The Dzogchen Primer

by Marcia Schmidt

  2. The dominant result is that, even if you take rebirth as a human being, you will always live in an unpleasant area where there is hunger and thirst.

  3. The result corresponding to the cause is that in future lives you will take pleasure in covetousness.

  Tsogyal, it is therefore essential to abandon these actions.

  Ill Will. The essence of the second mental nonvirtue, ill will, is an attitude of hostility.

  When divided, there are the following types:

  1. Ill will resulting from anger.

  2. Ill will resulting from resentment.

  3. Ill will resulting from jealousy.

  Tsogyal, do not commit mental actions that hurt yourself and harm others.

  This act is consummated by the four aspects and has the following three types of results:

  1. The result of ripening is to take rebirth in the lower realms.

  2. The dominant result is that, even if you are reborn as a human, others are unjustifiably hostile toward you and constantly you meet with enmity and lawsuits.

  3. The result corresponding to the cause is that you will develop a malicious frame of mind.

  Tsogyal, if you do not give up ill will you can practice neither Hinayana nor Mahayana.

  Wrong Views. The essence of the third mental nonvirtue, wrong views, is to exaggerate or denigrate.

  When divided, there are the following kinds:

  1. The wrong view of holding the non-Buddhist beliefs of eternalism or nihilism.

  2. The wrong view of holding a rule or ritual to be paramount, such as “asceticism of dogs and chickens.”19

  3. The wrong view of holding the belief of the “transitory collection.”20

  Tsogyal, there are few who understand the difference between Dharma and non-Dharma.

  These actions are consummated by the four aspects and produce the following three results:

  1. The result of ripening is to take rebirth in the three lower realms.

  2. The dominant result is that, even if you are reborn as a human being, you will take birth in a place such as in an uncivilized border tribe, where you will not even hear the name of the Three Jewels.

  3. The result corresponding to the cause is that the habitual tendencies of holding wrong views will solidify in your all-ground, after which you will be fond of holding wrong views.

  Tsogyal, all noble beings denounce these ten nonvirtues. They are renounced by all learned people. They are not to be committed even by those who seek to attain the special splendor and wealth of gods and humans, so give them up.

  There are many people who do not recognize good from evil, but those who do have entered the Buddha’s teachings. To commit nonvirtue while knowing well the cause and effect of virtuous actions and misdeeds is to be no different from an animal.

  Lady Tsogyal asked: When abandoning these actions, what are the results one will attain?

  The master replied: As the result of ripening you will be reborn among gods and humans. Like Brahma your voice will be melodious, like Indra your body will more beautiful than that of others, and like a universal monarch you will have great wealth.

  As the dominant result you will hold great learning, you will be very intelligent, and you will meet with the Dharma of the Buddha’s teachings. Ultimately you will attain the three levels of enlightenment.

  As the result corresponding to the cause you will, in all future lifetimes, exert yourself in abandoning the ten nonvirtues.

  Lady Tsogyal asked: Concerning these ten nonvirtues, is there any difference in the severity of evil?

  The master replied: Yes, there are differences. In general, there is the division in terms of the disturbing emotions.

  1. Through committing the ten nonvirtues out of anger, you will be reborn as a hell-being.

  2. When the nonvirtues are committed out of desire, you will be reborn as a hungry ghost.

  3. When the nonvirtues are committed out of delusion, you will be reborn as an animal.

  There is also a difference in severity in terms of the object:

  1. By committing the ten nonvirtues toward a special object, you will be reborn as a hell-being.

  2. By committing them toward an ordinary object, you will be reborn as a hungry ghost.

  3. By committing them toward an inferior object, you will be reborn as an animal.

  In particular, among the different types of killing, the most severe evil ripening stems from taking the life of a bodhisattva who has developed bodhichitta.

  Among the different types of taking what is not given, the greatest misdeed is to steal that which belongs to the Three Jewels.

  Among the different types of sexual misconduct, the greatest misdeed is to have forced intercourse with an arhat.

  Among the different types of telling lies, the greatest misdeed is to deceive a master or a venerable member of the Sangha.

  Among the different types of divisive talk, the greatest misdeed is to cause a schism in the Sangha.

  Among the different types of harsh words, the greatest misdeed is to speak unpleasantly to a member of the Sangha.

  Among the different types of idle gossip, the greatest misdeed is to disturb the mind of a monk or someone practicing the nature of nondual meditation.

  Among the different types of covetousness, the greatest misdeed is to crave the funds donated to the Three Jewels.

  Among the different types of ill will, the greatest misdeed is to plan committing the “five deeds with immediate result.”

  Among the different types of wrong views, the greatest misdeed is to disparage the true meaning.

  Tsogyal, you should not commit any of these actions even at the cost of your life.

  Generally speaking, there are also differences among the ten nonvirtues:

  1. Through killing, divisive talk, harsh words, and ill will, you will be reborn as a hell-being.

  2. Through sexual misconduct, taking what is not given, and covetousness, you will be reborn as a hungry ghost.

  3. Through telling lies, idle gossip, and holding wrong views, you will be reborn as an animal.

  THE TEN VIRTUES

  Lady Tsogyal asked the master: How should one practice the ten virtues, the antidotes that are to be adopted?

  The master replied: The ten virtues have four topics:

  1. The essence is a pure action of body, speech, or mind that produces the truly high.21

  2. The definition of virtuous action is that action which, when correctly committed by a person who has obtained the freedoms and riches, yields the result of a desired happiness.

  3. The divisions are the virtues that are the opposites of the ten nonvirtues: to save lives, to be tremendously generous, to abide in pure living, to speak truthfully, to reconcile strife, to speak gently and with discipline, to speak meaningfully, to be loving toward all beings, to be unattached, and to be free from doubt about the results of actions and the definitive meaning.

  4. The following are the ten supports that cause the virtues to remain in your stream-of-being: to have faith in the true teachings, to keep self-respect and pure conscience, to refrain from gambling and quarreling, to refrain from watching market gatherings, to always act conscientiously, to cast away laziness, to not associate with immoral friends, to train in the pliancy of body, speech, and mind, to cultivate the fourfold spheres of perception, and in particular to focus your mind on the path of noble beings.

  Tsogyal, by acting in these ways, there is no doubt that you will attain the results of the truly high.

  THE TEN PARAMITAS

  Thirdly, for engaging in the actions of the ten paramitas, there are five topics.

  1. The general essence is that which has the nature of the path for accomplishing unexcelled enlightenment.

  2. The definition of paramita is that which causes you to reach (ita) to the great nirvana, the other shore (param) of the ocean of samsara.

  3. The function is to perfect the two accumulations and accomplish the welfare
of sentient beings.

  4. There are two kinds of divisions: general and specific. The general division is the six paramitas of generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and discriminating knowledge.

  Specifically, generosity has three types: the giving of Dharma teachings, the giving of material things, and the giving of protection against fear.

  Discipline also has three types: the discipline of refraining from misdeeds, the discipline of gathering virtuous qualities, and the discipline of benefiting sentient beings. In other words, these disciplines are observed by refraining from the ten nonvirtues, by the six paramitas, and by the four means of magnetizing.

  Patience also has three types: the patience of being unconcerned about undergoing suffering when renouncing samsara, the patience of undertaking hardship in order to benefit beings, and the patience of keeping confidence in the Dharma, which means to refrain from fearing the profound nature.

  Diligence also has three types: the diligence of applying the Mahayana teachings, the armorlike diligence of repelling adversity, and the relentless diligence of accomplishing the buddhahood of perfect omniscience.

  Meditation also has three types: the meditation that focuses on the correct mundane path, the meditation that focuses on the supramundane path, and the general meditation that takes both as focus.

  Knowledge again has three types: the knowledge that realizes conditioned things to be beyond focus, the knowledge that realizes the innate nature to be beyond focus, and the knowledge that realizes that all phenomena are beyond duality and transcend words, thought, and description.

  You should know that in order to assimilate each method within your stream-of-being, you must have four paramitas complete:

  To vanquish stinginess and poverty through the generosity of not expecting a reward is the paramita of strength.

  To give while being free from the intentions of ordinary people and the Hinayana is the paramita of method.

  To give with the thought, May I interrupt the poverty of myself and all sentient beings! is the paramita of aspiration.

  To give with the total purity of the three spheres is the paramita of wisdom.22

  Similarly, to vanquish nonvirtue with the discipline of not desiring samsaric results is the paramita of strength.

  To observe your vows while being free from the eight worldly concerns is the paramita of method.

  To wish, May the immoral behavior of all sentient beings be interrupted! while not desiring the states of gods and men for yourself alone is the paramita of aspiration.

  To embrace that with the nonconceptualization of the three spheres is the paramita of wisdom.

  To vanquish anger by behaving equally to everyone is the paramita of strength.

  Not to hold a worldly purpose such as deceit and hypocrisy is the paramita of method.

  Not to desire rebirth in a beautiful body of gods or humans for yourself alone, but to wish, May the ugliness of all sentient beings be pacified! is the paramita of aspiration.

  To embrace that with the nonconceptualization of the three spheres is the paramita of wisdom.

  To vanquish laziness with the diligence of keeping the faults and qualities in mind is the paramita of strength.

  Not to hold a worldly purpose such as expecting to be held in faith by others is the paramita of method.

  To wish, May all beings bring an end to laziness and exert themselves on the true path! is the paramita of aspiration.

  To embrace that with the nonconceptualization of the three spheres is the paramita of wisdom.

  To vanquish distraction through the concentration that has transcended the formless realms is the paramita of strength.

  To practice for the sake of accomplishing the qualities of unexcelled enlightenment, with no desire for the states of gods or men, is the paramita of method.

  To wish, May the distraction of all sentient beings be interrupted! is the paramita of aspiration.

  To refrain from conceptualizing the three spheres is the paramita of wisdom.

  To vanquish the constructs of distinguishing attributes with the knowledge of emptiness endowed with the nature of compassion is the paramita of strength.

  To be inseparable from that throughout the three times is the paramita of method.

  To wish, May I and all other beings realize the true meaning! is the paramita of aspiration.

  To recognize the fact that, since the beginning, your mind essence has the nature of this knowledge is the paramita of wisdom.

  Tsogyal, practice in this way undistractedly.

  5. The result of practicing the ten paramitas is that you will be liberated from the lower realms and, attaining the special level of gods or men, you will perfect the paths and swiftly attain buddhahood after which you will become a great guide liberating sentient beings from samsara.

  11. The Dividing Line between Losing and Possessing the Vow

  The moment of obtaining the bodhichitta vow is as follows. Having gathered a vast accumulation of merit, when you give rise to the thought that you must accomplish the genuine welfare of beings through fully purifying your mind, you obtain the bodhichitta vow at the end of the third utterance of the complete ritual.

  The moment of losing the bodhichitta vow is when you give rise to wrong views or denounce the Three Jewels, thus violating the trainings. It is therefore essential to exert yourself while keeping mindfulness and conscientiousness on guard.

  12. The Method for Repairing When Damaged

  If you damage the root precepts, you must retake the vow as instructed before. If you have damaged the branch precepts, you must apologize for that in the presence of the master or the Three Jewels.

  THE INNER BODHICHITTA

  Lady Tsogyal asked the master: How should one train when arousing bodhichitta in the inner way?

  The master replied: For this there are also twelve points of training.

  1. The Essence

  The essence is to arouse the intention to help those beings who do not realize that the innate nature, the true meaning, is devoid of constructs.

  2. The Definition

  Without being dependent upon “outer” actions of body or speech, it is called “inner” because it is developed exclusively by your mind.

  3. The Divisions

  There are two divisions: aspiration and application.

  The aspiration is to wish that sentient beings who have not realized this nature may realize it. Just to sit and mutter this is not enough; you must exert yourself in the means for making all sentient beings realize it.

  Tsogyal, as long as you are not free from dualistic fixation the application is rather difficult.

  4. The Characteristics of the Practitioner

  In addition to earlier explanations, the characteristic of the person who engages in this training is to have only a minor degree of conceptual constructs.

  Tsogyal, let your mind take some rest!

  5. The Object from Whom It Is Taken

  You should receive it from a master who has realized the nature of the twofold selflessness through training in the three types of knowledge, and is thus free from the eight worldly concerns.

  Tsogyal, a master is essential for entering the gate of the Mahayana teachings.

  6. The Ceremony for Receiving

  Free yourself from the three spheres of concepts, give up concerns for all worldly activities, and thus request the true oral instructions.

  7. The Benefits of the Training

  You will rise far above the Hinayana and erroneous paths. Thus it has the effect of abandoning all thoughts of selfishness and dualistic fixation, and of realizing the nature of selflessness.

  8. The Reason for the Training

  The reason for training in this inner way of arousing bodhichitta is to establish all sentient beings on the true path, the nature of the twofold selflessness.

  9. The Shortcomings of Not Training

  The defect of not training is that you will stray from t
he nature of selflessness.

  For ordinary people whose minds have not been changed by a philosophical school and for non-Buddhists who have entered an incorrect philosophical school, the self of the individual is regarded as being that which controls and experiences the conditioned five aggregates, twelve sense-bases, and eighteen constituents. Moreover, regarding this self as being permanent and concrete, they fixate on it as being friend and enemy, self and other.

  Tsogyal, you must pull up this stake of fixation.

  The danger of conceptualizing such an individual self is that by apprehending an ego and a self-entity, objects will appear as “something other.” By apprehending this duality, you will regard that which benefits the “self” as friend and that which harms the “self” as enemy. Thus the experiences of attachment and aversion will cause you to commit various kinds of unvirtuous actions. Through these actions you will wander in the lower realms and the whole of samsara.

  Tsogyal, unless you expel this evil spirit you will find no happiness. What type of person denounces this self? In general it is denounced by all Buddhists. In particular, the shravakas specifically denounce it. Needless to say, we who have entered the gate of the Mahayana also denounce fixation on the individual self.

  It is claimed that the shravakas partially realize the self of phenomena, and that also the pratyekabuddhas do not realize it fully. That is to say, the shravakas mistakenly assert the existence of matter instead of understanding the self of phenomena, and the pratyekabuddhas dwell in the state of fixating on the empty mind-essence instead of understanding the correct meaning.