Rain of Clarity

By Jampa Thaye

Rain of Clarity is a guide to all aspects of the Buddhist path according to the glorious Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, including a detailed presentation of the Madhyamaka system of Sakya, known as ‘Madhyamaka free from extremes’. Written in the style of a traditional Buddhist treatise or 'shastra', every line of Rain of Clarity serves as a definitive, authoritative statement on an aspect of Buddhism. The text also addresses issues facing contemporary Western practitioners of Buddhadharma.  Foreword by H.H. Sakya Trizin, head of the Sakya tradition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dechen Foundation
• Release date: Jan 22, 2016
• ISBN: 9780950911946

Book preview

Rain of Clarity

The Stages of the Path in the Sakya Tradition

Lama Jampa Thaye

Dechen Foundation

To H.H. Sakya Trizin and Karma Thinley Rinpoche,

my lords of refuge.

Foreword by H.H. Sakya Trizin

For some time, Lama Jampa Thaye has endeavoured, through his teachings and writings, to take the dharma to Western devotees in a form that supports them in implementing the principles of Buddhist philosophy in their lives. It is a pleasure to introduce his latest effort in propagating the dharma.

This work is intended as a gateway into Buddhist spiritual thought as a basis for a healthy and spiritually fulfilled life. In it, Lama Jampa Thaye covers the Buddhist path from the initial taking refuge right up to the profound teachings of the vajrayana. He deals with the Buddhist object of refuge—the Three Jewels; the developing of the correct motivation—bodhichitta; the principles of behaviour in the path—the six perfections; the correct view—understanding emptiness; and concludes by introducing the vajrayana vehicle. Through this teaching, the student receives a full blueprint of entering the path, keeping the vows, maintaining motivation, leading a better and more virtuous life, and finally a way to liberation.

Lama Jampa Thaye introduces the Buddhist teachings in the light of modern scientific thought and contemporary life. This makes the work useful for the new practitioner, creating a bridge between their current understanding and the profound dharma.

Finally I would like to commend Lama Jampa Thaye for the unflagging enthusiasm and effort that he has devoted to the noble cause of making the dharma available to all those who have an interest in it, and encourage him to continue his good works.

His Holiness Sakya Trizin

Sakya Dolma Phodrang, Rajpur, India

31st  May, 2005

Foreword by Karma Thinley Rinpoche

This book, written by the Lord of Scholars, Jampa Thaye, is concerned with the distinct tenets and practices of the three vehicles based on the view of Shri Sakya. Since it will bring extensive benefits to students serious about the sutra and mantra doctrines, I request it be taken to heart.

This was written on the good first day of April by the one named the Fourth Karma Thinley, in London, the great city adorned with abundant goodness. May virtues increase.

Manjushri, bodhisattva of wisdom

Introduction

Nowadays there is considerable interest in the Sakya school of Buddhism but, regrettably, only a limited number of books on this tradition and its spiritual teachings exist in Western languages. Thus the present work has been written to introduce the principal points of the Sakya system of exposition and practice to a modern audience.

The Sakya tradition itself takes its name from the monastery founded at Sakya in south-western Tibet in 1073 by Könchok Gyalpo of the Khön clan, an influential family that had previously been affiliated to the Nyingma tradition of Buddhism. As a result of his family’s disillusionment with errors that had begun to affect contemporary Buddhist practice in Tibet, Könchok Gyalpo studied the ‘new tantras’ with the translator Drokmi Lotsava, one of the most influential Tibetan scholars of that period. Subsequently the Sakya school was given definite shape through the labours of the ‘five venerable masters’, Sachen Künga Nyingpo (1092-1158), Lopön Sönam Tsemo (1141-1182), Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216), Chöje Sakya Pandita (1182-1251) and Chögyal Phakpa (1235-1280). Their endeavours ensured that the Sakya tradition was endowed with an unparallelled range of sutra and mantra teachings from Indian Buddhism. Since that time the tradition and its two major subsects, Ngor and Tsar, have been adorned by many other accomplished scholars and meditators such as Ngorchen Künga Zangpo (1382-1456), Tsarchen Losal Gyamtso (1502-1566) and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892). Through the work of such luminaries the Sakya school has exerted an enormous influence on the development of religious, cultural and political life in Tibet and elsewhere.

The head of the Sakya tradition is drawn from the male line of the Khön family. The present head, H.H. Ngawang Künga Thegchen Palbar Samphel Wanggi Gyalpo (1945- ), hails from the Dolma Palace branch of the dynasty and is the forty-first Sakya Trizin (‘holder of the Sakya throne’). In exile from Tibet, His Holiness has established his primary seat in Rajpur in northern India. The present head of the Phuntsok Palace branch of the Khön family is H.E. Sakya Dagchen Rinpoche (1929- ), who currently resides in the United States.

Shakyamuni Buddha

Chapter One: Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels

The foundation of spiritual practice is the existence within all beings of buddha nature. It is this which motivates one to seek liberation and enlightenment.

As Maitreya says:

If there were no buddha nature, there would be no discontent with suffering, nor desire, effort and aspiration for nirvana.[1]

This innate disposition to buddhahood is none other than the primordial nature of one’s mind. However, mind is presently veiled by the two obscurations, the first being that of the disturbing emotions and the second being that of nescience in regard to ultimate reality. Yet, despite these veiling factors, mind remains fundamentally pure, since, being adventitious, the obscurations do not form part of its actual nature. Thus, when the mind meets with the skilful methods of the spiritual path, one is motivated to practise, the obscurations are progressively stripped away and the state of buddhahood, supreme enlightenment, results.

One enters onto that path by means of the ceremony of ‘taking refuge in the Three Jewels’, namely the Buddha, dharma and the sangha. In this ritual one becomes a member of the community (sangha) which practises the teachings (dharma) given by the supremely accomplished teacher (Buddha) and, from this time onward, one relies on the Three Jewels for refuge from the threefold suffering of misery, change and conditionality.

As Lopön Sönam Tsemo says:

It is called refuge because it protects from obscurations, fear and suffering.[2]

The significance of designating the Buddha, dharma and sangha as ‘the Three Jewels’ is that, like precious gems, they possess both rarity and sublimity.

In this respect Maitreya describes them as follows:

Their occurrence is rare; they are free from defilements;

They possess power; they are the adornment of the world;

They are sublime and they are unchanging.

Thus they are rare and sublime.[3]

There are five principal factors involved in the act of taking refuge:

1.   The motivation for taking refuge

2.   The