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. 
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• 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.