‘Some Basic Points of Practice’
As taught by Ven. Geshe Sangey Thinley at Jam Tse Dhargyey Ling on Sunday 15 August, 2004.
To correct one's motivation when engaging in Buddhism is the foundation of all practice.
Regarding positive motivation, we should first recognise the preciousness of the human
rebirth, then make the commitment to use it properly, which means using it to benefit other
sentient beings. If we are able to generate our mind to be loving and compassionate, and
to refrain from all non-virtuous or negative activities, then our life becomes meaningful or
purposeful. When we want to accomplish any activity, we need to think logically, calculate
and make a blueprint in our mind, then follow that with action and speech.
In order to generate a sincere intention to benefit other living beings, when we get up in the
morning we should make the commitment and allow our minds to follow a positive attitude.
In this way we will become more familiar with a positive attitude and train our minds to be
serviceable. If our mind is full of negative feelings like anger and hatred it will be difficult to
be beneficial and constructive. So, if we are Buddhist practitioners, when we wake in the
morning we need to made a positive determination to use our body and mind for the benefit
of other living beings, and try to become more familiar with this positive attitude. Then,
when we go to bed we should review our day and see whether we have engaged in positive
or negative activities. If we have engaged in positive activities we should rejoice and
encourage ourselves to do more in the future. If we have engaged in negative attitudes we
should feel shame and regret, and make the resolve not to repeat such behaviour. If we
engage in this kind of activity repeatedly, our mind will become more familiar with it and
more positive. And this is the time to do it. When we were very young it was difficult to do,
and when we get very old, likewise we will find it difficult. Now is the time and we shouldn't
miss the opportunity.
We have gained this precious human rebirth due to our positive actions in previous lives, so
we should try and accumulate more positive actions for future lives. Thus we will not waste
our optimum human rebirth and we will be happier and eliminate suffering in this and future
lives.
Because we have a body we need food, clothing, shelter etc. These are basic necessities,
but alone they are not sufficient, they cannot fulfil all our wishes. No matter how good our
physical surroundings are, if there is no happiness in our minds we will be dissatisfied and
depressed. This can happen to anyone and is the nature of cyclic existence or samsara;
we all experience these things from time to time.
The purpose of having this precious human rebirth is to
free ourselves from the suffering of cyclic existence.
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It's like working to release a prisoner - we are in the prison of samsara. To do this, it's
necessary to generate the intention to free ourselves, and this is the first of The Three
Principal Aspects of the Path - the sincere intention or wish to be free, renunciation. We
need to develop a strong dislike for cyclic existence, in the same way as we would develop
a strong dislike or disgust towards something which makes us sick when we eat it.
In order to be liberated from cyclic existence completely, as well as having the sincere
intention to free ourselves, we also need to have the correct view of how things exist. We
have to uproot ignorance and delusions, and develop the wisdom, understanding
emptiness. Additionally, if we wish to gain the highest state of omniscience it is necessary
to cultivate the altruistic mind - the mind of enlightenment or Bodhicitta.
The intention to leave cyclic existence, the correct view of emptiness and generating the
altruistic intention are the prerequisites to liberation, and so they are called the Three
Principal Aspects of the Path.
They are indispensable to attaining liberation from cyclic existence.
Traditionally, when we gather for teachings, a mandala is offered at the beginning and end.
At the beginning it is a request for the teaching to be given; it is a sincere request for the
instructions for liberation and enlightenment. At the end it is a thanksgiving. The meaning
of performing a mandala offering derives from the actions of the Buddha, who, in former
lifetimes while training on the path underwent many hardships without concern for his body,
family or resources in order to hear and practice the teachings. As a symbol of his
dedication and selflessness we make this offering prior to listening to his teachings. It's a
mental offering of our body, resources and roots of virtue. When we offer a mandala we
should imagine that we offer the entire world system, which has been formed by our
collective karma. We should visualise it in a wondrous and glorified form.
Sometimes people may think that they cannot offer all the world systems because they do
not own them. But, according to Buddhist philosophy we have a share of everything. For
example, we may own a small part of New Zealand, but collectively we have a share of the
whole country, as everything and everyone is heavily dependent on each other.
When listening to or giving teachings our mind must be conjoined with a mind of refuge or
altruism, which is seeking to help others. This is why we recite the verse of taking refuge
and generating Bodhicitta three times at the beginning and this is done in conjunction with
meditation and reflection.
"I go for refuge until I am enlightened to the Buddha, the Dharma and supreme community,
and through the merit of listening to the teaching may I achieve Buddhahood in order to
help all migrating beings."
If you are giving the teaching you say ".through the merit of giving teaching." and in general
one says ".through the merit of practicing." These lines are used frequently when teachings
are given or other rituals performed; they are crucial to Buddhist practice.
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Regarding taking refuge, Buddhists take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. We
can also take refuge in our spiritual teachers and, for non-Buddhists in whatever accords
with our belief, for example God. To generate our mind means to broaden our perspective,
so we generate bodhicitta to enhance our understanding of it. Cultivation of an altruistic
motivation is of utmost importance because good or bad effects arise as a consequence of
good or bad motivation. In reciting these prayers we bring to mind the supreme qualities of
enlightened beings.
When we practice spiritual instructions and follow a spiritual path we need to practice
logically and with objectives in mind. Whether we are able to accomplish these objectives
depends on one’s motivation. There are many different end results and what we achieve is
dependent on our motivation.
We have discussed briefly the Three Principal Aspects of the Path and the importance of
motivation and intentions. These are reminders. Just hearing is not sufficient, we need to
think deeply about these things and penetrate into them as they are very profound. We
also discussed about using our body and mind in a positive and beneficial way. Everyone
would like to have a meaningful and purposeful life, so we should think about what this
really means and analyse it.
(Translated by Tsering Samdup: Transcribed by Ven. Ani Jampa Tsekyi: Typed out by Yvette
Phillips: Lightly edited for Dharma News by Kaari Schlebach.)
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