Class 34 - Conventional Truth, Paths & Grounds

Download PDF's of Class materials and MP3 Tracks from the 34th class of Spring 2011 term held on Thursday, June 30:

DOWNLOAD Handouts used in Class 34:

2011 Handout 23 (June 27) - Explaining from Whose Perspective the Conventional Is a Truth and Is Not a Truth. (Based on Je Tsong Khapa's Illumination of the Thought.)

2011 Handout 24 - Why "conventional phenomena are both conventional truths (truths for a concealer) and mere conventionalities."  Differences between a conventional truth and existing conventionally and existing ultimately.  Explaining the unique Prasangika tenet presentation of Afflictive Emotions. Per Svatantrika Madhyamika tenets, ignorance that apprehends true existence is neither the root of Samsara nor an afflictive emotion. (Based on Je Tsong Khapa's Ocean of Reasoning, a commentary on Nagarjuna's Fundamental Wisdom).

Chart 6 - GRADUAL PROCESS of ELIMINATING IGNORANCE in DEPENDENCE on: HINAYANA PATHS & MAHAYANA PATHS.

ALL SPRING 2011 HANDOUTS & CHARTS are HERE.

DOWNLOAD MP3 TRACKS:

Track 1 - Review - [Explaining] from Whose Perspective the Conventional Is a Truth and Not a Truth:

• Why are all Conventional Truths actual truths for beings who have not reached the 8th Arya Ground. 
•  
• Handout 23, p. 2.  Eliminating Ignorance on the Hinayana Paths & Grounds.  Chart 6.

Track 2 - Chart 6 - Eliminating Ignorance on the Mahayana Paths & Grounds:

• Explanation of Realizations on Bodhisattva Paths Eliminating Ignorance and Its Imprints. 
• Three Beings' (i.e., sentient beings who have overcome ignorance) perception of Conventional Truths.  
• Illustration of a face in a mirror re perception of Conventional Truths to non-Buddhas.
• Relative to the perspective of the Three Beings, conventional phenomena are both Conventional Truths and mere conventionalities.

Track 3 - Handout 24 - Why "conventional phenomena are both conventional truths (truths for a concealer) and mere conventionalities":

• Significance of 'Mere Conventionalities."  
• Opposite of existing Conventionally is existing Ultimately, and nothing exists 'Ultimately', i.e., nothing inherently exists.  Whatever exists, exists conventionally - chart.  
• Conventionally Existent and Conventional Truth have different meanings...

Track 4 - Handout 24 -  Differences between a conventional truth and existing conventionally and existing ultimately.

Training brain muscle (with confusing terminology) in debate, etc.:

• Even though a pot is a Conventional Truth, the true existence of a pot is non-existent because it does not exist even conventionally. ...

Track 5 - Questions & Answers.

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This is the 14th class of the Spring 2011 Perfection of Wisdom course
addressing the Two Truths, the 1st sub-topic of the 2nd Topic
(Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's
Ornament for Clear Realizations - Abhisamayalamkara.

Class 33 - Mind / Syllogism re Lack of Production

Download PDF's of Class materials and MP3 Tracks from the 33nd class of Spring 2011 term held on Monday, June 27:

DOWNLOAD Handouts referred to in Class (Handouts are based on Je Tsong Khapa's Illumination of the Thought):

2011 Handout 22 (June 24) - Chandrakirti re Two Truths, cont. (Mistaken / Wrong Consciousness distinguished), etc.

2011 Handout 23 (June 27) - Explaining from Whose Perspective the Conventional Is a Truth and Is Not a Truth.

Chart 6 - GRADUAL PROCESS of ELIMINATING IGNORANCE in DEPENDENCE on: HINAYANA PATHS & MAHAYANA PATHS.

ALL SPRING 2011 HANDOUTS & CHARTS are HERE.

DOWNLOAD MP3 TRACKS:

Track 1 - Review Two Truths subject matter.  Complete p. 2 of Handout 22.  The Mind, Awareness:

• Mind is one of the things we know the least, yet is the most powerful force in our life.  Our ignorance about how our Mind works causes our problems.  So learn to be 'aware' of operation of six consciousnesses in daily life.  Levels of consciousness.
• Although aware of the table coarsely, shape and color, we're not aware of subtler facts of table - example of how our ignorance harms us.  Eye Consciousnesses, being clear and knowing, are not limited to just shapes and colors, e.g., Buddha's Eye Consciousnesses can perceive everything.  
• Differentiate actively mistaken ignorance with respect to its object of engagement; and Ignorance that is not a wrong consciousness with respect to its main object yet is still mistaken with respect to the object of appearance (of inherent existence of object).  
• Q&A

Track 2 - Handout 22 - Je Tsong Khapa begins Chapter 6 of Illumination of the Thought by establishing Emptiness on the basis of impermanent phenomena and with a syllogism from Chandrakirti’s Supplement to the Middle Way:

• All phenomena are Dependently Arisen and do not stand on their own, independently.  But impermanent phenomena manifest all three types of dependent arising on:
• Causes and conditions, Parts & Mental Imputation.

• Explanatory analysis of meaning of syllogism re lack of inherent existence of production, i.e., the Emptiness of action (rather than of nouns/objects).

• Root Syllogism:

"The subject, a sprout, it is not inherently produced because (1) of not being produced by itself, (2) not being produced by inherently existing other (causes), (3) not being produced by both (by itself and inherently existent other causes) and (4) not being produced causelessly."

• "Dispelling Wrong Views" re root syllogism.

Track 3 -  Questions & Answers re: understanding of Inherent Existence.

• Complete explanation of Handout 22, p. 2.

Track 4 - Handout 23 - Explanation of page 1 (for Whose Perception the Conventional Is or Is Not a truth).

• Introduction to Chart 6 - GRADUAL PROCESS of ELIMINATING IGNORANCE in DEPENDENCE on: HINAYANA PATHS & MAHAYANA PATHS.

Track 5 - Questions & Answers.

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This is the 13th class of the Spring 2011 Perfection of Wisdom course addressing the Two Truths, the 1st sub-topic of the 2nd Topic (Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's
Ornament for Clear Realizations - Abhisamayalamkara.

Class 32 - Objects of Mind & Awareness

Download PDF's of class materials and MP3 Tracks from the 32nd class of Spring 2011 term 2011 held on Friday, June 24:

DOWNLOAD Handouts referred to in Class (Handouts are based on Je Tsong Khapa's Illumination of the Thought):

2011 Handout 20 - reviews "Lorig" (Mind & Awareness) re sources of Error in perception and awareness, etc., as basis for understanding unique Madhyamika-Prasangika tenet regarding the Two Truths.

2011 Handout 21 - continues "Lorig" review re sources of Objects of perception/awareness.

ALL SPRING 2011 HANDOUTS & CHARTS are HERE.

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Track 1 - Corrects Mistake in Handout 20 – a fault in the meaning in the sentence.
Continues presentation of Handout 21.

Track 2 - Mind Perceiving real phenomena as phenomena that actually do not exist (seeing face in mirror as real face, etc.).

• Minds can be Correct, Mistaken but not Wrong, or both Mistaken and Wrong.
• What does descriptions of mind/awareness mean?  
• Luminous (object of appearance to mind) and 
• Knowing (mind having object of apprehension/engagement).

Track 3 - Mistaken Consciousness (mistaken with regard to its object of appearance) distinguished from Wrong Awareness (mistaken with regard to object of engagement).

“Eye consciousness apprehending a face in a mirror to be an actual face is the object that the eye consciousness apprehends and engages, so that awareness is mistaken with respect to its appearing object and its object of engagement. . . . Such awareness only arises in those who have not learned the face in a mirror is not an actual face, so it is used as an example of the ignorance that apprehends phenomena to exists inherently, truly. . . .

Track 4 - Referent Objects of Engagement of (Conceptual) Minds. (Complete Handout 21)

Track 5 - Q&A

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This is the 12th class of the Spring 2011 Perfection of Wisdom course addressing the Two Truths, the 1st sub-topic of the 2nd Topic (Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's Ornament for Clear Realizations, Abhisamayalamkara.

Class 31 - Conventional Truth, Perception & Awareness

Download PDF's of HANDOUT and MP3 Tracks from the 31st class of 2011 held on Wednesday, June 22:

DOWNLOAD Handouts referred to in Class (Handouts are based on Je Tsong Khapa's Illumination of the Thought):

2011 Handout 20 -  a) Explaining, by Means of the Category of the Two Truths, that All Phenomena Have Two Entities;  b) Another Presentation of the Two Truths.

2011 Handout 21 - continues "Lorig" (Mind & Awareness) review re sources of Objects of Perception/Awareness.

ALL SPRING 2011 HANDOUTS & CHARTS are HERE.

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Track 1 - Review.  Middle Way Autonomy (Madhyamaka Svatantrika) divisions of "Conventional".

Track 2 - For the Middle Way Consequentialist (Madhyamaka Prasangika), is mind or its object deceptive on the relative level (i.e., leaving aside Emptiness).

Track 3 - Three Kinds of Errors.

Track 4 - Causes of Error that impair awareness: Superficial, Intellectually Acquired, or Innate.

Track 5 - Questions & Answers.

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This is the 11th class of the Perfection of Wisdom course addressing the Two Truths, the 1st sub-topic of the 2nd Topic (Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's Ornament for Clear Realizations.

Class 30 - Middle Way Autonomy (Madhyamaka Svatantrika) tenets

Download PDF's of HANDOUT and MP3 Tracks from the 30th class of Spring 2011 term held on Monday, June 20:

DOWNLOAD Handouts referred to in Class (Handouts are based on Je Tsong Khapa's Illumination of the Thought):

2011 Handout 19 - Explaining the Category of the Conventional Relative to the World:  Chart of Chapter 1 of the Ornament for Clear Realizations' Ten Topic & the 10 Mahayana Practice Instructions of the 2d Topic, and more.

2011 Handout 20 -  a) Explaining, by Means of the Category of the Two Truths, that All Phenomena Have Two Entities;  b) Another Presentation of the Two Truths.

ALL SPRING 2011 HANDOUTS & CHARTS are HERE.

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Track 1 - Middle Way-Consequentialist / Madhyamika Prasangika view of deceptive Conventional Truth "relative to the World".  Mind. Buddha Nature.

• Everyday we are confused by mistaken perception of how phenomena events exist conventionally.

Middle Way-Autonomy / Madhyamika Svatantika's (skillfully taught to lead to higher view) response to fear that Middle Way Consequentialist / Madhyamika Prasangika assertions that'mere mutation' leads to nothing exists; that the only reason phenomena do exist is that they are imputed, dependently arisen.
Autonomy asserts that although the person is imputed, however when you look for the essence of the Self/Person, something is found - the mental consciousness.

Track 2 - Handout 19 - Madhyamika Svatantrika / Middle Way Autonomy Tenets - Explaining the Category of the Conventional Relative to the World.

• Imputation of 'nations', 'money', etc., is not difficult to understand.
• For Middle Way-Autonomy / Madhyamika Svatantika no phenomena Truly Exist. Fearing extreme of nihilism, they assert that all phenomena do exist intrinsically / inherently. 
• Thus conventional direct perceivers, e.g., eye consciousnesses, are not mistaken regarding the appearance of inherent existence of, e.g., a sprout.  
• True existence' does not appear to sense consciousnesses. 
• Nonetheless, e.g., a sprout, does not exist independently, without appearing to a non-defective awareness.  The Emptiness of a phenomena is its lack of existing without appearing to a non-defective awareness.

• Questions & Answers.

Track 3 - Handout 19, p. 2 - Autonomy / Svatantrika tenets.

• "Hence, all conventional direct perceivers are non-mistaken awarenesses regarding the ultimate nature of their main objects so that conventional truths do not have the same deceptive nature as ascribed to them by the proponents of the Prasangika tenet."
• With respect to its ultimate nature, there is no mistake.  True Existence only appears to mental consciousnesses, not sense consciousnesses. 

• Questions & Answers. 
• Applying class material to practice.  Contemplate implications of holding Svatantrika Views.

Track 4 - Continue Handout 19, p.2.

•  Prasangika / Consequentialist assertion.
•  Svatantrika / Autonomy - Two Categories of Conventional Truth: 
• Correct/True Conventional Truths - functioning things like pot.
• Wrong/unreal Conventional Truths -  mirage, echos, rainbows, etc.

• Questions & Answers. 

Track 5 - Sub-divisions of Middle Way-Autonomy:  Sutra (Sutantrika Svatantrika Madhyamika) & Yogic Practitioner (Yogacara Svatantrika Madhyamika).

• In contrast to Mind Only, Middle Way-Autonomy-Sutra tenets assert external existence.  
• Middle Way-Autonomy Yogacara follows Mind Only-Cittamatrin tenets in denying external existence.  
• Yogacara differs from Mind Only tenets, which asserts that mind is Truly Existent. 
• For Yogacara, all sense direct perceives are mistaken because their main objects appear to exist externally but do not exist in that way."

• Autonomy/Svatantrika's division of Conventional Truths as either Correct or Wrong.

Handout 20 - Consequentialist/Prasangika denies Autonomy/Svantantirka's 2-fold division of Conventional Truths into Correct Conventional Truth or Wrong Conventional Truth:

• All Conventional Truths are deceptive so there is no division into True & Wrong Conventional Truth.  
• Deceptive nature of phenomena is not from the side of the object; but the mind's mistaken perception of Conventional Truth.
• Once a mind directly perceives Ultimate Truth, that mind is not fooled anymore although conceptual realization of Emptiness still perceives that Emptiness as inherently existing.
• "[R]elative to the perspective of the world objects which are not Ultimate Truths can be categorized into those that are true and those that are unreal."
• "[A]s conventional phenomena can in general be categorized into subjects (awarenesses) and objects (objects of those awarenesses) likewise there are:
• Subjects (awarenesses) that are True and Unreal relative to the perspective of the world, and
• Objects (objects of those awarenesses) that are True and Unreal relative to the perspective of the world.

• Questions & Answers.

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This is the 10th class of the Perfection of Wisdom course addressing the Two Truths, the 1st sub-topic of the 2nd Topic (Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's Ornament for Clear Realizations.

Class 29 - Two Truths: Definite in Number & Contradictory

Download PDF's of HANDOUT and MP3 Tracks from the 29th class of 2011 held on Friday, June 17:

DOWNLOAD Handouts referred to in Class. (based on Je Tsong Khapa's Illumination of the Thought):

2011 Handout 18 -  a) Explaining, by Means of the Category of the Two Truths, that All Phenomena Have Two Entities;  b) Another Presentation of the Two Truths.

2011 Handout 19 - Explaining the Category of the Conventional Relative to the World:  Chart of Chapter 1 of the Ornament for Clear Realizations' Ten Topic & the 10 Mahayana Practice Instructions of the 2d Topic, and more.

ALL SPRING 2011 HANDOUTS & CHARTS are HERE.

DOWNLOAD MP3 TRACKS:

Track 1 -  Review Class Schedule and last Class - Handout 18.

• What does it mean to be a Buddha?

• Handout 18 - How the Two Truths Relate to each other:
• Every existent must be one of the Two Truths. 
• If it is one of the Two Truths, it must be an existent
• How do the table and its Ultimate Truth relate?  The lack of True Existence of a form (table) makes it possible for this table to exist; the table is a manifestation of its own Emptiness.  Similarly, any problem/discomfort we experience ...

Track 2 - Dispelling Mistaken Views re Two Truths - p. 2, Handout 18:

• e.g., assertions that 
• Ultimate Truth cannot be known (because 'It is Beyond ..."); 
• Everyone has already realized Wisdom.

Track 3 - Another presentation of the Two Truths:

• Exhaustive Categories (of existents) that are of Definite Number, e.g., 
• Being One / being Different, 
• Two Truths Category of the Two Truths is Definite in Number (no more than 2 nor less)

Track 4 - Deceptive (Conventional Truth) & Non-Deceptive (Ultimate Truth) are Directly Contradictory.

• i.e., when you explicitly negate one/you establish the other:  by Negating True Existence of pot, the Emptiness of pot is realized.

• Refuting that, e.g., my hand is not an Object of Knowledge (i.e., a wrong view of Ultimate Analysis):
• If you negate that the hand (Truly Existent) exists among its parts, then you do not find anything (in that Ultimate Analysis).  However, you are not subjecting the Emptiness of the hand to such Ultimate Analysis; therefore, something is found.  Negating the True Existence of the Emptiness of the hand, one finds the Emptiness of the Emptiness of the hand.  
• Emptiness and Emptiness of True Existence are the same thing, so when True Existence of hand is negated, its Emptiness is established, i.e., the absence of True Existence of the hand.  
• Take the "lack of True Existence" of the hand, itself, and negate its True Existence, to establish the Emptiness of the Emptiness of the True Existence of the hand. 

Track 5 - Two Truths are Definite in Number & are Directly Contradictory, cont.

• When a mind realizes sprout is a Conventional Truth, it implicitly realizes sprout is not an Ultimate Truth.
• Conclude presentation of Handout 18.

Track 6 - Handout 19 - Explaining the Category of the Conventional Relative to the World:

• Deceptive / Non-Deceptive Phenomena (e.g., table & reflection of face in mirror.
• Presentation of Middle Way Autonomy (Madhyamika-Svatantrika) tenets (Handout 19):

  In other words, phenomena exist because they appear to a non-defective mind and cannot exist without appearing to such a mind. A non-defective mind is a mind that is not mistaken with respect to its main object, i.e., it is a correct mind whose main object exists. Therefore, since phenomena cannot exist without relying on appearing to a non-defective mind, they are asserted to not exist truly or ultimately. However, according to this tenet, phenomena nevertheless exist inherently, intrinsically and from their own side. If they did not exist inherently, etc., they could not exist at all. Thus, the proponents of the Svatantrika tenet assert that even though phenomena are imputed by conceptual consciousness, they are not merely imputed, for there is something that is found when searching among the basis of imputation of those phenomena. Hence, this tenet claims to avoid the extreme of reification by asserting that all phenomena are empty of existing truly and the extreme of nihilism by asserting that all phenomena exist inherently and intrinsically.

Maitreya's Ornament/Abhisamayalamkara is written from the point of view of Middle Way-AUTONOMY/Madhyamika SVATANTRIKA Tenets that negate True Existence but assert Inherent Existence due to assertion that if Ultimate Analysis cannot find anything, then nothing could exist; therefore, Ultimate Analysis must find 'something'. But what is found?

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This is the 9th class of the Perfection of Wisdom course addressing the Two Truths, the 1st sub-topic of the 2nd Topic (Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's Ornament for Clear Realizations.<

Class 27 - Two Entities/Two Natures of all Phenomena

Download PDF's of HANDOUT and MP3 Tracks from the 27th class of 2011 held on Monday, June 13:

DOWNLOAD PDF's:

2011 Handout 17 - Je Tsong Khapa's Illumination of the Thought:  a) Explaining, by Means of the Category of the Two Truths, that All Phenomena Have Two Entities;  b) Another Presentation of the Two Truths.

DOWNLOAD MP3 TRACKS:

Track 1 - Handout 17 - Review Class 26. Two Entities / Two Natures:

• Explaining, by means of the Category of the Two Truths, that All Phenomena Have Two Entities:
• e.g., an Ultimate Truth (characteristic of lacking True Existence) and a Conventional Truth (i.e., characteristics that are Conventional Truths):

"The shape or the color of a car cannot be separated from the car. The color is not the shape and the shape is not the color, and neither its shape nor its color is the car. Similarly all phenomena have characteristics and are dependent on their parts, which are not so much physical parts but characteristics. The deepest quality that all phenomena have is their lack of true existence. They exist but do not inherently exist. They exist because there is a mind to which they appear. They exist because they have parts. They exist arising from causes and conditions." (class transcript)

• Different kinds of mind ascertain Ultimate and Conventional truths.

Track 2 - Another Presentation of Two Truths.

• Object of Knowledge (i.e., “that which is known”; equivalent to Existent, Phenomenon, Object of Comprehension, etc.) categorized into the Two Truths.
• Tathagata-Buddhas are omniscient because they simultaneously comprehend the Two Truths.
• Categories that are Definite in Number: Two-fold categorizations of all Phenomena: Two Truths, Permanents & Impermanents:
• Hence, there are no more (or condensed less) than Two Truths, i.e., Buddhas do not perceive something beyond the Two Truths.
• Counters wrong views: e.g., Ultimate Truth is not an object of knowledge, i.e., that the Ultimate Truth cannot be 'known'. However, Ultimate Truth is beyond conceptual thought (i.e., a dualistic direct perceiver).

Track 3 - How does Je Rinpoche make "Another Presentation" of the Two Truth?

• In summary, the first presentation says all phenomena have two natures, conventional and ultimate nature or entity so all phenomena have Two Truths.  Whereas the second is that object of knowledge can be divided into Two Truths, and there are not more.
• What would 'objective' existence mean? ...
• Phenomena are not dreams; they are dream-like …

Track 4 - Qualities of/for Philosophy Debate.

Track 5 - Relationships Between Phenomena.

• If one phenomenon can or cannot exist without the continued existence of another phenomenon.
• Cause & Effect relationships.
• Being "of the same nature"
• Being Imputed upon Parts.
• Identical is "same name and same meaning", i.e., one.
• Equivalent means whatever is one is the other (Same Meaning but Different Names, i.e., not one'
• Same Entity & Nature, but 'not one', not identical, i.e., distinct phenomena:  e.g., the Two Truths:

"The two truths are one entity or nature. However, they are not one, for they are different, distinct phenomena. The fact that the two truths are different phenomena but have one entity or nature refers to the two truths in relation to a particular phenomenon. It does not mean that every conventional truth is one entity with every ultimate truth."

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This is the 7th class of the Perfection of Wisdom course addressing the Two Truths (the 1st sub-topic of the 2nd Topic (Mahayana Practice Instructions) of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's Ornament for Clear Realizations.

Class 26 - Perceivers of Perfect Truth / Perceivers of Falsehood

Download PDF's of HANDOUT and MP3 Tracks from the 26th class of 2011 held on Friday, June 10:

DOWNLOAD PDF's:

2011 Handout 17 - Je Tsong Khapa's Illumination of the Thought:  a) Explaining, by Means of the Category of the Two Truths, that All Phenomena Have Two Entities;  b) Another Presentation of the Two Truths.

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Track 1 - Handout 17

• Introduce Je Tsong Khapa's commentary (Illumination of the Thought) on Chandrakirti's Supplement to the Middle Way:.
• Explaining, by means of the Category of the Two Truths, that all Phenomena Have Two Entities, Je Rinpoche's commentary on Chandrakirti's verse on the Two Truths:

All phenomena, because of being found by perceivers of the perfect truth
And by perceivers of falsehood, uphold two entities.
The object of perfect perception is suchness,
While that of false perception is taught to be conventional truth.

All phenomena (such as ‘internal’ consciousness and ‘external’ sprout, etc.) have two entities or natures – conventional truth and ultimate truth.

Track 2 - Exalted Wisdom realizes Perfect Truth, i.e., the actual reality or the Ultimate Truth of, e.g., a sprout by realizing the sprout’s emptiness of existing ultimately or truly.

Track 3 - Wrong consciousnesses - distinguished from Mistaken consciousnesses.

• How you can know if something exists on a conventional level if things don’t inherently exist.
• Differentiating between Conventinoal Truths and Ultimate Truths.
• How you can know if something exists on a conventional level if things don’t inherently exist.
• A conventional truth (e.g., sprout) is found or realized by conventional valid cognizers that exist in the continua of those whose awarenesses are completely covered by the ‘clouded vision of the cataract of ignorance’.
• Valid cognizers are conventional cognizers because the objects that they realize are false in that they appear to those cognizers to exist ultimately/truly.

Track 4 - To know something is a Conventional Truth, you must realize its falsity/deceptive character, which requires a realization of the object's emptiness/ultimate truth.

• What does 'to realize' mean?

Track 5 - Conceptually/intellectually realize Emptiness in order to realize (falsity of) Conventional Truth of phenomena.

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This is the 6th class of the Perfection of Wisdom course addressing the Two Truths (first sub-topic of the 2nd Topic [Mahayana Practice Instructions] of Chapter 1 of Maitreya's Ornament for Clear Realizations).

Class 25 - Etymologies of Conventional & Ultimate Truth

Download PDF's of HANDOUT and MP3 Tracks from the 25th class of 2011 held on Wednesday, June 8:

DOWNLOAD PDF's:

2011 Handout 16 - a) Ornament, Ch. 1, Topic 2 - Mahayana Practice Instructions' ten topics [See, Handout 15]. b) Two Truths: Conventional Truth & Ultimate Truth - Etymologies & Instances.

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Track 1 - Handout 16 - Etymology of Conventional Truth

Track 2 - Q&A

Track 3 - Continue Handout 16 re Etymology of Conventional & Ultimate Truth. Q&A.

Track 4 - Ultimate Truth (complete Handout 16)

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Class 24 - Ultimate Truth

Download PDF's of HANDOUT and MP3 Tracks from the 24th class of 2011 held on Monday, June 6:

DOWNLOAD PDF's:

2011 Handout 16 - a) Ornament, Ch. 1, Topic 2 - Mahayana Practice Instructions' ten topics [See, Handout 15]. b) Two Truths: Conventional Truth & Ultimate Truth - Etymologies & Instances.

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Track 1 - Introductory matters (Two Truths texts - Chandrakirti, Handouts); Ultimate nature of all phenomena.

Track 2 - Q&A.

• Meaning of "to realize"?  
• Ultimate Truth only exists because? 
• What would inherent existence be like? 
• Why does not finding True Existence mean it doesn't exist?

Track 3 - Q&A: Permanent and Negative phenomena.

Track 4 - Q&A - Four possibilities between Permanent and Eternal; and many more.

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Class 23 - Two Truths Relationship. Geshe Dorji Damdul.

Download PDF's of PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT and MP3 Tracks from the 23rd class of 2011 held on Thursday, June 2.  Geshe Kelsang Wangmo taught at the beginning of class (Track 1).  The remainder of the class was conducted by guest teacher, Geshe Dorji Damdul.  Geshe Damdul studied at TCV, IBD and Drepung Loseling Monastery.  He served for several years as H.H. Dalai Lama's translator in India.  He is the Director of Tibet House in Delhi (see side bar for web site).

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Draft TRANSCRIPT of Part of Class.

2011 Handout 16 - a) Ornament, Ch. 1, Topic 2 - Mahayana Practice Instructions' ten topics [See, Handout 15]. b) Two Truths: Conventional Truth & Ultimate Truth - Etymologies & Instances.

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Track 1 - Relationship of Conventional Truth & Ultimate Truth:

• "of the Same Nature"
• "One Entity" 

Presentations of Two Truths / Imputation in Vaibashika & Sutantrika tenet systems.

Similarity/Differences between higher and lower school tenet presentations of the Two Truths:

• Similarities:  The Two Truths are mutually exclusive and exhaustive.
• Difference:  For the lower schools, an Ultimate Truth and a Conventional Truth cannot be the same entity; i.e., Two Truths are separate entities.

Track 2 -Geshe Dorji Damdul presents an Introduction to the Two Truths, two modes of existence (subjective and objective existence).

Geshe Dorji Damdul answers student questions:

• Track 3.
• Track 4.

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Class 22 - Ultimate Truth - lack of intrinsic existence

Download PDF's of HANDOUT and MP3 Tracks from the 22nd class of 2011 held on Wednesday, June 1:

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2011 Chart 4 - the Two Truths According to the Four Tenets.

2011 Chart 5 - Existent and the Two Truths.

2011 Handout 16 - a) Ornament, Ch. 1, Topic 2 - Mahayana Practice Instructions' ten topics [See, Handout 15]. b) Two Truths: Conventional Truth & Ultimate Truth - Etymologies & Instances.

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Track 1
Track 2
Track 3

Rough Notes from Track 1:

What does Ultimate Truth mean?  Absence of intrinsic “I”; Owner of body/mind; Flower as owner of petals-leaves, etc.

Existing “Inherently”, “Truly”, “Intrinsically”, “from its own side” - what do these mean?  We must understand their meaning in order to refute “intrinsic existence”.

1st, establish what does and what does not exist.  We don't/won’t refute the table; but refute the extra quality perceived in the table that doesn't exist; refute true/inherent existence of table.

Even intrinsic existence of the Ultimate Truth does not exist.

But we see this non-existent quality as totally identical with phenomena (illustration: water mixed in milk).

How does the table exist? On the basis of its parts, we label/impute table.  Without mental imputation, no table.  Easier to understand imputation of money: on a colored bit of paper, we impute value of $100; no intrinsic $100 in the bill.

Everyone in room sees a different flower.  All we ever see is something that is 'not flower' or 'my hand.'  You see the front of my hand which is not my hand; only I see the back of my hand.  If my hand was intrinsically existent, you would see ….

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