STARTS
1 The Explanation Given              
2 The First Point              
3 Although We Normally              
4 Also We Should Know              
5 The Only Way              
6  We Should Know That At Right Now      7 We Should Also Think              
8 If We Understood              
9 The Mind Is Empty                 
10 An Additional Explanation              
11 So Emptiness Is              
12 The Function Of The Mind              
13 Another Main Function              
14 Thus In Summary              
15 Immediately After Our Death              
16 We Should Know That              
17 No One Has the Power              
18 Buddha Gave Detailed Explanations            
19 To Prove This Connection              
20 In the Lamrim Instructions              
21 Another Question We              
22 Buddhas Teachings Or Dharma              
23 Some Additional Explanation              
23 The Purpose of Training
24 How Do We Train In Contemplation
25 Those who have the opportunity
26 At This Point
27 The meaning of these words

ENDS
1 The subject of this book
2 We therefore need to practice
3 We see and hear
4 This Is Because Everybody
5 If We Maintain a Peaceful Mind
6 Therefore They Are the Source
7 They Do Not Understand
8 Never Possesses Shape or Colour
9 There Is No Greater Meaning Than This
10 Confusion Which Will Cause Obstacles
11 Very Different Meanings
12 Powerless To Perceive
13 Examine It With A Positive Mind
14 No Doubts About
15 Animal Suffering And So Forth
16  Taking That Rebirth
17 Experience Different Sufferings
18 Either Happiness or Suffering
19 Attained Liberation in That Lifetime
20 Understand From the Story
21 Found In Book Modern Buddhism
22 Very Important For Everyone
23 Contemplation, Meditation
23 The Purpose of Training
24 How Do We Train In Contemplation
25 Those who have the opportunity
26 At This Point
27 The meaning of these words

ESSENTIAL INSIGHTS INTO THE THREE PRINCIPAL ASPECTS OF THE PATH 

1 Homage to the Venerable Spiritual Guide
2 I will explain to the best of my ability
3 You should not be attached
4 Attachment to the fulfilment of your own wishes, uncontrolled desire
5 When, through daily training you develop the thought
6 In this way, when uncontrolled desire for worldy enjoyments does not arise even for a moment
7 However if this renunciation is not maintained
8 Swept along by the currents of the four powerful rivers, 
9 Taking rebirth after rebirth in boundless samsara
10 But even though you may be acquainted with renunciation and bodhichitta 
12 When you clearly see phenomena such as samsara and nirvana, and cause and effect, as they exist
13 If you perceive and believe that the appearance, phenomena,
14 Through just seeing that things exist
15 Moreover, if you negate the extreme of existence
16 And if you realize how, for example, the emptiness of cause and effect
17 When, in this way, you have correctly realized the essential points

Enlightenment is the inner light of wisdom that is permanently free from all mistaken appearance and whose function is to bestow mental peace, the source of happiness, on each and every living being every day.

RENUNCIATION
Renunciations of the three paths are renunciation that spontaneously wishes to liberate ourself permanently from lower rebirth, renunciation that spontaneously wishes to liberate ourself permanently from samsaric rebirth, and renunciation that spontaneously wishes to liberate ourself permanently from a rebirth in which we possess self-cherishing.

Today as a human being I enjoy human conditions and tonight I go to sleep as a human being, but during sleep due to karma and other circumstances my breathing stops completely. Then tomorrow, instead of waking up as a human being, I reach a place pervaded by fire, and my body becomes inseparable from fire. I am reborn in hell, where I will experience unbearable pain for millions of years.

GENERATING BODHICHITTA
Five stages of contemplation and meditation. But first recognise all living beings as your mother (develop cherishing love)

1 first stage we contemplate and deeply think how countless mother living beings are experiencing the cycle of the sufferings of birth, sickness, ageing and death, continually in life after life without end.
wish to liberate---determination to attain enlightenment. 
SWEPT ALONG

2 second stage we contemplate how all mother living beings are tightly bound by the chains of karma – the non-virtuous actions they have performed out of attachment, anger or ignorance, and that cause them never to be free from suffering and problems.
wish to release---strong determination to attain enlightenment. 
TIGHTLY BOUND

3 In the third stage, the root text says that living beings are ensnared within the iron net of self-grasping ignorance. In this context, the definition of self-grasping is a mind that mistakenly believes that ourself or others that we normally see or perceive actually exist.
wish to give pure happiness---a strong determination to attain enlightenment.
ENSNARED

4 In the fourth stage we contemplate that although each and every living being wishes to be happy all the time, and to be permanently free from every kind of problem and suffering, they do not know how to do this.
sincere wish to liberate all living beings permanently from ignorance, a mind that mistakenly believes that the things we normally see actually exist  -------a strong determination to attain enlightenment.
ENVELOPED

5 In the fifth stage we contemplate how each and every living being in life after life is wandering in samsara, the endless cycle of impure life, and is experiencing the sufferings of painful feelings, changing suffering and pervasive suffering,
wish to liberate all of them permanently from this suffering=====a strong determination to attain enlightenment.
THROUGH CONTEMPLATING

REQUEST TO THE LORD OF ALL LINEAGES

ESSENTIAL INSIGHTS INTO THE AVALOKITESVARA  SADHANA

PART TWO

TRAINING IN MEDITATION

WHAT IS MEDITATION?

Meditations of A Person Of Initial Scope

THE CORRECT VIEW OF EMPTINESS

The wisdom that believes the things or phenomena we normally see or perceive do not exist is the correct view of emptiness.

However, sometimes we may find this difficult to accept because of mistakenly thinking, ‘If all living beings including ourself that we normally see or perceive do not exist then how can we practise renunciation, compassion, love and bodhichitta?’

Thinking this we develop confusion, which interferes with our daily Dharma practice.

‘Whenever we see or perceive any phenomenon, any living being or ourself, we see or perceive them only as inherently existent.’ Since inherent existence does not exist, all phenomena we normally see or perceive do not exist, all living beings we normally see do not exist, and ourself we normally see does not exist.

However, we should know that all phenomena, all living beings and ourself exist as mere name. #

have their own function. So, through being satisfied with their mere name, we can practise renunciation, compassion, love and bodhichitta, and all the other instructions.

Also, it is true that because living beings identify themselves mistakenly they develop mistaken appearances as hallucinations and, because of this, they experience suffering and problems continually in life after life until they attain the supreme permanent inner peace of nirvana.

For example, suppose a practitioner called John, through perceiving his body or mind, which are his basis of imputation, spontaneously thinks, ‘I am John’. Because his basis of imputation, his body and mind, are contaminated by the inner poison of delusions his recognition of himself as
John will cause him to experience suffering continually.

.Anyone who does not wish to experience suffering needs to change their basis of imputation.

Ordinary appearance is the main obstruction to the attainment of enlightenment, and ordinary conception is the main obstruction to the attainment of liberation, known as ‘nirvana’.

Thus, for Tantric practitioners, their principal objects of abandonment are ordinary appearance and ordinary conception, and their principal practice is the practice of generation stage and completion stage through which they will gradually reduce and finally abandon all ordinary appearance and conception completely.


If the things we normally see do not exist, then how do things really exist? Things exist in dependence on their mere name. If we are satisfied with their mere name, things exist.

To solve our daily problems we can practise as follows. From our heart we should understand and think, ‘All the suffering, problems, difficulties, sickness, painful feelings, receiving harm, not finding things I desire and losing things I am attached to, experienced by myself that I normally see, do not exist. This is because myself that I normally see does not exist.’ Understanding this and thinking deeply we can relax and remain with a peaceful mind all the time, so that we will be happy all the time.
There are three levels of the correct view of emptiness – according to Hinayana Sutras, according to Mahayana Sutras and according to the Vajrayana.
 

1 MEDITATION ON OUR PRECIOUS HUMAN LIFE              

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO ENCOURAGE OURSELF TO TAKE THE REAL MEANING OF HUMAN LIFE AND NOT TO WASTE IT IN MEANINGLESS ACTIVITIES.
A precious human life means a human rebirth in which we have the opportunity to attain permanent liberation from all suffering, known as “nirvana”.

THE OBJECT OF THIS MEDITATION, OR THE OBJECT ON WHICH WE FOCUS SINGLE-POINTEDLY, IS OUR DETERMINATION TO PRACTICE DHARMA PURELY AND SINCERELY.

When, through this contemplation, a firm determination to practice dharma purely and sincerely develops in our heart, we have found the object of this meditation.

2 MEDITATION ON DEATH

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO OVERCOME THE LAZINESS OF ATTACHMENT, THE MAIN OBSTACLE TO DHARMA PRACTICE                             

THE OBJECT OF THIS MEDITATION IS OUR THOUGHT “I MAY DIE TODAY, I MAY DIE TODAY”

The mind that spontaneously thinks each and every day “I may die today” is the realisation of death. It is this realisation that directly eliminates our laziness of attachment and opens the door to the spiritual path.

 3 MEDITATION ON THE DANGER OF LOWER REBIRTH

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO ENCOURAGE US TO PREPARE PROTECTION FROM THE DANGERS OF LOWER REBIRTH.

THE OBJECT OF THIS MEDITATION IS OUR FEELING OF FEAR OF TAKING REBIRTH IN THE LOWER REALMS AS AN ANIMAL, A HUNGRY GHOST OR A HELL BEING.

Through continually training in this meditation we will develop a spontaneous feeling of fear of taking lower rebirth. This feeling of fear is the realisation of this meditation. 

4 MEDITATION ON GOING FOR REFUGE              

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO PROTECT OURSELF PERMANENTLY FROM TAKING LOWER REBIRTH

THE OBJECT OF THIS MEDITATION IS OUR DETERMINATION AND PROMISE TO ACCOMPLISH THE FOLLOWING THREE THINGS: RECEIVING BUDDHAS BLESSINGS, PUTTING DHARMA INTO PRACTICE AND RECEIVING HELP FROM SANGHA, THE PURE SPIRITUAL PRACTITIONERS INCLUDING OUR SPIRITUAL TEACHERS.

Through continually training in this meditation we will develop the spontaneous wish to apply effort to receiving Buddha’s blessings, putting Dharma into practice and receiving help from Sangha. This wish is the realisation of this meditation.

5 MEDITATION ON KARMA
              
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO PREVENT FUTURE SUFFERING AND TO BUILD THE BASIC FOUNDATION FOR THE PATH TO LIBERATION AND ENLIGHTENMENT

When we abandon non-virtuous actions and apply effort to purifying our previous non-virtuous actions we are practising moral discipline.
Virtuous actions=consideration for others, sense of shame, compassion, showing loving kindness to others, benefiting others and, in particular, training in all the meditations and other spiritual practices presented in this book.

                              THE OBJECT OF THIS MEDITATION IS  OUR DETERMINATION TO ABANDON AND TO PURIFY OUR NON-VIRTUOUS ACTIONS, AND TO ACCUMULATE VIRTUOUS ACTIONS
                              When, through this contemplation, a firm determination to abandon non-virtuous actions and to accumulate virtuous actions develops in our heart, we have found the object of this meditation.

6 MEDITATION ON RENUNCIATION
              
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO ENCOURAGE US TO ENTER, MAKE PROGRESS ON AND COMPLETE THE PATH TO LIBERATION
The Great Yogi Milarepa once said to a hunter called Gonpo Dorje:
Your body is human but your mind is that of an animal.
You, a human being, who possess an animal's mind, please listen to my song. 

THE OBJECT OF THIS MEDITATION IS OUR DETERMINATION TO LIBERATE OURSELF PERMANENTLY FROM THE SUFFERINGS OF OUR COUNTLESS FUTURE LIVES. 

When, through this contemplation, a firm determination to liberate ourself permanently from the sufferings of this and of countless future lives develops in our heart, we have found the object   of our meditation                  

7 MEDITATION ON OUR DETERMINATION TO RECOGNISE REDUCE AND ABANDON OUR SELF GRASPING IGNORANCE, THE ROOT OF SAMSARIC REBIRTH
              
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO FULFIL THE AIM OF OUR RENUNCIATION
You should abandon origins. Origins means delusions. self grasping like a poisonous tree, all other delusions to its branches,  and all our suffering and problems to its fruit. The great Yogi Saraha said: "if your mind is released permanently from self-grasping, there is no doubt that you will be released permanently from suffering. 

THE OBJECT OF THIS MEDITATION IS OUR DETERMINATION TO ABANDON OUR SELF GRASPING IGNORANCE 

When, through this contemplation, a firm determination to abandon our ignorance of self grasping develops in our heart, we have found the object   of our meditation                  

 8 MEDITATION ON OUR DETERMINATION TO ENGAGE IN THE ACTUAL PATH TO LIBERATION, THE THREE HIGHER TRAININGS
              
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO ENCOURAGE OURSELF TO ENGAGE IN THE ACTUAL PATH TO LIBERATION
You should practice the path.
Motivated  by renunciation.
The nature of moral discipline is a virtuous determination to abandon inappropriate actions. , maintain pure behaviour and perform every action correctly with a virtuous motivation.

Training in higher moral discipline is learning to be deeply familiar with the practice of moral discipline motivated by renunciation.

The nature of concentration is a single-pointed virtuous mind. T

raining in higher concentration is learning to be deeply familiar with the ability to stop distractions and concentrate on virtuous objects, with a motivation of renunciation. 

The nature of wisdom is a virtuous intelligent mind that functions to understand meaningful objects such as the existence of past and future lives, karma and emptiness.

Training in Higher wisdom is learning to develop and increase our wisdom with a motivation of renunciation. Higher moral discipline=body, higher concentration= hands, wisdom=saw.  Poisonous Tree of self - grasping ignorance

THE OBJECT OF THIS MEDITATION IS OUR DETERMINATION TO PRACTISE THE THREE HIGHER TRAININGS
When, through this contemplation, a firm determination to practise the three higher trainings develops in our heart, we have found the object of meditation. 
                

 9 MEDITATION ON OUR DETERMINATION TO ATTAIN TRUE CESSATIONS
              
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO PREVENT US FROM BEING SATISFIED WITH A MERELY TEMPORARY CESSATION OF PARTICULAR SUFFERINGS, WHICH IS DECEPTIVE. 
You should attain cessations.


THE OBJECT OF THIS MEDITATION IS OUR DETERMINATION TO ATTAIN PERMANENT LIBERATION FROM ALL THE SUFFERINGS OF THIS LIFE AND OUR COUNTLESS FUTURE LIVES. , KNOWN AS NIRVANA.
Spontaneous wish to attain permanent liberation, the supreme inner peace of nirvana.
                

 10  MEDITATION ON CHERISHING ALL LIVING BEINGS
              
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO DEVELOP UNIVERSAL COMPASSION=COMPASSION FOR ALL LIVING BEINGS

THE OBJECT OF THIS MEDITATION IS THE BELIEF THAT THE HAPPINESS AND FREEDOM OF ALL OTHER LIVING BEINGS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR OWN

When, through this contemplation, a strong belief that the happiness and freedom of all other living beings are more important than our own develops in our heart, we have found the object of this meditation.
                

 11  MEDITATION ON UNIVERSAL COMPASSION
              
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO DEVELOP BODHICHITTA- THE SINCERE WISH TO BECOME AN ENLIGHTENED BEING TO LIBERATE ALL LIVING BEINGS
Universal compassion is a mind that sincerely wishes to permanently liberate all living beings from suffering. Bodhisattva, a person who spontaneously wishes to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings. Milarepa cave.

THE OBJECT OF THIS MEDITATION IS OUR DETERMINATION TO ATTAIN ENLIGHTENMENT TO BENEFIT EACH AND EVERY LIVING BEING EVERY DAY

When, through training, we develop the precious mind of enlightenment, bodhichitta, we spontaneously think:
How wonderful it would be if I and all living beings attained real happiness, the pure and everlasting happiness of enlightenment! May we attain this happiness.
I myself will work for this aim.
                

 12  MEDITATION ON THE SUPREME GOOD HEART BODHICHITTA
              
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO ENGAGE IN THE BODHISATTVA'S PATH- THE ACTUAL PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT

inner vehicle that possesses six wheels
Bodhichitta is a mind that spontaneously wishes to attain enlightenment to benefit each and every living being every day.
Spontaneous wish- - path of accumulation.
 
Enlightenment is the inner light of wisdom that is permanently free from all mistaken appearance, and whose function is to bestow mental peace on each and every living being every day.
 
The great Yogi Milarepa heard a thief rummaging around his cave one night and called out to him, ‘How do you expect to find anything valuable here at night, when I cannot find anything valuable here during the day?’ 
When, through training, we develop the precious mind of enlightenment, bodhichitta, we spontaneously think:
How wonderful it would be if I and all living beings attained real happiness, the pure and everlasting happiness of enlightenment! May we attain this happiness. I myself will work for this aim.

We need to have this precious mind of bodhichitta in our heart. It is our inner Spiritual Guide, who leads us directly to the state of supreme happiness of enlightenment; and it is the real wishfulfilling jewel through which we can fulfil our own and others’ wishes. There is no greater beneficial intention than this precious mind.

THE OBJECT OF THIS MEDITATION IS OUR DETERMINATION TO ATTAIN ENLIGHTENMENT TO BENEFIT EACH AND EVERY lIVING BEING EVERY DAY

 13  MEDITATION ON OUR DETERMINATION AND PROMISE TO SINCERELY PRACTICE THE 6 PERFECTIONS
              
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO REACH THE STATE OF ENLIGHTENMENT DIRECTLY

This promise is the Bodhisattva’s vow:

O Guru Buddha, please listen to me.
Just as all the previous Sugatas, the Buddhas,
Generated the mind of enlightenment, bodhichitta,
And accomplished all the stages
Of the Bodhisattva’s training,
So will I too, for the sake of all beings,
Generate the mind of enlightenment
And accomplish all the stages Of the Bodhisattva’s training.

FIVE TYPES OF GIVING (1) giving material help to those in poverty, including giving food to animals; (2) giving practical help to those sick or physically weak; (3) giving protection by always trying to save others’ lives, including those of insects; (4) giving love – learning to cherish all living beings by always believing that their happiness and freedom are important; and (5) giving Dharma – helping others to solve their problems of anger, attachment and ignorance by giving Dharma teachings or meaningful advice.

In the practice of moral discipline we should abandon any inappropriate actions including those that cause others suffering.

In the practice of patience we should never allow ourself to become angry or discouraged, by temporarily accepting any difficulties or harm from others.

In the practice of effort we should rely on irreversible effort to accumulate the great collections of merit and wisdom, which are the main causes of attaining Buddha’s Form Body (Rupakaya), and Truth Body (Dharmakaya); and especially we should emphasize contemplation and meditation on emptiness, the way things really are.

In the practice of concentration, at this stage we should emphasize accomplishing the concentration of tranquil abiding observing emptiness.

In the practice of wisdom, at this stage we need to emphasize increasing the power of our wisdom of superior seeing by continually meditating on the emptiness of all phenomena with bodhichitta motivation.

THE OBJECT OF THIS MEDITATION 

The object of this meditation is our determination and promise to sincerely practise the six perfections.

 14  MEDITATION ON EMPTINESS

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEDITATION IS TO PERMANENTLY FREE OUR MIND FROM ALL MISTAKEN APPEARANCES, WHICH ARE THE MAIN OBSTRUCTION TO THE ATTAINMENT OF ENLIGHTENMENT.

The object of this meditation is the emptiness of all phenomena, the mere absence of all phenomena we normally see or perceive.

 15 MEDITATION ON RELYING ON OUR SPIRITUAL GUIDE

The purpose of this meditation is to receive the powerful blessings of all Buddhas.

The object of this meditation is our deep faith in our Spiritual Guide.