Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche - Meditation on Emptiness

MEDI1'ATION ON EMPTINESS

Khenpo Tsultrirn Gyarntso

MEDITATION ON EMPTINESS

MEDITATION ON

EMPTINESS

BY

KHENPO TSOLTRIM GYAMTSO RlNPOCHE

NALANDABODHI PUBLICATIONS

APRIL 2001

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Nalandabodhi Publications

P.O. Box 95657

Seattle, WA 98145-2657

USA

© 2001 Nalandabodhi and Khenpo Tsiiltrim Gyamtso Rinpoche

Originally published in part in Taiwan, November 1993

Not to be reproduced or otherwise distributed.

Draft Edition

ISBN NUMBER: 1-929046-07-3

Copyright Information:

• Talks and Songs on The Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness was originally published by Marpa Translation Committee, Taiwan, 1993.

• Realizing Emptiness: Commentaries on Arya Nagarjuna and the songs of Gyalwa Gotsangpa and] estsun Milarepa was originally published in Shenpen Osel magazine, Volume 2, Number 2, June 1998, pages 14-49.

• Commentary on "In Praise of the Dharmadhitu" by Arya Nagarjuna was originally published in Shenpen Osel magazine, Volume 3, Number 2, October 1999, pages 45- 56.

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CONTENTS

PART ONE: TALKS AND SONGS ON THE PROGRESSIVE STAGES OF


PREFACE ............................................................................ 7 DEVELOPING THE ENLIGHTENED ATTITUDE ................. 10 THE AUTHOR'S PROSTRATION ....................................... 11 BRIEF PRESENTATION ..................................................... 12

I. THE ABSENCE OF SELF IN THE INDIVIDUAL ...................... 15 How TO ANALYZE ............•........................•................... 17 HOW TO MEDITATE ON THE ABSENCE OF SELF ............ 23

II. CITTAMATRA (MIND-ONLY SCHOOL) ..............•..•........... 24 How TO ANALYZE ..........................•.............................. 28 How TO MEDITATE ...................................................... 32

MADHYAMAKA (A GENERAL INTRODUCTION) ...•.............. 38

Ill. SVAT ANTRIKAMADHYAMAKA ......................................... 45 How To ANALYZE ......................................................... 45 How To MEDITATE ....................................................... 47

IV. PRASANGIKAMADHYAMAKA .•...•...........•.............•............ 49 How To ANALYZE ........................................................ 49 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SVAT ANTRIKA AND

PRASANGIKA ..•...•............................................................ 53 How TO MEDITATE ....................................................... 54

V. YOGACARAMADHYAMAKA (SHENTONG) .......................... 57 THE VIEW ...................................................................... 57 How To MEDITATE ....................................................... 62

APPENDICES .................................................................... 69

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PART TWO: REALIZING EMPTINESS: COMMENTARIES ON ARYA

NAGARJUNA AND THE SONGS OF 0YALWA GOTSANGPA AND

}ETSUN MILAREPA

REALIZING THE PROFOUND ThUTH OF EMPTINESS .............. 85 THE LOGIC THAT REFUTES THE IDEA THAT ANYTHING IS

ThULY EXISTENT ................................................................. 109 EVERYTHING IS }UST APPEARANCE AND EMPTINESS

INSEPARABLE ....................................................................... 133

PART THREE: COMMENTARY ON "IN PRAISE OF THE

DHARMADHATU" BY ARYA NAGARJUNA

HOW DIFFERENT NAMES ARE GIVEN TO DIFFERENT

MODES OF COMPLETELY FALSE APPEARANCE ................... 157 AT THE MEETING OF THE CONSCIOUSNESS WITH ITS

OBJECT, THERE IS NO REAL ARISING ................................ 169

APPENDICES .................................................................. 177

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PART ONE:

TALKS AND SONGS ON

THE PROGRESSIVE STAGES OF


BY

KHENPO TSULTRIM GYAMTSO RlNPOCHE

TRANSLATED AND ARRANGED BY SUSANE SCHEFCZYK

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PREFACE

The Venerable Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche is one of the most learned Kagyii scholars, and at the same, time an advanced yogi and great poet. He is well known for his clarity and depth in explaining the traditional dharma scriptures, their commentaries, and meditation instructions according to all of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Rinpoche started teaching the dharma in the west in 1977 at the express wish ofH.H. the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa.

From that time onward he has always stressed the importance of the Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness. Even today, wherever Rinpoche is invited for dharma expositions for the first time, he teaches the meditation on emptiness.

Rinpoche has mentioned repeatedly that, before the dharma spread in Tibet, the traditional approach to mahamudra meditation in India was to meditate on emptiness. Only those who succeeded in their meditation on emptiness were admitted to mahamudra teachings. Thus, the Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness served as the preliminaries to mahamudra practice. The preliminaries of the Four Times Hundred Thousand as we know them today developed later in Tibet and has served as the traditional preparation for the mahamudra practice among Tibetans since then.

This is why Rinpoche stresses the importance of the meditation on emptiness and why there are already several booklets out on this topic. The first publication was arranged and translated by Shenpen Hookham in 1986 and has been of great benefit to many serious dharma practitioners. It was translated into French and Greek. A German publication based on this book, with further detailed meditation instructions by the Yen. Khenpo Rinpoche, has been available since 1994 in Germany. There is also an unedited transcript of a detailed commentary taught by Rinpoche at RMDC in 1991, and

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based on Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye's Treasury'of Knowledge. Even though there are already several publications on this

topic, Rinpoche wished expressly to publish these talks given on the occasion of a four-day weekend retreat in an isolated place close to Taipei, Taiwan, bearing the auspicious name Tashi. Thus, Rinpoche responds to the wishes of his numerous Tibetan disciples who again and again requested him to publish a Tibetan text on the Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness. In the end it was due to the presence of the scholar Lama Piintsog that Rinpoche took the opportunity to compose such a text. Acarya Tubten Chopellater transcribed the whole set of teachings into Tibetan. This will be entered into a computer, checked and later printed. Rinpoche also wanted to make it possible for the great number of Chinese dharma practitioners who are seriously interested in practising the meditation on emptiness to have a meditation manual in the Chinese language, to make it easier for them to practise. This present English translation will serve as the base for the Chinese edition.

In retranslating the talks from the tapes, I have tried to present a translation as close as possible to Rinpoche's words. Wherever I added something for clarification, I discussed it with Rinpoche and marked it with a footnote in the text.

Rinpoche's unique teaching style draws on his own compositions· of poetry, which summarize and further clarify the meaning of his explanations. Since, traditionally, such verses were sung in Tibet, Rinpoche sings his songs himself and has the audience sing them in English and in Chinese to relax the minds of his listeners, tense from concentrating on such a difficult topic. Rinpoche's poeJtry is printed in italics, and centered in the middle of the page. To make it possible to study the Tibetan and check my English translation, the entire composition is printed in Tibetan as well as in English in the appendix.

This booklet of the Talks and Songs on the Progressive Stages of Medi-

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tation on Emptiness would never have been possible without the immense compassion of the Yen. Khenpo Tsiiltrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, whose loving kindness is manifested in his teaching this basic, but most important point of dharma, the emptiness, again and again down through the years in all situations of life.

A strong, kind, and heartfelt request by Virginia Tsai was instrumental in convincing Rinpoche that there are many dharma practitioners in Taiwan who want to study and meditate according to his instructions. It was she who arranged for the invitation and whose open and friendly nature ensured a happy time in Taiwan for Rinpoche, Lama Piintsog, and the translators.

Since this text is very condensed and meant to serve for further explanations, it is most important that it be free of mistakes. Therefore I am extremely grateful to Karl Brunnholzl, who examined the manuscript for logical errors and provided much invaluable advice, and to Klaus Dieter Mathes, who helped with his knowledge about the topic and the Sanskrit. Any remaining flaws or errors are due to my own misunderstandings.

That this booklet is written in readable English is thanks to Alma Cristina, who spent many hours of her free time transforming my deficient renderings into correct ones. If there still are incorrect passages, it is because I failed to heed her advice.

I extend my gratitude also to all the translators I bothered with questions, including Tony Duff, who also provided the Tibetan computer program, and to all those who, with their financial support, made it possible to translate this book in a study-retreat environment. For a final proofreading I am especially grateful to Philip Pierce.

May this translation be helpful to many dharma practitioners so that the benefit of all sentient beings will be accomplished.

Susanne Schefczyk, Kathmandu, January 1995

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DEVELOPING THE ENLIGHTENED ATTITUDE

Before one engages in any dharma activity it is important to engender the precious enlightened attitude, bodhicitta.

The enlightened attitude is the intention to attain the precious state of perfect buddhahood to benefit all sentient beings, who are in number as vast as space.

Perfect buddhahood describes a state which abides neither in one-sided mere peace, nirva!).a, nor in existence, sarp.sara. It is attained through the meditation of relative bodhicitta and absolute bodhicitta.

The meditation of absolute bodhicitta enables us to cut through the root of existence.

The meditation of relative bodhicitta helps us to abandon the wish to stay in one-sided peace, namely only in nirva!).a but instead to continue working for the benefit of all sentient beings within sarp.sara until sarp.sara is emptied.

To us it is possible to attain the state of perfect buddhahood when we apply joyous effort in listening, reflecting and meditating upon the genuine dharma.

With this thought in mind we should work with the following dharma teachings.

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THE AUTiiOR'S PROSTRATION

The unequalled supreme teacher, the Lord Muni, The lords of the tenth bhiimi, Maitreya, Mafi.jusri, and

soon -To those who make up the lineage of definitive mean

ing-I prostrate with deep respect And will here explain the progressive stages of medita

tion on the absolute, that is emptiness.

There are two kinds of progressive meditation common to all Buddhists:

• The progressive meditation on the relative, which decreases mistaken appearances and the suffering which comes from these mistaken appearances, and

• The progressive meditation on the absolute, which cuts through mistaken appearances and the suffering coming from mistaken appearances radically.

Here I am going to explain the latter.

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BRIEF PRESENTATION OF lliE FivE STAGES OF MEDITATION

I. The Absence of Self in the Individual

The root of sarp.sara, the root of afflictions, the root of suffering is the concept that clings to a self, that thinks, "I", "I", "mine", "mine". To remedy this there is the stage of meditation on the absence of self

II. Cittamiitra (mind-only school)

From beginningless time, due to the power of karmic dispositions, mistaken appearances of the duality of perceived and perceiver have arisen. To purify these there is the meditation on suchness empty of perceived and perceiver, suchness empty of duality, namely, the first mahayana stage, that of the meditation of the cittamiitra school.

III. Sviitantrikamadhyamaka

The remedy which purifies the delusion, the concept, that takes all outer and inner things, all phenomena of sarp.sara and nirval).a, to be true is the sviitantrikamadhyamaka stage of meditation. It asserts that all phenomena are not existent by their own individual essence, and within it one rests in blank emptiness which is like space.

IV Priisangikamadhyamaka

To rest within the absolute nature free of all mental fabrications such as taking things to be existent or non-existent, appearing or empty, to rest in a state beyond all conceptual fabrications and perceptions of intellect, that is the stage of the priisailgikamadhyamaka meditation.

V Yogiiciiramadhyamaka (Shentong)

To rest within the true nature of mind, clear light, sugatagarbha, within clarity and emptiness inseparable, which is not only beyond a mere blank emptiness but also beyond a mere freedom from mental

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fabrications, to rest uncontrived and self-settled within that state is the fifth stage of meditation, shentong, the great madhyamaka.

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I. THE ABSENCE OF SELF

IN THE INDIVIDUAL

As the meditation on the absence of self in the individual is a meditation common to all the three vehicles, it is explained as the first step. ~

In the Buddhist tradition, at a merely conventional level, one asserts a 'self as a base for previous and future lives, as a base for karma and result. For example, one needs a self as something which comes from the previous life to this life and which will be going to the next life after one's death, or as something which is experiencing the results of previously accumulated karma. This experiencer, this 'self, is asserted merely relatively, only at a conventional level, as a mere appearance.

One may ask, what is it that comes to this life from the previous life, and, after we die in this life, goes to the next life; and what is it that experiences the result of accumulated karma? One must answer that, at a conventional level, the relative level, there is a self which has the innate nature of delusion, which passes through the lives, accumulates karma and experiences the result.

However, when one analyzes further and applies the wisdom that realizes the absence of self, one finds that this 'self does not exist at the absolute level.

Refuting a truly existing self in the individual the Buddhist tradition refers to a 'completely imputed self {kun grtags kyi bdag} and to a 'spontaneously arisen self {lhan skyes kyi bdag}.

The completely imputed self is a self which is asserted as absolutely existing in some philosophical traditions, as for example the

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atman, asserted by some Hindu traditions. It has the characteristics of being eternal, an indivisible singularity, and being independent, meaning not dependent on any causes or conditions.

The spontaneously arisen self does not depend on any religious or philosophical tradition. It is the natural reference object of our ego-clinging, the thoughts that think, "I", "1", "myself', "myself' etc. Analyzing this kind of self, one finds it does not truly exist and such thoughts are just deluded ideas.

To clarify the terms 'absolute' and 'relative':

• The way things appear is called the 'relative'. This does not describe how things really are, but only how they appear to be.

• 'Absolute' means 'beyond the relative '.It is the way things really are, it is their true nature.

The term 'true' or 'truly' {bden par} describes what is beyond any falsity or delusion. For example, the 'relative' the way things appear, is delusive and false. What is 'true' is beyond this 'relative' state. Generally one uses the terms 'truly' and 'absolutely' synonymously.

What is the reason why the self of an individual does not truly exist? The five skandhas make up the individual, the first skandha as the individual's body and the last four the mind. Therefore, the five skandhas constitute the reference object of our ego-clinging.

They are:

1. the skandha ofform,

2. the skandha of sensation,

3. the skandha of perception,

4. the skandha of formation, and

5. the skandha of consciousness.

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HOW TO ANALYZE

The reason why the five skandhas are not the self is that if each of the five skandhas were the self, we would have five selves, according to the number of skandhas.

If we analyze with logic, we will find that each individual skandha does not exist as the self.

Also the combined group of skandhas, all five together, cannot be the self because a group as such does not truly exist. Only on a relative level does there seem to be a relationship between the individual parts of a group but, if one analyzes with logic, all the single parts are separate - they are not connected. Therefore, there is no truly existent group. And thus the group of skandhas cannot serve as the basis for a truly existent self.

To understand that each of the skandhas individually does not exist as the self, we first have to analyze how it is that we take the five skandhas to be the self:

When we are stricken by an illness in our body we think, "I am sick." When we have a headache we think, "I don't feel well." In the first case we take the body to be the self. In the second case we take the head to be the self. This means that we have applied the thought that holds on to a self to the body as well as to the head.

At times when we are physically well, when we have possessions and wealth, when we are happy, we think, "I am well off," "I feel fine." Here also we take the body to be the self.

Sometimes when we have some mental suffering, we think, "I am unhappy." Here we take the mind to be the self. Sometimes when our mind is at ease, when we are happy, we think, "I am happy." Thinking like that we also take the mind to be the self.

From these examples we see that we sometimes take the body to be our self, sometimes we take the mind to be our self.

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THE SKANDHA OF FORM

Now let us point out how the body cannot be the self. Santideva explains in his Bodhisattvacaryavatara how it is that

the body is not the self. He says that the teeth, the hair, and also the nails do not have the nature of a self or the characteristics of a self, therefore they are not the self. If these were the self, then we would have many selves.

It is easy to understand that our teeth etc. are not the self. In the same way, the head, the limbs, the legs and arms, and

their smaller parts, each is not the self. If each of the parts were the self, then one would have as many selves as there are parts in the body. This is a mistaken notion. Therefore each of the parts cannot be the self.

Also, the mere. accumulation which gathers all the parts into one is not the self because, if the mere accumulation of all the parts were the self, and if one lost a leg or an arm, then one would lose one's self or a part of it. This again is a mistaken notion. Even if one has no arms or legs, one still has ego-clinging. Therefore the mere accumulation of the limbs is also not the self.

Also the blood, the skin and the flesh of the body etc. are not the self. The logic is the same.

In the same way the inner organs, all the inner parts of the body, the heart, the bowels etc., each of these is not the self, and also their mere accumulation is not the self.

If we analyze our body down to its atoms, to the most subtle parts, we find no atom, no smallest part truly existent as a self. Analyzing thus with the wisdom that realizes emptiness, we come to understand that the body, the skandha of form, does not exist as the self.

There are various verses in the Bodhisattvacaryavatara in which Santideva explains how the body is not the self. This text has been translated into Chinese as well as several western languages. It is

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very beneficial to recite and study these verses.

THE SKANDHA OF SENSATION

Why are sensations not the self? There is a great diversity of sensations, but they can be summa

rized as three, the sensation of happiness, that of suffering, and that of indifference.

If the sensation of happiness were a truly existent self, since such a self would have to be unchanging and continuous, one would have to be continuously happy and cheerful. But one is not always happy. Happiness changes into suffering. Therefore, the sensation of happiness is not the self.

If the sensation of suffering were the self, the self would have the nature of suffering. Therefore only continuous suffering would be possible. There would be no possibility for happiness to arise.

If the sensation of indifference were the self, since the self would have the nature of indifference, one would have an unchanging sensation of indifference. Then sensations of happiness and suffering could not possibly arise.

But it is not like that. The three sensations of happiness, suffering and indifference are changing all the time. Therefore, it is easy to understand that sensations are not the self. Still one has to include them in the analysis.

In brief, if there were a truly existent self, it would never change and would be there all the time. Since sensations of happiness, suffering and indifference are changing like day and night, that is, changing quickly, the skandha of sensations cannot be the truly existent self.

THE SKANDHA OF DISCERNMENT

What are discernments? Thoughts and concepts, thinking "this is clean", "this is dirty"

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are called discernments. All concepts similar to these are included in the skandha of discernment.

Why is the skandha of discernment not the self? If the discernment of thinking "this is clean" were the self, one would only continuously have the perception of clean, and the perception of dirty could not possibly arise.

If the discernment which thinks "this is dirty" were the self, then one would only have the perception of dirt, as if one were living in a heap of rubbish, and it would not be possible for a perception of clean to arise.

But it is not like that. Our discernments of clean and dirty are changing all the time. They are changing very quickly. Therefore, the different kinds of discernments do not exist as the self.

Here the discernments of clean and dirty were taken as an example, but similarly no other discernment exists as the self. One has to apply this same process of logical thinking to each discernment as in the case of clean and dirty.

THE SKANDHA OF FORMATION

The skandha of formation has two aspects:

• formations which are mental factors {sems byung yin pa}, and

• formations which are not mental factors {sems byung ma yin pa}.

Generally one speaks of 51 mental factors. Of these the first two are sensation and discernment, which have been described separately as the skandha of sensations and the skandha of discernment. The other 49 mental factors are included under the first aspect of the skandha of formation.

Formations which are not mental factors are those which one can ascribe neither to body nor to mind, but which we all experience. For example, we are born, we get old, we get sick and we die.

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There are likewise many other experiences which cannot be ascribed to mind or body. These belong to that aspect of the skandha of formation which does not arise from mind.

Why are sensation and discernment described as two separate skandhas? Because they are the root of arguments and fights and therefore the Buddha taught them separately.

The arguments of worldly beings are based mainly on sensations. In order to identify the root of worldly arguments the skandha of sensation is presented separately.

The arguments of dharma practitioners are also based on sensations, but they come about mainly due to discernments. "My view is more profound," "His view is worse", etc.- such discernments create the disputes and arguments of dharma practitioners. They are listed separately under the skandha of discernment to identify the root of dharma arguments.

All arguments and fights of dharma practitioners can be settled naturally by recognizing and developing a firm conviction that discernments do not exist as the self, that discernments do not truly exist, and that the thoughts of discernments are only delusions.

THE SKANDHA OF CONSCIOUSNESS

The fifth skandha is the skandha of consciousness. It makes up the principal mind.

The principal mind is the sixfold collection of consciousnesses:

1. the eye consciousness,

2. the ear consciousness,

3. the nose consciousness,

4. the tongue consciousness,

5. the body consciousness, and

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6. the mental consciousness.

The sixfold collection of consciousnesses does not exist as the sel£ If the eye consciousness were a truly existent self, since such a self would have to be unchanging and continuous, and the self would have the nature of the eye consciousness, that would result in the fault of seeing form continuously. If the ear consciousness were the self, one would always perceive only sound. That is not the case, so this is an error. If the nose consciousness were the self, there would be the fault of one always experiencing only smells. If the tongue consciousness were the self, then one would always experience tastes only. If the body consciousness were the self, then one would always experience only touch.

Concerning the mental consciousness, one has to analyze the mind of the past, of the present and of the future. The conscious, ness of the past is not the self- it has ceased to take place. The con, sciousness of the future is not the self- it has not yet come to pass. And the consciousness of the present is not the self because it ceases every instant, moment by moment. Analyzing thus we see that also the mental consciousness has no base to constitute a truly existent self. In this way it is easy to understand that the sixfold col, lection of consciousness does not exist as the self.

In order to purify the clinging to the five skandhas as the self

We have to develop a firm conviction that they are not the self.

This is because the skandhas each individually are not the self

And also the whole collection of skandhas is not the self.

With this conviction we have to meditate.

This means that first one has to develop a firm conviction about the

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absence of self, and then meditate. If one has not developed a firm conviction about the absence of self, the step of meditation on the absence of self will not be effective.

HOW TO MEDITATE ON THE ABSENCE OF SELF

As Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye taught in The Treasury of Knowledge, in the chapter about the meditation progression of samatha and vipasyana:

The way to meditate: Analyze what the absence of self really is with your

intelligence, Then abide evenly within the freedom from mental fab

rications.

For the meditation on the absence of self in the individual, one should first apply one's intelligence and analyze what the absence of self really is, as explained above. Having performed this_analysis one then, when meditating, abides evenly within a state free of mental fabrications.

'Fabrications' here refers to thoughts reflecting whe~her there is a self or not. One should finish the analysis and thus be free of such kinds of thoughts.

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II. CITIAMATRA (MIND .. ONLY SCHOOL)

The Cittamatra view is the first of the mahayana views. In mahayana one cultivates a special conduct which comes

from a special view. Here we are just talking about the view. There are two ~chools of thought in mahayana:

• cittamatra and

• madhyamaka.

The Buddha, the teacher, has taught:

0 you sons of the victorious one, All the three realms are mind only!

This statement asserts that the three realms are not produced by any creator nor do they arise without any cause, but they come about due to the power of karmic dispositions. In this sense they are mind only.

The three realms are:

1. the desire realm,

2. the form realm, and

3. the formless realm.

All the appearances of saJ.llSara, i.e. of the three realms, appear in one's mind. Either they appear to ourselves and it is called 'appeari~g to ourselves' {rang snang}, or they appear to beings other than ourselves and then it is called 'appearing to others' {gzhan snang}.

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The three realms appearing to ourselves is our own mind only. The three realms appearing to others is the mind of each of the

other individual beings. The appearances which appear to a deluded mind are said to be

mistaken appearances { 'khrul snang}. The deluded mind is mistaken or confused about the true nature of appearances in that it perceives them as two, as an outer perceived object and the inner perceiving mind. Thus, mind mistakes appearances for something which they are not, and it is in this sense that appearances are called 'mistaken appearances'.

This can be illustrated using the example of a dream: All the different appearances which come up in my dream are

mistaken appearances which appear only to my own deluded mind. They are my mind only.

In dependence on defining 'myself one speaks of 'others'. So, all the appearances which cqme up in the dreams of other

individuals are mistaken appearance~; which appear only to the deluded mind of the 'other' individual dreamer. That is, these dream-appearances are. only the minds of the others.

THE EIGHTFOW CoiLECfiON OF CoNSCIOUSNESSES

In the first chapter, the meditation on the absence of self, we introduced the 'sixfold collection of consciousnesses'.

The cittamatra view, however, speaks of an 'eightfold collection of consciousnesses'. In addition to the six kinds of consciousness, it asserts the 'afflicted mind' as the seventh and the 'all-base consciousnes' (alayavijflana) as the eighth consciousness.

The all-base consciousness, the eighth consciousness, is the basis for everything through its two functions as the base for storage and the base for appearance.

On the one hand, the all-base stores our karma, i.e. positive and negative activities, whatever we have done, in the form of disposi-

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tions {bag chags}. On the other hand, when it is moved or stirred up, it brings

forth appearances which are mistaken by being perceived as two, perceived and perceiver.

From the point of view of its former function, keeping the dispositions of various karmas and actions in storage, the all-base is called the consciousness which takes in {len pa'i mam par shes pa}.

From the point ofview of the latter, when it is stirred up and stored dispositions come up in the form of dualistic appearances, the all-base sets up the condition for mistaken appearances to appear, and thus it is called the consciousness which [provides] the condition { rkyen gyi mam par shes pal}.

In this way the eighth consciousness is like a tape recorder. First one tapes sounds and takes in information. Then, later, when one presses the button and turns on the machine, one can hear everything that was recorded. Thus the tape recorder provides the condition for all the information to come up again in the form of sound.

What is it that is stored in the all-base consciousness? As long as our activities are derived from an intention accom

panied by ego-clinging, all our karma- virtuous, unvirtuous or neutral actions, e.g. whether we hurt other beings or benefit them - is stored in the all-base consciousness in the form of karmic dispositions ..

Having directly realized the absence of self, that is, when egoclinging is exhausted, then one no longer accumulates karma causing rebirth in sa111sara.

However, in the mahayana tradition, the noble male and female bodhisattvas take birth in sa111sara out of their own free will and great compassion in order to benefit sentient beings. Of this you should be aware.

Once dispositions are stored within the all-base consciousness, they will never be forgotten. When a virtuous or negative action has been completed, even if a hundred or a thousand aeons pass by, the

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dispositions of that karma will not be exhausted! When the right time comes, the corresponding result will appear in the form of mistaken appearances.

If one accumulates negative karma, the mistaken appearances of suffering will arise. If one accumulates virtuous activities, the mistaken appearances of happiness will be experienced in return.

When one has directly realized the meaning of the absence of self and emptiness, and thus reached the bodhisattvabhumis as a male or female arya, all karmic dispositions· which cause rebirth in saqJ.sara vanish due to the power of the wisdom which realizes the absence of self. These dispositions dissolve like the patterns of pictures scratched on ice. When the sun shines the ice melts and with the melting all the patterns vanish.

In this way, once a male or female bodhisattva has obtained the aryabhumis through directly realizing the meaning of the absence of self and emptiness, karmic dispositions which cause rebirth in saqJ.sara dissolve gradually, as the wisdom which realizes the absence of self and emptiness becomes stronger.

When one is still under the influence of ego-clinging, however, all the mistaken appearances of the three realms continue to arise. This means that the dispositions being stored in the all-base consciousness are stirred up and moved so that they come forth again. This stirring is caused by the afflicted mind consciousness, the seventh consciousness. Thus the all-base consciousness which contains all dispositions is likened to the big unmoved ocean containing all kinds of hidden treasures. The ocean is still but then a wind comes up and moves it, causing big waves to rise. Likewise, the afflicted mind consciousness, that part of the mind which brings all afflictions, the kldas, into play, stirs up the all-base consciousness, causing the dispositions to come up in the form of dualistic appearances like the waves of the ocean. Thus the mistaken appearances of the three realms of saqJ.sara are experienced.

In this way, when the afflicted mind stirs up the dispositions of

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negative karma, the mistaken appearances of the lower realms, such as the hells or the states of hungry ghosts or animals, appear. Conversely, when the dispositions of virtuous karma are stirred up, we experience the mistaken appearances of the higher realms, the states of gods, humans or demi-gods.

HOW TO ANALYZE

All appearances of sarp.sara come about due to one's individual dispositions; this explains why it is that one and the same thing can be seen in different ways by different individuals. The same 'water', for example, is a human convention, and is perceived differently by the six kinds of sarp.saric beings.

Beings living in the same realm share the same dispositions in great measure and thus experience water in a similar way. Beings of the hell realm, for example, see water as boiling hot lava. Hungry ghosts perceive it as the manifestation of pus and blood. Animals who live in water, such as the fish in rivers and oceans, consider water their abode to live in. For us humans water is a refreshing drink and the gods regard it as nectar and ambrosia.

The dispositions of these types of beings differ and, therefore, the appearance of water is perceived in different ways, by each according to the power of the dispositions of its type.

Therefore, since appearances are due to individual dispositions, they are mistaken appearances having no true external existence of their own. They are just like dreams.

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For the six kinds of beings with the six kinds of bodies as a ripened result

Six kinds of appearances appear through the power of their dispositions.

To humans as well, who have six kinds of sense-powers, Six kinds of appearances appear, also empowered by


their dispositions.

Just as there are six different kinds of mistaken appearances for the beings of the six realms, also within the human realm we experience different mistaken appearances.

As human beings, we have six kinds of sense-powers to each of which a different mistaken appearance appears. The eye consciousness, for example, takes only form as its object. It does not perceive sound. This also is due to the power of dispositions. The object of the ear consciousness is sound only; nothing other than that can appear to it, neither form nor the like. The object of the nose consciousness is only smell, of the tongue consciousness only taste, and of the body consciousness only touch.

The mind consciousness takes all five objects of the five senses as its object. This means that forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and tangible objects appear to the mind consciousness. Besides these, all our thinking and our recollection appear as objects for the mind when we remember the past or make plans for the future, thus creating problems ahead of time, etc.

All this occurs due to the power of dispositions to which we have become habituated since beginningless lifetimes. If there were no dispositions, there would be no reason for one person to perceive six different types of appearances through his or her six sense-powers.

Here we should analyze carefully: how do the appearances of the objects of the five kinds of sense consciousness appear and how do different types of appearances, such as thinking, which are the exclusive object of the mind consciousness appear.

The appearances of the six realms are all mistaken appearances due to the power of dispositions, and thus they are mind only. Since as human beings we belong to one of the six types of beings of sa111sara, we can affirm this through our experience.

For example, one and the same person can be seen in different

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ways. This person's friend looks upon him as a friend and therefore sees him as a beautiful, nice and pleasant manifestation. That is because he is used to seeing him as a friend, and thus perceives him as the mistaken appearance of a friend.

However, the same person's enemy sees him.completely differently. The act of seeing him causes anger, and his manifestation is perceived as unpleasant and unattractive. This is only a mistaken appearance due to the mental dispositions of the one who perceives him as an enemy. When this same person is looked upon by his father, the appearance of a son comes up. This is only an appearance in the father's mind. He is used to associating the term 'son' with this particular object, that is, with this person { sgra don 'brel 'dzin}; thus the thought "this is my son" develops. All this happens merely on a mental level.

If this person has a child and the child looks at him, then the same mental process will happen from the point of view of the child. The child has the same object to look at, namely this person. But the child would associate the term 'father' with this object and will thus create the thought "this is my father". This is only a mistaken appearance in the child's mind.

In the same way, if some insects or flesh-eating animals looked at this person, then the manifestation of food or drink would appear. Associating their individual habitual thinking with that person, the carnivorous animals would think, "We will cut his flesh," and the insects, "We will drink his blood".

To the parasites in his intestines this person would appear as their dwelling place, their home. This again is a specific mistaken appearance of the parasites.

All these different perceptions of one and the same person come about only due to the different mind dispositions of those who look at him. These are our experiences. If we analyze with logic we will understand that there is not a single object appearing in exactly the same way to different individuals. None of these appearances

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exists truly in common. All of them appear in their different ways due to different dispositions, as dream-appearances do. This is the reason why they are mind only.

Changes also are a sign that appearances as we see them are mind only. When our friend becomes an enemy, it is our inner attitude towards him, our dispositions, that have changed. Yet it seems to us that it is the person outside who has changed. But this is just as it is in a dream. If, in a dream, a friend changes into an enemy, it was obviously just our mind which changed and not the friend.

With the global increase of common knowledge, things happen very quickly nowadays. One can circumnavigate the world very quickly, and news is spread over the world within minutes through radio, television, telephone, faxes etc. Together with this rapid increase in technology our ways of thinking, attitudes and thus dispositions are changing rapidly as well. They are changing so rapidly that sometimes it is difficult to figure out which countries in the world are friends and which are enemies at any given moment.

This reversal of enemies and friends in the world also proves that friends and enemies as such do not truly exist, and that they are, just as the followers of Cittamatra assert, the mistaken appearances of mind due to dispositions.

HOW TO CHANGE DISPOSITIONS

To avoid misperceptions one should deal with the situation on two levels, the absolute and the relative.

On the absolute level, we employ the meditation on emptiness free of duality, that is, free of the split into an outer p~rceived object and the inner perceiving mind. This meditation will eventually cut through all dispositions, the cause for dualistic appearances. It will completely eradicate them.

On the relative level, we use the meditation on loving kindness and compassion. This meditation embraces all sentient beings,

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including our enemies. In this way we are able to slowly change our dispositions. We get used to the idea of experiencing love and compassion even for our enemies; thus they become a pleasant appearance and slowly the whole world of appearances appears in complete purity.

In this way one should purify and change one's dispositions. The great lord of yogis, Milarepa, actualized both of these medi

tations. Absolutely, he realized the equality of enemies and friends, and relatively, he perfected great loving kindness and great compassion for both enemies and friends. It was by the power of this realization that his friends, his sister Peta and his fiancee Zisi became his students. And not only his friends, but also his enemies. His worst enemies were his uncle and his aunt. The uncle passed away early, but his aunt also became his student in the end.

This is how we should practise, for there is no other means than this.

One single person is seen in different ways, And friends, enemies and so on change in different

ways. Besides, these changes happen very quickly; Therefore we come to understand that everything is

mistaken appearance due to dispositions.

All changes are the changing of mistaken appearances. All changes are the changing of thoughts. The root of all changes is the changing of dispositions. Purify these by meditating on how everything is empti-

ness of duality, dharmata.

HOW TO MEDITATE

The meditation according to cittamatra is to abide in dharmata,

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which is empty of the duality of perceived and perceiver. To approach this state one should first recollect the view of cit

tamatra in four different steps. There are four convictions we have to gain before we can rest within such dharmata. These four convictions correspond to the 'four applications' presented in Maitreya's Distinguishing Phenomena and Pure Being.

The first conviction:

First, one has to develop the firm conviction that all outer perceived objects are just mistaken appearances.

The whole diversity of appearances which we perceive as outer objects comes about due to our dispositions. Under the influence of dispositions, objects appear to us as we perceive them and not as they really are. Therefore, they are mistaken appearances of mind.

These mistaken appearances are like appearances in a dream. Everything perceived in a dream is taken to be a true outer object, but as soon as we recognize that we are dreaming we can say, "Oh, this is only a dream and therefore these are only mistaken appearances".

Once a dream is recognized as such, then the conviction that everything perceived in it is only mistaken appearance comes naturally. In a similar way, we should become convinced about the appearances of all outer objects.

The second conviction:

If the diversity of perceived appearances is only mistaken appearances, then such appearances cannot exist as outer objects- they do not exist outside of the mind that perceives them.

In the cittamatra tradition it is said, 'outer objects do not exist'. That means there are no forms, sounds, smells, tastes and tangible

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objects outwardly. This is the second conviction, namely that the perceived does not

exist as an outer object. All objects perceived in a dream, since they are mistaken appearances, do not exist outwardly. They are only mind and, other than that, have no existence.

The third conviction:

If everything perceiv.ed, all seemingly outer objects, do not exist outwardly, then that which looks at them, the inner perceiving mind, cannot exist either.

If there were something perceived, necessarily there would have to be a perceiver focussing on that. But, since the perceived is not there outside, then also the perceiving mind which focuses out on it cannot really exist.

One then develops the conviction that the perceiver which focuses on the perceived does not exist.

For example, though one sees a flower in a dream, this flower is not really there outside. And because the flower is not there, neither the eye-faculty which looks at this flower nor the eye consciousness which sees it can be there. This is so simply because the flower is not outside. Since, as in a dream, nothing perceived exists outside, the consciousness which focuses outwardly does not exist either.

How is it then? Mind itself is confused due to its dispositions and therefore the two, perceived and perceiver, appear. The mind itself appears as both, the perceived and the perceiver, but neither of these is really there. Instead mistaken appearances appear. That is how the confusion about perceived and perceiver comes about.

The fourth conviction:

In this way neither the perceived nor the perceiver

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exists outside, and thus dharmata which is empty of both is established.

This is the true nature from the point of view of cittamatra. When we have developed the conviction of dharmata which is empty of the two, perceived and perceiver, then we just rest within this state and meditate suchness {de kho na nyid} empty of duality.

To meditate according to cittamatra, we should develop these four stages of conviction in this same order and abide within the true nature which is dha~mata, emptiness free of perceived and perceiver. Rest self-settled, uncontrived and relaxed within that state.

What is perceived is mistaken appearance due to dispo-sitions.

Thus outside nothing exists as an object. Therefore the perceiver as well does not exist And thus dharmata, empty of both, is established.

Usually a beginner is not able to abide within dharmata, empty of duality, for a long period of time. But even so, it does not matter. If after having developed the four kinds of conviction and rested just a little in dharmata, one finds a thought coming up, the same pattern should be repeated again. That is, when the thought appears we should recollect again the four convictions one after the other and rest again for some time within dharmata free of perceived and perceiver. We have to repeat this again and again.

THE FivE-PoiNT MEDITATION R::>STURE

For a meditation such as this you should keep the five-point body posture. This posture is best kept using the type of meditation-seats you are already using.

The first point:

Straighten the spine like an arrow.

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The second point:

Draw in the chin slightly like an iron hook.

The third point.

Cross the legs so that your shins describe a right angle as in a plaid pattern.

These seats are designed for the five-point body posture, so one cannot sit on them in the full vajra posture.

The fourth point:

Maintain a stable and firm position. Generally this is done by using a meditation belt.

But if there are no meditation belts available, one should just sit without moving one's body, in a very firm and stable posture.

The fifth point:

Close the lower gates and draw the wind slightly inside. When one presses the lower gates together the

wind which is down there is automatically drawn in. This should be done just slightly.

You should keep the five-point meditation posture and meditate according to the cittamatra point of view:

What is perceived is mistaken appearance due to dispo-sitions.


Rinpoche's prayer of aspiration for the cittamatra stage of medita-

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tion:


What constitutes the cause of all karma, afflictions and suffering

Are dispositions toward mistaken dualistic appear-ances.

In order to purify these, May you in this life and throughout all lifetimes Meditate perfectly on dharmata, empty of duality.

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MADHYAMAKA

The absolute view or the definitive meaning of the mahayana is described by both the cittamatra and the madhyamaka. Madhyamaka is divided into two:

• rangtong madhyamaka, empty of itself and

• shentong madhyamaka, empty of other.

The Buddha, the teacher, turned the wheel o.f dharma three times. The view of rangtong madhyamaka accords with the intention of the middle turning, in which the sutras of the prajfiaparamita, 'the great mother'' are taught.

This precious section of the prajfiaparamita sutras teaches that all phenomena are emptiness. Beginning with form up through 'allknowing primordial awareness' {mam pa thams cad mkhyen pa'i ye shes} no phenomenon exists by its own individual essence.

In the Heart of Wisdom Sutra it is said:

One should have a pure sincere view that all five skandhas are naturally empty as well.

This means that the five skandhas. which make up our body are also empty. And this emptiness is a natural emptiness. It is not that they were true and not empty in the beginning and later, at some point, the truth disintegrated and they became empty!

They are naturally empty from the very beginning. Therefore, when male or female bodhisattvas meditate on the prajfiaparamita, they have to view all five skandhas as being naturally empty. Their view must be pure and sincere. They must be convinced that all five

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skandhas are empty of inherent existence from the beginning. The thought "they are empty" does not alone suffice.

It is possible, very easily, to develop a wrong understanding of emptiness:

• If one thinks the five skandhas are empty because the Buddha has taught so and meditates on emptiness with such adoration, then this is what is called 'emptiness as the thought "it is [empty]'" {yin snyam gyi stong nyid}. This is not an understanding of the real emptiness because one thinks that things are empty only out of devotion without any valid logical reason for it.

• When, at first, the five skandhas appear to our mind and we try to dissolve them so that they become empty, that is an 'intellectually created emptiness' {blos byas kyi stong nyid}. In the beginning the skandhas seem to be there and it is only with our intellect that we try to force them away. In this way we try to create an emptiness intellectually.

• A third type of mistaken understanding of emptiness is a 'completely imputed emptiness' {kun brtags kyi stong nyid}. Here images of the skandhas associated with their names appear to our conceptual mind; thinking that they are empty is the completely imputed emptiness. If someone says, "The skandha of form," a:D. unclear picture of what one associates with 'form' will appear to the mind. To regard this picture as empty is the imputed emptiness and not the real one.

What is the real emptiness then? Let us take the five skandhas. 'Five skandhas' is just a name. There is something to which we refer with this name 'five skandhas', something to which we impute this name. This something is called 'the basis for imputation' {gdags gzhi}. This basis is not really connected to its name. One could call it anything

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else. Therefore, whatever it is which we call the 'five skandhas', this basis for imputation does not exist by its own essence. It is naturally empty from the very beginning. This is the real emptiness of which we have to be firmly convinced.

When we have a dream about a beautiful flower, 'flower' is just the name, but there is something which appears to our mind to which we give the name 'flower'. This something is the basis for imputation. The mental object, which we see in the dream with our eyes, comes about due to our dispositions. We tend to be mistaken in thinking that the thing which we see and the associated name are one. We think that the perceived object is a 'flower', but the object seen and the word 'flower' are two separate things. The name 'flower' has no essential connection with the object to which it is imputed. In this way the name has no intrinsic meaning and thus it is empty. Since we are dreaming, the object which we see, the basis for the name 'flower', also does not exist in its own essence. It is just a dream and therefore it is empty.

This is the real emptiness. Neither the name nor its basis for imputation truly exist in their own essence.

Likewise with the five skandhas: that to which we attribute the name 'five skandhas' is emptiness. And thus, since there is no truly existing basis for imputation, it is not possible to impute a name to it and,. therefore, the name is also emptiness.

As with the dream flower, a physical flower has no essential connection between itself, i.e. the basis for imputation, and the name 'flower'. The connection drawn is only conceptual through association- we see the object first and in the next moment we label it with a name.

Also here, the name cannot truly exist. The name is not a singularity. It is not single.

For something to be truly existent, it must be single; independent and unchanging.

In a dream where there are one hundred persons, if one proves

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a single person to be truly existent, all the others are truly existent as well.

Therefore, we have to analyze and try to find a single truly existent part which cannot be divided further.

Something truly existent must be independent. That means it has to be there always, not just when the right causes and conditions come together. Thus, its existence should not be dependent on causes and conditions.

If something is truly existent, it must be permanent, continuously the same, that is unchanging.

In Tibetan, 'flower' is called 'me tog' , a word of two syllables. Both syllables are separate. In the middle there is some empty space. 'Me' and 'tog' do not have any connection.

In the act of speaking the word, when ' me' is pronounced, the 'tog' is future. When 'tog' is pronounced, the 'me' is finished already; it is past. One is not able to say ' me' and ' tog' at the same time, together. They act as an entity and as an absence of entity {dngos po dngos med}. At the time when ' me' is pronounced~ then ' me' is the entity and 'tog' is the absence of entity, because 'me~ is there and 'tog' is not yet there. At the time ' tog' is pronounced, ' tog' is the entity and 'me' is the absence of entity. There is no instant when both. syllables together are the entity or both together are the absence of entity.

Even just one syllable of this name is no singularity. The sound of just one syllable covers the three times. No matter how short it might be, when one starts to pronounce it, the end of the syllable's sound is unpronounced; it is still to be pronounced in the future. When one pronounces the end of the syllable the beginning is past already. Each and every sound passes through past, present and future; thus it is divisible and not a singularity.

If you write the letters down, then even a single letter is not a singularity. One can divide the letter into tiny parts of space that the ink takes on the paper. Still each of these parts, no matter how

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small it might be, can be described by its right side, left side, up and down. So there is no smallest unit of this letter which could make up an indivisible single part.

Therefore, the name 'me tog' (flower) is not a singularity, it is not single and therefore cannot exist truly.

The same applies to the basis to which the name 'flower' is imputed. It is not single. If it is a big flower it has many petals, some petals to the east, some to the west. These are all separate and have no connection. The same is true for the petals to the north and those to the south. They are not connected. Between them there are florets. Therefore, the flower is not a single thing. This means that the basis for imputation is not single.

In the prajfiaparamitasiitras, the Buddha presented everything as being emptiness, including all bases for imputation and all names which are imputed.

The proponents of the madhyamaka proved this statement by means oflogic. Arya Nagarjuna composed six treatises, The Six Collections of Madhyamaka Reasoning, one of which is the Mulamadhyamakakarika. In these texts, he presented logical proofs to prove the Buddha's teachings on emptiness.

The Mulamadhyamakakarika, also translated into Chinese, has 2 7 chapters. It is very beneficial to study these, or even only part of them.

Nagarjuna was very important in connection with the intention of the middle turning of the wheel of the dharma. He was predicted by the Buddha himself as the one who would refute the view of existence, the view of nihilism, etc., and all fabrications of views, and who would reject clinging to views as well.

In keeping with this prediction, Nagarjuna has been the main and foremost scholar to validate the intention of the middle turning of the wheel of the dharma. He refu~ed all assertions of non-Buddhists, of the Ti:rthikas, which are the various Hindu schools of thought, ·and the lower Buddhist views. He refuted all assertions

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altogether. Thus, he became the founder of madhyamaka.

The great master NagarjunaWith logic he dissolved All assertions of whomsoever, Of non-Buddhist and Buddhist schools of thought.

Why was it necessary to refute all assertions? To make an assertion is equivalent to not holding the ultimate

view. This is so, because in holding an assertion one is clinging to a view and making up mental fabrications. Therefore, such a view is not the ultimate view.

This has been a brief presentation ofNagarjuna's work, mainly the Mulamadhyamakal<arika.

Nagarjuna's disciple, the scholar Buddhapalita, wrote an important commentary on the Mulamadhyamakakarika.

He was criticized by Bhavaviveka, a contemporary, who did not agree with the presentation ofNagarjuna's intention in this commentary. In turn, Bhavaviveka wrote a commentary from his own point of view thus becoming the founder of the svatantrikamadhyamaka.

Bhavaviveka was supported by many scholars, one of whom Santarak~ita, wrote the text The Ornament of the Middle Way (Skr. MadhyamakalaT[lkara) {dbu rna rgyan}.

The scholar Candrakirti, who wrote the text Entering into the Middle Way (Skr. Madhyamakavatara) {dbu ma Ia 'jug pa}, defended the first commentary by Buddhapalita and criticized Bhavaviveka's work. Thus he is considered to be the actual founder of the prasaitgikamadhyamaka. Candrakirti also was supported by many scholars, among them Santideva, who wrote the text A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Skr. Bodhisattvacaryavatara) {byang chub sems dpa'i spyod pa la 'jug pa}.

In this way, the madhyamaka rahgtong school split up into two, the svatantrikamadhyamaka and the prasangikamadhyamaka, based

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on two differing commentaries on Nagarjuna's makakarika.

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Mulamadhya~


Ill. SV AT ANTRIKAMADHYAMAKA

HOW TO ANALYZE

The main reasoning used in the svatantrikamadhyamaka tradition to prove that all inner and outer things are empty is the reasoning called: 'Free of Singularity or Multiplicity'.

This reasoning 'Free of Singularity or Multiplicity' is a more detailed explanation of what was explained above. There it was shown that neither the name 'flower' is a singularity nor is its basis for imputation. If the name 'flower' does not exist as a singularity, it cannot exist as a multiplicity either.

This is because a multiplicity is made up of many singularities. That means that for a multiplicity to be truly existent there need to be truly existent singularities. If that is not the case, a multiplicity cannot truly exist.

Since we have already proven that the name 'flower' does not truly exist as a singularity - any sound lasts through past, present and future -we can conclude that it does not truly exist as a multiplicity either. The same applies to the basis for imputation which we label with the name 'flower'. We already proved that it does not exist as a singularity- any particle of matter can be divided into the four directions -so it cannot exist as a multiplicity either.

Therefore, the name 'flower' as well as its basis for imputation are beyond the nature of singularities and multiplicities.

One can apply this svatantrika reasoning 'Free of Singularity or Multiplicity' to any phenomenon whatsoever to prove that it is empty of true existence.

To apply it to suffering is very useful, because every one of us, all

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sentient beings, experience many different types of suffering. And the idea that suffering is emptiness is a nice one, isn't it?

Suffering is a sensation which happens over a period of time. Thus it is divisible by each moment of the time passed. One has to find the smallest truly existing unit of time in which there is the opportunity to truly suffer. If one pricks one's finger with a needle, in which moment do we feel the pain? Analyzing it, one can divide the moment further and further into smaller and smaller units of time. No matter how often one divides it, one will only find smaller units which have a beginning, a duration and an end and are, therefore, further divisible into three. There is no smallest unit of time in which we can experience truly existent suffering.

Our obvious suffering is the suffering of suffering. Since it does not exist as a singularity, it cannot exist as a multiplicity either. Therefore, suffering is without truth.

The suffering in a dream, for example, no matter whether we dream of being burned by a fire, drowned in water, or subjected to suffering caused by enemies or friends, by the body or by possessions etc.- all this dream-suffering is just confused thoughts, and not at all true.

The same applies to the suffering of change. This suffering also does not exist as single or multiple events; therefore it has no more truth. than the suffering in a dream.

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It is beyond single and multiple, Therefore suffering has no truth, Like the suffering in a dream. The suffering of change is like that as well.

It is beyond single and multiple, Therefore anger has no truth, Like the anger in a dream. All afflictions are like that.


In these verses the reasoning of 'Free of Singularity or Multiplicity' is applied to suffering and to all afflictions. One can apply the same logic to all phenomena.

HOW TO MEDITATE

The way to meditate according to Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye's Treasury of Knowledge:

Furthermore, with a preliminary analysis a svatantrika Abides in what is complete nothingness similar to

space.

In order to meditate according to the point of view of svatantrikamadhyamaka, one also begins with an analysis. First one has to establish that no phenomenon whatsoever truly exists.T o prove this one could apply the reasoning 'Free of Singularity or Multiplicity'. Thus, one refutes any true existence. There is no phenomenon which exists by its own essence.

Through this analysis we negate any true existence. Everything that has to be refuted is refuted. The result is a complete nothingness, a blank emptiness in which nothing exists whatsoever. There is no consciousness, nor any aspect of clear light. Everything is refuted.

There is an emptiness which is just like mere space. When the analysis is complete, one should look at this nothing

ness and rest the mind naturally settled within itself. This is the way to meditate according to the svatantrikamadhyamaka.

Even while reciting you should hold the view of the Svatantrikamadhyamaka.

On an absolute level there is ell}ptiness like space, and, relatively, all appearances are like illusions and dreams. While reciting recollect this view again and again.

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The sound of the recitation, those who are reciting, the books, the letters, all of these are appearances which are just the gathering of causes and conditions, like dreams, like illusions. That is what you should recollect to be the relative level.

Absolutely there is emptiness, blank like space.

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IV. PRASANGIKAMADHYAMAKA

HOW TO ANALYZE

The prasangika are called 'prasangika', which means consequentiaiists, because they use consequences to refute the assertions of all the other schoois of thought. They attack the arguments of others with iogic {rigs pas gnod byed} and show them to be invalid, but they do not posit any assertion of their own. This means that they do not establish any view about the absolute nature of phenomena, since any such attempt wouid involve the conceptual mind. And, according to the prasangika, the absoiute is not an object to be experienced by the conceptual mind.

To refute the true existence of phenomena the prasangika use the argument that there is no true arising. If something never arose to begin with, it cannot abide in the middle nor can it cease in the end. Thus it cannot truly exist.

The two great proponents of the prasangikamadhyamaka, Candrakirti and Santideva, used this argument in their treatises. They argued that inner and outer things do not arise

1. from themselves,

2. from something other than themselves,

3. from both, themselves and something other, or

4. from neither, i.e. causelessly.

In a dream, if someone is suffering from being burned by a fire or drowning, and does not recognize that it is a dream, this person

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would take this dream-suffering to be newly arisen. Similarly, ordinary beings take the arising of suffering to be true.

They think, "I didn't suffer before, now I do, so this suffering came up newly."

Suffering simply appears as if it were truly existent, and so does its arising. In fact, however, it is only our confused concepts which take this suffering and its arising as true. But, from the point of view of the absolute, of the true nature, suffering does not truly arise. It is like the arising of suffering in a dream.

Why is there no arising? First let us take the example of a dream: The suffering caused by being burned by a fire in a dream does

not arise from itself If suffering arose from itself, then it would have to exist already

before it arises. This is logically impossible since then there would be no real arising. The prasangika refuted this point with many different logical arguments, but here I just present a brief summary.

The main reason is that for something to arise of itself it has to be there, before it arises.

Also, if that were the case, then there would be no difference between the time before and the time after its arising. And such is obviously not true.

Therefore, one can say that the suffering of being burned in a dream did not arise from itself.

Someone might argue that the dream-suffering arises from something other than itself, namely from the fire. But the dream-fire is only a mere appearance; it has no essence. There is not a single atom of fire truly existent in the dream. True suffering could only arise from a true cause. The dream-fire is not a true fire; therefore it cannot give rise to true suffering. Thus suffering does not arise from something other, as for example the dream-fire.

For the suffering in the dream to come about it not only

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requires the fire as a single cause; rather a whole collection of different causes and conditions is needed.

While one is being burned by a fire in a dream, there have to be the appearances of fire and of something to be burned, i.e. the appearance of a body. There also needs to be the appearance of some empty space between the body and the fire; otherwise they would be one and the same and that is not possible. Then the appearance of the fire and that of the body have to meet, and some thinking has to take place such as, "Oh, now I have been burned:" As long as we do not recognize the dream as a dream, we take this mere collection of causes and conditions to be a true cause for true suffering. But these are confused concepts and there never was a cause for suffering to arise.

As in the dream, the same applies to daytime suffering. Only from the point of view of confused thoughts is there suffering, but in actuality it never arises.

There is another classical argument to prove that there is no arising from something other. If you define 'other', it means 'something which is different in essence'. If, in these terms, a result arose from a cause which is 'other' than itself, this would mean that there is no essential connection between the cause and its result. This would imply a state of affairs in which any result whatsoever could arise from any cause whatsoever. For example, a banana-tree could arise from a seed of rice and suffering from happy events. That is evidently not the case.

Furthermore the argument that suffering arises from both itself and something other is illogical as well. We have already proved that it cannot arise from itself, and we have proved that it cannot arise from something other, so it is easy to understand that it does not arise from a combination of both.

Another thought could be that suffering arises without any cause. In other words, to come about the arising would not depend on any

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causes or conditions. But, if it did not need a cause to arise, then suffering would either arise continuously or it would never arise. The fact that we suffer sometimes and sometimes not occurs because suffering depends on the proper collection of interrelated causes and conditions. If these come together, we suffer; if they do not then we don't. But if causes and conditions were not needed, we would either suffer continuously or we would never suffer at all. But this is not the case.

Suffering is like the suffering of being burned by fire in a dream.

Because it has not arisen from any of the four extremes, It is something which does not arise. The thought itself, which clings to its arising - this is

deluded.

With the example of a dream, it is easy to understand that the suffering of being burned by a fire never arises, that it does not arise from itself or from something other than itself, or from both or neither of these. Thus it does not arise from any of the four extremes.

When suffering does not arise, why is it that it seems to have arisen? It is just a confused thought that takes the arising to be truly existent. We merely think, "Oh, now suffering has arisen newly," but this is confused thinking.

Therefore, the arising is due to one's own flaw, the flaw of confused concepts.

Arguing like this, the prasati.gikas refute all schools of thought which assert true arising from any of the four extremes. In order to reverse the wrong views of others the prasati.gikas refute arising, but other than that, those who have perfected the view of this tradition do not assert that there is 'non-arising'. Since they do not make any assertion whatsoever, they do not assert non-arising either. That they refute arising is just in order to refute the assertions of others and not to posit any assertion of their own.

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To summarize the view of prasangikamadhyamaka: the absolute is free of all mental fabrications, and the relative involves appearances which are the mere coming together of interrelated causes and conditions. As it is with dream appearances or illusions, in all phenomena appearance and emptiness are inseparable.

THE DIFFERENCE BE1WEEN SVATANTRIKAMADHYAMAKA AND

PRAsANGIKAMADHYAMAKA

Concerning absolute truth the approaches of svatantrika and prasangika differ:

The svatantrikamadhyamaka tradition refutes truth and asserts no truth, refutes arising and asserts no arising, etc.

In the prasangikamadhyamaka tradition there is no assertion at all. The absolute is free of any assertion of emptiness, because it is beyond all conventions and mental fabrications. Any speculating about existence, non-existence, appearance, emptiness, thing, nonthing, etc. would involve such mental fabrications.

Santideva says:

The absolute is not an object of experience for the conceptual mind.

The conceptual mind is alleged to be the relative.

This means that our mind works only on a relative level and we cannot experience tqe absolute on a relative level. There is nothing to be conceptually grasped in the absolute. All assertions about existence, non-existence, etc. are on the relative level. Because the absolute is beyond all mental fabrications, it is not an object of experience for the relative mind, which works only conceptually.

The prasangika and the svatantrika also have different approaches towards relative truth.

In the tradition of the prasangika, there is no difference between appearances in a dream and non-dream appearances.

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MEDITATION ON ·EMPTINESS

In the tradition of the svatantrika, the dream appearances belong to what is called the 'mistaken relative' {log pa'i kun rdzob} or the 'deluded relative' { 'khrul pa'i kun rdzob}.

Whereas non-dream appearances, what one sees with nondeluded faculties, belong to what is called the 'true relative' {yang dag kun rdzob}. In this way, the svatantrika distinguish two levels of the relative.

HOW TO MEDITATE

The way to meditate accords with Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye's Treasury of Knowledge:

[For a] prasangika the object to become accustomed to, the dharmadhatu, [and] what becomes accustomed to, the mind,

Are inseparable, like water being poured into water.

What one has to become accustomed to or what has to be meditated upon in the prasangika tradition is the dharmadhatu or dharmata or emptiness.

What is becoming accustomed or meditating is the mind. While one is resting, the dharmadhatu and the mind should be inseparable.

What is to be meditated upon, the dharmadhatu, is free of all mental fabrications. Also the mind which meditates is free of all mental fabrications. Therefore, what is to be meditated upon and the meditator are inseparable.

If one pours water into water, they mix and become inseparable. In the same way, the object of meditation and the meditator have to be inseparable. Since both are the same in essence, namely, free of all mental fabrications, they should stayinseparably blended as water stays blended with water.

Rinpoche's prayer of aspiration for meditation:

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Within dharmata free of the mental fabrications of existence and nonexistence,

Having completely pacified all mental grasping of 'it is' and 'it is not',

Through being skilled in resting within a state free of creating,

May you actualize the true nature which is free of mental fabrications.

One should rest within dharmata, i.e. within emptiness which is free of all mental fabrications. There is no pondering about whether things exist or do not exist etc.

How then does one rest one's mind? There should be no grasping in any way, such as thinking "it is" or "it is not", and, as one is resting without focal directiveness {dmigs pa'i ltas so med par}, all mental fabrications should be pacified. Once mental fabrications are pacified, how does one meditate further?

One has to abide within a state free of all creation without making up anything. Any mental creation is mental fabrication. One should be skilled in resting within a state free of any creating. Then one will realize the true nature which is free of mental fabrications.

This is my aspiration: based upon your skill in resting without creating anything, may you directly realize the true nature which is free of mental fabrications.

Thus, within the object of meditation, dharmata, free of fabrications, the mind, that is the meditator, pacifies all ways of grasping, such as 'it is' or 'it is not'. Within non-creating rest relaxedly!

Lacking sharp awareness - that is dullness. Not being embraced by the experience of clarity - that

is haziness. Being close to falling asleep - that is drowsiness. If any of these three occurs Then straighten up your body, direct your gaze towards

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the sky, Also, sometimes do body exercise or yoga.

Being distracted towards outer objects- that is digres, sion.

Not finding the slightest rest - that is restlessness. Being distracted towards all different kinds of objects -

that is scattering. Thinking "I am resting" and not being conscious of it

that is undercurrent movement. Resting, and grasping this resting as such- that is self,

preoccupation. Concerning these, Loosen up your body, direct your awareness towards the

navel And rest relaxedly within a state free of creating.

In the post,meditation period maintain the illusionlike samadhi. This means that whatever you do after the session, when you take a break, recollect again and again your conviction that all phenom, ena are illusory.

'You can maintain the illusionlike samadhi while you work at all different kinds of jobs, when you do body exercises or Tai,Chi, when you go out for a walk with others, etc. At all times just maintain your conviction that all appearances are like illusions.

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V.YOGACARAMADHYAMAKA (SHENTON G)

THE VIEW

The third turning of the wheel of the dharma consists of that section of sutras in which the meaning of sugatagarbha, that is the buddha nature, is taught. This is known as shentong or the great madhyamaka.

The Buddha, the teacher, taught these sutras to beings of supreme abilities, to male and female bodhisattvas possessed of great wisdom. He taught that the sugatagarbha is potentially present in all sentient beings in the same way as butter is contained in milk, sesame oil in the sesame seed, or gold or silver in gold ore or silver ore.

It is not that good and pure sentient beings, like gods and humans, possess sugatagarbhla and lesser beings, like hell beings, hungry ghosts, or animals, do not. Rather it is taught that all sentient beings limitless in number possess buddha nature, sugatagarbha.

And, because all sentient beings possess sugatagarbha, when the right causes and conditidns come together, any sentient being is capable of attaining the state of perfect buddhahood.

Included in the treatises expounding the sutras that teach the sugatagarbha are some of the Five Treatises by Arya Maitreya, the supreme lord dwelling on the tenth bodhisattvabhumi. Especially the fifth of these, the Mahayanottaratantra {thegpa chen po'i rgyud bla rna}, describes the sugatagarbha in a clear, easy-to-understand way.

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The Mahayanottaratantra is divided into seven 'vajra points':

1. Buddha,

2. Dharma,

3. Sangha,

4. Element, i.e. sugatagarbha,

5. Enlightenment,

6. Qualities, and

7. Enlightened Activity.

The fourth vajra point, the element, presents the sugatagarbha. It explains briefly the reasons why all sentient beings possess buddha nature; it gives an expanded explanation of the ten different aspects of sugatagarbha; and it presents nine clarifying examples of how the buddha nature is covered over by adhering obscurations.

Those who wish to study the sugatagarbha in detail should study the Mahayanottaratantra. Studying the fourth vajra point alone will be of great benefit. The root text has been translated into English and there is an old Chinese translation as well.

Here, however, I will explain the sugatagarbha only in brief, main"ly for the benefit of those who are interested in practising the progressive meditation.

The true nature of mind, clarity and emptiness insepa-rable,

Is well known as the 'clear light sugatagarbha'. To purify the adhering stains of delusion Many steps of view, meditation and conduct are taught.

The true nature of mind of sentient beings is empty in essence yet it is naturally clear light. Clarity and emptiness are by nature insepara-

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ble. To describe this, the Buddha used the term 'clear light sugatagarbha'. Since that time, the true nature of mind, the inseparability of clarity and emptiness, has been referred to as sugatagarbha. The true nature of mind, sugatagarbha, is the absolute buddha. Nevertheless it is temporarily obscured by the adhering stains of one's delusion, in the same way as the sun is temporarily covered over by clouds, as water is stained by mud, and gold by impurities.

In order to enable sentient beings to purify these adhering stains of delusion, the Buddha, the great teacher, the capable one, who is endowed with great loving kindness and compassion, taught many progressive steps of meditation, beginning with the absence ofself in the individual, through the vajrayana, mahamudra, and maha-ati. He taught the view, meditation and conduct for each of these steps.

Concerning the progressive view, meditation and conduct of shentong, one has to develop a firm conviction that the true nature of mind is inseparable clarity and emptiness. It is about the true nature of mind, the element, the essence of the sugatas, the essence of the buddha, or the absolute buddha, that one has to be convinced.

The lord of yogis, Milarepa, taught:

To explain the three nails of fruition: Sarp.sara is nothing to be discarded to somewhere else. Nirvar:ta is nothing to be obtained from somewhere else. I am convinced that my own mind is the Buddha.

Here Milarepa presents what is also at the heart of the shentong view. When one is convinced that one's own mind is the Buddha, this has the same meaning as the view that one's own mind is sugatagarbha.

To explain Milarepa's words: At the stage of fruition there are three profound points to be

considered, the. three nails. What are these three nails?

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Saq1sara is nothing to be discarded to somewhere else.

Whatever is called saq1sara is, like a dream, a mere appearance coming about due to confused conceptualization. It is only as such, and not in essence, that saq1sara exists. This means that it has no true existence. Something which does not truly exist cannot be abandoned. Therefore, saq1sara is nothing to be discarded to somewhere else. If it were truly existent, it would be something that could be abandoned. But all of saq1sara's appearances lack true existence, as dream appearances do. They do not come from anywhere, therefore they cannot go to anywhere.

Nirval).a is nothing to be obtained from somewhere else.

Nirval).a is nothing to be gotten from somewhere other than oneself. One's own true nature of mind, sugatagarbha, is the absolute buddha. That is the absolute nirval).a. It is contained within oneself. Therefore this nirval).a is nothing to be obtained from somewhere else; it is nothing one can purchase or buy somewhere.

If nirval).a is nothing to be obtained and saq1sara is nothing to be abandoned, what is it that one has to actualize?

I am convinced that my own mind is the Buddha.

One has to cut one's doubts and gain the conviction that one's own true nature of mind - clarity and emptiness inseparable, the clear light sugatagarbha - is the absolute buddha.

Milarepa himself said, "I have cut my doubts; I am convinced that my own mind is the Buddha". In this same way, we should trust in our buddha nature, the Buddha within.

For this reason, through practising the profound genuine dharma, one purifies the adhering stains of deluded conceptualization, including the dispositions attaching to them, and the true nature of mind, clarity and emptiness inseparable, or expanse and awareness inseparable, the absolute buddha, is actualized. Thus one

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becomes a buddha. In the same context there is one prayer of J amgon Kongtrul

Lodro Thaye's Calling the Lama from Afar:

Though my own mind is the Buddha, I do not recognize it.

Though thoughts are the dharmakaya, I do not realize what that means.

Though the uncontrived is the natural [state], I am not able to guard it.

Though resting self-settled is the true nature, I do nor really trust in it.

Kind lama, look at me with your compassion, Grant your blessing that self-awareness will be liberatfd

t

into its own state.

In this prayer we confess four faults concerning our understanding of the buddha nature, sugatagarbha:

• the fault of not recognizing it,

• the fault of not realizing its meaning,

• the fault of not being able to guard the uncontrived natural state of mind,, and

• the fault of not trusting in it.

Thinking about these four faults of one's own, one prays to the lama, asking for his compassion and his blessing that self-awareness will be liberated into its own state.

Self-awareness here means the primordial awareness which is self-aware, which is aware of itself.

This awareness is temporarily covered over by the adhering obscurations of conceptualization. Eliminating these obscurations causes self-aware primordial awareness to be uncovered and thus

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liberated into its own state.

HOW TO MEDITATE

The shentong way to meditate according to Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye in his Treasury of Knowledge is:

[In) shentong one rests without conceptualizing within great clear light.

All [schools) also accord in the essential point, the 'mere freedom from mental fabrications'.

How does one meditate according to the shentong tradition? Since the true nature of mind is clear light or clarity and empti,

ness inseparable, one has to rest self,settled, uncontrived, and relaxed within the state of clear light.

All the various steps of meditation of the different schools of thought, from the absence of self in the individual up through shen, tong, accord in the essential point of meditation being merely free, dom from mental fabrications. They all differ on how they describe this mere freedom from fabrications, but they agree insofar as their meditation of the absolute is simply freedom from fabrications.

The sravakas analyze the absence of self in the individual and then rest within this state, free of mental fabrications. In cittamatra one rests within an emptiness free of duality and thus free of mental fabrications etc. This means that, in all the schools, during absolute meditation one does not conceptualize anymore. Once the analysis is finished, one simply rests without making up thoughts such as "there is no self in the individual" or "there is an emptiness free of duality". Thus, all schools differ as to the state of the absolute in which to rest, but they all agree that meditation is freedom from mental fabrications.

Thus in shentong one abides within the true nature of mind -

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clear light free of mental fabrications, the mind settled within itself, uncontrived and relaxed.

The lord of yogis, Milarepa, described how one should abide naturally within clear light:

Rest as a small child in your own way of being. Rest as an ocean without waves. Rest as the flame of a butter lamp within clarity. Rest as a human corpse without any self-concerns. Rest as a mountain immovable.

The first example of how to rest and relax the mind:

Rest as a small child in your own way of being.

A small child in a shrine room sees all the statues, the pictures and so on. It sees everything within the shrine room, but it is still too young to make any associations when seeing these things. It would not think, "This is this" or "That is that." It would not attach a conventional name to a thing itself and label it. Still, all things appear to the child's sight. Whatever a small child perceives- forms, sounds, smells, tastes, or tangible objects - as long as the child is still young, it would not associate a name with any of these things. It simply sees the things, hears the sounds, smells the smells and so on, but does not yet make the mistake of taking the actual basis of imputation and its imputed name to be one, as we ourselves do when we automatically make associations, label things, and then take the label and its basis to be one and the same thing. A small child does not do that.

Here we are told to rest in the same way as a child does. We do not need to reject appearances, but we should not label them. We should not create any conceptual association. For example, if we sit in meditation and there is a flower in front of us, we do not have to close our eyes or take the flower away. We may look at the flower,

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but we should not think, "Oh, this is a flower." If something appears in sight of our eyes, it is all right, but we should not label it and hold on to it conceptually. In that way, without grasping on to anything that we perceive, we should just rest relaxedly in the true nature of mind. This makes meditation very easy because, even if there is sound outside, we are not disturbed by it. We do not have to reject the sound, we may listen to it. However, the only thing we should not do is to conceptually grasp the sound. No matter what we perceive -forms, sounds, smells etc. - we should not conceptually grasp them, but instead rest within the true nature of mind, the clear light.

The second example says,

Rest as an ocean without waves.

Here the ocean is described as not having any waves. It is not agitated by wind. It is a very calm ocean.

This line refers to the hindrances to samadhi. There are two main faults that hinder samadhi: dullness and restlessness.

This meditation method provides the remedy against restlessness, which is an outwardly oriented distraction. It exhorts us to rest undistractedly, that is, not to be distracted by thoughts of the three times. Such thoughts are the waves that move on the ocean. When we think, "Yesterday I did this," or "Tomorrow I am going to do that," or "Now I am meditating"- these are thoughts of the three times. These thoughts are like the waves on the ocean. The ocean is not still. In the same way, when we are meditating, we should not be disturbed by any thoughts of friends, enemies, attachment to friends, aversion towards enemies and so on. The meditation should be unmoved by thoughts. Instead, we should simply rest relaxedly in the true nature of mind, the clear light, like an ocean not moved by wind but completely calm and still.

Rest as the flame of a butter lamp within clarity.

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When a butter lamp flame is not moved by wind, it does not flicker but shines completely bright. Again, this is an example of how we should rest. The meditation should be accompanied by clarity.

This method is a remedy against dullness. Explaining the prasati.gika meditation, I mentioned three faults similar to each other which hinder samadhi. These are dullness, haziness, and drowsiness:

Dullness results when one is not able to keep a sharp awareness. Haziness means that one is not held by an experience of clarity. And drowsiness happens when the meditation is mixed with

sleep so that one is about to fall asleep. If any of these faults occur or if all of them come up, one is not

able to meditate in true samadhi. Therefore they must be remedied. The first fault, dullness, in which one is not able to keep a sharp

awareness, has to be counteracted with the strength of self-aware primordial awareness. Developing self-aware primordial awareness gives us the power to maintain sharp awareness.

The second fault, haziness, where one is not held by an experience of clarity, has to be counteracted by purposely resting within the true nature of mind. Knowing that the true nature of mind is clear light, or clarity, one should create this clarity. Once this clarity is produced let the mind rest, let it settle into its own state and rest within this clear light.

The third fault is drowsiness. At the point when one falls asleep the six kinds of consciousness are drawn inside and stop functioning. When drowsiness occurs in meditation, one has to watch that they do not stop functioning. Let the consciousnesses continue to function clearly, but do not grasp at any of the experiences. If you allow the consciousnesses to function then you will not fall asleep. Appearances do not have to be rejected; simply do not grasp them conceptually and rest your mind in clarity.

The fourth example says,

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Rest as a human corpse without any self-concerns.

When someone passes away and his human corpse is left, this corpse does not have any self-concerns any more. It does not think, "I am a human corpse" or "Of all the human corpses! am the best." Neither does it think, "Oh, this coffin, my box in which I am lying is very comfortable; it is the best box of all." This human corpse is completely free of thoughts, completely free of self-concerns.

In the same way, when we sit and meditate we have to be free of self-concerns. We should not think, "I am a good meditator" or "Of all the meditators, I am actually the best:" Neither should we think, "Oh, my experiences today are extraordinarily good". We should give up all self-concerns.

If we have thoughts like "I am a good meditator," our meditation is distracted by ego-clinging. We still cling to a self.

If we think, "I am the best meditator of all," the meditation is distracted by great pride.

As soon as we think, "Oh, I am having such good experiences today," the meditation is distracted by attachment accompanied by desire. Such thoughts as in these three cases will not allow a true samadhi to arise in our mind-streams.

If the meditation is accompanied by self-concerns such as these, one has to remedy them by recognizing them.

We have to recognize our ego-clinging as ego-clinging and acknowledge that we have ego-clinging, that there is still ego-clinging in our meditation.

In the same way, when pride arises we have to recognize it as such. We have to recognize that we meditate with pride.

And lastly, we have to see that there is still attachment and desire involved in our meditation.

If we do not recognize such self-concerns, then we cannot free ourselves from these three faults. Then, no matter how much we meditate, our realization will not increase. Therefore, simply recog-

66


nize such faults and rest relaxedly in the clear nature of mind. Once any one of these faults - ego-clinging, pride or attach

ment- is recognized, one has to look straight at the essence of the concept accompanying it.

When there is a thought such as "I am a great meditator," it should be recognized as ego-clinging. Then look at the very essence of this thought. The very essence of this thought is clear light, clarity and emptiness inseparable. Seeing the very essence of this thought, seeing clear light and emptiness, simply relax into this clear light and emptiness.

When a thought such as "I am the best of all meditators" comes up, it has to be recognized as pride. Again, took at the essence, see that it is clarity, clarity and emptiness inseparable, and just relax into this state of clarity and emptiness inseparable.

If a thought arises such as "Oh, today I am having good experiences", then this is attachment, Recognize it as attachment and look at the essence. The essence is clear light, clarity and emptiness inseparable. Then simply relax into this state.

This is how to relax into the essence of such thoughts. In order to recognize one's thoughts as ego-clinging, pride or

attachment one has to look with the eye of one's wisdom, with the eye of one's intelligence.

The fifth example states,

Rest as a mountain immovable.

A mountain cannot be moved by wind no matter how strong a storm, there might be. Wind cannot move any mountain. In the same way when resting within the true nature of mind, the clear light, one should not be moved by anything. No matter what kinds of objects or conditions influence us, no matter how strong or how fierce conditions may be, whether there are very strong negative conditions or very strong positive conditions, we should not be moved in any way. Rest within the true nature of mind, the clear

67


light, immovable.

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Rinpoche's concluding wishing-prayer for all of us:

Within the true nature of mind, clarity and emptiness inseparable,

Through being skilled in resting free of the creations of rejecting and accepting,

Not rejecting conceptual fabrications and characteristics but having them be self-liberated,

May you manifest the absolute buddha.


APPENDICES

69


~ 1 1~~·;.JitlT;.J'1;.J·~~·~q·q~·~qr;ir~r;·11

~rt:l~a·~qr;·~~·s;.J~·q·Q_~;_J·~sr;~·~~~11

70

~~·~~·q~~·q·~;.J~'"'l'~~·~·~11

~~·~;.J·~r;·~~·~;.J'~;.J'Q,~.:l\'~\511

~r;·~.:l\·t:l~~·~·~~·q·~~qa·~.:l\11

~r;·t.f~·~·~~·~,r;-q~~·£l~·~r;·11

~r;·rra·l~~·qQ_r;·q~~·~·;.J·~q·~.:l\11

t:]~~·~\~~·4~·~~·~r;·q~;_J'q.:l\'511

~;.J·~~·~~·~~·~~·q~·~~~·~~'"-l\1 ....,..- 1:\.

~r;·q·~;.J·~~·q~·C!j~~·~q~·~~·4.:!\11

~qr;·tr-~;.J·~~·~~·qa·~·"'l·~r;·ll

~r;·q·~;.J·~~·4.:!\'t:]Q,t;'t:]~'C!j~~·~q~11

~·~·~~~'"'l';.Jir;·~z;-~·l~~·~~11

~~:r~~~·"'l·~~~·~.:l\'t:]'~·l~~·~r;·11

~.:1\'t:]'~·~ r;·~j'~r;·~.:l\'t:l~·~ .:1\11 1:\. 'Y"'

£l;.J~'~\t:l~'C!j~~·~"'l·~r;·~ ~·q.:l\·~ 1


APPENDIX I

The Author's Prostration

The unequalled supreme teacher, the Lord Muni, The lords of the tenth bhumi, Maitreya, Maiijusri, and so on -To those who make up the lineage of definitive meaning -I prostrate with deep respect And will here explain the progressive stages of meditation on

the absolute, that is emptiness.

The Absence of Self

In order to purify the clinging to the five skandhas as the self We have to develop a firm conviction that they are not the

self. This is because the skandhas each individually are not the

self And also the whole collection of skandhas is not the self. With this conviction we have to meditate.

Cittamatra

For the six kinds of beings with the six kinds of bodies as a ripened result

Six kinds of appearances appear through the power of their dispositions.

To humans as well, who have six kinds of sense-powers, Six kinds of appearances appear, also empowered by their dis

positions.

One single person is seen in different ways, And friends, enemies and so on change in different ways. Besides, these changes happen very quickly; Therefore we come to understand that everything is mis

taken appearance due to dispositions.

71

72


~~·q·f!~~·~l·~a.r~r;-~~·q·~~1l - " ~~·q'f!J.l~·~l·~~·~~·~~·q·~~ll

~~·qa.·~·q·qqpij~~·~~·q·~~11

f!J.l~·~l·~~~·~r;·~~·~l·~J.l·~·~r;-ll

~~r;-q·q~·Oj~~·~~·~r;·5~11

5·~~·~~·~·~q·q·~lll ~·5~·a,~~·qa,r;-J.l·~q·q~,,

~~~·~r;-~~·~\~q·q·~~ll

~~·~~·~~·q~~·\l~·~·~~·~~·q11 ~~~·~r;-~~·qa·qql'059~·~r;-qa·5~l1

~·q·a,~·lr;-~·~q~·f!~~·~l·~11 "--" - .~ 9'?~·~r;·Ci)~''?l·~q'\?'~J.l·~~·"~1

- - " ~q·lq~·a,~~~·q·~·~q·~~11

~·lr;-~~~·~q'J.lf!Q,'~J.l~11 ~r;·~·~~·~~·a~\q·~n

~9~·q~·~~~·q:~;,·~E(l·q·~~ 11


All changes are the changing of mistaken appearances. All changes are the changing of thoughts. The root of all changes is the changing of dispositions. Purify these by meditating on how everything is emptiness of

duality, dharmata.

What is perceived is mistaken appearance due to disposi-tions.


Prayer of Aspiration for Meditation on Cittamatra

What constitutes the cause of all karma, afflictions and suf-fering

Are dispositions toward mistaken dualistic appearances. In order to purify these, May you in this life and throughout all lifetimes Meditate perfectly on dharmata, empty of duality.

Madhyamaka

The great master Nagarjuna -With logic be dissolved All assertions of whomsoever, Of non-Buddhist and Buddhist schools of thought.

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Svatantrikamadhyamaka

It is beyond single and multiple, Therefore suffering has no truth, Like the suffering in a dream. The suffering of change is like that as well.

It is beyond single and multiple, Therefore anger has no truth, Like the anger in a dream. All afflictions are like that.

Prasailgikamadhyamaka

Suffering is like the suffering of being burned by fire in a dream.

Because it has not arisen from any of the four extremes, It is something which does not arise. The thought itself, which clings to its arising- this is

deluded.

Prayer of Aspiration for Prasarigika Meditation

Within dharmata free of the mental fabrications of existence and nonexistence,

Having completely pacified all mental grasping of 'it is' and 'it is not',

Through being skilled in resting within a state free of creating,

May you actualize the true nature which is free of mental fabrications.

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Shentong

The true nature of mind, clarity and emptiness inseparable, Is well known as the 'clear light sugatagarbha'. To purify the adhering stains of delusion Many steps of view, meditation and conduct are taught.

Concluding Wishing Prayer

Within the true nature of mind, clarity and emptiness inseparable,

Through being skilled in resting free of the creations of rejecting and accepting,

Not rejecting conceptual fabrications and characteristics but having them be self-liberated,

May you manifest the absolute buddha.

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APPENDIX II

Lacking sharp awareness - that is dullness. Not being embraced by the experience of clarity - that is haz-

iness. Being close to falling asleep- that is drowsiness. If any of these three occurs Then straighten up your body, direct your gaze towards the

sky, Also, sometimes do body exercise or yoga.

Being distracted towards outer objects- that is digression. Not finding the slightest rest - that is restlessness. Being distracted towards all different kinds of objects -that

is scattering. Thinking "I am resting" and not being conscious of it - that

is undercurrent movement. Resting, and grasping this resting as such - that is self-preoc

cupation. Concerning these, Loosen up your body, direct your awareness towards the

navel And rest relaxedly within a state free of creating.

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APPENDIX III

The four Applications

As for progressing in correct application, There are also four aspects: The application which is to focus, The application which is not to focus, The application which is not to focus on that which

focuses, The application which is to focus on that which has no

focus.

Commentary by Mipham Rinpoche

As for progressing in correct application, there are also four aspects:

1. First progressing in the application which is to focus on all phenomena as mind only.

2. Then, in consequence, progressing in the application which is not to focus on that which is perceived.

3. Then, in consequence, progressing in the application which is not to focus on 'that which focuses on what is perceived', i.e. that perceiver itself.

4. Then, in consequence, progressing in the application which is to focus on 'that which has no focus at all, neither on what is perceived nor on a perceiver', i.e. suchness.

One should know that in this way non-conceptual primordial awareness is developed.

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PART TWO:

REALIZING EMPTINESS:

COMMENTARIES ON ARYA

NAGARJUNA AND THE SONGS OF

GYALWA GOTSANGPA AND }ETSUN

MILAREPA

BY

KHENPO TSOL TRIM GY AMTSO RlNPOCHE

TRANSLATED BY ARl GOLDFIELD

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REALIZING THE PROFOUND TRUTH OF EMPTINESS

Before we listen to these teachings, Rinpoche asks that we all give rise to the precious attitude .of bodhicitta, the awakening mind, which means that not only for our own benefit, but rather for the benefit of all sentient beings, who are limitless in number as space ~s vast in extent, we aspire to attain the precious state of buddhahood, which abides neither in the cycle of existence (sal!lsara), nor in some one,sided cessation of suffering or some kind of individual peace (nirval).a).

In order to attain the precious rank of buddhahood for the ben, efit of all sentient beings, we must generate in our hearts great enthusiasm. We must generate the attitude that we will listen to, reflect upon, and meditate upon the teachings of the genuine dharma with all of the diligence and enthusiasm that we can muster.

At this time, when we have attained this precious human body, endowed with the wonderful qualities of faith, diligence, and intelli, gence, it is very important for us to use our time well. And the way to do that is to listen to, reflect upon, and then meditate on the genuine dharma.

When we are studying and reflecting on the meaning of the dharma, what are very important are the explanations of how the cycle of existence and nirvat).a - the transcendence of that cycle of existence - appear, and how they really are - what is their true nature.

Along those lines, tonight Rinpoche will explain, from all of the vast array of topics of the genuine dharma, some verses from a text

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by the noble bodhisattva and protector Nagarjuna, called the Sixty Stanzas of Reasoning.

In the first verse, Nagarjuna prostrates to the Buddha, because the Buddha is the one who taught the truth of dependent arising. Because the Buddha taught that, Nagarjuna prostrates to him.

This verse reads:

I prostrate to the Mighty One Who has taught about dependent arising, The principle by which Arising and disintegration are abandoned. (Homage)

If we can understand what dependent arising means, if we can understand the truth of dependent arising and how it is that all phenomena are dependently arisen, then we can abandon our attachment to arising and disintegration. And since that is true, then Nagarjuna prostrates to the Buddha, because the Buddha is the one who taught this most important truth. The Buddha is the one who taught us this method by which we can give up this type of attachment.

The next verse, which is the first verse after the homage reads:

Those whose intelligence has gone beyond existence and nonexistence

And who do not abide [in any extremes] Have realized the meaning of dependent arising, The profound and unobservable [truth of empti-

ness]. (1)

Those whose intelligence has gone beyond existence and nonexistence refers to those who desire liberation, who desire to be liberated with their intelligence. Have gone beyond existence and nonexistence means that they are no longer attached to the idea that phenomena truly exist, that there is some substantial existence to things; nor do

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they believe that nothing exists, that reality is a complete nothingness or an absence of anything whatsoever. They have gone beyond both of these different extremes of view, because they have realized the meaning of dependent arising. If one realizes this meaning, then one will no longer be attached to either of these extremes.

Moreover, at the same time that one realizes the truth of dependent arising, one will realize the truth of emptiness, which is at the same time very profound and yet unobservable. Meaning that it can't be fixed or located by saying "this is it" or "this is emptiness" or "that is emptiness." It is beyond all our ideas about what it might be. The profound truth of emptiness is not something we can describe or pinpoint with some type of idea or description. Realizing that truth is what is meant by "realizing the truth of emptiness."

If we still believe in existence, if we have some type of belief in something substantial, if we think that there is something that truly exists, whatever it might be, then we are said to fall into the extreme called eternalism or permanence. And if we fall into that extreme, we will not realize the true nature of reality.

On the other hand, if we propound a view saying nothing exists, "there's absolutely nothing," that the truth is some kind of nothingness or vacuum, then that too is an extreme. That's called the extreme of nihilism. And if we fall into that extreme', we will also not realize the truth of emptiness. The reason for that is that the truth of emptiness, or what is actual reality, is something which is beyond any and all of our descriptions of it or conceptions about it. So whatever our conceptions are, they would necessarily fall into one of these two extremes. And so, by definition, one will not realize the true nature.

For example, let's take the appearance of a flower in a dream. This flower is not something that exists, that truly exists, because it's just a dream appearance -there's no real flower there whatsoever. On the other hand, you can't say there's absolutely nothing, because there is the mere appearance of a flower - but just a mere

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appearance, that's it. That is its nature in terms of how it exists in the world of appearances. There's nothing really there but there is this mere appearance. In a dream there's nothing substantial but there is the mere appearance of something substantial. Thus, its true nature transcends both existence and nonexistence. Its true nature is not something we can describe with these kinds of terms, because it is beyond any type of thing we might be able to think up about it. And so, just like a flower that appears in a dream, all phe, nomena that appear, wherever they appear, are the same. They all appear in terms of being a mere appearance. There is nothing sub, stantial to them, and their true nature transcends both existence and non,existence and any other idea.

All phenomena that appear to us in this life are exactly the same. None of them truly exists, nor do they have any substance; but neither are they completely nonexistent, because there is the mere appearance of them. In terms of ,true reality, true reality is something which cannot be described'by terms such as "exist". or "not exist" or by any other terms. True reality is beyond all of our concepts about it; it is inconceivable.

As examples of what this inseparability of appearance and emp, tiness, that characterizes all phenomena, is like, the next verse reads:

Those who see with their intelligence That existence is like a mirage and an illusion Are not corrupted by believing in The extremes of earlier and later. (17)

Existence here refers to sarpsara, cyclic existence that ignorant beings go around and around in, again and again. Yet, even though beings are continually going around and around in sarpsara, every, thing in it is merely inseparable appearance and emptiness. It appears but it has no substantial nature. In that way, it is like a mirage or an illusion. When a magician creates an illusion of some,

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thing, or when you see a mirage in the desert that looks like water, these are things that appear to exist, but in reality have no substantial existence at all. That is the characteristic of all appearances in cyclic existence.

Those who see with their eye of intelligence that that is how all these appearances truly are, are not corrupted by believing in the extremes of earlier and later. Earlier and later refers to how you view past and future lives. Here, you could fall into the extreme of thinking that past and future lives were things that truly existed, that were somehow real and had some substance to them. That would be falling into the extreme of permanence. On the other hand, you could fall into the extreme of thinking that past and future lives absolutely didn't exist, that there was nothing whatsoever. That would be falling into the extreme of nihilism. However, by realizing that appearances appear and yet are empty of any true existence, you avoid falling into these extremes.

In the next verse y,re are introduced to a gradual way of beginning to understand emptiness. It says:

By understanding arising, disintegration is understood. By understanding disintegration, impermanence is un

derstood. By understanding impermanence The truth of the genuine dharma is realized. (22)

The first thing that we need to understand, that we can notice and think about, is arising, or birth- how it is that phenomena or things in cyclic existence come into being. For example, this flower. This flower was not just created by one cause or one thing or one condition, but rather it came into being because of the coming together of a great many different causes and conditions. And just like this flower, so are all phenomena in cyclic existence. They don't rely on one cause or condition; they are dependent for their existence on a coming together of a group of causes and conditions. If we can

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understand that, which is the truth of arising, then what follows is cessation. Everything that is born has to die. There's nothing that ever is born or comes into being that does not cease to be. We know this just by our own observation and by our own experience.

Now we understand birth and death. And if we understand birth and death, then we also necessarily understand that phenomena are impermanent. Because "impermanent" means that things don't stay the same forever. That which is born and that which dies go through changes. So all phenomena are impermanent.

There are two different types of impermanence. One type is called gross impermanence, and that is the impermanence that you can see with your eyes or experience with your other senses. When a house is destroyed by an earthquake, you can actually see this type of impermanence happen right before your eyes.

The second type is called subtle impermanence. Subtle impermanence describes the fact that all phenomena are changing moment by moment. From moment to moment, no phenomena stay the same. Causes and conditions are continually acting on all phenomena in cyclic existence, and so none of them ever stays the same from one moment to the next. For example [Rinpoche snaps his fingers], even within one finger snap there are how many different parts? How many different instants are there? Hundreds and thousands and millions -you can keep dividing and find smaller and smaller instants, and no two instants are the same. So even such a tiny, minute phenomenon is constantly changing, and never stays the same. Realizing that is realizing emptiness, which is to realize that no phenomenon has any substantial, permanent nature.

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The next verse reads:

Without a stable focus or location, Not remaining and without root, Arisen totally as a result of ignorance, Without beginning, middle, or end. (26)


What is being described here is cyclic existence, and cyclic existence has no fixed location. It doesn't have a location that is in any way truly existent. How can we know this to be true? We all live on this planet Earth, and we might think that we can find some location here. But this Earth is just suspended in space. And space is without any direction or location to it. So, if this Earth is just floating around in space without direction or location, how can we then say that we have any direction or fixed location? It doesn't make any sense. That is something we can think about and understand pretty easily.

If we think about direction and location just on this Earth, another reason why we can say that there is no location or direction is that everybody on this Earth thinks that they are right side up. [Laughter] Everybody thinks that they are right side up; nobody thinks that they are upside down. But you can't really have "right side up" without "upside down." These two depend on each other. So really, there is no right side up or upside down on this earth. If we analyze carefully, we can see that this is true;

Without a stable focus: No matter how hard we try to make cyclic existence into something that truly exists, we can't do it. There's no way to make cyclic existence into something stable, into something that will not change, into something dependable. By nature, it's none of those things. It is constantly changing and has no substance to it. And so all of our attempts to solidify it in any way are com-

t.

pletely in vain. No matter what phenomena you try to use or try to analyze to make it into something stable and fixed, you just can't do it.

The next line says that it is without root, which means that there is nothing grounding cyclic existence. To give an example that can be analyzed, take this Earth. We think that Earth is made up of atoms of substantial matter. That is the ground. That is what we are rooted to, that is our foundation. When we analyze these atoms, however, we really can't find anything, because, as you examine

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more finely, you find smaller and smaller particles. And every new particle, no matter how small, is just a collection or mass of smaller particles. And so, if you try to find the smallest truly existent particle, you can't find it. In this way it is demonstrated that there really is nothing substantial there. There really is no such thing as matter. There really is no such thing as some kind of solid foundation. It doesn't exist.

So what is the real root of cyclic existence? It is ignorance, and it is clinging to a belief in a self in a truly existent self of the individual, and in some substantial existence to phenomena. But these two also have no true existence; if we analyze them, they are not substantial, truly existent things. And since we can see that the cycle of existence springs from the erroneous belief in a truly existent self and truly existent phenomena, then it follows that cyclic existence is also not a substantially existent thing. So cyclic existence has no root.

Then the next verse says not remaining; these phenomena don't remain. They are just like phenomena that appear in a dream. Whatever appears in a dream never really comes into being, even though it looks as if it does. And it never really goes out of existence, even though it looks as if it does. So how could there be anything to remain or have duration? Nothing ever really arises, nothing ever really goes .away, and nothing ever really remains in cyclic existence. All appearances are exactly the same in that way.

These appearances in a dream, if they were really to abide or remain, would first have to come into existence. But since they never really come into existence, they can never remain, and they can never go away. That's how we should think about this.

Then the third line says that the real cause of cyclic existence is ignorance. Cyclic existence arises totally as a result of ignorance. So what does that mean? How does that work? First we are ignorant of the true nature of phenomena; we think that they really exist. As a

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result, we develop the other afflictions or klesas. We get attached to the phenomena that we like and want them; and there are other phenomena that we don't like, so we try to push them away. In this way we develop attachment and aversion, as a result of which we take all different kinds of actions. These kinds of actions are said to be defiled actions because, when we act out of attachment and aversion, our actions are governed and motivated by our ignorance. These kinds of actions produce suffering as their result, and so we just go around and around in the cycle of existence.

Since the cause of cyclic existence is ignorance, we might think that it had some fixed point of beginning and some point where it might end. But really, it's not that way; it's just like a dream, in that things in a dream really have no beginning, middle, or end.


Without core, like a banana tree. 'Like an unreal city in the sky, The suffering world - the lands of confusion -Manifests in this way- like an illusion. (27)

This verse starts out by saying that cyclic existence is without core, like a banana tree. When you peel a banana tree, you peel it and peel it and it has more and more peels to it. You look at this thing and it looks like something really solid and truly existent, but if you take off all the layers, there's no core. That's it, there's nothing left. In India the example of a banana tree was used to show that cyclic existence is without any core. It has no essence.

Then the cycle of existence is compared to an unreal city in the sky. This is a reference to the city of the gandharvas. The literal translation of their name is "smell eaters," which they are called because [Rinpoche laughs] they are formless beings who subsist by eating odors. The Buddha talked ab<!mt them, otherwise we wouldn't know too much about them, because most people can't see them [more laughter]. But some people can see them, and what

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they see is a big city where all these smell eaters live. They live just as we do and they do all different kinds of things. But even if you could ever see this place, if you could be there, you wouldn't be able to use anything there, because it's just like a phantom place. You could see many different things, but you couldn't make use of anything, or take part in anything, or talk to anybody, because gandharvas are just like phantoms. This is another example illustrating the true nature of cyclic existence.

The verse goes on to say that this is the suffering world. These are the lands of confusion, and the beings in this world suffer. Why? We suffer because we take things to be truly existent because we are confused about the nature of these appearances. We think these appearances are something real. But they are really not. Therefore, we suffer. And yet, all of this suffering in cyclic existence, what is it like? It's just an illusion. The suffering in cyclic existence appears, and all the beings in this world appear, simply because of the coming together of causes and conditions, which produce their appearance. And yet all the beings in this world and everything in cyclic existence is merely inseparable appearance and emptiness. It is appearance that has no substantial nature.

None of us seems to have had any experience with this city of the smell eaters, though it is said that, in past lives, we too were smell eaters. But we don't really remember that [Rinpoche laughs], so it doesn't do us too much good to think about it. But what we can relate to, in terms of our own experience, are examples like dreams and dream cities. In dreams we can experience appearances of very large and busy cities. There is not one thing that exists really in those cities; they are mere appearance. We can go to a movie and in the movie see a very big city with all types of things happening in it. But again that's just a mere appearance. There's nothing real to it.

The next verse suggests a stage-by-stage approach to gaining an understanding of emptiness, or true nature:

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To those students in search of suchness At first teachers should say, "Everything exists." Then after they realize the meaning of this and aban-

don desire, They will gain perfect transcendence. (30)

How should beginning students of the dharma - students in search of suchness, who want to realize the true nature - be introduced to things? First, teachers should say that things exist. They should explain things in terms of existence, which means that they should talk about past lives and future lives as being existent. And why? Because they are an integral aspect of the principle of cause and effect, of. the law of karma which is that good actions lead to happiness, and bad or harmful actions, negative actions towards other sentient beings, lead to suffering. This is an important principle, and we should be taught that it is true and potent, so that we will have faith in it and live by it.

We should also be taught that the three jewels really exist, that there is the Buddha, the Buddha's teachings called the dharma, and the community of dharma practitioners called the sa righa. The three jewels can provide us with a genuine refuge from cyclic existence and can lead us out of it. We should also be taught to be wary of cyclic existence, to feel disgust for it, because it is of the nature of suffering :-- especially the lower realms like the hell realms, where beings go who commit the most negative actions. We should be taught about all these things at first as being things which are real. As a result, we will, if we understand the meaning of this, abandon desire. If we understand the meaning of all of this, we will no longer seek happiness from cyclic existence. We will no longer seek happiness by trying to fulfill the needs of this "1," by trying to make this "I" happy. And so we will no longer be caught in thinking that somewhere out there there can be something that can bring happiness. We won't have any more desire for anything in the cycle of

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existence, and what that will lead to is an understanding of emptiness, which is here described as perfect transcendence.


Those who realize that all entities are dependently arisen,

And just like a moon that appears in a pool of water, Are neither true nor false, Are not carried away by philosophical dogmas. (45)

Beings who with their intelligence understand dependent arising will understand that all phenomena are just like a moon that appears in a pool of water. That moon is something that is neither truly substantially existent, nor is it something completely nonexistent. There is an appearance of it, and that is also the nature of all phenomena. By realizing this, one will not be carried away by beliefs in extreme views or extreme types of philosophical dogmas.

This verse teaches that the true nature of everything in cyclic existence and of cyclic existence itself transcends both being true and being false. They are neither true nor false, just like the moon that appears in a pool of water. When you look at the moon that appears in a pool of water, there's absolutely no way to tell that it's not a real moon. If there's a moon and it's a clear night, and the water is not moving, and you look down and you see the moon there, what is to say that it is not the moon? There is a mere appearance of a moon, and yet there's absolutely nothing substantial to it. Once you put your hand in the water, then you realize that the moon you have been seeing is absolutely insubstantial. That's the way it really is with all phenomena. If you analyze carefully, even the tiniest particle can be shown not to exist, because even the tiniest particle has parts that it's made of. There really is no such thing as a truly existent piece of matter. And by the extension of that analysis we learn that all phenomena that we see, all appearances, are of this nature. They have no true existence.

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They have no substance, and yet they can not be said to be nonexistent either. You cannot say that everything is nothing or everything is fake. Because if you say that everything is fake or false, then that turns falsity into something truly existent. That reifies falsity' into something substantial.

Furthermore, if there is really nothing true, then there can't be anything really false. There can be no falsity, because the concept of falsity is dependent on the concept of truth. First you have to have truth in order to be able to have falsity, because false means not true. So if there is no "true," then you cannot have "not true." These are just ideas that are dependently existent on each other. Knowing this helps us to understand how it is that the true nature of cyclic existence transcen~s all these different kinds of ideas.

We live on this planet. On this planet there's no up and down. This planet is suspended in space which has neither center nor edge, neither a middle point nor boundaries. And our existence transcends ideas of true and false. This Earth is neither true nor false, but like the moon that appears in a pool of water, and the many different sentient beings going about their business on it are also neither true nor false. We are all just mere appearances, just like the moon that appears in a pool of water.

So how is it that we take things to be real? The next verse reads:

Children are tricked by reflections Because they take them to be real. In the very same way, because of their ignorance, Beings are imprisoned in the cages of their [conceptual]

objects. (53)

Children can be tricked by a reflection in a mirror or by a magic trick, or by something in a movie, and they think that all of those things are real and actually have some real ability to do things. Everybody else knows that there is nothing real there. But we who are still ignorant are in the exact same situation. Because of igno-

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ranee, we are imprisoned in a cage made up of all of the objects which we conceptualize to be real. So we are imprisoned by that. And we are blocked from realizing our true potential because we take all of these things to be real, because we conceptualize these things to be real when really they are not, when really they are just like reflections or magic tricks that can fool children.


The great ones, who with the eyes of primordial aware-ness

See that entities are just like reflections, Do not get caught in the mire Of so-called "objects." (54)

The great and noble bodhisattvas, who have realized the truth of emptiness, who, with the eyes of primordial awareness, see that entities are just like reflections, do not get caught in the mire of socalled objects. Great ones refers to noble bodhisattvas. With the eyes of primordial awareness means awareness that has really been present from the beginning, which is inherent in the true nature of mind. You could also say, with the eyes of their wisdom. They see that all of the entities within the cycle of existence are just like reflections in a pool of water, or just like reflections in a mirror, that they are mere appearances without any substantial existence. They see that entities don't truly exist, and, because of that, they don't get caught in the mud and mire as everybody else does, which is the mire of taking all of this to be true. Taking everything to be true is like a trap, of which they, are free.

There is a story about the great bodhisattva-yogin! of Tibet, Machig Lapdron. Machig Lapdron had the incredible ability to read the siitras at a very, very fast rate. Once, during an entire month, she read all twelve volumes of the one hundred thousand line version of the Sutra of Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom every day. Every day

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she read all twelve volumes. In those sutras it talks about how form has no color -it's neither yellow nor red nor white nor blue. Nor does it have any shape- it's not round orrectangular. Nor is it hard or soft. None of these characteristics, or any other characteristics, truly exists.

By reading that sutra every day, at the end of a month Machig Lapdron had directly realized emptiness. As a result of that she was able to see that all phenomena are just mere appearances, are just like reflections, and so she did not get caught in the mire of clinging to objects as being true.

Machig Lapdron was quite special. Most siddhas, most great spiritual masters of Tibet and India, attained realization through the practice of vajrayana, through the practice of tantra. Machig Lapdron, on the other hand, attained realization through studying, contemplating, and meditating on the teachings of the second turning of the wheel of dharma, the Prajiiaparamitii sutras, the sutras of The Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom. When she passed into nirval).a, they built a funeral pyre for her. When it was burning, her son, who was also a great master, named Gyalwa Dondrup, sang praises to her at each door of her cremation shrine. In one of these praises he sang, "Mother, you are the great Prajiiiipiiramitii siddha. You are the great master of The Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom."

It is important for us to realize how profound and how important this view being taught here in texts like Nagarjuna's Sixty Stanzas of Reasoning is, because, if you know this view well, if you understand emptiness through this view, then you also can attain the great powers of realization.


The immature are attached to form. The moderate are free from attachment to [the sense

objects], And those endowed with supreme intelligence

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Know the true nature of form and [by so knowing] are liberated. (55)

The immature here refers to those who are not bodhisattvas, who are still in cyclic existence. And the reason that they are still in cyclic existence is that they are still attached to form as being something real. As a consequence, they still have desire for certain kinds of forms and aversion for other kinds of forms, and this keeps them going around in the cycle of existence.

The moderate are free from attachment to sense object s; this refers to beings in the formless gods' realms of the cycle of existence, who have dispensed with the kind of attachment and clinging to objects of form that we have but are still attached to a sort of blank meditation state. Even though they are free of attachment to sense objects, they are not completely free from the cycle of existence. Who is free from the cycle of existence? Those endowed with the supreme intelligence that knows the true nature of form, who know form to be empty, who know form to be nothing more than inseparable appearance and emptiness. By knowing that, they are liberated.


The awful ocean of existence Is filled with the tormenting snakes of the afflictions. But those whose minds are not moved even by

thoughts of voidness Have safely crossed over [its dangers]. (59)

What is the method by which we can attain the transcendence of suffering, by which we can attain nirvar:ta? It is by our minds' not being moved even by thoughts of voidness. What this means is that, even though thinking that everything is empty is quite a subtle thought, still, if we are attached to that thought, then we are reifying emptiness into something real. We are attached to emptiness as being something truly existent, and that's still not quite realizing the

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true nature of reality, which is beyond all conceptions about what it might be. But those whose minds are not moved even by thoughts of emptiness have safely crossed over the dangers of the awful ocean of existence, which is filled with the tormenting snakes of all of the afflictive mental states. These afflictive mental states constantly plague all those who are still going around in cyclic existence. Those whose minds are not moved even by thoughts of emptiness have crossed over this ocean of suffering and have attained nirval).a, the transcendence of suffering.

The last verse is the dedication of merit:

By this virtue May a!l beings perfect the accumulations of merit and

wisdom, And achieve the two genuine kay~s Arising from merit and wisdom. (60)

This is the dedication that Nagarjuna wrote. When he talks about the power of the virtue performed here, he is talking about the power of his virtue accumulated by writing this text. But for us, it's the power of the virtue of listening to and thinking about the explanations of the text. By that virtue, we should think, may all beings perfect the accumulations of merit and wisdom. Merit and wisdom are the two causes of enlightenment. The perfection of the accumulation of merit is essentially the perfection of doing good for others in terms of apparent reality. The accumulation of wisdom is the perfection of realizing the true nature, which is beyond all conception. From this merit and wisdom, may sentient beings attain the twin dimensions of genuine enlightenment, which refers to the two kayas, the dharmakaya and the r iipakaya, sometimes translated as the truth body and the form body. The truth body refers to the actual mind of the buddha, the pure awareness of the buddha, and that body is the result of the perfection of the accumulation of wisdom of the true nature of reality.

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The form body of the buddha is what everybody can see, and what benefits beings. It is the result of the perfection of the accumulation of merit. So by the power of the virtue performed here, may all beings perfect the accumulations of merit and wisdom. And from this merit and wisdom, may they attain the twin dimensions of genuine enlightenment.

This has been a brief explanation of some very important verses from Nagarjuna's Sixty Stanzas of Reasoning. In this day and age, we all have a lot of work to do and we have a lot of other things to study, so we don't have time to study the entire text in all of its detail. Since that is the case, then it's very good to look at the important verses and understand their meaning. That is something that we can do in a brief period of time, so that's why we have explained it in this fashion.

This is a good selection of verses because at the beginning there is the homage, and at the end there is the dedication of merit, which rounds everything out. In between are the important verses, so it's a good collection of verses to have;

When we are meditating on emptiness, if we pick one verse and recite it, think about it, and meditate on its meaning, and then move to another verse, recite it, think about it, and meditate on its meaning, and continue on in that vein, then that's a very good way to meditate.

If you are curious why we recite these verses with even timing and in a level tone of voice, the idea is to let the mind rest in a peaceful way. But of course, when you are by yourself, you may say it any way with which you feel comfortable.

Question: [unintelligible, but probably:] Why does the accumulation of merit lead to a form body, and the accumulation of wisdom lead to the truth body?

Rinpoche: The form body is all of the great qualities of the buddha,

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like the protrusion on the head, the radiant body, and things like that, including the thirty-two major and eighty minor signs of physical perfection. Why does the accumulation of merit lead to the attainment of such a body? This actual body of the buddha is what we as deluded sentient beings can see and what helps beings. From that standpoint, it is something existent. The accumulation of merit is actually helping beings and doing good things for beings in terms of the existent. And so this is something, from that standpoint of being existent, that has a result which is also something existent.

If we take this house as an example, the walls and the paint and the colors are things that we can see, so they are all existent things, and they have existent causes. The space inside of the house is something nonexistent that has causes which are also nonexistent. So it's like that.

So just as the space inside of this house is something nonexistent and, therefore, can't have an existent cause, similarly the truth body or dharmakaya, which is the complete freedom from all elaborations, also requires as its cause the meditation on emptiness, which is also free from all elaboration.

Question: [Questioner seems to ask about nirma l).akaya and sa rpbhogakaya.]

Rinpoche: The sarpbhogakaya or the enjoyment body is also a form body. It is of the nature of light - that's how it's described. It includes, for example, Vajrasattva, or the five buddhas of the five buddha families. These are forms which ordinary beings can not perceive. Only bodhisattvas can perceive them. In short, the sa rpbhogakaya is the enjoyment body which is enjoyed by all bodhisattvas.

The emanation body, the nirmal).akaya, on the other hand, is made of flesh and blood, is born from a womb, and can be seen by all ordinary beings. It's not really of the nature of flesh and blood, but that's how it appears to us.

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Question: Why are the form and truth body referred to as "twin" bodies?

Translator: It's twin meaning two, not twin like twins, but twin like two. I just thought it sounded nice. [laughter]

Question: Could Rinpoche explain the extremes of earlier and later again?

Rinpoche: Earlier and later refer to past and future lives. In Buddhism it is taught that there are past and future lives. As for past lives, there was never a first one, for there is no beginning to the succession of them. As for future lives, so long as we are ignorant, then there will be no end to them. If we think that these lives are things that are truly existent, that they have some substantial existence, then we fall into the extreme of permanence, of eternalism. And if we believe, on the other hand, that there is absolutely no such thing whatsoever, that there are not even the mere appearances of past and future lives, then we fall into the extreme of nihilism. But if we realize that this existence is like a mirage and an illusion, in the sense that it is something that appears but has no true existence, then we won't fall into either of these extremes.

So it's good if we understand what is a mirage and an illusion. All of our suffering is just a mirage and an illusion. All of our afflictive mental states are just mirages and illusions. And all the difficult and adverse circumstances that we run into are just mirages and illusions. They are just mere appearances without any substantial nature.

We should think about the suffering in a dream. If we dream of bad things happening which entail suffering, and if we don't know that we are dreaming, then there is absolutely no difference between the suffering we experience in the dream and the suffering we have during the day. Absolutely no difference. Now from the perspective of the waking state, there is nothing really happening in a dream. It is a mere appearance. There is no reason to suffer. The

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only reason that we suffer is that we take these dream appearances to be true. It is only because we are obscured by our ignorance that we think these dreams are real, and we suffer as a result of it.

What is the true nature of a dream? It is just openness and spaciousness. What we need to do to be liberated from suffering is to realize that all appearances are of the same nature. We need to realize that our suffering does not come from these appearances, but from our taking these appearances to be real. If we realize this, then we will experience the true nature of everything that is, which is openness and spaciousness also.

When we first learn about emptiness, it appears that emptiness has to do with outer phenomena, that outer phenomena are empty of true existence. But really and truly, true emptiness, the true nature of reality, is the true nature of our mind, the true nature of this very present and ever present mind. And the true nature of this very present mind is openness, spaciousness, complete freedom from all thoughts, complete freedom from all ideas about the way things are or are not. Openness, spaciousness, and relaxedness.

Question: You were talking about the extremes of earlier and later, past and future lives, permanence versus nihilism. I guess I'm getting confused about how you equate these. I've heard existence versus nihilism, but how can you say that existence is permanent? Maybe in that moment that I'm totally caught in something I think it's permanent, but if I step back I realize it's not permanent. But I still think it exists. So even though I don't think it's permanent, I still think it exists.

Translator: Permanence is a literal translation of the word in Tibetan, takba, but I can ask Rinpoche to ~xplain it a little bit more.

Rinpoche: There are lots of different extremes of view that we can fall into. The point is not to think about just being free from the view of permanence, but also from the extremes of thinking either that things exist or thinking that things do not exist; of thinking

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that things are permanent or thinking that they are impermanent, of thinking that they appear or thinking that they do not appear, of thinking that they are empty or thinking that they are not empty -all of these sets of extremes are thoughts, are different concepts that we impute to reality. But the true nature of reality is beyond all extremes of thought, beyond all the different kinds of thoughts that we have about it. That's the point of teaching about these extremes. It's just to show us that these are different ideas and thoughts that we can have about how things are.

The Consequence Middle Way school, the Prasari.gika Madhyamika, doesn't make any assertions about anything. They have no views, because any view is regarded as an extreme. Any view is a superimposition onto the true nature of reality. And so they don't have anything to say about the nature of reality except to refute other people's views.

In order to understand this, the best thing to do in the beginning is to think about dreams. You can't say that dream appearances, the things in a dream, are existent, but you can't say that they're completely nonexistent. You can't say that they fall into the extreme of permanence, but you can't say that they fall into the extreme of nihilism either. You can't say that they are entities, but you can't say that they're not entities. You can't say really anything about them. Nothing really can accurately describe what they are. Thinking in this way we can understand the true nature of reality.

In the Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way, Nagarjuna wrote a verse which says, "Permanence, impermanence, and so forth, these four, where are they in the expanse of peace?" Permanence, impermanence, both permanence and impermanence, neither permanence nor impermanence - any kind of idea you want to make up - where is it in the expanse of the true nature of reality? Where is it in the expanse of peace? You can't find it, because the true nature is beyond all of these concepts.

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We will now discuss a song by a great Kagyli yogi, Gyalwa Gotsangpa called Eight Flashing Lances, which is very good for us to read.

Gyalwa Gotsangpa was born in southern Tibet. He traveled to central Tibet, where he met his lama and received instructions. Then he went to northern Tibet and meditated for many years in a cave near a very big lake. Then he went to western Tibet, to Mount Kailash and meditated near Mount Kailash for a while. Then he went to India where he went to a sacred place called J aulindata. Then he went to Nepal and from there back to Tibet. In all of his great and miraculous life, he never stayed in meditation in the same place twice. He never visited the same place twice. He was constantly going from one cave to another, and when he passed into nirval).a, he was still living in a cave. His is a really miraculous story. Something quite wonderful about Gotsangpa's story is that he was very sick a lot of the time that he was meditating. He was quite ill, and the illness caused him a lot of pain. But he took his 'illness to the path, and his illness became the means by which he realized the true nature. Later he sang many songs about how he did that.

The metaphor of flourishing a lance in space is used because, when one flourishes a lance or a sword in space, there is no obstruction, there is no hindrance to it. It moves very freely. It does riot move once and then run into something. It is never hindered by anything. This is an example of what the true nature is like, and what realization of the true nature is like; it is completely unhindered. It is open, spacious, and relaxed.

This song is very much in accord with the meaning of the verses we have studied from the Sixty Stanzas of Reasoning, because the Sixty Stanzas of Reasoning talks about the true nature, which is the complete freedom from any ideas about it, which nature is also completely open, spacious, and relaxed.

The view is without any focus or object. The meditation is without any grasping. The conduct is without any type of attachment or bias. These three describe the true nature. Both teachings are talk-

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ing about ~he same state of openness and spaciousness. So now we will meditate, and the way we will meditate is that

we will read one verse at a time, and then meditate on the meaning of that verse. We will read the verse, then think about the meaning a little bit, and then finally rest without any type of grasping or thinking about anything at all.

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THE LOGIC THAT REFUTES THE IDEA

THAT ANYTHING Is TRULY EXISTENT

Rinpoche wishes everybody tashi delek this evening, and makes the aspiration that all of us will develop ultimate awakening mind, which is the bodhicitta that understands the ultimate truth. It is by virtue of not understanding the ultimate truth that we are trapped in cyclic existence, which is marked by confusion and ignorance.

Rinpoche also makes the aspiration that our relative awakening mind will also increase and increase. Relative awakening mind, relative bodhicitta, is loving kindness and compassion for all sentient beings. By developing relative bodhicitta, we prevent ourselves from falling into the extreme of becoming attached to isolation, onesided peace, or cessation.

By developing these two types of awakening mind, we will attain the precious state ofbuddhahood, which falls neither into the extreme of existence, nor into the extreme of one-sided peace, and we will be able to perform the benefit of countless living beings. Please give rise to the precious attitude of bodhicitta, the ,awakening mind, which is the essential aspiration of the great vehicle, the mahayana.

Tonight, Rinpoche will explain some verses from the protector Nagarjuna's text, Seventy Stanzas on Emptiness.

The first verse reads:

Entities do not exist In their causes, in their cemditions, In aggregations of many things, or in individual things. Therefore, all entities are empty. (3)

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Entities are, by nature, empty of any type of substantial existence; therefore, they cannot be found to exist in their causes and conditions or in the coming together of their causes and conditions. They cannot be found to exist in the coming together of many things, nor can they be found to exist in individual things. They cannot be found to exist in any one cause or any one condition. And if we examine very subtly, we see that even these causes and conditions do not have any true existence. It is impossible to find an entity that truly exists in any of these possibilities; therefore, entities are empty of inherent existence.

As an example, we can apply this logic to the suffering we experience as a result of thinking about the future. As a result of thinking about the future, we experience a lot of worry and anxiety, which is suffering. However, if we examine its nature, we will find that it doesn't really exist. It doesn't exist either in the coming together of all or any number of its causes and conditions, or in any one particular cause or condition that we might isolate.

What is the main cause of suffering in thinking about the future? It is the future! Let us think about that. The future is something which does not exist. You can't find it anywhere. The future is something that is not here at all. Since the cause doesn't exist, the suffering doesn't exist either.


Because it already exists, that which exists does not arise.

Because it does not exist, that which does not exist does not arise.

Because they contradict each other, existence and nonexistence do not [arise] together

Since there is no arising, there is no remaining or cessation either. (4)

We can develop a reasoning using this logic. We can say that suffer-

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ing is not something that ever arises. Why? Because, it doesn't arise from being existent when its cause is present. And it doesn't arise from being nonexistent when its cause is present. And it doesn't arise from being both existent and nonexistent when its cause is present. And it doesn't arise from some other possibility. Let's look at these four.

If you say that something arises, then it either has to exist at the time of its cause or not exist at the time of its cause. Those are the only two possibilities. If something exists at the time of its cause, then it doesn't need to arise. It doesn't make any sense that it would arise when it already exists. How could it exist at the time of its cause? If it existed at the time of its cause, then one would not be producing the other; the result would not rely on the cause to exist. It would already be there, so arising would be something nonsensical.

The next possibility is that the thing does not exist at the time of its cause. If that were true, then what you would be saying is that the cause does not have power to do anything, because, by the time the result comes around, the cause is gone. There would be no connection between the two. So we would see all kinds of things arising without cause, like flowers arising in space, because causes would have no power to do anything.

A thing does not arise from being both existent and nonexistent at the time the cause is present. That doesn't make any sense. That has all the faults of the previous two reasonings. And, there is no other possible way for a thing to arise. Therefore, suffering is not something that arises. And if it does not arise, then suffering is not something that truly exists.

Nagarjuna had five main types of reasonings with which he demonstrated that phenomena do not truly exist. One of them was this, to examine whether or not, at the time of the cause, the result either existed or did not exist.

For example, suffering in a dream is not something that arises

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from being existent at the time of its cause, from being nonexistent at the time of its cause, from being both existent and nonexistent at the time of its cause, or from being neither existent nor nonexistent at the time of its cause. Suffering in a dream is something that never really happens. It is just a mere appearance. If we think about, this type of example, it will help us to understand. To understand that phenomena never really arise, or never come into being, is difficult. But if we think about a dream it will become easier, because in dreams we have all types of appearances that never really happen, that never really come into being.

Another one ofNagarjuna's reasonings is to examine a phe~ nomenon to determine whether it exists as something that is one or many. This next verse shows how these ideas of one and many are really just dependently arisen and, therefore, not truly existent:

Without one there are not many, and Without many there is not one. Therefore, dependently arisen entities [like these] Have no characteristics. (7)

A dependently arisen entity, anything that has arisen in dependence on other things, has no characteristics, which means that it has no substantial essence. It is not something that truly exists because it is neith.er <me unitary thing nor is it the coming together of many things.

We can take this flower as an example of something that is nei~ ther one nor many, like all phenomena. This flower is clearly not one, unitary, indivisible thing, because it has many parts. On the other hand it is not many indivisible things because each of these parts in tum has many parts. Since it is not one, unitary, substantial, indivisible thing and since it is also not many unitary, substantial, indivisible things, it does not truly exist.

All dependently occurring appearances have no substantial essences because they are beyond being either one indivisible thing

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or many indivisible things. For examples we have the dependently occurring appearances that we see in dreams. All of the things that we see in dreams are appearances. At the time we are dreaming, they look real, but in fact they have no substantial essence. They have no inherent nature, because they are neither one thing, nor are they many.

We might think that the afflictions, the afflicted mental states, are things that are real, that the klesas are things that have substance to them. We might think that, because there are mistaken views, wrong ways of seeing things, which then give rise to emotional afflictions in our minds. But these wrong views do not really exist either. There is really no such thing as a wrong view. Mistaken views, which appear in our minds, are just mere appearances. That is demonstrated in the next verse:

[In the true nature] there is neither permanence nor impermanence,

Neither self nor nonself, neither clean nor unclean And neither happiness nor suffering. Therefore, the [four] mistaken views do not exist. (9)

All of these mistaken views, these thoughts of permanence and impermanence, self and nonself, clean and unclean, etc., are dependently existent thoughts. They depend on the existence of correct views. To have an idea of a mistaken view, you have to have an idea of what a correct view is. So there is nothing that is inherently mistaken. Things can only be mistaken in dependence on something that is correct. Therefore, a mistaken view is onlydependently arisen, and never truly arises. It is not something that ever truly happens. Moreover, if we examine these thoughts of mistaken views to determine whether or not they are some kind of entity, then we must conclude that these thoughts individually are neither one thing nor the coming together of many things. Therefore they have no essence. Wrong views or thoughts of wrong views are things that

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never truly arise and which have no substantial essence. Four basic types of mistaken views are described. One of them is

to take what is impermanent to be permanent. But if we look at impermanence and permanence we can see that both of them are only dependent ideas. There is no way that anything can be permanent without one's having some idea of what impermanence is. Similarly, if you were to say that something is impermanent, impermanence is not something that is truly existent because that depends on permanence. So neither of these inherently exists.

The next type of wrong view is to take that which is clean to be unclean. But again, what is clean? Clean means that which is not unclean. And unclean is that which is not clean. So you can never find out what either of these things is. It just goes back and forth. They don't truly exist. The third mistaken view is to take that which is not a self to be a·self. Again, what is nonself? It is that which is not a self. Well, what is a self? It is that whiCh is not a nonself. You cannot figure it out. You cannot find out what these things inherently are.

The fourth mistaken view is to take that which is unhappiness to be happiness. Well then, what is happiness? It is that which is not unhappiness. What is unhappiness? It is that which is not happiness.

And so again these things are just dependently existent. They ;1re not truly existent. They are not inherently existent. They exist only from the perspective of our thoughts, which bring along with them the concepts of their opposites. When we see something that is clean or dirty, it is just as when we see something clean or dirty in a dream. You see something and you say, "Oh, this is dean." But you can only say that because you have some idea of what dirty is. You see something that is dirty and you say, "Oh, this is dirty." But you can only say that because you have some idea of what clean is. Nothing is inherently clean or dirty. Just as when you see something clean or dirty in a dream.

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Since these four mistaken views do not really exist, that which arises from them - the three main afflictions: ignorance, desireattachment, and aversion - also do not really exist. They have no substantial essence. They are unborn. They never really arise.

We might think that the twelve links of cyclic existence really exist, that dependent arising is something real, that there really are things that are produced by other things. And we might think that there are things that are produced by that which produces them:

Without a father there is no son, and without a son there is no father.

These two do not exist without depending on each other.

Neither do they exist simultaneously. The twelve links are exactly the same. (13)

Normally, the way that the twelve links of dependent arising is traditionally explained is that from the earlier ones come the later ones. First there is ignorance. Then there is action taken in ignorance. Then, as a result of that action, there is a consciousness which is born in a womb somewhere in cyclic existence. And on and on, like that. So the later ones depend on the earlier ones. But actually, the earlier ones are just as dependent on the later ones as the later ones are on the earlier ones. Really you can't say which one produces the other one. So ignorance is just as dependent on action taken in ignorance as this action is dependent on the ignorance. If we go all the way to the end then we would say that birth is just as dependent on aging and death as aging and death are dependent on birth.

How can we demonstrate this to be true? In worldly life, take the example of a father and son. Normally we say that the father produces the son and that the son is produced by the father. But if you think about it, then there is no way that you could ever have a father without there being a son. No one is ever called father before

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there is a son, before there is a child. The father is just as dependent on the son as the son is dependent on the father. So which one is the producer and which one is the produced? You can't really say. You can make the same analysis with a mother and daughter. It is the same exact thing.

We can also think about how the eye perceives form in a dream. No form in a dream exists before you see it. And similarly, the eye that sees does not exist before the form that is seen is there. These two are equally dependent on each other. They are only existent in the sense that they are mutually dependent, and neither of them exists in any independent way.

Because the Buddha taught that composite phenomena, which come into being as a result of different things coming together, do not truly exist, we might then be inclined to think that uncomposite phenomena truly exist, but they don't. This is taught in the next verse which says:

Composite and uncomposite [phenomena] Are not many, are not one, Are not existent, are not nonexistent, [and] are not

both existent and nonexistent. These words apply to all phenomena [without excep

tion]. (32)

If we made a reasoning out of this, we would say that no composite phenomenon has any substantial existence because composite phenomena are neither one thing nor the coming together of many things. They neither exist, nor do they not exist.

The last line says that these words apply to all phenomena without exception, which means that the reasonings in this verse may be applied to anything. For example, we can say that all of the mental states which afflict us, all of the klesas, have no substantial essence because they are neither one thing nor the coming together of many things. Therefore, they are beyond either existence or nonexistence.

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We could say that all of the difficult times that we meet in this life have no substantial existence. They don't really exist, because they are neither one thing nor the coming together of many things. And therefore they transcend both existence and nonexistence. For example, the suffering, the hard times, the difficult experiences that we have in a dream don't really exist. But we think that they do. So we are tricked. We are confused into thinking that they truly exist, so we suffer. When we consider the suffering we experience from difficult circumstances during the day, there is no difference. We know that once we wake up from a dream, we will realize that these difficult experiences were really nonexistent. The suffering that we experience during the day is of the same nature. It is only because we think that these appearances of suffering are real that we suffer; we don't suffer as a result of the appearances themselves.

We might think that the cycle of existence is real, that existence is real because the body seems something real. We might think that the actions that the body takes are real and that the afflictive mental states which propel those actions are real.

The next verse refutes these notions:

[Defiled] actions have afflictions as their cause, And the afflictions themselves arise due to [defiled]

actions. The body [also] has [defiled] actions as its cause, So all three are empty of essence. (3 7)

The karma that we accumulate, the actions which are defiled by our afflicted mental states of either desire or anger or indifference/apathy, don't truly or inherently exist because they depend on afflictive mental states to occur. They are completely dependent on something else for their existence. They are not inherently existent or independently existent in any way. Similarly, afflictive mental states rely on actions as their cause. When you take an action out of desire or anger or indifference, what does it produce? It produces more

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desire or more anger or more indifference. Similarly, another way to think about this is that the result of

these actions is some sentient being, some consciousness somewhere. And if there were no sentient being, how could there be any afflictions? How could there be any afflicted mental states? In that way too, the afflictions arise as a result of actions. So the afflictions are not something inherently existent. They are completely dependent on something else.

And the body, is that something real? Is that something independently existent? No, it exists as a result of actions. The body is the fruit, the ripened result, of taking certain actions in the past. Based on whatever actions you take in the past, you wind up with some kind of body. So this body is not something i!"lherently or independently existent either.

Therefore, since these three - afflictions, actions, and the body - are dependently existent, what does that say? It says that really they don't truly exist. They don't exist in the ultimate sense. They don't have any substantial essence. In terms of what is true reality, they don't exist.

It is like the body you have within a dream.You dream and you have different types of things running around in your mind. You dream that, because of whatever is going on in your mind, you do all types. of different things. All of these doings are just mere appearances. They have no substance. They are not real.

To illustrate how it is that phenomena are mere appearances due to the coming together of causes and conditions while having no material substance, many different examples are given in the next verse. It says:

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All formations are like unreal cities in the sky, Illusions, mirages, falling hairs, Foam, bubbles, phantoms, Dreams and wheels of fire -


They have absolutely no core or substance to them.(66)

All formations are lacking inherent substance, because they are just mere appearances that arise due to the coming together of causes and conditions. They are like unreal cities in the sky, like illusions, like mirages, like falling hairs that one sees when one has an eye disease, like foam and bubbles, like phantoms and appearances in dreams; and like wheels of fire, which one sees when a torch is spun around in space at night and produces the appearance of a wheel that really isn't there.


The unequaled Thus Gone One Explicitly taught that Since all entities are empty of any inherent nature, All phenomena are dependently arisen. (68)

Why is it that the Buddha taught that phenomena are dependently arisen? It is because they are empty of any inherent nature. Since they are empty of any inherent nature, the Buddha taught that they are dependently arisen.

If phenomena were truly existent, what would that mean? It would mean that they existed independently of any causes and conditions. It would mean that they existed in a permanent fashion that didn't depend on anything else. If phenomena were really like that, there would be no reason to teach about dependent arising, because nothing would need to arise in dependence on anything else. It is because phenomena do not have any inherent essence of their own, that they are not independent and, therefore, have no other way to exist but dependently, that the Buddha taught dependent arising. The Buddha taught that they rely on different causes and conditions for their appearance.

The last verse talks about the advantages of understanding this

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truth of dependent arising. It says:

When one understands that "this arose from those con-ditions,"

The net of wrong views is lifted. One abandons desire, ignorance and aversion, And attains the undefiled state of nirval).a. (73)

When you understand dependent arising, you are no longer ensnared in the net of wrong views, which entail either thinking that things are really substantially existent or that there is just nothing at all. Sa rp.saric beings cling to one or the other of these thoughts. Dependent arising shows that none of the things that you might think of are substantially existent. So, you are led to an understanding of the true reality, which is freedom from all of these different types of ideas. When that happens, you naturally abandon desire, ignorance, and aversion. You abandon all of the mental afflictions and attain the state of nirvaQ.a, which is not stained by any of them.

This has been a brief explanation of some important verses from Nagarjuna's Seventy Stanzas on Emptines s. What we need to do is compare the reasonings used in these verses with the reasonings used .in the ·verses from the Sixty Stanzas of Reasoning. If we do that, then understanding both of them will become easier. This is also connected with what is expressed by Gotsangpa, the great yogi, in his song The Eight Flashing Lances.

[Next Rinpoche gives the transmission for Gotsangpa's song: Melody of the Eight Types of Non-Duality.]

This song takes eight pairs of opposites and shows that in the true nature of things, these opposites do not truly exist. The nonexistence of these opposites is described by the terms duality and equality, equality in the sense that all things are in their true sense equal. This is taught in both the great vehicle, mahayana, and in

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the tantric vehicle, vajrayana. It is taught in both vehicles that, in terms of true reality, nirvat).a and sarpsara are indistinguishable, unidentifiable, and inseparable. This is easy to understand if we think about a dream. We may think things appearing in a dream to be very contradictory to each other, but in reality these things dQ not exist. Therefore, there is no difference among them.

For example, if we dream of being bound up in iron chains, and then of being set free, these two events appear to be opposite to each other, but in reality there were no such occurrences. None of it ever really happened. In terms of true reality, neither state - being bound or being unbound - had any substance, so there was no essential difference between them. You might also dream of seeing something that seems very clean and pure, and in the same dream of seeing an appearance that looks completely disgusting and very dirty. But these are just appearances; there is no substance to them. It is only from the perspective of our thoughts that there is clean and dirty - from the perspective of true reality there is no such distinction. That is why true reality is said to be devoid of two because none of these distinctions actually exists. It is also said to be the equality of all the mental distinctions which are made in thought but which are not real.

It is taught that sarpsara and nirval).a are indistinguishable, that they are not separable in any way. If we think about the nature of a dream, we will understand what the root of our confusion is. All of the appearances in a dream are appearance and emptiness inseparable. They appear but they are empty of any substance at the same time. Yet we take them to be true and real, because we are not aware of their true nature. We have a dream and we think that everything in that dream is real. We interact with it as though it were real and so we suffer as a result. If, on the other hand, we have a dream, and at the same time we know that it is just a dream, then whatever happens is not a problem. Whatever happens we know to be merely a dream appearance. Whatever it is an appearance of, we

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know that it is merely appearance and emptiness inseparable. None of the distinctions that we see and hear in the, dream really exist. Then, what is the true nature? The true reality is beyond there being any distinction or not being any distinction. The true reality is beyond any of these thoughts that we might have about it.

Question: Can you say something more about the term that is translated' as "characteristics?" And also the term that is translated as "substantiality?"

Rinpoche: Characteristics are basically what defines things. For example, if you have a dream of something clean, what tells you that it is clean? These are its characteristics. These are things which are imputed by thought. Nothing in the appearance itself is clean from its own perspective, but it is be~ause of A, B, and C that it is thought to be something clean. The A, B, and C are its characteristics, the characteristics of cleanliness. Similarly, we can dream of something and say, "Oh, this is dirty." From its own perspective it is neither clean nor dirty, but, because of A, B, and C, we say that it is dirty. A, B, and C are the characteristics that we say dirtiness has. That is what characteristics means.

Then the term substantial, as in substantially existent, is a translation of the Tibetan word rang bzhin, which means "by its nature;'' or "by its essence." When we say that something is substantially existent or naturally existent, essentially existent, what we mean is that it does not exist in dependence on anything else. It exists from its own side. It exists without depending on other causes and conditions.

For example, if a dream fire were really existent or substantially existent, then it would have to bum something. It would have to perform the function of burning something. But it doesn't. It is just a mere appearance. It is not something real or substantially existent. Also, if we think about self and other, if self and other were substantially or inherently existent, then they would exist without depend-

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ing on each other. But we can see that self and other are just dependently arisen concepts. They don't exist independently or inherently. We can see quite easily that nothing is inherently self and nothing is inherently other. These are merely dependent concepts that arise because we think about things in relation to ourselves. When we think about this [Rinpoche points to himself] it is "1." Somebody else looks at this [still pointing to himself] and it is "you"] it is "other." I look at this and I say "I." You look at this and you say "you." So what is this? Sometimes it is "I." From my perspective it is "I." From your perspective it is "other." From my perspective that [Rinpoche points at another person] is "other." From his perspective it is "1." So what is it? It is neither. These concepts are only dependently existent. Self and other are not inherently or independently existent.

From understanding this, we will understand the true equality of self and other, that in the true nature there is no such distinction. A great siddha named Dombe Heruka sang a verse in which he said, "From the dharmakaya, where self and other are of the nature of equality, I have compassion for all beings who still cling to ideas of good and bad." Dharmakaya is true reality. It is the expanse of true reality. What is that? It is the equality of, or the lack of any distinction between, self and other. Having realized that, Dombe Heruka feels compassion for all beings who are still confused and still think that self and other really exist and, therefore, cling to ideas of some things being good and some things being bad.

The characteristics which tell us that this is "I," and the characteristics which tell somebody else that this is "other," do not truly exist. They exist only in dependence on something else. It is like that.

Question: Would Rinpoche kindly comment on how we may understand compassion in light of these teachings on emptiness? Is compassion something that is truly existent, or is it also only dependently existent?

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Rinpoche: Yes, compassion .does not inherently exist; it is dependently arisen. Compassion, first of all, depends on there being other sentient beings for whom we may feel compassion. When we generate compassion, we think about how all sentient beings, in our past lives, have been our parents and so have been very kind to us. As a result of feeling gratitude for that kindness, we feel compassion towards them, we feel that we want to help them. This compassion depends on th~m and it depends on our own thinking and our own process of cultiyating compassion and remembering it and being mindful of wanting to be compassionate towards others.

Question: Rinpoche mentioned five types of reasonings that Nagarjuna used to demonstrate the truth of emptiness. He explained two of them. Could he describe what the other three are?

Rinpoche: Last night and tonight, we have actually gone over a few of these different reasonings. The first one is dependent arising. Phenomena do not truly exist because they are dependently arisen. The second one is that phenomena do not truly exist because they are neither one nor many. The third is to analyze the cause to see whether or not the result exists at the time of the cause or does not exist at the time of the cause.

The fourth way to demonstrate emptiness is to look at arising itself. This one is called the Vajra Thunderbolt Reasoning. It says that phenomena do not truly arise because they are never really born. We can say that they are never born because we can demonstrate that they are not born from any of the four possibilities. They do not arise from themselves. They do not arise from something different from themselves. They do not arise both from themselves and from something different fro,m themselves. And they don't arise from something that is neither themselves nor different from themselves -in other words, they don't arise without any cause. That's the fourth possibility.

The fifth reasoning is called the examination of cause and effect

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together, and it is also called the reasoning that looks at the four possibilities. But, these are four different possibilities [from those discussed above]. By examination it demonstrates that one result does not arise from one cause or many causes and that many results do not arise from one cause or many causes. That's what the five reasonings are.

If we consider these five reasonings in terms of stages, they would be in this order. First, you would use the reasoning that examines the essence, or the substance, of phenomena- which is the one that sees that they are neither one nor many. Then you would look at the cause and see that phenomena neither exist at the time of their cause nor do they not exist at the time of their cause. Then you would look at the cause and result together, which is the examination of those last four possibilities. Then you would look at arising, the Vajra Thunderbolt Reasoning, and see that phenomena do not ever really arise, because they do not arise from any of the first set of four possibilities that we mentioned. And finally, you would understand that phenomena are just mere appearances because they are dependently arisen.

These five reasonings are the root of all the reasonings in the six collections of reasonings ofNagarjuna. [Nagarjuna wrote six different texts in which he expounded the view of the middle way.] There are many different branches of these reasonings, and many different ways you could use them, but they all stem from these five.

Question: What is the reason why the father and the son cannot exist simultaneously? If you see them side by side, they seem to exist simultaneously.

Rinpoche: The reason that they cannot exist simultaneously is that they no longer have the relationship of produced and producer. It is in that context that they don't exist simultaneously. If you are trying to say that one is the producer of the other, and then you find that you can't say that, then you might say that maybe they exist simulta-

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neously. But you can't say that because then how could they be cause and result? Two things that exist at the same time don't have the relationship of cause and result. The cause has to come before the result. If they both exist at the same time, then they cannot be cause and result.

When we say that, the world's response would be, "Of course, the father exists before the son! It would be dumb to say that he didn't." But then the world is making the mistake of thinking that one's mental continuum viewed over time is one thing. What you are saying is that what existed before the son was born, and then the father that exists after the son is born, are the same thing. You are saying that the person as he was before the son was born and the person as he is after the son is born are exactly the same thing. But, of course, that is not the case. The way that phenomena are is just like in a movie. Movies are a very good example. We watch a movie and we see a person and we say, an hour later, that that person has shown up on the screen again and looks like the same person. And so we say, "There is that person again." But really, a movie is just a series of frames. There is just one frame after another, and there is no connection between any of the frames. Really there is absolutely nothing that is the same between one frame and another frame that appears an hour later, but we think that there is. We confuse these different things to be the same thing.

Another example would be going to a river and losing our hat. Our hat flows away down this river. Then, we come back a year later and we say, "I lost my hat in this river." But, all the water from then is completely gone. That is the mistake of taking many things and confusing them to be one. Or we can look at this butter lamp. We can light the lamp and then come back in a few hours and say, "Oh, the lamp is still lit." But really, the flame that was there when we first lit the lamp disappeared immediately and was replaced by another flame. Here is a completely different flame. Again, that is what is called mistaking things in a continuum to be the same thing.

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Really there is no such thing as a continuum, because a continuum presupposes that something carries over from one moment to the next. But nothing, absolutely nothing, carries over from one moment to the next. It is just like a number of finger snaps in a row. Here is a continuum of finger snaps, but each snap is completely different from the last. Similarly, each moment relies on its own causes and conditions to come about and is replaced by something else which relies on completely different causes and conditions. For this reason, we can understand that things can exist neither as one thing nor as many things. That their true nature is beyond both one and many. So they are empty of any true existence.

In a dream, we have appearances of many difference things. We have appearances of things which look like they are one thing and we have appearances of things that look like they are many things. For example, we can see mountains or people or all different kinds of things. Some things look like they are one, some things look like they are many. But really, none of these things are either one or many.

Question: If nothing carries over from one moment to the next, then how can there be a concept or memory of a continuum?

Translator: What I asked Rinpoche I broke down into two parts. I said, "If there is no such thing as a continuum and there is really nothing that carries over, then, first, how do we remember past things? And, second, why do we have the thought that there is a continuum?"

Rinpoche: In Buddhism there are different explanations of memory, depending on which philosophical school a person belongs to. One philosophical tradition is called the Mind Only school (Cittamatra). What they say is that there are two aspects to any experience. One is an outward facing aspect which experiences all the different things that are perceived, and one is an inward facing aspect whieh is called self-awareness, which means that the mind is aware of its

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own experience. The mind is aware of its experiences, and so it can remember the past.

But according to the middle way, there is no assertion that there is self-awareness of the mind. What the middle way says is that memory, just like everything else, is merely the coming together of causes and conditions. It is the mere coming together of causes and conditions, just as, if you had a mirror and you had the proper causes and conditions, then a reflection would arise in the mirror. Everything is just like that. It is the mere coming together of causes and conditions. Things do not need a basis of any kind or some kind of foundation. Causes and conditions just come together in one moment, and then different ones come together in another moment, and that's how all phenomena are.

The second part of the question was, "Why is it that we think that there is a continuum, if there really isn't one?" We think that there is such a continuum because the moments of the past and the future look alike; they are similar. For example, this butter lamp looked the same five minutes ago as it does now. Because things look the same, we think that they are, in fact, ·the same thing. Even though absolutely nothing carries over from one moment to the next, because one moment lool<:s similar to the next, then we confuse it to be exactly the same as the former one. It's like that.

Question: I want to ask a question about energy. We have been thinking about appearances, such as a flame, and how we perceive them. But what about the concept of the transfer of energy, or the conservation of matter and energy, and the fact that energy is neither gained nor lost. We know about that. Wouldn't that be a continuum?

Translator: The way I have phrased the question was: These days scientists talk about energy or power, and believe that power is something that doesn't diminish. For example, the power that propels a rocket, which is thought not be expended but converted into

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something else. I don't know how else to describe it. But what I have emphasized is that power or energy is thought to be something that is neither lost nor diminished.

Rinpoche: Maybe we could relate that to the power that exists within the expanse of equality for all different kinds of appearances to arise. All different kinds of appearances can arise. Appearances of being clean and appearances of being dirty. Appearances of all different kinds of things. They can all arise because of this power which is inherent in the true nature.

Questioner: I was thinking, would this be the same? I was thinking that mind equals energy, since energy equals power, as far as the translation. Is that correct?

Translator: Energy is power. Correct.

Questioner: And energy is also mind?

Rinpoche: The greatest power, according to the mahayana, which is the great vehicle, is the [power that is inherent in the] true nature of mind, which is of the nature of clear light. Of the true nature of mind there are many different explanations. The true nature of mind is said to be that which pervades all things and, yet, is beyond all things. It pervades all things and, yet, is beyond there being anything there to pervade or there being anything that pervades. In the mahamudra and dzogchen teachings, there are also many different explanations. In the vajrayana there is also the explanation of the true nature as being bliss and emptiness inseparable. If we analyze the question according t~ the middle turning of the wheel of dharma, according to the middle way, then power or energy is, again, just another concept. It is just a thought. Its true natureis beyond any ideas of whether it exists or doesn't exist or is both existent and nonexistent, or neither existent nor nonexistent Its true nature is beyond all of these different kinds of things. Thoughts about power are simply dependently existent. To say that there is

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energy that always exists, how could that be true? Thoughts about j:he existence of anything, energy and power included, depend on there being some idea of nonexistence. Such a thought can not describe true reality. Similarly, if you say that energy is something that is nonexistent, that depends on an idea of something being existent. No thought, one way or the other, can describe the true nature.

For example, we could have a dream of there being energy that was either existent or nonexistent. We could have a dream of energy being great or small. But in the true nature, what is really there? None of these things. So it is like that.

In the vajrayana, there are explanations of the great power of the inseparable bliss emptiness of the true nature. That is an explanation from the perspective of talking about and establishing things as existent. But this explanation is according to the middle way. In the highest school of the middle way, the Consequence Middle Way school (the Prasangika), everything is refuted. The reason that they are able to refute everything, from their way of thinking, is that everything is just a thought. Everything is just an idea. Even to say that there is nothing is still just an idea. To say that there is great energy is one idea. To say that there is no such thing is another idea. The point of all of this, from the standpoint of the middle way, is to get p.ast all conceptualizing about the way things are.

For example, in the song, Melody of the Eight Types of Nonduality, the second verse is about visions of yidam deities on the one hand and very fearsome appearances of bad demons on the other hand. Apparently these are both powerful things in different directions. But neither of them truly exists. So let's sing this song again!

[Melody of the Eight Types of N onduality]. Now we will meditate according to the way we did yesterday,

which is to recite the verses one by one, and then meditate a bit on their meaning, one at a time, and then rest in a state that is free from any thoughts at all.

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[Seventy Stanzas on Emptiness/Meditation]. This is a mode of meditation that is called analytical medita

tion. First we recite a verse. Then we think about the meaning of that verse until we have gained a degree of certainty about it. Then we rest the mind evenly in that certainty. Now, in order to dedicate the merit of the virtue we have accumulated by teaching, listening to, and reciting the teachings, let us recite the last verse from the Sixty Stanzas of Reasoning three times.

[Sixty Stanzas of Reasonings, last verse].

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EVERYTHING Is }UST APPEARANCE AND

EMPTINESS lNSEP ARABLE

Rinpoche wishes everyone tashi delek this evening, and makes the aspiration that we realize the ultimate truth, which is pure being free from all concepts about what that might be, that we realize also that the mode of appearances is that everything appears, but does not truly exist - like illusions, and dreams - and that, as a result of realizing these two, we help limitless sentient beings.

We will begin by reciting T~e Sixty Stanzas of Reasonings, and then Melody of the Eight Types of Nonduality.

[Recitation] As before, please give rise in your hearts to the precious attitude

of the great vehicle, mahayana, which is bodhicitta, the awakening mind. Tonight, from all of the topics that comprise the genuine dharma, we will explain some selected verses from Nagarjuna's The Refutation of Criticism. It is one of the six collections of reasonings by Nagarjuna.

The first verse reads:

Dependently arisen entities Are called "emptiness," [For] that which is dependently arisen Is that which has no inherent nature. (22)

All entities that are arisen from causes and conditions are called emptiness; they are of the nature of emptiness. That which is dependently arisen, that which arises due to causes and conditions, has no inherent nature of its own. It has no independent nature.

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'"t'his verse demonstrates that whatever dependently arises is necessarily empty of true existence. Everything that is dependently arisen is pervaded by emptiness. There is nothing that is dependently arisen which is somehow outside of the scope of emptiness. Also, within the expanse of emptiness all different types of things arise due to the coming together of various causes and conditions.

For example, when we have a dream all of the different appearances that we see in a dream arise due to various causes and conditions. All of these appearances are empty. There is not one of these appearances which has any substance or any reality to it. Yet, within this emptiness, all of these appearances arise due to these various causes and conditions. Similarly, all of the appearances of this life, whatever they may be, arise due to the coming together of various causes and conditions. Therefore, all of the appearances of this life are pervaded by emptiness of any inherent or substantial existence. Yet, within the expanse that is emptiness all of these various appearances arise due to the coming together of different causes and conditions.

Similarly, after we pass away from this life and before we take birth in the next life, we experience the intermediate state, the bardo, and in that state all different kinds of appearances arise. All of these appearances arise due to the coming together of causes and cond.itions. None of them have any inherent or independent existence. Therefore, they are all pervaded by emptiness. Within emptiness all these appearances appear and arise due to the coming together of causes and conditions. That is why it is said in the great vehicle, the mahayana, that the ten~directions and everything in the ten directions are just one immense buddha field of infinite extent. Why? Because everything in the ten directions is pervaded by emptiness, and within this expanse of emptiness, all of the various appearances arise due to the coming together of various different causes and conditions. These appearances are all just empty formsthey are inseparable form and emptiness.

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In the same way, all appearances - what happened in past lives and what may happen in future lives, all appearances of actions and the effects.of actions - appear due to the coming together of various different causes and conditions. They are pervaded by emptiness, and within emptiness they all arise.

Those who believed that things really exist said to people who espoused the middle way, like Nagarjuna, "You say that all phenomena are empty. And if that is true, then your words are also empty. And all your reasonings are empty. How can your reasonings do anything? If your words and your reasonings are empty of any substance, then how do they have the power to refute the ideas of others? How do they have the power to describe what is the.correct view?" The answer that Nagarjuna gave to them is in this next verse, which says:

One magical creation halts another, One illusory being puts an end to The wrong views of his illusory opponent. When I refute the arguments of others, that is exactly

what is happening. {23)

It is as if you had one being who is a sort of magical creation, something which is just an appearance. This being is going around and looking at all these other magical creations and thinking that they are real. Then, another magical creation comes along and says, "Oh, really! This stuff is not real; it is all just a bunch of magical tricks. It doesn't have any substance to it at all." Then the first magical creation says, "Oh, you're right, that's right." So, that is what this is like. None of these creations and none of these events have to be real in any way for this scenario to occur.

In the other example that is given, you have one illusory being, and it is looking at all this illusion, and it thinks that it is real. So, it has all kinds of problems because of that. Then another illusory being comes along and says, "This is really not real. This is all illu-

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sion. And here's why, for this, this, and this reason." Then, the first illusory being says, "Oh, that's right." And it realizes that everything is an illusion. And then its problems go away. That's all it is.

We can think of the example of the dream. We dream and in this dream we are confronted with all kinds of perils, like the threat of being burned by fire, or being drowned in water, or being chased by big fearsome tigers and lions. So we get very frightened because we don't know that we are dreaming. Then, along comes someone in the dream who says, "You're dreaming, don't be afraid, you're just dreaming. It's not a problem." So then we think that everything is okay. "I don't have to worry about this. I am just dreaming. Thanks to this nice person who told me all of this."

There is no real problem because the problem was that one was taking these appearances to be real. First of all, there is really not anything happening in this dream. Second, the person who comes along and tells us that all of this stuff is not real but just a dream is also just part of the dream. Their words are just part of the dream. All of the reasons for the fear are just part of the dream. And then when we change our mind, when our mind is relieved, that is also part of the dream. None of it has to bereaUy happening for it to happen. It is just an illusory series of appearances .. In the same way, all of the appearances in the cycle of existence, all of the appearances in the three realms of existence, are just like an illusion and like a dream. They are mere appearances that are empty of any substantial existence or any inherent nature. Because we take the§e appearances to be true, we suffer. That is the problem. But there is an antidote for that problem, and that antidote is the practice of the dharma. The dharma reverses our attachment to these appearances as being real. The crux of our problem is that we take these appearances to be real. That does not mean that the dharma itself, in order to serve as an effective antidote, has to be something real, either. The reasonings of the dharma do not have to be something real, because they are all equally illusory, equally mere appearance.

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Let's recite this verse three times: [Recitation of preceding verse].

In case we don't understand it yet, we get another example:

Another example: suppose a man falls in love with an illusory woman,

Then another illusion comes along And shows the man what a fool he has beenThat's my work. (27)

Here is another example of looking at an illusion and thinking that it is something real. Here the example is an illusory woman. Someone sees an illusion of a beautiful woman created by a magician and thinks that it is real, causing all types of things to arise in their mind as a result of that. Then, the example shows another illusion created by a magician that comes along and points to this illusory woman and says that this is just an illusion. This is not something real and you are making a mistake to think that it is. But just because the illusory being who comes along and is able to show this person that the woman is not a real woman - that she is just an illusion -does not mean that the illusion doing the explaining is something real, or that the words that this second illusion speaks are something real. They are just as illusory as the woman. But they still have the ability to reverse this person's thought that this illusory woman is something real.

According to the prajfi.aparamita s\ltras, which are the sutras of the transcendent perfection of wisdom, sa rpsara, the cycle of existence, is empty of any inherent or substantial existence. Nirvat).a, the transcendence of suffering, is also empty of any inherent existence. Sarpsara, the cycle of existence, is just appearance and emptiness inseparable. Nirvat).a is just appearance and emptiness inseparable. None of the sentient beings, none of us have any substance. We are just appearance and emptiness inseparable. The buddhas are just appearance and emptiness inseparable. Everything is just appear-

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ance and emptiness inseparable. And yet, when a suitable person hears the words of the dharma, then they can reverse their clinging to all of these things, ourselves included, as being real. They can understand that it is all just like illusions - that it is all just appearance and emptiness inseparable.

Then the opponents ofNagarjuna said to him, "Nagarjuna, you go around refuting everyone else's view. What about your view? You have a view. You talk about emptiness as being the ultimate truth. That view also has a flaw, because, as it is a view, it can also be refuted."

Nagarjuna responded with a verse which states that if he had a position, then he would have a flaw:

If I took a position, Then I would have a flaw. Since I take no position, I have no flaw at all. (29)

Nagarjuna said that when he taught about the ultimate truth being empty of all elaborations and of all the different thoughts about what it might be, he was refuting everyone else's ideas, but that he had no ideas to posit himself. If he had some description of what the ultimate truth was, he said, "Then I would have a flaw. I would have a concept about what ultimate truth is. But I don't have any concepts of what ultimate truth is because it is beyond concepts. I don't have any view."

Nagarjuna refutes all propositions. He refutes all ideas, and he cuts through all objects of focus. These three things. IfNagarjuna had some view or some proposition, then he would have a flaw. But he doesn't. If he had some idea, then he would have a flaw, but he doesn't. If he had any object of focus- in terms of the ultimate truth being this or that - then he would have a flaw. But he doesn't. Therefore, he has no flaw.

In the tradition of Nagarjuna, all views, all propositions are

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refuted, but nothing is proposed in their place. All ideas are refuted, but nothing is thought of in their place. All objects, that could be focused on are cut through, but nothing is focused on in their place. Nagarjuna refutes the idea that things truly exist, but he does not say anything else. That is the end of the discus~ion. The reason Nagarjuna does things in this way is that the ultimate truth is something in which there are no names at all. So there is nothing that can be said about it. The ultimate truth transcends all convention, all concepts, all terms. And so no term can be applied to it. That is why Nagarjuna, once he refutes the views of others, does not propose anything himself.

There were those who believed that things truly exist because they thought there were really causes and there were really results; there were things that did the producing, and that there were things that were produced. The next verse is a response to that type of view. It says:

If the son is produced by the father, But the father is also produced by that very son, Then will you please tell me, Which one is the true "cause" and which the true

"result?" (49)

Normally, we would think that the father produces the son. We would say that the father is the producer, and the son is the produced. But if we think about it, then there is no father before there is the son. Because there is a son, then we call somebody father. And so the son is the cause of this conventional term of father being applied. Therefore, if you try to say that there really is a producer and there really is a produced - well, which one is it? Which one is the producer, which one is the produced? You really can't say. Either way, if you look at it in another way, then you are wrong. This is Nagarjuna's response to this type of belief.

If we look at this question in terms of a gross view, in terms of a

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continuum, then we say that the father produces the son. But if we analyze that continuum in terms of the individual moments, which are completely distinct, and then try to find the exact point at which the producer produces and what is produced is produced, then we will see that there is no way that one can come before the other. They exist only in dependence upon each other. Therefore, one cannot exist before the other one does. Therefore, it is nonsensical to speak of one of them being the producer. If the producer does not exist before the produced, then how can it be the producer of the produced?

Another criticism that was brought against the followers of the middle way, and against Nagarjuna in particular, by other Buddhist and by non-Buddhists alike, was that, if phenomena were really empty, if there were nothing that was truly existent, then that would mean that there would be no such thing as cause and effect, there would be no such things as past and future lives, there would be no such thing as the three jewels, there would be no such thing as attaining buddhahood.

In response to that, Nagarjuna composed this verse:

If emptiness is. possible, Then all objects are possible, all levels attainable. If emptiness is impossible, Then everything else is [impossible] as well. (70)

Here Nagarjuna argues that the actual situation is just the reverse of what these people claimed. Only because phenomena are empty of true existence can all of these different kinds of appearances manifest. If phenomena were truly existent, solid, and unchanging, then there could not be a cause and a result with respect to these phenomena, because nothing would ever change. You could not possibly attain buddhahood or any other level of realization, as nothing would ever change. Everything would be independently existent -not affected by causes and conditions. And therefore no change

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would be possible. If we think about this in terms of past and future lives, .we can

understand that it is only because they are empty of true existence that there can be past and future lives. It is dependent upon there being this life that we can have any idea of a past life and a future life. This life is now and the past life is before now, and the future life is after now. If there were no now, then how could the past before now and the future after now exist? It is only because these things are dependently existent that we can have any concept of them as having any existence at all.

And similarly, this present life depends just as much on the past and the future. For if there were no idea of past and future, you would have no idea of what now was - as now is something which is not the past and not the future. It is now. Now, this life, is just as dependent on past lives and future lives, as past and future lives are dependent on this one.

Similarly, virtue is dependent upon nonvirtue; nonvirtue is dependent on virtue. Happiness is dependent upon unhappiness; and unhappiness is dependent on happiness. Therefore, we can have ideas, we can have concepts of cause and effect, we can have the result of performing virtuous actions being happiness; and the result of negative actions being suffering. And also, because phe~ nomena do not truly exist, we can practice the dharma, and the dharma can be a remedy for suffering and the afflictions. The afflic~ tive mental states are only the result of certain causes and condi~ tions. Suffering is the result of certain causes and conditions. Therefore, the dharma, which is also just the result of certain causes and conditions, and therefore also a mere illusion, is able to alter the causes and conditions that are the cause of the afflictive mental states and suffering. It can change them, eliminate them, be a sue~ cessful antidote for them. It is only because these things are the results of causes and conditions that all of this is possible - that it is possible for the dharma to be an effective antidote.

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The last verse reads:

I prostrate to the Awakened One, the Buddha, Who taught that dependent arising and emptiness have

the same meaning, And that this is the middle way path. Your words are supreme, their meaning unsurpassed.

(Concluding homage)

This is a prostration to the Buddha, because the Buddha taught dependent arising. That is the reason why Nagarjuna prostrates to the Buddha. Also, Nagarjuna points out to us that dependent arising, emptiness, and the middle way path, which is free from all extremes, have the exact same meaning. They are the same teaching. The teaching of the middle way, the teaching on emptiness, and the teaching on dependent arising, all have the same import and the same meaning. Because the Buddha taught this, the Buddha's words are supreme, and the meaning of the Buddha's words is unsurpassed. For this reason, Nagarjuna prostrates to the Buddha.

The Buddha taught that dependent arising and emptiness have the same meaning and are inseparable. This is not something that can be harmed or refuted by reasoning. Because the Buddha's teachings about dependent arising and emptiness cannot be defeated by reasdning, Nagarjuna prostrates to the Buddha. This is the manner in which homage is paid in a tradition grounded in reasoning. The one to whom we prostrate is the one who speaks words which cannor be refuted. We test these words and find them to be completely valid and irrefutable by any type of argument. For that reason we prostrate to that person - not for any other reason.

The Buddha Sakyamuni himself said that nobody should accept anything as true before they had analyzed it themselves. He said, "You should only accept what I say, based on your own analysis of it, not out of respect for me." He compared the situation to a merchant buying gold. A merchant buying gold would never accept the gold

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just on faith, but would test it by their own means to see if it were real. And if it were real, they would buy it, and if it were not real, they would not buy it.

If, on the other hand, it is a tradition in which you believe what the teacher says - because you have faith in that teacher, and faith in that teacher as being great, then you believe what the teacher says on faith- then that is a tradition that is based on faith.

[Recitation of Seven Delights.]

This song is very much in accord with the view ofNagarjuna as expressed in the texts we have studied the last two nights and in the text, The Refutation of Criticism, that we have studied tonight. The first verse talks about whether or not there are thoughts arising. The truth is that whether or not there are thoughts arising, in the ultimate truth; in actual reality, there is no difference. In the ultimate truth there is no distinction between thoughts arising and not arising. Thoughts arising is just emptiness and appearance inseparable, and thoughts not-arising is also appearance and emptiness inseparable. They are both just dependently existent ideas. Whether or not they happen does not make any difference once you have realized the ultimate truth.

The reason why we can be happy if klesas arise, if afflictive mental states arise, is that klesas themselves are empty of any substance. They are just mere appearance. And any antidote we might try to apply to remove afflictive mental states would also be just a mere appearance and not real. The true nature is of the nature of equality of both the afflictions and of any antidote we might apply. This true nature is the true nature of mind; it is clear light- and the realization of that is sheer delight. Why is it that we can be happy, in fact, have sheer delight, when obstacles arise? It is because, whether obstacles arise or they don't arise, neither is a real or inherently existent state. They are just dependently existent. When obstacles arise that depends upon some idea of there not being any obstacles; and

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there not being any obstacles depends on some idea of when there are obstacles. So they are just dependently existent ideas. And that is to say that they are not existent. To say that they are not existent is to say that they are of the nature of equality; and to say that they are of the nature of equality, is to say that they are of the nature of clear light. Whether or not they arise - if one says that one is facing obstacles, or that one has no obstacles - these are just dependently arisen ideas, not real. When you realize that, then that is an experience of sheer delight.

Why is it an experience of sheer delight when we are suffering in the pits of sarp.sara? The reason is that the pits of sarp.sara and the pinnacle of nirvaQ.a are just dependently existent. To say that they are dependently existent is to say that one exists only in dependence on the other and vice versa. And that is to say that they really do not exist. They are of the nature of equality. It is the same with happiness and unhappiness. Happiness and suffering exist only in dependence on each other. To say, "this is suffering," depends on some idea of what happiness is. To say, "this is happiness," does not truly exist because that depends on having some idea of what suffering is. To say that they are dependently existent is to say that they are really not existent. They are like happiness and suffering in a dream.

We can have different kinds of happiness and different kinds of suffering in a dream. But these experiences are not truly existent. Therefore the last line says: When karmic consequences bloom, delight. Well, karmic consequences blooming means the results of actions we have taken in the past, particularly the bad ones that result in suffering. Whether they happen or they do not happen, they do not truly happen, because whether they do or they do not is again just dependently existent - and not truly existent. In terms of relative truth we can be happy when we have suffering because that experience is the cleansing or the purifying of the seed of ~orne bad action which we have sown in the past. Once we experience its result we

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will never have to experience it again. We can hqve that attitude towards suffering in terms of its mode of appearance. In terms of the ultimate truth we know it to be not truly existent. Then when it happens it is an experience of delight.

Suffering from illness is, again, the result of some negative actions taken in the past. So the result we experience now is illness, sickness. And again, we can experience delight when illness comes because we know that that is the purification of those negative actions. We won't have to experience the ripening of that particular karma again. The suffering of illness also gives us the opportunity to practice tonglen, the practice of taking and sending, which is a very important practice in the mahayana. When you experience the suffering of illness, in the practice oftonglen you pray that all the suffering of illness of all sentient beings ripens in you at that moment. You take in all the suffering of others and you send out your own happiness, your own joy, and you imagine that others experience that happiness and joy. When we suffer sickness we have the experience of empathy with others, so it is a very good time to practice tonglen. In terms of understanding its ultimate nature we understand that whether sickness arises or does not arise, it is just a dependent concept. It depends on our thoughts. When we have an idea that we are sick, it depends on a thought of not being sick; and when we have an idea of not being sick, it depends on some idea of what sickness is like. Realizing the true nature of suffering from sickness to be equality is also an occasion for delight.

When Gotsangpa sings about illness, he is singing from his own experience. Gotsangpa became quite painfully sick for long periods of time when he was practicing in retreat. But he never left his retreat to go see a doctor or to go to a hospital. Since there were no doctors where he was meditating high up in the rocks, he did not rely on doctors or medicine to try to get well. Instead he took his illness to the path. Since he brought his illness to the path, the illness, in fact, became a catalyst for his realization. Eventually, when he

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became realized, his illness completely went away of its own accord. So this verse is something from Gotsangpa's own experience.

There are a couple of reasons why Tibetan yogis and yogin'is do not go to see doctors. One reason is that, when they get sick, then that experience provides a good opportunity to realize the true nature. And that is an experience of delight. Moreover, should they happen to die while they are in retreat, since that is the best way to die, why would they ever want to go to a doctor? [laughter] Milarepa sang a song called, How all my wishes can come true. One verse of that song says, "If I die in this retreat, all alone, then this yogi's wish will come true." Milarepa sang his song before he passed away in a cave. This shows the extent of his commitment. Even when he was dying, he still stayed in a cave. Tibetan caves are quite nice and dry, so you can stay there both in the summertime and the wintertime.

Why can we have sheer delight at the point of death? Because it is an extraordinary opportunity to realize the true nature of mind, which is clear light. What happens when you die is that all thoughts dissolve into clear light. If you meditate on the clear light nature of mind at that time, then it is like uniting with your mind's own clear light nature because your thoughts naturally do that at the point of death. And then all thoughts of birth and death- for example: "I'm going to die, I'm going to die," those kinds of thoughts- are self-liberated in the expanse of dharmakaya. So, dead, and not dead, are just two notions that are dependent upon each other. If you have the idea, "I am not dead," it depends on some idea that "I am dead," and vice versa. For that reason they are just dependently existent; and to say that they are dependently existent is to say that they are nonexistent.

Another way to think about this is to think about how people die. They have a thought, "Oh I'm dying, I'm dying," and then they are dead; So where is death? There is no actual point of death. Between that thought, "I'm dying, I'm dying," and being dead there

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is nothing. Therefore, there is no death. Death has no es.sence. If we realize that- that there is no death, that death has no essence -at the point of death, then thoughts of death are said to be liberated into the dharmakaya.

Why is it that we can experience sheer delight when bad circumstances happen? In terms of the relative truth, the truth of appearances, when bad things happen, we practice the dharma more. [laughter] That is a good reason to be happy when we are in bad circumstances, because we practice more. We remember to practice the dharma. In terms of the ultimate nature of bad circumstances, then again, bad circumstances are just dependent for their existence on some idea of what good circumstances are, and vice versa. And so, to say that they are dependently existent is to say that they are not existent. To say that they are not existent is to say that their nature is clear light. To say that their nature is clear light, to realize their true nature of being, is to experience sheer delight.

If we are experiencing a time in our lives when everything is going great, and we have a great job, a lot of money, different kinds of things, and we are surrounded by all our friends all the time and never encounter anyone whom we don't like, then what happens is that our pride increases. We become arrogant about our condition and about how everything is going so great for us. Having more pride leads to more jealousy, because somebody might look better than we, and we might become jealous of them. Also, when everything is going great for us, we get distracted. Why should we want to practice the dharma? We think, "I don't have to practice right now." So we get distracted. These are all bad things, and they all come from having good circumstances. On the other hand, when we have bad circumstances, when things are tough, we have no reason to feel proud. Our pride diminishes, and correspondingly jealousy diminishes, and then we practice the dharma. For this reason dharma practitioners think that bad circumstances are much better than good ones. It is like that.

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When we recite from Gotsangpa, we should know that this is a song sung from his own experience. We should have the exact same delight as he did, the same type of delight that he had toward all of these things. This is quite difficult, but it is important for us to know what realization is like, what the experience of realization is like when you realize that all appearances are just like illusions, just appearance and emptiness inseparable. The ultimate truth is the true nature of mind, which is clear light. We should know what that realization is like and how Gotsangpa experienced it.

[Recitation of Seven Delights] Now what questions are there? If there are questions about the

Refutation of Criticism, or about the Seven Delights, please ask.

Question: Rinpoche, dependent arising is often used to show that an entity's true nature is emptiness. Yet cause and effect is proven not to occur as in the argument about arising. Are not dependent arising and cause and effect basically the same thing? And if so, how can both arguments be used? In Western philosophy this sort of sounds like circular reasoning, which is rejected as false reasoning. So if it is true, how, coming from the standpoint of Western philosophy, can I better understand?

Rinpoche: Nagarjuna refutes the true existence of cause and effect, that cause and effect is something real. He refutes dependent existence as being something real, but he does not attempt to deny that there is the mere appearance of things arising due to merely apparent causes and merely apparent conditions, just like what happens in a dream.

Dependent existence is like the moon that appears in a pool of water. First you have the moon in the sky, then you have a cloudless night, and you have a clear pool of water on the ground. Dependent on that, you have an appearance ofthe moon in the water, which is just a mere appearance, just a reflection.

Dependent existence is like the eye that sees and the form that

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is seen in a dream. Dependent existence is like bondage and liberation in a dream. Dependent existence is like clean and unclean in a dream.

What these examples are trying to point us to is the understanding that all phenomena are just appearance and emptiness inseparable. There are many different examples given of empty forms, forms which appear but have no substantial or true existence. The ultimate truth is equality, the complete freedom from all of these elaborations of causes and conditions and all of those different kinds of things. These refutations that Nagarjuna addresses to his opponents are also appearance and emptiness inseparable, just like illusions and just like magical creations, which are taught in this text.

Question: Could you please say some more words about how to take illness to the path?

Rinpoche: First we start out by understanding that thoughts like, "I am really sick," or "I am just a little sick," or "I am sick," or "1 am not sick," are all just dependently arisen; they exist only in dependence on each other. Which is to say that they don't really exist. So it is like having experiences in a dream. You can have a dream and think, "Wow, I am really sick," or "I am just a little sick," or "I am not sick," or "I am just sick," or "I am a sick," or whatever, but all of these thoughts in the dream are just dependently existent, which is to say that they are not truly existent. Sickness is not something that truly exists, it exists only in dependence upon our thoughts.

So we need to realize that, and this is part of the process of gaining certainty about the view. Because the view is that appearances are just illusions. They are just appearance and emptiness inseparable, just like the appearances that arise in dreams. Different things can appear in dreams; none of them have any reality. They are just appearance and emptiness inseparable. Gaining certainty in the view means gaining certainty about this understanding of the mode

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of appearance. In terms of the mode of ultimate reality, the mode of ultimate reality is the equality of all these different kinds of things, which is emptiness. So we gain certainty about that, and then we rest in meditation. We rest the mind in meditative equipoise within this emptiness, within the emptiness of all these different kinds of ideas. That is how to take illness to the path.

So the yogis in Tibet have a saying, "My body is not sick, my thoughts are sick." The body is not really sick, our thoughts are sick. So when you think about it, think about a dream. Think about when you have a dream of being sick. Your body has no sickness; your thoughts are the ones that are sick. And so that helps us realize that sickness is only something that exists in cmr thoughts. It's really not something truly existent.

According to the middle way of approaching this, we use our intelligence. We use our intelligence to analyze what is the ultimate truth. We ask the question: What is actually happening here? What is the mode of appearance, and what is the mode of true reality? And so what we find is that true reality is free from all of these different thoughts. None of these thoughts can express the true reality because all of these thoughts are just dependent on something else. So they can't be really true. What is true reality? It just depends on how you look at it - the reality that your thoughts create depends on how you are looking at it. You can't describe true reality. And so in the middle way, what we do is we use our intelligence to understand that and to gain certainty about it, and then, once we have gained certainty about it, we remember it again and again. And then, when we meditate, we rest the mind evenly without any thoughts at all.

One way to do this is to meditate right upon the very feeling of sickness. When we have a feeling of sickness, we use our intelligence, which tries to determine what is really the truth, to see that this sickness has no essence. And then we rest in that, in true reality which is free from thoughts about the sickness. If we have an espe-

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dally strong, intense feeling of sickness, then, when the thought stops, there is an experience of great power. The stronger the feeling is, when the thought that takes it to be real stops, the stronger and more powerful the realization is.

One way we can analyze is to base our reasoning on the fact that there is no "I," that there is no truly existent self of the individual. When we are sick, and we have the thought of "Oh, I'm sick," we can say, "Well, who is sick?" Find this "1." The individual or the "I" is the name that we throw onto the five aggregates, but try to find this truly existent "I" amongst these five aggregates - the one aggregate of the body and the four of the mind. Where is this "I"? Where is it? If you do that, you will realize you cannot find it. You cannot find the "I" anywhere. And so, if there is no "I," if there is nobody to get sick, then sickness can't exist. There is nobody to get sick.

This is a method that again is based on reasoning, on using your intelligence. You use your intelligence to figure out what is the truth, and once you've done that, then you just rest in that. In this instance, you look for the "I" until you realize you cannot find it, and then you rest in not being able to find it.

So, we have to think about how it is in a dream, and why, in a dream, we suffer as a result of illness. We suffer when we have a dream of being sick because we think in this dream that we are real. That is the mistake of clinging to an "I" where there is no "1." We think the. sickness is something real. That is making the mistake of thinking that a phenomenon which doesn't have any substance, has substance, that it exists. Because of these two mistakes - even though, because it is just a dream, there is no "I" and no sickness -we suffer. If we think about that, we can apply that in the daytime when we feel sickness. And that will help our view. It will be an aid to gaining the correct view.

It is just like the suffering we experience as a result of thinking about the future. We think about the future a lot, and as a result of

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that we suffer a lot. We have thoughts about the future like, "Oh, I'm going to get old, and when I'm old, who's going to take care of me?" We suffer as a result of thoughts like that. But really, there is no "1." We think that there is an "I" in the future, and as a result of that first mistake we suffer. And then we take the future to be something real. But where is the future? The future is nowhere. You can't find it anywhere. It is not really existent. The future is nowhere to be found. That is called the mistake of taking phenomena which are not truly existent to be truly existent. Based on these two mistakes we suffer, whereas, if we realize that we are making these mistakes, then we won't suffer anymore as a result.

So in short, this has been an explanation of how to take sickness to the path, and to sum it all up, first you remember the view. You think about the view. Once you have gained certainty in the view, you rest the mind in meditation. Just rest it evenly. And the more you get accustomed to this and the more you meditate on this, the easier and easier it will be to take sickness to the path. In the Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, the bodhisattva Santideva says that once you start to meditate, whatever happens, it is easy. It is like that.

So tonight we have explained in briefNagarjuna's text called The Refutation of Criticism and the song of Gotsangpa called Seven Delights. If we think about these again and again, if we meditate on these again and again in connection with each other, then that would be very good. So now we have studied Sixty Stanzas of Reasonings, Seventy Stanzas on Emptiness, and The Refutation of Criticism, all by Nagarjuna, and Gyalwa Gotsangpa's songs, Eight Flashing Lances, Melody of the Eight Types of Nonduality, and Seven Delights. These are the words of the great scholar and of a great siddha, a great meditation master, and, if we think about these in connection with each other, then that is very good. Sometimes if you all, on a weekend, can get together and recite some verses and sing some songs

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together and meditate on them, then that would be very good. If you recite the words and meditate on the words, then the words have great power. So now let's recite the verses from The Refutation of Criticism, ohe by one, and meditate in between.

[Recitation of The Refutation of Criticism] In the madhyamika tradition there are two types of meditation.

Once you have determined that all phenomena are empty, one tradition is to rest in that emptiness which is like space. And the second type is just to rest the mind completely free of any type of idea or concept at all. The meditation on emptiness which is like space, the complete absence of any phenomena, is the meditation that is taught by the Autonomy Middle Way school, the Sv atantrika Madhyamika. And the meditation in which thoughts even of emptiness cease, and there is absolutely no thought of anything whatsoever, that is the meditation taught by the Consequence Middle Way school, the Prasangika Madhyamika.

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PART THREE:

COMMENTARY ON "IN PRAISE OF

THE DHARMADHATU" BY ARYA

NAGARJUNA

BY

KHENPO TSOLTRIM GYAMTSO RINPOCHE

TRANSLATED BY ARI GOLDFIELD

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HOW DIFFERENT NAMES ARE GIVEN TO DIFFERENT MODES OF COMPLETELY

FALSE APPEARANCE

Not leaving out any beings that we may not like, please aspire to attain the state of perfect and complete buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. In order to do that, we must listen to, reflect on, and meditate on the teachings of the noble protector Nagarjuna's text, Praise of the dharrnadhatu, with great enthusiasm in our hearts. This is the precious attitude of bodhicitta. Please give rise to· it and listen.

We are on verse number 36, which begins the section that teaches why the dharmadhatu, primordial awareness, is called by different names at different stages:

Just as water, during the summertime, Is spoken of as being something warm, And the very same water, throughout the winter sea

son, Is spoken of as being something cold, (36)

Those ensnared in the net of the afflictions Are referred to by the label, "sentient beings"; The very same when freed of states afflicted As "buddhas" are revered. (3 7)

Depending upon the season and the state that the water is in, during the wintertime it can be called cold water, during the summer-

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time warm water. Similarly, the dharmadhatu, primordial awareness, is given the name sentient being when an individual is still afflicted by klesas, when klesas still obscure the dharmadhatu from their vision. However, when the kle8as and the cognitive obscurations are all completely cleared away and primordial awareness manifests openly, unobstructedly, when primordial awareness is directly and perfectly realized, then the dharmadhatu is called buddhahood. What name is given to the dharmadhatu, either sentient being or buddha, depends on the state of this individual.

If it is true that the essential nature of all phenomena is the dharmadhatu, then, when they reappear to be the twelve ayatanas or the twelve sources of consciousness, is not the appearance of these phenomena some type of contradiction? On the one hand they are said to be all of the same nature, yet they appear to be different types of phenomena. How can it be said that their nature is all essentially the dharmadhatu, that they all have the same nature? Well, there is no contradiction here, and this is explained in the following verses.

What is explained here is how different names or different conventional terms are given to different modes of completely false appearance- the appearances of things which do not truly exist, but appear to exist to the confused mind. The first one involves the eye con~ciousness and what appears to it:

When eye and form assume their right relation, Appearances appear without a blur. Since these neither arise nor cease, They are the dharmadhatu, though they are imagined

to be otherwise. (38)

Form and the other five outer sources of consciousness, making six altogether, do not appear to conceptual consciousness as they really exist. If we examine the outer sources of consciousness down to the smallest atom, we cannot find anything. For example, if we examine

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an eye in very fine detail, in atomic and subatomic detail, we cannot find even an atom that truly exists. The eye that perceives is not made of anything; it is just a mere appearance. Similarly, the form that appears to the eye sense consciousness is also not made out of any [truly existent] atoms; there is nothing substantially there at all. When these two things which are not composed of anything, which are just mere appearances, come together, then the eye sense consciousness that perceives form does so in a way that is nonconceptual. When the eye sense consciousness perceives a form, it is an experience of perfect clarity that is unmediated by concepts, that is not polluted by any concepts about what is there; it is just a pure experience of clarity, of vision. At thanime, the appearance is not arisen truly, nor does it ever cease, and this appearance-emptiness, this appearance which is empty of arising and empty of ceasing, which is empty of any existent matter at all, this appearance-emptiness undifferentiable is the dharmadhatu. Later, when thoughts arise, we think, "Oh, this is form; and this is a nice looking form or this is an unpleasant looking form," or whatever thought might want to impute to the nature of that form. But its actual nature is appearance-emptiness.

To put this in the form of a logical reasoning, we would say that the eye sense faculty, the form it perceives, and the eye sense consciousness, these three are the dharmadhatu, because the form and the sense faculty are empty of atoms - they are not made of anything substantial - and the consciousness that perceives is unstained by conceptuality. It is the undifferentiability of clarity and emptiness. The example that illustrates this is the example of the meeting of the sense faculty, the form, and the consciousness in a dream.

So let's recite this verse three times. [Students recite.] In connection with this, Guru Rinpoche composed seven sup

plications to himself for his students and later disciples to recite.

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One of these is called the SuppLication that the Host of Thoughts be Self-liberated. The first verse of this supplication is very much in harmony with this particular verse from Nagarjuna's text:

All these forms that appear to eyes that see, All things on the outside and the inside, The environment and its inhabitants, Appear, but let them rest where no selfs found. Perceiver and perceived, when purified, Are the body of the deity, clear emptiness. To the guru for whom desire frees itself, To Orgyen Perna Jungne I supplicate.

Nagarjuna's next verse reads:

When sound and ear assume their right relation, A consciousness free of thought occurs. These three are in essence the dharmadhatu, free of

other characteristics, But they become "hearing" when thought of conceptu

ally. (39)

Based on the coming together of sound and the ear, an experience of c_onsciousness that is mere clarity, that is the mere experience of hearing the sound, occurs. This consciousness is pure. The reason why it is pure is that there is no conceptuality, there are no thoughts happening, and so the consciousness is pure. In the Tibetan it literally says it is pure of thou·ghts. So it is pure because there are no thoughts happening. It is a pure experience. At that time, this consciousness, to which this appearance is appearing so clearly, together with its object, are only the dharmadhatu and nothing else. They have no other characteristics; they have only the characteristics of awareness and emptiness undifferentiable, because no other characteristics exist. Later, when the thought process kicks in, we can

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think, "Oh, I just heard a sound." But that only comes after the actual experience and is not connected with it. It is only a label that thoughts put on it after it happens.

The sound, which is not composed of any atoms, is not made of anything. The ear sense faculty is not composed of any "truly existent" atoms. And the ear sense consciousness is mere clarity that is not corrupted by any thoughts; it is not stained by any thoughts. And the coming together of these three is just like their coming together in a dream. There is no difference. Their nature is the dharmadhatu. They have no characteristics [that exist] from their own side [independent of conditions from the "other" side]. They have only the characteristics of the dharmadhatu. But because we do not recognize what the dharmadhatu is, then thoughts arise and we think, "Oh, that was a sound." So thoughts prevent us from knowing what the true nature of that experience was. Our obscuring thoughts prevent us from seeing that it is actually the dharmadhatu and confuse us by labeling it as a sound, and then further labeling it is a "good" sound, a "bad" sound, or whatever.

When we hear something in a dream - before we conceptualize what it is that we are hearing- the sound and the sense faculty that perceives the sound are appearance and emptiness undifferentiable from each other. The sense consciousness that perceives it is clarityemptiness undifferentiable, and it is all just the dharmadhatu. But then, because we do not recognize the dharmadhatu, we have a thought, "Oh, that is a sound"; and then we think, just as we do during the daytime, "That was a good sound, that was a bad sound," and we start to take action in response to that [conceptualized version of the] sound. We either try to do something to get more of that type of sound or to avoid that type of sound, all based upon this conceptual confusion.

In the Supplication to Guru Rinpoche it says,

All these sounds that appear for ears that hear,

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Taken as agreeable or not, Let them rest in the realm of sound and emptiness, Past all thought, beyond imagination. Sounds are empty, unarisen, and unceasing; These are what make up the Victor's teaching. To the teachings of the Victor, sound and emptiness, To Orgyen Perna Jungne I supplicate.

And the 39th verse ofNagarjuna's text reads:

When sound and ear assume their right relation, A pure consciousness free of thought occurs. These three are in essence the dharmadhatu, free of

any other characteristics. But they become "hearing" when thought of conceptu

ally. (39)

So we will recite this together three times. [Students recite.] The essence of any experience of perception is the dhar

madhatu. It is appearance-emptiness, clarity-emptiness. When we have a thought that this experience of dharmadhatu is a sound, and take that sound to be real, then that is saf!1sara.

·The next verse reads:

Dependent upon the nose and an odor, one smells. And as with the example of form there is neither arising

nor cessation, But in dependence upon the nose-consciousness's

experience, The dharmadhatu is thought to be smell. (40)

The commentary reads, "In dependence upon the nose and an odor, there is smell; but in this appearance of form, there is neither any arising, there is neither anything happening, nor is there any ceasing

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of anything happening. And so the smell has no essence. But based on the experience of the nose consciousness, one thinks, 'I smelled something,' and the dharmadhatu is conceptualized to be odor."

Again, the dream is a very useful example for us to think about. In a dream, the experience of nose consciousness's perceiving odor is, from the perspective of consciousness, clarity~emptiness; the odor is appearance~ emptiness. It is the dharmadhatu, but we do not recognize the dharmadhatu, so even though it is just a dream, we think that we smelled something. We are confused in the same way we are during the daytime. We think that the smell is either good or bad and that we have to take some kind of action of adopting or rejecting in response to it. We confuse the dharmadhatu to be smell.

So now we will recite this verse three times. [Students recite.] The next two verses teach about the tongue consciousness

(taste consciousness) and the tactile consciousness of the body. The first one reads:

The tongue's nature is emptiness. The sphere of taste is voidness as well. These are in essence the dharmadhatu And are not the causes of the taste consciousness. (41)

The commentary: "The tongue's nature is empty of essence. It has no existent essence. The sphere or the element of taste- that which is being tasted - also is void; it also has no truly existing essence. Both of these, the tongue and what is tasted, are of the essence of the dharmadhatu. And therefore they are not the cause of the taste consciousness. It is only that thoughts think that they are." We think that there is a tongue and that there is something that the tongue tastes, ·and as a result we experience taste, the sensation of taste, in our minds. But this is only our conceptual mind at work. This demonstrates how conceptual mind clings to things which are truly nonexistent as being the cause of an experience that, in turn,

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is also entirely conceptual. The tongue itself is not composed of any existent atoms. If you

look to see what the atoms in that tongue are made of, you cannot find anything. So it is empty of essence. It has no existent essence. Similarly, taste is of the nature of voidness or emptiness. We could think that we taste something and it tastes good or it tastes bad, but the same experience of taste can be thought of in different ways, in completely opposite ways, by different beings. Some beings taste one thing and it tastes very good, other beings taste the exact same thing and they experience it as a very bad taste. So what this taste is is not definite. It is of the nature of emptiness. And it is the dharmadhatu. When we are confused, we take the dharmadhatu to be something truly existent and call it taste.

[Students recite verse.] The tongue has two functions. It functions both as the faculty

of the taste consciousness and as a faculty of the tactile consciousness. The middle part of your tongue feels form, experiences tactile sensation. The edges of it experience taste. It is important to know that our tongue has two functions.

However, these appearances - of a taste sense faculty and of a tactile sense faculty - are completely false appearances; neither of them truly exists. They are in essence the dharmadhatu.

The next verse is about the tactile consciousness, the body consciousness:

The pure body's essence, The characteristics of the object touched, The tactile consciousness free of conditions -These are called the dharmadhatu. (42)

If one investigates, one finds that the body is pure (empty) of atoms. It is pure because it is not made of anything; there are no atoms there. The characteristics of the object that is touched are pure in a similar way because there are no atoms there either. And therefore

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the tactile consciousness - or literally the body consciousness - is liberated or free of conditions, the conditions that bring it about. Here, the two conditions referred to are called the focal condition and the empowering condition. The focal condition here is the object of touch, what the consciousness is focused on, and the empowering condition is the sense faculty, which is the body itself. Since these two conditions do not exist, the consciousness does not really exist either. Therefore, all three are the openness and spaciousness of the dharmadhatu, and nothing other than that.

So the body, the tactile sense faculty, and the form that is touched or felt, these are appearance-emptiness. The consciousness is clarity-emptiness. All are the dharmadhatu. But since we do not realize that, after the experience of touching something happens, we conceptualize it to be touch, and then we engage in all different kinds of activity, trying to get more of that type of feeling or trying to push away that type of feeling to get less of it, and that is sa111sara.

The actual experience of touch is the dharmadhatu, because the body is the dharmadhatu, that which is touched is the dharmadhatu, and the consciousness experiencing it is the dharmadhatu. But an instant later our thoughts arise and identify it and reify it as an experience of touching something, and these thoughts are like iron chains that shackle us. The more we think about it, the more we get wrapped up and tangled up in it. That is the way it is most of the time. If somebody is tied up and they try to move around, they just get more and more tangled I.Ip. That is what happens when we do not realize the basic openness and spaciousness of the experience, when we do not realize the dharmadhatu.

It is just like an insect caught in a spider's web. First, it is not caught very much, just a little bit; but as it tries to escape and struggles, then the web wraps tighter and tighter around it, and it is much worse off.

In short, what binds us are our thoughts that the dharmadhatu is something real. There is nothing else that binds us. If we can

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understand what the essence of these thoughts really is, then they will be self-liberated.

[Students recite verse.] The next verse reads:

The phenomena that appear to the mental consciousness, the chief of them all,

Are conceptualized and then superimposed. When this activity is abandoned, phenomena's lack of

self-essence is known. Knowing this, meditate on the dharmadhatu. (43)

The commentary on the first two lines reads, "The completely false appearance of the mind and the phenomena that appear to the mind are what cause the mental consciousness to come into being. But the phenomena appearing to this mental consciousness are merely conceptualized, and once conceptualized are superimposed onto genuine reality as being existent, and are given whatever name we might choose to give them." First we imagine the existence of a phenomenon, then we superimpose that onto reality, and then we give it a name. But, as the final line of the commentary reads, "As it is superimposed, it does not exist." It does not exist as it is believed to.

In the Supplication to Guru Rinpoche, it says,

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All these movements of mind towards its objects, These thoughts that make five poisons and afflictions, Leave thinking mind to rest without contrivances. Do not review the past nor guess the future. If you let such movement rest in its own place, It liberates into the dharmakaya. To the guru for whom awareness frees itself, To Orgyen Perna Jungne I supplicate.


If we connect Praise of the Dharmadhatu with the songs of Milarepa, we are joining Praise of the Dharmadhatu with the explanations of mahamudra. If we connect Praise of the Dharmadhatu with Guru Rinpoche's supplication, then we join Praise of the Dharmadhatu with the explanations of dzogchen.

Now we will sing Auspiciousness that Lights up the Universe. [Students sing.] Sarva Mangalam.

167


168


AT THE MEETING OF THE

CONSCIOUSNESS WITH ITS OBJECT,

THERE Is No REAL ARISING

Sarva Mangalam. Alia la ho. We will begin by singing the Supplication to Guru Rinpoche.

[Students sing.] Now we will sing a verse from a song by Milarepa, the lord of

yogis. This verse also describes how the six consciousnesses are selfliberated. So you should write this verse down on a piece of paper. It goes like this:

The meeting of appearances of the six kinds of consciousness,

This is the guide that turns adverse conditions into a path.

Is there anyone here who is able to keep to this path and follow it through?

The one for whom desire and craving have been consumed is happy.

The rope that ties perceiver and perceived, when cut, is EMAHO!

[Students sing.] Praise of the dharrnadhatu teaches how the meeting of the sense

faculty, the object of the senses, and the sense consciousness, whichever particular sense it might be, is an experience that is self , liberated, meaning that it is free by its very nature. This same point

169


-that the six consciousnesses are self-liberated or self-liberating- is also taught in the Supplication to Guru Rinpoche. We supplicate Guru Rinpoche by singing,

Grant your blessing that purifies appearance Of objects perceived as being outside; Grant your blessing that liberates perceiving mind, The mental operation seeming inside; Grant your blessing that between the two of these, Clear light will come to recognize its own face. In your compassion, sugatas of all three times, Please bless me that a mind like mine be freed.

And again, Milarepa sings of how the meeting of objects and their consciousnesses is also the dharmadhatu; it is self-liberated. So Nagarjuna, Guru Rinpoche, and Milarepa are teaching us the same essential point, which is profound and wonderful.

The meeting of the sense consciousness, the sense faculty, and the sense object in the waking state is just as it is in a dream. When there is no conceptual consciousness thinking about what is going on, then the nature of this meeting is the dharmadhatu, and it is therefore said to be self-liberated, meaning that nothing needs to be done to change or alter whatever the experience is. It is free in and of itself. This experience is also said to be liberated through mindfulness. It is liberated through mindfulness because we tend automatically to have a thought about the experience following the nonconceptual experience. This conceptual thought is that something just happened. I saw something, I heard something, I touched something, and so forth. But if, at that point, we remember the dharmadhatu, we remember the natural state of this experience, then it is liberated through our mindfulness of it. When we think about experience, then this conceptuality is what binds us. But if we then look at the essence of that conceptuality, if we remember that the nature of the experience is that it is self-liberated, then we are

170


liberated through this mindfulness of what the experience really is. So now we will recite SelectedVerses from Nagarjuna's Praise of

the dharmadhatu. [Students recite.] From among the six types of consciousness, the five sense con

sciousnesses are always nonconceptual in the way they perceive their objects. They merely perceive them and do not conceptualize what they are perceiving. The mental consciousness has both a nonconceptual and a conceptual aspect to it. Mter the first moment of direct sense perception of any object there is a moment of direct nonconceptual perception of the same object by the mental sense consciousness. But then after that moment, the conceptual aspect of the mental consciousness arises and begins conceptualizing about the object that is perceived. And these three instants of mind - an initial instant of nonconceptual direct sense perception, an instant of nonconceptual direct perception by the mental consciousness, and then an instant of conceptual mental consciousness - continue to follow one after the other vvith such speed that the experience becomes blurred and mixed together. So, for example, when we perceive an object before our eyes, the aspect of our mind that is the eye sense consciousness is perceiving it nonconceptually. Then instantly thereafter, each moment of nonconceptual perception by the sense consciousness is followed by a moment of nonconceptual perception by the mental consciousness; and then, immediately thereafter, the mental consciousness is thinking. And all of this is happening extremely fast to the point of being unnoticeable.

An example that shows that the five sense consciousnesses are nonconceptual in the way that they perceive is how our eye sense consciousness perceives all the people in this room. When we look at this room, then we can see everybody at once, and everybody appears very distinctly and individually. What appears are the uniquely characterized objects, the forms and the colors. But when our conceptual consciousness starts to work, then we can only

171


remember one person's name at a time. We could never think of everybody's name at once. This shows how these two aspects of consciousness work differently. Eyes can perceive everything together very clearly, perfectly clearly, perfectly distinctly, but the conceptual consciousness can only have one thought at a time.

When the eye consciousness perceives, it is not obscured by conceptuality, by conceptual mental activity, so its vision is perfectly and exquisitely clear. It is an experience of exquisite clarity that is unmitigated by concepts.

As soon as we start to think about the objects - give them names, assign terms to' describe them- then we no longer are seeing clearly, we are no longer seeing with clarity. The mind cannot per, ceive concepts clearly in the same way that it perceives directly, because as soon as conceptual mental activity starts to happen, that begins to obscure· the mind's natural clarity.

Among the sense faculties, the mental sense faculty is not a physically existent object as are the other five sense faculties. What it is is the very ceasing of the moment of sense consciousness that preceded it. It is not the sense consciousness before it stops, it is not the absence of anything that is happening after the sense conscious, ness stops; it is the very ceasing of the sense consciousness. So for example, if we were falling asleep, and as we were falling asleep we were. to hear a loud noise, then there would be a moment of ear sense consciousness; then that would cease, and the very ceasing of that would allow for a moment of mental consciousness to perceive that sound directly and nonconceptually.

The mental sense faculty, and then the subsequent moment of direct nonconceptual perception by the mental consciousness, is what allows for the mental consciousness to then start to think about the object that is heard. So if we are just falling asleep, and everything is very peaceful and still, and there is no activity of any of the consciousnesses, and then if all of a sudden we hear a very loud bang, first we perceive that sound directly with our ear sense

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consciousness. Then the mental consciousness also h<:~s a moment of direct perception of that object without concepts. And then, based on that perception, the mental consciousness can start to conceptualize about that object and think, "Oh, what kind of noise was that? Maybe they are starting a war out there or something." And then all of our coarse conceptual activity begins.

The object of the mental consciousness that is perceiving directly and the object of the conceptualizing mental consciousness may seem the same, but what the direct valid cognition of the mental consciousness perceives is the uniquely characterized object itself. What the conceptual mental consciousness perceives is only an abstract image; it is the object connected with a name, with a term that describes it, some abstract general image of what it is. But the problem is that these moments follow each other very quickly. So there is a very brief moment of direct perception, and then a brief moment of conceptual activity, and then another brief moment of direct perception, then another moment of conceptual activity, and the whole thing just runs together.

This process is happening so fast that we confuse the uniquely characterized object to be the same as the object of our conceptual mind, the object that we are thinking about. But they are not the same. We do not realize that there are different stages of perception. There first has to be a moment of nonconceptual perception in order to have an object to start to think about. But because these things happen so fast, we unknowingly blend the whole thing together, and we think that the object we are thinking about is the same as the object that is really out there that is being perceived. But it is not; it is completely different.

According to the tradition of the Sautr antika, the sutra School (Do Depa in Tibetan), this moment that is the ceasing of the sense consciousness, that is also the mental sense faculty, is extremely hidden, meaning that it is impossible for an ordinary being, an ordinary individual who is not anarya, who is not realized, to experience thfs,

173


to see it happen. It is impossible because it happens so fast. In the traditions that posit the existence of self-awareness, the

mind experiences both the conceptual activity and the nonconceptual activity itself. In other words, there is a self-experience; the mind is aware of its own experience. And so, along with this conceptual and nonconceptual activity, there is also the experience of the awareness of that activity, the mind being aware of its own activity.

For example, if you eat a piece of candy, then one aspect of the mind is focused on the candy, is focused on perceiving the taste and the tactile sensation that the candy produces. But one aspect of the mind is also facing inward and is experiencing that experience itself, which is the aspect of the mind that is self-aware, that is aware of what is happening. So one aspect is facing outward and experiencing the object; the other aspect is facing inward and experiencing itself.

When our bodies touch any given object, we experience it either as being something soft or as being something coarse and rough. Some sentient beings like the experience of soft, and otherselephants, oxen, pigs - like to feel very rough things against their skin. But whatever it is that we are experiencing, there are two aspects to the mind that experiences them. One aspect experiences the object itself and the other is facing inward; it is the mere clarity and the mere awareness aspect of the experience that is the mind experiencing itself.

So for those traditions that assert the existence of this selfawareness, then, for any moment of mind there is an aspect that is focused outward and an aspect that is focused inward and is aware of itself. But we should also understand that in essence these two aspects are not different from each other. They are the same in essence.

This way of explaining things is according to the tradition of the science of valid cognition, the tradition of Dignaga and Dhar-

174


makirti. And the reasonings used in this tradition are incredibly difficult to understand. They are quite complicated and require a lot of analysis.

In the tradition of valid cognition, what is discussed is how these consciousnesses arise; how does consciousness happen, and how does it work? It is not looking into whether or not the consciousness exists, whether or not it is absent of any truly existent essence, as Praise of the dharmadhatu is teaching. Praise of the dharmadhatu is teaching that at the very moment of the meeting of the consciousness with its object, these things are not really happening; there is no real arising. These phenomena have no existent essence. But our conceptuality blocks our view of that; it blocks our view of the fact that these events are really just manifestations of the dharmadhatu. They are nothing other than the dharmadhatu, the unborn, unceasing dharmadhatu.

When Milarepa sings of the meeting of the s!x kinds of consciousness, he is also singing that, when the consciousness and the sense faculty and the object all meet, experience itself never really happens. It is unarisen. It does not remain, it does not cease. It is the dharmadhatu. But our conceptual mind, which thinks there is something happening, prevents us from understanding that. However, if we realize the nature of this experience, we can meditate on the essence of conceptuality; we can look straight at the essence of this conceptuality, this thought, which is also the dharmadhatu. In that way our thoughts are self-liberated, and since the experience of the consciousness's perceptions are also self-liberated, are also the dharmadhatu, then whatever bad thing happens, whatever adverse condition happens, it does not matter. Whatever suffering we experience, it does not matter. Whatever adversity we run into, it does not matter.

The Supplication to Guru Rinpoche also teaches how the six consciousnesses are self-liberated, are the dharmadh atu; and it combines that teaching with a supplication to the lama, and so it is quite

175


wonderful. So now we will begin by reciting the SelectedVerses from Praise

of the dharmadhatu, then we will sing Milarepa's verse, and then we will sing the Supplication to Guru Rinpoche.

[Students sing].

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APPENDICES

177

178


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~·~~·~~·~·~~·~·~~n ::~q·~·~~~~·~\~o.~·q~~~~11


fu~~TJ.l(AKAR.IKA: SELECfED VERSES FROM NAGAR.IUNA'S SIX1Y STANZAS OF REAsONINGS

Homage

I prostrate to the Mighty One Who has taught about dependent arising, The principle by which Arising and disintegration are abandoned.

1.

Those whose intelligence has gone beyond existence and nonexistence

And who do not abide [in any extremes] Have realized the meaning of dependent arising, The profound and unobservable [truth of emptiness].

17.

By understanding arising, disintegration is understood. By understanding disintegration, impermanence is un

derstood. By understanding impermanence The truth of the genuine dharma is realized.

179

180


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a.~~·q·4~·q~·il·~~'4~11

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~~~·il~·~il~~·q·tl~\O-l'Ul~11 ~·q·il~·~~·~~~·q·ij~ 11 O-l'~~·~·Al~·4~·~~·11


22.

Those who see with their intelligence That existence is like a mirage and an illusion Are not corrupted by believing in The extremes of earlier and later.

26.

Without a stable focus or location, Not remaining and without root, Arisen totally as a result of ignorance, Without beginning, middle, or end ...

27.

Without core, like a banana tree. Like an unreal city in the sky, The suffering world - the lands of confusion -Manifests in this way - like an illusion.

181

182


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30.

To those students in search of suchness At first teachers should say, "Everything exists." Then after they realize the meaning of this and aban-

don desire, They will gain perfect transcendence.

45.

Those who realize that all entities are dependently arisen,

And just like a moon that appears in a pool of water, Are neither true nor false, Are not carried away by philosophical dogmas.

53.

Children are tricked by reflections Because they take them to be real. In the very same way, because of their ignorance, Beings are imprisoned in the cages of their [conceptual]

objects.

183

184


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54.

The great ones, who with the eyes of primordial aware-ness

See that entities are just Hke reflections, Do not get caught in the mire Of so-called "objects."

55.

The immature are attached to form. The moderate are free from attachment to [the sense

objects], And those endowed with supreme intelligence Know the true nature of form and [by so knowing] are

liberated.

59.

The awful ocean of existence Is filled with the tormenting snakes of the afflictions. But those whose minds are not moved even by

thoughts of voidness Have safely crossed over [its dangers].

185

186


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60.

By this virtue May all beings perfect the accumulations of merit and

wisdom, And achieve the two genuine kayas Arising from merit and wisdom.

SONYATASAPTATI: SELECfED VERSES FROM NAGAR]UNA'S SEV

ENTY STANZAS ON EMPTINESS

3.

Entities do not exist In their causes, in their conditions, In aggregations of many things, or in individual things. Therefore, all entities are empty.

4.

Because it already exists, that which exists does not arise.

Because it does not exist, that which does not exist does not arise.

Because they contradict each other, existence and nonexistence do not [arise] together.

Since there is no arising, there is no remaining or cessation either.

187

188


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7.

Without one there are not many, and Without many there is not one. Therefore, dependently arisen entities [like these] Have no characteristics.

9.

[In the true nature] there is neither permanence nor impermanence,

Neither self nor nonself, neither clean nor unclean And neither happiness nor suffering. Therefore, the [four] mistaken views do not exist.

13.

Without a father there is no son, and without a son there is no father.

These two do not exist without depending on each other.

Neither do they exist simultaneously. The twelve links are exactly the same.

32.

Composite and uncomposite [phenomena] Are not many, are not one, Are not existent, are not nonexistent, [and] are not

both existent and nonexistent. These words apply to all phenomena [without excep

tion].

189

190


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37.

[Defiled] actions have afflictions as their cause, And the afflictions themselves arise due to [defiled]

actions. The body [also] has [defiled] actions as its cause, So all three are empty of essence.

66.

All formations are like unreal cities in the sky, Illusions, mirages, failing hairs, Foam, bubbles, phantoms, Dreams and wheels of fire -They have absolutely no core or substance to them.

68.

The unequaled Thus Gone One Explicitly taught that Since all entities are empty of any inherent nature, All phenomena are dependently arisen.

191

192


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73.

When one understands that "this arose from those con~ ditions,"

The net of wrong views is lifted. One abandons desire, ignorance and aversion, And attains the undefiled state of nirval).a.

V!GRAHAVYAVARTANi: SELECfED VERSES fROM NAGARJUNA'S REFUTATION OF CRITICS

22.

Dependently arisen entities Are called "emptiness," [For] that which is dependently arisen Is that which has no inherent nature.

23.

One magical creation halts another, One illusory being puts an end to The wrong views of his illusory opponent. When I refute the arguments of others, that is exactly

what is happening.

193

194


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27.

Another example: suppose a man falls in love with an illusory woman,

Then another illusion comes along And shows the man what a fool he has beenThat's my work.

29.

If I took a position, Then I would have a flaw. Since I take no position, I have no flaw at all.

49.

If the son is produced by the father, But the father is also produced by that very son, Then will you please tell me, Which one is the true "cause" and which the true

"result?"

195


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196


70.

If emptiness is possible, Then all objects are possible, all levels attainable. If emptiness is impossible, Then everything else is [impossible] as well.

Concluding homage

I prostrate to the Awakened One, the Buddh<'l, Who taught that dependent arising and emptiness have

the same meaning, And that this is the middle way path. Your words are supreme, their meaning unsurpassed.

DHARMADHATUSTAVA: SEIECfED VERSES FROM NAGAR.JUNA'S IN PRAISE OF THE DHARMADHATU

36.

Just as water, during the summertime, Is spoken of as being something warm, And the very same water, throughout the winter sea

son, Is spoken of as being something cold,

197

198

MEDIT AT! ON ON EMPTINESS

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37.

Those ensnared in the net of the afflictions Are referred to by the label, "sentient beings"; The very same when freed of states afflicted As "buddhas" are revered.

38.

When eye and form assume their right relation, Appearances appear without a blur. Since these neither arise nor cease, They are the dharmadhatu, though they are imagined

to be otherwise.

39.

When sound and ear assume their rigl}t relation, A consciousness free of thought occurs. These three are in essence the dharmadhatu, free of

other characteristics, But they become "hearing" when thought of conceptu

ally.

40.

Dependent upon the nose and an odor, one smells. And as with the example of form there is neither arising

nor cessation, But in dependence upon the nose-consciousness's

experience, The dharmadhatu is thought to be smell.

199

200


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41.

The tongue's nature is emptiness. The sphere of taste is voidness as well. These are in essence the dharmadhatu And are not the causes of the taste consciousness.

42.

The pure body's essence, The characteristics of the object touched, The tactile consciousness free of conditionsThese are called the dharmadhatu.

43.

The phenomena that appear to the mental consciousness, the chief of them all,

Are conceptualized and then superimposed. When this activity is abandoned, phenomena's lack of

self-essence is known. Knowing this, meditate on the dharmadhatu.

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Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche - Meditation on Emptiness