Meaningful to Behold

(condensed meaning study flash cards)

( audio recordings )

1. Introduction
2. The Benefits of Bodhichitta
3. Disclosure of Evil
4. Full Acceptance of Bodhchitta

5. Conscientiousness
6. Guarding the mind with alertness
7. Patience
8. Effort

9. Concentration
10. Wisdom
11. Dedication
12. Conclusion

Chapter 1: Introduction

  1. The pre-eminent qualities of the author
  2. An introduction to the text
  3. The explanation of the actual text

  1. The meaning of the title
  2. The homage of the translators
  3. The explanation of the meaning of the text
  4. The meaning of the conclusion

Chapter 2. The Benefits of Bodhichitta

  1. The preliminary explanation
  2. The actual explanation of the stages of the path to enlightenment

  1. The expression of worship
  2. The promise of composition
  3. The reason for composition

  1. The exhortation to grasp the significance of this precious human life
  2. The method for making this precious human life meaningful

  1. Contemplating the benefits of bodhichitta
  2. How to practice the six perfections once bodhichitta has been developed

  1. An explanation of the benefits of bodhichitta
  2. Recognizing bodhichitta
  3. The reasons for the benefits of bodhichitta
  4. Praise to the one who gives birth to bodhichitta

  1. The conquest of all great evils
  2. The attainment of the most sublime happiness
  3. Wish-fulfilment
  4. Bodhichitta carries with it a special name and meaning
  5. Transformation of the inferior into the supreme
  6. The value of the precious bodhichitta, so difficult to find
  7. The inexhaustible and increasing fruits of bodhichitta
  8. The power of protection from great fear
  9. The swift and easy destruction of great evil
  10. Scriptural citations of the benefits of bodhichitta

  1. The divisions of bodhichitta
  2. The benefits of the aspiring mind of bodhichitta
  3. The benefits of the engaging mind of bodhichitta

Chapter 3: Disclosure of Evil

  1. Maintaining bodhichitta
  2. How to practice the six perfections

  1. How to destroy obstacles and purify evil
  2. How to accept and hold on to the actual bodhichitta

  1. The preliminary limbs of practice
  2. The confession of non-virtue

  1. Offering
  2. Prostration
  3. Going for refuge

  1. The necessity of making offerings, and recognizing the objects of offering
  2. The actual offering

  1. Unowned offerings
  2. Offering our own body
  3. Mentally transformed offerings

  1. Ordinary offerings
  2. Sublime offerings

  1. The causes of going for refuge
  2. The objects of refuge
  3. The measurement of going for refuge perfectly
  4. The commitments of going for refuge
  5. The benefits of going for refuge

  1. The power of regret
  2. The power of reliance
  3. The power of the opponent force
  4. The power of promise

Chapter 4: Full Acceptance of Bodhichitta

  1. The preparatory practices for accumulating merit
  2. Fully accepting bodhichitta
  3. Concluding activities

  1. Rejoicing in virtue
  2. Requesting the Buddhas to turn the Wheel of Dharma
  3. Beseeching the Buddhas not to pass away
  4. Dedicating merit
  5. Training the mind in giving

  1. General dedication
  2. Dedication for the sick
  3. Dedication to relieve hunger and thirst
  4. Dedication to fulfil the wishes of sentient beings

  1. Meditating on the happiness of fulfilling our own wishes
  2. Meditating on the happiness of benefiting others and fulfilling their wishes”
  3. Exhorting others to meditate on happiness

  1. Relieving others of their suffering
  2. Eliminating the two obstructions
  3. Bestowing great benefit and happiness upon others

Chapter 5: Conscientiousness

  1. Meditating on conscientiousness so that the bodhichitta practice and precepts do not degenerate
  2. How to train in moral discipline by practicing mindfulness and alertness
  3. Explanation of the four remaining perfections: patience, effort, concentration and wisdom
  4. Dedication and the practice of giving for the benefit of all beings

  1. An introduction to conscientiousness
  2. An extensive explanation of conscientiousness
  3. Summary

  1. Meditating on conscientiousness with respect to bodhichitta
  2. Meditating on conscientiousness with respect to the precepts

  1. The reasons why it is unwise to abandon bodhichitta
  2. The faults of abandoning bodhichitta

  1. We are led to the three lower realms
  2. The benefit to others will decrease
  3. We are far removed from the Bodhisattva grounds

  1. Conscientiousness in abandoning non-virtue
  2. Conscientiousness in meditating on virtue
  3. Conscientiousness in abandoning delusions

  1. Striving to abandon the infinite evils collected in previous lives
  2. Merely experiencing the sufferings of lower realms will not lead to release
  3. Not applying effort to the practice of virtue now that we have attained a precious human life is self-deception
  4. If we do not practice virtue now we will experience suffering in this life
  5. If we do not practice virtue now we will experience the sufferings of lower realms in future lives
  6. Following from the above, it is appropriate to strive to abandon non-virtue and practice virtue

  1. Contemplating the faults of delusions
  2. The inappropriateness of grieving over the hardships to be endured while abandoning delusions
  3. Contemplating the joy of being able to abandon delusions

  1. Delusions give us no choice
  2. Delusions bring infinite sufferings
  3. Delusions harm us for a long time
  4. Following delusions as if they were friends is unwise
  5. Being patient with delusions is unwise
  6. Developing encouragement to dispel delusions

  1. Unlike ordinary enemies, delusions cannot return once they have been eradicated
  2. As the cause of delusions is wrong views, with diligence they can be abandoned
  3. For these reasons it is suitable to abandon delusions

Chapter 6: Guarding the Mind with Alertness

  1. The method of guarding the practice is to guard the mind
  2. The method of guarding the mind is to practice mindfulness and alertness
  3. How to practice moral discipline by means of mindfulness and alertness
  4. How to prevent our practice from degenerating
  5. In conclusion, the necessity of following the meaning and not merely the words of the practice

  1. A brief presentation of the two factors
  2. Without mindfulness and alertness our virtue will have little power
  3. Without mindfulness and alertness we will not develop pure wisdom
  4. Without mindfulness and alertness we cannot practice pure moral discipline
  5. Without mindfulness and alertness previously accumulated virtue will degenerate
  6. Without mindfulness and alertness new virtue cannot be accumulated

  1. Practicing the moral discipline of restraint
  2. Practicing the moral discipline of gathering virtue
  3. Practicing the moral discipline of benefiting sentient beings

  1. Abandoning attachment to the body
  2. Practicing virtue with skillful means

  1. Following pure conduct of the body
  2. Following skillful conduct when associating with others
  3. Following skillful conduct of body, speech and mind

Chapter 7: Patience

  1. How to practice patience
  2. How to practice effort
  3. How to train in the concentration of tranquil abiding
  4. How to develop the wisdom of superior seeing

  1. The method of meditating on patience
  2. The method of practicing patience

  1. The faults of anger
  2. The benefits of patience

  1. Preventing the cause of anger
  2. Meditating on the patience of voluntarily enduring suffering
  3. Meditating on the patience of definitely thinking about Dharma
  4. Meditating on the patience of not retaliating
  5. An extensive explanation of the benefits of patience

  1. Because the angry person and the anger are both dependent upon causes, there is no choice
  2. Refuting the assertion that the cause of anger is independent
  3. The necessity of abandoning anger
  4. Summary

  1. Refuting the Samkhya school’s assertion of an inherently existent general principle and self
  2. Refuting the Vaisheshika school’s assertion of an inherently existent self
  3. Recognizing all beings as illusions, and thus the inappropriateness of generating anger towards them

  1. Reflecting with attention on the methods for developing compassion
  2. Overcoming the cause of anger
  3. Contemplating our own faults when undesirable situations arise

Chapter 8: Effort

  1. An exhortation to practice effort
  2. Recognizing effort
  3. Overcoming the opponent to effort
  4. Increasing the force of effort

  1. Recognizing the opponent, laziness
  2. How to overcome laziness

  1. Overcoming the laziness of indolence
  2. Overcoming the laziness of being attracted to what is meaningless or non-virtuous
  3. Overcoming the laziness of discouragement

  1. Examining the cause of indolence
  2. Contemplating the faults in this life of indolence
  3. Contemplating the suffering in future lives caused by indolence

  1. Recognizing the four powers that increase the force of effort
  2. An extensive explanation of the four powers
  3. Practicing earnestly with mindfulness and alertness
  4. Using suppleness of body and mind to engage in virtuous conduct

  1. The power of aspiration
  2. The power of steadfastness
  3. The power of joy
  4. The power of rejection

Chapter 9: Concentration

  1. Why we need to attain tranquil abiding
  2. Exhortation to abandon the opponents to tranquil abiding
  3. How to abandon the opponents to tranquil abiding
  4. How to attain tranquil abiding

  1. Recognizing the causes of our attachment to worldly life
  2. Recognizing the opponent to our attachment
  3. How to generate the opponent to attachment
  4. The faults of worldly associations
  5. The benefits of living in solitude
  6. How to abandon disturbing conceptions

  1. Abandoning attachment to sentient beings
  2. Abandoning attachment to inanimate things

  1. A general explanation of the stages of tranquil abiding meditation
  2. Explanation of the particular use to which tranquil abiding is to be put: meditating on equalizing and exchanging self with others

  1. The six necessary conditions for attaining tranquil abiding
  2. The nine mental abidings
  3. The five obstacles to attaining tranquil abiding
  4. The eight opponents to the five obstacles

  1. How to meditate on equalizing self and others
  2. How to exchange self with others

  1. A brief explanation of the meditation
  2. The meaning of equalizing self and others
  3. The actual meditation on equalizing self and others
  4. The benefits of meditating on equalizing self and others
  5. How we are able to develop the mind in this meditation

  1. A brief explanation of the exchange
  2. The way to exchange self with others
  3. Completing the exchange by means of reflection
  4. Completing the exchange by means of action

  1. Gaining familiarity with cherishing others
  2. Abandoning self-cherishing
  3. Reflecting on the disadvantages of self-cherishing and the advantages of cherishing others
  4. Summary

  1. A brief explanation
  2. Meditation on jealousy towards a superior
  3. Meditation on competitiveness towards an equal
  4. Meditation on pride towards an inferior
  5. The results of this meditation

Chapter 10: Wisdom

  1. Showing why those who wish to attain liberation need to develop the wisdom realizing emptiness
  2. The presentation of the two truths
  3. Showing the reasons why those who seek only personal liberation need to develop the wisdom realizing emptiness
  4. An extensive explanation of the reasons that establish emptiness
  5. Encouraging the practitioner to strive to develop this wisdom

  1. The distinctions between the two truths
  2. The definition of the two truths
  3. The distinctions between the individuals who assert the two truths
  4. The distinctions between their varying degrees of mental capacity
  5. Refuting the argument that it is not necessary to realize emptiness in order to attain liberation

  1. A refutation of the proponents of things in general
  2. A refutation of the Chittamatrins in particular

  1. Refuting self-cognizers by scriptural authority
  2. Refuting self-cognizers by reasoning
  3. Refuting the Chittamatrins’ proofs of the existence of self-cognizers
  4. Refuting the assertion that all imputed existents must have as their basis something truly existent

  1. The reason why a magician can have desire for the illusory woman he manifests
  2. The reason why meditation on emptiness can abandon all delusions and their imprints
  3. Showing that excellent results will come from abandoning grasping at true existence and its imprints

  1. An extensive explanation of the reasons that establish selflessness of persons
  2. An extensive explanation of the reasons that establish selflessness of phenomena

  1. Refuting the conceived object of the innate self-grasping of persons
  2. Refuting the conceived object of the intellectually-formed self-grasping of persons
  3. Refuting arguments against these refutations

  1. Refuting the permanent self posited by the Samkhya school
  2. Refuting the permanent self posited by the Vaisheshika and Naiyayika schools

  1. Explaining selflessness of phenomena by means of the four close placements of mindfulness
  2. Refuting arguments concerning the two truths
  3. Explaining the reasoning that establishes selflessness

  1. Close placement of mindfulness of body
  2. Close placement of mindfulness of feelings
  3. Close placement of mindfulness of mind
  4. Close placement of mindfulness of phenomena

  1. Establishing the non-true existence of a body as possessor of its parts
  2. Establishing the non-true existence of the parts of the body
  3. Therefore it is inappropriate to be attached to this dream-like non-truly existent body
  4. Through this, establishing the non-true existence of the person

  1. Refuting the true existence of the nature of feeling
  2. Refuting the true existence of the cause of feeling
  3. Refuting the true existence of the object of feeling
  4. Refuting the true existence of the subjective experiencer of feeling

  1. Refuting the true existence of painful feelings
  2. Refuting the true existence of pleasant feelings
  3. Explaining the yoga of meditating on the non-true existence of feelings

  1. Refuting a truly existent meeting between a sense power and an object
  2. Refuting a truly existent meeting between an object and a consciousness
  3. Thus establishing the non-true existence of the contact that arises from the meeting of an object, sense power and consciousness

  1. Establishing the non-true existence of mental consciousness
  2. Establishing the non-true existence of the five sense consciousnesses

  1. The reasoning of vajra fragments
  2. The reasoning of dependent relationship
  3. The reasoning that refutes inherent production of existents and non-existents

  1. Refuting production from no cause
  2. Refuting production from a permanent cause that is other
  3. Refuting production from a permanent general principle
  4. A summary of the refutation of production from no cause
  5. Refuting production from both self and other

  1. Refuting what is meant by the god Ishvara
  2. Refuting that Ishvara is the cause of everything with the reason he is permanent
  3. Refuting permanent partless particles as the cause of everything

  1. Refuting a general principle that is the cause of all manifestations
  2. Refuting a permanent general principle
  3. Refuting an effect existing at the same time as its cause
  4. Refuting the claim that the Madhyamika school is at fault

  1. Refuting inherently existent production through this reasoning
  2. Thereby refuting truly existent cessation
  3. Thus establishing the equality of samsara and nirvana from the point of view of lacking true existence

  1. Showing the meaning of sublime, precious emptiness
  2. The need to strive to realize emptiness
  3. Explaining great compassion by showing the faults of samsara
  4. Showing the conceived object of great compassion

  1. Contemplating the faults of this life
  2. Contemplating the faults of future lives
  3. Contemplating that even in fortunate realms it is difficult to find the time to practice Dharma
  4. Contemplating the rarity and great meaning of finding this precious human life
  5. Since we and others are afflicted by the sufferings of samsara, it is appropriate to feel sorrow

Chapter 11: Dedication

  1. An explanation of the brief dedication
  2. An explanation of the extensive dedication
  3. Remembering kindness and prostrating

  1. Dedication for the sake of others
  2. Dedication for the sake of ourself
  3. Dedication for the flourishing of Buddhadharma, the source of all happiness

  1. Dedication to free others from their sickness
  2. Dedication to remove the sufferings of the three lower realms
  3. Dedication for all gods and humans
  4. Universal dedication for all living beings
  5. Dedication for all Bodhisattvas and Superior beings

  1. Dedication for relief from suffering
  2. Dedication for the fulfillment of wishes

  1. General dedication for all human beings
  2. Specific dedication for the ordained

Chapter 12: Conclusion

  1. About the author
  2. About the translators
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