THE VIEW & THE NINE VEHICLES

THE VITAL POINT OF THE VIEW in each of the nine vehicles is nothing other than emptiness. Each vehicle attempts to experience this empty nature of things

and apply it in practice, in what each maintains is a flawless and correct fashion. No one wants to practice something they know is imperfect. Therefore, each vehicle maintains that its particular view and way to implement it is the genuine and authentic way. The view, or orientation, of the different

vehicles varies accordingly. The view of the Hinayana teachings is to cultivate from the very outset the stillness of shamatha. This is perfected by repeatedly placing the attention with mindfulness in a quiet state. Eventually this results in the attainment of total equanimity in the state of stillness

where thought has entirely ceased. From the Hinayana vehicle on up, the concept of what mind actually is becomes increasingly refined and subtle. Yet, throughout all these practices some concept is held on to, even though this concept is more subtle than those involved in our ordinary thoughts. The

shravaka vehicle is usually spoken of as a single approach. Actually, after the Buddha passed away, the shravaka followers divided into 18 schools. One of these 18 sects called Sarvastavadin continued in Tibet as a monastic lineage, while another was brought to Shri Lanka and spread into other countries. The

other 16 schools have died out. The vehicle for pratyekabuddhas mentions two types of practitioners: the “flock type” like a parrot and the “solitary type” like a rhinoceros. The vehicle for bodhisattvas, the Mahayana, possesses various approaches, involving the 37 aspects of the path to enlightenment. There

are also the different philosophical schools, such as Chittamatra and Madhyamika, known as Mind Only and the Middle Way. Each of these has many subdivisions; it is a very elaborate system of classification.

The Madhyamika teachings use intellectual discernment to establish the view of emptiness as being “free from the four extremes and eight mental constructs.” The Mahayana practitioner resolves that mind doesn’t exist and is not nonexistent, it is not both and not neither. Finally, emptiness is

resolved as being beyond the four extremes. This view still retains some subtle notion of or fixation on the idea of emptiness. Is there any difference in the views of Mahamudra, Dzogchen and Madhyamika? Sometimes, it is said that the ground is Mahamudra, the path is Madhyamika and the fruition is Dzogchen. Whether there is a difference or not depends on what aspect we are discussing. Please understand that Madhyamika is not just Madhyamika; you must define

what aspect is under consideration. There are different kinds of Madhyamika, such as the Svatantrika Madhyamika, the Prasangika Madhyamika, and the Great Madhyamika of the Definitive Meaning. Within the Mahamudra system there is Sutra Mahamudra, Tantra Mahamudra and Essence Mahamudra. Sutra Mahamudra is the

same as the Mahayana system describing progressive stages through the five paths and ten bhumis. That definitely differs from Dzogchen, and therefore it is not simply called Mahamudra, but Sutra Mahamudra. Tantra Mahamudra corresponds to Maha Yoga and Anu Yoga in which you utilize the “wisdom of example” to

arrive at the “wisdom of meaning.” Essence Mahamudra is the same as Dzogchen, except that it doesn’t include Tögal. The Great Madhyamika of the Definitive Meaning is no different from the Dzogchen view of Trekchö. Within the Dzogchen system, there are likewise different levels. It is not enough to say

“Dzogchen” without mentioning which particular aspect of it we are talking about. Dzogchen is not a single entity; there are four subdivisions. There is the outer Mind Section, which is like the body. There is the inner Space Section, which is like the heart, and the secret Instruction Section, which is like the veins within the heart. Finally there is the innermost Unexcelled

Section, which is like the life-energy inside the heart, the pure essence of the life-force. What is the difference between these four sections, since all four are Dzogchen? The outer Mind Section of Dzogchen emphasizes the cognizant quality of mind, while the inner Space Section emphasizes its empty quality,

and the secret Instruction Section emphasizes the unity of the two. The innermost Unexcelled Section teaches everything — ground, path and fruition, as well as Trekchö and Tögal. This last section is like a person who possesses the five sense-faculties completely intact. Nothing is lacking. Each of these vehicles from the very beginning feels that it is putting the genuine, authentic view into practice, and not a false one. But when viewed from the vehicle above, it appears that the viewpoint of the vehicle below is incomplete; this principle applies all the way up through the eighth yana. Whenever one

regards these view from the vantage point of Mahamudra, Dzogchen or the ultimate Madhyamika, these views are all seen to possess subtle concepts. What is most important concerning the view is to recognize buddha nature. The Sanskrit word for buddha nature is sugatagarbha; the Tibetan term is deshek nyingpo.

We must understand that it is the view we should apply in practice. In the first eight of the nine yanas — the vehicles for shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas; the three outer tantras of Kriya, Upa, and Yoga; and Mahayoga and Anu Yoga — progressively deeper notions of buddha nature are kept in mind

as the point of reference. In these vehicles the viewer, or observer of buddha nature, is called mindfulness or watchfulness, in the sense of keeping constant guard on buddha nature, like a herdsman keeping watch over his cattle. So in these vehicles there are, then, two things: buddha nature and the

constant attention, the “not forgetting” it. Buddha nature should first be recognized, then sustained continuously without any distraction. When watchfulness is distracted from buddha nature, the practitioner is no different from an ordinary person. This is the general principle of the first eight

vehicles. In the Tibetan translation of the word for buddha nature, deshek or “buddha” refers to all tathagatas and sugatas, the awakened ones, while nyingpo is the essential nature. Just as the essence of milk is butter, the essence of all the buddhas is the state of realization. This buddha nature is precisely what is practiced in each of the nine vehicles, but exactly how it is put into practice differs, because there is a refinement of understanding that becomes progressively more subtle through the vehicles. Each vehicle, beginning with the shravaka yana, has its own particular view,

meditation and conduct. Each has the same aim, to understand emptiness; and each employs practices called shamatha and vipashyana. On the Mahayana level, the ultimate shamatha and vipashyana is called the “shamatha and vipashyana that delights the tathagatas.” Though the same names are used, their depth is

much superior to the shamatha and vipashyana employed in the shravaka system. Every vehicle, beginning with the shravaka yana, practices shamatha and vipashyana, so don’t think that at the level of Dzogchen these two are ignored or left out. On the contrary, on the Ati level, the innate stability in

rigpa, the nondual state of awareness, is the shamatha aspect, while the awake or cognizant quality is the vipashyana aspect. Our basic nature, also called awareness wisdom or cognizant wakefulness, is resolved or recognized through shamatha and vipashyana. To cite a famous statement, “Awakened mind is the

unity of shamatha and vipashyana.” The principle we must understand here is stated like this: “Same word, superior meaning.” Shamatha and vipashyana are ultimately indivisible. Both are naturally included and practiced in Ati Yoga. The extraordinary shamatha here is to resolve and rest in the true emptiness

itself. We do not merely get the idea of emptiness; in actuality, in direct experience, we resolve emptiness and rest naturally in that state. Naturally resting is the genuine shamatha of not creating anything artificial whatsoever, of simply remaining in the experience of emptiness. And vipashyana means

not to deviate or depart from that state. According to ordinary shamatha and vipashyana, shamatha is first cultivated and then vipashyana is pursued. Cultivating shamatha means to produce a state of mental stillness, and then to train in it.

Pursuing or seeking the insight of vipashyana means to try to find who the meditator is; trying to identify what it is that remains quiet. It’s evident that both of these practices are pretty much involved in conceptual thinking. Only in the Essence Mahamudra and Dzogchen systems is emptiness left without

fabrication. In Dzogchen, from the very first, emptiness is resolved without any need to manufacture it. It emphasizes stripping awareness to its naked state, and not clinging to emptiness in any way whatsoever. The true and authentic vipashyana is the empty and cognizant nature of mind. The special

quality of Dzogchen is the view that is totally free from any ideas whatsoever. This view is called the view of fruition, meaning it is utterly devoid of any conceptual formulations. Dzogchen is like the highest point of a monastery, the golden topornament: above it, there is nothing but sky. The innermost

Unexcelled Section of Dzogchen is like the temple’s golden topornament in that it’s the highest point of all the nine vehicles. When we read a sutra, it begins with the title in Sanskrit; after that comes the body of the sutra. At the conclusion, the scripture says, “The sutra by such-and-such name is

completed.” In the same way, in Dzogchen all phenomena of samsara and nirvana are completed or perfected in the expanse of the single sphere of dharmakaya awareness. Dzogchen embodies completion or perfection in the sense that dzog means “finished” — in other words, there’s nothing further; it’s done, over

with, complete. A quotation from the tantras says: “Complete as one — Everything is complete within awakened mind. Complete as two — All the phenomena of samsara and nirvana are completed.” The Dzogchen teachings are described using the following metaphor. Climbing up a mountain, you can only see in one

direction at a time. But once you reach the summit of Mount Sumeru, the king of mountains, you can view the four directions simultaneously; you can see everywhere. The idea is that all the qualities of the lower vehicles are included within the highest view. From the highest view, you can see the

imperfections of the lower views, just as you can see everything from the vantage point of the mountain peak. This doesn’t mean that the lower vehicles recognize

that their particular view is incomplete; on the contrary, each has firm confidence that its particular view, meditation, conduct, and fruition are perfect. Each of the eighteen schools of the shravakas believed their view was flawless. Pratyekabuddhas felt the same, and so on. It is only when we reach

the highest point of a mountain that we can clearly see everything below. That is why the Buddha said about the nine vehicles, “My teachings are a gradual progression from the beginning up to the highest perfection, like the steps on a staircase which extend from the lowest to the highest, or like a newborn

infant who slowly grows up.” People are of differing capacity, and are traditionally ranked into categories of higher, medium and lesser capacity. Each of those three categories again has a higher, medium and lower type so that there are nine categories in all. The way of transmitting teachings also differs

according to this scheme. For people of the higher, medium and lesser types of the highest capacity, there is the Gyalwa Gong-gyü, the mind transmission of the victorious ones, the teachings of Ati Yoga, Anu Yoga and Mahayoga. For the three types of people of medium capacity, there are the three outer tantras

of Kriya, Upa and Yoga. For the three types of people of lesser capacity, there are the teachings for shravakas, pratyekabuddhas and bodhisattvas. It is not that the Buddha’s teachings differ in quality so that those we call his “highest” were the best of his teachings while those we call his “lowest” were

his worst teachings. All his teachings were excellent. The teachings differ only because people are different. Teachings suitable to a particular mental capacity were given a certain name among the nine vehicles. It is not that the Buddha gave good and bad teachings and that we have to search out the good

ones; please understand that it’s not like that at all. The teachings were skillfully tailored to the individual person. The Buddha, being omniscient, could perceive the appropriate level of teaching required by whoever came to him and delivered it in whatever way was required. For example, when you give

a load to someone, you give them a package that exactly fits their strength. If you give the Hinayana teachings to a person who has the capacity to understand the Ati Yoga teachings, it is like giving a tiny package to a big strong man who can carry it with his little finger. It is not enough. But if you give the highest Vajrayana teachings to someone of the shravaka disposition, it is like loading a small child with a heavy burden meant for a grown man. The child will fall over and definitely not be able to carry it. Similarly, it is very

important that the teachings be given appropriately, according to one’s capacity. As a further categorization, it is said that Maha, Anu and Ati are the three Dharma Wheels of the dharmakaya buddha. Kriya, Upa and Yoga are the three Dharma Wheels expounded by the sambhogakaya buddha. The vehicles for

shravakas, pratyekabuddhas and bodhisattvas are the three Dharma Wheels taught by the nirmanakaya buddha. These were transmitted respectively as the mind transmission of the victorious ones, the sign transmission of the knowledge-holders and the oral transmission of the great masters. Yet all were given by

the Awakened One, the Buddha — as, respectively, the dharmakaya buddha, sambhogakaya buddha and nirmanakaya buddha. The teachings are meant to be exactly suited to our own disposition and individual capacity. When we feel that the teaching fits and that it makes sense, we can quickly progress training

ourselves in it. For example, when a bodhisattva type of person receives the Mahayana teachings, he can quickly progress through those teachings. When people first come into contact with Tibetan Buddhism, they might think, “What a strange religion! Tibetan Buddhism is full of different forms of deities

and rituals — how odd!” The way individuals are raised in other Buddhist traditions can be a bit limited. Due to not being well-educated in a wider approach they believe that their form of Buddhism alone is Buddhism, and what exists elsewhere is not. This attitude is like a person who possesses only

one arm, or one leg, or only a head, or the entrails of a human body, while missing the rest of the components: he is not a complete human being. Such a narrow viewpoint is only because of not being well educated. A great scholar or someone who is well-versed in the

entire body of the Buddhist teachings will not have this problem at all. He will be able to see where everything fits. He will not fall into the limited situation of thinking, “What’s the use of Mahayana or Vajrayana. The shravaka teachings are sufficient. Why can’t everyone simply practice that; all the

other teachings don’t matter.” Others may think, “Mahayana teachings are the real thing; the other teachings don’t really count.” Still others say, “Vajrayana is correct, what is the use of lower teachings, such as Mahayana or Hinayana?” All of these attitudes are complete nonsense. We need to have a

complete human body to function. For example, to build a perfect temple, it must first have solid ground and a proper foundation for it to rest upon. These two elements are the Hinayana teachings. Without a foundation, there is nothing to build on. Second, you need a large and beautiful structure: this is like

the Mahayana teachings. Finally, it should not be an empty house, but should possess exquisite representations of enlightened body, speech and mind. These are like the Vajrayana teachings. Otherwise, it is like any other worldly palace — not of real benefit. Similarly, we should combine and unify all three

levels of teachings into a single body of practice. Our practice then becomes like a perfect temple, possessing a proper foundation, a magnificent structure, and the representations of enlightened body, speech and mind inside. This is the way to unify the Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana levels of

teachings within one single system. The most important aspect of this unification is the correct viewpoint. It is our job to find out exactly what orientation or perspective can truly put an end to ignorance and confusion. What perspective is genuine and what perspective is false? It is up to us to

settle this thoroughly. This does not mean we have to study all the innumerable details, like a great pandita, because our life is not long enough to do that. We would run out of years. Instead, focus on the tradition of the pith instructions, which states the most essential point like this: “Resolve the

nature of your mind; don’t resolve the characteristics of all the teachings.” The tradition of pith instructions is very important. It is a system of few words which condense the essential practice to its vital points. Through the oral traditions of the Middle Way, Mahamudra, Dzogchen and also of the

system known as Prajnaparamita, transcendent knowledge, we can personally apply these pith instructions and meet face to face the buddha nature that is present in ourselves. The difference in the levels of practice depends on the degree to which conceptual mind is involved. The differences between the

vehicles are not marked by using the same terminology but by the use of progressively superior levels of meaning. As I mentioned before, when examined from above, the lower yanas appear to have a slight fault because a conceptual frame of mind is still present. That which propels us endlessly through samsara

is dualistic thinking. It is said that the first eight vehicles are still the domain of conceptual mind, although this conceptuality does become increasingly subtle. The difference between them and Dzogchen, Mahamudra and Madhyamika is that the ultimate view is free of conceptual mind, unlike in the

first eight vehicles. As long as there is conceptual mind, the view is not ultimate. The ultimate view is free of fixation. We cannot become enlightened by conceptual mind; this point is accepted in all the different schools. The Sakya school has a quotation: “If fixation is present, you do not have the view.”

The Geluk school as well understands that the highest view is free from conceptual mind. What it all comes down to is simply how the task of dissolving conceptual mind is approached. The difference between the vehicles lies exclusively in how gross or subtle our conceptual understanding is. All the way up

to the eighth vehicle of Anu Yoga there is still some conceptual frame of mind. Only the view of Dzogchen or Essence Mahamudra is totally free from

conceptual mind. For this reason, it is said that the other vehicles take a very long time to carry one to enlightenment. The shravaka teachings take incalculable aeons. The bodhisattva vehicle takes such an incredible number of lifetimes that they are almost impossible to count. The three outer tantras of Kriya, Upa and Yoga take sixteen or thirteen lifetimes to reach fruition. According to Dzogchen or Mahamudra, when nondual awareness has been

genuinely pointed out and correctly recognized, it is like the flawless dharmakaya placed directly in the palm of your hand. Try to apply the correct view in practice, from the moment of waking up throughout the whole day and most of the night, except for three hours of sleep. Then you will not need more than thirteen years to attain complete enlightenment! Enlightenment is possible when a qualified master meets a worthy, receptive disciple who possesses the

highest capacity, and transmits, or points out, the unmistaken essence of mind so that it is recognized. It can indeed be pointed out; it can indeed be recognized; and it can indeed be trained in. If the student practices this for thirteen years, he or she can unquestionably attain complete enlightenment.

So another difference between the vehicles is the amount of time it takes to reach complete enlightenment. From the viewpoint of the highest vehicle, all the vehicles below are like someone who is talking about the moon but has never actually seen it. He may describe how it looks, what it is made of, how it

waxes and wanes and so forth, but it is all hearsay. To point out a subtle distinction, this analogy can be connected with the gradual approach of the Mahamudra system wherein one progresses through the path by means of four yogas. The first yoga of onepointedness is shamatha. The second yoga of

simplicity is vipashyana. At the beginning of simplicity comes a point when the practitioner is like a person who, on the third day of the lunar calendar, is told, “Look up into the sky.” The student looks up and sees the sliver of moon. Although it is just a sliver, it is indeed the moon. This is called the moment of recognizing mind essence. One truly experiences emptiness for the first time. Once the nature of mind has been pointed out, it is seen directly

without any fault or error. The moon will grow fuller and fuller from the third to the fifteenth day. In the same way, one grows more and more used to mind nature so that it becomes uninterrupted. There is no realization beyond this unbroken recognition of buddha nature. However, before actually seeing the

moon we can only talk about it, draw a diagram of it and look at that. This is all conceptual understanding. The real moon is seen for the first time when we are introduced to the view.