Handouts & Class Notes - Refuge - Spring 2012

Below are links to Handouts 1-3, Charts 1-3 & CLASS NOTES for the Spring term of the Perfection of Wisdom Course topic:   Refuge.  Traditionally, at the beginning of a new term, the material covered in the course previously is reviewed so that old and new students are oriented for new material.

The Handouts that are/will be posted here are prepared by Geshe Kelsang Wangmo.  These Handouts serve as the text for the Spring 2012 semester.  Also below:  links to CLASS NOTES/Partial Transcript (DRAFTS) (prepared by Ven. Tenzin Nordron) will be posted.  Every individual Class Blog Post has links to the MP3 files of the class as well as to any PDF materials related to that class.

Please note:  Even though the Creative Commons logo copyright logo does not appear on the downloadable Charts and Handouts, they are also covered by Creative Commons "Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs" Copyright.  [See right hand column.]

Charts 1-3.

CHART 1 - Fifteen' Paths - Five Paths of Three Practitioners.

CHART 2 - Mahayana (Chittamatra & Madhyamika ) tenets' presentation of Three Jewels & Five Paths.

CHART 3 - Hinayana (Vaibashika & Sautantrika) tenets' presentation of Three Jewels & Five Paths.

Handouts 1-16.

2012 Handout 1 - Introduction to the Three Objects of Refuge:  Review basic contextual information on Perfection of Wisdom Sutras (e.g., Three Wheels of Dharma) & Ornament for Clear Realizations.

2012 Handout 2 - cont., Introduction to the Three Objects of Refuge:  Review basic contextual information re: Ornament:  Ornament's Homages (a) by Tibetan translators of the Sanskrit text; (b) (verse 1) Maitreya's Homage to the Mother of the Three Knowers (of the) Three Types of Wisdoms:  1) Knower of Bases - Arya Hearers & Solitary Realizations.  2) Knower of Paths - Arya Bodhisattvas.  3)  Exalted Knowers of All Aspects, i.e., Omniscient Mind of Buddhas.

2012 Handout 3 - cont., Aspirational Prayers of Solitary Realizers.  Meaning of Maitreya's statement of Purpose for composing the Ornament (verses 2-3).  Summary of the Ornament - two verses listing the Eight Clear Realizations (verses 4-5).  13 Verses list the 70 Topics of the Ornament (verses 6-9 are in Handout 3).

2012 Handout 4 - cont., 70 Topics of the Ornament (verses 10-18).  Chapter 1 of the Ornament - introduction, Ten Topics of the Knower of All Aspects of the Conqueror set out in Ch. 1.

2012 Handout 5 - Review of 1st Topic of Chapter 1 - Bodhicitta.  2nd Topic of Chapter 1 - Mahayana Practice Instructions & its Ten Sub-Topics.

2012 Handout 6 -  complete Review of first two (of 10) Sub-Topics of the 2nd Topic of Chapter 1 (the Mahayana Practice Instructions):  the Two Truths & Four Noble Truths.  Introduction to Spring 2012 topic, 3rd Sub-Topic of Practice Instructions:  THREE OBJECTS of REFUGE.  Causal & Resultant Three Jewels.  Causes for Taking Refuge.  Three Types of Persons / Goals.

2012 Handout 7 – cont., Persons of Small Spiritual Scope. Persons of Intermediate & Persons of Great Spiritual Scope. Reasons Why the Buddha is Worthy to be a Refuge.  WAY TO TAKE REFUGE - Four Aspects of Taking Refuge (Asanga's Compendium of Determination) by: #1 - Knowing the Good Qualities:  I. the Buddha.

2012 Handout 8 – Asanga’s Four Aspects of Taking Refuge by, #1, Knowing the Good Qualities:  I. the Buddha's (1) Kayas (Bodies) [Jnana-kaya / Wisdom Truth Body; Sambhoga-kaya / Enjoyment Body; Three-Fold Nirmana-kaya / Emanation Body (Artisan Nirmanakayas [བཟོ་བོ་སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་]; Incarnated Nirmanakayas [སྐྱེ་བ་སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་] and Supreme Nirmanakayas [མཆོག་གི་སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་]; (2) Speech; (3) Mind (explained by way of two aspects: Knowledge & Compassion).

2012 Handout 9 – Asanga’s Four Aspects of Taking Refuge by, #1 - Knowing Good Qualities of:  I. Buddha’s, cont., (4) Enlightened Activities. II. Dharma.  III. Sangha.  #2 - Knowing the distinctions (of the three Jewels) based on:  (a) Their Defining Characteristics; (b) Their Activities; (c) Our Devotion; (d) Our Practice.

Handout 10 (rev. 05/03/12) -  Asanga’s Four Aspects of Taking Refuge by, #2 - Knowing the distinctions (of the three Jewels) based on, cont.:  (e) Recollection; (f) How to Increase Merit.  #3 - Through Commitment.  #4 - Refusing to acknowledge other refuges. Introduction to IBD’s texts by Panchen Sonam Drakpa: General Meaning (སྤྱི་དོན།) and debate manual, Decisive Analysis (མཐའ་དཔྱོད།). General Meaning: 5 Topics explain Three Refuge Objects.  #1 -  Three- fold explanation of Necessity for Scriptures' presentation of Three Refuge Objects: (i) Buddha Jewel; (ii) Dharma Jewel.

Handout 11 - General Meaning's 5 Topics that explain Three Refuge Objects, cont.:  #1 - (iii) Necessity for Scriptural presentation of Sangha Refuge Object.  Causal & Refuge Objects for Bodhisattvas, Hearers & Solitary Realizers (chart).  #2 - Identifying the nature (i.e., meaning) of the three objects of refuge (in two ways):  Nature (i.e., meaning)  of the three Jewels according to a) Hearer Tenets (Vaibashika & Sautantrika Tenets) [i.e., Buddha & Sangha (as persons) are not Refuge Jewels; Buddha & Sangha Jewels are aspects of the Dharma].

Handout 12 - General Meaning's 5 Topics that explain Three Refuge Objects:  #2 - Identifying the nature (i.e., meaning) of the three objects of refuge:  Nature (i.e., meaning)  of the three Jewels according to:  a) Hearer Tenets (Vaibashika & Sautantrika Tenets), cont.  b)  Mahayana Tenets (Chittamatra, Madhyamika Svatantrika & Madhyamika Prasangika Tenets): (1) Nature (meaning) of the (i) Buddha Jewel, (ii) Dharma Jewel (per 8 qualities cited in Maitreya’s Uttaratantra (Sublime Continuum).

Handout 13 - General Meaning's 5 Topics that explain Three Refuge Objects:  #2 - (b)  Mahayana Tenets: (1) Nature (meaning) of the (ii) Dharma Jewel, cont.; and (iii) Sangha Jewel (per 8 qualities cited in Maitreya’s Uttaratantra (Sublime Continuum).  #3 - Difference between Conventional Refuge (not a genuinely final refuge) & Ultimate Refuge (genuinely final refuge, e.g., Buddha Rupakayas).

Handout 14 - General Meaning's 5 Topics that explain Three Refuge Objects:  #3 -  Difference between a Conventional & Ultimate Refuge, cont.:  Debate re meaning of Conventional Refuge objects per Nagarjuna 's Fundamental Wisdom (Mulamadhyamikakarika) & Asanga's Great Commentary of the Uttaratantra."  4 Syllogisms (Maitreya's Sublime Continuum (Uttaratantra): reasons why a particular object of refuge is Conventional, not Ultimate.  #4 - Meaning of the word 'Jewel' - དཀོན་མཆོག་:  citing points of Gyaltsab Je's Commentary on the (Maitreya's) Uttaratantra verse re I. rarity, II. purity, III. power of Refuge Jewels.

Handout 15 - General Meaning's 5 Topics that explain Three Refuge Objects:  #4 - Meaning of the word 'Jewel' - དཀོན་མཆོག་: citing points of Gyaltsab Je's Commentary on the (Maitreya's) Uttaratantra verse of 6 qualities:, cont.: IV. ornaments of the world, V. foremost and VI . do not change by praise or criticism. #5 - How one should take refuge from viewpoint of common and uncommon vehicles & latter’s 4 superior qualities.  Seven Outstanding Benefits of Taking Refuge. Eight sets of Pratimoksha vows.  “If the merit of taking refuge had a form ...”  Concludes General Meaning’s presentation of Three Objects of Refuge.

Handout 16 - Decisive Analysis (debate manual) by Panchen Sonam Drakpa dialectical analysis of the Three Jewels categorized into:  I. Refuting Others' Systems; & II. Presenting Our Own System.  I. Refuting Other Systems’ definitions of the (1) Buddha Jewel, (2) Dharma Jewel, and (3) Sangha Jewel.  I.  REFUTING OTHERS’ DEFINITIONS of (1) Buddha Jewel (“A source of refuge that possesses the eight qualities of being conditioned, and so forth.”)  [Generalities & Instances].  (2) Mahayana Dharma Jewel (“A very pure Mahayana truth that possesses the eight qualities of being inconceivable, and so forth.”) [Explanation of sequential Uninterrupted, Release & Subsequent Exalted Wisdom of the Path of Seeing].  (3) Mahayana Sangha Jewel (“An Arya Bodhisattva who possesses the eight qualities of knowledge, release, and so forth".); and assertion that Mahayana Arhats are not included in Sangha Jewel. Maitreya quote (“Because [the Dharma] is to be abandoned, deceptive, And an absence”) . . .

Handout 17 - I. Refutation of Others’ mistaken assertions re Maitreya quote:  "(1) Dharmas of Scripture, (2) False/deceptive phenomena, and (3) Non-Affirmative Negations are not ultimate objects of refuge".  Refutation of assertions that whatever is an ultimate refuge is necessarily one of the three ultimate Jewels, e.g., that two Rupakayas are not ultimate objects of refuge because they are conventional objects of refuge, i.e., conventional kayas.  Mistaken understanding of falsity/deception re Law of Karma.  Refuting assertions that "there must also be conventional Dharma Jewels and ultimate Dharma Jewels … & conventional and ultimate Sangha Jewel". Refuting assertions that "the Dharma Jewel &the Sangha Jewel are not contradictory because the mental consciousness of the Buddha is both. The mental consciousness of the Buddha is a Sangha Jewel because it is a Buddha Jewel."

Handout 18 - Refutation of assertions re Causal & Resultant Refuges.  II. PRESENTING OUR OWN SYSTEM:  Definitions of the Three Jewels; Definitions of Ultimate & Conventional Refuge.  Debates re:  Definition of Svabhāvakāya; Sixty Branches of the Melodious Speech of Buddha; the 32 Major & 80 Minor Marks of the Samboghakāya.  Precepts of Refuge per Je Tsongkhapa's Lam Rim Chenmo (Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment):  I.  Stages of the Precepts after Taking Refuge explained by way of (A) Asanga’s Compendium of Determinations, and (B)  Oral Traditions.

SPRING 2011 - Two Truths Handouts

CLASS NOTES/partial-rough draft transcripts

April 2012 Class Transcript/Notes                    May 2012 Class Transcript/Notes

NOTES - Class 1 (April 9)   - Handouts 1-3                NOTES of Class 12 (May 4) - Handouts 12
NOTES - Class 2 (April 11) - Handouts 3-5                NOTES of Class 13 (May 9) - Handouts 12 & 13
NOTES - Class 3 (April 13) - Handouts 5 & 6              NOTES of Class 14 (May 10) - Handouts 12 & 13
NOTES - Class 4 (April 16) - Handouts 6 & 7                                        
NOTES - Class 5 (April 18) - Handouts 7 & 8                                        
NOTES - Class 7 (April 23) - Handouts 8 & 9                                        
NOTES - Class 8 (April 25) - Handouts 9 & 10                                         
NOTES - Class 9 (April 27) - Handouts 10 & 11                                         
NOTES - Class 10 (April 30) - Handouts 11 & 12                                       
     

Rough drafts of notes/partial transcripts of Spring 2012 Classes on topics: 
Review of Perfection of Wisdom Course & Refuge,
offered for what they are worth, will be posted here as they become available.

If any of the links do not work, please leave a comment or notify us by e-mail.

Class will be held on Saka Dawa Day - Monday

 Monday's class on Saka Dawa day, June 4, WILL BE HELD at 4:00 p.m. in the upstairs classroom (not in the Shrine Room).\

Class on Saturday (not on Friday)

FRIDAY's class on JUNE 1 has been cancelled and rescheduled to SATURDAY, JUNE 2 at 4:00 p.m.  Monday's class on Saka Dawa day, June 4, WILL BE HELD at 4:00 p.m.  Both Saturday and Monday's classes will be held in the upstairs classroom (not in the Shrine Room).

Friday's class is rescheduled due to H.H. Dalai Lama's teaching in the morning at TCV and Je-tsun Tenzin Palmo's teaching at 3:00 p.m. at Tushita.

No Class on Friday, May 18

Geshe Kelsang Wangmo has been called upon to translate at Tushita on Friday so class will not be held. The next class is Monday, 21 May.

Class 15 - Conventional & Ultimate Refuge - Final Vehicles

Download PDF's of Class Handouts, Notes, and MP3 Tracks from the 15th class of Spring 2012 term held on Friday, May 11.

DOWNLOAD Handouts - text for Class 14:

Handout 12 - General Meaning's 5 Topics that explain Three Refuge Objects:  #2 - Identifying the nature (i.e., meaning) of the three objects of refuge:  Nature (i.e., meaning)  of the three Jewels according to:  a) Hearer Tenets (Vaibashika & Sautantrika Tenets), cont.  b)  Mahayana Tenets (Chittamatra, Madhyamika Svatantrika & Madhyamika Prasangika Tenets): (1) Nature (meaning) of the (i) Buddha Jewel, (ii) Dharma Jewel (per 8 qualities cited in Maitreya’s Uttaratantra (Sublime Continuum).

Handout 13 - General Meaning's 5 Topics that explain Three Refuge Objects:  #2 - (b)  Mahayana Tenets: (1) Nature (meaning) of the (ii) Dharma Jewel, cont.; and (iii) Sangha Jewel (per 8 qualities cited in Maitreya’s Uttaratantra (Sublime Continuum).  #3 - Difference between Conventional Refuge (not a genuinely final refuge) & Ultimate Refuge (genuinely final refuge, e.g., Buddha Rupakayas).

ALL SPRING 2012 PDF Handouts are HERE.

DOWNLOAD MP3 TRACKS:

Track 1 - Homework review:  Others benefit and self benefit, which is more important?

Track 2 - Taking Refuge: Conventional Refuge & Ultimate Refuge - [Handout 13]

• Meaning of Conventional for Buddhist philosophy.
• Ultimate Truth is the lack of inherent existence, Emptiness.
• Everything that exists other than Emptiness, itself, is a Conventional Truth (e.g., Buddha, Buddha’s love, etc.) are all Conventional Truths.

Conventional (Truth) is NOT:                              BECAUSE:                                                            
“Imputed by name and thought.”         Emptiness is imputed by name and thought.
“What appears to us”                           Emptiness appears to beings; Buddha’s Mind does not.
“it functions”                                       Permanent phenomena do not.
“What most people believe”                 Most people don’t believe in Buddha’s Omniscient. Mind).
“Interdependence”                              Ultimate Truth is interdependent.
“That which can be deduced                Extremely hidden phenomena, e.g., subtle workings of karma,
  from experience”                                    cannot be deduced by ordinary beings).
Samsara                                              Your/My contaminated Five Aggregates (Body & Mind produced by 
                                                          contaminated Karma and afflictions) & Samsaric Reality (created by 
                                                          each sentient being’s mental perception.

• Conventional refers to the Deceptive or False appearance of all phenomena (other than Emptiness). 
• Phenomena appear to exist in one way (objectively) but actually exist in another (subjectively).

Track 3 - Conventional Refuge and Ultimate Refuge.

• Meaning of an Ultimate Refugee is: an object of refuge that is genuinely final because they are the highest possible achievement.  E.g., for:
• Mahayana Tenets of One Final Vehicle: two Rupakayas of the Buddha;
• Hearer tenets of Three Final Vehicles: for greatest portion of sentient beings, attainments of Hearer & Solitary Realizer Self-Liberated Arhats are genuinely final.

Three Final Vehicles (for Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas).

• Three Final Vehicles tenet holders (Vaibhāṣika, Sautrāntika Following Scriptures and Cittamātra Following Scriptures) assert Refuge attainments that appear to them as Final:  Hearer Self-Liberation, Solitary Realizer Self-Liberation & a Buddhahood that ends.

Track 4 - One Final Vehicle

• One Final Vehicle (Three Temporary Vehicles) tenet holders (Sautrāntika Following Reasoning, Cittamātra Following Reasoning and Mādhyamika) assert the attainments of Hearer Self-Liberation & Solitary Realizer Self-Liberation are Conventional Refuges since they are not Final Refuges because, Buddhahood is the Final Refuge state for all sentient beings.
• One Final Difference in Buddhas: Karmic Connections with different Sentient Beings

NOTES of Class 15 (May 11) rough draft transcript of class offered for what it's worth.

If any of the LINKS don't work, please leave a COMMENT or notify us by E-Mail.

This is the 15th class of the Spring 2012 term Perfection of Wisdom course
which addresses Refuge, the 3rd sub-topic of the 2nd Topic
(Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's
Ornament for Clear Realizations - Abhisamayalamkara.

Class 14 - Dharma & Sangha Jewels 8 Qualities

Download PDF's of Class Handouts, Notes, and MP3 Tracks from the 14th class of Spring 2012 term held on Thursday, May 10.  (FYI:  No class was held on Monday, May 7.)

DOWNLOAD Handouts - text for Class 14:

Handout 12 - General Meaning's 5 Topics that explain Three Refuge Objects:  #2 - Identifying the nature (i.e., meaning) of the three objects of refuge:  Nature (i.e., meaning)  of the three Jewels according to:  a) Hearer Tenets (Vaibashika & Sautantrika Tenets), cont.  b)  Mahayana Tenets (Chittamatra, Madhyamika Svatantrika & Madhyamika Prasangika Tenets): (1) Nature (meaning) of the (i) Buddha Jewel, (ii) Dharma Jewel (per 8 qualities cited in Maitreya’s Uttaratantra (Sublime Continuum).

Handout 13 - General Meaning's 5 Topics that explain Three Refuge Objects:  #2 - (b)  Mahayana Tenets: (1) Nature (meaning) of the (ii) Dharma Jewel, cont.; and (iii) Sangha Jewel (per 8 qualities cited in Maitreya’s Uttaratantra (Sublime Continuum).  #3 - Difference between Conventional Refuge (not a genuinely final refuge) & Ultimate Refuge (genuinely final refuge, e.g., Buddha Rupakayas).

ALL SPRING 2012 PDF Handouts are HERE.

DOWNLOAD MP3 TRACKS:

Track 1 - Review:  Buddha Jewel’s Eight Qualities per (Maitreya) Mahayana Tenets:
Qualities (1) – Unconditioned; (2) Spontaneously Accomplished; (3) Not Realized by Other conditions; (4) Knowledge; (5) Love; (6) Ability; (7) Own Benefit; (8) Others’ Benefit.

• Categorizing Own Benefit & Others’ Benefit Qualities:  
• Per Maitreya’s categorization, 
• Qualities 1-3 are subsumed into the (7) Own Benefit category; 
• Qualities 4-6 are in Others’ Benefit category.
• Per categorization based on whether or not the qualities manifest to the perception of sentient beings:
• Qualities 1-6 are Own Benefit qualities.  
• Saṃbhogakāya and Nirmāṇakāya are Others’ Benefit qualities.

DHARMA JEWEL'S EIGHT QUALITIES per MAHAYANA TENETS:

The Dharma is inconceivable,  free of 'the two', and free of the conceptual awareness,
It is pure, luminous, and the aspect of an antidote;
It is that which is [freed from attachment], that which frees from attachment;
It is imbued with the very characteristics of the two truths.
      -- Maitreya, Uttaratantra (Sublime Continuum)     

[Review] Dharma Jewel of Cessation’s Three Qualities:  Free of the

1. Four Extremes, 
2. Two (contaminated Karma and Afflictions), 
3. Conceptual awareness of improper mental engagement (i.e., a specific mind that is part of the process of generating delusions).

Dharma Jewel of Arya Paths:

• Effect of Dormant minds on Manifest minds: 
• On sentient beings;
• On Aryas on the Path of Seeing (dormant minds of Bodhicitta & realization of Emptiness):
• Delusions that can (e.g., attachment) or cannot (e.g., anger) arise in mental continua of Arya Bodhisattvas on Path of Seeing.
• Meanings of Attachment and Love. 

Track 2 - Dharma Jewel of Arya Paths (Truths of the Path) - Qualities 4-6:

    4.  Pure (its naturally free of defilements).
    5.  Luminous (realizes Conventional Truths & Ultimate Truths - not simultaneously until Buddhahood);
    6. Aspect of an Antidote.

• Differentiate Antidote from Direct Antidote:
• Every Path is an Antidote; but only one Path is a Direct Antidote.
• Direct Antidote is the mind that realizes Emptiness directly which is the:
• only Direct Antidote; and 
• Antidote to all delusions.
• All other Antidotes temporarily reduce delusions sufficiently to allow development of the Direct Antidote.

Dharma Jewel is either that which is free of attachment (Truth of Cessation) or that which frees from attachment (Truth of Path) - Qualities 7 & 8:

    7.  Truth of Cessation (subsumes Qualities 1-3):  "that which is [freed from attachment]"

ATTACHMENT:  Are Cessations always cessations of some type of Attachment? 

Two-fold Categorization of Obstructions:

• Afflictive Obstructions &  - overcome by Bodhisattva Aryas on the First-Seventh Ground (bhumi) 
• Cognitive Obstruction - overcome by Bodhisattva Arhats on the 8th-10th Grounds to attain Buddhahood.
• Afflictive Obstructions here are termed Attachment.

Track 3 - Questions & Answers.

Track 4 - Truth of Path /Arya Path (subsumes Qualites 4-6) is :

• "that which frees from attachment", i.e., produces Cessations (including cessations of cognitive obstructions [the imprints of attachments]); and
• is free from attachment.

Dharma Jewel is the Actual Object of Refuge 

• Distinguish:  Taking refuge primarily in something; and something being an Actual Object of Refuge. 
• Dharma is the defining characteristic of Buddha and Sangha Jewels:
• Persons -- Buddha or Sangha Jewels -- are not actual objects of refuge.
• Sangha and Buddha Jewels are special because they possess the Dharma Jewel (Truth of Cessation and Truth of the Path).

• Truth of the Path, analogous to the Sun is: 
• Naturally Pure (of darkness of Wrong Views), 
• Luminous (in realizing reality), and  
• Eliminates Darkness (of all obscurations).

SANGHA JEWEL'S EIGHT QUALITIES per (Maitreya's Uttaratantra) MAHAYANA TENETS:

Since they have pure perception of
The mode of existence, of the varieties, and of the inner wisdom,
And since they are wise, the Assembly, who never regresses,
Has unsurpassable qualities. 

Sangha Jewels possess at least one of Eight Qualities that reflect two aspects:  Pure Perception & Freedom from Obstructions.

Sangha Jewel Qualities 1-3:  Pure Perception [self-originated awareness (རང་བྱུང་ཡེ་ཤེས་) is a Wisdom mind that:

• Directly realizes its object (without dependence on conceptuality or words); i.e.,
• Directly realizes: 
• Ultimate Truth, 
• Conventional Truth, and 
• Sentient Being’s Buddha Nature (Tathāgatagarbha).

  1.  Pure Perception realizes that Ultimate Truth (ultimate mode of existence of all phenomena) is the Truth of the Path.

  2.  Pure Perception realizes Conventional Truth by -- after first eliminating false appearance of phenomena (i.e., of inherent/objective true existence from their own power) -- establishing that phenomena exist through mere imputation.

• Understanding Conventional Truth is more difficult for us than understanding Ultimate Truth, as the understanding is sequential.

  3.  Pure Perception of Bodhisattva Arya Jewels realizes sentient beings’ Buddha Nature (Tathāgatagarbha).

Meaning of Sangha Jewel exemplified by Eight Qualities is not a pervasion, e.g., Solitary Realizers do not necessarily realize all beings' Buddha Nature.

• Valid Pervasion demonstrate the Eight Doors of Pervasion that prove two phenomena are equivalent (Spring 2011 Handout 29), e.g.:
•  Whatever is an Arya Jewel is necessarily a Sangha Jewel; 
•  Whatever is a Sangha Jewel is necessarily an Arya Jewel; 
•  Whatever is not an Arya Jewel is necessarily not a Sangha Jewel, 
•  Whatever is not a Sangha Jewe is necessarily not an Arya Jewel,
•  If an Arya Jewel exists, a Sangha Jewel necessarily exists.
•  If a Sangha Jewel exists, an Arya Jewel necessarily exists.
•  If an Arya Jewel does not exist, a Sangha Jewel necessarily does not exist.
•  If a Sangha Jewel does not exist, an Arya Jewel necessarily does not exist.

Maitreya’s meaning described by Eight Characteristics provides us more details about the Sangha Jewel.

Questions & Answers / Discussion:

• Reasons why Arya Bodhisattva must have pure perception of Buddha Nature.
• Homework:  Why must practitioners prioritize others' welfare over self-benefit if the welfare of self and others are equally important.

Sangha Jewel Qualities 4-6:  Freedom from at Least One of the Three Obstructions.

ATTACHMENT 

Three-fold Categorization of Obstructions:

• Obstruction of Attachment (i.e., Afflictive Obstructions) -  Sangha Jewel Quality 4.
• Obstruction of Obscuration (i.e., Cognitive Obstructions) - Sangha Jewel Quality 5.
• Common Obstructions  - Sangha Jewel Quality 6,

4.  Free of Obstructions of Attachment (ཆགས་པའི་སྒྲིབ་པ་).
    Obstructions of Attachment refers to:

• Anything associated with Attachment, including 
• the mind that perceives inherent existence (i.e., Afflictive Obstructions).
• ATTACHMENT as a ROOT of SAMSARA:
• Some traditions stress Attachment as root (rather than ignorance) because attachment to the Self arises so quickly after grasping onto the inherent existence of the self.
• Upon eliminating the Obstructions of Attachment the Arya becomes an Arhat.

  5.  Free of Obstructions of Obscuration (ཐོགས་པའི་སྒྲིབ་པ་), a/k/a Cognitive Obstructions (to Omniscience).
  6.  Free of Common Obstructions (དམན་པའི་སྒྲིབ་པ་).

• Two interpretations of Common Obstructions by scholars:   
• Common Obstructions refer to the mind that aspires to merely attain self-liberation, which in itself, is an incredible mind in itself; but in comparison, Mahayana philosophers, however, hold that mind to be an obstruction to generating Bodhicitta, which they hold as superior.
• Common Obstructions refer to obstructions to meditative stabilization.

Technically, a Sangha Jewel need not be free of any of those three obstructions:  At the first moment of realizing Emptiness directly, person possesses the quality of Knowledge and is a Sangha Jewel, yet has not used that tool of the Path to eliminate any obstructions.  Before rising from that meditation session, the Arya will be freed of certain obstructions.

  7.  Knowledge (subsumes Qualities 1-3):   "Since they are wise, the Assembly, who never regresses ..." due to their Wisdom from the Paths of Seeing, Meditation, or No-More-Learning.

  8.  Release (subsumes Qualities 4-6) or elimination of different obstructions.

  
NOTES of Class 14 (May 10) rough draft transcript of class offered for what it's worth.

If any of the LINKS don't work, please leave a COMMENT or notify us by E-Mail.

This is the 14th class of the Spring 2012 term Perfection of Wisdom course
which addresses Refuge, the 3rd sub-topic of the 2nd Topic
(Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's
Ornament for Clear Realizations - Abhisamayalamkara.

Class 13 - Qualities of Buddha Jewel & Dharma Jewel

Download PDF's of Class Handouts, Notes, and MP3 Tracks from the 13th class of Spring 2012 term held on Wednesday, May 9.  FYI:  No class was held on Monday, May 7.

DOWNLOAD Handouts - text for Class 13:

Handout 12 - General Meaning's 5 Topics that explain Three Refuge Objects:  #2 - Identifying the nature (i.e., meaning) of the three objects of refuge:  Nature (i.e., meaning)  of the three Jewels according to:  a) Hearer Tenets (Vaibashika & Sautantrika Tenets), cont.  b)  Mahayana Tenets (Chittamatra, Madhyamika Svatantrika & Madhyamika Prasangika Tenets): (1) Nature (meaning) of the (i) Buddha Jewel, (ii) Dharma Jewel (per 8 qualities cited in Maitreya’s Uttaratantra (Sublime Continuum).

Handout 13 - General Meaning's 5 Topics that explain Three Refuge Objects:  #2 - (b)  Mahayana Tenets: (1) Nature (meaning) of the (ii) Dharma Jewel, cont.; and (iii) Sangha Jewel (per 8 qualities cited in Maitreya’s Uttaratantra (Sublime Continuum).  #3 - Difference between Conventional Refuge (not a genuinely final refuge) & Ultimate Refuge (genuinely final refuge, e.g., Buddha Rupakayas).

ALL SPRING 2012 PDF Handouts are HERE.

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Track 1 - Review:  Buddha Jewel’s Eight Qualities per Mahayana Tenets:

     (1) Unconditioned quality - Buddha’s Mental Consciousness lacks true existence (one aspect of the Nature Truth Body, Svabhāvakāya):  Correspondence to:

• Aspect of Sentient Beings’ Buddha Nature; & 
• Three Salient Points re lack of inherent existence of sentient beings’ mental consciousness.

Track 2 - Review, cont.  

        (2) Spontaneously Accomplished quality - Svabhāvakāya is free of adventitious defilements so Buddhas act to benefit spontaneously, without conceptual intentions.

        (3) Not Realized by Other Conditions (i.e., words & conceptuality) quality:

• Lack of Inherent Existence of any phenomena is a Slightly Hidden phenomena that can be Experienced by Sentient Beings, e.g., Nature Body (Svabhāvikakāya) that is free from the defilements of inherent existence (can be experienced by Arya in meditation);
• Extremely Hidden phenomena cannot be experienced by Sentient Beings, e.g., Nature Body (Svabhāvikakāya) that is free of adventitious defilements (which can only be realized by Buddhas’ Self-Originated Exalted Wisdom).
• Meaning of adventitious: Sanskrit:  āgantuka means:  newcomer, stranger, guest; Tibetan: (lo bo wa - གློ་བུར་བ་) means:  temporary, superficial, transient, passing. 

Track 3 - Conclude presentation of Eight Qualities of Buddha Jewel:

        (4)  Knowledge; (5) Love; & (6) Activities are Qualities for Others’ Benefit.
        (7)  Own Benefit Quality subsumes Qualities 1-3.
        (8)  Others’ Benefit Quality subsumes Qualities 4-6.

• DHARMA JEWEL (introduction).
• Two Aspects of Dharma Jewel:  Arya Paths and Cessations.

Track 4 - Dharma Jewels (per Maitreya) possess at least one of Eight Qualities that reflect the Two Aspects:

• Cessations [Quality 7] subsumes Qualities: (1) Inconceivable; (2) Free of 'the Two'; & (3) Free of Conceptual Awareness. 
• Arya Paths [Quality 8] subsumes Qualities: (4) Pure; (5) Luminous; (6) Aspect of an Antidote; Cessations.
• Quality (7) that which is [freed from attachment], i.e., Cessations; 
• Quality (8) that which frees from attachment, i.e., Arya Paths.

• Traditional Mode of Dharma Studies.

Dharma Jewel Qualities (1-3)

      
(1) Unconditioned quality -  Inconceivable – Free of the Four Extremes of being:

1. truly/ultimately existent, 
2. non-existent, 
3. both [ultimately existent & non-existent], and
4. neither [truly existent nor non-existent].

(2) [Handout 13]: Free of 'the Two', i.e., free of Contaminated Karma & Afflictions.

(3) Free of Improper Conceptual Mental Engagement (ཚུལ་མིན་ཡིད་བྱེད་ཀྱི་རྣམ་རྟོག་):
Free of a Mind that mind that grasps onto the inherent existence of the I and others by perceiving all its:

• objects as inherently existent; 
• objects as being inherently pleasant, unpleasant or neutral; and 
• its own feelings of pleasure, displeasure, or neutrality as inherently existent. 
• E.g., attachment arises for an object (person, situation) due to perceiving our feelings of pleasure as truly existent and as qualities of that truly existent object.  Mind realizing Emptiness directly cannot be affected by such improper conceptual mental engagement, so that freedom is a quality of the Dharma Jewel.

NOTES of Class 13 (May 9) rough draft transcript of class offered for what it's worth.

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This is the 13th class of the Spring 2012 term Perfection of Wisdom course
which addresses Refuge, the 3rd sub-topic of the 2nd Topic
(Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's
Ornament for Clear Realizations - Abhisamayalamkara.

Class 12 - 1st Three Qualities of Buddha Jewel

Download PDF's of Class Handouts, Notes, and MP3 Tracks from the 12th class of Spring 2012 term held on Friday, May 4:

DOWNLOAD Handouts - text for Class 12:

Handout 12 - General Meaning's 5 Topics that explain Three Refuge Objects:  #2 - Identifying the nature (i.e., meaning) of the three objects of refuge:  Nature (i.e., meaning)  of the three Jewels according to:  a) Hearer Tenets (Vaibashika & Sautantrika Tenets), cont.  b)  Mahayana Tenets (Chittamatra, Madhyamika Svatantrika & Madhyamika Prasangika Tenets): (1) Nature (meaning) of the (i) Buddha Jewel, (ii) Dharma Jewel (per 8 qualities cited in Maitreya’s Uttaratantra (Sublime Continuum).

ALL SPRING 2012 PDF Handouts are HERE.

DOWNLOAD MP3 TRACKS:

Track 1 -  Review:

• Causal Refuge and Resultant Refuge.  
• Manifest, Slightly Hidden & Extremely Hidden Phenomena.

Track 2 -  Identifying the Meaning of Three Jewels per Mahayana Tenets – [Handout 12]

• Mahayana Tenets:  Mind Only (Cittamātra - སེམས་ཙམ་པ་), Middle Way (Mādhyamika - དབུ་མ་པ་) Autonomy (Svātantrika - རང་རྒྱུད་པ་), and Middle Way Consequentialist (Prāsaṅgika - ཐལ་འགྱུར་པ་) Schools.
• Nature/Meaning of Buddha Jewel: “Perfected final refuge that is endowed with the Eight Qualities” (Maitreya’s Uttaratantra cited in Panchen Sonam Drakpa’s General Meaning). 
• Eight Qualities Exemplify Buddha Jewel: 
• “Self-Benefit Qualities of Buddhas” [Quality (7)]: (1) Unconditioned; (2) Spontaneously Accomplished; (3) that which is Not Realized by Other Conditions; 
• “Others Benefit Qualities" possessed by Buddhas” [Quality (8)]:  (4) Knowledge; (5) Love; (6) Ability; 
• "Two-fold Benefit Qualities":  (7) Benefit for Self (Qualities 1-3); and (8) Benefit for Others (Qualities 4-6).

• Oneself & Others are Equally Important: Ego Grasping and Cherishing unbalance sentient beings, so we train in holding the importance of others as greater than ourselves.  Self and other are relative.

Quality 1 – Unconditioned:  Buddha’s unconditioned Svabhāvikakāya (Nature Truth Body) is free of the defilement of true/ultimate existence:

• This aspect of the Svabhāvikakāya, the Emptiness of true/ultimate existence of Buddha’s Mental Consciousness (Jñānakāya), is Unconditioned because it is a negative, i.e., permanent (in sense of unchanging) phenomenon.

• Explanation of Svabhāvikakāya:  Freedom of Buddha’s Mental Consciousness (Jñānakāya) from 2 types of defilements:

        (1) Natural Defilement of Inherent Existence:

• Svabhāvikakāya, Free of Natural Defilement of Inherent Existence, is one aspect of Buddha Nature. 

• Buddha Nature has Two Aspects:   
• Lack of Inherent Existence of Sentient Beings’ Mental Consciousnesses (emphasized in Second Turning of the Wheel teachings).
• Sentient Beings’ (subtle) Mental Consciousnesses (emphasized in Third Turning of the Wheel teachings).

• Importance of the Buddha Nature that is Lack of Inherent Existence of our Mental Consciousnesses:

1. Without its Lack of inherent existence, our Mental Consciousness could not be transformed. 
2. Realizing its lack of inherent existence allows us to transform our Mental Consciousness.  
3. Cause of all our problems is Not perceiving/understanding the lack of inherent existence.

        (2) Adventitious Defilements:  

• Svabhāvikakāya is Free Adventitious Defilements (anger, attachment, etc., which produce all the problems of the world).  
• Adventitious Defilements only exist in the Mental Consciousness of sentient beings.  Delusions are mental consciousnesses; not sense consciousnesses.

• Two freedoms of the Svabhāvikakāya are of one nature with the Mental Consciousness (Jñānakāya) [i.e., exist on the basis of the Mental Consciousness]

Questions & Answers.

Track 3 - Quality 2 - Spontaneously Accomplished: Buddha’s spontaneously accomplished Svabhāvikakāya is free of Adventitious Defilements, i.e., is the Cessations of:

• Afflictive Obstructions (that keep us from Self-Liberation).
• Cognitive Obstructions (that keep us from Buddhahood)

Quality 3 – “That (i.e., two Svabhāvikakāyas) which is Not Realized by Other Conditions (mere words or conceptuality)”:

Sentient beings:

• Can (upon reaching the Path of Seeing) directly experience the Svabhāvikakāya that is the lack of inherent existence of the Jñānakāya.
• Cannot (even as Aryas) realize the Svabhāvikakāya that is cessation of defilements.

NOTES of Class 12 (May 4) rough draft transcript of class offered for what it's worth.

If any of the LINKS don't work, please leave a COMMENT or notify us by E-Mail.

This is the 12th class of the Spring 2012 term Perfection of Wisdom course
which addresses Refuge, the 3rd sub-topic of the 2nd Topic
(Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's
Ornament for Clear Realizations - Abhisamayalamkara.