Class 1.1
Class 1.2
Class 1.3
Class 1.4
Class 1.5
Class 1.6
Class 1.7
Class 1.8
Class 1.9
Class 1.10
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ACI Foundation Course 1 auf theknowledgebase.com >>
Audio: 2019-04-12-21-gmr-arizona-aci-foundation-01-01-en.mp3
Beginnt mit: „Alright, here we go! Uh – so I’m gonna follow the homework master …“
Die drei Hauptpfade des Buddhismus in meinen (Steffens) eigenen Worten:
1. Entsagung: Ich habe genug von all dem, was Leiden erschafft. Ich will es nicht mehr. Ich habe es satt.
2. Bodhichitta: Daraus entsteht der WUNSCH nach Erleuchtung, der Wunsch nach etwas Besserem, der Wunsch nach Erleichterung und Befreiung, nach etwas, das weniger leidvoll ist, nach etwas, das uns ALLEN hilft.
3. Weisheit: Die Erkenntnis, dass das Mittel dazu das Verständnis des abhängigen Entstehens ist, dass die Welt nach dem Gesetz von Ursache und Wirkung funktioniert. Am tiefsten verinnerlicht in der unmittelbaren Wahrnehmung von Leerheit.
1) Name the author of the Principal Teachings of Buddhism (give both his popular name
and his monk’s name), as well as his dates.
Je Tsongkapa (1357-1419)
Tsongkapa = „der aus Tsongka kommt“
Sein Mönchname der ersten Initiation war Kunga Nyingpo (PDFde15).
Als Novize und nach seiner Ordination mit 25 Jahren nannte man ihn Lobsang Drakpa (PDFde16).
Sein voller Name ist Gyalwa Je Tsongkapa Chenpo Lobsang Drakpa.
2) What is the actual name of this work?
Three Principal Paths: „Die Drei Hauptpfade“ von Je Tsongkapa (lamtso namsum)
3) For whom was the work written (monk’s name and popular name)?
Der Text der Drei Hauptpfade wurde von Lord Tsongkapa für einen seiner Schüler namens Ngawang Drakpa geschrieben, der auch als Tsako Wonpo bekannt war, der „Mönch vom Tsako Distrikt”. (PDFde18)
Die Drei Hauptpfade wurden von Je Tsongkapa niedergeschrieben, nachdem sie ihm von Sanfte Stimme eingegeben wurden. (PDFde27)
4) Who wrote the commentary that we are studying (give both his popular name and
his special name)?
Pabongka Rinpoche (1878-1941) schrieb den Kommentar zu Die Drei Hauptpfade (Lam-gtzo rnam-gsum) mit dem Titel Der Schlüssel zur Tür des Noblen Pfades (Lam bzang sgo ‘byed). (PDFde11)
5) Who was this Lama in his former life?
Pabongka Rinpoche (1878-1941) gilt als Reinkarnation von Changkya Rolpay Dorje, der 200 Jahre zuvor als persönlicher geistlicher Ratgeber des Kaisers von China gedient hatte. Pabongka Rinpoche selbst vermutete sich auch als Reinkarnation von Ngawang Drakpa, einem Schüler von Je Tsongkapa.
6) Who is the disciple of Trijang Rinpoche who wrote the introduction? Give his full
name and correct titles?
…
7) What are the three „problems of the pot“?
Geschlossener Topf (Deckel drauf) = Nicht offen sein. Die Lehre nicht aufnehmen. Nicht zuhören. Nicht achtsam sein, was geschieht.
Schmutziger Topf = Etwas anderes ist noch mit dabei, d.h. eine weitere und damit falsche Motivation (z.B. das Verlangen nach Anerkennung)
Topf ohne Boden = der Inhalt bleibt nicht drin = das Erlernte wird nicht behalten (weil es nicht geübt und wiederholt wird) (PDFde41)
Was sind die „Sechs Bilder der Anleitung“, wie man einem Lehrer zuhören sollte?
1. Stell dir vor, du bist ein Patient, weil dich dein geistiger Zustand (Verlangen etc.) krank macht.
2. Stell dir den Weg des Dharma als Medizin vor.
3. Stell dir deinen Lehrer als heilbringenden Arzt vor
4. Stell dir vor, seine Lehren exakt zu befolgen, wie du den Anweisungen eines Arztes folgen würdest, um gesund zu werden.
5. Stell dir die Buddhas als unfehlbar vor, oder deinen Lehrer als den Unfehlbaren, d.h. als Buddha.
6. Bete, dass diese Heilmethoden, die Lehren des Buddha, lange in der Welt bleiben mögen.
8) What are the three great divisions of the lam-rim texts (works on the Steps to
Buddhahood)?
…
9) Name the three principal paths.
…
10) Are they physical, mental, or are they concepts?
…
Memorization assignment: Memorize the verse called Refuge and The Wish.
…
Meditation assignment: 15 minutes per day, breathe to ten and then do analytical
meditation on renunciation.
…
Dates and times meditated (homework without these will not be accepted):
…
1) Does merit necessarily lead to nirvana and Buddhahood? Why or why not?
2) What is the Sanskrit word for the „great seal“? (Tibetan track give Tibetan term.)
3) Is there any relationship between the three principle paths and the great seal?
Between these three and tantric practice?
4) What are the two principal causes that bring about the state of Buddhahood?
5) What are the main elements of these two?
6) What are the two bodies of a Buddha?
7) Name the two causes of the two bodies. (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
8) Which of the three principal paths cause each of these two bodies?
9) What are the two obstacles to Buddhahood?
10) Why was Je Tsongkapa able to write 10,000 pages of incredibly deep and difficult explanation of Buddhism?
Memorization assignment: Memorize the verse called Dedication of the Goodness of a Deed.
Meditation assignment: 15 minutes per day, breathe to ten and then do analytical meditation on renunciation.
Dates and times meditated (homework without these will not be accepted):
0:00
The Principal Path of Buddhism = ACI Course 1
„The Three Main Paths“ is the original title
The translated book with Tsongkapa at the front is called „The Principal Teachings of Buddhism“
Q1: Name the author of the Principal Teachings of Buddhism (give both his popular name and his monk’s name), as well as his dates.
The author is Je Tsongkapa.
His monks name is Lobsang Drakpa
Je Tsongkapa real picture > big nose, big ears
Tibet. „lam“ = path, Sanskrit „marga“
here (in the Prajna Paramita teachings) lam doesn’t mean road or method, it means understanding or realization or mental state
not three methods, three differnet ways, but three attitudes
Tsongkapa nicht ohne Je aussprechen. Je means „Lord“
Or Je Rinpoche = like a jewel 10:00
Lobsang = pure mind. Lo = mind, sang = pure
Q2: What’s the actual name of this work?
Three principal paths.
Q3: For whom was the work written (monk’s name and popular name)?
This book (14 verses) = letter written to Tsongkapa’s student Nawang Drakpa
Nawang Drakpa frsutriert weil Ts. ihn nach Tibet schickt, 108 Klöster zu bauen
Nawang
If you want to have a good meditation, don’t upset other peoples mind!
Q4: Who wrote the commentary that we are studying (give both his popular name and his special name)? What are his dates?
Commentary written by Pabonka Rinpoche (1878-1941)
The whole translation = the course!
Pabonka Rinpoche Most famous teacher of the Tsongkapa tradition for 100 years
In the book MR got Ken Rinpoche (his teacher) to tell about Tsongkapa
Ken Rinpoches nephew = Geshe Lobsang Tardu
20:00 Sera May = MR Linie / Sera Jey = die „Dummen“ (Spaß)
Sera May has 12 colleges . MR = Gyalrong College
Gyalrong = the local house in the monastery for people from east east Tibet
Pabonka is from Gyalrong College. As well as Ken rinpoche …
Pabonka Rinpoches nick name = Dechen (bliss) Nyingbo (heart)
Pabonka = number three level Geshe, not numerb one level
Pabonka started teaching normal people! The „DCI / ACI“ of his time 🙂
heavily criticized, hard fights with spirits
Ken Rinpoche = Schelm und Faulpelz >> Küchenarbeit
Pabonka geht hin, hält seinen Kopf und sagt: Der hier ist was besonderes!
> Ken R. wirtd ehrgeizig und beschließt ein Nr. 1 Geshe zu werden – und schafft’s!
Wird Angi Dampo = Nr. 1 unter vielen anderen Nr. 1en
> Don’t try to fight with Ken R. !
Pabong means boulder > hermitage retreat center outside of Sera
Pabonka war nicht dort, aber Inkarnation vom Abt dort, Changkya
34:30 Geburtsdaten 1717-1786 Changkya = Inkarnationsvorgänger von Pabongka.
Changkya wrote 4 volumes Siddhanta = a study of all the schools, the biggest Siddhanta
Pabongka R. had a special student who wrote down his teachings
High Lama called Trijang Rinpoche 1901-1981
became the highest lama of his time, and taught even the Dalai Lama
Trijang R. wrote „The Gift of Liberation“ = Niederschrift Papbingkas Lehren
MR opinion: Greatest book ever written in Tibetan
Trijang Rinpoche was MR’s lama’s root Lama
Ken Rinpoche = Geshe Lobsang Tharchin (1921-2004) wrote the introduction to the ACI course
Taught MR for 30 years, MR lived with him for 25 years
Ken Rinpoches nephew = Geshe Lotar, still alive, 80 years old = debate Master of Sera Mey
Geshe Lotar helped MR survive in the monastery Sera mey
40:30 text starts with some traditional material
All lamrim text have three divisions
Class 2
ACI Foundation Course 1: The Principal Teachings of Buddhism (2019, Arizona)
2019-04-12-21-gmr-arizona-aci-foundation-01-02-en.mp3
„Alright! Answer key class two, ready? Here we go …“
0.00
Does all good karma lead to Nirvana and buddhahood?
No! There’s bad karma. Samen die du mit einen kalten Herz säst, bringen auch kaltherziges Karma zu dir! „You will get a boyfriend – but he will be a selfish son of a gun …!“ Karma funktioniert auf jeden Fall – doch es funktioniert sogar auf einer alles umfassenden Ebene, die auch dein Herz und deine tiefsten Absichten mit ein bezieht. Es ist immer noch gutes Karma, doch es ist dirty good karma – und dies führt nicht zur Buddhaschaft.
3.00
Tradition in Tsongkapa Linie: Du musst die 18 Lam Rim Kurse absolviert haben, bevor du in die geheimen Lehren (Tantra) eingeweiht wirst. Eine der größten Geheimlehren ist „Maha Mudra“. Vgl. das Königssiegel, vgl. heute die „Blackbox“ des US-Präsidenten für die Atomwaffen. Synonym für das Wichtigste, hier für die unmittelbare Wahrnehmung von Leerheit.
In der Geheimlehre Maha Mudra ein Wort für deinen spirituellen Partner = der schnellste Weg den Diamantweg zu gehen. Vgl. Tilottama = Buddhas spiritueller Partner. Tsongkapas spirituelle Partnerin = the lady with the red hat
Mehr zu den Geheimlehren in Course 17 …
9.45
Q3: What’s the relationship between the three principal paths and the great seal?
Warum reden wir über Tantra / Maha Mudra?
Du kannst die Geheimlehren (die zweiten 18 Kurse) nicht praktizieren, ohne die „three attitudes“ die dich beschützen: Die drei Hauptpfade = die drei inneren Haltungen
13.00
Q4: What are the two principal causes of being a buddha?
Method and wisdom
The two wings of the bird
Method = Boddhisatva training
Wisdom = The understanding of emptiness
14.45
Q5: What’s the main element of method, what of wisdom?
Anders gefragt: Welcher der drei Hauptpfade gehört wozu?
Entsagung und Bodhichitta zu Method,
Weisheit natürlich zu Weisheit
15.25
Special teaching: The Bodies of the Buddha – Trikaya
Bodies means parts
(Das hier ist unklar und nicht ganz zu verstehen welcher Körper was ist.
Siehe auch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trikaya)
Nr. 1 Nirmanakaya (or Rupakaya) – The physical part of a Buddha.Headquarter physical body. Inkarniere dich selbst als ein Hund um die alte Lady zu unterstützen …
Nr 2 Paradise body
Sambhogakaya – the one that goes to heaven
Emmenation body – the one you sent to other planets – das ist welcher???
Nr 3 Dharmakaya – mental state of a buddha
Nr 4 Emptiness Body Svabhavakaya – that you already have now!
1) Name the author of the Principal Teachings of Buddhism (give both his popular name
and his monk’s name), as well as his dates.
The author of the Principal Teachings of Buddhism is Je Tsongkapa (1357-
1419), whose monk’s name was Lobsang Drakpa, or „Pure-Minded One
of Wide Renown.“
2) What is the actual name of this work?
The actual name of this work is the Three Principal Paths.
lamtso namsum
3) For whom was the work written (monk’s name and popular name)?
Ngawang Drakpa, Tsako Wongpo
4) Who wrote the commentary that we are studying (give both his popular name and
his special name)? What are his dates?
The commentary that we are studying was written by Pabongka
Rinpoche (1878-1941), whose secret name was Dechen Nyingpo.
5) Who was this Lama in his former life?
Changkya Rolpay Dorje (1717-1786), the illustrious teacher of the
Emperor of China.
6) Who is the disciple of Trijang Rinpoche who wrote the introduction? Give his full
name and correct titles? (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
The disciple of Trijang Rinpoche who wrote the introduction is Khen
Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang Tharchin (1921- ).
7) What are the three „problems of the pot“?
Having the lid closed (not paying attention to what a Lama is teaching
to you), being a dirty pot (having an improper motivation for being in
the teaching), and being a leaky pot (not retaining what you have been
taught.)
8) What are the three great divisions of the lam-rim texts (works on the Steps to
Buddhahood)?
These are the three scopes: the wish to escape lower rebirths oneself
(lesser scope); the wish to escape from suffering cyclic existence for
oneself alone (medium scope); and the wish to attain full enlightenment
to benefit all beings (greater scope).
9) Name the three principal paths. (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
The three principal paths are renunciation, the wish for enlightenment
(or „bodhichitta“), and correct view of emptiness.
ngenjung semkye yangdakpay tawa
10) Are they physical, mental, or are they concepts?
They are stages of mental realization.
1) Does merit necessarily lead to nirvana and Buddhahood? (Tibetan track give Tibetan
term for merit.) Why or why not?
Not necessarily. If one’s motivation is of a lower scope or inappropriate,
the merit will lead to a good outcome, but will not necessarily lead to
nirvana or Buddhahood.
sunam
2) What is the Sanskrit word for the „great seal“? (Tibetan track give Tibetan term.)
Mahamudra.
chakchen
3) Is there any relationship between the three principle paths and the great seal?
Between these three and tantric practice?
„Mahamudra“ means the direct perception of emptiness. Mahamudra is
the natural result of practicing the three principal paths well. Tantric
practice can only be successful based on the three principal paths; in
fact, a person who practices the three principal paths well reaches tantric
levels almost automatically.
Tantric practice is based fully on the three principal paths; so much so
that, without them, one could never be successful in tantric practice; but
with them, one would almost automatically succeed in this practice.
4) What are the two principal causes that bring about the state of Buddhahood? (Tibetan
track in Tibetan.)
Method (meaning the thoughts and deeds of a bodhisattva), and wisdom.
tap sherab
5) What are the main elements of these two? (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
Method: renunciation and the wish for enlightenment;
wisdom: correct view of emptiness.
tap, ngenjung dang semkye
sherab, yangdakpay tawa
6) What are the two bodies of a Buddha? (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
The two bodies of a Buddha are the physical „body“ or part of an
enlightened being, known in Sanskrit as the rupa kaya; and the
combination of the mental and ultimate-nature parts of a Buddha,
known in Sanskrit as the dharma kaya.
suk-ku chu-ku
7) Name the two causes of the two bodies. (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
The collection of wisdom is the cause for a Buddha’s wisdom body; the
collection of merit is the cause of a Buddha’s form body.
chu-ku, yeshe kyi tsok
su-ku, sunam kyi tsok
8) Which of the three principal paths cause each of these two bodies?
Renunciation and the wish for enlightenment contribute primarily to the
physical „body“ or part of an enlightened being, and correct view
contributes primarily to the mental and ultimate-nature parts of a
Buddha.
9) What are the two obstacles to Buddhahood? (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
Obstacles to omniscience and obstacles to reaching freedom from mental
afflictions.
shedrip nyundrip
10) Why was Je Tsongkapa able to write 10,000 pages of incredibly deep and difficult
explanation of Buddhism?
He had direct communication with the enlightened being named Gentle
Voice (Manjushri).
1) Name the ten characteristics of a qualified lama. (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
a) They should be a person who „controls themselves well,“ meaning
they practice the extraordinary training of an ethical way of life
very well.
dulwa
b) They should be a person who is „at peace,“ meaning they have
achieved a high degree of the extraordinary training of meditative
concentration.
shiwa
c) They should be a person who has „high peace,“ meaning they practice
the extraordinary training of wisdom to a high degree.
nyer shiwa
d) They should have „spiritual qualities which exceed“ those of their
student, so that they can help them.
yunten hlakpa
e) They should be willing to make „great efforts,“ or take great joy in
helping their students.
tsunche
f) They should be „rich in scripture,“ or have a deep knowledge of the
sacred books.
lung gi chuk
g) They should have a „deep realization of suchness,“ meaning they
should either have perceived emptiness directly, or at least have
an excellent scriptural and intellectual understanding of it.
de-nyi rabtok
h) They should be a „master instructor,“ meaning they know their
student’s capacity well, and fit the amount and order of spiritual
information to this capacity.
make den
i) They should be the „image of love,“ teaching the Dharma out of love
for students, and not for any worldly motives.
tseway daknyi
j) They should be „beyond becoming discouraged,“ never tiring of repeating
teachings if necessary to the student.
kyowa pang
1) Name the three characteristics of an authentic teaching, one which is appropriate to
make your practice successful. (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
A teaching which you decide to practice should have three
distinguishing features:
a) It should have been taught by the Buddha.
sanggye kyi sungpa
b) It should have been cleaned of any errors: sages must have brought
the teaching to its authentic final form, having examined it to
determine whether any wrong ideas crept into it after the Buddha
taught it.
pandite ten la pappa
c) It should have brought true realizations to the hearts of master
practitioners, once they have heard, considered, and meditated
upon it. And then it must have passed to us through the various
generations of an unbroken lineage.
druppay tukgyu la trung dang rimgyi gyupa
2) List the three requirements of a good student as found in Aryadeva’s 400 Verses.
(Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
a) They are free of preconceptions, willing to try to see things a new
way.
surne
b) They are intelligent, especially in a spiritual sense.
londen
c) They have high spiritual aspirations in life, and are willing to work
hard to reach them.
dunnyerwa
1) Define what is meant by „cycle of life,“ or samsara in Sanskrit. (Tibetan track give the
Tibetan word.)
The condition of being forced, through the power of karma and mental
afflictions, to take on the impure parts that make up a suffering being,
over and over again.
korwa
2) Why is renunciation necessary to escape the cycle of life? What is the relationship
between renunciation and the wish to achieve enlightenment for all beings?
Renunciation is the true understanding that everything about your life is suffering. If you don’t believe that your life is suffering, you will not try to escape it. Once you have understood how you are suffering, you can think of how others must be suffering the same way. This then leads to the wish to free them from this suffering, and bring them to every happiness.
Steffen: Entsagung bedeutet, dass du bemerkst, dass du im „Gefängnis“ steckst und da raus willst. Wenn du nicht bemerkst, dass der Zyklus des Lebens ein Gefängnis ist, kannst du auch nicht den Wunsch entwickeln dich daraus zu befreien, und kannst folglich auch nicht daraus entkommen. Der Wunsch dein eigenes Leiden zu beenden führt zu dem Wunsch, auch das der anderen zu beenden.
3) Two of the steps of the path are meant to stop desire for this life. Name them.
(Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
Meditation on (1) the great importance of this life of leisure and fortune, along with the difficulty of finding it; and (2) our impermanence, the fact that we must die.
delnjor dunche nyeka
chiwa mitakpa
4) List the eight worldly thoughts. (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
a) Being happy when we acquire some thing,
nyekur jung na ga
b) And unhappy when we don’t.
majung na miga
c) Being happy when we feel good,
dewa jung na ga
d) And unhappy when we don’t.
majung na miga
e) Being happy when we become well known,
nyendrak jung na ga
f) And unhappy when we don’t.
majung na miga
g) Being happy when someone speaks well of us,
tura jung na ga
h) And unhappy when they don’t.
majung na miga
1) Name the four principles of action (or karma.) (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
a) Actions are certain to produce similar results.
le ngepa
b) The consequences are greater than the actions.
le pel chewa
c) One cannot meet a consequence if he or she has not committed an
action.
le majepa dang mi trepa
d) Once an action is committed, the consequence cannot be lost.
jepa chu misawa
2) List the six sufferings of a human life. (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
a) The problem that life has no certainty.
ngepa mepa
b) The problem that we always want more than we have.
ngompa me
c) The problem that we have to keep shucking off bodies, over and over
again.
lu yangne yangdu dorwa
d) The problem that we have to keep going into a new life, over and
over again.
yang yang nyingtsam jorwa
e) The problem that we go up and down in our fortunes in life, over and
over again.
yang yang tomen du gyurwa
f) The problem that no one can come along with us; ultimately we are
alone.
drok mepa
3) What is the point at which you know you have developed true renunciation?
When you think day and night of achieving freedom, and no longer have any attraction to the so-called „good“ things of this life.
1) Give an explanation of the two parts of the word „bodhichitta.“ Does it refer to the
mind of a buddha? (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
„Bodhi“ means „enlightenment,“ or „Buddhahood,“ and „chitta“ means
„mind“ or „thoughts.“ Together, the words mean „the wish to become
enlightened [for every living being].“ It does not mean „Buddha mind“
in the sense of a mind which has already reached Buddhahood, or a
mind which is somehow already enlightened and only needs to be seen
as enlightened.
jangchub kyi sem
also spelled as:
semkye
2) When do you become a bodhisattva?
You become a bodhisattva when you reach the true thought to reach enlightenment for the benefit of every living being.
3) Has every bodhisattva seen emptiness directly?
No; you can become a bodhisattva (or achieve the true wish to become a Buddha to help every living being) long before you perceive emptiness directly.
4) Can you reach nirvana (meaning become an arhat, and remove all your mental afflictions) before you become a bodhisattva?
Yes; you can reach nirvana on a hinayana path before you become a bodhisattva.
5) Name at least six benefits of developing the wish for enlightenment. (Tibetan
track in Tibetan.)
Any six of the following nine may be listed:
ge-ba nam-kyen gyi gyu
a) If you have this wish, then all your good deeds become a cause for omniscience.
hla mi chak jar u-pa
b) You become a person worthy of the honor of all beings.
nyen rang sil-gyi nu-pa
c) You outshine practitioners of the lower paths, known as „hearers“ and „solitary realizers,“ who—although they can reach high attainments such as the direct perception of emptiness, and
nirvana—have not yet reached the true wish to reach full enlightenment for others.
ge-wa chung-se tek-chen gyi chu
d) The tiniest good deed you ever do, such as feeding a scrap of food to a bird, becomes a spiritual practice of the greater way (the Mahayana.)
gye-se kyi chu-pa
e) The good deeds you do become the activity of a bodisattva.
sang-gye nam kyi se-su gong
f) The Buddhas then look upon you as their own son or daughter.
jang-chub sem-pa nam kyi pun du gong
g) All the bodhisattvas then consider you their own brother or sister.
tek-chen la shuk
h) By achieving the wish, you have entered into the „Greater Way,“ or
the „Mahayana“ (literally, the „big capacity“; meaning you have
taken on a greater responsibility, to help all living beings).
tse chik la sang-gye
i) If you have the wish for enlightenment, it is possible that you will
reach enlightenment in one lifetime—because you will be able to
practice the secret teachings of Buddhism (tantra) and it will
work.
1) Give the seven steps in the cause-and-effect method for developing the wish for
enlightenment; explain briefly why each is necessary for the next. (Tibetan track name
the seven steps in Tibetan, and explain in English.)
a) Recognize that all living beings have been your mother. Equanimity
is necessary to do this because, if you hold some close and others
distant, you cannot see everyone as a kind mother, deserving your
ultimate help—you would exclude some people.
marshe
b) Remember the kindness they have given you when they were your
mothers. The first step leads to this one because, if you do not
see everyone as having been your mother in the past, then you
cannot see everyone as having been kind—you won’t think about
the good they did for you, if you don’t see them all in a
beneficent role.
drindren
c) Decide to repay the kindness of your mothers. The second step leads
to this one in that—if you don’t see your mother as having been
kind to you—then you have no reason to pay her back.
drinso
d) Love all people with the intensity of a mother for her only child, and
wish that they could have every good thing. The previous three
points lead to this, for once you recognize everyone as mother,
acknowledge her kindness and your debt, and agree to help her
in return, the natural result is to want to give her every good
thing.
yi-ong jampa
e) Feel great compassion for all living beings; want them to be free of
suffering. The fourth step is a cause for this because—if you do
not want them to be happy, to the point of intense love—then you
have no reason to want them to be free of suffering.
nyingje chenpo
f) Decide to help everyone even if you have to do it all yourself;
regardless of the difficulty, without being discouraged, if no one
helps you. The fifth step is a cause for this sixth one because—if
you do not want them to be free of suffering—you will certainly
not choose to remove their suffering.
hlaksam namdak
g) Achieve the wish to become enlightened for the sake of every living
being; that is, develop bodhichitta and become a bodhisattva. The
previous step is the cause for this since—once you are determined
to help everyone—then you must gain the capacity to do so, by
becoming a fully enlightened Buddha.
jangchub kyi sem
also spelled as:
semkye
2) Describe the preliminary practice that precedes these seven.
One must develop equanimity towards everyone, seeing them as no
better or worse, attractive or undesirable than each other. During
countless lifetimes over limitless time up to the present, each person has
been all things to everyone else, and so everyone ultimately has an equal
relationship.
1) Name the two truths, and describe them briefly. (Tibetan track in Tibetan.)
a) Ultimate truth (ultimate reality): The emptiness of all things; that is,
the fact that they are not anything which is not simply a
projection forced upon you by your past karma.
5+7#52#,5х7#()
dundam denpa
b) Deceptive truth (deceptive reality, sometimes mistakenly referred to
as „relative truth“): all of the normal objects around you, which
seem to exist from their own side, or through some nature of their
own, but do not, and are therefore „deceptive.“
]L7#j+,#,5х7#()
kuntzob denpa
2) Explain what „interdependence“ (also sometimes called „dependent origination“)
means in each of the three Buddhist schools mentioned below. (Tibetan track students
give Tibetan word for „interdependence.“)
a) Functionalist Group: Things are interdependent in the sense that
changing things depend on their causes and conditions. This
explanation fails to cover the interdependence of unchanging
objects such as empty space or emptiness. (This group consists of
the first three classical Buddhist schools of ancient India: the
Detailist or Abhidharma School; the Sutrist or Logic and
Perceptual Theory School; and the Mind-Only School.)
b) Independent Group: Things are interdependent in the sense that all
objects, changing or unchanging, depend on their parts. This is
a comprehensive explanation, but not one which imparts the
ultimate meaning of interdependence. (This group consists of the
lower half of the Middle Way or Madhyamika School, known as
the „Independent“ or Svatantrika group.)
Course I, Class Nine, Answer Key, cont.
25
c) Implication Group: Things are interdependent in the sense that they
are a result of our projecting onto a basis of our projection. This
is the ultimate meaning of interdependence. (This group consists
of the upper half of the Middle Way or Madhyamika School,
known as the „Consequence“ or Prasangika group.)
Rх7#@kх1)
tendrel
3) Buddhism teaches that no „self“ exists. Give a description of this non-existent „self“
or self-nature, according to Master Chandrakirti. (Tibetan track students give the
Tibetan word for „self.“)
A „self“ or me does exist; there is someone who is reading this
homework right now. But there is no „self“ or „me“ which exists from
its own side, through any nature of its own, independent of the
projections forced upon me by my karma.
,5/
dak
1) Can the idea of karma (that is, ethics or morality) co-exist with the idea of emptiness,
or do they contradict each other? (Tibetan track give the words for „morality“ and for
„emptiness“ in Tibetan)
These two ideas are two sides of the same coin: things are „empty“ in the
sense of being like a blank screen. Whether I see them one way or
another depends on my own projections, forced upon me by my past
deeds, words, and thoughts. Therefore karma and emptiness are
completely intertwined, and anyone who understands emptiness
understands the need to be absolutely moral in their everyday life.
6`1#Y:20) ^+&#(#J:5)
tsultrim tongpa-nyi
2) Suppose you can understand that there is no „self.“ How does that help you stop
your bad emotions, and reach freedom? (Tibetan track students give words for „bad
thoughts“ and for „object to be denied.“)
Suppose that your boss yells at you at work. If you understand that no
self exists, you understand that this unpleasant experience is not coming
from its own side. Rather, he is like an empty screen, and you are
forced by your own past karma to see him as bad. Someone else in the
room who has better karma may be seeing this as a pleasant experience;
for example, thinking that the boss is kindly correcting an employee to
help them improve. When you realize this fact, you realize that—if you
yell back at the boss—you will make new bad karma that will make you
see him yelling again in the future. Being an educated Buddhist, you
realize that the best course of action is to respond kindly and patiently.
If you keep up this way of behaving, you will fairly quickly reach
nirvana.
J+7#2+&0) 5//#A)
nyunmong gakja