Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. The claim that Tantra holds method and wisdom in a single indivisible awareness — unlike Sūtra, which alternates between them — is the doctrinal destination of this nearly 73-minute session with Geshe Pema Tsering, part of a text-based Grounds and Paths course. He first works through Performance Tantra’s four stages: receiving the five knowledge empowerments to become a suitable vessel, keeping vows and bodhicitta intact even at the cost of one’s life, and approximating the deity through recitation practices that move from voiced to whispered to purely mental repetition, with breath control as a means of settling the mind. The session builds toward the yoga with signs / without signs distinction — deity visualization alone versus deity visualization combined with emptiness meditation — before drawing the sharpest contrast with the Sūtra approach. Suited to practitioners familiar with tantric frameworks.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 02 2005 10 20 G and P.mp3
UUID: ae47dc2f-1579-4570-99c7-814a6a8b77da
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Grounds & Paths (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2005-10-20
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 72.7 minutes
Words: ~4,533
So now we have So now we have to think that in order to bring all sentient beings to the state of enlightenment, we are now going to study this text in the Grounds and Paths. Yeah. And we should, in this way, give rise to a good motivation, a proper motivation? So then now we start sorry. We start with the second part of the text, which is dealing with performance tantra.
Okay. If you all have the text, you’re going to see that we have we’re going to be we’re going to follow it very closely, okay? Page six, yes. Okay. So the test goes, this is the way to engage in the to progress in the path of Performance Tantra, okay?
And this topic has four divisions. The first one, becoming a suitable vessel, then keeping vows and commitments pure, then the way to approximate the deity, and the way to attain the two siddhis, okay? Then Geshe-la briefly explains that becoming a suitable vessel means that in order to be able to practice, to engage in the meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings of performance tantra, one needs to go through a certain process. One cannot just, out of the blue, we start practicing Performance Tantra or any other Tantra. One has to go for a certain process, step by step process, and then become able and or suitable to do so, to practice, to engage in the meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings of Performance Tantra.
Then keeping the vows and commitments pure is, as the translation in English says already, there’s not much to add to that. It’s just about protecting the vows and commitments and not committing any faults or any, I would say, any root downfalls and so forth. Then Nyen pa gi tal cha la, the way to approximate the deity, and going to briefly explain, okay, then having gone through the two first two steps, then one has to approximate the deity, but one just shouldn’t stop doing nothing after the second step. Then one does do the approximation of the date, which involves retreats and so forth, doing the appropriate retreat in relation to the corresponding deity. And then after that, following the other and then, of course, accomplishing the siddhis, there are many So then we get into the first topic, okay?
So the text in Tibetan, we just say first. And then but in the English text, you have becoming a suitable vessel straight away, okay? So it’s the first topic, which can I explain means in related to becoming a suitable vessel? Then if you follow the text, okay, first, what Guy is doing is a very traditional way to teach a text. And then so he first, he reads the whole thing.
Okay? So we’re going to do it, and then I’m going to come back and explain what he explained, okay, and tell you what he explained. So as it is stated in the performance tantra, one becomes a vessel suitable to meditate on the path by attaining the empowerment given in the mandala possessing the essence of great compassion and so forth. One requires a five knowledge empowerment as one is not permitted to by the water and crown empowerments alone to meditate on the path. Apart from that, the rest is probably similar to Action Tantra.
Now there are a few things, okay? First one, Gano is explaining was briefly explaining that in the Action Tantra, just the water and crown empowerments were sufficient. But here, in the Performance Tantra, one they are not sufficient. One needs the five knowledge empowerments in order to be able to engage in the meditations of Performance Tantra. Then the second thing that I explained was, how do say, mandala possessing the essence of great compassion and so forth.
So this possessing the essence of great compassion refers to a great compassion, how do say, that is what’s the word for that in English? Swayed. Anyway, it’s a mind that is has great compassion and emptiness, realizes emptiness at the same time. Great compassion mixed with emptiness, realization of emptiness. Okay?
You’re following here, it’s okay? Then there is one addition. There is the addition of the interpreter, interpreter that there is a word in Tibetan. It’s called. It was translated as ‘probably’.
In the last sentence, it says, apart from that, the rest is probably similar to. And that’s, in my opinion, an unfortunate translation. Translation. It has this word has many meanings, and it could just mean mostly. The rest is mostly similar to Action Tantra.
So then we went through the went already into the next topic, okay, becoming a suitable vessel. Then if if we we can go together on it, okay, as it is stated in the performance tantra, one becomes a vessel suitable to meditate on the I where am I? No. No. Keeping the vows and commitments pure.
I’m sorry. The rhythm is similar to those in the in the action tantra. Okay? And all the commitments, which are the the the Samayas explained in Action Tantra are mostly stated to be common. Okay?
This probably against the same word. Okay? It’s a bad end, and it’s mostly. Okay? Mostly, they’re stated to be common to both, or they’re stated to be mostly common to both.
Okay? It’s better. This one. Then we go straight into the quote, okay? In the Manifest Enlightenment of Vajrasattva, it stated that it’s necessary that one does not give up immaculate dharma and bodhicitta even for the sake of one’s life.
That one does not miserliness and does not cause harm to sentient beings and abides in the foundation of the training abandonment and convergence actions. Okay. So Gela briefly explains that okay, one should not then again, I emphasize very much this verse. And each little clause on the verse, he says, okay, one should never give up the dharma. One should never give up bodhicitta.
One should never give up any of these two, even at the cost of one’s life. Even if it costs one’s life, okay. Then one should not be miserly and then again, refer it, misery and so forth. There is not yeah. Misery and and so forth, which refers to to various, how do you say, other states of mind, how do you say, mental factors, they call mental factors, okay, which are non virtuous mental factors.
What else? And one should never have wrong views and one should abide in the practices in the foundation training of abandoning the ten non-virtues, okay? It’s translated of the foundation training of abandoning the ten non-virtues, okay? And then based on this, on top of having this as a basis, and then one engages engages in the meditations and teachings and teachings and teachings and teachings of Performance Tantra, as Geshe-la explained. Okay?
Then then we go to the third topic. Okay? The rate approximate the deity, and then there are two, yoga with signs and yoga without signs. Page seven already. Okay?
I Okay. First division of this chapter, which is yoga with signs. And then going to briefly go into the first two the first topic, which is recitation with the four external branches and then the second topic, which is recitation with the four internal branches. So these four branches of recitation were as was mentioned in the last class, recitation while concentrating on the sound base, recitation while concentrating on the mind base, then recitation while concentrating on other base, and recitation while concentrating on self base. Then Geshe-la briefly explains that concentrating on a mind base is the focusing of one’s mind.
The sound base is is the mantra recitation itself. The other other base is is the deity visualized how to say, on self base is one self, actually. Then On self base is oneself. Then he briefly explains that, okay, the difference between external and internal. So in one in one, the deity is visualized in front of oneself.
In in the other one, the deity is visualized inside oneself and and all the things and everything that all the characteristics of the deity or the aspects of the deity. You know? Like, the the everything that the deity possesses, a a sword or or bells or or or or text or whatever, everything is outside. And the other way is everything is inside. Okay?
So then then the next one, which is the whisper and mental repetition without deterioration of each of the of the four sets of of branches each each set of the of these four branches. Okay? So again, I’ll explain why we’re doing the recitation. The whispering is just saying the mantras in a very low voice as opposed to saying it out loud. So, one doesn’t say it out loud.
One says it’s very, very low voice. And then, the mental recitation is just one doesn’t actually let out any sound. Just repeats the mantra with one’s mind. Okay? Then the the fourth topic, which is, how do you say, retaining the life-force and exertion during mental repetition.
Okay? So while one is doing the repetition of the mantra with one’s mind, then Gala explains this retaining life force and exertion. So retaining life force is controlling the breath in this case. It’s having control of one’s breath. Right?
And then and retaining exertion is being focused is placing one’s mind unwaveringly in the object of observation, okay, without moving. It’s placed firmly stable on the object observation, okay? One’s breathing. Ganai explains that if just breathe fast or irregularly, then you cannot settle your mind very well or in your senses. So just it’s about controlling it, and then you will be able to, how to say, settle your senses and your mind easy easier.
You know? It’s like something like the pranayama things. If you just breathe fast, then you can control your mind. Yes. Gala says, if you just breathe uncontrollably, I mean, unrestrained fast or irregularly, you don’t get very subtle, he says.
You won’t be able to settle into the practice. Yes. He said, we have to be able to to do that. I mean, the amount of recitation or whatever we are doing, whatever meditation practice, in a relaxed manner. It’s about relaxing, he says.
We we should be able to stay relaxed without any tension and so forth. If you push too hard, if you too fast, then it’s going to become So then we’ll get into the Yoga Without Signs, okay? It’s the next topic. So following the text, you see, when one of the things come abiding for choosing on the body of the deity and so forth, on the body of a deity, I would say, and so forth, one meditates on emptiness by combining it with deity yoga. One achieves the union of calm abiding and special insight comprehending emptiness through combining analysis and placement.
So Geshe-la explains that, first, one has to, having, as an object of meditation, the body of a deity or any other object of meditation, how to say, appropriate object of meditation, one that accomplishes abiding. And having accomplished calm abiding, then one can, how to say, one can start to meditate. One can start to meditate on emptiness, combining it with with deity yoga. But then there is one thing that the the translation doesn’t come out well, that they wanna achieve. Then doing that, okay, they wanna one one engages in analytical placement meditation, okay, which are two different kinds of meditation, right, alternatively.
Okay? The alternate you alternate between the two until And until you are able to, how do say, get attain the union of calm abiding, the state, the state of mind, which is the union of calm abiding and special insight, and then you realize emptiness. So the text in English, you see, it says, one achieves the union of calm abiding and special insight, comprehending emptiness through combining analysis and placement. Okay. So the text clearly says the word is clearly it says here is a word that says alternating.
So one first, engage in a meditation, then I emphasize that. First, engage in a meditation, alternating analysis and placement. And then later, one will achieve the union of calm abiding and special insight during practice in this manner, okay? Then we go to, okay, the following the text, okay, concerning the meaning of yoga with signs and without signs, the stages stages of mantra, which is the great stages of the Tantric path by Jetsün Chökyi Gyaltsen. Okay?
So I stated here, stages of mantra. So it says yoga with signs is deity, meditation, and repetition without meditation on emptiness. Yoga without signs is deity meditation and repetition with meditation on emptiness. And then it is not meditation on emptiness alone. So this last clause here, it says it is not meditation on emptiness alone.
It’s clearly referring to the previous sentence. Okay? The other result signs is that meditation and repetition with meditation on emptiness, but meditation on emptiness alone. That’s how the Tibetan So this is interesting. So is explaining that the meaning of with signs and without signs, okay, which is being translated here as with signs and without signs, which is a which is a word in Tibetan which could be translated as something else.
Okay? And in this something else, it’s referring to to emptiness. Okay? So So then Geshe-la explains that this he’s explained this, which is with signs, and is just like without signs, as being as being actually the abbreviated version of being truly established and not being truly established, okay, what could be translated as such. And then Gano explains so in the you have a without signs, the yoga, which is meditating in non true establishment, you one will visualize the deity and meditating on its emptiness at the same time, meditating on its non true establishment.
Okay? And then on the Yoga with signs, one will meditate meditate on the deity, but will not meditate on its not being truly established. One will not meditate on this lack of inherent existence. Okay?. You understand? Okay.
That’s what I just right now. It’s quite quite interesting. So then okay. Some scholars okay. This this is interesting because it says it says here the English translation says one scholar, okay?
This is actually a word that is it is not one scholar. It’s Chasig is an opponent, opponent scholar, okay, from another system, okay, from an opposing system or from what is assumed to be an incorrect system, okay? So some such scholars, as it says here on the English text, says that they say that they deity order that is not qualified and Yoga that is qualified by the discernment comprehending emptiness is respectfully the meaning of Yoga Way Science and Yoga South Science. So they ask plans, okay, Deity Yoga that is not qualified by a mind that comprehends emptiness is the meaning of yoga with signs. And the deity yoga that is qualified by a mind comprehending emptiness is the meaning of without signs, okay?
So then it is obvious if you are reading the Tibetan version that this is a view that is going to be refuted next. Okay? We’re gonna we’re going to the next next paragraph. It says, okay? This should be shown to accelerate because there is yoga with signs that is qualified by a mind.
Okay? I don’t know how to put the statement. This means a mind comprehending emptiness because it is said that one meditates on emptiness prior to yoga with signs. And at that time, one has a strong discernment of minds comprehending emptiness, okay, the yoga with signs that follows after that will be qualified by that mind. So then we go to the so okay, that is because it is similar to what is stated in the condensed stages of the path.
Okay? The small stages of the path. If one has a strong wisdom comprehending emptiness. Okay. If one has a strong wisdom comprehending emptiness, when one is practicing generosity, prostrations, circumambulation and so forth, and so forth refers to any virtuous activities one might be engaging in.
Okay? Although the mind that focused on these activities does not comprehend emptiness, does not perceive emptiness directly, I’m going to say, it is not contradictory that it engages in these activities through the strength of that comprehension of emptiness. Now this is a very it is not a very clear translation. And the Tibetan surface is not easy to translate, I have to say that. Then I explained that what is happening is that having developed having meditated on emptiness and having developed a strong mind that is recognizing emptiness, then after that one engages in another main activity.
Those minds that will come, the I guess, it will be like, one does not exclude the other. They will be coming together, and will be like mixed together or helping each other, like a synergy synergetic process or something like that. Okay? One does not exclude the others. This is important thing.
They come with these aspects certain aspects, I mean, not certain, these aspects will come together, even those are the main mine, okay? So then and then just following the text, okay, similarly, if one generates strong bodhicitta at the beginning of a session of meditation, again, explains, when one later engages in concentration on on emptiness or on meditation on emptiness, at that time, although bodhicitta is not overtly manifest, it is not contradictory that concentration on emptiness is qualified by the presence of bodhicitta. And the guy explains that having meditated on bodhicitta, having generated a strong bodhicitta motivation, then even though after the main object of observation is emptiness, it’s still that mine is still how do say, it is still endowed Then we will find the text, and he says, although this is the way that method and wisdom are united in the Sutric system. Okay? So, the gala is just explaining briefly that in Sūtra system, then one unites method and wisdom in this manner.
One would meditate maybe on emptiness. And then after one would meditate on bodhicitta. Or the other way around, one would first meditate on bodhicitta, and then one would after meditate on emptiness. And then these two minds, they would help each other. They would they would, as in a synergetic process, they would benefit each other, but they don’t exclude each other.
They they come together in this way. And in this alternating one and then the other. That’s the the super system. Okay? So then if if we go through the text, we see uniting uniting method and wisdom is not achieved by that alone in the tantra system.
Okay? And this is because post extensive method of deity yoga and the profound wisdom comprehending the lack of inherent existence are separately united as a collection of method and wisdom at one time and in one awareness. Then then I explains that briefly explains that in in the tantra system, when we’re visualizing the deity And you okay here? You okay? Yeah.
You just you just have to follow the text. Follow the text. Okay? So then I’ll explain that So then I’ll explain that one. In the in the mantra in the mantra system, as opposed to the Sūtra system, which alternates one and the other.
So in the mantra system, you have a instead of having two minds that help each other, as in the Sūtra system, right, you have two minds that help each other. In the matter system, you have one mind that at the same time, how to say, is meditating on the is doing deity, obviously, the is meditating on the deity and is meditating on the emptiness of the deity. So it has is one mind. At the same time, is is is, how do say, meditating on on method, which is a combination of merit, which is would be relatable to bodhicitta and so forth and the six perfections and so forth. But in tantra, it’s meditation on the deity.
And then one the same mind meditating on wisdom, meditating on the emptiness of the deity. Okay? That makes sense? So then, yes, And then, yeah, I was explaining that again, explained that in in the what is what is what is meant by by when we say method and wisdom. So what is meant by methods in the Sūtra system and in the Tantric system are two different things.
So in the in the Sūtra system, when when when they try to unite, okay, method and wisdom, when we try to bring together method and wisdom, then you have to you’re referring to method as the mind of enlightenment, developing the mind of enlightenment and so forth. And then having mind of the mind the mind of enlightenment working together with another mind, which is the mind that realizes emptiness, right? And they helping each they go on helping each other. And then in the Tantra system, matter is the meditation on the deity, Gela explains. That is the meditation on the deity.
And wisdom is still the same mind, the mind realizing emptiness of the deity, which is still a mind realizing emptiness. So and and so instead of having, again, instead of having two minds, one with bodhicitta and the other with wisdom realizing emptiness, in terms of it, you have one mind, only one mind. Can I emphasize this? It’s only one consciousness. It’s only one mind.
I’m just saying mind as when we study monumental factors. You know all these things already? One awareness. Yes. It’s one awareness that had that is endowed with the word is indivisible, inseparable.
This is one awareness that has both method and wisdom. It has the nature of both method and wisdom. It’s two aspects to it. Okay? Then, okay, then we go to the to the next quote.
Okay. This is the stages of mantra. It’s, again, this called the this is the work of. Okay? So, okay, the translation is not totally clear.
So it goes like this. At the time of the results, both the deity adorned with the marks and signs and the mind of non-observation relied on that indivisible in nature at the same time. Similarly, as I said, both the method, which is one’s body appearing as the Tathāgata’s body and the wisdom focusing on the non-inherent existence of the substance of one’s mind at that time, are indivisibly united as a collection of method and wisdom at one time in the indivisible nature of one awareness. So what Ganai has explained that the results refers to to Buddhahood itself. Okay?
So it’s the tax is clear clear clearly referring to the to to the body of a Buddha who has all the the the thirty two main marks and the eighty minor marks. Okay? Signs. Okay? Which is this is the result of our our practices and so forth.
And then it says here, this mind of non observation, which is a very literal translation that doesn’t work, is talking about the mind of a Buddha is clearly uses terms that refers to the of an enlightened being. It’s using honorific language. So it’s talking about clearly again, explained this. It’s clearly talking about the mind of a Buddha, which is a mind that doesn’t have it’s not fixed in any object. It’s constantly realizing emptiness, okay?
It’s the mind that realizes emptiness. So these two, they are they have an inseparable nature, and they are abiding all in the same time, okay? Then at the time of practice okay, come on. Okay. So at the time of at the time that we are still on the path before we for having attained the results of Buddhahood.
So we’re telling that we are still on the path, then one will meditate on one’s body as the body of a Buddha with all the thirty two major marks and the eighty minor signs. And that’s is what is called matters. And then also, one’s mind will realize that and that one’s mind has has to be realizing, has has that wisdom, which has as an object, the lack of inherent existence of phenomena. So again, I was explaining, so there was a mind that realizes the lack of inherent existence of phenomena is realizing the lack of something. So that’s what we said what was translated as non observation.
But what I will translate as not having an object of observation because it’s realizing the lack of something. Okay? Can do. Yes. And then and then these these two so these two, they have they have one nature.
They are the same nature. This consciousness, this awareness is that has these two aspects is of the same nature. They are inseparable, and they abide in the same time. And this is what is called the inseparability of method and wisdom in the Tantra. Okay.
Does that make sense? Everybody’s okay? So then then the answer is that although wisdom comprehending the lack of inherent existence of appearance of the deity, the aspect held is one in nature with the mind of extensive deity yoga, positing them as distinct. So then there are the the the Tibetan text goes in a different way here. Okay?
It’s the same meaning. Okay? But it goes in a different way. So it says that so that the the mind, there is, how do you say, meditating on on on the body of a Buddha and is realizing emptiness at the same time that has which is which is one awareness. It has these both aspects.
So if it is one awareness, and what is the reason of giving you two different names, which is a term method and wisdom So what is the reason why we give two two different name names? That’s what is is going to explain now. Okay. I’ll have to excuse myself, and I got an agreement with Geshe-la. I’m going to study this with Geshe-la because they are using very specific terms.
We’re talking about isolates. Isolates and distinct, which is it’s not distinct. It’s another philosophical Yes. And I myself, I’m going to have to review these topics, okay? Those are you find these topics in collected topics.
Okay? You find this this both both the subjects. I have to review this and study with to be able to explain the meaning of this and all. Okay? Yes.
I will review and get together with Geshe-la to see if I can make the meaning clear and then pass it on to you. Yes. It’s not it’s not easy. You have to debate and and discuss. Yes, please.
Hang on a sec. No. No.