Modern Buddhism

Kadampas sincerely rely upon Buddha Shakyamuni because Buddha is the source of Kadam Lamrim; they sincerely rely upon Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion, and upon the Wisdom Dharma Protector, indicating that their main practice is compassion and wisdom; ...

Later, Je Tsongkhapa and his disciples emphasized the practice of Kadam Lamrim of both Sutra and Tantra equally. This new tradition founded by Je Tsongkhapa is called the new Kadampa tradition.

There are two Kadampa traditions, the ancient and the new. Practitioners of the ancient Kadampa tradition appeared to emphasize the practice of Kadam Lamrim of Sutra more than the practice of Tantra.

Who are the Kadampas? ‘Ka’ refers to Buddha’s teachings and ‘dam’ refers to Atisha’s instructions on Kadam Lamrim. ‘Kadam’ therefore refers to the union of Buddha’s teachings and Atisha’s instructions, and sincere practitioners of Kadam Lamrim are called ‘Kadampas’.

Then, during death because of our karmic connection with this life ceasing, our very subtle mind leaves this body, goes to the next life and enters a new body, and then all the various kinds of things of the next life will appear to us. Everything will be completely new.

The process of sleeping is very similar to the process of dying. The difference between these two is that when we are dying our gross and subtle minds will dissolve into our very subtle mind of death, known as the ‘clear light of death’.

When we fall asleep our gross mind, or waking awareness, dissolves into our subtle mind of sleep.

During the waking day we have waking awareness through which various kinds of waking things appear to us. This awareness is a gross mind because it is not difficult to recognize.

During deep sleep we have only one mental awareness, which perceives emptiness alone. This awareness is called the ‘clear light of sleep’, and is the very subtle mind because it is extremely difficult to recognize.

During our dreams, we have dream awareness through which the various kinds of dream things appear to us; this awareness is a subtle mind because it is difficult to recognize.

There are three different levels of mind: gross, subtle and very subtle.

Buddha gave clear and detailed explanations about the mind as follows. The mind is something whose nature is empty like space, which has never possessed form, shape or color, and whose function is to perceive and understand objects.

On the other hand, the mind is not a part of the body; we cannot see it with our eyes and it cannot be photographed. Therefore it is clear that the brain is not the mind. We can find a clear answer to the question, ‘What is the mind?’ only from Buddha’s teachings.

Some people say that our brain is the mind, but this is incorrect. The brain cannot be the mind because it is simply a part of the body; we can see it directly with our eyes and it can even be photographed.

Although we often talk about our mind, if someone were to ask us, ‘What is the mind?’, we would have no clear answer.

Understanding and contemplating the above we should develop and maintain deep faith in Buddha, and generate the strong wish to practice his teachings in general and Kadam Lamrim in particular.

Happiness depends upon mental peace, and since this depends upon receiving Buddha’s blessings, Buddha is therefore the source of all happiness.

When the minds of living beings are peaceful and calm they are really happy; but if their minds are not peaceful they are not happy, even if their external conditions are perfect.

By themselves living beings are unable to cultivate a peaceful mind; it is only through receiving Buddha’s blessings upon their mental continuum that living beings, including even animals, can experience peace of mind.

One of Buddha’s main functions is to bestow mental peace upon each and every living being by giving blessings.