His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA

Centro Ewam
Florence, Italy
16 May 1999

His Holiness the Dalai Lama: Generally speaking, it is better to maintain one’s own faith. However, among the millions of people in this world there are many different mental dispositions so it may happen that one’s own particular tradition may not be effective for oneself, in which case it may become necessary to seek another spiritual method. Under these circumstances an inclination for Buddhism is all right. Here today are gathered people who have a genuine interest in Buddhism.

Masters Program student: How would Your Holiness like for us to study the great texts in the West?

His Holiness the Dalai Lama: I would say that there are many methods, but as to which is the best, I cannot say. Even in Tibet there were many different ways of studying these great texts. For example, in Tibet the text Ornament for Clear Realization (Abhisamayalamkara) was studied in a very detailed way beginning with the verse of homage, the verse containing the promise to compose the text, and so on. Then, even within those sections many detailed analyses were done. However, perhaps these detailed aspects of study are not so relevant here.

In Tibet there is a tradition of studying a subject called Tenets (grub mtha'), which is a composition of literature describing the views of the major philosophical schools present in India in the past. It seems that a systematic study of these various tenets probably did not exist in India, but was a Tibetan invention.

Masters Program student: Given the fact that the subject that we are studying, Abhisamayalamkara, has a vast and profound meaning, it involves various problems of comprehension and realization. What advice can Your Holiness give us so that we can avoid degenerating this pure Dharma, both now while we are studying and practicing it, and in the future when we find ourselves sharing it with others through teaching it?

His Holiness the Dalai Lama: In response to your question, I think that if you look at, for example, a commentary on Abhisamayalamkara called Essential Explanation (rnam bshad snying po rgyan) by Gyeltsab Je, you will find that after commenting on the section of the three exalted knowers, the author then relates his exposition to one’s personal practice in terms of lam-rim, the stages of the path. Similarly, you will find that at the end of the exposition on the sections on the four noble truths, taking refuge, and so forth, these are related back to the personal experience of a meditator in terms of the presentation and practice of the stages of the path. I think that it is very important that as you study Abhisamayalamkara, you relate it to your understanding of lam-rim.

The way in which the stages of the path are presented, both in the Great Exposition of the Stages of the Path by Lama Tsongkhapa, as well as in the middling and brief versions, is in accordance with Atisha’s Lamp for the Path (Bodhipathapradipam). In these texts, after discussing the four noble truths, Lama Tsongkhapa says that given that a presentation of the four noble truths comes repeatedly in various sutras and also in the Mahayana and Vajrayana teachings, they form the core of the Buddha’s teachings. In the Great Exposition of the Stages of the Path we find a very explicit statement by Lama Tsongkhapa that says:

"Therefore, the four truths are repeatedly and extensively taught in the great and small vehicles; and since they cover the essential points of entering into and withdrawing from cyclic existence as summarized by the Tathagata, they are crucial to achieving liberation. And because they are greater than even the combined key points of practice, students should be instructed in them according to their stages."

In view of this, a very effective way of leading a spiritual aspirant on the path is as taught in the section on precepts in the Abhisamayalamkara itself. In this context, the way in which the various elements of the path are organized is presented very clearly. In fact, it begins with a presentation of the four noble truths that we can relate to that passage cited by Lama Tsongkhapa in the teachings on the stages of the path. We can begin with looking at a presentation of the two truths, followed by a presentation of the four noble truths. In relation to how we can ground the understanding of the four noble truths in our understanding of the two truths, there is a passage in Chandrakirti's Clear Words, which is cited by Lama Tsongkhapa in the section on emptiness in the Great Exposition of the Stages of the Path, which states that one must understand emptiness in terms of dependent origination, in that if one is able to appreciate emptiness, one will be able to appreciate dependent origination, and if one is able to appreciate the meaning of dependent origination, one will be able to appreciate the meaning of emptiness. On that basis, one will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the four noble truths. Likewise, once dependent origination is understood, it will make the understanding of the four noble truths possible. Then one goes on to the next topic, which is refuge.

In the context of refuge, Lama Tsongkhapa quotes the second chapter of Dharmakirti's Commentary on [Dignaga’s] ‘Compendium of Valid Cognition,’ in which there is an extensive presentation of how to validate Buddha as an authentic teacher. This in turn can be related to one's practice and understanding of refuge in accordance with the stages of the path.

After gaining an understanding of refuge, we consider how to overcome the attraction to the concerns of this life, and then how to overcome the attraction to the concerns of the next life. This then leads to the practices that enable one to overcome self-interest and self-centeredness.

In short, this is the way in which one can relate the practice of lam-rim to one's understanding of the major Buddhist treatises.

Masters Program student: How can we best make use of this opportunity while we are studying the great texts to generate inner excellent qualities?

His Holiness the Dalai Lama: In this context, I think that a particular piece of advice from the Kadampa master Dromtonpa is very useful. He said: “When I engage in study, also contemplation and meditation are present right there and then. When I meditate, also study and contemplation are present. When I contemplate, also study and meditation are present.” It is important to have a combination of all three, study, contemplation, and meditation, because otherwise there is a danger of falling into, as one Tibetan said, being a logician whose mind is completely hardened by rational thinking and who is so difficult to tame that even if Buddha himself were to appear to him, he would fail to tame him.

One really helpful piece of advice can be found in one of the prayers by Lama Tsongkhapa in which he made a wish that at the same time as his understanding of the great texts and his experience and practice of them were to deepen, that his conceit might decrease. This is very important because often as one becomes more and more learned in the meanings of the texts and makes a greater and greater commitment to the practice, there is a danger of increasing one’s pride and arrogance. So it is important to watch out for this.

In general, the teachings of the Buddha are composed of scriptures and realizations. The way in which these two are upheld is through study and practice. This is what is being done here. Therefore, it is very good.

Buddhism is a training of the mind. An effect on the mind will never take place by force, but only voluntarily, on the basis of reason. Faith has an important role in mental transformation, but from a Buddhist point of view it must be faith based on conviction. Conviction, in turn, is based on understanding gained through investigation and analysis. Therefore, the study of the vast Buddhist scriptures is very essential. However, just as it is important to have a comprehensive understanding of the entire spectrum of the Buddha's path, it is equally important to integrate it into one's practice so that one takes the essence of these texts.

Thank You Prayer to His Holiness the Dalai Lama

On behalf of all the students, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Your Holiness for blessing us with your presence and showering upon us your warmth, wisdom and kindness.

We humbly request Your Holiness, Buddha of Compassion, to please guide all the students of the FPMT, in particular those of the Masters Program, so that we may uphold the Buddha's doctrine of scripture and realization and that we may be of the greatest service possible to Your Holiness.

We request your blessings so that, through our efforts, all the mental and physical sufferings of all sentient beings be eliminated this very moment, and that their minds be imbued with Lama Tsongkhapa's teachings of unified sutra and tantra, which are pure like refined gold.

Please illuminate our minds with your clear wisdom, causing us to accomplish all the stages of the path – renunciation, bodhicitta, right view, and the two stages.

May our mental continua be blessed with your realizations, thus becoming the cause of harmony, peace and happiness for ourselves and others.

May our qualities of kindness, love, and compassion blossom, giving warmth and protection to whomever we meet and enabling us to cherish others more than ourselves.

We, the students and staff of the Masters Program at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, will do our best to follow Your Holiness’ wishes and advice at all times. Please bless us to perform only actions that please Your Holiness, the holy virtuous spiritual friend, whose thousand arms bless the minds of infinite mother beings with rays of blissful wisdom nectar.

Your Holiness, Buddha of Compassion, source of all happiness and well-being, please remain immutably until samsara ends and continue to turn the wheel of Dharma for all sentient beings.

By the merits of ourselves and others, may we achieve the state of enlightenment and lead all sentient beings to that exalted state without a second’s delay.

May sentient beings, by hearing even one syllable of the precious Buddha-Dharma, never be born again in the three lower realms and be free from sickness, negative karma, obstacles, and spirit harm, and develop unwavering faith in refuge, bodhicitta, and the entire path to highest, perfect, complete enlightenment.

Your Holiness, thank you very much for giving us your time and precious advice. May we never be separated from and always be guided by you in this and all our future lives.