Preliminaries of the path

After presenting ethics as the foundation for Buddhist practices, ’Phags pa advises Qubilai to engage in the preliminary practices of the Buddhist path. These are the cultivation of faith, compassion and aspiration, which ’Phags pa posits as the preconditions for all virtuous actions.14 Through his description of these preliminary practices, ’Phags pa attempts to instil in Qubilai the importance of these positive emotions, which can be nurtured into the higher qualities of buddhahood.

3.1 Cultivating faith

Among the three preliminary practices, ’Phags pa chooses to first present the cultivation of faith. Before proceeding to other trainings, he explains that it is essential to cultivate faith in the Three Jewels and the guru; however, he argues that faith must be cultivated on the basis of informed knowledge of the qualities of one’s object of faith.15 As such, ’Phags pa explains the qualities of these objects, in effect demonstrating why they are worthy of one’s faith. ’Phags pa first discusses the Dharma, the teachings of the Buddha:

Utterly flawless speech,

Which does not contradict [but rather] entirely conforms with

The two valid cognitions and is virtuous in the beginning, middle and end, Can be definitively affirmed as the Dharma.16

It is common in Buddhist discourse to align the Three Jewels—the Buddha, Dharma and Saṃgha—to an enlightened being’s mind, speech and body respectively. This verse follows this approach by presenting the Dharma as “flawless speech”. The Dharma is posited as flawless because it conforms with the two valid cognitions: what is directly and unmistakably perceivable as valid; and what can be established as valid through inference. He goes on to assert that the Dharma is virtuous at every stage of its practice: it is virtuous “in the beginning” because the Dharma causes one to become disenchanted with afflictions when initially heard; it is virtuous in the “middle” because contemplating it supresses afflictions; and it is virtuous in the “end” because cultivating it uproots afflictions altogether.17

14

Chos rgyal ’Phags pa (1968h: 181, folio 3).

15 _{Shes rab gzhon nu (1968: 95, folio 4).} 16 _{Chos rgyal ’Phags pa (1968h: 181, folio 2).} 17 _{Shes rab gzhon nu (1968: 96, folio 1–2).}

’Phags pa then shifts from the Dharma to the speaker of that Dharma—the Buddha. ’Phags pa asserts that the Buddha can be regarded as an object of faith because he has unhindered knowledge of the flawless teachings; he is loving towards all beings, teaching everyone without discrimination; has overcome all mental afflictions; and possesses great power18—the power to eliminate wrong views:

The speaker [of such a teaching] has unhindered knowledge, Teaches without closed-fistedness, is loving and—

Has abandoned afflictions counter to [knowledge]19—

[The one who] knows the [path] for the attainment of great power is the Buddha.20

Following this, ’Phags pa then presents the third of the Three Jewels—the Saṃgha—as an object of faith. Although the term Saṃgha is commonly used to refer to

the monastic community, in Mahāyāna Buddhism it more strictly refers to those on the

Buddhist path who have at least reached a stage free from the afflictions that bind beings to samsara. ’Phags pa reasons that the Saṃgha is worthy of one’s faith because its members possess qualities that are similar to the Buddha’s, such as the Ten Powers21 and Four Fearlessnesses.22 In ’Phags pa’s words:

Because they follow [the Buddha]

[And] their qualities accord with the causes [of the qualities of the Buddha], and because they are [also] congregated,

They are the supreme assembly. [This assembly] shares a common sphere of [Dharma] activity, so

Definitively, they are the supreme field. [They are] the Saṃgha.23

Having explained the qualities of the Three Jewels to establish why they are worthy objects of one’s faith, ’Phags pa then explains why the guru is also an object

18 _{For an analysis on the conception of power in Buddhism, see Craig J. Reynolds (2005).}

19 _{This line is absent in Advice to the King as presented in Chos rgyal ’Phags pa (1968h: 181, folio 2).}

However, it is included in the version of the text presented in The Ornament.See Shes rab gzhon nu (1968: 95, folio 4).

20 _{Chos rgyal ’Phags pa (1968h: 181, folio 2).}

21 _{The Ten Powers (Skt. daśa bala; Tib. stobs bcu) are power over: (1) life; (2) karma; (3) necessities; (4)}

devotion; (5) aspiration; (6) miraculous abilities; (7) birth; (8) doctrine; (9) mind; and (10) pristine cognition. See Shes rab gzhon nu (1968: 98, folio 3).

22

The Four Fearlessnesses (Skt. catvāri vaiśāradyāni; Tib. mi ’jigs pa bzhi) are: (1) fearlessness in asserting one’s complete and perfect extinguishment of all negativities for the purpose of oneself; (2) fearlessness in asserting one’s complete and perfect accomplishment of knowledge for the purpose of oneself; (3) fearlessness in revealing the paths of antidotes to afflictions for the purpose of others; and (4) fearlessness in revealing what are the afflictions to be eliminated for the purpose of others. See Tsepak Rigzin (1997: 204).

23 _{Chos rgyal ’Phags pa (1968h: 181, folio 2).}

worthy of faith. The Ornament explains that the guru possesses the capacity to skilfully introduce the disciple to the Three Jewels and the ability to assist the disciple to embody the qualities of the Three Jewels in themselves. The guru’s qualities are presented as analogous to those of the Three Jewels: their knowledge is like the Buddha’s; their speech is the Dharma; and they are in the physical form of the Saṃgha. In the

Vajrayāna tradition, the guru can be viewed as having an even more intimate connection

with the disciple in advancing on the Buddhist path than the Buddha. This is because the guru engages directly with the disciple, whereas the Buddha’s engagement is more indirect.24 Sa paṇ encapsulates this view in the following verse from The Extraordinary Way of Supplicating to the Sublime Guru (Tib. Bla ma dam pa la thun mong ma yin pa’i sgo nas gsol ba ’debs pa):

No matter how hot the sun is

It cannot ignite fire without a magnifying glass; Likewise, the blessings of the Buddha

Cannot be bestowed without the guru.25

3.2 Cultivating compassion

The cultivation of compassion is considered the most fundamental prerequisite on the

Mahāyāna path. Therefore, ’Phags pa advises Qubilai to cultivate compassion as a preliminary requirement that underlies other practices. Emphasising the importance of this practice, The Ornament cites the following passage from the Compendium of Doctrine Sūtra (Skt. Dharmasaṃgītisūtrā):

[Avalokiteśvara said:] Bhagavan, bodhisattvas need not learn too many

teachings. Bhagavan, if bodhisattvas hold onto one teaching and realise it, they have all the Bhagavan’s teachings in the palm [of their hand]. What is this teaching? It is great compassion. Bhagavan, great compassion places all the Buddha’s teachings in bodhisattvas’ palms.26

’Phags pa instructs the Khan to cultivate compassion towards every sentient being. He presents the reasoning that, just as Qubilai himself is constantly tormented by the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death and wishes to be free from them, so

24

Shes rab gzhon nu (1968: 97, folio 1).

25 _{Sa paṇ Kun dga’ rgyal mtshan (1992–1993: 401).}

26_{’Phags pa chos yang dag par sdud pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo,}

http://tibetan.works/etext/reader.php?collection=kangyur&index=239#130A (accessed on 01/06/2015).

does every other being. As such, sentient beings are worthy objects of compassion, and ’Phags pa advises Qubilai to develop bodhicitta.27

3.3 Cultivating aspiration

Having provided instructions on cultivating faith in the Three Jewels and the guru and cultivating compassion towards fellow sentient beings tormented by constant suffering, ’Phags pa then highlights the importance of aspiration. The approach used to generate the fervent aspiration to motivate the practitioner to exert themselves is reflection on the temporary and ultimate benefits of the practices of cultivating faith and compassion. The temporary benefits include wealth, joy, beautiful physical appearance, and an impressive presence, while the ultimate benefits are the supreme qualities of buddhahood.28