Table of Contents
Preface Bhiksuni Thubten Chodron xiii
Abbreviations xxi
Introduction by His Holiness the Dalai Lama 3
1 The Buddhist Approach 7
Four Seals 7
Two Truths 13
2 Gaining Nondeceptive Knowledge 17
Three Kinds of Objects and Their Cognizers 17
Seven Types of Awareness 21
Reliable Cognizers and Unreliable Awarenesses 22
Direct Reliable Cognizers 27
Inferential Reliable Cognizers 27
Reliable Cognizers Based on an Example 32
Reliable Cognizers Based on Authoritarive Testimony 33
Applying the Threefold Analysis 39
Reflections on Scriptural Inference 40
The Prasangikas' Unique View of Reliable Cognizers 42
Knowing When We Have a Correct Reason and a Reliable Cognizer 44
Inferential Reliable Cognizers and Meditation 45
3 The Basis of the Self: The Body and Mind 51
Classifications of Phenomena 51
Five Aggregates 55
Twelve Sources and Eighteen Constituents 57
Consciousness: Mind and Mental Factors 59
Five Omnipresent Mental Factors 61
Five Object-Ascertaining Mental Factors 62
Eleven Virtuous Mental Factors 64
Six Root Afflictions 65
Twenty Auxiliary Afflictions 67
Four Variable Mental Factors 67
Conceptual and Nonconceprual Consciousnesses 69
4 Choosing Spiritual Mentors and Becoming a Qualified Disciple 77
Importance of Relying on Spiritual Mentors 77
Spiritual Mentors 79
Three Types of Practice, Three Types of Spiritual Mentors 83
Investigate a Person's Qualities 86
Qualities of a Spiritual Mentor 87
Seek Internal Qualities, Not Titles or External Appearance 91
Becoming a Qualified Disciple 95
5 Relying on Spiritual Mentors 101
The Benefits of Relying on Spiritual Mentors 102
Cultivate Trust by Seeing Their Qualities 103
Cultivate Appreciation and Respect by Seeing Their Kindness 106
Seeing Spiritual Mentors as Buddhas 108
The Role of Devotion 111
Relying on Spiritual Mentors in Our Actions 112
Behavior toward Spiritual Mentors 114
Preventing Difficulties 118
Unusual Behavior 120
Resolving Problems 124
When Our Spiritual Mentors Pass Away 127
Advice to Spiritual Mentors and Disciples 127
6 How to Structure a Meditation Session 131
Types of Meditation 131
Meditation on the Lamrim 134
The Six Preparatory Practices 136
The Actual Session and Dedication at the Conclusion 148
Interrelationship of the Lamrim Topics 151
Breaks between Meditation Sessions 152
Making Requests, Receiving Blessings, and Gaining Realizations 157
7 Mind, Body, and Rebirth 161
Sentience, Mind, and Brain 161
The Nature of Mind 167
Rebirth: Past and Future Lives 169
The Buddha Responds to Questions about Rebirth 175
8 The Essence of a Meaningful Life 183
Precious Human Life 184
Rare and Difficult to Attain 187
Taking the Essence of Our Precious Human Life 190
Eight Worldly Concerns 191
Disadvantages of the Eight Worldly Concerns 197
9 Looking Beyond This Life 205
Gross and Subtle Impermanence 206
Learning from Our Own Mortality 207
Other Life Forms 213
Fear or Hope at Death? 217
The Death Process 219
Helping Ourselves and Others at the Time of Death 221
Powa, Transference of Consciousness 226
10 Karma and Its Effects 231
The Law of Karma and Its Effects 232
General Characteristics of Karma 235
Specific Characteristics of Karma 238
Constructive Actions 250
The Weight of Karma 254
Discerning Virtuous from Nonvirtuous Actions 258
Karma and Current Ethical Issues 259
11 Results of Karma 269
Three Results of Karma 270
The Ripening of Karmic Seeds 277
Definite and Indefinite Karma 282
When Karma Ripens 285
How Karma Functions 288
The Benefits of Contemplating Karma and Its Effects 288
12 The Workings of Karma 291
Projecting and Completing Karma 291
Collective and Individual Karma 292
Naturally Nonvirtuous Actions and Proscribed Actions 293
Intention Karma, Intended Karma, and Mental Karma 295
Physical and Verbal Karma, Perceptible and Imperceptible Forms 296
Gloomy and Bright Karmas and Their Effects 301
Purifying Destructive Karma 303
Creating Our Future 308
Who Creates Constructive Karma? 309
The Complexity of Karma 311
Creating the Causes for Higher Rebirth, Liberation, and Awakening 313
A Deeper Perspective on Causality 316
The Path of the Initial-Level Practitioner: A Conclusion 317
Notes 319
Glossary 325
Recommended Reading 337
Index 341
About the Authors 367
