The Unsurpassable Vehicle (DVD)

Description

Jim Scott learned “songs of realization” from Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche in the Tibetan tradition of enlightened masters such as Milarepa, Guru Rinpoche, and Götsangpa. At Rinpoche’s request, Jim translated these songs into English and gave them melodies. In this weekend teaching Jim teaches the meaning of the songs and then leads the group in singing them. He teaches that singing these songs is shamatha and vipashyana combined. Singing calms the mind and the words provide the opportunity to contemplate the meaning. Understanding that a realized mind is an awakened heart, he calls these Songs to Waken the Heart.
Jim also teaches from his soon-to-be-released translation of Distinguishing the Middle from the Extremes, specifically a chapter of that text called The Unsurpassable Vehicle. This text was composed by Maitreya, the coming Buddha, as taught to him by the Buddha Shakyamuni. In this text the Mahayana is taught as the Unsurpassable Vehicle with the Vajrayana being a component. The first verse of the text describes the content of the weekend teaching: “The practice is characterized by six traits [t]o be brought to bear in performing the paramitas.” These six traits are (1) its genuineness, (2) the mental cultivation it entails, (3) its harmonious trait, (4) its avoidance of extremes in the form of sets of opposites, (5) how the practice is specialized, and (6) how the practice is not specialized.
In the late 1970s, the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, directed Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche to found a shedra (institute for Buddhist studies) in Europe. There Khenpo Rinpoche educated Westerners in the classic Indian Buddhist and Tibetan Karma Kagyu Buddhist traditions. At the same time he taught these students to be translators of the Tibetan language. This activity was not only to preserve these traditions but also to make them available to Westerners for practice. Jim Scott was among the first group of translators at the shedra and he continues to be a senior heart student of Khenpo Rinpoche. At Rinpoche’s request, Jim Scott translated and put to melody many songs of realization. In addition, he has translated numerous Buddhist texts and teaches widely.
5 talks on 5 DVDs.