By Ven Tenzin Damchoe
Today is the fifth day of teaching and the first volume of the text is about to finish. The teaching starts from 24th of this month and it will finish on 4th of next month. Thousands of monks from South India , hundreds of foreigners, and thousands of lay people are attending the teaching. The teaching is divided into two different sessions, one in the morning from 9 am to 11.30 am and another one from after lunch from 1.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. His Holiness the Dalai Lama gives teachings on “The Four Annotations to the Great Exposition on the stages of path to the Enlightenment.”
LAM-RIM Tibetan term for “stages of Path” usually applied to a category of doctrinal manuals outlining the various stages of the Vajrayana spiritual path. In the year 1402 Lama Tsong kha pa wrote the Lam rim cheno Tibetan term for “the great exposition on the stages of path to the enlightenment.” It is a commentary of the “Lamp for the way of Enlightenment” and the Atisa wrote it. Atisa was one of the famous Buddhist scholars that India has ever produced and he was born in the year 982 at Bengal and spent his last life in Tibet . After facing many hard ships by the Tibetan king, in the year 1042 he was able to invite the Atisa to Tibet . He helped the Tibetan to flourish the Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet by emphasizing celibacy, strict practice and by giving teaching. During his life time wrote many text and in Tibet he wrote Jangchup lam ki doen mey Tibetan term for “Bodhi-pathapradipa” or “Lamp for the way of Enlightenment.” Drom toenpa was his heart disciple. Atisa’s work also had influenced many Tibetan Buddhist Scholars and wrote many texts relating to it. Geshe Chekapa wrote The seven point mind training, Shawo Gangpey wrote the mind training, Lang thangpey wrote Eight sessions of mind training and Geshe Potowa’s teachings were compiled by Dhoelwa Sherap Gyatso and on this Lhade Gang pey wrote commentary called “BHEWO NGONPO”. In the year 1402 Lama Tsong khapa wrote commentary on Lamp for the way of enlightenment called The great exposition on the stages of the path to the Enlightenment.
Lama Tsong khapa was born in the year 1357 at northeast Tibet (Amdo). He became monk at the very young age and at the age of 25 took full ordination. He studied in central Tibet during that time he studied under the feet of various Masters. Later he had begun Gelugpa School or the yellow hat sect. During his lifetime, he wrote many texts of volumes and “The Great Exposition on the stages of path to the Enlightenment” was one of them. He has lots of heart disciples and there are Khedup jey, Gyaltsab jey, the first His Holiness the Dalai lama Gedun drub etc., The lineage of the Dalai lam also established within the school founded by Tsong kha. He passed away in the year 1419.
Like Atisa’s work, Lama Tsong khapa work also had influenced many of his disciples and scholars. Lots of Scholars wrote many commentaries on Tsong khapas work and one of them was “The Four Annotations to the Great Exposition on the stages of path to the Enlightenment.”
The first annotation: It was written by Tulku Lhawang Choe ki Gyaltsen (1537 to 1605) called Lamrim Nagchen.
The second annotation: Lamrim Transmission of Gungru Choeki Jungney was given to thirty fifth Gaden Tripa Konchol Choephel (1573 to 1646) by thirty Gaden Tripa Taklung Dhakpa Lodoe Gyatso (1546 to 1618) and it was called as Lamrim Serchen.
The third annotation: Kunkhen Jamyang Shepa first Nawang Tsondue (1648 to 1721) wrote Lamrim Marchen.
The fourth annotation: Tadey Geshe wrote it.
Later some scholars collected all these four annotations and combined it with the Great exposition on the stages of path to the enlightenment. After combining these annotations with the main text it was called as “The Four Annotations to the Great Exposition on the stages of path to the Enlightenment.”
In the year 1802, Tse chokling administrator Geylek Gyaltsen printed out the first edition of “The four annotations to the great expositions on the stages of path to the enlightenment.” In that edition there were many mistakes regarding organizing the sentences, spelling mistakes and giving not clear meaning. Some of the scholars thought that this edition instead of helping to the Dharma it might harm to the Dharma.
Therefore, Trichen Nawang Nyendak and Gyal Tsab Nomin Jamphel yeshi Tenpey Gyaltsen and other high scholars asked to make corrections. Drepung Menyag Geshe Tsultrim Namgyal taking the main responsibility Trichen Nawang Nyandak and Jhangtse Choejey Lobsang Lhundup made corrections. After it in the year 1842 second edition was published. In the year, 1946 by the order of Regent Tathak Rinpochen the master copy of “The Four Annotations to the Great Exposition on the stages of path to the Enlightenment” were brought from Tsechok ling to Potala. Later from the Potala, they published the Third edition. The fourth edition was published in New Delhi in the year 1972.
“The Four Annotations to the Great Exposition on the stages of path to the Enlightenment” there are two volumes and this time the organizer of the teaching printed the books and distributed at free of cost during the teaching.
