Today’s session was about how we as Buddhists, should practise on the Buddhist path, but Geshe la also gave an extremely erudite and scholarly introduction to the Mahayana path of practice, which is summarised below.
A more elaborate exposition is given further below, but Geshe la emphasised that it is more important for us to have a basic understanding of Buddhist principles for us to become better members of our families and our society, rather than to become Buddhist scholars.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
By way of executive summary, the following were introduced today: –
- The Dharma Wheel & Pair of Deer – as a symbol of the Dharma, representing the Eightfold Noble Path and the Three Trainings (elaborated upon below)
- The members of the Sangha who reside in Monasteries engaging in the 3 Higher Trainings learnings and the Eightfold Noble Path – which is why the Monasteries display the Dharma Wheel & Pair of Deer atop their roofs.
- The Four Noble Truths – which centre on suffering and how to end suffering, beginning with removing the ignorance that stands in the way of our ability to recognise suffering and its causes.
- The Five Paths & Ten Levels (of the Boddhisattva), representing the 5 successive paths on which someone entering the Mahayana path aspiring to be a Boddhisattva practises, as a means to rid the ignorance mentioned above.
THE LESSON PROPER
In explaining the path of Buddhist Practice by Mahayana Buddhist reckoning, Geshe la began by re-emphasising the importance of the laws of dependent arising, and the need not just to understand it peripherally, but to internalise it and to have a firm commitment in the truth of this principle. It is only through this that one will act mindfully in day to day life, given its potential to affect one’s next life or future lives. Happy events come through ripening of positive karmic seeds sown in the past, and conversely, unhappy things happen through ripening of negative karmic seeds from the past, and that holds true for our next lives.
Geshe la observed that whilst many sceptics of religion may criticise various aspects of religious practices that stem from faith, the laws of dependent arising (a concept unique to Buddhism) accord with logic and scientific principles. In fact, science today is only just beginning to catch up with many of the observations and teachings of the Buddha from over 2,500 years ago.
Geshe la then went on to introduce how one practises on the Buddhist path, beginning with what the Buddha taught during the Buddha’s 1st Turning of the Wheel of the Dharma at Deer Park, Varanasi, India. This is an event that is commemorated on the 4th day of the 6th Tibetan month which we in our tradition call Chokor Duchen. This was when the Buddha, having spent 49 days in meditation after having attained enlightenment, first turned the wheel of the Dharma. The audience at the 1st Turning of the Wheel were 5 ascetics of the Brahmin caste, with whom the then ascetic Gautama (as He then was, prior to enlightenment) had been jointly engaging in searching for the truth to the end suffering, as well as godly beings from the deva (god) realm.
Geshe la then introduced the symbolism of Dharma Wheel and Pair of Deer, and explained that Lords Indra and Brahma of the deva realm (deities still worshipped in the Hindu pantheon) had made offerings to the Buddha at Deer Park, Varanasi, beseeching Him to teach the Dharma, and one of the gifts offered was the 8 Spoked Dharma Wheel. The Pair of Deer (one male, one female) represent the inhabitants at Deer Park, Varanasi, who witnessed the 1st Turning of the Wheel. The two deer gaze upwards at the Dharma Wheel with joy and delight – they represent the unity of skilful method and wisdom through which Buddhahood can be attained.
It is for this reason that Dharma Wheel and Pair of Deer appear atop Tibetan monasteries, signifying that these are places where the Buddha’s teachings are kept and taught, wherein members of the Sangha (the ordained Buddhist community) dwell. This symbol also signifies that here, one would find members who follow the Eightfold Noble Path (represented by the 8 spokes of the Dharma Wheel), and the Three Higher Trainings.
By way of introduction, the Eightfold Noble Path, requires the practitioner to have the follow “right” paths: (a) Right View, (b) Right Intention, (c) Right Speech, (d) Right Action, (e) Right Livelihood, (f) Right Effort, (g) Right Mindfulness, (h) Right Concentration.
The Three Higher Trainings are those of (a) discipline, (b) meditation, and (c) wisdom.
Geshe la then explained that the Eightfold Noble Path is actually the part of the 4 Noble Truths being the path towards cessation of suffering – this was the sermon giving during the 1st Turning of the Wheel. The 4 Noble Truths are : –
- The truth that in life, suffering is inevitable
- The truth of what causes suffering
- The truth that suffering can be ended
- The path towards cessation of suffering – that is by practising the Eightfold Noble Path
Geshe la explained that all Buddhist practices will invariably fall within one or more of these Noble Truths. If a teaching or practice does not fall within one or more of these principles, it is not the Buddha’s teachings. This is true regardless of which school of Buddhism one practices.
Geshe la then introduced the 5 paths & 10 Levels of Mahayana practice 五道十地 (apart from the Eightfold Noble Path). The starting premise is that the whole purpose of Buddhist practice is to eliminate “suffering” while in samsara i.e. the continuous cycle of uncontrolled rebirth under the influence of our karma. He reiterated that all suffering (and our creation of causes thereof) actually stem from ignorance (one of the 3 poisons – ignorance, attachment, and aversion). For that reason, the Lam Rim (graduated path towards enlightenment) as propounded by our lineage founder, Lama Tsongkhapa (Je Rinpoche) sets out the 5 Paths & the 10 Levels, which Geshe la explained in the following terms.
Because one wants to eliminate suffering, one must be able to identify what is suffering, and then identify what cause(s) suffering, before one is in a position to eliminate such cause(s). Yet, ignorance stands in the way of this – we cannot even properly identify what is suffering, let alone its causes and be in a position to eliminate these causes. The 5 Paths & the 10 Levels are therefore intended to work on the reduction of one’s belief in an inherently existing “self” (or one’s ego) in a graduated way, until it becomes negligible, and one attains a direct realisation of the concept of “emptiness” i.e. lack of independent existence of all persona and/or phenomena.
By way of introduction, the 5 Paths are: –
The path of accumulation (when one develops, amongst other things, renunciation of life in samsara, or a firm wish to exit the wheel of samsara, and a basic understanding of the emptiness of inherent existence of all phenomena)
- The path of training or preparation
- The path of seeing
- The path of intense contemplation
- The path of liberation/ no more learning
- The paths focus on the development of compassion, or bodhicitta 菩提心, which training transforms the mind into a habitual inclination to benefit others and put others before oneself. The 5 Paths are therefore unique to the Mahayana tradition.
The 10 levels which describe the levels (bhumis) of the Boddhisattva and are variously as follows: –
- The joyous (reached on the path of seeing)
- The stainless (reached only on the path of intense contemplation)
- The light maker (reached only on the path of intense contemplation)
- The radiant (reached only on the path of intense contemplation)
- The very hard to conquer (reached only on the path of intense contemplation)
- The turning toward (reached only on the path of intense contemplation)
- The far going (reached only on the path of intense contemplation)
- The unshakeable (reached only on the path of intense contemplation)
- The good mind (reached only on the path of intense contemplation)
- The cloud of Dharma (reached only on the path of intense contemplation)
Geshe la ended by emphasising that the laws of dependent arising must remain paramount for us who practise Buddhism. The wheel of the Dharma has been continuously turning since the 1st Turning of the Wheel, whether through Dharma teachers such as Geshe la himself, or when we share the Dharma with our family or friends. Geshe la emphasised that it is not only monastics that have the potential to attain Buddhahood. In fact, laypersons and even animals or any other sentient beings in other realms, have the seed (or potential) to achieve Buddhahood, and we should continue to strive along this path.
Thank you all for attending our Dharma talk, and look forward to seeing everyone again next week.