The root of all problems according to the Buddha is a fundamental mis-apprehension of how things actually exist. This is a brief overview of the Special Insight chapter of Tibetan Master Lama Tsongkhapa's "lamrim dring".
This talk was give at the Sawarswati Buddhist Group, in 2013.
See more:
www.joyous-effort.com/special-insight
3. “I CAN CHANGE, I CAN CHANGE”
1)
Afflictions are based on wrong views
2)
Antidotes can be developed limitlessly
3)
All beings possess buddha nature
4. BRIEF PRESENTATION OF THE
TATHAGATA ESSENCE
Vs27: Because a perfect Buddha’s body is pervasive,
Because suchness is without differentiation,
And because a [Buddha] lineage exists, all embodied
Are always in possession of a Buddha essence.
5. How to train in special insight, the
essence of wisdom
a) Prerequisites for special
insight
b) Divisions of special insight
c) How to cultivate special
insight
d) The measure of having
established special insight
How calm abiding and special
insight unite
7. SOURCE OF THE TRADITION
Shakyamuni Buddha
Nagarjuna
Disciple: Aryadeva
Buddhapalita
Bhavivaveka (SSM)
Refuted C
Said external objects
exist in conventional terms
Shantarakshita (YSM)
Said external objects do not
exist in conventional terms
+ mind ultimately without IE
[but conventionally it is IE]
Chandrakirti
commenting on…
Said external objects exist
conventionally but not like
other systems
Atisha
AUTONOMISTS - CONSEQUENTIALISTS
Terms used by Tibetan scholars in
later dissemination of Buddhism in Tibet
MIDDLE WAY DIVIDED BY:
• Asserting external objects (SSM & PM)
• Not asserting external objects (YSM)
or
• How the view is ascertained (SM & PM)
Kadampa
Masters
Je
Tsongkhapa
9. How to delineate the view
a) Identifying afflictive ignorance
b) Showing it is the root of revolving in
cyclic existence
c) Showing that one wishing to
abandon the apprehension of a self
should seek the view of selflessness
10. IDENTIFYING AFFLICTIVE IGNORANCE
Identify anger = able to apply an antidote
Identify pride = able to apply an antidote
Don’t identify ignorance = not able to apply an
antidote
13. CHANDRAKIRTI’S COMMENTARY
“Those which exist only when the conceptuality
[apprehending them] exists and do not exist
when conceptuality does not are without
question definite as not established by way of
their own nature, like a snake imputed to a
coiled rope.”
15. LAMA TSONGKHAPA
“the object of negation – is to conceive [that
objects] are not posited through the force of
beginningless conceptuality but are established
objectively by way of their own entity”
19. How to delineate the view
a) Identifying afflictive ignorance
b) Showing it is the root of revolving in
cyclic existence
c) Showing that one wishing to
abandon the apprehension of a self
should seek the view of selflessness
20. EYE, EAR, NOSE, TONGUE
“abide in dependence on the body sense
power”
ATTACHMENT, ANGER, PRIDE etc.
“operate in dependence on innate
ignorance”
21. IGNORANCE HOLDS THE OBJECT
TO BE ESTABLISHED BY WAY OF ITS
OWN CHARACTER
If apprehension
If apprehension
If apprehension
agreeable
disagreeable
neither
ANGER
CONTINUATION
OF SAME
IGNORANCE
DESIRE
22. How to delineate the view
a) Identifying afflictive ignorance
b) Showing it is the root of revolving in
cyclic existence
c) Showing that one wishing to
abandon the apprehension of a self
should seek the view of selflessness
27. How to generate the view
a) The order of realisation
b) Actual generation of the two views
a) Selflessness of persons
b) Selflessness of phenomena
c) Presentation of the two truths
28. NAGARJUNA
“As long as the aggregates are apprehended
[as inherently established],
So long thereby does the apprehension of “I”
[as inherently established] exist.”
29. ENTERING INTO THE VIEW
APPREHENSION
OF A VIEW OF
SELF OF
PHENOMENA
VIEW OF A
SELFLESSNESS OF
PERSON
APPREHENSION
OF A VIEW OF
PERSON
VIEW REALISING
SELFLESSNESS OF
PHENOMENA
30. How to generate the view
a) The order of realisation
b) Actual generation of the two views
a) Selflessness of persons
b) Selflessness of phenomena
c) Presentation of the two truths
31. THE FOUR ESSENTIALS
Reason of inherently one or different
1)
Ascertaining the object of negation
2)
Establishing the pervasion
3)
Refuting that the self and the aggregates
are inherently one
4)
Refuting that the self and the aggregates
are inherently different
32. •
“I didn’t do that!”
•
“I really made a mess of things”
•
Getting angry at your body or mind
•
Something wonderful happened to you
34. THE FOUR ESSENTIALS
Reason of inherently one or different
1)
Ascertaining the object of negation
2)
Establishing the pervasion
3)
Refuting that the self and the aggregates
are inherently one
4)
Refuting that the self and the aggregates
are inherently different
35. LAMA TSONGKHAPA
“…the decision that if a person is inherently
established, it must be established as either one
entity with or a different entity from the
aggregates and that there is no mode of
establishment other than those two.”
36. THE FOUR ESSENTIALS
Reason of inherently one or different
1)
Ascertaining the object of negation
2)
Establishing the pervasion
3)
Refuting that the self and the aggregates
are inherently one
4)
Refuting that the self and the aggregates
are inherently different
37. Self and the aggregates become synonyms
Assumer and discarder of the aggregates becomes unfeasible.
“my body” “my leg” “my mind” would be illogical
When the body ceases, the self would cease to exist
38. Many aggregates = many selves
Or then if the self is one, then the mind and body (plural) would
become one.
39. Self would have production and disintegration
Present moments couldn’t depend on former moments. Past lives
would be impossible.
Actions done would be wasted
One would meet with effects of actions not done by oneself
40. THE FOUR ESSENTIALS
Reason of inherently one or different
1)
Ascertaining the object of negation
2)
Establishing the pervasion
3)
Refuting that the self and the aggregates
are inherently one
4)
Refuting that the self and the aggregates
are inherently different
41. It would not have the characteristics of
impermanent phenomena
Therefore the self would be permanent
42. If it is not the body and mind, it would have to
be observed as something else
43. CONCLUSION
There is no inherent self one with the
aggregates
There is no inherent self different from the
aggregates
“A person does not in the least have inherent
establishment.” Pg. 84
44. CONCLUSION
In addition, there can be no inherently existing
“mine”
Potter doesn’t exist
The pot made by that potter can’t exist
47. LAMA TSONGKHAPA
“Also, because phenomena, which from the
primordial start have been empty in this way,
are just being known as empty, this is also not a
mentally fabricated emptiness.”
51. How to generate the view
a) The order of realisation
b) Actual generation of the two views
a) Selflessness of persons
b) Selflessness of phenomena
c) Presentation of the two truths
54. QUESTIONS OF ANAVATAPTA KING OF
NAGAS SUTRA
“Those which are produced from [causes and]
conditions are not produced;
They have no inherent nature of production.
[Therefore] those which rely on [causes and]
conditions are said [by the Conqueror] to be
empty…”
60. REASON OF DEPENDENT-ARISING
REFUTES APPREHENSIONS OF…
•
Oneness & difference
•
Four extreme types of production
•
Extremes of reification & nihilism
63. LOWER SCHOOLS
IF IT EXISTS
IF IT IS NOT
INHERENTLY
EXISTENT
MUST BE
INHERENTLY
EXISTENT
MUST BE
NON-EXISTENT
64. How to generate the view
a) The order of realisation
b) Actual generation of the two views
a) Selflessness of persons
b) Selflessness of phenomena
c) Presentation of the two truths
65. THE TWO TRUTHS
a) The basis on which the two truths are divided
b) The number of divisions
c) The meaning of dividing them that way
d) Explaining the meaning of the individual divisions
a) Obscurational truth
b) Ultimate truth
69. How to train in special insight, the
essence of wisdom
a) Prerequisites for special
insight
b) Divisions of special insight
c) How to cultivate special
insight
d) The measure of having
established special insight
How calm abiding and special
insight unite
70. THE THREE WISDOMS
HH Dalai Lama, Kalachakra, Washington DC 2011
WISDOM THROUGH LISTENING
Simply listening to words or reading words in a book. Not stable – can lead
to doubt if meets with different views.
WISDOM THROUGH REFLECTION
Developed through ones own critical thinking, attaining certainly such
that it won’t be shaken by other views.
WISDOM THROUGH MEDITATION
Developing the feeling found in the previous wisdom so that is becomes
spontaneous.
71. THE THREE WISDOMS
LRCM 1, chapter 6
“Proper attention is based upon prior study. Sublime
wisdom, which takes reality as its object, arises from your
cultivation of proper attention.” Maitreya – Ornament for
the Mahayana Sutras
Listen / Study
Wisdom from listening / study (second-hand)
Reflect
Wisdom from reflection (firsthand)
Meditate
Wisdom from meditation (special insight)
This is the path!
72. HOW TO CULTIVATE SPECIAL INSIGHT
a) Special insight is cultivated in dependence on CA
b) Hinayana or Mahayana?
c) How to cultivate special insight
73. THE MEASURE OF HAVING ESTABLISHED
SPECIAL INSIGHT
MP
PP
BPP
BMP
74. THE FIVE PATHS
Path of
accumulation
Path of
Preparation
•First Special
Insight
observing
emptiness:
conceptual
Path of Seeing
•First Special Insight
observing
emptiness directly:
non-conceptual
(Arya being)
Path of
Meditation
•8th ground –
Arhat, Foe
destroyer.
Removed all
ignorance
and its seeds.
Path of No
More Learning
•Buddha:
abandoned
appearance
of inherent
existence
and the
imprints of
that
appearance.
75. CHANDRAKIRTI
“I offer homage to loving concern viewing
transmigrators as empty of inherent existence,
though they appear to exist inherently, like a
reflection of the moon in water.”
76. CREDITS
MUSIC
"open the source" "through the night" "Looking for a way out"
by Paolo Pavan
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1033804/open-the-source
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
Editor's Notes
2) e.g.., if one hears something different from the Buddha, one won’t get confused but will try to understand the definitive meaning and therefore understand the interpretive meanings. 3) Without having to go through much analysis.
Study with someone what you intend to practice and come to know it second-hand.Next, use scripture and reasoning to properly reflect on the meaning of what you have studied, coming to know it firsthand.Once you have no doubts, then repeatedly familiarise with it. “Repeated familiarisation [is] mediation.”This we do up till the 10th bhumi. This is the path!Read third para, pg. 110.