Audio recorded at Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 48-minute teaching, Kyabje Rinpoche presents the Buddhist framework of valid knowledge, explaining why sensory perception alone cannot generate spiritual realizations. He distinguishes direct perception—the eye seeing colour, the ear hearing sound—from inference, which uses reasoning to grasp what cannot be directly perceived, such as emptiness. He maps three levels of objects: manifest (directly knowable), slightly hidden (understood through simple reasoning, like impermanence), and extremely hidden (knowable only through the Buddha’s teachings, like the precise past-life cause of present circumstances). Central to the talk: realizations of the path—compassion, equanimity, understanding of emptiness—arise exclusively through mental consciousness, not sensory awareness. Direct sense experience is insufficient for transformation; the mind must be deliberately trained. Suited to practitioners already engaged with Buddhist philosophy.
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File: 1994-06-09 – 10B – KR.mp3
UUID: 2a664ac7-e6a1-434a-9889-3a3c07e582e7
Teacher: Kyabje Rinpoche
Collection: Tenets
Date: 1994-06-09
Recorded at: Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide
Words: ~2,835
When sounds are heard or the ear perceives sound, it is direct. And nose, when it perceives smell, it can perceive whether it is sweet smell or foul smell so forth, it doesn’t need to think about reasoning, it directly perceives and same with tongue at the different taste whether it is delicious or non delicious it doesn’t need to think about reasoning it can directly perceive similarly with body, tangible sensations whether it is smooth or rough surface it comes into contact it perceives the smoothness and roughness the coarseness directly without thinking or following any reasoning so these are the instances of direct valid perception direct valid knowledge then we have the second type which is inferential valid knowledge inferential valid perception where one needs to in order to perceive or know the object one needs to follow after a reasoning that’s why the word inferential in original languages as well in Tibetan actually means perception by following, following perception because it follows reasoning’s. For example we can give an instance of what is an inferential valid knowledge where one has to follow reasoning in the case of emptiness. Is in the case of emptiness that emptiness is something one initially does not directly perceive therefore one needs to apply reasonings to perceive it.
To put into example let’s say the ego or eyes within my continuum it is not inherently existing because it is dependent arising in the sense it is dependent originated phenomena so in that case by applying the reasoning because it is dependently originated or dependent arising one perceives the fact that it is emptiness that it lacks the inherent existence so such case where the perception is fresh and unmistaken, but it needs to follow a reasoning is inferential valid knowledge. Now in this case, the mind which perceives the object is the valid knowledge. The object which is perceived by such valid knowledge is called the object to be perceived. So this is the difference between the two. Regarding the object to be perceived it is of three types manifest object to be perceived, hidden object to be perceived, and extremely hidden object to be perceived.
So there are those three types. Amongst the three, the first which is the manifest object object to be perceived, they are where one does not need to apply any reasonings where the object is directly perceivable. For example, one would straight away be able to know that this is so, that is so, this is so, and would exactly directly would perceive the object as it is manifested. And it does not require any medium, indirect means such as reasonings and so forth for it to be perceived. And then there are other object to be perceived where one cannot perceive the object directly, so one definitely needs needs to apply reasoning’s to perceive the object.
Now here here no doubt this is being mentioned in reference to ordinary sentient beings, ordinary sentient beings that in their case that they are object to be perceived which they cannot directly perceive but have to rely on our reasoning’s. So there are such object to be perceived where one needs to apply reasonings. And regarding applying reasonings, there are types of object to be perceived through reasonings where one does not have to apply too many and too profound reasonings or sharp reasonings, but one can just apply a simple simple the word actually is gross or just approximate, just simple reasoning. Through that way, one can easily perceive or understand the object. And then there are other types where the object to be perceived, although one apply reasonings, they are so subtle, difficult to perceive that one needs to apply equally subtle and profound reasonings.
Due to this way of difference, we have the two next types of object we perceive, the hidden and the extremely hidden. And these two alternatively can also be called the slightly hidden object to be perceived and extremely hidden object to be perceived. Altogether, those are the three types of object to be perceived, manifest, hidden, or slightly hidden, and extremely hidden. And then regarding the slightly hidden object to be perceived, with them one does not need to apply profound or subtle reasonings they only require gross reasoning gross indeed more interpretively simple and just approximate our reasonings and under this category we can have examples such as topics like impermanence miserable nature of the true suffering, the selflessness of the true suffering and the emptiness of the true suffering and in brief the 16 aspects of the four truths that these all can be understood by applying approximate reasoning, not subtle, not profound reasoning, and they are in that way slightly hidden object to be perceived. Regarding extremely hidden object to be perceived, an an instance, for example, can be, say, our case, we we are born with with precious human the rebirth complete with the necessary necessary qualities and capability to do correct meaningful spiritual practice but as it is known that the the result which one achieves to be born as precious human rebirth requires having in the past practice morality very purely that definitely would be the preceding cause to make a person attain precious human rebirth but the subtle subtleness and difficult to understand part is if it is asked at one at what point in previous lives did my predecessor or rebirth practice pure morality, what type of body that person had, which country that person was, so forth, and these details extremely hidden, extremely difficult to perceive.
Similarly, in this life, if one is with abundance of our wealth, then that means it is the result of having practiced generosity in the past but then if it is asked at what point in the past what time at which place in what aspect of a person or rebirth one did the one practiced generosity that those details are extremely difficult to know perceive so there’s no way it is extremely hidden object to be perceived, extremely hidden knowledge to be understood. Only way the details about the time, place, manner of the person so forth who did the practice of generosity in this case would be by way of relying on the words of an enlightened being, of the words of a Buddha that only through that one would be able to confirm that the generosity was practiced and the details to be known and so forth. In this way, there are these three types of objects to be perceived regarding the first object to be perceived which is manifest object to be perceived that is the object to be perceived by direct valid knowledge and the other two the slightly hidden and extremely hidden object we perceive are object to be perceived by inferential valid knowledge.
Direct valid knowledge what it is and how it is defined we first would be clearer if we just skip the second part and just define what is a valid what is a direct perception? Well the definition or the description of direct perception is knower or knowledge so Tibetan the word is same knower or knowledge. A knower which is free of concept. That is the definition. A knower free of concepts.
Concept part, while concept is something which is not with the sense consciousnesses, instead it is with the mental consciousness or to paraphrase concept is something exclusive to mental consciousness and not of sense consciousnesses, the five sense consciousnesses, the the concept by its nature is necessarily mistaken mistaken perception and by concept we can give examples say the very very mental consciousness abstraction, the mental consciousness abstraction thinking this is human, this is a horse, and so forth. So such are concept. And to interpret concept is where the object is perceived mixed with time and place, not starkly or nakedly as it is. So that’s a concept. So it is a mistaken and when now that’s the concept and now that we go back to the direct perception what it requires is it requires to be free of concept, first requirement and second requirement it should be unmistaken so it should be free of mistakes and to be more precise we can then have the redefined definition of direct perception as non-mistaken perception free of concepts.
So with the direct perception, it has to have the requirement free of concept and free of mistake. By the very phrase, free of concept means it is without concept, and by the very phrase, free of mistake means it has to be unmistaken. Unmistaken so that is so far the defining of valid defining of direct perception and now to define what is valid direct perception all we need to do is to bring the additional part of a definition of valid perception and earlier we know that valid perception or valid knowledge is defined as a fresh unmistaken perception so in the case here now with the direct valid perception it means a fresh unmistaken perception free of concepts and unmistaken so that’s the definition and obviously we must here be what’s called clear we must be clear here not to confuse the two: direct perception and valid direct perception. There is a difference one is just valid, is just right perception and the other is valid direct perception. So presently, it may be possible some might get bit confused, but it will get better.
Now regarding direct regarding direct valid perception, it can have further it it can have its own classifications or types such as direct way valid perception of eye, direct valid perception of ear, direct valid perception of nose, direct valid perception of tongue, direct valid perception of body. So there are five direct valid perception of the senses as there are five senses so in a way we can say direct valid perception is further classified into five sensory direct valid perception So there are five types. Now with regard to the five sensory valid direct valid perceptions, they are produced with the combination of the object and the senses. For example, with the eye direct valid perception or in another words direct perception of the eye. In this, in its case it is produced by the eye sense coming in contact or in combination with the object of the sight.
For example, let’s say with the example of flower, the eye sense perceives or to it appears the object which is flower and the two combined produces the direct valid perception of the eye perceiving flower. So it is a combination of the object and the senses coming together where the actual direct valid perception is produced. If there was no flower, then there will not be birth or there will not arise the direct valid perception of eye perceiving flower that would not arise, that would not grow. It would not be there. Although there may be flower, but if there is not the eye sense, the pure the pure part of the eye, which is the sense base for things to appear to eye, if that is not there, then it is not possible again to have a direct valid perception of the eye perceiving flower so we then can conclude that it is only when the object flower combined combined with with the the contact contact with with the the eye sense that the actual direct valid perception of eye is produced.
The sounds which are object to perceived by ear sense sensory perception when coming in contact with the ear sense that the actual direct valid perception of ear is produced. And how that happens is firstly there has to be sound vibrating and then the ear sense when coming in contact with such vibrating sound produces the direct valid perception perceiving sound and then with the nose whatever types of smell, odor it is sweet, non sweet, whatever they have to come in contact with the nose sense and then the valid perception, perceiving smell of the nose would be, valid perception of the nose perceiving smell would be produced. Similarly taste of tongue, when the sense of tongue coming in contact with the delicious or non delicious object taste has to produce the valid perception of tongue perceiving taste. Similarly, body when it comes in contact with the surface either smooth or rough or course that would produce the valid perception of body perceiving touch. So it is exactly same with the eye consciousness how in contact with the flower produces the valid perception of the eye perceiving form or same thing.
So the name given for that is with each of these the direct valid perception of the sense perceiving sound by the first. Direct valid perception of this sense perceiving sound because in this case it is the sound which is being perceived. Because in the case of nose, it perceives smell, it has to be direct with its perception of the sense perceiving smell. And then with the tongue, it tastes or experiences sweet or whatever flavor of taste it is. So the description given of it is direct valid perception of sense perceiving taste.
And then with body, because it perceives the types of various sensations, whether it is smooth, coarse, or whatever. So description given is the direct valid perception of the senses of the sense perceiving touch. Oh, is it confusing? Oh, it’s okay. So it should not be matter of confusion because with the five sensory perception, after all, they’re just only talking about the objects of the five senses and perception followed through that and regarding the five objects of the five senses they are generally as we very often hear in the scriptures and teachings described as the five attributes of the desire.
What that means is five attributes of desire realm. What that means is firstly there are three realms of ordinary sentient beings existence desire realm, form realm and formless realm and in the desire realm it is mainly the attributes, the object to be enjoyed are the objects of the five senses. So in that sense, the five attributes of the desire, that’s all these senses being talked about. These are called the sensory consciousnesses, sense consciousnesses. Why they are called sense consciousnesses, sense sensory consciousness, sensory perception is because it is through depend through the dependence on the five senses the object the respective objects are perceived.
Then different to these five is the mental consciousness because with mental consciousness it perceives things or objects or it understands the word perceived throughout the translation is interchangeable with understand, no same thing. Although occasionally perceived seem to be weaker word. So because with the mental consciousness, it perceives its object not by depending on the five senses which are form and substance senses. Instead, it perceives its object by depending on mental consciousness itself which alternatively or interchangeably is described here as well as the depending on the mental sense so sense so mental sense like as opposed to I sense or you sense so it perceives its object by depending on mental sense and that’s the difference. Sense consciousnesses are not stable basis are not stable basis because it is not possible through sense consciousnesses or through sensory perception to develop experiences and realizations of the path.
The reason for that is because the realizations of the part and the experiences do not come about through that door of consciousness. Consciousness is in that state. The whole the whole lot of parts and realization, loving kindness, compassion, equanimity, understanding of emptiness so forth, they all are produced through mental consciousness and mental consciousness is stable basis and it is and due to that, if we are to develop these realizations in the path, the way to go about would be to produce them in the mental consciousness. Yeah. Any questions?
We’ll have a few On the sound being classified as subject is because it is same expression which conveys some meanings or some messages and from that point there the sound is classified as one of the subjects. For example, Heart Sūtra, it is a sound it has its object emptiness its message to convey so yeah it is a sound and it’s a subject because it has emptiness message to convey as its object in that case. In the case of ear consciousness, it is considered as a subject perceiving sound as object because when Buddha gives teachings through way of discourses or sūtra, then those say in our case, if we were listening, then we would be hearing the discourses. So the sound does become in this case an object of the ear sense. Because in the case of color, color does not appear to color.
It is only to eye the colors appear. So meaning, that’s how color won’t be a subject. Got that. So what sort of messages