1 – H.H. Dalai Lama: Commentary on the Rosary of Views

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama: Milarepa’s story testifies to the fact that it is through hardship and constant practice that eventually leads to realization, not through a simple blessing or being touched on the head by another’s palm.

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama: Milarepa’s story testifies to the fact that it is through hardship and constant practice that eventually leads to realization, not through a simple blessing or being touched on the head by another’s palm.

Commentary on the Rosary of Views by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama

19-21, 2004, Miami, Florida. Translated by Thubten Jinpa. Sept. Transcribed, annotated and edited by Phillip Lecso.

Day One

His Holiness  the XIV Dalai Lama

I will not be giving the transmission or empowerment for this teaching since in preparation for the Kalachakra in Toronto I had to do a great deal of chanting which was difficult for my lungs. Since you will not receive the empowerment ceremony and the blessing in that form, please do not feel that this is a great loss for you. In fact, it is more important to contemplate, reflect and meditate. Even if one may receive tens, hundreds or thousands of empowerment ceremonies, they will not be of much effect or benefit. So we will be spending two days on teaching the explanation of this text, giving an explanation of the Dharma which in a way is more important than receiving an empowerment blessing. Continue reading »

2 – H.H. Dalai Lama: Commentary on the Rosary of Views

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama: If one deeply observes the nature of these physical and mental constituents that make up one’s existence then it becomes evident that none of them are permanent; they are all transient, they are all subject to fluctuations, changes and so on.

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama: If one deeply observes the nature of these physical and mental constituents that make up one’s existence then it becomes evident that none of them are permanent; they are all transient, they are all subject to fluctuations, changes and so on.

Commentary on the Rosary of Views by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama

19-21, 2004, Miami, Florida. Translated by Thubten Jinpa. Sept. Transcribed, annotated and edited by Phillip Lecso.

Day two.

His Holiness  the XIV Dalai Lama

We left off speaking of the Four Seals of Buddhism.

4) Nirvana is true peace. Nirvana here is the transcendence of all sorrow and refers to a state where one is totally free from conditioned existence, existence conditioned by means of fundamental ignorance. I spoke about how existence is characterized by ignorance and how one’s existence is therefore in the nature of suffering. Continue reading »

3 – H.H. Dalai Lama: Commentary on the Rosary of Views

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama: All phenomena are devoid of an intrinsic nature; all phenomena are thoroughly pure from the very beginning; all phenomena are thoroughly radiant; all phenomena are naturally transcendent nirvana and all phenomena are manifestly enlightened.

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama: All phenomena are devoid of an intrinsic nature; all phenomena are thoroughly pure from the very beginning; all phenomena are thoroughly radiant; all phenomena are naturally transcendent nirvana and all phenomena are manifestly enlightened.

Commentary on the Rosary of Views by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama

19-21, 2004, Miami, Florida. Translated by Thubten Jinpa. Sept. Transcribed, annotated and edited by Phillip Lecso.

Day Three

His Holiness  the XIV Dalai Lama

To pick up from where I left off yesterday, but first I would like to share that it is important to bear in mind and understand that one commonality of all of the teachings of the great religious traditions of the world is that the emphasis is not so much relying upon external material conditions for one’s wellbeing and happiness but rather to focus upon internal development of one’s inner resources. Continue reading »

5 – H.H. Dalai Lama: Commentary on the Rosary of Views

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama: I think that basically, as you know, if the Buddhist system is utilized in a maximum way then try to transform your emotions; this is the proper way, not just prayer, not just faith but utilize your intelligence to analyze, analyze, thinking, thinking. In this way you develop some kind of conviction which brings determination which brings effort and then time passes and things will change.

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama: I think that basically, as you know, if the Buddhist system is utilized in a maximum way then try to transform your emotions; this is the proper way, not just prayer, not just faith but utilize your intelligence to analyze, analyze, thinking, thinking. In this way you develop some kind of conviction which brings determination which brings effort and then time passes and things will change.

Commentary on the Rosary of Views by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama

19-21, 2004, Miami, Florida. Translated by Thubten Jinpa. Sept. Transcribed, annotated and edited by Phillip Lecso.

.Day Four

His Holiness  the XIV Dalai Lama

We will start with the ceremony for generating the awakening mind. Generating bodhicitta or the awakening mind is truly the essence of the Buddha’s teachings as well as the path. One can say that all of the various elements of the practices presented in the teachings of the Vehicles of the Disciples and of the Self-Realized Ones can be viewed as preliminary to the practice of bodhicitta or awakening mind. The cultivation of the awakening mind is the main practice or the main element of the path. All of the other practices such as the Six Perfections and all of the Vajrayana practices can be seen as precepts of generating the awakening mind. Particularly the Vajrayana practices can be seen as an extension, elaboration or refined development of especially the last two perfections, the Perfection of Concentration and the Perfection of Wisdom.

For this ceremony for generating the awakening mind, first of all imagine the Buddha in the space in front in a standing posture. Imagine that this is really the Buddha and that he is surrounded by all of the great bodhisattva masters of India such as Nagarjuna and so on and the great bodhisattva masters of Tibet from both the Old Translation and the New Translation, all of whom made tremendous contributions for the welfare of sentient beings. Continue reading »

Instructions on the Garland of Views

The great master Padmasambhava

The great master Padmasambhava

Instructions on the Garland of Views

The only written teaching by Padmasambhava (Lopon Pema Jungna)

A note summarizing the different views, vehicles and so on.

Homage to the Blessed Manjushrikumara and Vajradhharma!

The Worldly Paths

The countless erroneous views that exist in the realms of the world may be subsumed into four categories: (i) the unreflective, (ii) the materialists, (iii) the nihilists and (iv) the extremists.

The unreflective do not understand whether or not all things and events have causes and conditions; they are thoroughly ignorant. The materialists do not understand whether or not there exist previous and subsequent lives and, relying upon the words of mundane secrets, they acquire wealth and power [only] for this one life. The nihilists view all phenomena to be devoid of cause and effects and maintain all elements of existence that have come about in this one life as having done so accidentally. Continue reading »