Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 68-minute commentary, Geshe Pema Tsering opens with a central question in generation stage practice: should a practitioner work through the entire sadhana in one sitting, or proceed in stages as in the completion stage? The answer depends on which of four practitioner types one has become — from the beginner who must visualize mandala aspects sequentially, up to the advanced meditator who holds everything simultaneously and needs no breaks between sessions. He then identifies ordinary appearances to the mental consciousness as the generation stage’s object of abandonment, and explains divine pride — conceiving oneself, all beings, and the environment as pure deity and mandala — as the antidote. The session closes with a subtle observation: advanced generation stage concentration suppresses sense appearances not directly, but by removing the immediate preceding condition that enables them to arise.
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File: 22 2006 02 09 G and P.mp3
UUID: bb984de9-1167-47eb-ad41-d8ed4d720142
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Grounds & Paths (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2006-02-09
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 68.3 minutes
Words: ~3,276
So now we have to give rise to a good motivation. Geshe-la says. Then thinking that in order to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings, now one is now is going to listen to the teachings. And with this motivation, one, we now study. Well, I was listening to the English text. Of course, recall.
There was sort of investigation. Oh. So we are now on the page twenty, the second division of divisions of generation stage, which is the Subtle Yoga meditation. So then the second one, which is the yoga of subtle investigation is synonymous with subtle generation stage. Then it is said that so to train in this subtle generation stage is meditate on the mandala inside a subtle drop and other and etcetera.
I would say, by other one, other other the train in this yoga. That’s why it’s called the I see. In this conceptual yoga yoga. Okay? So then the text goes on to say that conceptual yoga or imputed yoga or the yoga of conceptuality or yoga of imputation, they are the general name of the generation stage.
But in this context, this is the general name of the subtle yoga of this subtle yoga. Okay? So then the text is asking, so then in the generation stage, the practitioner of generation stage, should he practice in stages just like in the completion stage, as in the completion stage should practice in stages and then accomplish one round of meditation before transferring to the next phase or step of the meditation of the whole generation stage practice? Or should he, I would say, do the whole meditate on the whole sadhana from the very beginning in one sitting, beginning to end in one sitting. It’s okay?
Is that clear? Okay. So then the text goes on to say that in this respect, how do you say? So that by how do you say? By the way in which the path is generated in the continuum of a practitioner, you have different kinds of practitioners.
So you have a beginner, then you have what is called, how to say, the one who obtain little wisdom, then the one who obtained little control over wisdom or little power over wisdom, and then the one who obtained perfect control or perfect power over wisdom. There are these four types of individuals, persons, okay? And then So then they they say, these these four these four types of individuals, of persons, of beings, are divided in this way according to how much they meditate and how they practice. So, Gela says that understanding these four types of individuals, I mean, I’m sorry, before that he said, each of these individuals had various ways of meditating and understanding how to say these four types of individuals and how they meditate, then we want one will be able to answer those questions that the question that was asked before. Does one meditate as in the completion stage in stages, completing one round of of the meditation and transferring to the next, or does one meditate in the whole Sadhana from beginning to end in one sitting?
So one must understand the last one must understand these types of individual before I’m being able to to answer those questions. So then the first one of those four, the first one, which is the beginner. So in the context practice of the beginner, then one must practice the whole complete one must meditate, how to say, on the whole ritual of the generation stage that is in from one’s personal Sadhana. Okay? One’s personal practice text.
So then then the the what is what characterizes the beginner? What is called the beginner? So the beginner is that is the one that from the from from the very beginnings of his practice on the meditation on on the generation stage, of his meditation on generation stage, how to say it? He he visualizes the coarse mandala up to the instant, but not including when all the aspects of the Mandala appear clearly and simultaneously. So yes, so this is called this is what is called the beginner.
Is is that clear? Is that in accordance with the the text we have? Yes. Okay? Then the next one, which is the the little dawning of wisdom.
This person, he this person can meditate meditate on the measureless mansion and the adornments of the deity, the coarse aspects of the mansion and the adornments of the deity. So you can see visualize all that and all the, how do you say, the branches of the deity, all the how do you say, arms and legs and so forth. At the same time and clearly, he can give rise to all that all these aspects at the same time and clearly, deities such as Kṣitigarbha and other deities. This one. Okay.
So then the text now is pointing out that there is a difference between the practitioner, which is referred to as little dawning of wisdom and the beginner. So what is the difference? How to say in the way to realize the way to meditate? So the beginner meditate in stages on both the Mandala and the inhabitants of the Mandala. He has to meditate in stages.
So visualize one aspect of the mandala or the deity after another. And the one who is referred to as little dawning of wisdom, he, he can visualize all the this coarse aspects of the mandala and and and the inhabitants of the mandala all at the same time. You can recollect them all at the same time. And then after that, after he recollects all these aspects, he meditates on the deities of the sense powers, all those subtle aspects in stages, and he visualizes them in stages. Okay?
So then the next one, which is the practitioner that is referred to as little control over wisdom, a little power over wisdom. So is it not only coarse aspects, but all the subtle deities of the sense powers, not only that, but all the, how to say, branches of this deities, which usually to say this branch, but what will be referred would be referred how would you say the arms and the legs? The limbs. The limbs of the deities and the head. And not only that, but also even the fingers and the toes and so forth.
So and he this person, he can meditate. He can clearly visualize and stay, keep this visualization. He’s able to do that all at the same time. He can visualize all those at the same time, up up to the point, but not including when he can attain perfect power over wisdom or perfect control over wisdom. Okay?
So it is said that this practice of the what is called again, the little control or little power over wisdom, it includes both it is included both in the generation stage and the completion stage. So then, Geshe-la is explaining that the difference between what would be regarded as the completion stage and the generation stage. So if it involves if while the person is doing this practice and if it involves entering abiding and dissolution of the winds into the Central Channel, then it will be completion stage. But if it does not involve, if it is this practice, but without involving this aspect of entry abiding dissolution of the winds into the Central then it is generation stage. Okay.
So then the text tax is saying, having arrived at this point in the practice, then there is no more need. It is said that there is no more need to, the breaks between sessions. And between sessions, okay? Is that clear?
And then So does that mean that in decision, in meditation? Yes, yes. This person does not need to cut, to discontinue his practice. It says that this person in each day, he can just start, I’d say from in the beginning, and then he doesn’t need he started in the beginning of the day and then he doesn’t need to interrupt because he can go all day long practicing. Okay.
So then it is said that in the in the greater stages of the path of the mantra vehicle, it is said. So then if one by merely arriving at this point, then one has not brought to completion or perfection, the generation stage. Still, one has to bring it to perfection. One still has to meditate on the generation stage. That’s what it means.
It’s meaning one still has to continue meditating on the generation stage. And then from that, one can meditate on the completion stage. One does not stop from meditating on the generation, one keeps on and then from that goes to the completion stage. Okay? So then so then So this what was referred lastly, so this small control or power over wisdom, this last half of these stages of practice is in the context is included in the context of the completion stage.
Okay? What was referred lastly? What was referred lastly when one does not stop meditating on the generation stage, one keeps on meditating on the generation stage and then goes into the completion stage. So that second half of the practice, the second moment of the practice is in the context of the completion stage. Is that okay?
And then So then then and then the second the fourth and the last kind of practitioner, which is the perfect control or perfect power over wisdom, already on a high level of completion practice. This practitioner is not more generation. It’s not more on the generation stage. It’s in a completion stage totally, okay? So that is in this context that we refer to this person on the completion stage.
This one? Okay. So then so what is now the what is the uncommon object of abandonment of the generation stage. The uncommon or special feature of the generation stage in relation to the object of abandonment is what it abandons, that is to say, ordinary appearances or the mind that conceives of ordinary appearances. Okay?
So then Gala is explaining now what is this this ordinary appearances that that are conceived by the mind. So everything everything that appears to us, ourselves now as ordinary beings that we are, everything that appears to us, everything that is conceived, as a everything that appears to us, every appearance there is, is an object of abandonment. And again, I gave a brief example. Example. So for example, car, there’s a car.
And and when we think, oh, that that that car is a good car. And then that that is an object of abandonment, that appearance is an object of abandonment and that that mind that is is, I’d say, related to that appearance is an object of abandonment. And then, again, the mind I think, so I am good or or I am important. That, again, is is an object of abandonment is is an appearance, and that appearance of the mind consciousness, the relation of that appearance, an object of abandonment. And and that mind that that conceives that things phenomena exist in the way they appear to exist, again, that that’s an object of object of abandonment.
Okay? Okay. Okay. Okay. So then the text goes on to say to explain that as for as what is referred to as ordinary appearances.
So it is not referring to the appearances to that appears to the sense powers themselves to, for example, the eye sense power or to the ear sense power and so forth. It’s not it’s not those things, but is it is how to say, that which appears as ordinary to the mental sense power. Okay? Is that according to the text? So, again, I say yes.
I briefly said that when we meditate on deity yoga, we do not meditate for example, because we’re using we’re using deity yoga to to purify the ordinary appearances. So we’re not using we we not meditate with with the eye sense consciousness. We meditate with the mental sense consciousness or mental consciousness. So is that is the mental how to say, The appearances to the mental that appear to the mental sense consciousness. Does that make sense?
Okay. So I was asking, what is the meaning So I was I was asking, what is the the meaning of a particular word that I didn’t remember? So which is which refers to as environment and the beings in the environment.
Okay? So it’s not the appearance to the sense powers of the environment and the beings in the environment, but it’s the what is the ordinary how to say, is how would I translate that? It is the appearance of the environment and the beings in the environment and the things in the environment as ordinary to the to the mental sense power or the mental consciousness. Okay. That’s that clear?
Okay. This Okay. So then the antidote antidote to those ordinary appearances, okay? So first, to the ordinary appearances of the environment and the beings in the environment is the pure appearance of the mandala and the inhabitants of the mandala. Okay?
So then and then what is the antidote to that ordinary consciousness, okay, is the divine pride of the mandala and the man of the pure mandala and its inhabitants. So I’m gonna briefly explain this is thinking of the environment as a mandala, thinking of the inhabitants of the environment, in this in this mandala as deities, and think of oneself as a deity. Okay? So then the text says, so then that divine pride meditation is the main practice, is the main point. And again, I will explain it.
So then that thinking of all the environment as the Mandala, the inhabitants of the environment of that Mandala as deities and oneself as a deity. And then not only think of oneself as a deity, but think of that oneself as having created all, and that there is nothing all around and in and outside of oneself that is not pure. Everything is pure. Everything was created by oneself. Everything is oneself, and that is the divine pride one should have, which, which is regarded as the main point practice.
So then Geshe-la is explaining the the next sentence, which says that the meditation on the on the appearances then I I’m a bit confused with the Tibetan here. Usually, this translated in another way, but according to Geshe-la’s explanation, what the text is meaning is that, okay, so the meditation on the divine pride is the main thing of the whole practice. And the meditation on the appearances, what is meditation on the mandala, on the environment as being the pure mandala and inhabitants of the mandala is the cause is said to be the cause of the divine pride. So that’s how Ghana explained to me right now. I don’t know.
Yes. I imagine that, but that’s what Gena was explaining. So first, one gives rise to the environment as the Mandala and inhabitants of the Mandala. And then after on that basis, one thinks of oneself as a deity one self as a deity. And then on that basis, one will think then all that is me.
I am the deity and all that is was created by me and so forth. That’s what that’s what Geshe-la was explaining to me right now. I had a doubt also because It doesn’t really say. Yeah. It’s it would say the other way around, isn’t it?
So then he is saying now, okay. So now we have to there’s all these practices of of giving rise in the of to the mandala and inhabitants of the mandala and think of oneself as a deity and then giving rise to the divine pride and so forth. And then the text says, but if one does not have mind of enlightenment and realization of emptiness, then none of this will come about. None of this will happen. So then again, Geshe-la says, if one does not have the mind of enlightenment and the realization of emptiness, then one will not achieve any result out of practicing Tantra.
This one. So then, Gela, is explained in the next sentence of the text. He says, after having greatly accustomed oneself with the to yoga, then how to say, the eye sense consciousness and and the other sense consciousnesses and so forth. Nothing will appear to the sense consciousnesses. Form will not appear to the eye sense consciousness, sound will not appear to the ear consciousness and so forth.
Is that okay? It makes sense? Because, again, because, again, I said, that mental consciousness of that person is constantly, how to say, the Deity Yoga, abiding on the Deity Yoga. By constantly abiding on the Deity Yoga, none of these things appear to the sense sense powers. I’m not sure how to translate that into English.
How does that work?. How do we do that? In general, I’m not sure. What it’s saying is so what the text is saying is that it is not the generation stage that stops the apprehension of the sense powers, the appearance of the sense powers, the continuity of the sense powers of the sense consciousness. What is being said is that while abiding on the while meditating on the pure pure mandala and inhabitants of the mandala, then the immediate condition to the the sense powers ceases to be, is not there anymore.
And because of the absence of the immediate preceding condition to the sense powers, powers, then those appearances, form, sound and so forth, do not come about to them, okay? But Okay. So that’s what was confusing me, okay? But that’s what Geshe-la is saying very clearly to me, is that so it is not that meditating on the generation stage, the meditation on the generation stage stops with the sense powers, how to say? How would you say that?
There’s a word for that, which is I’m translating literally. So it stops the sense powers. But it is because meditating on the generation stage, while one’s mind is meditating on generation stage, then the immediate preceding condition ceases to be. And that is what stops the sense powers, okay? Does that make make sense?
Sort of, isn’t it? Yes. Yes. Yeah. So he’s saying so So it’s at each time at each time one is meditating on the generation stage.
So again, just explained, while one is meditating on the generation stage, then there is no immediate preceding condition, then these forms do not appear to our sense consciousnesses and so forth. But if one stops meditating, then they come about again. Okay? Is that is that okay? What is the I think it’s true.
Well, it could be the purity of the concentration. It’s not pure. Meditation’s pure. The the purity of what you’re doing. Yeah.
Not the purity of the meditation. So for the purity Yeah. Pure You don’t see anything else? Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. The way it gets you. Sort of. It is a you you the meditation is so strong on that, the other bit. It’s purely on the opposite side.
Is that, like, clarity? Yeah. Just wonder whether it means that same idea. I mean, But same my dear. Pure purity, the clarity of the The meditation.
The visualization. The mandala, the fact that they are pure, that they are uncontaminated.