C41-Three Principal Stages & Paths of Buddhist Practice
We began Lesson 5-The Great Stage with the Method Path of Bodhichitta. This lesson is concerned with the merit-building part of the Great Stage of training to become a Bodhisattva and ultimately a Buddha so that we may liberate all beings. This is why it is caused the Great Stage as we now have the greater goal of saving all living beings. However, we do need to progress through the Intermediate Stage or the Path of Renunciation to first save ourselves so that we can accomplish this greater goal. In this stage we learn how to cultivate ourselves, master the six paramitas, and develop our bodhichitta. This first class in this stage was summarized in Je Tsongkapa’s verse six from The Principal Teachings of Buddhism:
“Renunciation though, can never bring
The total bliss of matchless Buddhahood
Unless it’s bound by the purest wish; and so,
The wise seek the high wish for enlightenment.”
We discussed why the wise seek this “high wish for enlightenment” and how to do so. We need to see every living being as our own mother, understanding that in a past life that may have been so. From that understanding we can develop our love and compassion for all–even those who might harm us.
We also discussed the “Three Moralities” that we must be well trained in to become a Buddha: 1-keeping oneself from committing wrong, 2-collecting goodness, and 3-acting for every living being.
Our discussion also covered the true meaning of bodhichitta and misconceptions that are held about it as well as the methods of training to develop bodhichitta followed by both H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and Je Tsongkapha.
Our next class will finish our discussion of What Is Cultivation and The Seven-Point Mind Training Method.
You must be enrolled in C41 in one of the membership programs at the LFBCS to access the course materials, questions covered (in parenthesis), and/or the class recordings.
July 15, 2023: Lesson 4E-Intermediate Stage–The Path of Renunciation (142-154) and HERE for recording of class.
June 24, 2023: Lesson 4D-Intermediate Stage–The Path of Renunciation (110-141) and HERE for recording of class.
June 17, 2023: Lesson 4C-Intermediate Stage–The Path of Renunciation (90-109) and HERE for recording of class.
June 10, 2023: Lesson 4B-Intermediate Stage–The Path of Renunciation (84-89) and HERE for recording of class.
May 27, 2023: Lesson 4A-Intermediate Stage–The Path of Renunciation (63-83) and HERE for recording of class.
May 20, 2023: Lesson 3B -Initial Stage (60-62) and HERE for recording of class.
May 13, 2023: Lesson 3A -Initial Stage (39-59) and HERE for recording of class.
May 6, 2023: Lesson 2-Preliminaries (14-38) and HERE for recording of that class.
April 29, 2023: Lesson 1-Introduction to Three Principal Stages & Paths of Buddhist Practice (1-13) and HERE for recording of that class.
Description of C41-Three Principal Stages & Paths of Buddhist Practice.
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ARTICLE with more information and links including updated chart of course content. Lessons 5-7 are still under construction.
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