The Stages of the Path

      The great Buddhist monastic universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila each developed their own discourse style. According to the tradition of Nalanda, whenever a Spiritual Guide teaches Dharma he or she begins by explaining three purities. Whenever we listen to, read or teach Dharma these three purities are necessary: a pure mind on the part of the student, pure speech on the part of the Spiritual Guide, and pure Dharma. The mind of the student is pure if he or she is free from holding wrong views, has faith in the Spiritual Guide and in the Dharma that is taught and has a correct motivation. The speech of the Spiritual Guide is pure if it is unmistaken and clear, if he or she received it from an authentic Spiritual Guide and if the oral transmission and lineage teachings have blessings. The Dharma is pure if it reveals the entire path that leads to enlightenment, presents each point unmistakenly, and has been handed down in an unbroken lineage from Buddha Shakyamuni. The Dharma that is explained here, the Lamrim, is pure because it possesses these three necessary conditions. Therefore, our task as readers is to make sure that our own mind is pure while we read, contemplate and meditate on the meanings that are explained. Principally, we need to develop a good motivation by thinking:

      Now I have a supreme opportunity to attain Buddhahood and lead others to the same state. To become enlightened I need to practise all the stages of the path. Therefore, I am going to study these instructions and put them into practice.

      If we read Lamrim with such a pure intention we will increase our collection of merit moment by moment. There is nothing more meaningful that we can do with our lives. For myself, the author, there is no greater meaning in my life than to teach and explain pure Dharma.

      According to the tradition of Vikramashila, whenever a Spiritual Guide teaches Dharma he or she begins by explaining three things:

      (1) The pre-eminent qualities of the author of the root texts upon which the teachings are based

      (2) The pre-eminent qualities of the teachings presented in those texts

      (3) How to listen to and teach Dharma

      There are great benefits to be derived from receiving these explanations before studying the actual instructions on the stages of the path. From knowing the excellences of the author we will easily understand that the Dharma he or she teaches must be authentic. From knowing the pre-eminent qualities of Lamrim we will naturally develop interest, respect and confidence in it. From knowing how to listen to and read the instructions, and how they should be taught, we will be able to take the greatest advantage of opportunities such as the one we now have; and eventually we will be able to benefit others greatly by giving the instructions to them.

      All the explanations presented in this book are contained within four parts:

      1 Explanation of the pre-eminent qualities of the author, showing that the instructions of Lamrim are authentic

      2 Explanation of the pre-eminent qualities of Lamrim to inspire faith and respect for the Lamrim instructions

      3 Explanation of how to listen to and teach Dharma

      4 Explanation of the actual instructions of the stages of the path to enlightenment

      Maitrya

      Maitreya

      The Qualities of the Author

      EXPLANATION OF THE PRE-EMINENT QUALITIES OF THE AUTHOR, SHOWING THAT THE INSTRUCTIONS OF LAMRIM ARE AUTHENTIC

      The Lamrim instructions were originally taught by Buddha Shakyamuni. They were handed down in two separate lineages: the wisdom lineage of Nagarjuna and the method lineage of Asanga. The wisdom lineage, or profound path, passed from Buddha Shakyamuni to Manjushri, from Manjushri to Nagarjuna, and then through further Teachers to Atisha. The method lineage, or vast path, passed from Buddha Shakyamuni to Maitreya, from Maitreya to Asanga, and then through further Teachers to Atisha. Both these lineages include instructions on method and wisdom, but they differ in emphasis.

      The author of Lamrim is Atisha because it was he who first combined all the instructions of these two great Mahayana lineages in his work, Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment, and gave his presentation the abbreviated title, Lamrim. He united the two traditions in a way that made both of them easier to understand and practise, and this work is the prototype for all subsequent Lamrim texts.

      Atisha’s life and work are explained in three parts:

      1 Atisha’s birth into a royal family and his early life

      2 Atisha’s attainments of knowledge and spiritual realizations

      3 Atisha’s work of spreading Buddhadharma in India and Tibet

      atisha’s birth into a royal family and his early life

      Atisha was born in AD 982 as a prince in East Bengal, India. His father’s name was Kalyanashri (Glorious Virtue) and his mother’s name was Prabhavarti Shrimati (Glorious Radiance). He was the second of three sons and when he was born he was given the name Chandragarbha (Moon Essence). The name Atisha, which means Peace, was given to him later by the Tibetan king Jangchub Ö because he was always calm and peaceful.

      When he was still a child Chandragarbha’s parents took him to visit a temple. All along the way thousands of people gathered to see if they could catch a glimpse of the prince. When he saw them Chandragarbha asked ‘Who are these people?’ and his parents

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