Tenets, 3 November 1994, part 1

Oh, Ārya Maitreya, the future Buddha I dedicate these merits, may all migrating beings complete their collections of merits and transcendent wisdom through which may they attain the two Buddha bodies. In reference to that we can infer that in the context of the Mahāyāna system or the great vehicle path the ultimate goal which we aspire to achieve can be of two states dharmakaya and rupakaya or or can be said as the reality state and visible form state, the truth body and form body. And so these are the two ultimate goals we aspire to achieve and the means by which we achieve these two are the two types of collections two types of meritorious collections the collection of merits and collection of wisdom. The very state where one has terminated all forms of mind and where one has acquired all excellent qualities of mind as well the very state where one knows and sees everything an omniscient mind and as well the mind in that state which is always and completely compassionate that very state is called dharmakaya the truth body or the reality state and that is one aspect of the state of enlightenment and wherever that state of enlightened mind resides in manifestation in a form of aggregates or body becomes the Rūpakāya in Sanskrit the visible form body or simply the form body so the form body is the physical manifestation of the enlightened consciousness and the reason reason why there has to be the form body or the manifest visible body is because unless the enlightened beings or the Buddhas manifest themselves in the form of the visible form body, the sentient beings cannot directly be able to benefit from the Buddha’s benevolent activities.

So to be able to receive benefits through from the Buddhas, the enlightened beings, the Buddhas manifest in the form of the form body. Therefore, there are those two states of enlightenment being the same entity in two aspect which we need to attain. As far as what is what are the causes which bring about the form body of the Buddha while the causes are the practices of the morality, of the practices of generosity of morality of patience and then of compassion loving kindness so these are the main practices which becomes the causes producing the visible body aspect of the Buddha. The practice of meditative concentration and the practice of wisdom are the two main causes producing the Buddha’s mind, the enlightened consciousness, the state of enlighten ment that mind so they are the causes producing the mind of Buddha and between the practice of meditative concentration and of wisdom it is mainly wisdom which is the actual cause producing the mind or enlightened mind state of the Buddha and in and when when described in terms of two collections, these two meaning meditative concentration and wisdom becomes described as the collection of merit. Diligence or the joyous effort is the practice which contributes to both the form body and reality state or dharmakaya because in doing any of the practices diligence or the joyous effort is indispensably required because in the absence of diligence one will not be able to do any of those practices say which are causes producing form body the practice of generosity of morality and of patience similarly in the absence of diligence one will not be able to do the practice of meditative concentration and wisdom which are the causes producing the reality state or Dharma body, the dharmakaya.

In this way diligence is a contributing factor towards both types of the Buddha enlightenment state. In total we then can say the six perfection practices contribute towards attaining the two aspect state of enlightenment. For this last point, we can relate quite well about diligence, diligence how it is necessary for all practices because if there is no hard work or diligence then a person will not be able to accomplish neither spiritual or Dharma practices nor the person would be able to practice mundane projects because the person would have been driven under the influence of laziness, slackness so nothing would be accomplished. In the mentioned two types of collections, there we come across the term or concept called the collection of transcendent wisdom. Now the collection of transcendent wisdom in meaning means the realization of emptiness and the practices maintained by that way meaning a mental state continuously in the form of realization of emptiness becomes continuous collection of transcendent wisdom and here of course we need to specify that it has to be realization of emptiness of a person who follows the great vehicle path in another words, who does practices of the altruism as well.

Such practice of realizing emptiness becomes collection of wisdom. The practice group under wisdom and the practice which concerns about the collection of merits can be grouped as the method or the skillful means aspect of path. In great vehicle the reference in great vehicle when it is mentioned the path comprise the path consists of method and wisdom we can understand by those two. It they refer to those two collections. Presently, in continuation from our last Thursday’s session, we are on the point looking into the mind only tenets assertions and we particularly are at the point where we look into mind only tenets theory theory or explanation about the two truths and in their explanation of the two truths the ultimate truth refers to emptiness the actual way how things exist so emptiness is ultimate truth the mind or the wisdom which realizes emptiness can be seen as mind doing the collection of transcendent wisdom where the practice contributes towards attaining the truth or the reality state of enlightenment.

Here, let’s first clarify what is emptiness in accordance to the mind only tenet or in other words let’s be clear how the mind only tenet describes emptiness. Well in their case emptiness means the form and and the valid knowledge perceiving form are emptiness of other substance. To repeat, the form and the valid knowledge perceiving form are emptiness of other substance. So that is description of emptiness. We can see that that description is based on their thinking or their basic stand that they believe the form or the external visible things.

The form and the valid knowledge which perceives the form are of one substance. They come out from same awakening of the same imprint. So they are of one entity and the very fact that they are devoid or emptiness of separate entity or other substance becomes emptiness according to them. Then that’s one one way of describing emptiness and then they also present other description of emptiness or other types of emptiness where say the form being the basis of the label being given form is emptiness of its existence from its side. What this in briefly means for example form a visible object is the basis for the label form like say in another example being called flower is the basis for the label the cup being called cup is the basis for that label similarly any visible object say form the technical term being called form so visible object or form so the form is the basis upon which the label form is given yet that very form is emptiness or devoid or lack.

It lacks existing from its side as a form although it is the basis for the label form. So that very fact about the form or visible object that they are emptiness of what, that they lack existence from their side as a form although being the basis of the label form is another type of emptiness. So roughly, have firstly in these two types of emptinesses. Such emptiness in further classification is explained to be of 20 types or 20 types of Of course, there are classification of emptiness into 20 types. This does not mean that there are these different types of emptiness into as many number because emptiness whatever it is emptiness of in its nature is of same type that it is emptiness of what what is negated what is proven as not existing there absolutely and that negation of what is proven not there existing absolutely is the emptiness for example on the basis of the example cup there is the emptiness of the cup existing from its own side.

Similarly table there is the emptiness of table existing from its own side and same book there is emptiness about so the different types of emptinesses and classifications are based upon in reference to certain reference basis that the classification are made whereas in its own nature, it is still the same emptiness. Let’s take an example about this point. Say, if there is a container made of gold, then we put some honey in it then on the other side we have container made of silver and we put the same thing, honey so there are we have a golden container with honey and silver container with honey. Yet in the nature of honey in both there is no difference at all. The both are in the nature of sweetness.

So it is only in reference to where they are contained that there is difference otherwise in the nature there is no difference both being in the nature of same sweetness. In description of course we would then come across saying the honey in the golden container and the honey in the honey in the silver container so there would be that difference. Like that the classification of emptiness into those numbers and types are based on with relation or in reference to certain things the emptiness being described that it is explained. For example amongst the classification into that many classification of emptiness into external emptiness and internal emptiness and the grouping is based only on the basis that emptiness being explained in reference to external things and proven that external things don’t exist truly becomes external emptiness and internal emptiness is being explained when internal continuum of a being is being proven as not truly existing and in that way in the nature of emptiness that came to be called as internal emptiness. The classification as internal emptiness, external emptiness, and so on.

Internal emptiness means emptiness in reference to things which are inclusive within the continuum of a being, a sentient being. For example if the emptiness is being explained or proven in reference to inner organs of a being or a person then that becomes internal emptiness. Similarly external emptiness is when it is being established with reference to external things such as form, sound, smell, taste, touch and phenomena then that becomes external emptiness and likewise there is the classification into emptiness of both external and the internal. Today, that So therefore, tonight, we’ll let you write down the 20 types of emptinesses. So the first is inner in internal emptiness.

Second is external emptiness. Third is emptiness of both the external and the internal. And then the emptiness of emptiness being the fourth. The great emptiness being the fifth. The sixth being emptiness in ultimate meaning.

Then the emptiness of the compounded phenomena. Then the emptiness of the uncompounded phenomena. Emptiness of the beyond limit. Emptiness of no beginning and no end. Emptiness of no forsaking.

Emptiness by nature. Emptiness of all phenomena. Emptiness of existence by its own characteristic. Emptiness of no focus. Emptiness of no or emptiness of objectlessness.

Emptiness of object. Emptiness of the very entity of objectlessness. Emptiness of its own entity. Emptiness of others’ entity. So in this way, these are the 20 emptinesses.

So one needs to meditate on the 20 emptinesses. Later, one meditates afterwards. So the bodhisattva was in this way meditate on the 20 emptinesses. So how does bodhisattva meditates on the 20 emptinesses? Well to start with in the context of the great vehicle path to enlightenment, the path is of five phases or the five paths which in which when looked from the point of the lines from the essence of wisdom sūtra or discourse the Heart Sūtra we can relate with the lines.

So there are five: gone, gone beyond, gone completely beyond, enlightenment. So those five are indicated even in that line by those words. So amongst the five paths or the five stages of path to enlightenment, the first is the first part indicated in that line by Gate, go or gone, and that is in its context called the part of collections what popularly called path of accumulation of merits. Now within that part when practitioner does the practices there are three phases one makes the progression firstly when one meditates and does the practices there is a small realization which becomes the small phase or small space on that part and when that improves, one comes to the medium or middling level. When that improves, one comes to the great level.

So in that way, the first part itself is of three levels or three phases. Phases. So the practitioner on the first part when while still on the small level of the first part, does the meditation on the emptiness emptiness of the external emptiness and when one arrives on the middling part one does the meditation on the internal emptiness and when one arrives on the great level of the first part one does the emptiness on the third, which is the emptiness of both external and internal both. And then one arrives on the second part of preparation which is indicated in the line from the discourse Essence of Wisdom Discourse by a second Gate, Gate Gate. So during the second part, the path of preparation, the emptiness one meditates on is the fourth emptiness emptiness, the emptiness of emptiness.

During the two next parts, which are indicated by gone beyond or gone completely beyond. So these two parts which are path of seeing and part of meditative familiarization, Firstly, you have to look at this way that these two parts can further be spread into 10 phases or 10 stages or labels called the 10 grounds. So already next two parts can be divided into 10 levels. The 10 grounds can be described as being of two parts. Two two types.

The first seven grounds being the non purified grounds and then the last three grounds being the pure ground or purified ground. So we have the last three, the eighth, ninth, and tenth ground are called the pure purified or the pure grounds. And the first seven of the 10 grounds are the non purified grounds. So so in brief we have the 10 grounds itself into those two classifications. The reason why the first seven grounds of the 10 are called the non purified grounds is because during those seven grounds the practitioners still have pains or habitual residue what is called the seeds of self-grasping, the imprints, the seeds of self-cherishing still left on one’s mind.

Of course, at that level the practitioner being a bodhisattva would already have got gotten rid of self-grasping itself yet it is a fact that even during those levels of grounds the person still has stains or what literally is called the seeds, the seeds of self-cherishing, the residue of self-grasping being left. The reason why there is still the seeds or the residue of self-cherishing left with the person’s mind is because already for so many countless lifetimes since beginningless time one would have been so much habituated with self-grasping so it quite understandable that there can still be a residue or seeds of self-cherishing remaining even during those levels. The the last three grounds, eight, nine, and ten are called pure or purified ground. And the reason why they are called purified ground is because during that time not only self-grasping had already been terminated and overcome even these seeds, the imprints, the potency of self-grasping as well have completely been terminated, and that’s the reason. So in this way, we have, in the case of practitioner, gone through in the first three stages of the path of accumulation and during the path of preparation the fourth of the 20 emptinesses is meditated upon now from next moment that is path of seeing until the seventh ground the practitioner does the meditation on the emptiness of the remaining the next seven emptinesses so it is matter of corresponding each of the next seven emptinesses on to each of the grounds to the seventh ground and that’s the meditation or starting from the emptiness of the ultimate meaning and so forth.

So the next three grounds, the eighth ground, nine ground, and 10 ground during this time, one meditates on two emptinesses per ground: during the eighth ground one meditates on two emptinesses, and on the ninth similarly, and on the tenth, so we have so far up to the eighth ground 11 emptinesses finished. Now on the eighth ground one meditates on the twelfth and thirteenth emptinesses and on the ninth ground on the fourteen and fifteen and on the tenth ground sixteen and seventeen. So in brief until up to the tenth ground, one has meditated out of the 20 emptinesses 17 already. So in this way, 17 emptinesses had been finished, meaning had been covered, and that is how the bodhisattva meditates on the 17 emptinesses. The last three emptinesses are meditated during the time of Buddhahood enlightenment where the practice of emptiness can be looked at as the preparatory stage, the actual stage, and the conclusive stage.

So the eighteenth emptiness, nineteenth emptiness and the twentieth emptiness, the three are meditated upon during Buddhahood. In emptiness itself, there is no difference at all. Therefore, in itself it is indivisible into classifications, but the difference is because of the difference in the reference basis with relation with relative to which the emptiness is being established and the variety of emptiness because there is a variety of our level of habituation with the referent basis, in some, with some referent basis we have far more habit and stronger intensity and therefore are difficult to get rid of and so forth. So in this way there are difference in the in our minds being habitually stuck with the clinging to the reference basis and not being able to establish emptiness of it. And gradually, gradually