Dharmarakshita’s “The Wheel of Sharp Weapons”

When my mind becomes unclear and my heart unhappy,
It is the weapon of destructive karma turning upon me
For making others accumulate negative karma;
From now on I will shun enabling others’ destructive actions.

When attachment and anger erupt no matter what I do,
It is the weapon of destructive karma turning on me
For allowing my untamed mind to become rigid;
From now on I will root out you, the “I”.

— Verse 19 & Verse 38, The Wheel of Sharp Weapons

Little is known about Dharmarakshita, a late 10th-century Indian master. We do know he was the teacher of Atisha, who developed the lamrim or graduated stages of the path genre of Tibetan religious writings. Texts note that Dharmarakshita was renowned for his compassion, although he was not explicitly a Mahayana teacher.

Teachings highlighted in bold are listed at the bottom of the page.

Who it’s for

This powerful text is for those interested in understanding the ins and outs of karma, how to create the causes for happiness, and how to transform their minds from a state of self-concern to one more concerned about others.

About the text

Venerable Thubten Chodron gave two extensive commentaries on mind and awareness.

The first set of teachings was a commentary on Geshe Jampel Sampel’s text Presentation of Mind and Awareness, Composite of All the Important Points, Opener of the Eye of New Intelligence: A Presentation of Mind and Awareness (2012-13).

This series covers topics such as:

• Divisions of the selfless
• Classification of objects
• Object possessors and the seven types of cognizers

Separately, Venerable Chodron taught extensively on mind and mental factors, the sautantrika tenet system presentation of the mind and its functions: Mind and Mental Factors (Teachings 1995-96)

This 25-part series includes topics such as:

• Primary minds and mental factors
• Omnipresent mental factors
• Virtuous mental factors
• Afflictive mental factors
• Mind training
• Antidotes to the afflictions

Venerable Chodron also taught a more concise (4-part) presentation of mind and mental factors at a retreat in Singapore: Creating the Causes of Happiness Retreat (Singapore 2014).

An outline of the 51 mental factors and their definitions can be accessed here.

In 2019, Venerable Sangye Khadro gave an overview of mind and awareness during the weekly Thursday evening Course in Buddhist Reasoning and Debate (2017-19).  Her teachings from this longer series can be accessed at:

• Seven Kinds of Awareness with Venerable Sangye Khadro (2019)
• Mind and Mental Factors with Venerable Sangye Khadro (2019).

Teachings

Audio recordings from Venerable Thubten Chodron’s in-depth commentary to the text, given from 2004–06: Wheel of Sharp Weapons (2004–06).

Audios from a shorter 12-part commentary by Venerable Chodron, given in 2004: Wheel of Sharp Weapons Retreat (Castle Rock 2004).

Two short retreats focused on the text: Wheel of Sharp Weapons Retreat (Missoula 2013), and Wheel of Sharp Weapons Retreat (Australia 2014).

Venerable Chodron recently published a commentary to The Wheel of Sharp Weapons as Good Karma: How to Create the Causes of Happiness and Avoid the Causes of Suffering. Since 2021, she has been giving commentary on this book as part of the annual Memorial Day Retreat at Sravasti Abbey: Good Karma (2021–present)

Access information about this book and various teachings Venerable Chodron has given from it here: Good Karma: How to Create the Causes of Happiness and Avoid the Causes of Suffering.

Though I want immediate results, my efforts to achieve them are feeble.
Though I pursue many tasks, I never complete a single one.
Dance and trample on the head of this betrayer, false conception!
Mortally strike at the heart of this butcher and enemy, the self!

I dislike advice and am always difficult to be with.
I am easily offended, and my grudges are always strong.
Dance and trample on the head of this betrayer, false conception!
Mortally strike at the heart of this butcher and enemy, the self!

— Verse 56 & Verse 79, The Wheel of Sharp Weapons