Khenpo Tamphel at the 2019 Tathāgatagarbha Symposium

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Drawing on the text entitled A Mahāmudrā Investigation into Confusion: An Instruction for Identifying the Process of Confusion by Jikten Sumgon, Khenpo Tamphel explains how, according to this text, sentient beings and buddhas are related, how confusion arises that leads to saṃsāra, and how recognition of the true nature of sentient beings is the way to enlightenment.

Abstract from the Author

The Difference Between a Sentient Being and a Buddha: 'Jig rten gsum mgon’s Instruction on the Process of Confusion
This paper will present the text Phyag chen 'khrul pa rtsad gcod 'khrul lugs ngos 'dzin gyi gdams pa (A Mahāmudrā Investigation into Confusion: An Instruction for Identifying the Process of Confusion) by 'Jig rten gsum mgon. This text explains what differentiates sentient beings from buddhas and how they are ultimately inseparable. The disciple Mkhan po Bzod pa asks his teacher to clarify where confusion comes from and which came first: a buddha or a sentient being. 'Jig rten gsum mgon answers that neither came first, that there is no difference in terms of time between the two, and that the first buddha is the primordial buddha (ādibuddha), which is the dharmatā (chos nyid), and the first sentient being is the dharmin (chos can). The dharmatā and dharmin is the basis of all (kun gzhi). He explains that the dharmatā exists within all sentient beings, and their confusion is caused by not recognizing that this dharmatā exists within them. Recognizing this dharmatā is to become a buddha according to 'Jig rten gsum mgon. This is a profound text that shows how sentient beings and buddhas are related, how confusion arises that leads to saṃsāra, and how recognition of the true nature of sentient beings is the way to enlightenment. We will discuss the major points of this text and how dharmatā is related to the idea of buddha-nature of the Uttaratantra.

Sources Mentioned

Text
Maitreya, Asaṅga: Ratnagotravibhāga Mahāyānottaratantraśāstra
The Ratnagotravibhāga, commonly known as the Uttaratantra, or Gyu Lama in Tibetan, is one of the main Indian scriptural sources for buddha-nature theory. It was likely composed during the fifth century, by whom we do not know. Comprised of verses interspersed with prose commentary, it systematizes the buddha-nature teachings that were circulating in multiple sūtras such as the Tathāgatagarbhasūtra, the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra, and the Śrīmaladevisūtra. The Tibetan tradition attributes the verses to the Bodhisattva Maitreya and the commentary to Asaṅga, and treats the two as separate texts, although this division is not attested to in surviving Indian versions. The Chinese tradition attributes the text to *Sāramati (娑囉末底), but the translation itself does not include the name of the author, and the matter remains unsettled. It was translated into Chinese in the early sixth century by Ratnamati and first translated into Tibetan by Atiśa, although this text is not known to survive. Ngok Loden Sherab translated it a second time based on teachings from the Kashmiri Pandita Sajjana, and theirs remains the standard translation. It has been translated into English several times, and recently into French. See the Ratnagotravibhāgavyākhyā, read more about the Ratnagotravibhāga, or take a look at the most complete English translation in When the Clouds Part by Karl Brunnholzl.
Text
Gampopa: Ornament of Precious Liberation: A Wish-Fulfilling Gem of Sublime Dharma
One of Gampopa's most enduring works. It was one of the first "stages of the path" (lam rim) texts to be written by a Tibetan, after the genre was introduced by Atiśa through his famous composition Bodhipathapradīpa, The Stages of the Path to Enlightenment.
Text
Tathāgatagarbhasūtra
The Tathāgatagarbhasūtra (TGS) is a relatively short text that represents the starting point of a number of works in Indian Mahāyāna Buddhism centering around the idea that all living beings have the buddha-nature. The genesis of the term tathāgatagarbha (in Tibetan de bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po, in Chinese rulai zang 如來藏, the key term of this strand of Buddhism and the title of the sūtra), can be observed in the textual history of the TGS. (Zimmermann, A Buddha Within: The Tathāgatagarbhasūtra, p. 7)
Text
Jikten Gönpo, Sherab Jungne: Sacred Teaching on the Single Intention
The primary text in the Drikung Kagyu tradition.
Text
Maitreya: dharmadharmatāvibhāga
One of the Five Dharma Treatises of Maitreya (byams chos sde lnga). This work exists only in Tibetan translation, of which there are two versions: the Dharmadharmatāvibhāga (chos dang chos nyid rnam par 'byed pa) presented in prose, and the Dharmadharmatāvibhāgakārikā (chos dang chos nyid rnam par 'byed pa'i tshig le'ur byas pa) presented in verse. "The text explains saṃsāra (= dharma) and the nirvāṇa (= dharmatā) attained by the śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattva; like the Madhyāntavibhāga, it uses the three-nature (trisvabhāva) terminology to explain that, because there is no object or subject, the transcendent is beyond conceptualization. It presents the paths leading to transformation of the basis (aśrayaparāvṛtti), and enumerates ten types of tathatā (suchness)." (Source: The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, p. 244)
BDRC
Jikten Gönpo: A Mahāmudrā Investigation into Confusion: An Instruction for Identifying the Process of Confusion (Phyag chen 'khrul pa rtsad gcod 'khrul lugs ngos 'dzin gyi gdams pa)
This text explains what differentiates sentient beings from buddhas and how they are ultimately inseparable.
external link
BDRC
Tsuklak Trengwa: A Scholar's Feast of Doctrinal History (Chos 'byung mkhas pa'i dga' ston)
A historical study of Indian and Tibetan Buddhism composed between 1545 and 1564.
external link

People Mentioned

Jikten Gönpo
1143 ~ 1217
Khenpo Zopa
12th century ~ late 12th century
Pakmodrupa Dorje Gyalpo
1110 ~ 1170
The Second Pawo Tsuklak Trengwa
1504 ~ 1566
Nyo Gyelwa Lhanangpa Sanggye Rinchen
1164 ~ 1224
Gar Dampa Chodingpa
1180 ~ 1240
Palchen Chokyi Yeshe
late 12th century ~ early 13th century
Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye
1813 ~ 1899
Ngok Lotsāwa Loden Sherab
1059 ~ 1109
Tsen Khawoche
1021
Sajjana
11th century
Drolungpa Lodrö Jungne
11th century
Zhang Tsepong Chökyi Lama
11th cent. ~ 12th cent.
Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje
1284 ~ 1339
Gö Lotsāwa Zhönu Pal
1392 ~ 1481
Dölpopa Sherab Gyaltsen
1292 ~ 1361
Tāranātha
1575 ~ 1634
Gampopa
1079 ~ 1153
Maitrīpa
986 ~ 1063
Maitreya
Sherab Jungne
1187 ~ 1241

About the video

Featuring Khenpo Tamphel
Creator University of Vienna, Tsadra Foundation
Event Tathāgatagarbha Across Asia (17 July 2019, University of Vienna, Austria)
Related Website Buddha-Nature Project
Video Web Location Tathāgatagarbha Across Asia
Creation Date 17 July 2019
Citation Tamphel, Khenpo Könchok. "The Difference Between a Sentient Being and a Buddha: 'Jig rten gsum mgon’s Instruction on the Process of Confusion." Paper presented at the University of Vienna Symposium, Tathāgatagarbha Across Asia, Vienna, Austria, July 2019. Video, 47:23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GbYgx3ozDM.
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