Mahamudra
The Great Seal of Voidness
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
Mahamudra
The Great Seal of Voidness
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
Mahamudra: The Great Seal of Voidness
Commentary by the Venerable Geshe Doga
The deeds done in order to engage in the composition {1}
Presenting the actual material of the composition {2}
Prepatory practices {2.1}
The four instructions on preliminary practice.
[Taking refuge and generating bodhicitta] {2.1.1}
Taking refuge in the Guru/Buddha; The causes of refuge; The objects of refuge; The manner of taking refuge; The instructions to follow after having taken refuge.
Relating refuge to the lam rim; Refuge and the small scope; Refuge and the intermediate scope; Refuge and the great scope; Relating refuge to the four noble truths.
Purification {2.1.3}
[Accumulating extensive merit] {2.1.2}
The benefits of bodhicitta
The preliminary practices of Milarepa.
The four clingings: attachment to this life, attachment to cyclic existence, the wish for personal liberation, self-grasping.
[Purification] {2.1.3}
The importance of understanding the law of karma; How to purify negative karma; The four component powers.
[The Guru Yoga practice] {2.1.4}
Inseparable from the buddhas of the three times.
The Vajrayana point of view; The Prajnaparamita point of view; The Tantrayăna point of view.
Visualising the merit field; Develop faith in the guru; Brief form of guru yoga practice.
The essence of the Three Jewels.
Guru yoga {2.1.4}
The actual {2.2}
Mahamudra according to the tantra tradition {2.2.1}
The illusory body; Brief explanation how the intermediate state body is obtained.
Mahamudra according to the sutras {2.2.2}
Clear light and the path
28 October 2008 (d)
4 November 2008 (t)
Different teaching traditions: 1. Simultaneous production and union tradition; 2. Joint amulet box tradition; 3. Possessing the five tradition; 4. The six equal tastes tradition; 5. The four letters tradition; 6. Pacifier tradition; 7. Cutting-off tradition; 8. Dzogchen tradition; 9. The profound Mahayana tradition.
The preliminaries for developing calm abiding {2.2.2.1}
The six prerequisites: Five qualities of a suitable place: (a. An accessible place; b. A good place; c. Good grounds; d. Good companions; e. The requisites for comfortable yogic practice); 2. Having little desire; 3. Having contentment; 4. Abiding by pure ethics; 5. Abandoning multiple or excessive activities; 6. Abandoning disturbing conceptions.
The actual method for developing calm abiding {2.2.2.2}
The sitting place
1. The seven-fold [physical] posture: 1. the legs, 2. the hands, 3. straight spine, 4. lips and teeth, 5. the head, 6. the eyes, 7. the shoulders.
2. Setting the mind by regulating the breath: Setting the mind; The nine-round breathing technique.
3. Taking refuge and generating bodhicitta.
4. The profound guru yoga practice; Different techniques.
Identifying concentration and calm abiding; The two attributes of concentration.
The mental factors; The five ascertaining mental factors; The definition of consciousness; The six primary minds.
The objects of focus for single-pointed concentration: 1. Pervasive objects; 2. Objects that purify your behaviour; 3. Objects for the wise; 4. Objects for purifying delusions.
The importance of applying this to your daily life.
9 December 2008 (d)
16 December 2008 (t)
Attributes of concentration {1}
Identifying the object of calm abiding {1.1}
Objects of focus for single-pointed concentration {1.2}
Pervasive objects
Objects of analysis
Objects for the wise
Objects for purifying delusions
How to develop mindfulness {3}
How to develop mindfulness in general {3.1}
What is concentration?
The five omnipresent mental factors: feeling, discrimination, intention, contact, attention.
The five object-ascertaining mental factors: aspiration, faith, mindfulness, wisdom, concentration.
How the mental factors are concomitant with the primary mind: same object, same aspect, same time, same substance, same basis.
How to develop mindfulness in particular {3.2}
The three attributes of mindfulness (object of focus, how the object is ascertained, function); Initial contentment with the aspect of the object; The two obstacles to develop mindfulness: excitement and laxity.
Gross and subtle distraction.
The three trainings: moral ethics, concentration, and wisdom.
Gross and subtle laxity; How to prevent laxity and excitement; The five faults (laziness, forgetting the instruction, laxity and excitement, non-application, over-application); The antidotes to excitement; Achieving balance.
31 March 2009 (d)
7 April 2009 (t)
The manner of focusing on a chosen object; The antidote to laziness; Benefits of developing calm abiding; The criterion of having developed calm abiding.
The eight antidotes (faith, aspiration, effort, pliancy, mindfulness, introspection, application, equanimity); The nine stages of developing calm abiding (setting the mind; continuous setting; patch like setting; close setting; subduing; pacifying).
Explanation according to Maitreya’s Ornament of Mahayana Discourses; Explanation according to Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand.
How to develop mindfulness in general {3.1}
The six powers (the power of hearing, the power of thinking, the power of mindfulness, the power of introspection, the power of joyous effort, the power of complete familiarity).
The four mental engagements (forcible engagement, interrupted engagement, uninterrupted engagement, effortless or spontaneous engagement).
Mental engagement, laxity and excitement.
How to develop mindfulness in particular {3.2}
Maintaining mindfulness with new mindfulness {3.2.1}
Maintaining mindfulness with old mindfulness {3.2.2}
Maintaining mindfulness with the appropriate measure {3.2.3}
12 May 2009 (d)
19 May 2009 (t)
Maintaining mindfulness with conventionally renowned techniques {3.2.4}
Maintaining mindfulness with discursive thoughts subsiding naturally {3.2.5}
Like a toddler, like the unobstructed sun, like a bird gliding in the sky, like a ship on the ocean, like a bird in the sky leaving no trail.
The resultant appearance of the benefits {4}
The attributes and benefits of mental and physical pliancy and bliss; Definition of calm abiding.
Identifying calm abiding {1}
Introducing the mind {2}
That which is mistaken {1}
23 June 2009 (d)
30 June 2009 (t)
Accepting that which is unmistaken {2}
Conventional and ultimate nature of the mind.
Introducing the object, emptiness {4}
Pledge of composition
The uniqueness of the union of calm abiding and special insight
How to engage in the practice after having established it
The general classification {4.1}
Combining the essence of all {4.2}
The three doors of emancipation; The cause of wandering in samsara; Compassion and suffering
The antidote; The direct realisation of emptiness
The importance of the correct approach; The three principles of the path.
How to accumulate the conditions for establishing special insight {1}
The manner of meditating on special insight {2}
How to accumulate the conditions for establishing special insight {1}
Relying on a spiritual teacher, engaging in listening to the teachings from a spiritual teacher, contemplating the received teachings accordingly.
The manner of meditating on special insight {2}
Identifying the object of refutation on the subtlest level {2.1}
28 July 2009 (d)
4 August 2009 (t)
Definition of the view of the transitory collection; How to identify the object of negation; The necessity of identifying the object of negation.
Having meditated on selflessness, establishing designated phenomena {2.2}
Two modes of appearance: Mode of appearance for an ordinary being; Merely labelled phenomena; The Tathagata view of how things exist; Ignorance and karma.
Meditating on oneself as an object {1}
8 September 2009 (d)
Presenting the state of post-meditative equipoise {[?]}
Applying it to others {2}
Using the mind as an object {3}
20 October 2009 (d)
In brief, applying it to all appearances {4}
Conclusion {2.3}
The manner of dedicating the merits {1}
The manner of applying the benefits and removing interferences {2}
The manner of applying the benefits {1}
The manner of removing impediments {1}
The manner of actualising the correct path {3}
Dedicating the merits derived from the composition of mahamudra {3}