Lamrim
Encyclopedia
Lamrim is a Tibetan Buddhist textual form for presenting the stages in the complete path to enlightenment
as taught by Buddha
. In Tibetan Buddhist history there have been many different versions of lamrim, presented by different teachers of the Nyingma
, Kagyu
and Gelug
schools. However, all versions of the lamrim are elaborations of Atiśa
's 11th Century root text A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment
(Bodhipathapradīpa).
s and their commentaries. Based upon this request he taught what came to be known as the lamrim for the Tibetans. He was subsequently honored for this by the pandits of his alma mater
in India, the monastic university of Vikramaśīla. Atiśa's presentation of the doctrine later became known as the Kadampa
tradition in Tibet.
Gampopa
, a Kadampa monk and student of the famed yogi Milarepa
, introduced the lamrim to his disciples as a way of developing the mind gradually. His exposition of lamrim is known in English translation as "The Jewel Ornament of Liberation" and is studied to this day in the various Kagyu
schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug
school which is primarily based on Atiśa's Kadampa
school, wrote one of his masterpieces on lamrim: The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path of Enlightenment (Tib. Lam-rim Chen-mo) which has about 1000 pages, and is primarily based on literary sources. There is also a medium-length lamrim text by Tsongkhapa (200 pages) and a short one, called Lam-rim Dü-dön (Tib.), which is recited daily by many Gelugpas and is about 10 pages long.
and Asaṅga
as the starting point for their encyclopaedic work, the Ornament of clear realizations
(Abhisamayālaṃkāra) in which they emphasised the hidden meanings of the sutras.Abhisamayalankara The hidden meanings are believed to be contained in the number and order of the subjects. The number and order of the subjects are vital if someone wants to put the philosophy into practice. According to Lord Tsong Khapa in his Lam Rim Chen Mo, Atiśa took the number and order of the subjects in the Ornament of clear realizations
(Abhisamayālaṃkāra) as the basis to write the first lamrim text: the Lamp of the Path
that therefore contains the essential points of all sutra teachings in their logical order for practice.
Atiśa wrote in "Lamp of the Path" (verse 2) that one should understand that there are three kind of persons:
Persons of modest motive search for happiness within samsara
; their motive is to achieve high rebirth. Buddhists traditionally consider that this domain includes followers of most non-Buddhist religions who strive for a rebirth in a heaven.
Persons of medium motive are searching for their own ultimate peace and abandon worldly pleasure. This includes the paths of pratyekabuddha
s and śravakabuddhas, which seek personal liberation alone, the traditional goal of Hīnayāna
practice.
Based on their insight of their own suffering, persons of high motive seek by all means to stop the suffering of all beings. This is the Mahāyāna
path of the samyaksaṃbuddhas.
, the altruistic mind of enlightenment, followed by taking the bodhisattva vows. Gampopa's lamrim, however, starts with the Buddha nature, followed by the preciousness of human rebirth. Tsongkhapa's texts start with reliance on a guru (Tib.: lama), followed by the preciousness of human rebirth, and continue with the paths of the modest, medium and high scopes.
Gampopa
and Tsongkhapa expanded the short root-text of Atiśa into an extensive system to understand the entire Buddhist philosophy. In this way, subjects like karma
, rebirth
, Buddhist cosmology and the practice of meditation
are gradually explained in logical order.
A commonly used outline for lamrim teachings today in English translation from Tibetan is that of Liberation in the Palm of your Hand by Pabongka Rinpoche
. An abbreviated and annotated outline follows to show the structure of this lamrim.
this fourth subject has two divisions:
This last heading contains the rest of the instructions under the headings:
The path shared with persons who have the modest scope motivation (striving for a rebirth in the upper realms)
which will lead you to a favourable rebirth within cyclic existence in the human-, demigod-, or god realm.
The path shared with persons who have the medium scope motivation (striving for liberation of cyclic existence)
The truth of suffering (in cyclic existence in general, including the favourable rebirths)
Another presentation of the middle scope subjects is the presentation of the 12 links of dependent arising
The training in the medium scope path will lead to the development of the wish to be liberated from all un-free rebirths in cyclic existence through the power of afflictive emotions
The path of persons who have the high scope motivation (striving for complete buddhahood)
for a more detailed outline, see the external link "Lam Rim: The gradual Path to Enlightenment, Thubten Chodron's online Lamrim Outline"
Enlightenment in Buddhism
The English term enlightenment has commonly been used in the western world to translate several Sanskrit, Pali, Chinese and Japanese terms and concepts, especially bodhi, prajna, kensho, satori and buddhahood.-Insight:...
as taught by Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
. In Tibetan Buddhist history there have been many different versions of lamrim, presented by different teachers of the Nyingma
Nyingma
The Nyingma tradition is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism . "Nyingma" literally means "ancient," and is often referred to as Nga'gyur or the "old school" because it is founded on the first translations of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan, in the eighth century...
, Kagyu
Kagyu
The Kagyu, Kagyupa, or Kagyud school, also known as the "Oral Lineage" or Whispered Transmission school, is today regarded as one of six main schools of Himalayan or Tibetan Buddhism, the other five being the Nyingma, Sakya, Jonang, Bon and Gelug...
and Gelug
Gelug
The Gelug or Gelug-pa , also known as the Yellow Hat sect, is a school of Buddhism founded by Je Tsongkhapa , a philosopher and Tibetan religious leader...
schools. However, all versions of the lamrim are elaborations of Atiśa
Atisha
Atiśa Dipankara Shrijnana was a Buddhist teacher from the Pala Empire who, along with Konchog Gyalpo and Marpa, was one of the major figures in the establishment of the Sarma lineages in Tibet after the repression of Buddhism by King Langdarma .- Birth :Atisha is most commonly said to have been...
's 11th Century root text A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment
Bodhipathapradipa
Bodhipathapradīpa is a Buddhist text composed in Sanskrit by the teacher Atisha and widely considered his magnum opus. The text reconciles the doctrines of many various Buddhist schools and philosophies, and is notable for the introduction of the three levels of spiritual aspiration: lesser,...
(Bodhipathapradīpa).
History
When Atiśa, the originator of the lamrim came from India to Tibet, he was asked to give a complete and easily accessible summary of the doctrine in order to clarify wrong views, especially those resulting from apparent contradictions across the sutraSutra
Sūtra is an aphorism or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual. Literally it means a thread or line that holds things together and is derived from the verbal root siv-, meaning to sew , as does the medical term...
s and their commentaries. Based upon this request he taught what came to be known as the lamrim for the Tibetans. He was subsequently honored for this by the pandits of his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
in India, the monastic university of Vikramaśīla. Atiśa's presentation of the doctrine later became known as the Kadampa
Kadampa
The Kadampa tradition was a Tibetan Mahayana Buddhist school. Dromtönpa, a Tibetan lay master and the foremost disciple of the great Indian Buddhist Master Atisha , founded it and passed three lineages to his disciples. The Kadampa were quite famous and respected for their proper and earnest...
tradition in Tibet.
Gampopa
Gampopa
Gampopa Sonam Rinchen "Sonam Rinchen from Gampo" — who was equally well known in Tibet as Dagpo Lhaje , Nyamed Dakpo Rinpoche , and Da'od Zhonnu , — establishedthe Kagyu school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism today, as an...
, a Kadampa monk and student of the famed yogi Milarepa
Milarepa
Jetsun Milarepa , is generally considered one of Tibet's most famous yogis and poets. He was a student of Marpa Lotsawa, and a major figure in the history of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.- Life :...
, introduced the lamrim to his disciples as a way of developing the mind gradually. His exposition of lamrim is known in English translation as "The Jewel Ornament of Liberation" and is studied to this day in the various Kagyu
Kagyu
The Kagyu, Kagyupa, or Kagyud school, also known as the "Oral Lineage" or Whispered Transmission school, is today regarded as one of six main schools of Himalayan or Tibetan Buddhism, the other five being the Nyingma, Sakya, Jonang, Bon and Gelug...
schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug
Gelug
The Gelug or Gelug-pa , also known as the Yellow Hat sect, is a school of Buddhism founded by Je Tsongkhapa , a philosopher and Tibetan religious leader...
school which is primarily based on Atiśa's Kadampa
Kadampa
The Kadampa tradition was a Tibetan Mahayana Buddhist school. Dromtönpa, a Tibetan lay master and the foremost disciple of the great Indian Buddhist Master Atisha , founded it and passed three lineages to his disciples. The Kadampa were quite famous and respected for their proper and earnest...
school, wrote one of his masterpieces on lamrim: The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path of Enlightenment (Tib. Lam-rim Chen-mo) which has about 1000 pages, and is primarily based on literary sources. There is also a medium-length lamrim text by Tsongkhapa (200 pages) and a short one, called Lam-rim Dü-dön (Tib.), which is recited daily by many Gelugpas and is about 10 pages long.
Authenticity of the lamrim teachings
Tibetan Buddhists believe that the teachings of the lamrim are based on the sutras that the Buddha taught and that the Buddha taught the short, middling and extensive wisdom sutra simultaneously. These wisdom sutras were taken by MaitreyaMaitreya
Maitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
and Asaṅga
Asanga
Asaṅga was a major exponent of the Yogācāra tradition in India, also called Vijñānavāda. Traditionally, he and his half-brother Vasubandhu are regarded as the founders of this school...
as the starting point for their encyclopaedic work, the Ornament of clear realizations
Abhisamayalankara
The ' , abbreviated AA, is one of five Sanskrit-language Mahāyāna Buddhist scriptures which Maitreya--a Buddha or bodhisattva --is said to have revealed to Asaga...
(Abhisamayālaṃkāra) in which they emphasised the hidden meanings of the sutras.Abhisamayalankara The hidden meanings are believed to be contained in the number and order of the subjects. The number and order of the subjects are vital if someone wants to put the philosophy into practice. According to Lord Tsong Khapa in his Lam Rim Chen Mo, Atiśa took the number and order of the subjects in the Ornament of clear realizations
Abhisamayalankara
The ' , abbreviated AA, is one of five Sanskrit-language Mahāyāna Buddhist scriptures which Maitreya--a Buddha or bodhisattva --is said to have revealed to Asaga...
(Abhisamayālaṃkāra) as the basis to write the first lamrim text: the Lamp of the Path
Bodhipathapradipa
Bodhipathapradīpa is a Buddhist text composed in Sanskrit by the teacher Atisha and widely considered his magnum opus. The text reconciles the doctrines of many various Buddhist schools and philosophies, and is notable for the introduction of the three levels of spiritual aspiration: lesser,...
that therefore contains the essential points of all sutra teachings in their logical order for practice.
Three kinds of motivation
The starting point of the lamrim is a division of Buddhist practitioners into beings of three scopes, based upon the motivation of their religious activity. Disregarded in this division are individuals whose motives revolve around benefits in their current life. Striving for a favorable rebirth is implicitly the minimum requirement for an activity or practice to be classified as spiritual.Atiśa wrote in "Lamp of the Path" (verse 2) that one should understand that there are three kind of persons:
- persons of modest scope;
- persons of medium scope;
- persons of high scope.
Persons of modest motive search for happiness within samsara
Samsara
thumb|right|200px|Traditional Tibetan painting or [[Thanka]] showing the [[wheel of life]] and realms of saṃsāraSaṅsāra or Saṃsāra , , literally meaning "continuous flow", is the cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth or reincarnation within Hinduism, Buddhism, Bön, Jainism, Sikhism, and other...
; their motive is to achieve high rebirth. Buddhists traditionally consider that this domain includes followers of most non-Buddhist religions who strive for a rebirth in a heaven.
Persons of medium motive are searching for their own ultimate peace and abandon worldly pleasure. This includes the paths of pratyekabuddha
Pratyekabuddha
A Pratyekabuddha or Paccekabuddha , literally "a lone buddha" , "a buddha on their own" or "a private buddha", is one of three types of enlightened beings according to some schools of Buddhism. The other two types are the Śrāvakabuddhas and Samyaksambuddhas...
s and śravakabuddhas, which seek personal liberation alone, the traditional goal of Hīnayāna
Hinayana
Hīnayāna is a Sanskrit and Pāli term literally meaning: the "Inferior Vehicle", "Deficient Vehicle", the "Abandoned Vehicle", or the "Defective Vehicle". The term appeared around the 1st or 2nd century....
practice.
Based on their insight of their own suffering, persons of high motive seek by all means to stop the suffering of all beings. This is the Mahāyāna
Mahayana
Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
path of the samyaksaṃbuddhas.
Subjects of the lamrim
Although lamrim texts cover much the same subject areas, subjects within them may be arranged in different ways. The lamrim of Atiśa starts with bodhicittaBodhicitta
In Buddhism, bodhicitta jang chub sem, Mongolian бодь сэтгэл) is the intention to achieve omniscient Buddhahood as fast as possible, so that one may benefit infinite sentient beings...
, the altruistic mind of enlightenment, followed by taking the bodhisattva vows. Gampopa's lamrim, however, starts with the Buddha nature, followed by the preciousness of human rebirth. Tsongkhapa's texts start with reliance on a guru (Tib.: lama), followed by the preciousness of human rebirth, and continue with the paths of the modest, medium and high scopes.
Gampopa
Gampopa
Gampopa Sonam Rinchen "Sonam Rinchen from Gampo" — who was equally well known in Tibet as Dagpo Lhaje , Nyamed Dakpo Rinpoche , and Da'od Zhonnu , — establishedthe Kagyu school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism today, as an...
and Tsongkhapa expanded the short root-text of Atiśa into an extensive system to understand the entire Buddhist philosophy. In this way, subjects like karma
Karma
Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
, rebirth
Rebirth (Buddhism)
Rebirth in Buddhism is the doctrine that the evolving consciousness or stream of consciousness upon death , becomes one of the contributing causes for the arising of a new aggregation...
, Buddhist cosmology and the practice of meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
are gradually explained in logical order.
A commonly used outline for lamrim teachings today in English translation from Tibetan is that of Liberation in the Palm of your Hand by Pabongka Rinpoche
Pabongka Rinpoche
Pabongka Rinpoche , Jampa Tenzin Trinlay Gyatso, was one of the great Gelug lamas of the modern era of Tibetan Buddhism. He attained his Geshe degree at Sera Monastic University, Lhasa, and became a highly influential teacher in Tibet, unusual for teaching a great number of lay people...
. An abbreviated and annotated outline follows to show the structure of this lamrim.
- the greatness of the author of the lamrim, to establish the authenticity of the teaching
- the greatness of the lamrim itself, to gain respect for it
- the way the instructions are to be received and given
- the way the students are to be guided through the subjects
this fourth subject has two divisions:
- the way to rely on a spiritual guide
- the way to train your mind on the basis of the correct way to rely on the spiritual guide
This last heading contains the rest of the instructions under the headings:
- the way to encourage yourself to take the essence of this precious human rebirth
- the way to take the essence of this precious human rebirth (that is: training your mind in the paths of the three scopes included within the lamrim)
The path shared with persons who have the modest scope motivation (striving for a rebirth in the upper realms)
- the reality that this life will end and that you will die
- the suffering in a rebirth in the lower realms (a rebirth as hell being, hungry ghost or animal, which you want to avoid)
- (so you) take refuge in the three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha
- (and adjust your behaviour of body, speech and mind according to the) law of cause and effect/ karma
which will lead you to a favourable rebirth within cyclic existence in the human-, demigod-, or god realm.
The path shared with persons who have the medium scope motivation (striving for liberation of cyclic existence)
The truth of suffering (in cyclic existence in general, including the favourable rebirths)
- The truth of the causes of suffering (the afflictive emotions, especially ignorance)
- The truth of cessation (there is a state that is free of suffering and its origins)
- The truth of paths (the way to attain this state free of suffering and its causes by practising ethics, concentration and wisdom)
Another presentation of the middle scope subjects is the presentation of the 12 links of dependent arising
The training in the medium scope path will lead to the development of the wish to be liberated from all un-free rebirths in cyclic existence through the power of afflictive emotions
The path of persons who have the high scope motivation (striving for complete buddhahood)
- the advantages of the mind of enlightenment (the wish to become a buddha for the welfare of all sentient beings)
- the way to develop the mind of enlightenment
- the 7-point instruction in seeing all sentient beings as your mothers (from previous lives and contemplating their kindness towards you)
- the instruction on how to exchange your self-interest for others' interest (by looking at the drawbacks of self-cherishing and the advantages of cherishing others)
- the way to train your mind after developing the mind of enlightenment
- training in the perfection of generosity
- training in the perfection of ethics
- training in the perfection of patience
- training in the perfection of joyful effort
- training in the perfection of concentration
- training in the perfection of wisdom
for a more detailed outline, see the external link "Lam Rim: The gradual Path to Enlightenment, Thubten Chodron's online Lamrim Outline"
Classical Lamrim Books (in historical order)
- Atisha's Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment by Geshe Sonam Rinchen, Snow Lion Publications
- The Jewel Ornament of Liberation by Gampopa, translated and annotated by Herbert V. Guenther (1986). Shambala Publications, ISBN: 0-87773-378-3 (pbk)
- The Jewel Ornament of Liberation by Gampopa, translated by Khenpo Konchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche (1998). Snow Lion Publications - Ithaca, New York, with a foreword by The Dalai Lama, ISBN 1-55939-092-1.
- Engaging by Stages in the Teachings of the Buddha, 2 vols., by Phagmodrupa (Gampopa's disciple), Otter Verlag, Munich
- The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment
Modern Lamrim Books & Commentaries
- Practicing the Path: A Commentary on the Lamrim Chenmo, Yangsi Rinpoche, Wisdom Publications, ISBN 0-86171-346-X
- Steps on the Path to Enlightenment, Volume 1: A Commentary on the Lamrim Chenmo, The Foundational Practices, by Geshe Lhundub SopaLhundub SopaNot to be confused with Lama Thubten Zöpa Rinpoche, Geshe Tenzin Zopa, Lama Zopa Tharchin , and Geshe Lobsang Zopa Lhundub Sopa is a Tibetan monk....
, Wisdom Publications, ISBN 0-86171-303-6 - Steps on the Path to Enlightenment, Vol.2: Karma : A Commentary on the Lamrim Chenmo by Geshe Lhundub SopaLhundub SopaNot to be confused with Lama Thubten Zöpa Rinpoche, Geshe Tenzin Zopa, Lama Zopa Tharchin , and Geshe Lobsang Zopa Lhundub Sopa is a Tibetan monk....
, Wisdom Publications, ISBN 0-86171-481-4 - Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment, TDL Publications, ISBN 0-9623421-6-5
- Joyful Path of Good Fortune: The Complete Buddhist Path to Enlightenment, Tharpa Publications (2nd. ed., 1995) ISBN 978-0-948006-46-3
- The New Meditation Handbook: Meditations to Make Our Life Happy and Meaningful, Tharpa Publications (2003) ISBN 978-0-9817277-1-4
- Path to Enlightenment in Tibetan Buddhism, Geshe Acharya Thubten Loden, Tushita Publications, ISBN 0 646 16500 3
- Meditations on the Path to Enlightenment, Geshe Acharya Thubten LodenGeshe Acharya Thubten LodenGeshe Acharya Thubten Loden is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan Buddhist Society in Australia. Geshe Loden established the Peaceful Land of Joy Meditation Centre in Yuroke, Victoria, and has written many books. In 2011, he was named Hume Citizen of the Year....
, Tushita Publications, ISBN 0 646 27043 5 - Essence of the Path to Enlightenment, Geshe Acharya Thubten Loden, Tushita Publications, ISBN 0 646 34241 X
- How to Meditate, Kathleen McDonald, ISBN 0861713419
- Guided Meditations on The Stages of the Path, Thubten Chodron, Snow Lion Publications, ISBN 978-1-55939-281-5
External links
- A Lamp For The Enlightenment Path by Atisha
- Advice from Atisha by Atisha
- Lam Rim Centres
- Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand by Pabongka RinpochePabongka RinpochePabongka Rinpoche , Jampa Tenzin Trinlay Gyatso, was one of the great Gelug lamas of the modern era of Tibetan Buddhism. He attained his Geshe degree at Sera Monastic University, Lhasa, and became a highly influential teacher in Tibet, unusual for teaching a great number of lay people...
on Google Book Search - HH the Dalai Lama's Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment
- Lamrim Outline pdf
- Transcripts
- "Kadampa Buddhism and Lamrim"
- Lamrim Mindmap
- LamRim Radio
- LamRim TV
- LamRim Mongolia