Lama Jampa returned to the breathtaking beauty of Dhagpo Kagyu Ling this week to continue teaching Sakya Pandita’s ‘Discriminating the Three Vows’ to more than forty attendees, including members of Dhagpo Kagyu Ling’s monastic sangha. The text is a work in which Sakya Pandita clarifies the confusion between the three systems of spiritual practice: hinayana, mahayana and vajrayana.
Lama Jampa gave a detailed presentation of the text, which helps us as dharma practitioners to understand the difference between the vows, how they relate to each other and how each vow supports the next. Lama Jampa emphasised that through the study of this text, we will become a wise and learned practitioner of the dharma.
Sakya Pandita referred to many mistaken understandings and practices that he had observed in his time in 13th-century Tibet, most of which have recurred over the centuries and continue to recur in the present day. The author starts with presenting mistaken understandings, but he then shows us, through reference to the teachings of the Buddha and by reference to reasoning, what is wrong and then shows us what is correct.
Lama Jampa described Sakya Pandita’s method as “an excellent, intelligent and interesting way of educating us.”
During the five days of teaching, Lama Jampa answered many questions, thereby clarifying some of the misunderstandings the students had about practising the dharma.
Lama Jampa will continue the teaching Sakya Pandita’s Discriminating the Three Vows at Dhagpo Kagyu Ling next year.