The seven points comprise a complete practice, with instructions and guidance that cover all the essential points of mahayana buddhism. This train ing summarizes the bodhisattva way of life by integrating theories and practices for the cultivation of ultimate and relative bodhichitta. The main practice which is training in bodhicitta first. Training the mind in the path to enlightenment 41 point three. A short, lucid explanation of the essence of mind training by the late shamar rinpoche. The seven point mind training stems from the teachings of the 11th century indian buddhist scholar and contemplative atisha and was first written down by the 12thcentury tibetan monk chekawa. Some of them we cannot confidently incorporate within the outlines when we are giving an explanation, and some include unfamiliar. The root text of the seven point mind training,2 as recorded by. This train ing summarizes the bodhisattva way of life by integrating theories and practices for the. Lojong, or tibetan mind training practices, enable us to stay strong and positive in how we face the challenges of life.
Mind training was originally a secret transmission, taught only to students who had a proven capacity and sincerity for practice. The remaining five verses are extracted from the book transforming the mind by his holiness the dalai lama. The seven points of mind training lojong in tibetan constitute a system for transforming our ordinary relationships with others and with ourselves into the ground for the cultivation of lovingkindness and insight. Atisha s seven point mind training daily practice course forum. They can perhaps best be characterized as a method for transforming our mind by turning away from selfcenteredness and cultivating instead the mental habits that generate bodhicitta, the awakened mind that puts the benefit of others above all else.
Verse 8 generating the mind for enlightenment words of truth introduction to the kalachakra office public audiences private audiences. Seven points of mind training introduction, part 2 youtube. The seven points of mind training of atisha blogger. The book of wisdom is not a book of esoteric philosophy. A definitive root text on the sevenpoint mind training, supplemented by outlines. In sanskrit that is known as bodhicitta bodhi refers to. Training in bodhicitta the heart mind of enlightenment 3 transforming adverse conditions into the path to enlightenment. Atishas verses on training the mind 1 of 4 duration. But tibetan makes no distinction between the mind and heart, so the word applies equally to the feelings of the heart. The great kadampa lamas, the followers of atisha, developed a way how to work on this. The seven points of mind training of atisha free download as word doc.
The preliminaries, which are the basis for dharma practice. Actually, from that point of view, all the buddhas teachings are mind training in that they were all given for training the body, speech and mind. The seven point mind training is one eminently practical way of tapping into that meaning. This wonderful seven point mind training was first given by atisha in 1052 on the north side of mt kailash in tibet. According to most of the older records, the training in the ultimate awakening mind is dealt with first. Lojong was originally brought to tibet by an indian buddhist teacher named atisha. Based on the seven points of mind training by the 11thcentury buddhist mystic atisa, the book of wisdom removes the dust of tradition that has gathered around meditation, conveying the essential science and methodology of the practice with a freshness and spontaneity that is rarely found in contemporary spiritual works. Verse 7 verse 8 generating the mind for enlightenment. The sevenpoint mindtraining stems from the teachings of the 11 thcentury indian buddhist scholar and contemplative atisha and was first written down by the 12 thcentury tibetan monk chekawa. Eigghhtt svveer rseess nffoor ittrraaiinniingg tthhee mminndd byy ggeesshhee allaannggrrii 1ttaannggppa 110055441112233 composed by the buddhist master langri tangpa 10541123, eight verses for training the mind is a highlyrevered text from the mahayana lojong mind training tradition.
Eigghhtt svveer rseess nffoor ittrraaiinniingg tthhee mminndd. Accurately speaking, the seven point mind heart training entails a change of heart as much as a transformation of the mind. In his seven point mind training he enumerates ways and means to develop morality, meditation and wisdom thereby awakening the buddha mind or the bodhichitta to bring out the buddha within us. Chapter 5 the seven points of mind training n ow i will teach on the lojong ton dunma, which has been translated into english as the seven points of mind training. Jul 04, 2012 the 59 proverbs that form the root text of the mind training practice are designed as a set of antidotes to undesired mental habits that cause suffering. Seven points of mind training by atisha commentary by very venerable khenchen thrangu rinpoche point one. Sevenpoint mind training guard the two even at the cost of your life. Lo means thought or perception and jong means purifying. It is a mahayana mind training coming from atisha dipankara, the indian kadampa master, who was invited to revive buddhism in tibet in the 11th century. The measure of having cultivated mind training all dharma condensed into a single purpose. Atisha s seven point mind training by b alan wallace.
To practice the seven point mind training, essence of the minds of the peerless lord and his disciples, may all beings accomplish enlightenment. With this weeks entry, judy has now given teachings on all 59 slogans. The sevenpoint mindtraining stems from the teachings of the 11th century indian buddhist scholar and contemplative atisha and was first written down by the 12thcentury tibetan monk chekawa. The seven points of mind training of atisha vajrayana buddhist. Pema chodron on lojong mind training slogans lions roar. The great kadampa lamas, the followers of atisha, developed a way how to work on.
Root lines of mahayana mind training attributed to atisa seven points 3. This training summarises the bodhisattva way of life by integrating theories and practices for the cultivation of ultimate and relative bodhichitta, or. The seven point mind training stems from the teachings of the 11th century indian buddhist scholar and contemplative atisha and was first written down by the 12th century tibetan monk chekawa. Lojong, or mind training, is a core practice in all the lineages of the tibetan.
Seven points of mind training introduction, part 2 khenpo sherab sangpo. Lojong, or mind training, is a core practice in all the lineages of the tibetan tradition. Through training our minds, we can transform any negative circumstance into an opportunity to develop love, compassion and understanding. Dont seek others misery as crutches of your own happiness. First train in the preliminaries which are a basis for dharma practice point two. In sanskrit that is known as bodhicitta bodhi refers to the buddha state 2 and citta is mind. These teachings on the seven points of mind training were given on two different. Rather, it is a guide for inner discipline and transformation. At the heart of the sevenpoint mind training lies the transformation of the circumstances that life brings us, however hard as the raw material from which we create our own spiritual path. Lojong tonglen atisha, serlingpa, chekawa, langri tangpa contents. The 59 proverbs that form the root text of the mind training practice are. The first three verses from the eight verses of training the mind along with the commentary by his holiness the dalai lama were given on 8 november 1998 in washington d. Atishas mind training in seven points is one of the bestknown sets of instructions for mind training lojong and the practiceof taking and sending tonglen. Training the mind and cultivating lovingkindness by chogyam trungpa edited by judith l.
The purpose of this train ing of the mind is to develop a very specific thought, referred as precious thought. Tonglen toc 5 contents of first part 1 the preliminaries the preliminary practices of training the mind first, train in the preliminaries. The story is one of selflessness and courage the khadampa is a guide for the enlightenment of everyday life in the common world. The teachings on the seven points of mind training are regarded as contemplations. Seven points of mind training the ringu tulku archive. For well over a year, acharya judy lief, teacher in the shambhala tradition of chogyam trungpa rinpoche, has been offering weekly commentary on one of atishas 59 mindtraining tib. The central theme of the sevenpoint mind training is to make the. A commentary on eight verses on mind training chekawa yeshe dorje. It is a mind training practice in the tibetan buddhist tradition and is based on a set of aphorisms formulated in tibet in the 12th century by geshe chekhawa. Atisha s verses on training the mind 1 of 4 duration. With few wants, be content with what you have, and with gratitude repay any kindness you receive. The sevenpoint mindtraining stems from the teachings of the 11th century indian buddhist scholar and contemplative atisha and was first written down by the 12th century tibetan monk chekawa.
The seven points of mind training is at the heart of the sutra and tantra teachings in the mahayana tradition. Mar 16, 2015 atisha s seven point mind training by b alan wallace. Overcome anger and arrogance, and let humility rule your mind. This buddhist practice was initially brought to tibet in the 11th century by the great indian dharma master, atisha. The practice involves refining and purifying ones motivations and attitudes. The text from which is taught is geshe chekawas seven point mind training, together with the commentary by gomo tulku, becoming a. To practice lojong you need a set of the slogan cards and some good volumes of commentary.
Accurately speaking, the sevenpoint mindheart training entails a change of heart as much as a transformation of the mind. However, according to our own tradition, following the gentle protector tsongkhapa, as contained in such works as the mind training like the rays of the sun, ornament for losangs thought, the essential nectar and keutsangs root. That friendliness or compassion is known in tibetan as nyingje, which. The teachings on it are more diverse than many people. We discussed the 7 point mind training with john wenz february and lama gursam february 2016 and will continue in march with the root text of the seven points of training the mind. The four reminders or alternatively called the four thoughts. Nov 22, 2017 pema chodrons commentary on atishas famed mindtraining slogans that utilize our difficulties and problems to awaken the heart. Advice of mahayana mind transference is the five powers. When we say we need to train our mind, the most important thing we need to have is the enlightenment thought. The seven points of mind training of thrangu rinpoche. Avoid the ten unwholesome actions, and make your faith and con.
The sevenpoint mind training is one eminently practical way of tapping into that meaning. On his first visit in israel, rinpoche was teaching on the seven point mind training or lojong. Atisha received instruction from him in both mind training and taking and sending and brought these teachings to tibet in the 11th century. There it spread widely and became the essential teaching practised by all the lamas. In his seven point mind training he enumerates ways and means to develop morality, meditation and wisdom thereby awakening the buddhamind or the bodhichitta to bring out the buddha within us. The order of presentation and the number of words in them differs greatly. This text, the sevenpoint mind training, is associated with atisha, a great scholar and practitioner born. From the three levels of teachings that lord buddha presented, the subject of this seminar is lojong in tibetan, which means mind training, and accords with the.
Thus it can be translated as attitudinal training, or more commonly mind training. Atisha s mind training in seven points is one of the bestknown sets of instructions for mind training lojong and the practiceof taking and sending tonglen. Nectar of the mind a prayer of the seven point mind. The indian sage, atisha, composed the text later introduced in tibet. The fiftynine or so slogans that form the root text of the mind training practice are designed as a. There have been many lojong systems devised by various tibetan lamas over the last thousand years, but the best known, and the one this set of virtual lojong cards is based on, comes from the oral teachings of the indian buddhist sage atisha dipankara shrijnana. Day 01 geshe lhakdors teaching on seven point mind training duration. Atisha came there because of the supplications of a kagyu king who sought peace in his country. The sevenpoint mind training lama yeshe wisdom archive. Absolute bodhicitta regard all phenomena as dreams examine the nature of unborn awareness. It is still followed by all schools of tibetan buddhism.
In the literature of the old and new kadampa there are many versions of the commentaries and root text of the sevenpoint mind training. It is a book that captures the essence of tibetan buddhism and gives us an accessible method for training the mind, awakening the heart. Seven point mind training guard the two even at the cost of your life. The seven points of mind training of atisha vajrayana. Atishas the seven points of mind training lojong steamboat. But it is not the silva mind train ing that was popular in the 60s and 70s. The seven points of mind training of atisha the shamarpa. Another method for actually practicing the mahayana is atishas mind training practice. At the heart of the seven point mind training lies the transformation of the circumstances that life brings us, however hard as the raw material from which we create our own spiritual path. This training summarizes the bodhisattva way of life by integrating theories and practices for the cultivation of ultimate and relative bodhichitta, or. They were condensed from the words of the buddha skt. Bringing unfavorable conditions into the path to enlightenment 123 point four. In the literature of the old and new kadampa there are many versions of the commentaries and root text of the seven point mind training.