Conventional and Deepest Bodhichitta and the Two Truths in Anuttarayoga Tantra

Alexander Berzin
Berlin, Germany, January 27, 2002

Conventional and Deepest Bodhichittas

Conventional bodhichitta (kun-rdzob byang-sems, relative bodhichitta) focuses on the superficial truth (kun-
rdzob bden-pa, conventional truth, relative truth) of enlightenment, such as its qualities of omniscience. Deepest
bodhichitta (don-dam byang-sems, ultimate bodhichitta) focuses on its deepest truth (don-dam bden-pa, ultimate
truth), namely its voidness (stong-nyid, emptiness). Gelug does not accept deepest bodhichitta as actual
bodhichitta; the non-Gelug traditions accept it as such.

Focus on the Two Truths

According to the Gelug assertions, if we use mental or yogic cognition (rnal-‘byor mngon-sum) to focus on
voidness as an absolute absence (med-dgag) of true existence, we cannot simultaneously produce and focus on
an appearance representing the superficial truth of anything, including enlightenment. This is because such levels
of mental activity can only produce appearances of superficial truths as truly existent. Only when we use clear-
light cognition (‘od-gsal) to focus on voidness can we simultaneously produce and focus on an appearance
representing the superficial truth of something as non-truly existent.

Only a Buddha, however, can focus nonconceptually on the superficial truth of enlightenment. This is because
only a Buddha can directly know, for instance, omniscience. Before Buddhahood, we can only focus on the
superficial truth of enlightenment conceptually, through the medium of an accurate idea of what enlightenment
means (don-spyi).

Conceptual cognition always produces an appearance of true existence. Therefore, nonconceptual cognition of
the absolute absence of true existence cannot simultaneously produce an appearance of true existence.
Consequently, although clear-light cognition of voidness can simultaneously give rise to appearances of
superficial truths as non-truly existent, it cannot simultaneously produce an appearance of the superficial truth of
enlightenment as non-truly existent. It can only do so when it is the omniscient clear-light cognition of a Buddha.

In summary, on the anuttarayoga path of seeing, clear-light cognition of voidness can already simultaneously
produce an appearance of the superficial truth of a purified illusory body (dag-pa’i sgyu-lus) as non-truly
existent. It cannot do so with an appearance of the superficial truth of enlightenment. Therefore, illusory body is
a more efficient method to unite with clear-light cognition of voidness than is conventional bodhichitta.

Gelug Assertion of Deepest Bodhichitta as not Actual Bodhichitta

On the path of seeing, however, not only in anuttarayoga, but also in sutra and the three lower tantra classes, we
can focus nonconceptually on the deepest truth of enlightenment. This is because, as the third-century Indian
Buddhist master Aryadeva has stated in Four Hundred Stanzas on Madhyamaka (dBu-ma bzhi-brgya-pa, Skt.
Madhyamaka-catuhshataka) “The way in which (the mind) becomes the seer of one phenomenon is the way it
becomes the seer of everything. The voidness of one thing (suffices) for the voidness of all things.” Thus, a mind
on the path of seeing can focus nonconceptually on the voidness of enlightenment, despite being unable to focus
nonconceptually on the basis for that voidness (stong-gzhi) – the superficial truth of enlightenment. For this
reason, the thirteenth-century Gelug founder Tsongkhapa (rJe Tsong-kha-pa Blo-bzang grags-pa) did not accept
deepest bodhichitta as actual bodhichitta.

In other words, if deepest bodhichitta were actual bodhichitta, the absurd conclusion (thal) would follow that
cognizing the voidness of a vase would be deepest bodhichitta. This is because cognizing the voidness of a vase
suffices for cognizing the voidness of enlightenment, despite the voidness of a vase and the voidness of
enlightenment being individual voidnesses due to their having different bases for voidness. Therefore, in Gelug,
bodhichitta as method is exclusively conventional bodhichitta.

The Assertion of Shakya Chogden

In non-Gelug, deepest truth is the inseparable pair: pure appearances and voidness beyond words and concepts.
Although clear-light cognition on the path of seeing can nonconceptually cognize deepest truth, it cannot do so
with equal prominence of both pure appearance and voidness beyond words and concepts until enlightenment.
Nevertheless, deepest bodhichitta is actual bodhichitta because it focuses both on the qualities of enlightenment,
such as omniscience, and the voidness of enlightenment.

For this reason, the fifteenth-century Sakya master Shakya Chogden (gSer-mdog Pan-chen Sha-kya mChog-
ldan) asserted that deepest bodhichitta may be simultaneous with yogic nonconceptual cognition of voidness. In
such cases, bodhichitta and deep awareness of voidness are both nonconceptual.

The Mainstream Sakya and Nyingma Positions

When Nyingma masters and mainstream Sakya masters, such as the fifteenth-century Gorampa (Go-ram bSod-
nams seng-ge), assert that bodhichitta may be simultaneous with yogic nonconceptual cognition, they specify
bodhichitta here as conventional bodhichitta. Conventional bodhichitta is always conceptual and focuses merely
on the superficial truth of enlightenment through the medium of an accurate idea of it. The object on which it
focuses might be, for example, a conceptual appearance representing omniscience. It is a superficial truth about
enlightenment, however, because omniscience cannot be put into words and concepts. Its manner of existence is
beyond them.