Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 74-minute commentary on the Sublime Continuum, Geshe Pema Tsering works through a series of metaphors for how Buddha nature is obscured at successive stages of the path. The most striking comes first: violent outbursts of the three poisons likened to sperm and ovum, explaining why ordinary beings are propelled into rebirth by emotion while aryas choose their birth freely. Subsequent similes ascend the path — latencies of ignorance as buried treasure, objects abandoned on the Hīnayāna path of seeing as a seed husk split by the sprouting, those on the path of meditation as worn-out rags, bodhisattva stains on the impure grounds as an enclosing womb, and those on the pure grounds as a clay mold concealing a gold statue. A closing verse maps four, one, two, and two stains onto ordinary beings, arhats, Hīnayāna learners, and bodhisattvas respectively. The tone is informal and conversational, with candid moments where Geshe-la’s reading of the Tibetan diverges from the written translation.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 19 2005 08 11 SC.mp3
UUID: 343a66f9-a789-4540-8f60-a305cb98c0c9
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Sublime Continuum (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2005-08-11
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 74.4 minutes
Words: ~5,169
Okay. So please take a moment to look at your motivation. So you’re thinking that by studying about the full nature and the good potential that you will know how to awaken the good potential and and how to having awaken the good potential and see the paths and grounds and attain enlightenment so that you can then lead all sentient beings out of suffering by awakening Mhmm. Mhmm. Mhmm.
Right. So what we’re up to? K. So what we’re up to is the simile that looks at how the three poisons, the violent outbursts of the three poisons are likened to the impurities of sperm and ovum. Alright.
Right. So the thing that we’re up to is the violent outburst of the three poisons that can obscure the, Buddha nature. And we’re talking about things that obscure the Buddha nature and we’re up to the violent outbursts of the three poisons. Now these are said to be likened to the impurities of sperm and ovum. Now, I’m not sure about I asked Geshe-la why sperm and ovum were impure, and he said because they’re not clean.
And I said, what do you mean they’re not clean? And he said, they’re the cause for suffering because it’s based on those that we have a human rebirth or a a rebirth, and a rebirth is a cause of suffering. Alright? So they’re impure in this in that they are cause for suffering. Does that make sense?
Not as in dirty dirty. Yes. Anyway, so that’s what the impurity of those means. Now it’s said that So when it says just as the impurities of sperm and ovum are incompatible with those who are free of desire but are necessary cause upon which compassion relies for those who have attachment. I’m sorry.
It’s just that what I’m reading in the translation, what Geshe-la said, this don’t kinda add up, so I’m getting a bit confused. Uh-huh. Mhmm. Okay. So I’m sorry.
I was just getting confused because what Geshe-la is saying doesn’t seem to be similar to what’s translated. It’s it’s it’s a different interpretation of Tibetan, but there’s two ways you could interpret about six words in Tibetan. And Geshe-la’s gone in with one interpretation of those words, and the translator’s gone with another. Alright? So so I was just getting very confused.
So what Geshe-la was saying is that, as it says, as impurities are incompatible with superiors, alright, but compatible with those who have attachment. He see how says are incompatible with superiors, but compatible with those who have attachment. He isn’t taking it to be compatible. He’s taking it as being the basis for those with attachment. So what he says is that means is that in order for us to have a birth, in order for an ordinary being to have a birth, there has to be the causes for that birth, like a sperm and an egg.
And that’s the way that we come into being. For a realized being to be born, there doesn’t need to be that. They choose to be born where they want to be born. Yeah? They don’t come into being based on the the karma of attraction or of desire or attachment to having form that’s based on that we like we do through the the basis of birth.
And the basis of birth is said to be, in this case, the sperm and the egg. And so in the same way then that they don’t need that basis in order to come into being, their minds are free from the three poisons. So there’s nothing propelling them. Alright? So the the metaphor from what Geshe was saying is there’s nothing propelling them.
So the thing that propels us into rebirth is this is is that we have this basis of the of the of the it says it’s calling them the basis of birth in the desire realm. So the basis of birth in the desire realm being the causes of birth, in in our case, the sperm and egg. So this is said to be like a fundamental basis for the way that we are coming into things. So the same as the these eruptions of the three poisons are the fundamental reason that we end up, being reborn. Yeah?
Because they all come from this one this one place. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-huh.
Uh-huh. Okay. I’m sorry about this. It’s I’m struggling with sperms and eggs. Anyway, he said that the the way that it works is this is this is the metaphor.
Right? I think that the sperm and the egg act as the, like, the container or the basis on which we come into being. Yeah? And the the aryas don’t need that. Okay.
Okay. Yeah. Okay. This is what I understood Gesela said, and I’m a little concerned that I was right, if I am right. But I think that he said that if you spend all your time, how can I put this politely?
If you spend all of your time excreting, the, basis for birth, then you’re not going to become enlightened because all you’re doing is ejecting stuff. And then in the same way, if if you keep experiencing the three poisons in your mind, then there’s something that is creating it’s creating waste as well. And that would stop you from attaining the path of, an ARIA as well. So the point is supposed to be that, if you keep doing these things, then you’re creating a lot of waste, and you’re stopping yourself becoming an aria. Okay.
So the bit that I didn’t get, this why I was getting confused, is that there’s two different bits to it, and I was trying to put them together in my head. And trust me, I was coming up with some very strange mental images. That was that the other part is that it’s on the basis of this of of the sperm and the egg that we are reborn. But in the same way that it’s on the basis of the sperm and the egg that we’re reborn, it’s also on the basis of the three poisons that we were born. So if we keep and and and this isn’t the same for aryas.
Right? So aryas don’t spend all their time emitting things and and therefore they can focus and or in terms of having these, like, eruptions that the strength like, strong eruptions of negative negative three point the three poisons, and therefore, can concentrate on attaining enlightenment. And in the same way, their birth isn’t based on it. So our we have this constant or or fairly constant we’re propelled by the negative emotions and we’re propelled into other lifetimes by that too. Alright?
And that’s that’s why it’s linked to this idea of the things that are the basis for birth. Yeah? So everything in in in What? He said you’re wasting your time. You’re wasting your lifetime, like like your precious human rebirth, and you’re wasting your body.
All of every all the organs, all of everything that you’re expending energy. Yeah. He said, but I really don’t know what I’m talking about. He said he said, I’m not a doctor. I really don’t know what I’m talking about.
I said, but and I but I said, guess reason I was confused because you kept saying the the thing the basis from the male and a female perspective. And I and and I got very confused because I was like, there is nothing. You know? Anyway. But he said, I don’t know about that either.
Okay. He said, I don’t know about that, but the point of this metaphor is that it’s something that keeps creating lifetimes, and it’s what we use as the basis for our lifetime to lifetime. Yeah. And it’s a and it’s just something that keeps erupting that is what causes us to keep going from lifetime to lifetime. And in terms of the emotions I was talking about there, and and it’s not it’s something that’s, like, alien or completely separate from the Arius.
So so you guys just said so, basically, in the same way that we’re a slave to our sexual emissions. Is that the way I can put it? We’re also a slave to our Emotional. Yeah. Emotional emissions.
The gross manifestations of the three poisons. And he said, and this is what keeps us going from one lifetime to another or taking birth. That’s what happens with ordinary beings. The basis of their birth is these the obscurations and the emotions. Both of those actors are caused for them to be reborn, but it’s completely separate from what Aria’s experience in the way they’re reborn.
So does that mean as we reach enlightenment, we have to stop Emitting fluids. Emitting fluids and emitting emotions as well. You don’t emit any fluids once you’re an aria. I know or not for no purpose anyway, sir. If there’s a reason for you’re allowed to.
Okay. So sometimes the Buddhas will, I guess it says sometimes Buddhas will pretend to be like ordinary beings in every aspect. So they’ll either show what looks like emotions coming out or they will emit fluids. But it’s it there has to be a very good reason for it. It’s not uncontrolled.
Mhmm. So he said that Mhmm. So there’s there’s also different traditions because the desires that you that come up and the energies that come up, the or the winds that come up can be transformed in Tantra into when they’re based on the perception of emptiness into something that is makes up much for a much more powerful practice or much more powerful path. But he said, I probably shouldn’t have brought that into it because that’s a different You know, But ordinary beings can’t do it. Mhmm.
Mhmm. Alright. So the the verse then from the root text says, just as impure impurities are incompatible with superiors. So the impurities it’s talking about is the impure, what do they call them? Sperm and ovum as incompatible but are compatible with those who have attachment because of being a cause upon which compassion relies.
The violent outbursts are likened to impurities. So it said that if you have a lot of these things in your system, then that can be a cause for desires. Alright. Right? And in the same for for desire to arise a lot.
And it’s the same if you have a tendency towards towards violent outbursts, then or if that’s something that you have a lot of, then that’s obviously, again, going to be something that stops you from if that’s going to be something that tend makes you tend towards having negative states of mind and stops you from becoming an Ārya. Cool. We’re back to earth and treasures and stuff. So the next thing that we’re looking at is this thing called the level of the latencies of ignorance obscuring the Buddha element. Mhmm.
Mhmm. And so the next thing that we’re looking at is a level of the latencies of ignorance obscuring the element of Buddha. So this is the latent ignorance that is found in the mind stream of realized beings on the on the Hīnayāna path. Alright. So we it’s the it’s the latent ignorance, the latencies of ignorance obscure the Buddha nature on the seven impure grounds of a bodhisattva the in the continuum of arhats, solitary realizers, and hearers.
Alright? So they still have obscurations into their Buddha nature. And this is said to be like a treasure hidden by the ground. So it can’t be can’t seen by ordinary beings. And as long as it is obscured, the Buddha nature can’t be transformed into the nature body of a Buddha.
And so it’s it can’t ordinary beings can’t can’t see through this. And it’s what’s stopping it’s what’s stopping them from becoming Buddhas. So what’s stopping them from becoming Buddhas is the latencies of ignorance. Alright. So the the root text says of this, just as when jewels due to being obscured go unknown and the treasure is un tainted, Likewise, the self-arisen essence of Buddha in beings is obscured by the level of the latencies of ignorance.
So this is again, this is talking about the, latencies of ignorance that obscure the Buddha nature of those on the seven, impure impure grounds and the arhats, hearers and solitary realizers. So we’re talking about because we’re talking about beings on the seven impure grounds, we’re also talking about obscurations to liberation or afflicted obscurations as well as knowledge obscurations or obscurations to omniscience. Yes? So the two different types of obscurations. We’re not we’re not talking about particularly gross instances of these.
They’re very, subtle, instances of both afflicted states and, for the arhats, just the obscurations to omniscience. Mhmm. So the next thing that we’re looking at is the objects of abandonment Mhmm. Mhmm. Okay.
So the next thing that we’re looking at is the objects of abandonment of the Hīnayāna path of seeing that obscure the Buddha element or the Buddha nature. So these are said to be likened to a seed that has an ability to sprout or to produce a a sprout. Because what happens when someone is engaged in the practice or in the in the yoga of the path of seeing, of the Hīnayāna path of seeing, then the process itself the process itself or the uninterrupted path of the Hīnayāna path of seeing involves the realization of the selflessness of the person. So developing the realization of the selflessness of the person means that in the process of realizing that, they also abandon the things they need to abandon on the path of seeing. So the things that they held had held onto as being true at a subtle level like the self of persons are abandoned by seeing that the self of persons is not existent.
Yeah. So by seeing negation of something, they abandon it holding on to it. Alright? And this is said to be likened to the way a seed that sprouts destroys the seed. Yeah.
Because the seed is is is it turns into a sprout. So the seed’s gone and the sprouts in instead. So it says something about splitting the skin of a seed. And I don’t know. Do we say the skin of a seed?
Is that normal? I didn’t think so. I was trying to figure What a seed does to the skin? The husk. Split the husk of a seed.
And by growing into a by growing into a sprout, you lose the seed. So in the same way, by realizing the lack of self, you get rid of the thing to be abandoned on the path of seeing which is the holding on to the idea of self. Yeah? And this then leads to once that process has gone through, it leads to what is called the path of release. So the path of release is attained when the seed has turned into a sprout or when the grasping at true reality has or the grasping of true self has been obliterated by the perception of no self.
Okay? That one was much easier than the sperm thing, I tell you. Mhmm. Mhmm. So the the verse from the, sublime continuum that explains this, it’s verse a hundred and forty two that says, just as the skin of a seed is split by the gradually growing sprout and such, likewise by seeing suchness, the objects of abandonment of the path of seeing are dispelled.
So what this is saying then is by realizing emptiness, you the holding onto self is is completely thrown away And that’s what needs to be abandoned on that path of seeing. And then once that’s achieved, the the realization of that when which is likened to the seed becoming a sprout is said to be like the path of release. Okay. So the thing that’s obscuration is actually said to be like the seed or the this the the seed itself or the husk of the seed, which is completely obliterated when the the seed is the seed is like the obscuration, and it’s completely gone when the seed sprouts. Yeah.
The sprout the seed becomes a sprout. The seed is no longer there. And it’s like the seed that’s being likened to the thing to be abandoned on the path of seeing. Alright? Because when in the process of the non interrupted path that is transforming and once you get to the path of release, yeah, which is like saying when it’s completely sprouted, the seeds gone.
Yeah. So that’s the that’s like the obscuration. But the seed is not like the latent ignorance that was being talked about in the previous one. Mhmm. What’s What’s being referred to as the seed.
Know, the seed is like Mhmm. Such and such. Is that something different to the metaphor which is being taught? Oh, again. Oh, okay.
Sorry. I got confused. I thought you meant by the the metaphor. So the thing is this the skin of the seed disappears. That’s the obscuration.
Okay. So the thing that’s being abandoned is different and that’s why they have a different metaphor. Alright? So the thing that’s being what’s happening in the first one is that you’re uncovering knowledge and you uncover knowledge by getting rid of subtle obscurations. Right?
So you if you by getting rid of the subtle obscurations, you’re letting the know you’re you’re able to see things. So that’s why it’s it’s it’s said that this is for things that are subtle obscurations to omniscience is what you’re talking about and also subtle obscurations that stop the realization of liberation. Right? So this this subtler ones are talked about in that way. But this process that you go through on the on the Hīnayāna path of meditation is one where the practice itself or the the practice.
The realization itself or the uninterrupted path of the path of seeing completely obliterates the obscuration. It’s the opposite to obscuration. So you’re talking about a different process. And the thing that’s being abandoned or the thing that’s the obscuration is different. So the approach to it is different and the way that it disappears is different and that’s why they use a different metaphor.
So one you’re slowly uncovering something and in the other one, the seed, the husk of the seed completely disappears into the stem. So that’s why it’s got a different metaphor and it’s a different process. So what we’re talking about is things that obscure the Buddha nature. So there’s different things that obscure the Buddha nature and the way that they are gotten rid of and the way that they are brighter is different. Alright?
So we talked about, in the beginning, we were talking about, attachments and how that can can be like a flower that encapsulates something. And cause that’s the way that attachment works. It looks good to start off with and then it withers and dies and gets old. And it it it in that in in that process, we’re hiding something, the Buddha nature. Right?
And then if you’re talking about anger, then there’s a different way that the anger obscures the Buddha nature. And so then the what’s it called? The I’ve forgotten the name of it. The impure ground thing, the latencies of ignorance, they obscure the Buddha nature in a different way again. So we’re talking about the way the Buddha nature is obscured, but we’re using different there’s different things that obscure the Buddha nature.
So for each of the different things that obscure the Buddha nature, we need a different metaphor. That is all. Is that okay? Mhmm. Okay.
Mhmm. So it’s the the verse that talks about how the seed, is gotten rid of by the realization says, just as the skin of a seed is split by the gradually growing sprout and such, likewise by seeing suchness, the objects of abandonment of the path of seeing are dispelled. So this is how talking about how the realization of of emptiness or the realization of suchness on the path of seeing of the Hīnayāna obliterates gradually obliterates the obscuration that was grasping at at the true sense of self. So that’s why it’s likened to the seed of a skin that is obliterated by the sprout that comes out of it. And the other thing to remember is that that process of it sprouting of destroying the seed, destroying the skin of the seed is is likened to the uninterrupted path.
And at the end of it when there’s only a a sprout left and there’s no seed, that that’s likened to the path of release. Mhmm. Mhmm. Mhmm. Mhmm.
Mhmm. Alright. So the next thing that we’re looking at is the objects of abandonment on the Hīnayāna path of meditation that obscure the Buddha, and they’re said to be like rags. So what we’re dealing with is what’s left over after we have gotten rid of the objects to be abandoned on the path of seeing of the Hīnayāna. And so what we get rid of on the path of seeing are what are called the acquired afflicted views.
So there’s this spontaneously present and acquired afflicted views that we have. So on the path of, on the path of seeing of the Hīnayāna, you get rid of the acquired afflicted views or the it’s like interesting. Yeah. I was just thinking about the word they used to to translate acquired because I’m not sure that makes much sense. So I asked Geshe-la to explain it.
And what it means is views that you’ve come up with based on reason. So we’ve all done some reasoning as to why we think that we exist. Yeah. And we work on the basis of that reasoning. So what you get rid of on the path of seeing is the the mistaken reasoning that’s led you to come to the idea that you’re that we are truly existent beings.
Alright? So that that’s the basis that we work from. From this idea of being truly existing beings and or or selves. And on the path of seeing, you get rid of that by developing a view of the transitory collection. So we see that transitory collection isn’t really existent and we get rid of that reasoned mistake mistaken reasonings.
Yeah? And then after that, when you go on to the Hīnayāna path of meditation, what you’re doing then is getting rid of the spontaneous or the latent tendencies towards viewing things as being inherent, as being bit towards an inherent sense of self. And so these are said to be likened to rags because they are destroyed easily by the med the vajra-like meditative stabilization. The result of this vajra-like meditative stabilization is the arhathood or or the realization of arhathood. So it’s based on the realization of the lack of a self that comes about through the path of seeing, and it deals with the subtler levels of the grasping the transitory collections that are are spontaneous or latent.
Uh-huh. Do you get that?? Mhmm. Mhmm. Mhmm.
So this is why the the root text then says, having connected with the superior’s path, the object of abandonment of the exalted wisdom of the path of meditation, which destroys the essence of the view of the transitory collection, are shown to resemble rags. That sounds weird, doesn’t it? It’s rags. No. Rags is good.
Having connected with a superior’s path, the objects of abandonment of the exalted wisdom of the path of meditation. So the objects of abandonment are said to be like rags. And the reason that they’re said to be like rags is put that rags in that they’re getting so old they’re wearing out. Yeah? So it’s saying that if you have developed a realization of emptiness on the path of seeing, then the things that the subtle obscurations that you’re still holding onto are like rags in that they’re gonna wear out.
Yeah? They’re going to get rid of. And then and then on the basis of the meditation you’ve been able to develop on the path of seeing, you’re gonna be able to get rid of them quite easily. And then they’re and they’re on their way out. Alright?
They’re so old. They’re on their way out. And that’s why they’re said to be like only like rags. Yeah. So when they’re when they’re completely worn out, that’s when you attain a.
But what I was getting confused was the way I read it. It was the path of meditation that was what like rags and what I meant what it’s supposed to be is the objects of abandonment that are like rags. Oh, yeah. Mhmm. Mhmm.
Mhmm. Mhmm. Mhmm. Okay. So the next thing is the respective stains of the impure grounds of a conqueror’s child.
A conqueror’s child is another way saying Bodhisattva that obscure the element of the Buddha. And they’re likened they’re likened to the enclosing womb that surrounds what will become a wheel turning king. So the eighth ground, which is the first of the pure grounds, depends on the seven grounds that become before it. But the eighth ground is said to be like a child that’s just been born that’s going to be a wheel-turning king that he’s no longer obscured by a womb. Right?
And so the the womb is said to be like the obscurations that are on the set the first seven grounds, the pure impure grounds. So that that that it is a great potential, but it’s still obscured at that stage. So, yeah, that makes sense. Does that make sense? I think that’s all we said.
Mhmm. Mhmm. Okay. So this is why the the root text says, the stains based on the seven grounds are similar to the impure stains of an enclosing womb. Freedom from the enclosing womb is like the non conceptual exalted wisdom fully matured.
So the non conceptual exalted wisdom fully matured is talking about the realization of the eighth ground, the first of the pure pure grounds. And the process of getting to those grounds is said to be like the gestation in the womb that a wheel turning king would go through. Mhmm. So the respective stains of the three pure grounds are said to be like a clay mold. And they said to be like a clay mold in that once the stains have been removed, the stains on the pure grounds have been removed based on the vajra like meditative stabilization.
What is oh, no. Sorry. Based on the vajra like meditative stabilization at the end of the continuum, the bodies of a Buddha are revealed. And so in the same way as when you take off the clay from a mold, you’re left with a gold statue based on the vajra like meditative stabilization at the end of a continuum, then the obscurations of the three deep grounds are removed and the bodies of a Buddha are revealed. Yeah.
Yeah. Mhmm. So the stains related to the subsequent grounds are known to be like the grime of mud, the objects destroyed by the great beings, vajra-like meditative stabilization. So what the grime of mud means is that if you if you break something open from a mold, you’re still left with a sheen on top of the on top of the statue, and you have to wipe that clean. So you’re talking about what’s left over from the clay that formed the statue.
Yeah? So and and if based on vajra-like meditative stabilization, then these great beings who have reached that stage are able to get rid of even the even the this the the these subtle obscurations. And this one. Mhmm. Okay.
So if you wanna know where all of these things are and who’s continuing these in whose continue these things are, Then the four, the three dormant states of the three poisons and their violent outbursts are said to exist in the continuum of ordinary beings. The levels of latency of ignorance exist as impurities in the continuum of hearer and solitary realizers. The object of abandonment of the Hīnayāna paths of seeing in meditation, exist in the continuum of Hīnayāna learner superiors, and the respective obscurations of the seven impure grounds and the three pure grounds exist as impurities in the continua of Bodhisattvas. Alright. So then that’s why the root text says, by these stains, the childish, the foe destroyers, the learners, and the wise are respectively impure due to four, one, two, and two.
So hang on. By these stains, the childish, the foe destroyers, the learners, and the wise are respectively impure. Four, one, two, and two.. So what the four refers to is the childish and that’s talking about the ordinary beings. And then one, the foe destroyers, that is the the ground of latent ignorance.
Yeah? That’s what the foe destroyers is the arhats have. And then when it says the learners and it says two, that’s talking about the paths of seeing in meditation on the Hīnayāna and the two things the the the two things they need to abandon on those two paths. And the wise have two. What that is talking about is the impure and pure grounds of bodhisattvas.
So it’s covering all beings by that apart from Buddhas. And so in the great commentary to the Sublime Continuum, it says the four persons are ordinary beings, foe destroyer, learners, and bodhisattvas. So ordinary beings is the ones with four stains. Arhat is the one with one. Foe destroyer is the one with one. Learners are the ones with two, and Bodhisattvas are the ones with two.
Arhats are people who are called no more learners. And the other people that are on the path of meditation and the path of seeing are learners. So they’re they’re mutually exclusive. So the the path of no more learning on the is Buddha. Yeah.
And the path of no more learning on the on the Hinayanas is either a solitary realizer an arhat or a hearer arhat. And that people that are on the path of seeing in the path of meditation, they are on still on the path of learners. He said, no. Didn’t he didn’t explain it like in a complete order. It no.
Hang on. Uh-uh. So they’re not doing it by the order of a hierarchy. They’re doing it by the order of the examples that are given or the of the metaphors that are given. Oh.
Okay.