> W o r d s
The
path of wisom -
#3
Lectures
given at Dhagpo Kagyu Ling in October 1997
SOME
IMPORTANT TIBETAN TERMS TO UNDERSTAND
There are some Tibetan terms that are very useful for us to understand.
Even though we may not fully understand them now but it is good
to keep them in mind and to make a connection. For example, enlightenment
is often described as the realization of mind. To achieve this goal,
the main meditation that we do is called Mahamudra or phyag rgya
chen po (chagya chenpo) in Tibetan. The term, Mahamudra, is difficult
to translate into English because there is no such term for it.
The word, Mahamudra, is still a term. The understanding of what
it really means will come to us through our own action and efforts.
The understanding will come through experience. Experience does
not mean only the practitioner's experience, but also the experience
of the masters who have realized the results of the meditation.
These masters are the holders of the teachings and methods and they
are quite capable to transmit them to others.
gdams ngag (damngag)
Then there is gdams ngag (damngag), which means, literally, clarity.
In the context of the relationship between the teacher and the disciple,
gdams ngag (damngag) points to a clear connection, a feeling in
the disciple based upon genuine trust, free of doubts and negativities
with respect to the dharma practice. The disciple relies on the
teacher to give him the explanation of the meaning of the teachings
or practice.
There
are many examples of gdams ngag (damngag) in the historical biographies
of Marpa, Milarepa, and the Karmapas, who are all masters within
the Kagyu tradition. Conventional biographies of famous figures
like Napoleon give us some ideas of past events with information
such as the time, the place and the descriptions of past events.
But contained within the life history of the great masters like
Saraha, Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, or the first Karmapa, is
a treasury of Dharma transmissions based on gdams ngag (damngag).
gdams ngag (damngag) here means that in order for a certain result
to take place, certain conditions and requirements must be present.
For example, to cure an illness, the appropriate medicine must be
taken. gdams ngag (damngag) is similar to this. When we lack understanding,
when we need an explanation, an instruction, or when we need to
know what to do, gdams ngag (damngag) gives us the answer. It is
important for a practitioner to know this so that when he reads
the biography of Milarepa, for instance, he will recognize and will
pick up the meanings relevant to the practice. Otherwise, reading
the biographies as history would not help us at all. The clear transmission
from teacher to disciple, or gdams ngag (damngag), may be better
illustrated by the following example of a story from the Life of
Naropa:
"
Naropa was a great pandita of Buddhism at the Nalanda University
in India. A Pandita is a scholar of the highest rank. But still
Naropa was looking for more teachings. This shows us that indeed
there is no highest but that learning is limitless. Naropa knew
he needed a great instructor. He had heard of Tilopa and felt that
he must look for him. This was Naropa's own understanding, and of
course, it is not applicable to everyone. But for Naropa, Tilopa
was not so easy to find. Tilopa would hide himself quite well when
he did not wish to be found. This was done for a very good reason.
Tilopa wanted to make Naropa really examine himself to reach the
right understanding. Now the word, "hide" may not be the
precise description of what Tilopa did. To disguise himself, Tilopa
emanated in the form of a wounded dog. Many worms crawled in its
wound while lying on the side of the road. When Naropa saw the dog,
he did not pay it any attention. He was so preoccupied with finding
Tilopa that he had no time to tend to the dog. Now Naropa knew the
concept of compassion, he knew the suffering, yet, he left the dog
unattended. He hurried along in his own self-interest. Subsequently,
Tilopa appeared to Naropa and said, "If you are not completely
committed due to the suffering of beings, if you are not fully committed
to compassion, then you will not find the Lama." Not finding
the lama means that you are not connected to realization. From this
incident, Naropa understood that he had not yet truly engaged in
Bodhicitta (compassion). Without a genuine motivation in Bodhicitta,
he would not gain any realization. So we say that he understood
this point through "gdams ngag (damngag)". "
It
is very important to know gdams ngag (damngag) if you are a full-time
practitioner, a research dharma student, or if you are engaged in
the preliminary practices. Only then can you recognize it when the
time comes. gdams ngag (damngag) also plays an important part in
the transmission of the Mahamudra teachings and other similar teachings.
This type of transmission is not exclusive to one tradition, or
one system, or one lineage. Rather, its purpose is to clarify whatever
it is that we do not understand. Like Naropa, we have to be prepared
or qualified to receive the transmission. Otherwise, even if Buddha
were here, we would still not achieve the realization. Naropa immediately
realized the lesson through gdams ngag (damngag), not just once,
but at twelve different occasions. The details are very precise
and they are all recounted in his biography. This kind of biography
is very important. The gdams ngag (damngag) teachings contained
therein are vast and unlimited. The means of approach are also unlimited
to understand the varying degrees of depth. The gdams ngag (damngag)
transmissions are also considered a part of the oral instructions.
The oral instructions are all about how to give meaning, point by
point.
byin rlabs (djinlab)
Another type of oral instruction is called "byin rlabs (djinlab)"
in Tibetan. There is no exact translation for this term. It is a
little bit like receiving blessing through prayer or through the
practice of Guru Yoga. The meaning is like this: whenever we do
not understand something in our practice, byin rlabs (djinlab) is
there to help us understand. For example, when we say mind, it is
not so easy to know what we mean by it. But everybody talks about
mind, the Buddha nature. We hear the word, and we guess at its meaning.
We hear about the qualities of the Buddha and immediately we feel
something though we may not understand. In order to understand,
we do the practices such as reciting the sadhanas (practice texts),
meditating, and doing the different practices. We say that the qualities
of the Lama enter our mind. This means that his realization, his
understanding of the mind, his Buddha nature, connects to our own
mind. It is byin rlabs (djinlab) that enables this connection. On
the surface, it may look as if it is a wish or prayer. In actuality,
we are already using the methods and teachings. Somehow, certain
words and explanations will start to make sense to us. The understanding
is not ours to create. It is how byin rlabs (djinlab) works. It
is very difficult to show. By knowing that this kind of effect can
take place, then, when we experience it ourselves, we will understand
it as such.
We
are made aware of gdams ngag (damngag) and byin rlabs (djinlab)
to help us understand the practices and the teachings. For example,
reading the story about Naropa without the awareness of gdams ngag
(damngag) reduces it to just a story. It is not useful to us when
we have missed the meaning. The same applies to byin rlabs (djinlab).
In the practices of Guru Yoga and Chenrezig, there is communication.
Normally, communication means word communication. But in Vajrayana
practices, the visualization and receiving the essence of the yidam
is byin rlabs (djinlab). Though it is important for us to know,
it does not mean that we should/could immediately use it. We should
instead take this information and try to see for ourselves. The
Songs of Milarepa contain a lot of these points. They are clearly
presented and easy to understand.
In
terms of results they could be temporary, or ultimate. For example,
we all say we need blessing but what is our understanding of its
meaning. The ultimate meaning of blessing is the connection to the
special qualities within our practice. It is like sitting in a dark
room and you want to let the sunlight in. But if you do not know
how to open the curtains, the sunlight cannot get in.
When
we understand the terms such as gdams ngag (damngag), byin rlabs
(djinlab), or blessings, then our understanding of our practice
will become clearer. Otherwise, our expectations of the results
of the practices will not be quite right. Of course, some results
are always there when we pray, or when we recite the mantras. But
the main result is our becoming closer to the qualities that the
practices are supposed to bring out. For example, the real meaning
of the short and simple sadhana practice of Chenrezig is to become
like Chenrezig. The result is that we become free of our ignorance,
we gain the capability of Chenrezig, and we can act like Chenrezig.
This is real and not some kind of misinformation. For now, we may
not have this wish to be Chenrezig. Individually, each of us may
have different reasons for doing the practice. Regardless, we still
gain benefit from our efforts; but if we engender the proper attitude,
then the result is ever stronger.
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