BuddhadharmaStudies – Week 1 Unicorn Rinzen 18-9-2013 In the past month, I have studied Buddhism through studying the Rigpa Wiki. Based upon the first encounter, new points of interest arose and were studied. This process continued. Some forty aspects of Buddhism were studied in total. (About 5-6 aspects per session.) In this document, the learnings of seven sessions are compiled and organised. Inhoud Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 1 Books .................................................................................................................................................. 1 Missing ............................................................................................................................................... 1 Six Perfections (parol tu chinpa druk)............................................................................................ 1 Four aspects of Wisdom .................................................................................................................. 1 Four Reliances (tönpa shyi) ............................................................................................................ 1 Primordial Wisdom ........................................................................................................................... 1 Two Accumulations .......................................................................................................................... 1 Three Types of Suffering ................................................................................................................. 1 Explanation on the Three Types of Suffering ............................................................................... 1 Six Realms ......................................................................................................................................... 2 Samsara ............................................................................................................................................. 2 Parting from the Four Attachments ................................................................................................ 2 Rinpoche ............................................................................................................................................ 2 Impermanence .................................................................................................................................. 2 Some reflections on Death and Impermanence .......................................................................... 2 Arya ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 Bodhisattva ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Bodhicitta ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Wheel Of Life ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Four Seals .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Nirvana ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Four Thoughts ................................................................................................................................... 3 Ngöndro .............................................................................................................................................. 3 Taking Refuge ................................................................................................................................... 4 Noble Eightfold Path......................................................................................................................... 4 Dharma ............................................................................................................................................... 4 Path of Seeing ................................................................................................................................... 4 Arhat ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Pratyekabuddha ................................................................................................................................ 5 Buddha ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Ten Stages (Bhumi) ......................................................................................................................... 6 Five Paths .......................................................................................................................................... 6 Bodhisattva Vow ............................................................................................................................... 6 Eighty Inexhaustibles ....................................................................................................................... 8 Four Immeasurables ........................................................................................................................ 8 Six Times ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Mind Only ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Middle Way ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Dependent Origination ..................................................................................................................... 2 Eight Extremes .................................................................................................................................. 2 Two Truths ......................................................................................................................................... 2 Shamata ............................................................................................................................................. 2 Vipashyana ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Thirty-seven factors of Enlightenment ........................................................................................... 2 Four ways of attracting disciples .................................................................................................... 2 Three poisons .................................................................................................................................... 2 Images ................................................................................................................................................ 3 Resources Wiki that contains most of the information in this document: rigpawiki.org. Information on Tibetan: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/tibetan.htm, http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetaans_schrift, http://library.thinkquest.org/26470/language.htm. Books The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying (Sogyal Rinpoche) (Downloaded) Abhisamayalankara (Asanga, Maitreya) The Meaning of Life (Dalai Lama, Hopkins) Missing Bodhicitta in the context of Dzogchen is missing from this condensation. Six Perfections 1. Generosity (jinpa) 2. Discipline (tsultrim) 3. Patience (zöpa) 4. Diligence (tsöndrü) 5. Concentration (samten) 6. Wisdom (sherab) Four aspects of Wisdom 1. Skillful means 2. Strength 3. Aspiration prayers 4. Primordial wisdom Four Reliances 1. Dharma, not individual 2. Meaning, not words 3. Definitive meaning, not provisional meaning 4. Wisdom, not ordinary mind Primordial Wisdom Primordial wisdom, also known as inborn knowing, timeless awareness, pristine cognition or deep awareness, is one of the two accumulations. It points to the primordial ('right from the beginning') and nondual knowlegde of the nature of the mind. Which is inseperable unity of awareness (or clarity) and emptiness. Most people think of the mind as thoughts and emotions, but they are only the appearance of the mind, not the true nature. Two Accumulations The two accumulations are merit and wisdom, where the first five of the Six Perfections are for the accumulation of merit and the sixth is the accumulation of wisdom. This accumulation is specified in the Four aspects of Wisdom. Three Types of Suffering 1. Suffering of suffering. 2. Suffering of change 3. All-pervasive suffering of conditioning. Explanation on the Three Types of Suffering 1. Suffering of suffering includes all the miseries, seperations and undesirable events. All of them are painfull from the first appearance and remain painful. The pain comes from the undesirableness of the event. 2. Suffering of change includes everything that is pleasant when it comes, pleasant when it stays, but painful when disappearing. 3. All-pervasive suffering of conditioning refers to all experience and conditioning that shall lead to future suffering. The suffering of the present day causes future suffering and therewith supports the cycle of suffering. It is not noticed upon arising, remaining or ceasing, but is still the cause of suffering. Six Realms Realm - destructive emotion 1. Hell beings - anger 2. Hungry ghosts - miserliness 3. Animals - stupidity 4. Human beings - desire 5. Demi-gods - jealousy 6. Gods - pride Samsara The cycle of conditioned existence, birth and death, which is characterised by suffering and in which one is continually reborn until attaining nirvana. Literally means: wandering about or moving without interruption, like a river current. Parting from the Four Attachments 1. If you are attached to this life, you are not a true spiritual practitioner. 2. If you are attached to samsara, you do not have renunciation. 3. If you are attached to your own self-interest, you have no bodhicitta. 4. If there is grasping, you do not have the View. Upon the above reflections by the glorious Manjughosha, Kunga Nyingpo (a Sakyapa lama) realised that this mind training of 'parting from the four attachments' incorporates all the practices of the path of the transcendent perfections, at which he felt an extraordinary confidence in all the teachings of the Dharma. Rinpoche The name Rinpoche means 'precious one' and is a honorific title used to adress or describe Tibetan lamas and other high-ranking or respected teachers. It can be bestowed by reincarnation, by earning over time and is used by the teacher's students. Impermanence Defined also as "momentariness", meaning that "All conditioned things are impermanent." The feature is contained in the teaching of the Four seals*. Reflection on this principle is one of the four thoughts*, which are the four contemplations that turn the mind away from samsara. Some reflections on Death and Impermanence 1. Death is Certain a) Death can not be avoided. b) Life cannot be extended, it is always diminishing. c) Even while we are alive there is little time for practice. 2. The Time of Death is Uncertain a) Our lifespan is not fixed. b) There are many causes of death, and few for sustaining life. c) The body is very fragile. 3. At the Time of Death, only Dharma can help us a) Our friends cannot help us. b) Our resources cannot help us. c) Our body cannot help us. Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche on Impermanence "If we really meditate on impermanence, it is said that in the beginning it can be the cause of us practising the Dharma, in the middle it can provide the conditions for us progressing along the path, and at the end it can cause us to achieve the result of complete and perfect awakening. So impermanence is of the utmost importance." Arya Literally means noble. The Tibetan word (pakpa) means elevated. This state refers to the exalted state surpassing that of the samsaric being, which is attained when reaching the path of seeing*. There are four classes of noble beings: arhats*, pratyekabuddhas*, bodhisattvas and buddhas*. Bodhisattva A being who has aroused bodhicitta, or a sublime bodhisattva who has attained one of the ten stages of the bodhisattva path. (Also ten bhumis*.) Five stages can be discriminated: the entry point, view*, meditation, conduct and results. The entry point entails the bodhisattva vows* and aspiration and application in the proper way through rituals of either Profound View or Vast Conduct. A bodhisattva then observes the points of discipline of what should be adopted and abandoned and heals and purifies any impairments. The View* concerns how the view is determined. This depends on the philosophical tenets. In the Mind Only*: the realisations that outer objects are not real and all phenomena are but the inner mind. One has to claim that the self-aware, self-knowing consciousness devoid of dualistic perception is truly real. In the Middle Way*: realisation that all phenomena appear in the manner of dependent origination, but in reality are emptiness, beyond the eight extremes of conceptual elaboration. Through these approaches, one realises the absence of personal self or phenomenal identity, c.q. View. The meditation concerns the realisation and training in developing the indivisibility of the two levels of reality and on the basis of yogic meditation uniting shamatha* and vipashyana* meditating on the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment* while on the path of training. The conduct is the practice of the six transcendent perfections for own benefit and the four means of attraction* for the sake of others. Bodhicitta The compassionate wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. Bodhi means enlightened essence and chitta (Skt. citta) menas heart or mind. A translation therefore could be 'the heart of enlightened mind.' Scholarly definition: arousal of bodhicitta is the longing to attain complete enlightenment for the sake of others. It is categorised in relative and absolute. Relative bodhicitta entails the wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings and to train in the methods to achieve that aim. Absolute bodhicitta is the direct insight into the absolute nature of things. Within relative bodhicitta, there is a distinction between bodhicitta in aspiration (the mind aspiring to awaken) and bodhicitta in action (actual application). There are three types of commitment to bodhicitta: the kings way (the great wish), the boatmans way (sacred wisdom) and the shepherds way (beyond comparison). There are four types of bodhicitta according to the paths and levels (five paths* and ten bhumis). Bodhicitta of aspiring conduct (path of accumulation onwards), of pure noble intention (first bhumi onwards), of full maturation (eight bhumi onwards), and free from all obscurations (at the level of buddhahood). Other divisions of bodhicitta are the divisions into the twenty-two similes of bodhicitta and the eighty inexhaustibles. The actual training in bodhicitta has three elements (according to Patrul Rinpoche): training in the cause by meditating on the four immeasurables*, actual training - practise taking the vow of bodhicitta three times during the day and three times at night and training the precepts, meditations on equalising and exchanging whilst condsidering others as more important than yourself. The formal practice of the vow at the six times* of day and night is essential in attaining bodhicitta. If you apply yourself to these practices, then you will never forget the mind of bodhicitta in all your future lives and the qualitites of the bhumis and paths will develop and increase like the waxing moon. Wheel Of Life The Wheel Of Life is a traditional representation of the samsaric life cycle. It is said to be designed by Buddha himself. The centre of the wheel presents the three poisons. The second layer represents positive and negative actions (karma), the third layer represents the six realms of samsara, the fourth layer represents the twelve links of interdependent origination. The monster holding the wheel represents impermanence, the moon above the wheel represents liberation from the samsaric cycle of existence and the Buddha pointing to the moon indicates that liberation is possible. Four Seals The four seals are: "All that is conditioned is impermanent", "All that is tainted is suffering", "Nirvana is peace" and "All phenomena are empty and devoid of self." Tainted means impure, describing that all non-truths can be the focus of destructive emotions and therewith promote samsaric existence. The four seals set Buddhadharma apart from other religions and philosophies. They are not the entrance of the Buddhist path, but do encapsulate the uniqueness. The actual entrance is taking refuge. Nirvana Literally "extinguished" in Sanskrit and "beyond suffering" in Tibetan, is the state of peace that results from cessation, the total pacification of all suffering and its causes. It indicates the various levels of enlightenment attainable in the yana's, namely the enlightenment of shravakas (one who ears and proclaims), pratyekabuddhas (intermediate buddhas, attaining the level in solitude) and buddhas. The Madhyamika tradition mentions four types of nirvana: natural nirvana (inherent state of everything), non-abiding nirvana (the great nirvana beyond both ordinary samsaric existence and the lesser nirvana of the basic vehicle), nirvana with remainder (realisation of the basic vehicle by arhats who have not yet relinquished their psycho-physical aggregates) and nirvana without remainder (a state of cessation, leaving psycho-physical aggregates behind). Four Thoughts The four contemplations that turn the mind away from samsara, namely: the difficulty of finding the freedoms and advantages, the impermance of life; and the reflections on: the defects of samsara, action/karma (cause and effect). Attached is a teaching by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche from 2003. Ngöndro The preliminary practices of the Vajrayana Buddhism. The practices are profound and powerful means for effecting a deep purification and transformation, at every level of our being. The do not only prepare for the profound path of Vajrayana and Dzogchen teachings, but also lead gradually towards the experience of enlightenment. Divided into Outer and Inner Preliminaries, the Outer ones are: the uniqueness and opportunity of human life; the ever-presence and deeper meaning of impermanence and death; the infallability of the cause and effect of our actions, karma; the repetitive cycle of frustration and suffering that is samsara. (Commonly known as the four thoughts.) The Inner ones are: taking refuge in the Buddha as a guide, the truth of his teaching (Dharma) as the path, and the example of his practitioners (the Sangha) as companions on the path, so awakening a confidence and trust in our own inner buddha nature; giving birth to love and compassion -- bodhicitta, the heart of the enlightened mind -- and training the mind to work with ourselves, with others, and with the difficulties of life; removing obscurations of all kinds through the purification and healing practice of meditating on Vajrasattva and reciting his mantra; accumulating merit and wisdom by developing a universal generosity and creating auspicious circumstances, through the mandala offering; finally, in the practice of guru yoga, which is the most crucial, moving and powerful practice of all, we unite our mind with the wisdom mind of all the buddhas and so awaken the wisdom of realisation. Prostrations can remove obscurations associated with the body, recitation of the hundred syllable mantra can remove obscurations associated with speech, mandala offering removes obscurations associated with mind and guru yoga More on Ngöndro: http://www.lotsawahouse.org/topics/ngondro/. Taking Refuge Taking refuge is the foundation of, and entrance to, all buddhist practice. It is the basis of all vows and it marks the distinction between buddhist and non-buddhist. It is defined by Khenpo Ngakchung as "a commitment or resolution made to seek the protection of a special object through fear of one's own and others' suffering in samsara." Its cause is faith, specifically irreversible faith (faith in the teacher and the three jewels; irreversible when it is so much a part of ourselves that even if our lives were at risk, we would never give it up.) The essence of taking refuge is to accept the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) as your refuge and make a decisive commitment to them, in order to be free from the fear of your own and others' suffering in samsara. You accept the Buddha as your guide, Dharma as your path and Sangha as your companions. Objects of Refuge: outer (Three Jewels), inner (Three Roots: Lama, Yidam and Khandro), secret (bodhicitta, a state realised through sublime method of the channels, inner air and essences), and ultimate (according to Dzogchen, the three kayas within the nature of our own mind: empty essence, cognisant nature and unconfined compassionate energy). The duration of refuge is for as long as they live in the case of the basic vehicle. Ultimately, it lasts until attainment of own particular fruition. Mahayana followers take refuge until attaining complete enlightenment. There is a lot of information about Precepts, that will be for a next time. Noble Eightfold Path The path belongs to the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment and is practiced on the path of meditation (one of the five paths). It consists of: correct view, correct intention or thought, correct speech, correct action, correct livelihood, correct effort, correct mindfulness, correct concentration. In fact, they are the eight bhumis of the basic vehicle, just like the ten bhumis of the bodhisattva path (with the eleventh being buddhahood) and thirteen bhumis in the Tantrayana path. The Dzogchen teachings speak of sixteen bhumis. Bhumi means stage or ground. They are the support for enlightened qualitites. "Correct" could be replaced with "right" or "realistic". Dharma The word used to refer to the teachings of the Buddha. It has many shades of meaning and refers to phenomena as well as spirituality or path. There are ten meanings of Dharma. There is the Dharma of transmission, consisting of the three collections (pitaka), as well as the Dharma of realisation consisting of the three higher training forms: discipline (vinaya), meditation (sutra), wisdom (abhidharma). According to Maitreya, the Dharma has eight qualities of cessation and the path: purity, clarity and remedy for the Path; inconceivable, utterly peaceful and unfathomable for Cessation; and the cessation and the path themselves. Path of Seeing The path of seeing is the third of the five paths. It is called the path of seeing because it is here that one first sees the supermundane wisdom of the noble ones. It is the point at which one becomes an Arya and the entrance to the first bhumi of the bodhisattva vehicle. (Perfect Joy) The path is divided into sixteen moments. Arhat Arhat is the name given to the ultimate reslut of the shravaka yana and pratyekabuddha yana, which differ in terms of realisation and qualities. It is also used as an epithet (byname) of the Buddha. One who has completely overcome the enemy of the disturbing emotions is therefore worthy of praise. There are two kinds of arhat: those with remainder and those without remainder. An Arhat teaches by means of the three pure factors (pure vessel of the listener, pure speech of the teacher, pure topic of the teaching). This is different from the means by which a Buddha teaches (three types of miraculous ability), because they are prevented by four causes that prevent them from knowing certain things (lack of knowledge about distant locations, lack of knowledge about distant times, lack of knowledge of the infinity of results that spring from an infinite number of causes, lack of knowledge of the Buddha's many qualitites). Pratyekabuddha Also called 'solitary realises', are followers of the basic vehicle who attain the level of a pratyekabuddha arhat by themselves, in solitude. They first hear the teachings of the Buddha, then study and reflect upon the twelve links of interdependent origination, and accumulate merit for a hundred kalpas. They pray to be reborn in a world to which no buddha has come, and they attain realisation without relying on a teacher. They usually teach visually rather than verbally; for example, by displaying miracles such as transforming the upper part of their bodies into fire, and the lower part into water. They are sometimes referred to as intermediate buddhas and their enlightenment is considered to be a higher form of realisation than that of shravakas for two reasons: their accumulation of merit, and their accumulation of wisdom. Shravakas accumulate merit up to sixteen lifetimes, whereas pratyekabuddhas accumulate merit for a hundred kalpas. In their accumulation of wisdom, shravakas only realise one type of selflessness - the selflessness of the individual - whereas pratyekabuddhas also realise half of the selflessness of phenomena. For the same reasons, the pratyekabuddhas' realisation is considered inferior to the full enlightenment of those following the bodhisattva path. A bodhisattva accumulates merit for three countless aeons and fully realises both types of selflessness. Finally, there are two types of pratyekabuddhas: those with duller faculties who live in communities, like parrots; and those with sharper faculties who live alone, like rhinoceroses. Buddha Usually refers to Shakyamuni Buddha, the Indian prince Gautama Siddharta, who reached enlightenment in the sixth century B.C., and who taught the spiritual path followed by millions all over Asia, known today as Buddhism. Buddha, however, also has a much deeper meaning. It means anyone who has awakened completely from ignorance and opened to his or her vast potential for wisdom. A buddha is one who has brought a final end to suffering and frustration and discovered a lasting and deathless happiness and peace. Tibetan for Buddha is Sangyé. Sang means awakening (from sleep of ignorance and purifying the darkness of both emotional and cognitive obscurations). Gyé means opening (like a blossoming lotus flower, to all that is knowable, and developing the wisdom of omniscience, the knowlegde of the true nature of things, just as they are, and the knowledge of all things in their multiplicity). Buddhas can be in three different bodies: dharmakaya, sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya. Everything we perceive around us is nirmanakaya; its nature, light or energy is sambhogakaya; and its inherent truth, the dharmakaya. There are five wisdoms: wisdom of dharmadhatu (wisdom of all-encompassing space, the womb of compassion); mirror-like wisdom (capacity to reflect in precise detail whatever comes before); equalising wisdom (fundamental lack of any bias toward any impression); wisdom of discernment (ability to distinguish clearly, without confusing in any way the various different phenomena that arise); and the all-acomplishing wisdom (the potential of having everything already accomplished, perfected and spontaneously present). They can be condensed into two wisdoms: the wisdom that knows the nature of all phenoma (first three wisdoms) and the wisdom that knows the multiplicity of phenomena (last two wisdoms). They can all be condensed into a single wisdom: the wisdom of omniscience. Supreme nirmanakayas display the twelve deeds: the sescent from the Joyous pure land, entering the mothers womb, taking birth, becoming skilled in various arts, delighting in the company of royal consorts, developing renunciation and becoming ordained, practicing austerities for six years, proceeding to the foot of the bodhi tree, overcoming Mara's hosts, becoming fully enlightened, turning the wheel of Dharma, passing into mahaparinirvana. Eight qualities of a Buddha (which are actually immeasurable): benefit of self: self-arisen wisdom, unconditioned body, spontaneously perfection; benefit of others: knowlegde, love, power; the benefit of self; the benefit of others. When the teacher is a fully enlightened buddha, he teaches through his three types of miraculous ability: magical form (able to attract disciples, inspire devotion), guiding speech (teaches in accordance with capacities, speaks with voice of Brahma in all the various languages), universally communicating mind (precise teaching according to their mental receptivity and keenness of faculties). Ten Stages Perfect Joy, Immaculate / Stainless, Luminous / Illuminating, Radiant, Hard to Keep / Hard to Conquer, Clearly Manifest, Far Progressed, Immovable, Perfect Intellect, Cloud of Dharma. And the eleventh bhumi, Universal Radiance, is buddhahood according to the sutra system. There are twenty-two knots between the central channel and the two lateral channels. As they become freed, pair by pair, the meditator attains the successive bhumis, from first to eleventh, up to buddhahood. http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Sutra_of_the_Ten_Bhumis and http:// www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/patrul-rinpoche/stages-and-path Five Paths The five paths are: path of accumulation, path of joining, path of seeing, path of meditation, path of no-more-learning. These five paths incorporate the entire spiritual journey, as described in the Mahayana, from its very beginning with the taking of the bodhisattva vow and the generation of relative bodhicitta, up until its culmunation at the stage of complete enlightenment. It is said in the essential instructions that the path of accumulation is the stage of understanding, the path of joining is the stage of experience, and the path of seeing is the stage of realisation. http://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/patrul- rinpoche/stages-and-path Bodhisattva Vow The bodhisattva Vow is the commitment to become a bodhisattva, one who works to lead all sentient beings to perfect enlightenment. There are two main traditions: the tradition of Profound View (Nagarjuna) and the tradition of Vast Conduct (Asanga). In Asanga the vow of bodhicitta in aspiration and bodhicitta in action are taken seperately, whereas in Nagarjuna's tradition they are taken together. The vow consists of preliminary practices, main part and conclusion. The preliminaries can consist of gathering the accumulations by means of the seven branch offering, training the mind and giving away the three possessions. The main part consists of taking the vows of bodhicitta in aspiration and action, either seperately or together. The conclusion consists of rejoicing oneself and encouraging others to rejoice as well. (* Nagarjuna, Asanga, Eighteen root downfalls, Twenty verses on the Bodhisattva Vow, Seven branch offering, Three possesions, Bodhisattva Vow on Lotsawahouse) Twenty-two similes of Bodhicitta The twenty-two similes for various stages in the development of bodhicitta, which are mentioned in Maitreya's Abhisamayalankara. They refer (from earth to cloud) to the essence of the generation of bodhicitta itself. From the bodhicitta concurrent with the initial intention to the bodhicitta concurrent with the dharmakaya. Thus there are twenty-two categories, which can be understood through twenty-two analogous factors, on account of the similarity between the examples and their referents. 1. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the initial intention (‘dun pa) to strive towards unsurpassable complete enlightenment is likened to the earth, because it functions as a support for all the virtuous dharmas of enlightenment and its causes. 2. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the wish (bsam pa) to sustain the continuity of this initial intention is likened to gold, because this excellent wish to bring benefit and happiness, which encompasses the six paramitas, does not change untilbuddhahood. 3. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with a noble intention (lhag bsam) is likened to the waxing moon, because all the virtuous dharmas, the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment and so on, develop further and further. 4. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with application (sbyor ba) of the threefold knowledge beyond arising is likened to fire, because it burns away the kindling of the obscurations which obstruct an understanding of the object, the threefold knowledge. 5. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the paramita of generosity is likened to a great treasure, because it brings satisfaction to all beings through Dharma and material wealth, and yet it is never exhausted. 6. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the paramita of moral discipline is likened to a mine of jewels, because it provides a basis for the arising of all the precious qualities such as the strengths. 7. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the paramita of patience is likened to the great ocean, because when we have it we remain unperturbed by unwelcome events, such as fires or coming under armed attack. 8. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the paramita of diligence is likened to a vajra, because when we have it our confident trust in unsurpassed enlightenment is stable and can not be by shattered by evil influences. 9. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the paramita of meditation is likened to the most majestic of mountains, because when we have it our samadhi is immovable and we can not become distracted by focusing on concepts. 10. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the paramita of wisdom through which one realizes the two kinds of selflessness is likened to a great medicine, because it thoroughly pacifies all the illnesses of the emotional obscurations such as attachment and the cognitive obscurations such as thoughts of perceived objects. 11. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the paramita of skilful means is likened to a virtuous guide, because with compassion and skilful means, no matter whether we enjoy great wealth or suffer loss, we will not forsake the welfare of all sentient beings. 12. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the paramita of aspiration is likened to a wish-fulfilling jewel, because with it all our prayers of aspiration will be fulfilled just as we desire. 13. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the paramita of strength is likened to the sun, because it ripens completely the crop of virtue within the minds of disciples. 14. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the paramita of primordial wisdom is likened to the song of a gandharva, because when we have it we can teach and inspire the minds of disciples with the sweet melodious sound of the Dharma. 15. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the supercognitions is likened to a great king, because when we have it we can accomplish the welfare of others with unimpeded power. 16. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the accumulations of merit and wisdom is likened to a treasury, because it is the source of an inconceivable gathering. 17. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment is likened to a great highway, because when we have it we can follow the approach taken by all the noble ones. 18. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with a compassionate concern for others’ welfare and the clear insight (vipashyana) of realizing how all phenomena lack true reality is likened to an excellent horse, because it easily carries us to non-abiding nirvana, without straying into the extremes of samsaric existence and quiescence. 19. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the mnemonic retention (dharani) of remembering words and meaning without fail and the confidence of teaching others unimpededly is likened to a spring of water, because when we have it we can retain all that we have heard, and teach it so that it does not go to waste. 20. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the joyful Dharma celebration of teaching the four summaries [or seals] of the Dharma is likened to joyful music, because when we have it we can proclaim the melodious sound of Dharma to disciples who long for liberation. 21. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the single path to be traversed is likened to the flow of a river, because when we have it we can engage continuously in impartial actions for others’ welfare, responding automatically with compassion and wisdom, in the realization of the equality of knowing and what is known. 22. The bodhichitta generated in conjunction with the dharmakaya is likened to a cloud, because when we have it we can demonstrate completely the twelve deeds, such as residing in Tushita and so on, and in so doing ripen the harvest of beings’ benefit and happiness. The first three belong to the path of accumulation, the next one to the path of joining, the ten types of bodhicitta from generosity to primordial wisdom (path of seeing and meditation), five endowed with the superknowledges and so on belonging to the special path of the tenth bhumi, the final three endowed with joyful celebration of Dharma and so on, belong to preparation, main part and subsequent parth of the level of buddhahood. More: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Jewel_Ornament_of_Liberation Eighty Inexhaustibles Eighty Inexhaustibles are a means of classifying bodhicitta given in the Sagaramatiparipriccha Sutra and discussed in Khenjuk (Mipham Rinpoche). They are: 1. Generation of bodhicitta. 2. Aspiration. 3. Application. 4. Superior aspiration or noble intention. 5-10. The six transcendent perfections. 11-14. The four immeasurables. 15-19. The five supernatural perceptions. 20-23. The four means of attraction. 24-27. The four genuine masteries of specifics. 28-31. The four reliances. 32-33. The two accumulations. 34-70. The thirty-seven factors of enlightenment. 71-72. Shamatha and Vipashyana. 73-74. Perfect recall and courageous eloquence. 75-78. The four seals of the Dharma. 79. The single path to be traversed. 80. Skill in means. Four Immeasurables Four immeasurables: equanimity (the wish that beings may be free from the attitude of attachment to some and aversion to others), love (the wish that living beings may have happiness and its causes), compassion (the wish that living beings may be free from suffering and its causes), joy (the wish that living beings may remain happy and their happiness may increase further). Equanimity: train the mind to feel a benevolent attitude toward both friends and enemies, because todays friends may have been enemies as well as your enemies may have been friends. Treat everyone like your brother or sister. Escpecially those who create obstacles for you. Love: cultivate love for all beings and wish them happiness in order to repay their kindness. Train the mind to care for everyone like a parent caring for a small child, or a mother bird looking after her young, so that all your actions of body, speech and mind are undertaken only to ensure the happiness and wellbeing of others. Compassion: cultivate the wish that others may be freed from suffering. Imagine a prisoner about to be executed, or an animal at the slaughterhouse and put yourself in their position, or imagine that they are your own dear mother. When you experience an intense feeling of compassion for them, consider that although the one experiencing such suffering is not actually your mother or father in this lifetime, he or she has been your mother and father countless times throughout the course of your innumerable lifetimes. Practise cultivating this compassion until you feel exactly the same compassion for all sentient beings. Joy: whenever you see someone who possesses the qualities of scriptural learning and realisation, or wealth and power, do not feel resentful or envious of them. Instead, feel joyful and make the wish that their riches and power increase even further. Pray that all sentient beings may experience the same kind of good fortune. Train the mind this way, again and again. All of this is the goal of practicing the four immeasurables. Six Times The six times of the day are dawn, morning, mid day, afternoon, dusk and midnight. Mind Only The Chittamatra (Tibetan: Semtsampa) is the Mind Only school (Mahayna) founded by Asanga. Its followers say that all phenomena are merely mind. They divide all phenomena into three natures: imputed/imaginary, dependent, truly established. Its emphasis is on practice, that is why it is also called Yogachara. Middle Way This can refer to the Madhyamika school, or more generally, to the Buddha's teachings as a whole, which present a path that avoids the two extremes of eternalism and nihilism. In the Sutrayana Pali Canon Sutra Dhammacakkappavattana, the first teaching Buddha gave after his enlightenment which sets forth the four noble truths, he speaks of the Middel Way, the path of practice that avoids the two extremes of sensual indulgence on the one hand and severe asceticism on the other. He identifies this way specifically as the noble eightfold path. Dependent Origination This means that all phenomena, outer and inner, do not without any causes. Nor are they caused by a causeless and permanent creator such as the self, time or God. In fact, they arise through the coming together of their own particular causes and conditions. All outer phenomena arise through dependent origination, in the manner of a seed developing into a sprout for example. All inner phenomena - the aggregates of supreme, intermediate or lesser beings - arise through dependent origination in the manner of the twelve links*. This page contains lots of extra information on the related subjects, but that is for a different time. http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Dependent_origination Eight Extremes The eight extremes of conceptual elaboration are: 1. Arising 2. Ceasing 3. Being non-existent 4. Being permanent 5. Coming 6. Going 7. Being multiple 8. Being single Two Truths Everything has an absolute aspect (or absolute truth) and a relative aspect (relative truth). The absolute or ultimate is the inherent nature of everything, how things really are. The conventional or relative is how things appear. In the teachings, these are known as 'the two truths', but they are not to be understood as two seperate dimensions, rather as two aspects of a single reality. More information (Mahayana): http://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan- masters/patrul-rinpoche/two-truths-view-mahayana Shamata Shamata or 'calm abiding' is also translated as 'peacefully remaining' or 'tranquility meditation'. Shama means 'peace', tha means 'to dwell' or 'stability'. There are two central meditation practices on the Buddhist path: calm abiding and clear seeing. The method of calm abiding is used to work with the conceptual mind. When you are able to go beyond that and reach the domain of the wisdom of rigpa, it is called clear seeing. Two types of shamata: with an object or without an object. With an object comes first. Keep your mind on positive thoughts, for example love and the samadhi of love, and make use of mindfulness, vigilance and carefulness. Don't let the mind be distracted inwardly: so do not follow past thoughts, anticipate future thoughts, or be distracted by present thoughts about objects of the six senses. Set the mind to it, without meddling or interfering. In 'without an object', the mind does not focus on a single object such as love, but without manipulating or altering the mind in any way, you simply leave it as it is, calm, spacious and at ease. From time to time, you should bring mindfulness, vigilance and carefulness to bear. More about meditation on Lotsawa House: http://www.lotsawahouse.org/topics/meditation/. Vipashyana Clear seeing, or insight, meditation. Vi is short for vishesa, which means 'special', 'superior', or 'particular'. Pashyana means 'to see' or 'to look'. The Tibetan 'lhaktong' is built up of 'unique' (lhak) and 'seeing' (tong). Prerequisites are needed according to Kamalashila's second Stages of Meditation: reliance upon a spiritual teacher, genuinely engaging in an extensive study and appropriate reflection. Thirty-seven factors of Enlightenment They are thirty-seven practices undertaken and perfected at the specific stages of the first four of the five paths and present thereafter as qualities of enlightenment. They are as follows: 1-4. Four applications of mindfulness: body, feelings, mind, phenomena. 5-8. Four genuine restraints: avoid generating any negative states that have not arisen, abandon negative states that have arisen, generate virtuous states that have not arisen, not allowing any virtuous states that have arisen to deteriorate - instead developing them further. 9-12. Four bases of miraculous powers: intention, diligence, attention, discernment. 13-17. Five powers: faith, diligence, mindfulness, concentration, wisdom. 18-22. Five strengths: faith, diligence, mindfulness, concentration, wisdom. 23-29. Seven elements for enlightenment: mindfulness, discernment of phenomena, diligence, joy, pliancy, samadhi, equanimity. 30-37: Noble eightfold path: realistic view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and concentration. Four ways of attracting disciples The qualities of the teacher that enable him to gather fortunate students, namely: he should be generous, his language should be pleasant, he should teach each individual according to that person's need, and he should act in conformity with what he teaches. Further reading: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=The_Words_of_My_Perfect_Teacher Three poisons The three poisons are the following destructive emotions: desire (or attachment), anger (or aggression), ignorance. Images 1: Mudra of the teaching of the Dharma. 2: The Wheel of Life 3: