2. The Stages of the Path to Enlightenment
OVERVIEW
The stages of the path to enlightenment, or lamrim in Tibetan, is the quintessence of the teachings of the Buddha. It spells out the hidden meaning of the Prajñāpāramitā sūtra revealed in the Abhisamayālaṅkāra, namely the number, nature, and order of the stages of the spiritual path to meditate. These are presented in sequence through three levels of practitioners, who have increasingly vast goals.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THESE TEACHINGS?
Through his vast and profound teachings, Rinpoche explains this authentic approach to meditations right up to the ultimate goal of full enlightenment, and makes it accessible to us.
-
- Practitioners of lower capacity only wish to escape the most difficult situations in the cycle of existence, and long only to be reborn in good conditions. Thus they devote themselves particularly to strictly observing the law of causality, by cultivating the causes of happiness and abstaining from the causes of suffering.
- Practitioners of lower capacity only wish to escape the most difficult situations in the cycle of existence, and long only to be reborn in good conditions. Thus they devote themselves particularly to strictly observing the law of causality, by cultivating the causes of happiness and abstaining from the causes of suffering.
- Based on this, practitioners of higher capacity consider the infinite sufferings of all beings since, like themselves, they are all plunged into the abyss of the cycle of existences. Moved by compassion, determined to free them, they decide to totally dispel all their own imperfections and fully develop all their good qualities in order to obtain complete awakening, because this alone will enable them to act without limit for the sake of all sentient beings.
- Practitioners of lower capacity only wish to escape the most difficult situations in the cycle of existence, and long only to be reborn in good conditions. Thus they devote themselves particularly to strictly observing the law of causality, by cultivating the causes of happiness and abstaining from the causes of suffering.
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
You will learn how you can take control of your mind, by generating and developing the three essential qualities of the path: renunciation, the spirit of enlightenment, and the wisdom which understands reality.
Available teachings
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
Available texts
Available sessions
Active filters