Lines of Experience

Lam-Rim Bsdus-Don

The Main Aspects of the Practice
of the Stages on the Graded Path to Enlightenment
By rJe Tzong-kha-pa

Verse 1

I make obeisance to the Head of the Sakya Clan, Gautama Buddha. Your body is the product of ten million virtues and the two perfect accomplishments (of the realization of the meaning of Sunyata (1) and the attainment of Bodhicitta (2)). Your speech fulfils the hopes of endless numbers of sentient beings (by teaching them Dharma (3)). Your mind, being omniscient, sees all knowable phenomena in the way they exist as void.

 

Verse 2

I make obeisance to Maitreya and to Manjusri, the two chief disciples of the peerless teacher Gautama Buddha. Your incarnations manifest themselves in the countless worlds, having taken on the responsibility to further the action of the speech of Buddha (by teaching the Dharma to help liberate all sentient beings from samsara (4)).

 

Verse 3

I make obeisance at the feet of the two Jewels of the Southern Continents (5), Nagarjuna and Asanga, famous throughout the Three Realms (6). You have made commentaries explaining correctly the most difficult to fathom Mother of the Buddhas, the "Prajnaparamita Sutras." (7)

 

Verse 4

I make obeisance to Atisa, the keeper of the treasure of the teachings. Your faultless abridgement of their essential points, the "Bodhipathapradipa," summarizes and synthesizes the two major carriages of the Great Vehicle Mahayana -- the paths of the profound insight of Sunyata and the widespread action of Bodhicitta. This (it does for the first time since the "Prajnaparamita Sutras" of Buddha and) is in accordance with the proper lineages (from Buddha to Manjusri to Nagarjuna on the one side, and from Buddha to Maitreya to Asanga on the other.)

 

Verse 5

I make obeisance with great reverence to my Gurus. (8) Motivated by loving-kindness, you make the Dharma clear by teaching it with skilful and effective means. (9) You are the best bridge for crossing the ocean of samsara to Liberation for those fortunate to receive your teachings. You are the eyes for your disciples to see and understand all the profound scriptural texts.

Onward On to Lines of Experience Verse 6

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