Three Principle Aspects — The Three Principles of the Path translation 2

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Human transcription — may contain minor errors.

The Three Principles of the Path1

1 Name of the Treatise

The Root of the Three Principles of the Path uttered by the Noble Tsong kha pa

2 Homage and Pledge to compose

2.1 Homage

I prostrate to the Noble Gurus !

2.2 Pledge to Compose

The meaning of the essence of all of the teachings of the Conquerors2

2.3 Recapitulation of the Three Principle of the Path:

2.3.1 Definite Emergence

The meaning of the essence of all of the teachings of the Conquerors,

2.3.2 Bodhicitta

The Path praised by the holy Children of the Conquerors,

2.3.3 The View of emptiness.

[And] that gateway for the fortunate desiring Liberation

2.4 Statement of humility

I will explain as best I can.

3 Beseeching suitable vessels to listen

Those who do not lust after the happiness of existence and,

By putting effort into making [a life of] leisure and endowment meaningful,

Rely on the path which delights the Conquerors,

Those fortunate ones should listen with a pure mind.

4 The Mind of Definite Emergence

4.1 The reason for generating the Mind of Definite Emergence

Without pure Definite Emergence, there is no means

To pacify the striving for the happy fruits of the ocean of existence.

Inasmuch as the embodied3 are totally fettered by

The desire for existence, initially you will search for Definite Emergence.

4.2 The method for generating Definite Emergence.

4.2.1 Turning away from this life

[This life of] leisure and endowment is hard to find and life does not last,

By habituating the mind, turn away from the futilities4 of this life.

4.2.2 Turning away from future lives

Reflecting over and again on the infallibility5 of causality and on the sufferings of cyclic existence,

Turn away from the futilities of future lives.

4.3 The measure of having generated Definite Emergence

If, through such habituation,

Longing for the marvels of cyclic existence does not arise for even an instant and,

If the mind striving for complete Liberation arises day and night,

At that point, Definite Emergence has been born.

5 Bodhicitta

5.1 The reason for generating Bodhicitta

However, should that definite emergence not be held

By the Perfect Mind [of Bodhicitta], inasmuch as it will not become the cause

Of the perfect bliss of Enlightenment,

The intelligent generate the supreme Mind of Enlightenment.

5.2 The method of meditating on actual Bodhicitta

Carried away by the flow of the four raging rivers

Tightly bound up by the fetters of karma which are hard to loosen,

Ensnared in the iron net of self-grasping,

Totally obscured by the great darkness of ignorance,

[Wandering] in boundless existence, life after life,

Tormented uninterruptedly by the three sufferings

Upon reflecting upon the predicament6 of mothers who were in such a situation,

Generate the Supreme Mind [of Bodhicitta] !

6 The reason for which the View is necessary:

Since one who is not endowed with the wisdom realizing the mode of abiding,

Albeit having become accustomed to definite emergence and Bodhicitta,

Will be unable to sever the root of existence,

Strive at means to realize interdependence !

7 The manner in which the View dawns:

Whoever sees that the causality of all phenomena of cyclic existence and Nirvana

Is never deceitful and

Has destroyed the targeted object,

Has entered the path which pleases the Buddhas.

For as long as the two-fold understanding of

Appearances as non-deceitful interdependence and

Assertionless emptiness

Appear separate, for so long has the thought of the Sage not been realized!

Eventually, if [they] are no longer posited separately but simultaneously [and]

Through merely seeing interdependence as non-deceitful,

Definite ascertainment destroys all of the modes of apprehension of objects,

Then, analysis of the view has been led to fruition.

8 Uncommon features of Prasangika-Madhyamika:

Moreover, when appearance dispels the extreme of existence,

Emptiness dispels the extreme of non-existence and emptiness

Is understood in the manner of dawning as causality,

One will not longer be ravaged by the view of the extremes.

9 Instruction on the necessity of solitary practice:

Upon having realized the essence

Of such Three Principles of the Path,

Dwell as a hermit, oh Child, and having generated the force of enthusiasm,

Swiftly attain your permanent goal !

The above was addressed by the glorious Bhikshu Lobsang Dragpa, great in learning, to Ngawang Dragpa, Lord of Tsago.

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  1. We have inserted the outline in italics from Bstan ‘dzin rgya mtsho, 14th Dalai Lama : “A Lamp for the Three Principles of the Path”, (“Lam gtso’i sgron me”, Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, Dharamsala, 2009). This is one of many possible subdivisions of the “Three Pinciples of the Path”.↩︎

  2. This verse has a two-fold function: it is both the “pledge to compose’ as well as a verse teaching definite emergence.↩︎

  3. lus can synonym of “sentient being”.↩︎

  4. snang shas. The meaning of snang shas can be best be understood by breaking it up into its components:

    snang ba: “appearances” and shas meaning “partial”. It refers to the transient and meaningless manifold of appearances which constitute our world and has a very similar connotation to the Hebrew term Hebel , which means “vapor” or “breath” with the connotation of the absurd and the senseless, and is translated in the King James’ version of Ecclesiastes 1.2 as ”vanity”.↩︎

  5. mi slu ba↩︎

  6. ngang tshul, literally “disposition” or “ character”↩︎

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