Audio recorded at Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 47-minute session, Kyabje Rinpoche frames an examination on Buddhist tenets while teaching why this study is essential. He outlines the two-month curriculum—Vaibhāṣika fully covered, Sautrāntika half-completed, with Madhyamaka to follow—and explains the architecture underlying it: each lower tenet explains the two truths more coarsely, each higher one more subtly, and understanding each level prepares the ground for the next. He walks through the chain of dependency—ascertaining the two truths enables discerning what to practice and abandon, which enables actualizing method and wisdom, which produces enlightenment—and addresses a core challenge: lacking imprints or familiarity with these topics. His remedy: planting new familiarity through study, reflection, and meditative familiarization, supported by purification practice. Aimed at students committed to serious Buddhist study.
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File: 1994-07-07 – Exams – KR.mp3
UUID: b64e247e-4d15-4178-80cf-89dc1c6c0dcd
Teacher: Kyabje Rinpoche
Collection: Tenets
Date: 1994-07-07
Recorded at: Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide
Words: ~3,043
To place all mother sentient beings towards excellent happiness, free of all suffering, I must at any rate somehow attain the state of enlightenment where all mental shortcomings are terminated and all excellent qualities of the mind are actualized. To be able to attain such state of enlightenment, one needs to actually implement the teachings. To be able to actually implement the teachings, one first needs to know about the teachings. And to be able to know, one would firstly need to do learning about the teachings. Because of such linked relations here, one would then think for such related and linked purposes I will engage actively, up to my best ability, in the study of the topics here, the topic of tenets.
This then becomes the right motive of mind to enlightenment, which is the prerequisite motive in doing any of the practices in the great vehicle path leading to complete enlightenment, and that’s what that part was. As well, before one generates mind of enlightenment, one needs to firstly go for refuge. Therefore, either we are doing formal meditation or whatever other meaningful and correct spiritual practices we are doing, whatever Dharma practices we are doing, these two are the prerequisite as the indispensable foundation required. As well, one of the foundations required to have successful Dharma practice or successful spiritual practice is the practice of the seven limbs. And that’s why regularly in the classes at the beginning the seven-limb prayer as well is recited.
Anyway, here this evening we shall do without the seven limb, as is the evening for examination. We only will do the going for refuge and generating the mind of enlightenment part. Also, usually there is at the beginning offering of mandala, the entire universe, and the reason for that is to become a base through which one makes the request to currently give the teachings. Anyway, this evening there will not be teaching to be given, so we can do without the mandala part as well. This evening is the test or examination on tenets, the topic discussed during this term every Thursday evening, and the question paper will be distributed to you.
The question is concerned about the difference between someone who explains or is a proponent of Buddhist tenet and who is not. And then the other two questions specifically refer to the specific exponents, the lowest Buddhist tenet. And there is the definition etymological meaning, division, and the last question being about base, path, and result in the specific exponent. So this present examination is not a real examination. It is more an incentive for future studies, that the questions and the topics raised would give a hint what are the major areas to study under the tenets topic.
And this would be helpful to make one study more. And if there is any real examination in future, it might make one prepared. Anyway, you don’t need to be scared or nervous. Simply write what you think is the answer. And then generally, one is giving examination, it is helpful to not necessarily follow the serial order of the questions.
One can write answers on the questions which one at the beginning is clear and can remember. So yes, write what you can on the question first, and then others you can think afterwards. And that’s how in the examinations normally it is done. So what one can give answer, one starts with that one. So it would take less time and one doesn’t have to trouble oneself to try to remember and think what the answer might be.
And with regards to those questions, which one is not very clear, one can have time to think later on. So that’s how it would be. If one tries to give the answer to the question which comes first in the questionnaire, but which one is not very clear, then one might spend unnecessary time trying to work it out and that might waste the time and it might also erase what you already can remember about the other questions. So it might enter. You’ve got nothing to write.
As it is a steady examination, therefore if you need somehow to look at the notes, well, it cannot be totally bent that you cannot look at notes. So it should be okay if you do need to look at the notes. But as you would know, in real examination, you can’t even take one single paper to copy form. So all you need is your mind and a pen. So take it easy and write what you feel like.
Generally, in normal examination, one doesn’t have to put one’s name. It is just kept anonymous. But here it is not a real examination, more a study. So you can and you need to put your names. So for the last two months, every Thursday evening, there have been classes on Buddhist tenets, as well covered in the beginning briefly about the non-Buddhist tenets.
And as a conclusion, this evening the examination was held. It is good that the examination was held. And then with regards to the topics covered so far in the last two months or so, mainly the specific exponent, the lowest Buddhist tenet, their assertions and theories were fully covered, and you obviously have finished your studies on that. And then the second lowest Buddhist tenet, the Sautrāntika group,, on that as well, about half of the topics or the points have been finished. So has been good classes for the past thirty days.
So when the term starts, we shall continue on the remaining of the discourse groups, theory and assertions, which then will be followed by the mind only, which then will be followed by Middle Way, which starts firstly on this Svatāntrika or autonomous middle way. And finally, we shall then look at Prāsaṇgika Madhyamaka, the highest Middle Way, the highest Buddhist tenets. And let’s hope that it would be successfully completed. If one is genuinely interested in knowing the practices and the instructions, the teachings of Buddhism, then no doubt ultimately one would have to aim for a speedier accomplishment of enlightenment. One would need to do practice on the tantric path.
But to be able to be good at and successful in the tantric practices, it needs to be preceded by successful practice on the sūtra, the discourse, non tantric path. The way how to go about with the non tantric discourse sūtra path is to study the assertions, the theories of the four Buddhist tenets. That itself is the way in the discourse, sūtra path, and that’s why it becomes extremely important by that way, the study into the four tenets. That is very true, meaning they need to know about the four tenets in order to have successful practice of the non tantric discourse path. That is very true.
Why that is true? It can be explained this way. One firstly needs to know well by establishing beyond doubt the two truths: deceptive truth and the ultimate truth, which becomes the establishment or ascertaining of the basis. And then upon the basis of the two truths, one through direct well knowledge and inferential valid knowledge, needs to know what things or practices needs to be adopted and what avenues of three doors one needs to discard away. Through that way, through valid knowledge, upon the basis of the two truths one needs to know well what needs to be practiced, what needs to be discarded away.
When that is understood well, then through that very way one would be able to actualize the twofold path, method and wisdom, within one’s continuum. When the method and wisdom are actualized, then that would bring the result, either the two types of the nirvana or whatever each of the four tenets in their own claim are explained to be the ultimate goal to achieve. So that’s how it goes. And the whole thing, if we look reverse, we can say to be able to attain the resultant goal, one needs to depend on the actualizing of the method and wisdom, that in turn depends on the ascertaining and knowing well of what needs to be discarded away and what needs to be practiced, and that itself in turn depends on firstly having established well the basis of two truths. And then again, the whole thing to go reverse back, we can say without the first two truths being ascertained well, it is not possible to know well what needs to be discarded away and what needs to be practiced well.
And without knowing that well, it would not be possible to actual ize the method and wisdom and without actualizing that one would not be able to achieve the goals. To know the two truths explained by the middle way tenets, one needs to firstly know the two truths explained by the mind only tenet. And to know the two truths explained by the mind only tenet, one needs to know the explanation of the two by the discourse groups. And to know that, one needs to first know the explanation of the two, of the specific exponent tenet. This then would mean each of the lower tenets’ explanation of the two truths serves as a complementary aid to understand better the one higher and that in turn one higher above that.
So the lower tenets’ explanation of the two truths is very approximate or very gross. And higher the tenet is, the subtler the explanation becomes, meaning more exact the explanation becomes, and the highest tenets explanation of the two truths is the actual two truths. As there is the difference of grossness and subtlety of the explanation of the two truths, that naturally brings about the difference of grossness and subtlety in the valid knowledge perceiving the two truths. And as there is a difference in the valid knowledge perceiving the two truths in terms of grossness or approximation and exactness, that in turn makes the difference of subtleness and grossness in the method and wisdom produced by such valid knowledge. As a consequence, the goal to achieve in accordance with Vaibhāṣika, the specific exponent that is easy to achieve.
Compared to that, the Sautrāntika group’s goal is slightly difficult to achieve. Compared to that, mind only Tenet’s goal is more difficult to achieve and compared to that the highest tenets, Middle Way tenets, their goals are difficult to achieve. Yet we can say all these various perspectives about base, path and result, though, which becomes the basis why they came about these different tenets shows the skillfulness and compassion of the Buddha Śākyamūni, catering the needs of the various levels of our trainees. In the discourse system, the non tantric part, all the topics of the base part and the result are inclusive to the explanation by the four tenets. Therefore, if one has studied well the four tenets, it would mean one has studied well the non tantric discourse aspects of practice and teaching.
So it becomes pertinent, appropriate, that one takes interest in the study of these four. In the long run, there is no doubt a substantial benefit one can reap by doing studies on the four. Even on imprint level, we can see more one has studied, more imprint one leaves, or more future connection on one’s mind one leaves with these topics, that it is possible in future, if one has studied well now, in future, just by mere hearing once or looking at the text on these topics once, the whole memory will be actualized and one would not need any extra effort or so forth to master these teachings and the practice is based on these teachings. Also in this way if one can leave good imprint then in future one would be able to actually produce the wisdom arisen from hearing or learning, wisdom arisen from reflection, wisdom arisen from meditative familiarization. Through that way, when those wisdoms are actualized in one’s mind, then one would become a person who has an unmistaken and complete understanding on all range of instructions necessary for liberation and enlightenment, that one’s understanding would be so complete and unmistaken, it would be as if one, when looking at things on shelves, every commodity or item are visible, like that the whole range of the teachings and the instructions would be at full view of one’s understanding, and that would be a very sound foundation to go ahead with one’s practice and actualization of excellent qualities of mind and so forth.
Of course, presently when we study it seems we don’t make much progress. Personally, when we reflect on the topics, it seems we don’t make much progress. Personally, when we do meditative familiarization or meditation, it seems we don’t make much progress. While that is very true, then the reason why that happens, it simply means that one did not have any imprint from the past. Of course, from one side we can say more impure thoughts and more ignorance one’s mind has that would cloud one’s clarity and capability of mind.
But also, if one did not have any imprint from the past, then obviously that’s what happens. And what an imprint would mean, it simply means one did not have any familiarity with such part and instructions in the past. Now from present moment onward, if that’s the case, then with the recognition that it is due to lack of familiarity, lack of imprint that this is happening, in future I would not let this state lacking imprint go on like this. I would instead plant, familiarity plant, imprint. And will, up to the best of my ability, learn, reflect, and meditatively familiarize on the topics, the basis of the practice, the instructions, the teachings.
And in that way I will, to the best of my ability, will try my best to do whatever I can. With such determination, if one does actually put effort into the steady reflection and meditative familiarization, then of course there is no need to mention that one would be able to achieve. The reason why that is so is because one has gathered the causes necessary to produce the result. And as it is in the natural fact of things, if there was a cause preceding, then the outcome of result is inevitable. From another point, why we’re not able to make progress would have to be because there are obscurations with one’s mind which become the adverse factors hindering one from making progress.
To be able to overcome such obscurations, the adverse factors of the mind, one would need to do practice of going for refuge, meditating on the four limitless thoughts, and do purification practice complete with the four opponent powers, the four requirements of purification. And the actual practice of purification can be based either on the methods such as the Vajrasattva 100 syllable recitation and meditation, or on bodhisattva’s declaration of downfalls, and to wholeheartedly apply the four requirements of purification. That would be the way to go about. If one does, then it is natural that one’s shortcomings of mind would decrease, one’s excellent qualities of mind will increase, and as a consequence one would be able to absorb all the necessary instructions required to be picked up through study reflection, and meditative familiarization. And through that way, in terms of happiness and suffering, one would become a person capable to attain happiness, remove sufferings, remove problems, and so forth.
Then, as a conclusion, one would say, yes, before things go too tragically bad, when one still has capability, it would be wise to put all the means and effort into making the whole study, reflection and meditative familiarization in the right direction. It would be what’s called too late if one regrets afterwards. And on that point, there is a proverb which goes, if one thinks beforehand, one is wise. If one regrets afterwards, one is a fool. From your side, you go to work during daytime and in the evenings you attend the teachings in that way.
It is obvious that you, from your part, have been putting effort in receiving the teachings and so forth. And then translating third person from Rinpoche’s side, he has been putting all the effort to make the classes in a maximum way benefit the students, and have been working hard in making the classes most beneficial, meaningful, and so forth. So from both sides there is obviously a great deal of effort and hard work put into it. Now, we then ask the question, For what purpose do we need and have we been putting effort into the classes and the sessions? Well, from one point, it is sure that we all want happiness, and globally speaking we want peace in the world.
And in our perspective we do believe that the instructions on the purification of mind and removing of the mental garbage we have would be the way to achieve peace in the world, and and the instructions as found in Buddha’s teachings are inspiring and unmistakably the right source. Therefore, by attending the teachings and continuously putting effort in giving the teachings. From Rinpoche’s part there is active functioning of making the teachings become available to oneself as well for other participants, and in that way make the source of happiness and peace on a global level flourish or become accessible further and further. More importantly, also the purpose would be that we need to have a sound basis for our practice, through which we remove our shortcomings of mind and achieve excellent qualities of mind, through which we in turn remove our sufferings, problems, and achieve satisfaction, happiness, and so forth. And it is extremely important that the teachings are received well and one who explains well.
Therefore, there has been what’s called deliberate hard work or effort put into it. So that’s how it has been. On that note, Rinpoche, I’d like to request you to please then keep in mind instructions and the teaching and put them into practice as best as you can.