Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Nearly the entire 73.7 minutes is devoted to the preface of a new text, so Geshe Pema Tsering opens Yeshe Gyeltsen’s Abhidharma-based study of mental factors without reaching the factors themselves. He walks through the traditional opening prostrations — to the author’s lama (inseparable from Mañjuśrī), to the Buddha, to Maitreya as regent of all Buddhas and future Buddha, and to the six great Indian scholars including Nāgārjuna, Asaṇga, and Vasubandhu — before moving to the author’s sustained argument for why mental factors demand serious study. Drawing on quotes from Nāgārjuna, Āryadeva, Candrakīrti, and Śāntideva, and anchored by a rice-and-wheat analogy on concordant causes, the argument builds to the central claim that mind is the root of both saṃsāra and nirvana. The text’s two main divisions are briefly mapped at the close; the actual commentary on minds begins next week.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 2006 09 07 GPT – Mind & Cognition 060907.mp3
UUID: 28b4e347-80bc-41ce-9df4-a816bf32b95a
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: z Unallocated multiple years (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2006-09-07
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 73.7 minutes
Words: ~3,898
So then And then and then so then when we study, we we listen to the teachings and study the teachings. And then in this way, again, an understanding of what it is to that one must abandon and what is that one must adopt. And with this understanding and one practices according according in order to attain that enlightenment for the single goal. Is that okay? Good.
Good. Then again, the sake of accomplishing the enlightenment of all sentient beings, and one is then now going to study the study of mental factors, and then one is then abandon those mental factors, which one must abandon, and one will adopt those, and one must adopt. And in this way one is going to accomplish then the enlightenment of all sentient beings. Whatever practices one one is doing, whatever practices there is, then they depend, they rely on on mental factors. So then an understanding of mental factors is very is very important.
So then Geshe-la was then just reading through the title of the text, which is then a a clear exposition, a clear presentation of the modes of mental factors: an ornament, a garland of clear exposition, a clear explanation of the modes of mental factors. Okay? So then Geshe-la then says, so then this text was written was composed by Yeshe Gyeltsen. And then the this this sort of text of scripture is traced back to the teachings on on Abhidharma, and there’s another scripture that Geshe-la quoted it. On this on the So then So then on the collection of it’s not the collection.
The collection of of sutras or the the yeah. The collection of sutras. The Abhidharma text and the collection of sutras. So then, as it is as it is the tradition with every Tibetan text, then we start with the prostrations. The the author is then going prostrating at the feet of of his venerable lama who is inseparable inseparable from the guru Mañjuśrī, from Mañjuśrī.
Then he prostrates at all at all times. He prostrates at his feet and goes for refuge on him. And then and then the author then requests the lama, the great lama, the lama to to look after him at all times by the force of his great care, by by the force of his great compassion. So then Geshe-la then explained, so why is it that the author then prostrated and went for refuge to the lama and made requests for the care of the lama. Because the reason is because now the author is about to compose a text, and then in order to remove all obstacles to his composition, in order to be able to bear, I’d say, in order to be able to to to benefit, then he makes he goes for refuge and make requests to the lamas.
And then now we follow on to the next verse where the author is then referring to the Buddha and saying to him who has completed the two collections by force of his great compassion, who has cleared away the obscurations, the darkness of the obscurations, and knows all phenomena, who has how to say who has cleared who has clearly how to say who has clarified to migrating beings what he has seen, then to that unsurpassable refuge, how to say, the the powerful Muni, then I prostrate. Okay? And then we we follow on to the next verse where then the author is is referring to the one who with earnest loving kindness by by his earnest loving kindness towards all sentient beings towards migrators, then to to him who is renowned in the three times as the protector Mayitri or or the loving protector, to him who is the, how to say, the the regents, who is the Ajita, the how do say, the protector Ajita, the the the the regents of of of the Buddhas, then to to him from from the depths of his heart and with a mind of respect, then, again, I prostrate.
And then Geshe-la was then explaining this is a verse of prostrations for for Maitreya. When we’re talking about loving kindness, the name is is in Tibetan refers not only to loving kindness, but refers to to Maitreya himself. It’s the maitri, the name of Maitreya himself. And then he was renowned in the three times in the past. He was renowned as as Maitreya.
Again, in the present, he’s he’s known as Maitreya, and, again, in the future, he will be known as the Buddha Maitreya. So he’s known as the protector Maitreya in the in the three times. And and to him then, now as as as as a living in in a Ganden, in the joyous land, he’s he’s the the the regent of all the Buddhas. And in the future, then he will be known as the Buddha Maitreya. So then then the next verse of four lines again is saying that the Buddha has has prophesied, has predicted them, and they they came to clear, they clarified, how to say, the vast and profound, how to say, teachings of of of the Muni, of the Buddha, to the renowned as how do you say?
Yes. They’re renowned as as the great pioneers. And so then to the six ornaments of the world and to the two supremes, then I prostrate. And then then this is making reference to great teachers that that were predicted, that were prophesied by the Buddha himself. The Buddha said that, for example, Nāgārjuna would come and would clarify the meaning of of of the the middle way teachings, and then that Asaṇga would come and and clarify the meanings of of And then the Asaṇga also, he predicted the coming of Asaṇga.
He predicted the coming of Vasubandhu and other great scholars of India. Is is that area being who is portrayed in this in this small portrait here on the on the back. So then the the text makes reference the to to the fact that they clarified the teachings on the vast and the profound. So then Asaṇga and Vasubandhu, have clarified the teachings on the vast, and then Nāgārjuna, he he clarified the teachings on the profound. So then the text is then making reference to the to the six ornaments, which are these these three portraits here and these three portraits here.
And you can see maybe after the decision, you can look at them. And and the two supremes, which are the two small portraits at each side of of the Buddha here. And then then in the next verse, another verse of of homage and prostration, then now in the land which is surrounded by snow mountains, to him who has, like the sun, has then blossomed, has made the thousand petals of the sutras, the tantras, and the commentaries blossom like like the sun, then to him who is renowned as a gentle protector, then, again, to to to the lama, I prostrate. And then Geshe-la explains, this is making reference to who is known to us as. And then next verse then making reference to all the lamas.
So then to all who by by by merely seeing the light rays of the enlightened activity, then the the eye of wisdom that sees the good paths then then has has their meanings clarified. Clarified. And then to this to this lamas who are the light of the day maker, which is the sun, then please abide, how to say, in the center of the lotus petal of of the lotus in my heart. And then Geshe-la is then explaining just that this is making reference then to all the lamas, and then all the good paths as then making reference to renunciation, mind of enlightenment, understanding of emptiness, and so forth. And then and so, again, again, please remain in in the in the in the center of the lotus of in in my heart.
It’s just that and please remain close to one’s mind. Remain in one’s mind. Okay? So then those those then the the how to say, offering verses, which are traditional of in the beginning of every Tibetan scripture, then those are just finished. We finish with this last one.
So then now we go to the next verse, which is a verse of commitment to compose the text. So then the author is then saying that those like himself, he thinks that this discourse won’t be of benefit, but still he’s going to write it for the sake of his own that his familiarization with these excellent teachings might increase, that he might remember the teachings and so forth, that he might be more familiar with these sort of teachings. And then because other people have requested, have urged him to write, so because of that, he’s going to write. This text on the modes of monumental factors based based on the scriptures on on the Abhidharma, then he he will write a little bit about mental factors. That’s his commitment.
Okay? So then the author is then going to introduce the reason why one should study mental factors. So then the text is saying those who do not regard or hold as as as important just, how to say, food and clothing and and and material possessions, worldly material possessions and so forth, to those who inquire about, how to say, where where where they are going to go in the future lives in in in the world, to those who who wonder about the meaning of future lives, then to those beings who are endowed with wisdom, to those to those then wise people, then wondering that one has how to say? Thinking about about the fact that one has wandered through the three realms of existence powerlessly, and then and one has then experienced this uninterrupted uninterrupted suffering. Then one then asks, what is the root of all these?
Okay. Is that clear? And the author goes on to say: If one reflects in this way, then all these sufferings of cyclic existence, then they are not without cause, and they do not arise from discordant causes. Okay? And then Geshe is then saying the the text goes on to say then that one must understand that they arise from their own causes.
And then Geshe-la makes mention that that not only the sufferings of cyclic existence, but even the happiness of cyclic existence, they don’t arise from discordant causes. They arise from their from concordant causes, which is to say they arise from their own causes, and these causes are then explained to be actions and afflictive emotions. karma and afflictive emotions. So then Geshe-la is then explaining what is concordant and discordant causes. If then if then phenomena were to arise from discordant causes, then out of non virtue, from non virtue, from the practice of non virtuous actions, then one would experience that would arise, that there would arise happiness.
And then from the practice of virtuous actions, then then then it would there will come suffering. But then that is not so. In the same way, Geshe-la gives another illustration from if one plants rice, what comes is rice. If one plants plants rice, you you will not reap wheat. If one plants wheat, what have you have what you have is wheat.
You do not get rice out of it. So don’t this is the meaning then of concordant causes. So then the text is telling us that one must then understand this reasonings, which is which establish that these sufferings, they come from their own causes, which are in actions and afflictive emotions, karma and afflictive emotions. So then if one explains, one must then understand that if one practices virtuous actions, then happiness will ensue. And then if one practices non virtuous actions, then suffering will will follow.
Okay? And then And then and then the author is then quoting a verse from Nāgārjuna, which is then saying, as long as there is a misapprehension of the aggregates, then for that long, there will be the misapprehension of an I. And then if if there is this this this apprehension of an I, then there will there will be action. And then from that action, then there will be birth. And then Geshe-la is explaining.
So then as long as one is apprehending then this this this aggregates, the five aggregates as being here in existence, and there will be the apprehension of an I. There will be this this this grasping to an I. And then because of this grasping to an I, then one will in order to, how to say, attain happiness obtain happiness for that I or or avoid suffering for that I, then one will engage in in activities, in actions. And then from that, then there will be there will be birth within cyclic existence. There will be suffering.
There will be happiness and so forth. This one. Okay? And there’s another verse which is quoted saying that the root of cyclic existence is compositional factor, which is called compositional factors. And then, because of that, the wise ones not engage engage in compositional factors or with compositional factors, so to speak.
And and those who are not wise, then they will engage with the compositional factors. And then Geshe-la before explains the compositional factors, then it’s making reference to to mental factors, is making reference to non virtuous actions and virtuous actions and so forth. And then the whole meaning of this verse is just indicating that one must understand what is the root of cyclic existence. We must understand these compositional factors, what they are and how they work and so forth. Okay?
And then another quote from Āryadeva, from scholar Āryadeva, then reads: The consciousness that is the seed of cyclic existence has for its sphere of activity all objects. And then Geshe-la briefly explains consciousness, which is said to be then the root of cyclic existence, which is the aggregate of consciousness, has as this as this object of activity, or this sphere of activity, as this domain, then all objects of knowledge, which is in all phenomena within fact existence. And then another quote from Candrakīrti, which says, then it is this very mind, how to say, that all sentient beings in the world and all and all the environment in the world, all the various environments and and the inhabitants in these environments, they are established by this very mind. And then every sentient being without exception then arises is is born from from actions, from karma. So then then they arise they arise from karma, from actions.
And then another quote from Vasubandhu, which is then saying that the various worlds they arise from karma, again from actions. And then again, the root of existence is what is called the six root afflictions. And then was asking, what are the six? And then says attachment, anger, pride, and so forth. The six root afflictions.
Okay? And then the text says there are many other sayings such as these. And then also from from the bodhisattva way of life, the author is then quoting Śāntideva, which then says that all these fears and all the limitless sufferings, they arise from the mind. The propounder of truth, the Buddha Buddha himself has taught that. And also also, Śāntideva also says that not knowing this this secret of the mind, which is then this this great object Dharma, of the Buddha Dharma, then even though one might want to attain happiness and then destroy suffering, then still one will be meaninglessly wandering through cyclic existence.
And because of that, then one I I should hold well and guard well this mind of mine, says. Okay? And then furthermore, from also from the bodhisattva way of life, then all physical suffering and all mental distress, then all the fears, all the various fears, and then being separated from what one wishes, then all this comes about out of negative behavior or negative conduct. And then furthermore, then if one then practicing virtue of of one’s intention within within one’s mind, practicing by then doing, engaging in virtue of of intention by within the mind, then whatever when wherever one goes, then by the force of that merit, then one, how to say, one will be honored by the results, by excellences, which are the the the results of those virtues. Okay?
And then engaging in negativity, even though one might wish for happiness, wherever one goes, then by the force of that negativity, one will be then destroyed by weapons of suffering. And then Geshe-la is reading one one verse, which is then, how to say, very extremely poetic. It’s making use of many poetic terms. And then Geshe-la then is just explaining that the meaning of this verse is then saying that the teachings of the Buddhas are just like lotus flowers. They are then so compared to lotus flowers.
And then just like this lotus flowers in the center, center, then you have you have this this ambrosia, this this this essence of the lotus flowers, which is it would be like honey, which would be sweet, and so forth. So then just like, again, just it’s they’re sweet. Have they are fragrant, and they are they are soothing and so forth. And then again, so then the teachings are just like that. And they are by by taking forth the teachings, then one will benefit.
So then the the teachings on monumental factors, they are just like this. And then, again, if one if one then practices these teachings, then, again, one attains the state of enlightenment, the state of a Buddha. And then, again, there is another verse which is then saying, then by engaging by the force of non virtue of then one will have one’s skin, how to say, ripped off, and one will be then burned in the in the in the the fires of hell, and one will have molten copper throw onto oneself oneself and so forth. One will then be cut, one’s flesh will be pierced and cut by flaming spears and swords, blazing spears and swords, and one’s flesh will be cut into many chunks and so forth. Then one will will be burned in extremely fiery how to say?
One will fall in the in the in this this place, which which is, how to say, the blazing extremely blazing grounds of of the hell realms. So so then, again, Geshe-la makes reference to the the mental factors. And, again, these mental factors, they are the non-virtuous mental factors. And by by engaging these non-virtuous, then one ends up experiencing these sufferings, these many sufferings. And there are many other sayings like these ones were given by the author.
So then all the environment and the inhabitants within cyclic existence, all of them, they arise by the power of their own causes, which are then karma and afflictive emotions, actions and afflictive emotions. This was explained in the sutras, in the tantras and the commentaries, not only once, but again and again. And again, in the same way, all the good qualities of the grounds and paths of the three vehicles, the Buddha, which are the causes, and then, how to say, the holy bodies, the lifespan, and enlightened activities, all of them, they arise from their own causes, which are then these minds of virtuous qualities. And from them they arise, it is said. And then, in this way, the roots of all of saṃsāra and nirvana then is the mind, is established to be the mind, this mind itself.
So then then this is the reason then that the author is giving for the need to to compose these texts, to study about mental factors. Then again, all of cyclic existence, the hell realms and and the hungry ghosts and animals and humans and gods and and all these the sufferings and happiness of cyclic existence, all of them, they arise because of this mind. And, again, all of the three vehicles, the hearers’ vehicles, the solitary realizer vehicles, the Mahāyāna vehicle, and the paths, and the grounds, and so forth, all of them end up all the way until enlightenment itself. Again, all of them arise because of this mind itself. So then because of all these, then these then are the reasons that the author is giving for the need to then compose and to study this subject.
So then now, and then finally, then we we we are going to start with the with the main with the main body of the text, which is mental factors itself. And then the Geshe-la then says. So then a lot of a lot was said, and you might be wondering if if there was ever going to be taught anything about mental factors. It’s probably you probably wonder there’s nothing of mental factors today. So then Geshe-la is then saying that even though there was a lot that was said, even though a lot was said, it was not everything was was said was very important, then it is important to establish the need and the reasons why we must then study the subject because Geshe-la then says, if one does not have this understanding, then one will not have then the willingness or the wish to to than to learn won’t won’t won’t learn this subject very well.
With ease. And then the author himself is then saying so, and because of all that, to know of modes of mental factors, then it is extremely important. And then so then here now, the the author is then giving is going to give a brief exposition on mental factors. And to that, the author then says gives them two the first two main divisions of the text. So then these two main divisions are firstly an explanation of each individual entities of minds and mental factors, and their divisions.
And then secondly, the second main division of this text is then all the important points and the way to apply them to practice. Okay? So then, the first one these two main divisions, the first one which is then an explanation of the individual entities, mental factors and their divisions, then has again this has two parts. So the first part is an explanation of minds, and the second is an explanation of mental factors. So then, as for the first one, which is then explanation of of minds or main minds, so to speak, then is introduced.
And then the the the author is then saying, so as for the difference between main minds and mental factors, then there is a follows a quote from one particular text, which I cannot remember the name right now in in in Sanskrit. But then there’s a this quote from from one scholar, Geshe-la. So then wants to stop here today. Because then now Geshe-la wants to stop here today because to start with. So, yeah, in the next next Thursday, we we go straight into minds themselves.