Statement by H. H. the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa on The Great Kagyu Mönlam in Bodhgaya

Corresponding to the individual aspirations and inclinations of his students the perfect buddha, Buddha Shakyamuni, gave an immense variety of dharma teachings. Yet all of these serve the purpose to gather the two accumulations and to purify the two types of obscuration. The foremost among these methods enabling a practitioner to gather the two accumulations is bodhicitta based on great compassion and the virtue accrued thereby. On this basis, the fruition of the enlightened state with its two buddha-kayas is attained and the unsurpassable method to accelerate this attainment is the practise of dedication and aspirations (mon-lam). A spiritual path comprising the practises of dedication and aspirations is not found in any other religion. It is thus an extraordinary feature of Buddhism: virtue is dedicated towards all beings’ complete enlightenment and aspirations form the link to this unsurpassable fruit. Ascertaining this practice to be specific to the Mahayana, the noble Nagarjuna once said: "The bodhisattvas’ aspirations, their vast conduct and their dedication were not taught in the shravaka-path". As to the difference between dedication and aspirations: dedication requires roots of virtue to be dedicated whereas mere aspirations don’t. The original Sanskrit term for (the Tibetan word) "sngo ba" (which in English translates to "dedication") is “parinamana”. It literally means "complete change". The original Sanskrit term for (the Tibetan word) "smon lam" (which in English translates to "aspirations") is “pranidhana”. It literally means "fully settled", "one-pointed", "accumulated", "accumulate" and "aspiring this for that purpose". The practise of dedication and aspirations is extremely important in that they change even a tiny amount of virtue into something extremely vast and inexhaustible. The Buddha taught this for example in the Arya Akshayamati Nirdesha Sutra: "Venerable Shariputra, if, for example, one drop of water falls into a large ocean it will not vanish, but become inexhaustible, never-ending until the all-consuming fire at the end of an aeon. Likewise the roots of virtue fully dedicated to enlightenment will not vanish, but become inexhaustible, never-ending until one’s achievement of the heart of enlightenment". In general, whatever type of virtue one practises on the Mahayana path, one sets out with generating great compassion and bodhicitta. One then does the actual practise based on wisdom which does not conceptualize in a perceiver, perceived and perceiving, and finally, one has to seal the virtue by means of dedication and aspirations. Furthermore, the Buddha taught in the vinaya-sutras that whatever minor or major virtue is practised during the various days commemorating great dharma-occasions such as the Month of Miracles, the Month of Vesakh, the Descent from Heaven etc. at sites associated with the Buddha's activities such as Bodhgaya, Lumbini etc. is – due to the power of the place and time – multiplied a hundredfold, a thousandfold etc. Therefore, to practice the accumulation of virtue such as making offerings to the Three Jewels with a large monastic sangha-community is said to be especially powerful. In the same sutra it is taught that the monastic sangha symbolizes the Three Jewels, that they are authentic recipients of offerings and the main reference for the accumulation of merit. Thus it is extremely important to make offerings at special places to the monastic sangha, to seal the accumulations of merit deriving from teaching, debating, meditating, gathering and reciting by means of practising the dedication and the aspirations, and to do so carefully and sincerely. It is just as Milarepa, the foremost of siddhas, said: “The great meditator who practises in a cave and the benefactor who provides for his living will – due to dependant occurances – attain buddhahood together, and the heart of dependant occurances is dedication." Likewise, regarding the practise of aspirations: Shantideva taught in his Shiksasamuccaya that the ten types of countless aspirations of bodhisattvas as taught in the sutras are subsumed in the “Aspirations for Excellent Conduct”. Then there are further great aspiration prayers such as the “Aspirations from Maitreyanatha’s Hagiology” directed towards the attainment of enlightenment once the ten paramitas are fully perfected. Furthermore there are the “Mahamudra-Aspirations” associated with the Vajrayana etc. They all consitute the skillfull path enabling oneself and others to attain enlightenment swiftly. Thus they are held in high esteem by the buddhas and the bodhisattvas. On April 10th, 2007, I, Trinley Thaye Dorje, who is blessed by carrying the name of the 17th Karmapa, have made these aspirations and wrote this at my residence in Kalimpong so that all participants who are fortunate to take part in the great Kagyü Mönlam at the supreme place Bodhgaya (in India) will generate a pure state of mind

 

(www.kagyumonlam-chenmo.org)

Teaching given to the Dhagpo sangha by Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje in Kalimpong, March 1999

The 17th Gyalwa Karmapa:

"I am happy with the link that is being established with Dhagpo Kagyu Ling.

I would like today to give you some practical advice.

First of all it is essential for everyone to develop a peaceful outlook. A serene outlook allows one to spread harmony around oneself.

Buddha's teachings demonstrate the necessity of helping other beings, of showing them the path of pacification.

To be capable of doing this, it is indispensable to be at peace oneself. In order to achieve pacification of the mind, it is necessary to develop love and compassion : this is what permits an authentic serenity. Love is the wish to establish all beings in happiness and compassion is the wish to liberate them from suffering.

We have the fortune of possessing all the conditions needed to achieve this end : a precious human existence, free and well endowed. We are free from all the circumstances that prevent us from fulfilling our intentions and we possess all those that are favourable. We are endowed with the eight freedoms and the ten attainments which permit us to undertake the journey. We are therefore capable of progressing on the path. We cannot let such an opportunity slip.

That means that we must accumulate merit, positive actions and avoid every harmful action.

It is essential not to commit the slightest negative action. A negative action means an action which harms others : we must equally guard against negative thoughts. At the same time we should strive to perform actions that are positive and beneficial towards others, however insignificant they may appear to us.

These teachings are intended to be put into practice : simply knowing them is not sufficient. For that we must be mindful of them, then strive to perform them and to do so continually.

These few instructions are the essence of the practice. If we strive to perform them, we are sure to be on the right track. These few pieces of advice are a summary of the teaching, I ask you to keep them in mind during your practice.

(http://www.dhagpo-kagyu.org)

Establishing Kindly Relationships in all Circumstances

Throughout his teaching about the "37 bodhisattva's practices", the Gyalwa Karmapa analysed our emotional ways of reacting and explained how to recognize them so as to establish a kindly relationship in all circumstances.

Here are a few words from Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje :

"Once one has resolved to help all beings, our mothers, one one should accomplish it with determination, without fearing difficulties for oneself. One has to persevere without changing one's goal."

"If one has the intention to attain the ultimate enlightened state of Buddhahood, one has to keep considering others as more important than oneself; one has to exchange the importance of oneself with the importance of the other. If one does not have the capacity to do so, one should at least cultivate the wish to do so".

"Answering back to criticism through love and compassion is the right answer. If we react with anger, we develop the same behaviour as the one who criticizes us. This is due to ignorance. Answering with love and compassion is not easy, that's why I ask you to practice doing so."

"In order to develop devotion towards the spiritual friend, one should become aware of his enlightened qualities. Confidence will arise by being in contact with these qualities, namely, qualities of love and compassion towards all beings. The spiritual teacher, without ever getting discouraged, keeps helping others and teaches us how to develop in turn love and compassion towards others. This is how these enlightened qualities can ripen within ourselves."

"When one generates confidence towards the lama, the enlightened qualities can be transmitted to us. Confidence will get stronger through experiencing these qualities".

"The way of looking at things which is the most useful and the most simple is to become aware that all beings are trapped in the cycle of existences. Hence one should not stick to a personal opinion of others, but one should endeavour to free them from samsara".

(http://www.dhagpo-kagyu.org)