Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. Ven Jampa Ignyen offers a detailed commentary on verses 94–106 of the Wheel of Sharp Weapons, using the peacock—an animal that thrives on poison—as the central image for transforming suffering into spiritual practice. He begins with giving-and-taking (tonglen), teaching how to place all suffering on self-cherishing, the root of difficulty, to uproot it. He then moves to dependent arising and emptiness, using precise metaphors: the vase whose assembled parts cannot locate the vase itself, the moon’s reflection in water, the firebrand appearing as a circle. All phenomena are empty of true existence yet function through interdependence. We practice virtue within this appearance; the wisdom understanding emptiness is the medicine curing ignorance itself. For serious practitioners of Buddhist philosophy.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 05 WSW 2001 10 01.mp3
UUID: 5173a7dc-30b8-4d78-98dc-617e38a649b2
Teacher: Ven Jampa Ignyen
Collection: Wheel of Sharp Weapons 2011 Month 09-10 (Ven Jampa Ignyen)
Date: 2001-10-01
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 68.6 minutes
Words: ~6,795
In the previous session, we were discussing this practice of giving and taking, which is expressed in verses, really, verse ninety four, ninety five, ninety six. Which even though it’s not actually a tonglen, when when we’re doing it, we’re not actually taking on the suffering of the other. Still, it’s a part of the path because it’s training the mind to in compassion, to develop compassion. And compassion is the root of the path. That is how I understood this..
Why we’re mentioning this compassion? It is a method for developing great compassion. And then as we do this breathing practice, we’re also taking all the blame on this one, all the suffering. Look. When we say we’re taking on the suffering, we’re taking those suffering and we’re placing squarely on our self-cherishing. That’s what we need to just, like, shake up.
So we’re putting all of those suffering onto self-cherishing. And this with all the suffering in the universe are actually emanating or supported by self-cherishing. So we’re using those sufferings. As it were, we’re sending them back to the source of those sufferings in order to destroy the source. In verse ninety seven, in that way, by planting on the basis of my root of virtue, in that way, by myself, taking on the negative actions committed in the three times and by the three doors of other migrators, As a peacock possessing possesses radiance from poison, may a reflection of iridescent, shimmering light shine on it. So again this connects back to the beginning where where it’s talking about the practice of a bodhisattva to be like a peacock, feeding on poison.
And by doing so, then developing a radiance. So here, by taking on the sufferings of others, we’re enhancing our practice, our spiritual practice by doing so. So this is the practice of taking and giving. So firstly, the practice of taking in verse ninety seven. And then by giving my Rudra and virtue to my gurus and to longing for the liberation of all beings as crows healed by medicine after eating poison, may they quickly obtain the state of Sugata.
So by engaging in firstly taking and then by giving a little virtue in my being, may those beings attain a state of perfect liberation. Just like crows are healed by medicine after they’ve eaten poisoned. And that’s by doing that, may they become fully awake and liberated. So all of these verses from verse ninety four onwards are really describing this practice of giving and taking. The practice which we should try and practice at all times.
Very different. Comparing from the beginning, peacocks and crows are given as a quality. And peacocks are an example of of brave being because they enter the forest, they thrive on poisonous plants, which is in a way that’s likened to the actions of the bodhisattva. Crows on the other hand, so they don’t act in this way. And in fact, they, like ourselves, they see good conditions for themselves and lack the bravery to thrive on which Peacock could, then crows are like what we are. It’s not here, what, trying to say that the peacocks are bodhisattvas, isn’t it?
Because definitely those crows and those peacocks are often just like ourselves. We see our mothers in the past, we need to generate compassion for them. So really, practicing giving and taking. We continue. This is our foundation practice.
Taking the suffering from our own, giving our happiness and return. In verse ninety nine, practice this until all those who have been my parents and die. Stay enlightenment in the abode of Akanishka. We shall run through the power of karma in the six migrations. But while doing that, may we hold each other as one with one mind.
So as we practice taking in here, we reflect that all the beings that we meet, wherever we, of these beings have been my parents in the past. And here we continue to wander through the power of our past actions, our karma. In the sixth migration, either as we wander into the hells or hungry ghosts, into the realms of the animals, humans, demigods, or gods. But even so, while we’re all wandering in this fashion, until we all obtain enlightenment in the abode of Akanishtha. Akanishtha means the highest, Og Min in Tibetan. Until we obtain enlightenment in that pure land, in that pure abode, may all the beings that we encounter day to day, may we hold each other as one with one mind.
Not that we are actually there is just one mind, but we should regard others in a sense as one with us with the mind of compassion, as dear to us as we are ourselves. This is a little bit like practicing exchanging self for others, the first point, equalizing self for others. Maybe see ourselves as equal to others, others equal to me. And then releasing that discrimination, may we develop that compassion. You know, helping in any way.
In a way, may be interfering with karma, but it’s interfering in a positive way. We need to interfere with our own karma in a sense. We’ve got all these karmic imprints from our past lives for all manner of things to occur. We need to lessen, minimize the chance for our negative karma ripening. Also, for hungry ghosts, as much as possible, their karma also, they’re they’re like us.
In fact, there is not much difference between our ourselves and hungry ghosts. The only difference is in this life, we’re a human. In this life, we’re a hungry ghost. In the past we’ve been hungry ghosts, in the past they’ve been humans. They have as much potential to be reborn as a human as we do.
So as much as possible, if we’re able to help those beings awaken positive karmic seeds to be reborn as human, that is excellent. So in a way we need to, if we can intervene in the karma of others so that positive potential is manifested so that another being experienced higher rebirths. They can. Yes. Oh, for instance, the hell realms and the realms of the ghosts and so forth can correspond to a degree with human realms.
For instance, hungry ghosts can exist, coexist with humans, but because they have a subtler body than the gross body of a human, it’s more difficult for us to see them. And there are also occasional hells that exist. I think they can exist also in the human realm. Also the formless realm can coexist with the desire realm where we exist at present. Present.
So these realms can coexist. The animal realm certainly for the those that are reborn as animals, exist with us here on earth. So the animal and human also the gods and the demigods in a way live together. humans and animals live together, share the same abode. Hell beings have their own particular abode.
It’s often described as existing below Bodh Gaya in India. It is a physical abode. Yes. Oh, if we could give it that opportunity then no problem. If we had the capacity to kill the being and ensure their rebirth in the human realm, very good.
I will its continuum of mind is unending, it will be reborn somewhere. But it’s hard for us to determine where it may be reborn. So therefore we should avoid killing. Unless of course one has deep insight into these matters. At times that does occur, those with great wisdom may intervene with the karma of a being in order to ensure a better rebirth for them.
But otherwise, we need to be careful because by killing another being we may actually send it to a worse rebirth than it’s currently in. And that’s also the argument with euthanasia, that we have to be very careful with euthanasia by killing someone, mercy killing and so forth, Because it’s very difficult for us to see where another being may be reborn. And in fact, by killing them or helping them to kill themselves, whether it’s going to generate a better rebirth or it’s going to end their suffering. This we don’t know. But if we if we have clear insight into that and we can see that by that action we will help that being then that we can engage in.
It it is. But, again, if we have the wisdom that’s able to see the karma of another being and what possibilities exist for them in the present, if we have that sort of insight, then we may be able intervene to really help another being. Otherwise we need to be careful, especially during the death process. One of the best things we can do is just create a positive condition for them to die in, to make sure they are as calm as possible and that we generate the conditions for them to be in a positive state of mind. There may be some possibility there, but it then it also depends on the karmic connection those two beings have.
There are stories of this happening in the past, but they’re really qualified also by, the necessity for understanding the karma of being, the past actions of being, and what their current potential is. But certainly, beyond all of that, if we have the capacity to help someone else, we should help them in whatever way we can. It is. Yes. The state of mind at the time of death will determine what karmic seeds are awakened.
And it’s in dependence upon awakening that karmic seeds that we take future rebirth. So what karmic seeds that exist within our mental continuum depends on the state of the mind itself. So for that reason it’s important that our mind is in a very positive state at the time of death because then this will to awaken positive karmic seed. For something like an insect, it’s probably not gonna make a vast amount of difference for the insect. Because an insect certainly doesn’t have the same level of intellect as a human being.
Oh, if they’re murdered? If they were murdered, then it would be a result of their past action. So it’s really their own the karma of that being. But sorry. Yep.
So But if one is able to prevent that from happening precisely so they can continue to live, then that would be and also provided if they were to continue to live, that they’re going to live in a positive way, then one should do so, if one has that opportunity. But then again, like one prayer of one Tibetan Lama was that may all those who are not practicing virtue, may they die young. Which is for this reason that if we’re going to live, we should as much as possible collect positive potential. Even on other hand, we’re out there killing, you know, killing other beings all the time and robbing and engaging in various negative actions, then it’d be far better we died young because at least then we accumulate less negative potential. Sayings that yeah, it might be useful to say that, that’s right.
It might give solace to say that. But even if one’s got to check out, maybe it doesn’t give solace because probably deep down we realize that it may not be true. Unless they’re well, sometimes it does occur that beings manifest highly realized beings manifest death for a particular purpose even when they’re young. Or they may take on the sufferings of others. For instance, the Dalai Lama, a number of Dalai Lama’s die very young.
And the Dalai Lama’s have been quite that being is a very good practitioner. Those that are it’s possible that beings that are really practicing do take on negative situations, and by doing that, they pass away. But this we need to investigate. It’s not I think also not only the do the good die young than others also. So then as the text continues, at this time, even for the purpose of one migrator, I shall enter the three lower migrations of the hells and ghosts and animals without decline of the conduct of a great bodhisattva.
Without decline of the conduct of a great bodhisattva may I lead others from the suffering of lower migration. So having generated compassion towards other beings, then one makes the aspiration, may I enter the hells, for instance, for the purpose of even helping one being. May I be reborn there to help that being? And then without decline of the conduct of a great bodhisattva, without the decline of great compassion within me, may I lead others from the suffering of the lower of lower of lower migration. And then immediately, may those held guardian generate discrimination of me as a guru.
May even their weapons become flowers, and may they be cooled by peace and bliss free of harm. So even if then through generating strong compassion, we are able to proceed to the hell. May the hell guardians who are there, hell beings and hell guardians, generate recognition of me as a teacher, and may their weapons transform into flowers and all of those beings be cooled by peace and bliss that is free of harm. May also the lower migrators obtain higher perception and may these beings in the lower realm begin then to develop perception, insight into their situation. May they arise in human and divine bodies and develop bodhicitta and great compassion.
May they repay my kindness by being nourished by Dharma. May they then follow the teachings on virtue and especially on compassion, and may they rely on me through holding me as a teacher. So this is a prayer, inserted here by the author. May we have this aspiration to help all beings, especially the beings in the three lower realm. May we be able to intervene to help them, like the great wish of the bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha, who made the vow to remain in the deepest hells until all beings have attained liberation, to take care of the beings there.
At this time, may all my migrators in higher states, like myself, correctly meditate on selflessness. In non-conceptually comprehending existence and peace, may we meditate on concentration equalizing those. And then also for all the beings in the higher migration such as the divine the human realm, may we correctly meditate on the ultimate mode of abiding of all phenomena. And in non conceptually, non-conceptually comprehending the existence and peace that is the relative and ultimate modes of abiding and so on, may we meditate on the concentration which equalizes those states, which at the same time comprehends the ultimate and the relative nature of all all existent entities. In acting in this way, this enemy will be destroyed.
This enemy of self-cherishing will be destroyed. In acting in this way, misconception will be destroyed. This preconception of self-cherishing and all other associated preconceptions such as grasping at self will be destroyed. If we act in this way, the result, if we act to overcome self-cherishing, the result in the end will be generating great compassion, generating the wisdom that understands emptiness. And through becoming familiar with selflessness through non-conceptual primordial awareness, why won’t we obtain the cause and the results of the dharmakaya?
So by assembling all the causes and conditions for complete enlightenment, why won’t enlightenment be generated in the next moment? Ah, all these objects are dependent arising. Everything that we see from morning to night, everything that exists in the universe, whether permanent or impermanent, everything without exception, is a dependent arising. Since they rely on arising, they are not self created. There is nothing in the universe self created or created from its own side or created independently or inherently or by its own characteristics or by a self or truly and so on.
Since they transform into this or that, they are false appearance and illusions. Since these objects don’t remain, are not fixed and they’re dependent on other objects. And in fact, they do transform from one thing into another. The seed transforms into a sprout and then into a tree and then the tree falls over and rots away and so forth. Therefore, objects that are qualified in that way are like a false appearance and illusion There is no truth through seed to begin with.
The seed itself transforms into a sprout. Similar for a human being, our physical body starts off as the union of the egg and sperm, then it multiplies, the cells multiply. So it’s continuously transforming from one thing into another. Therefore, it doesn’t truly exist. It doesn’t exist in the way it appears to exist.
It is a false appearance and illusion. Our mind is also the same. Our mind changes moment to moment. It’s dependent on causes and conditions. It’s dependent on its basis of imputation.
Basis of imputation is, for instance, all existent objects have a basis of imputation. Like this vase has a basis of imputation. The basis of imputation here are the parts of the vase at the base, the side, the top, the neck and the top. All of these is the basis of imputation. It’s the basis upon which well, in fact it does Well, that’s how it exists.
It has a base, and it does have a base, doesn’t it? And the base is not the side. And the side is not the neck. The neck is not the top and so on. It’s by the assembly of these parts that are the vase is imputed on that object.
Right? So the vase itself is dependent on its basis of imputation. If we say what is the vase there? Well, the vase is not the negative vase. It’s not the top.
It’s not the side. It’s not the base. But even the when we ask which part of the aggregate is it? The vase itself is dependent on its basis of imputation, but when we seek within the basis of imputation of it, within its basis, where is it? It’s difficult to find, isn’t If we were sorry?
It is in my hands, isn’t it? But if I ask where in my hand is it, for instance, is it is the bars closer to this finger or that finger? Or is there one close to that finger and one vase closer? But in the middle is just empty space, isn’t it? Is that empty space in the middle of the vase the vase?
It is. Oh, now here we’re just trying to find the vase itself. We all agree that a vase is there. It is, isn’t it? But when we try and find it, where the vase is, it’s difficult to find.
It within its basis of imputation. Definitely we have a basis of imputation there. The base, the sides, the neck, the top. But when we go through all of these different parts it’s difficult to find the vase. So for that reason it’s said to be like an illusion.
The vase does exist, but when we try and find the vase, it’s very difficult to find. It’s a little bit like an illusion. All objects in the universe exist in this way. We ourselves exist in this way. We exist, the person exists.
And the person is imputed on the basis of designation of the person, which is our mind and body. No, you wouldn’t. If you plucked the hair out and put it on the table, you wouldn’t say there’s a knee there, would you? Oh, good. Well, we do well, we do there is a basis designation of I, which includes our physical body and all the awarenesses that arise within our mental continuum.
That’s the basis of designation of I. When we try and find I within these basis of designation, it’s not easy to find. And for that reason, it’s asserted that even a person is like an illusion. A little bit like, you know, the illusion of a a movie on a on a screen. It appears as if there’s a person there and a person is walking and sitting down and so forth as we’re watching a movie.
But in fact, there’s no one there. There’s just an appearance. In a way, our existence is similar. It’s the appearance of a person. But when we try and find the person within the basis of designation, it’s not so easy to find.
And so human beings, various objects that exist within the universe are said to have an illusory, nature. They’re a false appearance and illusion. In talking about this, it starts to sound as if we’ve had something to begin with, and now it’s being taken away from it. But sometimes it appears that way, doesn’t it? That’s because of our attachment.
Our attachment is so strong. But these issues we need to investigate. So here it said, all these objects are dependent arising. Everything we see is a dependent arising. They depend on something other than themselves in order to exist.
The vase depends on its basis of designation to exist. Without its basis there, a vase couldn’t exist. And all the parts depend on their parts in order to exist and so on. Yeah. Absolutely.
A Buddha is like an illusion. A Buddha in a way is dependent on sentient things. Buddhas also are dependent on the basis of designation similar to ourselves. Oh, well, their basis of the base of designation of a Buddha is similar to ours, a mind and a body, except that their body is much clearer. Their mind is free of all all the states of mind that act as are contaminated and so on.
Here, main thing is that all objects are dependent arisings. Therefore, due to that everything is empty of true existence. Objects still function, but the way they function is is like an illusion. They’re empty of true existence here. Still they function fine.
human beings function fine. You know? They are born, live, and pass away and are reborn and live and pass away. The external physical universe functions fine, but it is like an illusion. It’s a little bit like the reality of a dream.
When in the dream, the dream appears quite real. But then when we wake up later, we reflect on it and we think, oh, it appeared to be real at the time, but but in fact, it was an illusion. Absolutely. We can have a you know, win the lottery in a dream and then wake up later and then develop real disappointment that we have woke up and so on. Our current exist also is similar.
It appears to be real. Things appear to be truly existent to us and we hold things very strongly to exist in that way. But that view is said to be at a very core, very source of our unhappiness as well. And here, things to be dependent arising is very important for us. So similarly, it said that the objects in the universe are like a firebrand, they are a reflection of appearance.
That well, it’s true even in physical form. If we when we look at our physical body, if we go down far enough there’s nothing there. It’s just space, isn’t it? We know that we’re made up of atoms and molecules and the atoms and molecules in our physical body are ninety nine point nine nine nine percent space. There’s a little bit of matter there but not much.
When we go into that matter itself, there’s not much there. So in fact, just looking at on a gross level, we appear as if we’re solid. But actually, we know that even our physical body is by, you know, mainly nothing there. Also, even on a very rough level, we’re in how much? About ninety percent water in various forms and so on.
Space itself is a dependent arising. It is still a dependent arising. Yes. Everything that exists is a dependent arising, even a permanent permanent object. Space is permanent.
Yes. Although there’s four types of Buddha. One of the four types is permanent. The other three are impermanent. We are impermanent.
Buddha nature is permanent. There are two types of Buddha nature, a permanent and an impermanent. The main one is the permanent type. Our Buddha nature is permanent. No, it does depend the mind.
Permanent Buddha nature depends on on the mind. All is not emptiness is permanent, and everything which exists has an attribute of emptiness. No. Nothing can be both permanent and impermanent. Well, it’s possible.
The atoms that make up our body have been made up the bodies of many other beings in the past. That’s right. Still in the present moment, everything is perfectly new and never existed before. Yes, they’re not contradictory for emptiness and compassion to coexist. Compassion itself is empty of true existence.
It’s a dependent arising. Compassion. If emptiness didn’t exist, nothing could exist because it’s the fact that objects are empty of true existence that enables permits the existence of dependent arising, permits things to exist. If everything were truly existent, they’d be completely fixed in their nature, and they would not interact one with another. Nothing nothing would be possible.
Not possible. So everything is the dependent arising. And like a firebrand, they’re a reflection of appearance. Objects are like a firebrand. Like a firebrand, you spin it around quickly, it appears like there’s a circle there.
But actually, there’s no circle there at all, is there? There’s only a point of light, isn’t there? If we spin it quickly, it appears as if there’s a circle there. Is there a circle there? It’s not.
It’s just a point, isn’t it? Yeah. It’s like watching something on a a movie. There’s not nothing is actually moving across the screen, is there? It’s like that.
It’s simply an illusion of movement created by light. Light that’s moving. Right. And then continuing. Verse one zero six.
Like a plantain tree, life force has no pith. Like a bubble, lifespan has no pith. Like a haze object dissipate when approached. Like a mirage they are attractive from a distance. So objects in the universe are like that.
Like a plantain tree approached. Objects, they appear real from a distance. As we get closer to them, we can’t see them. They’re unfindable. And like a mirage, they are attractive from a distance.
Like a reflection in a mirror, they appear as if true. Even when we look in the mirror, it appears as if there’s someone standing behind the mirror. Although we get used to looking at the reflection, we know that it’s just a reflection. Similarly, all objects in the universe are like that. They’re merely a reflection.
Like a reflection. Objects appear as if they’re truly existent when they’re not. Like a cloud or mist, they appear as if they abide. So like like a mist that exists in a valley, it appears to abide there. But as we approach, we find that there’s nothing really abiding there.
Like this self, our slaughtering enemy, they appear as if they exist. It’s also the self-cherishing attitude and the self grasping. They hold to a self which appears to exist, but it doesn’t really exist. Our self-cherishing attitude really holds very strongly to I, but it doesn’t exist in the way it appears to exist. But their existence has never been experienced.
In other words, the way that we hold the I to exist has never actually doesn’t exist in that way and has never existed in that way. They appear as if true, but their truth has never been experienced. They appear as if they appear, but they are objects beyond overestimation and underestimation. For them, what wheel of karma exists? So this section in the text is really talking about the mode of abidance of all objects.
And within Buddhism, this is extremely important because this is the field of developing transcendent view, of developing transcendent wisdom, the wisdom of the ultimate mode of abidance of objects. So here, the author is talking about the illusory nature of objects. Objects that appear as if they’re true, but they’re or they exist in the way they appear to exist. But when we examine them, they don’t actually exist in that way. Why is this important?
Because it’s holding things to exist in the way they appear to exist that we generate all these negative states, hatred, anger, resentment, spite, jealousy, and so forth. All of these attitudes are coming because we hold others to exist in the way they appear to exist. When in fact others don’t exist in that way. We ourselves don’t exist in that way. If we understand that anger and hatred and so forth cannot be generated.
Understanding how objects exist means we no longer generate negative karma. We only generate negative karma in the present because we hold other objects, other to really exist in the way they appear, to really harm us in the way that they appear to harm us, and so forth, when that’s not actually the case. At present our relationship with others, their relationship with us, appears to be absolutely fixed and determined and so on. And the way that we interpret it to be correct. But actually things don’t exist in quite that way.
Oh, yes. Yeah. Alright. Oh, yeah. Yeah.
Well, our negative karma works as well. And so on. Things do function. In fact, the entire universe functions even though beings have wrong view. But the negative elements of our existence are really sourced within wrong view.
Once we generate right, correct view, then it doesn’t mean the universe doesn’t continue to exist, it does. But by understanding the correct view, we’re able to eradicate all the contaminated, limiting, unsatisfactory elements of existence. The purpose of attaining realization is not to overcome existence, only the contaminated aspect of existence. In a way, yes, we need, yeah, to understand the view we have of the world on a deeper and deeper level. In fact, what we need basically is the fact of things as they actually are.
It’s really just a fact of things that are going to be of any real benefit to us. So that’s what we need. Just a fact. And here it’s specifically of the nature of reality itself. But in understanding how how reality or how how we do exist, you know, without any additions or elaboration and so forth, is the means by which we can establish ours and other beings’ well well-being.
So therefore, though in that way objects are without essence, just as the mandala of the moon appears in water, karma and its result variously manifest in the deceptive world, and we should practice virtue and reject non virtue within this mere appearance. So even though objects are without any essence, just as the mandala of the moon appears in water, so so too karma and its results manifest in the deceptive world. Things continue to function even though things are illusory, as in the case of the mandala appearing the mandala of the moon appearing in water. At present, in a way, we mistake the reflection of the moon for the moon itself. But even so, things function.
We mistake the illusory to be real, like the reflection of the moon we take to be the moon itself. Even so, we engage in various types of actions and experience the results of those actions. When we understand the illusion to be an illusion, then we can get beyond the contaminated. There’s a poem that was written by this Zen nun who was saying, in this way and that I tried to save the old bucket, though the bamboo straps were worn and about to break. One day the bottom fell out.
No more water in the bucket. No more moon in the water. As she was this nun, she was carrying around. She was practiced for many years, and she would carry water in a bucket. And Then from time to time, you know, she’d notice the reflection of the moon, for instance, in the bucket.
A bucket of water. Noticing the reflection of the moon in the bucket is like our current conception of the eyes that we hold to day in, day out. Then one day the strap broke on the bucket and the water fell out. There was no further reflection of the moon in the water. In other words, one day she finally broke through to the realization of selflessness.
Didn’t mean to say she stopped existing, of course, but simply that the misconception of the I was overcome, and the wisdom of selflessness was generated. So therefore, should practice virtue and reject non virtue within this field of mere appearance that we exist in. So when fire at the end of the eon blazes as an object in a dream, the terror of heat arises though it is without essence. Similarly, though the hell realms etcetera are without essence, through fear of being boiled and burnt, we act to abandon them. So even though we exist in an illusory world, still we should avoid non virtue and practice virtue at every opportunity.
It’s a little bit like when we, as it says, in a dream, we may dream of the end of the universe and generate great fear, even though the dream is without essence. Still, even in our waking state, we practice virtue to avoid rebirth in hell, even though rebirth in hell is like an illusion. When confused by fever, though darkness does not fall, it is as though we were falling into a deep pit and suffocating. Similarly, through ignorance, etcetera, though ignorance, etcetera, have no essence, confusion is eliminated by the three wisdoms. So at times we experience darkness and we feel as if we’re being suffocated through various conditions such as getting a fever.
And this is like the ignorance, this darkness that we have in the present moment, this ignorance that prevents us from understanding things as they are, that also is illusory. But that is overcome by developing wisdom, the wisdom of hearing, contemplation, and meditation. So even though we have an illusory type of existence, we need to develop illusory wisdom to overcome illusory ignorance. It’s a little paradoxical. Though a musician plays melodies on a lute, when analyzed, it is confirmed there is no essence in the sound.
Just a number of notes together. When not analyzed, a pleasant sound arises through the collection of notes, which eliminates the heaviness of the minds of being. Even though things are without essence, they have a function. An example of that is music. All music is is this collection of notes together, which when we seek their essence we don’t find it.
But still music, which is stringing together of different notes, has this ability to lift the hearts of us being, of we being. So music does have a function. Similarly, if karma and causation are thoroughly examined, though one or many, they are without essence. Even karma itself is without essence. Dharmas are generated and destroyed in accordance with appearance.
Bliss and suffering are variously experienced as if they exist. Even so, we should practice virtue and reject non virtue within this mere appearance. Again, even though things are illusory, we continue to experience the results of actions, things do function. When a vase is filled by drops of water, the first drop does not fill the vase. And each drop till the last does not, as the vase is filled by their dependent collection.
Again here the author is talking about the meaning of dependent arising, that a vase is filled by drops of water, but when we ask whether it’s the first drop or the last drop, it’s not really the first or the last. It’s filled by their dependent collection. In other words, a full glass of water is a dependent arising. It arises in dependence upon all its parts, and there’s nothing fixed or inherent within it. Similarly, when the result of bliss or suffering is experienced, it is not experienced by the first moment of the cause.
Also, is not experienced by the last moment, etc. As the experience of bliss and suffering occurs through their dependent collection. Because of that we should practice virtue and reject non virtue within this mere appearance. When we investigate the nature of all objects universe, we see that they have this common quality of being dependent arising, ourselves and all other beings. And being dependent arising, they do have an illusory element.
Therefore we should practice virtue and reject non virtue. Alas, without investigation objects seem attractive, yet we confirm there is no pith within their appearance. However, this Dharma of objects appearing as if they exist is profound and inferior minds have difficulty realizing it. So difficult for us to understand the meaning of these words, though the words do, point to a profound meaning. Now when equipoised in concentration, definitely what mere appearance exists?
When existence what existence exists? Also, what nonexistent exists? Also, what assertion of being or not being exists? This particular verse here is referring to being who is in equipoise on emptiness, a being who, through cultivating meditation for many lifetimes, develops a direct perceptual comprehension of emptiness, when they’re engaged in that direct comprehension, that perceptual comprehension of emptiness, there is no appearance. There is no existence.
There’s no non existence. There’s no being nor nonbeing. There’s just the purity of emptiness itself. Why are we bothering to talk about emptiness here? It’s because emptiness and the mind comprehending emptiness is the essential antidote to ignorance itself.
It’s like a medicine, which is able to purify the mind to its deepest level. And when a being is able to perceptually comprehend emptiness, only emptiness is comprehended. Nothing else appears to that type of mind. When intelligence coursing in the fundamental state in which objects and the suchness of objects do not exist, which is free from practice of virtue and rejection of non virtue and free of all elaboration. When that type of mind naturally abides without any fabrication, one becomes a great being.
In other words, when we develop the type of fundamental awareness, which accesses the final the final mode of abidance of ourselves and all other objects, then that really is a holy mind. That is an immaculate, a pure, perfect, uncontaminated type of mind, the holiest mind. That type of mind abides without any fabrication, without any thought or any it abides in the truth itself without moving an inch from it. And one when that is achieved, one becomes a great being. In fact, one becomes an ārya bodhisattva.
So in that way, by practicing relative and ultimate bodhicitta, may we consummate without interruption the two collections and obtain perfection of the two purposes. So that completes the text on the Wheel of Sharp Weapons. The text itself is condensing a vast a vast amount of advice directed to we ordinary beings to encourage us to practice virtue and as much as possible to limit our self-cherishing with a view to eventually overcoming it. And while limiting our self-cherishing also, it’s encouraging us to generate wisdom. Wisdom that understands the ultimate nature.
Why are we doing this? Fundamentally to establish our full potential as beings. Our full potential for happiness for our own purpose, our full potential to help others, others purpose. So as much as possible, we should reflect on the meaning of these words and and check to see whether they conform to our own experience or not. They’re words that are directed at the at the real the real and most important issues within our existence, and they’re composed by being with who’s meditated on these issues for many years and is speaking from the point of view of experience itself, his own experience.
So anyway, it’s not an easy text to go through, and everyone’s been very patient, which is excellent. And I hope everyone’s enjoyed the course of the weekend. I hope everyone gets an opportunity to go through this this material at some stage again in the future. Anyway, we might just do a short dedication there, and then I think Gloria has a final session just