Precious Human Life as the Working Basis for Attaining Liberation
When we have attained a human form that is fully endowed with the eight respites for Dharma study and the ten endowments of beneficial circumstances, and that is adept in the conduct of the three higher trainings, then we are equipped with the required working basis for achieving liberation.
The Dharma can be divided into two categories: scriptural Dharma (lung-gi bstan-pa, Skt. āgama-nirdeśa, scriptural teachings) and realized Dharma (rtogs-pa’i bstan-pa, Skt. adhigama-nirdeśa). The method for gaining such realization is that of the three higher trainings in:
- higher ethical self-discipline (lhag-pa’i tshul-khrims-kyi bslab-pa, Skt. adhiśīla-śikṣā)
- higher absorbed concentration (lhag-pa’i ting-nge-’dzin-gyi bslab-pa, adhisamādhi-śikṣā)
- higher discriminating awareness (lhag-pa’i shes-rab-kyi bslab-pa, Skt. adhiprajñā-śikṣā, training in higher wisdom).
The training in higher ethical self-discipline refers to the keeping of vows of ethical self-discipline. This can be done on minimum, intermediate and maximum levels of commitment (rab-’bring-mtha). In the case of males, these are as a layman (dge-bsnyen, Skt. upāsaka) observing any or all of the five lay vows, as a novice monk (dge-tshul, Skt. śrāmaṇera) observing thirty-six vows and as a fully ordained monk (dge-slong, Skt. bhikṣu) observing 253 vows.
We should show respect to all those who wear robes – even to yellow or red patch of robes. However, the person that wears the robes and receives this respect shouldn’t be fooled and think he is great. Sharpa Rinpoche has said:
An ordained person should feel that the robes they are wearing are a sign that they have so many disturbing emotions and so much suffering, they have to adopt drastic measures to deal with them.
When we take vows, it is a serious matter, and it is for life. As the Tibetan saying goes:
The donkey should declare right in Chamdo (Chab-mdo, Qamdo) if it can’t make the full journey to Lhasa.
It is not necessary for us all to be monks and nuns, but at least we should take and maintain the lay vows. Examples for great upasakas are Dromtonpa and Marpa. We need to practice at own level.
Ra Lotsawa (Rva Lo-tsa-ba rDo-rje grags-pa) has said:
Without keeping the vows and the close bonds to the practices, there are no actual attainments. Without the ethical self-discipline of following positive actions, there can be no understanding of the Dharma.
Dharmarakshita has said in The Wheel of Sharp Weapons (Theg-pa chen-po’i blo-sbyong mtshon-cha ’khor-lo), 66a–d:
Our philosophical view is the highest, yet our conduct is worse than that of a dog. Our good qualities are abundant, yet we cast to the wind their (ethical) base.
As the Fourth Panchen Lama (Pan-chen Blo-bzang chos-kyi rgyal-mtshan) has said in A Blissful Path (Lam-rim bde-lam), 11.a4–6, the way to attain liberation is through engaging in the three higher trainings. Concerning the training in higher ethical self-discipline, if we break our vows by
- Not knowing, the opponent is to study the training
- Disrespect, the opponent is to always respect the Buddha, his training, and those who abide by it
- Carelessness, the opponents are mindfulness and alertness, moral self-dignity and care for how our actions reflect on others
- Many disturbing emotions and attitudes, for desire, the opponent is meditation on ugliness; for anger, meditation on love; for naivety, meditation on dependent arising.
The training in higher concentration refers to the practice of shamatha meditation (zhi-gnas, a stilled and settled state of mind). This is the disciplined quieting of the mind of all extraneous thought, mental wandering and mental dullness by focusing it in absorbed concentration (ting-nge-’dzin, Skt. samādhi).
The training in higher discriminating awareness refers to the practice of vipashyana meditation (lhag-mthong, an exceptionally perceptive state of mind) for the full realization of voidness.
Tsongkhapa has said in A Prayer for Constructive (Actions) in the Beginning, Middle and End (Thog-ma-dang bar-dang tha-mar dge-ba’i smon-lam, Thog-mtha’-ma), 12:
To whatever extent I might uplift my mental continuum by much listening (to teachings), exceptional giving, pure ethical discipline, and analytical discriminating awareness, may I be parted to the same extent from any consequent feelings of puffed-up conceit.
One should be humble like Tsongkhapa, who did so many retreat practices, composed a large number of texts, was able to give eighteen discourses in one day, and yet showed humility. When Gyaltsab Je came to see Tsongkhapa for the first time, Tsongkhapa was giving a discourse. Gyaltsab Je walked through everyone, straight to the throne. He climbed up and sat down next to Tsongkhapa. Tsongkhapa just moved over and made room for him. Everyone was so absorbed in the teaching that they didn’t even notice. Never in his life did Tsongkhapa ever abuse or criticize anyone. Gyaltsab Je listened and understood how wise Tsongkhapa was, he moved down step by step and finally prostrated and sat with the other disciples. Tsongkhapa never made any fuss. These are the signs of his great perfection and humility.
As Sakya Pandita has said in A Precious Treasury of Elegant Sayings, VI.14 and IV.3:
People with no talents or qualities sit pompously as though they know everything. But no one is fooled. But someone with real qualities doesn’t have to broadcast them, stays humble and his qualities shine through.
Just as the broad Ganges doesn’t make a sound when it flows, but small brooks make most noise, those with great learning are quiet while those who know little are always bragging.
As the saying goes, “Those who talk a lot, do little practice.”
Phara Dorjechang always kept scriptures by him, so that when others would prostrate, they would get some positive karmic force, since he said he himself had no qualifications. One should be that humble, no matter what one’s attainment is.
Tsongkhapa has said:
Don’t use knowledge gained from discourses just to be proud and gain fame and glory. Use it to tame your own mind and help others.
One should never be a hypocrite or pretentious. Milarepa said we should try to reveal our real behavior of how we act when alone. Milarepa has said, “Hypocrites are revered like gold, but sincere practitioners are neglected like pebbles on the road.” Once, when Milarepa was traveling, he was half naked and lying down on the open ground near the road. Three sisters very well-dressed passed by. They saw him and shaking their heads in disapproval said, “Look at this! It’s better not to have a human form than to be like this.” Milarepa got up and said, “Don’t worry about praying not to be born like me. It won’t happen. You take pity on me, but you are more pitiable due to your self-conceit.”
Dzogchen Patrul Rinpoche always seemed to be stingy and materialistic. He acted like this since he was afraid of hypocrisy and pretention and didn’t want to pretend he was perfect and hide all his faults. He made it a point of showing others his imperfections. Once, a patron came to his cave and offered him a bag of money and incense. He said he was afraid of money, so he threw it down the mountain, but he accepted the incense to make offerings and right there in front of the patron lit the whole bundle all at once. Whenever he gave teachings, he always said, “I want to bare and expose myself, not keep a deluded self hidden inside.” He always gave teachings in strange ways. When he was about to die, he ran up and down the street, shouting and wailing, “I never thought death could be so horrible!” Thus, he taught everyone impermanence and to be aware of death. He could have died in meditation on a throne, with ritual implements, all nice, but rather to teach others, he dropped dead in the street while running up and down and making an awful scene.
When Naropa searched for Tilopa, he asked villagers where the greatly accomplished tantric practitioner Tilopa lived. They said, “We don’t know any greatly accomplished tantric practitioners called Tilopa around here, but there’s a beggar Tilopa over there in that red tent.” Therefore, we should be careful when we meet an ugly or ragged looking person and not belittle them. You never know who they might be.
Over his life, Marpa had nine wives and thirteen children. If he came by, we wouldn’t show him any respect. All we would see is someone with a bad temper and a huge menagerie of children he was attached to. We only respect those on a high throne who look nice.
Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche has said:
Propagation of the Dharma doesn’t depend on ornate temples. It means in a humble house, teachings are preserved through being given, by disciples listening and learning, and sincere practitioners practicing them.
The Kind of Path by Which We Can Attain Liberation
The circle of uncontrollably recurring rebirth is contained within our aggregate factors of experience received tainted with the disturbing emotions and attitudes, their root and their causes for development. In order to break out of this circle, it is necessary to cut it at its root: unawareness and misknowing of voidness. Unless we do so, we can only hope to gain temporary relief from the disturbing emotions and attitudes. Meditation on death, impermanence and ugliness can temporarily overcome longing desire. Meditation on love (byams-pa, Skt. maitrī), wishing all limited beings to be happy, can temporarily overcome hostility. Meditation on the twelve links of dependent arising can temporarily overcome naivety. Such meditations, however, cannot eradicate these completely.
Constructive actions of the body, speech and mind are also unable to halt our automatically arising grasping for “me” (ngar-’dzin lhan-skyes, Skt. sahaja-ahaṃkāra). This inborn preoccupation is based on our unawareness of the actual way in which all things exist, felt as insecurity.
Unawareness can only be removed by the discriminating awareness that fully comprehends that there is no such thing as an impossible “soul” (bdag-med, Skt. nairātmya) that could possibly be made secure. Nor is there any such thing as a truly independent phenomenon that could possibly provide any security for our ego-identity by being either included in or excluded from it. The realization of these truths is directly opposed to the unawareness with which we instinctively try to maintain and secure a concrete and unchanging ego-identity.
To develop in our mental continuum the discriminating awareness understanding voidness, we must master the training in higher discriminating awareness. We cannot do this, however, unless we have already mastered that in higher concentration. However, neither of these can be accomplished unless we have begun by observing training in higher ethical self-discipline.
We need these three things to cut through the trunk of a tree: a sharp axe, a firm grip with precise aim and a sound human body. In the same way, to cut through our unawareness, the root of uncontrollably recurring rebirth, we need all of the three higher trainings.
The training in higher ethical self-discipline gives us the strength and discipline to cut through our unawareness. That in higher concentration gives us the precise aim so that we will always be focusing our efforts on the exact point we wish. The training in higher discriminating awareness provides us with the sharp axe that will actually cut through our unawareness. In short, the only way we can break out of the circle of uncontrollably recurring rebirth is by following all three of these trainings.
When we have developed our minds to the stage of a person of intermediate level motivation – one that desires liberation from suffering to be found throughout this vicious circle – the main thing for us to practice is the three higher trainings. If we were not to proceed to the stages of the person of advanced level motivation – wishing to liberate not only ourselves but all other limited beings from their suffering as well – these three would be explained in full at this point in the teachings. This is because they are the basis of the Hinayana paths of the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas as well as of the Mahayana path of the bodhisattvas.
The lam-rim tradition, however, does not specialize in the intermediate level of motivation. What is emphasized is those teachings of this level that are common to and prerequisite for the teachings of the advanced level. Therefore, it is the tradition at this point to explain only the training in higher ethical self-discipline. Those in higher concentration and higher discriminating awareness are dealt with in the shamatha and vipashyana meditation sections of the teachings for the person of advanced level motivation.
The Advantages of Observing the Training in Higher Ethical Self-Discipline
Nagarjuna has said in A Letter to a Friend (bShes-spring, Skt. Suhṛllekha), 7:
You must entrust yourself to ethical disciplines that are not compromised, not debased, not corrupted, and not transferred. It’s been said that ethical discipline is the foundation for all good qualities, as is the earth for everything moving or unmoving.
Granted that ethical self-discipline, as Nagarjuna says, is the foundation for all good qualities and attainments, it is very important to cherish our ethical self-discipline and keep it pure. If this inner core and support of the rest of our practice of Buddha’s teachings is kept pure, it will be very beneficial. However, if it is not, it will be extremely detrimental.
Pabongka has said:
If you practice well, nirvana can be caused in your own home. However, if you don’t, your cave can be a cause for a hell.
There are five advantages of observing the training in higher ethical self-discipline:
[1] We will be maintaining Buddha’s teachings as a living tradition. The very existence of Buddha’s teachings as a living tradition is totally dependent upon the pratimoksha vows (so-thar sdom-pa, Skt. prātimokṣa-saṃvara), as contained in Basket of Rules of Discipline (Dul-ba’i sde-snod, Skt. Vinaya Piṭaka, Basket of Vinaya). If there are fully ordained monks observing all 253 vows of ethical self-discipline, then Buddha’s teachings exist as a living tradition. If not, even the presence of a lay bodhisattva or of a holder of pure awareness (rig-’dzin, Skt. vidyādhara) cannot effectively ensure their continued existence as such.
The Buddha has said in the Pratimoksha Sutra (So-sor thar-pa’i mdo, Skt. Prātimokṣa Sūtra):
When I pass away, let this (ethical self-discipline of the pratimoksha vows) be your teacher.
Thus, we must maintain pure ethical self-discipline on our mental continuum and cherish it as the representation of the body of the great teacher Buddha within us. It may be difficult, as beginners, for us to put our hands on the trainings in higher concentration and higher discriminating awareness. However, it is certain that we can always put them on the higher ethical self-discipline of the pratimoksha vows on our mental continuum because our mental continuum is always with us. Moreover, it is our mental continuum that experiences, receives and stores the teachings from insights into the scriptural texts gained through their practice. This proves that the continuity of Buddha’s teachings as a living tradition is totally dependent on the existence of a community of monks, the Sangha. This is because each of their mental continuums, being purely disciplined by the pratimoksha vows, is capable of receiving sure insights into the teachings. This is also the basis for the two sets of higher vows.
[2] We will have the basic vessel necessary for holding the two higher sets of vows, the bodhisattva vows (byang-sems sdom-pa, Skt. bodhichitta-saṃvara) and the tantric vows (gsang-sngags sdom-pa, Skt. guhyamantra-saṃvara).
[3] We will be setting ourselves as a living example to inspire others.
[4] We will be upholding the teachings from insights. If we learn the Dharma taught in the scriptural texts by following the traditional course of study, we will be upholding the teachings of the scriptural texts. This we do by first listening to or reading an explanation of the Dharma, then thinking about its meaning until we understand it intellectually and are convinced of its validity and finally doing discerning (analytical) meditation in order to build it up as a habit and integrate it into our lives. If, however, we maintain pure ethical self-discipline as we have vowed, we will be upholding the teachings from insights into the scriptural texts gained through their practice, as our minds will be properly disciplined to gain these insights.
[5] It is especially beneficial to maintain pure ethical self-discipline at a time when Dharma is declining. It is more advantageous for us to keep any of the vows pure, even for one day, at a time when the Dharma is declining than it is for us to keep pure for many eons all the vows on which the three higher trainings are based at a time when the Dharma is flourishing.
In the King of Absorbed Concentrations Sutra (Ting-nge-’dzin rgyal-po’i mdo, Skt. Samādhirāja Sūtra), XXV.3–4, it is said:
You might, while the Dharma was flourishing, make countless offerings with a pure mind to numberless Buddhas with rosaries of butter lamps, banners, umbrellas, foods and drinks for as many eons as there are grains of sand on (the banks of) the Ganga. However, the positive karmic force would be far more especially noble than that if, at the time when the sacred Dharma comes to its (predicted) end, or the Buddha’s teachings become prohibited (for external reasons), you were to act according to the training of a single (vow) for a day and a night.
It was predicted that the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha would last for 5,000 years after he had passed away. In 1954 the halfway point was reached. At the end of this period, when the Dharma comes to an end and is lost, red and yellow cloth will become rare, there will be no Buddha images, all written words of the Dharma will fade, and although ordinations may be given, no one will be able to keep the vows. Then a dark age of no availability of the Dharma will follow, lasting a very long time.
It is related in The Sutra Taught to King Damngag Bogpa (mDo-sde gDams-ngag ’bog-pa’i rgyal-po’i bstan-pa) that when Shakyamuni Buddha was in Bodh Gaya, there was a young monk who offered him a crystal rosary as part of his taking of the bodhisattva vows. Buddha then predicted that because of this offering, the young monk would be reborn in a place between two high mountains and would cause the Dharma to flourish by crowning a statue of Buddha. The birth and life of Tsongkhapa are recognized as the fulfilment of this prophecy. When inaugurating the Monlam Great Prayer Festival (sMon-lam chen-mo) at the Lhasa Jokang (Jo-khang), Tsongkhapa offered a gold crown to the Shakyamuni statue, signifying that it was now a Sambhogakaya statue, not just Nirmanakaya. Sambhogakaya forms of Buddhas live until all beings are liberated from samsara, whereas Nirmanakaya forms live only a short time. This consecration of the statue is the third of Tsongkhapa’s four major deeds and is believed to have helped the cause of the Dharma to continue to flourish.
At the end of this dark age will come the next Buddha, Maitreya, who will be the fifth in the line of 1,000 Buddhas to appear during this eon. It is only after the last Buddha in this line of 1,000 has passed away that the three realms up to and including the Brahma realms will be destroyed by the burning of seven suns. It is at this time that all limited beings will be reborn in the higher heavens of the plane of ethereal forms and on the plane of formless beings until the beginning of the next eon.
The Disadvantages of Not Maintaining Pure Ethical Self-Discipline
In the Sutra Pleasing to Monks (dGe-slong-la rab-tu gces-pa’i mdo, Skt. Bhikṣu-priya Sūtra), the Buddha has said:
For some, ethical self-discipline is (a source of) happiness; for others, pain. Those who keep their discipline experience happiness (as the karmic result); those who break it experience suffering.
In the Sutra on Pure Ethical Self-Discipline (Tshul-khrims yang-dag-par ldan-pa’i mdo, Skt. Śīla-saṃyukta Sūtra), he says:
O monks, leaving this life and dying are easy, but dying when your ethical self-discipline has declined or fallen apart is not the same. The reason for this is that to leave this life and die is what happens (naturally) when you reach the end of your lifespan for this birth. However, if you die with your ethical self-discipline having declined or fallen apart, you will have to experience a great fall (to one of the three worse rebirth states). Having forfeited your happiness, you will lose the opportunity (to attain once more a fortunate rebirth) for millions of lives.
Thinking about such dire consequences as stated above, we should not let ourselves be stained by a downfall (ltung-ba, Skt. apatti) from breaking any of our vows. Rather, we should exert a great deal of effort to keep them pure.
Chone Lama (Co-ne bLa-ma bLo-bzang rGya-mtsho) has said:
It’s a good thing there are only three sets of vows. If there were more, we would all take them and no one would keep them. If we do a retreat or intensive practice and don’t keep the vows, it is of no use.
The vinaya rules of discipline followed by all Tibetan Buddhist traditions are those of the Hinayana Sarvastivadin (Thams-cad yod-par smra-ba) canon. Concerning the breaking of ordination vows, the following differentiation is made according to what our original state of mind was before actually breaking the vow. If circumstances were such that we could not keep it and were forced to break it, and if we did so with the full intention of letting it be known and not deliberately concealing it, then this is considered an unconcealed destructive action (’chab-med, Skt. viṃrakṣa). In this case, both the Hinayana and Mahayana traditions teach that there are means whereby the unfortunate consequences can be avoided. This is because the action was not accompanied with destructive intentions and thus would be considered an instance of karma about which there is no certainty of when we will experience its effect.
If, however, we broke an ordination vow with the intention of keeping it quiet without letting anyone know about it, then this is considered a concealed destructive action (’chab-bcas, Skt. saṃrakṣa). In this case, the Hinayana tradition teaches that there is no way to avoid the unfortunate consequences as it was completed with a destructive intention. The Mahayana tradition, however, teaches the method of declaring our previously committed destructive actions and invoking the four opponent forces to cleanse ourselves of their negative karmic consequences.
Thus, whether we are a lay householder or a member of the monastic community, if we cherish and keep pure our vows of ethical self-discipline with as much care as we would protect our own eyes, just as we have promised, then it is natural that we will attain happiness. We will do so both immediately while we are still in samsara and ultimately when we attain liberation.
Pabongka has said:
If you break the pratimoksha vows, you feel defeated, you get discouraged and you lose your self-confidence. Therefore, it’s hard to be successful in your other practices.
Therefore, we should never let ourselves become stained by the negative karmic debts of breaking our vows.
However, should we become even slightly stained in this way, we should make a great effort to cleanse ourselves of having to experience their unfortunate consequences. This we should do by performing an expiation ritual (phyir-’chos, phyir-bcos, Skt. pratikriyā). In it we invoke the four opponent forces of declaring our previously committed destructive actions and offer the expiatory prayer to cleanse ourselves of misfortune. Therefore, there is no reason for us not to lay the firm foundation of ethical self-discipline as the support for our present course of study and practice and for our future attainment of liberation.