Wednesday, October 20, 2010

2010 Oct 20 - Exchanging Self for Others method - Class 13

Ven. Kelsang Wangmo begins presenting the Exchanging Self for Others method for generating Bodhicitta. Bodhicitta is the First of the Ten Dharma Topics presented in Chapter 1 of the Ornament for Clear Realizations, Abhisamayalamkara by Maitreya and is the subject of the Fall 2010 classes in the Perfection of Wisdom Course, English Language Advanced Buddhist Philosophy program, at the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics.

You can download MP3's from the 13th class of the Fall semester (the 51st class of 2010), held on Wednesday, October 20, by right clicking the links below.

Track 1 - is not posted yet and concerns ancillary matters raised in Q&A that took place in the 45th Class of 2010 (7th of Fall semester) on October 1.

Track 2EXCHANGING SELF FOR OTHERS
  • History of the Practice of Exchanging Self for Others
  • To Practice Exchanging Self for Others, Understand Sequence & Meaning of Each Step
  • Preliminaries to Practice of Exchanging Self for Others
    • Seven-Fold Cause/Effect Practice Must Be Done Before Exchanging Self For Others Practice
    • Practice of Exchanging Self for Others Based on an Understanding of Emptiness
Track 3SELF-CHERISHING

  • Basic Meaning of practice: Reverse Attitude that Cherishes Self and Not Others
  • Identify Self-Cherishing
    • Is the Wish to Be Happy, a Mind that Wishes to Be Happy, Self-Cherishing?
    • Is the Wish to Attain Self-Liberation Self-Cherishing?
    • Is the Innate Grasping at an Inherently Existent Self Self-Cherishing?
  • Distinguishing Self-CHERISHING from Self-GRASPING (at an Inherently Existent Self)
Track 4Distinguishing Self-CONCERN from Self-CHERISHING

Track 5Must Self-Cherishing mind Focus 
    • only on the Misapprehended Inherently Existent Self, or Can Self-Cherishing also focus on the Conventionally (validly existing) Self?

    • Object of Focus of a Mind is not always its Object of Apprehension.

Track 6Q & A

  • HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT:   Spend time reflecting upon question raised in class for discussion in the next class on Monday, 25 October:  Is it good to have Self-Cherishing? Is Self-Cherishing necessary for survival of the individual and/or the species?  (Note, The text corrects Audio of Question)

Track 7Disadvantages of Self-Cherishing

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

2010 October 13 - Geshe Thupten Palsang Q&A- Class 10

Ven. Kelsang Wangmo invited Geshe Thupten Palsang to answer students' questions in the 10th class of the Fall 2010 semester of the Perfection of Wisdom Course. Gen Wangmo served as Geshe-la's Translator.

Geshe Thupten Pelsang is one of the most respected Tibetan Buddhist monastic scholar-practitioners of his generational cohort. Born 45 years ago in a Manang village in the Annapurna range of Nepal, he became a monk as a child and studied at Drepung Loseling Monastery in India. These days he resides at Tse Chok Ling Monastery in McLeod Ganj. Geshe-la has compiled a Rimey Lam Rim based entirely upon extracts from the words of the Buddha (Lam-Rim Chen-Moe Sa-Ched Kyi Sur-Gyen Dho-Tue Lam-Drik, Compilation of Sutras for Synthesizing the Path to Enlightenment with Reference to the Topics as Outlined in Lama Tsonkhapa’s ‘The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment’(Lam rim chen mo'i sa bcad kyi zur rgyan mdo btus lam sgrig – 2005).

You can download a PDF of a Transcript of the Class HERE (not entirely verbatim) & download MP3's from the 10th class of the Fall semester (the 48th class of 2010), held on Wednesday, October 13, by right clicking the links below.

Track 1
  • Is Bodhicitta a main mind or a mental factor, with explanation?
  • Why does a negative mental state at the time of death trump a lifetime of virtuous living by good people?
Track 2
  • Re: Four Binding Factors required to break a Bodhisattva Vow & timing of regret?
  • Re: Practices, e.g., Vajrasattva, for purifying negative karma accumulated in past (lives)?
Track 3
  • Techniques to reduce attachment to the Self (i.e., ego)
  • When a beginner is trying to generate Great Compassion, what kind of feelings indicate the practice is progressing?
Track 4
  • As so many have attained Buddhahood before now, why are sentient beings still suffering?
  • Some tenet schools say that vows are a non-associated compositional factors, similarly, what is lineage?

Track 5
  • Are sentient beings actually limitless, infinite without end, as time is beginningless; or do sentient beings just number a very large amount?
  • Will there be one particular time when all sentient beings have attained enlightenment?
  • What about purifying negative acts committed without awareness of their negativity?
Track 6
  • Is there such a thing as compassionate anger, especially in the context of Wrathful deities?
Track 7
  • If we can’t posit a time when sentient beings will all be enlightened, then how can we know, apart from scriptural sources, that all sentient beings will become Buddhas?
  • If one mind stream is placed into Enlightenment, have an infinite number of sentient beings been saved?
Track 8
  • The role of emotions on the path?
  • Specific suggestions for the practice of Tong-Len to generate Bodhicitta.
Track 9
  • What are the definition, definiendum and an illustration of the Truth of Cessation?
Track 10
  • How can we become more aware of the Object of Negation of Emptiness in daily life?
Track 11
  • Does a Buddha perceive Conventional Truth; and if so, directly or indirectly? Is there any Conventional Truth that does not appear to sentient beings?
  • How can beginners make the study of Buddhist philosophy a spiritual practice?

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Scary Cold-Blooded creature demontrates Loving Gratitude

We may wonder, 'Can the cold blooded reptiles amongst us feel love?' 

Check out this story & video here for a convincing demonstration that Crocodiles remember kindnesses shown to them and return loving, affectionate gratitude!



 For a Costa Rican fisherman named Chito, his best animal friend is a 17-foot long, 980-pound crocodile, named Pocho: 
Chito rescued Pocho the crocodile nearly 20 years ago in Costa Rica after finding him on the side of the road with a gunshot wound to the eye. Chito cared for the animal until it was healthy again, but when he tried to release Pocho back into the wild, the croc wouldn't have it. Apparently, Chito's affections won over the massive reptile, as it followed him back home, and has been with him in the two decades since.
Now the two are so comfortable that they play and swim together for tourists [see video] ... Although Chito confesses it took many years for him to feel safe fooling around with the dangerous creature, he is now able to roll around in the water with Pocho and have fun, as though the croc were a pet dog.
Huffinton Post (9-29-2010) from MSNBC Today Show

Clearly Pocho the crocodile loves Chito, but one certainly cannot label Chito as the 'Master', nor Pocho as an 'owned pet'.

The video seems to convey a message from another Realm.  The link is posted here to encourage Equanimity, Love and Compassion for all sentient beings.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

2010 Sept 22 - Ch. 1, Abhisamayalamkara - Class 3

In the Third class of our Fall 2010 study of Bodhicitta (the First of the Ten Dharma Topics) presented in Chapter 1 of the Ornament for Clear Realizations, Ven. Kelsang Wangmo introduces the 10 Sub-Topics of the Mahayana Practice Instructions (which is the Second Dharma Topic of Chapter 1).

You can download MP3's from the third class of the Fall semester course on Chapter One of the Abhisamayalamkara  (the 41st class of 2010), held on Wednesday, September 22, by right clicking the links below.

Track 1 - Topics raised by Verses from Chandragomin Letter to a Disciple
  • First Noble Truth – Three Kinds of Suffering / Dukkha 
    • Suffering of Change (of Contaminated Pleasure) 
    • All Pervasive Suffering (of Compulsory rebirth with Contaminated Aggregates)
  • Second Noble Truth – Why Samsara (i.e., our Contaminated Aggregates) is 'in the nature of Dukkha'
  • Generating Bodhicitta & the First Two Noble Truths
    Generating Bodhicitta & Renunciation
Track 2 - Introduction to Chapter One of the Ornament
  • Ancient Indian Treatises
  • Ornament for Clear Realizations, an ancient treatise
Track 3 -
  • What are the Ten Dharmas (Ten Topics) of Chapter One?
  • How these Ten Dharmas (Topics) are related to the Omniscient Mind
  • Presenting the Ten Dharmas Illustrates the Omniscient Minda.  
    • Only an Omniscient Mind can be the object possessor of the Ten Dharmas 
    • Ten Dharmas are the Causes and Conditions that produce the Omniscient Mind
  • First Dharma/Topic - Bodhicitta
  • Second Dharma/Topic – Mahayana Practice Instructions & their Ten Sub-Topics
  • Entity of Practice
  • Objects of practice:  Conventional Truth or Ultimate Truth
  • Analytical Meditation
Track 4- Ten Sub-Topics of the Mahayana Practice Instructions (Second Dharma Topic, Chapter 1
  • 1st SubTopic of Mahayana Practice Instructions - the TWO TRUTHS 
  • Meditating on Three Types of Bodhicitta – Not all Accord with Reality
  • Q & A

Track 5 -
  • 2nd  Topic of Mahayana Practice Instructions - FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS 
    • Fundamental Vehicle Path 
    • Studying the Four Noble Truths
  • 3rd Topic of Mahayana Practice Instructions - REFUGE

Track 6 -
  • 4th thru 6th Sub-Topics of Mahayana Practice Instructions - THREE TYPES OF DILIGENCE
  • 7th Sub-Topic of Mahayana Practice Instructions  - FIVE KINDS OF VISIONS
  • 8th Topic of Mahayana Practice Instructions - SIX CLEAR PERCEPTIONS
  • 9th and 10th  Topics of Mahayana Practice Instructions - Path of Seeing & Path of Meditation 
    • Path of Seeing - 9th Sub-Topic of Mahayana Practice Instructions
    • Path of Meditation - 10th Sub-Topic of Mahayana Practice Instructions

Monday, September 20, 2010

2010 Sept 20 - Ch. 1, Abhisamayalamkara - Class 2

Introduction to Fall 2010 Advanced Buddhist Course (paraphrase of Ven. Kelsang Wangmo's opening remarks to this class):
 
The actual text we are studying this Fall 2010 is the First Chapter of the Ornament for Clear Realizations (Abhisamayalamkara) by Maitreya.  Even if you haven’t attended the Advanced Buddhist Philosophy classes at IBD before, the Ornament  covers different subjects and each subject is a unit in itself.  Naturally, having knowledge of what we studied in April through June is helpful (and hopefully more of those classes will be posted here soon).  Nevertheless, there’s still a lot you can get out of each of the topics.

The first Topic we’ll discuss is Bodhicitta, and then we’ll study the Two Truths (Ultimate and Conventional), the Four Noble Truths (and the remaining Ten Topics of Chapter 1).

Class Structure:  At the beginning of each class, [Gen Kelsang Wangmo] will read some lines from texts by important Indian or Tibetan scholars-saints (on topics such as precious human rebirth, karma, death and impermanence) and share some commentary.  The purpose of beginning class with such homilies is to 'set our motivation, to get us into a dharmic mode' before we turn to the subjects of the Ornament.

You can download MP3's from the second class of the Fall semester course on Chapter One of the Abhisamayalamkara  (the 40th class of 2010), held on Monday, September 20, by right clicking the links below.

Track 1 - Introduction to Fall 2010 Advanced Buddhist Philosophy Course at IBD (see above).
  • Verses from the Jewel Ornaments of Liberation by the great Kagyu master Gampopa:
Just like an arrow shot by a skillful archer, as soon as the string is released, it does not stay but quickly reaches its target.  So also is the life of all humans.  
Causes of death are numerous.  Causes of life are few.  Even they may become causes of death.
  • Impermanence/Remembering Death. 
  • Three Types of Buddhist Practitioners. 
  • Suffering of Change (Contaminated Pleasure)
  • Purpose of this Buddhist study:
"The purpose of study in this course: To investigate causes, to determine why things occur, to understand how our own minds work and the situations we find ourselves in now. ... The Buddha said everything is in the nature of suffering — it’s to be investigated whether that’s true. [O]n a certain level is there always a sense of suffering (discomfort, dissatisfaction, dukkha)?

"The happiness we experience right now is just the temporary stopping of an un-pleasurable situation. That’s why we can’t sit for a long time. We may be really comfortable now, but that will last for just a short time. We will need to move after awhile because it gets uncomfortable. We have to be constantly moving; we can never stay still because we have to change the external situations. At some point we need to sleep, eat, walk, sit down again … we're constantly moving.

"We can’t just stay in one place physically. And mentally, my gosh! Just try, it is impossible. Our minds are racing form one pleasure to the next, which then get boring, and then to the next and next. Because all of these phenomena are in the nature of suffering. This isn't something to be terribly depressed about it, but that’s just the way it is. Check it out, you’ll come to see that this is the case.

"And there is a cause ... Otherwise, if there wasn’t a cause, better not to mention it; it’s so negative. The reason we talk about it, is that there is a cause that can be removed. We don’t have to suffer in such ways. ..."
  • Analytical Meditation and this course:
"When we study Buddha’s teachings, the point is to go through a guided analytical mediation. It is not supposed to be some sort of academic brain game. What I would ask you to do in class is to listen with a very critical mind, a very active analytical mind. Buddhist study is supposed to be analytical mediation. Who are the meditators? You are the meditators. So you listen, and then contemplate, investigate; and in this way, meditate. ... That which you’ve learned, i... you can actually change you behavior. Through familiarization you change your way of thinking and acting. That is mediation. ..."
  • Logical Valid Reasoning - Essential to stop suffering.
  • Format of Tibetan Monastic Studies & this Course.
  • Analytical Meditation Training

Track 2 - Maitreya's Ornament for Clear Realizations - Abhisamayalamkara

The Ornament was composed around the 4th century, around 900 years after the Buddha’s passing away.  All of the Lam Rim texts, all of the Mahayana texts (not not solely devoted to explicitly teaching Emptiness) are based on this text.  If you read the scriptures, you will see they always contain references to the Ornament.

In the classes held from April through June, 2010, we covered topics from the Preface to the Ornament:  topics raised in the verses of Praise (Maitreya's homage to the three types of wisdom), Promise to Compose &:Purpose, summary of the Eight Clear Realizations and the Seventy Topics covered in the eight chapters of the Ornament.
  • Omniscient Mind is the Subject of the  Chapter 1 of the Ornament
    • Role of Faith in Buddhism.  
    • Subtle Clear Light Mind - basis for developing Omniscient mind.  
    • Imprints of Karma (actions of Body, Seech & Mind)
Track 3 - Ten Dharmas (Ten Topics) in Chapter 2 explain the Omniscient Mind
  • Topic 1 - Bodhicitta
    • Buddhism & Modern Science
  • Meaning of Path in Buddhism
    • Method Path & Wisdom Path
      • Definition of Love in context of Puddhist Path
      • What is a Wisdom?
        • Coarse & Subtle Impermanence
        • Impermanence - proof that Attachment is Delusion
Track 4 - Benefits of Generating Bodhicitta
  • Wish to 'Benefit All Sentient Beings'
  • Having Generated Bodhicitta
Track 5 - Q & A - Subtle Clear Light Mind

Monday, September 13, 2010

2010 Sept 13 - Ch. 1, Abhisamayalamkara - Class 1

The subject matter of the first Chapter of the Ornament for Clear Realizations by Maitreya is taught in the Third Year of the Perfection of Wisdom course at IBD as part of its Five Great Canonical Texts (geshe) curriculum. In the 38 preceding classes held in 2010, Ven. Kelsang Wangmo has reviewed the topics raised in the First and Second Years of this course (extensively presented in 2007 and 2008 classes).

In this introductory class Ven. Kelsang Wangmo reviews subjects covered in the preface of the Ornament for Clear Realizations by Maitreya and introduces the First Chapter subjects:  the Clear Realization of the Omniscient Mind and its related Ten Topics.

You can download MP3's from the 39th class of 2010, held on Monday, September 12, by right clicking the links below.  The Tracks are divided to ease both downloading and listening.

Track 1 - Overview of the prefatory Ornament text: 
                What Buddha Taught.  Shastras - Qualified Indian commentaries.

Track 2 - Wisdom [not Emptiness] is the Main Topic of the Ornament:  

  • What is the difference between Wisdom and Emptiness?  What is 'Lack of Duality'.
  • Three Knowers - three types of Wisdom, the Three Mothers praised in the Homage:
  •   Eleven Mother and Six Daughter Perfection of Wisdom sutras were translated into Tibetan.
  •   The Ornament is based on three of the Mother Sutras [PDF download: Perfection of Wisdom Sutra in 8,000 Lines, translated by Edward Conze].

Track 3 - Categorizing 'Sutra' - Speech of the Buddha, Sutra & Tantra, Three Baskets.

   Subjects of the Preface to the Ornament:

  • Homage to the Three Types of Wisdom
  • Promise to Compose & Purpose of Composition
  • Summary of the Eight Clear Realizations addressed in Eight Chapters on the and their 70 Topics.
  • Relationship between the Eight Clear Realizations and the 70 Topics?
  • Clear Realization of Chapter 1:  Omniscient Mind (Knower of All Aspects): Difference between Buddha, Enlightenment & Omniscience?
  •  Buddha, a person, and the Omniscient Mind are impermanent.
  •  Enlightenment of Buddhahood (cessation of Innate Obstructions to Omniscience that remain after Liberation of Arhat (cessation of all Afflictive Obstructions & Intellectually Acquired Cognitive Obstructions), i.e., Enlightenment & Liberation are permanent phenomena.
Track 4 - Obstructions to Liberation & Enlightenment per Middle Way-Autonomy/Svatantrika & Middle Way-Consequentialist/Prasangika tenets.

   Afflictive Cognitive & Cognitive Obstructions - Innate & Acquired:
  •   Four Possibilities between Cognitive Obstruction & Innate Obstruction.
  •   Cognitive Obstructions:  Innate & Intellectually Acquired. 
  •   Afflictive Obstructions:  Per Middle Way-Autonomy tenets (can be both Innate & Intellectually Acquired)
Per Middle Way tenets, generally:  
  • Affictive Obstructions are obstructions to Self-Liberation; 
  • Cognitive Pbstructions are obstructions to Enlightenment.
Per Middle Way-Autonomy-Svatantrika tenets:  
  •      Afflictive Obstructions include 'grasping onto the Self as being Self-Sufficient (in the sense of being Substantially Existent'.
  •      Cognitive Obstructions include Innate & Intellectually 'grasping after True Existence'.
Per Middle Way-Consequentialist-Prasangika tenets:
  •    'Grasping after True Existence' is an Afflictive Obstruction, which must removed, along with the Intellectually Acquired Cognitive Obstructions, in order to attain the Liberation of an Arhat.
  •    Innate Cognitive Obstructions to Omniscience are 'Imprints' - explained.

Track 5 - Omniscient Mind, the Clear Realization explained in Chapter 1 along with Ten Topics that explain its Causes and Conditions of arisal .

  •   Bodhicitta - the First Topic of Chapter 1.  Questions course will address.  Why important.
  •   Buddha Nature:        
    • In Sutra (a subject of First Chapter):  Buddha Nature refers to the Emptiness of the Mental Consciousness.
    • In Tantra:  Buddha Nature refers to the subtle Clear Light Mind.
  •     Importance of personal Experience in motivating our dharma practice:
  •     Near Death Experience.
Track 6
  • Ven. Wangmo recounts personal experience flying from Germany to Delhi in September 2010:  the death of middle aged Indian man and his wife's tremendous grief . . .
  •     Tibetan meditators' practice of Post-death Clear Light meditation.
  •     Debates re Object of an ordinary Clear Light mind.

Prefatory verses referenced above from Root Text of Maitreya's Abhisamayalamkara / Ornament of Clear Realization:

Homage[To] that which through the Exalted Knower of All leads Hearers seeking pacification to peace; which through the Exalted Knower of Paths causes those [who] help migrating beings to achieve the aims of the world; and through the perfect possession of which the Subduers set forth these varieties having all aspects -- To the Mothers of the Buddhas, as well as [of] the host of Hearers and Bodhisattvas, I pay homage. 

Promise to Compose and Purpose of Composition:  The path of the exalted knower of all aspects itself, explained by the Teacher in these [mothers], is not experienced by others. In order for the intelligent to behold the meaning of the sutra which is the entity of the ten Dharma practices, through establishing mindfulness [on them], the so-called 'easy realization,’ is the purpose of [my] composing [the Ornament].

Summary of the Eight Clear Realizations explained in Chapters 1-8:  The Perfection of Wisdom is perfectly explained by the eight categories.  …The very exalted knower of all aspects, the very knower of paths itself, then the very knower of all (i.e., Knower of Basis), clear complete realization of all aspects, gone to the peak, serially, clear complete enlightenment in one moment, and the truth body: these are the eight.

Summary of First Chapter's 10 TopicsMind generation, precepts, four types of limbs of definite discrimination, the nature of the expanse of phenomena, which is the support of achieving, referents, intent, armor, activities of engaging, collections, and definite issuance: these together are the Subduer’s very exalted knower of all aspects.  

Above excerpts of the Ornament's Root Text  are extracted from the Commentary Clarifying the Meaning of The ‘Ornament For Clear Realizations, A Treatise Of Oral Instruction On The Perfection Of Wisdom’ by Haribhadra, published by the Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Pomaia, Italy 1998-1999.  (Hereafter, FPMT Root Text 1998-99.)  

    NO CLASS WED (9/15) & FRI (9/17), resumes MONDAY 20 SEPT 2010

    Due to a five-day teaching scheduled by H.H. Karmapa Rinpoche at Gyuto Monastery, which begins September 15th, we will not have class on Wednesday or Friday, September 15 and 17.  The second class of this term will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, September 20, 2010.

    Friday, September 10, 2010

    Class Announcement - Year Three / Chapter One Topics - FALL 2010 classes

    Course Schedule:  On Monday, September 13, 2010, class will reconvene at the main IBD building in the Tibetan Temple complex, McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, after our monsoon break [even though the monsoon has not broken].  This segment of the course will conclude in mid-November 2010.

    Course Topics:  We will begin studying the 10 Topics Maitreya addresses in Chapter 1 of the Ornament for Clear Realizations.  These '10 Topics' concern paths/minds/realizations that must be developed in order to achieve the Omniscient Mind of a Buddha.  The comprehensive exposition of the Perfection of Wisdom course enables students to gain a more profound understandings of subjects that that are frequently alluded to in Dharma teachings and is the basis of the Lam Rim/Stages of the Path genre.

    Additionally, by studying the commentaries on the Ornament, which are presented from the point of view of the Middle Way-Autonomy (Madhyamika-Svatantrika) tenet system, students are prepared to study of the more subtle views of the Middle-Way-Consequentialist (Madhyamika-Prasangika) system.

    Friday, May 14, 2010

    2010 - Class 18 - May 14 - MP3's

    Download high quality MP3's from Class 18 held on Friday, May 14, 2010, by right clicking the links below.

    Track 1  - Introductory Homily


    Continue study of Maitreya's Abhisamayalamakara Introductory Homage by utilizing Gyeltsab Je's commentary:

    Track 2

    Wednesday, May 12, 2010

    2010 - Class 17 - May 12 - MP3's

    Download high quality MP3's from Class 17 held on Wednesday, May 12, 2010, by right clicking the links below.


    Track 1  - Introductory Homily

    Continue study of Maitreya's Abhisamayalamakara Introductory Homage by utilizing Gyeltsab Je's commentary:

    Track 2 

    Monday, May 10, 2010

    2010 - Class 16 - May 10 - MP3's

    Download high quality MP3's from Class 16 held on Monday, May 10, 2010, by right clicking the links below.

    The Tracks are divided to ease both downloading and listening:

    Track 1  - Homily citation - Impermanence.

    Track 2 - Meditating on Impermanence.

    Continue study of Maitreya's Abhisamayalamakara Introductory Homage by utilizing Gyeltsab Je's commentary:

    Track 3 

    Track 4

    Track 5

    Track 6 

    Wednesday, April 28, 2010

    2010 Class 11 - April 28

    You can download high quality MP3's from Class 11, held on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, by right clicking the links below.

    The Tracks are divided to ease both downloading and listening.

    Track 1 - Why are we Stuck in Cyclic Existence?
    “Those whose minds are attached to cyclic existence will continue to wander there constantly.” 
    • Operation of Attachment and Grasping (Links of Dependent Origination) at time of Death
    • Karma: Projecting (Throwing) & Completing; Contaminated & Uncontaminated.

    Track 2 - Review Topics of Monday Class, April 26:
    • Maitreya Gave Five Texts to Asanga. 
    • Sources/Subject of the Ornament for Clear Realizations. 
    • Sanskrit treatises’ Explanatory Methodology of Five Limbs.
    • Limb of Purpose verses of the Ornament for Clear Realizations:
    Ven. Kelsang Wangmo re-translated Gyeltsab Rinpoche’s text in class:
    "In the last class I confused myself with my explanation. So I’ve added a few words to the (original) translation below [see Fn 1]  to make it more understandable:

    The path of the exalted knower of all aspects, the Omniscient Mind, which is Explained by the Teacher, the Buddha, in these Mothers (the Perfection of Wisdom sutras), Is not experienced by others.

    In order for the intelligent to behold the meaning of the Sutra, which is The entity of (or explains) the ten Dharma practices (the Ten Topics that illustrate the Omniscient Mind), through establishing mindfulness [on them], cultivating the so-called 'easy realization' is the purpose of [my] composing [the Ornament].

    [In this revised translation, the bold font is the original text.]
    "I read it a bit fast but if you get the recording and transcript, . . . you can read again what I’ve just said.  Basically, the Purpose of the Ornament is [to help students] to easily understand the path that leads to omniscience, which path includes all of the Eight Clear Realizations, the main topic of the Ornament — the Eight Clear Realizations are all the Paths to Omniscience."
    • 21 Indian Commentaries on the Ornament for Clear Realizations.
    Track 3 - Review of Handout 3 topics covered in April 26 class, cont.
    • Titles of Sanskrit-Tibetan treatises:
      • Haribhadra’s Clarifying the Meaning.
      • Meaning of Abhisamayalamkara (Ornament for Clear Realizations.
    • Four Ornaments.
    • Meaning of ‘Treatise’.
    • Bundles.
    • Homage.
    Track 4 - Ven. Wangmo explains and parses Gyeltsab Rinpoche’s Essence of the Ornament:commentary on Haribhadra's Clarifying the Meaning commentary on Maitreya's Ornament for Clear Realizations, a commentary on the hidden meaning of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras.
    • How text is Structured: Outlines (by Gyeltsab Je); Root Text (Ornament text); Commentary (Haribhadra’s text); Explanation (Gyeltsab Je’s text is interpolated into Haribhadra’s).
    • Haribhadra’s Verse [see Fn 2]  is a Homage,Promise of Composition & Limb of Purpose.
    • Purpose Relationship Passage - Four Properties of a Treatise
    • Four Properties of Haribhadra’s Clear Meaning commentary
    • Four Properties: Subject Matter, Purpose, Essential Purpose, Relationship.
    Track 5 - Gyeltsab Je's Explanation of Haribhadra's verse, cont.

    • Four Properties of Haribhadra’s Stanza reveal 4 Properties of the Clear Meaning.
    • Value of ‘Debate’ – Discuss!
    • Gyeltsab Je’s explanation of Qualities of Haribhadra’s Homage
    • Refuge –Actual meanings of Refuge & the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha Jewels

    2010 - Class 9 - April 23 - MP3's

    Download high quality MP3's from Class 9, held on Friday, April 23, 2010, by right clicking the links below.

    The Tracks are divided to ease both downloading and listening:

    Track 1 - Delusions: Buddhist 'jihad'. Correct Reasoning - Antidote to Delusion.

    Track 2 - Gyeltsab Je's Introduction to the Essence:  Asanga's Commentary on Maitreya's Great Vehicle Treatise of the Sublime Continuum (Uttaratantra).  Extensive, Medium & Brief Perfection of Wisdom Sutras. Unique Middle Way-Consequentialist (Prasangika) Assertion: Fundamental Vehicle Method practitioners must realize Emptiness to attain Nirvana.

    Track 3 - Arya Asanga Commentary on the Uttaratanta shows that: Asanga was a Middle Way Consequentialist (Prasangika); One Final Vehicle - Prasangika Tenet. Maitreya's Ornament for Clear Realizations: Paths of Three Lineage Bearers - Three Knowers; Definite Entity, Number & Sequence;

    Track 4 - Selflessness: Lack of Self-Sufficient Substantially Established Person.

    Track 5 - Haribhadra, a proponent of the Middle Way-Yogacara Autonomy school. Q&A re Fundamental Vehicle & Emptiness.

    Track 6 - Chandrakirti - Middle Way Consequentialist (Prasangika) Trail-Blazer. Bhavavevika - Middle Way Autonomy (Svatantrika) Trail-Blazer. Middle Way Autonomy Sub-Schools: Distinguishing Assertions (Self-Knowers & External Existence) of Sutric-Autonomy (Sautantrika-Svatantrika) - Bhavavevika Trail Blazer & Yogic-Autonomy (Yogacara-Svatantrika).

    Track 7 - Shatarakshita Trail Blazer of Yogic-Autonomy (Yogacara-Svatantrika.).  Mind Only sub-schools' Assertions & Trail Blazers: True Aspectarian (Vasubandhu) & False Aspectarian (Dignaga). Sutra Sources of the Ornament for Clear Realizations: 17 Sutras: 6 Mothers & 11 Sons. Three Principal Sutra Sources.

    Track 8 - Explanatory Method of Five Limbs - utilized in Sanskrit treatise composition.  Tibetan Outlines.  Our text.

    Monday, April 19, 2010

    2010 Class 7 - April 19 - MP3's

    You can download high quality MP3's from Class 6, held on Monday, April 19, 2010, by right clicking the links below.

    The Tracks are divided to ease both downloading and listening:

    Track 1 - What Makes Our Practice Buddhist Practice? Subtle & Coarse Impermanence. How Many years are free for Dharma Practice in a modern human life? 'Yo-Yo Mentality' / Worldly Concerns and Daily Stress. Four Seals in Everyday Life.

    Track 2 - Gyeltsab Rinpoche’s Ornament of the EssenceIntroduction, cont. Review Verses & Prose Text covered in Class 6. Acharya Asanga's Qualities.

    Track 3 - Spread of Buddhism. Arya Asanga, Mind Only Trail-Blazer. Manifest, Slightly Hidden & Extremely Hidden Phenomena. Teachings that Asanga from Maitreya

    Track 4 - Five Treatises of Maitreya. Maitreya & Asanga texts for Mind Only system. Middle Way Trail-Blazer, Nagarjuna used the King of Meditative Stabilization & the Teachings of Akshayamati sutras to differentiate definitive sutras from those requiring interpretation for the Middle Way, Madhyamika school.

    Track 5 - Differentiating the Three Wheels of Buddha's teachings as Definitive or Interpretable in the Mind Only, Chittamatra, School. Mind Only's Three Natures/Phenomena: Other-Powered, Thoroughly Established & All Imputed. Subject matter of Three Wheel's categorization of Buddha's teachings. Mind Only assertions. "Such is the Quality of the Buddha's speech". Buddha's Emptiness teachings in the First Wheel, Second Wheel and Third Wheel. The Bodhisattva Paramarthasamudgata question and Buddha's reply in the Third Wheel Sutra Unraveling the Thought, the definitive sutra for Mind Only.

    Track 6 - Why Arya Asanga, a Middle Way Consequentialist tenet holder, re-introduced the Mind Only tenet system. Gyeltsab Je's Introduction sets out the Mind Only & Middle Way Schools interpretations of the Three Wheels as Interpretable or Definitive. Classroom Q&A. Middle Way & Mind Only Schools' meanings of 'definitive and interpretable sutras' differ.

    Portion of text by Gyeltsab Rinpoche’s Ornament of the EssenceIntroduction, covered in this class:

    Saturday, April 17, 2010

    2010 Class 6 - April 16 MP3's

    You can download high quality MP3's from Class 6, held on Friday, April 16, by right clicking the links below.

    The Tracks are divided to ease both downloading and listening (rewinding on many devices is easier in a smaller file):

    Ven. Kelsang Wangmo presents the Assertions of the Mind Only school and answers questions raised in the following tracks from Class 6 of the 2010 Perfection of Wisdom course at IBD beginning at 1:41 min.on Track 1.

    Track 1 - of the Mind Only School: the Lack of External Existence.

    Track 2 - Mind & its Objects are One Entity. External Existence is an Impossible Mode of Existence, yet Things Exist as mere appearances to mind.

    Track 3 - Three-Fold Division of Phenomena & Three Natures (Other Powered, Thoroughly Established & All Imputed). Negation of an Impossible Mode of Existence is an Existent. Illustrations of Mind Only's Three Natures. Non-Affirming Negations.

    Track 4 - How can a Negation (Emptiness) Be a Phenomenon? Emptiness: the Negation of Something that Never Exists for Mind Only & the Middle Way schools. Why we study Mind Only tenets.

    Track 5 - Using logic to remove belief in the deceptive appearance of phenomena.

    Track 6 - Nirvana: a non-Affirming, Negative (Permanent) phenomena. Negations: Affirming & non-Affirming.

    Track 7 - What is the Difference between Nirvana & Enlightenment? Fundamental Problem: Ignorance that Mis-perceives Reality. Antidotes to Delusion lead to Nirvana with 'residue of Obscurations to Omniscience. Two Itineraries for the Journey to Nirvana & Enlightenment.

    Track 8 - The Meaning of Selflessness. How can phenomena come into being by virtue of our designation?

    Track 9 - Ven. Wangmo continues to parse and explain the course's English text by Gyaltsab Je from the last paragraph of p. 1 - part of paragraph 1, p. 2: