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LDC Basic Dharma Program

Subject 3 : Mahayana Mind Training
Text : Dharmaraksita's

The Wheel Of Sharp Weapons

Commentary by the Venerable Sam-lo Geshe Kelsang Session 12/2001
Translated by Ven. Thubten Yeshe Gurung 19th August, 2001

Verse 54:

Hum! Hum! Show all your powers, O mighty protector.
Dza! Dza! Tie up this enemy; do not let him loose.
P’a! P’a! Set us free by your might, O great Lord over
Death.
Cut! Cut! Break the knot of self-interest that binds us inside.

The first ‘Hum’ normally represents the seed syllable of Yamantaka. In this verse, the two ‘hums’ represent the relative Bodhicitta and the ultimate Bodhicitta respectively as Dharmarakshita was requesting Yamantaka to destroy the self-cherishing and self-grasping of all sentient beings.

Generally ‘Dza’ carries the meaning ‘to bring forth’ as in ‘Dza Hum Ba Hung’ in a sadhana to bring forth or summon the wisdom being. In this line, the two ‘Dzas’ also represent the two bodhicittas. For example, when a person is disturbed by evil spirits and requests a qualified Tantric Lama to perform the rites, the Lama would summon the evil spirit and incapacitate it. Then the Lama would make the evil spirit promise never to harm any sentient being. Likewise, as we have always been disturbed by the self-cherishing and self-grasping attitudes, Dharmarakshita requested Yamantaka to summon these two evils (self-cherishing and self-grasping) and incapacitate them from harming sentient beings.

Generally, ‘P’a’ means to subdue or destroy. In this line, Dharmarakshita was requesting Yamantaka to destroy the delusions (enemies). The ‘Lord of Death’ is Yama, and Yamantaka is requested to overcome or destroy Yama so as to set us free from the two enemies (self-cherishing and self-grasping).

The two ‘cuts’ again represent the two Bodhicittas. The culprits who bind us in cyclic existences are self-cherishing and self-grasping, yet we are still propelled by them to create more negative karma. Thus we are requesting for the power of relative Bodhicitta to sever or cut the self-cherishing attitude and for the power of ultimate Bodhicitta to cut the concept of grasping at self’.

Verse 55:

Appear Yamantaka, O wrathful protector;
I have further entreaties to make of you still.
This sack of five poisons, mistakes and delusions,
Drags us down in the quicksand of life’s daily toil –
Cut it off, cut it off, rip it to shreds!

In the first line, Dharmarakshita ‘called to’ Yamantaka as he had more requests to make.

Due to the force of self-cherishing and self-grasping, sentient beings are wondering in samsara, which is like a sack of karma and delusions or a sack of suffering. Here one is making request to Yamantaka to manifest his miraculous power to destroy samsara or the aggregates of suffering to liberate all sentient beings by cutting the two attitudes.

Dharmarakshita further made request to Yamantaka even though he had already generated the two bodhicittas as all sentient beings are still trapped in samsara by these two attitudes. Dharmarakshita is requesting that those who have not generated Bodhicitta to develop these two bodhicittas and destroy the two attitudes by relying on the master, listening to the Dharma, knowing the faults of self-cherishing and self-grasping and by understanding the great qualities of Bodhicitta through studying and meditating on it. For those who have generated these two bodhicittas, may they increase. Dharmarakshita is requesting Yamantaka to please bless them to be able to do so.

Question:
[not audible]

Gen-la:
‘Self-interest’ could be self-grasping attitude. When something appears to us, it appears to be existing solidly from its own side without depending on other factors and that binds us from realising selflessness or the reality of phenomena. It also perceives the existence of self but that does not harm us as much as the self-grasping of the person which is the self-grasping ignorance. When you search for “I”, you cannot find it as it is totally interdependent (on the parts and particles). When we do not realise this, we are bound in samsara. It also harms us in understanding the ultimate mode of phenomena. Therefore it says the “knot of self-interest”.

Question:
[not audible]

Gen-la:
The reason for the numerous repetitions is to emphasize or to show the importance of subduing the self-cherishing and self-grasping attitudes because of all the undesirable experiences, negative thoughts and actions. It is explaining different methods to eradicate these two evil concepts. Words such as ‘kill him’, ‘tie it up’, ‘cut the knot’, etc illustrate the importance of eradicating these two attitudes which are very powerful.

Verse 56:

We are drawn to the sufferings of miserable rebirths,
Yet mindless of pain, we go after its cause.
Trample him, trample him, dance on the head
Of this treacherous concept of selfish concern.
Tear out the heart of this self-centred butcher
Who slaughters our chance to gain final release.

All samsaric beings from beginningless time have been born in the lower realms and experienced the sufferings many times. Yet we are not terrified by these sufferings we have undergone and still create the cause (running after the cause) for lower realms, collecting much negative karma without purifying it. We are still in this situation. What causes all these? Since beginningless time, the self-cherishing attitude and the self-grasping attitude have propelled us to create all this negative karma which is the cause for lower realms.

‘Trample him, trample him’ again refers to the two bodhicittas. In order to kill an external enemy we have to use a weapon. The best method is to strike at the heart. Similarly, to destroy the self-cherishing attitude, the best weapon or method is to cherish others. The best weapon for subduing self-grasping is to generate the wisdom realising emptiness (reality)..

In this way, one tramples the treacherous concept. Also, one is making prayer in order to generate the two bodhicittas. Those who have not generated (bodhicittas), pray to generate them and those who have generated, pray for their increase.

The lines ‘trample him…selfish concern’ illustrates the example of conquering the enemy, putting one’s feet on the head of the enemy and killing the enemy with the weapon. The real meaning is that one should know the disadvantages of the self-cherishing attitude and the good qualities of cherishing others by practicing the thought of equalising and exchanging self for others through meditation. When one succeeds in generating the thought of cherishing others, one is trampling on the self-cherishing attitude.

When one develops the thought or attitude of cherishing others, one has conquered the self-cherishing attitude. In this way one ‘tears out the heart of the self-centred butcher’.

Question:
Can Gen-la explain the five poisons in Verse 55?

Gen-la:
The five poisons are; afflictive emotions, anger, ignorance, pride and jealousy.

Question:
[not audible]

Gen-la:
The five poisons are not the five aggregates but the five poisonous delusions but the ‘sack’ (earlier) refers to the five aggregates.

Verse 57:

We have high expectations of speedy attainments.
Yet do not wish to work at the practice involved.
We have many fine projects we plan to accomplish,
Yet none of them ever are done in the end.
Trample him, trample him, dance on the head
Of this treacherous concept of selfish concern.
Tear out the heart of this self-centred butcher
Who slaughters our chance to gain final release.

For example, Dharma practitioners who have high expectations to develop Bodhicitta meditate on the topic for some days, then feel exhausted easily and finally give up. Also they try to do recitation in order to see the deity but when they cannot bear the hardship, they feel exhausted and give up the practice. We have very little endurance towards Dharma practice, whatever Dharma practice one undertakes one will never complete it. There is a big gap between the effort that we put in our practice and our high expectations. The time and effort we spend on our Dharma practice and our expectations are highly contradictory. If one has enough effort in one’s practice then one can achieve (expectations), however we do not have patience to practice for a long time and give up in the middle. Thus we cannot attain whatever we practice or we cannot complete any of it. The causes for such failure are our self-cherishing and self-grasping attitudes.

We have many plans. Initially we receive the initiation of one deity and begin to do a retreat on the deity. Without completing the retreat, we try to receive other initiations, start on another retreat and commitments. Again without completing the retreat and commitments, we change our plan and think that perhaps it is good to do a hundred thousand prostrations. Without completing the hundred thousand prostrations, we think that perhaps it is good to make a hundred thousand offerings. Then again without completing the practice, we decide that it is good to recite mantras a hundred thousand times. At the end, we do not complete any of the practices properly. All this is due to the power of the self-cherishing and self-grasping attitudes.

By understanding the drawbacks of self-cherishing and self-grasping attitudes, we should try to eradicate this ‘treacherous concept’.

Verse 58:

Our wish to be happy is strong at all times,
Yet we do not gather merit to yield this result.
We have little endurance for hardship and suffering,
Yet ruthlessly push for the things we desire.
Trample him, trample him, dance on the head
Of this treacherous concept of selfish concern.
Tear out the heart of this self-centred butcher
Who slaughters our chance to gain final release.

We have strong desire for happiness but we do not create the cause for it, which is virtue, and purifying the negative karma. Instead, we always accumulate the causes for suffering and not accumulate the causes for happiness. We have to understand that this happens because of our strong self-cherishing and self-grasping attitudes.

Generally, we are ambitious, such as to be high achievers or scholars but we cannot study hard or endure the pain during our studies. Thus, although we have high ambitions, we cannot achieve them because we have little endurance for pain and hardship. Likewise, for Dharma practitioners, although their ambition is to attain liberation or Buddhahood, if they cannot bear the slightest pain, coolness and hotness during the practice to accumulate merit and purify negativities, there is no way they can achieve their aims. Whatever hardship or pain one experiences while working towards the path of liberation or Buddhahood, one should think that it is worthwhile to tolerate it. The reason for not being able to bear pain and hardship is due to our self-cherishing and self-grasping attitudes.

Verse 59:

With comparative ease, we develop new friendships,
Yet since we are callous, not one of them lasts.
We are filled with desire for food and fine clothing,
Yet failing to earn them, we steal and we scheme.
Trample him, trample him, dance on the head
Of this treacherous concept of selfish concern.
Tear out the heart of this self-centred butcher
Who slaughters our chance to gain final release.

When we meet lamas, without any analysis we receive teachings and make connections with them. Later, we criticise and distance ourselves from them. Also, we are eager to make new friends without analysing them. Soon we find that they are no good, we criticise them and break our friendship. Our friendship always flicker and is unstable. Therefore, before receiving teachings, one should investigate and analyse before establishing the connection with a lama. Also, one should analyse first before making friends. All these are caused by the self-cherishing and self-grasping attitudes.

Some people have very strong desire for food, clothing and wealth. But they do not create the causes for gaining wealth and prosperity, (which are making offerings to the Triple Gems and being generous with the poor). Instead they rob, steal or harm others to gain wealth. The root cause is the self-cherishing and self-grasping attitudes. We should try to understand this.

Question:
All these negative results are due to wrongs we have done in the past. Now we know the cause is the self-cherishing and self-grasping attitude. However, knowing and doing are two different things. When we request our Gurus for help, what sort of encouragements can we look for to continue this journey?

Gen-la:
It might be helpful to read about the life story of great teachers such as Shakyamuni Buddha. When he was not enlightened, he was the same as us ordinary beings who have gone through many sufferings. Later he met with the Mahayana teachings and spiritual masters. By practicing and knowing the good qualities of cherishing others and the disadvantages of self-cherishing, by striving to develop the altruistic intention to attain Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings, he was able to generate the genuine Bodhicitta. Later when he achieved Buddhahood, he was able to lead many sentient beings to enlightenment. Also Buddha said that one should initially pay homage to Bodhicitta which is the main cause for Buddhahood. Without Bodhicitta, there is no way that one can achieve Buddhahood. Although this practice of cherishing other sentient beings more than oneself and getting rid of the self-cherishing attitude is not an easy practice, if one tries, it is possible to achieve. In order not to feel discouraged, one could read the deeds of the bodhisattvas, how they sacrificed their lives and the hardships they endured for sentient beings. Reading the life stories of bodhisattvas could serve as an encouragement.

Question:
We do a lot of practice but usually do not complete it due to our "flickering" endurance. Could Gen-la give more advice on what we should do?

Gen-la:
If one reads the lifestories of the great Indian practitioners who lived in the jungle without food, such as Dharmarakshita who lived in a very isolated place. He had the thought that even if he died, he had no regrets because he was practicing exchanging self with others. Especially, if one reads the story of Buddha Shakyamuni, according to the Mahayana tradition, he was already enlightened but for the benefit of sentient beings he manifested as unenlightened beings such as Prince Siddhartha who meditated for six years without food to show those who want to achieve Buddhahood and liberation that one must work very hard to achieve these goals. Without hard work, one cannot achieve anything. We have to understand this. If one reads the deeds of bodhisattvas who travel with great hardships...not only bodhisattvas, but even the practitioners of solitary realisers and hearers, when they strive for personal liberation, they also have to go through many hardships. If one thinks about all this, perhaps, it can help you to endure the hardships.

For the case of real Dharma practitioners, if one tries to meditate and that meditation is not good, or one doesn’t have that much endurance and can’t tolerate that much, it is good to have strong faith in the Triple Gems and request blessings from them so as to be able to endure all the hardships one has to go through. In addition, one can also do prostrations and recite the mantra of a particular deity or Buddha. In this way, one would gradually build up one’s endurance in one’s practice and gain progress as days go by. There is no way one can be successful in one’s practice by just merely praying and making request, without putting in any effort and enduring any hardship.

In Lama Tsong Kharpa’s lifestory, at one stage he was not very clear about the Middle Way’s School of emptiness although he had a vision of Manjushri. Manjushri then advised him to go to Kopacholing to accumulate merit and purify negative karma. So Lama Tsong Kharpa did many prostrations and mandala offerings. Later he was able to see the Thirty-five Buddhas and clearly understand the Middle Way’s view on emptiness. Therefore, it is very important that whenever we find no success or progress in our practice, we should engage in accumulating merit and purifying negative karma such as making petition to one’s Guru, making offerings and prostrations, paying homage and making strong supplication to one’s Guru, so that one is able to progress in one’s practice.

Whenever we engage in any Dharma practice, when we do not see any result, we should not give up. If we do, we will not be able to accomplish anything. It is very important to make request or prayer to the Triple Gems or any deity that one feels close to and one can recite the mantra of that deity and make offerings. From sincere faith, make request, and one would receive the blessings from the deity and progress in practice. It is like the heat of the bright sunlight that touches the snow mountain. If the heat is very strong then it is very easy to melt the snow. Similarly, the sun represents our respect and faith in our Guru, the Triple Gems or the deity. The strength of our respect and faith towards these objects equals to the amount of blessings we are able to receive from them. Therefore, it is very important to have strong faith in them. Although these objects are impartial towards all sentient beings, the amount of blessings we could receive from them is dependent on the strength of our respect and faith towards them.

Question:
Does ‘hardship and suffering’ in Verse 58 only refer to the context of practice and not any other areas? Are we supposed to just endure it? Would it be alright to avoid them?

Gen-la:
Enduring hardships and sufferings does not only apply to Dharma practice, it also applies to worldly affairs like businesses. If we cannot endure the hardships, we would not be able to achieve our aim or purpose. In any venture we need to be able to endure the pain and hardships involved so as to achieve our aims.

Question:
I agree that in Dharma practice, we should endure till the very end but in terms of worldly affairs such as businesses, I think there is a certain level of endurance. Is it wrong to just get out of it and avoid it?

Gen-la:
Even in business, if we do not endure the hardships and persevere till the end, we would not be able to achieve our final goal.

Question:
Sometimes in our Dharma practice, the method we choose may not be very suitable for us. If we practice it regardless, we may suffer more, so we should abandon it. Just like in businesses, if we find that this business we engaged in is no good, we should try another business or there is another way of getting rich. Likewise, in Dharma practice, if there is such a situation whereby the method we have chosen to practice is not suitable, and in this case endurance would not help... because no matter how much we endure we cannot achieve the goal... as the method is wrong. If we still endure, we are suffering unnecessary...

Gen-la:
In the case of businesses, if we find that the business we are in is not successful, we can change to another business. In the practice of Dharma, if we use the wrong method for our practice, it is better to stop. Therefore it is very important that before one engages in a practice, one must gather all the information on the practice. For example, if one is going to do a retreat, one has to know what kind of motivation one has to set up and afterwards... Therefore it is very important to study before one begins to practice, either by reading up books or relying on the teacher, to make sure that one has the right method. If one has the right method then one would definitely be able to achieve the goal.

Question:
Is it correct to say that the bodhisattva does not deliberately seek nor avoid sufferings but just accept whatever that comes?

Gen-la:
Normally bodhisattvas pray that ‘may the sufferings of all sentient beings ripen upon myself’. So whenever they encounter sufferings, they would think that their prayer is being accomplished and willingly accept the suffering. It becomes a factor which helps them to achieve Buddhahood. It is like a path for them.

Question:
In Chinese tradition, if one member of a family takes up the robe, it is believed that seven generations of the family’s ancestors would not be reborn in the lower realms. Is it in the text?

Gen-la:
It is not in the teaching but could be interpreted as a method to encourage people to become monks and nuns because it is beneficial for them. If we say that one member of the family becomes a monk and seven generations of ancestors would be free from lower realms, it is like saying, we create the cause but someone else receives the result. That cannot be true. Shakyamuni Buddha has attained Buddhahood but sentient beings are still being born in the lower realms.

Question:
What about Mongallana’s mother who was liberated from hell?

Gen-la:
Mongallana’s miraculous powers and Buddha’s powers did not set Mongallana’s mother free from hell. Her liberation from hell was due to the cause she had created previously. It was not due to solely having the Sangha or the Buddha performing pujas for her. She had created the cause herself in the past.

You can find in the sutras that Buddhas or Bodhisattvas helped sentient beings from being born in the lower realms. The main thing is that the person must have some kind of connection or causes to be ripened at that time and that condition is the Buddha or Bodhisattvas. Buddha protects us from the lower realms through teaching us the Dharma and if we follow His teachings, we will not fall into the lower realms. This is how He protects us. Without ourselves striving in Dharma practice, there is no way that we can avoid sufferings in the lower realms because Buddhas and Bodhisattvas always think ‘how wonderful it would be if all sentient beings are to be freed from suffering’ but that does not happen.

Question:
Previously it was mentioned that one should practise according to one’s capacity otherwise onemight risk falling into the lower realms. Now we have heard so much about the benefits of Bodhicitta. However, if we do not have the capacity to practise Bodhicitta but are enticed by its benefits, what should we do?

Gen-la:
Although one might not have developed Bodhicitta, just by thinking about it already has great benefit.

In the case of falling into lower realms because one does not have the capacity to practise, it applies more to tantric practices. Like when you receive a tantric initiation, you have tantric commitments and vows. If you break the bodhisattva vows, you will have to bear the consequence, for example, to be born in the lower realms. However, in order to generate the thought of Bodhicitta, it is not necessary to take the bodhisattva vows. Even without bodhisattva vows, you can still meditate and generate Bodhicitta. It will still be of great benefit. If you cannot do it daily, it is also fine because whatever you have done today, you have created the merit.

Question:
There is so much self-cherishing and self-grasping in me that I don’t think I can get rid of in this life. So I try to be more generous and easy-going. What do I do if people take advantage of my generousity and easy-going attitude?

Gen-la:
Generally, this practice is extremely difficult because it is the bodhisattva’s practice. There are very few people who can practice cherishing other sentient beings and ignoring oneself. From the worldly point of view, if one is to dedicate one’s heart to cherish others and to get rid of the self-cherishing attitude, one might not be able to fit into the society. For example when Prince Siddhartha gave up his princely life, many people thought that he was crazy or mad. For us, it is very important that whatever Dharma practice we can undertake, such as observing the Ten Moralities and to abandon the Ten Non-virtues such as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, etc...it is easy to identify them as non-virtuous and to abandon them. For beginners, it is important to practise achieving morality. In addition, have firm faith in the Buddha’s teaching on cause and effect, so as to abandon as much as possible all the unwholesome actions and try to cultivate the wholesome actions as much as possible. In this way, one slowly progresses in one’s practice and it would be easier for one to develop realisation for the advanced practices. It is good that you practise generousity. When you practise generosity, it is very important not to expect returns. In this way the practice is more powerful. When you make offerings to the Triple Gems or help the poor, you do not expect anything in return (e.g. being wealthy in next life, etc) but your motivation is just to help other sentient beings. In this way, your practice becomes pure and in this way one can develop one’s good heart.

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Note on authentication

Jacqueline Lam prepared the original typescript from the tape recording. Pek Chee Hen checked and edited the typescript.

@ Losang Dragpa Centre, September 2001


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