II THE TEACHING ITSELF: AN EXPLANATION OF HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FIND THE FREEDOMS AND ADVANTAGES Reflecting on the nature of freedom Reflecting on the particular advantages related to Dharma 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 THE THE THE THE FIVE INDIVIDUAL ADVANTAGES FIVE CIRCUMSTANTIAL ADVANTAGES EIGHT INTRUSIVE CIRCUMSTANCES EIGHT INCOMPATIBLE PROPENSITIES Reflecting on images that show how difficult it is to find the freedoms and advantages Reflecting on numerical comparisons 19 21 22 25 30 31 33 34 • Chapter Two The impermanence of life I THE IMPERMANENCE OF THE OUTER UNIVERSE IN WHICH BEINGS LIVE 39 II THE IMPERMANENCE OF BEINGS LIVING IN THE UNIVERSE 41 III THE IMPERMANENCE OF HOLY BEINGS 42 IV THE IMPERMANENCE OF THOSE IN POSITIONS OF POWER 44 V OTHER EXAMPLES OF IMPERMANENCE 45 VI THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEATH 53 VII INTENSE AWARENESS OF IMPERMANENCE 54 • Chapter Three The defects of saritsara I THE SUFFERINGS OF SAMSARA IN GENERAL 61 II THE PARTICULAR SUFFERINGS EXPERIENCED BY THE BEINGS OF THE SIX REALMS The eighteen hells 1.1 1.1.1 1.1.2 1.1.3 1.1.4 THE EIGHT HOT HELLS The Reviving Hell The Black-Line Hell The Rounding-Up and Crushing Hell The Howling Hell 63 64 64 65 XV 1.1.5 1.1.6 1.1.7 1.1.8 1.1.9 The Great Howling Hell The Heating Hell ·The Intense Heating Hell The Hell of Ultimate Torment The Neighbouring Hells 1.2 THE EIGHT COLD HELLS 1.3 THE EPHEMERAL HELLS The pretas 2.1 PRETAS WHO LIVE COLLECTIVELY 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.3 2.2 Pretas suffering from external obscurations Pretas suffering from internal obscurations Pretas suffering from specific obscurations PRETAS WHO MOVE THROUGH SPACE ANIMALS LIVING IN THE DEPTHS 3.2 ANIMALS THAT LIVE SCATTERED IN DIFFERENT PLACES 73 73 75 76 76 78 The human realm THE THREE FUNDAMENTAL TYPES OF SUFFERING 4.1 4.1.1 4.1.2 4.1.3 4.2 The suffering of change Suffering upon suffering The suffering of everything composite 78 79 79 THE SUFFERINGS OF BIRTH, SICKNESS, OLD AGE AND DEATH 4.2.1 4.2.2 4.2.3 4.2.4 4.3 72 The animals 3.1 65 65 65 66 66 68 69 81 82 83 84 The suffering of birth The suffering of old age The suffering of sickness The suffering of death OTHER HUMAN SUFFERINGS 4.3.1 The fear of meeting hated enemies 4.3.2 The fear of losing loved ones 4.3.3 The suffering of not getting what one wants 4.3.4 The suffering of encountering what one does not want The asuras The gods 85 86 89 89 92 93 • Chapter Four Actions: the principle of cause and effect I NEGATIVE ACTIONS TO BE ABANDONED The ten negative actions to be avoided 1.1 TAKING LIFE 1.2 TAKING WHAT IS NOT GIVEN xvi 101 102 105 1.3 1.4 107 107 108 108 108 110 110 110 SEXUAL MISCONDUCT LYING SOWING DISCORD HARSH SPEECH WORTHLESS CHATTER COVETOUSNESS WISHING HARM ON OTHERS WRONG VIEWS 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 The effects of the ten negative actions 112 2.1 2.2 THE FULLY RIPENED EFFECT THE EFFECT SIMILAR TO THE CAUSE 112 112 112 113 116 116 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.3 2.4 Actions Similar to the Cause Experiences Similar to the Cause THE CONDITIONING EFFECT THE PROLIFERATING EFFECT II POSITIVE ACTIONS TO BE ADOPTED III THE ALL-DETERMINING QUALITY OF ACTIONS 117 118 • Chapter Five The benefits of liberation I CAUSES LEADING TO LIBERATION II THE RESULT: THE THREE LEVELS OF ENLIGHTENMENT 133 134 • Chapter Six How to follow a spiritual friend II FOLLOWING THE TEACHER 137 143 III EMULATING THE TEACHER'S REALIZATION AND ACTIONS 149 I EXAMINING THE TEACHER xvii PART TWO THE EXTRAORDINARY OR INTERNAL PRELIMINARIES • Chapter One Taking refuge, foundation stone of all paths I APPROACHES TO TAKING REFUGE Faith 1.1 VIVID FAITH 1.2 1.3 EAGER FAITH CONFIDENT FAITH 171 172 172 Motivation 2.1 THE REFUGE OF LESSER BEINGS 2.2 THE REFUGE OF MIDDLING BEINGS 2.3 THE REFUGE OF GREAT BEINGS 176 176 176 177 II HOW TO TAKE REFUGE III PRECEPTS AND BENEFITS OF TAKING REFUGE The precepts of taking refuge 1.1 THE THREE THINGS TO BE ABANDONED 1.2 THE THREE THINGS TO BE DONE 1.3 THE THREE SUPPLEMENTARY PRECEPTS The benefits of taking refuge 182 183 183 187 • Chapter Two Arousing bodhicitta, the root of the Great Vehicle I TRAINING THE MIND IN THE FOUR BOUNDLESS QUALITIES Meditation on impartiality Meditation on love Meditation on compassion Meditation on sympathetic joy 195 196 198 201 213 II AROUSING BODHICITTA 1.1 xviii Classification based on the three degrees of courage THE COURAGE OF A KING 218 1.2 THE COURAGE OF A BOATMAN 1.3 THE COURAGE OF A SHEPHERD Classification according to the Bodhisattva levels Classification according to the nature of bodhicitta 3.1 218 218 218 RELATIVE BODHICITTA 3.1.1 3.1.2 3.2 Intention Application ABSOLUTE BODHICITTA Taking the vow of bodhicitta 219 219 219 220 III TRAINING IN THE BODHICITTA PRECEPTS Training in the precepts of the bodhicitta of aspiration 1.1 1.2 1.3 CONSIDERING OTHERS AS EQUAL TO ONESELF EXCHANGING ONESELF AND OTHERS CONSIDERING OTHERS MORE IMPORTANT THAN_ ONESELF Training in the precepts of the bodhicitta of application: the six transcendent perfections 2.1 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.3 2.2 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.2.3 2.3 2.3.1 2.3.2 2.3.3 2.4 2.4.1 2.4.2 2.4.3 2.5 2.5.1 2.5.2 2.6 2.-6.1 2.6.2 2.6.3 222 223 228 TRANSCENDENT GENEROSITY Material giving Giving Dharma Giving protection from fear TRANSCENDENT DISCIPLINE Avoiding negative actions Undertaking positive actions Bringing benefit to others 234 236 238 238 239 239 239 TRANSCENDENT PATIENCE Patience when wronged Patience to bear hardships for the Dharma Patience to face the profound truth without fear 240 242 244 TRANSCENDENT DILIGENCE Armour-like diligence Diligence in action Diligence that cannot be stopped 245 245 246 TRANSCENDENT CONCENTRATION Giving up distractions Actual concentration 248 250 TRANSCENDENT WISDOM Wisdom through hearing Wisdom through reflection Wisdom through meditation 251 251 252 xix ... BODHICITTA PRECEPTS Training in the precepts of the bodhicitta of aspiration 1.1 1.2 1.3 CONSIDERING OTHERS AS EQUAL TO ONESELF EXCHANGING ONESELF AND OTHERS CONSIDERING OTHERS MORE IMPORTANT THAN_... REFUGE OF LESSER BEINGS 2.2 THE REFUGE OF MIDDLING BEINGS 2.3 THE REFUGE OF GREAT BEINGS 176 176 176 177 II HOW TO TAKE REFUGE III PRECEPTS AND BENEFITS OF TAKING REFUGE The precepts of taking... 1.1.9 The Great Howling Hell The Heating Hell ? ?The Intense Heating Hell The Hell of Ultimate Torment The Neighbouring Hells 1.2 THE EIGHT COLD HELLS 1.3 THE EPHEMERAL HELLS The pretas 2.1 PRETAS