When sole mind arises as dualistic mind, the first aspect of dualistic mind that manifests is called the object of phenomena, or object of grasping, which momentarily appears as the personal or general phenomena of the outer container of the universe, including earth, rocks, mountains, and houses, and [the inner essence of beings, including] enemies, friends, and everyone in between, that are the objects from which attachment and aversion are born. There are also the objects of hearing, contemplating, meditating, practicing, and so on, connected with sublime Dharma, which are called the special objects of phenomena appearing in one’s mind. Then, there is grasping to this first aspect of dualistic mind that manifests as the object of grasping, which is the basis of attraction and aversion. This second aspect of dualistic mind, which is called grasping mind, arises when mind reacts to objects of phenomena with grasping, causing attraction, aversion, and the accumulation of karma and passions. Whatever general and personal phenomena and objects of phenomena come from the minds of individuals, the mind’s unconditioned nature is originally pure like stainless sky. By not being able to abide continuously in this stainless state, relative phenomena can appear in various pure and impure ways. Individual phenomena become general phenomena and the objects of grasping, and that is how spiritual and worldly doctrines occur. The source of all of these is the ālaya-consciousness that comes from ālaya, which is just the basis of anything that can appear. From the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra: Consciousness came from mind. Mind is coming from ālaya. From ālaya, all kinds of thoughts Will come, just waves of the river. Ālaya is the basis of all, an indifferent stupor without conception. The example of this is mind in its natural state, not analyzing at all and without clarity. The ālaya-consciousness9 is the very clear and vivid state of readiness to reflect, but before reflecting to an object. The consciousness of mind is a consciousness that holds a mental impression of an object, and next engages with it, or knows the object distinctly. The consciousnesses of the five senses see objects, hear sounds, smell scents, taste flavors, and feel sensations, which are without thought. The mind of the passions11 has thoughts arise of accepting and rejecting, and accumulates karma in ālaya, the basis of all. Therefore, from the ālaya-consciousness, the general phenomena of all beings sometimes appear to be similar and sometimes appear to be different. Consider the example of animals who share similar births and habitats or similar phenomena: while they are born as carnivores or herbivores in this life due to their previous habits, they enjoy whatever food or drink is suitable to them with no hesitation or need to reach an agreement. Likewise, beings born as humans who believe only in this present life’s phenomena of the six sense objects, grasping them as real, material, and tangible, will not believe in past and future lives, karmic cause and result, deities and the Three Jewels, and so on. They are born believing only in one-pointedly accomplishing the interests of this life. Those who hold these views are called nihilists.

According to the nihilism of cause, this present mind does not come from the mind of previous lives. Each of the four elements has its naturally existing mind, which is hidden in the trap of each element so that it becomes inconspicuous. When contributing circumstances such as warmth, moisture, and so on meet, they arise and become the mind. It is said that plants coming from earth, the flowing of water, the sound of fire, and the movement of wind are evidence of mind. According to the nihilism of result, not only is there no mind from previous lives; there is even no mind of the four elements that causes this mind. It just happens naturally. It is said the examples of a sharp thorn, the sun rising from the east, water cascading down a slope, round peas, beautiful peacock feathers, and a princess who is beautiful to behold are all not created by anyone but happen naturally. As said extensively in the teachings and commentaries about the characteristics of similarities and differences in the general and individual phenomena and objects of phenomena of beings of the six realms, in comparison with the phenomena of the three lower realms—the hell realm, the hungry ghost realm, and the animal realm—the higher states of humans and gods are superior. In order to attain these states, it is much better to believe in karmic cause and effect and to diligently develop the pure white phenomena of abandoning nonvirtue and accumulating virtue. Even more so, until one attains the constant sublime bliss of fully enlightened Buddhahood, making the effort to accumulate merit and wisdom is supreme. Therefore, one should not hold the nihilist view of thinking that phenomena and the objects of phenomena are just sudden, temporary present conceptions, and that nothing actually exists. Until dualistic interdependent phenomena are purified in the expanse of nondual, unborn, unobscured Dharmakāya wisdom, it is much better to develop faith and make the effort to accumulate merit and wisdom.

The Sole Panacea: A Brief Commentary on the Seven-Line Prayer to Guru Rinpoche That Cures the Suffering of the Sickness of Karma and Defilement by Thinley Norbu

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Tulku Thadral Rinpoche began a new teachings series on “The Seven Line Prayer” on September 5, 2025. The teachings are available for streaming on the Vajrayana Foundation’s YouTube channel or you can access audio only on Podbean:  Ngondro Podcast