35 The Label And The Base 25-Apr-2004

Lama Zopa Rinpoche says that Lama Tsongkhapa gave very clear explanations about the difficult points of sutra and tantra. He points out that this is not just his personal view but is commonly known. He cites His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, the head of the Nyingma, who praised Lama Tsongkhapa’s clear explanation of the path. Lama Zopa mentions that all four traditions can lead to enlightenment if practiced correctly.
Next, Rinpoche analyses the existence of the letter M. He distinguishes between the base and the label of the letter M. He says that the minute you see M on the base, it’s mistaken. When you see a real M, in the sense of independent and existing from its own side, this is a hallucination. If you search for the M in any of the lines or in the collection of all these lines together, you can’t find it.
Rinpoche highlights the difference between the Prasangika and Svatantrika schools. He says that in the Svatantrika view, the I is findable on the aggregates; it is findable on the base. However, in the Prasangika school, it is unfindable.
Rinpoche says that the first thing we have to realize is that the real I as it appears to us-in the sense of independent, truly existent from its own side-is totally empty. He explains that everything is merely imputed by the mind-the label, the base, everything. Everything exists in mere name and is totally empty of existing from its own side.
Find out more about Lama Zopa Rinpoche, his teachings and projects at fpmt.org/