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 2 -  EXCHANGING 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 3 -  SELF-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 4 -  Distinguishing Self-CONCERN from Self-CHERISHING

Track 5 -  Must 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 6 -  Q & 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 7 -  Disadvantages of Self-Cherishing