The Components That Uncontrollably Recur with Rebirth

The five aggregate factors of experience are:

• The aggregate of forms of physical phenomena (gzugs-kyi phung-po, Skt. rūpa-skandha, aggregate of form)
• The aggregate of feelings of levels of happiness (tshor-ba’i phung-po, Skt. vedanā-skandha, aggregate of feeling)
• The aggregate of distinguishing (’du-shes-kyi phung-po, Skt. saṃjñā-skandha, aggregate of perception)
• The aggregate of other affecting variables (’du-byed-kyi phung-po, Skt. saṃskāra-skandha, aggregate of formations)
• The aggregate of primary consciousnesses (rnam-shes-kyi phung-po, Skt. vijñāna-skandha, aggregate of consciousness).

The term “aggregate” (phung-po, Skt. skandha) means a bundle, mass, group or heap. It implies a heterogeneous collection formed by grouping many things together. All nonstatic phenomena (mi-rtag-pa, Skt. anitya) may be classified under the five aggregate factors of experience.

Phenomena (chos, Skt. dharma) are synonymous (don-gcig, Skt. ekārtha) with validly knowable phenomena (shes-bya, Skt. jñeya), comprehensible phenomena (gzhal-bya, Skt. prameya) and existents (yod-pa, Skt. ṣaṭ). The form of conventional phenomenon that they themselves are (rang-gi ngo-bo, Skt. svabhāva, individual essential nature) – for instance, a clay pitcher or pillar –can be validly known. Nonexistents (med-pa, Skt. asat), on the other hand, cannot be known by any valid cognition whatsoever as being a conventional phenomenon.

Something totally nonexistent, such as the child of a barren woman or rabbit horns, however, should not be confused with an occluded phenomenon (khegs-pa). The latter is something that could be validly cognized, but for some reason is not, such as the sound of someone’s voice to a deaf person. The fact that they do not hear the voice does not render its sound nonexistent, but merely occluded. The occluded sound could be heard by a valid ear consciousness if one were present, whereas nothing could hear the voice of a barren woman’s child, because there is no such thing. Similarly, the fact that as an ordinary being we do not have non-conceptual cognition of cause and effect and future lives or of voidness does not make these nonexistent and invalid. They can be cognized non-conceptually by aryas and merely are occluded to us as ordinary beings.

Existent phenomena can be divided in various ways, such as the scheme of obvious (mngon-gyur, Skt. pratyakṣa), obscure (lkog-gyur, Skt. parokṣa) and extremely obscure phenomena (shin-tu lkog-gyur, Skt. atyantaparokṣa). Another classification is in terms of affirmation phenomena (sgrub-pa, Skt. sādhya) and negation phenomena (dgag-pa, Skt. pratiṣedha). A negation phenomenon is something that must be understood in terms of the object to be negated (dgag-bya, Skt. pratiṣedhya). For instance, the absence of a disturbing emotion must be understood in terms of that disturbing emotion, or a non-smoker in terms of a smoker. Thus, negation phenomena are not nonexistent but are knowable existents. An affirmation phenomenon, on the other hand, does not need to be understood in terms of such a negation. A vase can be known without negating anything else.

Yet another way of dividing all phenomena (chos thams-cad, Skt. sarva-dharma) is into impermanent (mi-rtag-pa, Skt. anitya) and permanent ones (rtag-pa, Skt. nitya). Although these are the literal translations of these terms, consistent with their usage in the discussion of death and impermanence, the connotations and limits of these Western metaphysical categories do not quite fit the distinction being drawn here and therefore can be misleading. Perhaps closer to the intended meaning would be “nonstatic phenomena” (phenomena that undergo momentary changes) and “static phenomena.” A slight elaboration will demonstrate the complications.

Impermanent phenomena may be either fleeting (glo-bur-ba, Skt. ākasmika, adventitious) or so-called permanent ones (rtag-pa shes-bya-ba). Although two types of continuums can be distinguished, material continuity (rdzas-rgyun) and that of something’s continuing to be the same class of object (rigs-’dra’i rgyun, similar family continuum). An example of the former are the elements of clay before molded into a clay jug and afterwards, or the elements of the human body. An example of the second is a continuum of momentary iterations of a karmic seed or moments of eye consciousness. Generally speaking, fleeting phenomena have a stream of continuity that lasts for a limited time and undergoes degeneration. An example would be an apple or a human body. So-called permanent phenomena, however, are not fleeting and do not degenerate. The stream of their continuity, although changing from moment to moment, lasts forever, with the same intensity. Examples are a limited being’s subtlest mind and a Buddha’s Sambhogakaya.

Both types of “impermanent” or nonstatic phenomena are also known as functional (dngos-po, Skt. bhāva), as well as affected phenomena (’dus-byas-kyi chos, Skt. saṃskṛta-dharma). They are affected or “conditioned” by causes and circumstances and thus undergo momentary changes. Likewise, because they change, they can function to produce other effects, while they themselves are the results of yet other functional phenomena.

“Permanent” or rather static phenomena do not undergo such changes from moment to moment. They are “unconditioned” or unaffected (’dus ma-byas, Skt. asaṃskṛta) by causes and circumstances and consequently are also nonfunctional (dngos-med, Skt. abhāva). Some static phenomena last for only certain time (re-’ga’-ba’i rtag-pa, temporary static phenomena), for instance the space that can be validly known when seeing a clay jug. It cannot be known on its own. It is the absence of anything tangible that would obstruct the clay jug from occupying three dimensions no matter where it is placed. It lasts only as long as the clay jug does. It is knowable but is static. It does not change and can produce no effects. When the clay jug ceases to exist as the result (’bras-bu, Skt. phalam) of causes and circumstances, its space also ceases, but not due to such a causal process. Rather, it is the result of a separation (bral-’bras), namely because it has been separated from and thus no longer has a basis that makes it validly knowable. On the other hand, some static phenomena do not last only for a certain time (re’ga’-ba ma-yin-pa’i rtag-pa, non-temporary static phenomena), but endure forever, such as space in general.

Therefore, in order hopefully to minimize confusion, all phenomena, for the purpose of this discussion, are divided into:

• Nonstatic phenomena
• Static phenomena. 

There are three types of nonstatic phenomena:

• Forms of physical phenomena (gzugs, Skt. rūpa)
• Ways of being aware of something (shes-pa, Skt. jñatā)
• Noncongruent affecting variables (ldan-min ’du-byed, Skt. rūpacittaviprayuktasaṃskāra)

Forms of Physical Phenomena

Forms of physical phenomena include the elements (‘byung-ba, Skt. bhūta) of earth, water, fire and wind and both forms of physical phenomena that are made of elements and those that are not made of them. 

• Those that are made of elements may be gross or subtle and include objects of sensory consciousness, such as sights and physical sensations, and the physical cognitive sensors (dbang-po, Skt. indriya), such as the photosensitive cells of the eyes and touch-sensitive cells of the body, are made of the elements. 
• The physical cognitive sensors should not be confused with the internal physical “seats” of these powers (dbang-rten khog-pa), namely with the cognitive organs themselves, that is the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind. 
• Forms that are not made of elements, such as forms that appear in dreams or are visualized, can only be known by mind consciousness.    

The five cognitive sensors for the five sensory cognitions should not be confused with either the internal physical “seats” of these powers (dbang-rten khog-pa), namely with the cognitive organs themselves, that is the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind. 

Ways of Being Aware of Something

Ways of being aware of something can be classified in many different ways. One is in terms of ways of knowing (blo-rig, lorig). There are, in general, seven ways: 

• Bare cognition (mngon-sum, Skt. pratyakṣa, bare perception)
• Inferential cognition (rjes-dpag, Skt. anumāna)
• Subsequent cognition (bcad-shes)
• Non-determining cognition (snang-la ma-nges-pa, inattentive perception)
• Presumption (yid-dpyod)
• Indecisive wavering (the-tshom, Skt. vicikitsā, doubt)
• Distorted cognition (log-shes, Skt. mithyā-jñāna).

In addition, there are seemingly bare cognition (mngon-sum ltar-snang, Skt. pratyakṣa-ābhāsa) or deceptive cognition (’khrul-shes, Skt. bhrānti-jñāna), validly knowing that it either is (rang-las nges-kyi tshad-ma) or is not self-evident what something is (gzhan-las nges-kyi tshad-ma) and so on. This scheme is useful in logic to know which minds are valid.

[As cited by Akya Yongdzin in “A Compendium of Ways of Knowing: A Mirror to Clarify What Is to Be Adopted and What Is to Be Discarded” (Blo-rigs-kyi sdom-tshig blang-dor gsal-ba’i me-long).]

Another scheme for classifying states of mind is in terms of the three levels of consciousness according to tantra: gross mind (sems rags-pa) deals with sensory objects, subtle (sems phra-mo) with conceptual cognition (rtog-pa, Skt. vikalpa). The subtlest (sems shin-tu phra-mo), or finest level, also known as the primordial mind (gnyug-sems), is that which, together with the subtlest life-supporting energy-wind continues into future lives, as well as into liberation and Buddhahood, being a so-called permanent phenomenon undergoing momentary changes forever. One of its main characteristics is that it does not give rise to an appearance of truly established existence (bden-snang). Thus, it is especially conducive for gaining a non-conceptual cognition of voidness, since voidness itself will not appear to it as being truly existent. Although the continuity of this subtlest mind obtains at every moment, ordinarily we are unaware of it. The various methods to reveal and make it useable are outlined in the tantras. 

In conjunction with this scheme, there is also the discussion of the eighty indicative conceptual minds (rang-bzhin kun-rtog, Skt. saṃkalpa, preconscious primitive conceptual minds), thirty-three associated with hostility, forty with longing desire and seven with naivety, and the three subtlest conceptual appearance-making minds (snang-gsum) that can be affected by them.

[As cited by Lozang Gyaltsen (Blo-bzang rgyal-mtshan seng-ge, the Second Tsotri Tulku) (1757–1849) in “Presentation of the Complete Stage of the Lone Hero, the Glorious Vajrabhairava, Cloud of Offerings Pleasing Manjushri” (dPal rdo-rje ’jigs-byed dpa’-bo gcig-pa’i rdzogs-rim-gyi rnam-bzhag ’jam-dpal dgyes-pa’i mchod-sprin), pp. 20 ff.]

The most basic scheme, however, is in terms of the various types of primary consciousness (rnam-shes, Skt. vijñāna) and mental factors (sems-byung, Skt. caitta, subsidiary awareness). 

• According to Vasubandhu’s Vaibhashika presentation in Treasure House of Special Topics of Knowledge (Chos mngon-pa’i mdzod, Skt. Abhidharmakośa), there are six types of primary consciousness (rnam-shes, Skt. vijñāna) and forty-six mental factors (sems-byung, Skt. caitta; subsidiary awarenesses).
• According to Asanga’s Chittamatra presentation in Anthology of Special Topics of Knowledge (Chos mngon-pa kun-las btus-pa, Skt. Abhidharmasamuccaya), there are eight types of primary consciousness and fifty-one mental factors.

The lam-rim tradition presents the six primary consciousnesses (five sensory and one mental) accepted by Vasubandhu and the fifty-one mental factors accepted by Asanga and in such Gelugpa works as Kachen Yeshe Gyaltsen, “Clearly Indicating the Manner of Primary and Subsidiary Awarenesses” (Sems-dang sems-byung-gi tshul gsal-par ston-pa blo-gsal mgul-rgyan); Akya Yongdzin, “A Compendium of Ways of Knowing.”]

• A primary consciousness focuses on what form of phenomenon its object conventionally is (ngo-bo) – a sight, sound, smell, taste, physical sensation, or object of mind consciousness.
• A mental factor assists a primary consciousness in cognizing the object and qualifies it with emotion.

As the list of fifty-one appears, with definitions, elsewhere on this website, there is no need to repeat that list. Itt is divided into:

• The ten general mental factors
• The eleven constructive emotions
• The eleven disturbing emotions and attitudes
• The two destructive attitudes
• The thirteen auxiliary disturbing emotions
• The four changeable mental factors.

 [see: Primary Minds and the 51 Mental Factors]

A cognition (shes-pa, Skt. jñatā) is made up of a principal awareness (gtso-sems), a cognitive object and a cognitive sensor. A principal awareness is a primary consciousness and a cluster of mental factors, all sharing five congruent factors (mtshungs-ldan lnga, Skt. pañca-saṃprayukta). The lam-rim tradition presents a modified form of the five that Vasubandhu presents:

• Object of focus (dmigs-pa, Skt. ālambana)
• Cognitive aspect (rnam-pa, Skt. ākāra) – cognitive appearance or mental semblance, like a mental hologram, of the object of focus
• Reliance from which it emerges (rten-pa, Skt. āśraya) – the cognitive sensor from which the cognitive aspect emerges, like a plant from the ground
• Time (dus, Skt. kāla) – arising, abiding and ceasing simultaneously
• Natal source (rdzas, Skt. dravya) – each one being the only item of its kind arising from the seed for its kind of phenomenon (sa-bon, Skt. bīja).

Sautrantika, Chittamatra and the Yogachara-Svatantrika assert another mental faculty, reflexive awareness (rang-rig, Skt. svasaṃvedana), which the lam-rim tradition rejects. It accompanies all cognitions and cognizes just the primary consciousness and mental factors in it. It accounts for remembering a cognition 

The lam-rim tradition also does not accept the additional two types of consciousness asserted by Chittamatra: foundation consciousness (kun-gzhi rnam-shes, Skt. ālayavijñāna, storehouse consciousness) and deluded awareness (nyon-yid, Skt. kliṣṭamanas). 

• Foundation or “storehouse” consciousness, specific and individual within each limited being, is a non-determining, unspecified consciousness (not specified by Buddha to be either constructive or destructive) where karmic seeds are planted. 
• Deluded awareness focuses on foundation consciousness and takes it to be the “me” that is to be refuted. 

Some of the fifty-one mental factors are deceptive ways of cognizing an object (’khrul-shes, Skt. bhrānti-jñāna) and others are non-deceptive (ma-’khrul-shes, Skt. abhrānti-jñāna). The deceptive ones are those that arise from unawareness (ignorance), and they can be eliminated because the unawareness that is their cause can be removed.

If we have dirt on our faces, unless we see ourselves in a mirror or someone points it out, we have no way of knowing that our faces are soiled. Therefore, having now learned about the destructive and disturbing emotions and attitudes, we must examine ourselves honestly to see which ones predominantly shape our thought and behavior, causing us to have great suffering and unsatisfactory relationships with others. As soon as we realize that the reason why others are ridiculing us is because our face is dirty, we immediately wash it. Likewise, as soon as we realize that the reason why we are miserable is because our minds are defiled with disturbing emotions and attitudes, we should immediately make an effort to purify it.

It may appear to us that our defiled states of mind are permanent parts of our ego-identity, which cannot be eradicated. If we apply the proper opponent forces, however, then depending on our intelligence, the intensity of our practice and the strength of the opponent forces, all these base states of mind can be eliminated. Our minds can act under the influence of either constructive or destructive attitudes. It is our choice which ones we will follow.

We should not be discouraged by the presence in our minds of destructive attitudes, because they themselves are not our minds. Rather, they are like clouds only temporarily obscuring the sunlight of our crystal-clear consciousness. We should also remember that we have positive attitudes as well, such as consideration and sympathy for others. Nor are we totally wrapped in unawareness. Even if we do not have a full understanding of voidness, we are able at least to perceive that affected phenomena are impermanent. Thus, while it is very important to recognize our shortcomings, we should also be aware of our capabilities for what is constructive. On this basis, we can eventually achieve complete liberation from all suffering and the full enlightenment of Buddhahood.

Noncongruent Affecting Variables

Noncongruent affecting variables neither have physical qualities, nor are they ways of being aware of something. Vasubandhu lists fourteen such items in Treasure House of Special Topics of Knowledge, while Asanga lists twenty-three in Anthology of Special Topics of Knowledge.

Static Phenomena

Vasubandhu lists three static phenomena; Asanga lists eight.  

All phenomena can be classified under the five aggregate factors of experience. This statement, however, is not to be taken solipsistically to mean that everything is inside our heads, and there is no such thing as external phenomena (phyi-don, Skt. bāhya-artha). The latter is defined as any phenomenon other than those that are ways of being aware of something. Although the mind is the agent (byed-pa-po, Skt. kartṛ) of all, in the sense that because of the karmic potentials it has built up on its basis, it acts as the simultaneously acting condition (lhan-cig byed-pa’i rkyen, Skt. sahakārī-pratyaya) for everything it experiences, nevertheless the obtaining cause (nyer-len-gyi rgyu, Skt. upādāna-hetu) in general for phenomena having physical qualities is the potential (nus-pa, Skt. śakti) for the four elements of earth, water, fire and energy-wind. For instance, fire may come from its potential in a match, and likewise the four elements can reemerge from their potentials when the universe regenerates during a new great eon after it has undergone its periodic cyclic destruction. They reappear through the agencies of the minds of beings who fall at such times from their rebirths on the plane of ethereal forms as well as on the plane of formless beings. Thus, although the physical world has an intimate relation with the mind, it is nevertheless external. Since items from it can be objects of our cognition, however, they can be classified under our aggregate factors of experience.

Not only is the world external, but matter (bem-po, Skt. kanthā) is asserted to be composed of particles (rdul-phran, Skt. paramāṇu). These are described as insubstantial and impermanent, that is in constant flux, and they can be further split without there being any partless, ultimately smallest particle. Although there are numerous particular constituents, eight types of constituent sub-particles (rdul rdzas brgyad), four elemental sub-particles (’byung-bzhi rdul-phran) and four subsidiary sub-particles (’byung-’gyur rdul-phran), the type of atom it is depends on which predominate.

What is usually classified under the aggregate of form is all phenomena having physical qualities, namely the five objects of sensory cognition (yul lnga) – also known as the five sensory objects of desire (’dod-yon lnga, Skt. pañca-kāma-guṇa) – the cognitive sensors of the five senses and physical phenomena that are stimulators of mental cognition. 

Under the aggregate of feeling is classified the mental factor of feeling, namely the experience of happiness, unhappiness or indifference in response to pleasant, unpleasant or neutral contact with objects of cognition.

Under the aggregate of distinguishing is classified the mental factor of distinguishing.

Under the aggregate of other affecting variables is classified everything else that is nonstatic and composes our cognitions but is not found under the other four aggregate factors. Except for feeling and distinguishing, this includes all other mental factors and all nonstatic phenomena having neither physical qualities nor those of consciousness.

Under the aggregate of consciousness is classified the six types of primary consciousness, namely eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind consciousness.

The circle of uncontrollably recurring rebirth was formally defined above as any or all of the aggregate factors of experience which are received, tainted by the disturbing emotions and attitudes, from the causes of the disturbing emotions and which are bound together to become fetters by throwing karma and the disturbing emotions themselves in the form of karmic seeds.

The phrase “aggregate factors of experience received tainted with the disturbing emotions and attitudes” refers to the fact that the aggregate of other affecting variables that develops each time we are born has included within its mental factors twenty-six that are defiled and destructive. These are the eleven disturbing emotions and attitudes, the two destructive attitudes and the thirteen auxiliary disturbing emotions. Included among these disturbing emotions and attitudes is unawareness (ignorance), the root of uncontrollably recurring rebirth. 

There are six “causes of the disturbing emotions.” Detrimental influences and verbal stimuli appear on our aggregate of form through contact with our environment due to the karmic potentials we have accumulated. The four other causes are found in our aggregate of other affecting variables. Decisive attention is one of the forty-nine mental factors. Habit and karmic seeds are among the phenomena having neither physical qualities nor those of consciousness. 

Thus, it can be seen that merely by being born we acquire aggregate factors of experience tainted with a complete system of disturbing emotions and attitudes, their root and their causes for development. The suffering derived from merely having such tainted aggregates is called the all-pervasive suffering (’du-byed-kyi sdug-bsngal, Skt. saṁskāraduḥkhatā). All limited beings, from the most miserable trapped being of the joyless realms to the most glorious divine being, are subject to this all-pervading suffering.

How the aggregate factors are “bound together to become fetters by throwing karma and the disturbing emotions themselves in the form of karmic seeds” is described by the mechanism of the twelve links of dependent arising. Unawareness, the root of all disturbing emotions and attitudes, is the first of the twelve links. In an attempt to gain security for an ego-identity that we naively believe to be concrete and unchanging, we perform many actions, both constructive and deconstructive, thereby planting karmic seeds of throwing karma on our consciousness. These may be seeds either of non-meritorious, meritorious or immovable karma, depending on the type of action committed. When activated at death, they will ripen as our future rebirth states complete with aggregate factors of experience tainted with potentials for further defiled actions similar to those through which these seeds were originally planted.

For example, we may be a person who, in a previous life, had behaved with much longing desire. The destructive activities in which we engaged while under the influence of this disturbing emotion impressed many instincts on our consciousness. Placed there as well were sufficient seeds from previous constructive karmic actions for us to be reborn as a human. Thus, all the causal links that throw our consciousness into a future rebirth state were completed in a previous life.

Craving, obtainer and further existence are the three causal links that actualize activating the karmic seeds, planted either during the same life or in a previous one, and ensuring that they will ripen. At the end of a previous life, for example, as our impending death filled us with great fear, we experienced a strong craving to retain our bodies and our ego-identity with its accustomed patterns of behavior. Although these patterns were generated by disturbing emotions, such as longing desire, yet because they were familiar to us and we identified with them, we looked to them for a sense of security. As this craving grew stronger and we realized that death was inevitable, we grasped for another body to provide a continuing basis for our ego-identity and opportunities for trying to make this ego-identity secure through indulging in longing desire. After this craving and obtainer had thus activated a seed of karmic instinct for our consciousness to take a future rebirth with aggregate factors defiled in a manner similar to those of the life now ending, the further existence link ensured that this seed would ripen. Thus, at the end of this previous life all the causal links that actualize were completed.

The resultant links of what has been thrown describe the process, while we are a fetus, during which the potentials for the aggregate mental faculties in our resulting consciousness mature. The links are resulting consciousness, the nameable mental faculties with or without gross form, the physical bases of the six cognitive faculties, contact and feeling. Once our five aggregate factors are fully functional, they contain within them unawareness, the disturbing emotions and their causes for developing into patterns of behavior similar to those of a previous life. This is the reason why they can act as “fetters” binding us to continuing suffering in samsara.

The resultant links of what is actualized, namely birth, aging and dying, describe the course of our present life. Having collected previously the karmic instinct of longing desire, we now experience the appropriate fruits of this seed. For instance, as the fruit that corresponds to its cause in our experience, we were born in an unhappy home. Our mother and father displayed little affection for us, and we felt very unloved. As the fruit that corresponds to its cause in our instinctive behavior, from an early age we displayed insatiable desire; no matter what we were given, we always wanted more. Furthermore, as the comprehensive fruit, the family into which we were born lived in a poor refuge community in a desolate region.

It is a widely held belief that detrimental personal circumstances and social conditions, such as birth in an unhappy home in a poor refuge community, are the root causes for the arising of such defiled patterns of behavior as insatiable desire. In fact, however, these are merely the circumstances under which such patterns develop, otherwise everyone with such a background would be the same. The root cause of both defiled behavior and of the personal and social circumstances of a rebirth is a seed of karmic instinct sown in unawareness during a previous life.

Uncontrollable recurring rebirth (samsara) is a circle of suffering, and this is demonstrated by the fact that our defiled behavior in the past has determined similar patterns of present behavior. If in a previous life the predominant disturbing emotion of longing desire had expressed itself mainly in inappropriate sexual behavior, this pattern regenerates itself in our present life as follows.

The visual form of a woman, whom we meet because of a previous karmic relationship, is made the object of our consciousness by the mental factor of an urging and taking to mind. Our faculty of distinguishing differentiates her from what is around her. The mental factor of contacting awareness experiences contact with her as pleasant and we respond with a feeling of happiness. 

The factors that cause the disturbing emotions to develop – in this case that of longing desire – operate as follows. Because we had acted naively in the past, karmic seeds were planted in our consciousness. One such seed was for the tendency to try to possess pleasant objects in order to gain a sense of security for our ego-identity as someone with great sensual needs. The habit to act out this tendency was reinforced by detrimental influences and verbal stimuli. The emphasis of our friends and the mass media on sex provided an atmosphere in which our preoccupation with our sexual desires was considered admirable and even helpful to the economy. 

In addition, through our unawareness of the way in which all things actually exist, certain mental representations were brought to consciousness. Among them was one of a perfect sexual object, which, if possessed, would bring lasting security to our ego-identity, and our conceptual mental consciousness projects this on her.  now confuses it with our original perception of the woman. As a result, our cognition of this woman, now confused with our mental representation of a perfect sexual object, is colored with the disturbing emotion of longing desire. We imagine her to be an inherently perfect sexual object independent of all circumstances, and we desperately hope that by having sexual contact with her our supposedly concrete ego-identity as someone with great sexual needs will be made secure.

With all the circumstances prepared as above, we now react to our situation with customary unawareness. Desiring the pleasure and security, we hope to receive from having sexual contact with this woman, we do many destructive things. Deciding to act inappropriately with her builds up negative karmic potential and actually committing that act strengthens that karmic potential, thereby generating additional potentially complete chains of dependent arising.

If we actually rape or commit adultery with this woman, we will probably find momentary happiness. However, this feeling, like all other affected phenomena, is impermanent and soon passes. The security we had hoped to gain does not materialize, but the fleeting happiness we experience reinforces our false hope of eventual satisfaction. Thus, the habit to repeat such destructive actions shaped by longing desire grows stronger and more deeply engrained.

We have begun many new potentially complete chains of dependent arising by planting fresh karmic seeds on our consciousness. When craving, obtainer and further existence activate one of them at the time of our death, we will be cast into yet another rebirth – perhaps as a human being once again, filled with great longing desire. However, it is far more likely that first we will be reborn in one of the more unfortunate states. In this way we remain bound to the wheel of uncontrollably recurring rebirth, experiencing suffering no matter where we are born.

We circle on it because of the fundamental error of seeking security for our supposedly concrete and unchanging ego-identity. This, however, is not an inherently self-existent “thing” that can be made secure or permanent. Moreover, whatever we grasp at to give our ego-identity a sense of security is incapable of doing so, because all phenomena lack inherent independent self-existence. This unsatisfactory situation, generated by unawareness of voidness, is the circle of uncontrollably recurring rebirth that must be renounced.

This circle, however, is contained within our own aggregate factors of experience received tainted by the disturbing emotions and attitudes, their root and their causes for development. Therefore, if we are to break free from uncontrollably recurring rebirth, we must purify our aggregate factors of these disturbing emotions. There are various provisional means for so doing, but the ultimate means is with the non-conceptual cognition of voidness. 

When listening to teachings, if we have doubts, we should refer back to our guru and debate with fellow disciples. Debating is very important, especially to train for being able to answer questions that others put to us. If we can answer well, we will be able to benefit others. If we hesitate and stumble when asked questions, it is difficult to benefit them. For example, if you make the statement that all limited beings have been our mothers and have been kind to us, but someone challenges and says, “Haven’t all beings been our enemies and have harmed us?” we should be able to answer straight away that even so, our mothers’ kindness far exceeds our enemies’ cruelty to us. When debating a point, our knowledge will be firm. Otherwise, we can wander anywhere like a bug in a swamp.

In ancient times before Tsongkhapa, the practice of debate had already been brought to Tibet from India. However, there was much misunderstanding. It was felt that debate was only useful to disprove other traditions, not for attaining enlightenment. Tsongkhapa cleared this up. He taught that logic and debate were mainly required to destroy ego-grasping and to confirm faith in the Three Rare and Supreme Gems. Without debate, we can’t fight with our own disturbing emotions effectively and rationally. Also, we should know reasons why to entrust ourselves to the Three Supreme Gems – not just on faith.

Learned people accept logic. A good quality of such a person is their ability to admit when they are wrong and accept a correct view. But an unlearned person is someone whose mind you can never change. The only way to convince them is to beat them with a stick.

If we have meditated on the sufferings of the wheel of uncontrollably recurring rebirth and have thought about how we enter this circle via the twelve links of dependent arising, and if our desire to be liberated from the circle of samsara is now as strong as that of a prisoner to escape from prison, then we have developed true renunciation. With such a state of mind and motivation, we must next study the path for attaining complete liberation from suffering.