Tenets, 10 February 1994, part 3

The great Buddha Śākyamūni has given the advice that my teachings are of two kinds: the instruction teaching as a guide and the tenets for the final conclusions. And for the childish I show the instruction as a guide and for the yogis I teach the tenets the final conclusions. In meaning Buddha Śākyamūni, when he taught the Dharma, the teachings, the teachings were explained in two levels. One which is instruction as a guide meant for the childish, the less intelligent ones, and the other, which is the tenets, the final conclusions, the philosophical final conclusions, is taught for those of the advanced, intense practitioners. So in brief, it explains that his teachings were of two aspects.

Well, what it means is the teachings being two were given from the point of the two different types of persons whom the two different teachings would be suitable. So it is due to the difference in those who due to the difference from the side of the listeners, from the side of the recipient, that the teachings came to be of two kinds. Now we look into the two. One is childish and the other is the yogis, the serious intense practitioners. Now with childish what it means is, for example, first we have in normal worldly convention a person’s phases of life divided into five major stages.

The age from birth until 10 is called the child childish, and from 10 to 20 youth, and from 20 to 30 adult, and from 30 to 40 post adult, and from then onward old age. In classical periods, have reckoning in that type of social circumstance. But in brief, so there are I don’t to get too worried. So in brief, are those five stages in human life phase and we know that child is the beginning part when not matured. Or for example, a human when born is considered immature and until the newborn baby reaches the age of 10, it is called a child and the phase in that part of that phase of life is called childish stage.

There it is a stage where newborn baby has not fully developed either in mental faculty as well more observably in its physical growth. Now here similarly when the teachings in the context of tenets describe people as classifiable into two kinds: the childish and the yogis. Childish is the type of people who due to lack of training, study and practice have at the moment not developed the power of wisdom, the strength of wisdom and therefore it is likened to a childish in normal sense as well. And for those people and beings who fall into this group, the childish group whose mental faculties and wisdom have not fully developed, for them the Buddha Śākyamūni has taught the type of teachings which are more like a simple guideline and whatever he is teaching later on put into book form or in transcribed book form, they also mainly present the instructions in a form of simple guidelines. And for the second type of people who by their training, study and practice have developed the power of wisdom, the strength of wisdom, and not only that who have the qualities of meditative concentration power for them, who are like a fully grown person, for them the Buddha says that he has taught the type of teaching which can be described as the tenets, the final conclusions.

And this second kind of people for whom the more advanced teaching was given, the tenets type of teaching were given. Those people are called as yogis, which literally means people who do a combined practice of method and wisdom or advanced intense practitioners. And here here let’s assume that you are all who are present here are of the second type who have good ground of moral ethics, and who have developed a level of wisdom, and who is not attached to this life’s pleasures as well as next life’s pleasures, but who have a strong renunciation, strong definite exit thought, and who want to attain liberation and freedom. And let’s assume that you really are qualified people to engage into the teachings called the tenets. And we can say that you all we assume that you all can be called as yogis.

Therefore, tenets, in tenets or the advanced teachings of final conclusions, these were the teachings given not to the childish type of people, instead to the yogis, the advanced practitioners who really have reached their mental capacity at quite high levels. And also there is another classification classification of humans from the point of tenet teaching, and it is explained that generally amongst humans there are one type of humans who have entered into tenets, meaning who have engaged in the analysis of what is the final conclusions of the way things are. So there is one type of human beings who are engaged into tenets, and then there is another type of human beings who are not engaged into tenets, who are not at all concerned or don’t have interest at all about the way things are and therefore they are not the kind who have entered into tenants. The type of humans who have not entered into tenets means humans who are not at all interested in the teachings as well in the scriptures which now we can mean as those who are not interested in books relating to the reality of things and the teachings and instructions concerning the reality of things.

And these type of humans are who as well do not at all concern themselves with analysis and investigation into the way things are. And in brief, there are humans who just let themselves follow after the innate mind, which is the ordinary inborn mind one has inherited from previous lives and which will be continued to next lives. So one just lets oneself follow the direction of innate mind. And the direction of ordinary innate mind is such that it mainly is concerned about pleasures of this life. Therefore, as a consequence, second type of humans who have not entered into tenets are humans who are merely interested and working in fulfilling the pleasures of this life.

And then the first group of humans are those who have entered, those who have engaged or entered into tenets. And these are the humans who are engaged into investigation, analysis of reality by ways such as by reading the books and instructions and teaching so forth which explains about reality and in addition to their readings and study they as well mentally spend time and effort in analyzing what actually are the way things are and so forth. And finally, as a result, these are the types of human who in their mind have come to a very decisive conclusion about how things are, about reality and so forth. So they have come to certain final conclusions. And having come to certain final conclusions, they then present what their final conclusions they have come to, they present that to others by way of explaining through very rational reasoning applied way.

And as for whenever in their own way of life, when they have to deal or talk or so forth to others, they talk honestly based on their final conclusions, based on what analysis they have done. So their whole perspective and talk and so forth is guided by the observations and the final conclusions they have come to. And these humans are called tenet proponents, to use so called term, those who explain final conclusions. So they are called the proponents of the tenets or the tenet proponents. So in this way we have proponents of tenets or people who explain their final conclusions and from classical period perspective we can say those who explain final conclusions can be of two types, the non Buddhists and the Buddhists.

But here there needs to be a clarification because here the phrase or description being used is in the phrase the proponents of the non-Buddhist tenets and the proponents of the Buddhist tenets or in other words those who explain the non-Buddhist tenets and those who explain Buddhist tenets. Because this is very significant, a person can be non-Buddhist, but it may not but the person does not necessarily have to be a person explaining non-Buddhist tenets, non-Buddhist philosophy. Similarly, a person can be a Buddhist but the person does not being a Buddhist does not have to be a proponent of Buddhist tenets, does not have to be one who explains Buddhist philosophy, Buddhist final conclusions. So it looks like there is a subtle difference which needs to be cleared out in all four expressions. The first two being the proponent of the non-Buddhist tenets and the proponent of the Buddhist tenets and the second being mere non-Buddhist and mere Buddhists.

And then we look into what cons what constitutes or qualifies a person to be called and to be a Buddhist, and what constitutes or qualifies a person to be called and to be a non-Buddhist. So okay. And to be non-Buddhist. Well, a person is called Buddhist in the sense a person on the path to become a Buddha, to become enlightened. So a person is called a Buddhist if the person, because being aware about the fear of miseries and bad rebirth, goes for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha enlightened beings, their teachings and their truth and their highly realized practitioners.

So whoever goes for refuge to these three Buddha, Dharma and Sangha is called a Buddhist and those who do not go for refuge, who do not place their confidence in these three are called non-Buddhist. Well, this standard which measures whether a person is Buddhist or not seem to be quite respected way of respected or what’s called quite an acceptable way to determine whether a person is a Buddhist or not because this way of determining or qualifying whether a person is a Buddhist or not is in the tradition of the great Indian masters such as Candrakīrti, Atisha and later on preserved the tradition was preserved even in Tibet by such great teacher as Tsongkhapa and Rendawa. So if a it perspective maintained by those great masters, then we can be confident to follow the same and as well apply the similar standard to determine whether a person is a Buddhist or not. And excuse me, by the way, there is car light on outside, red Germany, u f x nine zero two, and red Astra u P m nine seven nine. Now for a person to not only be a Buddhist but as well to qualify as a proponent of Buddhist tenets, or in other words to be a person who explains Buddhist philosophy or Buddhist final conclusions.

Well, to qualify that the person not only has to go for refuge to the Three Jewels, but also the person had to accept the four seals, as will be explained as we go. The person as well has to accept the four seals which are alternatively as well called the four views based on the words of the Buddha. Now the four seals or the four views, four views based on Buddha’s words are such that all compounded things are impermanent, all contaminated things are bound to be miserable, all phenomena are selfless and empty, and nirvana is peaceful and virtuous. So these are the four seals. All compounded things are impermanent, all contaminated things are bound to be miserable, and all phenomena are selfless and in emptiness and nirvana is peaceful and virtuous.

The four seals or the four views based on the word of the Buddha are considered extremely precious because these four views are very beneficial to the person in the course of practice. All the first line, all compounded things are impermanent. Now this means firstly by compounded thing which as well in popular translation called the products. Anyway, compounded things by this it means anything which is the product or result of causes and conditions. And this means there is not any existing thing which does not depend on causes and conditions, causes and conditions for its production, for its birth.

And also both causes and conditions are necessary, there is, because a thing a compounded thing or a thing cannot just be produced by causes alone. And as well they cannot just be produced by conditions alone. Instead they need to have the two combinations of causes and the conditions through which they are produced. And by the very term which is in the literal original term called gathered and formed, by that which is the word for compounded thing, gathered and formed. So by the very original word we can see that a product or compounded thing is the result of the gathering of causes and condition, and then it is formed, or it is produced, or it comes into existence.

Now because compounded things or products are results of causes and conditions therefore their very production, their very birth is dependent on causes and conditions. And now we see in this way, because they are born, because they are produced, so in excuse me if you don’t mind, in Tibetan it’s the same word, produced or born. So because they are born or produced, therefore by the very nature of being a produced thing, by the very nature of being a born thing, it does not last the next moment. And it is by nature of being born something that disintegrates moment after moment. Therefore all compounded thing, all products do not last the next moment, they disintegrate moment by moment.

And therefore then we have the whole line making the sense that all compounded things are impermanent, so impermanent in that sense. By the very causes and conditions which the product or the compounded things are produced, they themselves become the causes for the products disintegration disintegration for the products, disappearance for the products so destructions. And this is so because the very nature of being born, the very nature of being produced itself is also in the very nature of being disintegrating, is also in the very nature of being destroyed, being disintegrated. And it being so example being compounded a product. Therefore it by its nature disintegrates moment by moment.

It doesn’t last even a moment. And this can be very convincingly shown even by looking at our wristwatch where although the second may be considered quite what’s called more precise unit of time abiding, but still that second itself doesn’t last, it doesn’t abide, it disintegrates moment after moment. Now because of this very reasoning that products that they are produced by the nature of being dependent on causes condition and that very nature itself is also in the nature of destruction and therefore the moment by moment disintegrating This also then becomes the reasoning why compounded things or products are called impermanent, that their nature is impermanent. And for us in our practice, how harmful and precious this understanding can be is in this way that this shows the unreliability of the very object on which one is so attached and grasping onto. So there is no reliability.

It is not reliable at all. So one can think in this way and one can apply it on the pleasures in the ordinary existence in the saṃsāra, in the cycle. And through that way, by applying this understanding, can be possible that one can develop definite exit, one can develop renunciation. So in this way this understanding can be helpful. With us since our birth as a baby, where at that time we didn’t have all our teeth and where we were very in such helpless situation.

Even then onward, as a baby, there wasn’t any moment at all that we weren’t disintegrating moment by moment. Even from that moment onward, from the very birth, whether we were going, whether we were eating, whether we were sleeping, or whether we were doing any other types of activities, we were still in the process of momentary disintegration, moment by moment being perished, moment by moment being disintegrated. Then this has been happening and at this time when at this age, when our whole appearance of the body and complexion and so forth have changed, and this has become more stark, disintegration being observable in this way. And the process has not stopped yet because until we die, now this will continue the momentary disintegration related to our this life’s existence, to our this life’s appearance, so forth. So it will continue and it is without any disruption as if like continuous racing of a horse.

So this is how the moment by moment disintegration is still happening. And in this way it is impermanent and for us as a practitioner if we think about these, reflect on these meanings and as we do some meditation on this point, it can be helpful for us to be not attached to the samsaric pleasures and be able through this way of thinking and meditation, we will be able to develop the renunciation and the aspiration to attain liberation. Well this then is quite convincing that all compounded things when related to our body is also impermanent, that our body being an example of compounded thing is impermanent. And now in the next part which is the second line, all contaminated things are bound to be miserable. There we can again apply it to our body in this way that it has been produced by certain causes and conditions and we ask what produces this body.

The actual word used is aggregates including the other four aggregates. So we ask what actually produced this aggregate or this body and we know that it is it is produced by not nice causes, it is produced by karma and impure thoughts. And because it is produced by not nice causes, therefore it is bound to be miserable, that our body is bound to be miserable, that our aggregate presently as ordinary being is bound to be miserable. And we can see that it is bound to be miserable. For example, if we are slightly hungry, there is discomfort if we are overeating, there is a discomfort if there is slight excessive coldness in the weather, again, there is discomfort, or if the weather is too hot, again, there is discomfort, and even if someone pierce a small needle onto the skin, there will be discomfort.

In these ways it’s definite that it is not only impermanent, it also has the nature of being bound to be miserable. Similar example we can say in this way, say if we sit down while it brings certain comfort in the beginning, but if we keep remaining sitting for too long then it will turn into a suffering of being too discomfortable. And then there is suffering and we might after a while want to get up, or stand up and if we do stand up, the instant after too long sitting down and being discomfortable, if we stand up, then instant, at that instant, comfort, but then after a while, if one stands too long, then there will be discomfort, will be suffering, and one may feel like one may want to sit down again. So in this way, one suffering after another, while one suffering has just about not finished, the other suffering starts to follow after it and in this way there is a continuous suffering one after another and in a way there is no moment where there is no moment when there is no suffering at all. And then similar example, when it is too hot, we might get little comfort if we after that have a shower or pour down water on the body.

But then again, if we keep pouring, it will turn into suffering. So in this way, again, in relation to situation of being cold and hot, It is not there, lastingly, the comfort, apparent comfort, there is bound to be suffering falling afterward. And in this way, our whole life is spent with one suffering after another and this then is the nature of our present existence as ordinary being with such aggregates, such body and other four aggregates being present. And why these aggregates have the nature to be bound to be miserable or is because they are contaminated things. And the description of contaminated things is something that is produced by impure thoughts and karma.

So anything that is a result of impure thoughts and karma is here what’s called scripturally called as contaminated things, something that’s bound to let you down. The word originally means bound to let down, but contaminated is more interpretive way normally used. So, you know, it’s bound to be bound to be miserable. And therefore, this then covers our second line of the four seals. All contaminated things are bound to be miserable.

Or if one through such way of understanding applies serious thinking and think well, it is possible through this way one can have the thought wanting to escape, thought wanting to run away from the saṃsāra and that thought can form the renunciation, that thought can come about. Well, one may have the thought wanting to run away to liberate oneself from the cycle of continued suffering, but one would need to search for the way or search for the means by which that liberation can be possible. So as a search or one comes to the third line which says all phenomena are selfless and in the nature of emptiness. So this means to be able to liberate oneself from sufferings, from the saṃsāra, one has to have the wisdom realizing selflessness, the identitylessness of things, of phenomena, because that wisdom is the main method, main means by which one can overcome all sufferings by which one can liberate oneself from the saṃsāra. And then if we reverse back, we then heard those three lines: All compounded things are impermanent, all contaminated things are bound to be miserable, and then the present third line, all phenomena are selfless and in the nature of emptiness.

So this third line explains the need to have the wisdom realizing selflessness, the wisdom understanding that phenomena or things do not have a concrete identity, concrete self. If one has the wisdom realizing selflessness, then one can attain nirvana, which is the state of having overcome all sufferings together with their causes. And therefore we have the fourth line which says, nirvana is peaceful and virtuous. Nirvāṇa, literally, the word means going beyond sorrow, transcending sorrow. So this, what it then means is: if one has the wisdom realizing selflessness, one can then be able to transcend sorrow.

And here, sorrow is to be meant referring to the entire sorrow or suffering of the cycle of the saṃsāra. One can then transcend and one can remove completely the entire suffering. And if one So if one attains nirvana, then one can attain peacefulness and it is peaceful in the sense that the person that has attained that state has peacefulness both on physical as well as on mental level. It is therefore peaceful. We then have that line nirvana is peaceful and in this let’s say in this version, nirvana is peaceful and virtuous.

So this fourth line where one attains the peacefulness of nirvana and line says nirvana is peaceful and virtuous. This is very true because that peacefulness is a peacefulness from its very origin because because when one has attained the attainment, the state of transcending sorrow, one has overcome all suffering together with their origins, the impure thought. And it is a true peacefulness that can be called peaceful. Now we can look at the concept of peacefulness and peace in normal sense, say in the world when people strive to have peace around the world. Here, of course, we apply the basic means to have peacefulness.

We apply the method of compassion and loving kindness. Along with that the, along with these two, the perspective that one must not interfere with the happiness and comfort of others and in this way there is a there is a a there is an existence of happiness being enjoyed by each and every being without any difference from other species of beings, humans and so forth. So that is called peace in the ordinary sense of peace if it is to be quiet. And it is genuine peace but it is an external peace because the real peace has to come from one’s inner mind by having overcome all sources of lack of peace, which is the inflow of the afflictive thoughts one has to overcome all of them. And here, when a practitioner attains nirvana, the state transcending sorrow, Also in this way, the proponent of a Buddhist tenet or a person who not only being Buddhist but as well is engaged into understanding and explaining the Buddhist final conclusions is a person who thinks about these four major final conclusions and then through this way of thinking the person attempts to liberate himself or herself from sufferings, from the cycle, and to attain liberation and such a person is called a proponent of a Buddhist tenet.

So this then is the summary of meditation and practice common to all four Buddhist tenets, that they commonly accept these four major perspectives to be integrated into their practice and they do meditation on those four major points. In finer details of these four points and of other matters, then the four Buddhist tenets or four Buddhist schools of thought have different explanations, which are the various levels of understanding the different descriptions so forth about the practices and this is what we shall be looking into in in our next and other sessions from now onward into the individual perspective of the each of the four Buddhist tenets. So then we shall stop here for tonight, and we’ll have about five minutes questions. If you have any questions, please. Yes, there can be uncompounded things, and to look into that first, the compounded things are those, as we discussed, produced by causes and conditions.

Conditions. And then there are other existing things which do not which are not produced by causes and conditions, but they are existing there, as emptiness and such as space, which do not depend on causes and conditions. And then liberation, as well amongst the four truths, the true cessation, after having attained those states, those states are like not in the state of impermanent. They are permanent things, so they are uncompounded. Yeah. What causes, and conditions are necessary to to make compounded things.

What’s the difference between cause and condition? The causes and conditions, their difference can be seen this way. Let’s say an example of flower. The causes for flower is the flower seed, which actually is the material producing the flower, and then conditions are such as manure of water and heat and so forth. Yes, it can be achieved while one has the form, ordinary body, because in that process what happens is karma and impure thoughts are all terminated, but one has not terminated the impure body of this life which was produced by the karma and impure thought meant to produce this body for this life.

So it is like a nirvana where there is remainder of the body, and it is in that state. But after when one dies, having attained nirvana while on this body, when one dies, then next, in the next phase, next time or after that, it will be nirvana where there is not even the remainder of the normal contaminated body. So it’s a different state. And in a way they do have two specific expressions. It’s called nirvana with remainder and nirvana without remainder.

Affliction would occur. Mhmm. Way things No pain and unpleasant experiences will be experienced because there is no cause left to experience suffering or unpleasant feelings or pain because one has overcome karma as well the impure thoughts. Yeah. As well as being It is permanent.

Because it is a state which is just the termination of suffering and it’s just a cessation. So it is not an affirming phenomena. It’s not a phenomena or thing. It’s just an absence or the termination of suffering. And that’s why it continues.

That’s why nirvana is as well called cessation, termination. It’s just a mere termination state of all sufferings. Arhat. What’s that? That would be an arhat.

Mhmm. Yeah. That’s right.

If you’ve The nirvana can again be seen on two levels, one which is the nirvana of the lower vehicle where practitioner attains the state free of sufferings and all gross impure thoughts just of oneself and also one’s benefit only. So it’s based on one’s welfare to accomplish one’s welfare. And then we have the higher nirvana, which is the great nirvana, and that is the state of Buddhahood, where one not only overcomes sufferings and gross impure thoughts, but even the imprints, subtle imprints. And also the purpose is different. One attempts to achieve or attain that state in order to benefit all sentient beings.

And then in the case of bodhisattva, we would say he would not attempt to attain nirvana just for self interest instead. bodhisattva would work towards attaining Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. There’s just freedom from gross impure thoughts and imprints but might those act like a smoldering coal in the ashes of a fire that could ignite the whole thing again? Well, in the case of the lower vehicle’s nirvana, there one has only overcome afflictive obscurations, the weaknesses of mind obstructing to attain liberation. Whereas in the case of one, if one is to achieve omniscience, the enlightenment, Buddhahood, one has to overcome what is normally called the obscurations to omniscience or knowledge obscurations.

Also, an arahant or someone who has just attained liberation would still have obscurations or weaknesses of mind hindering from achieving omniscience, so has not attained that state yet. So there is these two differences and lower vehicle liberation, or the nirvana, is the state having overcome all afflictive sufferings and impure thoughts. And to interpret, well, there will be no worries about them returning back. So at that stage all impure thoughts are permanently overcome. Can they become a bodhisattva.

The Jangchub Sempa You become bodhisattva once you have generated or developed bodhicitta. So it is a state where a person has developed bodhicitta but not yet become Buddha. So that period is called bodhisattva.