Tag Archives: letting go

Finding Our Way Out – 37 Practices – Session 19

While there may be various methods and paths in the tradition of buddhadharmāḥ (teaching of the Buddha), Acharya Lhakpa pointed out that their intention is the same: obtaining the state of buddhahood. What role does meditation play and what is the practice of wisdom from the perspective of the heroic path of a bodhisattva? This is shown by Ngulchu Tokmé in verses 29 and 30 of his 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva. 

Calm-abiding Meditation: Letting Go of Resistance

At the beginning of our practice of śamatha (calm-abiding meditation), we connect with the aspiration to obtain genuine freedom and wellbeing for the sake of all beings, and carefully pay attention to our posture of body. During this session, the emphasis was on the way we relate to the things appearing to our senses, be it seemingly outer objects or what we experience on the inside. 

Whatever appears, in the practice of śamatha we do not resist. In other words, we accept or embrace whatever appears to mind and bring our attention back to this present moment. In this way, we can tame and train the mind in order to perfect the actions (pāramitās) of a bodhisattva. 

Three Vehicles: Different Methods, Same Intention

As a dharma practitioner, we may come across different teachings and methods. Sometimes it may even seem that they are contradictory. However, our resident teacher, Acharya Lhakpa, stressed, “no matter how many different methods are taught, their intention is the same.” This intention is expressed by the following words of Buddha Śākyamuni, as recorded in the Sūtras: 

“Know suffering. Abandon the causes of suffering. Attain the result. Rely on the path.” 

This is the basic shared principle of the three vehicles–Hīnayāna, Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna. At the same time, the focus or outlook and method of these three is different: 

  • On the path of the Hīnayāna, the focus is to be personally liberated from the suffering of saṃsāra;
  • On the path of the Mahāyāna, we not only seek individual liberation but seek complete enlightenment for the benefit of everyone; 
  • On the path of the Vajrayāna, enlightenment is taught to be present already, right here, and not something to be attained at a later time. The focus here is: How to recognize or reveal that? 

So, while the destination of the path can be considered the same, the methods, and therefore the paths, are somewhat different. 

Śamatha (calm-abiding) and Vipaśyanā (special insight)

With this understanding in mind, Acharya turned towards verse 29 of Ngulchu Tokmé’s 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva, which reads: 

“Knowing that through superior insight endowed with thorough calm abiding;
The mental afflictions are completely subdued,
To meditate with the concentration that perfectly goes beyond
The four formless states is the practice of a bodhisattva.”(Quoted from: A Guide to the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva, translated by Christopher Stagg) 

This verse shows the fifth pāramitā: meditative absorption or concentration. While the different vehicles contain many meditation techniques, these can be all grouped together under two types of meditation: śamatha (calm-abiding) and vipaśyanā (special insight). Referring to the etymological meaning of the Sanskrit terms, Acharya explained these as follows: 

  • Calm-abiding or meditative calm means that we do not get distracted by outer objects like forms, sounds, smells, and so forth, nor by the afflictive emotions that disturbs us within. While we usually think we are in control of our own mind, when we start to engage in the practice of śamatha, we discover that we don’t really have a good sense of the working and nature of the mind. Through regular practice, even if just five or ten minutes a day, we will increasingly be able to concentrate and abide in a state of calmness. 
  • The technique called Special Insight means we start to analyze reality. Are the objects of our senses, like a pen we can see with our eyes, inherently existent and truly established? If we look carefully, we will be able to discover that things are not as they appear. We will realize that all phenomena are dependent upon one another, and the names we attach to them are merely imputations. This is true for something we label as pen, be it long or short, as well as whom we consider enemies and friends, including yourself! 

In all three vehicles, these two types of meditation need to be practiced together. 

The Four Formless States

Combining Calm-Abiding and Special Insight, the ability of the mind to concentrate and remain on the same object over long periods of time, will increase and take us to the four formless states referenced by Ngulchu Tokmé. These are states of concentration of meditative absorption in which we perceive phenomena differently than usual: 

  1. The sense field of infinite space;
  2. The sense field of infinite consciousness;
  3. The sense field of nothing-at-all, and; 
  4. Neither perception nor non-perception. 

While the practice of śamatha and vipaśyanā will enable us to move to these higher states of meditative absorption, Acharya emphasized that these are all still within the world of suffering. The practice of a bodhisattva, he explained, is to go even further and leave saṃsāra behind completely. This is why Ngulchu Tokmé writes that “to meditate with the concentration that perfectly goes beyond / the four formless states is the practice of a bodhisattva.”

Preliminary or Preparations for Prajñā (Wisdom)

In the next verse, verse 30, Ngulchu Tokmé points to the sixth and last perfection: prajñā (wisdom or superior knowledge): 

“Without prajñā, the five pāramitās
Cannot accomplish perfect enlightenment. 
Therefore, to meditate on the prajñā that is endowed with means
And does not conceive the three spheres is the practice of a bodhisattva.” 

While prajñā is taught to be the most important pāramitā and what we are ultimately looking for, Acharya pointed out that this verse shows that there is no chance for wisdom to arise without meditation. Therefore, he said, we can think of meditation as the preliminary or preparatory practice which is indispensable. 

Furthermore, as pointed out in earlier sessions, for meditation to go well, we need to perfect diligence first. Diligence will only come about through the practice of patience. Patience, in turn, depends on discipline. Before discipline, first of all, we need to engage in the perfection of generosity. Thus, wisdom depends on all the preceding five pāramitās. “Without them,” Acharya said, “we will not be able to attain wisdom.” 

Transcending the Three Spheres

Understanding the practice of the bodhisattvas in this way, the last two lines of the verse on prajñā also show the main purpose of dharma practice: The realization of the wisdom of selflessness. 

First of all, we need to understand what is meant by the three spheres. Illustrating this with links that are connected with each other and becoming a chain that binds us to saṃsāra, the three spheres basically refer to the deeply habituated mind that holds on to a truly existing self. As a consequence, we conceive of three “spheres”: an agent, action, and object. For example, when practicing generosity, we usually think of ourselves as the subject (agent) who engages in the act of giving (action) and someone considered to be the recipient (object). 

It is precisely the conceptualization of these three spheres that we are seeking to abandon through the practice of wisdom. “This is what we are transcending, what we need to let go,” Acharya said. Therefore, he continued, “the practice of wisdom is that of letting go of the three spheres. If we try to hold on to those spheres, we will continue to be bound to saṃsāra. This is like getting lost in a maze or labyrinth.” The practice of wisdom, then, can be understood as finding the way out. 

Acharya concluded our session by expressing his gratitude to all present, wishing everyone to have a wonderful day, and warmly inviting everyone to join us again next Sunday. Following that, we dedicated the merit.

Embracing Impermanence – 37 Practices – Session 4

Reminding us of the importance of the posture of our body – to sit straight yet relaxed – and the posture of mind – simply being aware – our resident teacher, Acharya Lhakpa, began the practice of śamatha, or calm-abiding meditation, for those who were present onsite and also online. Following our practice together, Acharya addressed questions that participants kindly had submitted about our previous sessions. 

Knowing our capacity

In our last session, Acharya Lhakpa taught about the fragility of our compassionate heart at the beginning of our journey, likening it to a sprout. The first question spoke to this topic by asking what to do when we are exposed to a harmful environment. 

While bodhicitta means having the aspiration to become fully awakened for the purpose of liberating all sentient beings, merely having the thought of benefiting others is not sufficient. Acharya pointed out that we also need the capacity to skillfully act on that intention, otherwise we risk the possibility of causing harm. He illustrated this with the example of medical professionals who are trained to help someone who sustained broken arms and legs in a car accident. The medics are those who can really help in that situation. 

Bodhisattvas who have achieved one of the ten bodhisattva levels are the ones who can turn a harmful environment into something beneficial for everyone. They may even give their eyes and parts of their bodies away, if that is of benefit. As ordinary people, until we are further along the path, our focus should be on giving rise to bodhicitta and ensuring it does not lessen but rather increase. As beginners, if we see that engaging with or staying in a harmful situation is not beneficial, then it is better to keep some distance, while praying that we can change things for the better in the future. That, in itself, can be considered courageous.

Daily recitations

The second question asked about the way to integrate the 37 verses into formal practice and daily life. Acharya Lhakpa said that if we could recite these verses daily, slowly and while considering the meaning of the verse, that would be of great benefit. 

He offered the suggestion to take one verse every week, using the first verse as an example: What is the meaning of that verse? How is that verse true? What are the reasons for our human lives being precious and what are the methods to make it meaningful? Reflecting on the verse in this way, no doubt, will be beneficial. 

Connecting our understanding of these verses with the meaning of the dharma, Acharya emphasized that the teachings of the Buddha, like the instructions from the Mahāmudrā tradition, are all about taming and training our mind. Without worrying about how others are practicing, we should instead focus on our own mind and the cultivation of bodhicitta, for those are at the heart of the verses and instructions.

Letting go of the three spheres

The third and final question posed to our resident teacher asked about the challenge of understanding how to be compassionate and full of loving-kindness without becoming attached. In his response, Acharya indicated that it is indeed far from easy to have loving-kindness and compassion without attachment, at the beginning. “No matter how much we try not to have attachment,” he said, “there is always some level of attachment involved.” 

So, what is the method to develop attachment-free loving-kindness and compassion? In the tradition of the Mahāyāna, the method to cultivate this is to begin extending loving-kindness and compassion to those close to us: our mother, family, friends, and relatives. Slowly we can strengthen and expand our loving-kindness and compassion so that it includes those we don’t like or consider enemies and beings we don’t know at all. In this way, we can slowly move towards loving-kindness and compassion without attachment. 

Furthermore, Acharya Lhakpa pointed out that on the Mahāyāna path, our practice always needs to include the skilfull method of loving-kindness and compassion together with wisdom. “If the method is without wisdom,” he said, “then it actually becomes the base or ground for suffering.” 

The wisdom taught in the Mahāyāna is that of loving-kindness and compassion free from the three spheres. With all our actions, we typically think in terms of the object of the action, the agent, and the act itself — these three spheres, however, are what we need to relinquish. Bringing method and wisdom together in this way will eventually help us accomplish attachment-free compassion. 

Heart of awakening, breath of compassion

By way of making a bridge between the questions and the next verse, Acharya made a general comment about the 37 practices of a bodhisattva—that they are all a guide for us to give rise to bodhicitta, or the heart of awakening. This quality found within us needs to be activated and expanded, not just for our own benefit but for all sentient beings. Once we activate this heart of awakening, we must keep it alive. 

For example, he said, when a heart is shocked and requires revival, it needs to start beating again. Similarly, after activating bodhicitta, we must sustain it with the breath of compassion. Just as breathing supports a heartbeat, our continuous practice of compassion sustains our bodhicitta. 

Redirecting our minds

Acharya pointed out that to activate and sustain bodhicitta we must understand that “we need to mobilize the strength of our mind in the right direction and direct our thoughts toward wholesome and meaningful actions.” The mind serves as the key support for this process.”Without it,” he said, “there is no other avenue to give rise to bodhicitta.” This shows the immense capacity for our mind to cultivate bodhicitta, and the potential to benefit ourselves and others. 

However, Acharya continued, our worldly habitual patterns distract us from accomplishing this purpose. We often fall under the influence of kleśas, especially the three poisons—desire, aversion, and ignorance—which form the foundation for all other mental disturbances. As a result, our minds become habituated to instant gratification instead of seeking full awakening to liberate ourselves and all sentient beings. A main point of studying Ngulchu Tokmé’s The Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva is to tame and train our minds so that we can overcome these tendencies and redirect ourselves toward the heroic path of compassion.

Following the Q&A, we turned our attention to the fourth verse, which emphasizes impermanence. 

Seeing and accepting impermanence as change

The fourth verse reads as follows: 

“We will part from every loved one we have long associated with. 
We will leave behind the wealth we have so diligently amassed.
Our consciousness, the guest, will cast away this body, the guest house. 
To let go of this life is the practice of a bodhisattva.” (4)
– from: A Guide to the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva, translated by Christopher Stagg)

The verse itself, Acharya Lhakpa noted, is very clear and not difficult to understand. The most challenging part is how to bring it into practice. How to internalize this verse?

When we hear about impermanence, we often feel a bit depressed. However, Acharya commented that it is just change taking place from moment to moment. “Understanding impermanence is to accept the change happening around us,” he said. Gampopa extensively discusses this in Ornament of Precious Liberation, where he outlines four kinds of impermanence:

  1. Overall Impermanence: This refers to the universe and planets, which contemporary science confirms they are constantly moving and changing.
  2. Subtle Impermanence: The constant changes in seasons and other natural cycles.
  3. Outer Impermanence: The impermanence of others, such as our relatives and friends.
  4. Inner Impermanence: This concerns our own personal impermanence and is about looking within ourselves. 

While it may feel challenging to reflect deeply on this, the main practice taught in this fourth verse is to see and embrace the truth of impermanence. 

Why hold onto things that fall apart?

The four lines in this verse teach about impermanence, which is directly related to death. They show how all phenomena of samsara are compounded and, at some point, will fall apart. No matter how strong our connections and attachments are, there will come a day when we will be separated from everything we hold onto. This is true for our family, relatives, and friends; this is true for our possessions; and this is also true for that which is closest to us—our own body.

If this is so, does “letting go of this life,” identified in the fourth line as the practice of a bodhisattva, mean we must abandon everyone and everything worldly or neglect our bodies? Acharya commented, “That is not the point here. The true meaning of ‘letting go of this life’ is to understand that all phenomena—people, things, and our own bodies—will eventually fall apart. Realizing this allows us to let go mentally while still engaging fully with the world in a meaningful way. If we have this understanding, then all is fine.”

Concluding words of advice

To conclude, Acharya Lhakpa shared that these verses can be difficult to comprehend at first. Therefore, it is important to read and contemplate them. If, for example, we contemplate and connect with the deeper meaning of this fourth verse, then it will help us let go of this life as being permanent and to embrace change, which will be of benefit to us and to others. “So, please read this verse,” he said, “be your own teacher, and practice.”