Audio recorded at Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 47-minute talk, Kyabje Rinpoche unpacks the classification of the three exalted knowers from the Ornament of Clear Realization—the meditation framework underlying Mahāyāna enlightenment practice. He methodically explains the preparation for completing all aspects, a bodhisattva meditation on 173 specific aspects: the base knower’s 27 aspects (organized by the Four Noble Truths in effect-then-cause order); the path knower’s 36 aspects (in cause-to-effect order, following development); and the exalted knower of all aspects’ 110 aspects (subdivided among hearers, bodhisattvas, and qualities unique to Buddhahood). The teaching emphasizes structural precision: why the order of explanation differs between knowers, how each aspect becomes an object of meditation, and why one preparation alone cannot generate the stability and power needed to attain the truth body. For practitioners already grounded in Lamrim study.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 1989-08-05 – Side 1 – KR.MP3
UUID: d1880de5-6aa9-4224-8306-9a90ae3c239e
Teacher: Kyabje Rinpoche
Collection: Ornament of Clear Realization
Date: 1989-08-05
Recorded at: Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide
Words: ~2,347
Initially we should adjust our motivation such that we’re going to listen to this profound teaching on the great vehicle with the intention to attain perfect complete sublime Buddhahood in order to establish all sentient beings equal to space and complete happiness. So the teaching is on the Ornament for Clear Realization and it is comprised of the main subject which is taught by the eight categories and 70 topics and we’ve been discussing the eight categories. We’ve completed the discussions of the first three categories, the three exalted wisdoms, the exalted knowers, the exalted knower of all aspects, the path knower, the base knower, and then we’re going to continue with the four preparations and then the wisdom truth body. We’re going to take up the remaining five out of eight categories. So we’ve already discussed the first three of these eight categories, the definition and the boundaries of the exalted knower of all aspects, the path knower and the base knower.
So we’re going to begin the discussion of the four preparations and the first of these four preparations is the preparation for completing all aspects. The preparation for completing all aspects. And did you write down the definition last time? For the preparation for completing all aspects? So we’re beginning with the first of the four preparations, preparation for completing all aspects, preparation for completing all aspects.
And the definition of this first preparation is a bodhisattva’s Yoga, a bodhisattva’s Yoga which is conjoined with the wisdom meditating upon a compendium, meditating upon a compendium of the aspects of the three exalted So it’s a bodhisattva’s Yoga which is conjoined with the wisdom meditating upon a compendium of the aspects of the three exalted knowers, the definition of preparation for completing all aspects. knowers, K N O W E R S. A bodhisattva Yoga, which is conjoined with the wisdom meditating upon a compendium of the aspects of the exalted knowers. So this is synonymous with a bodhisattva’s Exalted Knower. The preparation for completing all aspects is synonymous, it’s just a different term for a bodhisattva’s Exalted Knower.
An Exalted Knower is synonymous with a path. So So these three terms are synonymous. They’re just different names for the same object. The preparation for completing all aspects, the exalted knower within the bodhisattva, and the path within the continuum of a bodhisattva. It’s just like, you know, we can call this a flower or in Tibetan we call it Metok.
Both are different terms referring to the same object. Likewise, in this case these three all refer to the same object. So if we were to extensively divide preparation for completing all aspects, we would have 173 divisions. We’re gonna write we’re gonna write a 173 division. So these 173 divisions we’re going to come to later, but if you would like to have them now, But we can condense them together.
As the definition of completing all aspects indicates, what is happening is that the bodhisattva is meditating on the aspects of the three exalted knowers. So each of the exalted knowers has specific aspects and there’s a total of 173 aspects. And so by a compendium is that we’re taking each of these aspects, of these 173 aspects and we’re meditating on each one. So each of these exalted knowers has aspects to it. For example, the base knower has 27 aspects.
path knower has 36 aspects. The knower of all aspects, the exalted knower of all aspects has 110 aspects. So together these three knowers have 173 aspects. So the preparation for completing all aspects is meditating on each of these aspects of the three exalted knowers. Therefore there are 173 preparations for completing all aspects.
Completing all aspects is meditating on each these individual 173, therefore they’re 173 completing all aspects. So with respect to the first, the base number, it has 27 aspects. And these aspects are portioned out according to the Four Noble Truths. There are the Four Noble Truths, the True Sufferings, the True Sources, the True Cessations and the True Paths. And these can be apportioned out into 27 aspects.
The base knower has 27 aspects and these are portioned out according to a system in the context of the Four Noble Truths. So the Buddha taught the four noble truths, and these are the true sufferings, true which are the results, true sources which are the cause of that result, true cessations which are the result which are the result and true paths which are the cause of the true cessation. And therefore, is also presented from the point of view of abandonment and cultivation. True sufferings and true sources are to be abandoned and true cessation and true paths are to be cultivated. So there’s the presented from a point of view of causes and results from a point of view of abandonment and cultivation.
So the way of apportioning our 27 aspects in the context of the 27 truth is that each of the first three noble truths have four moments. That would make 12. And then the fourth of the four noble truths, true paths, has 15 moments making a total of 27. So, do we understand how we derive 27 aspects to the which are portioned out in accordance with the Four Noble Truths. Each of the first three truths has four moments making it 12.
The final noble truth, the truth of paths, has 15 making a total of 27. The preparation for completing all aspects takes each of these 27 aspects and therefore there are 27 divisions of the preparation for completing all aspects. Yeah. Yeah. Each of us four moments for each of the first three noble truths.
What is moment? A moment is more right than a moment. This is another way for aspect. Yeah. It’s maybe not such a good thing.
So then with respect to the path knower that has 36 aspects. So this is all the 36 aspects of the path knower is also apportioned out in the context of the Four Noble Truths. So the way in which the path knower is explained is not similar to the way in which base knower is explained. In the base knower, first in the context of the Four Noble Truths, first the effect or the result is explained, for example, true suffering is a result. And then the cause, true sources is explained.
So it’s a way of first the result and then the cause is explained. In the case of path knower, first the cause is explained and then the result. With respect to the way of explanation according to base knower, the result is explained first and then the cause. This is in accordance with the order of realization or the order of understanding. Just as in the case if we were sick, first we would have to realize that we were sick and then we would question what is the cause of my sickness, from where does my sickness arise and then we would move on to the cause.
So the order of understanding in this situation would be from result to cause. But in the case of path knower, the order of explanation is presented from the point of view of the cause and that which develops from that cause. First we know what the order of development is explained from the order of development. First there is true sources and then from that develops true suffering. Therefore goes from cause to the mode of explanation is from cause to the result.
The order of presentation is from an order of development. So the way of apportioning the aspects of the path noble truth is first the cause, that is true sources, has eight aspects. And then the cause, true paths, has seven aspects. And true sources is a cause giving rise to the result of true suffering, which has five aspects, and true paths is a cause giving rise to the result true cessation, which has 16 aspects, making a total of 36. True sources has eight aspects, there’s a cause.
First we’re listening to causes. True sources has eight aspects. True paths has seven aspects, and then the results, true sufferings has five aspects, true cessation has 16 aspects. So true paths, path knower has 36 aspects. Each of these 36 aspects is going to be meditated on.
So we’ve explained roughly base knower and path knower, and then finally the knower, exalted knower of all aspects has 110 aspects. I have some photocopies of material and give it out to people to help you. So the way the 110 aspects of the exalted knower of all aspects are portioned out in accordance with the types of practitioners in accordance with them. For example, within the hearer’s vehicle, the hearer’s vehicle, there are 37 aspects which are in harmony. It’s not to say that they have these aspects, it’s that they’re in harmony with the hearer.
There are 37 aspects which are in harmony with the hearers. There are 34 aspects which are in harmony with the bodhisattvas. And there are 39 aspects which are uncommon. Which are special to the Buddha himself. A 110 uncommon aspects.
What did I say? 39 aspects. 39 uncommon aspects in harmony with the Buddha. 37, 34, and 39. So there are 37 harmonies or aspects which are in common with hearers.
Are 37 aspects which are in common with hearers. And we won’t list each of them separately, but they have within those 37 there categories. And we’ll just list those categories. There are the four mindful establishments. Four mindful establishments, sometimes called the four closed contemplations or four closed establishments of mindfulness.
Four mindful establishments. Then there are the four thorough abandonings. I have these, they’re all written out. We can photocopy them and give this out. Four thorough abandonment.
And then the four legs of miracle emanation. The four legs of miracle emanation. There are the five faculties. The five faculties. And then the five powers.
Five powers. And then there’s the seven branches of enlightenment. And then the eightfold path of superior. Eightfold path of superior. So these are the 37 aspects in common with the hearers.
So these are the 37 aspects of the exalted knower of all aspects which are in common with the hearers. And these are taken as objects of meditation by the preparation for completing all aspects. So there are now 37 in preparation for completing all aspects. So then no. Then there are 34 aspects which are in common with the bodhisattvas.
34 aspects which are in common with the Bodhisattvas. And again, we won’t list each of the 34 but according to the overriding divisions within these 34. There are the three doors of liberation, the eight meditative liberations, the nine final absorptions, the four uninterrupted paths, the four liberation paths, the 10 perfections. So these are the 34 aspects in common with the bodhisattva. So then there are 39 aspects which are uncommon.
There are 39 uncommon aspects. That is to say that these aspects are found only in the state of Buddhahood. They are uncommon to any being other than a Buddha, unique to a Buddha. So there are 39 aspects. There are within these 39, divided into seven divisions.
For example, the 10 powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four correct knowledges, the six unshared behaviors, the six unshared realizations, the three unshared activities, three unshared activities, three unshared exalted wisdoms, and finally three mental aspects, making 110 unique aspects. So there are seven divisions within these 39 aspects. The first division is 10 powers, then the four fearlessness, and the four correct knowledges, six unshared behaviors, six unshared realizations, three unshared activities, three unshared exalted wisdoms, and three mental aspects. That’s eight divisions isn’t it? Making 39 isn’t it?
39? Oh, I’m sorry. I I was kept saying a 110, didn’t I? 39. Oh, good.
So we have the three exalted knowers, each having their respective number of aspects. For example, the base knower has 27, the path knower has 36, and the exalted knower of all aspects has 110. The preparation for completing all aspects takes these three exalted knowers as its object of meditation and it takes each of these aspects of these three exalted knowers making 173 aspects or divisions of preparation for completing all aspects. So the what is the what does a bodhisattva meditate on? A bodhisattva is trying to achieve Buddhahood.
He is trying to achieve the resultant truth body. And his method whereby he achieves this, his goal, is through meditating on these 173 aspects of the three exalted knowers. Through this he achieves the abandonment, he achieves the abandonment of the afflictive obstructions and the knowledge obstructions and he achieves the necessary realizations to achieve the resultant truth body. So the object of meditation are the three exalted knowers. Now who is it that’s doing the meditating?
The bodhisattva is doing the meditating. He’s the meditator. His object of meditation are the three exalted knowers. So the bodhisattva is a being, say a person. So just as in the case when we say I’m going to meditate on emptiness, what we actually mean is that there is a continuum of consciousness which is going to meditate on, it’s going to think about emptiness.
Likewise, the bodhisattva is using a consciousness in order to meditate upon the three exalted knowers. This consciousness is what we mean by the four preparations. These four preparations are the consciousnesses within the bodhisattva which are meditating on the three exalted knowers. So we might question, well, you know, why do we need four preparations? Isn’t one preparation enough for attaining the goal of the bodhisattva, to achieve Buddhahood, to resultant truth body?
One preparation would not be enough. In order to develop the wisdom truth body, the resultant truth body, have to have the factors of stability and power in our realization. And each of these four