WORDS OF WISDOM AUTHOR: KHENPO TSULTRIM LODRO

We all know that the Buddha transmitted the Dharma to followers according to their capacity and guided them on the path step by step. The Outer Tantra, having also empowerment, the practice of generation stage and so forth, is part of Vajrayana, but it lacks the view of the Inner Tantra. Hence, practitioners can only visualize themselves as they are in the present world (though sometimes they also visualize themselves as buddha), then visualize the buddha and the yidam in front and recite mantras. The Outer Tantra offers many ways to recite mantras; it is of the view that one can attain buddhahood by way of mantra recitation.

When followers of the Outer Tantra practice in retreat, they are very particular about personal hygiene, keeping a vegetarian diet, and washing themselves three times a day; the focus is on one’s conduct, and they do very well in this respect, but less so in the practice. Actually, the more one is fixated on the particulars of behavior, the more likely problems in practice will surface. The higher the state one reaches in practice, the more likely some improprieties may appear in one’s conduct. Naturally, impropriety does not mean wrongdoings such as killing, stealing, lying and so on are casually tolerated. You can get a better understanding of this from the life stories of the eighty great siddhas of ancient India.

The so-called “aggregate of consciousness” refers to our consciousness , that which constantly does the thinking. This aggregate is the most important, since a lot of people believe although the body is not self, consciousness ought to be the self; they therefore form an attachment to it.

From a macro perspective or prior to investigation, consciousness exists; it can cognize and distinguish various things. But like a rainbow which appears from afar to be truly existent, its essence can never be found if one chases after it. Similarly, if we try to look into what consciousness is, the so- called consciousness cannot be found either.

How do we establish consciousness is non-existent? Firstly, consciousness is a composite term that can be separated into many kinds and called by different names – good mental states, bad mental states, eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, etc.; among these, eye consciousness can be divided further into different colors like red, white, green, and so forth. Each kind of consciousness can also be broken down by time and into successively smaller time units until consciousness disappears altogether; there is no real entity to be found.

- Quote from The Four Seals of Dhama, "The Practice of Realizing Emptiness"

Having said this, however, the Treatise of Four Hundred Verses states: “Human beings with few blessings will not raise doubt; those who have doubts can destroy the three worlds of existence.” That is, the cause of our cyclic existence can be damaged if we are able to entertain reasonable doubt about emptiness — Do I lack true existence? Do all phenomena lack inherent existence? It is possible the self does not exist! It is possible all phenomena are empty! When the cause is impaired, we will not remain in samsara for long. If harboring doubt alone is of such great significance, then comprehending and accepting the Middle Way doctrine is even more remarkable.

- Quote from The Four Seals of Dhama, "All Phenomena Lack Self-Existence"

Before the practice, we must first have the corresponding view. Without right understanding, how do we practice? If we are not even clear about the direction, there is no point in talking about the practice. A lot of people will say “we want practice, not listening and contemplation.” Although practice is imperative in the end, so too are listening and contemplation up front. We can practice only after we have given sufficient time to listening and contemplation, that is, after these activities have reached a certain level.

- Quote from The Four Seals of Dhama, "The Importance of Practice"

When emptiness is truly experienced, all of one’s afflictions and fixations are gone. But because our practice is not up to standard yet, we may only experience emptiness for an instant before our mind returns to its usual way. However, with repeated practice, we will be able to lengthen the time we dwell in this state and ultimately eradicate our afflictions completely.

- Quote from The Four Seals of Dhama, "The Practice of Realizing Emptiness"

The minimum goal we should set for ourselves of this life is to enter the bodhisattva’s path of accumulation, which is the first step, a must, to start the journey of dharma practice.

Some may question if practitioners have eliminated all attachment, does it mean they are free to commit unwholesome deeds like killing, stealing, lying and sexual misconduct? Of course not. Vajrayana stresses that practitioners in their realized state do not have attachment to the discriminating notions such as sentient beings, killing lives, or good and evil, but other beings still harboring such attachment will be hurt by the unwholesome actions. So, a genuine practitioner can never behave this way, nor is it permitted in Vajrayana.

Strictly speaking, it is best to realize emptiness before one undertakes the practice of all phenomena lacking self- existence; however, realizing emptiness is not easy since there are many basic requirements such as the preliminaries that have to be completed.

Regardless, one who practices emptiness must at least understand the underlying concept; only then can emptiness be practiced. If we do not even know what no-self or emptiness means, we will not know how to practice emptiness. Hence, prior to teaching the practice of no-self, I shall first explain the principle of “no-self” — why there is “no-self,” that is, why the “self” does not exist. With this understanding, the practice can then proceed.

- Quote from The Four Seals of Dhama, "All Phenomena Lack Self-Existence"

Certain kinds of poison can take effect immediately; others may take months or even years for the effect to set in. The same is true of karmic results. Although we cannot see the actual workings of cause and effect, the manifestation of effect follows the same principle. If people see that a person remains in good health after taking poison but before the effect setting in, they then assume that the person did not take poison after all. Does this make sense? In fact, one should not equate absence of pain with non-poison; it is simply not time yet for the poison to take effect. Similarly, killing and stealing are like swallowing poison. They are bound to take effect, just a matter of time.