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From Buddha-Nature
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'''ཀློང་ཆེན་པ་དང་མི་ཕམ་རྒྱ་མཚོ་སོགས་རྙིང་མ་བའི་གཤེགས་སྙིང་གི་དགོངས་བཞེད་བཤད་པ།'''<br>'''The Understanding of Buddha-Nature among Longchenpa, Mipam Gyatso, and other Nyingmapas'''
Khenpo Ngawang Lodoe delivers a presentation on buddha-nature in the Nyingma tradition following the works of Longchenpa and Mipam Namgyal Gyatso. Discussing verses from different sūtras on buddha-nature, Khenpo Ngawang Lodoe carries out the identification of the "element" or "spiritual gene" as a pure, clear, luminous, unadulterated, and unconditioned nature according to Longchenpa and Mipam Namgyal Gyatso. He discusses the reasoning and evidence provided by the Nyingma scholars to establish the universal presence of buddha-nature in all sentient beings.
In the course of his presentation, he mentions the theories of the fourfold correct cognition and the fourfold modes of validation. He highlights how ''dharmakāya'', in the case of Nyingma understanding, is not a true result conditioned by and arising from impermanent causes but rather considered a result for becoming free from adventitious features due to the agency of the path. He also classifies the buddha-nature element into two types corresponding to the two types of Buddha bodies and argues that both the middle and the last turning of the wheel are teachings of definitive nature. He also points out in his closing remarks that the innate mind taught in the tantras is identical to buddha-nature taught in the sūtras. +
'''ཤཱཀྱ་མཆོག་ལྡན་གྱི་བདེ་གཤེགས་སྙིང་པོའི་དགོངས་པ་བཞེས་ཚུལ་ཐུན་མོང་མིན་པ།'''<br>'''Śākya Chokden’s Unique Understanding of Buddha-Nature'''
Stating that his presentation will be on Śākya Chokden, Khenpo gives a brief introduction to the figure of Śākya Chokden, who was a brilliant scholar with many unique interpretations and explanations of many topics. Although a Sakyapa, he posed questions about some points made by Sakya Paṇḍita in his ''Distinguishing Three Vows''. This spurred an explanation from other Sakya scholars, which led to much greater clarity in understanding this work and the issues it raised.
Regarding buddha-nature, Śākya Chokden held a very unique position in the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist world, asserting that buddha-nature, or ''tathāgatagarbha'', is synonymous with buddha and that it is only fully present in the state of buddhahood. Buddha-nature is equivalent to resultant ''dharmakāya'' according to Śākya Chokden, and it exists only after someone reaches the stage of being a sublime being on the Mahāyāna path. Khenpo points out that Śākya Chokden also argued that buddha-nature is a conscious awareness or cognition, not a mere emptiness which is a non-implicative negation.
In connection to buddha-nature, Śākya Chokden also argued that the False Aspectarian school is not part of the Mind Only school but rather a Middle Way school. Śākya Chokden saw Nāgārjuna as highlighting the ''rangtong'' view and Maitreya as underscoring the ''zhentong'' system, and they are ultimately the same. He took the five writings of Maitreya as texts propounding Middle Way thought. Among twenty-four volumes of his writings, he has four commentaries on the ''Ornament of Realization'' in which he discusses buddha-nature in the section on ''gotra'', or spiritual gene.
Śākya Chokden was emphatic in claiming that sentient beings do not possess buddha-nature, as buddha-nature is the sphere of reality which is endowed with inseparable qualities such as ten powers, and such qualities cannot coexist with the impurities of the ordinary beings. He argued that the three reasons presented by Maitreya only proves that sentient beings have the possibility to attain buddha-nature, not that they already have it. He rejects buddha-nature being a non-implicative negation and asserts that the final wheel shows buddha-nature fully, while the first and middle wheels only help overcome the clinging to self.
'''སྒྲུབ་བརྒྱུད་ཀམ་ཚང་བཀའ་བརྒྱུད་དུ་གཤེགས་སྙིང་སྐོར་དགོངས་བཞེད་དང་ཉམས་བཞེས་སྐོར།'''<br>'''Understanding and Application of Buddha-Nature in the Karma Kagyu Tradition'''
Khenpo gives a clear explanation of the buddha-nature as understood in the Karma Kagyu tradition based on the teachings on the 3rd Karmapa Rangjung Dorje. He breaks down his presentation into three parts:
:1. Literature on buddha-nature in Kagyu tradition in general and the Karma Kagyu subschool in particular<br>2. Rangjung Dorje's formulation of buddha-nature through 15 distinct points<br>3. The practical application of buddha-nature.
Khenpo skips the detailed listing of the works on buddha-nature in the Kagyu tradition, which he lists in his long article. Explaining Rangjung Dorje's formulation of buddha-nature, Khenpo says that Rangjung Dorje is a leading voice on buddha-nature, final wheel and tantras, and perhaps the first Tibetan to compose independent texts on buddha-nature, with his ''Treatise on Tathāgata Heart'' and ''Distinguishing Consciousness and Pristine Wisdom''. He also wrote his commentary on Nāgārjuna's ''In Praise of Dharmadhātu'', which mainly discusses the buddha-element. Although the writings of many later scholars such as Longchenpa, Jonangpa, et. al., are similar to Rangjung Dorje's understanding, he stands out as a clear and pioneering Tibetan thinker on buddha-nature.
Rangjung Dorje presents a clear definition of buddha-nature as possessing four characteristics of a union: indivisibility of emptiness and appearance like a reflection of the moon in water, indivisibility of emptiness and luminosity like a reflection in a mirror, indivisibility of emptiness and awareness like a rainbow, and indivisibility of emptiness and bliss like the taste of mute person. The definition is further clarified by his disciple Sherab Rinchen. Buddha-nature is thus the luminous nature of mind which has these four characteristics of union and is the natural ordinary consciousness.
Khenpo explains that Rangjung Dorje accepted both middle wheel and final wheel as definitive and concurring on the same point that is buddha-nature. Buddha-nature is the reality, ultimate truth, and ''dharmakāya''. It is the ground for all existence, eternal, permanent, and unconditioned. It is pure by nature and not stained by impurities, but it is obscured by temporary impurities which do not corrupt its nature. Such buddha-nature is emptiness free from conceptual and linguistic elaborations. It is the innate mind or ground tantra taught in the tantric literature.
Explaining how the various Buddhist schools of thought view phenomena such as a flower or vase, Khenpo explains that the great middle way of ''zhentong'' is the ultimate way of grasping the nature of the flower as being identical with the nature of the mind. A flower is a projection of the mind, and the mind, by nature, is not only empty but also luminous, and it is the union of luminosity and emptiness which forms the ultimate truth. In this respect, Khenpo points out that there is nothing so surprising or unacceptable in seeing a vase, flower, or other objects as possessing buddha-nature. He elaborates the 15 points to demonstrate the essence of buddha-nature.
Khenpo Sherab Sangpo offers teachings and guided meditation on the topic of buddha-nature during a retreat on February 15, 2020 at Bodhicitta Sangha: Heart of Enlightenment Institute in Minneapolis Minnesota. +
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. +
'''སྔ་འགྱུར་རྙིང་མ་བའི་བཀའ་འཁོར་ལོ་གསུམ་དང་གཤེགས་སྙིང་གི་དགོངས་བཞེད།'''<br>'''Nyingma Interpretation of the Three Wheels and Buddha-Nature'''
Buddha-nature is a central topic in the Nyingma tradition and very important for study and practice. Of the two transmissions of Maitreya's works, i.e. of the intellectual exegetical transmission based on inferential understanding passed down from Ngok Lotsāwa and the mystical meditative transmission based on direct experience passed down from Tsen Khawoche, the Nyingma tradition is more aligned to the latter tradition. Of the two schools of thought focusing on luminosity or emptiness, Khenpo explains that the Nyingma tradition puts equal emphasis on both aspects of reality. The emptiness aspect of buddha-nature is taught in the middle wheel and the luminosity of buddha-nature is taught explicitly in the final wheel of dharma. Although the middle wheel presents luminosity, it does not do so explicitly or in detail. For this reason, both the middle wheel and the final wheel of dharma are considered as definitive in the Nyingma tradition.
Although Longchenpa does not clearly state that the middle wheel is definitive, this can be inferred from his words. In his ''Treasury of Wish Fulfilling Jewel'', Longchenpa explains how buddha-nature is also free from all elaborations in the ultimate sense. In his commentary on the ''Relaxation in the Nature of Mind'', Longchenpa also explains how the buddha-nature teachings are definitive as buddha-nature is the ultimate truth and all other phenomena are illusory.
The theory of buddha-nature being empty of its nature, or ''rangtong'', is presented in the context of two truths of emptiness and appearance. In this context, the Middle Wheel focusing on the concept of emptiness is the definitive teaching and buddha-nature, like all phenomena, lacks true existence. Thus, it is empty. However, in the context of the two truths of ontic existence and appearance associated with the Final Wheel, buddha-nature is presented as the ultimate. Thus, the final wheel is considered as the definitive teaching. Some sūtras such as the ''Laṅkāvatāra'', which present the philosophical position of Mind Only, are, however, not considered definitive.
Khenpo then mentions that the presentation of this nature of buddha-nature which is the union of emptiness and luminosity varies from sūtra to tantra. What is emptiness and luminosity in the sūtra system is presented as purity and equality in Mahāyoga, Samantabhadra and Samantabhadri in Anuyoga and primordial purity and spontaneity in Atiyoga. The luminosity presented in these systems refers to the Buddha's pristine wisdom and not to any state of the ordinary mind. Ordinary mental states are impure, illusory, deceptive, and not worthy of being objects of refuge. The luminous nature is Buddha's pristine wisdom which is eternal and unconditioned. Such buddha-nature also has all the sublime qualities of the Buddha, including the three bodies. However, the three bodies latent in buddha-nature refer to the emptiness, luminosity, and nonduality and should not be understood as the Buddha bodies perceived by sentient beings.
In the state of buddhahood, all ordinary senses of individuality and phenomena are exhausted. That is why the state of ultimate enlightenment is called ''chos zad'', or exhaustion of phenomena, in the Nyingma tradition. Only the latent sublime qualities of the Buddha remain.
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "How Do We Balance Practice and Study in Our Lives?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 3:13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTQ2jzVW2c0.'' +
Media/Khenpo Tenzin Norgay: How Does the Nyingma Tradition Think of Buddha-Nature in Terms of Practice? +
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "How Does the Nyingma Tradition Think of Buddha-Nature in Terms of Practice?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 6:38. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ65ZOudwQg.'' +
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "How Is Buddha-Nature Presented in the Nyingma Tradition?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 10:08. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcR3oQoV3xI.'' +
Media/Khenpo Tenzin Norgay: Is It Possible to Experience Buddha-Nature outside of an Ārya's Meditative Equipoise? +
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "Is It Possible to Experience Buddha-Nature outside of an Ārya's Meditative Equipoise?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 1:30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptLQfN9gcws.'' +
Media/Khenpo Tenzin Norgay: On Candrakīrti and Nāgārjuna and Why They Emphasized Emptiness over Clarity +
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "On Candrakīrti and Nāgārjuna and Why They Emphasized Emptiness over Clarity." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 5:41. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv3ZPHXyXVA.'' +
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "On His First Encounter with the Teachings of Buddha-Nature." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 5:34. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8-DV14nDNo.'' +
Media/Khenpo Tenzin Norgay: On the Difference between the Hindu Notion of Ātman and the Nyingma Understanding of Tathāgatagarbha +
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "On the Difference between the Hindu Notion of ''Ātman'' and the Nyingma Understanding of ''Tathāgatagarbha''." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 6:41. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMXR_Sy6wno.'' +
Media/Khenpo Tenzin Norgay: On the Differences between Teaching in a Traditional Shedra vs. a Western Dharma Center +
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "On the Differences between Teaching in a Traditional Shedra vs. a Western Dharma Center." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 2:13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i2Y9Pk3iek.'' +
Media/Khenpo Tenzin Norgay: On the Position of Mipam vis-à-vis the Rang stong and Gzhan stong Debate +
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "On the Position of Mipam vis-à-vis the ''Rang stong'' and ''Gzhan stong'' Debate." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 4:13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rni74KUZDzc.'' +
Media/Khenpo Tenzin Norgay: Pot Is Not Empty of Pot, but Empty of Inherent Existence. What Is the Fault in This Statement? +
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "Pot Is Not Empty of Pot, but Empty of Inherent Existence. What Is the Fault in This Statement?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 4:59. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxxzbfGENNc.'' +
Media/Khenpo Tenzin Norgay: What Advice Would You Give to Students Who Don't Have the Luxury of Going to a Shedra? +
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "What Advice Would You Give to Students Who Don't Have the Luxury of Going to a Shedra?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 4:52. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gK_w0v9DfU.'' +
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "What Books, Programs, or Retreats Would You Recommend to Others?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 2:54. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toRzUpKSeY4.'' +
Media/Khenpo Tenzin Norgay: What Inspired Figures Like Khenpo Shenga and Mipam to Embrace a Sūtra Perspective? +
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "What Inspired Figures Like Khenpo Shenga and Mipam to Embrace a Sūtra Perspective?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 6:50. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngiFR0svasM.'' +
''Norgay, Khenpo Tenzin. "What Is Our True Nature?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, April 30, 2022. Video, 2:52. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VADRmkaaRdk.'' +
