LIBERATION YOUR HAND

Transcription

1 A Spiritual Classic LIBERATION I N T H E P A L M OF YOUR HAND Pabongka Rinpoche A CONCISE DISCOURSE ON THE PATH TO E NLIGHTENMENT Edited by Trijang Rinpoche Translated by Michael Richards Outlines from the text: Liberation in Palm of your Hand - Pabongka Rinpoche Wisdom Publications

2 greatness of the authors, given to show the teaching has an immaculate source How Atisha was born to one of the highest families How he attained his good qualities in that very rebirth things he did to further the doctrine after gaining these qualities greatness of the Dharma, given to increase one s respect for the instruction greatness of allowing you to realize that all the teachings are without contradiction greatness of allowing all the scriptures to present themselves to you as greatness of allowing you to easily discover the true thinking of the Victorious One greatness of allowing you to save yourself from the worst misdeed 5 lamrim is complete because it contains all the subject matter of sutra and tantra 6 It is easy to put into practice because it emphasizes the steps for taming the mind 7 It is superior to the other traditions because it contains from two gurus who were schooled in the traditions of the Two Great Champions teach and listen to the Dharma that has these two greatness [of the authors and of the Dharma] way to listen to the Dharma way to teach the Dharma What things the disciples and teacher should do together at the end which the to be taught root of the path: devotion to a spiritual guide proper graduated training you have begun stimulus to take the your optimum your optimum Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the medium scope Training the mind in the great-scope stages of the path

3 How Atisha was born to one of the highest families greatness of the authors, given to show the teaching has an immaculate source How he attained his good qualities in that very rebirth things he did to further the doctrine after gaining these qualities How he did this in India How he did this in Tibet

4 greatness of allowing you to realize that all the teachings are without contradiction greatness of the Dharma, given to increase one s respect for the instruction 5 greatness of allowing all the scriptures to present themselves to you as greatness of allowing you to easily discover the true thinking of the Victorious One greatness of allowing you to save yourself from the worst misdeed lamrim is complete because it contains all the subject matter of sutra and tantra 6 It is easy to put into practice because it emphasizes the steps for taming the mind 7 It is superior to the other traditions because it contains from two gurus who were schooled in the traditions of the Two Great Champions

5 way to listen to the Dharma p. 5 Contemplating the benefits of studying the Dharma teach and listen to the show respect for the Dharma and its teacher actual way to listen to the Dharma Dharma that has these two way to teach the Dharma p. 6 greatness Thinking about the benefits of teaching the Dharma [of the authors and of the Dharma] Being respectful to the Dharma and its teacher difference between the people teach and those you should not What to think and do while teaching What things the disciples and teacher should do together at the end

6 5 Contemplating the benefits of studying the Dharma way to listen to the Dharma show respect for the Dharma and its teacher Abandoning the three types of faults hindering one from becoming a worthy vessel:. fault of being like an upturned vessel. fault of being like a stained vessel. fault of being like a leaky vessel teach and listen to the Dharma that has these two greatness [of the authors and of the Dharma] Cultivating the six helpful attitudes:. Developing the attitude that you are like a patient. Developing the attitude that the holy Dharma is medicine. Developing the attitude that your is like a skillful doctor. Developing the attitude that diligent practice will cure the illness 5. Developing the attitude that tathagatas are holy beings 6. Developing the attitude that this tradition should be preserved for a long time actual way to listen to the Dharma

7 6 Thinking about the benefits of teaching the Dharma way to teach the Dharma Being respectful to the Dharma and its teacher What to think and do while teaching What to think teach and listen to the Dharma that has these two greatness [of the authors and of the Dharma] What to do while teaching difference between the people teach and those not

8 7 root of the path: devotion to a What to do in your meditation sessions. preparatory rites. pursue the main part of the session. What to do in the last part of the session What to do between meditation sessions p. 8 sequence in proper graduated training to rely on your stimulus to take the. A short discussion to convince you: identifying the optimum. Thinking about the great benefits of the optimum. Thinking about how difficult the optimum is to acquire p.. Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope. Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the medium scope. Training the mind in the great-scope stages of the path p. 7

9 8 preparatory rites What to do in your meditation sessions Cleaning your room and arranging the symbols of enlightened body, speech, and mind Obtaining offerings without deceit and arranging them beautifully root of the path: devotion to a Adopting the eight-featured sitting posture or whatever posture is convenient for you on a comfortable seat, and then taking refuge, developing bodhichitta, and so on, in an especially virtuous frame of mind, making sure that these practices properly suffuse your mindstream Petitioning the merit field 5 Offering the seven-limbed prayer and a world mandala practices that contain all the key points for accumulating merit and self-purification p. 9 sequence in to be taught 6 Further petitions, which follow the oral, made in order to be sure your mindstream is sufficiently imbued by your meditations pursue the main part of the session p. 0 What to do in the last part of the session

10 9 5 Offering the seven-limbed prayer and a world mandala practices that contain all the key points for accumulating merit and self-purification preparatory rites first limb: homage second limb: offering What to do in your meditation sessions third limb: confession of sins fourth limb: rejoicing Rejoicing over your own virtue root of the path: devotion to a. Rejoicing over your past lives virtue, which you can discern by means of inferential valid cognition. Rejoicing over your present life s virtue, which you can discern by means of direct valid cognition sequence in to be taught 5 6 Rejoicing over the virtue of others fifth limb: requesting the wheel of Dharma to be turned sixth limb: petitioning the merit field not to enter nirvana 7 seventh limb: the dedication

11 0 pursue the main part of the session What to do in your meditation sessions advantages of relying on a p. root of the path: devotion to a disadvantages of not relying on a, or of letting your devotion lapse p. Devoting yourself through thought p. root: training yourself to have faith in your guru Developing respect for him by remembering his kindness Devoting yourself through deeds

12 advantages of relying on a root of the path: devotion to a What to do in your meditation sessions pursue the main part of the session You will come closer to buddhahood. You will come closer to buddhahood by practicing the he taught you. You will also come closer to buddhahood through making offerings to the guru and serving him It pleases the victorious ones. buddhas of the ten directions are willing to teach you Dharma, but you are not even fortunate enough to see the supreme nirmanakaya, let alone the sambhogakaya, because these appear only to ordinary beings with pure karma. If you do not rely properly on your guru, you will not please the buddhas, no matter how many offerings you make to them You will not be disturbed by demons or bad company You will automatically put a stop to all delusions and misdeeds Your insights and realization into the levels and the path will increase You will not be deprived of virtuous s in all your future rebirths You will not fall into the lower realms 8 You will effortlessly achieve all short- and long-term aims

13 disadvantages of not relying on a, or of letting your devotion lapse What to do in your meditation sessions pursue the main part of the session If you disparage your guru, you insult all the victorious ones When you develop angry thoughts toward your guru, you destroy your root merits and will be reborn in hell for the same number of eons as the moments [of your anger] You will not achieve the supreme state, despite your reliance on tantra root of the path: devotion to a spiritual guide 5 Though you seek the benefits of tantra, your practice will achieve only the hells and the like You will not develop fresh qualities you have not already developed, and those you have will degenerate 6 7 In this life you will suffer undesirable illnesses and so on You will wander endlessly in the lower realms in your next lives 8 You will be deprived of s in all future lives

14 Devoting yourself through thought pursue the main part of the session root: training yourself to have faith in your guru reason you must regard the guru as a buddha reason you are able to see him this way root of the path: devotion to a spiritual guide What to do in your meditation sessions regard him properly:. Vajradhara stated that the guru is a buddha. Proof that the guru is the agent of all the buddhas good works. Buddhas and bodhisattvas are still working for the sake of sentient beings. You cannot be sure of appearances Developing respect for him by remembering his kindness guru is much kinder than all the buddhas. He is much kinder than all the buddhas is general. He is kinder specifically than even Shakyamuni Buddha His kindness in teaching the Dharma His kindness in blessing your mindstream His kindness in attracting you into his circle through material gifts

15 stimulus to take the A short discussion to convince you: identifying the optimum human rebirth (8 Freedoms - 0 Endowments) p. 5-6 proper graduated training Thinking about the great benefits of the optimum. Its great benefits from the short-term point of view. Its great benefits from the ultimate point of view. Thinking briefly about how even every moment of it can be most beneficial Thinking about how difficult the optimum is to acquire. Thinking about the causes for its being so hard to acquire. Some analogies for the difficulty of acquiring it. It s difficult by nature to acquire p. 7 Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the medium scope Training the mind in the great-scope stages of the path

16 5 A short discussion to convince you: identifying the optimum freedoms non-human states with no chance for Dharma study Life forms experiencing continual pain and fear stimulus to take the Life forms experiencing continual frustration and clinging Animals Celestial beings proper graduated training human situations with no chance for Dharma study Barbarian among uncivilized savages or in country where religion was outlawed Where Buddha s teachings are unavailable, where a Buddha hasn t appeared and taught Mentally retarded, deaf, dumb, blind Having instinctive wrong views

17 endowments A short discussion to convince you: identifying the optimum five personal endowments Born as a human stimulus to take the Living in central Buddhist region Having complete and healthy sense and mental faculties Not having committed any of the five 5 heinous actions proper graduated training 5 five endowments in relation to others Having instinctive belief in things worthy of respect: the Dharma, the value of ethics, the path to enlightenment, etc. Living where and when a Buddha has appeared Living where and when a Buddha has taught the Dharma Living where and when the Dharma still exists Living where and when there s a sangha community following Buddha s teachings 5 Living where and when there are others with loving concern: patrons, teachers, so we have the conditions to practice 6

18 7 Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope Developing a yearning for a good rebirth Teaching the means for happiness in your next rebirth p. 8 Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the medium scope proper graduated training Developing thoughts of yearning for liberation Ascertaining the nature of the path leading to liberation p. 9 Training the mind in the great scope stages of the path Teaching that the development of bodhichitta is the sole gateway to the Mahayana, and teaching its benefits as well way to develop bodhichitta p. 5 After developing bodhichitta, the way to train in the deeds of the children of the victorious ones

19 8 Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope Developing a yearning for a good rebirth Recalling that your present rebirth will not last long and that you will die p. 9 Thinking about what sort of happiness or suffering you will have in your next rebirth in either of the two types of migration p. proper graduated training Teaching the means for happiness in your next rebirth Taking refuge: the holy gateway for entering the teachings p. Developing believing faith in the law of cause and effect the root of all health and happiness p. 6

20 9 Developing a yearning for a good rebirth Recalling that your present rebirth will not last long and that you will die drawbacks of not remembering death Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope. drawback that you will not remember Dharma. drawback that you will remember [the Dharma] but not practice it. drawback that you will practice but not practice properly. drawback of not practicing seriously 5. drawback of acting vulgarly 6. drawback of having to die with regrets advantages of remembering death proper graduated training. advantage of being most beneficial. advantage of being most powerful. It is important at the beginning. It is important in the meantime 5. It is important at the end 6. advantage that you will die happily and gladly actual way to remember death nine-part meditation on death p. 0 Meditation on the aspects of death

21 actual way to remember death nine-part meditation on death Recalling that your present rebirth will not last long and that you will die Developing a yearning for a good rebirth Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope first root: thinking about the inevitability of death three reasons:. Lord of Death will inevitably come, and no circumstance at all can prevent this. Thinking how nothing is being added to your lifespan and it is always being subtracted from. Thinking about how you will definitely die before getting round to practicing Dharma second root: thinking about the uncertainty of when you will die proper graduated training three reasons:. lifespan of people from the Southern Continent is not fixed, and this is especially so for lifespans during these degenerate times. When you will die is uncertain because there are many factors contributing toward your death and few toward your life. When you will die is uncertain because the body is extremely fragile third root: thinking of how nothing can help you when you die except Dharma three reasons:. Wealth cannot help you. Friends and relatives cannot help you. Even your body cannot help you 0

22 Developing a yearning for a good rebirth Thinking about what sort of happiness or suffering you will have in your next rebirth in either of the two types of migration Thinking about the sufferings of the hells p. Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope proper graduated training Thinking about the sufferings of the hungry ghosts Thinking of the general sufferings of hungry ghosts under six headings heat, cold, hunger, thirst, exhaustion, and fear Thinking of the sufferings of particular types of hungry ghosts Ghosts with external obscurations Those with internal obscurations Those with obstructions from knots Thinking about the sufferings of the animals Thinking about their general sufferings Thinking about the sufferings of particular animals Thinking about the suffering of animals living in overcrowded environments Thinking about the suffering of the more dispersed animals

23 Thinking about what sort of happiness or suffering you will have in your next rebirth in either of the two types of migration Thinking about the sufferings of the hells Thinking about the sufferings of sentient beings in the great, or hot hells Developing a yearning for a good rebirth Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope 5 6 Hell of Continual Resurrection Black Line Hell Assemble-and-be-crushed Hell Hell of Lamentation Hell of Great Lamentation Hot Hell proper graduated training 7 8 Extremely Hot Hell Hell Without Respite Surrounding Hells Thinking about the sufferings of the cold hells Thinking about the sufferings of the occasional hells

24 Taking refuge: the holy gateway for entering the teachings Teaching the means for happiness in your next rebirth causes on which one s taking refuge depends What to take refuge in Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope actual identification of the things to take refuge in reasons why they are fitting objects of refuge. first reason. second reason. third reason. fourth reason proper graduated training measure of having taken refuge benefits of taking refuge p. 5 Advice after one has taken refuge Developing believing faith in the law of cause and effect the root of all health and happiness p. 5 p. 6

25 Taking refuge: the holy gateway for entering the teachings Teaching the means for happiness in your next rebirth measure of having taken refuge Taking refuge by knowing the good qualities of one s refuge good qualities of the Buddha Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope. good qualities of his body. good qualities of his speech. good qualities of his mind. good qualities of his good works good qualities of the Dharma proper graduated training good qualities of the Sangha Taking refuge by knowing the differences between the Three Jewels Taking refuge owing to one s beliefs Taking refuge and not asserting another [religion]

26 5 Taking refuge: the holy gateway for entering the teachings 5 Advice after one has taken refuge Teaching the means for happiness in your next rebirth Advice concerning each of the Three Jewels in turn Advice on what not to do Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope proper graduated training Advice on what to do Respecting all Buddha images, even those poorly crafted Respecting even a single letter as if it were the real jewel of Dharma Respecting pieces from Sangha members clothes, or even maroon-colored rags fallen on the ground, as you would the people who wore them Advice concerning all Three Jewels in common

27 Developing believing faith in the law of cause and effect the root of all health and happiness Teaching the means for happiness in your next rebirth Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope Thinking about cause and effect in general actual way to think about cause and effect in general How karma is fixed Karma shows great increase One does not meet with something if one has not created the karma for it to happen Karma once created will not disappear of its own accord Thinking about some of the specifics of cause and effect Thinking about some of the specifics p. 7 proper graduated training ripened qualities functions of the ripened qualities causes to achieve these ripened qualities After thinking about these things, the way to modify your behavior general teaching In particular, how to purify oneself with the four powers 6

28 7 Thinking about cause and effect in general Thinking about some of the specifics of cause and effect Developing believing faith in the law of cause and effect the root of all health and happiness Thinking about the black side of cause and effect p. 8 Teaching the means for happiness in your next rebirth Thinking about the white side of cause and effect Teaching white karmic process Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope Teaching its results ripened result Results congruent with the cause Environmental results proper graduated training Teaching about the doors that unintentionally lead to powerful karma Powerful owing to the field Powerful because one had been a candidate for vows Powerful because of the things being done Powerful because of the intention

29 8 Thinking about some of the specifics cause and effect Thinking about the black side of cause and effect proper graduated training Teaching the means for happiness in your next rebirth Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the small scope Thinking about cause and effect in general Developing believing faith in the law of cause and effect the root of all health and happiness actual black karmic process. Killing. Taking what is not given. Sexual misconduct. Lying 5. Divisive speech 6. Harsh words 7. Idle gossip 8. Covetousness 9. Harmful intent 0. Wrong views differences that make for heavy or light karma. Heavy by nature. Heavy because of the intention. Heavy because of the deed. Heavy because of the basis 5. Heavy because of always being done 6. Heavy because no antidote has been applied Teaching what the results of these karmas are

30 9 Developing thoughts of yearning for liberation Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the medium scope Thinking about the general sufferings of samsara bane of uncertainty bane of being dissatisfied 5 bane of repeatedly leaving bodies bane of being conceived and born over and over again bane of moving from high to low over and over again proper graduated training 6 bane of having no companion Thinking about samsara s specific sufferings p. 0 Ascertaining the nature of the path leading to liberation Thinking about the source of suffering the entry to samsara p. [Actually] ascertaining the nature of the path leading to liberation

31 0 Developing thoughts of yearning for liberation Thinking about samsara s specific sufferings Thinking about the sufferings of the lower realms Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the medium scope Thinking about the sufferings of the upper realms Thinking about human sufferings proper graduated training 5 Thinking about the suffering of birth suffering of aging suffering of illness suffering of death suffering of being separated from the beautiful 6 7 suffering of meeting with the ugly Thinking about the suffering of seeking the things we desire but not finding them Thinking about the sufferings of the demigods Thinking about the sufferings of the gods

32 Ascertaining the nature of the path leading to liberation Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the medium scope Thinking about the source of suffering the entry to samsara How delusions are developed p. How karma is accumulated Mental karma Intended karma proper graduated training How you leave one rebirth at death and are reconceived in another p. [Actually] ascertaining the nature of the path leading to liberation sort of physical rebirth that will stop samsara sort of path that will stop samsara

33 Thinking about the source of suffering the entry to samsara How delusions are developed identification of delusions Ascertaining the nature of the path leading to liberation root delusions p. Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the medium scope stages in their development causes of delusions first cause: their foundation second cause: their focus or object proper graduated training 5 6 third cause: society fourth cause: discussions fifth cause: familiarity sixth cause: unrealistic thinking drawbacks of delusions

34 identification of delusions root delusions How delusions are developed Thinking about the source of suffering the entry to samsara Ascertaining the nature of the path leading to liberation Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the medium scope 5 6 Attachment Anger Pride Ignorance Doubt [Deluded] views view that equates the self with the perishable proper graduated training you should to rely on your sequence in 5 Extreme views view of holding the aggregates to be supreme Holding an ethic or mode of behavior to be supreme Wrong views

35 Thinking about the source of suffering the entry to samsara How you leave one rebirth at death and are reconceived in another What happens at death Ascertaining the nature of the path leading to liberation way one achieves the bardo way one is conceived and reborn Training your mind in the stages of the path shared with the medium scope proper graduated training Ignorance Compositional factors Consciousness Name and form six senses Contact Feeling Craving Grasping Becoming Rebirth Aging and death

36 5 Training your mind in the great-scope stages of the path Teaching that the development of bodhichitta is the sole gateway to the Mahayana, and teaching its benefits as well Teaching that the only way to enter the Mahayana is to develop bodhichitta You gain the name child of the victors You outshine the Shravakas and Pratyekabuddhas proper graduated training You become a supreme object of offering You amass an enormous accumulation of merit with ease You rapidly purify sins and obscurations You accomplish whatever you wish You are not bothered by harm or hindrances You quickly complete all the stages of the path You become a fertile source of every happiness for others way to develop bodhichitta After developing bodhichitta, the way to train in the deeds of the children of the victorious ones p. 6 p. 0

37 6 way to develop bodhichitta actual stages in training for bodhichitta Training the mind by means of the sevenfold cause-and-effect Training your mind in the great-scope stages of the path Immeasurable equanimity [ actual sevenfold training] first cause: understanding all sentient beings to be your mother proper graduated training second cause: remembering their kindness third cause: repaying their kindness fourth cause: meditating on the love that comes from the force of attraction fifth cause: the great compassion sixth cause: altruism Developing bodhichitta Training the mind through the interchange of self and others Developing bodhichitta through the ritual of taking vows p. 7 p. 8 activities to train in after developing bodhichitta

38 actual stages in training for bodhichitta Training the mind through the interchange of self and others Teaching the preliminaries on which this Dharma depends Training yourself for the two types of bodhichitta way to develop bodhichitta Training your mind in the great-scope stages of the path Ultimate bodhichitta Training the mind in relative bodhichitta. Meditating on how self and others are equal. Contemplating the many faults resulting from self-cherishing. Contemplating the many good qualities resulting from cherishing others. actual contemplation on the interchange of self and others 5. With these serving as the basis, the way to meditate on giving and taking proper graduated training 5 6 Converting unfortunate circumstances into a path to enlightenment Converting circumstances through thought. Converting them through analysis. Converting circumstances through the view Converting such conditions through action Teaching a practice to be applied to your whole life criteria of having trained the mind eighteen commitments of the mind training practice 7 twenty-two pieces of advice 7

39 Developing bodhichitta through the ritual of taking vows way to develop bodhichitta acquire the vows you have not yet taken keep your vows from degenerating once you have acquired them Training your mind in the great-scope stages of the path Advice related to the aspiration form of bodhichitta Advice on creating the cause for keeping the bodhichitta you have developed from degenerating in this life proper graduated training Recalling the benefits of developing bodhichitta Retaking the vows three times each day and three times each night so that you do not lose the bodhichitta you have already developed and increase it as well Preventing your development of bad thoughts, such as feeling when another wrongs you, I shall not work for his sake Building your accumulations in order to increase the bodhichitta you have already developed Advice on creating the causes never to be separated from bodhichitta in your remaining rebirths p. 9 advice related to the involvement form of bodhichitta 8

40 9 Advice related to the aspiration form of bodhichitta Advice on creating the causes never to be separated from bodhichitta in your remaining rebirths keep your vows from degenerating once you have acquired them Developing bodhichitta through the ritual of taking vows way to develop bodhichitta Training your mind in the great-scope stages of the path Four actions [producing] black [karmic results] to be abandoned Trying to dupe your guru, abbot, ordination master, etc., with lies Feeling distress when others do something virtuous Saying unpleasant things to bodhisattvas out of hostility Acting deceitfully, without any altruism Four actions [producing] white [karmic results] to be cultivated proper graduated training sequence in Vigilantly abandoning deliberate lies Keeping honest intentions toward sentient beings and not deceiving them Developing the attitude that bodhisattvas are teachers and giving them due praise Causing the sentient beings who are maturing under your care to uphold bodhichitta

41 0 After developing bodhichitta, the way to train in the deeds of the children of the victorious ones train in the six perfections in order to ripen your own mindstream general way to train in the deeds of the children of the victors p. Generosity Training your mind in the great-scope stages of the path practice of the perfection of ethics train in patience Perseverance In particular, the way to train in the last two perfections p. proper graduated training train in the very essence of concentration mental quiescence train in the very essence of wisdom special insight train in the uncommon part of the path, the Vajrayana train in the four ways of gathering disciples in order to ripen the mindstreams of others

42 general way to train in the deeds of the children of the victors train in the six perfections in order to ripen your own mindstream After developing bodhichitta, the way to train in the deeds of the children of the victorious ones Training your mind in the great-scope stages of the path proper graduated training sequence in Generosity. Being generous with material things. Being generous with the Dharma. generosity of giving others fearlessness practice of the perfection of ethics. ethic of refraining from misdeeds. ethic of gathering virtuous Dharma. ethic of working for the sake of sentient beings train in patience Perseverance. patience of remaining calm in the face of your attackers. patience of accepting suffering. patience to gain assurance in the Dharma. laziness of sloth. laziness of craving evil pursuits. laziness of defeatism. Armor-like perseverance 5. perseverance to collect virtuous things 6. perseverance of working for the sake of sentient beings

43 In particular, the way to train in the last two perfections train in the very essence of concentration mental quiescence train in the six perfections in order to ripen your own mindstream Cultivating the prerequisites for mental quiescence p. After developing bodhichitta, the way to train in the deeds of the children of the victorious ones actual way to achieve mental quiescence Taking this as the basis, how to achieve the nine mental states p. p. Training your mind in the great-scope stages of the path way to achieve the mental states through the six powers 5 How there are four types of mental process proper graduated training 6 way true mental quiescence develops from this point sequence in train in the very essence of wisdom special insight p.

44 train in the very essence of concentration mental quiescence In particular, the way to train in the last two perfections train in the six perfections in order to ripen your own mindstream After developing bodhichitta, the way to train in the deeds of the children of the victorious ones Training your mind in the great-scope stages of the path Cultivating the prerequisites for mental quiescence. Dwelling in a conducive place. Having few wants. Being content. Having pure ethics 5. Abandoning the demands of society 6. Completely abandoning conceptual thoughts such as desire actual way to achieve mental quiescence. first pitfall: laziness. second pitfall: forgetting the instruction. third pitfall: excitement and dullness. fourth pitfall: nonadjustment 5. fifth pitfall: [readjustment] Taking this as the basis, how to achieve the nine mental states proper graduated training sequence in. Fixing the mind. Fixation with some continuity. Patchy fixation. Good fixation 5. Becoming disciplined 6. Becoming peaceful 7. Becoming very pacified 8. Becoming single-pointed 9. Fixed absorption

45 train in the very essence of wisdom special insight In particular, the way to train in the last two perfections train in the six perfections in order to ripen your own mindstream After developing bodhichitta, the way to train in the deeds of the children of the victorious ones Training your mind in the great-scope stages of the path proper graduated training sequence in Ascertaining the nonexistence of a personal self develop the absorption resembling space Ascertaining the nonexistence of a self of phenomena first key point: what is to be refuted Ascertaining that conditioned phenomena do not naturally exist second k.p.: determining the full set of possibilities third k.p.: determining that they are not truly the same fourth k.p.: determining that they are not truly different When not in absorption, how to pursue the attitude that things are like an illusion Ascertaining that physical things do not naturally exist Ascertaining that consciousness does not naturally exist Ascertaining that nonassociated compositional factors do not exist by nature Ascertaining that unconditioned phenomena do not naturally exist n, the way you develop special insight

46 finished in October 05 Pomaia (PI) Italy by Piero Sirianni