Audio recorded at Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 90-minute teaching, Geshe Jampa Gyaltsen presents the path of beings of small scope from the Lamrim tradition, starting with Geshe Langri Tangpa’s Eight Verses of Mind Training. He emphasizes that Dharma practice begins by turning awareness inward to examine one’s own thoughts and afflictions rather than focusing on others’ faults. The core instruction is to identify which of the ten non-virtues you are most prone to due to past habituation—whether divisive speech, covetousness, idle gossip, or another—and concentrate your effort on restraining that one first rather than attempting all ten at once. Geshe Jampa illustrates this with a vivid personal example of craving that arises when shopping for fabric. He explains that developing ethical restraint of body, speech, and mind, rooted in understanding death and impermanence, lays the essential foundation for progressing to the path of beings of middling scope, which targets the subtle inner afflictions directly. The talk concludes with an extended Q&A in which students ask about the relationship between small scope practice and the Four Noble Truths, the order of the twelve links, and whether one must complete small scope practice before beginning the middling scope path.
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File: 2015-04-08 – KR.mp3
UUID: 7830a542-89f0-4f29-ace0-33650c0e5f77
Teacher: Geshe Jampa Gyaltsen
Collection: Mind Training
Date: 2015-04-08
Recorded at: Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide
Words: ~3,296
So what is an easy approach to entering into the study and practice of Dharma? An easy and helpful approach is to focus on one’s own thoughts, to become aware of one’s own thoughts without ever focusing on the thoughts of others. It is therefore extremely important to focus on one’s thoughts, to analyze one’s thoughts, and for this one should understand what they are. As Geshe Langri Tangpa, the great Kadampa Geshe said in the Eight Verses of Mind Training, Inspect your continuum and analyze your thoughts. And therefore, as is said, since one is unsuitable, then restrain by forceful means.
Since one is unsuitable, here refers to the presence of the afflictions within our mind stream. This is the reason which is given. Restrain by forceful means refers to not allowing oneself to fall under the sway of afflictions such as anger. Therefore, we must seek for a method to control these negative emotions. It is therefore extremely important before the afflictions arise to focus on their thoughts, to focus on the thoughts of afflictions such as anger, to prevent oneself from falling under their sway.
The target, the focus of our practice therefore has to be the afflictions. At present, perhaps all of us are under the sway of the afflictions. And therefore, since it is said restrain by forceful means, we have to seek for the means to restrain ourselves from these afflictions. Now if we analyze the deeds of body, speech and mind, the physical, verbal and mental deeds which we engage in and try specifically to analyze how we engage in non virtuous deeds to see how this arises. Then the list or the enumeration of the afflictions in Abhidharmakośa of Vasubandhu and Abhidharma Samuccaya would be difficult to cover.
The afflictions are said to be countless and therefore difficult to counter. Now if we analyze, we can find that the birthplace of the afflictions are the three doors. In other words, body, speech, and mind. And therefore, if we were to restrain body, speech, and mind, the afflictions would not arise. This is simple, isn’t it?
Then for beginners such as oneself or ourselves, this restraint of the three doors, body, speech and mind is the way to train. This leads one directly to the object of abandonment of the being of the small scope which has already been explained. Whether restraint of the three doors in and of itself is sufficient to prevent a rebirth in the lower realms, however, has to be analyzed. And therefore, we are afflicted by the 10 non virtuous deeds, the three physical non virtuous deeds, the four verbal non virtuous deeds and the three mental non virtuous deeds. It is important to restrain in engaging in them.
Now due to previous habituation, we will be prone to engage in one non virtuous deed more than the others. It is therefore this non virtuous deed we should focus on restraining from. Some for instance, due to past life habituation have a very grasping temperament. Then they should focus in restraining against this. Then obviously it would be ideal if one could focus in restraint against all 10 non virtuous deeds.
But at the beginning, the most straightforward way is to focus on the one dominant for us. Do you understand? That’s good. A little bit easier. Then let us say for instance that due to previous habituation, we are very prone to divisive speech.
In other words, to speech which aims at breaking up other people’s relationships under the power of the afflictions and so forth. Then to becoming aware of this, we should focus on not engaging in divisive speech. Or for instance, if we are someone who is very prone to grasping due to past habituation, we should counter this. This is an easy way to train in countering the 10 non-virtues. Then when we speak of practice, practice is not physical affectation or verbal affectation.
Practice is integrating the teachings with one’s mind. When this happens, this life will have become meaningful and we will be happy in future lives. Then probably for most of us, the three physical non virtues are not deeds we engage in. And the four verbal non virtues would be closer to our daily life. Specifically, idle talk or gossip is quite dangerous.
Which humans? Are the batteries dead? Which humans also? Then if I take my own case, is the 10 non virtues, which is the closest to me. In my own case, for instance, covetousness is the non virtue I have to struggle with the most.
And we can see this very much at work when we go shopping or when we go downtown. We go into a store and we see for instance some beautiful red or yellow fabric. Then we look at it and initially we think this is very nice woolen fabric. And the clerk comes up and he says, it is the best quality and it is on special. You will never get something like this again.
At this point, one’s craving increases. Then one tries to resist one’s craving and one goes home. But the craving increases as one thinks keeping of, continues to think of the qualities of the fabric and finally one decides I’ll buy it. At that point, the non virtue of covetousness is complete. Then obviously, there are factors which contribute to the increase in cravings, such as a thought, this is a one time opportunity.
Imagine if someone else were to buy it, just how much I would regret it. In my own case, this is the one of the 10 non virtues with which I have a close connection. I do not have a particular connection with the other nine. But for each of us, we should examine ourselves to see which of the 10 non virtues we succumb to easiest and counter that one. Then we should think as follows.
There are afflictions in my mind stream. These are thoughts, these are sins. Actually, I know this is a source of my unhappiness. Therefore, I must target these and I must eliminate them. For sure there are afflictions in my mind stream because if there weren’t afflictions in my mind stream, I would be an arhat, I would have attained liberation, there would be nothing to practice.
So since there are afflictions in my mind stream, I must counter them. Then when we realize that these afflictions are present within our mind stream, we should generate a great feeling of sadness, of regret. And at this point, we should generate the pledge, the vow not to engage in these. This is very powerful. Then once our continuum is no longer stained in this way by the coarse afflictions and we are able to restrain from them.
At this point, one can say that pure ethics is present within one’s mind stream. And in my personal opinion, one could probably say that the path of the being of the small scope is completed. At this point, one will have an excellent collection of happiness for future lives and for that matter, an excellent collection of happiness for this life. Dharma after all is nothing else but advice enabling us to restrain from inappropriate behavior of body and speech. And we will have engaged in this advice.
Once one has been able to engage in a perfect abandonment of the 10 non virtues and ethics which is a perfect abandonment of the 10 non virtues. At this point, the other aspects of the path of the being of the small scope such as refuge, causality and death and impermanence will all arise easily. Then there are afflictions within our mind stream. But the key at this point is not to fall under their sway, under their control. In other words, not to allow one’s body and speech to fall under the sway of the afflictions.
Then this completes the presentation of the being of the path of the small scope. On the one hand, the attainments of the being of the path of the small scope is the abandonment of the eight worldly concerns of this life. In other words, relinquishing attachment to one’s family, to one’s relative, to clothing, to food and so forth. Then if I were to ask you at present what is the nature of the path of the being of the small scope or could you give an instance of path of the being of the small scope, you would be able to do so. This has been explained many times.
Therefore, could you give an instance of a path of the being of the small scope, please? Then in a few words. Another? Quick, quick, quickly, quickly. This is something I’ve explained many times.
I explained the object attainment, the object of abandonment, the topics of meditation. This is something you have heard over and again, you should know. As the risk of our stomach being filled to overflowing on this one. Please. Come, quickly.
Another? And Lily? Grant? Sorry? Eric?
Can you could you, told me in Tibetan language? Then all of you were pretty close to put it in a nutshell succinctly. The mind of refuge, the mind reflecting on causality or the mind reflecting on death and impermanence within the continuum of a being who engages in ethics of the abandonment of the 10 non virtues. So is this the pinnacle of all attainments? No, since at present we are studying the path of the being of the middling scope and there is beyond this the path of the being of the great scope.
So a being of the middling scope is a being who is striving for liberation. In other words, who is striving to put it briefly for a complete and a complete cessation of the afflictions. This is only possible in dependence on reliance on the path of the being of the small scope. Therefore, to generate the motivation at present for these teachings after reflecting on the path of the being of the small scope which has been explained in detail, generate a mind striving for liberation. Here ideally before training in the path of the being of the middling scope, one would have realizations of the path of the being of the small scope.
If this is not possible, at the very least, one must have a sound understanding of the meaning of the path of the being of the small scope. Since it is impossible to train in the path of the being of the middling scope without having initially trained in the path of the being of the small scope. Then let us generate this motivation. Then it is important and easier to understand the beings of the three scopes in the light of the following presentation. The path of the being of the small scope is one in which one endeavors to subdue inappropriate behavior of body and speech, which is motivated by the afflictions.
In the path of the being of the middling scope, one’s target is more subtle. One no longer focuses on externals but on the inner internals, the afflictions which motivate these non virtuous deeds. For this reason, the practice of the path of the being of the middling scope is more difficult than that of the being of the small scope. Finally, at the level of the path of the being of the great scope, one does not focus on this alone, but instead one endeavors to liberate others from the afflictions which are present in their own mind stream. Then it is in the context of the practice of the Bodhisattvas that one can focus on the afflictions in the minds of others to free them from this.
Otherwise, at all level to use the presence of afflictions in the minds of others to debase them is inappropriate. But this refers to the practice of the being of the bodhisattva’s great scope which does not concern us at present. Now within the context of Pabongka Rinpoche’s Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, the training of the mind at the stages of the path shared with the being of the middling scope has two main outlines. The first is identifying the mind which strives for liberation and the second is ascertaining the nature of the path leading to liberation. Then the presentation of the outline of the path shared with the being of the middling scope in the great stages of the path of Je Tsongkhapa Lamrim Chenmo is slightly different.
It has four outlines. The first is the thought, the second is the application. The third is the criterion for attainment and the fourth is identifying the path leading to liberation. Then the first outline, the thought, is subdivided itself into two: identifying the mind of liberation and ascertaining the means for attaining liberation. Then when one refers in the context of the outlines to generating the mind striving for liberation, we should understand clearly what liberation is.
This is difficult for us at present, but we will return to it. Then within the context of the mind striving or wishing for liberation or the mind desiring for liberation, the term liberation, tharpa in Tibetan is rooted in the notion of binding, tharpa, where one’s hands for instance are bound by a rope. So within the context of the Lamrim, what are the fetters which bind us? The fetters which bind us are karma and affliction. What is that liberation from karma and affliction, that unbinding, it is tharpa, liberation.
What is at present the mode of binding, the mode of being fettered? We are in as much as we are affected by the afflictions. These afflictions give rise within our mind stream to samsaric existence. And they give rise to the imprints of samsaric existence. When we refer to this, we refer to the arising within our mindstream of the limb of existence which derives from the limb of craving.
This in turn generates the propelling karma which gives rise to this existence and, it also generates the completing karma. As a result of this, we transmigrate through cyclic existence. So this is how the path of the middling scope is explained in the context of Lamrim. And therefore, impelled by self grasping or the ignorance which apprehends a self, we transmigrate from life to life. As is said in Nāgārjuna’s Ratnāvali, the Garland of Jewels for so long as we are afflicted by contaminated aggregates for so long will we be beset by the ignorance of self grasping.
So for so long as we do not apply the antidote to samsaric existence for so long will we be mired in samsaric existence. One therefore must study to understand these afflictions. And as was explained in the context of the presentation of the 12 limbs, the first limb is beginningless ignorance. Therefore, one must apply an antidote to the first of the 12 limbs. One must apply an antidote to this sense of the inherent existence, the existence by its own characteristics of the I.
This antidote is none other than the wisdom realizing selflessness. Once this wisdom realizing selflessness is applied, then cyclic existence will cease and the process of being conceived in contaminated aggregates will also cease. This is known as the truth of cessation. And the topic of cessation has been explained several times here. So it is a topic we should reflect upon repeatedly.
And as we’re reflecting upon it repeatedly and understanding that our cyclic existence is none other than our own five contaminated aggregates, as well as the afflictions, we will generate the wish to be freed from this. That wish to be freed from cyclic existence when it is conjoined with an understanding of selflessness becomes a cause for liberation. It is important to understand this. Then we shall stop at this juncture. If you have questions, please feel free to ask them.
Ask concise and clear questions. Yes, there is a connection between the path of the being of the small scope and the Four Noble Truths as is indicated in Lamrim Chenmo. If we look at the 16 characteristics of the Four Noble Truths, the four characteristics of the First Noble Truth of suffering are respectively impermanence, suffering, selflessness and emptiness. The first characteristic impermanence can be understood as both coarse and subtle impermanence. And when understood as coarse impermanence is linked to the path of the being of the small scope.
Also the noble truth of suffering can be subdivided into three, the suffering of suffering, the suffering of change and all pervasive suffering. And the first subdivision, the suffering of suffering is linked probably to the path of the being of the small scope. Yep. Yes, indeed. In the presentation of the 12 links in Lamrim Chenmo, it is pointed out that there are slight differences in the presentation of the 12 links according to Vasubandhu’s Abhidharmakośa and according to Asaṇga’s Abhidharma Samuccaya.
Then Pabongka Rinpoche’s view seems to be more in accordance with Asaṇga’s view. Yes, Grant. So to generate the path of the being of the small scope within one’s mind stream, one must meditate on the various topics of meditation of the being of the small scope to generate that. So the first is the thought, the second is the application, the third is the criterion and the fourth, as we mentioned, are the means. What was your second question already?
So the four characteristics of the first noble truth are impermanence, suffering, emptiness and selflessness. Another? Have you got another? Oh, no, no, no, no. You seconded, think, one.
And So there is a very important reason to this and this depends of the system of tenets. In the lower systems of tenets, emptiness is the coarse selflessness And the selflessness is the subtle selflessness. Another, have you got another question everyone? We have sample. So you have to distinguish between meeting with friends for meaningful conversation and meeting with friends for meaningless conversation.
Definitely, since the afflictions are the root of the non virtues. If you yourself are able from the beginning to practice countering the afflictions, applying the antidote to the afflictions and abandoning the afflictions, that is the way to do it. Your doubt is a very legitimate doubt since it’s actually directed addressed explicitly in Je Tsongkhapa Lamrim Chenmo. Your doubt is basically the following. Can one enter directly into the path of the being of the middling scope without initially training in the path of the being of the small scope.
This is not possible. It is necessary to train initially in the path of the small scope for two reasons. The first reason is because it is indispensable to have initially gained realization of death and impermanence before being able to train in the path of the being of the middling scope since realization of death and impermanence is the foundation of all the paths leading all the way up to full enlightenment. The second reason is because before countering the inner afflictions and taking the inner afflictions as target, one must initially counter outwardly inappropriate behavior which is motivated by these afflictions and which is coarser and easier to counter. Therefore, the meditation on death and impermanence is one of the topics of meditation of the path of the being of the small scope.
Another? I think No, if one generates the ethics of the abandonment of the 10 non virtues within one’s mind stream, one should have no doubt one will not be reborn in the lower realms. I think he has dropped because at 30, nearly at 30.
Key terms in this teaching
- completing karma drubje kyi lä (Tib)
- Also called finishing karma, the karmic imprints that ripen to determine the type of experiences we have when we are reborn, as opposed to throwing karma that determines the actual rebirth. LYWA
- contaminated aggregates zagchä kyi phung po (Tib)
- The aggregates of an ordinary being that are contaminated by the seeds of delusion and therefore pervaded by suffering because they are controlled by delusion and karma. LYWA
- four noble truths denpa zhi (Tib)
- The subject of the Buddha's first turning of the wheel of Dharma. The truths of suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path to the cessation of suffering as seen by an arya. LYWA
- lamrim
- The graduated path. A presentation of Shakyamuni Buddha’s teachings in a form suitable for the step-by-step training of a disciple. LYWA
- self-grasping dag dzin (Tib)
- The mind that apprehends the self as inherently existent. This refers to both the self of persons and the self of phenomena. LYWA
- suffering of suffering duhkha-duhkhata (Skt); dug ngäl gyi dug ngäl (Tib)
- Aka the suffering of pain; the commonly recognized suffering experiences of pain, discomfort and unhappiness. LYWA
- thought transformation lojong (Tib)
- Also known as “mind training” or “mind transformation”. A powerful approach to the development of bodhicitta, in which the mind is trained to use all situations, both happy and unhappy, as a means to destroy self-cherishing and self-grasping. LYWA
- three doors go sum (Tib)
- Body, speech and mind. LYWA
Definitions adapted from the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive glossary, as taught in the Gelug tradition.