Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy
Buddhism was born in our world about 2550 years ago. It was at this time that Shakyamuni Buddha appeared to teach in the sacred land of India. In his immense goodness, he was able to share with beings, in all impartiality, the teachings of the three baskets (vinaya, sutra and abhidharma). These instructions enable the practice of the three higher trainings, namely ethi
cs, concentration and wisdom. Through his many teachings, the Buddha was able to adapt to the needs, motivations and abilities of each of his disciples. These teachings were transmitted to Maitreya and Manjushri, and then to Asanga and Nagarjuna respectively, who in turn transmitted them to the two learned lamas, Serlingpa (Suvarnadvipi-Dharmakirti of the Golden Isles) and Rikpekuyuk (Vidyakokila the Elder). These two lineages of teachings, called respectively the vast practice and the profound view, were later united in the person of the Indian master Atisha Dipamkara. He transmitted them to Tibet in a splendid manner during the last 17 years of his life, adapting them to the Tibetan people in order to facilitate their understanding. These teachings were then kept intact by an unbroken lineage of masters such as the Dalai Lama up to the pioneering Lama Tsongkhapa, the founder of an excellent tradition presenting instructions on mental calmness and penetrating vision that is still very much alive in our time. It is appropriate and of course permissible for people of intelligence and wisdom, scientists, philosophers, etc., to question this philosophy using excellent reasoning. Indeed, it consists of a method for finding peace of mind through the use of logical reasoning in accordance with reality. It is usually said that all of the Buddha's teachings aim at attaining enlightenment through the practice of two kinds of meditation: concentration meditation and analytical meditation. The former aims at attaining mental stillness (samatha), while the latter provides insight (vipassana). The state of mind that is pacified by remaining concentrated in one point internally is called mental calm. Having achieved it, it is possible to bring forth the penetrating vision: a wisdom that discriminates each phenomenon, combined with the bliss of meditative flexibility induced by the power of analysis. Mental calm is thus the temporary cessation of mental disturbances of the mind. By calming the mind, it becomes clear. This allows for a deep analysis, through penetrating vision, which can permanently eliminate the very root of these disturbances. These instructions are in accordance with the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha and the great Indian and Tibetan Buddhist masters who have commented on them. Excerpts from the book by Lama Lobsang Samten (Buddhist monk), Learning to Meditate.