The 12 links of dependent arising

Review

• The “aspect I” and “referent I” and how they appear to the wisdom realizing emptiness directly and to ordinary beings
• The analogy of a reflection in a mirror
• False appearance and how it does not harm appearance or function
• Conventional existence
• Another meditation on emptiness of the person
• The continuum of a person
• A specific “I” for each lifetime
• A general “I” over many lifetimes that are related through karma
• Brief overview of the 12 links of dependent arising
• Looking at the 12 links over several lifetimes

Verse 37

• How to cut the 12 links
• Best places to cut are at feeling and craving or at death
• Stopping the craving and grasping
• Seeing all as emptiness
• Refuting inherent existence—other texts that are referred to are
• The Diamond Slivers
• The Fundamental Wisdom by Nagarjuna
• The production of things
• From self
• From inherently existent others
• From a combination of self and others
• Or without causes (nihilists) there’s no inherent production from any of these
• Questions and answers
• Is the person who is a collection of aggregates a conventional existence?
• About rebirth, there are different Buddhist traditions: in Theravadan Buddhism, you are trying for liberation for yourself—but aren’t you also caring for the person in the next life of your mind continuum?
• To ordinary beings, we see and fear danger—is that from the “I” being in danger?
• The self-grasping “I” is to be negated in emptiness meditation, how does that relate to the “I” in tonglen meditation?
• What is the moment of consciousness when the seed ripens?

Precious Garland 08 (download)