Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment
Commentary by the Venerable Geshe Doga
Translated by the Venerable Michael Lobsang Yeshe
Outline with links to transcripts, discussions, and tests
Tara Institute
3 Mavis Avenue
East Brighton 3187
Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment
Commentary by the Venerable Geshe Doga
Translated by the Venerable Michael Lobsang Yeshe
Outline with links to transcripts, discussions, and tests
Tara Institute
3 Mavis Avenue
East Brighton 3187
Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment
Commentary by the Venerable Geshe Doga
The greatness of the author {1}
How Atisha was born to one of the high families of great lineage; how he attained his good qualities in that very rebirth; the great activities he did to further the doctrine after getting these qualities.
The greatness of the Dharma {2}
The three features and four greatnesses.
How to teach and listen to the Dharma that has these two greatnesses (of the author and of the Dharma) {3}
The way to study the Dharma; the way to teach the Dharma.
Presenting the actual meaning of the teaching {4}
The meaning of the title; salutation of the translator.
The Dharma Jewel; the Sangha Jewel; pledge to compose
Why was this text composed?
How does Lamp for the Path illuminate Buddha’s teachings?
Presenting the three types of beings in brief
The three paths
Presenting the specific characteristic of the three types of beings
Presenting the characteristics of the being of the small scope
The three motivations for Dharma practice; the three characteristics of the small scope being; Relying on the spiritual guide.
Thinking about the precious human rebirth; death and impermanence; the faults of the unfortunate realms.
Refuge: The cause for going for refuge; the objects of refuge: The way to go for refuge; the stages of the precepts. Karma: Reflecting on karma and its effects in general (1. The certainty of karma; 2. The magnification of karma; 3. Not experiencing the effect of actions that you did not do; 4. The actions you have done do not perish.)
Presenting the characteristics of the being of the medium scope
Thought, deed, goal; the three trainings; shared paths; the three types of middle scope practitioners; practices of a middle scope being.
25 July 2017 (d)
1 August 2017 (t)
Contemplating the first noble truth of suffering.
The three results of karma; the order of the presentation; the eight types of suffering; the six faults of cyclic existence; the three types of suffering.
The suffering of existence; the cause of suffering.
Presenting the characteristics of the being of the great scope
Brief explanation
Explaining the supreme being extensively
Elaborate presentation on the paths of perfection vehicle
Presenting the system of the paths
Promise of the explanation
Explaining the perfect path [or perfect method]
Aspirational instructions
The preliminary
Accumulating merits
Setting up an altar to receive offerings; manifest offerings; mental offerings; the Samantabhadra practice; classification of the seven limbs
Taking extraordinary refuge
Causal and resultant refuge; duration of taking refuge; taking refuge and aspirational bodhicitta.
Loving kindness; the object of compassion.
Taking the three minds
The actual
The meaning of the pledge; the four fruits of the hearer grounds; the four Mahayana pledges.
The completion [or conclusion]
Instruction on remembering the benefits {[1]}
Instruction of training in bodhicitta {[2]}
Instruction of training in accumulating two accumulations {[3]}
Instruction of training one’s mind in not abandoning sentient beings {[4]}
Instruction of training in the abandoning four black dharmas and adopting four white dharmas {[5]}
Engaging instructions
Taking engaging vows {[1]}
Manner of taking engaging vows {[2]}
Suitable life-form; the qualities of the object bestowing the vows; the ritual of taking the vows; the ritual of taking the vows with a lama; the ritual of taking the vows without a lama.
Generating the mind; correctly taking the vow; the pledge of morality; the pledge of the morality of benefitting sentient beings.
The pledge of morality of gathering virtue.
Training in the precepts after having taken the engagement vows {[3]}
Training in the precepts of morality {[1]}
Actual {[1]}
Its characteristics {[2]}
Training in the precepts of the mind {[2]}
Training in calm abiding in order to gain clairvoyance {[1]}
How to train in calm abiding {[2]}
Relying on the collections (favourable conditions or circumstances) for calm abiding {[1]}
Cultivating the prerequisites for mental quiescence {[2]}
1. Dwelling in a conducive place: Excellent provisions; a wholesome place; a healthy place; friends at hand; facilities to suit the yogi. 2. Having few wants. 3. Being content. 4. Having pure ethics. 5. Abandoning demands. 6. Completely abandoning conceptual thoughts such as desires.
Pitfalls: 1. Laziness; 2. Forgetting the instructions; 3. Excitement and dullness.
What is the purpose of life? true happiness lies within us, not outside; love and compassion is the essence of the spiritual practice.
Mental fogginess and dullness; mental sinking.
Subtle and coarse excitement; difference between excitement and mental wandering; introspection (the antidote to excitement).
Pitfalls: 4. Not applying the antidote.
Overcoming subtle sinking.
Overcoming subtle excitement.
Pitfalls: 5. The over application of antidotes.
Posture for engaging in meditation
Object of meditation
Taking this as the basis, how to achieve the nine mental states
Nine mental stages: 1. Placing the mind; 2. Placing with continuity; 3. Patch-like placement; 4. close-placement; 5. subduing or taming the mind.
Meditation and Dharma is the practice of adopting virtuous actions and abandoning non-virtuous actions; benefits and harm; virtue and non-virtue; then virtuous and ten non-virtuous actions; community benefits; personal benefits.
Nine mental stages (cont.): 6. Pacifying; 7. Complete pacifying; 8. Single-pointedness; 9. Placement with equanimity; summary of nine stages.
The benefits of calm abiding meditation {[3]}
Training in the precepts of wisdom {[3]}
Presentation on special insight by proving the necessity of conjoining method and wisdom {[1]}
Reason for training in the wisdom of special insight {[1]}
Reason for training in the union of method and wisdom {[2]}
Presentation of the actual path of union {[3]}
Brief explanation {[1]}
Detailed explanation {[2]}
Identifying the method {[1]}
The purpose of becoming familiar with it {[2]}
Identifying the wisdom {[3]}
How on trains in special insight {[2]}
Detailed explanation {[1]}
Summary {[2]}
The presentation of the collections (favourable conditions) for special insight {[1]}
Relying noble beings; great seeking through much hearing; proper attention.
Wisdom arisen from thinking by depending upon reason {[1]}
The reason of investigating the result to refute existent and non-existent production {[1]}
The reason of investigating the cause called the Diamond Sliver {[2]}
The reason of investigating the identity to refute one or many {[3]}
Wisdom arisen from hearing by depending upon scripture {[2]}
How to meditate on special insight {[2]}
The results of meditation on special insight [into the ruth of emptiness] {[3]}
The actual meaning {[1]}
Establishing it by the scriptures {[2]}
The presentation of the results
Brief presentation of the method of engaging in mantra {2}
Necessity of receiving the initiations for engaging in the vajra vehicle {2.1}
The recipient {2.1.1}
Conferring of ripening initiation upon that person {2.1.2}
Significance of conferring initiation {2.1.3}
Who can or cannot actually receive the two higher initiations {2.2}
Dispelling doubt about whether or not it is appropriate to teach and study tantra without receiving the two higher initiations {2.3}
Cause for the composition {3}
Concluding remarks
Who wrote it {1}
Who translated it {3}