Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 59-minute session, Geshe Pema Tsering works through the fourth and fifth of five object-ascertaining mental factors — concentration and wisdom. He defines concentration as the mind that single-pointedly holds an imputed object, then directly challenges a mistaken teaching in circulation: that fixing the eye-consciousness on a visual form is sufficient to develop calm abiding. It is not — only mental consciousness can sustain true concentration. A verse from the Compendium of Valid Cognition then settles whether the observed object must be correct: repeated familiarization with any object, real or mistaken, eventually produces non-conceptual clarity. He traces the morality-concentration-wisdom progression through Vinaya texts and the Way of the Bodhisattva, then introduces wisdom as the analytical faculty that differentiates virtuous, non-virtuous, and neutral objects and eliminates doubt. Suited to practitioners comfortable with Abhidharma-style analysis.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 18 2007 02 08 M and MF.mp3
UUID: c6c3d745-1b25-4d01-befd-ca71e843e52d
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Mind & Mental Factors (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2007-02-08
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 59.8 minutes
Words: ~3,907
Does anybody remember exactly where we stopped last time? No. Remember anything. Yeah. Might as well.
After two months. My thought was page thirty. No. No. According to my calculations, it was page twenty nine.
Oh, I I’ve got page thirty one. Already thirty one. Okay. Maybe a relative stabilization. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Page thirty of the English translation.
Yeah. Exactly. Okay. Perfect. Yeah.
Okay. So then so then, I was just reading through the first few sentences of the Tibetan text. Hello? No. So then Geshe-la is saying, so then we we this is the fourth of the five object ascertaining mental factors.
And then Geshe-la was answering, the the first the first three were, aspiration, concentration, aspiration, mindfulness, and belief. Exactly. And then so then Geshe was just just saying this. So then concentration is the fourth one of this five. And then then Geshe-la read through the text and saying that from the Compendium of Knowledge says, is what is this concentration?
What is this mental absorption? And it is it is that mind which, how to say, single pointedly engages the unimputed object and it has the function of serving as a basis for knowledge and then the commentary says so then it is is it is that mind which one pointedly is placed one pointedly and continually in a in an object of observation, which is an imputed an imputed object. This one. Okay. So then, so then what is the object of observation of of of that mental factor, which is this concentration.
And the and the text as the text says, it is it is an an imputed object of observation. It is that that object that observed object when when engaged by concentration, then that mind of concentration then imputes imputes conceptually imputes that object, and that’s that conceptual imputation is is the object of of of the the concentration. And then also another characteristic of concentration, according to the definition, is that it is continually in single pointedly placed upon that object. And that is to say it is not going towards any other object. It’s it’s it’s just placed only in in one single object.
That’s another characteristic of of concentration. And then explains that in this in this the second sentence of the Compendium of Knowledge, which is saying that it has the function of serving as a basis for knowledge. And says that knowledge here refers refers to special insight as as as in combating and special insight. So he’s referring here to that to that branch which is a special insight. So then it is not just any knowledge.
It is a special insight. And and then as for concentration itself, this which is called which is translated here as concentration of mental absorption. That is what we know as as calm abiding. And then Geshe-la says, what if one engages in an object for and and get gets familiarized enough with an object and gain clarity and so forth. And then eventually, one will develop, how do say, a special insight.
So, again, because of that, it is said then this this concentration here is has a function of of serving as a basis for special insight for for knowledge. And then is reading the the the next sentence and then, again, repeating everything that was said. So then that that object of observation of of concentration, which is an imputed object. And, yes, I was gonna say, given the illustration, it might be it might be the one who’s meditating on on on emptiness. So then the emptiness of an object is that imputed object of observation of of concentration.
And then, which is continually and uninterruptedly then placed on that on that object of observation, on that imputed object of observation. And single pointed place on that, that is the mind of concentration. And then and then, Geshe-la is going through the text and explaining that when the text is talking about what is what is that what is why is it said that that is the object of dependent object of concentration is especially than this this this imputed object, this imputed thing. And then because whilst whilst one is meditating on concentration, while one practicing the meditation of concentration, then the mind and the object of observation is imputed by the mind, and then this this mind of concentration grasps that object of observation, which is imputed by the mind. And then because of that, it is called it is said that this object of concentration is is an imputed object.
So then, also, I forgot to mention in the previous session, I was saying. So then if if the object of of meditation of concentration here, concentration here or the object of this observed by by this mind of concentration here is an imputed object, then Geshe was giving illustrations. It could be, again, emptiness. It could be a conventional object. But then whatever it is, it is imputed.
Imputed. It’s an it’s an object which is imputed by the mind. And then Geshe-la proceeded to the next sentence, which is then telling us that there are there are many, how do say, types of of of concentration that that apprehend the object of observation. The the many many different ways in which concentration apprehend object of observation. But, generally speaking, in in this text, for only four will be will be mentioned.
So then so then there are these these four which is which are the ones the four categories which are mentioned here in the English text again. So then, object of observation for purifying conduct, objects of observation for for purifying defective emotions, and pervasive object of observation, and then how do you and then observation. And then observation for developing the strategy as q here, but for developing learning this. How do you say? So then so then So then this this which which this observation for developing skill that you have in English or they’re using the word, which is mkhas pa, which is is usually translated as a as a noun, as a scholar, or a learned person, and it has to do with with being learned or acquiring this specific knowledge.
And then so then they give it as as illustrations here. Guess I was reading for the illustrations of what is this how to say, object of observation for developing skill as you have in the translation here. And then you have then observing observation, which are the the aggregates. And you have the different realms and the and the how do you say? How do say?
The the the sources and dependent arising and and and so forth. Okay? Sir. Sir. Okay.
So then Geshe-la was reading for the next the next paragraph, which is then telling us that nowadays, these days, there seems to be a lot of confusion and and and contradictory teachings in relation to the teachings of of of the of the conquerors, the Buddhas and and the teachers and so forth, that that some some of some of these confused teachings, mistaken teachings, they say that in order to develop a concentration, it suffices to to to to apprehend, how to say, through through the eye consciousness to apprehend a form and then single pointedly single pointedly hold that form with with one’s eyes eye consciousness. And then they say that in this way, one will develop this concentration that we are talking about here. And then that is not that is not the teaching of of of of the Buddha. There is not the teaching of of the the the the teachers of old and so forth. This is when we’re talking of concentration here, we’re talking we’re talking about calm abiding.
And in this context, according to the teachings, in the context of calm abiding, the only way you can develop calm abiding is by holding single point and holding to to to an imputed object of observation. And if if you if you hold on to to a sense, to an object of observation of a of a sense consciousness, consciousness that will not that will not you will not develop calm abiding. It has to be with with mental consciousness. Okay? So then So then, Geshe-la was then, again, giving illustration and saying for example if when when the eye consciousness then apprehends a shape a form or or or a color red yellow or whatever whatever it is then the mind the mental consciousness then goes there and and imputes it.
Oh, it is this form. It is that form. It has this color or that color is red or or or white or yellow, and that is the imputed object, which is which is held by the by the mental consciousness, but not but not the observation of the eye consciousness itself. Okay? And then and then that that follows a question.
A question is put forth in this thing. So then so then do do the object of does does the object of observation does the object of observation of of concentration, does it need to be, how to say, a correct a pure or correct or a certain object of observation? Okay? And then and then so then the text the text is answering this question saying, no, it is not necessary to be so. There are correct, correctly ascertained or mistaken ascertained objects or observation of concentration.
And then having again and again, having familiarize oneself with that object, then it will one will develop a clear appearance of that object, a a clear and non conceptual realization of that object. And then and then according to the companion sorry. The the the commentary on the Compendium of Valid Cognition, then there’s a verse which which is quoted and then again say so then because of that, be be either correct or not correct. If one, how to say, again and again familiarizes oneself a lot with an object, then by bringing that familiarization to perfection, then, again, that object will will appear clearly. And then as we will have as a result, we will one will develop nonconceptuality.
And then Geshe-la was briefly explaining that when we’re talking about here, the the verse refers to this nonconceptual the result of nonconceptuality. Again, it’s also referring to having having developed once concentration attained calm abiding and the which is which is determined by the clear appearance of the object, then one one continues to do the to to engage in the object, then one will develop that special insight where which is provided by by I’d say, which has a characteristic of non conceptuality. So then, I guess, I was in just reading. The verse was was was put forth as an answer to the previous question. There’s there’s there’s there need to be a correct correctly a certain object of observation.
And then the the the first line of the verse says in in English, you have here whether real or unreal, whether correct or incorrect object of ascertainment. And then so then you have be it a correct object of observation. If one will develop the clear appearance of that of and then we’ll one will attain the the non conceptual state. And the same with with an incorrect observation, mistaken observation. Again, if one familiarize oneself, when we develop the clear appearance, and one will eventually attains nonconceptuality with with either object.
And then and then as for as for the characteristic of of of function of of concentration, then it is said it was said previously that it is it it has a function of serving as a basis for knowledge. And then we have an explanation of that of this following, which which is then saying that, how to say, being on the basis of of of of how to say? On the basis of of this of calm abiding, which is which is this the mind which is which is abiding in equipoise, was placed in a placed in equipoise internally, then one, how to say, develops with with with the wisdom of how to say individual investigation, one analyzes the different objects, which are objects of ultimate and convention conventional objects, which you have here, modes and varieties. And and and and we like this with this, one develops and accomplishes special insight. Okay.
And then and then so then we have, again, a quote from the Way of the Bodhisattva, and which is then saying, with this special insight, which is endowed with calm abiding, then one destroys, how to say, the afflictive emotions. Knowing that from the beginning, one should one should search, one should strive for for that for attaining calm abiding. And and then in order to accomplish that, one should one should understand actually, not one to understand. Should one should, how do you say, read oneself, accomplish accomplish nonattachment for for worldly things? I’m sorry?
Worldly things. Worldly. Worldly. Yeah. This one?
Is is it it’s probably written here. Something like that. No attachment to the world. Yeah. No attachment to the world.
This one. This one. And then also in the in the in the text on on on the Vinaya texts, it is said that, how to say, concentration is developed on the basis of of of guarding morality, and then also wisdom is developed on the basis of of cultivating concentration. And this is said again and again in the text of Vinaya. One.
And then also also in the likewise, in in in in in great other other great great texts, the and then these these two, which is which is then again calm abiding, special insight, as Geshe-la was saying, if for those those who who who wish from from the depths of of of their hearts of their hearts for liberation, then they should they should take they should take the the these these instructions these instructions, these these scriptures, these texts as as personal instructions instructions for practice and then practice likewise. So then so then concluding then. So then for those who wish to attain liberation, then it is necessary to have all of this. If one does not have concentration, one cannot develop special insight. If one cannot develop special insight, one cannot destroy the afflictive emotions without being able to destroy the afflictive emotions one will not attain liberation so then concentration is necessary and not only that but in order in order to accomplish concentration then pure morality is necessary Oh, okay.
So then is explaining that, again, this this this attainments, they are necessary. And then as for concentration, when we’re talking about concentration here, then in the development of concentration, if if one if, for example, one is engaging in concentration with respect to to emptiness, having as an as an observation and emptiness, then eventually, one has to one has to stop block or or interrupt the arising or or the production of of of of the minds minds of of the the related to the to the desire realm. And then and one one can completely when when one can completely arrest the arising of these minds of the desire realm, and then one one can then attain to calm abiding. And the attainment of calm abiding is characterized by not having any minds of of the desire realm arising, and then one attains also to the first concentration, what is called the first concentration. So, Geshe-la was giving some more specific divisions of of the first concentration.
Geshe-la was saying that each concentration has has different divisions to it. And then Geshe-la started giving some divisions that I haven’t heard of before. Geshe-la was just saying there are two major divisions of the first concentration, and I do know do not know the words in English. I guess I wasn’t saying as and each one of these divisions has has further more more six divisions each. And then when we’re talking about calm abiding, the attainment of calm abiding, we’re talking about the attainment of the first one of those of those divisions of the of of those six divisions of the first major division.
Okay? And Geshe-la gave gave names to all of those divisions, but I I do not know them by heart. I know I know where to find them, though. And if you want, I can tell you where to find, or I can bring it for for next next week if you want but Geshe-la was explaining that because this text that we have here is giving a very brief explanation of what concentration is so the Geshe-la wanted to expand a bit more, but with this division, going to be difficult. So I was just explaining Geshe-la seems to be wishing to to to teach you more about this concentration and so forth.
So I I told Geshe-la that I will study this division of of the concentration and so forth, and then we can he can explain it to you in more detail next week if you want. Okay? And then and then started with the with the fifth object ascertaining mental factor, which is which translated usually as wisdom. And then, again, from the the Compendium of Knowledge, what is what is this wisdom? And then, again, it is it is that mind which, how do you say, differentiates in differentiates in in detail the qualities or the characteristics of of of the object of observation, and it has a function of overcoming doubt.
And then Geshe-la was saying was saying that in this context here and the mind of concentration which is the mind of calm abiding being engaged in its object of observation and then that mind of calm abiding cannot differentiate, analyze, or investigate the object that it is engaging in. But once once one one attains pliancy, the bliss or or or, yeah, the bliss of pliancy, which is attained through when one realizes this calm abiding with a certain object, then one can develop this special insight and then and then investigate in detail the object of observation. And then this this has been when when wisdom this wisdom that has been referring here comes about and Geshe-la was saying that there are many kinds of wisdom but Geshe-la says that in this context here we’re talking about this this wisdom that comes after having accomplished this concentration, which is. Then says, generally speaking, there is a there is, how do say, a general definition of of of wisdom, which is, again, simply a mind which engages analytically in its in its in its object. This mental factor which engages analytically in this object.
And then, Geshe-la was saying something. This is this is a general the general wisdom or a general wisdom, generic division of wisdom also. So then and Geshe-la was explaining so then again in this special insight it also a type of wisdom which analytically engages the object but the object of special insight is the object which is being engaged with the mind and the out of calm abiding. So then it’s a single point that is placed in the object. And then whilst trying to analytically engage the object with this with this with this wisdom, then, again, there’s another there’s there’s the the plant of calm abiding, the single pointed placement.
And then, again, there’s pliancy another pliancy is developed, which is pliancy that comes with with the attainment of of special insight. And then again, so then the mind of of of of abiding and engaging the object single pointedly then with that mind one starts to develop one’s wisdom once engages it analytically and then investigating and then one develops this special pliancy and when attains that special pliancy one has attained special insight. This one. And then and then say, so then, again, following second the second sentence, the second phrase of the response here, again, it has the function. This wisdom has a function of ridding oneself of doubt.
And then, again, so then one when one has investigated with the object of observation with with with this wisdom, then one develops a certainty with respect to the qualities of the the object or whatever qualities or whatever good qualities or whatever shortcomings the object might have, and one does not have any more doubts about what the object is or is not. This one. So then, again, guess I was just reading through the explanation of of the commentary to that first sentence, which is then saying, again, it is that knower which then differentiates the qualities and the shortcomings of of whatever object it is engaged in. And then again, when we see in the English version here at the end of that phrase, the the obvious, the things that are to be examined. And then in the the Tibetan version of it, Geshe-la is saying that this this Tibetan word, which has been translated as the objects to be to be examined, the objects that are being engaged by that mind already has attained calm abiding and then differentiates the qualities or the good good qualities or the bad qualities of of of of the object.
Then if it is if it is emptiness, then it’s differentiating good qualities. If it is talking we it has as an as an object, it has anger or non virtue and so forth, then it has bad qualities and so forth. And so then whatever it is that your object is engaging, it would differentiate if it’s good or bad, etcetera. And then the the objects of of investigation of of of this wisdom, they are they are three. They are they are they are in three.
So you have virtuous objects. You have non virtuous objects. You have neutral objects. And in here, you have what what is unspecified. So then it’s neutral neutral objects, objects that are neither virtue nor non virtue.
And then so then that that wisdom then, how to say, differentiates in in detail all the characteristics of those objects, virtues, non virtues, virtues, non virtues, and and neutral objects and differentiates the the qualities the good qualities and the faults of those objects. And then, so then, again, there are there are four ways by which this wisdom can differentiate the qualities and the shortcomings of of of the objects. And So wants to stop here today. So, Geshe, I want to stop here today, then he will proceed from this point. And then I was asking him if if he will he’s willing to to give the explanation on the concentrations the next week, and he was saying I was telling him, I have this book, and and so I can study, and we we can do it.
And he says, well, it might be that the text that you were studying is different from the text I studied. And I said, oh, yeah. Well, it might be. And he says, oh, you know, like, you study, and then I’ll see what I can remember, and we try to explain to them. Okay?
What point do you think you’re up to in English?