar-
iouselementsof thepath. Thisiswhy thereisa need for completeness.
Thethird point isthat werenot just accumulating material things
and collecting them in a room; weretrying to transform our mind. The
stages of this transformation must evolve in the right order. First, we
Dharmapala, who became the main source of the great inspirational
teachings of the Sakya lam-drepath and fruitionteachings, was a
monk at Nalanda Monastery. In addition to being a monk, hewasalso
a great practitioner of Vajrayana and later became known as the
mahasiddha Virupa. Oneday, whilethedisciplinarian of themonastery
wason hisrounds, helooked into Dharmapalas room and saw that it
wasfull of women. In fact, thisgreat mystic tantric master wasemanat-
ing dakinis, but sincemonkswerenot allowed to havewomen in their
room, Dharmapala was expelled from the monastery. It didnt matter
that hisinfraction wasa display of high levelsof tantric realization; the
fact remained that Dharmapala had broken thecodesof monastic disci-
plineand had to go.
There is a similar story about the great Indian master Nagarjuna,
founder of the Middle Way School, whom all Mahayana Buddhists
revere. At onetime, theentireNalanda area wasexperiencing a terrible
drought and everybody was starving. Through alchemy, Nagarjuna is
said to have transformed base metals into gold to help alleviate the
famine, which had also affected themonastery. However, thepracticeof
alchemy was a breach of the monastic code and Nagarjuna, too, was
expelled from themonastery.
Lines of Experience: Verse1
I prostratebeforeyou, (Buddha), head of theShakyaclan.
Your enlightened body isborn out of tensof millionsof
p o si t i ve virtues and perfect accomplishments; yo u r
enlightened speech grants thewishesof limitless beings;
your enlightened mind seesall knowablesasthey are.
As we have seen, it is traditional first to present the greatness of the
author in order to explain thevalidity and authenticity of theteaching
With respect to thesecond purefactor, even though theteaching being
given may bepure, if theteacher giving it lacksthenecessary qualities
and qualifications, there will be shortcomings in the presentation. It
thusbecamea tradition that beforeteaching theDharma, teachershad
to receivepermission to do so from their own masters. With respect to
thethird purefactor, even though theteaching and theteacher may be
pure, if the students minds are not properly prepared, then even an
authentic teaching may not bestow much benefit. Therefore, thethird
purefactor meansto ensurethat themotivation of thelistenersispure.
Later on, when theBuddhadharma underwent a period of decline
in the Nalanda area, it began to flourish in Bengal, particularly at
Vikramashila Monastery, wherea new tradition in thestyleof teaching
emerged. Hereit becamecustomary to begin a teaching by talking about
the greatness of the person who composed the text, the greatness and
quality of theteaching itself, and theprocedureby which theteaching
and thelistening of that teaching would takeplace, beforemoving on to
thefourth skillful means, teaching theactual procedurefor guiding the
disciplealong thepath to enlightenment.
In thosedays, themajority of thepeoplesustaining and developing
theDharma in theland of thenoblebeings, ancient India, weremonas-
ti cs, most notably monks from monasteries like Nalanda and
Vikramashila. If you look at the masters from these great centers of
learning, you will understand how they upheld the Buddhadharma.
They werenot only practitionersof theBodhisattvayana, having taken
bodhisattva vows, but also practitionersof theVajrayana. Nevertheless,
the daily life of all these practitioners was very much grounded in the
teachingsof thevinayatheteachingson monastic ethics. Thevinaya
teachingsof theBuddha weretheactual foundation upon which these
monasterieswereestablished and maintained. Two storiesillustratehow
seriously thesegreat institutionstook their monastic discipline.
The great Yogachara thinker and hi ghly rea l i zed master
in which enlightened beings serve sentient beings, such as using their
enlightened mindsto discern thetremendousdiversity of sentient beings
needsand to display miraculouspowers, but theprimary medium used by
fully enlightened beings to fulfill the wishes of sentient beings is their
enlightened speech. Theterm limitlessbeings suggeststhat theBu d d h a
useshisenlightened speech in limitlessskillful ways.
We also find this respect for the diversity of practitioners mental
dispositions in the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. For example, in
acknowledgement of themultiplicity of practitioners motives, courage
and ethical commitment, wefind thethreevehicles: theHearer Vehicle
(Shravakayana), theSolitary Buddha Vehicle(Pratyekabuddhayana) and
theBodhisattvaVehicle (Mahayana). Then, from the point of view of
thewiderangeof philosophical inclinations, wefind theBuddhasteach-
ings on the four main schools: Vaibhashika, Sautrantika, Cittamatra
(Mind Only) and Madhyamaka, or MiddleWay.
According to the Mahayana scriptures, we can understand the
teachingsof theBuddha in termsof what areknown asthethreeturn-
ings of the wheel of Dharma.
8
The first turning of the wheel was at
Sarnath, near Varanasi, and wasthefirst public sermon that theBuddha
gave. Themain subject of thisteaching wastheFour NobleTruths, in
which theBuddha laid thebasic framework of theentireBuddhadharma
and thepath to enlightenment.
Thesecond turning of thewheel of Dharma was at Vu l t u rePea k ,
near Rajgir, in present-day Bi h a r. Themain teachingspresented here
were those on the perfection of wisdom. In these sutras, the Bu d d h a
elaborated on the third Nobl eTruth, thetruth of cessation. Theper-
fection of wisdom teachings are critical to fully understanding the
Bu d d h as teaching on thetruth of cessation, particul arly to fully rec-
ognizing thebasic purity of mind and the possibility of cleansing it of
all pollutants. Theexplicit subject matter of the Pe rfect ion of W i s d o m
Su t ra s ( Pra j n a p a ra m i t a ) is the doctrine of emptiness. Then, as the
and itslineage. Therefore, thefirst verseof Lama Tsong KhapasLines of
Experience isa salutation to theBuddha. Thereisa Tibetan saying that
just as a pure stream of water must have its source in pure mountain
snow, an authentic teaching of theDharma must haveitsorigin in the
teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. That is why there is such emphasis
placed on thelineageof theteachings.
In this verse, then, the author reflects upon the qualities of the
Buddhas body, speech and mind. The qualities of Buddhas body are
presented from the point of view of the perfection of the causes that
havecreated it. Thequalitiesof theBuddhasspeech arepresented from
thepoint of view of theperfect fruitsof hisspeech, thefulfillment of the
wishesof all sentient beings. Thequalitiesof theBuddhasenlightened
mind arepresented from thepoint of view of itsnatureand attributes.
In this way, Lama Tsong Khapa pays homage to Shakyamuni
Buddha, who was born into the Shakya family and is chief among all
humans. When hewrites, I prostratebeforeyou, heissaying I bow
and touch my head to thelowest part of your body.
One of the reasons for stating the causes and qualities of the
Buddhasbody isto suggest that theBuddhasenlightened body hasnot
existed sincebeginninglesstime. It wasnot thereright from thestart but
hasbeen created and acquired. TheBuddhasenlightened body did not
comeinto being without cause; it wasattained through causesand con-
ditionsthat arecompatiblewith theactual enlightened state. A detailed
explanation of thecausal relationship between thevariouspracticesand
the Buddhas enlightened embodiments can be found in Nagarjunas
Precious Garland (Ratnavali).
7
Thesecond sentencedescribesthequality of theBuddhasenlight-
ened speech as fulfilling the wishes of limitless sentient beings. This
explainstheactual purposeof attaining enlightenment, which isto ben-
efit other sentient beings. When webecomefully enlightened, it isour duty
to serveall sentient beingsand fulfill their wishes. T h erearecountlessways
supreme spiritual children of this peerless teacher.
Assuming responsibil ity (to further) all Bu d d h as
enlightened deeds, you sport emanations to countless
worlds.
In thisverse, theauthor makessalutationsto Ma i t reya and Manjushri and
states that they are the two principal disciples of Shakyamuni Bu d d h a .
Ac c o rding to the Mahayana scriptures, when the Buddha taught the
Mahayana sutras, Ma i t reya and Manjushri were the principal disciples
p resent. In theMahayana tradition, welist eight main bodhisattvadisci-
plesof Shakyamuni Bu d d h a .
9
However, weshould not understand these
b o d h i sa t t vasashaving a physical presenceat theBu d d h asteachingsbut
rather asbeing present on a subtler level of rea l i t y. Thesignificanceof sin-
gling out Ma i t reya and Manjushri isthat Ma i t reyaisreg a rded asthecus-
todian and medium of the Bu d d h as teachings on skillful means and
Manjushri is reg a rded as the custodian and medium of the Bu d d h as
teachingson theprofound view of emptiness.
I prostrate before your feet, Nagarjuna and Asanga,
ornaments of our Southern Continent. Highly famed
throughout thethreerealms,
10
you havecommented on
themost difficult to fathom Mother of theBuddhas
(Perfection of Wisdom Sutras) according to exactly what
wasintended.
In this verse, the author makes salutations to Nagarjuna and Asanga,
who became the custodians and progenitors of the two aspects of the
Buddhas teaching: Asanga was the progenitor of the path of skillful
means and Nagarjuna was the progenitor of the path of the profound
basis for the emptiness teachings, thesesutras present the entirepath
in what is known as the hidden, or concealed, subject matter of the
Pe rfecti on of Wi sdom Su t ra s, which is elaborated in a very clear and
systematic way in Ma i t rey as Ornam ent of Clear Re a l i z a t i o n
( Ab h i s a m a y a l a m k a ra ) .
Thethird turning of thewheel isa collection of sutrastaught in differ-
ent timesand places. Theprincipal sutrasin thiscategory of teachingsare
thesource material for Ma i t rey as Ut t a ra t a n t ra. Not only do they presen t
emptinessastaught in thesecond turning of thewheel but they also presen t
thequality of thesubjectiveexperience. Although thesesutrasdo not talk
about thesubjectiveexperiencein termsof thesubtletiesof levels, they do
p resent thesubjectivequality of wisdom and thelevelsthrough which one
can enhanceit and areknown astheTathagatagarbha (Essence, or Nucleus, of
Buddhahood) Su t ra s. Among Na g a r j u n as writings there is a collection of
hymnsalong with acollection of what could becalled an analytic corpus,
such ashisFundamentals of the Middle Wa y. Theanalytic corpusdealsdirec t-
ly with the teachings on emptiness as taught in the Pe rfection of Wi s d o m
Su t ra s, whereasthehymnsrelatemoreto theTathagatagarbha Su t ra s.
The last line in this verse, Your enlightened mind sees all know-
ablesasthey are, presentsthequality of theBuddhasenlightened mind.
Thereferenceto all knowables refersto theentireexpanseof reality,
which encompassesboth conventional and ultimatelevels. Theability to
directly realizeboth levelsof reality within a singleinstant of thought is
said to be the mark of an enlightened mind. This ability is a conse-
quence of the individual having overcome and cleansed not only the
afflictionsof thought and emotion but also thesubtletracesand propen-
sitiesof theseafflictions.
I prostrate before you Ma i t reya and Ma n j u sh r i ,
referred to before. Therefore, wealso speak about thenatural buddha-
body (svabhavikakaya). In the Mahayana teachings, we understand
Buddhahood in termsof theembodiment of thesefour kayas, or enlight-
ened bodiesof theBuddha.
Ma i t reya makesthepoint that whileimmutably abiding in theexpanse
of dharmakaya, theBuddhaassumesdiversemanifestations. T h eref o re, all
thesubsequent deedsof theBuddha, such asbecoming conceived in his
m o t h erswomb, taking birth and so forth areeach said to bedeedsof an
enlightened being. It isin thisway that wecan understand theconnection
b et ween thelineagemastersof theMahayanasutras.
Dueto thecomplexity of thisevolution, questionshavebeen raised
asto theauthenticity of theMahayana sutras. In fact, similar questions
aroseeven in Nagarjunastime. In hisPrecious Garland, thereisa section
where he presents various arguments for the validity of the Mahayana
scriptures as authentic sutras of the Buddha.
11
Similarly, in Maitreyas
Ornament of the Mahayana Sutras (Mahayanasutralamkara), there is a
section that validates the Mahayana scriptures as authentic sutras.
Subsequent Mahayana masters have also written validations of the
Mahayana scriptures.
Oneof thegroundsupon which theauthenticity of theMahayana
sutras has been disputed is the historical fact that when the Buddhas
scriptural discourses were originally collected and compiled, they did
not include any Mahayana sutras. This suggests that Mahayana scrip-
tures such as the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras were not taught by the
Buddha in a conventional public context but were taught to a select
group of practitionersat a higher and purer level of reality. Furthermore,
although there are a few cases where the Buddha taught tantra while
retaining his appearance as a fully ordained monk, he taught many of
thetantrasby assuming theidentity of theprincipal deity of theman-
dala, such as Guhyasamaja when teaching the Guhyasamaja Tantra.
Thereisno reason, therefore, why thesetantrashad to havebeen taught
view of emptiness. Lama Tsong Khapa pays homage to these Indian
masters as great revitalizers of the Buddhas teachings. Historically,
Nagarjuna cameto earth around four hundred yearsafter thedeath of
the Buddha, and Asanga about two hundred years after the death of
Nagarjuna. In light of thisdistanceof timebetween them, thequestion
immediately arisesasto thecontinuum, or lineage, between theBuddha
and Nagarjuna and Asanga.
Wecan understand thecontinuity of theteachingsthrough succes-
siveliving mastersin human form, such asthelineageof thetransmis-
sion of thevinaya teachingsof ethical discipline, but thetransmission of
thelineagecan also beunderstood on a moresubtlelevel. For example,
thecelestial form of thebodhisattva Manjushri had a special connection
with Nagarjuna, and Maitreya had a special connection with Asanga.
Thus, thegreat bodhisattvasmay sometimesdirectly inspirethelineage.
When welook at thetransmission of theBuddhasteachingsin this
way, it obviously raises questions about the status of the historical
Buddha. In theBuddhist tradition, therearegenerally two perspectives
on this. OneviewsShakyamuni Buddha in conventional terms. At the
initial stage, he is seen as an ordinary being who, through meditation
and practice, attained enlightenment in that very lifetime under the
bodhi tree. From this point of view, the instant before his enlighten-
ment, theBuddha wasan unenlightened being.
The other perspective, which is presented in Ma i t rey as
Uttaratantra, considersthetwelvemajor deedsof theBuddha asactions
of a fully enlightened being and thehistorical Buddha isseen asan ema-
nation body. Thisnirmanakaya, or buddha-body of perfect emanation,
must haveitssourcein thesubtler level of embodiment that iscalled the
sambhogakaya, thebuddha-body of perfect resource. Theseform bodies
(rupakaya) areembodimentsof theBuddha that arisefrom an ultimate
level of reality, or dharmakaya. For thiswisdom body to arise, however,
there must be an underlying reality, which is the natural purity that I
which is near present-day Dhaka in Bangladesh. Hehad many teachers,
but theprincipal among them wasSerlingpa, who camefrom theisland
of Serling, theLand of Gold. Although thereseemsto bea placewith
the same name in the southern part of Thailand, according to Ti b et a n
so u rces it took eighteen months for Atisha to reach the island by boat
f rom India, which suggeststhat it wasmuch further away than T h a i l a n d .
T h ere seems to be a great deal more evidence for Serling having been
located somew h erein Indonesia, probably around Ja va, and, in fact, some
ref erenceto themaster Serlingpathat hasbeen found in that area .
12
Atisha received theinstructionson thepracticebodhicitta from this
master. He then received many teachings on the profound view of
emptiness from another master, Rigpai Khuchug (Vidyakokila the
younger, or Avadhutipa). The general understanding is that until
Atishas time, wisdom and method (or emptiness and skillful means)
weretransmitted astwo distinct lineages, even though themastersprac-
ticed them in union. It was Atisha who unified the two, and the pro-
found view and vast practiceweretransmitted together from then on.
13
From Atishasprincipal student and thecustodian of histeachings,
Dromtnpa, there evolved three main lineages of the Kadam order.
14
Thefirst wastheKadam Shungpawa, theKadampa TreatiseFollowers,
which was handed down through Dromtnpas disciple, Potowa, and
emphasized study of the major Indian treatises. The second was the
Kadam Lamrimpa, theKadampa Lam-rim Followers, whereemphasis
wasplaced on a gradual approach to thepath to enlightenment, relying
more on middling versions of the treatises rather than the great ones.
Then, a third lineage evolved, the Kadam Mengagpa, the Kadampa
Instruction Followers, which relied moreon actual instruction from the
teacher and emphasized theimmediatepracticeof visualization and ana-
lytical meditation.
Po t ow as principal student was Sharawa, a very famous master
highly respected for his learning of thegreat treatises. Oneof Sh a r a w as
during thetimeof thehistorical Buddha.
To understand many of theseissuesfrom a Mahayana point of view,
it isimportant to understand Buddhahood in termsof theembodiment
of thefour kayas. Lama Tsong Khapa, for example, wasborn threehun-
dred yearsafter thedeath of thegreat Atisha. Oncewhen Lama Tsong
Khapa wasat Retreng, themonastery of Atishasmost famousdisciple,
Dromtnpa, heengaged in thedeep study and practiceof AtishasLamp
for the Path. According to hisbiography, during thisperiod hehad vivid
encounterswith Atisha and Atishastwo principal disciples, asif face-to-
face. Thisdidnt happen just onceor twicebut several timesover a peri-
od of months. During this time, Lama Tsong Khapa spontaneously
wrotetheversesfor thelineagemastersof thelam-rim teachings.
It issaid that it ispossiblefor individualswho arekarmically ready
and receptiveto haveencounterswith great beingsbecause, even though
their physical bodiesmay havedisappeared, their wisdom embodiment
remains. Even in our own lifetime there have been practitioners who
have had deep, mystical encounters with masters of the past. Only by
understanding thenatureof buddhahood in termsof thefour kayascan
wemakesenseof thesecomplex issues.
I bow to Dipamkara (Atisha), holder of a treasure of
instructions (as seen in your Lamp for the Path to
Enlightenment). All the complete, unmistaken points
concerning thepathsof profound view and vast action,
transmitted intact from these two great forerunners,
can beincluded within it.
In this ver se, Lama Tsong Khapa makes salutations to At i sh a
Dipamkara Shrijnana. Atisha was an Indian master from Ben g a l ,
many highly learned Tibetan mastershavecomposed spiritual texts; not
just monks, but lay practitionersaswell.
There is a commentary on the Hundred T housand Verses of the
Perfection of Wisdom in the Tengyur, thecanon containing all thetrans-
lated Indian treatises. When Lama Tsong Khapa scrutinized thistext, he
found so many Tibetan expressionsand peculiarly Tibetan waysof say-
ing things, that heconcluded that it wasnot an Indian treatisebut an
original Tibetan work. Hethen found corroboration of hisconclusion
in a catalogue, which listed this text as having been composed by the
eighth century Tibetan monarch, Trisong Detsen.
In thesalutation in Verse4, Lama Tsong Khaparefersto Atisha asahold-
er of atrea su reof instructions. Thisisaref erenceto At i sh asLamp for the
Path to En l i g h t e n m e n t . Although theL a m p isquiteashort text, it isextrem e-
ly compreh en si vein itssubject matter and containsvery profound instru c-
tions. Ac c o rding to traditional explanations, it isreg a rded astheinstru c t i o n s
of Ma i t rey asOrnament of Clear Re a l i z a t i o n in distilled form.
Themain sourcefor AtishasLamp isa section in thesecond chap-
ter of Maitreyastext. In stating thesequenceof thepath and practices,
Maitreya talksabout cultivating faith in theThreeJewelsand thealtru-
istic intention. He goes on to describe taking the bodhicitta vow and
engaging in the path by embodying the ideals of the bodhisattva
through the practice of the six perfections,
15
and then explains how to
engagein thecultivation of wisdom wherethereisa union between calm
abiding(shamatha) and penetrativeinsight (vipashyana). Thisishow the
Tibetan tradition understandsthesourceof inspiration for Atishastext.
Respectfully, I prostrate before my spiritual masters.
You aretheeyesallowing usto behold all theinfinite
c o ntemporaries was Patsab Lotsawa, the great translator of
Chandrakirtis texts from Sanskrit into Tibetan. It seems that before
Patsab Lotsawas time, Chandrakirtis works were not available in the
Tibetan language. In fact, when Atisha taught Madhyamaka in Tibet, he
used mainly Bhavavivekas texts, such as the Heart of the Middle Way
(Madhyamakahridaya) and Blaze of Reasoning (T arkajvala). During
Sharawas time, however, Patsab Lotsawa began his translation of
ChandrakirtisSupplement to the Middle Way (Madhyamakavatara).
It issaid that when Patsab Lotsawa finished thefirst draft, hepre-
sented themanuscript to Sharawa and asked for hisopinion. Although
Sharawa did not understand Sanskrit, he made critical annotations in
key areasof thetext and put forward a number of suggestionsand cor-
rections. Later, when Patsab Lotsawa compared Sharawascommentsto
theoriginal Sanskrit that hehad used for thetranslation, hediscovered
that Sharawa had noted the exact areas that needed revision. Patsab
Lotsawa wasso impressed that hepraised Sharawastremendousdepth
of knowledgeof MiddleWay philosophy.
L a t er, after Sharawa rec ei ved the revi sed copy of the
Madhyamakavatara, heoften publicly acknowledged thegreat contribu-
tion madeby Patsab Lotsawa in bringing thisnew literatureto Tibet. At
oneof Sharawasteaching sessions, a devoteemadean offering of a small
piece of brown sugar to each member of the audience. It is said that
Sharawa picked up a handful, threw it up into the air and said, May
thisoffering beto thegreat Patsab, who madethetremendouscontri-
bution of bringing Chandrakirti sworksto theTibetan people.
It seemsthat theTibetan translatorsworking from Sanskrit sources
weretremendously learned and courageousindividuals. They werealso
extremely faithful to the original texts. So much so that even today,
modern scholars praise the accuracy of theTibetan translations. Even
though the population of Tibet is fairly small, the teachings of the
Buddha haveflourished therefor almost 1,500 years, and over thistime,
THE GREATNESSOF THE LAM-RIM TEACHINGS
Lines of Experience: Verses6 & 7
The stages of the path to enlightenment have been
transmitted intact by thosewho havefollowed in order
both from Nagarjuna and Asanga, thosecrowning jew-
els of all erudite masters of our Southern Continent
and the banner of whose fame stands out above the
masses. As (following these stages) can fulfill every
desirable aim of all nine kinds of being,
16
they are a
power-granting king of precious instruction. Because
they collect thestreamsof thousandsof excellent clas-
sics, they are indeed an ocean of illustrious, correct
explanation.
Theseteachingsmakeit easy to understand how there
is nothing contradictory in all the Buddhasteachings
and make every scriptural pronouncement without
exception dawn on your mind as a personal instruc-
tion. They make it easy to discover what the Buddha
intended and protect you aswell from theabyssof the
great error. Becauseof these(four benefits), what dis-
criminating person among theeruditemastersof India
and Tibet would not have his or her mind be com-
pletely enraptured by these stages of the path
(arranged) according to thethreelevelsof motivation,
thesupremeinstruction to which many fortunateones
havedevoted themselves?
Thesetwo versespresent thegreatnessand quality of thelam-rim teachings.
scriptural pronouncements, the best ford for those of
good fortune to cross to liberation. You make every-
thing clear through your skillful deeds, which are
moved by intenseloving concern.
In thisverse, Lama Tsong Khapa makessalutationsto thelineagemas-
ters responsible for maintaining and transmitting the practices of the
lam-rim teachings. Thereisa saying attributed to oneof theKadampa
masters: Whenever I teach lam-rim, the great scriptures shudder and
say, Thisold monk isextracting our heart.
Lama Tsong Khapa died about six hundred yearsago. Of histhree
main lam-rim texts, theGreat Exposition of the Stages of the Path isthe
most important, but in all three, hepresentstheelementsof thepath to
enlightenmentthe profound view of emptiness and the vast practice
of skillful meansin varying degreesof detail, introducing theessential
pointsof thesepracticesin a systematic way such that even today, wecan
study, contemplateand implement them in our meditation practice.
Regardlessof whether theterm lam-rim or stagesof thepath is
used, all traditions of Tibetan Buddhismthe old translation school,
the Nyingma, and the new translation schools, such as the Sakya and
Kagyhave equivalent teachings that emphasize the foundational
practices. Furthermore, the teachings of all four schools of Tibetan
Buddhism can bevalidated by tracing their originsback to thewritings
of authentic Indian masters.
In thetradition of theNyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, for
example, thereisthegenreof teachingsknown asterma, or textsof rev-
elation, and another known as k a m a, or scriptural teachings.
However, even teachingsof therevealed tradition must begrounded in
those of the scriptural category. In fact, the Nyingma tradition states
that theteachingsof therevealed textsshould beregarded asmorefor
simply channeling onesfocusand sharpening onespractice.
ever, you will realizethat theway of theintelligent isto havean overview
of theentireBuddhist path. Thisallowsyou to appreciatewhich teach-
ingsarerelevant at a particular stagein your practiceand which arenot,
whileunderstanding that all thescripturesareinstructionsthat will ulti-
mately berelevant to your own personal practiceat somepoint.
3. Easy to discover what the Buddha intended . Thethird greatnessisthat
you will easily realize the Buddhas ultimate intention; that all the
Buddhas teachings can actually converge in your practice. This will
allow you to fulfill your spiritual aspirations, whatever they arehigher
rebirth, liberation from cyclic existence [Skt: samsara] or complete
enlightenment.
4. Protect you from the abyss of the great error. Thefourth greatnessof
thelam-rim isthat it protectsyou from theabyssof thegreat error, the
great mistake of abandoning the Dharma. If you realize that all the
Buddhas scriptures and teachings are relevant to your own personal
practice, there is no room for discarding some and adopting others
becauseyou realizethat actually, you need them all. Therefore, you will
not abandon any of theBuddhasteachings.
This point also relates to the issue of sectarianism. Practitioners
sometimes harbor sectarian sentiments because of differences between
thefour Tibetan Buddhist traditions. If you can understand theunique
featuresof each traditiontheir methodsof approach, teaching and var-
ioustypesof practicesyou will appreciatethevalueand importanceof
thisvariety. It is, in fact, possiblefor a singleindividual to integrateall
thesediverseteachingsinto hisor her personal practice. AstheKadampa
mastersused to say, Oneshould know how to uphold theentireteach-
ing of theBuddha, likelifting a squarepieceof cloth all at once.
17
SomeMahayana practitionersmakedistinctionsbetween theLesser
Vehicle and the Great Vehicle, tending to dismiss the Lesser Vehicle
Verse 6 explains the nature and lineage of the teaching, whileVerse 7
explainsitsbenefits.
1. T here is nothing contradictory. Oneof thegreatnessesof thelam-rim
tradition isthat theseteachingsenableyou to recognizethat thereareno
contradictionsin any of theteachingsof theBuddha. If you look at the
diversity of teachingsin theMahayana scriptures, you will find that cer-
tain practices are sometimes prohibited while at other times they are
encouraged. If you understand thesignificanceof thisdiversity, howev-
er, you will understand that theseteachingsarecontingent upon thedif-
ferent levels or capacities of the practitioners to whom they have been
given. Atisha organized theentireteaching of theBuddha into thethree
capacities, or scopes, according to the abilities of different practi-
tioners. Therefore, practicesthat arerestricted for someareencouraged
for others. If you dont bear thisin mind, you may develop misconcep-
tions, which occasionally happened in Tibet.
At onetimein Tibet, therewerepractitionerswho denigrated and
rejected Vajrayana becauseof their tremendousdevotion to and focuson
thevinaya, whileothers, becauseof their great admiration and enthusi-
asm for Vajrayana, neglected the practice of ethical discipline. If you
understand Atishasexplanation of how theteachingsof theBuddha are
organized according to practitioners different levels of mind, you will
protect yourself from such graveerrors.
2. Every scriptural pronouncement without exception [will] dawn on your
mind as a personal instruction. The second greatness of the lam-rim is
that all theteachingsof theBuddha will dawn on your mind asa per-
sonal instruction. If your understanding of the Buddhas teachings is
limited, thereisthedanger that you will discriminatebetween thescrip-
tures, regarding someasrelevant to your practiceand othersasrelevant
only for academic study. If your understanding ismoreprofound, how-
of delusion havealwaysbeen theretogether with thecontinuity of con-
sciousness.
Therefore, Buddhist texts sometimes mention innate, or funda-
mental ignorance, which isspontaneousand simultaneouswith thecon-
tinuum of theindividual. Only through theapplication of antidotesand
thepracticeof meditation can thesedelusionsbecleansed from thebasic
mind. Thisiswhat ismeant by natural purity.
If you examinethenatureof your own mind, you will realizethat
thepollutants, such asafflictiveemotionsand thoughtsrooted in a dis-
torted way of relating to theworld, areactually unstable. No matter how
powerful an affliction, when you cultivate the antidote of true insight
into thenatureof reality, it will vanish becauseof thepower of theanti-
dote, which underminesitscontinuity. However, thereisnothing that
can underminethebasic mind itself; nothing that can actually interrupt
thecontinuity of consciousness. Theexistenceof theworld of subjective
experience and consciousness is a natural fact. There is consciousness.
Thereismind. Thereisno forcethat can bring about a cessation of your
mental continuum.
We can see parallels to this in the material world. According to
Buddhism, theultimateconstituentsof themacroscopic world of physical
reality arewhat wecall spaceparticles, which constitutethesubtlest level
of physical rea l i t y. It ison thebasisof thecontinuum of thesesubtlepart i-
clesthat theevolution of thecosmosisexplained. Theuniverseevo l vesout
of thissubtlest level of physical rea l i t y, remainsfor a certain period of time,
then comesto an end and dissolves. Thewholeprocessof evolution and
dissolution arisesfrom thissubtlest level of physical reality.
Herewearetalking about a perceptibleand tangibleworld of physi-
cal reality that we can directly experience. Of course, in this world of
everyday concreterea l i t y, therewill beforcesthat undermineitsexistence.
Thesubtlelevel of physical rea l i t y, however, isreg a rded assomething that
iscontinuouswithout beginning or end. From the Buddhist point of
teachings, particularly theTheravada. Oneof theconsequencesof thisis
that Theravadins then begin to question the authenticity of the
Mahayana tradition. In fact, however, thePali tradition, from which the
Theravada teachings arose, should be regarded as the source of the
Mahayana aswell, particularly theteachingson theFour NobleTruths
and thethirty-seven aspectsof thepath to enlightenment.
18
Thesearereally thefoundation and cornerstoneof Buddhist prac-
tice. To theseyou add thepracticesof thesix perfectionsand so forth in
the manner of refining certain aspects of these foundational practices,
and finally you add thepracticeof Vajrayana Buddhism. Therefore, even
though you can add to it from thebodhisattva and Vajrayana teachings,
thePali canon isreally a completeset of teachingsin itself. Without the
foundational teachings of the Lesser Vehicle, the Paramitayana and
Vajrayana teachingsareincompletebecausethey lack a basis.
Question. If thereisa natural nirvana and a luminous, pure, fundamen-
tal nature, then what originally leadsusto deviatefrom thepurelumi-
nosity for usto suffer from karma, defilements, obscurationsand afflic-
tions?How come we do not retain the state of pure luminous natural
nirvana through thecycleof birthsand rebirths?
His Holiness. When Buddhism speaksof theluminousand fundamen-
tally purenatureof mind, or consciousness, what isbeing suggested is
that it ispossiblefor thedefilementsto beremoved from thebasic mind,
not that thereissomekind of original, purestatethat later becamepol-
luted by defilements. In fact, just asthecontinuum of our consciousness
iswithout beginning, our delusionsarealso without beginning. Aslong
asthecontinuum of consciousnesshasexisted, so too hastherebeen the
continuum of delusiontheperception of inherent existence. Theseeds
Question. Your Holiness, you spoke of monasteries like Vikramashila,
where there was a strict code of ethics and where even highly realized
masterscould beexpelled for breaking a vow. Today, certain rinpoches
and high-level mastershavebeen involved in different typesof scandals.
How comethecodeof ethicsisdifferent today?
His Holiness. Onething that needsto beclearly understood isthat the
individuals to whom you refer are no longer in the monastic order.
Peoplewho havebroken their vows, particularly oneof thefour cardi-
nal rulesfalsely proclaiming spiritual realizations, committing murder,
stealing, and engaging in sexual intercoursewill automatically be
expelled from the monastery. They will be expelled even if there are
strong grounds for suspicion that they have broken their vows. This
appliestoday asmuch asit did in thepast. However, someof thosewho
have broken their vows still find very skillful and devious means of
retaining somekind of dignity and stature.
I alwaysremind monksand nuns, therefore, that themoment they
have transgressed their vinaya vows, they should no longer wear their
monastic robes. Thisappliesequally to membersof all four schoolsof
Tibetan Buddhism: Nyingma, Sakya, Kagy and Geluk. Within the
Tibetan tradition, however, therearetwo institutionsof practitioners
the monastic institution of practitioners with monastic vows and the
institution of lay practitioners, who wear different colored robes, dont
shavetheir headsand havetaken only lay precepts, or pratimoksha vows.
view, thereisnothing that can bring an end to theactual continuum of
thesubtlelevel of reality.
Similarly, there are various manifestations of consciousness. These
include the grosser levels of thought, emotion and sensory experience,
whose existence is contingent upon a certain physical reality, such as
environment and time. But thebasic continuum of consciousnessfrom
which thesegrosser levelsof mind arisehasneither beginning nor end;
thecontinuum of thebasic mind remains, and nothing can terminateit.
If defilementshad abeginning, thequestion would arise, wheredid
they comefrom?In thesameway, Buddhism doesnot posit abeginning to
consciousnessitself, becauseto do so raisesmorequestionsabout what led
to itscreation. Asto thequestion why thereisno beginning of conscious-
ness, onecan arguefor thison thebasisof itsever - p resent continuum. T h e
real argument, however, stemsfrom aprocessof elimination, becauseif we
posit a beginning of consciousness, what kind of beginning could it beand
what could havecaused it?Arguing for a beginning of consciousnessunder-
minesthefundamental Buddhist belief in thelaw of causality.
In some Buddhist texts, however, we find ref erences to theBu d d h a
Samantabhadrathe ever-good and ever - p u re primordial Buddha. Bu t
h erewehaveto understand theconcept of primordiality in relation to indi-
vidual contexts. In this understanding, the fundamental innate mind of
clear light is seen astheoriginal source of themacroscopic world of our
experience. When theVajrayanaliteraturedescribesthisevolution pro c ess,
for example, it speaksof areversecycleand aforw a rd cycle.
In both cases, theworld of diverseconsciousnessand mental activ-
ity arises from a subtler level of clear light, which then goes through
what isknown asthethreestagesof appearance. Through thisprocess,
thereisan understanding that everything arisesfrom thisbasic natureof
clear light mind and isthen dissolved into it. So again, our understand-
ing isthat thisoriginality isin thecontext of individual instances, not
somekind of universal beginning.
3
RELYING ON A SPIRITUAL TEACHER
THE QUALITIESOF A TEACHER
Although (there is much merit to be gained from)
reciting or hearing even oncethismanner of text (writ-
ten by Atisha) that includes the essential points of all
scriptural pronouncements, you are certain to amass
even greater wavesof beneficial collectionsfrom actu-
ally teaching and studying the sacred Dharma (con-
tained therein). Therefore, you should consider the
points(for doing thisproperly).
Lama Tsong KhapasLines of Experience isa key to theconnectionsand
relationships between all the various scriptural texts. Verse 8 presents
how theteacher should teach and how thestudentsshould listen, so that
both teaching and listening aresuccessful and effective. It isvery impor-
tant that theteacher hastheright motivation and attitude. If theteacher
ismotivated by mundaneaspirations, such aswanting to beknown asa
great scholar, to attract money or other material offerings or to bring
peopleunder hisor her influence, then that teachersmotivation iscer-
tainly polluted.
It isvery important that a teachersmotivation for teaching bethe
theTibetan teacher said, Oh, it doesnt matter. You can say stuff like
that. Thisiswrong; itsvery important for teachersto becareful.
When giving teachingsfrom a throne, teachers physical conduct is
also very important. Before sitting down, teachers should make three
prostrations towards the throne. This is to remind them that teaching
from a thronedoesnot mean that they arebeing recognized asgreat or
holy beingsbut rather reflectstherespect that isbeing accorded to the
Dharma being taught. According to theMahayana tradition, when the
Buddha gave the teachings on the perfection of wisdom, he himself
madea throneto sit on in order to show respect for thesesutras, which
areconsidered to bethemother, or source, of all aryas, bethey hearers,
solitary realizersor fully enlightened buddhas.
When the Buddhas sutras were compiled by the early arhats and
later by other followers of the Buddha, there were times when all the
members of the congregation would remove their outer yellow robes.
The person supervising the compilation process would fold and stack
them up to makea throneand then sit on thisthroneof robesand com-
pile the sutras. All this shows the tremendous respect accorded the
Dharma.
Oncethelama hassat down on thethrone, theTibetan custom is
for him to recitea sutra reflecting on impermanence, to keep hismoti-
vation pureand prevent prideor conceit from arising in hismind. Such
practicesareimportant in ensuring purity on theteacherspart, because
when youre sitting on a high throne and people start praising you,
theresa real danger of prideand arrogancetaking over.
Therefore, weshould taketo heart theinstructionsof theTibetan
master, Dromtnpa, who said, Even if thewholeworld veneratesyou
by placing you on thecrown of their head, alwayssit aslow aspossible
and maintain humility. In thePrecious Garland, Nagarjuna makesaspi-
rational prayers to be like the elements of earth, water, fire and wind,
which can beenjoyed and utilized by all sentient beings. If you takesuch
RELYING ON A SPIRITUAL TEACHER 49
pure, altruistic aspiration to be of service and benefit to others.
According to traditional Tibetan teachings, not only should a teacher
ensurepurity of motivation but also themanner of giving theteaching
should not beflawed. Teaching in a flawed way islikened to an old man
eating; he chews only the soft food and puts the hard bits aside.
Similarly, teachersshould not just focuson thesimplepointsand leave
out the difficult ones. It is also said that teachers should not teach
Dharma likecrowsbuild nests. When crowsbuild nests, thereisno sys-
tematic order; itstotally chaotic. Similarly, Dharma teachersshould not
teach chaotically but should offer a correct, systematic presentation that
will benefit their students.
Another quality that ideally a teacher should have is experiential
knowledge of the topic being taught. If that is not possible, then the
teacher should havesomefamiliarity with thepracticeof that topic, in
order to beableto draw on personal experience. If that isnot possible
either, then at least the teacher should have a thorough intellectual
understanding of thetopic. AsDharmakirti said, theresno way that you
can reveal to othersthat which ishidden to yourself.
I havea friend who isa great teacher and a very learned Hindu mas-
ter. Oneday weweretalking about theissueof inter-religiousharmony
and the need for greater communication among the different faiths. I
remarked that I am completely ignorant on mattersof Islam and dont
have much contact with the Islamic world. He replied, Well, its not
that difficult. Just learn to quotea few versesfrom theKoran and come
up with somecommentary hereand there. That should beenough. You
dont really haveto know more.
A moreseriousexampleinvolvesa German scholar who attended a
discourse by a Tibetan teacher. During the discourse he heard things
that contradicted someof thebasic teachingsof theBuddha, so after the
lecture, hewent up to theteacher in person and told him that it seemed
hehad madesomemistakes. Instead of acknowledging thesemistakes,
moisten theearnest, fresh mindsof beginners, no matter how undisci-
plined they are, but can never penetratethemindsof thosehardened by
knowledge.
T h eref o re, learning and knowledgemust never overrideyour enthu-
siasm for practice, but neither should your dedication to practiceinterf ere
with your commitment to study. Fu rt h er m o re, both your knowledgeand
dedication to practicemust begrounded in awarm, compassionateheart .
These three qualitiesscholarship, dedication to practice and compas-
sionshould becombined.
If teachersand studentspreparetheir mindsasabove, studentscan
experiencetransformation, even whilelistening to teachings.
Finally, at the end of each session, both the student and teacher
should dedicatetheir merit to theenlightenment of all sentient beings.
In theTibetan tradition, therearetwo main waysin which a teaching
session can beconducted. In one, theprimary objectiveisto help stu-
dentsgain a clearer understanding of thevariousphilosophical pointsof
Dharma. In the other, the main emphasis is on specific aspects of the
individualspractice, wherespecific problemsencountered in meditation
areaddressed.
Broadly speaking, when great treatisessuch asthefivemajor works
by Indian mastersdealing with MiddleWay philosophy aretaught, the
primary objective is to help students gain deeper understanding and
clarity. However, when texts such as the lam-rim are taught, more
emphasis is placed on the practical application of specific meditation
practices, and instructionsaregiven on a step-by-step basis.
T h ereisalso auniquestyleof teachingknown asexperiential commen-
t a ry, wheretheteacher teachesonespecific topic at atime. Thestudent then
practicesthistopic for a prolonged period of time, and only when the
student hashad someexperiencewill theteacher takehim or her to the
next step. In thisway, theteacher guidesthestudent through an experi-
sentimentsseriously, you will never think that you arebetter than oth-
ersor to try to bring them under your control.
It is also very important to have pure motivation when you receive
teachings; to ensure that you have the three qualities of the ideal stu-
dentan objectivemind, intelligenceand a deep interest in theteach-
ingsand that you cultivatetheappropriateattitude. In thisway, you
will becomea suitablerecipient of theteachings. You should regard the
Dharma asa mirror and theactionsof your body, speech and mind as
what that mirror reflects. Constantly examinewhat you seein themir-
ror of Dharma and continually try to modify your behavior.
Onefeatureof theBuddhasteaching isthat thegreater thediversi-
ty of your resources and avenues of contemplation, the more effective
will beyour understanding and experience, and thedeeper theconvic-
tion you acquire. Therefore, you must ensurethat your approach to your
practiceiscomprehensiveand that your learning and understanding are
vast. At thesametime, you must also ensurethat thethingsyou learn
do not remain merely at theintellectual level. Right from thestart, your
studiesshould bedirected towardstheobjectiveof practice. If you study
without the desire to relate what you are learning to your own life
through practice, you run therisk of becoming hardened or apathetic.
Thegreat Kadampa mastersused to say that if thegap between the
Dharma and your mind isso big that a person can walk through it, your
practicehasnot been successful. Makesuretheresnot theslightest gap
between theteachingsand your mind. You need to integrateand unite
the Dharma with your mind. A Tibetan expression says that you can
soften leather by kneading it with butter, but if that leather is hard
becauseitsbeen used to storebutter, you can never soften it, no matter
how hard you try. Sinceyou dont storebutter in skin containersin the
West, perhapsthat saying doesnt makesense, but you get theidea.
TheKadampa mastersalso used to say that thewater of Dharma can
Just astherecan benegativefriendsand spiritual friends, therecan be
both negativeteachersand spiritual teachers.
With respect to ordinary, worldly knowledge, although in thefinal
analysis what we learn comes through our own study and maturity of
understanding, still, at thebeginning, weneed someoneto introduceus
to thesubject matter and guideusthrough it. Similarly, when it comes
to spiritual transformation, although trueexperiencescomethrough our
own development of knowledgeand practice, weagain need an experi-
enced teacher to show usthepath.
Sincethespiritual teacher isso crucial to our practice, Lama Tsong
Khapa goes into great detail in hisGreat Exposition of the Stages of the
Path, presenting thetopic in threebroad categories: thequalificationsof
thespiritual teacher, thequalitiesrequired by thestudent and theprop-
er teacher-student relationship.
THE QUALITIESOF THE SPIRITUAL TEACHER
Thequalificationsof a suitableteacher can befound in textsfrom the
vinaya all the way up to the Vajrayana. Since here we are discussing
Mahayana teachingsin general, wewill consider theten qualificationsof
theteacher aspresented in MaitreyasOrnament of the Mahayana Sutras:
1. A disciplined mind (referring to thequality of having mas-
tered thehigher training in ethical discipline).
2. A calmed mind (referring to thequality of having mastered
thehigher training in meditation and concentration).
3. A mind that isthoroughly calmed (referring to thequality of
having mastered thehigher training in wisdom, particular-
ly thewisdom of no-self [Skt: anatman; Tib: dag-med ] ).
4. Knowledgeexceeding that of thestudent in whatever subject
isbeing taught.
ential understanding of thesubject matter.
Dromtnpa summarized the ideal quali ties of a Ma h a y a n a
teacherprofound resourcesof knowledgein all aspectsof theDharma,
being ableto draw on both sutra and tantra and explain therelationship
between variousideasfrom different philosophical perspectives; theabil-
ity to seewhat ismost effectivefor an individual student at any partic-
ular time; and theability to recognizetheparticular approach most suit-
ed to a given individual.
THE PRACTICE OF RELIANCE
(Having taken refuge,) you should see that the root
causeexcellently propitiousfor asgreat a massof good
fortune as possible for this and future lives is proper
d evotion in thought and action to your sublime
teacher who shows you the path (to enlightenment).
Thusyou should pleaseyour teacher by offering your
practice of exactly what he or she says, which you
would not forsake even at the cost of your life. I, the
yogi, havepracticed just that. You who also seek liber-
ation, pleasecultivateyourself in thesameway.
From Verse9 onwards, themain topic istheactual manner in which stu-
dentsareguided through thestagesof thepath. Thisisbroadly divided
into two sections. Oneishow to rely on thespiritual teacher, who isthe
foundation of the path, and the other is, having done that, how to
engagein theactual practiceof thestagesof thepath.
With respect to theformer, Verse9 explainsthepracticeof proper
relianceon a spiritual teacher [Skt: kalyanamitra; Tib: ge-wai she-nyen ].
with completeknowledgeof their placewithin theoverall framework of
theBuddhasteachings.
Lama Tsong Khapa concludesthissection of hisGreat Exposition by
emphasizing that practitionersseeking a spiritual teacher should famil-
iarizethemselveswith theseten qualitiesand then look for them in those
in whom they would entrust their spiritual welfare. When choosing a
spiritual teacher, from thestart, examinetheperson you havein mind
to see if he or she really possesses these qualities. If you do so, youll
reducetherisk of encountering seriousproblemslater on.
Otherwise, you may usethewrong criteria to judgea teacherssuit-
ability. Thisused to happen in Tibet. Tibetanshavetremendousfaith in
theDharma, but their level of knowledgewasnot alwaysequal to their
devotion. Instead of assessing spiritual teachersby their inner qualities,
people would base their judgment on external manifestations, such as
thenumber of horsesin a lamasentourage. If a lama wastraveling in a
large convoy, people would say, Oh, he must be a very high lama!
People like that also tended to regard what the lama was wearinga
uniquehat, brocaderobesand so forthasan indicator of hisspiritual
greatness.
It issaid that when Atisha first cameto Tibet, histranslator, Nagtso
Lotsawa, and the Ngari king, Jangchub , sent letters inviting all the
high Tibetan lamasto comeand receivethisgreat Indian master. A large
procession of lamascameto meet Atisha, and asthey rodeup on horse-
back, they could beseen from quitea distance. They wereall dressed in
very impressive-looking costumes with elaborate headgear shaped into
fantastic designs, such ascrows heads. When Atisha saw them, hecov-
ered hishead with hisshawl in mock terror and exclaimed, Oh my! The
Tibetan ghostsarecoming! When thelamasdismounted, they removed
their brocadesand costumesuntil they werewearing just their monastic
robes, and walked towardsAtisha, who then becamevery pleased.
On thissubject, wecan also look at thelifeof Milarepa, who shines
5. Energy and enthusiasm for teaching thestudent.
6. Vast learning in order to have the resources from which to
draw examplesand citations.
7. Realization of emptinessif possible, a genuine realization
of emptiness, but at least a strong commitment to theprac-
tice of emptiness on the basis of deep admiration for the
teachingson it.
8. Eloquence and skill in presenting the Dharma so that the
teaching iseffective.
9. Deep compassion and concern for thewell-being of thestu-
dent to whom the teaching is given (perhaps the most
important quality of all).
10. Theresilienceto maintain enthusiasm for and commitment
to the student, not becoming discouraged no matter how
many timestheteaching hasto berepeated.
Thefirst threequalitiesrelateto thepracticeand experienceof theThree
Higher Trainings of morality, concentration and wisdom. The other
important qualities are having the realization of emptiness as the ulti-
mate nature of reality and compassion for the student. Those who
assume the role of teacher must ensure that these qualities are present
within themselves.
When discussing these ten qualities in his Great Exposition of the
Stages of the Path, Lama Tsong Khapa makesa very important point. He
saysthat if your own mind isnot disciplined, theresno way you can dis-
ciplinethemind of another.
19
Therefore, if you want to bea teacher, you
must first seek to disciplineyour own mind. Hegoeson to say that the
way prospective teachers should discipline their minds is through the
practiceof theThreeHigher Trainings.
Furthermore, teachersshould not belimited to teaching just oneor
two pointsof Dharma but should beableto present particular practices
his spiritual practice. One day, as he was outside emptying the ladys
chamber pot, somelamasstopped by thehouse. They told theold lady
that they had heard their teacher might be residing somewhere in the
region and asked if shehad seen him. Sheasked what helooked like, and
asthey started to describehisgeneral appearance, thekind of clotheshe
woreand so forth, shesuddenly realized that theperson who wasout-
side emptying her pot was the great Dza Patrul Rinpoche. She was so
embarrassed that, just likethemonk in thepreviousstory, shetoo ran
off. I heard thisstory from thelateKhunu Lama Tenzin Gyaltsen.
The point of all this is that a true Mahayana teacher should be
someone who enjoys simplicity, yearns to be anonymous and, as
Tibetans would say, hides in solitude like a wounded animal. The
Tibetan tradition statesthat Mahayana teachersshould haveat least two
basic qualities. First, from thedepthsof their heart, they should regard
thefuturelifeasmoreimportant than this. Without this, nothing one
does becomes Dharma. Second, teachers should regard the welfare of
others as more important than their own. Without this, nothing one
doesbecomesMahayana.
THE QUALITIESOF THE STUDENT
In hisGreat Exposition, Lama Tsong Khapa goeson to discussthethree
principal qualificationsof an ideal student:
1. An objectiveand open mind.
2. The intelligence to judge between right and wrong, appro-
priateand inappropriate.
3. Enthusiasm for and interest in thesubject.
Objectivity and openness are critical, regardless of what you want to
study. Biasisan obstacleto knowledge. Objectivity ensuresthat you are
as one of the crown jewels among Tibetan meditators. One day, the
lama, Naro Bnchung, who had heard of Milarepas great reputation,
went to visit him. When he met Milarepa in person, however, hewas
taken completely by surprise, and later remarked to someone, This
Milarepa isso famous, but when you actually seehim, helooksjust like
a beggar.
This reminds me of the humility of another great lama, the
Kadampa master, Dromtnpa. The story goes that once, when
Dromtnpa wastraveling from oneplaceto another, hemet a Tibetan
monk who had been walking for sometime. Thismonk wasvery tired
and hisbootshad begun to hurt hisfeet, so hetook them off and, since
Dromtnpa looked like just a humble layman, asked him to carry his
boots. Dromtnpa took theheavy bootson hisback without question.
Later, as they approached a monastery, the monk noticed that all the
monks were lined up on both sides of the road, obviously waiting to
receivesomebody. Hethought to himself, They didnt know I wascom-
ing, and anyway, this reception could not possibly be for me, so he
turned to Dromtnpa and said, This welcome is obviously for some-
oneimportant. Do you haveany idea who itsfor? Dromtnpa replied,
It could be for me. The monk looked at him in astonishment and,
realizing what hehad done, ran off, leaving hisbootsbehind.
Thereisalso a much morerecent example. Around theturn of the
century, there was a great meditation master and teacher named Dza
Patrul Rinpoche, who wastruly a great bodhisattva and embodied the
teachings of Shantidevas text, A Guide to the Bodhisattvas Way of Life.
Dza Patrul Rinpochehad many disciplesbut often led thelifeof a wan-
dering practitioner. Whenever hesettled in onearea, hewould begin to
attract disciplesand particularly patrons. After a while, hewould find it
all too much and go elsewhereto seek solitude.
One of those times, Dza Patrul Rinpoche sought shelter in the
homeof an old lady, and started doing household choreswhilepursuing
Thisremindsmeof a story. TheTibetan master and learned schol-
ar, Geshe Sherab Gyatso, used to attend the discourses of one of his
teachers, Muchog Rinpoche. Whenever Muchog Rinpochemadesome
effectivepoint, GesheSherab would immediately praiseit and say, Yes,
thesearepowerful instructions. Deeply inspiring. However, if Muchog
Rinpochesaid something contradictory to theteachingsof theBuddha,
GesheSherab would immediately rebuff what histeacher had said, say-
ing, No, no, no. Nobody should say such things.
With respect to the third quality of the student, enthusiasm for and
interest in theteachings, right at thebeginning of theGreat Exposition
of the Stages of the Path, when Lama Tsong Khapa stateshisintention for
writing thetext, wefind a request for theattention of readerswho have
the quality of objectivity, are endowed with the faculty of intelligence
and wish to maketheir human existencemeaningful. In order to make
your lifemeaningful, you need enthusiasm for and interest in practicing
the teachings, otherwise, whatever you learn is like the drawing of a
lampit doesnt illuminateanythingand your knowledgeremainsat
thelevel of mereinformation.
Wefind similar exhortationsamong theIndian masters. In thesalu-
tation verses of his commentary on Maitreyas Ornament of Clear
Realization, Haribhadra states that his teacher, Vimuktisena, wrote a
c o m m en t a ry on the Pe rfect i on of W i sdom Su t ra s. Va su b a n d h u ,
Vimuktisenas own teacher, had also written a commentary on these
sutras, but interpreted their ultimatemeaning according to Cittamatra
philosophy. Recognizing that his teacher, Vasubandhu, hadnt fully
understood the meaning of these sutras, Vimuktisena wrote his own
commentary as a corrective. This shows that even students with great
devotion and respect for their teacher should have the intelligence to
point out any mistakestheir teacher makes.
Another exampleconcernstheIndian master, Dharmakirti, whose
engaging in theDharma in theright way and with theright motivation.
The sutras and Nagarjunas Precious Garland both emphasize this and
describefour wrong waysof approaching and engaging in theDharma:
1. Engaging in the Dharma out of attachment to a particular
tradition or custom.
2. Engaging in theDharma out of hatred or hostility.
3. Engaging in theDharma to seek temporary relief from some
actual or perceived threat.
4. Engaging in theDharma out of ignorance.
With respect to thesecond point, sometimespeoplehaveso much aver-
sion to something that they embracewhatever opposesit. For example,
therearepeoplein India who aremotivated to engagein theDharma in
rebellion against their traditional caste status as untouchables. They
embraceBuddhism becauseof negativefeelingstowardstheir tradition-
ally inherited religion.
Thesecond quality of theideal student, intelligence, isalso very impor-
tant, sinceit isintelligencethat allowsyou to discriminatebetween right
and wrong and so forth.
When commenting on this quality and the various attitudes that
practitionersmust havetowardstheir teacher, Lama Tsong Khapa writes
that studentsshould relateto their teachersasloyal and respectful chil-
dren. Thisdoesnot mean that you should giveyour leash to anybody
who iswilling to takeit, but only to onewho possessestheright quali-
fications. To substantiatethispoint, hecitesa vinaya sutra that saysthat
if a teacher sayssomething that contradictstheDharma, you should not
follow that teaching. Another passagestatesthat if a teacher sayssome-
thing contradictory to theoverall framework of theBuddhaspath, the
student must point thiserror out to theteacher.
The actual practice of relying on a spiritual teacher is performed
through both thought and action, but relying through thought is the
key. This entails the cultivation of two principal qualities, faith and
respect. In the lam-rim, we often find citations from Vajrayana texts
stating that weshould perceiveour teacher asa truly enlightened being.
It isimportant to understand thesignificanceof thispractice.
By encouraging you to cultivatea perception of your teacher asan
enlightened being, thelam-rim textsdo not mean that such relianceon
a spiritual teacher is indispensable. If you look at the structure of the
lam-rim teachings, although all the practices are organized within the
framework of thethreescopes, thoseof theinitial and middling scopes
are regarded as common practices, the term common implying that
they arenot full or completepracticesin and of themselves.
Theinitial scope teachingsdiscusstheneed to cultivatetheyearning
for a better rebirth and contain practicesrelated to that aspiration. The
middling scope teachings deal with the practices of the Three Higher
Trainings of morality, meditation and wisdom, but even here they are
not presented in full because they are still in the context of the
Mahayana path. The point is that lam-rim texts are written assuming
that theultimateaim of thepractitioner isto enter theVajrayana path
in order to reach enlightenment (thegreat scope). Therefore, even though
the lam-rim teachings present the idea of perceiving your teacher as a
truly enlightened being, it doesnot mean that every singlespiritual prac-
tice depends upon that kind of reliance. Cultivating the perception of
your teacher asa fully enlightened being isrelevant only in thecontext
of Vajrayana but not in thecommon practices.
Theactual relianceon a spiritual teacher isdonethrough theculti-
vation of certain thoughts, particularly faith, admiration and respect,
based on therecognition of your teachersgreat kindness. It doesnot end
there, however. In fact, thevery purposeof cultivating such attitudesis
to arouseenthusiasm for and dedication to your practice. By cultivating
teacher was a student of the seventh century pandit, Di g n a g a .
Dharmakirti used Dignagastext in hisstudy of epistemology. Asheread
over the text with his teacher, Dharmakirti realized that even his own
teacher hadnt fully understood Dignagasmeaning. When Dharmakirti
mentioned this to his teacher, he invited him to write a commentary
that would takehisown interpretation asan object of critique.
All theseexamplesshow clearly that thegreat masterstruly took to
heart theBuddhasown advicethat hisfollowersshould not accept his
wordssimply out of reverencebut should scrutinizethem in theway a
goldsmith examinesgold by rubbing, cutting and scorching and accept
thevalidity of histeachingsonly on thebasisof their own analysis.
20
The Mahayana has a long tradition of subjecting the Buddhas
wordsto detailed analysisand examination, following that with an inter-
p ret a t i veapproach to discriminatebetween teachingsthat can betaken at
facevalueand thosethat req u i refurther interpret a t i o n .
21
Thisisnecessary
becausetherearecertain scriptural teachingsthat, if taken literally, actual-
ly contradict reasoning and experience. Theseinterpretationshavebeen
madeby Mahayana practitionersand masterswho haveunwavering, sin-
gle-pointed faith in theBuddha, someof whom haveactually been will-
ing to giveup their livesin theserviceof theDharma. Even such devot-
ed masterssubject theword of theBuddha to critical analysis.
ESTABLISHING PROPER RELIANCE
In hisGreat Treatise, Lama Tsong Khapa goeson to describetheactual
manner in which proper relianceon a spiritual teacher should bedevel-
oped and established. Relianceon a spiritual teacher, hewrites, isthe
foundation of thepath, becausethespiritual teacher isthesourceof all
temporary and (particularly) ultimategain. Thepoint hereisthat if we
encounter a genuinespiritual teacher, thisperson may beableto help us
open our eyeof awarenessand lead uson thepath.
or her tend to block theexpression of criticism?Second, how do you rec-
oncile holding fundamentally different views on certain issues from
thoseexpressed by your guru?
His Holiness. If a lama or spiritual teacher has done something wrong
that needsto bepointed out, therecould betwo kindsof motivation for
thoseimmediately around theteachersuch asattendantsor closedis-
ciplestrying to hideit or prevent peoplefrom disclosing it or point-
ing it out to the teacher. On the one hand, their motivation could be
quite innocent; they might just be trying to protect and help their
teacher. Such motivation ismoretheresult of ignorancerather than will-
ful manipulation of thesituation. However, even if thatsthecase, there
is still the danger of causing harm to the teacher. In fact, a Tibetan
expression says that extremely devout students can turn a true teacher
into a falseone.
On theother hand, themotivation of theattendantsand closedisci-
plescould bemoremundanethey may not want to maketheir teachers
w rongdoing public for fear of harming hisor her reputation. Thisiscom-
pletely wrong, and you must find away of expressing your concerns to
your teacher. However, it isalso very important to ensurethat your ow n
m o t i vation is pure. You should not act out of hostility tow a rds yo u r
teacher or out of the desire simply to express your displeasure. As the
Mahayana teachings state, we must ensure that everything our teacher
teachesaccordswith theprincipal teachingsof theBuddha. Wemust also
practicethemotto of relying on theteaching and not theperson.
22
In responseto your second question, it sunlikely that you will have
disagreements with your teacher on every single issue. Thats almost
impossible. Basically, you should embrace and practice the teachings
that accord with thefundamental teachingsof theBuddha and disregard
thosethat do not.
such thoughtsasadmiration and respect, you develop a deeper appreci-
ation of what your spiritual teacher embodies, and your commitment
and dedication to practicenaturally increase. Thebest way of making an
offering to your teacher is to practice what you have been taught. As
Milarepa wrote, I do not haveany material thingsto offer my teacher,
but still I havethebest offeringmy practiceand experiences.
Among thewritingsof thegreat masterswefind a versestating that
whiletheremight bea question asto whether single-pointed meditation
can lead you to liberation, thereisno doubt that deep faith in, devotion
to and respect for your teacher will. Thissuggeststhat if, in thecontext
of Vajrayana, you havedeeply felt, single-pointed faith in and respect for
your spiritual teacher, you will experience enormous enthusiasm and
makegreat stridesin your practice.
TheIndian Chakrasamvara master, Gandapa [Tib: Drilbupa], wrote
that your spiritual teacher alone can lead you to liberation. However,
commenting on this point, Lama Tsong Khapa said that the term
alone here is not exclusive but rather an emphasis placed upon the
importance of relying on your spiritual teacher in the context of
Vajrayana. Devotion to your teacher doesnot excludethenecessity of all
the other practices, because devotion alone cannot lead to liberation.
You need to understand thedifferent contextsin which certain perspec-
tivesarerelevant. If you havea broad understanding of thewholeidea
of relianceon a guru, it will help you deal with someof theproblems
and crisesweseetoday in relation to thispractice.
Question. If I did not misunderstand what you said before, part of the
practiceof guru devotion isto point out whereyou think your teacher
hasgonewrong. First, what do you do when it isnearly impossibleto
expressa dissenting opinion to your teacher becausethosearound him
punctuated by spiritual phases and seems to bebased on those diligent
t ea c h er s inability to achieve complete liberation themselves. Is seeking
buddhahood in thisvery lifetime still aviable goal in what theBu d d h a
d ec l a red would bea dark agefor Bu d d h i sm ?
His Holiness. If you understand the process of attaining buddhahood
from thegeneral Mahayana perspective, theattainment of buddhahood
within theperiod of threecountlesseonsisactually said to bethequick
version. Sometextsspeak about forty countlesseons! However, accord-
ing to thegeneral Vajrayana teachings, practitionerswith high levelsof
realization can prolong their lifespan and attain Buddhahood within a
singlelifetime. TheHighest Yoga Tantra teachings recognize that even
within this short human lifetime, the possibility of full enlightenment
exists.
Thereisalso theidea of someonebeing ableto attain full enlight-
enment after a three-year retreat, which is not too dissimilar from
Chinesecommunist propaganda. I makethiscomment partly asa joke,
but partly in all seriousnesstheshorter thetimeperiod of your expec-
tation, thegreater thedanger of losing courageand enthusiasm. Leaving
aside the question of whether it takes three or forty countless eons to
reach enlightenment, when you cultivate deeply such powerful senti-
mentsasthosearticulated in Shantidevasprayer,
For aslong asspaceexists,
For aslong assentient beingsremain,
Until then, may I too remain
And dispel themiseriesof theworld,
time is totally irrelevant; you are thinking in terms of infinity. Also,
when you read in the Mahayana scriptures passages pertaining to the
bodhisattvas practice of what is called armor-like patience, again time
Qu e s t i o n. Do weneed aguru to get enlightened or isit sufficient just to
study Dharma, livea moral life, attend teachingsand practicemeditation?
His Holiness. Of courseit ispossibleto practice, study and lead a moral
lifewithout actually seeking a guru. However, you must understand that
when you talk about enlightenment, you are not talking about some-
thing that can beattained within thenext few yearsbut about a spiritu-
al aspiration that may, in somecases, takemany lifetimesand eons. If
you do not find a qualified teacher to whom you can entrust your spir-
itual well-being then, of course, it ismoreeffectiveto entrust yourself to
theactual Dharma teachingsand practiceon that basis.
I can tell you a story related to this. Dromtnpa wasa great spiritu-
al master who truly embodied thealtruistic teachingsof exchanging self
and others. In fact, in thelatter part of hislife, hededicated himself to
serving peoplewho suffered from leprosy. Helived with them and even-
tually lost hisown lifeto thisdisease, which damaged hischin in par-
ticular.
AsDromtnpa lay dying, his head rested on the lap of one of his
chief disciples, Potowa, and he noticed that Potowa was crying. Then
Potowa said, After you passaway, in whom can weentrust our spiritu-
al well-being?Who can we take as our teacher? Dromtnpa replied,
Dont worry. Youll still havea teacher after Im gonethetripitaka, the
threefold collection of theteachingsof theBuddha. Entrust yourself to
thetripitaka; takethetripitaka asyour teacher.
However, asweprogressalong thespiritual path, at somepoint we
will definitely meet an appropriateand suitableteacher.
Question. Many texts describe the practitioners goal as that of bud-
dhahood itself, yet among seasoned Western Dharma teachers there
seems to bea trend tow a rdsaccepting partial results, asif buddhahood
is unattainable. This new attitude is that of accepting samsaric mind
4
BECOMING INSPIRED TO
PRACTICE DHARMA
LEVELSOF SPIRITUAL TRAINEES
Understand that therearethreekindsof persons
Becauseof their small, middling and supremecapacities.
I shall writeclearly distinguishing
Their individual characteristics.
Having explained how to rely on a spiritual teacher, in his Great
Exposition, Lama Tsong Khapa goes on to discuss the procedure for
engaging in thepracticesof thepath. Thisisdivided into two sections:
how to inspireourselveswith enthusiasm for practiceand how to actu-
ally engagein it. To practiceDharma successfully, weneed determina-
tion and courage. We can arouse these qualities within ourselves by
reflecting upon thepreciousnessof our human existencein threeways:
1. Recognizing theopportunitiesour human existenceaffordsus.
2. Appreciating therarity of theseopportunities.
3. Appreciating thegreat significanceof theseopportunities.
Once we have been inspired and have developed a determination to
has no significance. These are tremendously inspiring and courageous
sentiments.
and eliminated. For example, in thecontext of thefirst spiritual goal of
attaining a higher rebirth, themain factorsthat need to beovercomeare
the negative manifestations of the afflictions, such as the non-virtuous
actionsof body, speech and mind. In thecontext of thesecond spiritu-
al goal of attaining liberation, themain factorsthat need to beovercome
arethemental and emotional afflictionsthat lieat theroot of our suf-
fering. In thecontext of thethird spiritual goal of attaining enlighten-
ment, themain factorsthat need to beovercomearethesubtleimprints
left on our consciousnessby theafflictions, which obstruct usfrom gain-
ing perfect knowledge, theomniscient mind of buddhahood.
Know that thosewho by whatever means
Seek for themselvesno more
Than thepleasuresof cyclic existence
Arepersonsof theleast capacity.
Themeans in thefirst linerefersto thepracticeof taking refugein the
ThreeJewels, which includesreflecting on death and itsinevitability and
following thelaw of karma.
This verse goes on to define the characteristics of the initial scope
(calling it least capacity), referring to practitionerswho aspireto thefirst
spiritual goal of attaining higher reb i rthsin cyclic existenceand theref o re
lead ethically disciplined lives, refraining from the ten non-virt u o u s
actionsbased on adeep conviction in thetruth of thelaw of karma.
DEVELOPING FAITH IN KARMA
According to Buddhist tradition, thesubtlest workingsof karma areevi-
dent only to theomniscient mindsof thebuddhas; ordinary beingshave
BECOMING INSPIRED TO PRACTICE DHARMA 69
engagein thepracticeof Dharma, therearethreemain objectivesthat
weseek:
1. Theattainment of a higher rebirth in futurelives.
2. Theattainment of liberation from cyclic existence.
3. Theattainment of full enlightenment.
Therearethreetypesof path leading to thesethreespiritual goalsand,
aswehaveseen, thelam-rim teachingspresent them within theframe-
work of thethreescopes. Themain practicethat fulfillstheaspirations
of the initial scopeavoiding the three lower realms and attaining a
higher rebirthisthat of maintaining the ethical discipline of refrain-
ing from theten non-virtuousactions: killing, stealing, sexual miscon-
duct, lying, divisivespeech, harsh speech, meaninglessgossip, covetous-
ness, harmful intent and wrong views. This practice is undertaken on
thebasisof a clear recognition of thekarmic law of causeand effect.
Theseten actionsencompassall thevariousnegativemanifestations
of body, speech and mind. Thepracticeof theten virtuous actionsisto
maintain an ethical discipline where you deliberately and consciously
refrain from theten non-virtuousones. If you engagein such an ethical
discipline, you will establish theconditionsfor attaining a favorableexis-
tencein your next life.
Themain practicethat fulfillstheaspirationsof themiddling scope
liberation from cyclic existenceisthat of theT h reeHigher Trainings.
Themain practicethat fulfillstheaspirationsof thegreat, or high-
est, scopethe full enlightenment of buddhahoodis that of the six
perfections, which isundertaken on thebasisof generating thealtruis-
tic mind that aspires for enlightenment for the benefit of all beings
bodhicittawhich wediscussed briefly earlier.
Just astherearedifferent methodsthat need to becultivated on each
of thesepaths, therearealso different factorsthat need to beovercome
THE THREE LEVELSOF REFUGE
If thereisathreat, weshould seek refugefrom it. Si m i l a r l y, in thecontext
of spiritual practice, to protect ourselvesfrom thethreat of an unfavo r a b l e
reb i rth, weshould seek refugein theT h reeJewels: Buddha, Dharma and
Sangha.
Buddhism teachesthreedifferent levelsof refuge. Thefirst iswhere
weseek protection from theimmediatethreat of thesuffering of rebirth
in a lower realm of existence. Inspired by thegreat fear that thispossi-
bility evokes, weseek refugein theThreeJewelsin order to avoid it. This
level of refugeisrelevant to initial scopepractitioners, whosegoal isto
attain an upper rebirth.
When we think of the lower realms of existence, we should not
think of someplacefar away in thedistant future. All that actually lies
between thepresent moment and thenext lifeissimply thecontinuity
of our breath. Themoment westop breathing, when webreatheout and
dont breathein, thenext lifeisright therein front of us. Itsnot a mat -
ter of somedistant timein thefuture; itsimmediate. In order to bring
about a concordant senseof urgency, therefore, it isnecessary for usto
reflect upon impermanence, particularly upon the inevitably of death,
theuncertainty of thetimeof death and what will benefit uswhen death
arrives.
Thesecond level of refugeiswhereweseek protection from thesuf-
fering of per vasiveconditioning; thesuffering of being caught in cyclic
existenceand thedestructivepower of thenegativethoughtsand emo-
tions. In order to overcomethesesufferings, wetakerefugein Buddha,
Dharma and Sangha, which embody thetotal transcendenceof suffer-
ing and cyclic existence, particularly the suffering of pervasive condi-
tioning. Thislevel of refugeisrelevant to middling scopepractitioners,
whosegoal isto attain nirvana.
The third and highest level of refuge is that of the Ma h a y a n a
no way of understanding karma at itsdeepest levels. Therefore, in order
to be deeply convinced of the truth of the law of karma, you need to
havea deep conviction in thevalidity and efficacy of theThreeJewelsof
Refuge; the basis of your spiritual practice must be strong faith in
Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
Thisfaith isnot developed from thewordsof theBuddha alonebut,
aswehaveseen, on thebasisof your own critical analysis. If you look at
the Buddhas teachings, you can discern two basic objectives: the sec-
ondary, temporary objective is to help sentient beings gain upper
rebirths, but theprimary, ultimateobjectiveisto lead them to complete
liberation from samsara.
When you examinetheBuddhasteachingson thecomplex issueof
negativeemotionsand how to counter them, you can seethat thesemat-
ters are evident to all. We are all familiar with the emotions, so as we
relatetheBuddhasteachingson them to our own personal experience,
wecan gradually recognizethetruth of theBuddhaswords. Similarly, all
his teachings dealing with the ultimate goal of liberationimperma-
nence, the Four Noble Truths, emptiness and so forthcan also be
understood through critical analysis. That analysiscan then beextend-
ed to thescripturesdealing with thesubtleworkingsof karma. Wecan
thus conclude that if Buddha has not failed us in the most important
area, theattainment of liberation, why should hefail usin histeachings
on causeand effect?In thisway wecan begin to develop conviction in
thelaw of karma. Wecan also consider that theBuddha had no reason
to makefalseclaimsabout karma and how thereareno contradictions
in thescripturesdiscussing it.
To summarize, oncewedevelop a deep conviction in thevalidity of the
Bu d d h as teachings, we gain an admiration for and faith in theBu d d h a
h i m sel f. Based on theseconsiderations, wecan rec o g n i zethevalidity of the
Bu d d h asteachingson karma. It ison thisbasisthat wethen engagein the
practiceof ethical discipline, refraining from theten non-virtuousactions.
weshould then reflect upon thesethreeimportant facts:
1. Death isinevitable.
2. Thetimeof death isunpredictable.
3. At thetimeof death, only spiritual practicewill beof benefit.
Most of us feel that we will be alive tomorrow. We think that just
because there are no medical or physical conditions threatening our
lives, we can justifiably conclude that there is a ninety-nine percent
chance that we will live beyond today. However, what about that one
percent?We cannot say with one hundred percent certainty that we
wont bedead tomorrow. When death strikes, our wealth, no matter how
great, will beof no significance; nor will our family or friends. Even our
cherished body will beof no use. At thetimeof death, nobody elsecan
help us; wemust travel that path alone.
Now the big question arises: does the continuity of consciousness
disappear after death?Thisisan important question and not new to this
generation; it hasbeen addressed for thousandsof years. However, when
actually confronted by death, only thespiritual qualitieswehavedevel-
oped through our practice of Dharma will help; nothing but Dharma
can benefit usat thetimeof death.
MEDITATION: CULTIVATING MENTAL DISCIPLINE
Theway wedevelop positivequalitiesof mind isthrough constant prac-
tice and meditation. Meditation is a discipline whereby we cultivate
familiarity with a chosen object. Our problem isthat in normal day-to-
day life, weallow ourselvesto bedominated by afflictiveemotionsand
deluded thoughts, totally overwhelming our mind with negative states
that then perpetuatea wholecycleof problems, confusion and suffering.
What we seek in spiritual practice, therefore, is a way of reversing
p r a ctitioner. Here, we seek refuge from the extremes of samsaric exis-
tenceon theonehand and individual liberation on theother. In order
to beprotected from thesetwo extremes, weseek theattainment of bud-
dhahood, dharmakaya and rupakaya, for the benefit of all sentient
beings. When weview refugein thisway, wecan understand thesignif -
icance of Maitreyas statement that the true and ultimate refuge is
Buddha alone, becauseonly an enlightened being embodiesall thisper-
fection. Maitreya goes on to say that the Buddhas enlightened mind
encompassestheultimatejewel of Dharma and also representstheulti-
mateperfection of thejewel of Sangha.
THE VALUE AND TRANSIENT NATUREOF HUMAN EXISTENCE
This human existence with its (eight) liberties
23
is
much more precious than a wish-granting jewel .
Obtained just thisonce, difficult to acquireand easily
lost, (it passes in a flash) like lightning in the sky.
Considering how (easily thiscan happen at any time)
and realizing that all worldly activitiesareas(immate-
rial as) chaff, you must try to extract itsessence at all
times, day and night. I, the yogi, have practiced just
that. You who also seek liberation, please cultivate
yourself in thesameway.
This verse presents the contemplations that need to be done to fully
appreciatethesignificanceof theopportunitiesoffered usby our human
existence. First, wemust recognizethenatureof thisexistence; second,
wemust reflect upon itsrarity; and third, wemust consider itsfragility;
thefact that it can belost at any time. Based on such contemplations,
Aswefurther deepen our understanding through investigation and
critical thinking, wereach thepoint wherewehavea clear intellectual
understanding of reality, having convinced ourselvesthat thisistheway
in which thingsactually exist; that thisisthetruenatureof reality. If we
deepen our analysis even further, we gain even stronger conviction; a
certainty derived from our own critical thinking. This is called valid
cognition; a trueascertainment of a certain stateof affairs.
If wepursuethisprocessof constantly engaging our mind with the
objectin thiscase, thenatureof realitywereach thepoint wherewe
havenot only intellectual, inferential knowledgeof theobject but also a
kind of experiential knowledge. At thisinitial stage, theexperiencestill
dependsto a largeextent upon rational thought processesand isthere-
forecalled thestageof simulated experiential knowledge.
If wecontinuedeepening our analysis, wereach thepoint whereour
experiential knowledge becomes spontaneous and we can recall the
experienceof deep understanding simply by focusing our attention on
theobject of investigation. At thispoint, our understanding hasreached
the level of spontaneous, non-simulated experiential knowledge.
Thus, even with a single characteristic of phenomena, our thought
processesgo through deepening levelsof understanding and experience.
From another point of view, wecan say that wego through threestages
of understanding. First, thereistheunderstanding derived from learning
and study; from listening to teachings, for example. Second, thereis the
stageof understanding derived not so much from learning and study, but
f rom personal reflection and contemplation. T h i rd, there is the level of
understanding that derivesfrom personal experience; from meditation.
T h erearetwo principal approachesto theactual process of meditation.
One iscalled p l a c em en t or a b so r p t i ve meditation; sometimes this is
also called calm abiding. Theother isa n a l y t i c or insight meditation.
L etstaketheexampleof meditating on cultivating faith in your spiritual
thiscycleso that wecan finally takechargeof our mind and prevent it
from coming under theinfluenceof such negativeimpulses. Wedo this
by engaging in a constant disciplineof cultivating familiarity with a cho-
sen object, which, of course, must bea positiveone. In so doing, wegain
a certain mental stability that allowsusto placeour mind single-point-
edly upon this object. This is the actual meaning and purpose of
Buddhist meditation.
Thoughts and emotions with which we are more familiar are the
onesthat comemoreeasily to us. If wearemorefamiliar with negative
thoughtsand emotions, thosearetheonesthat will arisein usmorenat-
urally, but if wearemorehabituated to positivethoughtsand emotions,
thosearetheonesthat will naturally arise.
We can observe this in our own personal experience, particularly
when studying a new subject. At thebeginning, wefind it difficult and
struggleto understand anything at all, but aswepersevere, theclearer it
becomes. Eventually we reach the point where understanding arises
through merely directing our mind to thesubject. Thisdoesnot mean
that the subject has suddenly become easy. All we have done is to
enhanceour understanding of it through constant engagement.
Changeisa gradual process. Therefore, when wearetrying to dis-
pel confusion with respect to reality, illumination dawns by degrees.
Again, wecan observethisin our personal experience. At thebeginning,
we may have a single-pointed perception of reality that is completely
oppositeto theway in which thingsreally exist, but asweinvestigatethe
natureof reality with our analytical mind, weeventually reach thepoint
where our misconceptions are undermined and we enter a state of
uncertainty. Westill tend moretowardsmisconception, but our grasp-
ing at it hasbeen loosened. Aswecontinuedeepening our understand-
ing through our analysis, our indecisivenessgradually progressesinto a
stateof equilibrium, wherewebegin to inclinemoretowardsthecorrect
understanding of reality.
attachment. Similarly, when you feel strong aversion towardssomebody,
you constantly reinforce your hatred by thinking up one reason after
another to justify your feelingshedid this, shedidnt do that and
so forthand abidein thesefeelings. Thus, you arealready familiar with
practicessimilar to analytic and absorptivemeditation.
Asspiritual practitioners, what weshould bedoing isapplying theexpe-
rienceswith which wearefamiliar to arealm that isnotthat of spiritual
practice. T h rough theapplication of analytic and absorptivemeditation we
can really bring about thespiritual transformation that weseek. T h ereis,
h owever, a third condition that wemay haveto takeinto account.
Take, for example, two practitionersunder theguidanceof thesame
t ea c h er, who have both studied and practiced meditation for an equal
length of time. Onefindsit easy to understand theteachingsand isvery
successful in gaining realizations, but the other finds it difficult, even
though heor shehasput in an equal amount of time, attention and effort.
Buddhism explainsthisin termsof merit or a lack thereofa per-
sons karma and level of karmic obscuration. For example, those who
support themselvesthrough wrong livelihoods
24
will havemuch heavier
degreesof karmic obscuration than thosewho dont. Somepeoplewho
have devoted their whole life to solitary meditation have told me that
when they utilize offerings from certain people, it temporarily hinders
their progress. This suggests that because of the purity of their way of
life, they havedeveloped an extremely fine-tuned sensitivity to environ-
mental factors and can immediately recognize the effect of things on
their practice.
In summary, three factors contribute to a successful meditation
practice:
1. Successful engagement in analytic and absorptivemeditation.
2. Accumulation of merit and purification of negativity and
karmic obscurations.
teacher or another high object, such astheBuddha.
Initially, you can cultivatea firm, deeply grounded, genuinefaith in
your teacher by, for example, constantly reflecting upon hisor her great
qualitiesfrom variouspointsof view. Themoreresourcesyou can draw
upon in this analytic meditation, the stronger will be your feeling of
connectednessto your teacher.
Once you have arrived at thepoint where from the depthsof yo u r
h ea rt you feel reverence, admiration and closeness, let your mind abidein
thisstate. Thisisplacement meditation. Asyou remain single-pointedly in
thisfeeling of admiration for your teacher, theintensity and vitality of this
statemay slowly begin to diminish. When you observe thishappening,
rei n f o rceyour awarenessby reapplying your analytic meditation on yo u r
t ea c h erspositivequalities.
When you engagein meditation on impermanenceor no-self nature,
you takeimpermanenceor no-self astheobject of your attention and focus
on it, trying to deepen your understanding of it. Hereagain, you engagein
analytic meditation by constantly reflecting upon thevariousreasonsthat
led you to theconclusion that all phenomenaareimpermanent or not self-
existent. When you arrive at theconclusion that everything is definitely
impermanent or definitely lack self-existence, place your mind single-
pointedly on that conclusion. Abide as long as you can in that state of
a b so r p t i vemeditation.
These examples show how analytic and absorptive meditations
combineto makea successful meditation session.
If you think about your own daily experiences, you will seethat yo u
engage in analytic and absorptive meditation all the time. For example,
your thoughts are constantly influenced by strong emotions, such as
attachment to somebody you likeor anger tow a rdssomebody you dont .
When you areattached to somebody, yo urealwaysthinking how desirable
that person is and examining that persons positive, attractive qualities,
constantly justifying, reinforcing and dwelling in your feelings of
impermanenceand death isnot just to terrify yourself; thereisno point
in simply making yourself afraid of death. Thepurposeof meditating on
impermanence and death is to remind you of the preciousness of the
opportunities that exist for you in life as a human being. Reminding
yourself that death isinevitable, itstimeunpredictableand when it hap-
pensonly spiritual practiceisof benefit givesyou a senseof urgency and
enablesyou to truly appreciatethevalueof your human existenceand
your potential to fulfill the highest of spiritual aspirations. If you can
develop this profound appreciation, you will treat every single day as
extremely precious.
Asspiritual practitioners, it isvery important for us to constantly
f a m i l i a r i ze our thoughts and emotions with theidea of death so that it
does not arrive as something completely unexpected. We need to
accept death as a part of our lives. This kind of attitude is much
healthier than simply trying not to think or talk about death. W h en
weexamine theteachings of theBuddha himself, we find that during
his first public sermon he enumerated sixteen characteristics of the
Four Noble Truths, of which four arethe characteristics of suffering.
Of the four characteristics of suffering, the first is impermanence.
Then, when the Buddha passed away, at the threshold of his final nir-
vana, thelast teaching he gavewas on the importanceof contemplat-
ing impermanence. In other words, the very first and last teachingsof
the Buddha were on impermanence.
A discussion of death naturally bringsup thequestion of what happens
next, bringing up theissueof rebirth. From theBuddhist point of view,
rebirth isunderstood in termsof a continuity of consciousness. Oneof
thepremisesof theBuddhasteachingson rebirth, therefore, isthecon-
tinuity of consciousness. In hisPramanavarttika, Dharmakirti statesthat
something that isnot in thenatureof consciousnesscannot beturned
into consciousness. His point is that in accounting for the nature and
3. Engagement in specific meditation practices for particular
purposes.
Of the three, engagement in specific meditation practices is the most
important and isdonein themeditation session, whereasother virtuous
activities, such asmaking prostrations, circumambulating and so forth
aredonein thepost-session periods.
During theactual session, thefaculty of introspection ensuresthat
you continually maintain mindfulnessand arenot distracted by external
factors. And whileintrospection and mindfulnessarecritical during the
session, they arealso very important during thepost-meditation periods,
when they ensure that you sustain the vitality and diligence of your
meditation experiences.
You must also ensurethat duringthepost-meditation periodsyou carry
out your normal activities, such aseating, sleepingand so forth, in an appro-
priatemanner, that is with mindfulness and introspection. If you do, the
practicesyou did during thesession will rei n f o rceand enhancethoseof the
post-meditation periodsand thepracticesyou do during thepost-meditation
periodswill rei n f o rceand enhancethoseof thesession. If you can maintain
your spiritual practiceseffectively in thismanner, their influencemay even
extend into your sleep, and mindfulnessand introspection will function in
your dreamsaswell. You may, for example, experiencepowerful surgesof
admiration for theBuddhaor your spiritual teacher in your dreamsand be
ableto feel thelingering effectsof such experienceseven after you awaken.
Finally, to ensurethequality of your meditation practice, it ismore
effectiveto do many short sessionsrather than a few long ones.
DEATH AND REBIRTH
Asto what specific meditation practicesyou should engagein, takethe
topic of impermanenceasan example. Thesignificanceof meditating on
comes into being a macroscopic world that can actually have a direc t
effect upon sentient beings experience of pain, pleasure, suffering
and happiness. It is along these lines that Buddhists explain the entire
evolution and dissolution of the universe. This is made very clear in
the traditional Buddhist teachings on the twel ve links of dependent
o r i g i n a t i o n .
.
25
THE TWELVE LINKS
The interlocking chain of the twelve links demonstrates the entire
processof evolution and explainstheindividualsexistencein samsara.
Thereisno concept of therebeing somekind of central, unifying cre-
ator around which everything evolves.
While we are experiencing the consequences of one set of twelve
links, the ignorance and karmic action links of another cycle have
already been set in motion. Thus, there are ever-rotating, interlocking
chains of twelve links of dependent origination constantly keeping us
bound to thewheel of life, which ishow our evolution through cyclic
existenceisexplained.
The Buddha actually taught the twelve links in two ways. One
chartsour evolution through cyclic existencefrom ignoranceto karmic
volitional acts to consciousness and so on down the chain, while the
other presents the same process in reverse, explaining how we escape
from samsara and reach enlightenment. By bringing an end to igno-
rance, volitional acts are prevented; by preventing volitional acts, con-
sciousnessisprevented, and so on.
Commenting on theseteachings, theIndian master Asanga identi-
fied threeprincipal features:
1. Everything has its causes. In the Buddhist teachings on
dependent origination, the notion of divine creation is
existenceof consciousness, wehavetwo choices. Either weposit that the
continuum of consciousnesshasno beginning or that it does. If weposit
a beginning to the continuum of consciousness, the question arises,
when did that first instanceof consciousnesscomeinto being and from
wheredid it come?Then our choicesarethat thefirst moment of con-
sciousnesscamefrom nowherefrom no causeor that it wascreated
by a causethat ispermanent and eternal.
From theBuddhist point of view, either answer givesriseto many
inconsistencies. If something comesfrom no cause, it should exist either
all the time or not at all. Both options are untenable. If, on the other
hand, something comes from a cause that is itself permanent, eternal,
unchanging and unitary, thisnegatesthefundamental Buddhist view of
universal causation. Therefore, from theBuddhist point of view, theidea
of divinecreation iscompletely unacceptable. If oneacceptsthat some
divine force created the entire universe, then the nature of this divine
forcehasto beindependent, unitary, uncaused and original, all of which
areuntenablewithin a philosophical outlook in which universal causa-
tion isthefundamental principle.
It ison thesegroundsthat Buddhistsdo not posit a beginning to the
continuum of consciousnessand explain itsnatureand existencepurely
in termsof theprincipleof causesand conditions. From theBuddhist
point of view, even theexistenceof thegalaxiesand theuniverseitself
hasto beexplained from thepoint of view of causesand conditions. In
thecaseof theuniverse, therehasto bea relationship between thesen-
tient beingsthat inhabit thephysical planeand theexistenceand evolu-
tion of thephysical world.
Buddhistsexplain it in thefollowing way. AsI mentioned before, at
thesubtlest level of thephysical world, thereis an ever - p resent physical
continuum of spaceparticles. When thissubtlephysical continuum inter-
actswith thekarmaof sentient beings, thekarmaactsasacondition that
gives rise to various permutations of physical reality. Eventually there
5
REFUGE, KARMA AND PRECEPTS
TAKING REFUGE
After death, thereisno guaranteethat you will not be
reborn in one of the three unfortunate rea l m s.
Nevertheless, it is certain that the Three Jewels of
Refuge have the power to protect you from their ter-
rors. For this reason, your taking of refuge should be
extremely solid and you should follow itsadvicewith-
out ever letting (your commitments) wea k en .
Moreover, (your successin) so doing dependson your
considering thoroughly which are the black or the
white karmic actions together with their results and
then living according to the guides of what is to be
adopted or rejected. I, the yogi, have practiced just
Here, thetext pointsout that theanswer to thequestion of whereyou will
go after death isdetermined by your own karmic actions, not only of this
lifebut also of your previouslives. On thispoint, Vasubandhu haswritten
that sinceall of ushaveenormouscollectionsof karma accumulated over
rejected, becauseeverything comesinto being asa result of
causesand conditions.
2. Thesecausesareimpermanent. Even thecausesthat set the
wholecyclein motion arethemselvessubject to causesand
conditionsand are, therefore, impermanent.
3. Only compatible and corresponding causes give rise to the
effects. Causation isnot a random process; not everything
can produce everything. Causes and effects must be com-
patible; only commensurate causes lead to corresponding
results.
Asanga identified these factors by commenting on a passage from the
sutras, wheretheBuddha stated, Becausethisexists, that exists; because
thisoriginated, that will ensue; and becausethereisfundamental igno-
rance, volitional actswill follow.
26
an over - a c t i veimagination or somekind of paranoia or overly suspicious
mind. Thiskind of fear iscompletely unnecessary and needsto beelimi-
nated. Then thereisanother typeof fear, which stemsfrom encountering a
real threat. If thereisno possibility of overcoming thisdanger and you have
to faceit no matter what, fear isnot an appropriateresponseand is, in fact,
quitepointless; all it doesisparalyzeyo u .
However, thetypeof fear that arisesbecauseyou arealert to a par-
ticular danger can also motivateyou to actfor example, to seek pro-
tection or escape. Thistypeof fear isnot only justified; it can beposi-
tive and beneficial. This is the kind of fear you need in order to take
refugeproperly. Wedeliberately cultivatea senseof fear of rebirth in the
threelower realms, and thisinspiresusto seek refugefrom thisdanger.
Thetext speaksabout having a solid refugein theThreeJewels;
thismeansa refugethat isstableand firm. Thekey thing in developing
a stableand firm practiceof refugeisa good understanding of depend-
ent origination and, to a certain extent, emptiness. By contemplating
the teachings on dependent origination and emptiness, you will see
clearly thepossibility of buddhahood. In thisway, you will gain a deep
understanding of thenatureof Dharma and a recognition of Sangha and
Buddha. Once you have developed full confidence in the power of
Buddha, Dharma and Sangha to protect you from thesuffering of the
three lower realms and entrusted them with your spiritual care, your
refugeissolid and you havetruly becomea practicing Buddhist.
If, however, your confidence in the Three Jewels weakens and
doubtsabout their ability to protect you arise, you can no longer claim
to bea truepractitioner of Buddhadharma.
OBSERVINGTHE LAW OF KARMA
Onceyou havetaken refugein theThreeJewels, your main responsibil-
ity is to observe the law of karma and abstain from the ten negative
REFUGE, KARMA AND PRECEPTS 85
many past lives, weall havekarmic potentialsto takereb i rth in thelower
realmsof existenceaswell asin themorefortunaterealms.
What factors determine which karmic collection will ripen first?
Vasubandhu said that the strongest, or most dominant, karmic collec-
tion, will ripen first. If your positive and negative karma are of equal
st rength, then thekarmic actionsto which you aremost habituated will
ripen next. If thelevel of familiarity of your karmic actionsisalso equal,
then thekarmathat will ripen next iswhichever you accumulated first.
27
Thisishow karmadeterminesyour futurereb i rthsand whether, for exam-
ple, you will bereborn in one of thethreelower realms, that isthehell,
h u n g ry ghost [Skt: p re t a] or animal realms. Although explanationsof these
u n f o rtunaterealmsof existencemay befound in abhidharmatextssuch as
Va su b a n d h us Tre a s u ry of Manifest Know l e d g e ( Ab h i d h a rm a k o s h a ) ,
28
yo u
should investigate the descriptions of the location and nature of these
realmsto seehow literal and accuratethey are.
The second sentence of Verse11 reads, Nevertheless, it iscertain
that theThreeJewelsof Refugehavethepower to protect you from their
terrors. This obviously refers to the practice of taking refuge in the
ThreeJewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. To takerefuge, two condi -
tionsmust bepresentfear of rebirth in thethreelower realmsand faith
in thepower of theobjectsof refugeto protect you from thisthreat.
Therefore, to takerefugesuccessfully, you must havesomeunder-
standing of what theseobjectsof refugeare. AsBuddhist practitioners,
wemust first understand thepossibility of therebeing such a thing asa
Buddha, and also thepossibility of enlightenment. Thekey factor here
is an understanding of the nature of Dharma, because Dharma is the
actual refuge. Onceyou understand thenatureof Dharma, you can also
understand thepossibility of Sangha and itsperfected state, theBuddha.
Generally speaking, wedo not want to experiencefear, apprehension or
a n x i et y. However, fear isa complex emotion involving many factors. T h ere
isonecategory of fear or anxiety that istotally groundlessand isborn fro m
In discussing karma, theref o re, themultiplefactorssuch asmotiva t i o n ,
execution of the act and so forth mentioned above must be taken into
account. All thesefactorsplay arolein determining thenatureof thekarma
c reated. W h en ever akarmic act occurs, beit physical, verbal or mental, the
act itself lastsonly until itscompletion, but itsconsequencescan arisemuch
later on. Certain karmasripen during thelifein which they werecrea t ed ,
othersin thevery next lifeand therest in subsequent lifetimes. An impor-
tant question in Buddhist philosophical discourseaskswhat isthefactor that
linkstheinitial karmic act to itsfruition?To explain this, thereisthenotion
of karmic p ropensities, or imprints, which meansthat even though an
act isover onceit hasbeen completed, itsimprint, or potentiality, remains.
Thereismuch discussion in theBuddhist literatureon thequestion
of wherethisimprint isstored. Many Buddhist thinkersmaintain that
karmic propensitiesarestored and carried in theconsciousness. When
welook at theteachingson thetwelvelinksof dependent origination,
wefind that fundamental ignorancegivesriseto volitional acts; karma
leavesan imprint on theconsciousness; and consciousnessgivesriseto
thesubsequent links. Therefore, in thiscontext, it isconsciousnessthat
istherepository of karmic imprints.
However, there are times in ones existence when one is totally
devoid of conscious activity, such as when a meditator is completely
absorbed in single-pointed meditativeequipoiseon thedirect realization
of emptiness. In that state, not a singlepart of thepersonsmind ispol -
luted, becausethemeditator isin a stateof uncontaminated wisdom. At
such times, wherecould thekarmic tracesreside?
One of the most profound answers to this question is that the
imprintsaremaintained simply on thebasisof themeresenseof I that we
all naturally have. ThismereI isthebasisof theimprintsleft by thekarma
that created them and isthelink between theinitial execution of theact
and its fruition at a later stage. This issue is discussed extensively in
NagarjunasFundamentals of the Middle Way.
actions. Verse 11 concludes: Moreover, (your success in) so doing
depends on your considering thoroughly which are the black or the
whitekarmic actionstogether with their resultsand then living accord-
ing to theguidesof what isto beadopted or rejected. I, theyogi, have
practiced just that. You who also seek liberation, pleasecultivateyour-
self in thesameway.
Therearedifferent kindsof karmic actionsand variouswaysof cat -
egorizing them. Sinceweall sharethesamefundamental nature, which
isthenatural aspiration to behappy and not to suffer, actionsleading to
happinessaregenerally considered to bepositive, or virtuous, whileactions
leading to pain and suffering are generally considered to benegative, or
n o n - v i rtuous. T h eref o re, it isin their causal relationship to happinessand
suffering that the distinction between positive and negative, or virtuous
and non-virtuous, actionsismade. With respect to themedium through
which thesepositiveand negativeactionsarecreated, wehaveactionsof
body, speech and mind.
Karmic actsinvolvemultiplefactors, such asinitial motivationthe
stateof mind that impelsan actionobject of theaction, execution of
theact itself and stateof mind on completion of theact. Thenatureof
the karma created by an action differs depending upon whether these
factors are virtuous, neutral or non-virtuous during the four stages.
Therecan bethoroughly non-virtuousactionsand thoroughly virtuous
actions, but also actionsthat arepartly virtuousand partly non-virtuous,
and actionsthat areneutral aswell.
29
Thelaw of karma fallswithin thegeneral law of causality. What distin-
guishesthekarmic law of causeand effect from themoregeneral oneis
theinvolvement of sentient beings. Thelaw of karma refersto a causal
nexuswithin which a sentient being actswith intelligenceand motiva-
tion. Thismotivation setscertain actionsin motion, which then lead to
certain causationsand results.
Theeighth favorablecondition isbirth asa male, but thisneedsto
beunderstood in itsproper context, becausetheultimateaim of human
existence is to attain full enlightenment with its omniscient wisdom.
Should theopportunity to do thisduring a particular cultureor era be
greater asa female, thisfavorablecondition would bereversed. Without
thisperspective, you might consider thispoint to besexist.
PURIFICATION OF NEGATIVE KARMA: THE FOUR OPPONENT POWERS
Wethen read, (Fu rt h er m o re) asit isextremely essential to cleanseaway the
stainsof black karmic debtsand downfalls(from broken vows) tarnishing
the three gateways (of your body, speech and mind), and especially (to
rem ove) your karmic obstacles(which would prevent such areb i rth), yo u
should cherish continually devoting yourself to (applying) thecompleteset
of four opponent powers(which can purgeyou of them). With respect to
ref r a ining from negativeactionsin thefuture, you can determineto main-
tain an ethical disciplinethat will protect you from committing negative
actsin future, but what about thenegativeactionsyou havealready com-
mitted?Theonly way to deal with theseisto purify them.
Thereisa Tibetan saying, If theresonegood thing about negativ-
ities, itsthat they can bepurified. However, therearedifferent degrees
of purification. Onepossibility isto completely eliminatethepotency of
a karmic act such that it can never ripen at all. Another isto diminish
thegravity of a seriousnegativekarma such that itsfruition will beless
damaging. A third possibility isto delay thefruition of a negativekarma
that cannot beentirely purified.
The text refers to the four opponent powers that should be used
when practicing purification:
1. Thepower of regret, or repentance.
2. Thepower of reliance.
The fullest strides (of progress) in actualizing the
supreme paths will not come about unless you have
attained the working basis (of an ideal human body)
that iscompletewith (all eight ripened favorable) qual-
ities. Therefore, you must train in thecausal (virtuous
actions) that will preclude(your attainment of such a
form) from being incomplete. (Furthermore) as it is
extremely essential to cleanse away the stains of black
karmic debts and downfalls (from broken vows) tar-
nishing the three gateways (of your body, speech and
mind), and especially (to remove) your karmic obsta-
cles(which would prevent such a rebirth), you should
cherish continually devoting yourself to (applying) the
complete set of four opponent powers (which can
purge you of them). I, the yogi, have practiced just
As I mentioned before, when we reflect upon the potential of our
human life and the opportunity it affords us of attaining the highest
spiritual aspiration of full enlightenment, we will realize the precious-
nessof our human existence, particularly that which isendowed with all
favorableconditions. Therefore, weread in Verse12, Thefullest strides
(of progress) in actualizing the supreme paths will not come about
unless you have attained the working basis (of an ideal human body)
that iscompletewith (all eight ripened favorable) qualities. Theeight
favorablequalities, or conditions, includelongevity, physical attractive-
ness, high family, great wealth and power, trustworthy speech, fameand
strength of body and mind.
Question. If a person isstruck by an illnessand commitsan act of mur-
der, what can that person do to purify hisor her karma?
His Holiness. If by illness you mean some kind of psychological or
emotional disturbance that leads to insanity, then from the Buddhist
ethical point of view, such an act carrieslesskarmic weight than a pre-
meditated murder committed with full knowledgeof theconsequences.
It isalso lighter than a murder committed out of powerful negativeemo-
tions, which, again from theBuddhist ethical point of view, isalso con-
sidered a completeact of murder.
Whatever thenatureof thenon-virtuousact, however, thepractice
you should do to purify thenegativekarma isuniversal and must con-
tain thefour opponent powers. When you practicethepower of regret,
remember thebeing against whom theact wasdirected and, employing
all four powers, engagein virtuousacts, such asprofound meditation on
bodhicitta or emptiness. There are also general purification practices
that apply in such casesaswell. If you arenot capableof cultivating the
four powersand engaging in an act of purification, an alternativeissim-
ply to recitemantrasor engagein someother positiveact with theinten-
tion of purifying thekarmic deed.
Question. With our knowledgeof karma and theeffect of good and bad
deeds, how would a Buddhist society treat criminals?
His Ho l i n e s s. From theBuddhist point of view, it isimportant to distin-
guish between theact and theindividual who commitsit. You can totally
reject theact but you must maintain compassion tow a rdstheindividual
who did it, always recognizing the personspotential for transformation
3. Thepower of virtuousactivity.
4. Thepower of resolve.
Of thesefour, themost important isthepower of repentance. From the
depthsof your heart, you must feel a deep senseof regret for thenega-
tivitiesyou havecreated, asif you had ingested poison.
Thesecond power isthat of reliance. If you look at the many neg-
a t i veactions you have created, most of them arerelated to either high-
er beings, such as the Buddha, or fellow sentient beings. T h eref o re,
you practicethe power of reliance by taking refugein theT h reeJewel s
and generating bodhicitta, feeling strong compassion for all sentient
b ei n g s.
T h i rd is thepower of engaging in virtuous acts specifically aimed
at purification. W h en ever you engagein a virtuous act, you can direc t
it tow a rds the purpose of purifying your negative karma. In the
Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the general custom is to engage in prac-
tices specifically associated with purification, of which six are often
cited: reciting the names of buddhas, especially in the bodhisattvas
confession sutra with prostrationsto the T h i rt y - f i ve Bu d d h a s;
30
rec i t-
ing certain mantras, especially the one hundred syllable Va j r a sa t t va
mantra and the mantra of Vajra Akshobhya (Mi t u k p a ) ;
31
rec i t i n g
sutras; meditating on emptiness; making offerings; and commission-
ing the creation of images.
32
Thefourth power isa deep senseof resolvethat you will not indulge
in such negative actions in the future, even at the cost of your life.
During thispractice, you may beawarethat you might not besuccess-
ful in completely abstaining from all of thesenegativeactionsor from a
particular negative act, but while you are actually practicing purifica-
tion, you should generate the strong determination that you will not
indulgein such actsin future.
33
6
SEEKING FREEDOM FROM
CYCLIC EXISTENCE
RENUNCIATION
Thosewho seek peacefor themselvesalone,
Turning away from worldly pleasures
And avoiding destructiveactions
Aresaid to beof middling capacity.
In this reference to turning away from worldly pleasures, we have to
understand that according to Buddhism, even thingsand eventsthat are
conventionally regarded aspleasurableareultimately all dukkha, that is
they areof thenatureof suffering and dissatisfaction. When theBuddha
explains the path that transcends suffering, he is referring not only to
painful experiences but also to conventionally pleasurable ones. This
understanding is not unique to Buddhism, but common to both
Buddhist and non-Buddhist schoolsin India.
We can see this by looking at some of the meditation practices
found in non-Buddhist traditions, particularly thoseaimed at cultivat-
ing thefour levelsof concentration. Thefourth level of concentration,
in particular, issaid to bea statewhere, for themeditator, pleasurable
and correction. W h a t ever method that society usesasacorrec t i vemeans
needsto beapplied. However, theindividual needsto becorrected in such
a way that heor shelearnsto rec o g n izethat what they did waswrong;
that it wasa negativeact. It isonly on thebasisof such recognition that
correction can truly begin. From theBuddhist point of view, therefore,
thedeath penalty isout of thequestion. Even theidea of lifeimprison-
ment isproblematic, becauseit, too, failsto recognizethepossibility of
correction.
develop a keen interest to work for liberation. If you do
not consider thestageswhereby (true) originsof all suf-
fering placeand keep you in cyclic existence, you will
not know themeansfor cutting theroot of thisvicious
circle. Therefore, you should cherish exuding total dis-
gust and renunciation of such existence by knowing
which factors bind you to its wheel. I, the yogi, have
practiced just that. You who also seek liberation, please
cultivateyourself in thesameway.
Thesufferingsref er red to in thefirst sentencearethethreelevelsof suf-
fering. The first is the suffering of sufferingthe obvious and evident
painful experiences and sensations that we all experience. The second is
thesuffering of change; thethird, thesuffering of perva si veconditioning.
In thecontext of cultivating truerenunciation, wearereally looking at the
t h i rd categorythe suffering of perva si ve conditioning, which refers to
thesimplefact that our existenceiscontrolled by fundamental ignorance
and theafflictionsto which it givesrise. Aslong aswearebound by these
afflictions, theresno room for any lasting happiness. It iscrucial, there-
f o re, that wedevelop a deeply felt recognition of theafflictionsasour tru e
enemy; without it, wewill not develop a genuineaspiration to seek free-
dom from them.
The Sanskrit term bhagavan, which is sometimes translated into
English aslord, asin Lord Buddha, hastheconnotation of someonewho
hasconquered and gonebeyond thestateof negativity and limitation.
Conquered refersto theBuddhasvictory over thefour demons, or
obstructiveforces[Skt: mara]:
1. Theafflictions[Skt: klesha mara].
2. Death (caused by conditioned existence) [Skt: marana mara].
3. Thefiveaggregates(conditioned existenceitself) [Skt:
skandha mara].
SEEKING FREEDOM FROM CYCLIC EXISTENCE 95
and painful experiencesno longer exist. Then, of course, thehigher lev-
els of the four formless absorptions are also beyond any sensations of
pain or pleasure.
34
Even though some non-Buddhist schools accept
that one needs to transcend even pleasurable sensations, the unique
understanding of Buddhism is that the ve ry condi ti on upon which
theseexperiences arise isalso of the nature of suffering and theref o re
the basisof dissatisfaction.
Destructiveactions meansall karmic actionsthat perpetuatethe
cycleof conditioned existence; practitionersof middling capacity gener-
atethegenuineaspiration to seek freedom from it. They seek to engage
in a path that undercuts the process generated by fundamental igno-
rance and to reverse the whole causal nexus of ignorance, volitional
karmic actsand their subsequent sufferings. All thepracticesrelated to
thisspiritual goal arecommon to practitionersof middling capacity, the
term common indicating that thesepracticesarepreparatory, or pre-
liminary, stagesfor theMahayana practitioner.
When practitionerscultivatethe recognition that the emotional and
mental afflictionsarethetrueenemy and that underlying them isfunda-
mental ignorance, they then engage in the methods for eliminating this
ignorance. Practitioners rec o g n i ze that as long as they remain under the
c o n t rol of theafflictions, they will never befreeof dissatisfaction and suf-
fering. If, based on thisrecognition, practitionersthen generatea genuine
and deeply felt aspiration to seek liberation from thisbondage, that istru e
renunciation. Thisisa sentiment and practiceuniqueto theBuddhist path.
UNDERSTANDINGTHE NATUREOF CYCLIC EXISTENCE
If you do not makean effort to think about truesuf-
ferings and their drawbacks, you will not properly
gain freedom, you wont beableto understand how it can comeabout.
Then you might becomedisheartened, becausealthough you realizethe
natureof your bondage, you cant seethepossibility of release.
T h erearemany subtletiesin thenatureof fundamental ignorance, the
ultimatecauseof theafflictionsand suffering, but basically, it isa flawed
p erception of our own existenceand the world around us. The subtlest
explanation of fundamental ignoranceisthat it isthemind that graspsat
thetrue, inherent existenceof our self and all other phenomena. Wegain
complete liberation by eliminating this fundamental ignorance from its
root.
Therearegrosser levelsat which wecan understand no-self, such as
theabsenceof theperson assomekind of autonomousagent. Grasping
at theself asan autonomousagent servesasa basisfor other afflictions
such asattachment and hostility, which can beeliminated, but truelib-
eration can only occur by eradicating the subtlest grasping at self.
Therefore, the text reads, If you do not consider the stages whereby
(true) originsof all suffering placeand keep you in cyclic existence, you
will not know the means for cutting the root of this vicious circle.
Therefore, you should cherish exuding total disgust and renunciation of
such existenceby knowing which factorsbind you to itswheel.
There are two key elements in the practice of renunciationthe
cultivation of a sense of disillusionment with cyclic existence and an
understanding of thecausal mechanism of theorigin of suffering. When
you have generated this combination of disillusionment and under-
standing, you can envision the possibility of freedom. With this, you
will experiencea senseof joy, becausenot only can you seethepossibil-
ity of release; you also have the confidence that there exists a path by
which you can attain it.
It is in this context of the practice of the middling scope that the
teachings of the Four NobleTruths are explicitly relevant. As we dis-
cussed earlier, the Four Noble Truths encapsulate the essence of the
4. Theobstaclesto overcoming thepreviousthree, thedivine
youth demon [Skt: devaputra mara].
Of thesefour obstructiveforces, themain oneistheafflictions. A bud-
dha is someone who has totally overcome, or conquered, these four
maras.
35
Thereareboth grossand subtleformsof thefour maras, asthereare
grossand subtleobscurations. Thesubtleareexplained in termsof the
subtleobscurationsto knowledge[Skt: jneyavarana; Tib: she-drib].
36
Ac t u a l l y, theobstru c t i ve, or demonic, forcesaretheafflictionsand any-
thing that voluntarily embracesthem, and when theafflictionsand virt u e
comeinto conflict and wetakethesideof theafflictions, weourselvesru n
therisk of becomingapart of theobstructions. Also, if somebody willing-
ly and enthusiastically embracestheafflictionsand relishestheexperience
of having them in hisor her life, that person will seepractitionerstrying
to combat their own destructive, negative emotions as misguided or
even crazy. Such a person, too, becomesa part of theobstructiveforces.
AsTibetan mastersliketo say, Negativefriendsdont necessarily appear
with hornson their heads. Negativefriendsaresimply thosewho inter-
ferewith thespiritual practiceof others.
If, then, you havea deeply felt recognition of theafflictionsasthe
trueenemy, theaspiration will naturally arisewithin you to freeyourself
from them and gain liberation. However, simply having theaspiration
to befreeisnot enough. You also need to develop an understanding of
whether such freedom ispossibleand whether you can cultivateit with-
in yourself.
Theafflictionsand thekarmic actionsthey producearethecauseof
suffering; underlying them isfundamental ignorance. You need to devel-
op a deep understanding of how thecauseof suffering actually leadsto
its result. If you do not understand how cyclic existence comes into
being and how itssufferingsarise, then even though you may want to
What liesat theroot of our unenlightened
37
existenceisour funda-
mental misconception of the ultimate nature of reality. Therefore, by
cultivating correct insight into true nature of reality, we begin the
process of undoing unenlightened existence and set in motion the
processof liberation. Samsara and nirvana aredistinguished on thebasis
of whether werein a stateof ignoranceor wisdom. AstheTibetan mas-
terssay, when wereignorant, werein samsara; when wedevelop wisdom,
wereliberated. Theultimateantidotefor eliminating fundamental igno-
ranceisthewisdom realizing emptiness. It isthisemptinessof mind that
isthefinal nirva n a .
T h eref o re, our ignoranceof emptinessasthefundamental natureof
rea l i t y, our ignoranceof theemptinessof mind, iswhat trapsusin cyc l i c
existence, and knowledgeof theemptinessof mind iswhat will set usfree.
TheBuddha taught thepath that enablesusto eliminatetheafflic-
tionsand gain liberation on thebasisof theThreeHigher Trainings. The
direct antidoteto fundamental ignoranceisthewisdom realizing no-self,
thewisdom realizing emptiness. Thisdoesnot refer to a merecognition
of emptiness but to a heightened realization where we can experience
emptinessdirectly.
To have such a direct and powerful experience of emptiness, we
need single-pointed concentration. Thatswhy weneed thehigher train-
ing in concentration, or meditation. To progressin thehigher training
in concentration, weneed to observetheethical basisthehigher train-
ing in morality.
Thepracticeof morality enablesusto accumulatemerit and purify
negativity, but in the context of the Three Higher Trainings, its main
purposeisto develop mindfulnessand introspection. When welead an
ethically disciplined life, weareconstantly applying thesetwo faculties.
Aswesharpen our mindfulnessand introspection, welay thefoundation
for thesuccessful realization of single-pointed concentration. Theprac-
tices of morality, concentration and insight are all essential. The
uniqueteaching of theBuddha. Lama Tsong Khapa, in both theGreat
and Middling Exposition(s) of the Stages of the Path, observed that the
principleof theFour NobleTruthshasbeen repeatedly stressed in many
sc r i p t u res, both Mahayana and non-Mahayana, and that through the
teachingson theFour NobleTruths, wecan develop a deep understand-
ing of theprocessof causation in both samsaric and liberated existence.
T h eref o re, Lama Tsong Khapa recommendsthat teachersimpart to their
students an understanding of the path on the basis of the Four Noble
Truths.
The process of causation of the Four NobleTruths is explained in
g reater detail in theteachingsof thetwel velinksof dependent origination,
which wediscussed earlier [seepage81]. It ispossibleto contemplatethese
teachingsat three different levels. On onelevel, wecan contemplatethe
t wel velinksin relation to theprocessof taking reb i rth in thethreelower
realms, beginning from fundamental ignoranceobscuring thetruenature
of rea l i t y, which leadsto thevolitional negativeactsthat precipitatelower
reb i rths.
Wecan also contemplatethetwelvelinksin relation to cyclic exis-
tencein general, becauseeven positivekarma can giveriseto rebirth in
cyclic existence. Finally, it is possible to contemplate the twelve links
specifically in the context of the subtle obscurations to knowledge,
wherealthough theindividual may havegained freedom from theafflic-
tions, thereisstill continuity in physical, or conditioned, existence.
When wethink of liberation, weshould not feel that it existssome-
where outside of us, like some physical domain. Liberation has to be
understood in terms of our own state of mind. Wehavealready men-
tioned natural nirvanathenatural purity in all of usthat servesasthe
basisof trueliberation onceall theafflictionshavebeen eliminated [see
pages16 ff.]. When wego deeper into themeaning of thenatureof lib-
eration, or moksha, therefore, weunderstand it in termsof theultimate
natureof our own mind when all afflictionshavebeen removed.
c o mplex and indirect. When we cultivate love and compassion, they
promotewithin usstrength and courage, allowing usto bemoretoler-
ant and ableto bear hardship. Thisishow lovehelpsusdeal with and
overcomepain and suffering. Itsan indirect relationship.
sequenceisalso definite: first, morality; then, meditativeconcentration;
then, insight into emptiness.
Question. You said that emotional afflictionsarethecausesof suffering.
Can weremoveour afflictionswithout removing our emotions?
His Holiness. Definitely. For example, oneof theantidotesto emotional
afflictionsismeditation on emptiness. Aswedeepen our experienceof
emptiness, weget apowerful surgeof emotion, which itself actsto count-
er thenegative, or afflictive, emotions. Wealso find in Buddhist practice
specific antidotesto specific problems. For example, wemeditateon lov i n g
kindnessto counter hatred and hostility, and on impermanenceto count-
er strong attachment. In other words, theemotion of loveisgenerated as
an antidoteto anger and theexperienceof impermanenceasan antidote
to attachment.
One difference between the destructive, negative emotions on the
one side and constructive, positive emotions on the other is that con-
structive, positiveemotionshavea strong grounding in valid experience
and reasoning. In fact, themoreweanalyzethesepositiveemotions, the
morethey areenhanced. Negative, afflictiveemotions, by contrast, are
usually quite superficial. They have no grounding in reason and often
ariseout of habit rather than reasoned thought processes.
Question. Doeslovedilutepain and suffering in thesameway that light
dispelsdarkness?
Hi s Ho l i n e s s. Perhaps the parallel is not that close, because light dis-
pelsdark directly and instantaneously; darkness vanishes themoment
you switch on a light. Theeffect of love on pain and suffering ismore
7
CULTIVATING THE ALTRUISTIC INTENTION
OF BODHICITTA
Thosewho, through their personal suffering,
Truly want to end completely
All thesuffering of others
Arepersonsof supremecapacity.
This verse refers to those practitioners who generate compassion and
loving kindnesstowardsotherson thebasisof a deep understanding of
thenatureof their own suffering. They understand that suffering comes
into being as a result of the mental afflictions rooted in fundamental
ignorance and recognize that as long as they are under the control of
theseafflictionsand theunderlying ignorance, sufferingswill continue
to ariseceaselessly, likerippleson a lake.
Onceyou understand thenatureof suffering in relation to your own
existencein thisway, you can extend your understanding to seethat all
sentient beings suffer from bondage by the afflictions. Reflecting on
their suffering, you then cultivate the insight that just as you yourself
want to befreefrom suffering, so do they. Thisishow you begin to cul-
tivate great compassion. When you generate the wish for all sentient
beingsto behappy, thisisthestart of loving kindness.
On the basis of compassion wishing others to be free of suffering
basisof theentirebodhisattvapractice. Thetermsbasis and f o u n d a t i o n
in thenext sentencemean that themoment you haverea l i zed bodhicitt a ,
you have becomea Mahayana practitioner and areon thepath to com-
pleteenlightenment but themoment your bodhicittadegenerates, you fall
outsidethefold of thebodhisattvas. Without bodhicitta, no matter how
a d vanced you arein other practiceseven if you haveadirect rea l i z a t i o n
of emptinessor haveattained nirvananothing you do becomesthecon-
duct of abodhisattva or thecauseof enlightenment.
Thethird sentencerefersto an elixir that transformsbasemetalsinto
gold. Thismeansthat with bodhicitta, even aseemingly insignificant act of
v i rtue, such asgiving food to an ant, istransformed into a condition for
attaining full enlightenment. It then mentionsinfinitely collected virt u es,
which indicatestheexpansivenessof thisaltruistic intention. Bodhicittais
amind concerned with thewel f a reof infinitesentient beings. It enablesus
to commit to working for their benefit for infiniteeonsand motivatesus
to engagein an infinitevariety of skillful meansto help them.
Thus, bodhisattvasarereferred to asenlightened heroes or war-
riors. They arehighly altruistic beingswho havethewisdom to realize
that by dedicating themselvesto thewelfareof other sentient beings, the
fulfillment of their own self-interest comesautomatically asa by-prod-
uct. They arealso heroic in thesensethat they havededicated their lives
to attaining total transcendence and victory over the four obstructive
forces. The verse concludes, Knowing this, bodhisattvas hold this
supreme precious mind as their innermost practice. I, the yogi, have
practiced just that. You who also seek liberation, pleasecultivateyour-
self in thesameway.
For thoseexcellent living beings
Who desiresupremeenlightenment,
CULTIVATI NGTHE ALTRUISTIC INTENTION OF BODHICITTA 105
and loving kindness wishing others to be happy, you then generate a
senseof special resp o n si b i l i t y. Your compassion doesnot remain simply at
thelevel of a wish or aspiration. You generateasenseof commitment: I
m y s e l f shall liberateall beingsfrom suffering. Even t u a l l y, thisextraord i-
n a ry sense of responsibility leads to the realization of bodhicittathe
a l t ruistic intention of onewho aspiresto attain buddhahood for theben-
efit of all sentient beings. Thus, therearetwo kindsof aspiration in the
realization of bodhicitta: the aspiration concerned for the wel f a re of all
sentient beingsand theaspiration to attain buddhahood for their sake.
Thespontaneousintention to attain buddhahood for thebenefit of
all sentient beingsoccurswhen thesetwo aspirationsarecomplete. This
is the realization of bodhicitta, the mind of enlightenment. At this
point, thestudent hasbecomea practitioner of thehighest capacity and
all activities and practices motivated by bodhicitta are those of the
Greater Vehicle, theMahayana.
Ever-enhancing your enlightened motiveof bodhicitta
isthecentral axleof theMahayana path. It isthebasis
and foundation for great wavesof (enlightening) con-
duct. Like a gold-making elixir, (it turns) everything
(you do) into thetwo collections, (building up) a treas-
ureof merit gathered from infinitely collected virtues.
Knowing this, bodhisattvashold thissupremeprecious
mind as their innermost practice. I, the yogi, have
Thefirst sentencedescribesbodhicitta asthecentral axleof theMa h a y a n a
path. Bodhicittaisatruly courageousand rem a rkablesentiment and the
11. Then, sinceyou want to freethesebeings
From thesuffering of pain,
From suffering and thecauseof suffering,
Arouseimmutably theresolve
To attain enlightenment.
12. Thequalitiesof developing
Such an aspiration are
Fully explained by Maitreya
In theArray of Trunks Sutra.
13. Having learned about theinfinitebenefits
Of theintention to gain full enlightenment
By reading thissutra or listening to a teacher,
Arouseit repeatedly to makeit steadfast.
14. TheSutra Requested by Viradatta
Fully explainsthemerit therein.
At thispoint, in summary,
I will citejust threeverses.
15. If it possessed physical form,
Themerit of thealtruistic intention
Would completely fill thewholeof space
And exceed even that.
16. If someonewereto fill with jewels
Asmany buddha fieldsastherearegrains
Of sand in theGanges
To offer to theProtector of theWorld,
I shall explain theperfect methods
Taught by thespiritual teachers.
Thisverserefersto practitionerswho havegained a degreeof experience
of compassion and bodhicitta and participatein ceremoniesin order to
affirm and stabilize these qualities. Verses 7 through 18 describe the
entire ceremony for reinforcing and affirming the generation of the
altruistic intention of bodhicitta.
Lamp for the Path: Verses7 to 18
7. Facing paintings, statuesand so forth
Of thecompletely enlightened one,
Reliquariesand theexcellent teaching,
Offer flowers, incensewhatever you have.
8. With theseven-part offering
From the[Prayer of] N oble Conduct,
With thethought never to turn back
Till you gain ultimateenlightenment,
9. And with strong faith in theThreeJewels,
Kneeling with onekneeon theground
And your handspressed together,
First of all takerefugethreetimes.
10. Next, beginning with an attitude
Of lovefor all living creatures,
Consider beings, excluding none,
Suffering in thethreebad rebirths,
Suffering birth, death and so forth.
thepath but also whileweareon it and even after wehaveattained full
enlightenment. AsShantideva pointed out, even beforewehaveentered
thepath and do not havea genuinerealization of bodhicitta but only an
intellectual understanding of it and admiration for what it represents,
thisalonebringsusimmediatebenefit. Regardlessof how much weare
under thecontrol of theafflictions, wereceivethisbenefit themoment
weareableto appreciatethevalueof bodhicitta. However, thejoy and
serenity weexperiencecomemixed with a senseof sadnessfor thefate
of other sentient beings.
On thepath, thepracticeof bodhicitta helpsexpediteour accumu-
lation of merit. It also servesasthebasisfor thesuccessful development
of all thesubsequent practices. It islikean all-in-onemethod, enabling
us to purify quickly all our accumulated negative karmic imprints.
Finally, when webecomebuddha, it isbodhicitta that sustainsthenever-
ending continuity of our enlightened activity dedicated to thewelfareof
all sentient beings. Reflecting on this, wewill truly appreciatetheimpor-
tanceof bodhicitta, which benefitsusat all stagesof our spiritual path,
and will clearly understand why it iscompared to a wish-granting jewel.
In theVajrayana tradition, thereareuniquemethodsfor attaining
thetwo enlightened holy bodiesof rupakaya and dharmakaya. Themain
method for attaining therupakaya, thebuddha-body of form, istheper-
fection of skillful means, themethod aspect of thepath. Thisprimarily
refersto thealtruistic intention to attain buddhahood for thebenefit of
all sentient beings, particularly theintention to attain theform body of
a buddha in order to benefit and serveothers. Without thisaspiration,
wecannot realizethefull profundity of theVajrayana path in cultivat-
ing theconditionsfor attaining therupakaya.
Also, without thealtruistic aspiration, thewisdom realizing empti-
nessdoesnot havethepotency to prepareusto cultivatetheconditions
for attaining the dharmakaya, the buddha-body of reality. Thus, the
entire Vajrayana path can be seen as a series of practices arranged to
17. Thiswould besurpassed by
Thegift of folding oneshands
And inclining onesmind to enlightenment,
For such islimitless.
18. Having developed theaspiration for enlightenment
Constantly enhanceit through concerted effort
To remember it in thisand also in other lives,
Keep thepreceptsproperly asexplained.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BODHICITTA
Thehighest perfection of altruism, theultimatealtruism, isbodhicitta
complemented by wisdom. Bodhicittathe aspiration to bring about
the welfare of all sentient beings and to attain buddhahood for their
sakeis really the distilled essence, the squeezed juice, of all the
Buddhasteachings, becauseultimately, theBuddhasintention isto lead
all sentient beings to perfect enlightenment, complete omniscience.
Since it is bodhicitta that determines whether or not our practice
becomesthepath to enlightenment, bodhicitta istruly theheart essence
of all the teachings of the Buddha. Thus, all 84,000 discourses of the
Buddha can beseen aseither preliminary to thepracticeof bodhicitta,
theactual practiceof bodhicitta, or preceptsand activitiesin which we
must engageasa result of taking thebodhicitta pledge.
When we come to recognize all this, we will really appreciate the
preciousnessof our human existence, which givesustheability to reflect
on and expressthelimitlessqualitiesof bodhicitta. Similarly, when we
reflect upon thekindnessof thespiritual teacher who introducesusto
bodhicitta and explainsitsnatureand benefits, wewill develop a deep
senseof admiration and gratitudetowardsour Dharma guide.
The altruistic intention is important not only at the beginning of
For aslong asspaceexists,
For aslong assentient beingsremain,
Until then, may I too remain
And dispel themiseriesof theworld.
When you dedicateyour entirebeing, your body, speech and mind, to ful-
filling thesinglegoal of being of benefit to others, you can say that tru e
happinesshasbegun and you haveentered thepath to full enlightenment.
You will also appreciate the sentiments expressed by At i sh a
Dipamkara, when hesaid that you should not becomediscouraged even
if you spend eonspursuing thepracticeof thetwo bodhicittasthecon-
ventional bodhicitta of the altruistic intention and the ultimate bod-
hicitta of therealization of emptiness. Hispoint wasthat no matter how
long it takesyou to develop bodhicitta, onceyou havesingle-pointedly
dedicated yourself to thisgoal, you will never harbor thethought that
you arewasting your timein any part of your mind. Bodhicitta isthe
solepursuit in which you should engage. AsAtisha said, What elsecan
you do in your quest for enlightenment other than practicebodhicitta?
Therefore, regardless of how long it takes, any time spent trying to
develop bodhicitta istimespent in themost meaningful way.
When you arehappy and thingsaregoing well, you should practice
bodhicitta, becauseit will protect you from becoming inflated with ego
and from disparaging or insulting others. When you are suffering and
facing adversity or misfortune, you should also practice bodhicitta,
because it will protect you from losing hope and feeling depressed. As
long as you are alive, you should practice bodhicitta, because it will
makeyour existencemeaningful and full of purpose. Even when you are
dying, you should still practice bodhicitta, because it is the one thing
that will never deceiveyou or let you down.
Having contemplated how, on the basis of his own experience, the
enhance the ideals and aspirations of bodhicitta. Without bodhicitta,
theVajrayana path hasno depth.
Leaving asidetheissueof Buddhism or religiousfaith, wecan seeeven
from our own day-to-day experiencesthat themorewecultivatealtru-
ism and a senseof caring for others, thegreater theimmediatebenefits
we ourselves receive. Not only do we sleep better at night but also,
regardlessof whether webelievein thelaw of karma or not, theactions
wecreatebecomemorepositive, constructiveand virtuous.
If, on the other hand, we harbor ill-will, are self-centered and lack
concern for others, not only do we suffer immediately by experiencing
turbulent thoughtsand emotions, but also, again reg a rdlessof whether we
b el i evein karmaor not, theactionswecreatetend to benegative, destru c-
t i ve and non-virtuous. T h eref o re, the more we cultivate altruism and a
senseof caring, thegreater will bethebenefit that weourselvesenjoy.
Neither isthisphenomenon confined to thehuman realm; affection
and a sense of caring also play a role in the animal kingdom. Animals
that arecruel and aggressiveseem to get ostracized from thesocial group
whilethosethat aremoreaccommodating and gentletend to bemuch
moreaccepted.
Even within cyclic existence, much of our happinessand satisfaction
actually derivesfrom altruism and senseof caring. Thesequalitiesoffer
usunlimited benefit, even in everyday life. Therefore, weshould share
thesentimentsexpressed by Shantideva in hisGuide to the Bodhisattvas
Way of Life, wherehestated that weshould wish to beof serviceto and
utilized by all other sentient beings, just asaretheearth, mountainsand
trees. When wethink about altruism in such depth, wewill realizethat
independent self-interest, the interests of the individual I, are totally
meaningless, and will truly understand what Shantideva meant in that
beautiful versetowardstheend of his Guide, which I quoted beforebut
will mention again:
8
THE CEREMONY FOR
GENERATING BODHICITTA
INTRODUCTION
T
O PARTICIPATE IN THE CEREMONY for affirming and enhancing
your generation of the altruistic intention, first visualize that
Shakyamuni Buddha isherein person, surrounded by such disciplesas
Maitreya, Manjushri, Nagarjuna, Arya Asanga and the other great
Indian masters of the past, whose writings we continue to enjoy and
derivebenefit from to thisday and which serveto open our eyeof aware-
ness. Reflect upon thekindnessof thesemasters, aswell asthat of the
Buddha and the bodhisattvas. Also imagine the presence of the great
masters from all four traditions of Tibetan BuddhismNyingma,
Sakya, Kagy and Gelukgoing back to when Buddhism first started
to flourish in Tibet in theseventh to eighth centuries. Practitionersfrom
other Buddhist traditions should visualize the lineage masters and his-
torical teachersof their own traditionsin theassembly.
Most importantly, visualize that you are surrounded by all other
sentient beings. If thisisdifficult, simply reflect upon thefundamental
equality of yourself and all other sentient beings insofar as the natural
desireto seek happinessand overcomesuffering isconcerned. Just asyou
havetheright and natural potential to fulfill thisbasic aspiration to be
happy and overcome suffering, so too do all the other infinite sentient
beings.
Buddha taught this ideal of bodhicitta, how it contains the entire
essence of all his teachings and how fortunate you are to have been
i n t roduced to thisgreat principle, you should cultivatethe thought, I
shall now dedicate myself exc l u si vel y to the practice of bodhicitta. Fo r
me, as a practitioner, this is the sol e task that lies ahead. Gen er a t e
within yourself a deep sense of joy and fulfillment mixed with sadness
t ow a rds the suffering of other sentient beings. Along with all these
emotions, generate the strong determination, I shall never abandon
thisaltruistic intention. It iswith such thoughts that you should par-
ticipate in theceremony for affirming thegeneration of the mind of
en l i g h t en m en t .
p a rticipating in thisceremony in order to generatebodhicitta, dont sim-
ply listen to my explanationsasa lecture, but fold your handsto your
heart and pay attention with deep faith in thebuddhasand bodhisattvas.
Otherwise, you can just listen asnormal.
Homage
Thefirst of theseven limbsisthepaying of homage. Reflect upon the
qualities of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, particularly the qualities of
theBuddhasenlightened body, speech and mind, such ashisomniscient
mind, hisperfection of thealtruistic aspiration and hisperfection of the
wisdom realizing emptiness. Then cultivate the aspiration to gain the
wisdom of the Buddha yourself, and with reverence born from deep
admiration and respect for thequalitiesupon which you havereflected,
pay homageto theBuddha.
Offering
Thesecond limb isthat of making offerings. Imagineoffering whatever
you own, such asyour body and resources, to all thebuddhasand bod-
hisattvas. You can also offer mentally everything else that exists in the
universe. Most importantly, however, you should offer all your past vir-
tuousactionsof body, speech and mind. You can imaginethesepositive
activities in the form of various articles of offering or you can reflect
upon your entirecollection of merit and, from thedepthsof your heart,
offer it up to all thebuddhasand bodhisattvas.
Confessing
The third limb is the practice of confession, or purification. Reflect
upon all thenegativitiesyou haveever created through body, speech and
mind and how they are all causes for future suffering. Each and every
oneof usconfrontsboth physical and psychological problemsand diffi-
culties; wearebeset with sufferingswithout end, likerippleson a lake,
THE CEREMONY FOR GENERATING BODHICITTA 115
Then reflect on thefact that when you think of your own self-inter-
est, regardlessof your level of importance, you aresimply thinking about
theconcernsof asingleindividual, but when you think of theinterestsof
others, you arethinking about thewel f a reof an infinitenumber of beings.
To sacrificethewel f a reof countlessothersfor thebenefit of one, theref o re,
is not only foolish but also immoral. Fu rt h er m o re, it is impractical,
becauseit isa deluded way of trying to fulfill your own aspirations.
Next contemplatetheidea that you haveheld thisself-centeredness
and self-cherishing attitudeat thecoreof your being sincebeginningless
time, continually trying to fulfill your basic aspirationsto behappy and
overcomesuffering from a self-centered perspective. But if you look at
the situation yourein today, youll seethat actually, you havent made
any progress, even after this infinite number of lifetimes. If self-cen-
terednessreally had thepotential to bring you thebenefitsyou seek, it
should havedoneso by now.
Conclude, therefore, that under thecontrol of self-cherishing since
beginninglesstime, you havemadeonemistakeafter another, and now,
its enough. Generate the strong determination never to travel this
deluded path again. Compare yourself with great beings such as the
Buddha and thebodhisattvason thepath to enlightenment and realize
that all their achievementshavecomefrom working for othersinstead
of for themselves. Makethisfirm resolution: Asa Dharma practitioner,
from now on, I must work for thebenefit of all sentient beings. I will
attain buddhahood for their sake, to liberate them from suffering and
lead them to enlightenment, and with that, participate in the cere-
mony for generating bodhicitta.
THE SEVEN-LIMB PRACTICE
In theeighth verse of A Lamp for the Pa t h, Atisha recommends that the
bodhicitta ceremony be preceded by the seven-limb p u j a. If you are
ration. They arealmost at thesamelevel asus, particularly thoseon the
first path. In a sense, thebodhisattvasright at thebeginning of thepath
are even more amazing than those who are more advanced, because
despite being under the control of afflictions such as attachment and
hostility, they still havethecourageto commit themselvesto theideals
of bodhicitta.
Weshould thereforefeel thedelight that parentsdo when their child
takesitsfirst faltering stepsor speaksitsfirst few words. They dont crit-
icizetheir childsclumsy gait or limited vocabulary but instead arefull
of wonder. Wecan view bodhisattvasstruggling at thebeginning of the
path in thesameway, asamazing, awe-inspiring beings.
Having developed a deep sense of admiration for all bodhisattvas,
next rejoice at the achievements and qualities of the arhats, who have
gained completefreedom from samsara. Also feel a deep appreciation for
theattainmentsof practitionerson thepath to liberation.
Finally, rejoiceat all thevirtueaccumulated by your fellow sentient
beingsand reflect particularly upon your own collection of merit. The
fact that you havereceived a human rebirth endowed with theopportu-
nity to practice Dharma is clear evidence that you have created much
merit in the pastencountering the precious, sacred teachings of the
Buddha and having an interest in practicing them can only be conse-
quencesof past virtuousacts. You havealso engaged in many positive,
altruistic activitiesin thislife, so, recalling all thisvirtue, dedicateit to
the welfare of all sentient beings and rejoice in the opportunities you
havehad to createall thismerit.
Requesting
Fifth isthelimb of requesting thebuddhasto turn thewheel of Dharma.
This practice is associated with the Buddha in his nirmanakaya form.
Direct your attention to thosenewly enlightened buddhaswho havenot
yet started to teach Dharma and beg them to turn thewheel of Dharma
oneafter theother.
As you think about this, understand that suffering does not arise
without reason; every problem hasitsown cause, theroot causebeing
your own negative actions of body, speech and mind. Imagining that
you are in the presence of the noble assembly of buddhas and bod-
hisattvas, fully discloseall your negativeactionsand, cultivating a heart-
felt senseof regret for them, commit yourself to purifying them.
Rejoicing
Next is the limb of rejoicing. Reflect upon the wonderful enlightened
qualitiesof thebuddhas, particularly thoseof thehistorical Buddha. We
all know that Shakyamuni Buddha was not a fully enlightened being
right from the start. Initially, he was just like usan ordinary being
struggling on thepath, with thenatural weaknessesand limitationsthat
weall have. What distinguishestheBuddha from us, however, isthat he
took the practice of bodhicitta to heart. He then embarked upon the
path and, asa result of hisefforts, eventually attained thefully enlight-
ened state.
Therefore, in thispractice, rejoicein theBuddhasenlightened qual-
itiesand theentirepath to enlightenment. Then focusyour attention on
thebodhisattvason thelast threeof theten bodhisattva grounds[Skt:
bhumi], who have totally overcome their afflictive thoughts and emo-
tions and are on the threshold of buddhahood. Reflecting upon such
beings, develop a deep sense of admiration for their realizations and
other spiritual attainments.
Then focus your attention on the bodhisattvas on the first seven
grounds. Although they haveyet to overcomethepower of their afflic-
tions, they arestill arya bodhisattvasbodhisattvaswho havea realiza-
tion of emptiness. Reflecting upon their qualities, develop a deep sense
of admiration for them. Next, shift your attention to the bodhisattvas
on thefirst two of thefivepaths, thepathsof accumulation and prepa-
With thewish to freeall beings
I shall alwaysgo for refuge
To Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
Until I reach full enlightenment,
Inspired by wisdom and compassion,
Today, in theBuddhaspresence,
I generatethemind of full awakening
For thebenefit of all sentient beings.
Aslong asspaceremains
Aslong assentient beingsremain
Until then may I too remain
And dispel themiseriesof theworld.
In thisway, generatethealtruistic intention of bodhicitta. Although you
havenot taken a formal pledge, sinceyou havegenerated bodhicitta here
today, it would behelpful to ensurethat your practiceof bodhicitta does
not degenerate. Therefore, it would bevery beneficial for you to recite
and think about themeaning of thesethreeverseson a daily basis.
in order to fulfill their pledge to work for the benefit of all sentient
beings.
Beseeching
Thesixth limb isthat of appealing to thebuddhasnot to enter final nir-
vana. Again, this is mainly directed at buddhas in their nirmanakaya
form, who have turned the wheel of Dharma and performed many
enlightened deeds. Beg them not to enter final nirvana but to remain
serving sentient beings.
Dedication
Theseventh and final limb isthat of dedication. Dedicateall themerit
you have ever accumulated, particularly that of taking the bodhicitta
vow, to the well-being of all sentient beings and to the attainment of
enlightenment for their benefit.
THE ACTUAL CEREMONY FOR GENERATING BODHICITTA
Theactual ceremony for generating themind of enlightenment can be
conducted on the basis of reading the following three verses. The first
presentsthepracticeof taking refugein theThreeJewels; thesecond is
theactual generation of thealtruistic intention; thethird helpsenhance
themind that hasbeen generated, to sustain it without degeneration.
Kneel on oneknee, if that isconvenient; otherwise, remain seated.
Whilereciting theseverses, contemplatetheir meaning. Remember that
asbodhisattva practitioners, when you takerefugein theThreeJewels,
you aretaking Mahayana refuge, engaging in thispracticefor thebene-
fit of all sentient beings, and aremotivated by thethought of attaining
enlightenment for their benefit.
Repeat thefollowing versesthreetimes:
9
BODHISATTVA OUTLOOK AND ACTION
TAKING THE BODHISATTVA VOWS
Having developed theaspiration for enlightenment,
Constantly enhanceit through concerted effort.
If you have taken a formal pledge of bodhicitta, you have to abstain
from the four negative factors and cultivate the four positive ones to
ensure that your practice does not degenerate in this and future life-
times.
Thefour negativefactorsare:
1. Deceiving your teacher and beingsworthy of veneration by
telling lies.
2. Causing othersto feel remorsefor their virtuousdeeds.
3. Out of anger, speaking harshly to bodhisattvas.
4. With negativemotivation, deceiving other sentient beings.
Havetheideal [prerequisite] for
Thebodhisattva vow, not others.
Here, the text points out that practitioners who take the bodhisattva
vows ideally should have laid the foundation of ethical discipline by
observing any of theseven classesof thevowsfor individual liberation:
1. Layman vows.
2. Laywoman vows.
3. Novicemonk vows.
4. Novicenun vows.
5. Probationary nun vows.
6. Fully ordained monk vows.
7. Fully ordained nun vows.
TheTathagata spokeof seven kinds
Of individual liberation vow.
Thebest of theseisgloriouspureconduct,
Said to bethevow of a fully ordained person.
This verse states that of these seven categories of pratimoksha vows, the
highest isthat of full ordination. TheBuddha stated very clearly that wecan
determinetheviability of hisdoctrineon thebasisof thepracticeof vinaya,
thecodesof ethical discipline. W h erever thepracticeof vinayaisestablished,
p a rticularly itsthreemain activitiestheperiodical confessional cerem o n i es
[Tib: s o - j o n g], thesummer ret reat [Tib: y a r - n ], and theending of thesum-
mer ret reat Tib: g a k - ye]theteachingsof theBuddha also exist. It issaid
that wherever thepracticeof vinayaflourishes, theBuddhahimself feelsa
sense of humility. W h erever the practice of these activities is absent, the
teachingsof theBuddhacannot besaid to truly exist at that place.
BODHISATTVA OUTLOOK AND ACTION 123
Thefour positivefactorsare:
1. Never telling liesfor selfish reasons, even at thecost of your
life.
2. Leading other beingsto thepath of virtue.
3. Cultivating recognition of bodhisattvaswho havegenerated
bodhicitta asteachersand proclaiming their virtues.
4. Continuously maintaining your compassion and sense of
responsibility for all sentient beings.
Without thevow of theengaged intention,
Perfect aspiration will not grow.
Makeeffort definitely to takeit,
Sinceyou want thewish for enlightenment to grow.
Here, thetext isstating that although generating theaspiration to attain
enlightenment for thesakeof all sentient beingshastremendousmerit,
greater benefit lies in actually taking the bodhisattva vows to live the
idealsof bodhicitta. Thetext suggeststhefollowing sequence:
1. Generatethealtruistic intention.
2. Participate in a ceremony and take a pledge to continue to
sustain it.
3. Cultivatethedesireto engagein thebodhisattva deeds.
4. Takethebodhisattva vows.
Thosewho maintain any of theseven kinds
Of individual liberation vow
Find such a spiritual teacher,
I shall explain another
Correct procedurefor taking thevow.
From Verse25 onwards, thetext presentstheprocedurefor taking the
bodhisattva vow if a teacher is not available. This is taken from
ShantidevasCompendium of Deeds.
Lamp for the Path: Verses25 through 31
25. I shall writeherevery clearly, asexplained
In theOrnament of Manjushris Buddha Land Sutra,
How, long ago, when Manjushri wasAmbaraja,
Hearoused theintention to becomeenlightened.
(Verse26 onwardsistaken directly from Shantidevastext.)
26. In thepresenceof theprotectors,
I arousetheintention to gain full enlightenment.
I inviteall beingsasmy guests
And shall freethem from cyclic existence.
27. From thismoment onwards
Until I attain enlightenment,
I shall not harbor harmful thoughts,
Anger, avariceor envy.
28. I shall cultivatepureconduct,
Giveup wrong-doing and desire
And with joy in thevow of discipline
Train myself to follow thebuddhas.
Thispraiseof vinaya practiceisnot only found in thevinaya litera-
turebut also in Mahayana texts, such asthebodhisattva sutrasand the
texts of Highest Yoga Tantra. In the Kalachakra tantra, for example,
thereisan explicit statement that of all thevajra mastersof Kalachakra,
thevajra master who hasfull ordination vowsissupreme.
According to theritual described in
Thechapter on disciplinein theBodhisattva Stages,
Takethevow from a good
And well-qualified spiritual teacher.
Unlikethepratimokshaand tantric vows, you can takethebodhisattvavow in
f ront of arep resentation of abuddhawithout thepresenceof ateacher. However,
Verse22 statesthat ideally, you should still takeit from a qualified spiritual
t ea c h er. Verse23 describesthequalitiesthat such ateacher should possess:
Understand that a good spiritual teacher
Isoneskilled in thevow ceremony,
Who livesby thevow and has
Theconfidenceand compassion to bestow it.
The text then goes on to state that if you do not find such a spiritual
teacher, you can still takethevow in thefollowing way:
However, in thecaseyou try but cannot
For thesethreeformsof disciplinegrows,
Which causespurity of body, speech and mind.
THE PRACTICE OF THE FIRST FIVE PERFECTIONS
Now werefer to Lama Tsong Khapastext to read theexplanationsof the
six perfections. First istheperfection of generosity.
THE PERFECTION OF GENEROSITY
Generosity is the wish-granting jewel with which you
can fulfill the hopes of sentient beings. It is the best
weapon for cutting the knot of miserliness. It is the
(altruistic) conduct that enhances your self-confidence
and undaunted courage. It is the basis for your good
reputation to be proclaimed in the ten directions.
Knowing this, thewisehavedevoted themselvesto the
excellent path of completely giving away their body,
belongings and merit. I, the yogi, have practiced just
that. You who also seek liberation, pleasecultivateyour-
self in thesameway.
Wehaveto understand that themain purposeof generosity isto fulfill the
wishesof theobject of genero si t y, that isother sentient beings. Itspurposefor
practitionersisto help them overcomefeelingsof possessivenessand miserly
attachment. Thetextscontain detailed explanationsof how to engagein
giving: theappropriatenessof timing, motivation, stateof mind and so fort h .
Also, when performingan act of genero si t y, bodhisattvapractitionersmust
en su rethat all six perfectionsarecompletewithin that singleact.
29. I shall not beeager to reach
Enlightenment in thequickest way,
But shall stay behind till thevery end,
For thesakeof a singlebeing.
30. I shall purify limitless
Inconceivablelands
And remain in theten directions
For all thosewho call my name.
31. I shall purify all my bodily
And verbal formsof activity.
My mental activities, too, I shall purify
And do nothing that isnon-virtuous.
In Verse32, thetext presentsthepracticesor preceptsin which practi-
tionersmust engageoncethey havetaken thebodhisattva vow. Theseare
primarily thepracticesof thesix perfectionsgenerosity, ethical disci-
pline, patience, joyouseffort, meditativeconcentration and wisdom. All
theperfectionsof thebodhisattva practicecan beunderstood in terms
of thethreeethical disciplinesof thebodhisattva:
1. Refraining from negativeactions.
2. Accumulating virtue.
3. Working for thewelfareof other sentient beings.
When thoseobserving thevow
Of theactivealtruistic intention havetrained well
In thethreeformsof discipline, their respect
to the armor of supreme patience. I, the yogi, have
The practice of patience here refers mainly to developing the forbear-
anceto endureany harm that may befall you, such that you cultivatea
sense of indifference towards it. You learn to voluntarily accept hard-
shipsfor a higher cause. Thereisalso a third dimension to thepractice
of patience, which iscultivated asa result of constantly reflecting upon
the teachings of the Dharma. The most detailed explanations of these
practicescan befound in thesixth chapter of ShantidevasGuide to the
Bodhisattvas Way of Life.
38
THE PERFECTION OF JOYOUSEFFORT
Once you wear the armor of resolute and irreversible
joyous effort, your expertise in the scriptures and
insights will increase like the waxing moon. You will
make all your actions meaningful (for attaining
enlightenment) and will bring whatever you undertake
to its intended conclusion. Knowing this, the bod-
hisattvas have exerted great waves of joyous effort,
washing away all laziness. I, the yogi, have practiced
just that. You who also seek liberation, pleasecultivate
Thepracticeof cultivating thisperfection of joyouseffort isdetailed in
theseventh chapter of ShantidevasGuide to the Bodhisattvas Way of Life.
THE PERFECTION OF ETHICAL DISCIPLINE
Ethical discipline is the water that washes away the
stainsof faulty actions. It istheray of moonlight that
cools the scorching heat of the defilements. (It makes
you) radiant like a Mount Meru in the midst of the
ninekindsof being. By itspower, you areableto bend
all beings (to your good influence) without (recourse
to) mesmerizing glares. Knowing this, the holy ones
havesafeguarded, asthey would their eyes, theprecepts
that they have accepted (to keep) purely. I, the yogi,
havepracticed just that. You who also seek liberation,
pleasecultivateyourself in thesameway.
Thisverserefersprincipally to thepracticeof ethical disciplinein theform of
restraint, that is, refrainingfrom negativeactions, particularly in thecontext of
thevowsof individual liberation. For abodhisattva, themain ethical practice
of restraint isto refrain from self-centerednessand self-cherishing thoughts.
THE PERFECTION OF FORBEARANCE
Patience is the best adornment for those with power
and theperfect ascetic practicefor thosetormented by
delusions. It isthehigh-soaring eagleastheenemy of
thesnakeof anger, and thethickest armor against the
weaponsof abusivelanguage. Knowing this, (thewise)
haveaccustomed themselvesin variouswaysand forms
sentient beings, while your intentions may be very noble, you might
perform activitiesof body, speech or mind that finish up harming those
on thereceiving end.
36. Themerit gained in a singleday
By onewho possesseshigher perception
Cannot begained even in a hundred lifetimes
By onewithout such higher perception.
37. Thosewho want swiftly to complete
Thecollectionsfor full enlightenment
Will accomplish higher perception
Through effort, not through laziness.
38. Without theattainment of calm abiding,
Higher perception will not occur.
Thereforemakerepeated effort
To accomplish calm abiding.
Atishapresentsthepracticeof calm abiding asa condition for thecultiva t i o n
of this higher perception, or heightened awareness. Mo re import a n t l y, the
attainment of calm abiding is a prerequisite for the attainment of
v i p a sh y a n a p en et r a t i veinsight into thenatureof emptiness. Although it is
possibleto develop thewisdom realizing emptinesswithout calm abiding, it is
o bviously not possibleto develop thewisdom that isaunion of calm abiding
and penetrativeinsight. Truepenetrativeinsight focused on emptinesscomes
about only when weexperiencethephysical and mental pliancy derived fro m
aprocessof analytic inquiry. In order to attain thepliancy derived thro u g h
analysis, we must have the physical and mental pliancy that is generated
t h rough single-pointedness of mind. LamaTsong Khapas text goes on to
describethedistinctivequalitiesof mind onceonehasattained calm abiding.
THE PERFECTION OF CONCENTRATION
From Verse 33 onwards, the Lamp gives a detailed explanation of the
practicesfor cultivating calm abiding and penetrativeinsight.
33. Therefore, through effort in thevow madeby
Bodhisattvasfor pure, full enlightenment,
Thecollectionsfor completeenlightenment
Will bethoroughly accomplished.
34. All buddhassay thecausefor thecompletion
Of thecollections, whosenatureis
Merit and exalted wisdom,
Isthedevelopment of higher perception.
Themerit and exalted wisdom mentioned hererefer to thetwo accumula-
tionsof merit and wisdom and relateto thetwo enlightened holy bodiesof
rupakayaand dharmakayaresp ec t i vel y. Thetext statesthat thebasisof the
completion of thesetwo accumulationsisthecultivation of higher perc ep-
tion [Tib: n g n - s h e]. Thisrefersto aheightened awarenesswhereonehasthe
ability to intuit the mental disposition and inclinations of other sentient
beingsand can act to help them in themost effectiveway.
35. Just asa bird with undeveloped
Wingscannot fly in thesky,
Thosewithout thepower of higher perception
Cannot work for thegood of living beings.
Thepoint hereisthat if you lack thisawarenessof themindsof other
40. Thusmaintaining well theconditionsmentioned
In theCollection for Meditative Stabilization Chapter,
Placethemind on any one
Virtuousfocal object.
Asthetext states, if theconditionsfor cultivating single-pointednessof
mind and calm abiding arenot complete, all your effortsto attain it will
bewasted. Therefore, if you want to engagein a concerted practiceof
cultivating calm abiding, first you must ensure that the following five
conditionsarepresent:
1. Thesound basisof an ethically disciplined way of life.
2. Few personal needsor mundanechoresto bedone.
3. A good understanding of all thekey elementsand stagesof
thepractice.
4. An appropriatediet and avoidanceof excessiveeating.
5. Asfew distractionsaspossible, with restriction of interactions
with strangersor other people.
In thisway, you can createtheconditionsnecessary for thesingle-point-
ed practiceof calm abiding. Buddhist practitionersmaking a concerted
effort to cultivate this single-pointedness of mind must engage in this
practicein two ways. You should know thetechniquesfor both uplift-
ing your mind and generating sobering thoughts. You might think that
sitting up straight will uplift your mind and hunching over will bring it
down, but neither is really the case. You have to learn the thought
processesand reflectionsthat bring about theseeffects.
Here, wearetalking about lam-rim practitionerswho haveengaged
in the practices up to this pointthose of the initial and middling
scopes, including the Three Higher Trainingsand gained a certain
degreeof experienceasa result of thecombined application of analytic
Meditative concentration is the king wielding power
over themind. If you fix it (on onepoint), it remains
there, immovable like a mighty Mount Meru. If you
apply it, it can engagefully with any virtuousobject. It
leads to the great exhilarating bliss of your body and
mind being madeserviceable. Knowing this, yogiswho
areproficient havedevoted themselvescontinuously to
single-pointed concentration, which overcomes the
enemy of mental wandering. I, theyogi, havepracticed
just that. You who also seek liberation, pleasecultivate
In thefirst two lines, theauthor issaying that when you havegained calm
abiding, you havealso gained acertain mastery over your own mind, because
you havetheability to determinewhether or not to engagewith an object. If
you want to placeit single-pointedly upon achosen object, it can rem a i n
t h erecompletely immovable, likeMount Meru. Thekind of meditativecon-
centration described in thisverseisattained after theninth level of mental sta-
b i l i t y, whereyou experiencean exhilarating senseof bliss.
39
Thisblissshould
not beconfused with thegreat blissin thetantric context; rather, it isa bliss
d er i ved from thephysical and mental pliancy generated asaresult of fusing
your mind single-pointedly with achosen object of meditation.
Lamp for the Path: Verses39 & 40
39. Whiletheconditionsfor calm abiding
Areincomplete, meditativestabilization
Will not beaccomplished, even if onemeditates
Strenuously for thousandsof years.
and cultivateyour single-pointed concentration on that. Therearealso
methodsfor cultivating calm abiding on thebasisof deity yoga, where
you visualizeyourself asthedeity, or your physiological energies, where
you concentrate on your subtle channels, for example. The latter are
Vajrayana practices.
Thekey to thedevelopment of calm abiding ismindfulness, which
combines introspection and diligence. It is the continuous application
of mindfulnessthat sustainsyour attention on your chosen object. This
is the heart of placement meditation. Previously we saw how, on the
basisof theapplication of mindfulness, weensurerestraint from nega-
tive activity. Therefore, even ethical discipline involves the practice of
mindfulness.
Also, the first of the thirty-seven aspects of the path to enlighten-
ment are the four foundations of mindfulnessmindfulness of body,
feeling, mind and phenomena. In thecontext of single-pointed concen-
tration, thekey isto develop mindfulnessto such a degreethat wecan
sustain it without an instants distraction. When we engage in single-
pointed concentration through thecultivation of calm abiding, wehave
to beawareof thevariousfaultsthat can interferewith our practice. For
example, even if we are capable of sustaining single-pointed mindful-
ness, our meditation may lack clarity, or there may be clarity without
lossof focuson theobject, but our mind lacksvitality.
In general, thefaultsof meditation aredistraction and mental dull-
ness. Therearetwo typesof distraction. Oneistotal lossof attention,
with no continuity of mindfulnessof theobject. Theother ismoresub-
tle, and occurswhen, even though thereisno lossof focuson theobject,
another thought arises somew h ere in the corner of our mind.
Distractionsarea sign that our mind istoo excited and that weneed to
engagein thought processesto bring it down to a calmer level.
Another way in which welosemindfulnessof theobject iswhen our
mind suffersfrom mental dullness, or laxity. Thissimply meansthat we
meditation and single-pointed placement.
Asto theactual stepsinvolved in engaging in thecultivation of calm
abiding, there are various methods explained in texts, such as
Maitreya/Asangas Madhyantavibhaga [Tib: U-tha-nam-che], where we
find discussions of the five primary obstacles to successful meditation
and theeight antidotesto theseobstacles. Regarding theobject that you
usefor single-pointed meditation, thetext presentsmany different cate-
goriesof object. Thereareobjectsthat aresuited to thepurification of
negativity or elimination of afflictions, objects that are more suited to
analytic temperamentsand so forth. Threeprincipal kindsof object are
mentioned:
1. A pervasive object, which is one common to both calm
abiding and penetrativeinsight.
2. Objectsassociated with your own past habits.
3. Objectsthat aremorerelevant to overcoming afflictions.
Whether you takean external physical object astheobject of your med-
itation or an instanceof your own personal experience, it isimportant
to choose only one object and not keep changing it. The more new
objectsthat you bring in asa focusof your meditation, thelessprogress
you will make. Select a single object and give it your full attention.
Buddhist practitioners, for example, can focus on an image of the
Buddha. If you do this, however, it isbetter not to imaginea Buddha
that is too big or too smallone about three or four finger-widths in
height is quite useful. Whatever the case, your visualization should be
clear and luminous, likea hologram madeof light.
When you cultivate single-pointed meditation on the Buddha,
although you may use a physical representation, such as a statue or a
painting, when you first begin, thisisnot what you usein your actual
meditation. There, you focuson an imagethat you createin your mind
pointed concentration, which then leadsto theattainment of thebliss
that comes from physical and mental pliancy. At that point, you have
attained calm abiding and thefirst of thefour levelsof concentration.
If on thebasisof thiscalm abiding you continueto progressalong
the path by reflecting upon the imperfections of the desire realm, you
will eventually cultivate higher states of awareness, such as the other
threelevelsof concentration. Asyou proceed further, you will attain the
formless absorptions. At such heightened states of concentration, your
mind will beso subtlethat you will temporarily befreeof many of the
manifest aspectsof theafflictions.
are unable to focus on the object of meditation. At other times, even
though we might be focused on the object, theresa lack of clarity, or
vitality. This is subtle dullness, or laxity, and is an indication that our
mind istoo downcast. Here, weneed to engagein reflectionsthat uplift
our mind by creating a feeling of joy.
If you find that your mind is too excited and distractions occur as
soon asyou engagein single-pointed meditation, you should reflect upon
thefact that you arestill under thecontrol of negativethoughtsand emo-
tions; that theseafflictionsarestill activewithin you. Contemplatethefact
that you arestill caught in thebondageof cyclic existenceand reflect upon
impermanenceand death. Thiswill havean immediatesobering effect and
lessen mental excitement and distractions.
If, on theother hand, you find that your mind isdowncast and lacks
vitality, you need to uplift it. Here, you can reflect upon the fact that
you possessbuddha naturethenucleusof buddhahoodor upon the
great valueand preciousnessof your human existenceand theopportu-
nitiesit affordsyou. You can also reflect upon thequalitiesof Buddha,
Dharma and Sangha, particularly the enlightened qualities of the
Buddha, or the fact that you can attain the cessation of suffering.
Positive thoughts such as these will inspire joy and confidence within
you and reinforceyour courage.
When you begin to cultivate calm abiding and single-pointed con-
centration, you haveto learn how thesecomplex processesunfold. In par-
t i c u l a r, it isessential that you discover sobering and uplifting techniques
that work in your own meditation practiceand thelevel of equilibrium
that is right for you, but only through continued personal practiceand
experience, can you discover what theseare. Your ageand physical consti-
tution can also makeadifference, particularly your stateof health.
However, as you continue to practice over a prolonged period of
time, you will progressthrough theninestagesof mental stability. By the
timeyou reach theninth, you will haveattained a high degreeof single-
10
THE PERFECTION OF WISDOM
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PERFECTION OF WISDOM
When thepractitioner hasgained calm abiding,
Higher perception will also begained,
But without practiceof theperfection of wisdom,
Theobstructionswill not cometo an end.
According to Mahayana Buddhism, of all of theBuddhasdiscourses, the
essential teachings are those in the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, which
present thetwo aspectsof thepath. Their explicit subject matter isthe
profound view of emptiness; their implicit subject matter, thestagesof
the path, or levels of realization. In Verse 41, Atisha states that even
when you havegained calm abiding, if you lack theperfection of wis-
dom, you will not beableto eliminatetheobstructions.
Thus, to eliminateall obstructions
To liberation and omniscience,
Thepractitioner should continually cultivate
Theperfection of wisdom with skillful means.
It isthetreasureof geniuspraised in all thescriptural
pronouncementsand isrenowned asthesupremelamp
that eliminates the darkness of closed-mindedness.
Knowing this, thewisewho havewished for liberation
have advanced themselves along this path with every
effort. I, the yogi, have practiced just that. You who
also seek liberation, please cultivate yourself in the
sameway.
Thefirst sentencemakesthepoint that because emptinessis the fun-
damental nature of realityignorance of which is the root of cyc l i c
existencethe wisdom realizing emptiness isthe eyethat allowsusto
see rea l i t ys true nature. It is onl y by transcending the deluded per-
sp ec t i ve of ignorance and generating its opposite, the perspective of
emptiness, that we can eliminateit.
Thereason why Lama Tsong Khapagoeson to say that theperf ec t i o n
of wisdom is the trea su re of genius praised in all the scriptural pro-
nouncementsisbecauseto attain theomniscient wisdom of theBu d d h a
isthehighest of all spiritual aspirations. Every scriptural pro n o u n c em en t
of theBuddha wasaimed either directly or indirectly at theattainment of
thiswisdom. Fu rt h er m o re, theomniscient wisdom of theBuddha isthe
highest perfection of thewisdom of emptiness. Therefore, thePerfection
of W isdom Sutras, theBuddhas teachings on emptiness, can be said to
contain theinnermost essenceof all histeachings.
Lama Tsong Khapa also describesthewisdom realizing emptinessas
a lamp dispelling the darkness of ignorance. According to Nagarjuna
and other masters, ignoranceheremust beidentified asthefundamen-
tal misperception of realitythegrasping at theindependent existence
of thingsand events. Theword wise isalso significant. Although all
followers of the Buddha aspire to liberation, from the Madhyamaka
point of view, the Vaibhashika and Sautrantika practitioners have an
THE PERFECTION OF WISDOM 141
In thisverse, thetext presentstheimportanceof engaging in a path that
is a union of method and wisdom. The following verses explain the
meaning of method and wisdom.
43. Wisdom without skillful means
And skillful means, too, without wisdom
Arereferred to asbondage.
Thereforedo not giveup either.
44. To eliminatedoubtsconcerning
What iscalled wisdom and what skillful means,
I shall makeclear thedifference
Between skillful meansand wisdom.
45. Apart from theperfection of wisdom,
All virtuouspracticessuch as
Theperfection of giving aredescribed
Asskillful meansby theVictoriousOnes.
46. Whoever, under theinfluenceof familiarity
With skillful means, cultivateswisdom
Will quickly attain enlightenment
Not just by meditating on selflessness.
Profound wisdom istheeyewith which to behold pro-
found emptiness and the path by which to uproot
(fundamental ignorance), thesourceof cyclic existence.
explained in AryadevasFour Hundred Verses on the Middle Way, wherehe
interpretstheself that isto benegated in termsof theconcept of inde-
pendence, saying that
Anything that comesinto being dependently
Lacksindependent status.
Thisabsenceof independenceisemptiness.
Therefore, thestatusof independence
Istheself that isto benegated.
40
Of theMahayana schoolsthat accept thenotion of no-self of person and
the no-self of phenomena, all schools apart from the Madhyamaka
Prasangika, including the Madhyamaka Svatantrika and Cittamatra
schools, accept somenotion of an intrinsic nature. TheSvatantrikasand
theCittamatrinsmakea subtledistinction between theno-self of person
and theno-self of phenomena, maintaining that theno-self of persons
isgrosser, or coarser, than theno-self of phenomena. From their point
of view, what isto benegated in thecontext of a person isdifferent from
what isto benegated in thecontext of thepersonsaggregates, or factors
of existence.
In Madhyamaka Prasangika writings, however, such astheworksof
Aryadeva and thetextswearediscussing, thereisno differencein sub-
tlety between theno-self of personsand theno-self of phenomena. The
only distinction between theno-self of personsand theno-self of phe-
nomena isthe bases upon which selflessnessispresented; theteachings
on no-self are presented in relation to either persons or phenomena,
such astheaggregates.
Therearecertain groupsof Madhyamaka thinkerswho accept some
notion of intrinsic nature, albeit at the conventional level, but theres
another group of Madhyamaka scholarswho totally reject thenotion of
inherent existence anywhere, even at the conventional level. How did
incomplete understanding of the causation of cyclic existence and the
natureof enlightenment. In thissense, they arenot wise.
THE NATUREOF WISDOM
Understanding emptinessof inherent existence
Through realizing that theaggregates, constituents
And sourcesarenot produced [do not comeinto being]
Isdescribed aswisdom.
Thisreferenceto theemptinessof inherent existenceof all thingsrefers
to theultimatenatureof reality. In our ordinary perception of theworld,
wetend to perceivethingsasenjoying somekind of absolutestatus, as
having concrete, objectivereality. If wesubject them to deeper analysis,
however, wefind that thingsdo not exist in theway that they appear to
us. All thingsand eventslack inherent nature, and thisabsenceof inher-
ent natureistheir ultimatereality, or emptiness.
Given that thingslack inherent existence, their properties, such as
coming into being, abiding and ceasing, also lack inherent existence.
EMPTINESSACCORDING TO DIFFERENT BUDDHIST SCHOOLS
When wetalk about no-self, or emptiness, wearetalking about some-
thing that isto be negated, or denied, and the critical point here isto
identify exactly what it is that we are negating. Among the Buddhist
schools that accept the teachings on the selflessness of phenomena in
addition to the selflessness of persons, the principal ones are the
Cittamatra and theMadhyamaka; theexplanation of selflessnesshereis
from the perspective of the Madhyamaka. This perspective is clearly
If you subject thesepositionsto deeper analysisand reasoning, how-
ever, all theseideas, particularly thoseof theMadhyamaka Svatantrikas,
can beshown to beuntenablebecausethey takefor granted somenotion
of inherent existence. They also posit a faculty of experienceknown as
reflexive, or self-cognizing, awareness, and it ison thebasisof thisaware-
nessthat they explain theinherent existenceof consciousness.
The fact remains, however, that all Madhyamaka thinkers,
Prasangikasand Svatantrikasalike, areunited in rejecting any notion of
t rue, or ultimate, existence across the entirespectrum of rea l i t y. In this
respect, they differ from the Cittamatra School, where a distinction is
madebetween theexternal reality of matter and theinternal reality of sub-
j ec t i ve experience. Cittamatrins reject the true existence of the external
material world but maintain thetrueexistenceof internal consciousness.
Madhyamikas, on theother hand, reject any notion of trueexistenceright
a c rosstheboard .
However, there are two camps within Madhyamaka thought. On e
rejectsthenotion of inherent existenceeven on theconventional level; the
other acceptsthenotion of inherent existenceon theconventional level .
The question then arises, which of these two distinct readings of
Na g a r j u n asand Ary a d evastextsshould wefollow?Asisgenerally thecase
in Buddhist teachings, we have to subject these ideas to critical analysis
and relatethem to our own personal experience. When wedo this, such
notionsastheinherent existenceof our faculty of perception and self-cog-
nizing awarenessall turn out to beuntenablebecausethey arerefuted by
critical reasoning. In general, Buddhist pro c ed u re is that any system of
thought that issubject to fewer critical objectionsismoreacceptablethan
onethat containsmorecontradiction and inconsistency.
When you reflect upon the teachings on no-selfpart i c u l a r l y
upon thesignificanceof presenting theteachings on no-self in rel a t i o n
to person and itsfactors of existenceyou will appreciate thefollow-
ing fundamental point. Although there isa wide spectrum of rea l i t y, it
this fundamental divide come into being? The foundational texts of
Middle Way thought are Nagarjunas Fundamentals of the Middle Way
and AryadevasFour Hundred. Two distinct interpretationsevolved from
these texts. Buddhapalita, for example, wrote a commentary on
NagarjunasFundamentals and developed a lineof interpretation reject-
ing any notion of intrinsic existence, even at theconventional level.
Later, Bhavaviveka wrote his own commentary, T he Lamp of
Wisdom (Prajnapradipa), in which hetook issuewith Buddhapalita. He
also wroteother texts, such astheHeart of the Middle Way and itscom-
mentary, Blaze of Reasoning, which I mentioned before, when talking
about thelineageof theKadampa teachings(seep. 36). Thesetwo texts
refuting theideasof theCittamatra School clearly reveal that theauthor
himself subscribed to somenotion of intrinsic existence, at least on the
conventional level.
Bh a va v i veka then notes that it is our consciousness that is the rea l ,
defined person and theref erent of our personal terms. Again, thisindicates
that heacceptssomenotion of inherent existence. Also, when disputing
Buddhapalita, Bh a va v i veka presents an epistemology in his commentary
on Na g a r j u n asFu n d a m e n t a l s in which it isevident that heacceptssome
notion of theintrinsic natureof objects.
41
If you want to deepen your understanding of emptiness, it isvery
helpful to look at how the different Buddhist philosophical schools
understand no-self.
42
To summarize, Vaibhashikas and Sautrantikas
understand emptiness as self and person devoid of substantial reality.
Cittamatrins, in addition to accepting theno-self of person, also accept
theno-self of phenomena. They interpret theno-self of phenomena as
theabsenceof duality between subject and object, and also through the
notion that the referents of terms and concepts do not exist in some
absolute, intrinsic manner. Madhyamaka Svatantrikas follow Nagar-
junas teachings but present their own interpretation of emptiness,
accepting a degreeof intrinsic existenceat theconventional level.
Whatever isdependently originated,
I call that to beempty.
And that too isdependently designated,
And thisistheMiddleWay.
What heissaying isthat you arriveat thehighest meaning of emptiness
through dependent origination. When you understand dependent orig-
ination, you can reject any notion of independent existenceexistence
not dependent upon other factors. Things and events are dependently
designated because their identity is derived in dependence upon other
factors. When you reflect upon emptinessin termsof dependent origi-
nation, you can avoid theextremesof both nihilismthat nothing at all
existsand absolutismthat things possess independent existence.
Thisisthemeaning of theMiddleWay.
Having stated in thePrecious Garland that a person isnot theearth,
water, fireor wind elements, theaggregatesand so forth, Nagarjuna does
not concludethat theperson doesnot exist. Rather, hesays, theperson
is the accumulation of his or her aggregates. This implies that the
process by which you cease to identify yourself with your constituent
partsleadsto an appreciation of thenatureof your existencein termsof
thedependent origination of itsbasis.
When you reflect in thisway, you cometo realizethat what you nor-
mally feel and believe is actually contrary to the way in which things
actually exist. When you think about your own self, you normally feel
asif thereissomething that you can actually pinpoint and to which the
term person refers. When you examinethisin greater detail, however,
you discover that there is actually no such unitary entity to which the
term person refersand that thisterm isactually contingent upon the
aggregation of many factors. When you arrive at this conclusion you
realize that the person that you initially believed to exist inherently is
actually devoid of inherent existence. Thisisthemeaning of emptiness.
isthe individual and phenomena that relateto hisor her experienceof
pain and pleasure, happiness and sufferingsuch as the individuals
own mind-body aggregatesthat are of immediate rel eva n c e.
Therefore, right from thebeginning, wemakea distinction between the
person and thepersonsobjectsof experience.
When werelatethisteaching to our own personal experience, how-
ever, wecan observethat when thethought, I am, arisesin us, it does
so on the basis of our physical or mental constituents; our aggregates
underlieI am. Wegrasp at theseaggregates, and it ison thebasisof
thisgrasping and thethought I am that weidentify with them. Thisis
how thegrasping at phenomena servesasthebasisfor thegrasping at the
self of theperson.
DEPENDENT ORIGINATION
Grasping at phenomena obvi ously relates to the questi on of empti -
ness. When we reflect upon the meaning of empti ness, i t i s hel pful
to refer to Na g a r j u n as Fu n dament als of t he Mi ddle Wa y, where he
en t ertai ns many obj ecti ons from those who critici ze his central
conclusion that no thi ng or event possesses i nherent exi stence. Hi s
criti cs obj ect that saying nothi ng possesses inherent nature i s a
descent into nihi lism, because it rejects the existence of anythi ng.
Nagarj una responds by saying that this objection i s based upon a
misunderstandi ng of what he means by empti ness. To paraphrase
Nagarj una, If you j ust reflect on the fact that the premise upon
which I argue for emptiness i s dependent origination, that alone
reveals that by emptiness I do not mean nothi ngness. Emptiness i s
not to be equated wi th mere nothingness; it is simpl y the absence
of i nherent, i ndependent existence.
Nagarjuna then presentsa versein which hestates,
a verse from Nagarjunas Seventy Stanzas on Emptiness,
43
where he
explainsthat if onepositstheintrinsic existenceof all things, then the
wholeidea of thingscoming into being becomesabsurd. Inherent exis-
tenceimpliessomekind of independent, objectivereality. If thingswere
independent and objective, they would neither come into being nor
ceaseto be.
In Verse49, emptinessispresented from thepoint of view of ana-
lyzing a thingscauses, whileVerse50 iswritten from thepoint of view
of the actual entity itself, where the main reasoning is the absence of
identity and difference. This refers to the type of reasoning where we
takeinto account thelabelsof phenomena, such asself or person.
Werea l i ze that such termsaredesignated upon certain bases. In the
caseof self or person, thedesignation istheself and itsbasisistheaggre-
gatesof mind and body. T h ereis, theref o re, arelationship between self or
person and its basis. The reasoning of absence of singularity or plurality
suggests that if we examinethe relationship between self and the mind-
body aggregates and analyze whether self is identical to or independent
f rom them, wewill cometo theconclusion that theself isneither thesame
nor differen t .
We often postulate the inherent existence of things and events on
thebasisof their effects. Wefeel that becausethingscan produceeffects
they must have some inherent objective quality, or property. Also,
becausethingscomeinto being from certain causesand conditions, we
think that they must have some intrinsic nature that causes them to
occur. Therefore, we often posit the notion of inherent existence, or
objective reality, on the basis of causes and effects. This is why, when
negating theinherent existenceof a phenomenon, wehaveto approach
it from both its effects and its causes, along with the analysis of the
natureof existenceitself.
Verse 49 presents the diamond slivers reasoning.
44
When we say
that such-and-such a thing originates, if we simply mean that a thing
I personally feel that this way of approaching emptiness is more
effectivethan going through an eliminativeprocessof theperson being
neither body nor perceptions, neither mental formationsand so forth.
Once you arrive at the point where, after going through this kind of
eliminativeprocess, you realizethat theperson cannot befound, it isstill
open to question whether or not you have actually understood empti-
ness. However, if you approach emptiness through the meaning of
dependent origination, your path to theconclusion will bemuch more
successful.
ESTABLISHING EMPTINESSTHROUGH REASONING
48. Something existent cannot beproduced
Nor something non-existent, likea sky flower.
Theseerrorsareboth absurd and thus
Both of thetwo will not occur either.
49. A thing isnot produced from itself,
Nor from another, also not from both,
Nor causelessly either, thusit doesnot
Exist inherently by way of itsown entity.
50. Moreover, when all phenomena areexamined
Asto whether they areoneor many,
They areseen not to exist by way of their own entity,
And thusareascertained asnot inherently existent.
Verse48 presentsthereasoning behind establishing emptinessby reflect-
ing upon phenomena from thepoint of view of their resultsand echoes
ination is there, but the agent (the sprout) does not exist. Nagarjuna
statesthat thisisnot a problem for thosewho reject any notion of inher-
ent existence, becausethey posit conceptssuch astheseed producing the
sprout purely at thelevel of linguistic transaction. If you posit thesecon-
ceptsby searching for an objective reality, however, then thisrelation-
ship between a sprout and its origination becomes untenable. It is
through thiskind of analysisthat thenotion of theinherent existenceof
thingsisrejected from thepoint of view of their causesand their effects.
At the heart of the Buddhas teachings lie the four seals, or axioms, of
Buddhism, and when we summarize the essence of everything the
Buddha taught, we find that the basic framework is presented in the
context of thesefour:
1. All compositephenomena areimpermanent.
2. All contaminated phenomena are unsatisfactory, or in the
natureof suffering.
3. All thingsand eventsareempty, or devoid of self-existence.
4. Nirvana istruepeace.
It isthethird of thesethat all phenomena areempty, or devoid of self-
existenceon which the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras elaborate. In the
Heart Sutra, the Buddha enumerated the five aggregates and said that
each isdevoid of self, or inherent, existence. In summarizing thisteach-
ing, he states that form is emptiness, emptiness is form. In other
words, thereisno emptinessapart from form and thereisno form apart
from emptiness.
45
Therefore, when we search for the inherent nature of everything
that we experience and perceive, including our five aggregates and all
phenomena relevant to our personal experiencesof suffering and happi-
ness, wewill beunableto find it. Theinherent natureof form or any
comesinto being from itscauses, thisisacceptable. If, however, weare
not satisfied by thismerenominal reality of theconcept of origination,
wemay ask exactly how doessomething comeinto being?Istheeffect
identical with the cause or is the effect distinct from the cause, or did
theeffect comeinto being from a causethat isboth identical and dis-
tinct, or from a causethat isneither identical nor distinct?Themoment
weask such questions, wearealready searching for somekind of inher-
ent reality of phenomena, at least from thepoint of view of origination.
If thenotion of origination weretenable, it would, of course, imply
an inherent, or intrinsic, origination. However, through reasoning we
find that a thing doesnot comefrom a causethat iseither identical to
or independent from itseffects. Thingsalso do not comefrom both the
causesand effects, nor do they comefrom neither causesnor effects. We
thereforeconcludethat thingsdo not possessthecharacteristicsof inher-
ent, or intrinsically real, origination. Oneof thethingsthat wecan con-
cludeasa result of thisanalysisisthat thosewho accept thenotion of
inherent existenceat least on the conventional level of realityare
forced to also accept that thingsdo comefrom inherently distinct caus-
esand conditions.
This is clear from Nagarjunas writings. In the first chapter of
Fundamentals of the Middle Way, when herejectstheidea of other-pro-
duction, hestatesthat for thosewho posit thenotion of inherent exis-
tence, much of the conventional use of language describing the rela-
tionship between an agent and itsactivity and thingsand their proper-
tiesbecomesuntenable.
For example, when wesay that a sprout comesinto being or origi-
natesfrom itscauses, wearesaying that theorigination of thesprout is,
in a sense, a property or characteristic of thesprout. During thestageof
the seed, however, the sprout is yet to be, but we can still say that
becausetheseed isin theprocessof maturation, theseed isproducing
thesprout or thesprout isoriginating. At thispoint, theactivity of orig-
causeushappiness, so they must exist in someway. At thesametime,
however, thesethingsand eventsdo not possesstheinherent, independ-
ent existencethat wetend to project onto them.
Thissuggests, asNagarjuna pointsout in hisPrecious Garland, that
self or person istheaggregation of thesix elementsof earth, water, fire,
wind, spaceand consciousness. Similarly, theway in which all phenom-
ena exist can beunderstood only in termsof theaggregation of various
factors; they lack any identity that is independent of other factors. As
Buddhapalita stated in hiscommentary on NagarjunasFundamentals, if
thingsand eventshavean inherent intrinsic identity, weshould beable
to point at something and say, Thats it. But such is not the case.
When weuseterms, labelsand concepts, wehaveto apply them on the
basis of the aggregation of many factors. This in itself suggests that
things and events do not possess inherent or independent reality.
Therefore, when you approach emptiness from the perspective of the
dependent origination of things, thefact that thingsaredevoid of inher-
ent existenceisbrought into much sharper relief.
When you study thevariouspresentationsof theBuddhasteachings
on no-self, including the premises upon which the Buddhist masters
interpret them and the reasoning they use to establish their particular
understanding, you will gradually cometo appreciatetheuniquenessof
the teachings of the Madhyamaka Prasangika School. Masters such as
Buddhapalita and Chandrakirti interpreted Nagarjunas teachings on
emptinessin a uniqueand excellent way. When you subject their inter-
pretations to critical analysis, you find that their particular reading of
Nagarjunasteachingson emptinessistheonethat isthemost compat-
iblewith valid reasoning and personal experience. If you baseyour study
of emptinesson thewritingsof thesegreat, authentic teachers, you will
greatly deepen your appreciation of theincredibledepth and clarity of
their teachings.
other phenomenon cannot be found. This is why Buddha stated that
form isemptiness. However, thisdoesnot mean that all phenomena are
non-existent. It simply meansthat all phenomena aredevoid of inher-
ent existence. The existence of phenomena can be understood only in
termsof their dependent nature. Therefore, Buddha stated that empti-
nessisform.
Thereisa very closerelationship between form and itsemptiness,
because they are two aspects of one and the same phenomenon.
According to theteaching on thetwo truths, each and every phenome-
non possessestwo natures, oneat theconventional level of reality and
oneat theultimatelevel. Theconventional truth isthereality that can
be accepted at the relative level; emptiness is the ultimate truth of all
thingsand events. Wemust understand that thetwo truthsarenot inde-
pendent of one another but are two different perspectives, or two
natures, of theonephenomenon.
When we proceed with our analysis, one thing that helps us
understand emptiness is the law of contradictions. In the worl d, we
fi nd factors that natural ly contradi ct and oppose one other.
Fu rt h er m o re, there are certain phenomena that not only contradict
one another but are also mutuall y exc l u si vedependence and inde-
pendence, for example. Something is either dependent or independ-
ent; there is no third possibility. Nagarjuna bringsthis into focus in
his Refutati on of Object ions (Vi g ra h a v y a va rt a n i ), wherehestates that
if the absenceof inherent existenceis reversed, existenceof inheren t
existence is automatically established. Things and events are either
i n h erently existent or empty of inherent existence.
When you think likethis, you will realizethat when you subject all
phenomena to reductiveanalysisand search for their trueessence, you
will arrive at a point where you cannot find a solid, concrete reality.
However, our own personal experience affirms the reality of things,
because we experience their effects. Some things cause us pain, others
A second method is to rely upon reasoning based on the ultimate
natureof reality. For example, with certain conceptspostulated through
metaphysical thought processes or by adherents to some metaphysical
schools that may not be susceptible to invalidation by conventional
knowledge.
When you think along these lines, you appreciate Lama Tsong
Khapassentimentswhen, near theend of theemptinesssection of his
Great Exposition, hesaid, O, my colleagues, learned in thegreat Middle
Way treatises. Although in your mind it isvery difficult to posit notions
of causeand effect in a world devoid of inherent existence, nevertheless,
embraceand uphold thisby hailing it to betheway of theMiddlePath.
Thissuggeststhat when you deepen your understanding of empti-
ness, you arriveat a point wherethereality of thingstendsto disappear.
Thingsseem to disintegrateand becomeinsubstantial. This, however, is
not an indication that they do not exist but rather that they aredevoid
of objective, substantial reality. In thisinstance, although it may bedif-
ficult to conceptually maintain the notion of cause and effect and the
conventional reality of phenomena, you must persist and continually
familiarizeyourself with thiskind of understanding.
Then, gradually, by constantly relating back to your personal expe-
rience, you will become more attuned to the experience of emptiness;
more and more comfortable, conceptually and emotionally, with the
notion that things and events do not possess inherent existence. This
conclusion does not appear in your mind like a flash of lightning; an
understanding of emptiness dawns only as the result of a prolonged
processof continual reflection.
51. Thereasoning of theSeventy Stanzas on Emptiness
TheTreatise on the Middle Way and so forth
MEDITATION ON EMPTINESS
When you actually cometo meditateon emptiness, it ismoreeffective
to meditateon theemptinessof self, or person, beforemeditating on the
emptinessof phenomena. First you should investigatetheself in which
you believe, at which you grasp. Where does it reside?Is there a self
aboveand beyond theway you experienceit?Istherea self beyond the
level of appearance?When you subject the inherent existence of your
own self to critical analysisand search for itstruenature, you will come
to realizethat it cannot befound. You cannot find a concreteself.
At thispoint you may ask yourself, doesthismean that theself does
not exist at all?But that cannot bethecorrect conclusion, becauseyou
know from personal experiencethat theself doesthings, isaffected by
the environment and so forth, all of which suggests that it possesses a
certain degree of existence. However, this existence of the self can be
understood only in termsof itsdependent nature, that is, asa depend-
ently originated phenomenon.
Onceyou rea l i zethis, you can useyour understanding of thedepend-
ent origination of theself asapremiseto reflect upon itsemptinessthat
although theself exists, it doesnot possessinherent, intrinsic rea l i t y. Thisis
h ow to use your understanding of dependent origination to arriveat an
understanding of emptiness.
How do wedeterminethat something isexistent but something else
isnot?If wetaketheexampleof a real person and a dream person, we
can seethat they areequal in thefact that both of them lack inherent
existence and objective reality. However, if we believe that the dream
person isreal, wecan invalidatethat belief by other conventional knowl-
edge, such aspast experienceor third person testimony. Belief in thereal
person asreal cannot beinvalidated by such conventional means. This
isonemethod for distinguishing between something that isexistent and
something that isnot.
on emptinesscomesinto thepicturein thecontext of thissearch.
Si m i l a r l y, the Kagy teachings on mahamudra speak of single-
pointedness, transcendenceof conceptual elaborations, singletaste
and beyond meditation. In this context, single-pointedness refers to
thecultivation of calm abiding, whereasthefirst part of cultivating tran-
scendenceof conceptual elaboration isreally themeditation on emptiness.
The Sakya teaching on sel-tong sung-jug refers to non-duality and
theunion of profundity and clarityprofundity refersto theteachings
on emptiness; clarity refersto thenatureof mind.
47
In the Geluk, we need to cultivate the wisdom of emptiness in
conjunction with the experience of blissin the context of the practice
of cultivating the wisdom that is the indivisible union of bl iss and
emptiness. In all four schools, theemptinessthat istaught isthat which
Nagarjunapresented in hisFundamentals of the Middle Wa y. Na g a r j u n as
p resentation of emptinessiscommon to both Paramitayanaand Va j r a y a n a .
In Vajrayana, however, auniquepracticeplacesspecific emphasison culti-
vating thes u b j e c t i ve experienceof thewisdom of emptiness; theemptiness
that istheo b j e c t iscommon to both sutraand tantra.
55. Thenatureof thisworldly existence,
Which hascomefrom conceptualization,
Isconceptuality. Thustheelimination of
Conceptuality isthehighest stateof nirvana.
56. Thegreat ignoranceof conceptuality
Makesusfall into theocean of cyclic existence.
Resting in non-conceptual stabilization,
Space-likenon-conceptuality manifestsclearly.
Explain that thenatureof all things
Isestablished asemptiness.
52. Sincetherearea great many passages,
I havenot cited them here,
But haveexplained just their conclusions
For thepurposeof meditation.
53. Thus, whatever ismeditation
On selflessness, in that it doesnot observe
An inherent naturein phenomena,
Isthecultivation of wisdom.
THE NON-CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF EMPTINESS
54. Just aswisdom doesnot see
Having analyzed wisdom itself by reasoning
Non-conceptually meditateon that.
The reference to non-conceptuality in Verse 54 indicates the stages
through which we progress and enhance our realization of emptiness.
Through treading the various stages of the path, such as the path of
accumulation, and particularly the four levels of the path of prepara-
tion,
46
we eventually arrive at an understanding of emptiness that is
direct, intuitiveand non-conceptual.
Theimportance of meditating on emptinessisuniversal among the
four schoolsof Tibetan Buddhism. In theNyingmaSchool, thepractice
of d zo g - c h e n ( p a rticularly the brea k t h ro u g h and leap-over practices)
includesaprel i m i n a ry processthat isdescribed assearching for theorigin,
theabiding and thedissolution of thenatureof themind. Themeditation
used wide-ranging discriminating wisdom to analyze
properly and destroy all underlying supports for their
(cognitions) aimed at grasping for extremes. In this
way, they have expanded their intelligence that has
realized emptiness. I, theyogi, havepracticed just that.
You who also seek liberation, please cultivate yourself
in thesameway.
This verse presents the importance of cultivating the union of calm
abiding and penetrativewisdom focused on emptiness.
Once you have achieved single-pointed concentration
through accustoming yourself to single-pointedness of
mind, your examination then of individual phenomena
with theproper analysisshould itself enhanceyour sin-
gle-minded concentration, settled extremely firmly,
without any wavering, on the actual way in which all
things exist. Seeing this, the zealous have marveled at
theattainment of theunion of calm abiding and pene-
trativeinsight. Isthereneed to mention that you should
pray (to attain it aswell)?I, theyogi, havepracticed just
that. You who also seek liberation, pleasecultivateyour-
self in thesameway.
This verse points to the possibility of actually reinforcing your single-
pointed stability of mind through a process of analysis. The following
verse presents the difference between the post-meditation session and
thepath during theactual meditation session.
57. When bodhisattvasnon-conceptually contemplate
Thisexcellent teaching, they will transcend
Conceptuality, so hard to overcome,
And eventually reach thenon-conceptual state.
58. Having ascertained through scripture
And through reasoning that phenomena
Arenot produced nor inherently existent,
Meditatewithout conceptuality.
59. Having thusmeditated on suchness,
Eventually, after reaching heat and so forth,
Thevery joyful and theothersareattained
And, beforelong, theenlightened stateof buddhhood.
THE UNION OF CALM ABIDING AND PENETRATIVE INSIGHT
In (a state of) merely single-pointed meditative con-
centration, you do not havetheinsight (that givesyou)
theability to cut theroot of cyclic existence. Mo reover,
d evoid of apath of calm abiding, wisdom (by itself ) can-
not turn back thedelusions, no matter how much yo u
a n a l y ze them. T h eref o re, on the horse of unwaver i n g
calm abiding, (masters) havemounted thediscriminat-
ing wisdom that istotally decisiveabout how thingsexist
[ o r, thewisdom penetrating thedepthsof the ultimate
m ode of being]. Then, with the sharp weapon of
MiddlePath reasoning, devoid of extremes, they have
THE VAJRAYANA PATH
If you wish to createwith ease
Thecollectionsfor enlightenment
Through activitiesof pacification,
Increaseand so forth, gained by thepower of mantra,
In thenext verses, thetext goeson to talk about theimportanceof find-
ing a spiritual teacher and developing a proper relianceon thisteacher,
and pointsout that thispracticeispresented in thecontext of Vajrayana.
Lamp for the Path: Verses61through 67
61. And also through theforceof theeight
And other great attainmentslikethegood pot
If you want to practicesecret mantra,
Asexplained in theaction and performancetantras,
62. Then, to receivethepreceptor initiation,
You must pleasean excellent spiritual teacher
Through service, valuablegiftsand thelike
Aswell asthrough obedience.
63. Through thefull bestowing of thepreceptor initiation,
By a spiritual teacher who ispleased,
You arepurified of all wrong-doing
And becomefit to gain powerful attainments.
(Having achieved such a union) you should meditate
both on space-like emptiness whi le completel y
absorbed (in your meditation sessions) and on illusion-
likeemptinesswhen you subsequently arise. By doing
this, you will, through your union of method and
awareness, become praised as someone perfecting the
bodhisattvas conduct. Realizing this, those with the
great good fortune (to have attained enlightenment)
have made it their custom never to be content with
merely partial paths. I, the yogi, have practiced just
During the meditation session, you focus primarily on the space-like
n a t u reof rea l i t y, which issimply theabsenceof inherent existencein all
things. When you arisefrom thesession and engagewith theworld, yo u r
meditation experienceshould permeateyour post-session experiencesuch
that you perc ei veasillusory everything with which you comeinto contact.
Although you might perc ei veobjectsashaving somekind of concreterea l-
i t y, you rea l i zethat in essence, they lack such rea l i t y.
We now return to Atishas Lamp. In the context of the Perfection
Vehicle, although themethod and wisdom aspectsof thepath mutually
reinforce and complement one another, they are presented as two dis-
tinct continua of consciousness. Theprofound featureof theVajrayana
path isthat theunion of method and wisdom isnot a question of two
independent factorscomplementing oneanother but rather oneof both
factorsbeing present and completewithin a singlestateof mind. Thisis
achieved through thepracticeof deity yoga.
Therefore, onceyou haveproperly developed likethis
these (three principal) paths, you should rely on the
skillful captain (of a fully qualified tantric master) as
your protector, and set out (on this latter, speedier
vehicle) across the vast ocean of the (four) classes of
tantra. Those who have (done so and) devoted them-
selves to his or her guideline instructions have made
their attainment of (a human body with all) liberties
and endowments ful ly meaningful (by attaining
enlightenment in their very lives). I, the yogi, have
Question. Your Holiness, although my meditation experience is very
shallow and weak, when meditating on thelack of inherent existenceof
self, I becomescared at thedawn of that understanding. Isthisnormal?
Istherean antidote?
Hi s Holiness. There are two possibilities. One is that perhaps your
understanding of emptinessisnot deep enough, in which casethereisa
danger of your sliding into a nihilistic interpretation of themeaning of
emptiness, whereemptinessalmost becomesa concept of nothingnessor
non-existence. Thiscan then causesomekind of fear of non-existence.
Under such circumstances, it isimportant to reinforceyour conviction
in the efficacy of the law of cause and effect, and particularly in the
teachingsof dependent origination, becausethetruemeaning of empti -
nesshasto beunderstood in termsof dependent arising. Theantidote
to thisfear isreinforcing your understanding of thedependent origina-
tion of things, their cause and effect nature, how they come into being
64. BecausetheGreat Tantra of the Primordial Buddha
Forbidsit emphatically,
Thoseobserving pureconduct should not
Takethesecret and wisdom initiations.
65. If thoseobserving theausterepracticeof pureconduct
Wereto hold theseinitiations,
Their vow of austerity would beimpaired
Through doing that which isproscribed.
66. Thiscreatestransgressionsthat area defeat
For thoseobserving discipline.
Sincethey arecertain to fall to a bad rebirth,
They will never gain accomplishments.
67. Thereisno fault if onewho hasreceived
Thepreceptor initiation and hasknowledge
Of suchnesslistensto or explainsthetantras
And performsburnt offering rituals,
Or makesoffering of giftsand so forth.
Similarly, in Verse24 of Lines of Experience, Lama Tsong Khapa presents
thegeneral procedureof thepathsaccording to Vajrayana.
(Renunciation, an enlightened motiveand correct view
of emptiness) arenecessary in common for (achieving)
supreme paths through either of the two Mahayana
vehicles of (practicing) causes (for enlightenment) or
(simulating now) the results (you will achieve) .
compose it. The fact that something is said to be whole immediately
suggestsitsrelationship with itsconstituent parts. Theconstituent parts
arenot independent or separatefrom thewhole, nor arethey identical
to it. Thereisa relationship between thetwo.
Question. Wehaveasked Your Holinessmany questions. What question
would you ask usthat wemight each answer within ourselves?
His Holiness. Examineyourself to seewhether or not you arededicated
to your spiritual practice. Thisisvery important.
DEDICATION
Atisha concludeshisLamp with:
68. I, theElder Dipamkarashri, having seen it
Explained in sutra and in other teachings,
Havemadethisconciseexplanation
At therequest of Jangchub .
And finally, Lama Tsong Khapa makesthisdedication:
25. In order to accustom thisto my own mind and also
to benefit othersaswell who havethegood fort u n e
(to meet atrueguru and beableto practicewhat he
or she teaches), I have explained here in easily
understandablewordsthecompletepath that pleas-
esthebuddhas. I pray that that themerit from this
may cause all sentient beings never to be part ed
f rom thesepureand excellent paths. I, theyogi, have
practiced just that. You who also seek liberation,
and what kind of conventional, or relative, statusthey possess.
However, it isalso possible that your understanding of emptinessis
c o r rect. When you deeply reflect on emptiness, it isnot impossiblethat
somekind of fear or anxiety might arisein you, becausewhat wenormal-
ly takefor granted and hold to be unquestionablethissolid, concret e
reality and independently existing selfhasbeen shown to befalse. T h i s
kind of realization can causeasenseof fear, but thisfear gradually dimin-
ishesasyou deepen your understanding of emptinessmoreand more.
Question. How can thelaw of dependent origination explain theconti-
nuity of mind?Isthemind an independent phenomenon?
His Holiness. It ispossibleto misunderstand theever-present continuity
of consciousnessasbeing somekind of eternal entity, but just because
something retains its continuum does not mean that it is an eternal,
unchanging, permanent phenomenon. For example, when welook care-
fully, weseethetremendouscomplexity of theworld of experience. It is
this very complexity, in fact, to which we refer as consciousness, or
mind, and it ison thebasisof thiscontinuum that wedescribestatesof
mind asbeing of particular types.
Also, weknow from our personal experiencethat our thoughts, emo-
tions and attitudes can change. If the mind were permanent and inde-
pendent, theref o re, therewould simply beno room for such changesto
o c c u r. Thefact that therei s room for changeand transformation suggests
that consciousness is a dynamic, ever-changing phenomenon. We can
understand consciousnessonly in termsof a continuum, but thiscontin-
uum can only beunderstood in relation to thesuccession of many even t s.
Thisalready suggeststhat wearetalking about acompositephenomenon
and that consciousnessisdependently originated.
When welook at thingsand events, wecan seethat thereisa rela-
tionship between thewholeand theconstituentsthat cometogether to
APPENDIX 1
A LAMP FOR THE PATH
TO ENLIGHTENMENT
by
Atisha Dipamkara Shrijnana
(9821054)
48
Homageto thebodhisattva, theyouthful Manjushri.
1. I pay homagewith great respect
To theconquerorsof thethreetimes,
To their teaching and to thosewho aspireto virtue.
Urged by thegood discipleJangchub
I shall illuminatethelamp
For thepath to enlightenment.
2. Understand that therearethreekindsof persons
Becauseof their small, middling and supremecapacities.
I shall writeclearly distinguishing
Their individual characteristics.
3. Know that thosewho by whatever means
Seek for themselvesno more
Than thepleasuresof cyclic existence
Arepersonsof theleast capacity.
Then, in thecolophon to Lines of Experience, weread:
This concludes the Abbreviated Points of the Graded
Path to Enlightenment, compiled in brief so that they
might not beforgotten. It hasbeen written at Ganden
Nampar Gyel w ai Mo n a st ery on Drog Riwoche
Mountain, Tibet, by the Buddhist monk Losang
Dragpa, a meditator who hasheard many teachings.
In conclusion, my wish is that you all try to be warm-hearted people.
Thisisthemost important thing. I myself try to bea sincerefollower of
theBuddha. Even in my dreams, I alwaysremember that Im a Buddhist
monk. Thisfeeling will remain until my death. In themeantime, I try
to dedicatemy existenceto thebenefit of others. If you, too, practicein
thisway, wewill truly becomegenuine, good friends.
10. Next, beginning with an attitude
Of lovefor all living creatures,
Consider beings, excluding none,
Suffering in thethreebad rebirths,
Suffering birth, death and so forth.
11. Then, sinceyou want to freethesebeings
From thesuffering of pain,
From suffering and thecauseof suffering,
Arouseimmutably theresolve
To attain enlightenment.
12. Thequalitiesof developing
Such an aspiration are
Fully explained by Maitreya
In theArray of Trunks Sutra.
13. Having learned about theinfinitebenefits
Of theintention to gain full enlightenment
By reading thissutra or listening to a teacher,
Arouseit repeatedly to makeit steadfast.
14. TheSutra Requested by Viradatta
Fully explainsthemerit therein.
At thispoint, in summary,
I will citejust threeverses.
15. If it possessed physical form,
Themerit of thealtruistic intention
Would completely fill thewholeof space
And exceed even that.
APPENDIX 1 169
4. Thosewho seek peacefor themselvesalone,
Turning away from worldly pleasures
And avoiding destructiveactions
Aresaid to beof middling capacity.
5. Thosewho, through their personal suffering,
Truly want to end completely
All thesuffering of others
Arepersonsof supremecapacity.
6. For thoseexcellent living beings,
Who desiresupremeenlightenment,
I shall explain theperfect methods
Taught by thespiritual teachers.
7. Facing paintings, statuesand so forth
Of thecompletely enlightened one,
Reliquariesand theexcellent teaching,
Offer flowers, incensewhatever you have.
8. With theseven-part offering
From the[Prayer of] N oble Conduct,
With thethought never to turn back
Till you gain ultimateenlightenment,
9. And with strong faith in theThreeJewels,
Kneeling with onekneeon theground
And your handspressed together,
First of all takerefugethreetimes.
22. According to theritual described in
Thechapter on disciplinein theBodhisattva Stages,
Takethevow from a good
And well-qualified spiritual teacher.
23. Understand that a good spiritual teacher
Isoneskilled in thevow ceremony,
Who livesby thevow and has
Theconfidenceand compassion to bestow it.
24. However, in caseyou try but cannot
Find such a spiritual teacher,
I shall explain another
Correct procedurefor taking thevow.
25. I shall writeherevery clearly, asexplained
In theOrnament of Manjushris Buddha Land Sutra,
How, long ago, when Manjushri wasAmbaraja,
Hearoused theintention to becomeenlightened.
26. In thepresenceof theprotectors,
I arousetheintention to gain full enlightenment.
I inviteall beingsasmy guests
And shall freethem from cyclic existence.
27. From thismoment onwards
Until I attain enlightenment,
I shall not harbor harmful thoughts,
Anger, avariceor envy.
APPENDIX 1 171
16. If someonewereto fill with jewels
Asmany buddha fieldsastherearegrains
Of sand in theGanges
To offer to theProtector of theWorld,
17. Thiswould besurpassed by
Thegift of folding oneshands
And inclining onesmind to enlightenment,
For such islimitless.
18. Having developed theaspiration for enlightenment,
Constantly enhanceit through concerted effort.
19. Without thevow of theengaged intention,
Perfect aspiration will not grow.
Makeeffort definitely to takeit,
Sinceyou want thewish for enlightenment to grow.
20. Thosewho maintain any of theseven kinds
Of individual liberation vow
Havetheideal [prerequisite] for
Thebodhisattva vow, not others.
21. TheTathagata spokeof seven kinds
Of individual liberation vow.
Thebest of theseisgloriouspureconduct,
Said to bethevow of a fully ordained person.
34. All buddhassay thecausefor thecompletion
Of thecollections, whosenatureis
Merit and exalted wisdom,
Isthedevelopment of higher perception.
35. Just asa bird with undeveloped
Wingscannot fly in thesky,
Thosewithout thepower of higher perception
Cannot work for thegood of living beings.
36. Themerit gained in a singleday
By onewho possesseshigher perception
Cannot begained even in a hundred lifetimes
By onewithout such higher perception.
37. Thosewho want swiftly to complete
Thecollectionsfor full enlightenment
Will accomplish higher perception
Through effort, not through laziness.
38. Without theattainment of calm abiding,
Higher perception will not occur.
Thereforemakerepeated effort
To accomplish calm abiding.
39. Whiletheconditionsfor calm abiding
Areincomplete, meditativestabilization
Will not beaccomplished, even if onemeditates
Strenuously for thousandsof years.
APPENDIX 1 173
28. I shall cultivatepureconduct,
Giveup wrong-doing and desire
And with joy in thevow of discipline
Train myself to follow thebuddhas.
29. I shall not beeager to reach
Enlightenment in thequickest way,
But shall stay behind till thevery end,
For thesakeof a singlebeing.
30. I shall purify limitless
Inconceivablelands
And remain in theten directions
For all thosewho call my name.
31. I shall purify all my bodily
And verbal formsof activity.
My mental activities, too, I shall purify
And do nothing that isnon-virtuous.
32. When thoseobserving thevow
Of theactivealtruistic intention havetrained well
In thethreeformsof discipline, their respect
For thesethreeformsof disciplinegrows,
Which causespurity of body, speech and mind.
33. Therefore, through effort in thevow madeby
Bodhisattvasfor pure, full enlightenment,
Thecollectionsfor completeenlightenment
Will bethoroughly accomplished.
Will quickly attain enlightenment
Not just by meditating on selflessness.
47. Understanding emptinessof inherent existence
Through realizing that theaggregates, constituents
And sourcesarenot produced
Isdescribed aswisdom.
48. Something existent cannot beproduced,
Nor something non-existent, likea sky flower.
Theseerrorsareboth absurd and thus
Both of thetwo will not occur either.
49. A thing isnot produced from itself,
Nor from another, also not from both,
Nor causelessly either, thusit doesnot
Exist inherently by way of itsown entity.
50. Moreover, when all phenomena areexamined
Asto whether they areoneor many,
They arenot seen to exist by way of their own entity,
And thusareascertained asnot inherently existent.
51. Thereasoning of theSeventy Stanzas on Emptiness,
TheTreatise on the Middle Way and so forth
Explain that thenatureof all things
Isestablished asemptiness.
52. Sincetherearea great many passages,
I havenot cited them here,
But haveexplained just their conclusions
For thepurposeof meditation.
APPENDIX 1 175
40. Thusmaintaining well theconditionsmentioned
In theCollection for Meditative Stabilization Chapter,
Placethemind on any one
Virtuousfocal object.
41. When thepractitioner hasgained calm abiding,
Higher perception will also begained,
But without practiceof theperfection of wisdom,
Theobstructionswill not cometo an end.
42. Thus, to eliminateall obstructions
To liberation and omniscience,
Thepractitioner should continually cultivate
Theperfection of wisdom with skillful means.
43. Wisdom without skillful means
And skillful means, too, without wisdom
Arereferred to asbondage.
Thereforedo not giveup either.
44. To eliminatedoubtsconcerning
What iscalled wisdom and what skillful means,
I shall makeclear thedifference
Between skillful meansand wisdom.
45. Apart from theperfection of wisdom,
All virtuouspracticessuch as
Theperfection of giving aredescribed
Asskillful meansby theVictoriousOnes.
46. Whoever, under theinfluenceof familiarity
With skillful means, cultivateswisdom
Thevery joyful and theothersareattained
And, beforelong, theenlightened stateof buddhahood.
60. If you wish to createwith ease
Thecollectionsfor enlightenment
Through activitiesof pacification,
Increaseand so forth, gained by thepower of mantra,
61. And also through theforceof theeight
And other great attainmentslikethegood pot
If you want to practicesecret mantra,
Asexplained in theaction and performancetantras,
62. Then, to receivethepreceptor initiation,
You must pleasean excellent spiritual teacher
Through service, valuablegiftsand thelike
Aswell asthrough obedience.
63. Through thefull bestowing of thepreceptor initiation,
By a spiritual teacher who ispleased,
You arepurified of all wrong-doing
And becomefit to gain powerful attainments.
64. BecausetheGreat Tantra of the Primordial Buddha
Forbidsit emphatically,
Thoseobserving pureconduct should not
Takethesecret and wisdom initiations.
65. If thoseobserving theausterepracticeof pureconduct
Wereto hold theseinitiations,
Their vow of austerity would beimpaired
Through doing that which isproscribed.
APPENDIX 1 177
53. Thus, whatever ismeditation
On selflessness, in that it doesnot observe
Isthecultivation of wisdom.
54. Just aswisdom doesnot see
Having analyzed wisdom itself by reasoning,
Non-conceptually meditateon that.
55. Thenatureof thisworldly existence,
Which hascomefrom conceptualization,
Isconceptuality. Thustheelimination of
Conceptuality isthehighest stateof nirvana.
56. Thegreat ignoranceof conceptuality
Makesusfall into theocean of cyclic existence.
Resting in non-conceptual stabilization,
Space-likenon-conceptuality manifestsclearly.
57. When bodhisattvasnon-conceptually contemplate
Thisexcellent teaching, they will transcend
Conceptuality, so hard to overcome,
And eventually reach thenon-conceptual state.
58. Having ascertained through scripture
And through reasoning that phenomena
Arenot produced nor inherently existent,
Meditatewithout conceptuality.
59. Having thusmeditated on suchness,
Eventually, after reaching heat and so forth,
APPENDIX 2
LINES OF EXPERIENCE
by
Lama JeTsong Khapa (13571419)
49
1. I prostratebeforeyou, (Buddha), head of theShakya clan. Your enlight-
ened body isborn out of tensof millionsof positivevirtuesand perf ec t
accomplishments; your enlightened speech grantsthewishesof limitless
beings; your enlightened mind seesall knowablesasthey are.
2. I prostratebeforeyou Ma i t reyaand Manjushri, supremespiritual chil-
d ren of this peerless teacher. Assuming responsibility (to further) all
Bu d d h asenlightened deeds, you sport emanationsto countlessworlds.
3. I prostratebeforeyour feet, Nagarjuna and Asanga, ornamentsof our
Southern Continent. Highly famed throughout thethreerealms, you
have commented on the most difficult to fathom Mother of the
Buddhas (Perfection of Wisdom Sutras) according to exactly what was
intended.
4. I bow to Dipamkara (Atisha), holder of a treasureof instructions(as
seen in your Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment). All thecomplete,
unmistaken pointsconcerning thepathsof profound view and vast
action, transmitted intact from these two great forerunners, can be
included within it.
66. Thiscreatestransgressionsthat area defeat
For thoseobserving discipline.
Sincethey arecertain to fall to a bad rebirth,
They will never gain accomplishments.
67. Thereisno fault if onewho hasreceived
Thepreceptor initiation and hasknowledge
Of suchnesslistensto or explainsthetantras
And performsburnt offering rituals,
Or makesoffering of giftsand so forth.
68. I, theElder Dipamkarashri, having seen it
Explained in sutra and in other teachings,
Havemadethisconciseexplanation
At therequest of Jangchub .
COLOPHON
Thisconcludes A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment , by theAcharyaDipamkara
Shrijnana. It was translated, revised and finalized by the eminent Indian abbot
himself and by thegreat reviser, translator and fully ordained monk Geway Lodr.
Thisteaching waswritten in thetempleof Thling in Zhang Zhung. Translated by
Ruth Sonam, Dharamsala, January 1997.
9. (Having taken refuge,) you should seethat theroot causeexcellent-
ly propitiousfor asgreat a massof good fortuneaspossiblefor this
and future lives is proper devotion in thought and action to your
sublimeteacher who showsyou thepath (to enlightenment). Thus
you should pleaseyour teacher by offering your practiceof exactly
what heor shesays, which you would not forsakeeven at thecost
of your life. I, theyogi, havepracticed just that. You who also seek
liberation, pleasecultivateyourself in thesameway.
10. This human existence with its (eight) liberties is much more pre-
ciousthan a wish-granting jewel. Obtained just thisonce, difficult
to acquireand easily lost, (it passesin a flash) likelightning in the
sky. Considering how (easily thiscan happen at any time) and real-
izing that all worldly activitiesareas(immaterial as) chaff, you must
try to extract itsessenceat all times, day and night. I, theyogi, have
practiced just that. You who also seek liberation, please cultivate
11. After death, thereisno guaranteethat you will not bereborn in oneof
thethreeunfortunaterealms. Nevertheless, it iscertain that theT h ree
Jewelsof Refugehavethepower to protect you from their terrors. Fo r
thisreason, your taking of refugeshould beextremely solid and yo u
should follow its advice without ever letting (your commitments)
weaken. Mo reover, (your successin) so doing dependson your con-
sidering thoroughly which aretheblack or thewhite karmic actions
together with their resultsand then living according to theguidesof
what isto beadopted or rejected. I, theyogi, havepracticed just that.
You who also seek liberation, pleasecultivateyourself in thesameway.
12. Thefullest strides(of pro g ress) in actualizing thesupremepathswill not
come about unlessyou haveattained theworking basis (of an ideal
APPENDIX 2 181
5. Resp ec t f u l l y, I prostratebeforemy spiritual masters. You aretheeyesallow-
ingusto behold all theinfinitescriptural pronouncements, thebest ford
for thoseof good fortuneto crossto liberation. You makeeverything clear
t h rough your skillful deeds, which aremoved by intenseloving concern.
6. Thestagesof thepath to enlightenment havebeen transmitted intact by
those who have followed in order both from Nagarjuna and Asanga,
thosecrowning jewelsof all eruditemastersof our Southern Continent
and thebanner of whosefamestandsout abovethemasses. As(follow-
ing thesestages) can fulfill every desirableaim of all ninekindsof being,
they are a power-granting king of precious instruction. Because they
collect thestreamsof thousandsof excellent classics, they areindeed an
ocean of illustrious, correct explanation.
7. Theseteachingsmakeit easy to understand how thereisnothing con-
tradictory in all the Buddhas teachings and make every scriptural
pronouncement without exception dawn on your mind asa person-
al instruction. They make it easy to discover what the Buddha
intended and protect you as well from the abyss of the great error.
Becauseof these(four benefits), what discriminating person among
the erudite masters of India and Tibet would not have his or her
mind becompletely enraptured by thesestagesof thepath (arranged)
according to thethreelevelsof motivation, thesupremeinstruction
to which many fortunateoneshavedevoted themselves?
8. Although (thereismuch merit to begained from) reciting or hearing
even once this manner of text (written by Atisha) that includesthe
essential points of all scriptural pronouncements, you are certain to
amasseven greater wavesof beneficial collectionsfrom actually teach-
ing and studying the sacred Dharma (contained therein). T h eref o re,
you should consider thepoints(for doing thispro p er l y ) .
15. Generosity isthewish-granting jewel with which you can fulfill the
hopesof sentient beings. It isthebest weapon for cutting theknot
of miserliness. It isthe(altruistic) conduct that enhancesyour self-
confidenceand undaunted courage. It isthebasisfor your good rep-
utation to be proclaimed in the ten directions. Knowing this, the
wise have devoted themselves to the excellent path of completely
giving away their body, belongingsand merit. I, theyogi, haveprac-
ticed just that. You who also seek liberation, pleasecultivateyour-
self in thesameway.
16. Ethical disciplineisthewater that washesaway thestainsof faulty
actions. It istheray of moonlight that coolsthescorching heat of
thedefilements. (It makesyou) radiant likea Mount Meru in the
midst of theninekindsof being. By itspower, you areableto bend
all beings(to your good influence) without (recourseto) mesmeriz-
ing glares. Knowing this, the holy ones have safeguarded, as they
would their eyes, the precepts that they have accepted (to keep)
purely. I, theyogi, havepracticed just that. You who also seek liber-
ation, pleasecultivateyourself in thesameway.
17. Patienceisthebest adornment for thosewith power and theperfect
ascetic practicefor thosetormented by delusions. It isthehigh-soar-
ing eagleastheenemy of thesnakeof anger, and thethickest armor
against theweaponsof abusivelanguage. Knowing this, (thewise)
haveaccustomed themselvesin variouswaysand formsto thearmor
of supremepatience. I, theyogi, havepracticed just that. You who
also seek liberation, pleasecultivateyourself in thesameway.
18. Onceyou wear thearmor of resoluteand irreversiblejoyouseffort,
your expertise in the scriptures and insights will increase like the
waxing moon. You will make all your actions meaningful (for
attaining enlightenment) and will bring whatever you undertaketo
APPENDIX 2 183
human body) that iscompletewith (all eight ripened favorable) qual-
ities. T h eref o re, you must train in thecausal (virtuousactions) that will
p reclude (your attainment of such a form) from being incomplete.
( Fu rt h er m o re) asit isextremely essential to cleanseaway thestainsof
black karmic debtsand downfalls(from broken vows) tarnishing the
t h ree gateways (of your body, speech and mind), and especially (to
rem ove) your karmic obstacles(which would prevent such areb i rt h ) ,
you should cherish continually devoting yourself to (applying) the
completeset of four opponent powers(which can purgeyou of them).
I, theyogi, havepracticed just that. You who also seek liberation, please
c u l t i vateyourself in thesameway.
13. If you do not makean effort to think about truesufferingsand their
drawbacks, you will not properly develop a keen interest to work for
liberation. If you do not consider thestageswhereby (true) origins
of all suffering placeand keep you in cyclic existence, you will not
know themeansfor cutting theroot of thisviciouscircle. Therefore,
you should cherish exuding total disgust and renunciation of such
existence by knowing which factors bind you to its wheel. I, the
yogi, have practiced just that. You who also seek liberation, please
14. Ever-enhancing your enlightened motiveof bodhicitta isthecentral
axleof theMahayana path. It isthebasisand foundation for great
waves of (enlightening) conduct. Like a gold-making elixir, (it
turns) everything (you do) into thetwo collections, (building up) a
treasureof merit gathered from infinitely collected virtues. Knowing
this, bodhisattvas hold this supreme precious mind as their inner-
most practice. I, theyogi, havepracticed just that. You who also seek
liberation, pleasecultivateyourself in thesameway.
about how thingsexist [or, thewisdom penetrating thedepthsof the
ultimate mode of being]. Then, with the sharp weapon of Mi d d l e
Path reasoning, devoid of extremes, they haveused wide-ranging dis-
criminating wisdom to analyze properly and destroy all underlying
su p p o rtsfor their (cognitions) aimed at grasping for extremes. In this
w a y, they haveexpanded their intelligencethat hasrea l i zed emptiness.
I, the yogi, have practiced just that. You who also seek liberation,
22. Onceyou have achieved single-pointed concentration through accus-
toming yourself to single-pointednessof mind, your examination then
of individual phenomena with theproper analysisshould itself enhance
your single-minded concentration settled extremely firmly, without any
w a vering, on theactual way in which all thingsexist. Seeing this, the
zealoushavemarveled at theattainment of theunion of calm abiding
and penetrativeinsight. Isthereneed to mention that you should pray
(to attain it aswell)?I, theyogi, havepracticed just that. You who also
seek liberation, pleasecultivateyourself in thesameway.
23. (Having achieved such aunion) you should meditateboth on space-like
emptinesswhilecompletely absorbed (in your meditation sessions) and
on illusion-likeemptinesswhen you subsequently arise. By doing this,
you will, through your union of method and awareness, becomepraised
assomeoneperfecting thebodhisattvasconduct. Realizing this, those
with the great good fortune (to have attained enlightenment) have
madeit their custom never to becontent with merely partial paths. I,
theyogi, havepracticed just that. You who also seek liberation, please
c u l t i vateyourself in thesameway.
24. ( Renunciation, an enlightened motiveand correct view of emptiness)
a re necessary in common for (achieving) supreme paths thro u g h
APPENDIX 2 185
itsintended conclusion. Knowing this, thebodhisattvashaveexert-
ed great wavesof joyouseffort, washing away all laziness. I, theyogi,
havepracticed just that. You who also seek liberation, pleaseculti-
vateyourself in thesameway.
19. Meditativeconcentration istheking wielding power over themind.
If you fix it (on one point), it remains there, immovable like a
mighty Mount Meru. If you apply it, it can engagefully with any
virtuousobject. It leadsto thegreat exhilarating blissof your body
and mind being madeserviceable. Knowing this, yogiswho arepro-
ficient havedevoted themselvescontinuously to single-pointed con-
centration, which overcomestheenemy of mental wandering. I, the
yogi, have practiced just that. You who also seek liberation, please
20. Profound wisdom istheeyewith which to behold profound empti-
nessand thepath by which to uproot (fundamental ignorance), the
sourceof cyclic existence. It isthetreasureof geniuspraised in all
the scriptural pronouncements and is renowned as the supreme
lamp that eliminates the darkness of closed-mindedness. Knowing
this, thewisewho havewished for liberation haveadvanced them-
selves along this path with every effort. I, the yogi, have practiced
just that. You who also seek liberation, please cultivate yourself in
thesameway.
21. In (astateof ) merely single-pointed meditativeconcentration, you do
not havetheinsight (that givesyou) theability to cut theroot of cyc l i c
existence. Mo reover, devoid of apath of calm abiding, wisdom (by
i t sel f ) cannot turn back thedelusions, no matter how much you ana-
l y zethem. T h eref o re, on thehorseof unwavering calm abiding, (mas-
ters) havemounted thediscriminating wisdom that istotally decisive
NOTES
1. See Atishas Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment for a detailed com-
mentary by GesheSonam Rinchen and www.LamaYeshe.com for a
brief commentary by Khunu Lama Rinpoche.
2. SeeT he Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment for an
English translation of thistext.
3. SeeOpening the Eye of N ew Awareness, Chapter Two.
4. SeeMeditation on Emptiness, p. 321 ff.
5. SeeMeditation on Emptiness, Non-associated compositional factors,
p. 268 ff.
6. In thepresent-day stateof Bihar. For moreinformation, seeT he Eight
Places of Buddhist Pilgrimage on www.LamaYeshe.com.
7. SeeBuddhist Advice for Living and Liberation , verses176 ff.
8. SeeWorld of T ibetan Buddhism , pp. 1530, for a detailed discussion
of thethreeturnings.
9. Manjushri, Vajrapani, Avalokiteshvara, Ksitigarbha, Sarvanivarana-
viskambini, Akashagarbha, Maitreya and Samantabhadra.
10. Thethreerealmsarethedesire, form and formlessrealms. Thedesire
realm isinhabited by hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, humans,
non-godsand thefirst six classesof god; theform realm by thenext
seventeen classes of god; and the formless realm by the top four
classesof god. SeeMeditative States in T ibetan Buddhism for more
details.
11. See Buddhist Advice for Living and Liberation, verses38089. Also,
Essence of the Heart Sutra, p. 4248, for much moreon Nagarjunas
either of the two Mahayana vehicles of (practicing) causes (for
enlightenment) or (simulating now) the results (you will achieve) .
T h eref o re, once you have properly developed like this these (three
principal) paths, you should rely on the skillful captain (of a fully
qualified tantric master) asyour pro t ec t o r, and set out (on thislatter,
speedier vehicle) acrossthevast ocean of the(four) classesof tantra.
Thosewho have(doneso and) devoted themselvesto hisor her guide-
lineinstructionshavemadetheir attainment of (a human body with
all) libertiesand endowmentsfully meaningful (by attaining enlight-
enment in their very lives). I, theyogi, havepracticed just that. Yo u
who also seek liberation, pleasecultivateyourself in thesameway.
25. In order to accustom thisto my own mind and also to benefit oth-
ersaswell who havethegood fortune(to meet a trueguru and be
ableto practicewhat heor sheteaches), I haveexplained herein eas-
ily understandable words the complete path that pleases the bud-
dhas. I pray that themerit from thismay causeall sentient beings
never to beparted from thesepureand excellent paths. I, theyogi,
havepracticed just that. You who also seek liberation, pleaseculti-
vateyourself in thesameway.
COLOPHON
Thisconcludesthe Abbreviated Points of the G raded Path to Enlightenment, compiled in
brief so that they might not be forgotten. It has been written at Ganden Nampar
Gyelwai Monastery on Drog RiwocheMountain, Tibet, by theBuddhist monk Losang
Dragpa, ameditator who hasheard many teachings.
the Dharma teachings do not exist or with imperfect faculties or
wrong views. In none of these states do we have the freedom to
practiceDharma to thefull. SeeLiberation in Our Hands, Part 2, p.
73 ff. for moredetails.
24. Wrong livelihoods include killing or abusing sentient beings for a
living, living off the proceeds of selling holy objects such as texts,
statuesand thangkasand so forth.
25. See, for example, HisHolinesstheDalai LamasT he Meaning of Life
for a detailed explanation of thetwelvelinks.
26. SeeWorld of T ibetan Buddhism, p. 42: Dueto theexistenceof this,
that arises; due to the production of this, that is engendered. It is
thus: dueto ignorance, thereisthevolitional action; dueto action,
thereisconsciousness, which isattributed to theRice Seedling Sutra
(Shalistambhasutra).
27. Quoted in Liberation in our Hands, Part 2, pp. 140141.
28. SeeAbhidharmakoshabhasyam, Chapter 3.
29. For an extremely detailed discussion of all aspects of karma, see
Liberation in Our Hands, Part 2, Day Thirteen, p. 227 ff.
30. See Making Life Meaningful, p. 83 ff. for the practice of the
BodhisattvasConfession of Moral Downfalls.
31. SeeTeachings from the Vajrasattva Retreat, p. 663.
32. SeeLiberation in our Hands, Part 1 , pp. 209213; T he Tantric Path
of Purification; and Everlasting Rain of N ectar.
33. See Daily Purification: A Short Vajrasattva Practice for a brief, easy
method of purifying negativities.
34. SeeMeditative States in T ibetan Buddhism for detailsof thefour con-
centrationsand thefour formlessabsorptions.
35. SeeLiberation in our Hands, Part 1, page143, note67.
36. SeeLiberation in our Hands, Part 1, page143, notes67 through 70.
37. Theterm unenlightened existenceisused by established Theravada
scholarsand other academicsto denotelifein samsara, considering
shravakas and pratyekabuddhas to have attained enlightenment,
defenseof theMahayana and itsorigins.
12. SeeLiberation in the Palm of Your Hand, pp. 4474, and thebiogra-
phy of Atisha on www.LamaYeshe.com for detailsof hislife.
13. SeeLiberation in the Palm of Your Hand, pp. 76061, for thelineage
of theseteachings.
14. SeeLiberation in Our Hands, Part 1 , p. 242 ff., for detailsof these
threelineages.
15. Generosity, ethics, forbearance, enthusiastic perseverance, concen-
tration and wisdom.
16. Beingsfrom any of thethreerealmsdesire, form and formless
can bereborn into any of thethree. For example, desirerealm beings
can bereborn into thedesire, form or formlessrealm and so forth.
Thus, thereareninekindsof being.
17. SeeLiberation in Our Hands, Part 1, p. 71, for moreon this.
18. Thefour foundationsof mindfulness, thefour correct trainings, the
four supportsfor miraculousability, thefivefaculties, thefivepow-
ers, theseven branchesof enlightenment and theeightfold path. See
Essence of the Heart Sutra, pp. 2629 for an enumeration and brief
explanation of thesethirty-seven aspectsof thepath.
19. SeeT he Great Treatise, Volume1, p. 71.
20. SeeWorld of T ibetan Buddhism , p. 160, n. 15, for questionsabout
thesourceof thisfrequently-quoted verseof theBuddha.
21. SeeEssence of the Heart Sutra, pp. 104106, for a discussion of defin-
itiveversusprovisional interpretation.
22. Thisalludesto thefour reliancesof not relying merely on theper-
son, but on thewords; not merely on thewordsbut on their mean-
ing; not merely on the provisional meaning but on the definitive
meaning; and not merely on intellectual understanding of thedefin-
itivemeaning but on direct, non-conceptual experienceof it.
23. The eight liberties, or freedoms, are freedom from the four non-
human states of rebirth in the hell, hungry ghost, animal or long-
lived god realmsand thefour human statesof rebirth when or where
NOTES 189 188 ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Aryadeva. T he Yogic Deeds of Bodhisattvas: Gyel-tsap on Aryadevas Four
Hundred. Commentary by Geshe Sonam Rinchen, translated by
Ruth Sonam. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 1994.
Atisha Dipamkara Shrijnana. Atishas Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment.
Commentary by Geshe Sonam Rinchen, translated and edited by
Ruth Sonam. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 1997.
Deshung Rinpoche. T he T hree Levels of Spiritual Perfection. Translated
by Jared Rhoton. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1995.
Gyatso, GesheJampa. Everlasting Rain of N ectar: Purification Practice in
T i bet an Bu d d h i s m . Edited by Joan Nicell . Boston: Wi sd o m
Publications, 1996.
Gyatso, Tenzin, HisHolinesstheDalai Lama. Essence of the Heart Sutra.
Translated and edited by Geshe Thupten Jinpa. Boston: Wisdom
Publications, 2002.
. Healing Anger: T he Power of Patience from a Buddhist Perspective.
Translated by Geshe Thupten Ji npa. Ithaca: Sn ow Li on
Publications, 1997.
. T he Meaning of Life from a Buddhist Perspective. Translated and edit-
ed by Jeffrey Hopkins. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1992.
. Opening the Eye of N ew Awareness. Translated by Donald S. Lopez,
Jr. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1984.
. T he World of T ibetan Buddhism: An Overview of Its Philosophy and
Practice. Translated and edited by Geshe Thupten Jinpa. Boston:
Wisdom Publications, 1995.
Hopkins, Jef f rey. Medi t at i on on Em p t i n e s s. Boston: Wi sd o m
although not the complete, fully-perfected enlightenment of bud-
dhahood. SeeEssence of the Heart Sutra, p. 80. In Illuminating the
Path, we consider all sentient beings to be unenlightened; see the
relevant glossary entries.
38. SeeHisHolinessscommentary on thisin Healing Anger.
39. SeeLiberation in Our Hands, Part 3, pp. 256260.
40. SeeT he Yogic Deeds of Bodhisattvas, page274, verse348.
41. For moreon thedisputebetween Buddhapalita and Bhavaviveka, see
Essence of the Heart Sutra, pp. 108111.
42. For more on the four schools, see Essence of the Heart Sutra, pp.
99112.
43. SeeN agarjunas Seventy Stanzas for a translation of thistext.
44. SeeMeditation on Emptiness, p. 131 ff.
45. See His Holiness the Dalai Lamas new commentary on this text,
Essence of the Heart Sutra. Seealso pp. 9197 of that work for a dis-
cussion of thefour seals.
46. Heat, summit, patienceand supremeDharma.
47. SeeT he T hree Levels of Spiritual Perfection, p. 543, Non-dual clari -
ty and emptiness/voidness.
48. With thanksto Jeff Cox of Snow Lion publicationsfor permission
to useRuth Sonamsexcellent translation in thisbook.
49. Translated by Sherpa Tulku, Khamlung Tulku, Alexander Berzin and
Jonathan Landaw, 1973, LTWA, Dharamsala. Thisisessentially
thetranslation that wasused during HisHolinesssteachings, slight-
ly modified with reference to Dr. Berzins revised translation on
www.berzinarchives.com. SeeDoor to Liberation p. 173, for anoth-
er translation of Lines of Experience.
Committee. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 2000.
Vasubandhu. Abhidharmakoshabhasyam. Four volumes. Translated into
French by Louis de La Valle Poussin, into English by Leo M.
Pruden. Berkeley: Asian HumanitiesPress, 1991.
Yeshe, Lama Thubten. T he Tantric Path of Purification. Edited by
NicholasRibush. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1994.
ZopaRinpoche, LamaThubten. Daily Purification: A Sh o rt Va j ra s a t t va Pra c t i c e.
Edited by NicholasRibush. Boston: LamaYesheWisdom Arc h i ve, 2001.
. Making Life Meaningful . Edited by NicholasRibush. Boston: Lama
YesheWisdom Archive, 2001.
. Teachings from the Vajrasattva Retreat. Edited by Ailsa Cameron and
NicholasRibush. Boston: Lama YesheWisdom Archive, 2000.
FURTHER RECOMMENDED READING
Gyatso, Tenzin, HisHolinesstheDalai Lama. Path to Bliss: A Practical Gu i d e
to Stages of Me d i t a t i o n. Translated by GesheThupten Jinpa, edited by
ChristineCox. Ithaca: Sn ow Lion Publications, 1991. Lam-rim teach-
ings; acommentary on Panchen Losang Chkyi Gy l t s nsPath to Bl i s s
Leading to Om n i s c i e n c e.
. T he Path to En l i g h t e n m e n t. Translated and edited by Glenn H. Mu l l i n .
Ithaca: Sn ow Lion Publications, 1995. Lam-rim teachings; acommen-
t a ry on Sonam Gyatso, theT h i rd Dalai LamasEssence of Refined Go l d.
Rabten, Geshe. T he Essential N ectar. Translated and edited by Martin
Willson. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1992. Lam-rim teachings
and meditations; translation of and contemporary commentary on
a text by theeighteenth century Tibetan scholar, YesheTsndru.
Wangchen, Geshe Namgyl. Awakening the Mind (of En l i g h t e n m e n t ) .
Wisdom Publications, 1988. Meditationson thepath to enlightenment.
Wangyel, Geshe. T he Door of Liberation. Boston: Wisdom Publications,
1995. Teachingsin theKadam tradition.
Publications, 1983.
Lati Rinbochay and Denma Loch Rinbochay. Meditative States in
T ibetan Buddhism . Translated by Leah Zahler and Jeffrey Hopkins.
Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1997.
Nagarjuna. Buddhist Advice for Living and Liberation, Nagarjunas
Precious Garland. Translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins. Ithaca:
Snow Lion Publications, 1998.
. Nagarjunas Seventy Stanzas: A Buddhist Psychology of Emptiness.
Commentary by Geshe Sonam Rinchen, translated by Tenzin
Dorjee and David Ross Komito. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications,
1987.
Pabongka Rinpoche. Liberation in Our Hands, Parts 1, 2 and 3.
Transcribed and edited by Yongzin Trijang RinpocheLosang Yeshe
Tenzin Gyatso, translated by Geshe Lobsang T h a rchin with
ArtemusB. Engle. Howell: Mahayana Sutra and Tantra Press, 1990,
1994, 2001.
. Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. Translated by Michael Richards.
Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1991.
Russell, Jeremy. T he Eight Places of Buddhist Pilgrimage. New Delhi:
Mahayana Publicati ons, 1981. Out of print; available on
www.LamaYeshe.com.
Shantideva. A Guide to the Bodhisattvas Way of Life. Translated by
Stephen Batchelor. Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and
Archives, 1979.
. A Guide to the Bodhisattvas Way of Life. Translated by Vesna A.
Wallaceand Alan B. Wallace. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 1997.
Sopa, Geshe Lhundup and Jef f rey Hopkins. Cutt i ng T h ro u g h
Appearances: Practice and T heory of T ibetan Buddhism. Ithaca: Snow
Lion Publications, 1989.
Tsong Khapa, Lama Je. T he Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to
Enli ght enment , Volume On e. Lamrim Chenmo Tr a n sl a t i o n
192 ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT BIBLIOGRAPHY 193
transcended theworld (d).
bhumi (Skt). Ground, or level, as in the ten bodhisattva levels. See
Meditation on Emptiness, pp. 98109.
bodhicitta (Skt). The altruistic intention, or determination, to reach
enlightenment for the sole purpose of enlightening all sentient
beings.
b o d h i s a t t va ( Sk t ) . Onewho possessesthecompassionatemotivation of bod-
hicitta; whosespiritual practiceisdirected tow a rdstheachievement of
enlightenment for thesakeof all sentient beings. Seealso b h u m i.
Bodhisattvayana, Bodhisattva Vehicle. SeeParamitayana.
Bu d d h a ( Sk t ). A fully enlightened being. Onewho hasrem oved all obscu-
rationsveiling themind and hasdeveloped all good qualitiesto per-
fection. Thefirst of theT h reeJewelsof Refuge. Seealso e n l i g h t e n m e n t.
Buddhadharma (Skt). Theteachingsof theBuddha. Seealso Dharma.
buddhahood. Seeenlightenment.
buddha nature. Theclear light natureof mind possessed by all sentient
beings; thepotential for all sentient beingsto becomeenlightened
by removing the two obscurations to liberation and omniscience.
Seealso obscurations, and Essence of the Heart Sutra, p. 82, for more
discussion on this.
Buddhist (T ib: nang-pa). Onewho hastaken refugein theThreeJewels
of Refuge: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha and who acceptsthephilo-
sophical world view of thefour seals: that all compositephenom-
ena are impermanent, all contaminated phenomena are in the
natureof suffering, all thingsand eventsaredevoid of self-existence
and nirvana istruepeace.
C
calm abiding. Seeshamatha.
Chandrakirti. Sixth century Indian Buddhist philosopher who wrote
GLOSSARY 195
GLOSSARY
(Skt = Sanskrit; T ib = T ibetan)
A
affliction. Seedelusion.
aggregates. Seeskandha.
arhat (Skt; T ib: dra-chom-pa). Literally, foedestroyer. A person who has
destroyed hisor her inner enemy, thedelusions, and attained liber-
ation from cyclic existence.
arya (Skt; T ib: phag-pa) . Literally, noble. Onewho hasrealized thewis-
dom of emptiness.
Aryadeva. Third century Indian Buddhist philosopher and leading early
proponent of NagarjunasPrasangika-Madhyamaka philosophy.
Asanga, Arya. Fourth century Indian Buddhist philosopher who found-
ed theCittamatra School of Buddhist philosophy. SeeMeditation on
Emptiness p. 359.
Atisha Dipamkara Shrijnana (9821054). Thegreat Indian master who
first formulated the lam-rim teachings when he came to Tibet in
1042. SeeChapter 2 for moreinformation.
B
bhagavan (Skt; T ib: chom-dn-d). Epithet for a buddha; sometimes
translated as Lord, Blessed One and so forth. One who has
destroyed(chom) all defilements, possessesall qualities(dn) and has
bringing about transformation. Thesecond of theT h reeJewelsof
Ref u g e.
dharmakaya (Skt). Thebuddha-body of reality. Theomniscient mind
of a fully enlightened being, which, freeof all obscurationsand sub-
tlehindrances, remainsmeditatively absorbed in thedirect percep-
tion of emptiness while simultaneously cognizing all phenomena.
The result of the complete and perfect accumulation of wisdom.
One of the four holy bodies of a buddha (see also rupakaya and
svabhavikakaya).
dualistic view. The ignorant view characteristic of the unenlightened
mind in which all thingsarefalsely conceived to haveconcreteself-
existence. To such a view, theappearanceof an object ismixed with
the false image of its being independent or self-existent, thereby
leading to further dualistic viewsconcerning subject and object, self
and other, thisand that and so forth.
E
emptiness (Skt: shunyata). Theabsenceof theapparent independent, self-
existence of phenomena; lack of inherent existence. Sometimes
translated asvoidness. (Seealso inherent existence.)
e n l i g h t e n m e n t ( Skt: bodhi; Tib: jang-chub). Full awakening; buddhahood. T h e
ultimate goal of Buddhist practice, attained when all limitations have
been rem oved from the mind and ones positivepotential has been
completely and perfectly rea l i zed. It isastatecharacterized by infinite
compassion, wisdom and skill. Seep. 14 for somediscussion of this.
F
f i ve paths. Thepathsalong which beingspro g ressto liberation and enlight-
enment; thepathsof accumulation, preparation (conjunction), seeing
commentarieson Nagarjunasphilosophy. Hisbest-known work is
A Guide to the Middle Way (Madhyamakavatara).
Cittamatra (Skt). TheMind Only School of thefour schoolsof Buddhist
philosophy; with Madhyamaka, oneof thetwo Mahayana schools.
SeeCutting T hrough Appearances for details.
compassion (Skt: karuna). Thewish for all sentient beingsto beseparat-
ed from their mental and physical suffering. A prerequisitefor the
development of bodhicitta. Compassion issymbolized by themed-
itational deity Avalokiteshvara and the mantra OM MANI PADME
HUM.
consciousness. Seemind.
constituents, eighteen (Skt: dhatu; Tib: kham). Thesix sensepowers, the
six consciousnessesand thesix objects.
cyclic existence. Seesamsara.
D
defilement . Seedelusion.
delusion (Skt: klesha; T ib: nyn-mong). Literally, that which afflictsfrom
within. A delusion has the function of disturbing the mind the
moment it arises. Delusionsareobscurationscovering theessential-
ly purenatureof mind, being thereby responsiblefor suffering and
dissatisfaction. Themain delusion isignorance, out of which grow
desirousattachment, hatred, jealousy and all theothers.
dependent origination. Also called dependent arising. In general, phe-
nomena arise in dependence upon causes and conditions and are
therefore empty of inherent existence; they are not self-existent
becausethey aredependent arisings. Seealso twelve links.
Dh a rm a ( Sk t; T i b: ch). Spiritual teachings, particularly those of
Shakyamuni Buddha. Literally, that which protectsusfrom suffer-
ing. TheTibetan term hastheliteral connotation of changing, or
196 ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT GLOSSARY 197
fundamental delusion from which all othersspring. Thefirst of the
twelvelinksof dependent origination.
impermanence (T ib: mi-tag-pa). Thegrossand subtlelevelsof thetran-
sience of phenomena. The moment things and events come into
existence, their disintegration hasalready begun.
inherent (or intrinsic) existence. What phenomena are empty of; the
object of negation, or refutation. To ignorance, phenomena appear
to exist independently, in and of themselves; to exist inherently. Cf.
emptiness.
intelligence, the faculty of (T ib: nam chd). Sometimestranslated asfac-
ulty of imagination. His Holiness uses this term in the Western
senseof a human beingscapacity for thinking and imagination that
enableshim or her to project into thefuture, recollect past experi-
ences and so forth, a faculty that often leads us into conflict. The
insight, or wisdom, that enables us to judge between long- and
short-term benefit and detriment.
K
Kadam (T ib). Theorder of Tibetan Buddhism founded in theeleventh
century by Atisha, Dromtnpa and their followers, the Kadampa
geshes; theforerunner of theGeluk School.
Kagy (T ib). Theorder of Tibetan Buddhism founded in theeleventh
century by Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa and their followers. Oneof
the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Cf. N yingma, Sakya
and Geluk .
Kangyur (T ib). Thepart of theTibetan Canon that containsthesutras
and tantras; literally, translation of the (Buddhas) word. It con-
tains108 volumes.
karma (Skt; T ib: l) . Intentional (but not necessarily conscious) action;
theworking of causeand effect, whereby positive(virtuous) actions
GLOSSARY 199
(insight), meditation and no more learning (beyond training). See
Li b e ration in Our Ha n d s, Pa rt 1, p. 106, note86.
form body. Seerupakaya.
Four N oble Truths. Thesubject of theBuddhasfirst turning of thewheel
of Dharma. Thetruthsof suffering, theorigin of suffering, theces-
sation of suffering and thepath to thecessation of suffering asseen
by an arya.
G
Geluk (T ib). The Virtuous Order. The order of Tibetan Buddhism
founded by Lama Tsong Khapa and his disciples in the early fif-
teenth century and the most recent of the four main schools of
Tibetan Buddhism. Developed from theKadam School founded by
Atisha and Dromtnpa. Cf. N yingma, Kagy and Sakya.
Great Vehicle. SeeMahayana.
H
Hearer Vehicle. SeeShravakayana.
Hinayana (Skt). Literally, Small, or Lesser, Vehicle. It isoneof thetwo
general divisionsof Buddhism. Hinayana practitioners motivation
for following theDharma path isprincipally their intensewish for
personal liberation from samsara. Two types of Hinayana practi-
tioner areidentified: hearersand solitary realizers. Cf. Mahayana.
I
ignorance (Skt: avidya; T ib: ma-rig-pa). Literally, not seeing that which
exists, or the way in which things exist. There are basically two
kinds, ignorance of karma and ignorance of ultimate truth. The
holds that all phenomena are dependent originations and thereby
avoidsthemistaken extremesof self-existenceand non-existence, or
eternalism and nihilism. It has two divisions, Svatantrika and
Prasangika. With Cittamatra, oneof thetwo Mahayana schoolsof
philosophy. SeeCutting T hrough Appearances for details.
Madhyamika (Skt). Follower of Madhyamaka.
Mahayana (Skt). Literally, Great Vehicle. It is one of the two general
divisionsof Buddhism. Mahayana practitioners motivation for fol -
lowing the Dharma path is principally their intense wish for all
mother sentient beingsto beliberated from conditioned existence,
or samsara, and to attain the full enlightenment of buddhahood.
The Mahayana has two divisions, Paramitayana (Sutrayana) and
Vajrayana (Tantrayana, Mantrayana). Cf. Hinayana.
Maitreya (T ib: Jam-pa). After Shakyamuni Buddha, the next (fifth) of
thethousand buddhasof thisfortunateeon to descend to turn the
wheel of Dharma. Presently residing in the pure land of Tushita
( Ganden). Recipient of the method l ineage of Sh a k y a m u n i
Buddhasteachings, which, in a mystical transmission, hepassed on
to Asanga.
Manjushri (T ib: Jam-pl-yang). Thebodhisattva (or buddha) of wisdom.
Recipient of thewisdom lineageof Shakyamuni Buddhasteachings,
which hepassed on to Nagarjuna.
mantra (Skt). Literally, mind protection. Mantras are Sanskrit sylla-
blesusually recited in conjunction with thepracticeof a particu-
lar meditational deityand embody thequalitiesof thedeity with
which they areassociated.
mara (Skt). Seeobstructive forces.
meditation (T ib: gom). Familiarization of the mind with a virtuous
object. There are two types, placement (absorptive) and analytic
(insight).
merit. Positive imprints left on the mind by virtuous, or Dharma,
GLOSSARY 201
producehappinessand negative(non-virtuous) actionsproducesuf-
fering.
kaya (Skt). Buddha-, or holy, body. A body of an enlightened being. See
also dharmakaya and rupakaya.
klesha (Skt). Seedelusion.
L
lama (T ib; Skt: guru). A spiritual guideor teacher. Onewho showsa dis-
ciple the path to liberation and enlightenment. Literally, heavy
heavy with knowledgeof Dharma.
lam-rim (T ib). The graduated path. A presentation of Shakyamuni
Buddhasteachingsin a form suitablefor thestep-by-step training
of a disciple. Seealso Atisha and three principal paths.
Lesser Vehicle. SeeHinayana.
liberation (Skt: nirvana, or moksha; T ib: nyang-d, or thar-pa).Thestate
of completefreedom from samsara; thegoal of a practitioner seek-
ing his or her own escape from suffering (see also Hinayana).
Lower nirvana isused to refer to thisstateof self-liberation, while
higher nirvana refers to the supreme attainment of the full
enlightenment of buddhahood. Natural nirvana (T ib: rang-zhin
nyang-d) is the fundamentally pure nature of reality, where all
thingsand eventsaredevoid of any inherent, intrinsic or independ-
ent reality.
M
Madhyamaka (Skt). TheMiddleWay School of Buddhist philosophy; a
system of analysis founded by Nagarjuna based on the
Prajnaparamita sutrasof Shakyamuni Buddha and considered to be
the supreme presentation of the wisdom of emptiness. This view
Detsen to clear away hindrancesto theestablishment of Buddhism
in Tibet. Thefirst of thefour main schoolsof Tibetan Buddhism.
Cf. Kagy , Sakya and Geluk .
O
object of negation, or refutation (T ib: gag-cha). What isconceived by an
awareness conceiving true existence; the appearance of inherent
existence.
obscurations, obstructions (Skt: avarana). Gross hindrances (Skt: klesh-
avarana; T ib: nyn-drib; see also delusion), which prevent liberation
from samsara, and subtle hindrances, which prevent omniscience
(Skt: jneyavarana; T ib: she-drib).
obstructive forces (Skt: mara), four. Theafflictions, death, thefiveaggre-
gatesand thedivineyouth demon. Seepp. 9596.
P
paramita (Skt). Seesix perfections.
Pa ra m i t a y a n a ( Sk t ). The Perfection Vehicle; the first of the two
Mahayana paths. This is the gradual path to enlightenment tra-
versed by bodhisattvaspracticing thesix perfectionsthrough theten
bodhisattva levels(bhumi) over countlesseonsof rebirth in samsara
for the benefit of all sentient beings. Also called Sutrayana or
Bodhisattvayana. Cf. Vajrayana.
path(s) of accumulation, preparation, seeing. Seefive paths.
penetrative insight. Seevipashyana.
Perfection Vehicle. SeeParamitayana.
Prajnaparamita (Skt). Theperfection of wisdom.
Prasangika (Skt). TheMiddleWay Autonomy School of thefour schools
of Buddhist philosophy. SeeCutting T hrough Appearances for details.
actions. The principal cause of happiness. Accumulation of merit,
when coupled with theaccumulation of wisdom, eventually results
in rupakaya.
Middle Way School. SeeM adhyamaka.
Milarepa (10401123 or 10521135). Oneof Tibetsgreatest yogis, he
achieved enlightenment in his lifetime under the tutelage of his
guru, Marpa, who wasa contemporary of Atisha. Oneof thefound-
ing fathersof theKagy School.
mind ( Skt: citta; Tib: sem). Synonymouswith consciousness( Skt: vijnana;
T ib: nam-she) and sentience (Skt: manas; T ib: yi). Defined as that
which isclear and knowing; a formlessentity that hastheability
to perceiveobjects. Mind isdivided into six primary consciousness-
esand fifty-onemental factors.
Mind Only School. SeeCittamatra.
N
Nagarjuna. Second century Indian Buddhist philosopher who founded
theMadhyamaka School of Buddhist philosophy. SeeMeditation on
Emptiness, pp. 356359.
N gari. Western Tibet, whereAtisha first arrived. HewrotehisLamp for
the Path at themonastery of Thling in Zhang-Zhung, or Gug.
nihilism. Thedoctrinethat nothing exists; that, for example, theresno
causeand effect of actionsor no past and futurelives.
nirmanakaya (Skt). Seerupakaya.
nirvana (Skt; T ib: nyang-d). Literally, beyond sorrow, that is, beyond
reach of the delusions. See p.16 for a discussion of the term. See
also liberation for morediscussion.
Nyingma (T ib). Theold translation school of Tibetan Buddhism, which
tracesitsteachingsback to thetimeof Padmasambhava, theeighth
century Indian tantric master invited to Tibet by King Trisong
that isonewho hasintentionally taken rebirth in a human form to
benefit sentient beingson thepath to enlightenment.
rupakaya (Skt). Thebuddha-body of form of a fully enlightened being;
theresult of thecompleteand perfect accumulation of merit. It has
two aspectssambhogakaya, or buddha-body of perfect resource,
in which the enlightened mind appears to benefit highly realized
bodhisattvas, and nirmanakaya, or buddha-body of perfect emana-
tion, in which the enlightened mind appears to benefit ordinary
beings. Seealso dharmakaya.
S
Sakya (T ib). Oneof thefour main schoolsof Tibetan Buddhism. It was
founded in the eleventh century in the south of the province of
Tsang by Konchog Gylpo. Cf. N yingma, Kagy and Geluk.
sambhogakaya (Skt). Seerupakaya.
Samkhya (Skt). Early non-Buddhist philosophical school; the so-called
enumerators, becausethey advocatea definiteenumeration of the
causesthat produceexistents. Seepp.1718.
samsara (Skt; T ib: khor-wa). The six realms of conditioned existence,
threelowerhell, hungry ghost (Skt: preta) and animaland three
upperhuman, non-god (Skt: asura) and god (Skt: sura); thebegin-
ningless, recurring cycle of death and rebirth under the control of
delusion and karma and fraught with suffering. It also refersto the
contaminated aggregatesof a sentient being.
Sangha (Skt). Spiritual community; the third of the Three Jewels of
Refuge. AbsoluteSangha arethosewho havedirectly realized empti-
ness; relativeSangha areordained monksand nuns.
Sautrantika (Skt). The Sutra (Hinayana) School of the four schools of
Buddhist philosophy. SeeCutting T hrough Appearances for details.
sentient being (T ib: sem-chen). Any unenlightened being; any being
Seealso Madhyamaka.
p ratimoksha (Sk t ) . Vows of individual liberation; seven types. See the
discussion of Verses20 and 21 of Lamp for the Path, pp. 122123.
Pratyekabuddhayana (Skt). The Solitary Realizer Vehicle. One of the
branches of the Hinayana. Practitioners who strive for nirvana in
solitude, without relying on a teacher. Cf. Sharavakayana.
preta (Skt). Hungry ghost, or spirit. Thepreta realm isoneof thethree
lower realmsof cyclic existence. SeeLiberation in Our Hands, Part
2, p. 161 ff. for a detailed discussion.
purification. Theeradication from themind of negativeimprintsleft by
past non-virtuousactions, which would otherwiseripen into suffer-
ing. The most effective methods of purification employ the four
opponent powers of regret, reliance, virtuous activity and resolve.
Seep. 89.
puja (Skt). Literally, offering; usually used to describean offering cere-
mony such astheOffering to the Spiritual Master (Guru Puja).
R
refuge. Thedoor to theDharma path. Fearing thesufferingsof samsara,
for themselvesor others, Buddhiststakerefugein theThreeJewels
with thefaith that Buddha, Dharma and Sangha havethepower to
lead them to happiness, better rebirths, liberation or enlightenment.
renunciation (T ib: nge-jung). A heartfelt feeling of completedisgust with
cyclic existence such that day and night one yearns for liberation
and engages in the practices that secure it. The first of the three
principal aspects of the path to enlightenment. Cf. bodhicitta and
right view.
right view. Seeemptiness.
rinpoche (T ib). Literally, preciousone. Epithet for an incarnatelama,
204 I LLUMINATINGTHE PATH GLOSSARY 205
practiceof thesix perfections. Seealso Paramitayana.
Sutrayana (Skt). SeeParamitayana.
svabhavikakaya (Skt). Thebuddha-body of nature; theemptinessof the
dharmakaya. SeeLiberation in Our Hands, Part 2, p. 289.
Svatantrika (Skt). The Middle Way Autonomy School of the four
schools of Buddhist philosophy. It has two divisions, Yogachara-
S va t a n t r i k a and Sa u t ra n t i k a - S va t a n t r i k a. See Cutt i ng T h ro u g h
Appearances for details. Seealso Madhyamaka.
T
tantra (Skt; T ib: gy). Literally, thread, or continuity; the texts of the
secret mantra teachingsof Buddhism. Often used to refer to these
teachingsthemselves. Seealso Vajrayana. Cf. sutra.
Tantrayana (Skt). SeeVajrayana.
Tengyur (T ib). Thepart of theTibetan Canon that containstheIndian
pandits commentarieson theBuddhasteachings. Literally, trans-
lation of the commentaries. It contains about 225 volumes
(depending on theedition).
ten non-virtuous actions. Threeof body (killing, stealing, sexual miscon-
duct); four of speech (lying, speaking harshly, divisive speech and
gossiping); and three of mind (covetousness, ill will and wrong
views). General actions to be avoided so as not to create negative
karma.
T heravada (Skt). Oneof theeighteen schoolsinto which theHinayana
split not long after Shakyamuni Buddhas death; the dominant
Hinayana school today, prevalent in Thailand, Sri Lanka and
Burma, and well represented in theWest.
three baskets. Seetripitaka.
T hree Higher Trainings. Morality (ethics), meditation (concentration)
and wisdom (insight).
whosemind isnot completely freefrom grossand subtleignorance.
Shakyamuni Buddha (563483 BC). Fourth of theonethousand found-
ing buddhasof thispresent world age. Born a princeof theShakya
clan in north India, hetaught thesutra and tantra pathsto libera-
tion and enlightenment; founder of what came to be known as
Buddhism. (From theSkt: buddhafully awake.)
shamatha (Skt; T ib: shi-n). Calm abiding; stabilization arisen from
meditation and conjoined with special pliancy. See, for example,
Meditation on Emptiness, pp. 6790.
Shantideva. Eighth century Indian Buddhist philosopher and bodhi-
sattva who propounded theMadhyamaka Prasangika view wrotethe
quintessential Mahayana text, A Guide to the Bodhisattvas Way of
Live (Bodhicharyavatara).
Shravakayana (Skt). The Hearer Vehicle. One of the branches of the
Hinayana. Practitioners (hearers, or shravakas) who strive for nir-
vana on the basis of listening to teachings from a teacher. Cf.
Pratyekabuddhayana.
six perfections (Skt: paramita). Generosity, ethical discipline, forbearance,
enthusiastic perseverance, concentration and wisdom. See also
Paramitayana.
skandha (Skt). Thefivepsychophysical constituentsthat makeup a sen-
tient being: form, feeling, discriminative awareness, conditioning
(compositional) factorsand consciousness.
Solitary Realizer Vehicle. SeePratyekabuddhayana.
sources, twelve (Skt: ayatana; T ib: kye-che). The six internal sources (of
consciousness) aretheeye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mental sense
powers; the six external sources (of consciousness or fields of con-
sciousness) are the form source, sound source, odor source, taste
source, object-of-touch sourceand phenomenon source.
sutra (Skt). A discourseof Shakyamuni Buddha; thepre-tantric division
of Buddhist teachingsstressing thecultivation of bodhicitta and the
W
wisdom. Different levelsof insight into thenatureof reality. Thereare,
for example, thethreewisdomsof hearing, contemplation and med-
itation. Ultimately, thereisthewisdom realizing emptiness, which
frees beings from cyclic existence and eventually brings them to
enlightenment. Thecompleteand perfect accumulation of wisdom
resultsin dharmakaya. Cf. merit.
Y
Yogachara (Skt). Branch of Madhyamaka-Svatantrika School; itsfollow-
ersassert a coarseselflessnessof phenomena that isthesameasthe
Cittamatrins subtleselflessnessof phenomenathelack of differ-
encein entity between subject and object.
T hree Jewels (T ib: kon-chog-sum). The objects of Buddhist refuge.
Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
three principal paths (or, three principal aspects of the path). The three
main divisions of the lam-rim: renunciation, bodhicitta and the
right view (of emptiness).
tripitaka (Skt). Thethreedivisionsof theDharma into vinaya, sutra and
abhidharma.
Triple Gem. SeeT hree Jewels.
Tsong Khapa, Lama Je (13571417). Founder of theGeluk tradition of
Tibetan Buddhism and revitalizer of many sutra and tantra lineages
and themonastic tradition in Tibet.
twelve links of dependent origination. Thetwelvestepsin theevolution of
cyclic existence: ignorance, karmic formation, consciousness, name
and form, sensory fields, contact, feelings, attachment, grasping,
becoming (existence), birth and aging and death.
V
Vaibhashika (Skt). TheGreat Exposition (Hinayana) School of thefour
schools of Buddhist philosophy. See Cutting T hrough Appearances
for details.
Vajrayana (Skt). The adamantine vehicle; the second of the two
Mahayana paths; also called Tantrayana or Mantrayana. Thisisthe
quickest vehicle of Buddhism as it allows certain practitioners to
attain enlightenment within a singlelifetime. Seealso tantra.
vinaya (Skt). The Buddhas teachings on ethical discipline (morality),
monastic conduct and so forth; oneof thethreebaskets.
vipashyana (Skt). Penetrative(special) insight; a wisdom of thorough dis-
crimination of phenomenon conjoined with special pliancy induced
by thepower of analysis. See, for example, Meditation on Emptiness,
pp. 91109.
vows of individual liberation . Seepratimoksha.
GLOSSARY 209 208 ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH
LAMA YESHE WISDOM ARCHIVE
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ing with Thubten DhargyeLing Publicationson thisexceptionally aus-
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TheArchivewasestablished by Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpochein 1996
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THUBTEN DHARGYE LING
Thubten DhargyeLing (Land of Flourishing Dharma) isa center for
thestudy and practiceof Tibetan Buddhism. It wasfounded in 1978 by
GesheTsultim Gyeltsen, who givesregular teachingson Buddhist texts
and classesin meditation.
Over theyears, GesheGyeltsen hasinvited many eminent masters
to teach at his center, including Kyabje Song Rinpoche and Lati
Rinpoche. Thubten DhargyeLing hasalso sponsored four visitsto Los
Angelesby HisHolinesstheDalai Lama.
In 1984, His Holiness taught Lama Tsong Khapas T he T hree
Principal Aspects of the Path and gave an Avalokiteshvara initiation. In
1989 His Holiness taught Togme Zangpos T hirty-seven Practices of a
Bodhisattva and conferred theKalachakra initiation. In 1997, hegavea
c o m m en t a ry on Na g a r j u n as Preci ous Ga rl a n d and a Sh a k y a m u n i
Buddha initiation. Thisbook containstheteachingsHisHolinessgave
on his fourth visit, in June, 2000, on Atishas Lamp for the Path to
Enlightenment and Lama Tsong KhapasLines of Experience.
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His Holiness Tenzin Gy a t s o, theFo u rteenth Dalai Lama, ishead of state
and spiritual leader of Tibet. Hewasborn on July 6, 1935, in thevillage
of Taktser in Amdo, northeast Tibet, to a peasant family and rec o g n i zed
at theageof two, in accordancewith Tibetan tradition, astherei n c a r n a-
tion of hispred ec esso r, theT h i rteenth Dalai Lama. Hewasenthroned on
Feb ru a ry 22, 1940, in Lhasa, thecapital of Tibet, began hiseducation at
theageof six and rec ei ved hisgeshe lharam d eg reein 1959.
On November 17, 1950, hewascalled upon to assumefull political
p ower after theChinesearmy invaded Tibet. Hiseffortsto bring about a
peaceful resolution to Si n o - Tibetan conflict were thwarted by Bei j i n gs
ruthless policy in Eastern Tibet, which ignited a popular uprising and
resistance. On Ma rch 10, 1959, amassivepopular demonstration in Lhasa
wasbrutally crushed by theChinesearmy. HisHolinessescaped to In d i a ,
w h erehewasgiven political asylum. Some80,000 Tibetan refugeesfol-
l owed him, and today, there are more than 120,000 Tibetans in exile.
Since1960, HisHolinesshasresided in Dharamsala, India, wheretheseat
of theTibetan Government-in-exileisnow located.
Over thedecades, HisHolinesshasworked tirelessly, with wisdom
and compassion, to find a non-violent solution to Tibets differences
with China, visiting morethan fifty countries, meeting politicians, reli-
gious leaders and educators in order to explain the truth of Tibet. In
1989, hereceived theNobel PeacePrizein recognition of hiseffortsto
find a peaceful end to Chinasbrutal occupation of hiscountry.
Many of HisHo l i n esssteachingsand writingshavebeen published in
books, articlesand other media. A recent book, T he Art of Ha p p i n e s s, spent
m o rethan ayear on theN ew Yo rk Ti m e s bestseller list. Seewww. sn ow l i o n-
p u b.com for acompletelist of HisHo l i n esssbooksin print.
HisHolinessoften says, I am a simpleBuddhist monk; no more,
no less, and indeed followsthelifeof monk. Living in a small cottage
in Dharamsala, herisesat 3:30 in themorning to meditate, pursuesa
busy, ongoing schedule of administrative meetings, private audiences
WHAT TO DO WITH DHARMA TEACHINGS
TheBuddhadharmaisthetruesourceof happinessfor all sentient beings. Books
liketheonein your hand show you how to put theteachingsinto practiceand
integratethem into your life, whereby you get thehappinessyou seek. T h eref o re,
anythingcontainingDharmateachingsor thenamesof your teachersismore
p reciousthan other material objectsand should betreated with respect. To avo i d
c reatingthekarmaof not meetingtheDharmaagain in futurelives, pleasedo
not put books(or other holy objects) on thefloor or underneath other stuff, step
over or sit upon them, or usethem for mundanepurposes. They should bekept
in aclean, high place, separatefrom worldly writings, and wrapped in cloth
when being carried around. Thesearebut afew considerations.
Should you need to get rid of Dharma materials, they should not be
t h rown in therubbish but burned in aspecial way. Briefly: do not incinerate
such materialswith other trash, but alone, and asthey burn, recitethemantra
O M A H H U M. Asthesmokerises, visualizethat it pervadesall of space, carry-
ingtheessenceof theDharmato all sentient beingsin thesix samsaric rea l m s,
purifying their minds, alleviating their suffering, and bringing them all happi-
ness, up to and includingenlightenment. Somepeoplemight find thisprac-
ticea bit unusual, but it isgiven according to tradition. Thank you very much.
DEDICATION
Through the merit created by preparing, reading, thinking about and
sharing thisbook with others, may all teachersof theDharma livelong
and healthy lives, may theDharma spread throughout theinfinitereach-
esof space, and may all sentient beingsquickly attain enlightenment.
In whichever realm, country, areaor placethisbook may be, may there
beno war, drought, famine, disease, injury, disharmony or unhappiness,
may there be only great pro sp er i t y, may everything needed be easily
obtained, and may all beguided by only perfectly qualified Dharmateach-
ers, enjoy thehappinessof Dharma, haveloveand compassion for all sen-
tient beings, and only benefit and never harm each other.
and religiousteachingsand ceremoniesthroughout theday, and retires
with further prayer at 8:30 in theevening. Heisa perfect examplefor
usall.
Geshe Thupten Jinpa is a Tibetan geshe and a former member of
Ganden Monastic University. Heholdsa B.A. and a Ph.D., both from
theUniversity of Cambridge, wherehealso worked asa research fellow.
Since1986 Jinpa hasbeen theprincipal translator for HisHolinessthe
Dalai Lama, and hastranslated and edited many booksby HisHoliness.
His most recent work isSelf, Reality and Reason in T ibetan Philosophy:
Tsongkhapas Quest for the Middle Way (Routledge Curzon, London &
New York, 2002). He is currently the president of the Institute of
Tibetan Classics, which is dedicated to translating key Tibetan classics
into contemporary languages(seewww.tibetanclassics.org). Helivesin
Montreal with hiswifeand two young daughters.
Rebecca McClen Novick isa writer and documentary filmmaker. Sheis
the co-producer of Strange Spirit, an award-winning film about
human rightsin Tibet and author of Fundamentals of T ibetan Buddhism
(TheCrossing Press, 1999).
Nicholas Ribush, M.B, B.S., is director of the Lama Yeshe Wisdom
Archive. A former Australian physician and a student of Tibetan
Buddhism since1972, heco-founded Wisdom Publicationswith Lama
Yeshein 1975. Over theyears, hehasedited and published many teach-
ingsby HisHolinesstheDalai Lama, Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa Rinpoche
and other Tibetan lamas.

Lluminating The ATH TO Nlightenment

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Lluminating The ATH TO Nlightenment

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ILLUMINATINGTHE PATH

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