Three Principal Aspects of the Path
Lama Tsong Khapa
Translated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
|
|
| Colophon by Lama Zopa
Rinpoche:
These teachings by the virtue beggar [gelong] Losang
Drakpa, who has extensive listening, were composed as
advice for the nephew of Ponpo Ngawang Drakpa.
It was translated into English by the beggar of
food and sleep named Lama Zopa, with the editorial assistance
of the devoted Jonathan Landaw, in November, 2006 at
Kachoe Dechen Ling, Aptos, California. This translation
was undertaken with the intention of producing an English
version that would include all the words contained in
the original Tibetan, a number of which were omitted
from some translations previously available. It is hoped
that the present work will enable more people to receive
benefit from Lama Tsongkhapa’s precious teachings.
A translation is available of Pabongka
Rinpoche's commentary on the Three Principal
Aspects which is recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
See also Lama Yeshe's Essence
of Tibetan Buddhism, Lama Zopa Rinpoche's
Virtue & Reality and Geshe Sonam Rinchen's
commentary in his book The
Three Principal Aspects of the Path.
|
Expressing the Homage
I bow down to my perfect gurus.
The Promise to Compose
[1] The essential meaning of the Victorious Ones’ teachings,
The path praised by all the holy Victors and their Children,
The gateway of the fortunate ones desiring liberation –
This I shall try to explain as much as I can.
Persuading to Listen
[2] Those who are not attached to the pleasures of circling
[samsara],
Who strive to make freedom and endowments meaningful,
Who entrust themselves to the path pleasing the Victorious
Ones –
You fortunate ones: listen with a calm mind.
The Purpose of Generating Renunciation
[3] Without the complete intention definitely to be free from
circling,
There is no way to pacify attachment seeking pleasurable effects
in the ocean of circling.
Also, by craving for cyclic existence, embodied beings are
continuously bound.
Therefore, at the very beginning seek renunciation.
How to Generate Renunciation
[4] Freedom and endowments are difficult to find
And life has no time to spare.
By gaining familiarity with this,
Attraction to the appearances of this life is reversed.
By thinking over and over again
That actions and their effects are unbetraying,
And repeatedly contemplating the miseries of cyclic existence,
Attraction to the appearances of future lives is reversed.
The Definition of Having Generated Renunciation
[5] When, by having trained in that way,
There is no arising, even for a second,
Of attraction to the perfections of cyclic existence,
And all day and night the intention seeking liberation arises
–
Then the thought of renunciation has been generated.
The Purpose of Generating the Mind of Enlightenment
[6] Even if renunciation has been developed,
If it is not possessed by the mind of enlightenment
It does not become the cause of the perfect bliss of unsurpassed
enlightenment.
Therefore the wise generate the supreme mind of enlightenment.
How to Generate the Mind of Enlightenment
[7] Swept away by the current of the four powerful rivers,
Tied by the tight bonds of karma, so hard to undo,
Caught in the iron net of self-grasping,
Completely enveloped by the total darkness of ignorance,
[8] Endlessly reborn in cyclic existence,
Ceaselessly tormented by the three sufferings –
Thinking that all mothers are in such a condition,
Generate the supreme mind of enlightenment.
The Definition of Having Generated the Mind of
Enlightenment
[8a] In short,
If like the mother whose cherished son has fallen into a pit
of fire
And who experiences even one second of his suffering as an
unbearable eternity,
Your reflection on the suffering of all mother sentient beings
Has made it impossible for you to bear their suffering for
even one second
And the wish seeking enlightenment for their sake arises without
effort,
Then you have realized the supreme precious mind of enlightenment.
The Reason to Meditate on the Right View
[9] Without the wisdom realizing ultimate reality,
Even though you have generated renunciation and the mind of
enlightenment
You cannot cut the root cause of circling.
Therefore, attempt the method to realize dependent arising.
Showing the Right View
[10] One who sees the cause and effect of all phenomena
Of both cyclic existence and the state beyond sorrow as forever
unbetraying,
And for whom any object trusted in by the grasping mind has
completely disappeared,
Has at that time entered the path pleasing the Buddhas.
The Definition of Not Having Completed the Analysis
of the Right View
[11] Appearance and dependently related are unbetraying;
Accepting that is empty, is separate from assertion.
As long as these two understandings are seen as separate
One has still not realized the intent of the Buddhas.
The Definition of Having Completed the Analysis
of Right View
[12] If [these two realizations] are happening simultaneously
without alternation,
And from merely seeing dependent relation as completely unbetraying
The definite ascertainment comes that completely destroys
The way in which all objects are grasped [as truly existent],
At that time the analysis of the ultimate view is complete.
The Particular Special Quality of the Prasangika
View
[13] Furthermore, appearance eliminates the extreme of existence
And emptiness eliminates the extreme of non-existence.
If you realize how emptiness manifests in the manner of cause
and effect
Then you are not captivated by wrong notions holding extreme
views.
Having Gained Definite Ascertainment, Advice
on Pursuing the Practice
[14] In this way you realize exactly
The vital points of the three principal aspects of the path.
Resort to seeking solitude, generate the power of effort,
And quickly accomplish your final goal, my child.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche's Dedication:
From the merits collected by doing this work, transmitting
Lama Tsongkhapa’s pure teaching — the heart of
the 84,000 teachings of Buddha — into a western language,
in a way as close as possible to the words and the meaning
of the root text;
May this be most beneficial for all sentient beings, bringing
kind mother sentient beings — whose lives are lost,
under the control of karma and delusion, totally enveloped
in the darkness of ignorance — to the achievement of
enlightenment as quickly as possible.
May anyone who merely sees this text, reads this text, teaches
this text, hears about this text, or keeps this text thereby
actualize indestructible guru devotion, seeing the Guru as
Buddha, and train well in the three common principles of the
path, actualize the two stages, and achieve the unified state
of Vajradhara as soon as possible. May he or she especially
generate loving kindness, the compassionate thought, and bodhicitta
and immediately become a source of peace and happiness for
all sentient beings, especially in this world, and may all
war, famine, disease, sickness, epidemics, torture, poverty,
and the dangers of fire, water, wind, and earthquakes immediately
cease so that no one will experience any of these undesirable
circumstances ever again.
May the pure teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa flourish continuously
and spread in all directions.
Notes
1. Stanza 8a is not part of Lama Tsongkhapa’s original
text, but has been added here
following Pabongkha Rinpoche’s outline.
2. Unification of appearance, dependent arising and emptiness.
|
