The Sixth Session of Gyalwang Karmapa’s Teaching on Madhyamika

December 20, 2008, report by Jo Gibson, photo

Gyalwang Karmapa’s Teaching on the Lion’s Roar that Destroys Confusion. Displaying both erudition and a sense of humour, Gyalwang Karmapa continued his transmission and exposition of the text. He dealt with two new issues. The first was whether or not it was valid to rank the Consequentialist Middle Way School and the Autonomous Middle Way School, holding one as a higher view than the other. The second was the with regard to rangtong (self-empty) and shentong (other-empty). His Holiness explored the historical context of the debate between the proponents of rangtong and shentong, the acceptance of the shentong view in the Khamtsang Kagyu, and the role of the Jonang School.

Gyalwang Karmapa then moved on to highlight the interrelationship between study and practice. He stressed that all the texts, both sutra and tantra, were written or taught for the purpose of practice and there was not one single word in the canon that was not a quintessential instruction to bring us to awakening. Even the commentarial treatises were written for this purpose.

Practice without the study which brings understanding and study without the intention of informing practice would not bring us to awakening. Faith was necessary - this was true of all religions - however we needed intelligence and wisdom too. His Holiness joked that a popular way to develop intelligence and wisdom was to recite Manjushri’s mantra, but the really effective method was debating, analyzing, and carefully examining in order to thoroughly establish the meaning.