Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. The sword and bow and arrow — weapons the Wheel of Sharp Weapons text uses as symbols — form the core of this 44-minute session with Geshe Pema Tsering. He opens with brief motivation-setting: contemplating impermanence and death, then generating bodhicitta to benefit all beings. He then explains the two weapons: the sword symbolizes ultimate bodhicitta — wisdom directly realizing emptiness — and he maps its development across the five Mahāyāna paths and ten bodhisattva grounds, noting that self-grasping is fully uprooted at the eighth bodhisattva ground and its imprints cleared at the tenth. The arrow stands for conventional bodhicitta; a parent-child analogy illustrates how cultivating genuine concern for others progressively weakens the self-cherishing mind.
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File: 11 w of sw 2002 03 31.mp3
UUID: 52af1280-3348-4dfa-8018-86b44255a52e
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: Wheel of Sharp Weapons (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2002-03-31
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 44.9 minutes
Words: ~3,222
So now I have, come to see or recognize all the faults or those many faults of self-cherishing mind and also the self-grasping mind. So by recognizing and seeing these different faults of self-cherishing mind and the self-grasping mind, From now on, I won’t let myself under the control of those two minds. For example, every day we experience different delusions such as hatred, anger and so on. So though we are here and during this short retreat, supposed to be doing good, but we still experience these different delusions such as hatred, anger and so on. That’s because we are so used to it in our past lives.
So so so because of that, it happens to us that these delusions arises again and again. But being aware of your mind, be mindful with your mind, what your mind is doing and and lead your mind towards performing the virtuous actions, virtuous practices. And and and and and generate this motivation that I will perform all virtuous actions in order to achieve this full enlightened state. And may this virtuous action I perform benefit others in that way you should motivate. So now contemplate our impermanence and death such as impermanence, we don’t know how long will last, the changes that take place and the death is inevitable, but we don’t know when it’s coming.
Can be today, can be tomorrow, contemplate on these points. So it’s very uncertain when we when we’ll face the death. Definitely we’ll face that but at present we don’t know when it will come. So while we are not facing the death, I must practice, I must do something, do something good, Make good use of this precious human body and and for this for the benefit of others. So in that way, you should train and think.
So on the basis of that that the basis of not wishing suffering and wanting to be apart from suffering, try to generate this great mind that to free others from their sufferings. That mind, they try to generate that mind. So if that that if that mind generates within you, genuinely within you, then that will lead towards the practice and also seeking for the enlightenment. So in order to get rid of all the sufferings of other sentient beings, I I need to achieve the full enlightened state, set up that kind of motivation and do your meditations and teachings. So we do short meditation for here.
So that we may experience this different state of suffering such as the suffering of sickness. Some might be a very strong sickness that you might know no medicine can cure. Some might be small sufferings such as like everyday today you go here, there, you have different type of sickness such as headache, ache in your body and so on. So these type of suffering that we experience present is also the result of our past karmic actions such as for example, in these cases, our karma we have committed such as karma that we have brought harm to others body and caused them pain. So they are the causes for this type of sufferings at present.
So as the teaching, Geshe-la uses the example according to the text, uses the example of sword and also a bow and arrow. So the reason that in this text it is used, I mean there are many different types of weapons can be used, especially like different guns and different sort of weapons but especially those two that are using the text because these two implements or weapons symbolize two different bodhicittas that of the conventional bodhicitta and the ultimate bodhicitta. So when we talk about bodhicitta, we say there’s two, the conventional bodhicitta and ultimate bodhicitta. And again there’s another way of differentiating there, there can be two bodhicittas, I explain as the aspiring bodhicitta or the engaging bodhicitta. So there are these different bodhicittas, you should understand these.
So the entering bodhicitta and the engaging bodhicitta, these two have same type of motivation. It starts with one wishing to free others from the state of sufferings. That’s how you generate that bodhicitta. So when we talk about the ultimate bodhicitta, then that is the wisdom realizing emptiness. That’s what we are referring to.
So that when we say wisdom directly realizing emptiness, that that is the wisdom of those ārya beings. They are the one, they are the only who have that that type of the ultimate bodhicitta. Not any any like wisdom knowing emptiness is regarded the ultimate bodhicitta. So because this ultimate bodhicitta is regarded only the wisdom realized emptiness of those ārya beings such as the the first and the second level of the path, the bodhisattvas of the first and second level of path, the path of accumulation, path of preparation. There they do have wisdom realized emptiness but their wisdom is not regarded the ultimate bodhicitta.
So so that wisdom realizing emptiness on these two path, the path of accumulation and the path of preparation Is a wisdom, there’s a wisdom that realizes emptiness but is not the same as the wisdom realizing emptiness on the higher part. So the first part when one come to understand emptiness is through logic or reasoning. In that way, we first come to have understanding of emptiness. So the first part of realizing emptiness, how we do is through reasoning. And in a way, how to understanding different reasonings, we come to realize that level of emptiness which is known as the the understanding received from hearing.
That is the first part of understanding you come into. And then you go to the second part is the understanding or the realization you you gain through contemplation. Or So then on the second part when you talk about the path of preparation, there again you divide those parts, the different level into four different parts known as the heat, the peak and so on. So when you reach the heat part of the path of preparation, then their understanding relates to the third part. So on the path of accumulation, their understanding is mainly related also with hearing and contemplation.
So on the path of accumulation, what do you accumulate? You hear a lot of teachings, you accumulate great merit and then on the basis of that then you contemplate. And that’s how you move on the path of preparation. So at that time on the path of preparation, you do meditate on emptiness, you do practice on emptiness but and you you do single point and you concentrate on that But it’s not regarded as high as the upper level. So so then when we talk about the calm abiding or śamatha, then that is when you have a single point of concentration on on the emptiness, then that’s where you contemplate.
That comes to the second part. So on the second part where you then single point is to concentrate and contemplate on emptiness. So this explanation is according to to the beings who directly enters into first into the Mahāyāna path, which is of of the five paths, like those who follow the path of accumulation, path of accumulation, preparation and so on according to Mahāyānist. So on the path of preparation, the practitioner continually contemplates on realizing emptiness and meditates and contemplates. And then when as at the point where that person have a direct realization of emptiness, then it is regarded, one has moved to the next path, that is the path of seeing.
So the point where one come to realize emptiness directly, that’s where one reach the path of seeing and that’s where also the path known as what have now achieved the ultimate bodhicitta. So so that is known as the the ultimate bodhicitta and the conventional bodhicitta within that within that being of the path of seeing is also known as the other type of bodhicitta. And these two, the example that is used in this text, the two bodhicittas are referring to those two bodhicittas. So the sword that we the knife that is used as example, quoted in the text is referring symbolizes the ultimate bodhicitta. So so like the sword is is the best tool to cut any grasses, any plants, whatever the way it can cut.
Similar to that, the ultimate bodhicitta is the is the the best tool to destroy or cut the self grasping mind and the self-cherishing mind. So because why? Because the ultimate bodhicitta is known as known as wisdom directly realizing emptiness. And the self-cherishing mind and and the self grasping mind observes things, what do call, observe to the opposite, which is they say that things exist inherently by itself in that way. So the self grasping mind and the self-cherishing mind sees things existing inherently by itself and the ultimate bodhicitta or the ultimate bodhicitta sees the opposite, that things does not exist inherently from its own side.
And this self-cherishing mind sees things that are existing inherently from its one side and because of that, we come to create or commit these negative karma, many negative karmas and so on. So these two, like the self grasping, self-cherishing mind views the things existing inherently by self from their one side. And the ultimate bodhicitta which views things that are the opposite. On the other way, opposite which is things that does not exist inherently and those two views are contradictory. And two different like contradiction like completely different views.
So so this what this cherishing mind and the self grasping mind does or views and let let what they do and what they what they do never, what do you call, never develops. It’s not nothing that can be that is developed. It’s always the same, but we repeat that again and again. On the other hand, the ultimate bodhicitta is what we can, that which we can increase by meditating on it. You can like you can you can increase or you can, what do you call, upgrade more up upwards always.
So the stronger one meditates on this ultimate bodhicitta, the weaker now these two, the other side gets, the self-cherishing mind and the self grasping mind. So so it’s an for example, like if two people fight each other, fighting the weaker one one one loses and then the loser the winner wins. Similar with the two countries if that one is losing it then the other one gets stronger and takes over it. So so similar to that. So for example, another we’re putting it if two persons are fighting and one have a great big backup plan like ministers and kings and so on behind him and one don’t have if he’s poor, then that’s that’s it’s like that.
So because of like that, the ultimate bodhicitta have a strong backup as a logical backup to help it. And with the other side like the self-cherishing mind and the self grasping mind don’t have that backup. So then because of that if we to actually do meditation and practice it then by practicing on bodhicitta, the ultimate bodhicitta, definitely one will, what do you call, weaken the self-cherishing mind and the self grasping mind. So these two, the ultimate bodhicitta and the self-cherishing mind, these are like enemy to each other. Enemy to each other.
So so why and the sense of enemy that one is stronger, the other one is weaker. The other one is stronger, one is weaker. So but in our case, for example, self-cherishing mind and self grasping mind is much stronger and the ultimate bodhicitta is at the very, very bottom. We have to we have to build up. So when we achieve that path of seeing, the Mahāyāna path of seeing, then that means you are you are you’ve been quite strong now that you can be actually fight with that fight with the other the enemy.
So the path of seeing, when you reach the path of seeing, that means you have reached the first bhūmi of the bodhisattvas. The first ground of bodhisattvas. There’s ten grounds of bodhisattvas. And when you reach the eighth ground or the eighth bhūmi, that means that time, as soon as you reach that, you have completely got rid of the self-cherishing mind and the self-grasping mind. So when you want to reach the eighth ground of all the bodhisattvas, there you have completely got rid of the self-cherishing mind and the self grasping mind.
Completely you have, have completely got rid of that. But then at the final stage of the eighth ground, then the ninth and the tenth, what you get rid of is the imprints, known as the imprints of the self-cherishing mind and the self grasping mind. That they are the only thing that you come to abandon and that is known as the obscurations to omniscience. So then the final stage of the tenth ground where you completely then abandoned even the imprints that is there, left by the self-cherishing mind and the self-grasping mind. And then when you complete that, the tenth ground, then as soon as you complete that, you reach the Buddhahood.
So final as reaching, completing the tenth ground and reaching Buddhahood and abandoning all types of obscurations is simultaneous. So so when you reach the the final state, the Buddhahood, then you’re known as the omniscient. You have reached the omniscient state. You have you you have you know everything and you have abandoned everything. So that’s the sequence or how you come to abandon the self-grasping mind and the self-cherishing mind.
So so so that’s why they used that knife or the sword as a as a symbol for for bodhicitta, ultimate bodhicitta. So so then the bow and arrow. The arrow is symbolizes as the the conventional bodhicitta. So so on the conventional bodhicitta and the self grasping mind and the self-cherishing mind, that one, what do you call, they are not the same.
They are not completely totally different. So but they are different in the sense that the self-cherishing mind think about self or or it’s a selfish mind and the the conventional bodhicitta is known as the bodhicitta’s so it thinks for others. That that’s the two different difference with the attitude. So they are different in the sense that they have, one is being selfish and thinks for oneself and cherish one and the conventional bodhicitta is the other which is things for others and works for the sake of others. So these two are known as the attitudes like when you develop one such as wishing thinking of others and benefiting others, the wanting to help others, the selfish mind weakens.
So for us, sorry, for us, at present is self-cherishing mind and the self grasping mind is much stronger and and we are like the servant servant of of these two attitudes or the mind. So if you are asked, are you a servant of self-cherishing mind and self-cherishing mind? If you are asked, most most cases, they will say I’m not I’m not a servant. So if you don’t analyze and think, then you don’t think about it and you don’t recognize that. But then if you analyze and think about it, then it is true that we are the servant of this mind.
So, just we are sent to work, sent to cook food and all these things is because of the self-cherishing mind that makes us do that. If if we don’t do that, then we do get told off. So we we care about ourselves, we think about ourselves and we have and we we have this, what do call, selfish mind that I want this, I need this and so on. And also regarding oneself being very important. Oneself being more important than the other.
So because of that, we do different things for our own sake. And and who is sending us to do those things is again the same mind, the self-cherishing mind. So if we analyze and think in this way, then yeah, definitely we are the servant of this mind, selfish mind or the self-cherishing mind. So if we don’t contemplate and think about these points, then it doesn’t come into our mind. We don’t think about it.
So so we do that every day to day life. We because we think our our self think about our self and how important oneself is and and we do all these different things. And and on the along the way we do many negative things and so on. Why we do it? Because the self-cherishing mind is making us do it.
So so when when instead of cherishing yourself, and now if you change that and use other others instead of self, then right away it harms a little bit the self-cherishing mind. So as as soon as we change in the place of self, the others, definitely it it definitely harms the self-cherishing mind. How for example, as an example, if you say as a parent and they have one child and the child always loves his or her dad all the time, every time and ignores the mom and doesn’t do much about, do many things with the mom And suddenly one day if the child changes his or her mind and does something good to the mom and and dad sees that and then dad wouldn’t definitely, oh, what’s happening now? Like that kind of doubt comes right into a dad’s mind. So it’s similar like that if if as soon as you cherish others, then it does affect the self-cherishing mind.
So then similar like that way, and then if the if the child gets more and more closer to the mom and more distant from the father, then suddenly, okay, stays with the mom and child doesn’t want the father, so they send him away or something. Can happen like that. So similar situation when we develop the cherishing of others more and more, more and more, then one, there will be a point where you get rid of the self-cherishing mind. So place like exchange these places like consider themselves, bring in the other and then cherish others. So so so as soon as one one change this this then that that means when I change the attitude too, which is which becomes the conventional bodhicitta, which is wishing to help others.
So so so as an as an example, the arrow is used here is because as a symbol of conventional bodhicitta is because if you if you, to shoot the arrow on its target then definitely it will, if you want to kill somebody, something can kill if you use a hit on the target. Then that’s why if you have the conventional bodhicitta, the stronger you get, it’s definitely it is on the target. It hits and destroys the, what do call, the self-cherishing mind. So so these two bodhicittas acts as a as a what do call? Acts as a tool to to to destroy