Union Of Method And Wisdom
KYABJE CHODEN RINPOCHE
Transcribed and translated from Tibetan to English by Tenzin English version edited by Gyalten Deying
Please generate proper motivation and conduct, thinking that I must benefit all sentient beings as vast as space, I must achieve unsurpassable, perfect enlightenment. One must think that the very purpose of listening the Dharma is to practice, then again, the meaning of practice is to liberate one’s mind from afflictive emotion or delusion, and that is the meaning of Dharma practice. Therefore, a positive motivation and positive conduct is necessary here, because the better motivation and conduct you have, the effectiveness of Dharma practice will be yours.
So motivation means proper way of thinking and proper conduct, which means this is appropriate behaviour. In Fifty Verses of Guru Devotion, it says, “Sit in the front with a tamed manner, wear appropriate clothes, kneel down and put your palms together, request Dharma teaching three times.”. This is similar to what Lama Tsongkhapa has said, “Sit on low cushion, listen with great joy, then drink the nectar of immortality.”. One should sit on a low cushion respectfully, wear appropriate clothes with conscientiousness, then if possible, one must listen to Dharma while kneeling down, so that you won’t become disrespectful. One also listens to dharma with great joy, thinking that I am fortunate to listen Dharma discourses. One must not listen with laziness or drowsiness. If you were able to get a nectar of immortality, you would drink it with great joy and carefully, here, the nectar of Dharma is also a nectar which can destroy subtle demons of death to achieve the state of Buddhahood, one must drink it with great joy and carefully. This is all about appropriate motivation and manners.
What we are going to talk about here is the state that we have to attain, the union of wisdom and method. The Buddha taught eighty four thousands heaps of teachings and if you speak on the basis of Mahayana perspective, it will be much more than that. The Buddha taught innumerable heaps of teachings according to Mahayana tradition, and if you subsume the essence of all of those teachings, it is summarized in wisdom and method. Then if you were asked why you need wisdom and method, it is because in order to have a child, there must be a mother and father, so therefore, both wisdom and method aspects of the practice are necessary.
The meaning of wisdom is to discern object or analyze object. If you analyze correctly, then that will become unmistaken wisdom, and if you analyze an object mistakenly or wrongly, then that wisdom is called deluded wisdom. Here, in the union of wisdom and method, we need unmistaken wisdom.
When we used wisdom discerning objects, it enhances the power of wisdom, whether it is deluded wisdom or productive wisdom. For instance, the scientists, through their experiment, came out with nuclear weapons which is harmful to others and that kind of wisdom is distorted wisdom, because of its harmful nature. On the other hand, they also produced medicine and clinical equipment, which are useful to all, that is productive wisdom.
Therefore, to cultivate meritorious actions, wisdom is very crucial, just as the king runs his kingdom, he relies on wise ministers. Here in the same way, wisdom plays the role as a wise minister to cultivate meritorious action.
It says that method without wisdom is bondage, and wisdom without method is also bondage. Method with wisdom is liberation, and wisdom with method is also a liberation. What does it mean? It means that wisdom without method cannot liberate you from samsara, and method without wisdom also cannot liberate you from samsara. If you have both wisdom and method, then you will be able to liberate from samsara and that is said in sutra.
Why do we need both wisdom and method? It is because wisdom is like a weapon that destroys the root of our samsara. In order to use that powerful weapon like wisdom, it requires a powerful base or a holder of that weapon and method here plays the role as a base or holder of that weapon, like wisdom. That is the reason that we need both wisdom and method.
In the praise to Buddha Shakyamuni three times daily prayer, it says:
Fully enlightened Buddha, Endowed with awareness and conduct, Well-Farer, Knower of the worlds, incomparable Trainer of men to be tamed, Teacher of gods and human, enlightened and blessed one.
Here, awareness and conduct means three higher trainings, the training of morality, concentration or samadhi and wisdom. Awareness means the higher training of wisdom. The other two trainings, training of morality and training of meditative concentration, are subsumed under method. So awareness means wisdom, and conduct means morality and meditative concentration. For example, a person has great knowledge, but if he is disabled, because he has no legs, it will not be of much benefit.
Also, the Hinayana vehicle sutra says, “The view of Emptiness can liberates you and the rest of the thoughts are for supplementary purpose”, which means in their explanation of four noble truths, there are sixteen attributes, four attributes for each truth. Among the sixteen, the main focus is on selflessness, which can give you liberation, and rest fifteen attributes are supplements to enhance your understanding about the view of selflessness. In brief, the view of realizing selflessness is actual wisdom to liberate, and the remaining fifteen attributes are method aspects.
According to Mahayana perspective, one would not achieve liberation, unless one has direct realization of Emptiness. The view of Emptiness is the real antidote to destroy the root of samsara, and the rest are all method aspects, which are supplementary practice. For instance, in the six perfections, the perfection of wisdom is the wisdom aspect, and the remaining five perfections are method aspect. Therefore, the text says, the Buddha taught all of these limbs to generate wisdom.
As I have mentioned before, the ultimate remedy to cut the root of samsara is wisdom, and the method is to enhance the power of wisdom, then discerning with wisdom of discrimination is important. Even in the meditation of bodhicitta, one must utilize the knowledge of discernment, because it says that the understanding that derives from the knowledge of discernment will be more powerful and long lasting. Therefore, if one needs a powerful and long lasting knowledge, one must have discerning mind on the matter. It is similar with mundane activities. For example, attachment towards someone. If you are focusing and searching for the beauty of the person with whom you have attachment, then that attachment will increase and become powerful, and will last a long time. It is a similar case with our anger. If you dislike someone, then you will investigate the negativities of this person and try to find multiple reasons to prove that the person is bad and as a result, your anger will increase. This is a similar case with virtuous activities. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate many ways to enhance the power of our wisdom.
When Buddhism first flourished in Tibet, a Chinese monk came to Tibet. He said that one should not do analytical meditation, because if you analyze the matter, that will increase our conceptual thoughts. He has given an example saying that whether it is white cloud or dark cloud, it will block sunlight, it is similar here that whether it is virtuous thought or non-virtuous thoughts, it will become the cause of samsara. He said that one should meditate without any focal object, setting your mind totally empty. He introduced this type of meditation. Many meritless people followed him. That is a wrong instruction and one should not meditate like that. It seems that still today there are meditation teachers who teach this kind of meditation. This kind of meditation will not be beneficial. One should apply critical analysis with wisdom. In Samdhinirmocana Sutra, it clearly says that without applying wisdom of discrimination or analysis, one will not able to destroy our defilement. That Chinese monk did not accept that Samdhinirmocana Sutra was actually taught by Buddha. There is a story like this. Since we have faith in the Buddha, the Buddha has rejected the meditation of thinking nothing.
In order to achieve liberation, one must have wisdom that realizes Emptiness. According to Mahayana path, the path of wisdom refers to the wisdom that realizes Emptiness. Either you say the profound path, wisdom or the accumulation of exalted wisdom, these are all synonymous, which is the wisdom that realizes Emptiness. Then the gradual stages of the vast path, the gradual stages of the path that shows conventional phenomena and method aspect of the path are synonymous.
Two truths are called fundamental ground of reality. They are also called vast and profound paths. The vast path is the aspect of vast conventional reality, and the profound path is the ultimate nature. Because there are two realities on the ground level, therefore, there are two paths to be practiced; the path that shows the vast aspect of reality and the path that shows ultimate nature of all. The path that shows profound ultimate nature of all is called the accumulation of wisdom and the path that shows the vast or diverse nature of all is known as the accumulation of method.
Then what will be the result of practicing those two paths? By practicing the vast (method) aspect of the path, temporarily, one will achieve perfect higher rebirth and finally, one will achieve Rupakaya, the form body of the Buddha. Then depends on the aspect of the profound (wisdom) path, one has to achieve Dharmakya, the truth body of the Buddha. Don’t we say in the dedication prayer? With the merit of this, may all sentient beings accumulate wisdom and merit, by accumulating merit and wisdom, may they achieve the two noble bodies of the Buddha. The accumulation of merit is mainly the cause of the form body of the Buddha and the accumulation of wisdom is mainly the cause of the truth body of the Buddha. Two paths are the two main causes of the two final bodies, does not mean that one does not require the other path. The main cause of form body of the Buddha is the accumulation of merit, in co-operation with wisdom, and the main cause of the Dharmakaya, the truth body of Buddha, is wisdom, in co-operation with the accumulation of merit. One single body cannot be achieved, with the absence of other path.
This is the general interpretation, however, in Mahayana perspective, when we talk about the method aspect of the path, mainly, it should be understood as great compassion and bodhicitta mind. Buddha said, “Bodhicitta is like a seed of all Buddha’s teachings.” Seed here is referring to a semen of father. Then it goes, “the wisdom realizing Emptiness is like a mother.” Which means both bodhicitta mind and wisdom that realizes Emptiness are important, and that is the union of method and wisdom.
If I explain in nutshell the meaning of union of method and wisdom, it means wisdom that realizes Emptiness being held with bodhicitta mind, and bodhicitta mind being held with wisdom realizing Emptiness. Here again, the meaning of holding is for example, if there is a loving mother whose only son has died. Although she may have different thoughts and activities during the time, but all of her thoughts are mixed with sadness for the loss of her son. Likewise, we all have difficult time in our life, and during that period, our mind will be overwhelmed with worries and anxiety. We may have many different activities during that period, but our mind will be unable to separate from that worry. That is the meaning of holding. Although the mother was in deep sadness for her son, but that does not mean all of her thoughts are sadness and there are no other thoughts in her mind.
When we practice, whatever virtuous activities you do, at the beginning, you have to generate bodhicitta mind, and then engage in your practice, then at the end, you dedicate with the wisdom not conceptualizing the three spheres (object, action and actor, all devoid of intrinsic existence). If you do it in that way, then your practice will become the union of both wisdom and method.
The main cause to achieve the state of Buddhahood is bodhicitta mind, as I mentioned before, it is like a father. However, if you lack the practice of wisdom, even you have practice of the other five perfections, they are of no use, and it is like a blind person. A blind person cannot get anywhere. If you have the wisdom aspect of the practice with the other five perfections, then your wisdom can lead to the state of Buddhahood with the help of the other five perfections.
It says that the wisdom practice is like the main body, and the other perfections are like limbs of the body and therefore, you always have to strive in the practice of wisdom that realizes Emptiness. In Tibetan, we say rnam kun mchhog ldan kyi stong nyid, which means Emptiness is supreme in all aspects, meditate on Emptiness incorporated with other perfections. It resembles the body of Chakravartin King, universal monarch. The body of the Chakravartin King is like a perfection of wisdom, and the rest of his limbs are like other perfections. With the presence of all of his limbs, it makes a perfect example of a body that otherwise, would not be perfect. Therefore, it is necessary to practice all six perfections.
However, in Sutrayana, the union of wisdom and method is wisdom held with method, and method held or embraced with wisdom mind. In a sense, two minds are separate minds, but they embrace with each other. However, in Tantrayana, the meaning of union of wisdom and method means a single mind which meditates upon wisdom and method at the same time. Another name of Tantrayana is Vajrayana, which means indestructible or inseparable, the non-separation of wisdom and method. The practice of wisdom and method in a single mind, at the same time, is called Vajrayana.
I think the explanation about the union of wisdom and method is this much this time, and if you have any question regarding this, and regarding your personal practice of wisdom and method, you can raise. There are many types of unification in Tantrayana, such as the unification of wisdom and method, the unification of two truths, the unification of generation and completion stages and the unification of two resultant bodies, but we will not talk about these here today.
Question: How would you explain about the wisdom and method as inseparable?
Answer: One must think about the ascertainment on Emptiness, but the appearance is the form of a deity, but it is not the right time to talk about this. There are many ways to say. One must meditate on Emptiness first, and then have the appearance of deity at the same time. When one have ascertainment on the naturelessness, that is the wisdom aspect, and at the same time, one must focus on a deity at the appearance level. That is the unification of wisdom and method.
Question: In Tantra, when we meditate on oneself as a deity, first, one has to dissolve into Emptiness, how do we know whether or we dissolve or not?
Answer: When we think about the self to be negated, the self that is imputed on five aggregates, when we have the appearance of self, it appears to us as if self is not imputed upon aggregates, but it is established on its own. We have to investigate whether or not self is established on its own side. If self is established on its own, then it should be independent, without depending on anything, without changing, but this is not the case, we can see ourselves changing. When you have a conviction that there is no self which is not dependent on anything else, then you have an understanding of Emptiness. Then you have a realization on Emptiness. You may not have a direct realization, but we have to believe it. It is the fact. Due to having strong habituation of grasping at an independent self from beginningless time, it will be difficult to get an understanding at the beginning. First, one must have faith and belief in it, and then contemplate again and again. Eventually, one will get realization with valid cognition.
Question: You said that through analyzing oneself, one dissolves into Emptiness, but in reality, there is a self, who is doing the analysis. How is that possible?
Answer: When you analyze, you are perceiving that the self that is merely imputed by name and conception, but it appears to exist from its own side, it means that you are not able to dissolve self into Emptiness. When you analyze about the self and you couldn’t find any self or aggregates that exist from its own side, that is the meaning of dissolving self into Emptiness. When you say that ‘I dissolve into Emptiness’, it does not mean I does not exist. When we recite the tantric ritual at the beginning, you will find the line ‘self becomes naturally Emptiness’. The meaning is the self is naturally void of inherent existence, it does not mean self does not exist. In the Heart sutra, it says “no form no sound no smell no taste”, which means there is no inherent existent form and so forth. It does not mean that there is no form or no sound etc. The beheld five aggregates are also empty of inherent nature. Also, Nagarjuna says, there is no phenomenon which is not dependent arising, and there is no phenomenon which is not empty. Whatever is dependent on other factors must be empty. One must not confuse between empty of inherent nature and totally empty.
It is good that you asked me questions, but I suggest you to practice accumulating merit and purification. The Buddha thought after his enlightenment, “Profound and peaceful, free from fabrication, uncompounded luminosity, I have found a nectar-like dharma. Yet, if I were teach this, no-one will understand, so I shall remain silent here in the forest.” Therefore, if one has not accumulated vast amount of merits, it will not be understood. At the beginning, I told you that the practice of wisdom must accompany with method aspect of practice. If one accumulates vast amount of merit, then one will comprehend the meaning of Emptiness.
Question: What are the sixteen attributes of the four noble truths?
Answer: There are four attributes for each truth. Impermanent, suffering, empty and selflessness are attributes of the truth of suffering. Cause, origination, intense arising and condition are attributes of the truth of origination. Peace, cessation, perfection and true deliverance are attributes of the truth of cessation. Attributes of true path are path, appropriate, effective and truly delivering. These are very vast teaching.
Question: Is it necessary to develop calm abiding in order to generate a conventional bodhicitta?
Answer: There are different ways of explanation in different texts. According to Jetsunpa’s writings then yes, one must develop calm abiding before generation bodhicitta, and there are sources of reasons for that, such as the writing of Gyaltsab Rinpoche and the writing of Haribhadra, in which they mentioned about the necessity of developing calm abiding before the generation of conventional bodhicitta. It also mentioned that one must need calm abiding in order to generate effortless or authentic bodhicitta. Bodhicitta with effort is generating bodhicitta deliberately with the method of seven causes and effect, generating a wish to achieve enlightenment for the sake of all mother sentient beings.
Question: In Sutrayana, can one develop bodhicita and wisdom at the same time?
Answer: In Sutrayana, one cannot develop bodhicitta and wisdom in a single mind at the same time, but one can develop two minds at the same time.
Question: Are you saying that in quantom physics, all compounded phenomena are not absolute one single entity, but rather, it is compounded of many small particles?
Answer: The first thing is that in Buddhism, we divide all phenomena into three categories, compounded phenomena, consciousness and non-associated compositional factor. We are talking here about consciousness, not about external matters.
Question: Where can you find this text about compounded phenomena, consciousness and abstract phenomena?
Answer: In the monastery, this is the curriculum of first year. You can learn this from the text called Collective Topics.
Question: When we say union of wisdom and method, sometimes, it is interpreted method as a father and wisdom as a mother, and then union of wisdom and method. Sometimes, people misunderstood the meaning of union of wisdom and method as father and mother coming together. How can you explain it?
Answer: It doesn’t have to be interpreted that way all the time. Method aspect is interpreted as a father, because in our culture, what ethnic the son is from is distinguished by the father, not by the mother, but a mother can give birth to any ethnic groups. Here in the same way, if the practitioner is practicing bodhicitta, that practitioner is considered as a Mahayanist, but the practice of wisdom aspect can give birth to both Mahayana and Lesser vehicle practitioners. This is the meaning of method aspect is like a father, and the practice of wisdom aspect is like a mother.
Question: Some people misunderstood that meaning.
Answer: When you say father and mother aspects of practice, it does not resemble all perspectives of our worldly life.
Finally, I want to say that whatever action we do, at the initial stage, generating appropriate motivation is important and at the end, we must dedicate our merit. Generally, merit of all sentient being of three times combined together and dedicate for the pure dharma to flourish all over the world, and all the dharma holders have long life etc…