At his three-day lecture series in Melbourne (in a few days' time), he'll be lecturing on Nagarjuna's "Commentary on the Awakening Mind" (jangchub semdrel, or Bodhicittavivara?a), and "Eight Verses for Training the Mind" (from Geshe Langri Thangpa, d.1123) --- and you can listen, if you pay him $300. Website is here.
--- Problem is, Nagarjuna advises overcoming compassion (as a lesser path), while Thangpa endorses it !
Here are the two texts :
-Nagarjuna wrote:
Bowing to the glorious Vajrasattvas embodying the mind of enlightenment, I shall expound the development of the bodhicitta that abolishes existence.
The Buddhas maintain that bodhicitta is not enveloped in notions conscious of a self, skandhas, and so forth; is always marked by being empty.
Minds tinged by compassion must develop with particular effort. This bodhicitta is constantly developed by the compassionate Buddhas.
When the self imagined by the tirthikas is analyzed logically, it obtains no place within the skandhas.
If it were the skandhas, it would not be permanent, but the self has no such nature. And between things permanent and impermanent a container- content relationship is not (possible).
When there is no so-called self how can the so-called creator be permanent? If there were a subject might one begin investigating its attributes in the world.
Since a permanent (creator) cannot create things, whether gradually or all at once, there are no permanent things, whether external or internal.
Why is an efficacious (creator) dependent? He would of course produce things all at once. That which depends on something else is neither eternal nor efficacious.
If an entity, it would not be permanent, for things are perpetually instantaneous (since [you] do not deny that impermanent things have a creator).
This world, free from a self and the rest, is vanquished by the (Sravakas') understanding of the skandhas, elements, sense-fields, and subject and object.
Thus the benevolent have spoken to the Sravakas of the five skandhas: form, feeling, apprehension, karma-formations and consciousness.
But to the Bodhisattvas, the Buddha who is the best among those who walk on two legs, has always taught this doctrine about the skandhas: "Form is like a mass of foam, feeling is like bubbles, apprehension is like a mirage, karma-formations are like the plantain, and consciousness is like an illusion."
The form skandha is declared to have the four great elements as its nature. The remaining skandhas are inseparably established as immaterial.
Among these eye, form, and so forth are classified as elements. Again, as subject-object these are to be known as the sense-fields.
Form is not the atom, nor is it the [organ] of sense. It is absolutely not the active sense [of consciousness]. An instigator and a creator are not suited to producing.
The form atom does not produce sense consciousness, it passes beyond the senses. If forms are created by an assemblage [of atoms], this accumulation is unacceptable.
If you analyze by spatial division, even the atom is seen to possess parts. That which is analyzed into parts — how can it logically be an atom?
Concerning one single external object divergent judgments may prevail. Precisely that form which is pleasant may appear differently to others.
Regarding the same female body, an ascetic, a lover and a wild dog entertain three different notions: "A corpse!" "A mistress!" "A tasty morsel!"
Things are efficacious due to being like objects. Is it not like an offense while dreaming [i. e., nocturnal emission]? Once awakened from the dream the net result is the same.
As to the appearance of consciousness under the form of subject and object, that there exists no external object apart from consciousness.
In no way at all is there an external thing in the mode of an entity. This particular appearance of consciousness appears under the aspect of form.
The deluded see illusions, mirages, cities of gandharvas, and so forth. Form manifests in the same way.
The purpose of the teachings about the skandhas, elements, and so forth is to dispel the belief in a self. By establishing in pure consciousness, the
greatly blessed abandon that as well.
According to Vijhanavada, this manifold is established to be mere consciousness. What the nature of this consciousness might be we shall analyze now.
The Muni's teaching that "The entirety is mere mind" is intended to remove the fears of the simple-minded. It is not concerning reality.
[The three natures] — the imagined, the dependent, and the absolute — have only one nature of their own: sunyata. They are the imaginations of mind.
To [Bodhisattvas] who rejoice in the Mahayana the Buddhas present in brief the selflessness and equality of phenomena that mind is originally unborn.
The Yogacarins give predominance to mind in itself, claiming that mind purified by a transformation in position becomes the object of its own specific [knowledge].
That which is past does not exist, that which is future is nowhere discovered. How can the present shift from place [to] place?
[The alayavijnana] does not appear the way it is. As it appears — it is not like that. Consciousness essentially lacks substance; it has no other basis.
When a lodestone is brought near, iron turns swiftly around; it possesses no mind, but appears to possess mind. In just the same way, the alayavijnana appears to be real though it is not. When it moves to and fro it retains existences.
Just as the ocean and trees move though they have no mind, the alayavijnana is active in dependence on a body.
Considering that without a body there is no consciousness, you must also state what kind of specific knowledge of itself this [consciousness] possesses!
By saying that a specific knowledge of itself [exists] one says it is an entity. But one also says that it is not possible to say, "This is it!"
To convince themselves as well as others, those who are intelligent always proceed without error!
The knowable is known by a knower. Without the knowable, no knowing. So why not accept that subject and object do not exist?
Mind is but a name. It is nothing apart from name. Consciousness must be regarded as but a name. The name too has no own-being.
The Jinas have never found mind to exist, either internally, externally, or else between the two. Therefore mind has an illusory nature.
Mind has no fixed forms such as various colors and shapes, subject and object, or male, female, and neuter.
In brief: Buddhas do not see [what cannot] be seen. How could they see what has lack of own-being as its own-being?
A 'thing' is a construct. Sunyata is absence of constructs. Where constructs have appeared, how can there be sunyata?
The Tathagatas do not regard mind under the form of knowable and knower. Where knower and knowable prevail there is no enlightenment.
Space, bodhicitta, and enlightenment are without marks; without generation. They have no structure; they are beyond the path of words. Their 'mark' is non- duality.
The magnanimous Buddhas who reside in the heart of enlightenment and all the compassionate [Bodhisattvas] always know sunyata to be like space.
Therefore [Bodhisattvas] perpetually develop this sunyata, which is the basis of all phenomena; calm, illusory, baseless; the destroyer of existence.
Sunyata expresses non-origination, voidness, and lack of self. Those who practice it should not practice what is cultivated by the inferior.
Notions about positive and negative have the mark of disintegration. The Buddhas have spoken sunyata, the others do not accept sunyata.
The abode of a mind that has no support has the mark of space. These maintain that development of sunyata is development of space.
All the dogmatists have been terrified by the lion's roar of sunyata. Wherever they may reside, sunyata lies in wait!
Whoever regards consciousness as momentary cannot accept it as permanent. If mind is impermanent, how does this contradict sunyata?
In brief: When the Buddhas accept mind as impermanent, why should they not accept mind as empty?
From the very beginning mind has no own-being. If things could be proved through own-being, then do not declare them to be without substance.
This statement results in abandoning mind as having substantial foundation. It is not the nature of things to transcend own own-being!
As sweetness is the nature of sugar and hotness that of fire, so maintain the nature of all things to be sunyata.
When one declares sunyata to be the nature, one in no sense asserts that anything is destroyed or that something is eternal.
The activity of dependent co-origination with its twelve spokes starting with ignorance and ending with decay, maintain to be like a dream and an illusion.
This wheel with twelve spokes rolls along the road of life. Apart from this, no sentient being that partakes of the fruit of its deeds can be found.
Depending on a mirror the outline of a face appears: It has not moved into it but also does not exist without it.
Just so, the wise must always be convinced that the skandhas appear in a new existence recomposed, but do not migrate [as identical or different].
To sum up: Empty things are born from empty things. The Jina has taught that agent and deed, result and enjoyer are conventional.
Just as the totality creates the sound of a drum or a sprout, maintain that external dependent co-origination is like a dream and an illusion.
It is not at all inconsistent that phenomena are born from causes. Since a cause is empty of cause, understand it to be unoriginated.
That phenomena do not arise indicates that they are empty. Briefly, 'all phenomena' denotes the five skandhas.
When truth is as has been explained, convention is not disrupted. The true is not an object separate from the conventional.
Convention is explained as sunyata; convention is simply sunyata. For they do not occur without one another, just as created and impermanent.
Convention is born from karma [due to the various] klesas, and karma is created by mind. Mind is accumulated by the vasanas. Happiness consists in being free from the vasanas.
A happy mind is tranquil. A tranquil mind is not confused. To be unperplexed is to understand the truth. By understanding truth one obtains liberation.
It is also defined as reality, real limit, signless, ultimate meaning, the highest bodhicitta, and sunyata.
Those who do not know sunyata will have no share in liberation. Such deluded beings wander the six destinies, imprisoned within existence.
When ascetics (yogacarin) have thus developed this sunyata, their minds will without doubt become devoted to the welfare of others:
"I should be grateful to those beings who in the past bestowed benefits upon me by being my parents or friends.
"As I have brought suffering to beings living in the prison of existence, who are scorched by the fire of the klesas, it is fitting that I afford them happiness."
The sweet and bitter fruit of the world, in the form of a good or bad rebirth is the outcome of whether they hurt or benefit living beings.
If Buddhas attain the unsurpassed stage by giving living beings support, what is so strange if not guided by the slightest concern for others receive none of the pleasures of gods and men that support the guardians of the world, Brahma, Indra, and Rudra?
The different kinds of suffering that beings experience in the hell realms, as beasts, and as ghosts result from causing beings pain.
The inevitable and unceasing suffering of hunger, thirst, mutual slaughter, and torments result from causing pain.
Know that beings are subject to two kinds of maturation: Buddhas Bodhisattvas and that of good and bad rebirth.
Support with your whole nature and protect them like your own body. Indifference toward beings must be avoided like poison!
Though the Sravakas obtain a lesser enlightenment thanks to indifference, the bodhi of the Perfect Buddhas is obtained by not abandoning living beings.
How can those who consider how the fruit of helpful and harmful deeds ripens persist in their selfishness for even a single moment?
The sons of the Buddha are active in developing enlightenment, which has steadfast compassion as its root, grows from the sprout of bodhicitta, and has the benefit of others as its sole fruit.
Those who are strengthened by meditational development find the suffering of others frightening. They forsake even the pleasures of dhyana; they even enter
the Avici hell!
They are wonderful; they are admirable; they are most extraordinarily excellent! Nothing is more amazing than those who sacrifice their person and riches!
Those who understand the sunyata of phenomena, believe in karma and its results, are more wonderful than wonderful, more astonishing than astonishing!
Wishing to protect living beings, they take rebirth in the mud of existence. Unsullied by its events, they are like a lotus in the mire.
Though sons of the Buddha such as Samantabhadra have consumed the fuel of the klesas through the cognitive fire of sunyata, the waters of compassion still flow within them!
Having come under the guiding power of compassion they display the descent [from Tusita], birth, merriments, renunciation, ascetic practices, great enlightenment, victory over the hosts of Mara, turning of the Dharmacakra, the request of all the gods, and [the entry into] nirvana.
Having emanated such forms as Brahma, Indra, Visnu, and Rudra, they present through their compassionate natures a performance suitable to beings in need of guidance.
Two knowledges arise [from] the Mahayana to give comfort and ease to those who journey in sorrow along life's path— so it is said. But [this] is not the ultimate meaning.
As long as they have not been admonished by the Buddhas, Sravakas in a bodily state of cognition remain in a swoon, intoxicated by samadhi.
But once admonished, they devote themselves to living beings in varied ways. Accumulating stores of merit and knowledge, they obtain the enlightenment of Buddhas.
As the potentiality of both, the vasanas are said to be the seed. That seed, the accumulation of things, produces the sprout of life.
The teachings of the protectors of the world accord with the resolve of living beings. The Buddhas employ a wealth of skillful means, which take many worldly forms.
They are either profound or vast; at times they are both. Though they sometimes may differ, they are invariably characterized by sunyata and non-duality.
Whatever the dharams, stages, and paramitas of the Buddhas, the omniscient have stated that they form a part of bodhicitta.
Those who thus always benefit living beings through body, words, and mind advocate the claims of sunyata, not the contentions of annihilation.
The magnanimous do not abide in nirvana or samsara. Therefore the Buddhas have spoken of this as "the non-abiding nirvana"
The unique elixir of compassion functions as merit, the elixir of sunyata functions as the highest. Those who drink it for the sake of themselves and others are sons of the Buddha.
Salute these Bodhisattvas with your entire being! Always worthy of honor in the three worlds, guides of the world, they strive to represent the lineage of the Buddhas.
The Mahayana bodhicitta is said to be the very best. So produce bodhicitta through firm and balanced efforts.
In existence there is no other means for the realization of one's own and others' benefit. The Buddhas have until now seen no means apart from bodhicitta.
Simply by generating bodhicitta a mass of merit is collected. If it took form, it would more than fill the expanse of space!
If a person developed bodhicitta only for a moment, not even the Jinas could calculate the mass of his merit!
The one finest jewel is a precious mind free of klesas. Robbers like the klesas or Mara cannot steal or damage it.
Just as the high aspirations of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in samsara are unswerving, those who set their course on bodhicitta must make resolve.
No matter how amazing, you must make efforts as explained. Thereafter you yourself will understand the course of Samantabhadra!
Through the incomparable merit I have now collected by praising the excellent bodhicitta praised by the excellent Jinas, may living beings submerged in the waves of life's ocean gain a foothold on the path followed by the leader of those who walk on two legs.
Thangpa wrote:
With a determination to accomplish
The highest welfare for all sentient beings
Who surpass even a wish-granting jewel
I will learn to hold them supremely dear.
Whenever I associate with others I will learn
To think of myself as the lowest among all
And respectfully hold others to be supreme
From the very depths of my heart.
In all actions I will learn to search into my mind
And as soon as an afflictive emotion arises
Endangering myself and others
Will firmly face and avert it.
I will learn to cherish beings of bad nature
And those oppressed by strong sins and suffering
As if I had found a precious
Treasure very difficult to find.
When others out of jealousy treat me badly
With abuse, slander, and so on,
I will learn to take on all loss,
And offer victory to them.
When one whom I have benefited with great hope
Unreasonably hurts me very badly,
I will learn to view that person
As an excellent spiritual guide.
In short, I will learn to offer to everyone without exception
All help and happiness directly and indirectly
And respectfully take upon myself
All harm and suffering of my mothers.
I will learn to keep all these practices
Undefiled by the stains of the eight worldly conceptions
And by understanding all phenomena as like illusions
Be released from the bondage of attachment
