HOW THE TEACHER TEACHES
1. How a Buddha Teaches
The Three Types of Miraculous
Ability (cho 'phrul rnam pa gsum)
1. sku rdzu 'phrul
gyi cho 'phrul miraculous ability of his magical form
2. thugs kun tu
brjod pa'i cho 'phrul miraculous ability of his mind of universal communication
3. gsung rjes su
bstan pa'i cho 'phrul miraculous ability of his guiding speech
2. How an Arhat Teaches
The Three Pure Factors (dag pa gsum)
1. snyan pa po'i
snod dag pa the pure vessel of the listener
2. 'chad pa po'i
ngag dag pa the pure speech of the teacher
3. gsung rab kyi
brjod bya dag pa the pure topic of the teaching
The Four Causes for Not Knowing
(mi shes pa'i rgyu bzhi)
1. gnas kyis bskal
pas mi shes pa not knowing because of distance in space
2. dus kyis bskal
pas mi shes pa not knowing because of distance in time
3. rgyu thug med
kyi 'bras bu thug med mi shes pa not knowing the infinite results that come from infinite causes
4. sangs rgyas
kyi chos rab tu mang po mi shes pa not knowing the Buddha's many qualities
3. How a Learned Pandita Teaches
The Five Principal Considerations
(rtsis mgo yan lag lnga)
1. mdzad pa po
who is the author?
2. lung gang nas
btus which scriptures does it draw upon?
3. phyogs gang
du gtogs to which category does it belong?
4. dbu nas zhabs
su bsdus pa'i don what is its basic theme from beginning to end?
5. dgos ched su
zhig gi don du mdzad for whose benefit and for what purpose was it composed?
These considerations were employed
by the masters of Nalanda University when commenting upon treatises.
HOW THE STUDENTS LISTEN
The Three Defects of the Vessel
(snod kyi skyon gsum)
1. rna ba mi gtad
kha sbub lta bu not paying attention, like a vessel turned upside down
2. yid la mi 'dzin
zhabs rdol lta bu not remembering, like a vessel with a hole in it
3. nyon mongs dang
'dres dug can lta bu mixing what you hear with kleshas, like a container with poison inside
The Six Stains (dri
ma drug)
1. nga rgyal
pride
2. ma dad pa
lack of faith
3. don du gnyer
ba med pa lack of any interest
4. phyi rol du
rnam par g.yeng ba outward distraction
5. nang du sdud
pa inward tension
6. skyo ba
discouragement
The Five Wrong Ways of Remembering
(mi 'dzin pa lnga)
1. tshig 'dzin
la don mi 'dzin pa remembering the words, but forgetting the meaning
2. don 'dzin la
tshig mi 'dzin pa remembering the meaning, but forgetting the words
3. brda ma 'phrod
par 'dzin pa remembering them both, but with no understanding
4. don go log tu
'dzin pa remembering them with wrong understanding
5. gong 'og nor
nas 'dzin pa remembering them in the wrong order
The Four Metaphors ('du
shes bzhi)
1. bdag nyid la
nad pa'i 'du shes the thought of yourself as a sick person
2. chos la sman
gyi 'du shes the thought of the Dharma as medicine
3. dge ba'i bshes
gnyen la sman pa mkhas pa'i 'du shes the thought of the spiritual teacher as a skilful doctor
4. nan tan nyams
su len pa la nye bar 'tsho ba'i 'du shes the thought of diligent practice as the way to recovery
