Tenets, 27 October 1994, part 1

Person is very small thinking. Therefore, is done out of such thinking bound to be a small action and the result produced by such small action is bound to be of small result. Not only that, if one only thinks about oneself, then it is a thought where one neglects all others’ welfare. In a way, such thinking is a type where self-cherishing has crept into one’s direction of thinking. And as long as anything is done out of self-cherishing it is certain that whatever is done through self-cherishing will eventually bring about suffering or problems.

Others are countless because in others all sentient beings are included and if we are to metaphorically speak then in thinking about others one is thinking about countless beings equal as if to the limitless extent of the space. So it is very meaningful to think about of others because that involves all countless beings. And due to such perspective one if starts wishing all others to be free of sufferings and be with happiness then it is excellently good kind direction of mind which includes both loving kindness and compassion. Out of such intention or motive whatever one does becomes noble deeds, meaningful action, and the result one achieves through such noble deeds would be excellent. And not only that, cherishing others or considering others dear is the foundation through which all excellent qualities of the mind comes about. Therefore through such way of thinking one needs to make the determination that I must make all beings be freed of suffering and place them in excellent, abundant, unchanging happiness.

Having made such determination one then would find that presently as ordinary beings it’s not possible to accomplish that. It is only possible when one has exhausted or terminated all weaknesses of mind, the faults of the mind, and has acquired all excellent qualities of the mind which in a way, another way of saying is only when one has attained Buddhahood enlightenment that that is possible. So through such chained way of thinking whenever one makes the determination to attain enlightenment in order to remove other sufferings and to place them in excellent happiness such thought is called the precious bodhicitta, the precious mind of enlightenment. To be able to attain such excellent stage of mind enlightenment one needs to do practice, needs to do meditation, but before doing those one firstly needs to know the avenues of practice well which is done through engaging into learning and followed by reflection which involves analysis and investigation and so forth and finally the actual practice and meditative familiarization. So here one makes the determination in one’s meditation that in inquiries especially into the Mahāyāna path, the great vehicle system, I am going to take great effort and interest in the learning reflection and meditative familiarization part of the practices.

Now here the great master Candrakīrti says the conventional truth is the means and the ultimate truth is the main support by not knowing the two the beings come under the control of wrong concept. Anyway, here in our continuation from last time’s Thursday evening we are in the third school of thought, the mind only tenets assertions where we have finished the first three points its definition, its division and its etymological explanation and presently we are on the explanation about the mind only school’s presentation of object where it can be the object part can be seen with reference to a threefold category of topic the two truths as the base, the path being method and wisdom and the two enlightenment states as the two fold results. In the presentation of the basis, there are two parts, the two truths. Our deceptive truth or the conventional truth and ultimate truth. And in the earlier citation it is explained that the conventional truth or deceptive truth is the means through which one comes to realize or understand the ultimate truth.

As regards what is ultimate truth and what is deceptive truth or conventional truth, well emptiness is the ultimate truth and anything other than emptiness come under the category called deceptive truth. The two truths then it would not be possible for one to unmistakenly follow the path which is the method and wisdom. Therefore one needs to, through the understanding of the two truths, come to unmistakenly knowing or realizing the path which is method and wisdom. Here the emphasis of the usage unmistaken has specific significance because if one practices the path, the method and wisdom unmistakenly then the practice should produce the result which are two enlightenment states and if one happens to mistakenly practice or follow the path then the result would not come about. So the unmistaken has that kind of significance in relation to producing the result as it is intended or it’s meant to be if the parts are followed well.

In brief, if one in the first place has understood the two truths well then this would make one realize the path method and wisdom unmistakenly out of that will come definitely the result of the two enlightenment states. And the opposite to that is if one has not realized or understood the two truths then one’s following of a path would be in a mistaken path and out of mistaken path one would receive non valid results, a kind of not the proper result. Firstly, going into the two truths let’s first look at this point that all phenomena are called as objects of knowledge and the reason for that is if anything is object of knowledge it is a phenomena, an existing entity an existing thing and in that way the two are interchangeable terms are the objects of knowledge and existing things In brief, anything that exists necessarily is either a deceptive truth or an ultimate truth. So in that way all existing things or phenomena can be classifiable into the two truths. Between the two truth here, the ultimate truth comes first in the explanation prior to the explanation of the deceptive truth the reason for that is on the reason for that is on the explanation on ultimate truth does not sidetrack into many variations whereas the explanation on the deceptive truth is bound to spread into many variations and the reason for that is ultimate truth are all of same types, are of same kinds whereas the deceptive truth or phenomenon which are in deceptive truth can be of many different types and so when explaining deceptive truth the explanation is bound to spread into many varieties and so forth.

Well definition? Well here here with the definition of the ultimate truth it is a very precise means by which one understands what is ultimate truth. A person can have an inquisitive mind wondering wondering what what is is ultimate ultimate truth. Truth. Therefore the definition part is a means by which to search an inquiry the definition part explains or describes what ultimate truth is and so forth.

And in that way of looking at we can say the ultimate truth is the meaning and the definition of ultimate truth is the means by which one comes to understand that meaning. All functions of every definition is uniform in that way. So the definition of ultimate truth is that which is to be realized by the the valid knowledge perceiving it by way of the dual appearance subsided. So we’ll do without the commentary bit first just the words that’s where the latter part was. So if you got the definition noted down then now let’s go into the actual identification meaning the explanation of what the definition in meaning says.

So in the definition it starts with that which literally is one but that is the right literal rendition so that refers to the ultimate truth and what follows next is which is to be realized by the valid knowledge and more precisely realized should be inserted with directly realized because here there is a precise difference that it is not inferential realization but direct realization and it is realized by valid knowledge and how it is realized that part is covered by the last part of definition saying by way of dual appearance subsided. Now in the that’s the whole lot Now in the part where it says directly realized by the valid knowledge here directly realized indicates it is a direct valid knowledge earlier in our Thursday evening classes we come across that there are two types of valid knowledge direct valid knowledge and inferential valid knowledge and here the emphasis of directly realizing by valid knowledge indicates that the ultimate truth, the emptiness, is to be realized not by inferential valid knowledge but by direct valid knowledge. Here directly realized by valid knowledge part also indicates it is a yogic direct yogic direct valid knowledge. This will bring us this will This will need the recall of the four types of direct valid knowledge, sensory direct valid knowledge, inner direct valid knowledge, mental direct valid knowledge and yogic direct valid knowledge as we came across earlier and here the ultimate truth is the realization of emptiness which is to be realized by direct yogic knowledge directly realizing it.

It is object to be realized by yogic direct knowledge. Also, the ultimate truth is the object and the yogic yogic direct valid knowledge is the object or the mind which realizes that ultimate truth and here ultimate truth is emptiness and this then gives a picture where yogic direct valid knowledge realizes emptiness and the manner of realization is without any dual separation or without any dual appearance and this is where that part of definition comes the dual appearance subsided and this is quite precisely factual or true because when the yogic direct valid knowledge realizes emptiness there is no separation of the object beyond there and the subject here. The two merge into one state and it would be like example if water is poured onto water the two becomes a blend inseparable of one type that one cannot separate which was the earlier water meaning the base water and which was the later water meaning one which was poured onto the previous one that the two have become one. So like that there in this realization of the ultimate truth, emptiness, the manner of realization is without separation separation of the object being realized and the subject the mind which realizes it and that part is covered by in the definition the dual appearance subsided.

In our case, when we sometimes do meditation on emptiness then let’s suppose we do in a way upright straight spine and formally position and so forth but when our eye but if suppose our eyes are open then whatever is happening around in before our eyes we get sidetracked similarly when there are sounds being heard then we get sidetracked similarly if a needle or instruments so forth are pressed into our skin we get sidetracked and occasionally we cough that’s where the latter part was occasionally our nose drips and and we get we get we get get side side tracked so in that way, our meditation on emptiness no matter we try gets side tracked and it doesn’t go well. And the postscript laughter was sometimes we also fall asleep. Whereas in the case of a person who has developed yogic direct yogic direct valid knowledge then in such person’s case when meditation on emptiness is done the mind which is the mental consciousness, the yogic valid knowledge focuses on emptiness and remains straight first, stable, fully concentrated on it. And during such session of meditation on emptiness with such yogic direct valid knowledge all sensory consciousness ceases to function, cease to function.

Therefore matter eyes may be open the seeing of things and therefore being sidetracked doesn’t happen. Sounds are not heard in the ears even when pierced by needle needle onto the skin one doesn’t feel at all so when these not happen then what then definitely there is no need to mention about not falling to sleep and coughing and so forth so in a way mind only, the mental consciousness only is completely merged onto emptiness itself, the object, and in that fashion the meditation on emptiness is done. So there is only the mind or the mental consciousness focused on emptiness itself alone. All other sensory consciousnesses so forth sees. To give a picture we might say that a person would be perhaps be said as a fallen to sleep onto emptiness itself.

That the mental consciousness, the focus on emptiness is so merged like as a fallen to sleep on emptiness. When When we fall into deep sleep then it is quite obvious that we don’t hear most of the sounds hanging around or we don’t hear most of the sounds even though they may be around our ears. And if we fall into deep sleep not only that even quite a degree of pressing of things onto our skin we don’t feel become not affected by that. So in that case our mind being in deep sleep is so withdrawn, all the sensory consciousness is so withdrawn. Now if that happens in the case of deep sleep then in the case of yogic direct valid knowledge focusing on emptiness is far more an absorption state of being totally undistractable and merged onto emptiness itself then there will not be any sight tracking and even sensation of heat and cold and none of the sensory consciousness is functioning at all.

There is only the mind being focused on the object emptiness. In the past, with the historical Buddha, even historically speaking when Buddha was meditating on emptiness as part of all other trainings and was next to a stupa around the holy place and in meditation than being so absorbed into direct meditation on emptiness even the local cowherds meaning the young kids who follow the cattle so forth they came to wonder whether this is a human or not, and as confirmation they would poke onto the Buddha’s eyes and ears and still, Buddha remained unaffected, deeply immersed in meditation on emptiness. So that part relates in the definition the way of dual appearance subsided. As regards the further detail on dual appearance subsided what it means is it has to have threefold features of dual appearance subsided that there should not be appearance of true existence as well there should not be appearance of conventional things or the deceptive phenomena as well there should not be appearance of the object and subject being at distance or at separation. So there are three of those three types of dual appearance, or three kinds of dual appearance. In that state the mind is totally one with the state of emptiness as if water poured onto water.

Ultimate truth, the very reality, the sphere of reality, and ultimate mode of existence are all of same meaning. They are all synonyms. Flower and metok, the Tibetan word for it are two different labels but in meaning they are same referring to the same object. Similarly those different expressions used to refer to ultimate truth are of same meaning but different expressions. The ultimate truth, the very reality, the sphere of reality, and ultimate mode of existence, they are all same.

The ultimate truth is of two types the subtle selflessness of phenomena and subtle selflessness of person. Here the classification into subtle selflessness of phenomena comes about because mind only tenet is the tenet belonging to great vehicle where there is the classification into selflessness of phenomena. So in the selflessness of phenomena in mind only tenet there are two types first is the emptiness of the form and the valid knowledge perceiving form being empty of a third substance, and that is one type. Now in the form, what it means is the form such as visible shape and color and so forth things which are of that aspect and then the valid knowledge perceiving form is the eye consciousness which perceives form, the visible object in the form of color and shape and here in the first type of selflessness of phenomena where it says the form and the valid knowledge perceiving form emptiness or devoid of a third body or third substance, third substance is precise, substance what it means is firstly before going into it we have from earlier sessions of mind only tenet that we have come across according to mind only tenets explanation the form which is perceived by the eye consciousness and the eye consciousness which is perceiving the form are of one substance that the two have come about from the awakening of the same one imprint that same one imprint of which the half portion has manifested externally as the form and half of it manifests as the eye consciousness perceiving the form so in that way according to mind only tenet the form and eye consciousness perceiving form are of same substance that the two are devoid or emptiness of any third or third substance or third body.

In the same way, the sound and the ear consciousness, which is the valid knowledge perceiving the sound are of one substance. They come the two come about from the from the awakening of the same one imprint therefore they are of one substance and in that way they are devoid of other substance, a third body, third substance meaning other substance. Similarly the nose or the smell and the valid knowledge perceiving the smell are of one substance. Similarly the taste and the valid knowledge perceiving the taste are of one substance. Similarly the tangible objects or touch and the valid knowledge perceiving the touch or tangible or tangibility are of one substance they all arise from the awakening of the one same imprint and therefore in each of these case there is no third substance or other substance where the separation of the two can be justified.