Meditation on the Lack of an Impossible “Soul” of All Phenomena

Becoming Convinced of the Non-Inherent Existence of Phenomena Having Physical Qualities

When visual forms and other such phenomena appear to the consciousness of ordinary limited beings under the influence of unawareness, they seem to exist truly independent and objectively from their own individual stance. It is this manner of appearance, mistaken to be these objects’ true manner of existence, that is to be negated. We must negate that these appearances actually exist the way they appear.

Consider, for example, the analysis of a vase. According to the consciousness of ordinary limited beings who have not yet found a correct understanding of voidness, it does not appear that this vase is merely that which is imputed onto a basis for labeling and referred to by the name “vase.” Some people may label it “relic of an ancient civilization,” “ceramic object” or “my mother’s prize possession which I just dropped.” Conventionally, these can all be validly imputed onto the same basis for labeling. Moreover, the single name “vase” may refer to that which is imputed from different bases for labeling – for instance, our visual impression of this vessel, the feel of it in our hand, the sound of it smashing on the floor, our memory, mental representation or dream of it and so forth. Thus, a vase, to which we instinctively grasp as existing truly independently, cannot be established as existing in this way as a single unit, that which is imputed being completely identical with its basis for labeling.

Nor can it be established that a vase can exist truly independently as something totally separate from a basis for labeling. We cannot establish this “vase” unless this name refers to that which is imputed on some basis for labeling, either physical or mental. What a name refers to must be based on something. Therefore, that which is imputed cannot exist as something independent from that upon which it is imputed. Consequently, because it is impossible for anything to exist truly independently if it cannot be established as existing in either of these two ways – either as one or as many – phenomena having physical qualities cannot be established as existing truly independently at all.

In short, all phenomena having physical qualities such as form, as illustrated in this analysis of a vase, must depend on their bases for labeling and cannot exist on their own. Therefore, such things cannot exist truly independently.

Aryadeva has said in the Four Hundred Verse Treatise, XIV.23b:

As all these (things) are not independent, therefore there is no such thing as a (truly existent) “self,” (either of a person or of any phenomenon).

Becoming Convinced of the Non-Inherent Existence of Phenomena That Are Ways of Being Aware of Something

Something having qualities of consciousness is defined as a nonstatic phenomenon of a clear awareness permeating an object. There are a great number of different kinds of such ways of being aware of something, such as the six types of primary consciousness (rnam-shes, Skt. vijñāna, primary mind) and the fifty-one mental factors (sems-byung, Skt. caitta, subsidiary awareness).

[See: Primary Minds and the 51 Mental Factors]

All of these, however, are merely what our conceptual understanding refers to as a way of being aware of something in terms of a basis for labeling. Such a basis is a composite of many sequential instances or moments (skad-cig, Skt. kṣaṇa). What is imputed is differentiated according to whether it experiences on the one hand merely the self-nature or set of fundamental data of what it is aware, or, on the other, its descriptive distinctions. The former is called a primary consciousness and the latter a mental factor. Therefore, a way of being aware of something cannot be established to even the slightest degree as existing truly independently and objectively from its own individual stance.

When any kind of consciousness of an object arises in our minds, however, it does seem to be a validly existent and findable thing on top of its object, and it does seem to appear there without depending on anything else whatsoever. To those for whom this is not merely an appearance, it is this manner of appearance when taken to be the true manner of existence of consciousness that is to be negated.

Consider, for example, the analysis of the ways of being aware of something on our mental continuum today. If it could be established that consciousness actually existed in the way it appears to, then we would have to prove that it as a whole and each instance of today’s consciousness exist truly independently and objectively from their own individual stance, either together as a solitary unit or separately as a group of many solitary units. 

To establish their separate independent existence, there would have to be something distinct left over, called “today’s consciousness,” when we removed both the consciousness of this morning and this evening. However, as there is nothing left, we cannot establish that today’s consciousness exists truly independently separate from that of this morning and this evening.

If it were established that both today’s consciousness as a whole and that of this morning and this evening exist truly independently together, inseparably, as a single solitary unit, then we would be forced to conclude that there have been as many instances of the whole of today’s consciousness as there have been moments of the day. If we continue to think logically, we come to many further absurd conclusions. As today’s consciousness occurred during the morning, we would have to say that this evening’s consciousness did so as well. However, as this evening’s consciousness obviously did not occur in the morning, neither did that of today.

Therefore, because consciousness and its parts cannot be established as existing truly independently either together or separately, that is either as one or as many, we should make an effort to become convinced in this way that consciousness does not exist truly independently at all.

Although ways of being aware of something have no such thing as a true independent manner of existence, nevertheless, they do refer to a basis for labeling which is a collection of many sequential parts – namely instances connected by the laws of dependent arising and cause and effect. This is why they can be called conscious phenomena or a cognition or awareness (rig-pa, Skt. vidyā) of something. Moreover, it is these ways of being aware of something, labeled “this” or “that” by minds perceiving conventional appearances validly (tha-snyad-pa’i tshad-ma), that account for everything we do that keeps us bound to the wheel of samsara and should do to become liberated from it.

Becoming Convinced of the Non-Inherent Existence of Noncongruent Affecting Variables

Time is an example of a phenomenon having neither physical qualities nor qualities of consciousness. One year, for instance, is nothing but that which is imputed on a mere collection of twelve months and which conventionally appears to exist truly independently. The object to be negated, then, is the exact opposite of this, namely that one year does not merely appear to exist truly independently, but actually does exist in this way.

When we become certain of the object to be negated, then we will see that to which the label “one year” refers and the basis for labeling, twelve months, cannot be established as existing truly independently together as a single solitary unit, inherently from their own specific self-nature. If they could be proven to exist as such, then we would be forced to the mistaken conclusion that since there are twelve months as the basis for labeling, then likewise there must be twelve years. Or we would have to conclude that since there is only one year, all twelve months must be one and the same. If, on the other hand, one year and twelve months could be established as existing truly independently, separate from each other, then when we removed the twelve months, we should be left with something findable and completely different which we could call “one year” and which would have no relations whatsoever to these twelve months.

As neither of these alternatives is the case, however, then a year is nothing other than that which is imputed by a rational mind for convenience’s sake onto twelve months, its basis for labeling. Therefore, by following this line of reasoning, we should convince ourselves that this category of nonstatic phenomena as well lacks inherent existence.

Such things as space, voidness and true stoppings are static, unchanging phenomena that are unaffected by causes and circumstances. This does not mean, however, that they exist independent of parts or a basis upon which they are imputed or an object of negation that they are the absence of. Nor does it mean they are ultimately findable from their own side, as they appear to be.

Consider first the example of space. It is the absence of tangibility and obstructibility imputed on an object so as to account for the fact that it obtains in three dimensions and takes up room whatever it is located. Conventionally it has divisions or parts. If this space and its divisions – east, south, west and north – existed together, truly independently by definition as a single solitary unit, then the eastern and western parts of an empty space would have to be one and the same. If this were the case, then when the sun was rising from the eastern part of space, it would also have to be rising at the same time from the western part of space.

If, on the other hand, space and its divisions existed truly independently by their own definitions, separate from each other, then it would follow that a whole having parts and the parts themselves would be completely different, unrelated things. Then if we removed the four cardinal directions, the four intermediary directions, the zenith and the nadir, we should still be left with something recognizable that we could point to and call “space.” Therefore, as space and its parts cannot exist truly independently as one or as many, space has no such thing as a truly independent manner of existence at all.

Some people, having done discerning meditation on voidness, mistakenly believe that voidness itself exists truly independently. This is a very serious and grave error.

In the Heap of Jewels Sutra (dKon-mchog brtsegs-pa’i mdo, Skt. Ratnakūṭa Sūtra), it has been said:

It is easy (to correct) mistaken views held concerning the truly independent identity (of many things other than voidness as would equal the mass) of Mount Meru. However, this is not the case (when it comes to correcting the) mistaken view that voidness itself exists truly independently.

Such an improper and mistaken view concerning voidness must be corrected, although, as is said, this may be difficult to do. Even voidness has many parts that can be differentiated. From the point of view of its basis for labeling (stong-gzhi chos-can, basis of voidness), for instance, there is the voidness of the vase, of the table, of the conventional “me” of Mr. Smith and of that of Mrs. Jones and so forth. In addition, parts of voidness can be differentiated from the point of view of the parts within the volume of an object about which voidness is being asserted. In discussing the voidness of a house, for example, there is also that of the front room, of the roof and so forth.

Using such examples of parts of voidness and the logical arguments concerning a whole and its parts as above, we will become convinced that we cannot establish that even voidness itself exists truly independently, singly, as a solitary unit or plurally, as a group of many such units.

To achieve an exceptionally perceptive state of mind (lhag-mthong, Skt. vipaśyanā), it is necessary to avoid the four mistaken positions concerning voidness meditation as pointed out by Tsongkhapa: 

(1) Some people say we should not have any thoughts, either constructive or destructive: both white and black clouds obscure the sun. They assert that emptying the mind of all thoughts whatsoever (ci-yang med-pa, nothing whatsoever) constitutes a meditation on voidness. This is the extreme of blank-mindedness. Such people deny the value of building up positive karmic force through constructive thoughts and the practice of the six far-reaching attitudes (pha-rol-tu phyin-pa, Skt. pāramitā). In so doing, they contradict all scriptural references concerning the unification of method and wisdom and thus deny the Mahayana path.

Within the folds of this same position are those who agree that the practice of the far-reaching attitudes is necessary, but during meditation they feel we should empty our minds of all conceptual cognition. Not differentiating conceptual cognitions that conform to reality (rtog-pa don-mthun) from those that do not (rtog-pa don mi-mthun), they say that all concepts are detrimental, binding us to samsara. Therefore, we should withdraw all thoughts and behold the bare mind itself. If we can hold onto the mind before it thinks, they feel that this alone is a method to eliminate grasping for true independent existence. This, however, is a misunderstanding of the mahamudra method of baring the mind in order to achieve a stilled and settled state of mind and then to analyze the voidness of this bare mind. They, on the other hand, claim there is no need to meditate analytically on voidness; we should stop accumulating theories and concepts.

This position, however, easily degenerates to a nihilist extreme. If all conceptual cognitions bind us to samsara, then what about an ordinary being’s conceptual understanding of voidness, or meditation on compassion and bodhichitta, or the process of teaching disciples, or performing preliminaries? Although it is true that many conceptual cognitions are distorted and detrimental and that misconceptions and preconceptions must be eliminated, nevertheless, certain conceptual processes are beneficial and constructive, leading to liberation and full enlightenment. A Buddha does not have conceptual cognitions, yet conceptual cognition can bring us to this state. Therefore, it is essential to be able to differentiate properly and not to deny thought altogether. What must be corrected, then, is our attitude toward thought.

Most people, unless they have an enormous accumulation of instincts for voidness from meditation performed during previous lives, learn about and gain conviction in its true meaning through scriptural reference and logic. If blank-mindedness were meditation on voidness, then so would be deep sleep or a faint because in such states of unconsciousness we have no thoughts. Closing our minds and not examining the mistakes of grasping for truly established existence is like fearing that there might be a dangerous animal in a cave at night, and merely sitting outside and closing our eyes, hoping that it is not there. Such an approach to the problem does not eliminate our fear. Performing analysis is like using a torch to go into the cave and examining for ourselves if the animal is there. When we see it is not, we can then rest at ease.

(2) The second mistaken position agrees that the first is incorrect. They say it is wrong to feel that from the beginning someone meditating on voidness should have no thoughts. Rather, it is after we have ascertained a correct understanding of voidness through analysis that we should eliminate all conceptual thinking. If this were true, however, then someone established in voidness should not have any kind thoughts for others and should not meditate on compassion and bodhichitta. This is clearly not the case.

(3) Some people assert that we should start our meditation sessions on voidness with a long period of analysis and then switch to blank-mindedness without any thoughts. If this were correct, then when we felt tired, if we were to examine voidness before falling asleep, our entire sleep would become a meditation on voidness.

(4) Still others feel that in our sessions we should meditate analytically for a while on voidness and then, cutting all thoughts of the conventional level, we should just meditate formally on voidness without any further analysis. This is incorrect also, because mere stabilizing meditation on voidness lacks an exceptionally perceptive state of mind and its exhilarating sense of fitness (shin-sbyangs, Skt. praśrabdhi, pliancy), which come from our flexibility of analysis. Vipashyana is mainly analytic. What is advocated in this fourth mistaken position is not vipashyana at all, but merely shamatha focused on voidness. Although it may have the concentration exhilaration of a stilled and settled state of mind, such a total absorption lacks the additional exhilaration of vipashyana’s sense of fitness of analysis while in deep concentration on voidness.

Therefore, to attain an exceptionally perceptive state of mind, we should first gain an understanding of voidness based on hearing correct explanations and reading sound scriptural references, and then follow this with one gained from logic and inference. Continually repeating, in discerning meditation, the four-point analysis as explained above, we will become vividly convinced that the “me” imputed onto our aggregate factors – to which we have been holding on under the influence of automatically arising grasping for “me” – has never inherently existed truly independently at all. When we gain such a vivid conviction, we should take this realization as the object of focus, and holding it with memory, try not to lose it. If the strength of our hold weakens and the object is about to become unclear, we should repeat our discerning of the four-point analysis as before until our understanding once more becomes firm. We should then concentrate single-pointedly in stabilizing meditation on this understanding once again.

Thus, at the beginning we should alternate discerning and stabilizing meditations. If our appearance-making fades when analyzing, we should switch to stabilizing meditation and then return once more to our analysis. If in stabilizing meditation we begin to feel lazy and reluctant to analyze, we should immediately switch to discerning meditation. Do not become fixated on the blissful experience of concentration. We must develop the sensitivity to know when to alternate our meditation. Analysis alone disturbs our absorbed concentration on voidness. On the other hand, if we are single-pointedly absorbed into voidness, we will not achieve the exhilarating state of analytic pliancy. Therefore, we need a perfect balance of the two.

Through repeated familiarity in alternating discerning and stabilizing meditations, our conceptual understanding of voidness will become very firm. Having already progressed successfully through the nine stages of settling the mind, we will achieve in our stabilizing meditation a stilled and settled state of mind focused on voidness with its exhilaration of concentration. Alternating this with further discerning meditation, we will be able to achieve an exceptionally perceptive state of mind into voidness – an active state with the experience of the even greater exhilaration of analytic state of fitness. Our minds will be like small fish swimming in the clear unrippled pond of our firm understanding of voidness, free to move in any direction.

With further experience and familiarity, we will be able to combine our analytic and stabilizing meditations, experiencing simultaneously the exhilaration of a stilled and settled state of mind and the fitness of an exceptionally perceptive state of mind. When, as the result of our great accumulation of positive karmic force, the joined pair of shamatha and vipashyana (zhi-lhag zung-’brel) becomes non-conceptual – focused in straightforward, bare cognition on voidness – we become an arya, attaining the third of the five pathway minds, the pathway mind of seeing (mthong-lam, Skt. darśana-mārga, path of seeing).

We are now ready to proceed to the accustoming pathway mind (sgom-lam, Skt. bhāvanā-mārga), the fourth of the five pathway minds on the way to our goal of either liberation or enlightenment. Although we have achieved a non-conceptual joint discerning and stabilizing meditation on voidness during our meditation session, we are still unable to continue this state into our subsequent attainment period or to cognize simultaneously the superficial and deepest levels of truth. Therefore, it is on this path that we practice the actual eight branches of an arya pathway mind (eightfold noble path), overseeing all traces of our unawareness of voidness still left on our mental continuum because of previous defiled actions of body, speech, and mind.

The eight branches of an arya pathway mind are as follows:

1. The right view of an arya (yang-dag-pa’i lta-ba, Skt. samyak-dṛṣṭi) is the state of mind in which we comprehend voidness correctly based on our proper understanding of the four noble truths.
2. The right thought of an arya (yang-dag-pa’i rtog-pa, Skt. samyak-saṃkalpa) is the course of our mental continuum as an arya during which we purify the actions of our minds so that we can convince others to live with pure ethical self-discipline in accordance with the Dharma, and not to do anything not in accordance with the Dharma.
3. The right speech of an arya (yang-dag-pa’i ngag, Skt. samyag-vāk) is the course of our mental continuum as an arya during which we convince others of the correct view of voidness so that they in turn can teach it to others.
4. The right boundary of actions of an arya (yang-dag-pa’i las-kyi mtha’, Skt. samyak-karmānta) is the course of our mental continuum as an arya during which we purify the actions of our bodies so that there is nothing we do that is not in accordance with the Dharma.
5. The right livelihood of an arya (yang-dag-pa’i ’tsho-ba, Skt. samyag-ājīva) is the course of our mental continuum as an arya during which we convince others to live properly and not to make a living in an improper way that would cause them to suffer unfortunate consequences.
6. The right effort of an arya (yang-dag-pa’i rtsol-ba, Skt. samyag-vyāyāma) is the course of our mental continuum as an arya during which we continue to meditate repeatedly on the significance of voidness – which we have already understood fully with the seeing pathway mind – in order to block any inclination we may have to abandon our practice of the eight branches of an arya pathway mind while training the accustoming pathway mind.
7. The right mindfulness of an arya (yang-dag-pa’i dran-pa, Skt. samyak-smṛti) is the course of our mental continuum as an arya during which we continually keep in mind that the objects of our meditation are to be held in a state of both shamatha and vipashyana so that this will block any inclination we may have to forget this suddenly.
8. The right absorbed concentration as an arya is the course of our mental continuum as an arya (yang-dag-pa’i ting-nge-’dzin, Skt. samyak-samādhi) during which we maintain our absorbed concentration free of such faults as mental dullness and flightiness of mind so that this will block any inclination we may have to act out of harmony with this state of concentration, thereby interrupting the steady growth in us of all the advantages of following this path.

These eight branches of an arya pathway mind can be divided into three groups corresponding to the three higher trainings. Right view, aspiration and speech are classified under the training in higher discriminating awareness; right action, livelihood and effort under that in higher ethical discipline; and right mindfulness and concentration under that in higher concentration. Thus, it is by following a course of the three higher trainings that we attain the last of the five paths, that of perfection.

If we have been doing all of this as a person of intermediate level motivation, aiming with pure renunciation for complete personal liberation from uncontrollably recurring rebirth, at this point we attain liberation, becoming either a shravaka or a pratyekabuddha arhat. If, however, we have been practicing the three higher trainings as a person of advanced level motivation, aiming with pure bodhichitta for the achievement of Buddhahood in order to be able to liberate all limited beings from samsara, we attain enlightenment, becoming a fully omniscient Buddha.

The tantric paths that are the continuation of the sutra vehicles, all built on the common foundation of the trainings in renunciation, bodhichitta and a correct view of voidness. They are the proper subject matter of the ngag-rim (sngags-rim) teachings on the stages of the tantra path. It is the custom for this to form a second extensive volume to be studied only after having at least a conceptual mastery of the lam-rim corpus of material. [As cited by Tsongkhapa in “A Grand Presentation of the Graded Stages of the Secret Mantra Path” (sNgags-rim chen-mo) and by Kedrub Je in “Extensive Explanation of the Format of the General Tantra Sets” (rGyud-sde spyi’i rnam-par gzhag-pa rgyas par brjod).]

When we have attained an effortless experience of both the discriminating awareness understanding voidness and bodhichitta, we will be willing to endure whatever hardships we must undergo for however long a time in order to liberate even a single limited being from uncontrollably recurring rebirth. Although we are willing to do this on our own part, we are unable, because of our compassion, to endure the great suffering that all motherly limited beings will have to experience during the long time it may take us to attain Buddhahood. Therefore, from the gateway of possessing an especially strong bodhichitta motivation, we should enter the path of the tantra, the highest of all Buddha’s vehicles to enlightenment.

The immediate gateway for entering is receiving a tantric empowerment (dbang, Skt. abhiṣeka, initiation). Therefore, we should make our mental continuum ripe for studying and practicing the tantra by receiving proper empowerments, based on texts of sound scriptural authority, from a fully qualified vajra master (rdo-rje slob-dpon, Skt. vajrācārya). Then, keeping purely our vows and maintaining our bonding practices (dam-tshig, Skt. samaya, promises), we should follow the proper order of the stages of the yogic paths of training.

If we are practicing one of the first three classes of tantra – kriya (bya-rgyud, ritual tantra), charya (spyod-rgyud, behavioral tantra) or yoga tantra (rnal-’byor rgyud) – we should start with the stage having signs (mtshan-bcas, Skt. sanimitta), and afterwards we should practice the stage lacking signs (mtshan-med, Skt. animitta). If we are practicing the highest class of tantra, anuttarayoga (bla-med rnal-’byor rgyud, highest yoga tantra), we should begin with the generation stage (bskyed-rim, Skt. utpatti-krama), and afterwards we should practice the complete stage (rdzogs-rim, Skt. niṣpanna-krama, completion stage). By training ourselves in this way, we should try to master the complete body of the path that includes all the points of both the sutra and tantra teachings.

Tsongkhapa has said in The Abbreviated Points of the Graded Path, 24:

The more I enhance the common pathways of mind like those, which the causal and resultant great Mahayana vehicles require for (reaching) the supreme pathway of mind, (enlightenment), the more I shall make my attainment of (a rebirth with) respites and enriching factors meaningful, through relying on the guidance of a (tantric) master as navigator, then embarking on the vast ocean of (the four classes of) tantra, and then entrusting myself to their full guideline instructions.

The ennobling, impeccable Lama has practiced like that. Let me, too, who strives for liberation, cultivate myself in the same way.

The full enlightenment of Buddhahood is the attainment of a unified pair (zung-’jug, Skt. yuganaddha) that is the nondual attainment of both a Buddha’s Rupakaya and a Dharmakaya. Thus, the unified pair is of an illusory body (sgyu-lus, Skt. māyā-kāya) and clear light awareness (’od-gsal, Skt. prabhāsvarā). In order to attain full enlightenment, therefore, we must previously have attained its immediate causes (nye-ba’i rgyu), the pure and impure aspects of an illusory body (dag ma-dag-gi sgyu-lus) – that is purified and not yet purified of the emotional obscurations – and an actual clear light mind (don-gyi ’od-gsal), a subtlest level of consciousness that has a bare cognition (mngon-sum, Skt. pratyakṣa) of voidness. In order for these attainments to ripen, we must previously have attained their cause, the gross accomplishment of the generation stage (bskyed-rim rags-pa).

Prior to this, we must receive purely and properly the four kinds of empowerments of the anuttarayoga class of tantra for the formal planting of the seeds that will ripen into the four Corpuses of a Buddha. The vase empowerment (bum-dbang, Skt. kalaśa-abhiṣeka), purifying the disturbing emotions and attitudes of our bodies, plants the seed that will ripen in the form of our attainment of a Nirmanakaya. The secret empowerment (gsang-dbang, Skt. guhya-abhiṣeka), purifying the disturbing emotions of our speech, plants the seed that will ripen in the form of our attainment of a Sambhogakaya. The deep discriminating awareness empowerment (shes-rab ye-shes-kyi dbang, Skt. prajñājñāna-abhiṣeka), purifying the disturbing emotions of our minds, plants the seed that will ripen in the form of our attainment of a Deep Awareness Dharmakaya. The word empowerment (tshig-dbang, Skt. akṣara-abhiṣeka), purifying any remaining disturbing emotions of our bodies, speech or mind, plants the seed that will ripen in the form of our attainment of a Svabhavakaya.

Before this, we must purify our mental continuum to become an especially pure vessel to contain these seeds. This we do through developing bodhichitta and practicing the other teachings on the stage of advanced level motivation, which are all common for the higher attainments of the tantra. Before this, we must develop the compassion with which we cannot bear the pain other limited beings must suffer. Before this, as the foundation upon which compassion will grow, we must develop renunciation, which is the state of mind of not being able to endure for ourselves the general and specific sufferings of uncontrollably recurring rebirth. Before this, we must truly fear and be terrified of the sufferings of the three worse rebirth states. As we will not develop a true fear of these sufferings unless we have clearly thought about both the uncertainty of the time of our own death and the law of cause and effect, we must cultivate these as well.

Prior to this, however, we must think about the difficulty of attaining a fully endowed human form and about its great importance. This in the only way to produce the state of mind in which we will be motivated to enter the path at all. And all of this should be cultivated by depending from the beginning on a wholehearted commitment to our spiritual mentor, according to the rule relating to him in a healthy manner with both our thoughts and our actions.

Therefore, we should not try to grasp first for an advanced stage of spiritual development. Rather, we should practice the stages from relating to a spiritual mentor in a healthy manner onwards and train our minds by experiencing intensely the insights of each of the stages in their proper graded order. Whoever does so is practicing completely and properly the entire teachings.

Pabongka has said in Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand (rNam-grol lag-bcangs):

This human body, difficult to obtain, cannot be equaled by all the wish-fulfilling gems there are. Not wanting to play the ordinary games of this life anymore, (which only lead to continued misery in samsara), if you could see beyond them to the end of all suffering and the achievement of happiness for all your lifetimes, who amongst you would do anything other than follow this highest path, (the lam-rim, which will lead you there)? Therefore, those of you with a mind wishing to attain liberation from suffering (and Buddhahood), do not be naïve about a seemingly supreme path. If you entrust yourself to (the lam-rim), which is the essence of the guideline complete teachings distilled into one (course), then all your wishes will be fulfilled for each and every one of you with true happiness and peace of mind.

Therefore, as Pabongka has said, now that we have found this singular opportunity of having a precious human body, do not place our hopes on a partial or an incorrect path. Rather, we should try to direct all our efforts into following these graded stages of the path to enlightenment, which teach the complete course of training.