Transcript #6
PART ONE
His Holiness: A short prayer. Short…short prayer in Pali.
Reverend Bodhi: This is the Metta Sutta. A short prayer.
[Chanting in Pali]
His Holiness: Thank you. [leads chanting in Tibetan]
Altruism and Interdependence1
His Holiness: Now today, about the bodhicitta, altruism. Basically all religious traditions carry the importance of altruism. Then the, I think, unique thing about Buddhism is the concept of interdependency. Or pratityasamutpada. I think that’s very, very unique about Buddhism.
So in our daily life, even for a non-believer, I think altruism certainly is the very basis of our well-being—including physical well-being. Because showing more concern to others (the way the attitude works) is something, I think, that includes self-confidence. People who are showing concern about others, they’re (himself or herself) self-confident. Out of fear, showing concern to others is difficult.2
So more self-confidence brings less fear, more inner strength. As a result, on the physical level also more …all the physical elements then function more normally. Under fear, constant anger, constant hate, the physical elements then much disturbed.
So even for the physical well-being, I think altruistic mind is something very, very helpful. And particularly when you are passing through a difficult period, the altruistic attitude, altruism, really acts… how do you say, sustains peace of mind, calm mind. So that’s one thing.
Then pratitiyasamutpada, or the concept of interdependency, that also is very, very helpful in our daily life, because the reality—everything interdependent. In the economic field, or the ecology field or health field, health, I think everything, even politics, international relations, the reality—heavily interdependent. So that’s the reality.
But often what appears to us, whether interesting or dangerous, appears to be something independent, something isolated. So our method—by according with appearances—then our method becomes unrealistic. So with fuller knowledge about the interdependence— and that the thing (either positive or negative) in reality depends on many factors— knowing that, then dealing with that thing becomes more realistic.3
It seems, you see, many unwanted sorts of things happen because of an unrealistic approach. So on that level, I think the Buddhist concept of interdependency—that brings the idea of holistic. That brings a more realistic attitude, so it is useful.
Compassion and bodhicitta, the Awakening Mind
His Holiness: Now altruism…[continues in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So now we’ll be dealing with the topic of generating the awakening mind, or bodhicitta. And, as explained before, here we’re not talking about a state of mind that’s simply based upon a kind of a yearning for happiness and yearning to overcome suffering. But rather the awakening mind of bodhicitta must be cultivated on the basis of a conviction that recognizes the possibility of achievement of happiness and possibility of the achievement of the cessation of suffering. And motivated by that understanding, you then develop the aspiration to bring about others’ welfare in the most effective manner.
So this is what is meant by bodhicitta, the awakening mind, sem gyey, or generating the awakening mind. Mind-generation. And so in some texts it is stated that with compassion one focuses on the sentient beings, and with wisdom one focuses on the attainment of enlightenment. So it shows the role of altruism and wisdom in the context of the path.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So then having reflected upon the benefits of generating awakening mind, bodhicitta, then Tsongkhapa goes on to explain the actual process, procedure, by which this mind is generated. And here, the principal element really is the cultivation of compassion. For example, in Maitreya’s Ornament of Mahayana Sutras, he explains that the root of bodhicitta, the awakening mind, is compassion.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So if you look at the understanding of what is meant by compassion, we will see two principal aspects to this mind. One is a sense of affection that holds other sentient beings as dear; and the other element, the sentient beings whose suffering you are concerned about. So the one element is to cultivate a sense of affection for the sentient beings whose suffering you are concerned about and holding them to be dear; and the second element is a wish to help these sentient beings bring about a relief of their suffering. So these are the two elements that are part of the compassion.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So these two being the key elements that constitute the mental state that we call compassion, it becomes crucial to have a deeper understanding of what we mean by suffering from which we wish all sentient beings to be free. And as for the development of the understanding of the nature of suffering, this has already been covered in the presentation of the practices relevant to the path of the initial capacity and middle, intermediate, capacity.
In the initial capacity, the focus was more on understanding the nature of suffering at the level of evident, everyday suffering in the form of a physical sensation. And in the context of explanation of the path of the practices of intermediate capacity, the main focus was on understanding the nature of suffering at the second and the third level, which is the suffering of change and, more importantly, the suffering of pervasive conditioning.
And so, having contemplated on the nature of suffering in these profound terms, then one develops a genuine aspiration to seek liberation from suffering. And at that point one would have attained what is called true renunciation or ngen jung. And so, once you have attained that, then on the basis of relating one’s own personal experience of having developed this genuine aspiration to attain freedom from suffering, when you extend that to other sentient beings, suffering sentient beings, then compassion arises.
So here for example, in Maitreya’s Ornament of Clear Realization (Abhisamayalankara) when he defines bodhicitta, he says that the mind generation, the generated awakening mind, is for the sake of other sentient beings, for the welfare of other sentient beings. And when Tsongkhapa explains that passage, he says that the welfare of other beings here refers to the attainment of liberation of other sentient beings. So in other words, compassion is a state of mind where you aspire for other sentient beings to attain liberation from samsara, from suffering.
And here, the more your understanding of the nature of suffering is, the more effective that aspiration will be. And also, particularly if your understanding of the suffering of pervasive conditioning is profound, then there will be a stronger recognition of the destructive nature of the afflictions which are the root of this suffering of conditioning.
The more you are able to recognize the destructive nature of the afflictions, then the aspiration will also arise to not only be free from the afflictions but also the propensities created by these afflictions, and these are the propensities which come in the way of gaining a full, omniscient mind. And so these are subtle obscurations to total knowledge, full knowledge. And therefore the aspiration to attain buddhahood that is characterized by overcoming of even the subtle obscurations to knowledge—so that aspiration arises as well.
Two Methods for Generating Bodhicitta
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So now the first element of compassion (which was to have this sense of affection for other sentient beings) in order to cultivate that ability to hold other sentient beings to be dear, you need to cultivate a sense of connection and affection for other beings.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So, as for the method for cultivating this sense of affection that holds other sentient beings to be dear, there evolved historically two main approaches. One is the seven point cause-and-effect approach or method. The other one is the method of exchanging and equalizing self and others.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So, in general…
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So in general, these two methods or approaches are traced to two different lineages. The seven point cause-and-effect method stemming from the lineage of Maitreya and so on, and the equalizing and exchanging of self and others stemming from Nagarjuna. For example in Nagarjuna’s Precious Garland and also particularly in his Commentary on the Awakening Mind (Bodhicittavivarana), the approach of the equalizing and exchange of self and others is very explicitly presented.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So given that the second approach stems from Nagarjuna and emphasizes the equalizing and exchanging of self and others, this particular lineage is referred to as ‘the lineage of practices resembling great waves.’ And the point here is that this is an approach that is more suited to practitioners of high caliber, advanced practitioners.
Because if you compare the two, in the first approach (seven point cause-and-effect method) the key element there is to cultivate the perception of other sentient beings as being related to you, either as your mother or somehow related to you, and on that basis then the remaining kinds of practices are built on.
Whereas if you look at the exchanging and equalizing of self and others, this does not require considering others as somehow related to you, but rather it takes the practice at the level where you recognize the fundamental equality of yourself and others in terms of aspiration for happiness. And therefore in Shantideva’s text Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, he says that one should exchange self with others and thereby put into practice this instruction—which is secret—suggesting the need for greater intelligence. So in the second approach, kind of the main approach is really by way of reasoning, to try to establish that fundamental equality.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So earlier I forgot one point that His Holiness made. So in the approach of exchanging and equalizing of self and others, not only is it not contingent upon cultivating the recognition of other sentient beings as somehow related to you in familial terms, such as mother, but even it is possible to recognize the kindness of other sentient beings, say for example even in the case of one’s enemy, who provides you an opportunity to further your spiritual growth, and so on.
So if you compare these two approaches, for example in the case of the seven point cause-and-effect method which proceeds with the cultivation of recognition of all sentient beings as having been one’s mother and reflecting upon their kindness and so on, one could say that there, it still depends upon… still relates to other sentient beings on the basis of how they appear to you, and their actions.
Whereas in the approach of exchanging and equalizing oneself and others, how the other person appears to you and what their motivations are and what their actions are vis-a-vis you becomes a different question. What is happening is that you are connecting with the other person at the fundamental level where you recognize the equality—that just as I wish to be happy, achieve happiness and overcome suffering, this person too wishes to achieve happiness and overcome suffering. And at that level your relation, your perspective upon…your perception of the other person does not depend upon… it’s not influenced by or it’s not dependent upon how that other person behaves toward you or how that other person relates to you.
So therefore, generally, in my general talks, I often say that if we compare ordinary compassion with more cultivated compassion, there is a difference. Ordinary compassion seems to depend upon our perception of how other persons behave towards us, how they feel towards us. Therefore we are able to extend our ordinary compassion only to our friends and family whom we consider to be, you know…who we think care about us.
Whereas when you cultivate genuine compassion, then you are relating to that person at this fundamental, human level. So the compassion is not contingent upon that person’s behavior but rather you are relating to this person at the level of a person, and how he behaves towards you, what he thinks of you, is a secondary issue.
But so far as your own compassion is concerned, you are relating to that person at this level where you recognize the humanity of that person and relate to that person—just as I wish to be happy, he or she too wishes to be happy. So there seems to be the difference here, where in one approach, there is a dependence upon the other person’s attitude and behavior. In the latter there is no dependence upon the other person’s attitude or behavior towards you.
Seven Point Cause-and-Effect Method
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So now we will go through the first method, which is the seven point cause-and-effect method, and here, among these seven points, compassion is the principal, and all the other elements are either conditions leading up to compassion or the fruition, or the result, of compassion.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So here, the actual practice begins with meditation on equanimity, cultivation of equanimity.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So the meaning of equanimity in this context is to really bring about a certain equanimity in your own attitude and feelings towards all others, so that there is no discrimination of feeling of distance or nearness.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: And then the next stage is to then cultivate a recognition of all other sentient beings as someone dear to you. And here, taking an example of a person who was most dear to you in this life, maybe it is your mother or someone else, and then cultivating that understanding and sentiment, and then trying to view all other sentient beings in that same light. And then on that basis we then proceed towards cultivation of the recognition of their kindness; and then the thought to repay their kindness; and then cultivating this affection that holds other beings to be dear; which then leads to compassion; and then compassion then culminates in lhag sam, which is this altruistic resolve.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So the key defining factor of lhag sam, this altruistic resolve, is a sense of responsibility for bringing about others’ welfare.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So then the question arises, “How do I go about bringing about others’ welfare? How can I make this real?” Then one needs to check about one’s own current capacity.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So then recognize the limitations of your current state, because if you cannot take care of yourself, being able to take care of someone else is a difficult task.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: There’s a Tibetan expression that someone who has already fallen down is not going to be able to help someone else get up.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So although for the practitioner the ultimate aim is to bring about others’ welfare, but as a means towards that, one needs to cultivate the aspiration to seek enlightenment.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So then therefore it becomes very important to cultivate the genuine aspiration to seek enlightenment. Now in order to do that, it’s not adequate simply to, you know, proceed by kind of a naïve assumption that enlightenment can be achieved. One needs to have a genuine conviction in the possibility of attainment of that enlightenment. So this would require the understanding that in fact this enlightenment can be realized within one’s own mental continuum. So this would require quite a lot of thinking.
So it becomes important to, first of all, have a genuine understanding of the possibility of attainment of liberation, moksha. And this would also involve the conviction and understanding that the afflictions can be brought to an end. So there is the possibility of a cessation of the afflictions—that afflictions can be eliminated.
Once you recognize the possibility of the elimination of the afflictions, then one will also extend that line of thinking to understand and recognize that even the propensities created by these afflictions can be removed and eliminated. So on that basis one will be able to develop a genuine recognition of the possibility of the attainment of buddhahood.
And for this, to really have a deeper understanding of the possibility of full enlightenment, my own feeling is that one needs to bring in the perspective of Highest Yoga Tantra, which provides us a way of understanding the nature of consciousness as many different levels, so that one can understand the possibility of attainment of full omniscience on the basis of the subtle-most—understanding the subtle-most level of consciousness.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So for example, when we try to understand the Mahayana presentation of the theory of the four kayas, the four embodiments of the buddhahood, if we bring in the perspective of Highest Yoga Tantra, and particularly the concept of fundamental innate mind of clear light, then on that basis, one can then envision at least the possibility of how the four kaya concept makes sense. However, if you do not bring in that perspective, then one’s understanding of the four kayas, the four embodiments of the buddhahood, becomes rather vague.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So this is the reason why the statement is found that with wisdom one focuses on enlightenment.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So this, in a way, we kind of already touched upon, when we discussed the understanding of Nagarjuna’s line when he says, “By means of emptiness the conceptualizations are calmed.” And the alternative reading was, “Within emptiness the false conceptualizations are dissolved and calmed.”
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So once you have a true understanding of what is enlightenment, a valid cognition of what is liberation, then on the basis of the aspiration to bring about others’ welfare, one can then develop a genuine aspiration to seek enlightenment.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: Then Tsongkhapa explains what exactly is bodhicitta, the awakening mind, and he defines it as a state of mind where the aspiration to bring about others’ welfare serves as the cause, the condition; and the aspiration to attain buddhahood is a concomitant factor; and on that basis one cultivates this mind.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: Principally the awakening mind, or bodhicitta, is of two kinds. One is the aspiring level of awakening mind, and the other one is the awakening mind in the form of engagement, actual engagement. But also from the point of view of corresponding levels of the path, there are four types of bodhicitta identified. But also there is a list of twenty-two different types of bodhicitta or awakening mind explained in the text, where different metaphors are used to define them.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So as to these two principal types of bodhicitta, the awakening mind— the aspiring or aspirational bodhicitta, and engaging bodhicitta—how the two are distinguished… there seem to be slight differences of explanation in the classical Indian texts.
However Tsongkhapa’s understanding is the following: so when the practitioner, as a result of cultivation of bodhicitta, arrives at a point where he or she gains realization of a single-pointed aspiration—a spontaneous single-pointed aspiration to attain buddhahood for the benefit of all beings—at that point the individual has attained the aspirational level of bodhicitta.
And on that basis, when the practitioner cultivates the commitment to engage, implement, this aspiration into practice, and commits himself to engage in the bodhisattva practices, then takes the bodhisattva vows—after having received the bodhisattva vows, from that point onwards—then his or her bodhicitta has turned into an engaging awakening mind.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So Tsongkhapa bases this interpretation of the distinction between the two upon Kamalashila’s text, The Middle Stages of the Path. [discussion with His Holiness in Tibetan]
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: [begins in Tibetan] …the second volume.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: Sorry, the first volume of the Stages of the Path… Stages of Meditation, sorry.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So this text, Bhavanakrama, of Kamalashila, Stages of Meditation—it appears that he composed it in Tibet.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So his main text that was composed in India seems to be Madhyamaka Aloka, Lamp… sorry, The Light of Middle Way.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: Similarly his massive commentary, which is actually in two volumes, on Shantarakshita’s Tattvasamgraha—that text also seemed to be composed in India.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: Quite an impressive work actually.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So this is a text that really needs to be studied, and it will be, you know,
helpful if professors here can take up the task of translating it.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So of course I read this text in the Tibetan version. Even then, you know, my head starts, you know, swirling around. So the professors, you know, when you… if you do take up this task, before you do that, you need a big rest first.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So the next section is training the mind in generating the awakening mind according to the approach of equalizing and exchanging of self and others.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: This reminds me of a story. This was once… the Kadampa master Potowa, at Reting Monastery, one day he was very busy trying to compile the catalogue of a large amount of texts which were all kind of slightly jumbled. And, you know… and this was a very difficult task, and he started getting really, really confused.
And so at that point one of his students came to see him and asked for an instruction. So this really annoyed Potowa. So he turned to the student and said, “Well what are you talking about?” and in fact chased the student out.
So similarly, when the professors are working on the translation of this very difficult text, you know, inevitably you are going to be in that state of mind, so people around you will need to be a little cautious.
Equalizing and Exchanging of Self and Others
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So now from this point onwards from the text, Tsongkhapa is explaining the method of training one’s mind in generating the awakening mind according to the approach of equalizing and exchanging of self and others.
His Holiness: [discussion in Tibetan with Thupten Jinpa and others on stage and in audience, concerning Tattvasamgraha translations]
Thupten Jinpa: …Tattvasamgraha is also translated, isn’t it?...
His Holiness: [discussion continues in Tibetan] Very good. [discussion continues in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So of course, the explanation on how to proceed in the training of one’s mind according to the approach of equalizing and exchanging of self and others is extensively presented in the text here in Tsongkhapa, by Tsongkhapa, and the steps are the following. One proceeds with first cultivating the equality of self and others; and then one moves on to contemplating the disadvantages of self-cherishing; and then the advantages of the thought cherishing others’ welfare; and then on that basis one actually engages in the actual training of exchanging itself. And then succeeded by meditation on tong-len, giving and taking.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So as for the text, Shantideva’s text, Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life (which, I was told, Shantideva can be dated to the eighth century), so this was a text composed in the eighth century. We are now in the 21st century, and to this day, as far as the cultivation of this exchanging of self and others is concerned, Shantideva’s text still remains the most excellent.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So next is once, as a result of training your mind, you have generated some… you have had some experience within you, then at that point, in order to make that realization stable and firm, then one participates in a rite or a ceremony to really confirm or affirm this generation of awakening mind.
PART TWO
The Six Perfections— The Actual Bodhisattva Practices4
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So the next main outline is how, after having generated the awakening mind, one engages in the actual bodhisattva practices.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So since what the practitioner is aspiring for is the attainment of Buddha’s omniscient state, and since the omniscient state is an attainment that comes as a result of causes and conditions, one needs to seek the causes and conditions. And there, not only causes and conditions but all the complete causes and conditions, and the right causes and conditions.
And here, this includes many different practices. But, you know, if one were to summarize them, then as Nagarjuna points out in his dedication verse of the Sixty Stanzas of Reasoning, where he says, “May, through this virtue, all beings accomplish the two collections, and on that basis attain the buddhahood that is characterized by the two kayas, two embodiments, form body and truth body.”
So here the main factors that are necessary for the attainment of buddhahood are identified as the collection of merit and accumulation of wisdom. And if we were to elaborate these two accumulations a little bit further, then these are explained in terms of the six perfections. And if we elaborate the sixth perfection, which is the perfection of wisdom further, then we have four more perfections. So altogether there are ten perfections according to that list. So these are the conditions and the causes that one needs to cultivate in order to attain buddhahood.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So when explaining the practices of the six perfections, Tsongkhapa (this is on page 85 of Volume II) presents the topic in the following main outlines. He says that, “The reason why you must learn the trainings after developing [the spirit of enlightenment]” the awakening mind, and “Demonstrating that you will not become a buddha by learning either method or wisdom separately.”
And here Tsongkhapa explains the need for both the method aspect of the path and wisdom aspect of the path, and how it is through the union of both of these one will be able to insure that all the causes and conditions necessary for the attainment of omniscient buddhahood are made possible.
And so as explained before, these method and wisdom aspects are presented in the form of six perfections. So if you look at all the practices that belong to the method aspect (such as generosity and morality and so on) there, the principal element is really the application, development, cultivation and application of a more aspiring type of mind, more in the form of aspiration.
So even in the case of generosity, although the actual act of giving is important, but what is essentially happening is to really enhance one’s intent for giving. So in other words, in the method aspect of the path, the main faculty that is being applied and cultivated and developed really is in the form of an aspiration.
However, in order for these method aspects of the path to be effective and progress, one needs the faculty of wisdom, which will bring in the sense of conviction and the ascertainment. And then the greater your level of ascertainment and conviction, the more enhanced your practices will be.
So similarly, the wisdom aspect of the path needs to be complemented by the method aspect of the path. For example, in the context of cultivating the wisdom of emptiness, realization of emptiness, in order for that to occur we need to make our mind or heart receptive to that realization. And therefore, in order to make our mind receptive for the realization of emptiness, one needs to engage in practices of purifying negativity and increasing our merits. And through the combination of purification of negative karma and increasing of our merits we make our heart receptive, so that the wisdom of emptiness can arise in it.
So we can see how the two factors, aspects, of the path, the method and wisdom—they really complement each other and reinforce each other and mutually enhance the development of each other. And so it is the method that helps the practitioner to cultivate realization of emptiness where there isn’t a realization yet occurred, and where the realization has occurred, it is the method aspect that will help that realization to become more enhanced and progress. And in particular it is the method aspect of the path that will insure that one’s realization of emptiness—that wisdom—becomes a powerful antidote against subtle obscuration to knowledge and becomes a cause for enlightenment.
So similarly, when you look at the way in which one understands the progression from one level to the next level on the path, the actual progression on the bodhisattva levels really occurs when someone is in the meditative equipoise on emptiness. So it is ultimately the quality of the wisdom that would determine progression on the path. So therefore wisdom being the principal, the method aspect becomes a complimentary factor.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So when explaining the six perfections, Tsongkhapa explained this in the following outlines. He says that, “How all the precepts are included in the six perfections,” and this is further divided into the following: “A discussion of the main topic, the fixed number of perfections,” and “An ancillary discussion of the fixed order of the perfections.”
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So the reference here to the kind of determinate number, or fixed number—generally in the text when one talks about a certain division as being fixed or determinate, there are many different kinds of fixed number. For example, if you take the example of the two truths, then it is an exhaustive division, number, so the number is fixed and it is exhaustive. But if you take the example of the four noble truths, then the determinate status of the number has a very specific purpose, so it’s a fixed number for a specific purpose.
So my feeling is that the six perfections here share a similar status. It is not an exhaustive list but it’s more a fixed number related to a particular purpose. Then you have sometimes a certain fixed number, division, to help dispel certain misunderstandings. So there are different types of… different reasons for making a very fixed, determinate number or list.
Perfections of Giving and Morality
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So the first of the six perfections is practice of generosity, and the actual explanation of the text itself is fairly straightforward, but it is an important topic. We need to reflect upon this and try to practice.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: The key point in the context of the practice of generosity, perfection of generosity, is to insure that it brings benefit to the other. So if you look at the sections dealing with what are the appropriate things to give, appropriate time and so on, the key element here is to insure that whatever is given is of benefit to the other person.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So in terms of different types of giving, generally the text lists three main forms of giving: giving of material needs; giving of protection from fear, or fearlessness; and giving of dharma, spiritual teachings.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: For example, if one can insure that one’s motivation is correct, then all the work related to environmental protection can become, from the Buddhist point of view, a form of the second type of giving, which is the giving of protection, fearlessness.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: Similarly with the professors and teachers, giving lectures and so on to others can be a form of giving of Dharma, giving of spiritual teaching.
His Holiness: [mostly in Tibetan] …exchange…exchange…
Thupten Jinpa: However if the motivation is purely to get the pay, then it becomes a form of exchange.
His Holiness: Business. Like business.
Thupten Jinpa: It’s like a business transaction.
His Holiness: Even Dalai Lama, sort of giving lecture in order to receive some money, then that’s a business. [continues in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So then it doesn’t become a giving. It just becomes a business.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: In fact traditionally that form of business is considered to be the worst kind.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So this reminds me of a Tibetan master, Tsele Nasok Rangdrol, in his writings…
His Holiness: [begins in Tibetan]…a Nyingma master…
Thupten Jinpa: He’s a Nyingma master. In his writing he speaks of having made three pledges, and these three pledges were never to ride any animal, and second one was not to eat meat, and third one was not to take any offerings, material offerings, as a result of giving Dharma teachings. And in this context he says that he realized that taking money from giving teachings is… seems to be a kind of a business, and this, he said, is the worst kind of business.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So the second perfection is perfection of morality, and there are three principal types. One is morality in the form of restraining from negative actions; and second is morality in the form of gathering of virtue, virtuous activities; and third is morality in the form of working for others’ welfare.
His Holiness: [mostly in Tibetan] …nurses…doctors…nurses…
Thupten Jinpa: So earlier, I also forgot to mention that those people who are in the caring professions, such as nursing and medical doctors, their activities can become a form of giving of the second type, which is giving protection from fear.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So since we are talking about morality…
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So since we are talking about morality, or perfections, in the context of a bodhisattva practitioner… we are talking about morality in the context of a bodhisattva practitioner. So if the practitioner is someone who has vinaya vows, individual liberation vows, whether of lay vows or monastic vows, then the observance of those vows becomes the first category of morality, which is the morality of restraining from negative actions.
If the person does not have any formal vows of vinaya, then the morality would be the morality of living one’s life according to the principal of abstaining from the ten negative actions. But however this should also include, for the bodhisattva practitioner, refraining from… sorry, guarding against the self-cherishing thought as well.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So the second category of morality, of gathering virtue, can include all the practices that one engages in that lead to the development of the various aspects of the path, whether it is relating to the profound view of emptiness or the vast practices.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: In terms of the sequence, there is also a certain fixed sequence between the three levels of morality because, when one observes the morality of restraining from negative actions, that then enables the individual to have development of the virtuous qualities within one’s heart. And once you have developed your own mind in that way, then one will be able to be more capable of bringing about others’ welfare. So therefore there is a certain progression within these three types of morality—of restraining from negative actions to gathering of virtue to bringing about… working for others’ welfare.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So in this text, when explaining the third level of morality, morality of working for others’ welfare, Tsongkhapa lists eleven different forms of service, and this is explained also in more detail in Tsongkhapa’s…
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: …Tsongkhapa’s commentary, exposition, of the morality chapter of Asanga’s Bodhisattva Levels.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: To list the eleven very briefly, the first one is to provide assistance where there is a need for assistance.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So for example, a simple example would be if someone is suffering from, you know, problems in their leg and has difficulty walking, then just helping that person.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: Then the second one that is listed is (I don’t think it’s in this text but it is from Tsongkhapa’s commentary on Asanga’s chapter on morality) the second one is to help others where they have a level of ignorance in a particular work they are doing or means of doing something.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So the third one is to be more pro-active in reaching out—for example, being more welcoming of others and so on.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: And then the fourth one is to provide companionship to people who are, you know, going through a difficult time, such as fear and so on.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: And to provide companionship and support for someone who is suffering grief or sorrow.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: Helping those who are in need of immediate material needs, material facilities.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: And helping those who are trying to seek a shelter.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: Sorry, I misunderstood it. So, those who are seeking some form of support, not physical shelter but more in the form of a mentor or support, kind of emotional support.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: And then the next one is to insure that whatever help you are giving is done in an appropriate way, so that it is beneficial to the other person’s state of mind.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So next is to provide some form of spiritual kind of counsel so that the person who may be likely to go in a wrong, non-virtuous path is gently steered towards the right path.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: And then…
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: The next one is to, where necessary, take a firm stand, especially when it involves harm being committed by someone else.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: And the next one that is on the list is that, if you have the capability, then where necessary, you should use your magical powers to help others. Of course that’s a long-distance question.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So this is something that we can defer and reserve for the moment.
His Holiness: Later, later. Not now. Other day. [continues in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So these are the eleven forms, ways, in which one should work for other sentient beings’ benefit listed in the text.
Forbearance and Joyous Effort
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So then the next perfection is perfection of forbearance.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: There are principally three forms of forbearance. One is forbearance in the form of being indifferent to the harms perpetrated upon oneself. And the second form of forbearance is forbearance in the form of deliberately embracing, you know, harms caused by others…sorry, deliberately embracing the hardships and the pain involved. And the third form of forbearance is forbearance developed on the basis of reflecting upon the Dharma teachings, or reality, or truth.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: In this particular section in Tsongkhapa’s text he really grounds all of his explanation mainly on the basis of Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, and he extensively cites from that text.
His Holiness: Shantideva’s sixth chapter. A really wonderful sort of explanation. [continues in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: The next perfection is perfection of joyous effort, or joyful perseverance.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: Three forms of joyous or joyful perseverance are identified. One is in the form of putting on an armor, or armor-like joyous effort. And the second is joyous effort in the form of gathering virtue. And third is joyous effort in the context of working for others, sentient beings’ benefit.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So the first type of joyous effort in the form of an armor-like quality is really to cultivate an attitude which takes into account this long temporal kind of frame, cultivating the sentiment that, you know, even for the benefit of a single sentient being that I shall dedicate myself for eons until the reach of…the end of space.
So for example in Panchen Lama’s Guru Puja, (Offerings to the… or Celebration of the Lama) here he says that, “Even for the sake of a single sentient being, if I needed to be in the lower realms for eons at a time, I shall not be disheartened and will strive to bring about others’ welfare.” So this is really talking about this armor-like quality of perseverance.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: And also the main source that again Tsongkhapa uses in his Lamrim Chenmo in explaining the practices of the joyous effort perfection again is from Shantideva’s text. It’s the seventh chapter of Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So the next two perfections are the perfection of concentration and perfection of wisdom, and these two are covered in the third volume, which has a separate section where the focus is on presentation of calm abiding or tranquil abiding, shamatha, and special insight, vipassana.
Four Ways to Gather Students5
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So the next… so these two perfections will be dealt with in the third volume, so the next topic is the four factors for attracting others.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: The four principal factors for attracting others are the following. The first one is giving what is materially needed; and the second is using eloquent and pleasant speech so that it is appealing to the other person; and the third is leading the other person to a virtuous or rightful path by means of teaching; and the fourth is living that by one’s own example. So whatever you teach others you must be able to live that yourself, by means of an example.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So up to this, engaging in the bodhisattva practices (in the general practices of the bodhisattva path) is completed.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: Have you brought the third volume with you?
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So maybe my presentation was a bit too fast.
Concentration6
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So when we’re talking about tranquil abiding, shamatha, and special insight, vipassana, generally speaking, these two practices are common to both Buddhist and non-Buddhist classical Indian traditions.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: For example in the Lankavatara Sutra (Descent into Lanka Sutra) there is a statement where the Buddha identifies various types of vehicles. And he calls them the vehicles of the celestial beings, the vehicles of the humans, and vehicles of the disciples, the vehicles of the bodhisattvas and so on, and where the point is made that as long as there would exist among the sentient beings a tremendous diversity of mental dispositions and spiritual inclinations, they will evolve tremendously diverse forms of vehicles, spiritual vehicles.
His Holiness: [mainly in Tibetan] …pluralism... pluralism…
Thupten Jinpa: In this sutra the spiritual pluralism is very clearly presented.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So if we try to understand what is meant by the celestial vehicle (celestial being’s vehicle) and human vehicle, then here probably the primary aspiration or the purpose is to present a path that would lead to freedom from immediate suffering.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So then when the brahma vehicle, the vehicle of the brahma, is presented, then in this context the practices of tranquil abiding, shamatha, and vipassana, special insight, become relevant.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: Here the main aim is to remove or dispel the suffering of change.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So here the main path is to progressively go through the various levels of concentration and formless realms, states. And although the foundation is the cultivation of tranquil abiding, shamatha, but the actual path itself is a form of vipassana, special insight, that compares the characteristics of the desire realm, of the lower realms, as opposed to the higher realms.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: Then this raises the question about the notion of the three realms. So how can we establish the existence of these three realms: the desire realm, the form realm and the formless realm? One way in which we can kind of understand this is to examine our own states of mind. So if we compare… if we look at our own mind, those states of mind which belong to the desire realm tend to be much more gross, so you have much more… grosser levels of afflictions and also other mental thought processes and so on.
Compared to this, someone who has gained samadhi, meditative stabilization, will know that there is a very subtle… there is a subtle… comparatively subtler state of mind where he or she can abide. So compare this to the normal, ordinary desire states of mind, desire realm state of mind. Then you can see a comparative difference of subtlety.
And even there in the realm of meditative states, one can see progressively deeper states and so on. So corresponding to this, one can then infer that there might also be resultant states of being which are the fruits of these various states of mind. So in this way one can at least understand the existence of the three realms: desire, form and formless.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: In describing the quality of concentration embodied in this attainment of tranquil abiding, Tsongkhapa describes, in his Songs of Spiritual Experience, lam-rim in verse, he describes the following characteristics which may be helpful for us to understand. He says that concentration (he’s referring now to tranquil abiding) he says concentration represents… attainment of concentration represents kind of a mastery over one’s mind. Then therefore it’s like… it has a king-like quality.
And the mastery of the mind is such that if one chooses to simply place that mind upon a chosen object, it will be so firm, like the solidity of a mountain, so it just stays where you place the mind. On the other hand, if you use it to analyze a chosen fact, then you will be able to apply it to any chosen virtuous object. So here he’s talking, of course, about the accompaniment of the faculty of vipassana on the basis of shamatha.
So here what we see is that the stability of the mind comes from zhi nay, shamatha, and the analysis element of that is the vipassana. So both of these can come together. And then he says that furthermore, concentration will give rise to an experience of a bliss, great bliss, that makes one’s body and mind supple, serviceable.
And here he is talking about the attainment of physical and mental pliancy which involves kind of, you know, gradual thinning of a kind of a natural inertia. And so as our natural inertia comes to become more and more… thinner—thinner and thinner—then, you know, our body and mind become more pliant and supple, and this then gives rise to an experience of a bliss. So therefore he says that the yogis who are cultivating concentration therefore must apply this and cultivate this concentration, which demolishes all the foes in the form of distractions, and uphold this meditative stabilization.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: I know, actually, a monk who had studied in the scholastic monasteries, and so he was well learned in the classics, classical Buddhist texts, but also did a lot of… many years of meditation. He lived in Bhutan for a while. So he meditated upon shamatha, tranquil abiding, and so once he told me that there was a point when he… his experience was really permeated by a sense of bliss. So it seems that, you know, he was talking about this bliss derived from physical and mental pliancy.
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So since most people did not have… did not bring their third volume, so I cannot read from the text, and still we have more time, so I’m trying to keep the time, fill the time…
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: …passing the time
Wisdom7
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: So with respect to wisdom, Tsongkhapa writes in the same lam-rim in verse, Songs of Spiritual Experience, he says that wisdom refers to the eye with which one sees the profound suchness. And generally speaking, when we talk about wisdom, we’re talking about the faculty of intelligence which needs to be developed even in the context of conventional education.
So for example in the educational settings, one of the main qualities that we are developing and applying is really wisdom. Therefore in the Buddhist texts also, when we speak about wisdom, we talk about wisdom pertaining to the facts of conventional reality and wisdom pertaining to the facts of ultimate reality.
Within the conventional domain, of course the Tibetan classical tradition follows the model of classical Indian tradition, so we speak of five main fields of knowledge and five secondary fields of knowledge. So altogether there are cultivation of wisdom in ten fields of knowledge.
The five principal fields of knowledge, again modeled upon the classical Indian tradition, are the study of the linguistics (primarily Sanskrit linguistics); there is the study of logic and epistemology, the praman; and the study of healing, the science of healing or medicine; and the study of arts and crafts; and what is called the inner science.
And then the minor fields of knowledge include many other forms. So these are, in the classical Indian model, seen as important fields of knowledge in which an educated person must cultivate and apply their wisdom.
However here, in the context of our practice, the wisdom really refers to the wisdom understanding the ultimate reality—the suchness of things. And here Tsongkhapa says that wisdom is the eye with which one sees the profound suchness, and it is the path by which one eradicates—from the root—the root of cyclic existence.
This is, as explained before, because the root of cyclic existence is the delusion, particularly in the form of grasping at true existence. And it is the wisdom of emptiness the cultivation of which provides us the direct antidote that opposes the perspective of this fundamental ignorance and in that way is able to root it out.
So therefore Tsongkhapa says that wisdom is the path by which one eradicates the root of cyclic existence. And then he says that it’s the treasure of high qualities presented in all the… amongst all the scriptures. And here Tsongkhapa is pointing out that the teaching on wisdom is really the treasure of all the Buddha’s teachings. And because ultimately…
His Holiness: [in Tibetan]
Thupten Jinpa: And Kamalashila makes this very explicit in his Stages of Meditation. So here Tsongkhapa is alluding to the statement that all the teachings of the Buddha, either directly or indirectly, converge upon the teaching on emptiness. So they may be pointing towards emptiness, they may be actually leading to emptiness, or they may be actually settled upon emptiness.
So here Tsongkhapa, for example, writes in his Praise to the Buddha for Teaching Dependent Origination or In Praise of Dependent Origination, where Tsongkhapa says that, referring to the Buddha, “Whatever you have taught, you have taught from the point of view of dependent origination, and in your speech there is nothing that does not lead to the attainment of freedom or peace.”
And…sorry, let me re-phrase this… “Whatever you have taught, you have done so from the point of view of dependent origination, and that, too, you have taught for the sake of attainment of nirvana, and therefore you do not engage in any activity that somehow is not contributing towards the attainment of peace and tranquility.” So this is what Tsongkhapa is pointing towards, and then he says that, “And therefore wisdom is the most excellent lamp to dispel the darkness of delusion.”
His Holiness: Now 11:33. Finish. Thank you.
1 See Newland, ch. 5: 105-111 for parallel to transcript pp.1-11. [Return to text]
2 Literal transcript: “So in our daily life, even non-believer, I think altruism certainly the very basis of our well-being, including physical well-being. Because more showing concern to others, that, I think, very... the way of the attitude is something, I think, the self-confidence. People who showing concern toward other, they’re, himself or herself, self-confidence. Out of fear, showing concern to other is difficult.” [Return to text]
3 Literal transcript: “But often appears us those interesting or something dangerous, appears something independent, something isolated. So our method, according appearances—then our method becomes unrealistic. So with fuller knowledge about the interdependency, and the thing, which positive or negative, in reality depend on many factor, so knowing that, then dealing that become more realistic.” [Return to text]
4 See Newland, ch. 117-124 for parallel to transcript pp. 11-20. [Return to text]
5 See Newland, ch. 10: 124. [Return to text]
6 See Newland, ch. 10: 122-123. [Return to text]
7 See Newland, ch. 10: 123-124. [Return to text]
