Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Geshe Pema Tsering opens this 44-minute session with Candrakīrti’s image of great compassion as seed, water, and fruit — indispensable at the beginning, middle, and end of the Mahāyāna path. He recaps the small scope (avoiding lower rebirths through ethical practice) and the middle scope (renouncing all saṃsāra through the three higher trainings and Four Noble Truths), then explains what sets the greater scope apart: the shift from seeking personal liberation to working for the freedom of all sentient beings. He introduces two classical methods for cultivating Bodhicitta — the seven-point cause-and-effect meditation and the exchange of self and others, both traced back to Atisha — and explains why loving-kindness toward all beings must precede great compassion. For practitioners following a Lamrim course who have already studied the earlier scopes.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 17 SoP 1994 04 04.mp3
UUID: c047df6a-178c-444f-8dbe-57bd1360f5f5
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Stages of the Path (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 1994-04-04
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 44.7 minutes
Words: ~3,480
So today, we’re going to be listening to some teachings that based on a Lam Rim text or a graduated path text. Because we’re going to be listening to teachings that explain part of the entire process of the path, then what we need to develop before we listen to these teachings is the motivation of bodhicitta because bodhicitta is a key to achieving the entirety of the path. So this means that we need to develop the idea that we are listening to these teachings in order to develop understanding, in order to be able to meditate and practice in accordance with that understanding and by this then achieve the final outcome of Buddhahood and this by achieving this final outcome of Buddhahood we will then be able to lead all other sentient beings to that goal So this motivation is called bodhicitta, and we need to try and develop this mind. This mind is called the generated mind. So once we’ve generated this mind, we need to then bring make this mind stronger.
And by familiarization and cultivation, increase the potency or the strength of the focus of that mind. So last week, we talked about the what are called the seven jewels of aryas and the three higher trainings and how these are part of this middle section of the path or the practices we do for the middling motivation that is to achieve liberation from a cyclic existence. So we talked about how the seven jewels of the aryas are said to be faith, ethics, wisdom or hearing, giving, embarrassment, shame and wisdom. Through these and the practice of the three higher trainings, that is ethics, meditation and wisdom, then one proceeds towards liberation. So it’s said that at this stage of the middle part of the path, there’s these three different types of main practices: the seven jewels of the aryas and then the three higher trainings.
What this is talking about is the process of the four noble truths. That is the truth of suffering, the truth of the origin of suffering, the truth of the cessation of suffering and the truth of the path. So through the process of the three higher trainings and the development of the seven jewels of Aryas, then we are able to practice or understand the four noble truths. And through these practices then we attain liberation. So liberation is the goal of the middle stage.
This liberation is basis, its root or its basis is said to be ethics. Ethics is the base for the the the practice of the. Ethics is the basis for the practice of the three higher trainings. And because of ethics, we don’t want to perform negative actions, which cause suffering. So therefore, it’s because of the four noble truths.
I was like, oh, no. No. No. You’re you can’t remember anymore. Anyway, the the so where we’re up to is we’re about to start on the third of the three different beings or three different types of motivation in graduated path.
And we’ve already gone through the previous two, which are what’s called the small motivation or the small scope and the middle motivation or the middle scope. Now at the time of the small motivation or the small scope what we’re dealing with is the wish not to experience the lower realms not to be reborn into negative states of existence, for example, animals, spirits and in hell. So in order to stop this coming about, the practices that we mainly need to engage in are said to be abandoning of the ten non virtuous actions and the practicing of the ten virtuous actions. So we’re mainly focusing on ethics. Now because of our practice of the ten virtuous actions and our abandonment of the ten non virtuous actions then we cease to create the causes for experiencing the lower realms.
So the wish not to experience the lower realms is the first type of motivation the motivation of the lower scope but this is pretty self evident or clear because there is nothing but suffering in the lower realms. The experience in the lower realms is mainly suffering or the suffering of suffering. So the development of the wish to get out of that is only said to be the small scope. Now in the middle scope or the middle type of motivation, the being that has this motivation not only looks at the suffering of the lower realms but looks at the entirety of what’s called compounded saṃsāra that is saṃsāra that comes into being based on causes and conditions. Looks at all of that and decides that all of that is nothing but suffering.
That there are no true qualities in saṃsāra, true qualities of happiness in saṃsāra. And then there’s being developed the wish to get out of saṃsāra completely. Not only to be rid of the sufferings of the lower realms with their manifestation sorry their main type of experience of the manifestation of suffering right? Manifest suffering. But also to be free of the continuous cycle of existence that contains rebirth in the higher realms as well, which we usually see as being pleasant.
So in order to get out of saṃsāra completely and this continual cycle of rebirth, then these beings who are trying to practice the middle scope or have the middle motivation engage in the three higher trainings the trainings of ethics, the training of meditation and the training of wisdom. They seek to understand the Four Noble Truths that is the causes of suffering and its cessation. Through understanding these then they also need to develop an understanding of what’s called the twelve links of dependent origination that is how experience suffering from the cause ignorance and how to reverse that process and how to through reversing that process achieve liberation. So the goal of this middle scope is the liberation from cyclic existence and what’s needed to develop or to bring about this liberation from cyclic existence is renunciation. That was an overview of the first two scopes.
That is the motivation to get out of the lower realms of saṃsāra or to not be reborn in the lower realms and the motivation to seek liberation from saṃsāra, the whole of saṃsāra? Right. So those were the two lower scopes or the two preceding or preliminary scopes of of motivation that’s developed in in this graduated path teachings. Then we’re on to what’s called the greater motivation or the greater scope. Now what differentiates the greater scope from the preceding scopes is the motivation.
So this means that once we have developed an understanding of the need for liberation, that is we have understood the process of the Four Noble Truths, we understand how suffering comes about and how we need to get rid of suffering through understanding the twelve links of dependent origination. And in order to bring this about, we have been training in the three higher trainings of ethics, meditation and wisdom. We then need to look at what the outcome of that practice is or what the motivation for that practice is and in the middle scope the outcome of that practice and the motivation for that practice is self liberation or liberation that only takes into account one’s own benefit So we’re working towards our own liberation and not necessarily looking at other beings. Now in the greater scope we’re looking at other beings as well. We realize that just like ourselves, other beings also don’t want to experience suffering and only want to experience happiness.
And like ourselves, they don’t know the right way to go about this. They don’t understand the causes of true happiness and the causes of suffering. So being misguided in this way or misunderstanding in this way, in order to develop happiness for themselves, they actually create the causes for suffering. And likewise, not understanding what it is they need to do to bring about happiness, they create the cause for suffering. So through their misunderstanding, they are experiencing intense suffering or different types of suffering, even though they only actually want to experience happiness.
So in order to show those beings how to create the causes for true happiness and how to stop creating the causes for suffering, then there needs to be someone who can, through their own experience and their own understanding, show them that, show them what the causes of suffering are, show them what the causes of true happiness are. And that being is said to be a Buddha. So in order to show all sentient beings or lead all sentient beings into a state beyond suffering, it’s up to us, then we need to become a fully enlightened Buddha in order to do that. So this is the motivation of the final scope. Now, the main basis for this is then said to be compassion.
And what compassion is, is a great compassion, is a mind or a way of thinking that seeks that wishes all sentient beings were free from all types of suffering. So this is the basis for what’s called the great vehicle. This is the basis for what’s called the Mahāyāna. Okay. So within this path of the third scope, within the section of the path that comes under the third or final scope, there is said to be two different sections.
The first one is the development of bodhicitta, the development of the mind seeking to attain enlightenment for all sentient beings. And there is also the what to do or what to practice in once that motivation has been developed. And that includes what’s called the six perfections, the practice of the six perfections or the six paramitas, the six final or perfect practices, and also what’s called the four ways of helping others or the four ways to guide people. Right. So within the first of these, which is the way to develop the bodhicitta, the way to develop the mind of enlightenment, there’s said to be four different divisions.
The first of these divisions is the development of great compassion which is said to be the root or the cause or the main reason for the Mahāyāna or the great path coming into being. So this development of compassion for all beings goes through equanimity and why we should have gratitude towards all sentient beings and why they’re important and those kind of things. The second division is said to be method of meditation. The method of meditation is mainly explained in this text, said to be the exchange of self and others through the seven points of mind training. So this is a method by which we start to view others as being as important as we consider ourselves to be.
After that, then we move on to two things. One that’s called altruistic motivation or special mind or special insight and also the development of bodhicitta itself. After the development of bodhicitta, then we talk about the two different types of bodhicitta, what’s called aspirational bodhicitta and engaging bodhicitta. Within that, there is a discussion of the vows, the Bodhisattva vows that have come along with the development or that are used in order to develop these two types of bodhicitta. So there’s a lot to talk about in this section.
Each the first one of these is the development of the compassion. The first thing that we’re going to do is the development of compassion that is the root or the cause of the great vehicle, Mahāyāna. Now, with regards to this first one, it is said that in the personal advice that Arisha, Atisha who brought the Lamrim tradition to or the Graduated Path tradition to Tibet, in his personal advice to his students and to people following the path, is two different ways for us to develop bodhicitta and in doing so to develop great compassion. Now, these two different ways of developing bodhicitta, of developing great compassion, are said to come from what’s called the master charioteers. So what that basically means is the people who made the lineage of developing bodhicitta continue along in Indian and Tibetan history.
These two different ways of these beings, the first one is said to be the seven-point cause and effect meditation based on remembering the kindness of all sentient beings and the second one is said to be the exchange of self and others So there’s these two different ways of developing bodhicitta that Pandit Atisha taught. So when we’re talking about the development of this great compassion, and then it’s said that many times in many different sutras, the Buddha Śākyamūni talked about importance and the fundamental nature of compassion and how important it was for practicing the path. And it said that this great compassion or this compassion based on all sentient beings is said to be to the Mahāyāna or the great vehicle or the altruistic vehicle the same as breath is or life is in defining a human being. So we define a human being as someone who is alive in the same way we define the Mahāyāna path as something that’s pervaded or its life breath is this great compassion. So any of these trainings that Atisha was talking about, whether it be exchanging yourself and others or whether it be the development of bodhicitta through the seven point cause and effect meditation.
All of these are based on the development of great compassion. So the main part of all of these or the essence of all of these is this compassion, great compassion. So it’s said that this great compassion is where there is great compassion, there you have the Mahāyāna or the altruistic vehicle. And where there is no great compassion, there is no Mahāyāna or no altruistic vehicle. And so with regards to this great compassion, there’s many different places where it’s explained in what’s called Sūtra and Shastra or the teachings of the Buddha and the commentaries on those.
There s so many times it is said that it difficult to quote all the times that it s been talked about. But the Buddha definitely explained this in the Sutras. The person who s called the unsurpassable protector, Nāgārjuna, he talked about this many times, as did Candrakīrti, who said great compassion was important in the Mahāyāna at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end. In fact, all of the different experts, of the different charioteers again, all have this same idea. On other things they may disagree or interpret things differently, but on the idea of developing compassion for the sake of all sentient beings as being the basis of the compassion for all sentient beings as being the basis of the Mahāyāna, there is no disagreement.
They’re all of it’s said that they’re all of one mind. So in that section, it was talking about this man, Pandit Candrakīrti, who talks about the importance of great compassion. And what this actually refers to is the way that he described great compassion in a text called the entry to the middle way. And in this text he said, at the beginning great compassion is important like a seed is to a plant. In the middle great compassion is important like water and sunlight are to the germination of the plant.
And at the end, great compassion is important like the fruits of this pliancy. So in the beginning, it’s needed in order to have the cause. In the middle, it’s needed in order to have the conditions. And at the end, it’s needed it’s present as a result or it’s important as a result. So what he is referring to in this case then is that at in the same way that if there’s no seed there is no plant that comes from that seed.
If there is no great compassion then there is no bodhisattva path or there is no Mahāyāna path. This means that in order for us to actually walk on the Mahāyāna path or practice the Mahāyāna path, then we need to have this great compassion. It’s like the seed for a plant. It’s main cause for walking on the Mahāyāna path. Now in the middle why it’s important is a similar idea like if we just have a seed and we don’t help that seed with any kind of conditions, if we don’t help that seed in any way or if there’s no conditions to help that seed then nothing comes of the seed.
So this refers to things like we need fertilizer, we need water, we need sunlight, we need all these conditions to come together in order for a plant to turn into a tree. And this is similar from when we’ve developed bodhicitta until when we achieve Buddhahood. So that is to say from what’s called the path of accumulation, which is the first stage of meditation after developing sorry, first stage of practice after developing bodhicitta, right through until the moment before achieving Buddhahood. Then we need to keep working at this bodhicitta. We need to keep familiarizing ourselves with this bodhicitta.
We need to keep developing that bodhicitta. It’s not enough just to have the bodhicitta. It needs to be cultivated. It needs to be practiced. It needs to be familiarized with.
So this is like a similar process to adding fertilizer and water and making sure that a seed gets access to sunlight. It’s a similar sort of process. And then at the end, why this great compassion is important is because it acts as the result It is the result of all of the practices. So in a similar way that if we do have the seed that we’re trying to turn into a fruit tree, for example, Then we put a lot of time and effort into cultivating that seed and then it grows. The reason we’re doing this is so we can get fruit as a result and that the fruit is something that people can eat.
It’s a similar process with this great compassion. In the beginning, it has to act as the seed. In the middle, it acts as the cultivator to bring about the end result, which is the fruit or the which is like Buddhahood. And as a Buddha, the result of being a Buddha is that one is able to help countless sentient beings. So that’s like the great compassion that is the fruits of this whole practice.
So in this way, Candrakīrti was explaining that great compassion is said to be important all the way through the path, not just at the beginning, not just at the end, but it’s the base for the entire path of the Mahāyāna. Now something else that all of the experts or all of the scholars and saints agree on is that before developing great compassion, we need to develop this thing called loving kindness or direct translation would be loving kindness which finds all beings attractive or appealing. So this is something that absolutely has to come before this idea of great compassion. They have different ways of developing this. They did describe different meditational ways for developing this loving kindness, but they all agree that it must come before great compassion.
So, specifically, in order to develop this love and kindness, they talk about two different types of two different types of meditational practice. So to develop this love and kindness that likes everyone, then there’s different ways that this is explained. In particular, two different ways. In the sutras, especially in the Prajñāpāramitā or the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, the Buddha explained how if we start by focusing on those who are near to us or the people that we consider our close friends or family, then we can develop this love and kindness and extend it out. After that, his followers, Dharmakīrti And then also sorry.
I’m getting my language mixed up. It is Candrakīrti. And then this person called I’ve never heard of before, so I don’t know if this is right called. Then that would be the best way to develop this idea of loving kindness that finds all beings appealing. Now, the reason that they chose the mothers was that said that out of all of the beings who are close to us, then the mothers are said to be the closest or thought of as being the closest.
So by focusing on our mothers, then this of extends on the Buddha’s explanation in the Prajñāpāramitā Sutras. Okay. I misunderstood something. Sorry. That isn’t exactly two different that’s not the two different types of meditation.
That’s actually one type of meditation that we’ve developed on. So, the way that the Buddha, said,