Contents

Foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama xvii
Foreword byJigme Kbyentse Rinpoche xix
Introduction I

Treasury of Precious Qualities 15
by Jigme Lingpa

The Quintessence of the Three Paths 105
by Longchen Yesha Dorje, Kangyur Rinpoche

Prologue 107
The title 107
Homage to the Three Jewels 1 0 8
Commitment to Compose the Text 110

PART ONE: Turning the Mind to the Dhanna 115

CHAPTER I The Value of Human Existence 117
Samsaric existence 117
Eight conditions in which there is no freedom to practice the Dharma 117
Five individual and five circumstantial advantages 121
The rarity of a precious human existence 121

PART TWO: An Incentivejor the Practice 123

CHAPTER 2 Impermanence 125
The impermanence of the outer world 125
The impermanence of living beings 126

PART THREE: The Gradual Path oj the Three Kinds of Beings 131
The Path of Beings of Lesser Scope
Ethical Teachings in Relation to the Karmic Law oj Cause and Effect

CHAPTER 3 TheLawofKarma 133
The karmic process in general 133
Actions neve rfail to produce an effect 133
The karmic process is irresistible 134
Karmic iffects are not transferablefrom one mindstream to another 135
An explanation oj the eight worldly concerns and thirteen influentialfactors 135
The proliferating tendency oj karmic results 136
Assessingthegravityojpositiveandnegativeactions 138
The basis oj the karmic phenomenon 139
Propelling and completing actions 140
The performed and stored aspects oj actions 141
Negative actions 142
Negative actions regarding the Three Jewels 142
The crucial role oj intention 142
The ten negative actions 142
The results oj the ten negative actions 146
The fully ripened effect 147
The effect similar to the cause 147
The conditioning or environmental effect 148
The proliferating effect 150
Conclusion 150
Virtuous actions 151
A recapitulation o f the path o f beings o f lesser scope 151
How beings of medium scope practice virtue 152
How beings of great scope practice virtue 152

The Path of Beings of Medium Scope 155
Correct Conduct in Relation to the Four Truths

CHAPTER 4 The Sufferings of Samsara 157
The four truths 157
The truth oj suffering 158
The all-pervasive nature of suffering 158
The conditions that perpetuate suffering 159
The sufferings of the lower realms 161
Tht tight hot htlls 161
Tht sixttm ntighboring htlls 163
Tht tight (oM htlls 164
Tht tphtmtral htlls 165

The sufferings of the higher realms 165 Thesufferingofthegods 165
The suffering of the asuras 167
The suffering ofhuman beings 168
Suffering of suffering 168
Suffering of change 168
All-pervading suffering in the making 168
The eight complementary sufferings 169
Birth 169
Old age 171
IlIntss 172
Dtath 172
Mttting unwanttd circumstancts 172
Stparation from what is lovtd 173
Not having what ont wants 173
Having what ont dots not want 173
The truth oj origin 173
The truth oj path and truth of cessation 174
The twelve links of dependent arising 175
The needfor this teaching 175
Definitions of the twelve links 176
Four wa)'s of presenting the principlt oj deptndent arising 177
The number of lifetimes requiredfor an entire cycle 179
How to meditate on the principle of dependent arising 1 8 0
The unoriginated nature of dependent arising 183

The Extraordinary Path of Beings of Great Scope 185
Meditation on the Twofold Bodhichitta

CHAPTER 5 The Preparation: The Four Wheels 187
Prerequisites for the practice 187
Solitude 187
Livelihood 189
Reliance on a spiritual master 191
Fully qual!fied masters 191
False teachers 193
Evoking the sublime qualities oj an authentic teacher 195
Relying on the teacher with a twentyfold attitude 197
The characteristics oj bad disciples 198
Thecharacteristicsojgooddisciples 200
How to serve andfollow the teacher 201
How to behave in the presence of the teacher 202
Reasons for serving the teacher 205
Conclusion 206
Excellent aspiration 208
The supreme protection of merit 210

CHAPTER 6 The Foundation of the Path: Refuge 213
The reasons for taking refuge 213
Faith as the cause oftaking refuge 213
The causes offaith 21 5
The qualities of the Buddha 215
The qualities oj elimination 215
The one hundred and twelve obscurations eliminated on the path of seeing 215
How the obscurations militate against the understanding of the four truths 216
The four hundred and fourteen obscurations eliminated on the path of meditation 2 1 7
The difference between the Hinayana and the Mahayana approaches to the removal of obscurations 219
The Hinayana and Mahayana ways of removing the obscurations by seeing 219
How the obscurations are eliminated on the path of meditation 222
The qualities oj a Buddha's realization 2 2 3
The qualities of the Dharma 225
Dharma posited Dharma difined The Dharma The Dharma The grounds
as the two truths oj path and cessation 2 2 5
as the Dharma oj transmission and realization 2 2 5
of transmission 225
of realization 226
or stages of realization 2 2 7
The qualities of the Sangha 229
The Hina)'ana and Mahayana Sangha 2 3 0
What is refuge? 231
Causal and resultant refuge 231
The different motivesfor taking refuge 232
How to take refuge 233
The benefits of taking refuge 234
The btntfits of causal refuge 234
The btntfits of resultant refuge 235
The precepts of the refuge vow 236
The precepts of causal refuge 236
The precepts regarding things to be avoided 236
The precepts regarding things to be accomplished 236
Thepreceptsofresultantrefuge 237 ~f1hen the refuge vow is broken 237
Attitudes incompatible with refuge 2~8
The benefits oj observing the precepts oj the refuge w w 2~8

CHAPTER 7 Cleansing the Mind by Training in the Four Boundless Attitudes 239
The Mahayana path 2~9
The four boundless attitudes 240
How to meditate on the four boundless attitudes 242
The benefits of this meditation 242

CHAPTER 8 The Vow of Bodhichitta 247
What is bodhichitta? 247
Classifications of bodhichitta 249
Bodhichitta in aspiration and action 2 4 9
Other c/ass!fications oj bodhichitta 249
Bodhichitta classijitd according to twenty-two similes 250
Bodhichitta classijitd according to its benefits 251
Bodhichitta classijitd according to the speed oj progression 25~
How to cultivate bodhichitta 25~
Thecausesojbodhichitta 254
Who can generate bodhichitta? 254
The ritual for taking the vow oj bodhichitta 255
Inculcating the correct attitude 255
Accumulating merit 256
Prtparing tht platt 256
Inviting thtfuM ofmtrit 256
Offtring cleansing wattrs and clothts 257
Rtqutsting to bt stattd 260 Exprtssionsofrtsput 260 Tht praytr of stvtn branchts 261 Offtring ontstlj in strvitt 264
Conclusion 265
The ritual of the bodhisattva vow 266
The conclusion of the ritual: the uplifting of one's own and others' minds 269

CHAPTER 9 The Precepts of Bodhichitta in Aspiration and Action 271
The Bodhisattva commitment 271
The precepts concerning what is to be avoided 27~
Repairingfaults 274
The precepts to be implemented 275
Thefour precepts ojaspiration bodhichitta 275
The first precept: taking suffering and giving happiness 275
The second precept: the seven-point causal sequence giving birth to the attitude of bodhichitta 276
The third precept: the four black and four white factors 278
The fourth precept: the four attitudes that strengthen bodhichitta 279
The precepts oj bodhichitta in action 2 8 0
A brief explanation of the paramitas 280
A categorization of Bodhisattvas according to their strength of mind 2 8 0 The Paramita of Generosity 281
Thegiftofmaterialthings 281
The gift of protection from fear 2 8 2
ThegiftofDharma 283
The Paramita of Discipline 284
The diScipline ofavoiding negative actions 284
The difference between the vows of the Hinayana and Mahayana 284
Avoiding negativity according to the Mahayana 286
The levels of ordination 287
Tht Prtctpts ofLayptoplt 287
Tht Monastic Prtctpts 288
The precepts of shramaneras 288
The precepts of a woman novice in training for full ordination 290
The precepts of full monastic ordination 290
Tht prtctpts conctrning what is to bt avoidtd 290
Tht prtctpts conctrning what is to bt dont 291
How the three kinds of vow may be observed simultaneously 293
Tht obstrvanct of tht thru vows as taught in tht Nyingma tradition 296
I. The aspects remain distinct 297
2. The three vows are the same both in purpose and as antidote 297
3. The transmutation of the vows 299
4. The gradual qualitative enhancement of the three vows 305
5. The absence of contradiction in the practice of the three vows 306
6. Observance should be appropriate to the moment 306
Tht thrtt vows as prtstnttd in othtr traditions 308
Concluding summary 312
The diScipline ofgathering virtue 316 The discipline ofbentjiting others 318
The Paramita of Patience 319 The Paramita of Diligence 322
The three kinds of laziness 322
Thethreekindsofdiligence 323
The Paramita of Concentration 324
The prerequisitesfor concentration 324
In praise of forest dwellings 324
Giving up attachment to wealth 324 Giving up attachment to bad company 325
Giving up attachment to objects of the senses 326
In praise of solitude 327
Concentration itself 328
The essence of concentration 328
The categories of concentration 329
Childish concentration 329
Clearly disc"ning concentration 332
The excellent concentration of the Tathagatas 332
The qualities resulting from concentration 333
The Paramita of Wisdom 335
The categories of wisdom 335
The wisdom resultingjrom hearing the teachings 335
The keys that open the treasure chest of Dharma 336
The drjrnitivt and expedient teachings 336
The implied teachings and indirect teachings 337
Implied teachings 337
Indirect teachings 338
The difference between implied and indirect teachings 342
An explanation of the treasury of Dharma 342
A general exposition of the two truths 342
Thefour tentlsystems 345
The Vaibhashikas 345
The Sautrantikas 345
The Chittamatrins, the Mind Only school 346
The Svatantrika Madhyamikas 346
The Prasangika Madhyamikas 347
Conclusion 349
The wisdom resultingjrom reflection 351
Dependent arising with regard to the ground nature 351
The dependent arising of samsara 353
The dependent arising of nirvana 354
The wisdom resultingjrom meditation 355 Wisdom itself 355
Progress on the paths and the attainment of the result 356
A concluding summary of the six paramitas 357

APPENDIX I Impermanence demonstrated by the formation and destruction of the universe according to Buddhist cosmology 359

The gradual formation of the universe 359

The gradual formation of animate beings 360

The duration of the universe 362

The destruction of beings 363

The destruction of the universe 364

The period of voidness 364

The four periods reflected in the existence of an individual being 365

The ceaseless continuity of the process of formation and destruction 366

APPENDIX 2 The bardo 369

The four bardos 369

The six uncertainties of the bardo of becoming 369

How to benefit the consciousness of beings in the bardo 371

APPENDIX 3 The four truths 373

Essential definitions and aspects of the four truths 373

The meaning of the term "four truths" 374

A sequential exposition of the four truths 374

APPENDIX 4 The five aggregates 377

APPENDIX 5 A Buddha's qualities of realization 387 The five aggregates 377

APPENDIX 6 The five paths and the thirty-seven elements leading to enlightenment 391

APPENDIX 7 The two truths 397

The two truths according to the Madhyamika view 397

The specificity of the two truths 398

Their literal, etymological meaning 398

Their necessarily binary character 399

The kinds of cognition that validly ascertain the two truths 4 0 0
:

Divisions and categories of the two truths 4 0 0

The necessity and benefits of establishing the two truths 410

APPENDIX 8 The Madhyamika school 413

The Svatantrika Madhyamikas 413

The Prasangika Madhyamikas 417

Establishing the ground Madhyamika 417

Identifying the object oj rifutation: the two selves 421

The difference between the "self" and "apprehension of (or clinging to) self" 421

Ana9'sis through the application oj reason 4 2 2

The four arguments 424

An investigation of causes: the Diamond Splinters argument 425

An investigation of results: no effects, whether existent or nonexistent, can be said to be produced 426

An investigation of the causal process itself: a refutation of origination related to four possible alternatives 426

An investigation into the nature of phenomena: the Great Interdependence argument and the argument of "Neither One nor Many" 427

Wiry the Madlryamika dialectic is superior to all other tenet systems 428

APPENDIX 9 The twenty-one qualities of Dharmakaya wisdom 431

APPENDIX 10 The three doors of perfect liberation 437

Notes 439

Glossary 491

Bibliography 531

Index 537