Shantideva's Compendium of Precepts (Laptu) and A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Chod-jug
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His Holiness will give his annual Monlam teaching on Shantideva's Compendium of Precepts (Laptu) and A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Chod-jug) |
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Date: 15 - 29 March 2006
Venue: Main Temple, Dharamsala India |
| Morning Session |
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| Afternoon Session |
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama began his Spring teachings today, embarking on a reading of two works by the great Indian scholar and adept Shantideva, Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Bodhisattvacharyavatara) and Compendium of Trainings (Shiksha Samucchaya). The two texts complement each other well, the Guide being Shantideva's own composition and the Compendium being an assembly of sources for the Bodhisattva's training in the scriptures. His Holiness began with the Compendium explaining the importance of generating a good motivation, pointing out that human beings' intelligence allows for the real possibility of change. Turning to the Guide, he began to explain the benefits of the awakening mind, the altruistic aspiration to enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.
His Holiness began the morning session by resuming his reading of the 100,000 Songs of Milarepa, Tibet's renowned yogi and poet, that he began two years ago. He said that he received the lineage of the Songs and Milarepa's Biography from Trulshik Rinpoche and is now trying to pass them on. He then continued his reading of the Compendium of Trainings. He reminded listeners that for Buddhists the source of refuge and inspiration is the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. With regard to the practice of generosity, His Holiness commented that giving things away may not be easy to begin with, but if you start gradually it becomes easier. The text spoke of the practice of giving away one's body, as the Bodhisattva Sadaprarudita is described as wishing to do, in the 8000 Verse Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, in order to honour his teacher, Dharmodgata. His Holiness remarked that a proper Buddhist teacher should have some appreciation of the view of dependent arising and that a Mahayana teacher should have an understanding of the awakening mind of bodhichitta. The remainder of the session focussed on avoiding mistaken conduct that is contrary to the Bodhisattva's way of life.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama began his teaching today with the remark that all composite things are produced from causes. Everything comes into being in dependence on other things. The desirable that we want, as well as the undesirable that we do not want, come about in dependence on causes. The Buddha revealed the causes of suffering in detail and made clear that if we eliminate them we will achieve peace. The principal causes of suffering and unhappiness are disturbing emotions. The task of spiritual practice is to counter them by training the mind. The experienced meditator empties the mind and abides in the present moment so the natural clarity and luminosity of the mind emerges. His Holiness commented that, while neuroscientists have achieved profound knowledge of the workings of the brain, reducing the workings of the mind only to a function of the brain does not account for all our experience. His reading of the Compendium of Trainings contained advice on avoiding unwholesome actions and the dire consequences of not doing so. For the Bodhisattva the practice of virtuous conduct and the cultivation of the mind in meditation are mutually sustaining.
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Date : 18-Mar-2006 (Break) |
| Morning Session |
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| Afternoon Session |
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama opened by saying that the mind has an aptitude for change. This is why it is important that we try to take advantage of our opportunity and work to transform our minds. Everyone experiences a wish for happiness and dislikes being unhappy. Unhappiness results from having an undisciplined mind, but the mere presence of knowledge does not rectify this. Our distorted view of reality is countered by thinking about aspects of wisdom, such as impermanence, the nature of suffering, selflessness, and the peace that is liberation. Our lack of warm-heartedness is countered by positive emotions such as love and compassion. Disturbing emotions are the source of our problems and they arise because of ignorance. We need wisdom, an understanding of reality to counter ignorance. As a basis for wisdom, we need concentration and the foundation of that is discipline. His Holiness commented that the Compendium's approach to ethical discipline is more from a protective point of view, whereas in the Guide the focus is more on personal improvement. Alertness or awareness is the key to making progress in this.
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| Afternoon Session |
Prior to his reading of Shantideva's texts, His Holiness focussed on causality, the functioning of cause and effect. He distinguished two aspects: karma and natural law. Dependence on causes and conditions is a natural law. However, when thought and motivation are present, as is the case with the actions of sentient beings, karma comes about. Karmic actions are positive if they give rise to benefit and happiness and negative when instead they disturb other beings. His Holiness clarified that karma is complex and can be discussed in great detail, but only a Buddha understands its subtlest ramifications. He stressed that what is important in practice for monks, nuns and lay people alike, is to avoid doing the ten unwholesome actions. Among these wrong view is particularly powerful. If, however, we take the Buddhist concept of dependent arising into account we will view our situation and conduct more holistically. We will consider the consequences and implications of our actions before we do them. On the other hand, we may also appreciate that sometimes it is wise to undergo a small suffering if doing so will allay a greater pain.
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| Afternoon Session |
Citing Je Tsongkhapa, His Holiness pointed out that if we do not recognise that we experience suffering or that its causes are the disturbing emotions, we will not attempt to put an end to them. Without a wish to be free, we will not try to transcend suffering. As long as disturbing emotions afflicts us, they will give rise to yet more disturbing emotions. Even this life as a free and fortunate human being, which affords us great opportunities for change, is derived from disturbing emotions as the twelve links of dependent arising make clear. However, the subtlest mind has not been afflicted by them, nor has it been defiled by them. From this we can conclude that disturbing emotions can be overcome and we can become free. This is the essence of Buddhist practice.
He said that the awakening mind that is an aspiration for enlightenment and for the fulfilment of others' interests is enhanced by great compassion. To really generate compassion we need to focus on the subtlest of the three aspects of suffering, all-pervasive suffering, the predisposition of living beings to be under the sway of disturbing emotions and negative thoughts that mean they continually encounter suffering.
When reading about Patience in the Guide, His Holiness spoke of a man he met in Northern Ireland who had been shot and blinded who, completely without animosity to his assailant, displayed the kind of forbearing patience to which Shantideva refers.
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| Afternoon Session |
Commenting on Shantideva's exhaustive exposition of the Bodhisattva's way of life in the Guide and the Compendium, His Holiness observed that a Bodhisattva responds even to an enemy with nothing but compassion. The awakening mind of bodhichitta arouses delight in whoever comes across someone who has cultivated it. What's more His Holiness explains, compassion and love are necessary for our very survival. He offered the example of children. Those who meet with compassionate teachers tend to succeed in their studies. Those who grow up in compassionate families become mature and balanced adults. Coming from a loving environment children can meet any challenge. On the other hand those who grow up without love and compassion in their environment are unable to relate intimately and affectionately with others, which predisposes them to later bouts of loneliness. This is why living beings need love and compassion.
His Holiness extolled the awakening mind as the most perfect mental faculty, perfect for helping other beings. He repeated that everyone pays respect to those in whom the awakening mind is present and that the Buddhas are pleased. Shantideva's advice for developing it also explains how to cultivate single-pointed meditation with clarity and alertness, free from distractions and thoughts of desire. As Milarepa's biography shows, to achieve this it is an advantage to remain in solitude.
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| Afternoon Session |
Today His Holiness began by reading from the Songs of Milarepa. He then began teaching the introduction to the ninth chapter on wisdom of the Guide. As is said in the Heart Sutra, all the Buddhas of the past, present, and future achieved Enlightenment through following this same wisdom of emptiness. The wisdom realizing emptiness is the only gateway to enlightenment. Samsara arises from disturbing emotions. Disturbing emotions arise from distorted thoughts. Distorted thoughts arise from grasping onto intrinsic existence. It is only the wisdom realizing emptiness which eradicates the grasping onto intrinsic existence, thus eliminating rebirth in samsara, and allowing for full enlightenment.
In order to understand the subtle emptiness, one must understand the subtle dependent origination, that is, the dependent designation. The understanding that all things exist through mere designation. While as sentient beings, equipoise and the post equipoise states are sequential. It is only when we are fully enlightened that they occur simultaneously. Benefiting others is the motivation to seek enlightenment for all sentient beings. So, bodhichitta, the mind of enlightenment, is the quintessential instruction.
The enlightened state has access to all phenomena simultaneously. Guhyasamaja tantra states that Buddhahood is not owned by someone else. Therefore, it is not that someone else can bestow enlightenment upon you. Rather, it comes through your own effort of meditating upon emptiness. When we manifest the primordial clear light mind without wavering, that is enlightenment. This is the most subtle mind, absorbed in emptiness. Then His Holiness continued reading from the Compendium. Following that, in less than a day, His Holiness completed teaching the ninth chapter on wisdom from the Guide. What is reality? Around 3000 years ago in India, some believed that the self was solid, and intrinsically existing. Then came the Buddha. He said that no such self existed. If all things are empty of intrinsic existence, then why did the Buddha teach impermanence? This was to gradually ripen beings� minds to eventually understand the wisdom realizing emptiness.
How do we distinguish an illusory man from a man? Neither exists at it appears. That is, neither exists independently. However, an illusory man is refuted by another valid mind. Then how do we distinguish nominal existence (existing by mere name and thought), from non-existence? For example, a snake versus a coiled rope perceived as a snake. Again, they are equal in that both lack intrinsic existence. But, the rope-snake is refuted by another valid cognition. Not so for the snake. It is only through deep reflection upon this dependent origination that we can understand dependent designation. Everything, then, may appear like watching a movie, there is nothing solid there. This is powerful equipment for reducing negativities, and enhancing positive qualities. Dependent origination is praised as the kind of reasoning to establish the emptiness of intrinsic existence.
| Morning Session |
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| Afternoon Session |
Today His Holiness started by reading from the 1,000 Songs of Milarepa. In Milarepa's final instruction to Gompopa, he lifted his lower garment, exposing his bottom. It was hard and calloused, from extensive sitting in meditation. This means all instructions are to be used for meditation. This final instruction from Milarepa is very moving for His Holiness. In Japan, His Holiness saw the statue (on tour) of the Buddha during his six years of austerity and meditation. Seeing this statue of the Buddha, emaciated and in deep concentration, was a true instruction for His Holiness.
To meditate upon the instructions of the mind of enlightenment, we must do so in a very systematic way. Eventually, the spontaneously arising mind of enlightenment will be achieved. We need effort in order to cultivate bodhichitta. For this, we need conviction. And for this, we need to study the systematic instructions, from reliable texts, knowing the exact order of the instructions.
Using the Compendium, His Holiness then gave the ceremony of taking both the aspiring and engaging bodhichitta together. To take this bodhichitta ceremony on a regular basis is so helpful, His Holiness emphasized. Repeat the ritual one, three, or as many times as needed, in order to produce a moving experience within you. When you feel that indeed I am now generating bodhichitta in order to benefit all beings, then take the bodhisattva vow.
