Treasury of Precious Qualities: Book One (2010)

Treasury of Precious Qualities: Book One (2010)

Book

Book

 Search online

This book is a translation of the first part of Jigme Lingpa's Treasury of Precious Qualities, which in a slender volume of elegant verses sets out briefly but comprehensively the Buddhist path according to the Nyingma school. The concision of the root text and its use of elaborate poetic language, rich in metaphor, require extensive explanation, amply supplied here by the commentary of Kangyur Rinpoche.

The present volume lays out the teachings of the sutras in gradual stages according to the traditional three levels, or scopes, of spiritual endeavor. It begins with essential teachings on impermanence, karma, and ethics. Then, from the Hinayana standpoint, it describes the essential Buddhist teachings of the four noble truths and the twelve links of dependent arising. Moving on, finally, to the Mahayana perspective, it expounds fully the teachings on bodhichitta and the path of the six paramitas, and gives an unusually detailed exposition of Buddhist vows. (Source: Shambhala Publications)

Citation	Fletcher, Wulstan, and Helena Blankleder (Padmakara Translation Group), trans. Treasury of Precious Qualities: The Rain of Joy; Book One. By Jigme Lingpa ('jigs med gling pa). With The Quintessence of the Three Paths, a commentary by Longchen Yeshe Dorje, Kangyur Rinpoche (klong chen ye shes rdo rje, bka' 'gyur rin po che). Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2010.

Table of Contents About the Book Texts Translated Quotes

• Foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lamaxvii
• Foreword by Jigme Khyentse Rinpochexix
• Introduction1

• Treasury of Precious Qualities15
• by Jigme Lingpa

• The Quintessence of the Three Paths105
• by Longchen Yeshe Dorje, Kangyur Rinpoche

• Prologue107
• The title107
• Homage to the Three Jewels108
• Commitment to Compose the Text110

• PART ONE: Turning the Mind to the Dharma115

• CHAPTER 1 The Value of Human Existence117
• Samsaric existence117
• Eight conditions in which there is no freedom to practice the Dharma117
• Five individual and five circumstantial advantages121
• The rarity of a precious human existence121

• PART TWO: An Incentive for the Practice123

• CHAPTER 2 Impermanence125
• The impermanence of the outer world125
• The impermanence of living beings126

• PART THREE: The Gradual Path of the Three Kinds of Beings131
• The Path of Beings of Lesser Scope
• Ethical Teachings in Relation to the Karmic Law of Cause and Effect

• CHAPTER 3 The Law of Karma133
• The karmic process in general133
  • Actions never fail to produce an effect133
  • The karmic process is irresistible134
  • Karmic effects are not transferable from one mindstream to another135
  • An explanation of the eight worldly concerns and thirteen influential factors135
  • The proliferating tendency of karmic results136
  • Assessing the gravity of positive and negative actions138
  • The basis of the karmic phenomenon139
  • Propelling and completing actions140
  • The performed and stored aspects of actions141
• Negative actions142
  • Negative actions regarding the Three Jewels142
  • The crucial role of intention142
  • The ten negative actions142
  • The results of the ten negative actions146
    • The fully ripened effect147
    • The effect similar to the cause147
    • The conditioning or environmental effect148
    • The proliferating effect150
  • Conclusion150
• Virtuous actions151
• A recapitulation of the path of beings of lesser scope151
• How beings of medium scope practice virtue152
• How beings of great scope practice virtue152

• The Path of Beings of Medium Scope155
• Correct Conduct in Relation to the Four Truths

• CHAPTER 4 The Sufferings of Samsara157
• The four truths157
  • The truth of suffering158
    • The all-pervasive nature of suffering158
    • The conditions that perpetuate suffering159
    • The sufferings of the lower realms161
      • The eight hot hells161
      • The sixteen neighboring hells163
      • The eight cold hells164
      • The ephemeral hells165
    • The sufferings of the higher realms165
      • The suffering of the gods165
      • The suffering of the asuras167
      • The suffering of human beings168
        • Suffering of suffering168
        • Suffering of change168
        • All-pervading suffering in the making168
        • The eight complementary sufferings169
          • Birth169
          • Old age171
          • IlIness172
          • Death172
          • Meeting unwanted circumstances172
          • Separation from what is loved173
          • Not having what one wants173
          • Having what one does not want173
    • The truth of origin173
    • The truth of path and truth of cessation174
  • The twelve links of dependent arising175
    • The need for this teaching175
    • Definitions of the twelve links176
    • Four way's of presenting the principle of dependent arising177
    • The number of lifetimes required for an entire cycle179
    • How to meditate on the principle of dependent arising180
    • The unoriginated nature of dependent arising183

• The Extraordinary Path of Beings of Great Scope185
• Meditation on the Twofold Bodhichitta

• CHAPTER 5 The Preparation: The Four Wheels187
• Prerequisites for the practice187
• Solitude187
  • Livelihood189
• Reliance on a spiritual master191
  • Fully qualified masters191
  • False teachers193
  • Evoking the sublime qualities of an authentic teacher195
  • Relying on the teacher with a twentyfold attitude197
  • The characteristics of bad disciples198
  • The characteristics of good disciples200
  • How to serve and follow the teacher201
  • How to behave in the presence of the teacher202
  • Reasons for serving the teacher205
  • Conclusion206
• Excellent aspiration208
• The supreme protection of merit210

• CHAPTER 6 The Foundation of the Path: Refuge213
• The reasons for taking refuge213
  • Faith as the cause of taking refuge213
  • The causes of faith215

The qualities of the Buddha 215 The qualities oj elimination 215 The one hundred and twelve obscurations eliminated on the path of seeing 215 How the obscurations militate against the understanding of the four truths 216 The four hundred and fourteen obscurations eliminated on the path of meditation 217 The difference between the Hinayana and the Mahayana approaches to the removal of obscurations 219 The Hinayana and Mahayana ways of removing the obscurations by seeing 219 How the obscurations are eliminated on the path of meditation 222 The qualities oj a Buddha's realization 223 The qualities of the Dharma 225 Dharma posited as the two truths oj path and cessation 225 Dharma difined as the Dharma oj transmission and realization 225 The Dharma of transmission 225 The Dharma of realization 226 The grounds or stages of realization 227 The qualities of the Sangha 229 The Hina)'ana and Mahayana Sangha 230 What is refuge? 231 Causal and resultant refuge 231 The different motives for taking refuge 232 How to take refuge 233 The benefits of taking refuge 234 The btntfits of causal refuge 234 The btntfits of resultant refuge 235 The precepts of the refuge vow 236 The precepts of causal refuge 236 The precepts regarding things to be avoided 236 The precepts regarding things to be accomplished 236 The precepts of resultant refuge 237 ~f1hen the refuge vow is broken 237

Attitudes incompatible with refuge 2~8 The benefits oj observing the precepts oj the refuge ww 2~8 CHAPTER 7 Cleansing the Mind by Training in the Four Boundless Attitudes 239 The Mahayana path 2~9 The four boundless attitudes 240 How to meditate on the four boundless attitudes 242 The benefits of this meditation 242 CHAPTER 8 The Vow of Bodhichitta 247 What is bodhichitta? 247 Classifications of bodhichitta 249 Bodhichitta in aspiration and action 249 Other c/ass!fications oj bodhichitta 249 Bodhichitta classijitd according to twenty-two similes 250 Bodhichitta classijitd according to its benefits 251 Bodhichitta classijitd according to the speed oj progression 25~ How to cultivate bodhichitta 25~ The causes oj bodhichitta 254 Who can generate bodhichitta? 254 The ritual for taking the vow oj bodhichitta 255 I nculcating the correct attitude 255 Accumulating merit 256 Prtparing tht platt 256 Inviting tht fuM of mtrit 256 Offtring cleansing wattrs and clothts 257 Rtqutsting to bt stattd 260 Exprtssions of rtsput 260 Tht praytr of stvtn branchts 261 Offtring ontstlj in strvitt 264 Conclusion 265 The ritual of the bodhisattva vow 266 The conclusion of the ritual: the uplifting of one's own and others' minds 269 CHAPTER 9 The Precepts of Bodhichitta in Aspiration and Action 271 The Bodhisattva commitment 271 The precepts concerning what is to be avoided 27~ Repairingfaults 274 The precepts to be implemented 275 The four precepts oj aspiration bodhichitta 275 The first precept: taking suffering and giving happiness 275

The second precept: the seven-point causal sequence giving birth to the attitude of bodhichitta 276 The third precept: the four black and four white factors 278 The fourth precept: the four attitudes that strengthen bodhichitta 279 The precepts oj bodhichitta in action 280 A brief explanation of the paramitas 280 A categorization of Bodhisattvas according to their strength of mind 280 The Paramita of Generosity 281 The gift of material things 281 The gift of protection from fear 282 The gift of Dharma 283 The Paramita of Discipline 284 The diScipline of avoiding negative actions 284 The difference between the vows of the Hinayana and Mahayana 284 Avoiding negativity according to the Mahayana 286 The levels of ordination 287 Tht Prtctpts of Layptoplt 287 Tht Monastic Prtctpts 288 The precepts of shramaneras 288 The precepts of a woman novice in training for full ordination 290 The precepts of full monastic ordination 290 Tht prtctpts conctrning what is to bt avoidtd 290 Tht prtctpts conctrning what is to bt dont 291 How the three kinds of vow may be observed simultaneously 293 Tht obstrvanct of tht thru vows as taught in tht Nyingma tradition 296 I. The aspects remain distinct 297 2. The three vows are the same both in purpose and as antidote 297 3. The transmutation of the vows 299 4. The gradual qualitative enhancement of the three vows 305 5. The absence of contradiction in the practice of the three vows 306 6. Observance should be appropriate to the moment 306 Tht thrtt vows as prtstnttd in othtr traditions 308 Concluding summary 312 The diScipline of gathering virtue 316 The discipline of bentjiting others 318 The Paramita of Patience 319 The Paramita of Diligence 322 The three kinds of laziness 322 The three kinds of diligence 32 3 The Paramita of Concentration 324 The prerequisites for concentration 324 In praise of forest dwellings 324 Giving up attachment to wealth 324

Giving up attachment to bad company 325 Giving up attachment to objects of the senses 326 In praise of solitude 327 Concentration itself 328 The essence of concentration 328 The categories of concentration 329 Childish concentration 329 Clearly disc"ning concentration 332 The excellent concentration of the Tathagatas 332 The qualities resulting from concentration 333 The Paramita of Wisdom 335 The categories of wisdom 335 The wisdom resultingjrom hearing the teachings 335 The keys that open the treasure chest of Dharma 336 The drjrnitivt and expedient teachings 336 The implied teachings and indirect teachings 337 Implied teachings 337 Indirect teachings 338 The difference between implied and indirect teachings 342 An explanation of the treasury of Dharma 342 A general exposition of the two truths 342 The fou r tentl systems 345 The Vaibhashikas 345 The Sautrantikas 345 The Chittamatrins, the Mind Only school 346 The Svatantrika Madhyamikas 346 The Prasangika Madhyamikas 347 Conclusion 349 The wisdom resultingjrom reflection 351 Dependent arising with regard to the ground nature 351 The dependent arising of samsara 353 The dependent arising of nirvana 354 The wisdom resultingjrom meditation 355 Wisdom itself 355 Progress on the paths and the attainment of the result 356 A concluding summary of the six paramitas 357 APPENDIX I Impermanence demonstrated by the formation and destruction of the universe according to Buddhist cosmology 359 The gradual formation of the universe 359 The gradual formation of animate beings 360 The duration of the universe 362 The destruction of beings 363

The destruction of the universe 364 The period of voidness 364 The four periods reflected in the existence of an individual being 365 The ceaseless continuity of the process of formation and destruction 366 APPENDIX 2 The bardo 369 The four bardos 369 The six uncertainties of the bardo of becoming 369 How to benefit the consciousness of beings in the bardo 371 APPENDIX 3 The four truths 373 Essential definitions and aspects of the four truths 373 The meaning of the term "four truths" 374 A sequential exposition of the four truths 374 APPENDIX 4 The five aggregates 377 APPENDIX 5 A Buddha's qualities of realization 387 APPENDIX 6 The five paths and the thirty-seven elements leading to enlightenment 391 APPENDIX 7 The two truths 397 The two truths according to the Madhyamika view 397 The specificity of the two truths 398 Their literal, etymological meaning 398 Their necessarily binary character 399 The kinds of cognition that validly ascertain the two truths 400 Divisions and categories of the two truths 400 The necessity and benefits of establishing the two truths 410 APPENDIX 8 The Madhyamika school 413 The Svatantrika Madhyamikas 413 The Prasangika Madhyamikas 417 Establishing the ground Madhyamika 417 IJentifying the object oj rifutation: the two selves 421 The difference between the "self" and "apprehension of (or clinging to) self" 421 Ana9'sis through the application oj reason 422 The four arguments 424 An investigation of causes: the Diamond Splinters argument 425 An investigation of results: no effects, whether existent or nonexistent, can be said to be produced 426 An investigation of the causal process itself: a refutation of origination related to four possible alternatives 426

An investigation into the nature of phenomena: the Great Interdependence argument and the argument of "Neither One nor Many" 427 Wiry the Madlryamika dialectic is superior to all other tenet systems 428 APPENDIX 9 The twenty-one qualities of Dharmakaya wisdom 431 APPENDIX 10 The three doors of perfect liberation 437 Notes 439 Glossary 491 Bibliography 531

Index 537

1. 'jigs med gling pa. yon tan rin po che'i mdzod dga' ba'i char. In gsung 'bum 'jigs med gling pa, Vol. 1: 1-102. Gangtok: pema thinley for dodrupchen rinpoche, 1985.
2. klong chen ye shes rdo rje. yon tan mdzod kyi mchan 'grel, (bka' 'gyur rin po che). Paro: taklung tsetrul rinpoche pema wangyal, 1982.