Jangchub Lam Rim – the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment – Teachings – Day 4

Tashi Lhunpo, Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India, 23 December 2015 – Golden early morning sunlight suffused the land around Tashi Lhunpo Monastery today as His Holiness the Dalai Lama met more than 270 Tibetan pilgrims prior to beginning the day’s Lam Rim Teachings. He told them:
“We always say that it’s those who live there who are the real owners of Tibet. Over the last 60 years, and particularly during the Cultural Revolution, Chinese behaved as if they regarded Tibetan culture as backward. And yet, now there are said to be 400 million Chinese Buddhists, many of them interested in Tibetan Buddhism. It’s easy for us Tibetans to learn about Buddhism because the scriptures containing the Buddha’s words and commentaries by later Indian masters are available to us in our own language. Preserving this tradition is not about keeping sets of Kangyur and Tengyur at home, it’s about reading and study. I’ve met people in the Himalayan Region for example who are Buddhists, but have no clear idea who the Buddha is.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama meeting with Tibetan pilgrims before the day’s Lam Rim Teaching at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India on December 23, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL

“I began to study when I was about six years old and what I’ve learned has really helped me. Today, even scientists are interested in what Buddhism, with its inner values and knowledge of the workings of the mind and emotions, has to say. So, study and use what you learn in your life. As well as the Kangyur and Tengyur, there are also 10,000 works by Tibetan masters. Our literature is truly rich.

“Meanwhile, we all have marvellous brains. Use them. If you have money you’d think it foolish not to use it. You invest it in doing business. You should think of your intelligence as just such an asset too. Learn about the mind and emotions. I urge Indians to study too.”

At this point, a woman in the group piped up, “We are studying, we are.” His Holiness smiled and responded,  “That’s really good. And it shouldn’t just be monks and nuns; lay people can study and engage in debate too.” And again, the same woman chimed in, “We do, we do.” His Holiness went on:
“Education is so important. Without it we will just be backward. We need knowledge of our own culture. We Tibetans and Chinese have strong ties that go back to when our Kings married their Princesses. Sometimes we have fought each other, but we’ve also had long periods of friendship. We need to be friends with China. In the 7th, 8th and 9th centuries we were completely independent, but we’re not seeking independence now. It could be that China can help us, can set up schools and help us in other ways. If they do that, we can preserve our own religion and culture, and use it so that China can also benefit. There has been change in China and there’s further change to come. Be relaxed and happy.”
The warm morning glow persisted as Ling Rinpoche, the prime mover of the Jangchub Lam Rim Teachings and other Abbots escorted His Holiness through to the temple to his seat on the veranda. Prayers were recited and tea was served.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama reading the text during the Jangchub Lam Rim Teaching at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India on December 23, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL

An estimated 31,000 people have registered to attend this fourth season of Lam Rim Teachings. Of those, about 22,000 are monks and nuns. His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s advice is being simultaneously translated into English, French, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Mongolian, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese. Of these translations, the English, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, Mongolian, Russian, and Vietnamese along with Tibetan are being webcast.

His Holiness is giving a reading transmission of the Lam Rim texts, which means he reads out every word, adding comments if and when he sees fit. Today, he tended to read more and comment less, but he began by referring to what Nagarjuna’s ‘Precious Garland’ says:

“To attain enlightenment we need to understand emptiness and to cultivate the awakening mind of bodhichitta. We have this human life, we’ve met the Dharma. If we have such an opportunity to study and practise, but don’t use it, it would be such a waste. On the other hand, if we try, we’ll achieve something. The purpose is to benefit all sentient beings. Nagarjuna says that to attain enlightenment we have to cultivate the causes. Dignaga says we’ll only attain enlightenment by following the path. Great compassion is the root of the awakening mind, and even to take refuge properly we need to realize emptiness.”

Some of the over 22,000 monks and nuns attending His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Lam Rim Teaching at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Bylakuppe, Karnataka, India on December 23, 2015. Photo/Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL

His Holiness took up Zhamar Pandita’s ‘Treatise’ at the point where, explaining the process of cyclic existence, it explains how we die and are reborn. Potawa said that our wandering through cyclic existence has no beginning. The root cause is ignorance. Touching on the twelve links of dependent origination on the way, His Holiness read the text steadily up to the start of the training in the stages of the path for persons of great capacity. It begins by stating that bodhichitta is the sole gateway to the Mahayana. Of the two methods for developing the awakening mind, the approach of the seven point cause and effect and exchanging self and others, His Holiness said he has found the latter to be more effective for him.
Switching to ‘Liberation in the Palm of your Hand’, after lunch, His Holiness outlined the sevenfold training which includes an understanding of all sentient beings as having been your mother, remembering their kindness, repaying their kindness, meditating on love,  great compassion, altruism and finally developing bodhichitta. He said this conduct of a person of great capacity is actually the main focus of the Lam Rim literature.
“Because we’re dedicated to working for all sentient beings until the end of space, the merit does not get lost or go to waste.”

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