Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 70-minute inaugural session on the Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas, Geshe Pema Tsering opens with the logic behind the traditional structure: why accumulating merit through homage matters before a single practice is explained. He works through the title word by word, then the two homage verses — prostrations to Avalokiteśvara (Chenrezig) as embodiment of all Buddhas’ compassion and as inseparable from the author’s own lama. The doctrinal heart of the session is the promise-to-compose verse: all happiness traces back to virtue, virtue to the Buddhas, and the Buddhas to Mahāyāna practice — compassion giving rise to bodhicitta, then the six perfections, then the two accumulations of merit and wisdom. The main body of practices, beginning with precious human rebirth, starts next session.
File metadata (for organising)
File: Sunday 2006 04 06.mp3
UUID: 4e82ed56-dfcd-4994-a94d-0900ea22b560
Teacher: Geshe Pema Tsering
Collection: z Unallocated multiple years (Geshe Pema Tsering)
Date: 2006-04-06
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 69.9 minutes
Words: ~4,637
Excuse me. So then Geshe-la is saying, today, we start with a new text. We just call it the Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas. And since we are starting with this new teaching, then Geshe-la is quoting a verse from the previous texts that were that was being taught here. And this verse goes something like that on at the beginning and at the end, practice the two activities.
And these two activities are giving rise to a good proper motivation in the beginning and at the end doing a good dedication. And then so what is now that we are going to start with the teaching? What is the motivations we have to give rise to? It’s the motivation of enlightenment. It’s the wish to relieve all sentient beings completely completely from all suffering and accomplish every happiness there is.
And then in order to in order to do that, we are going now to listen to the teachings. We are going to reflect upon the teachings. We’re going to meditate on the teachings, and then we are going to do our best to put the teachings into practice. And with this motivation, we we start studying this new text. So then, is explaining in reference to the title of the text, which is the thirty seven practice of the bodhisattva.
This text was composed the root verse of this commentary that we’re going to study, the root verses of the thirty seven practice of the bodhisattva was composed by Gyelsé Tokmé, who was a great Tibetan master of the past. And so the title of the thirty seven practice of bodhisattvas, in Tibetan, what is being translated into English straight as bodhisattva, in in Tibetan would read, like, as as as the sons of the kings or what what will be princess. So or princesses. So here, in English, was translated straight as bodhisattvas. In Tibetan, the meaning of that word in Tibetan is bodhisattvas.
And then the meaning of the word in Tibetan that has been translated as practices means practices. Fortunately, in English, it comes without the the the game the wordplay here. So so that’s that’s what Geshe-la was was just telling us. So then in in thirty seven, thirty seven because there are thirty seven verses in the text, and each one of these verses refers to a different practice. So and and that’s why we have thirty seven practice of.
So then, Gela is explaining. So as for the practice of bodhisattvas, there are so many practices. They are so very vast. But the author of this text, he condensed all of this practice in under thirty seven different practices. And and like this, we can practice all of them.
Oh, word by word the the the title of this commentary. Right? So we we went through the the and practices, and now is going through the the word that is translated as commentary itself. So the commentary to root verses, which is was taken was based on on scriptures, scriptures scriptural quotations, and from personal instructions that the author of of this commentary received from his masters. And then so this commentary is said to be like a like a a beneficial vase filled with with filled with filled with how do say, with nectar, which is the which is which is distilled from the union of both the scriptures and the and the personal instructions that he received.
So then Geshe-la was explaining that this nectar is is an analogy which refers to something which is which can cure all diseases and all afflictions and and and heal oneself. So these teachings are like this this nectar. And and then Geshe-la added at the end that the commentator of the root verses is was a great lama called Oh, okay. This one. So then we go through we are going through very traditional steps in the commentary of of a text.
And now the first step is is, how do say, is homage is is the verses of homage, and then a second verse, which is a a promise to compose this commentary. So then, Geshe-la is saying, so why we why what is the purpose of paying homage? So and why and to whom we pay homage? We pay homage to the to the to our teachers, our lamas, and and to the deities, to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. So Geshe-la is saying that we the author, he pays homage to to his lamas, his teachers, and to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas so that he accumulates merit.
He creates this positive energy. And then having being endowed of this positive energy of this homage, he then can engage in a good Dharma practice. So is important that we we we, how to say, create these virtues, this positive energy so that having this positive energy, then whatever whatever our intention is, whatever our wishes, whatever we think, we we will be we will be able to accomplish them. And on the other hand, if we do not have, if we are not endowed with these positive energies, then however much we strive to accomplish something, we will not be able to accomplish our intentions, our wishes. So the Gela saying it’s very important that we create this positive energy, that we accumulate merit in this life.
Geshe-la says that if early in our lives, we engage in virtuous deeds. We’re accumulating merit and accumulating this positive energy. Then later in our lives, we will be able to see the results. We will we will, how do say, have happiness and comfort. And, again, in future lives, we will achieve the states of gods and and good human rebirths.
And not only that, but in in the future, we’ll be able to attain the bliss of liberation. And, again, we’re not we don’t stop only there. We can we can attain even full enlightenment. So then we can see how how important engaging accumulating virtue is creating this positive energy is. So then now we got into the main body of the commentary itself.
There are three initial verses which refer to to homage and promise to compose the text. And, Geshe-la, was reading and commenting on the first verse. The first verse reads something like this. I bow to the great heroes and their children, those who have arrived and those who will arrive at the great realization, bearing with great courage their burden their burden to guide to great enlightenment, all beings extending through throughout space. So then, Geshe-la was just explaining that when the text refers to the great courage, how to say?
With with great courage, endowed by endowed with great courage, this bodhisattvas who are and who will be, they they can, how to say, bring they can accomplish the happiness of all sentient beings that extend as far as the limits of space. So Geshe-la was explaining briefly that without this great courage, then one will not be able to take onto oneself oneself this burden, which this load, which is the enlightenment of all sentient beings, which is to accomplish the happiness, the welfare of all sentient beings. So then and then the second verse reads something like this. He, with his eyes of great compassion, never how to say? He never how to say?
He never moves away from his promise to gaze on those who wander in the cycle of existence. To the dharma lord, who is the display of the supremely noble one, to the to the feet of I devoutly prostrate. And, again, Geshe-la was just explaining. So the text is making clear reference to Avalokiteśvara, which is the Buddha of Compassion, and to the fact that which is the the the author of the verse of the Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas is considered to be an emanation of Avalokiteśvara, the Buddha of Compassion. So then, explaining the meaning of of the words of this verse.
This verse was composed in in a in a very high honorific language, and Geshe-la was just explaining this language to me so I can translate to you. So but in English, we don’t have this distinction. So it comes it’s more or less the same as was as as I read before. So certain words that refers to the great compassion of Avalokiteśvara, who is always watching over sentient beings and who never how do you say? What’s how do you say this word?
Shirks? Shirks? Shirks. Shirks. He never shirks from his promise, which is the promise of bringing all sentient beings to enlightenment.
Whatever whatever happens to him, good or bad enemies or whatever happens to him, he’s he never move his eyes away from sentient beings. He’s always watching over us. So then and Geshe-la was just explaining what what was translated in in English versus lord of Dharma. This is a very high honorific term that is referring to the to the author of the root versus Gyelsé Tokmé of the Thirty-Seven Practices of the Bodhisattvas. So then and then we go to the last verse of this homage and promise to compose of of the of the commentator of the commentator.
And then this last verse reads something like this. The supreme entrance gate through which all the victors and their children, as many as there are, have passed or will pass. That excellent path that takes one from bliss to bliss, its practice, I will here explain, delivering it into your hands. So Geshe-la was just the first half of the verse, which refers to the victors and their children, and the victors refers to the Buddhas. Their children refers to to the bodhisattvas.
And then certain very poetic words that were used here that that means refers to all of them. And then to those who have who have passed into nirvana and those who are still to pass, those who have passed, the Buddhas, and those who are still to pass, the bodhisattvas. So then he’s going to explain the entrance door to to the teachings, to the Dharma, the great entrance door. And then I will explain this entrance door, how do you say, the the mind of enlightenment, the the six perfections, the, how do you say, the teachings on emptiness or the wisdom that realize emptiness, renunciation, and so forth. Those are the those constitute the entrance door to Dharma practice.
So then Geshe-la was explaining the second half of that verse, which again, in English, is is pretty much the same as as was read before. So the author is promising to to explain that way of practice of bodhisattvas, and he’s going to place that into our hands that those practices which constitute the the very good path, which it was as the excellent path that leads from bliss to bliss. And then Geshe-la was explaining just in referring in reference to the word that was translated here as happiness to happiness or bliss to bliss. It’s referring to the bliss to it refers also to the ultimate bliss of enlightenment.
That if we practice in this way, we will attain the ultimate bliss of enlightenment. So then having having composed those verses, having the commentator, having composed those verses, which are his verses of homage and his promises his promise to compose the commentary. Now he’s going to explain he’s he’s going to introduce us how the the main text was divided. The the the root text, which are the thirty seven practice of was divided. So he’s saying the explanation of the thirty seven of the Bodhisattva, the thirty seven practice of the Bodhisattvas who who was composed by the great Gyelsé Tokmé.
So has it has three main parts to it. And the first part of this the root text is is called again praise and promise to compose. And, again, the second part is the nature of the the treatise to be composed, and the last part is the meaning of of conclusion. So we can say that the first part of the root verse itself has follows again the traditional structure of a Tibetan composition, which is a verse of praise of of homage, and again, verse which is a promise to compose the text. And then so then the commentator goes into the into the the first of these topics, which is the praise and the promise to compose.
And he says that this topic, which is in Tibetan itself is called praise and promise to compose, has two parts to it. And the the first part is the praise, and the second part is a promise to compose. As for the first part, which is the praise or the homage, that itself has again two parts to it. One is the brief a brief praise, and the other one is is a more extensive praise. So then the root the root verses of the Thirty-Seven Practices of the Bodhisattvas starts with one very little Sanskrit line, which reads, which is a Sanskrit term.
And then so then the the commentary explains that the meaning of of this first Sanskrit verse is prostrations to the lord of the world. And then Geshe-la explains that the lord of the world here is Avalokiteśvara himself. So prostrations to. So then he is explaining the Tibetan words of what was translated as prostrations to the lord of the world. So the first word, which is the word, is is this word of ours.
This is where we live. And then what was translated as the lord has two so Tibetan word has two parts to it. The first part refers to his power, the fact that he has power over the whole of this world of ours. And the second part means rich can be translated as rich, meaning that he he has all good qualities. He has accomplished the six perfections and so forth.
Okay? And then we go to the to the praise, which is the the extensive the first verse of of the thirty seven Praise of the Gyelsé Tokmé, which is the extensive praise or the extensive homage. And then he reads something like this, seeing that all phenomena are beyond coming or going, he strives solely for the benefit of sentient beings. To the supreme master and protector Avalokiteśvara, I prostrate continuously and respectfully with body, speech and mind. So then he is explaining the Tibetan verse line by line.
So then what is referred to here as all phenomena means all objects of knowledge. So even though he sees that all objects of knowledge are empty of coming and going, they are empty, they don’t have any inherent existence. He strives for the benefit of sentient beings. Right? He strives one pointedly for the benefit of ancient beings.
Then and then so then he, Gyelsé Tokmé, the author of this text, he then he prostrates to his lamas, to his great lamas to to all the great lamas and to and to and to to Avalokiteśvara. He prostrates with his three doors, which was the the Tibetan version has this word, the three doors, which are the body, his body, his speech, and his mind. In in this way, he pays his respects to the great lamas and the bodhisattva of Avalokiteśvara, bodhisattva. So then he is going through the commentary to this first verse. And the commentary is referring to to the great lamas and the and the the Buddha and his wisdom, he that knows all phenomena, that knows all objects of knowledge, that perceives them as having no coming, no going, as free of being how do you say?
Permanence or or of how do say? Free of how do you say that in English? Permanence or or free of being existent or nonexistent, free free of being one or many. So he’s free of what is called the these eight limiting conceptions. And he perceives he perceives all phenomena exactly as they are.
He perceives the suchness of all phenomena exactly as they are. He perceives the the mode of of being as as not being truly established by themselves. And even though he perceives all phenomena in such a way, he perceives all phenomena as being empty of inherent existence is still, by the force of his great love, by this by the force of his great compassion, he he strives one pointedly to accomplish the welfare of sentient beings. And then to these great lamas and to these great lords, then who who show who have showed him, who have shown the author of this commentary — I mean, who have shown the author of the root verse, Gyelsé Tokmé, the path of the Mahāyāna teachings, he prostrates. So then and then the text is making a reference again to the fact that Chenrezig, Avalokiteśvara, the Buddha of Compassion, is regarded is said to be, how do say, the embodiment of the compassion of all the Buddhas.
Okay? So then then the text goes on to say that, again, in reference to to to the. This is not necessary. So then the text is making, again, a reference to the to to the fact that his lama, the lama of of is inseparable, again, from from from the bodhisattva or the Buddha Avalokiteśvara, who is a refuge, a protector for all those sentient beings who do not have a protector. And then he says that to him who is inseparable from from who is inseparable from, I prostrate I respectfully prostrate at all times with my three doors.
And then Geshe-la again explains the three doors refers to his body, speech, and mind. So then we go then to the second verse of the root text. And this verse reads something like this. The perfectly enlightened ones, sources of benefit and happiness appear from having accomplished the holy Dharma. Since accomplishment depends on knowing the practices, I will here explain the practices of the bodhisattvas.
And then, again, was just explaining the first line of the verse, which is makes reference to the fact that the source of or the origin of all benefits and and happiness are the complete are the fully enlightened Buddhas. So then Geshe-la is explaining so then, usually, we think normally, we think that those who really benefit us are are are people like our parents, our father, and our mother. And and we might ask ourselves, isn’t it that how do say? If if our parents if our mother and our father can benefit us, then couldn’t the bodhisattvas and the buddhas benefit us as well? So normally, again, as I normally, we think usually, we think that not knowing not knowing about the Buddha and Buddha, usually think that they cannot there is no how do you say?
They cannot come or that let’s say, no there is no actual happiness and benefit coming from them, from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. That’s what we normally think. So then he is explaining how it is that, in fact, all this benefit and happiness the Buddhas and the the Buddhas are the the source of all this benefit and happiness. So we the fact is we can our parents do benefit us, Our father and our mother, they do benefit us. Our our our our how do you say?
How do you say? The people who govern our our our countries, they can benefit us. And even ourselves, if we work hard, if we will accomplish benefit and happiness for ourselves. But all that every all all the happiness that we can accomplish for ourselves comes from from virtue, comes from virtue that we have accumulated in the past. All happiness that our our our father can accomplish for ourselves come from virtue that he has accumulated in the past.
And all happiness that we do for ourselves, again, comes from virtue that we have accumulated in the past. And then this virtue let’s see. So then so then, again, I just explained. So then all happiness comes from virtue and all suffering comes from the practice of non virtue, then explains that then happiness, virtue, is accomplished in dependence on the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Again, furthermore, he added to to that virtue all that is virtue is how do say?
It’s like an emanation of the it’s like an emanation of the So then so it’s it’s they are an emanation of They are like an enlightened activity enlightened activity of of the dharmakaya, which is the the Dharma body of a Buddha, which is ultimately which is a Buddha. So then, again, I was explaining. So then what is what is this virtue? Virtue is is that from which what follows is is happiness. And if if if from is the the result of an action is happiness, then that action is a virtuous action.
And if the result of an activity is suffering and pain, then that activity is a non virtuous activity. And that’s how you differentiate virtue, non virtue. And then then and then and Geshe-la says, and then from that, we understand what the verse, the root verse says that, how to say, the the perfectly complete enlightened ones, they are the source. They are the origin of all benefit and happiness. So then and then the text the root verse goes on to say, so then and and and those perfectly enlightened Buddhas who are the sources of all benefit and happiness, they come about by having accomplished the pure Dharma.
And then and accomplishing the pure Dharma comes about from comes up comes in dependence on knowing the practices. The practice and then, you know, I was explaining briefly the practice of the Mahāyāna in this case, which lead to full enlightenment. And that and that being the case, we we conclude the verse concludes with the last line, which says, I will here then explain the practice of the bodhisattvas. And then is going for the commentary of to that verse, to that second promise to compose the text. And the commentary is just is just a brief, how to say, little elaboration on the on the root verse itself.
It says, so then temporal temporal benefits, temporal happiness, and then ultimate and ultimate bliss, the perfectly complete how do say? Enlightened Buddhas, they are the source of this temporary and ultimate happiness. So then from what from what causes do they appear, this perfectly complete enlightened Buddhas? So then the text goes on to answer. It says it comes only they only come about from having correctly correctly practice the pure Dharma of the great vehicle, of the Mahāyāna teachings.
So then again, he briefly explains the reference that the text makes in this line that I just translated to you, which which explains which is making reference to those beings who are still, how do say, training, who are still on the path, but who are not those who are not arhats or or beings who have attained the their own liberation. So then those people who are still practicing and and then who then in the context of practicing the path, they engage they accomplish the path of the Mahāyāna teachings. So then and then if if we say if we say that they this perfectly enlightened Buddhas, they arise from having accomplished this the pure Dharma of the Mahāyāna teachings, then then we might ask, how is how is that? How is that the the the that they have arise from practice the Mahāyāna teachings? Then the text goes on to explain that in the beginning, they have given rise to great compassion.
So in the beginning, when they were just ordinary beings like ourselves, they have given rise to to great compassion. And then they have and that and that very compassion is the root of the mind of enlightenment. And then explain. So then that being so, we first have then to, how do you say, meditate on great compassion. And then in dependence on having accomplished compassion, then the mind of enlightenment will be developed.
And then having developed the mind of enlightenment, then we engage in generosity, ethics and so forth, which are the method, how do you say, the method part of the training. And also by knowing by the wisdom that realizes that all phenomena do not have inherent existence, then we also engage in the wisdom part of the training. And like this, we accomplish by practicing the six perfections, then we can, how to say, collect the two accumulations of merit and wisdom. And that’s all that comes in dependence on knowing or only on knowing how to practice. So then the promise is made, how to say?
The promise is made for those so then for those who want who wish to train in the path of the great vehicle for the sake of attaining enlightenment, then the promise is made that one will how to say? How to say that one When we’ll practice? How would I say that? Then the promise is made to know or to explain or the how do you say? The practice the practices of of the bodhisattvas of the Mahāyāna, the way of training, the attitude according to the scriptures and the commentaries.
Okay? So so we stop here today. So we we are still in the in the the commentary of to the second verse, which is the promise to compose. Okay? Which is not going to take long before we get to the main body of the practices itself.
This text, the Tibetan text that we are using, we have a full translation of this text. In English, it’s this book. Okay? It’s both the have the both the root verses and the and the commentary here. And if you can acquire this, it’s much more fun because at least for me, it’s very fun because there’s always inconsistency between the Tibetan version and English version.
I can point them out to you all the time. It’s great. Yeah. Yeah. Okay?
It’s fun this way. Any questions? This is very much a traditional approach. Every Tibetan text starts like this with a homage, and then, how do say, promise to compose. And sometimes we do it more extensively than others.
This is a very short text, so it’s only two verses. But it’s a very traditional format. And and Geshe-la being being a Geshe himself, he goes through every step. He has to go and it’s a matter of respect, actually. He has to go for every step.
The first we start, which hopefully we’re going to start next next Sunday, is is a first verse that refers to the precious preciousness of human rebirth to freedoms and the eight leisures and the ten riches. And the commentary is very nice. And then we go with pretty much a lot of detail into the subject. Commentary is very lovely, and and the translation is is okay. It’s a good translation.
And the author of this commentary, he uses he makes many quotations from the Kadampa Geshes, which are very rare and very difficult to find. So it’s a very, very unique opportunity, actually. It’s okay? And then is a very interesting very interesting character. He himself was a like like Geshe himself, but he was the main student of Patrul Rinpoche, who was a great great nonsectarian lama.
So it’s a very, very interesting combination here. Liberation. No. No. Words of my perfect teacher.
So it’s very, very beautiful stuff we have here. Okay. Shall we do the