Dalai Lama on Generating the Awakening Mind

Generating the Awakening Mind

Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, India - Before His Holiness the Dalai Lama reached the Main Temple this morning, the ‘Heart Sutra’ was recited three times in the languages of the Buddhist Republics of the Russian Federation, Kalmykia, Buryatia and Tuva. Once he had arrived, greeted the eminent Lamas and the audience and taken his seat on the throne, the ‘Heart Sutra’ was chanted once more in Russian.

“So to conclude this series of teachings, today we’ll conduct a ceremony for generating the awakening mind of bodhichitta,” His Holiness announced. “As far as the awakening mind is concerned we need to understand that we are seeking to attain a state in which all defilements and faults have been eliminated and in which perfect realization—omniscience—has been achieved. Unsurpassed enlightenment is the goal you seek when you generate the awakening mind. You aspire to become a Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings.

“In his ‘Entering into the Middle Way’ Chandrakirti wrote:

“Even those abiding in the first mind of complete enlightenment (bodhichitta)

Overcome those born from the speech of the Subduer Kings

And Solitary Realizers through their own merit's increase.

On the (ground called) Gone Afar he surpasses them with his intelligence.

“And at the end of the sixth chapter of the same work, he wrote:

“And like the king of swans, ahead of lesser birds they soar,

On broad white wings of conventional and ultimate (bodhichitta) full spread.

And on the strength of virtue's mighty wind they fly

To gain the far and supreme shore, the oceanic qualities of Victory.

“These powerful lines from ‘Entering into the Middle Way' echo the praise of compassion in the words of salutation.

“The mind of compassion, non-dual understanding,

And the altruistic mind of enlightenment (bodhichitta)

Are the causes of Children of the Conquerors (bodhisattvas).

“In terms of practice, compassion is important in the beginning, middle and end. The ‘Prayer of Maitreya’ states that bodhichitta is the factor that leads you away from the lower realms, to higher realms and finally to that deathless state where you are free from aging and death. Since the time of the Buddha, the great Indian masters who followed him cultivated bodhichitta. This is why we refer to the Buddha as the teacher, the Dharma as the actual refuge and the Sangha, like Nagarjuna and so forth, as companions on the path to enlightenment.

“To achieve Buddhahood we also need to realize emptiness. The Middle Way propounded by Nagarjuna is important, so much so that Bhavaviveka criticized what he called Asanga’s and Vasubandhu’s recklessness in neglecting to accept and follow it. However, if we only read Nagarjuna, we won’t reach a very deep understanding. Addressing the challenges posed by other points of view has the effect of broadening and enriching our sense of discernment. Studying a variety of treatises has a clarifying effect.”

His Holiness explained that to conduct the ceremony for generating the awakening mind you can follow the extensive rite described in Asanga’s work the ‘Bodhisattva Grounds’, or the shorter version in Shantideva’s ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’. He suggested that today he would use the verses that begin, ‘With a wish to free all beings ...’

He observed that the Buddha is someone who has travelled the path and teaches from his own experience how to overcome afflictive emotions, ignorance and their residual stains. By following his teaching we can eliminate all mental defilements, because of which he can be seen as the highest teacher.

His Holiness called on the audience to imagine the Buddha in the space before them as a living person surrounded by his Eight Close Disciples, Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and so forth; the Seven Patriarchs like Kashyapa who came after him; the Seventeen Nalanda Masters, Nagarjuna and Asanga and their followers; the 84 Great Adepts (Mahasiddhas) such as Saraha and so forth.

His Holiness digressed to mention the distinction drawn by an 18th century Lama called Nyengön Sungrab between teachings that constitute the general structure of Buddhism and specialized teachings. Teachings belonging to the Sutras and works like Nagarjuna’s ‘Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way’ constitute the general structure that anyone can follow. Tantras, such as Kalachakra, that involve working with channels, winds and drops are specialized teachings intended for specific disciples.

Continuing to describe those imagined gathered around the Buddha His Holiness mentioned Tibetan masters as well as their Indian mentors: Nyingma masters like the 25 disciples of Guru Padmasambhava; Sakya masters of the LamDre tradition; masters belonging to the three Kadampa lineages; masters from the four major and eight minor Kagyu traditions and masters of the Renewed Kadampa tradition, the Gandenpas, Jé Tsongkhapa and his disciples.

“These figures are role models for us in terms of practice of the profound and extensive paths. Taking them as witness to your generating the awakening mind of bodhichitta you generate much merit and wholesome energy. Shantideva summarizes the benefits of generating the awakening mind,

“Whatever joy there is in this world

All comes from desiring others to be happy,

And whatever suffering there is in this world,

All comes from desiring myself to be happy.

If I do not actually exchange my happiness

For the sufferings of others,

Not only shall I not attain the state of a Buddha

Even in cyclic existence I shall have no joy.

“We have to make bodhichitta our main practice. When I was about 13 years old, with Ngodup Tsognyi’s active encouragement, I took great interest in emptiness, but bodhichitta seemed remote to me. However, after I came into exile and especially after I received an explanation of ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ from Khunu Lama Rinpoché, I began to integrate bodhichitta into my practice. Over time, as a result of effort, it has become close to me. You should do the same. Generate bodhichitta, pursue the practice and what happened to me can happen to you.”

His Holiness asked the congregation to kneel on their right knees and, keeping the visualization he had described vividly before them, to recite the Seven Limb Prayer—prostration, offering, confession—taking the Buddha and so forth as witness, rejoicing in their manifest qualities, requesting them to teach, beseeching them not to pass into the state of peace, and dedication. Following that, he led them in reciting these verses three times.

With a wish to free all beings

I shall always go for refuge

to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha

until I reach full enlightenment.

Enthused by wisdom and compassion,

today in the Buddha’s presence

I generate the mind for full awakening

for the benefit of all sentient beings.

As long as space endures,

as long as sentient being remain,

until then, may I too remain

and dispel the miseries of the world.

At the end His Holiness encouraged those gathered before him to recite these verses three times every day after they wake in the morning and three times again in the evening. He explained how cultivating bodhichitta and setting an aspiration for enlightenment at the beginning can set the tone for the whole day, enabling you to spend your time meaningfully in the service of others. Then, at the end of the day, you’ll be happy to dedicate the virtue for the benefit of all.

In conclusion His Holiness recited verses of dedication from the Samantabhadra Prayer followed by lines from the end of the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment.

Likewise may I dedicate

Just as the skilful Samantabhadra,

With pure body, speech, and mind,

Pure actions and pure buddha-fields.

I shall give rise to the aspirations of Manjushri

For this bodhisattva practice of all-embracing good,

To perfect these practices

Without discouragement or pause in all future eons.

In regions where the supreme, precious teaching has not spread

Or where it has spread but then declined,

May I illumine that treasure of happiness and benefit

With a mind deeply moved by great compassion.

original link with photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2019/generating-the-awakening-mind

Dalai Lama Observes the Day of Miracles

Observing the Day of Miracles
February 19, 2019

Thekchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, India - The skies were clearing this morning after continuous overnight rain had left the ground wet underfoot and deposited fresh snow on the mountains and hills behind Dharamsala.

A sharp fresh breeze blew as His Holiness the Dalai Lama was escorted by yellow hatted monks playing horns, swinging censers and bearing a ceremonial yellow umbrella from his residence to the Tsuglagkhang. The yard and areas around the temple were packed with people and His Holiness returned their greetings as he walked through. Seated inside the temple were monks as well as retired and serving members of the Central Tibetan Administration.

His Holiness took his seat on the throne and the burly chantmaster declaimed the Heart Sutra and the long prayer to the Lam Rim lineage lamas, including the Kadampa masters, in deeply resonant tones.

“We’re gathered on this special day on which we celebrate the Buddha’s having performed miracles at Shravasti in response to a challenge from six rival spiritual teachers,” His Holiness explained. “In Tibet Je Tsongkhapa established this celebration as part of the Great Prayer Festival or Mönlam Chenmo. After some time it lapsed, but was revived once more during the time of Gendun Gyatso, the 2nd Dalai Lama.

“We weren’t able to celebrate these occasions during our first couple of years in exile, but re-established the custom as soon as we could after that. I decided to hold today’s teaching in the temple rather than down in the yard because it’s so cold today and because we’ll be meeting here to listen to the ‘Essence of the Middle Way’ over the coming days.”

Reading the Jataka Tales, accounts of the Buddha’s former lives, is part of the Great Prayer Festival. Yesterday, the reading had reached the story of Maitribala. Today, His Holiness began to read the story of Vishvantara, Prince of the Sibis, the life that preceded his birth as a Prince of the Shakyas. An accomplished exponent of generosity, the Prince is described as follows: “Though a youth, he possessed the lovely placidity of mind proper to old age; though he was full of ardour, his natural disposition was inclined to forbearance; though learned, he was free from conceit of knowledge; though mighty and illustrious, he was void of pride.”

His Holiness remarked that although the Buddha lived and taught more than 2500 years ago, there is still interest in his teachings. As do all other religious traditions, Buddhism encourages the practices of love and compassion, patience and tolerance. Different traditions propound different philosophical points of view to support such practice. Theistic traditions speak of a creator God embodying infinite love, qualities the faithful are inspired to emulate.

Non-theistic traditions observe the law of causality that to give help brings happiness and doing harm brings trouble. As social animals dependent on the communities in which they live human beings need to cultivate compassion. Followers of religion, His Holiness observed, should respect each other’s traditions while maintaining faith in their own.

“Buddhist teaching, like other traditions, commends us to take care of others, but what is different is that it expounds selflessness—that there is no independent self. Traditions that speak of an atman, a self independent of the aggregates or body/mind combination, explain that that is what goes from life to life. Buddhism rejects this and states that what goes from one life to the next is the subtle mind.

“In his first round of teachings the Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths. In the second round, as part of the Perfection of Wisdom, he explained that things are empty of intrinsic existence because they are dependently arisen. The self has no intrinsic existence because it is merely designated on the basis of the aggregates.

“During the third round, because there were people who could not yet accept the import of the perfection of wisdom and were at risk of falling into nihilistic views, the Buddha taught the sutra known as the ‘Unravelling of the Thought’. He also explained Buddha nature. Whereas in the second round of teachings he had referred to the objective clear light, during the third round he mentioned the subjective clear light that is also the basis of tantric practice.”

His Holiness quoted a verse that expresses the Buddha’s thought after enlightenment. 'Profound and peaceful, free from complexity, uncompounded luminosity—I have found a nectar-like Dharma. Yet if I were to teach it, no-one would understand what I said, so I shall remain silent here in the forest.' He clarified that ‘profound and peaceful’ refers to the first round of the Buddha’s teachings; ‘free from complexity’ refers to content of the second round, while ‘uncompounded luminosity’ refers to the third round.

The Buddha rejected the idea of an atman, a single, autonomous, permanent self. Nagarjuna elucidated this in his ‘Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way’, as can be seen in the first chapter. Chapter 26 explains the 12 links of dependent arising, beginning with ignorance. How things lack intrinsic existence is revealed in chapter 18 and chapter 24 shows that this is because they are all dependently arisen.

That which is dependently arisen

Is explained to be emptiness.

That, being a dependent designation,

Is itself the middle way.

There does not exist anything

That is not dependently arisen.

Therefore, there does not exist anything

That is not empty.

Through the elimination of karma and mental afflictions there is nirvana.

Karma and mental afflictions come from conceptual thoughts.

These come from mental fabrication.

Fabrication ceases through emptiness.

His Holiness pointed out that understanding things to be empty of intrinsic existence loosens our anger and attachment towards them. He reported that Indian nuclear physicist Raja Ramana had told him that the quantum physics notion that nothing has any objective existence seems to be new, but was anticipated long ago by Buddhist and other Indian thinkers. He added that American psychiatrist Aaron Beck’s observation that the negative light in which we hold someone or something with which we are angry is 90% mental projection—this also complies with Nagarjuna’s thought.

“It’s not enough just to cultivate the awakening mind of bodhichitta,” His Holiness said, “you also need the wisdom that understands that things have no independent or intrinsic existence. In this connection, Je Tsongkhapa made the request, ‘May I overcome all doubts by employing the fourfold reasoning’. To overcome wrong views, we need to study books like Nagarjuna’s ‘Fundamental Wisdom’, Chandrakirti’s ‘Entering into the Middle Way’ and Bhavaviveka’s ‘Essence of the Middle Way’. Then analyse and compare what they have to say. This is why faith is not enough, we need to use reasoned analysis.

“In Tibet we acknowledged a group of Indian masters known as the Six Ornaments and Two Supremes, but since such masters as Chandrakirti and Shantideva were left out, I composed a Praise to the Seventeen Nalanda Masters to include them.”

Resuming the story of Prince Vishvantara, His Holiness told of his great generosity and how a neighbouring king decided to test and take advantage of it by asking him to give away his majestic white elephant. Ministers were sent to make the request. Prince Vishvantara suspected that this was the ‘miserable trick of some king’, but ‘his attachment to righteousness did not allow him to be frightened by the lie of political wisdom’. He dismounted from the elephant and agreed to give it away. His own father’s ministers, angered by the loss this represented to their kingdom, complained to the prince’s father the king, resulting in the prince’s banishment.

His Holiness mentioned that the Kadampa tradition consisted of three lineages. Of these the Scriptural Lineage focussed on six texts—the Jataka Tales and the Tibetan equivalent of the Dhammapada, the Udanavarga. Also included were Shantideva's ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life' and ‘Compendium of Training', Asanga's ‘Bodhisattva Grounds' and Maitreya's ‘Ornament of Sutras'. Of these, the first two, the Jataka Tales and the Udanavarga provided the basis for faith. He went on to cite Haribhadra’s description of two kinds of practitioner, those who start with faith and the more intelligent who start with reason.

As he took up the ‘Eight Verses for Training the Mind’ His Holiness remarked that bodhichitta is cultivated on the basis of reason. This short text contains instructions not only for cultivating bodhichitta, but also for developing a view of reality. His Holiness stated that he first received an explanation of it from Tagdrag Rinpoché and later from Kyabjé Trijang Rinpoché. As he read through the verses, he commented that when we give to the poor we should do so respectfully; we should treasure ill-natured trouble-makers and give the victory to others, regarding enemies as precious teachers. We should cultivate the practice of ‘giving and taking’ and regard all things as like illusions, asking ourselves whether things really exist the way they appear.

Turning to Je Tsongkhapa’s ‘In Praise of Dependent Arising’ His Holiness stressed that the root of all suffering is ignorance. In the course of reading through the verses, he recounted the story of Je Rinpoché’s having a vision of Manjushri who gave him instructions. When Je Rinpoché told him he had difficulty understanding them, Manjushri told him to study the classic texts and to engage in practices of purification and accumulation of merit. To do this he recommended he go into retreat.

Because Je Rinpoché was teaching a large group of students at the time, some friends told him that to break off and go into isolated retreat might attract criticism. When this was reported to him, Manjushri retorted, “I know what’s best for you to help other beings.” Consequently, with eight close disciples, Tsongkhapa entered a long retreat at Chadrel Hermitage in 1392. He had a dream of Nagarjuna and his disciples. One of them, who he identified as Buddhapalita, came forward and touched a book to his head. Next day, while reading ‘Buddhapalita’ Je Rinpoché gained a subtle insight into emptiness and dependent arising’s being simultaneous and concurrent. As a result he developed the special respect for the Buddha that is expressed in this text.

Next, His Holiness gave a reading of his Praise to the 17 Masters of Nalanda. He gave particular emphasis to the kindness of Shantarakshita and Kamalashila who were responsible for establishing the Nalanda Tradition with its combination of logic and philosophy in Tibet.

“In the past we Tibetans lived in isolation,” His Holiness observed, “but coming into exile has enabled us to share the Nalanda Tradition and its basis in reason with others. This is an inspiration to Tibetans in Tibet, who rejoice that our traditions will not die out. Meanwhile, we in exile take inspiration from those Tibetans’ unflinchingly determined spirit.

“Keeping our knowledge and traditions alive is a source of pride and those from the CTA who have contributed to this can feel they have made their lives meaningful. There will be a sunny day for Tibet and the time when it will come is not far off. There are no reports that the great masters who wrote the Thirteen Classic Texts that we study sat chanting in deep voices—they employed analysis and wrote about what they understood. Monks of the seats of learning in South India belong to this tradition and should keep it up.”

His Holiness concluded by reciting the following verses from Nagarjuna’s ‘Precious Garland’:

May I always be an object of enjoyment

For all sentient beings according to their wish

And without interference, as are the earth,

Water, fire, wind, herbs, and wild forests.

May sentient beings be as dear to me as my own life,

And may they be dearer to me than myself.

May their ill deeds bear fruit for me,

And all my virtues bear fruit for them.

As long as any sentient being

Anywhere has not been liberated,

May I remain [in the world] for the sake of that being

Though I have attained highest enlightenment.

From the temple His Holiness walked back to his residence smiling and waving to members of the crowd as he went, stopping here and there to have a word with an old friend.

photos and original text: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2019/observing-the-day-of-miracles

Dalai Lama's Pilgrimage to the Mahabodhi Temple

Pilgrimage to the Mahabodhi Temple

Bodhgaya, Bihar, India - On arrival in Bodhgaya yesterday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was given a brief formal welcome at the Main Tibetan Monastery, Gaden Phelgyeling. This morning he chose, as a priority, to make a pilgrimage to the Mahabodhi Temple. He also decided to walk, which he did at a brisk pace, greeting friends and well-wishers lining the street on the way.

His Holiness was welcomed at the gate to the temple by Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee Secretary (BTMC) Nangzey Dorje, Divisional Commissioner, Magadh, Tenzin Nima Bindhyeshwari, Senior Superintendent of Police, Rajiv Mishra and District Magistrate, Abhishek Singh. They accompanied him into the complex. Once inside, His Holiness paused to salute the Vajra-asana, the Seat of Enlightenment, beneath the Bodhi Tree, with the Mahabodhi Temple behind it. Monks, nuns and lay devotees attending a Kagyu Monlam turned to greet him as he descended the stairs.

His Holiness walked the inner circumambulatory path, smiling and waving to people gathered beyond the stone railings that are reputed to have originally been erected by Nagarjuna to protect the Bodhi Tree from elephants. Reaching the temple entrance he paused to pay his respects. Within the inner sanctum, he lit a lamp before the celebrated statue of Buddha Shakyamuni prior to sitting down in front of it.

Indian monks belonging to the BTMC first recited the Mangala Sutta in Pali. His Holiness then joined the Abbot and Löbpön of Namgyal Monastery, Thamtog Rinpoché and Ngawang Topgyal, in reciting the Praise to the Buddha known as the ‘Three Continuums’, the ‘Heart Sutra’, Tsongkhapa’s ‘Praise to the Buddha for Teaching Dependent Arising’, the ‘Drumbeat of Truth’, the ‘Praise to the 17 Masters of Nalanda’, a ‘Prayer for the Ecumenical Spread of the Buddha’s Teachings’ and dedication prayers.

Members of the BTMC presented His Holiness with their calendar illustrated by images of the Buddha. Expressing his gratitude he told them that in addition to acknowledging the Buddha as the founder of Buddhism, he regards him as a scientist and great thinker. He is especially struck by the Buddha’s advice to his followers: “As the wise test gold by burning, cutting and rubbing it, so, bhikshus, should you accept my words---after testing them, and not merely out of respect for me.”

As His Holiness left the Temple, members of the press were eager to question him. He gave them a succinct summary of what the Buddha taught—advising his followers to observe ‘ahimsa’ or non-violence in their conduct, ‘karuna’ or compassion as their motivation and dependent arising as their view of reality.

His Holiness completed his circumambulation of the Temple, walked up the steps to the gate, where he climbed into a car to drive back to Gaden Phelgyeling. This monastery began as a temple constructed by a Ladakhi Lama named Ngawang Samten in 1938. Returning to Tibet, he offered it to the Tibetan Government. In 1951, Dhardo Rinpoché was appointed Abbot and under his supervision monastic quarters were constructed in 1952, at which time His Holiness gave the monastery the name Gaden Phelgyeling. In 1965, when he was appointed Gaden Tripa, Ling Rinpoché also became Abbot of this monastery. In 2002, the monastery was given into the care of Namgyal Monastery and eight or nine monks from there look after it throughout the year.

original link & photos: https://www.dalailama.com/news/2018/pilgrimage-to-the-mahabodhi-temple

Introduction to the Kalachakra

Introduction to the Kalachakra

General presentation of the Dharma

The Buddha's Dharma, can be divided to two vehicles, the Hinayana and the Mahayana. The Hinayana itself can be divided into the vehicle of the shravakas and the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas. The shravakas and pratyekabuddhas can be differentiated according to the relative inferiority and superiority of their faculties and the results they obtain, but the doctrinal features of the paths they follow are basically the same. People with the propensity to follow these two Hinayana vehicles take them up for the sake of their own emancipation as they feel the urgency to first free themselves as quickly as possible from the vicious cycle of existence. Since the main cause of bondage in samsara is grasping at a self, the main cause of obtaining the freedom of liberation is the wisdom that realizes the meaning selflessness. Thus, shravakas and pratyekabuddhas, like bodhisattvas, realize selflessness. They meditate on it accompanied by the other paths of moral conduct, meditative concentration and so forth, and thus extinguish all their passions, greed, hatred, ignorance and so forth.

Even though Hinayanists do not engage in their path intending to obtain Buddhahood, their path is in fact a means for ultimately leading such people to the stage of Buddhahood. Thus, do not misapprehend the Hinayana paths as being solely an obstacle to enlightenment, because the Saddharmapundarika sutra and other texts teach that they are methods for achieving Buddhahood. The Buddha appears in the world so that sentient beings may obtain the gnosis that he himself obtained. Thus, the Buddha's demonstrations of the path are strictly means to lead sentient beings to Buddhahood. Even though the Hinayana paths do not lead directly to Buddhahood, it is taught that followers of the Hinayana do in fact eventually enter the Mahayana and obtain Buddhahood.

Although followers of the Hinayana, like followers of the Mahayana, realize that phenomena are devoid of own-being, it is not the case that there is no difference at all between the Hinayana and the Mahayana. The doctrines of the Mahayana do not merely illuminate the selflessness of phenomena, they teach the bodhisattva stages, the perfections, the prayer to achieve perfect enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings, great compassion, and so forth. They also teach the dedication of merits to enlightenment, the two accumulations of merit and gnosis, and the inconceivable reality that is purified of all stains.

Thus, the Mahayana and Hinayana are not distinguished due to differences in their philosophical viewpoints, but they are differentiated according to their respective practice and non-practice of the entire range of skillful means. This is the assertion of Arya Nagarjuna and his disciple Aryadeva: A mother is the common cause of all her sons, and their fathers are the causes for distinguishing their races. Just so the mother, the perfection of wisdom, is the common cause of the sons, all four kinds of aryas: shravaka aryas, pratyekabuddha aryas, bodhisattava aryas, and buddha aryas. The cause for differentiating them into the particular Hinayana and Mahayana lineages is whether or not they have the methods of generating bodhichitta and so forth. The general Mahayana, like the Hinayana, can be subdivided into two vehicles: the Paramitayana and the Mantrayana. The common aim of the Mahayana is to train oneself in the six perfections by practising them out of a desire to obtain unexcelled enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. It is clear that one proceeds in the Mantrayana by this same path, because it is taught in the tantras. However, Mahayana practitioners who follow the paramitayana merely take up that much of the general body of the path, whereas followers of the Mantrayana cultivate the perfections by means of special tantric techniques that are not taught in the paramitayana.

The terms "Cause vehicle", "Paramitayana", and so forth are synonyms, and "Mantrayana", "Vajrayana", "Effect vehicle", and "Method vehicle" are synonyms as well. There is a difference between the cause vehicle and the effect vehicle: the cause vehicle is the Mahayana vehicle in which there is no meditation on oneself having a like aspect with any of the effects-the four complete purities-during the period of the path of training. The Mahayana vehicle in which there is meditation on oneself as having a like aspect with the four complete purities during the period of the path of training is called "The Effect vehicle" or "The Mantrayana". This is what the master Tsongkhapa said in the Ngag Rim Chenmo: "With regard to vehicle, since it is the vehicle of, i.e., conveys, the effect that is desired here and the cause that desires this, it is called 'vehicle'. The effect is the four complete purities of abode, body, property, and activities, a buddha's palace, body, wealth, and deeds. One meditates from the present on oneself as having a divine mansion, a divine entourage, divine ritual implements, and the divine deeds of purifying the cosmos and its inhabitants, just like a Buddha, Thus, it is the Effect Vehicle because one progresses through meditating in accordance with the vehicle of the effect."

Thus, the Mahayana as a whole is divided into the Paramitayana and the Mantrayana because these two have substantially different means for achieving a Buddha's Form Body that accomplishes the aims of others. In general, the Hinayana and the Mahayana are not distinguished according to any difference in their wisdom of emptiness, but must be distinguished due to differences in their methods, as mentioned above. In particular, although the Mahayana is divided into the Paramitayana and the Mantrayana, this is not due to any difference in their wisdom that realizes the profound emptiness; the two Mahayana systems must be distinguished from the point of view of differences in their methods. The main aspect of method in the Mahayana is the portion dealing with achievement of the Form Body, and the method that achieves the Form Body in the Mantrayana is just the deity yoga of meditating on oneself as having an aspect similar to that of a Form Body. This method is superior to the method employed in the Paramitayana.

With regard to the disciples of the Mantrayana, there are four types: inferior, middling, superior, and most excellent. The four classes of tantra were taught with these four types of disciples in mind. Since the disciples enter the Mantrayana through the four classes of tantra, the four classes are likened to "four doors." Should you wonder what the four are, they are Ritual Tantra, Conduct Tantra, Yoga Tantra, and Unexcelled Yoga Tantra. The Kalachakra, which will be described below, belongs to the Unexcelled Yoga Tantra class.

An Account of the Kalachakra, or Wheel of Time

The entire meaning of the subject matter of the Kalachakra tantra is included within the three Kalachakras, or Wheels of Time: The Outer Wheel of Time, the Inner Wheel of Time, and the Other Wheel of Time. The Outer Wheel of Time is the external world of the environment, and it is also called "The procession of the external solar and lunar days." The Inner Wheel of Time is the human body, that is an inner Jambudvipa, or earth-surface. Likewise, the inner channels, elements, and movements of the winds are set forth as the Inner Wheels of Time. The Other Wheel of Time is the initiations and paths of Shri Kalachakra, together with their results. It is "other" than the preceding two Wheels of Time. The guru ripens the disciple's psycho-physical continuum with the initiations, and the disciple meditates on the path that consists of the generation process and the completion process. In this way the yogi actualizes the resultthe buddha body that is the divine image of emptiness. This is the Other Wheel of Time.

The Buddha's teaching of the Kalachakra is described in the Paramadibuddha, the Kalachakra, Basic Tantra:

"As the teacher demonstrated the Dharma on Vulture Heap according to the Perfection of Wisdom system, he also taught the mantra system at Shri Dhanyakataka. What teacher taught what tantra, when and where was he dwelling? What was the place, who was the worldly entourage, and what was the purpose?

"He taught the unexcelled Mahayana, the system of the Perfection of Wisdom, to the bodhisattvas on Mount Vulture Heap. Then at the same time the Tathagata dwelt together with bodhisattvas and others in the great stupa, in the mandala of the sphere of phenomena. He dwelt in the house of universal vajra, in space, immaterial and very lucid, unpartitioned and radiant. He taught the tantra in the beautiful sphere of phenomena, for the merit and gnosis of human beings."

The Basic Tantra also says: "Then Vajrapani's emanation, King Suchandra from famous Shambhala, miraculously entered into the splendid sphere of phenomena. First he circumambulated to the right, then he worshipped the teacher's lotus feet with flowers made of jewels. Placing his hands together, Suchandra sat before the perfect Buddha. Suchandra requested the Buddha for the tantra, redacted it, and taught it too."

The Kalachakra was taught by our teacher, the Buddha Shakyamuni. He showed the way of actualizing highest perfect enlightenment underneath the bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya in India, at early dawn on the full moon of April/May. For one year he taught the general Paramitayana. In particular, at Mount Vulture Heap he turned the Dharma Wheel of the Perfection of Wisdom, the chief, ultimate Dharma Wheel of the Paramita system of the Mahayana.

On the full moon of March/April, the twelfth month counted from the time he obtained buddhahood, the Buddha was teaching the Paramitayana at Mount Vulture Heap. At the same time he manifested another form inside the great stupa of Shri Dhanyakataka, which is near Shri Parvata in south India where he taught the Mantrayana.

The great stupa was more than six leagues from top to bottom, and inside it the Buddha emitted two mandalas: below the mandala of Dharmadhatu Vagishvara, above the great mandala of the splendid asterisms. The Buddha was in the centre on the Vajra lion throne in the great Mandala of the Sphere of Vajra, the abode of great bliss. He was absorbed in the Kalachakra samadhi, and stood in the form of the Lord of the mandala.

The excellent entourage within the mandala consisted of a host of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, furies, gods, nagas, and goddesses. Outside the mandala the requestor was the emanated body of Vajrapani, King Suchandra of Shambhala. He had miraculously come to Shri Dhanyakataka from Shambhala, and he requested the Kalachakra for the entourage of listeners: the ninety-six emanated satraps of the ninety-six great lands within Shambhala, together with a limitless host of fortunate bodhisattvas, gods, demons, and others.

The Buddha gave the assembly the excellent Dharma-the worldly and transcendental initiations-and prophesied that they would obtain buddhahood, then he taught them the Paramadibuddha, the twelve thousand verse Kalachakra Basic Tantra. King Suchandra wrote it down in a volume and miraculously returned to Shambhala.

In Shambhala Suchandra composed a sixty thousand-line commentary of the Basic Tantra. He also erected a Kalachakra mandala made of precious substances. After he had appointed his son Sureshvara as King and teacher of the tantra, he passed away. Many great Kings appeared in the dynasty of Shambhala: Kalki Yashas, Kalki Pundarika, and others. They caused the profound Dharma of the Kalachakra to shine like the sun and the moon.

The Kalachakra continued to be transmitted through the succession of kalkis ("chieftains") of Shambhala, and eventually it was reintroduced into India. There are two main stories of how this came about, the story told by the Ra tradition and the story of the Dro tradition. (The Ra tradition and the Dro tradition will be discussed below).

According to the Ra tradition, the Kalachakra and related commentaries famed as the Bodhisattvas Corpus appeared in India during the simultaneous reigns of three kings. Taking Bodh Gaya as the center, the three kings were: Dehopala, the Master of Elephants, in the East; Jauganga, the Master of Men, in the South; and Kanauj, the Master of Horses, in the West. At that time the great pandit Cilu, who mastered all aspects of the Buddhadharma, was born in Orissa, one of the five countries of eastern India. Cilu studied all the Buddhist texts at the Ratnagiri Vihara, Vikramashila, and Nalanda. In particular, he studied at the Ratnagiri Vihara that was undamaged by the Turks.

Cilu realized that, in general, in order to achieve buddhahood in a single lifetime he would need the Mantrayana, and in particular, that he would need the clarifications of these doctrines contained in the Bodhisattva commentaries. Knowing that these teachings were extant in Shambhala, and depending on the instruction of his deity, he joined up with traders who sought jewels in the ocean. Having agreed with the traders, who were setting out across the sea, to meet up after six months, they went separate ways.

Cilu proceeded in stages and finally, upon climbing a mountain, he met a man. The man asked him, "Where are you going?" Cilu replied, "I am going to Shambhala in search of the Bodhisattva Corpus." The man said, "It is extremely difficult to go there, but if you can understand it, you could listen to it even here." Cilu realized that the man was an emanation of Manjushri. He prostrated, offered a mandala, and requested instruction. The man conferred all the initiations, tantra commentaries, and oral instructions on Cilu. He grasped Cilu, placed a flower on his head, and blessed him, saying, "Realize the entire Bodhisattva Corpus." Thus, like water poured from one vessel into another, Cilu realized the entire Bodhisattva Corpus. He went back the way he had come and, meeting with the traders, he returned to Eastern India.

According to the Dro tradition, the Kalachakra was reintroduced into India by the master Kalachakrapada. A couple who practised the Yoga of Yamantaka performed the ritual for the birth of a son as it is taught in the Yamantaka Tantra, and had a son. When he grew up he learned that in the north the bodhisattvas themselves taught the Dharma, so he went to listen to them. With his psychic power the Kalki of Shambhala knew of the youth's pure motivation and enthusiasm for the profound Dharma. He knew that if the youth attempted to come to Shambhala it would endanger his life because of the waterless wasteland that takes four months to cross. Thus, the Kalki used an emanation body to meet the youth at the edge of the desert.

The Kalki asked the youth, "Where are you going, and why?" when the youth told him his intentions the Kalki said, "That road is very difficult. But if you can understand these things, couldn't you listen to them even here?" The youth realized that this was an emanation of the Kalki and asked him for instruction. Right there the Kalki initiated the youth, and for four months he taught him all the highest tantras especially the three Bodhisattva Corpus commentaries. Like a vase filled to the brim, the youth realized and memorized all the tantras. When he returned to India he became renowned as an emanation of Manjushri, and his name was "Kalachakrapada".

The Ra and Dro traditions say that the Kalachakra was introduced into India by Cilu and Kalachakrapada. The Kalachakra continued to be studied and practised in India, and it was eventually introduced into Tibet. Again, the Ra and Dro traditions are the two main lineages through which this occurred.

The Dro tradition started from the visit of the Kashmiri Pandit Somanatha to Tibet. Somanatha first arrived in Tibet at Kharag and stayed among the Ryo clan. For a fee of one hundred measures of gold Somanatha translated half of the great Kalachakra commentary, the Vimalaprabha, into Tibetan, but in the meantime he became displeased and stopped his work. He took the gold and his draft translation and went to Phan Yul drub. There Chung Wa of the Zhang clan took Somanatha as his guru, and Shayrabdrak of the Dro clan acted as translator. Somanatha and Shayrabdrak translated the entire Vimalaprabha.

The Dro tradition continued on to Lama ChöKu Özer. This lama mastered all of the teachings of the Dro clan, including the Kalachakra. His disciple was Lama Galo, who mastered both the Dro tradition and the Ra tradition and passed them on in a single combined lineage.

The Ra tradition started with Chorab of the Ra clan, the nephew of the famous translator Ra Dorjedrak who was born in Nyen Ma Mang Yul. Ra Chorab memorized and understood all the doctrines of the Ra clan. Then he wished to learn the Kalachakra, so he went to the centre of Nepal where he continuously served the Pandit Samantashri for five years, ten months, and five days. Samantashri explained all the Kalachakra texts and gave Chorab the initiations and oral instructions. Then Chorab invited Samantashri to Tibet where they carefully translated the Kalachakra tantra and its commentary, together with the auxiliary texts.

The Ra tradition continued through Ra Chorab's son and grandson, and it eventually came to Lama Galo, as mentioned before. Lama Galo passed on both the Dro and the Ra traditions, and his lineage continued through such masters as Buton Rinchendrub and Tsongkhapa. The study and practice of the Kalachakra based on the Ra and Dro traditions exists even today.

Practice of the Kalachakra tantra, like all Buddhist tantric systems, is based on first receiving the proper initiations. For the initiations to be properly given and received it is necessary that both the guru and the disciple have certain qualifications. The qualifications of the Mantrayana guru are described by Losang Chökyi Gyaltsen as follows: "He should have control over his body, speech, and mind. He should be very intelligent, patient, and undeceitful. He should know the mantras and tantras, understand reality, and be competent in composing and explaining texts". We are very fortunate that such gurus can be found even now.

The disciple should have experience of the three principal aspects of the Mahayana path: renunciation of samsara, bodhichitta, and understanding of emptiness. If the disciple has not actually experienced these, he or she should at least have intellectual familiarity with them and admiration for them.

The most important of the three aspects is bodhichitta, the primary motivation for taking the initiations. Lord Maitreya defined bodhichitta in his Abhisamayalankara: "Bodhichitta is the desire for true, perfect enlightenment for the sake of others". When applied to the specific circumstance of taking the Kalachakra initiations, the disciple should generate bodhichitta in the following manner: "For the sake of all sentient beings I must achieve the state of Shri Kalachakra. Then I will be able to establish all other sentient beings in the state of Shri Kalachakra as well". With this motivation one should take initiation.

The general aim of tantric initiations is that through the initiations the guru ripens the disciple's psycho-physical continuum. Here "ripening" means empowering the disciple to practise the yoga of the generation process and the completion process. In particular, the Kalachakra initiations empower the disciple to practise the yoga of the Kalachakra tantra, and, ultimately, to achieve the state of Shri Kalachakra.

There are eleven Kalachakra initiations: seven initiations of "entering like a child", three "exalted" initiations, and one "most exalted" initiation. Disciples who are temporarily intent on just the worldly siddhis (magical or mystical accomplishments) are given only the seven lower initiations. Those who are mainly interested in the transcendental siddhi of buddhahood are given all eleven initiations. The first of the seven initiations of entering like a child is the water initiation. This is analagous to a mother washing her child immediately after its birth. The second initiation is the crown initiation that is analogous. to the binding of a child's hairlocks. The third, ribbon initiation is analogous to piercing a child's ears and arraying it with ornaments. The fourth initiation, the vajra and bell initiation, is analogous to a child laughing and talking. The fifth initiation is the discipline initiation, it is analogous to the child's enjoyment of the five desirable sense-objects. Sixth is the name initiation, analogous to the naming of the child. The seventh, and final, initiation of entering like a child is the mantra authorization initiation. This initiation empowers the disciple to eliminate obstacles and to achieve the magic powers of pacification, gaining prosperity, subjugation, and destruction.

The three exalted initiations are as follows: the vase initiation is the gnosis of bliss and emptiness that arises from the disciple touching the consort's breasts. The secret initiation is the gnosis of bliss and emptiness that arises from the disciple savouring the bodhichitta, the wisdom-gnosis initiation is the experience of connate joy that arises from the disciple and consort themselves engaging in union.

The most exalted initiation is also called "the fourth initiation" or "the word initiation" The previous great wisdom-gnosis initiation empowers the disciple to achieve the eleventh bodhisattva stage. Then the guru symbolically indicates the Gnosis Body that is the integration of supreme unchanging great bliss and emptiness possessing the best of all aspects. Saying, "This is it", the guru bestows the fourth initiation on the disciple. This initiation empowers the disciple to obtain perfect buddhahood in the form of Shri Kalachakra.

Translated from the Tibetan and edited by John Newman Translator's note: 'or more information on the subjects touched on in this essay the reader is advised to see: Dalai Lama, Kalachakra Tantra Initiation Rites and Practices (London: Wisdom Publications, 1985), and Geshe Lhundup Sopa eral, The Wheel of Time: The Kalachakra in Context (Madison. Wisconsin USA: Deer Park Books, 1985).

Kalachakra Initiations by His Holiness the Dalai Lama (Date/Place/Attendance)

1.  May 1954 / Norbulingka, Lhasa, Tibet / 100,000
2.  April 1956 / Norbulingka, Lhasa, Tibet / 100,000
3.  March 1970 / Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India / 30,000
4.  January 1971 / Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India / 10,000
5.  December 1974 / Bodhgaya, Bihar, India / 100,000
6.  September 1976 / Leh, Ladakh, India / 40,000
7.  July 1981 / Madison, Wisconsin, USA / 1,500
8.  April 1983 / Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh, India / 5,000
9.  August 1983 / Tabo, Himachal Pradesh, India / 10,000
10.  July 1985 / Rikon, Switzerland / 6,000
11.  December 1985 / Bodhgaya, Bihar, India / 200,000
12.  July 1988 / Zanskar, Jammu & Kashmir, India / 10,000
13.  July 1989 / Los Angeles, California, USA / 3,300
14.  December 1990 / Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India / 130,000
15.  October 1991 / New York, New York, USA / 3,000
16.  August 1992 / Kalpa, Himachal Pradesh, India / 20,000
17.  April 1993 / Gangtok, Sikkim, India / 100,000
18.  July 1994 / Jispa, Himachal Pradesh, India / 30,000
19.  December 1994 / Barcelona, Spain / 3,000
20.  January 1995 / Mundgod, Karnataka, India / 50,000
21.  August 1995 / Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia / 30,000
22.  June 1996 / Tabo, Himachal Pradesh, India / 20,000
23.  September 1996 / Sydney, Australia / 3,000
24.  December 1996 / Salugara, West Bengal, India / 200,000
25.  August 1999 / Bloomington, Indiana, USA / 4,000
26.  August 2000 / Kyi, Himachal Pradesh, India / 25,000
27.  October 2002 / Graz, Austria / 10,000
28.  January 2003 / Bodhgaya, Bihar, India / 200,000
29.  April 2004 / Toronto, Ontario, Canada / 8,000
30.  January 2006 / Amarvati, Andhra Pradesh, India / 100,000
31.  July 2011 / Washington, DC, USA / 8,000
32.  January 2012 / Bodhgaya, Bihar, India / 200,000
33.  July 2014 / Leh (Ladakh), Jammu & Kashmir, India / 150,000
34.  January 2017 / Bodhgaya, Bihar, India / 200,000

original link with photos: https://www.dalailama.com/teachings/kalachakra-initiations

Dalai Lama Attends 'Abundance without Attachment' Symposium

Theckchen Chöling, Dharamsala, HP, 4 November 2015 - This morning the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington DC based think tank, brought a delegation of 38 to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharamsala. This is the second symposium the AEI has held with him. This time the theme is Abundance without Attachment.

There was quiet in the room until His Holiness arrived, accompanied by AEI President Arthur Brooks. He smiled at the guests and remarked:

“Of course, India has long been my spiritual home, but for the last nearly 57 years it has been my physical home too - welcome to all of you. I’d like to say at the start that this is an informal meeting among fellow human beings.”

In his introduction, Arthur Brooks said he hoped they would be able to talk about purpose in their work, about enterprise and poverty, and how to lift people up. He suggested three pillars he’d learned from His Holiness - moral living, concentration and wisdom. He noted that His Holiness regards wisdom as something that arises from examining what is true. It is something about which we have to reach our own conclusions.

He reported four factors that His Holiness told American psychiatrist Howard Cutler constituted the secret of a happy life: enlightenment, spirituality, worldly satisfaction and wealth. He expressed surprise at the inclusion of the last two, but suggested that worldly satisfaction means we should enjoy our lives, but we should do so by serving others. As to a definition of wealth, he quoted the proud boast of someone he’d met in the Dharavi slum in Mumbai:

“I built something; I earned my living and I served other people.”

Brooks introduced the members of the first panel, Jay Panda, an Indian Member of Parliament representing Odisha, Paresh Shah, a Gujarati who now lives in LA, who is an executive and yogi and Robert Doar, now an AEI fellow, who was commissioner of New York’s Human Resources Administration. He asked them to consider ‘What is a meaningful life in the midst of poverty?’

Jay Panda said he had seen very poor people who rise above their poverty with dignity. He mentioned an old woman gave him a donation of Rs.10 (15 cents) because she liked what he was doing. He cited the simple homes of tribal families in Odisha that were as neat and clean as any middle class equivalent.

Paresh Shah suggested that if we see wealth as energy it has to flow. We have to share it and as we share it more comes. He said we are vessels for sharing wealth with which to lift, heal and inspire others. He continued:

“What we learn is that our inner world shapes our outer world. Through our own emotional hygiene we can touch everyone.”

Robert Doar spoke of a man he’d met when he was working in New York, a man who had been twice been released from prison and fallen back twice and faced real hardship. Then he succeeded and when asked how that happened replied: “I finally realized I could do it.” With regard to tackling poverty, Doar said there is a need for a safety net, but responsibility and dignity come first. He suggested a need to expect that people can help themselves.

When Arthur Brooks asked His Holiness what he had to say, he replied:

“We are all living beings with feelings of pleasure and pain. All beings love their own life, but different sizes of brain mean we have different levels of intelligence. We human beings are the most intelligent and it is by using this intelligence that we can change the world for the better.

“We all want to live a happy life; we don’t want to be miserable. But we have to see how we can overcome the problems we make for ourselves. These problems don’t come about because of our warm-heartedness, but because we give in to anger, hatred and self-centredness. Our intelligence allows us to look at things from a wider perspective, to see that anger and hatred disturb our peace of mind and shatter the warm atmosphere within our families. In fact, you might say that if the place is tense and full of suspicion it’s not really a home.

“We are social animals and we need to take the welfare of all humanity, all 7 billion human beings, into account. Today, we have achieved remarkable material development, but right now as we speak, there are people in other places wielding weapons and killing each other. Some do this in the name of religion. It’s unthinkable.”

His Holiness mentioned that he has come across several cities in America that have declared themselves cities of kindness or cities of compassion. He suggested that India follow suit. He remarked that he used to think that businessmen were only interested in profit and exploiting others. He suspects that this was true of the colonial powers who once dominated the world. However, he said, as human beings we need love, and money alone cannot provide love. He pointed out that whether you are rich or poor, the size of your stomach is the same and you only have ten fingers.

“We need to bridge the gap between rich and poor. We need to find ways to lift people up. Here in India as people continue to flock into the cities I think there is an urgent need to bring development to the rural areas. What the rich can do is to respectfully provide facilities and education. But the poor have to work hard and develop self-confidence. Wallowing in anger and resentment wins nothing.

“We can build a happier more compassionate world based on an appreciation of the oneness of all humanity. If we try, we can create a more equal, more compassionate world, although I don’t expect my generation to live to see it.

“People need to find a way to be useful while maintaining their dignity. If they can’t do that they are likely to waste their lives. I believe we each have the ability to do something to change the world, not from the top down, but starting as individuals. I don’t think praying to God will solve our problems, because God didn’t make our problems, we did. So we need to find a solution to them.”

Danielle Pletka, senior vice president of foreign and defence policy studies at AEI was the moderator of the second session. The theme was building businesses in India’s slums. The AEI has taken a special interest in one of the slums in Mumbai called Dharavi. It is more than 130 years old and is home to between 700,000 and 1 million people. The AEI has made friends with Asim Abid Shaikh, a travel agent, Murti Ramaswamy, a salesman, Mohammad Akran Shah, a tailor and Yusuf Galwani, a potter, all from Dharavi. They were part of this panel.

Asim Shaikh explained that people in Dharavi looked after themselves and tried to get an education to ensure they could live a good life. Murti Ramaswamy, who sells water purifiers for Hindustan Lever said that what he liked about his job was that he earned money, but was also able to give satisfaction. He added that because he earns a steady wage he can send his daughters to a private school, which he hopes will give them confidence. He denied being poor, mentioning not only that he does not beg, but also that he is contributing to a life insurance policy.

Yusuf Galwani, the potter, told the story of his grandfather arriving in Dharavi hungry and with nothing, taking up pottery for lack of anything else to do. He described Dharavi’s inhabitants as good people with many skills. They are achieving development not by begging, or because of government help, but through their own efforts.

Gurcharan Das, a former CEO and public intellectual, pointed out that what Galwani described was evidence that development in India starts from below which will make it more lasting, as opposed to China’s development that is handed down from above.

Akran Shah, who has been a tailor for 25 years, said that where the government could help would be in providing better health facilities and taking steps to combat illnesses like dengue fever. He praised the social harmony that exists in Dharavi with members of all the major religions living easily with one another.

Commenting on his experience of Dharavi Arthur Brooks noted five things: its potential, the opportunity that thrives there. The work that goes on. The faith that is part of a good life. The strong sense of family and the sense of community. Danielle Pletka encouraged the panellists to talk about their sense of fairness, but it did not seem to interest them. They were more eager to express their love for the jobs they do and the sense of community where they live. Asim Shaikh mentioned that when he visited Germany last year, 70 people from his neighbourhood saw him off at the airport.

Among several clarifications, such as that a slum is defined as an illegal settlement on government land, Jay Panda expressed regret that government schools in India often have good facilities but very poor teaching, whereas NGO and mission schools tend to have the opposite, poor facilities and excellent teaching. Sikyong Lobsang Sangay stressed the importance of compassion, suggesting that in education learning English is one thing, but inculcating compassion is even more effective.

A Tibetan member of the audience drew comparisons between what he had heard about Dharavi and the Tibetan settlement of Manjnukatilla on the outskirts of Delhi. He recalled that at one time the only business there was brewing liquor. Visionary leadership had encouraged the people to shift to other work and now it is a vibrant place that attracts a lot of interest.

Asked for his remarks, His Holiness said that since all his knowledge derived from Indian sources and since his body had been nourished by Indian rice and dal for more than 50 years, he considers himself a son of India. He listed aspects that make India important. It is the world’s most populous democratic country. It is by and large stable and peaceful. Religious harmony prevails as it has done for centuries. The rule of law exists. In contrast, in China there are neither free media nor freedom of expression.

“I often point out that existing modern education is not adequate to shape happy individuals living in happy families in a happy nation,” His Holiness said, “because there is too much focus on materialism. In the West people are affluent, but are beginning to realize that having inner peace is more important. Because no one religious tradition can have universal appeal, we need to adopt a secular ethics, a sense of respect for all spiritual traditions and even for the views of those who follow none.”

Finally, His Holiness explained that compassion can take two forms one that is like a natural instinct, a concern for the friends and family to whom we are attached. This is a limited and biased compassion. However, it can be the seed for something bigger. By employing reason and intelligence we can learn to extend our compassion to include others. An unbiased, genuine concern for others' well-being, whoever they are. That is real compassion, and only human beings are capable of developing it.

The session broke for lunch. The delegates, and His Holiness, will all get together for a second and final day tomorrow.

Original link & photos http://dalailama.com/news/post/1326-aei-symposium---abundance-without-attachment---day-1

Explaining ‘The Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’

Hamburg, Germany, 24 August 2014 - Emerging from his hotel into the sunlight falling through the trees, His Holiness the Dalai Lama took time to greet Tibetans and other well-wishers who had gathered to express their respect and support.

“Today there’ll be an explanation of the Buddhadharma according to the Nalanda tradition,” His Holiness began. “The Tibetan Buddhist tradition originated with the invitation to Tibet in the 8th century of the then leading scholar of Nalanda University, Shantarakshita, by the Tibetan Emperor, Trisong Detsen. Buddhism had been introduced to China some four centuries earlier, a tradition also linked to Nalanda by Hsuan Tsang who studied there with Dharmapala. The prevailing philosophical views belonged to the Mind Only and Middle Way Schools and whereas China predominantly followed Mind Only, Shantarakshita established the Middle Way view, the tradition following Nagarjuna, in Tibet.”

Describing himself as a minor student to the Nalanda tradition, His Holiness said he was happy to have the opportunity to discuss Shantideva’s ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’ and Thogme Sangpo’s ‘37 Practices of a Bodhisattva’. He pointed out the difficulty of explaining everything in four sessions, but encouraged his listeners to take the book away with them to read and study themselves.

He explained that Shantideva, who lived in the 8th century CE, composed two texts the ‘Compendium of Training’ and ‘Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’, which complement each other. Shantideva followed the Consequentialist Middle Way view propounded by Chandrakirti that asserts that while things have no objective existence they nevertheless exist conventionally.

His Holiness paused to commend Kelsang Wangmo, a German nun assisting his German translator, Christof Spitz, as the first woman to be granted a Geshe-ma degree. Turning to the text, he read its title in Sanskrit and Tibetan, initiating a complex discussion of the word ‘bodhi’ or ‘chang-chub’, which is translated as enlightenment, but specifically refers to purifying or clearing away ignorance and to knowing. It implies that Buddhahood is attained by overcoming ignorance, clearing away the obstructions to knowledge by developing an understanding of emptiness, supported by the skilful means of bodhichitta. The Buddha made it clear that this is something we have to do for ourselves by following the path he revealed.

“Buddhas do not wash unwholesome deeds away with water,

Nor do they remove the sufferings of beings with their hands,

Neither do they transplant their own realization into others.

Teaching the truth of suchness they liberate (beings).”

His Holiness turned to Chapter Nine of the ‘Guide’, the wisdom chapter, saying that all the Buddha’s 84,000 teachings were taught in order that people could develop an understanding of reality such that they could purify their minds of all defilements. To overcome ignorance that is the basis of disturbing emotions like attachment we need to know things as they really are. His Holiness recalled the advice of American psychotherapist Aaron Beck that when we are angry or attached to something, about 90% of our anger or attachment is mental projection, a view that accords with Nagarjuna’s. We get caught up with how things appear to us instead of seeing them as they really are.

“Amongst human beings,” His Holiness remarked, “there are those who use their minds to investigate reality, who the text refers to as yogis, and those who simply follow their day to day lives. We could say that today, scientists are like yogis in that they attempt to see things as they really are. But even among yogis there are differences of understanding.”

His Holiness further commented that the different views of reality explained in Chapter Nine of the ‘Guide’ are complicated, but that analysing them is very helpful. The aim of such analysis is to uproot ignorance that is at the root of all disturbing emotions. He pointed out that it wasn’t until he was about 15 years old that he began to really take an interest in emptiness. In his 30s he really tried to study and put into practice what he understood.

“Only when you develop some understanding of emptiness do you become aware of the actual possibility of attaining Buddhahood. Although we all recite the verse for taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha and developing the awakening mind of bodhichitta, we generally don’t understand what it means. If you think closely about it, you can understand the process of transforming the mind into the mind of enlightenment.”

As the session broke for lunch, His Holiness advised:

“Ask yourself, who is this ‘I’ who eats lunch? Where is it? The ‘I’ is not the body and it isn’t the mind either. Where is it? Who is this hungry person? That way we can make lunch useful too.”

Meeting with members of the Tibet Centre Hamburg afterwards, His Holiness encouraged them to continue to make it a centre of learning, not only dedicated to Buddhism but to a wider knowledge of the workings of the mind. He mentioned the recent publication of a book in Tibetan containing science extracted from the Kangyur and Tengyur. He said that the English translation may be complete by the end of the year and requested the Centre to become involved in translating it into German. He also spoke to about 650 Tibetans resident in Europe. He noted that as refugees they have been in exile for 55 years. He praised the people in Tibet, whose spirit has remained unflinching despite the change of generations over the same period. He encouraged them to be careful to maintain Tibetans’ good reputation for gentleness and honesty.

Back in the Congress Centre hall His Holiness received and answered several questions from the audience, among them a request for guidance on choosing a spiritual teacher. His advice was to consult the list of qualifications for such a teacher described in the scriptures and to examine the prospective teacher to see whether he or she fulfilled them, a process that could even take years. He recommended making a commitment to a teacher only when you feel confident about him or her.

Returning to his survey of Chapter Nine of the ‘Guide’, he explained that ignorance is eliminated by the wisdom understanding emptiness because ignorance and wisdom, like light and dark, cannot coexist together. And ignorance is weaker not being supported by knowledge. His Holiness said:

“The ninth chapter is very important because it is on the basis of a genuine insight into emptiness that we develop a sense that liberation from suffering is possible and that the disturbing emotions can be eliminated. From that understanding arises the desire to achieve such liberation. Then, considering the predicament of sentient beings we develop the awakening mind of bodhichitta and the wish to serve them.”

He went on to stress that Buddhists should aspire to be 21st century Buddhists, understanding what the Buddha is and that the Dharma is the true path and true cessation.

Looking back to Chapter One of the ‘Guide’ he said it explains the awakening mind of bodhichitta, the ultimate wish to help other beings. It involves an aspiration to achieve enlightenment that is not just wishful thinking but is based on knowing that being of real help to other beings is possible.

His Holiness brought the day’s teachings to an end saying he would go through the process of formally generating bodhichitta tomorrow. He joked that going through the text this way is a bit like an elderly person’s approach to food, picking only those bits that are easy to chew. He mentioned the short and long-term advantages of bodhichitta, including freedom from lower rebirth, achieving higher rebirth and ultimately enlightenment. But, he said, the corresponding process of transforming yourself takes time. He remembered when he used to garden in Dharamsala and because he wanted to see the flowers bloom soon he tried to encourage the process and in doing so damaged the seeds. He concluded:

“We need to give growth time.”

original link with photos http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1160-explaining-the-guide-to-the-bodhisattvas-way-of-life

Dalai Lama Discusses Love & Compassion

New Delhi, India, 21 March 2014 - On behalf of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility, Rajiv Mehrotra welcomed His Holiness the Dalai Lama to a gathering of about 320 people in New Delhi today. He said they were blessed and honoured that he was with them again and dedicated any merit or insight that might arise as a result to the benefit of all sentient beings. In his response, His Holiness greeted everybody, saying it was good to see so many old friends. Asking how many were there for the first time, the raised hands indicated about two-thirds. He began:

“I usually describe myself as just a Buddhist monk and as a human being, one of the 7 billion alive today. There are no differences between us; emotionally, physically and mentally we are all the same. We all want to lead a happy life. In order to do that we need to develop peace of mind, this in turn requires knowledge of the mind and emotions. This is what we are here today to discuss.”

He spoke of his commitment to promoting inner peace by integrating secular ethics into our lives without necessarily depending on faith. He added, however, that faith, be it in God or like Jains and Buddhists in the law of causality, can be useful in developing peace of mind. He clarified that within Buddhism, the Pali tradition represents the foundation, on which the Sanskrit tradition with its emphasis on infinite altruism and deeper understanding of reality is based.

Before inviting everyone to join in reciting the ‘Praise to the 17 Masters of Nalanda’, he explained that he had composed it to honour not only the original eight Indian masters included among the Six Ornaments and the Two Supreme Ones - Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Dignaga, Dharmakirti, Gunaprabha, and Shakyaprabha, but also Buddhapalita, Bhavaviveka, Chandrakirti, Shantideva, Shantarakshita, Kamalashila, Vimuktisena, Haribadra and Atisha. He said he regards these masters as professors of Nalanda University, whose works have had great influence on the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Their rigorous approach is exemplified by Nagarjuna and Chandrakirti who examined the Buddha’s words and noted that where they contradicted reason they should not be taken literally. He feels this is a scientific approach.

Dialogue with modern scientists over the last thirty years has taught Tibetan Buddhists a great deal about the material world, which has been of immense benefit. However, it has also revealed that modern psychology still has only a very basic understanding of the mind. He noted:

“As human beings we need to make an effort to promote awareness that the ultimate source of a happy life is within ourselves. Meanwhile, scientists have observed that a happy mind is essential if we are to enjoy physical health. The affection we receive as infants from our mothers equips us to develop the warm-heartedness that is the basis of this.”

Pointing out that the climate change, environmental problems and the global economy all indicate our need to work together, His Holiness stressed the importance of focussing on the whole of humanity. This is why our education systems must include a sense of ethics. In order to retain a universal appeal, such ethics need to have a secular basis. He cited the example of India’s secular constitution, which far from dismissing religion expresses respect for all religions and the right of those who choose to have none. This secular approach reflects the religious harmony that has flourished in India for thousands of years.

“All religious traditions foster a sense of love and compassion and because greed and desire can obstruct it, they also advise contentment. The idea of being created by God means that individuals possess a spark of God within them. This is a powerful concept that resembles the Buddhist explanation of Buddha nature. If you ask the purpose of such different philosophical ideas, it is to foster a sense of love and compassion.”

His Holiness repeated that if we choose to engage in religious practice, it is important to do so sincerely.

Following a short break for tea, he announced his intention to explain a verse that is sometimes referred to as the ‘essence of dependent origination.’ It comes from the Vinaya, is found in both the Pali and Sanskrit traditions and is often written on the walls of temples:

Ye dharma hetuprabhava hetum tesham tathagata hyavadat tesham cha yo nirodha evam vadi mahashramana

Of those things that arise from causes,
The Tathagata has taught those causes,
And also what their cessation is:
This is the doctrine of the Great Recluse.

The cessation of causes here refers to the cessation of the causes of suffering.

“What we seek is happiness and yet what we encounter is suffering because we are under the sway of ignorance. Consequently, what we need is insight into the true nature of things. The Buddha revealed the possibility of attaining a state free from suffering. This is consistent with the teaching of the Four Noble Truths and the basic Buddhist concept of the law of causality or cause and effect. Whether our actions are positive or negative depends entirely on our motivation. Suffering results from our being motivated by disturbing emotions such as anger, hatred and attachment that are very much related to ignorance.”

His Holiness talked of his meeting with the experienced American psychologist Aaron Beck who told him that when we are angry, the object of our anger seems entirely negative and yet that negativity is 90% mental projection. This accords with what Nagarjuna taught long ago.

His Holiness remarked that disturbing emotions are so called because they disturb our peace of mind and lead to harmful action. The Tibetan term has the sense of something that makes us unhappy, that brings trouble to ourselves and others. The ultimate cause of suffering is ignorance that is a misconception of reality. However, any misconception can be countered by knowledge no matter how strong it may seem, because knowledge is based on reality, while ignorance has no basis at all. As we become more familiar with reality, ignorance becomes thinner until it is eliminated altogether. The mind is clear and neutral so when combined with compassion it becomes positive, but when combined with anger or attachment it becomes negative.

When it comes to training the mind, His Holiness explained, once you reach a certain level there is no need for renewed effort, because of its continuity. The possibility of the cessation of suffering accords with the Third Noble Truth, the path to which involves wisdom derived from a threefold awareness involving hearing, reflection and meditation. To deepen understanding we need single-pointed concentration, for which mindfulness is important, and that in turn depends on morality. So, morality, concentration and wisdom are the three important factors here.

According to the Sanskrit tradition, the Second Turning of the Wheel of Dharma concerns the teaching of the Perfection of Wisdom. This consists of 20 volumes including the Perfection of Wisdom in 100,000 lines, 25,000 lines, 18,000 lines, 8,000 lines, 2,500 lines, 700 lines, 500 lines, 300 lines and 25 lines. The last two, the texts in 300 and 25 lines, the ‘Diamond Cutter Sutra’ and the ‘Heart Sutra’ are the most widely known. The ‘Heart Sutra’ contains a dharani, ‘Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi svaha’ or ‘Go, Go, Go beyond, Go completely beyond, lay the foundation of enlightenment.’

His Holiness explained how this represents the path of spiritual development. The first two words ‘Go, Go - Gate, Gate’ refer to the paths of accumulation and preparation respectively. ‘Go beyond - paragate’ refers to the path of seeing on which emptiness is seen directly without duality. ‘Go completely beyond - parasamgate’ refers to the path of meditation, while ‘lay the foundation of enlightenment - bodhi svaha’ refers to the path of no more learning. Enlightenment here could refer to the attainment of the paths of Hearers or Solitary Realizers or, motivated by altruism, to the enlightenment of a Buddha.

Common to the basic and greater vehicles are the 37 factors of enlightenment which include the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Four Right Efforts and the Four Bases of Power that relate to the path of accumulation; the Five Faculties and Five Strengths that relate to the path of preparation; the Seven Factors of Enlightenment that relate to the path of seeing; and the Eightfold Noble Path that relates to the path of meditation. Again, His Holiness explained that within the Eightfold Noble Path, right livelihood, right action and right speech concern morality; right mindfulness and right concentration concern concentration, while right view and right thought concern wisdom. He said that to attain the path of a noble being, you prepare from the beginning to integrate these practices in order to reach the path of seeing. This involves practising with honesty and contentment.

He reiterated that enlightenment can mean mere liberation from disturbing emotions or the great enlightenment of Buddhahood in which disturbing emotions are eliminated along with their imprints.

The basis of the Four Noble Truths is dependent origination. This can be interpreted as causality in common with all Buddhist paths or as referring to existence as mere designation, which is found only in the Madhyamaka explanation. Existence in dependence on other factors and the implied lack of independent existence resembles the account of Quantum Physics today, but was first described 2000 years ago by Nagarjuna.

His Holiness concluded the day’s talk, saying:

“Now it’s time for tea, a shower and sleep, then up again at 3am for analytical meditation, reflecting on the nature of the mind. Although everything appears to have independent existence, remembering that nothing exists that way produces an experience of things being like an illusion, which shakes up the basis of the disturbing emotions.”

Original link: http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1096-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-gives-teachings-in-the-indian-capital