Buddha-Nature: The Mahayana Uttara Tantra Shastra: Maitreya's Root Text and Asanga's Commentary

Book

This is a transcription of a series of teachings on the Uttaratantrashastra from a somewhat traditional Geluk teacher, the 13th Zasep Tulku Rinpoche. The teaching is focused on Maitreya’s root text and Asaṅga’s commentary, which he gave during a retreat at Lake Cowichan, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, from May 10-17, 1985. The text is based on the translation by E. Obermiller, chapter 1, "On the Essence of Buddhahood," verses 1-165 and covers the first Four Vajra Topics. Hosted by Zuru Ling (formerly Gaden Rimé Zong Ling) Dharma Centre.

Citation	Zasep Tulku Rinpoche. Buddha-Nature: The Mahayana Uttara Tantra Shastra; Maitreya's Root Text and Asanga's Commentary. Based on the translation by E. Obermiller, chapt. 1, "On the Essence of Buddhahood," verses 1-165. Vancouver, BC: Zuru Ling Tibetan Buddhist Centre, 2001.

INTRODUCTION TO THE USAT STUDY PROGRAM AND THE BUDDHA-NATURE TEACHINGS:III
CLASS 1. [MUTS01/00:00]1
- - (#1)1
- VERSE 1: THE CONTENTS OF THE WORK9
- VERSE 2: THE SEVEN SUBJECTS ACCORDING TO THE DHARANISVARA-RAJA-PARIPRCCHA10
CLASS 2: [MUTS01/41:20]11
- VERSE 3: THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SEVEN SUBJECTS11
  - (#2)12
- THE JEWEL OF THE BUDDHA17
- VERSE 417
- VERSE 517
- VERSE 617
- VERSE 717
- VERSE 817
  - (#3)24
CLASS 3 [MUTS03/0:00]25
CLASS 4: [MUTS03/41:50]39
- - (#4)39

CLASS 5. [MUTS04/34:55] ..............................................................................................................................................51 THE JEWEL OF THE DOCTRINE ........................................................................................................................................51 VERSE 9..........................................................................................................................................................................51 (#5) ............................................................................................................................................................................53 VERSE 10. .......................................................................................................................................................................55 CLASS 6. [MUTS05/24:50] ..............................................................................................................................................59 (#6) ............................................................................................................................................................................64 CLASS 6 OPTIONAL: MAHAYANA PRECEPTS [MUTS06/08:00].........................................................................67 CLASS 6 OPTIONAL: MINDFULNESS OF BREATHING MEDITATION [MUTS06/37:00 TO 38:45] .............72 CLASS 7. [MUTS06/38:53] ..............................................................................................................................................73 VERSE 11. .......................................................................................................................................................................73 VERSE 12. .......................................................................................................................................................................74 (#7) ............................................................................................................................................................................74 VERSE 13. .......................................................................................................................................................................75 THE JEWEL OF THE CONGREGATION: .............................................................................................................................75 VERSE 14. .......................................................................................................................................................................79 VERSE 15. THE SAINT’S KNOWLEDGE OF THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH .................................................................................80 VERSE 16. THE EMPIRICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SAINTS ..............................................................................................81 CLASS 8. [MUTS07/28:25] ..............................................................................................................................................83 (#8) ............................................................................................................................................................................87 VERSE 17. THE PERCEPTION OF THE SAINTS IS INTROSPECTIVE KNOWLEDGE...............................................................88 VERSE 18. .......................................................................................................................................................................89

CLASS 9. [MUTS08/25:30] ............................................................................................................................................. 95 VERSE 19. ...................................................................................................................................................................... 95 THE DOCTRINE AND THE CONGREGATION ARE NOT REFUGES IN THE ULTIMATE SENSE............................................. 97 VERSE 20. ...................................................................................................................................................................... 97 (#9) ......................................................................................................................................................................... 102 CLASS 10. [MUTS09/13:30] ......................................................................................................................................... 107 THE BUDDHA IS THE UNIQUE ABSOLUTE REFUGE: ..................................................................................................... 109 VERSE 21. .................................................................................................................................................................... 109 THE MEANING OF “THE 3 JEWELS”: ............................................................................................................................ 110 VERSE 22. .................................................................................................................................................................... 110 (#10) ....................................................................................................................................................................... 113 CLASS 11. [MUTS10/22:10] ......................................................................................................................................... 121 PART 2: THE BASIS FOR THIS ACHIEVEMENT .............................................................................................................. 121 GENERAL COMMENT ON THE LAST 4 VAJRA TOPICS .................................................................................................. 121 (1) THE POTENTIAL [ED. OBERMILLER USES “GERM”, BUT RINPOCHE USES POTENTIAL], (2) ENLIGHTENMENT, (3) THE ATTRIBUTES, AND (4) THE ACTS OF THE BUDDHA, IN THEIR INCONCEIVABLE NATURE: .......................................... 121 VERSE 23. .................................................................................................................................................................... 121 (#11) ....................................................................................................................................................................... 128 CLASS 12. [MUTS11/18:45] ......................................................................................................................................... 135 VERSE 24. .................................................................................................................................................................... 135 VERSE 25. .................................................................................................................................................................... 135 (#12) ....................................................................................................................................................................... 143 THE POTENTIAL AND THE 3 OTHER SUBJECTS AS THE CAUSE AND CONDITIONS OF BUDDHAHOOD. ........................ 147 VERSE 26. .................................................................................................................................................................... 147 CLASS 13. [MUTS12/15:55] ......................................................................................................................................... 149 THE 4TH VAJRA TOPIC: THE BUDDHA-NATURE: ......................................................................................................... 149 THE POTENTIAL OF THE ABSOLUTE: ........................................................................................................................... 149 VERSE 27. .................................................................................................................................................................... 149 VERSE 28. .................................................................................................................................................................... 153 ANALYSIS OF THE (POTENTIAL, ESSENCE) FROM 10 POINTS OF VIEW:...................................................................... 154 SUMMARY:................................................................................................................................................................... 154 VERSE 29. .................................................................................................................................................................... 154 THE ESSENCE OF THE SEED (1) AND THE CAUSES OF ITS PURIFICATION (2) .............................................................. 156 VERSE 30. .................................................................................................................................................................... 156 VERSE 31. .................................................................................................................................................................... 158 APPENDIX A: MAHAYANA FAST DAY VOWS..................................................................................................... 159 INDEX............................................................................................................................................................................. 163

GLOSSARY.................................................................................................................................................................... 166

All sentient beings have the cause of Buddha... It is very profound, very complicated, and also at the same time, very beautiful, very interesting. Because all sentient beings do have the Tathagatagarbha, pure mind, it’s a very positive way of thinking. It’s very important to think like that. You know, “I have the Buddha, cause of Buddha already with me. It’s not that I don’t have anything.” It’s very important to think like that.
~ Zasep Tulku in Buddha-Nature: The Mahayana Uttara Tantra Shastra: Maitreya's Root Text and Asanga's Commentary, page(s) 122