Bodhi Migyur Sherap/ Johannes

Rossfjordstraumen, Norway

Sara

Friday Harbor

Bogdan

Bucharest

Laura

Seattle, WA, United States

Explore the differences between Shentong and Rangtong to understand the absolute nature of Buddha nature.

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In Tibetan Buddhism, there is a centuries-old debate on the conceptual theory of emptiness. Insight into emptiness is key to understanding the way things are according to the Buddha. The two aspects of this debate relate to self-empty (Rangtong) and other-empty (Shentong). Khentrul Rinpoche tries to simplify this topic to make it understandable to a new dharma practitioner. 

Simple Explanation Of Shentong And Rangtong Emptiness

 Those who are new to the Dharma, for them I would like to explain a little bit the simple way of what is gentle. Because many people may be confused, but even you are not confused, but maybe you don't know what is the purpose to discuss this and why it is important. So firstly, you have to understand when we are talking about Jantong, we are talking about only philosophy in the intellectual level. We are not talking about something that goes beyond that. And also you have to understand we are talking about doctrine and what is the background, the theory, we are talking about that. We are not talking about life, we are not talking about many varieties of spiritual aspects. We are only talking about very specific what is really Jantong is and what is Rangtong is, which means what means self-empty and what means other emptiness. So this is, we are not really necessarily talking about something exact words to refrain from the Buddha's sutra or tantra. Instead we are talking about the commentary of specific focus on emptiness. So emptiness is definitely talked about in the sutra and tantras, but not the words exactly self-empty and other empty. So that's why we are very, very specific focus. You have to understand that. So why we need a lot of specific focus to talk about that? Because within the Tibetan Buddhism this argument has gone on for centuries. So that's why we hope we can sort out everything very clear. So for that purpose and for particularly audience listening to that, this is not suitable audience for all over the world and for everybody who is new to the Dharma, not really suitable for them, but there is no harm and definitely some degree of benefits even in new listeners to listen to this. So first you have to understand that. Second, when we are talking about the Renthong and the Jantong, self-empty and empty of others, we are talking about two truths. Okay, so two truths. So the two truths are also not normal people's concept. Everybody has a false or a truth. Everybody understands false or a truth, but there is no such thing as a true truth. So we are here talking about the true truth. So that you have to be aware of that. We are talking about the true truth. So when we are talking about the true truth, why are we talking about the true truth? Because we have a purpose. What is the purpose? It is absolutely within the Buddhism and the purpose of the absolute, in Buddhism purpose, not something else. We have to understand that. And then within Buddhism, every tennis you have different views and different way of recognising the true truth. But we are not talking about all of them. We are talking about only specific Majjhāmīka point of view, of Majjhāmīka tennis of the view. We are talking about that. And Majjhāmīka point of view, emptiness is a very important topic. But within the Majjhāmīka, we have Rāntong and Jantongba have arguments of the view. So when we are talking about Jantong, we are opponents of the Rāntongba. So we prove that Rāntong is a limited view and Jantong is the superior view. So we prove that. We try to prove this way, this is discussing. So then if you want to know why is Jantong is superior, because Jantong talks about the true truth very fully. And the Rāntongba is the true truth is very confusing and not very clear. So I tell you why, because when we are talking about emptiness, what we are saying is, we are not saying I am not exist, you not exist, the food is not exist. And so if you eat it, you will not satisfy, you eat food or not eat food, same because of emptiness. We are not saying that kind of claim. What we are saying is food and anything else, everything we see, we can experience, everything is relative truth. Relative truth means not truth as we think, not truth as we feel. All of them just dependently, each other, and dependently exist. Nothing independently exists. So that means not independently exist means not really true. So that's why if all of them are not really true, it means emptiness, because empty of the truth. So that's why empty of the absolute truth, but it's not empty of the relative truth. Not empty of relative truth because we all, we experience, so that's enough to say relative truth, even not ultimate truth, even not absolute truth, but still enough to say relative truth, temporary truth. So this temporary truth, all of them is we call relative truth. That is, there's many other languages, provisional truth or conventional truth or many, many ways, but all of them, Rangtongba and Jantongba, they all both agree. They not only both agree, but also they both agreeing. They all are self-empty. They all, Rangtongba, everybody agrees. Both parties agree. All what we experience in this world is self-empty. There is no argument between. Only if you try to say in a way of your saying, sometimes a little bit of argument, but the main point is there's no argument between Rangtongba and Jantongba. They both agree and yes, this all relative truth is true. But what is they are not agreeing is what is the ultimate truth? What is the absolute truth? They are not agreeing. What is not agreeing is Jantongba saying the ultimate truth must be absolute truth. Must be absolute truth means must be truly exist. And then must be truly exist means must be independently exist. So that means not interdependent. The absolute truth is not interdependent, not dependent anything at all, dependent on anything at all. That's Jantongba saying. Rangtongba confuse there. What is the confuse is they saying this is interdependent, everything. Absolute truth also interdependent. Absolute truth also self-empty. So that means very, very confused because then is no different than a relative truth. There's no different than the conventional truth. So because you equally interdependent, you equally self-empty, you equally is not truly exist at all. So then is there is no purpose, there is no purpose to pursuing the ultimate truth. There is no purpose to have a goal reach the ultimate truth. There is no goal to deny relative truth. There is no purpose or there's no benefit to negating the relative truth because negating the relative truth is both Rangtongba and Jantongba agreeing in general. But if you say this, they both is equally self-empty, nothing other empty, is both equally self-empty and interdependent equally, everything is equally, then is really have no benefits to do anything. Firstly, no benefit to negating the relative truth. Secondly, no benefit to reaching Buddhahood because that is equal as a relative truth, as illusion, as self-empty, as essence-less, as interdependent, not true at all. So then you fall, fell all your claim and reaching Buddhahood, everything is just illusion, everything is there is no purpose. But Jantongba is saying very, very clearly all relative truth, all this world we experience and everything is essence-less, is self-empty, Rangtongba. But the ultimate truth, Buddha nature is absolute truth, truly exists, and this is really even ourself, true ourself is thus, not this what we feel now, what is we believe and what is we feeling now, is not that, but the absolute truth is innumerable quality of the Buddha nature. So this truth is not self-empty, this truth is other-empty. Other-empty means empty of all samsara, empty of all illusion, empty of all interdependence, empty of this all delusion, empty of all afflictions, empty of all problems. So that's why empty of other, but not empty itself, impossible. If you do that, you contradicting yourself and you defeat your all purpose to accumulation merit, path, okay, the view and the path and the result, everything is nothing because everything is self-empty means everything is essence-less. So there is no purpose. So that's why, that it is why is Jantongba, Aguhind, Rangtongba, you are completely wrong. But in the society, many, many centuries, everybody think that Jantongba is wrong because Jantongba is like non-Buddhist, like Hindu, and Rangtong is correct. People think like that. Why people think like this? Because people burn washed. Why burn washed? Because political reasons. So sometime, and some parties, they did persecute that Jantongba practitioners and then the text burned and many, many bad things they did. So then after that, who is the powerful party claims Rangtongba is the most correct and Jantongba is wrong view. And so then the others also have to follow because they are scared. Some people don't understand and some people are misunderstood. Some people understand, but they're scared to say Jantongba is correct. So that's why everybody follow Rangtongba and then, you know, many, many say Jantongba is wrong, everything. So that's why it becomes like that, unfortunately. So what we try to do is we are proving that Jantong is the limitless, superior view because you make distinguish very well the two truths. But the Rangtongba point of view, that two truths is you not distinguishing very well because both Rangtongba and Jantongba agree in everything that the relative truth is not the important, this is a temporary essence list. But the ultimate truth is both agreeing something our goal and something we should reach. But the same time, the Rangtongba's ultimate truth is essence list. Same as the relative truth, so then you're contradicting yourself and so, yeah, defeating yourself. So that's why if anybody has a good brand, anybody has good intelligence, you can understand this very clearly. But some new people, of course, could be bored. We're talking about the philosophy, the doctrine. So when we're talking about Daranatha's the onaments of Jantongba, we're only talking about the reason behind why Jantongba is correct, Rangtongba is wrong. We're talking about the reason behind, all the reason behind. We're not talking about so much details of what is exactly Jantongba. So that's why maybe people confuse, but the purpose is that, what I'm saying. So maybe better to not say too much, so many people confuse. I hope you can understand this, you can listen again and again and again this. I'm sure you will understand it. So if not, then in the future I can explain more. I hope this is helpful for everybody.