DOCSLIB.ORG

THE THREE PRINCIPLES of the PATH to ENLIGHTENMENT by Je Tsong Khapa Kyabje Gelek Rinpoche

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

THE THREE PRINCIPLES OF THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT by Je Tsong Khapa Kyabje Gelek Rinpoche a commentary in ‘Tuesdaynight teachings’ 1987-1988 revised edition Jewel Heart Transcript ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This is the transcription of a series of Tuesdaynight talks, given in the United States in 1987-1988 by Gelek Rinpoche, the spiritual leader of Jewel-Heart. The course is based on a text of Je Tsongkhapa, The Three Principle Aspects of the Path to Highest Enlightenment. We used the text-translation of Robert Thurman, to be found in his book Life and teachings of Tsongkhapa, pg. 57-58, the text used at that time. The transcript is lightly edited. In transcribing I took the liberty of adding a few words where thought necessary and moderately adjusting the sentences; only just enough for the text to be well understood without Rinpoche's intonation and way of talking. Questions and answers on the talks are only tran- scribed as far as understood and thought relevant and for the sake of easy study put in the Appendices. The drawing on the cover we received from Alfred Woll. These teachings have proved to be very, very useful for the first step - the introductory year- of the Jewel Heart Training Programm. After this one moves into the Odyssey to Freedom and from there into the big Lam Rim Teachings. For the sake of the students as well as the facilitators, headings and divi- sions in the text, suggestions for home-practice, suggestions for reading, notes, glossary and index were added. This third edition has been revised on three points; 1. The English is revised by Anne Warren, USA. 2. The total text has been adapted to the purpose these teachings: an introduction into Buddhism, as the first step of the Jewel Heart Training Programm. Pieces of text less suitable to this purpose and more suitable elsewhere have been transferred to their proper places. E.g. a teaching piece on dharma, which is very concise and difficult, has been moved to the Lam Rim Teachings. Pieces on refuge, on concentration and on emptiness haven been transferred to the Odyssey to Freedom. A small piece of the Lamrim teachings in Malaysia, Muar may-june 1992, have been inserted. Within this Three Principles teachings some pieces have been shifted around in order to make it easier for group discussion. 3. The suggestions for reading at each chapter have been updated. They are meant to be a help to the students as well as to the facilitators. Any mistakes are to be blamed to the transcriber, who enjoyed very much transcribing those beautiful inspiring western-oriented talks. Nijmegen, 3rd, revised edition August 2001 Marianne Soeters © 1994 Gelek Rinpoche / Jewel Heart CONTENTS The root text 5 Part I: INTRODUCTION 1. My need for spiritual development 9 2. Spirituality and watching the mind 15 3. What are our real problems? 21 PART II THE THREE PRINCIPLES OF THE PATH BY JE TSONGKHAPA 4. Preliminary remarks on the root text 29 5. Introductory stanzas 37 FIRST PRINCIPLE: DETERMINATION TO BE FREE 6. Why you need a determination to be free 45 7. 'Leisure and opportunity are hard to get’: embracing our life 53 8. ‘And there is no time to life’: facing death realistically 61 9. Seeking refuge 69 10. Renunciation 73 11. Karma: actions and their consequences 87 12. Suffering in samsara 93 13. Our distorted view 97 14. Circling in samsara building the determination to be free 103 15. How to lead a spiritual life: the four noble truths 109 16. Delusions and the circle of existence;determination to be free 117 SECOND PRINCIPLE: ALTRUISM 17. Why develop the altruistic attitude 123 18. How to develop the altruistic attitude 139 4 The Three Principles THIRD PRINCIPLE: THE PERFECT VIEUW 19. The perfect view: an unbiased outlook on reality 161 20. APPENDICES 173 Outlines of the root text 174 Preparing for meditation: the practice of Ganden Lha Gyema 178 Overviewing meditation 188 Questions and answers and discussions 193 21. Glossary 211 22. Literature 217 23. Index 219 THE ROOT TEXT THE THREE PRINCIPLES OF THE PATH by Je Tsongkhapa (Lozang Dragpa) (1357-1419) Reverence to the Holy Gurus! 1 I will explain as best as I can The essential import of all the Victor’s Teachings, The path praised by all the holy Bodhisattvas. Best entrance for those fortunates who seek freedom. 2 Listen with clear minds, you lucky people, Who aspire the path that pleases Buddhas, Who work to give meaning to leisure and opportunity, Who are not addicted to the pleasures of cyclic life (samsara). 3 Lust for existence chains all corporeal beings. Addiction to the pleasures of the life-cycle Is only cured by transcendent renunciation. So seek transcendence first of all! 4 Leisure and opportunity are hard to get, And there is no time to life; keep thinking on this, And you will turn off your interest in this life! Contemplate the inexorability of evolutionary effects And the sufferings of life -over and over again- And you will turn off interest in future lives! 5 By constant meditation, your mind will not entertain A moment’s wish even for the successes of life, And you will aim for freedom day and night, Then you experience transcendent renunciation. 6 Transcendence without the spirit of enlightenment (bodhicitta) Cannot generate the supreme bliss Of unexcelled enlightenment; therefore, The Bodhisattva conceives the supreme spirit of enlightenment. 6 The Three Principles 7 Carried away on the currents of four mighty streams, Tightly bound by the near-inescapable chain of evolution, Trapped and imprisoned in the iron cage of self-concern, Totally wrapped in the darkness of misknowledge, 8 Born and born again and again in endless life-cycles, Uninterruptedly tormented by the three miseries, Such is the state of all beings, all just your mothers. From your natural feelings, conceive the highest spirit! 9 Even though you experience transcendent renunciation (niryana) And cultivate the spirit of enlightenment (bodhicitta), Without the wisdom from the realisation of emptiness (shunyata) You cannot cut off the root of the life-cycle So, you should strive to understand relativity (pratityasamutpada) 10 Who sees the inexorable causality of all things Both of cyclic life and liberation And destroys any sort of conviction of objectivity Thereby enters the path pleasing to Victors. 11 Appearance as inevitable relative, And emptiness as free of all assertions; As long as these are understood apart, The Victor’s intent is not yet known. 12 But when they are simultaneously without alternation, The mere sight of inevitable relativity Becomes sure knowledge rid of objective habit-patterns, And the investigation of authentic view is complete. 13 Further, while appearance eliminates absolutism, Emptiness eliminates nihilism, And you know emptiness manifest as cause and effect, Then you will not be deprived by extremist views. 14 When you realize the essentials Of the three principles of the path, Rely on solitude and powerful efforts, And swiftly achieve the eternal goal, my son! PART I: Introduction 1. My need for spiritual development 9 2. Spirituality and watching the mind 15 3. What are our real problems? 21 1. MY NEED FOR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT Welcome to this series of talks. This is a meditation opportunity provided by Jewel Heart, open to friends who are interested in spiritual development. Why we base spiritual practice on a tradition As you all know, today many different people offer a number of spiritual paths in various different ways. What you are going to read here is based on the Buddhist tradition as it developed first in India, then in Tibet and is now developing in the West. However, it will not necessarily be presented here in a strictly traditional way. I would like to focus on people’s needs and teach accordingly. Still, what is taught here is based on traditional Buddhism as it developed via Tibet. The reason we need to base our practice on a tradition is that we want development; we want bene- fits. Developments and benefits are sure to come if we follow a path that has been taught by somebody who has him- or herself developed spiritually and obtained the awakened state by following certain prin- ciples and practices. Not just one, but a number of people, one after another, have done so by following this path. So, it is safer for us to follow this path, because it has been proven by experience. If we don’t have this sort of base, we won’t know what we are doing. Actually, in the West, the spiritual path has developed quite well now; it is developing every- where. However, most people do not know what they are doing. They just do it for the sake of doing it, they sit for the sake of sitting, they aim for the sake of aiming. Really, they don’t know exactly what they are doing, where they are going, or what they are working for. That is what I observe; you find different things here and there, but, in general, people do not know exactly what they are doing. Take those who emphasize sitting meditation. They sit because they are told to sit, but I do not know whether they really know where they are going, what their goal is, how they would like to pursue the goal and all this. I do not know. People have short-range goals sometimes, “Well, I’d like to have a little harmony and a little pleasure and so I’ll sit down and meditate.” I am not saying that is bad, do not misunderstand, but I don’t think it is a very good way of pursuing a spiritual path.
Recommended publications
  • Pilgrimage to India

    Pilgrimage to India

    Winter 2010 Gaden Khachoe Shing Tibetan Buddhist Monastery Page 1 Dagom Gaden Tensung Ling Tibetan Buddhist Monastery Gaden Samdrup Ling Tibetan Buddhist Monastery Winter 2010 Pilgrimage to India We went to India to celebrate the dedication of the new Shar Gaden temple and along the way had an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of thousands of Buddhists who went before us. This journey began on Oct. 23 with three monks and 16 lay students heading to Mumbai, India. Our first visit was to the Kanheri Caves in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. These caves were carved out of cliffs as a place for monks to study and practice Buddhism. They date from 1st century BCE to 9th century CE. They were commissioned by royal families, merchants and others to support the monks in their efforts to practice countryside few foreigners get to see. Fields younger monks sitting near us were very the dharma. of sugar cane, rice and corn next to tree-lined busy watching us most of the time. In the center of some of the caves are roads took us through the town of Mundgod What followed were an official ribbon large stupas. Thousands of intricate carvings and to a warm welcome by the Shar Gaden cutting ceremony, a meeting of the Dorje of Buddhas, bodhisattvas and other Buddhist monks. Shugden Religious and Charitable Society images cover the walls. As in other cultures, After we arrived and enjoyed tea, we and an evening performance by the monks much of the ancient art in India is based settled into our rooms.
  • The Foundation of All Good Qualities by Lama Tsongkhapa

    The Foundation of All Good Qualities by Lama Tsongkhapa

    PRACTICE The Foundation of All Good Qualities By Lama Tsongkhapa In the 11th century, Tibet was blessed by the arrival of capacities of varying practitioners — small, medium, and the Indian Buddhist master Lama Atisha. Motivated to pres- great — which organize practices and meditations on the ent an organized summary of the sutra teachings, Atisha path into gradual stages. composed a short text entitled, The Lamp of the Path. Three Lama Tsongkhapa's famous prayer, The Foundation of hundred years later, Lama Tsongkhapa expanded upon this All Good Qualities, is the most concise and stirring outline text with his opus The Great Exposition on the Stages of the available of the Lam-Rim teachings. In only fourteen stanzas, Path to Enlightenment (Lamrim Chenmo). The often referred Tsongkhapa offers us a prayer that covers the entire graduated to "Lam-Rim teachings" are taken from this seminal text. path to enlightenment, short enough to recite every day, The teachings are presented in three scopes according to the profound enough to study for a lifetime. The foundation of all good qualities is the kind and venerable guru; I will not achieve enlightenment. Correct devotion to him is the root of the path. With my clear recognition of this. By clearly seeing this and applying great effort, Please bless me to practice the bodhisattva vows with great energy. Please bless me to rely upon him with great respect. Once I have pacified distractions to wrong objects Understanding that the precious freedom of this rebirth is found And correctly analyzed the meaning of reality, only once.
  • Healing and Self-Healing Through White Tara

    Healing and Self-Healing Through White Tara

    HEALING AND SELF-HEALING THROUGH WHITE TARA Kyabje Gehlek Rimpoche Spring retreat teachings, The Netherlands 1995 Winter retreat vajrayana teachings, US 1996-7 A Jewel Heart Transcript ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Part I of this edition is the transcription of the teachings on White Tara, Healing and selfhealing, that Kyabje Gelek Rinpoche gave during the spring retreat 1995 in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Part II are the vajrayana teachings on the practice of White Tara, taught by Rinpoche during the spring of 1995 in Nijmegen, a vajrayana weekend in Ann Arbor 1995, and the winterretreats 1996/97 en 1997/98 in the US. Part II is restricted; what is taught can only be practiced by those who’ve received full initiation in either Avalokiteshvara or in any maha annuttara yoga tantra. (A Tara long-life initiation – which actually is a blessing – is not what is meant here). Because of this restriction, part I has been published separately. The transcript is updated since the 4th edition. In particular it got a number of features that facilitate studying this worthwhile practice. A glossary, a list of literature and an index are provided. Images related to the teachings have been added. References to other literature have been made. Cross-references between the sutrayana- and the vajrayana part may help clarify difficulties. For easy study additional small headings have been made. The teachings of Part I were transcribed by several Jewel Heart friends in the Netherlands. The vajrayana teachings have been transcribed by Hartmut Sagolla. The drawing of Buddha Shakyamuni and those of the mudras were made by Marian van der Horst, those of the life-chakras by Piet Soeters.
  • Religious Harmony in Singapore: Spaces, Practices and Communities 469190 789811 9 Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore

    Religious Harmony in Singapore: Spaces, Practices and Communities 469190 789811 9 Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore

    Religious Harmony in Singapore: Spaces, Practices and Communities Inter-religious harmony is critical for Singapore’s liveability as a densely populated, multi-cultural city-state. In today’s STUDIES URBAN SYSTEMS world where there is increasing polarisation in issues of race and religion, Singapore is a good example of harmonious existence between diverse places of worship and religious practices. This has been achieved through careful planning, governance and multi-stakeholder efforts, and underpinned by principles such as having a culture of integrity and innovating systematically. Through archival research and interviews with urban pioneers and experts, Religious Harmony in Singapore: Spaces, Practices and Communities documents the planning and governance of religious harmony in Singapore from pre-independence till the present and Communities Practices Spaces, Religious Harmony in Singapore: day, with a focus on places of worship and religious practices. Religious Harmony “Singapore must treasure the racial and religious harmony that it enjoys…We worked long and hard to arrive here, and we must in Singapore: work even harder to preserve this peace for future generations.” Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore. Spaces, Practices and Communities 9 789811 469190 Religious Harmony in Singapore: Spaces, Practices and Communities Urban Systems Studies Books Water: From Scarce Resource to National Asset Transport: Overcoming Constraints, Sustaining Mobility Industrial Infrastructure: Growing in Tandem with the Economy Sustainable Environment:
  • THE RIMAY TRADITION by Lama Surya Das The

    THE RIMAY TRADITION by Lama Surya Das The

    THE RIMAY TRADITION by Lama Surya Das The nonsectarian Rimay movement of Tibet is an ecumenical tradition started-- or more, accurately, revived--one hundred and forty years ago by the great Manjusri (wisdom) lamas of eastern Tibet renowned as the First Khyentse and First Kongtrul. It arose in order to preserve and help disseminate the many different lineages and practices of all the extant schools of Tibetan Buddhism, many of which were in danger of being lost. These extraordinarily learned and accomplished nonsectarian masters studied under hundreds of teachers and internalized the precious and profound Three Yana teachings, then taught and also compiled the bulk of them into voluminous compendiums, vast scriptural compilations such as the Rinchen Terdzod (Treasury of Visionary Revelations) and the Shayja Dzod (Treasury of Knowledge). Rimay means unbounded, all-embracing, unlimited, and also unbiased and impartial. The Karmapas, the Dalai Lamas, Sakya lineage heads, and major Nyingma and other lineage holders and founders (such as Je Tsongkhapa and Gyalwa Longchenpa) all took teachings and empowerments from various schools and lineages, and later practiced and authentically transmitted those traditions. The two enlightened nineteenth century renaissance-type masters, Khyentse and Kongtrul, were aided and abetted in this ambitious endeavor by the visionary Chogyur Lingpa as well as the younger and indomitable master Mipham, most of whom exchanged teachings and practices with each other in an unusually humble and collegial way. Other notable Tibetan Lamas widely renowned for their non-sectarian approach were Patrul Rinpoche and Lama Shabkar, Dudjom Lingpa and the Fifteenth Karmapa Khakyab Dorje. The present Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet himself embodies and promotes this important tradition; he always mentions the importance of this inclusive, tolerant and open-minded Rimay spirit, wherever he goes, in his teachings and talks today.
  • THE SECURITISATION of TIBETAN BUDDHISM in COMMUNIST CHINA Abstract

    THE SECURITISATION of TIBETAN BUDDHISM in COMMUNIST CHINA Abstract

    ПОЛИТИКОЛОГИЈА РЕЛИГИЈЕ бр. 2/2012 год VI • POLITICS AND RELIGION • POLITOLOGIE DES RELIGIONS • Nº 2/2012 Vol. VI ___________________________________________________________________________ Tsering Topgyal 1 Прегледни рад Royal Holloway University of London UDK: 243.4:323(510)”1949/...” United Kingdom THE SECURITISATION OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM IN COMMUNIST CHINA Abstract This article examines the troubled relationship between Tibetan Buddhism and the Chinese state since 1949. In the history of this relationship, a cyclical pattern of Chinese attempts, both violently assimilative and subtly corrosive, to control Tibetan Buddhism and a multifaceted Tibetan resistance to defend their religious heritage, will be revealed. This article will develop a security-based logic for that cyclical dynamic. For these purposes, a two-level analytical framework will be applied. First, the framework of the insecurity dilemma will be used to draw the broad outlines of the historical cycles of repression and resistance. However, the insecurity dilemma does not look inside the concept of security and it is not helpful to establish how Tibetan Buddhism became a security issue in the first place and continues to retain that status. The theory of securitisation is best suited to perform this analytical task. As such, the cycles of Chinese repression and Tibetan resistance fundamentally originate from the incessant securitisation of Tibetan Buddhism by the Chinese state and its apparatchiks. The paper also considers the why, how, and who of this securitisation, setting the stage for a future research project taking up the analytical effort to study the why, how and who of a potential desecuritisation of all things Tibetan, including Tibetan Buddhism, and its benefits for resolving the protracted Sino- Tibetan conflict.
  • Learn Tibetan & Study Buddhism

    Learn Tibetan & Study Buddhism

    fpmt Mandala BLISSFUL RAYS OF THE MANDALA IN THE SERVICE OF OTHERS JULY - SEPTEMBER 2012 TEACHING A GOOD HEART: FPMT REGISTERED TEACHERS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FOUNDATION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE MAHAYANA TRADITION Wisdom Publications Delve into the heart of emptiness. INSIGHT INTO EMPTINESS Khensur Jampa Tegchok Edited by Thubten Chodron A former abbot of Sera Monastic University, Khensur Jampa Tegchok here unpacks with great erudi- tion Buddhism’s animating philosophical principle—the emptiness of all appearances. “Khensur Rinpoche Jampa Tegchok is renowned for his keen understanding of philosophy, and of Madhyamaka in particular. Here you will find vital points and reasoning for a clear understanding of emptiness.”—Lama Zopa Rinpoche, author of How to Be Happy 9781614290131 “This is one of the best introductions to the philosophy of emptiness 336 pages | $18.95 I have ever read.”—José Ignacio Cabezón, Dalai Lama Professor and eBook 9781614290223 Chair, Religious Studies Department, UC Santa Barbara Wisdom Essentials JOURNEY TO CERTAINTY The Quintessence of the Dzogchen View: An Exploration of Mipham’s Beacon of Certainty Anyen Rinpoche Translated and edited by Allison Choying Zangmo Approachable yet sophisticated, this book takes the reader on a gently guided tour of one of the most important texts Tibetan Buddhism has to offer. “Anyen Rinpoche flawlessly presents the reader with the unique perspective that belongs to a true scholar-yogi. A must-read for philosophers and practitioners.” —Erik Pema Kunsang, author of Wellsprings of the Great Perfection and 9781614290094 248 pages | $17.95 compiler of Blazing Splendor eBook 9781614290179 ESSENTIAL MIND TRAINING Thupten Jinpa “The clarity and raw power of these thousand-year-old teachings of the great Kadampa masters are astonishingly fresh.”—Buddhadharma “This volume can break new ground in bridging the ancient wisdom of Buddhism with the cutting-edge positive psychology of happiness.” —B.
  • Ayya​​Yeshe How​ ​To​ ​Be​ ​A

    Ayya​​Yeshe How​ ​To​ ​Be​ ​A

    Ayya Yeshe ​ ​ How to Be a Light for Yourself and Others in Challenging Times ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Week One: “Establishing the Basis for Dharma Practice” ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ September 4, 2017 ​ ​ ​ ​ Hi, I'm Ayya Yeshe. I'm an Australian Buddhist nun and I've been ordained 16 years. I'm the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ director of Bodhicitta Foundation, a charity for people in the slums of Central India, which has ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ been running for over a decade. I'm also the founding abbess of a monastery in Australia, which ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ we are currently raising funds for, called Khandro Ling Hermitage. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ I'm mainly from the Sakya tradition but I was ordained as a fully ordained nun by Thich Nhat ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Hanh, the Nobel Peace Prize nominee and Vietnamese Zen master. Today I would like to talk ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ about The Seven Points of Mind Training by Geshe Chekawa, which is mainly from the Kagyu ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. It's actually quite a long and involved text but it's a wonderful ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ introduction to Mahayana Buddhism. As we go through the text, I hope that I can make some of ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
  • Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, Revised Edition

    Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, Revised Edition

    REVISED EDITION John Powers ITTB_Interior 9/20/07 2:23 PM Page 1 Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism ITTB_Interior 9/20/07 2:23 PM Page 2 ITTB_Interior 9/20/07 2:23 PM Page 3 Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism revised edition by John Powers Snow Lion Publications ithaca, new york • boulder, colorado ITTB_Interior 9/20/07 2:23 PM Page 4 Snow Lion Publications P.O. Box 6483 • Ithaca, NY 14851 USA (607) 273-8519 • www.snowlionpub.com © 1995, 2007 by John Powers All rights reserved. First edition 1995 Second edition 2007 No portion of this book may be reproduced by any means without prior written permission from the publisher. Printed in Canada on acid-free recycled paper. Designed and typeset by Gopa & Ted2, Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Powers, John, 1957- Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism / by John Powers. — Rev. ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and indexes. ISBN-13: 978-1-55939-282-2 (alk. paper) ISBN-10: 1-55939-282-7 (alk. paper) 1. Buddhism—China—Tibet. 2. Tibet (China)—Religion. I. Title. BQ7604.P69 2007 294.3’923—dc22 2007019309 ITTB_Interior 9/20/07 2:23 PM Page 5 Table of Contents Preface 11 Technical Note 17 Introduction 21 Part One: The Indian Background 1. Buddhism in India 31 The Buddha 31 The Buddha’s Life and Lives 34 Epilogue 56 2. Some Important Buddhist Doctrines 63 Cyclic Existence 63 Appearance and Reality 71 3. Meditation 81 The Role of Meditation in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism 81 Stabilizing and Analytical Meditation 85 The Five Buddhist Paths 91 4.
  • Inner Mongolia

    Inner Mongolia

    Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE Research Response Number: CHN30730 Country: China Date: 13 October 2006 Keywords: CHN30730 – Tibetan Buddhism – Government Treatment – Inner Mongolia This response was prepared by the Country Research Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Questions 1. Please provide some background information on this Huang Jiao group. 2. Please provide information on the Chinese government’s treatment of this group, especially in Mongolia. RESPONSE 1. Please provide some background information on this Huang Jiao group. The file indicates that the applicant is from Tongliao, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The applicant claims to practice a religion from Tibet similar to Buddhism. According to the US Department of State, most ethnic Mongolians practice Tibetan Buddhism (US Department of State 2006, International Religious Freedom Report 2006 – China, 15 September, Section 1 – Attachment 1). Huang Jiao means yellow religion in Chinese. One reference to huang jiao was found amongst the sources consulted. The article published in The Drama Review in 1989 reports that huang jiao is the yellow sect of Tibetan Buddhism (Liuyi, Qu et al 1989, ‘The Yi: Human Evolution Theatre’, The Drama Review, Vol 33, No 3, Autumn, p.105 – Attachment 2). The yellow sect of Tibetan Buddhism is more commonly known as Gelug but is also known as Geluk, Gelugpa, Gelukpa, Gelug pa, Geluk pa and the Yellow Hat sect.
  • The Tulku System in Tibetan Buddhism: Its Reliability, Orthodoxy and Social Impacts

    The Tulku System in Tibetan Buddhism: Its Reliability, Orthodoxy and Social Impacts

    The Tulku System in Tibetan Buddhism: Its Reliability, Orthodoxy and Social Impacts By Ramin Etesami A thesis submitted to the graduate school in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at the International Buddhist College, Thailand March, 20 Abstract The Tulku institution is a unique characteristic of Tibetan Buddhism with a central role in this tradition, to the extent that it is present in almost every aspect of Tibet’s culture and tradition. However, despite this central role and the scope and diversity of the socio-religious aspects of the institution, only a few studies have so far been conducted to shed light on it. On the other hand, an aura of sacredness; distorted pictures projected by the media and film industries;political propaganda and misinformation; and tendencies to follow a pattern of cult behavior; have made the Tulku institution a highly controversial topic for research; and consequently, an objective study of the institution based on a critical approach is difficult. The current research is an attempt to comprehensively examine different dimensions of the Tulku tradition with an emphasis on the issue of its orthodoxy with respect to the core doctrines of Buddhism and the social implications of the practice. In this research, extreme caution has been practiced to firstly, avoid any kind of bias rooted in faith and belief; and secondly, to follow a scientific methodology in reviewing evidence and scriptures related to the research topic. Through a comprehensive study of historical accounts, core Buddhist texts and hagiographic literature, this study has found that while the basic Buddhist doctrines allow the possibility for a Buddhist teacher or an advanced practitioner to “return back to accomplish his tasks, the lack of any historical precedence which can be viewed as a typical example of the practice in early Buddhism makes the issue of its orthodoxy equivocal and relative.
  • The Tibetan Translation of the Indian Buddhist Epistemological Corpus

    The Tibetan Translation of the Indian Buddhist Epistemological Corpus

    187 The Tibetan Translation of the Indian Buddhist Epistemological Corpus Pascale Hugon* As Buddhism was transmitted to Tibet, a huge number of texts were translated from Sanskrit, Chinese and other Asian languages into Tibetan. Epistemological treatises composed by In­ dian Buddhist scholars – works focusing on the nature of »valid cognition« and exploring peripheral issues of philosophy of mind, logic, and language – were, from the very beginning, part of the translated corpus, and had a profound impact on Tibetan intellectual history. This paper looks into the progression of the translation of such works in the two phases of the diffusion of Buddhism to Tibet – the early phase in the seventh to the ninth centuries and the later phase starting in the late tenth century – on the basis of lists of translated works in various catalogues compiled in these two phases and the contents of the section »epistemo­ logy« of canonical collections (Tenjur). The paper inquires into the prerogatives that directed the choice of works that were translated, the broader or narrower diffusion of existing trans­ lations, and also highlights preferences regarding which works were studied in particular contexts. I consider in particular the contribution of the famous »Great translator«, Ngok Loden Shérap (rngog blo ldan shes rab, 1059­1109), who was also a pioneer exegete, and discuss some of the practicalities and methodology in the translation process, touching on the question of terminology and translation style. The paper also reflects on the status of translated works as authentic sources by proxy, and correlatively, on the impact of mistaken translations and the strategies developed to avoid them.