The Heart of Unconditional Love

by Tulku Thondup

  114. Tib. 32 tsen zangpo (mtshan bzang po) and 80 peje (dpe byad).

  115. Five silken garments and eight jewel ornaments: The five silk garments are the head scarf, upper garment, lower garment, belt, and shawl. The eight jewel ornaments are the crown, earrings, short necklace, armlets, long necklace, bracelets, finger rings, and anklets. See KBZ, p. 436/14.

  116. TY, p. 237/19.

  117. See John Blofeld, Bodhisattva of Compassion.

  118. TTB, p. 361/5.

  119. GP, folio 497a/2.

  120. SMC, p. 477/16.

  121. If you are saying or chanting the Six Syllables according to common Buddhist practice, it is a prayer. If you are chanting it as an esoteric training, it is a mantra. But here we are calling it a prayer.

  122. TY, p. 250/19.

  123. TY, p. 251/2.

  124. Tib. snying rje stong nyid kyi snying po chan.

  125. Emotional obscurations and intellectual obscurations.

  126. TY, pp. 123–271.

  127. TY, p. 250/19.

  128. Karma Chagme, Raga Asya (1613–1678), was a lineage holder of the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

  Chapter 7: Meditation on the Inner Buddha

  129. RCZ, folio 68b/6.

  130. dharani (Skt.): A long mantra; a sacred Sanskrit phrase or the essence of a text.

  131. TBT, folio 3b/1. Dege Edition. “Nonreturners” (Skt. anagamin) refers to the stage of one of the high attainments of the Buddhist path of training.

  132. ZGD, p. 81/6.

  133. Skt. sugata; Tib. dewar shekpa; bde bar gshegs pa, one who has “gone to bliss.”

  Chapter 8: Meditation on the Universal Buddha

  134. PHC, folio 359a/1.

  135. PT, folio 261a/4.

  136. DTG, folio 68b/7.

  137. KT, folio 201a/2.

  138. OKD, folio 251a/7.

  139. ST, folio 92b/3.

  Chapter 9: Meditation on the Ultimate Buddha

  140. See five wisdoms of Buddhahood in the Glossary.

  141. SNR, folio 191b/2. “Water-tree” is the name of a tree given in ancient Indian Buddhist texts. It is related to the plantain tree. It holds a tremendous amount of water in its trunk, and is thought to be very fragile and unstable. It gives fruits once and then perishes. So here, it symbolizes something unsubstantial.

  142. RP, p. 78/5.

  143. BP, folio 80a/1.

  144. Ngulchu Thogme (1295–1369), a Master of the Kadam school, was the author of the classic Thirty-seven Verses on the Practice of a Bodhisattva.

  145. GLL, p. 7/8.

  146. Drachen Dzinkyi Yumla Todpa (Praise to the Mother by Rahula). Je Gampopa quotes this in TG (Jewel Ornament of Liberation), p. 289/17.

  147. GB, p. 19/21.

  148. Manjushrimitra was an Indian Master of the Dzogpa Chenpo lineage and a chief disciple of Prahevajra (Garab Dorje).

  149. Prahevajra, an Indian teacher known in Tibetan as Garab Dorje, was the first human Master of the Dzogpa Chenpo teachings of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.

  150. Quoted in KBZ, p. 554/7.

  151. No-self (Skt. anatman; Tib. dagme, bdag med) is the absence of a permanent, fixed, independent “self” in phenomena—a central teaching of Buddhism.

  152. ZLB, folio 523a/3.

  Chapter 10: Enhance the Effects

  153. Asanga was the fourth-century founder of the Yogachara school and the author of many important treatises. Asanga had a vision of Maitreya-natha, who revealed many teachings to him. See also note 9.

  154. NKT, folio 5b/3.

  155. BP, folio 32a/2.

  Chapter 11: Move Forward Step by Step

  156. BLC, p. 306/18.

  157. RP, p. 96/12.

  158. For more on the intermediate stage, or bardo, see Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth by Tulku Thondup.

  159. BTT, p. 35/4.

  160. See YRD, folio 44b/2; DTS, p. 371/5; and GSG, p. 55b/7.

  161. SR, folio 4a/6.

  162. Kamalashila (Tib. Peme Ngang Tsul; ca. 740–795) was the main disciple of Shantarakshita.

  163. GRT, folio 61b/3.

  164. GRT, folio 62b/6.

  165. CRN, p. 162/1.

  Chapter 13: The Benefits of Loving-Kindness Meditation

  166. TG, quoted in BLC, p. 305/1.

  167. JZK, folio 262b/6.

  168. BM, folio 131a/2.

  169. SNR, folio 192b/5.

  170. SNR, folio 198b/4.

  171. BLC, p. 305/16.

  172. BGD, folio 270a/4.

  173. RP, p. 102/2.

  174. BLC, p. 305/16.

  175. RP, p. 95/3. See also the Glossary entry three bodies.

  176. RCZ, folio 37b/3.

  Chapter 14: Healing Physical and Mental Ills

  177. DP, folio 168b/1.

  178. BP, folio 68a/5.

  179. Buddha’s common teachings are preserved in three collections or divisions. In Sanskrit they are known as Tri-pitaka (lit. “three baskets”) and in Tibetan Denösum (sde snod gsum). They are Vinaya, which is the collections of Buddha’s teachings on discipline; Sutra, the discourses on meditation; and Abhidharma, the teachings on wisdom and metaphysics.

  180. Jowo or Jowoje Atisha (980–1054) was one of the greatest Buddhist Masters, who propagated Buddhism in Asia. He was born in Bengal, India, and died in Tibet.

  181. TY, p. 172/1.

  182. KDL. For an English translation, see Tulku Thondup, Enlightened Living, pp. 117–129.

  183. ZPD, p. 443/2.

  184. KDL, p. 196/6.

  Chapter 15: Dealing with Challenging People

  185. KBZ, p. 202/17.

  186. KBZ, p. 200/10. For the seven unvirtuous deeds of body and speech, see chapter 11.

  187. BP, folio 38b/1.

  Chapter 16: Daily Activities as Training in Loving-Kindness

  188. KBZ, p. 415/2.

  189. GLL, p. 4/6.

  190. KBZ, p. 384/14.

  191. KBZ, p. 318/19.

  192. SN, folio 29b/1.

  193. YD, p. 40/2.

  194. BP, folio 96b/5.

  195. BP, folio 34a/3.

  196. GLL, p. 9/16.

  Chapter 18: Rebirth in the Pure Land

  197. See Tulku Thondup, Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth, chap. 7.

  198. OKD, folio 258a/7.

  199. For more information, read Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth and The Healing Power of Loving-Kindness, both by Tulku Thondup.

  200. For details, please see Tulku Thondup, Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth.

  Chapter 19: Prayer Texts

  201. These five lines are a well-known prayer, but I am not sure of the source.

  202. TYN, folios 211–212.

  203. This is one of the alternate names of Rigdzin Godem (1337–1408).

  204. PHC, folio 361b/5.

  205. BP.

  206. Here, “Samantabhadra” refers to the bodhisattva and disciple of the Buddha.

  GLOSSARY

  The following language abbreviations are used below: Tib. = Tibetan; Skt. = Sanskrit. The primary languages of the Tibetan canon are Sanskrit and Tibetan. In this Glossary, Sanskrit is spelled in a simplified phonetic manner. If the Sanskrit term is the more frequently used one, it is placed first. Where two terms are given in Tibetan, the first (in Roman type) is the phonetic spelling indicating pronunciation; the second (in italics), is the transliteration. For example, the Tibetan word for loving-kindness is pronounced jampa, while the transliteration of the word is byams pa.

  Abhidharma. Collection of the Buddha’s teachings on wisdom and metaphysics, part of the Tripitaka. See common teachings.

  absolute truth. See two truths.

  afflicting emotions (Skt. klesha; Tib. nyön mong, nyon mong or nyon mong pa). Unwholesome, destructive, or negative emotions, such as anger and jealousy, which lead to negative actions and thus to suffering. Many translations are possible for this term, including mental or emotional afflictions, defilements, and poisons.

  all-evenness
(Tib. mnyam nyid; Skt. samata). Also called ever-evenness or evenness state. State of sameness, equality; all things equally having the nature of emptiness.

  Amitabha Buddha. The Buddha of Infinite Light (Skt. Amitabha; Tib. Opagme, ’od dpag med). The Buddha who presides over the Blissful Pure Land. The name Amitabha has been translated as “Infinite Light” or “Boundless Light.” Eons ago, Amitabha was a monk who vowed to liberate beings who invoke his name with devotion. When he attained Buddhahood, his vows resulted in the universe of the Blissful Pure Land. Thus, by the power of his vow or aspiration, the Blissful Pure Land is manifested for the sake of beings, for them to take rebirth there. See also Blissful Pure Land.

  aspirational bodhichitta (Tib. mönpa semkye, smon pa sems bskyed). The first stage of developing bodhichitta, in which the meditator trains in wishing happiness and enlightenment for all. See also engaged bodhichitta.

  aspirations (Tib. smon sems). Wishing others well and praying accordingly.

  Avalokiteshvara (Skt., pronounced either ah-va-lo-ki-TAY-shva-rah or ah-va-lo-ki-tay-SHVA-rah ). See Buddha of Loving-Kindness.

  awareness wisdom (Tib. rigpa’i yeshe; rig pa’i ye shes). The true nature of the mind, essentially the same as emptiness and openness wisdom, except that it emphasizes the awareness aspect of wisdom.

  bardo (Tib. bar do). The transitional period through which we all go between our physical death and rebirth.

  beings, sentient. Living beings, both visible and from unseen realms.

  blessing lights. Lights of loving-kindness from the Buddha. In meditation we see the Buddha’s blessings in the form of light, but this is not ordinary light, like sunlight or flickering star light, but is the self-radiation of the enlightened nature itself. Visualizing the pure light or receiving blessings in the form of light is a process of bringing blessing energies into our minds so that we can purify and transform our mental view and feeling into the realization of Buddha-wisdom.

  blissful heat (Tib. dedrö, bde drod). The healing, blessing energy of light, visualized as joyful beams of love and power that purify and heal; the caressing, nurturing warmth of loving-kindness energy.

  Blissful Pure Land (Skt. Sukhavati; Tib. Dewachen, bde ba chan). The Pure Land of the Buddha of Infinite Light (Amitabha), and also the Pure Land of Avalokiteshvara. If we are not certain about attaining Buddhahood at the time of death, we must pray and meditate to take rebirth in the Blissful Pure Land in order to have a peaceful and joyful rebirth where we will be able to attain Buddhahood before long. See also Amitabha Buddha; pure land.

  bodhichitta (Tib. jangsem, byang sems). The aspiration or vow to bring happiness and Buddhahood to all beings and to put that aspiration or vow into practice by training in loving-kindness, devotion, the Six Perfections, and so on. This is the main path of Mahayana followers. Bodhichitta has been translated as enlightened mind, enlightened attitude, awakened mind, and awakened heart. Here, however, we are using the Sanskrit word.

  There are two aspects to bodhichitta: relative bodhichitta (Tib. kündzop jangsem, kun rdzob byang sems ) and absolute bodhichitta (Tib. döndam jangsem, don dam by-ang sems). In developing relative bodhichitta, there are two stages: see aspirational bodhichitta; engaged bodhichitta.

  bodhisattva (Skt.; Tib. jangchup sempa, byang ch’ub sems dpa’). Bodhisattvas are trainees and highly realized Masters of exoteric teachings of Buddhism. A bodhisattva’s unconditional love for all beings manifests in acts of compassion, charity, and selflessness.

  Buddha of Infinite Life (Tib. Tsepakme, tshe dpag med; Skt. Amitayus). An aspect of Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light. Amitabha appears in Nirmanakaya form and leads devotees to his Blissful Pure Land at their death. As Amitayus, he manifests in Sambhogakaya form and bestows longevity on his devotees. They are the same Buddha, but with different names owing to different qualities and actions.

  Buddha of Infinite Light. See Amitabha Buddha.

  Buddha of Loving-Kindness (Skt., Avalokiteshvara; Tib. Chenrezi, spyan ras gzigs). Avalokiteshvara, who is popularly known in English as the Buddha of Compassion. However, in this book he is called the Buddha of Loving-Kindness, since he is a Buddha of both loving-kindness and compassion, and the meditation discussed here focuses on loving-kindness.

  Buddhahood. Enlightenment. The attainment of the three bodies and five wisdoms of Buddhahood.

  Buddha-nature. The true nature of the mind; the awakened state (Buddhahood).

  celestial realms (Skt. brahmaloka). Heavenly planes of existence where beings of the form or formless spheres dwell.

  common teachings. The Buddhist tradition based on the sutras, the words of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. Buddha’s common teachings are preserved in three collections or divisions (Skt. Tripitaka, “three baskets”; Tib. denösum, sde snod gsum): Vinaya, the collection of teachings on discipline; Sutra, the discourses on meditation; and Abhidharma, the teachings on wisdom and metaphysics. See also Sutra.

  compassion (Tib. nyingje, snying rje; Skt. karuna). The heartfelt wish that all beings be free from suffering, the commitment to bring them relief, and putting that aspiration into practice by serving all.

  cyclical existence. See samsara.

  daka (Skt.; Tib. khadro, mkha’ ’gro, “sky-goer”). A class of buddhas and accomplished beings in male form.

  dakini (Skt.; Tib. khadroma, mkha’ ’gro ma, “sky-goer”). A term used in esoteric teachings, with several meanings: (1) A buddha in female form. (2) The emptiness principle of the union of wisdom and emptiness, or wisdom of wisdom and skillful means, or emptiness of emptiness and compassion. (3) A highly accomplished female spirit-being who protects and guides the esoteric teachings and their followers. Dakinis can be in peaceful, wrathful, or semiwrathful form.

  development and perfection stages. The two stages in tantric meditation. The development stage refers to visualizations of the Buddha mandala. The perfection stage refers to the attainment of realizations and accomplishments of power and wisdom.

  Dharmakaya (Skt.; Tib. chöku, chos sku). One of the three aspects of a Buddha; the ultimate body that is pure and emptiness. See also three bodies.

  dual obscurations. Emotional obscurations and intellectual obscurations, which obstruct us from realizing our true nature.

  dualistic concepts. Thinking based on a discriminating mentality that constantly emphasizes opposites, dividing experience into subject and object, “self” and “other.” In contrast, the enlightened mind sees all simultaneously and non-dually, as oneness without limit. Dualistic concepts arise as soon as our mind grasps at the “self” of any mental object, perceiving mental objects as truly existing entities. Note that all dualistic concepts and emotions—even positive ones—are accompanied by grasping at “self.” So although positive emotions are good, they still fall short of perfection, which is the primordial wisdom beyond dualistic thinking and emotional sensations. Grasping at positive qualities is nonetheless a stepping-stone to perfection, helping us eventually to loosen the grasping at “self” and to experience sensations of peace and joy. So transforming from negative to positive, and then from positive to perfection, is the way to move toward the full perfection of Buddhahood.

  Dzogpa Chenpo (Tib. rdzogs pa ch’en po; Skt. Mahasandhi or Atiyoga). Also called Dzogchen (rdzogs ch’en). The highest level of the nine vehicles (yanas) or stages of view, meditation, and attainment, according to the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.

  eight consciousnesses. The consiousnesses of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind (Skt. manovijnana), defiled mind (Skt. klishtamanas, “klesha-mind”), and universal ground (Skt. alayavijnana).

  Eightfold Noble Path. Right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. According to the Fourth Noble Truth, this is the path of freedom as taught by the Buddha.

  emanation. See tulku.

  emptiness (Skt. shunyata; Tib. tongpa nyid, stong pa nyid). This term in Buddhist philosophy may be
better translated as “openness,” which denotes the unrestricted, uncontrived, unbounded, unhindered, nondual, unchanging, and fully awakened state, Buddhahood. See also openness.

  Emptiness in Mahayana is the highest view to be realized. It means total freedom from the conceptually fabricated fetters that we create to bind ourselves. New students sometimes confuse “emptiness” with “nothingness” or the absence of anything, but that is a nihilistic notion that does not convey or lead to the qualities of shunyata.

  If we understand the meaning of emptiness, we free ourselves from our chains of concepts and emotions, and awaken from the nightmare of samsara. Such realization and freedom can be attained through forceful meditations such as the unconditional devotion and unconditional loving-kindness discussed in this book. It is also possible to realize emptiness through reasoning—by realizing that everything appears merely through interdependent causes and conditions, like illusions without any true existence.

  When we experience this realization, all our tightness, stress, confusion, and pain will dissipate. We will fully awaken from the illusory nightmare-like struggle of life. That is the realization of the true wisdom of emptiness, absolute freedom—Buddhahood.

  So emptiness is wisdom and wisdom is emptiness. For example, the most important training to attain the sixth perfection—wisdom (Tib. sherab; Skt. prajna)—is meditation on emptiness.

  engaged bodhichitta (Tib. jugpa semkye, ’ jug pa sems bskyed ). Also called “putting bodhichitta into practice.” The second stage of developing bodhichitta. We develop it by putting into practice the aspirations that we developed earlier (at the stage of aspirational bodhichitta), such as by serving others, praying, contemplating, and realizing the true emptiness nature. See also aspirational bodhichitta.

  enlightened mind. The true nature of the mind; the awakened state, Buddhahood.

  enlightenment (Tib. sang-gye, sangs rgyas; Skt. buddha). The goal and result of Buddhist trainings; the awakening of Buddhahood. See also Buddhahood.

  esoteric Buddhism. Vajrayana (the “Diamond Vehicle”), one of the major schools of Mahayana Buddhism. Vajrayana follows the esoteric teachings of Tantra. Its trainings focus on pure perception: seeing, hearing, and feeling everything as Buddha-forms, Buddha-sounds, and Buddha-wisdom. Its goal is to attain the three Buddha-bodies (kayas), Buddhahood, for the sake of all mother-beings. See also Tantra.