Potowa`s Dharma of examples – Pey Cho Rinchen Pungpa – Part 1

During a course over several weeks in spring 1992 (approximately mid May to mid June), Ringu Tulku gave 45 teachings on the text “Pey Cho Rinchen Pungpa”, which could also be translated as “the teachings on illustrations”. The root text is one of the most important teachings of the Kadampa school, it has so far not been translated into English, as far as we know.  Rinpoche said, “This teaching deals with the whole set of Buddhism, right from the Hinayana path, right from going to refuge to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, to the Tantrayana, in 25 chapters.” Potowa (who lived 1027 – 1105) gave these teachings with countless sayings, stories, parables, metaphors, which make them particularly lively and memorable.

The quality of the recordings is ok, except for some gaps of a few minutes here and there, since it was originally recorded on audiotapes, also the many questions are often barely understandable.

Part 1:

Introduction, overview of text, lineage of Kadampa and Kagyüpa

How to receive teachings, how to be a good vessel (not upside down, without hole)

The three refuges

The qualities of a buddha

Part 2:

Taking refuge gives you protection like a wish fulfilling gem

Q:  The Karma of Rinpoches / Bodhisattvas and the suffering in Tibet

Insert (from 22.10 to 01.08.10): Explanation of Tara practice

01.12.00 cont. chapter 1 on refuge, benefits of refuge for this life and future lives

Being grateful for some suffering in this life, to exhaust that karma

Part 3:

All who practice dharma are in one boat, respect all others

The Buddha cannot liberate us, liberation is in our hands

Karma can be experienced in four ways, and it can be purified

Characteristics of a precious human body: eight freedoms, ten assets

Part 4:

Q: Where does ignorance come from?

Impermanence, life can end any time, every change is a message about that

Q: Meaning of changeless nature

Law of Karma, results of Karma

Part 5:

The root of actions is your mind, Karma depends on your motivation

Q: About eating meat

Purifying your Karma, acknowledge and wish not to do it again

The three levels of persons

Suffering

Part 6:

Different kinds of suffering, lack of wisdom

Liberation from Samsara, Dewachen

Attachment of the five senses

Part 7:

Training of discipline (tsultrim)

Taking and braking of commitments

Value of ordination, how a proper monk should be

Benefits of discipline