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Home > Advanced Meditation > Tantra Teachings

Happiness: An In-Depth Analysis of Its Role
in Sutra and Tantra

Alexander Berzin
Mexico City, Mexico, October 1999
Edited course transcript, March 2007

Session One: The Innate Joy of the Mind

Introduction

The Place of Happiness in the Context of Buddhism

Buddha-Nature

Basis, Pathway, and Resultant Levels of Functioning

Inspiration

The Good Qualities That Will Strengthen Our Networks of Positive Force and Deep Awareness

The Evolving Buddha-Nature Networks as an Open Organic System

Strengthening the System of Evolving Buddha-Nature Networks

Strengthening the Networks with the Sutra Methods

Strengthening the Two Networks with the General Tantra Methods

Meditation on Combined Method and Wisdom in General Tantra

The Clear Light Mind

Utilizing Happiness

Working with Subtlest Energy-Wind

Summary

Session Two: Recognizing the Various Levels of Happiness

Review

Happiness as an Innate Feature of Our Experiencing Things

Which Is the Innate Feature of Mind, Happiness or Suffering?

Recognizing Happiness

Low Intensity Feelings

Attachment and Longing Desire for Happiness

Analysis of Attachment

The Causes for Happiness

The Actual Cause for Ordinary, Everyday Happiness

The Spiritual Benefits of Experiencing Tainted Happiness

Increasing or Strengthening Happiness

Acting Constructively

Generating Love

Rejoicing in Constructive Actions and Good Qualities

Developing an Attitude of Cherishing Others

Attaining the Joy of Having a Quiet Mind

Gaining the Exhilarating Joy of the Sense of Fitness that Comes with the Attainment of a Stilled and Settled State of Mind

Gaining the Exhilarating Joy of the Additional Sense of Fitness that Comes with the Attainment of an Exceptionally Perceptive State of Mind

Gaining the Four Levels of Joy within the Central Channel

Gaining the Joy of Having the Energy-Winds Enter, Abide, and Dissolve in the Central Channel

Gaining the Untainted Happiness of Being Rid of Disturbing Emotions and Attitudes

Attaining the Bliss of Being Rid of Deceptive Appearing-Making

Session Three: Combining Blissful Awareness with an Understanding of Voidness

Review

Motivation and Dedication of Positive Force

Combining the Strengthening of Innate Joy with a Correct Understanding of Voidness

Combining Voidness and Bliss in Practice

Generating Blissful Awareness of Voidness in the Context of Making Offerings

Outer Offerings

The Three Gateways to Liberation

Offering Objects That Bring Us Joy

Purifying the Offering Objects

Everyday Application of This Fourfold Purification Procedure

Transforming the Pleasure Experienced When Feeling Desire

Inner Offerings

Enigmatic Offerings

Offerings of the Very Nature of Reality

Concluding Summary

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The Buddhist Archives of Dr. Alexander Berzin

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