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Grounds and Paths of the Perfection Vehicle
by Venerable Thubten Chodron
Sravasti Abbey, Washington, USA
May 2011 to August 2012
12 May 2011
Ven. Chodron gives a brief explanation of how to listen to the teachings. She explains that if we cut down our arrogance and increase our humility we will be more open and receptive to the Dharma. Ven. Chodron gives a short biography of the text's author and starts an explanation of the philosophical context in which this text is embedded, talking about the realms of samsara and the different types of person based on their spiritual capacity.
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9 June 2011
Ven. Tarpa gives an explanation of the three levels of spiritual practitioner and their main aspirations. She explains the different contemplations one needs to do to give rise to those aspirations, as well as the practices one does after cultivating them. Ven. Tarpa ties this in with the three principal aspects of the path.
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16 June 2011
Ven. Chodron finishes explaining the three levels of spiritual practitioner. She explains the motivation and practices of the middle level and advanced level practitioners. Ven. Chodron then talks about the benefits of studying the grounds and paths.
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23 June 2011
Ven. Chodron gives more background for the grounds and paths text. She explains the meaning of ground, path and vehicle. Ven. Chodron also explains the difference between the fundamental and universal vehicles. She then begins the actual text with commentary on the opening homage and the lineage of masters praised in the homage.
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30 June 2011
Ven. Chodron finishes explaining the homage and then begins the explanation of the author's introduction. She also explains why Dharma practice has to be more than intellectual understanding and knowing words and concepts. We need to practice to bring changes to our life and view.
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7 July 2011
Venerable Chodron completes the commentary on the author's introduction. She explains Nagarjuna's verse cited in the introduction:
All phenomena are real, unreal,
Real and unreal,
And not real or unreal,
This is what Buddha taught.
Ven. Chodron explains how the Buddha taught according to the individual's understanding and did not start by teaching the ultimate view of reality.
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21 July 2011
Ven. Chodron begins the commentary on part one of the text on the fundamental vehicle grounds and paths. In this talk she explains the fundamental vehicle grounds from stream enterer to arhat. Ven. Chodron also explains what afflictions or fetters are abandoned in each of the grounds. She begins the explanation of the fundamental vehicle paths and explains the difference between an uninterrupted path and a liberated path.
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28 July 2011
Ven. Chodron continues the commentary on the grounds and paths of the hearer. She explains how the hearer enters the path of accumulation by developing renunciation, the determination to be liberated from rebirth in cyclic existence. Ven. Chodron explains what is meditated on to develop renunciation. She also explains the importance of making these meditations personal.
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4 August 2011
Ven. Chodron continues the commentary on the grounds and paths of the hearer vehicle. In this talk she explains the paths of preparation, seeing, and meditation. Ven. Chodron describes the demarcation point for entering each path. She also explains what is developed on each path and what level of afflictions are being eliminated. Ven. Chodron explains why the first experience of direct realization on emptiness is a drastic break from all previous minds up to that point and how it is the only mind of sentient beings that is non-mistaken.
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11 August 2011
Ven. Chodron explains 10 points from Asanga's "Hearer's Grounds" (Shravakabhumi). She explains how meditating on these 10 points generates renunciation, the desire to free oneself from cyclic existence, wanting something better than the transient happiness of cyclic existence. The 10 points include 5 on impermanence, 3 on dukka, and 2 on selflessness. Ven. Chodron goes over each point in detail and explains how to make the meditation personal using our own experience.
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18 August 2011
Ven. Chodron begins the talk with an explanation of how to contemplate the kindness of others and it's benefits. She continues the commentary on the hearer's path. Ven. Chodron also explains nirvana with remainder and nirvana without remainder.
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25 August 2011
Ven. Chodron goes through the text to summarize the section on the grounds and paths of the Fundamental Vehicle.
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1 September 2011
Ven. Chodron gives an overview of the Mahayana paths and grounds and compares them to those of the fundamental vehicle. She also explains the two Buddha bodies, the form body and the truth body. Ven. Chodron goes on to explain the advantages of Bodhicitta.
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8 September 2011
In the first half of this talk Ven. Chodron discusses the answer to the quiz on the hearers grounds and paths.
- What are the differences between the path of Fundamental Vehicle practitioners and those on the path of bodhisattvas?
- Explain Nagarjuna’s verse: All [phenomena] are real, unreal Real and unreal, And not real or unreal This is what Buddha taught.
- Why did the Buddha teach those four positions?
- What is the relationship between the eight types of Fundamental Vehicle aryas and the five Fundamental Vehicle paths?
- What is the relationship between the eight Fundamental Vehicle grounds and the five Fundamental Vehicle paths?
In the second half Ven, Chodron talks about developing equanimity and explains how it is the preliminary practice to developing Bodhicitta.
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16 September 2011
Ven. Chodron goes over the answer to question number 6 from the quiz on the hearer's grounds and paths:
- What is the demarcation of entering each of the five Fundamental Vehicle paths?
Ven. Chodron then starts the explanation of the 7 point cause and effect method of developing Bodhiciita. She discusses how to recognize all sentient beings as having been our mothers and seeing their kindness.
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22 September 2011
In the first half of this talk Ven. Chodron discusses the answers to qiuz questions 7 and 8:
- Make an outline of all the types of exalted wisdom of the Fundamental Vehicle path of seeing and describe what each is or does.
- Make an outline of all the types of exalted wisdom of the Fundamental Vehicle path of meditation and describe what each is or does.
Ven. Chodron then continues the explanation of the 7 point cause and effect method of developing Bodhicitta.
[73 minutes] Download mp3 file
29 September 2011
Ven. Chodron completes the discussion of the quiz questions on the hearer's grounds and paths.:
- How are nirvana with remainder and without remainder explained in the common approach? In which order do they occur and why?
- Explain the 10 points by which Asanga explained the 3 characteristics and how does meditating on those points affect your mind?
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13 October 2011
The Mahayana Path of Accumulation:
Ven. Chodron goes over the terminology used in the explanation of the Mahayana grounds and paths. She goes on to explain four levels of Bodhicitta of the Mahayana path. Ven. Chodron describes the three stages of the Mahayana path of accumulation - the small, middling and great paths of accumulation. She explains the sequence of the types Bodhicitta that are part of the path of accumulation from Maitreya's Ornament of Clear Realization.
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20 October 2011
Abbey resident Zopa gives a review of the advantages of Bodhicitta and developing Bodhicitta through the seven point cause and effect method.
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27 October 2011
Ven. Chodron describes the Mahayana path of preparation. She explains the four divisions of the path of preparation - heat, peak, forbearance and supreme mundane qualities. Ven. Chodron explains how one progresses through the Mahayana path of preparation, wearing away at the conceptual appearance of emptiness and progressing toward direct perception of emptiness.
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3 November 2011
Ven. Chodron begins the explanation of the Bodhisattva aryas' grounds. She explains the difference between the wisdom of the Bodhisattvas and the hearers. Ven. Chodron goes on to talk about the features of the successive grounds of the Bodhisattva arya. She also describes how on each new ground the Bodhisattva arya attains new cessations.
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10 November 2011
The Far-Reaching Practice of Generosity
In the first of the talks on the far-reaching practices, Ven. Tarpa discusses the far-reaching practice of generosity. She explains why generosity is the first of the six practices and the reasons for their order. Ven. Tarpa explains the importance of generosity on the path and contemplations to develop generosity.
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17 November 2011
The Far-Reaching Practice of Ethical Conduct
Ven. Semkye continues the talks on the six far-reaching practices with a discussion of the far-reaching practice of ethics. She explains the three types of ethical conduct. Ven.Semkye also explains the 4 ways that ethical errors occur and their antidotes.
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24 November 2011
The Far-Reaching Practice of Fortitude
Abbey resident Zopa explains the far-reaching practice of patience or fortitude. She talks about the types of patience and how to develop patience. Zopa also explains the Buddhist view of anger and using patience to work with it.
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1 December 2011
The Far-Reaching Practice of Joyous Effort
Ven. Thubten Samten talks about the far-reaching practice of joyous effort or perseverance. She explains the benefit of joyous effort and its importance in making progress on the spiritual path. Ven. Samten talks about the three types of perseverance included in this far-reaching practice. She also describes the obstacles to developing joyous effort and the antidotes for overcoming them.
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8 December 2011
The Far-Reaching Practices of Meditation and Wisdom
Ven. Tarpa concludes the talks on the six far-reaching practices. Using "Stages of Meditation," a commentary on Kamalashila's classic text by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, she explains the far-reaching practices of meditation and wisdom.
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15 December 2011
Ven. Chodron completes the section on the Divisions of Grounds of Bodhisattva Superiors. She talks more about the four ways the ten grounds are differentiated.
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22 March 2012
The series of teachings on the grounds and paths resumes with Ven. Tarpa giving a review of what has been taught so far on the Mahayana grounds and paths. She explains the meanings of ground and path and describes what happens in a person's mind on each path.
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29 March 2012
Ven. Chodron first talks about how we have to sometimes think about the teachings in a way that fits with our cultural context, for instance by changing stories used as examples in the texts to become more relevant to us. She then resumes teaching on the paths and grounds by explaining the Mahayana Path of Seeing and starts the commentary on the Mahayana Path of Meditation.
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5 April 2012
Ven. Chodron continues teaching on the paths and grounds by explaining the Mahayana Path of Meditation. She also answers some questions from the community.
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12 April 2012
Ven. Chodron finishes the commentary on the Path of Meditation and starts the section on the ten grounds of Bodhisattva Superiors beginning with the first ground - "The Very Joyful". She explains the characteristics and experience of the first ground.
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19 April 2012
In a review of the material, Ven. Semkye presents an outline of the Mahayana paths and grounds including a detailed chart that gives a graphic progression of the paths. She goes over what is practiced and abandoned on each path and explains the demarcation of each path.
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26 April 2012
Ven. Chodron explains the 12 qualities that are used to differentiate the Bodhisattva grounds. She explains the scope of these qualities for the first ground and also how they numerically increase in the subsequent grounds.
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3 May 2012
Ven. Jigme leads the Abbey community in a discussion of the first two questions from the quiz on the Mahayana Grounds and Paths. The quiz was composed by Ven. Chodron.
1. What are the two methods to generate bodhicitta? Outline the basic steps of each.
2. What is the definition of bodhicitta? What are its two aspirations? What is its focal object? Is great compassion a cause of bodhicitta, a mental factor occurring together with bodhicitta, both, or neither?
Ven. Jigme also gives the 10 advantages of bodhicitta and explains why equanimity is the precursor to bodhicitta.
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10 May 2012
Ven. Tarpa answers questions 3 and 4 from the quiz on the Mahayana Grounds and Paths.
3. What are stabilizing meditation and analytical meditation? How do they relate to serenity and insight?
4. There are four levels of bodhicitta: bodhicitta of belief (faith), bodhicitta with pure special resolve, fully ripening bodhicitta, and bodhicitta free from obscurations. Which of the bodhisattva paths and grounds apply to these four? How do the names of these four relate to the paths and grounds they describe?
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17 May 2012
Ven. Samten goes over questions 5 and 6 from the quiz on the Mahayana grounds and paths.
5. What is the demarcation of entering the Mahayana path of accumulation? What are its three stages? What are distinguishing features of these three stages? What are the major activities a bodhisattva does on the path of accumulation in terms of accumulating merit and generating wisdom?
6. How does a bodhisattva meditate in order to generate the union of serenity and insight?
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24 May 2012
Zopa completes the review of the quiz questions leading a discussion of questions 7 and 8.
7. What is the demarcation of entering the Mahayana path of preparation? What are its four stages? What happens on each of these four stages?
8. When hearer arhats enter the Mahayana, at what path do they enter? What do they need to do to progress from the Mahayana path of accumulation to the Mahayana path of preparation, and on up?
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31 May 2012
Ven. Chodron resumes the explanation of the Bodhisattva grounds. In this talk she completes the discussion of the first Bodhisattva ground called "Very Joyful" and goes over the four factors or qualities that differentiate the first ground.
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7 June 2012
Ven. Chodron discusses the 2nd and 3rd Bodhisattva grounds as presented in the text. She explains the grounds in terms of their qualities, what has been eliminated and the activities on each ground.
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14 June 2012
Ven. Chodron continues the commentary on the bodhisattva grounds. In this talk she covers grounds 4 through 6. She explains the qualities of each ground, the practices, and what is eliminated and acquired.
[61 minutes] Download mp3 file
21 June 2012
Ven. Chodron explains the qualities achieved by a Bodhisattva on the seventh ground including what afflictions are a eliminated. In response to a question, Ven. Chodron uses an analogy to show although we may see achieving the Bodhisattva grounds out of our reach, we have the potential. She uses the example of a baby who has the potential to grow up and have great worldly accomplishments to ourselves who have the potential to grow and accomplish the Bodhisattva grounds and eventually Buddhahood.
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28 June 2012
Ven. Chodron goes over the remaining Bodhisattva grounds 8, 9 and 10. She explains the what is eliminated, achieved and the Bodhisattva' abilities on each path.
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5 July 2012
Ven. Chodron finishes the commentary on the text with the final section, Buddhahood. She explains the four Buddha bodies and how they fulfill our own purposes and the purposes of others. At the beginning of the talk Ven. Chodron explains how to recognize when our mind is under the influence of an affliction. She leads a discussion of identifying and applying antidotes to the afflictions of attachment and jealousy.
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12 July 2012
Ven. Samten leads the Abbey community in a discussion on the first four questions of quiz #3. The quiz was composed by Ven. Chodron as a review.
1. How are the exalted wisdoms of meditative equipoise directly realizing emptiness of Fundamental Vehicle aryas and of arya bodhisattvas similar? How are they different?
2. What is a bodhisattva ground?
3. In terms of what factors are the ten grounds differentiated?
4. Describe the Mahayana path of seeing: its meditative equipoises, subsequent attainments, minds that are neither. Give examples of each. What is abandoned on the Mahayana path of seeing?
[55 minutes] Download mp3 file
19 July 2012
Ven. Chonyi leads the discussion of questions 5 through 8 from Quiz#3
5. How are uninterrupted paths and liberated path similar? How are they different? How are they similar and different with meditative equipoises that are neither?
6. How many uninterrupted paths and liberated paths are on the Mahayana path of meditation and what do they abandon?
7. What are the two obscurations? How are they different? On what stages of the path are they abandoned? Describe how they function in your mind. What are acquired and innate afflictions? How are they different? What’s the difference between the seed of an affliction and the latency of an affliction?
8. What are the twelve sets of qualities that arya bodhisattvas have? How does a bodhisattva use each one to progress to the next ground?
[68 minutes] Download mp3 file
26 July 2012
Ven. Tarpa leads a discussion on questions 9 through 12 from quiz #3.
9. Do you believe gaining these twelve sets of excellent qualities is possible or not? Why or why not? If you have doubt, how do you work with it?
10. What is the role of a bodhisattva’s accumulation of merit in progressing from one ground to another?
11. What is the role of a bodhisattva’s accumulation of wisdom in progressing from one path to another and then from one ground to another?
12. What are the six superknowledges? Do all arhats have them? Do all bodhisattvas have them? Why would a bodhisattva cultivate each one?
[62 minutes] Download mp3 file
2 August 2012
Ven. Semkye leads the discussion of questions 13 through 16 to complete Quiz #3.
13. What are the 37 harmonies (or wings) with awakening?
14. What are the pure and impure grounds and why are they so called?
15. How has studying the paths and grounds related to your Dharma practice? What benefit have you received from studying these?
16. Compare the five paths of disciples and the five paths of bodhisattvas. Make a list of the characteristics of each of the five paths. Then say how they are similar and how they are different. This can be done in chart form if you prefer.
[65 minutes] Download mp3 file
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