Nam-kha Pel’s “Mind Training Like Rays of the Sun”

In general, the eighty-four thousand collections of Buddhist teachings or the three progressive turnings of the wheel of the doctrine taught by the Buddha can all be condensed into two intentions: to put an end to all types of mental distortion with regard to the “I” or the misconception of self and thereby to acquaint ourselves with an altruistic attitude through which we take responsibility for the welfare of others.

— Excerpt from Nam-kha Pel’s Introduction, Mind Training Like Rays of the Sun

Nam-kha Pel was a direct disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa, who lived in Tibet around the 15th century. Little is known about him except that he appears to have been the scribe for many of Tsongkhapa’s literary works and was praised by Je Rinpoche for his intelligence and faith.

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

Who it's for

This series of teachings explains how to transform all experiences into the causes for full awakening. It provides new and seasoned Dharma practitioners, as well as those interested in simply learning how to tame their mind, with practical guidelines on how to live a happy life.

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.

Never be parted from the three possessions.

You should not cease to perform virtuous physical actions, such as acts of service towards your spiritual masters and the Three Jewels, prostration and circumambulation. You should not cease to recite the refuge formula or recitations pertaining to meditational deities with your speech and in your mind you should nurture and never be parted from the awakening mind and its associated practices.

— Mind training precept and its commentary, Mind Training Like Rays of the Sun