Audio recorded at Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 125-minute Guru Puja commentary, Kyabje Rinpoche systematically explores the 18 Root Downfalls of Bodhisattva vows: praising oneself and debasing others, stealing donations to the Triple Gem, abandoning dharma, turning others from the great vehicle, relinquishing bodhicitta, and more. He introduces the four binding factors that determine whether an infraction is a root downfall (causing lower rebirth) or a lesser fault. Rinpoche emphasizes daily protection through six-session Guru Yoga recitation and illustrates the stakes with King Yeshe O, who sacrificed his life for the teachings. Purification through the four forces and Q&A are included. For practitioners who have already generated bodhicitta.
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File: SSGY 110927.mp3
UUID: 354ee471-69c2-4e61-882a-921b00ffa7ec
Teacher: Kyabje Rinpoche
Collection: Guru Puja – Lama Chopa
Recorded at: Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide
Words: ~4,775
So we will meditate for one or two minutes to generate the motivation to listen to these teachings. Generally speaking, teachings must be listened with a good motivation, and this motivation must be to free all sentient beings from suffering and to place them in a state of unalloyed happiness. To do this, we ourselves must reach this state, and therefore, must strive for the state of full enlightenment to place all sentient beings in that state. And with this as a motivation and the motivation not to be one single sentient being aside, we should now listen to these teachings. So as you said in the Guru Puja, bless me to give rise within my mind to that path which is praised by the Tathagatas of the three times as is taught.
So the Tathagatas of the three times here refer to the Buddhas of the past, the present, and the future. And the path which we pray is to generate within our mind stream is the training in ethics. And the three ethics which I referred to here, first and foremost, the ethics of the abandonment of faults. This refers to the threefold ethics of the pratimoksha, the vows of individual liberation, the bodhisattva vows, and the tantric vows. And within these, the specific vows of, for instance, the novice holder, as well as for those who are ordained and specifically for those who are bhikshus who have five major downfalls.
In addition, we have the bodhisattva vows and the tantric vows, including the specific vows of the five categories of or the five lineages of Buddhas and the common or shared tantric vows. This is the first category of ethics, which is referred to here. The second category of ethics is the ethics of the enhancement or the increase of virtue, and this refers to to engaging in practices ranging from generosity all the way through to the practice of wisdom motivated by bodhicitta, or the final category of ethics is that ethics of benefiting others. And this refers to eliminating the suffering or the hardship of sentient beings. Once one has engaged in pure ethics in this way, one in turn trains in the training of concentration and of wisdom.
We will now continue continue onwards with the presentation of the 18 Root Downfalls of a Bodhisattva, and Rinpoche presented these quite extensively last time. He will continue in the same vein. He would like to ask us to
To pay he to listen carefully because if we do not actually identify the real downfall, it is impossible to protect against it. In the same way, as if we do not identify a thief, we cannot apprehend him. And within these 18 bodhisattva vows, four, I explained in Asaṇga’s bodhisattva bhūmi, and 14 explained in the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra, the Sūtra of the essence of space, which makes 18. Now if you pass on to your six-session Guru Yoga, the root text on page nine, the four first vows listed praising oneself and debasing others, not giving dharma or wealth, not heeding despite confession, and abandoning the great vehicle are respectively the first, second, third, and fourth vows explained in Asaṇga’s bodhisattva bhūmi. As Rinpoche explained last time, there are four such vows from the standpoint of intent.
If they are subdivided from the standpoint of the deed or the application, there are eight. But here, we consider them from the standpoint of the intent, so there are four. And therefore, from the standpoint of their enumeration, they have been summarized into these four vow vows, praising oneself and debasing others, not giving dharma or wealth, not heeding despite confession, and abandoning the great vehicle. And regarding the 14 vows explained within the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra, these are vows five and onwards on page 10 of your root text of the six-session Guru Yoga, and which he will cover again the explanation in the treatise on the three precepts starting on page three. So the fifth root downfall of a, which is appropriating donations to the triple gem in the commentary, is the first root downfall according to the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra.
This root downfall, which is the actual base, having fulfilled the great binding factors upon generating a mind of ownership through stealing or causing the theft of substances which are owned by any of the three conventional ultimate gems for one’s own sake or in connection with the afflictions is a root downfall of stealing donations to the Triple Gem. And on still on page 10 of your six-session Guru Yoga and on page three of the presentation, an explanation of the three precepts based on Sūtra alone, you have the explanation of the sixth root bodhisattva vow Mhmm. Which is the second bodhisattva vow according to the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra abandoning dharma. Now this is explained on page three as follows in a similar fashion for the remainder that downfall, which occurs upon having deprecated the collection of sutras, which explain the definite emergence, in other words, renunciation of either hearer solitary realizers or bodhisattvas as perfect by saying these are not the utterances of the Buddha is abandoning Dharma. So this is not a very clear explanation, Rinpoche says.
What is meant here is basically that if one criticizes the realizations such as the realization of the four noble truths or the 12 links of dependent origination, saying this is not the Buddha’s teachings, then one has committed this sixth downfall. And the third root downfall from the standpoint of the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra, which is the seventh root downfall in the listing of the six-session Guru Yoga on page 10 of your root text six-session Guru Yoga is robbing or depriving someone of the saffron robes. This is explained on page four of these three precepts. This is having either deprived of the saffron robes, a person who had been ordained following the Buddha, in other words, a disciple of the Buddha, or caused to fall from ordination, I e to return to the lay state, is depriving of the saffron robes for thrashing or beating those who are ordained is thought to be included within the fifth downfall of the grounds of the bodhisattvas. And the following vow on page 10, which is the eighth vow in the presentation, and the fourth vow, according to the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra, is engaging in the five uninterrupted crimes.
This is explained on page four of the three precepts. Engaging in the uninterrupted crimes is having engaged in any of the five uninterrupted crimes. Here, in addition, it is taught that the four uninterrupted crimes excluding schism are included within the fifth downfall, and you have to add in the translation of the Bodhisattva Bhumi. One must investigate whether these two root downfalls require that both the object and the base be beings of a similar type or not. And here, these five uninterrupted crimes are the heinous deeds of killing one one’s father, killing one’s mother, and so forth.
And the ninth root bodhisattva vow, which is the fifth root bodhisattva vow according to the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra on page 10 of your root text, six-session Guru Yoga is wrong views. This is explained on page four of the commentary at the bottom. To deprecate by saying past and future lives do not exist or that virtuous and non virtuous karma and effect do not exist is holding wrong views. So denying the existence of past and future lives is holding wrong views. And the sixth root downfall according to the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra, which is a tenth in a traditional enumeration, destroying cities on page 10 of your six-session Guru Yoga is explained on page five of the commentary.
Destroying places is to destroy either cities, villages, countries, or lands with the mindset motivated by the afflictions. Here, even though cities, villages, countries, and lands are enumerated and are different, nonetheless, this is grouped within one root downfall. And the seventh downfall according to the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra, the eleventh according to the presentation, the six-session Guru Yoga is teaching emptiness to the untrained. This is on page five of the commentary. When after teaching emptiness, which is bereft of all elaborations to an an unsuitable vessel, a person who has generated a mind wishing for perfect enlightenment, and should emptiness be taught to him would be afraid.
Fear arises, and because of that, he or she turns away from the mind wishing for perfect enlightenment, generating a mind wishing for the enlightenment of the lower vehicle. That downfall is explaining the profound to those who are not suitable vessels. So the downfall occurs when emptiness is explained to a person who will generate fear within his mind stream upon hearing this and abandon the great vehicle. And here, the twelfth route downfall of a Bodhisattva on page 10 of the route
Text, which is also the eighth according to the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra, is explained in the commentary as follows. Turning away from perfect enlightenment, should a person who has engaged in the great vehicle after generating the mind wishing for perfect enlightenment, turn another away from perfect enlightenment saying, you are unable to practice the six perfections. In other words, you can’t practice the six perfections and should generate the mind of a hearer or a solitary realizer who is unable to become enlightened and simply become liberated from cyclic existence. In other words, redirect someone who had engaged in the practice of the great vehicle into the practice of the Hīnayāna, then the twelfth root downfall has been committed. And the ninth vow, according to the Ākāśagarbha, and the thirteenth vow, according to the six-session Guru Yoga, is abandoning individual liberation on page six of your commentary.
The downfall of causing a person who is training correctly in the ethics of individual liberation, i.e. pratimoksha, and the vinaya to relinquish the precepts and vows of individual liberation through saying, what is the point of pure vinaya ethics? After generating bodhicitta, you will gain the great vehicle and purify all the faulty behavior of the three doors which has arisen arisen conditioned by the afflictions. So the thought here is to say to someone who is training correctly in the Vinaya, there is no point, no benefit in training the Vinaya and to cause him to abandon the Prātimokṣa. And the tenth downfall according to the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra, the fourteenth through downfall of a bodhisattva on page six is deprecating hearers, criticizing hearers. That downfall of deprecating through thinking from the depths of one’s heart, however much one trains in the Hīnayāna, in the lower vehicle, will not be possible to abandon all afflictions is the downfall of abandoning the dharma of the realizations of the lower vehicle.
And on page six of your commentary on the three precepts, the section called an excursus must be understood as an excursus which is included within the presentation of the eleventh vow according to the Ākāśagarbha or the fifteenth root downfall,. That downfall which occurs when lies are uttered regarding qualities which one lacks or faults which another lacks under the power of desire. Desire here refers to basis of liking something, not desire as we understand it. For whatever donations for oneself or out of envy for whatever donations given to another. To either one, a being wishing for the lower vehicle or two, a being on the lower grounds are understood.
At this point, this is a downfall of praising oneself and debasing others. Then there is an excursus here, a quote. The highway to enlightenment says in this context, when the master Śāntideva quotes the defeats mentioned in the Bodhisattva grounds, he does not quote the first defeat in as much as he considers it synonymous with the defeat taught here. One must act in accordance with the meaning explained in the Bodhisattva grounds. And since if one takes the Bodhisattva grounds literally, that is not included in it, one might wonder whether one should quote that from the Bodhisattva grounds or not.
So this is This one. And the fifteenth, we don’t follow on page seven, is not just only lying about the profound or about emptiness. It is also lying about one’s realizations and saying, one is an ārya when one is not. When one is not. All the great lies, in other words.
And the twelfth root downfall according to the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra on page seven, which is the sixteenth in our enumeration, taking donations to the three supremes when donations to ascetics, which means monks here, in which he says, so cease because of dwindling wealth. That is taking akin to the previously explained spoliation of the donations of any of the Three Jewels. Alternatively, the downfall which arises after taking possessions through theft or inducing theft of the substances which were donated, I. Whatever donations were made to persons ranging ranging from the three bhikkhus downwards is a down downfall of taking donations made to the three supremes. So here, if one makes a donation to a monk and then one changes one’s mind and one takes it back, then this downfall has been current.
And the thirteenth downfall according to the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra on page eight of your commentary, seventeenth, formulating bad ethics. The downfall of having bad ethics is the downfall which arises from giving victuals, in other words, food, to bhikshus who practice abandonment. This refers here specifically, Rinpoche says, probably to bhikshus training and insight or Vipashyana. After having either stolen the four substances which should not be enjoyed, one with harmful thoughts, in other words, an evil intention from those with faulty ethics, in other words, bad practitioners, arisen from numerous afflictions and who have relinquished mental attention concordant with calm abiding and insight. In other words, who have abandoned the practice of Shine, or secondly, with thoughts loathing abandonment from a bhikṣu who falls striving at abandonment is not an ārya being.
And the eighteenth root downfall is the fourteenth and final downfall according to the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra on page eight. It’s a root downfall of relinquishing, aspiring bodhicitta to think, I cannot attain purest enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. This happens if having generated bodhicitta, we then think, I will not do so anymore. And on the bottom of page eight of the commentary, the number of downfalls. Within an initial enumeration, there were 19 downfalls.
Within these 19 downfalls, the first four, I explained in bhūmi, the Bodhisattva grounds. The following 14 in the Sūtra of the Heart of Space or the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra. This is quoted by Śāntideva in his, Shiksha Samuchaya, and the last in the Sūtra of Skillful Means. So four and fourteen makes 18 plus one nineteen. However, although there are 19 in this way, since the first vow explained in the Bodhisattva Bhumi and the eleventh explained in the Ākāśagarbha Sūtra are synonymous.
Then when they are resumed, these are known as the 18 root downfalls. And on page nine of the commentary, among these, since the mere occurrence of relinquishing engaging bodhicitta and the arising of wrong views is sufficient to become a a root downfall, the great binding factors do not have to be complete for them or for the others. They become root downfall should the binding factors be complete. So here, if wrong views arise, this is sufficient to become a root downfall of the Bodhisattva vows. If for instance, one thinks there is no common causality at that moment one has broken the Bodhisattva vows.
Likewise, if one gives up engaging bodhicitta at that moment when it has broken the root bodhisattva vows, the remaining 16 vows require the presence of the four great binding factors for them to be complete. Call for the others, the 16 remaining, they become root downfall should the binding factors be complete. Otherwise, they are no longer root downfalls. They become downfalls of small or middling contamination if performed with small or middling binding factors. And therefore, for they become downfalls of small or middling contamination if performed with smaller middling binding factors.
You have to correct the English translation here. These are explained as faults belonging to the section of defeats, and not the root downfalls of the section of defeats. So here, if the root if the downfall such as, for instance, the first one praising oneself and criticizing others is committed with the four great binding factors, it becomes a root downfall. However, if it is performed with the small or middling binding factors, it is counted as a fault from within the section of defeats. And at present on page nine, the difference between the three levels of binding factors, which are the great, middling, and small binding factors.
If after the motivation has arisen and at once, after the completion of the and you have to correct English translation, the actual deed. So this is the actual deed from within the threefold subdivision of preparation, actual deed, and completion of the deed. All four binding factors are complete, I e, there does not arise even the slightest sense of either shame, which hesitates for hesitates for one’s own sake or embarrassment, which hesitates for another’s sake regarding that wrong behavior. So shame here refers to being ashamed from one’s own side and embarrassment to being embarrassed at the thought of what others such as one’s guru or the tutelary deity will think. Khensur Rinpoche says if we were to take his own example, he is a fully ordained monk, and if he were tempted by the thought of stealing, and at the moment when the thought arises, a sense of shame thinking, how could I do such a thing if I am ordained arose?
This would be shame. Whereas, if on the other hand, he thought I would disturb the minds of my teachers, how could I do this? They would be unhappy with me. This would be embarrassment. And if we were to take the first downfall as an example, praising oneself and deprecating or criticizing others, when we perform that downfall, if the mind thinking, I am not ashamed at all about this, why bother?
And the mind thinking, who cares about what others think arise, then neither shame nor embarrassment are present. And the second great binding factor on page 10 of your commentary is one does not turn away from the desire for that behavior. This means that one behaves in this way over and again. And the mind does not turn away from both the satisfaction which delights in that behavior and the joy which delights in applying to that wrong behavior. This means that the mind is not only happy but thinks there’s nothing wrong with this.
And the fourth great binding factor on page ten ten is one actually thinks that wrong behavior to be beneficial, not viewing it as a fault. Then when all of these four great binding factors are present, this is one great binding factor. And then if viewing it as a fault is present, taking the example of the first downfall, praising oneself and criticizing others, even should all the other three binding factors be present. In other words, even should one be shameless and lack embarrassment, not turn away from the desire for that for that behavior, and be both satisfied and delighted. Nonetheless, it is a small binding factor.
On the other hand, if viewing as a fault is not present, even should all the other binding factors be present, the other three, it is said to be a middling binding factor. And we accumulate many faults. If we are aware of the fact that they are faults, they become weaker. If on the other hand, we think this isn’t a fault at all, then they become stronger. And we have now reached a section on the secondary downfalls, these faults technically in Tibetan and nyes pa.
Then as this is very extensive, there’s no time to explain it. Perhaps at some point in the future, we will. But what is necessary is for us to concentrate on the root downfalls and to read the commentary on the root downfalls.
We will stop here for today since section of the tantric vows has not yet been translated. Rinpoche would like to emphasize that the procedure to purify the Bodhisattva vows is specifically the recitation of the confession sūtra. And in this context, all four forces must be present. The first force is the force of the base. Generally speaking, faults are accumulated only with respect to the Buddha or to sentient beings.
There is no third base with respect to which faults can be accumulated. And therefore, in the self same way as when we fall on the ground, we rise up by pushing against the ground on which we have fallen. Likewise, if the faults have been accumulated with respect to the Buddha, one purifies them through taking refuge. Whereas, if the faults have been accumulated with respect to mother sentient beings, one purifies them through generating compassion and bodhicitta. The second of the four forces is the force of regret or of remorse, perhaps is more powerful.
If one has eaten poison, for instance, then one feels tremendous fear after eating the poison. Likewise, one must feel tremendous remorse for the sins we have accumulated. The third force is the force of rejecting the thought or taming the mind which wants to engage in that behavior again. This is the force which says, will no longer engage in this again. If, however, we over and again engage in the same behavior, then there can be no purification of this behavior.
The fourth force is the force of the thorough application of the antidote, which means to, for instance, for the bodhisattva vows, recite the confession sūtra. If all the four forces are complete, there is not a single fault which cannot be purified. This was clearly said by the Buddha. He said nothing different from this. As was explained previously, without meditation, through keeping the vows alone in 16 lives through keeping the vows, you will attain full enlightenment.
This is extraordinary, isn’t it, says Rinpoche So today, we will take questions. We’ll take one question. If you have questions, please ask them. And precisely because it is very dangerous, we recite the six-session Guru Yoga six times a day, three times in the morning, and three times in the evening. And each time we check as we recite each of the vows, have I engaged in praising myself and criticizing others?
Have I not accepted the confession of another and so forth? We do this by morning and by night in the same way as if we were expecting to be attacked by a very powerful enemy. We would check three times in the morning and three times in the evening to see if he is there or not. Because if these faults are committed, they can be root breaches, root downfalls of the Bodhisattva vows, which will definitely cause us to be reborn in the lower realms, then we have to protect against them.
And we ourselves are Dharma practitioners, so we must put effort in protecting against these downfalls. And specifically, we should put effort in making others happy and not causing them any harm. At least cause them no harm, but if possible, make them happy. Now if we engage in these practices and put great effort in putting our own goals on the back burner and eliminating self-cherishing, this will naturally lead to the disappearance of many potential downfalls. If on the other hand, we are constantly thinking of ourselves being very egotistical, then the downfalls will come the one after the other.
So as a result of this, we can progressively eliminate these downfalls. Then if we have great bliss, we can easily eliminate them. And if we take, for instance, the first Bodhisattva vow, praising oneself and criticizing others, we engage in this through the power of great desire. So if we can reduce or eliminate desire, we will not engage in this fault. Likewise, for the fault of keeping dharma or wealth for oneself and not giving it to others.
Or for instance, when one criticizes a great vehicle on the one hand or deprecates the Hīnayāna on the other hand, these are major faults which can be avoided if one thinks the great vehicle leads beings to full enlightenment. This is excellent. The Hīnayāna leads beings to the state of an arhat. This is also excellent. And all this talk, the great vehicle is worthwhile, the lesser vehicle is not, or the oppose opposite is meaningless talk which arises from anger and from desire.
The bodhisattvas themselves who have engaged to train for the sake of sentient beings for three countless eons are very humble and quiet in their demeanor. They do not do not engage in arrogant activities or talk big, and as a result of this, their deeds bear fruits. And all of this occurs because of the afflictions. Therefore, we have to put an end to the afflictions to strike them on the head as it were, and then all of these difficulties will disappear. And therefore, between giving up one’s life and giving up one’s vows, it is one’s life which one should give up and not one’s vows.
What is the big deal of life about life of anyway? We have died hundreds of thousands of times in this eon and it has made it has made absolutely no difference. We have, however, never kept the vows. So if we take the first vow, not to praise oneself and not to criticize others, we should resolve to keep this vow at the cost of our life and think even if I have to die today, then I will keep this vow. This vow is much more important than our life since if we die, it is no big deal.
We will be reborn again. But if we break this vow, we will be reborn in the hell realms. Then thinking, I will keep this vow even if we die, we are reborn with a better body, a hundredfold better body than this. And when king Yeshe O, the great Tibetan king, wished to invite Atisha to Tibet, he charged Jangchub O to go to India to invite him. However, in the meantime, Yeshe O was captured by the king of the Golo who was probably a Muslim, a demonic being.
And he cast Atisha in jail and told his nephew, Jangchub O, that he would excuse me. He cast Yeshe O in jail and told his nephew, Jangchub O, that he would kill his uncle unless he could ransom him with Yeshe O’s weight in gold. And Yeshe O’s nephew, the Tibetan gathered gold for the ransom, but was only able to find the body of Yeshe O’s weight in gold, not the head’s worth of gold. And when he said this to his uncle, Yeshe O said, you have worked very hard, but why bother after all? I have died countless times in the past and never have I died for the teachings.
This time, I will die for the teachings. Therefore, take this gold to India and invite Atisha in my name saying, I have given my life that you come to Tibet. For me, there is no benefit, but there is benefit for the Tibetans. And when Jangchub O went to India with Yeshe O’s message and met Atisha, Atisha said, for sure, such a being must be a bodhisattva. It is inappropriate not to obey the request of a bodhisattva.
Therefore, I will go to Tibet. So in
Our case, we have wasted our lives countless times. What is the big deal about this life of ours of ours? You are old. You are gonna die in a couple years. Why bother?
Instead, if this life is given for the teachings, then there is a risk we will be reborn as bodhisattvas. And therefore, it is important to value the teachings more than one’s life. We can read about this in the biographies of the holy beings of the great teachers, and it is we shouldn’t just read about it. We should practice this. The Buddha himself gave his life thousands of times for the teachings so we would have access to them.