Nagarjuna's Bodhichitta Commentary
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama's teachings on Nagarjuna's
Commentary on Bodhichitta (jangchup semdrel) and Kamalashila's Middle Stages of Meditation (gomrim barpa) at the request of a group from Korea. |
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Date: 01 - 05 October 2007
Venue: Main Temple, Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala, India | In order to view the webcasts you will need to use RealPlayer software.  |
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In introducing the Nagarjuna and Kamalashila texts, His
Holiness discusses the etymology of Bodhicitta, noting that the Bodhisattva
path relies on the analytical power of intelligence to transform the mind
through purification of afflictions/obscurations and attainment of realizations
of ultimate reality. Nagarjuna's text is
a commentary on a verse from the root
tantra of Guhyasamaja: Devoid of
all [substantive] entities; Utterly discarding all objects and subjects, Such
as the aggregates, elements and sense fields; Due to sameness of selflessness
of all phenomena, One's mind is primordially unborn; It is in the nature of
emptiness.� The main subject of this tantric text is the meaning of the
wisdom of ultimate Bodhicitta (the objective
clear light) which in tantra is focused upon by the innate subtle meaning clear light mind, i.e., the
tathagatagarbha, Buddha nature. His
Holiness analyzes the root verse with two methods for interpreting a tantric
text set out in the Six Corners
methodology. By the common interpretation, the first line of the verse rejects the view
asserting an eternal, unitary and independent self while the remaining lines refute
mistaken views of the Buddhist tenet systems of Vaibashika/Great Exposition,
Sautrantrika/Sutra School and Cittamatrin/Mind Only and assert the
Madhyamika/Middle Way view that all phenomena equally lack true existence as
they are merely posited by thought. In
the uncommon interpretation, emptiness
also refers to the innate subtle meaning
clear light mind freed of all grosser levels of mind and pollutants, so His
Holiness explains two views of the changing nature of the tathagatagarbha. The wisdom realizing emptiness is only
ultimate Bodhicitta when conjoined with the conventional Bodhicitta that is set
out in the second paragraph of Nagarjuna�s text, which His Holiness explains
through two interpretations of the awakening mind's aspirations to free, save, relieve, and help all sentient beings. |
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His Holiness explains the four
vehicles (the Human & Divine, Brahman, Sravaka/Hearer & Pratyekabuddha/Solitary
Realizer, and Bodhisattva vehicles) to present a third interpretation of
Nagarjuna's rendition of the Bodhisattva aspiration (to free, save, relieve
and help all beings). His Holiness notes
that the union of no more learning
stage of Buddhahood depends upon the subjective
clear light which can only be attained through highest yoga tantra
practices. Turning to Kamalashila's text
which sets out the prerequisites for calm abiding and special insight
meditation on conventional Bodhicitta and the wisdom of Emptiness, His Holiness
discusses the mental states that arise spontaneously (afflictive emotions which
disturb the mind) to dominate our physical and verbal actions. The foundation practice of Buddhism is to stop
the seven naturally negative acts (because they cause harm) of body and speech by
targeting the three mental delusions that trigger those seven: covetousness, ill will, and wrong views concerning
the consequences of actions. The root of
all delusions and non-virtues (the mind grasping at true existence) must be
thoroughly investigated. His Holiness
explains how to identify the delusions as our true �enemy� and how to defeat
them (by relying upon dependent origination and the law of causation to enhance
the forces that counter the mental afflictions). |
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His Holiness expounds on the causes and conditions required to
attain Buddhahood as set out by Kamalashila:
the basis (nature of reality, the two truths), path (wisdom and method
collections) and fruit (Buddha's truth and form bodies). Ultimate (i.e., final mode of things and
events) truth is the mere negation of absolute reality, the one/same taste of all phenomena (not the
source of phenomena). Conventional truth
is the dependently originated multiplicity of phenomena each of which is
mentally imputed upon a basis that is other than itself. The profound experience of dissolution (ultimate suchness) is generated by
thorough critical analysis; not by faith, nor by hardheaded adherence to texts
that cannot be taken literally. The
difficult paths of method (based upon conventional reality) and wisdom (the
dissolution of all elaborations in the sphere of ultimate reality) that
respectively give rise to the fruit of a Buddha's form and truth bodies are
driven by great compassion. His Holiness
presents interpretations of Buddha�s teachings on the Four Noble Truths
respecting the basis, path and fruit. As
phenomena may be manifest, slightly hidden or extremely hidden to us, we need
guidelines to assess the reliability of teachers. One who possesses only wisdom attains only
solitary peace, but one who possesses bodhicitta (a mind that cherishes others
more than self |
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The
wisdom that understands emptiness through inferential cognition is gained
without employing shamatha (calm abiding, single-pointed) meditation at the
Bodhisattva path of preparation. Advancement to the first arya ground of the path of seeing requires a
direct, non-conceptual, transcendental experience of emptiness that is obtained
through the union of shamatha and vipashyana (special insight) meditation. His Holiness explains Kamalashila's manual
for developing this union: why the union
of shamatha and vipashyana is necessary, why shamatha is developed first, and
why objects other than emptiness can never uproot the grasping at true existence
that imprisons us in samsara. He
explains how to: develop shamatha based
on various objects (breath, Buddha image, conventional nature of the mind,
tantric deity, etc.); begin the session (refuge, bodhicitta and the seven limb
prayer); employ the correct physical posture; and identify and remedy
excitement and laxity, the obstacles to fully qualified shamatha. His Holiness explains the graduated
presentation of the two selflessnesses (of persons and phenomena) by Shakyamuni
Buddha to students able to understand the Vaibashika (Great Exposition),
Sautrantrika (Sutra school) and Cittamatrin (Mind Only) views even though those
presentations do not completely counteract grasping to true existence. Then His Holiness turns to Nagarjuna's text
and demonstrates how the second verse encapsulates the purport of the Buddha's
wisdom teaching in the Madhyamika (Middle Way) view that all existents in the
universe (e.g., aggregates, sense powers, samsara, nirvana) are empty of
inherent or true existence yet they do exist dependently through mere nominal
designation. In conclusion His Holiness
emphasizes that the most important meditative practice is remembering the
illusion-like nature of all phenomena and activities during the post-meditation
periods. Without this view of the
illusion-like nature of all, our efforts to practice the Bodhisattva path are
afflicted -- by grasping at truly existent sentient beings, we may even
developed afflicted Bodhicitta.
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Some Madhyamikas, such as Kamalashila's teacher, the great abbot Shantarakshita, accept the Cittamatrin presentation of the lack of external phenomena. However, they further assert that the mind also lacks true existence and shares the deceptive, illusion-like qualities of externalities. His Holiness explains the importance of the post-meditation practice of viewing all phenomena in daily life as illusion-like and how this practice will increase positive mental qualities such as compassion and bodhicitta while simultaneously decreasing the perceptions of independent existence (the grasping mind that generates afflictive emotions), and how to use this wisdom to complement the method practices of generosity, etc. His Holiness discusses using the method path to complement meditations on emptiness; the short term benefits of bodhicitta practice; clairvoyance; the long-term project of gradually purifying and ripening through sustained effort. He explains the five Bodhisattva paths in relation to the Heart Sutra dharani (gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi). Turning to the Nagarjuna text, His Holiness discusses the highest school of Buddhist tenets, the Madhaymika Prasangika (Middle Way Consequentialist), and how the two extremes of nihilism and reification are avoided by seeing that dependent origination is the meaning of emptiness. He explains that the Prasangika assertion that everything exists by mere imputation in dependence upon a basis of designation does not mean that everything merely imputed is existent, and he discusses the fallacies of a view known as other emptiness. Finally, His Holiness reviews stanzas 72-84 of Nagarjuna's Commentary on Bodhicitta as a preliminary to the ceremony for conferring the aspirational Bodhisattva vows. |
