The Wheel of Sharp Weapons
Nov 12, 2012
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
Dear friends,
On November 10th, 2012 I gave a talk to some international people on one of my favorite texts called WHEEL OF SHARP WEAPONS. I did only the begining due to time and did not complete the text. But what I did share might be of some benefit to you.
Dharmarakshita was a great yogi abiding in the jungles to do practice. He liked the solitude of the jungles. He had so much compassion, he did not close himself off from meeting people although in the Jungle. But instead he surrounded himself with the most difficult, harsh and materialistic people. And received the visits of many people seeking blessings, advice and teachings. Their minds were unstable, egotistical, angersome and always working from self benefit. They undoubtedly gave many difficult situations to this great Dharmarakshita, but his focus was to be patient and be among them to teach them the dharma. His main practice was to specifically help to tame the most difficult people who cannot be tamed by others. So he surrounded himself with these types of people out of compassion for them as others would find it hard to be around them to tame them with the nectar of dharma. Having their minds tamed, he can help them to avoid suffering and also reach liberation.
Seeing their incredibly self-centered attitudes he had great compassion on them. He patiently put up with all their mind games, anger, selfish attitudes and taught them the dharma where few other teachers dare to venture near them. He knew their attitudes would only bring them disaster, harm and many regrets later. He taught them untiringly to avoid negative sufferings due to their selfish minds. So he patiently taught them the teachings on mind training which specifically eliminates the self cherishing mind which is the cause of all our unwanted sufferings.
He composed this incredible text for the benefit of his students and the future students. He passed this to Atisha. Atisha taught it to Dromtompa…and eventually it arrived at the hands of the King of Dharma Tsongakapa who compassionately taught this to many hundreds of years later.
Everyone should get a copy of this text and share with others. It is published by the TIBETAN WORKS AND ARCHIVES IN DHARAMSALA.
Tsem Rinpoche
The Wheel of Sharp Weapons, a basic text for the Mahayana training of the mind, was composed by the great yogi Dharmarakshita. It was brought to Tibet by the great Indian Pandit Atisha (982-1054) and was translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan by Atisha and his main disciple Upasaka Drom Tonpa.
Lord Dharmarakshita
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Brilliant commentary!
This can be seen on so many levels.
So, the wheel of sharp weapons (as its figurative) cannot be approached/destroyed from the ‘outside’ – (by use of negative force in samsara). All within the sea of samsara are subject to be crushed under it, and the only way to break free is from within (internal positve) – through discipline and tapasya.
It’s purpose is to destroy, to hurt as karma keeps rotating. The fatalistic connotation is way too similar to the wheel of life, yikes! But then, everything is inter-related so…
Lol idk why but its almost like everyone is ‘trapped’ in the center of their own wheel (in ignorance), crushing/hurting souls when they are committing negative karma. And then, when the time comes, their are at the receiving end of others’
And so it goes, I guess.
The only way to rid oneself of this, to be free, is to change from within. Once we change, and consciously strive to gain attainments, the fatalistic bonds start to lessen. When one finally breaks the wheel from within – thereby freeing themselves and their would be victims from the retributive cycle) the person ascends – is no longer in its karmic reach as one literally becomes beyond karma.
Perhaps this is why they say ‘forgiveness is divine’. Karma can truly lessen when one adopts and spreads a compassionate attitude – which is probably why universal compassion is the highest form of love.
This has to be one of my favorite lectures so far. I felt so relieved when I was hearing this, and the superb way his Eminence explained this. I t was like an amazing reconfirmation to my old thoughts, wiping doubts away.
I hope I can get my parents and friends to also follow along. They think I’m a more than little weird at this point of time XD
With this teaching it is imperative for us to watch each of our thoughts, words and actions that they do not harm anyone because when they do remember the phrase, WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.
There is nothing that we think, say and act does not have consequences. Create good results of benefit to others and what comes back will be good. Develop Bodhichitta as much as we can.
Through the kindness of Je Atisha today we have the wheel of sharp weapons by the great lama of the vast path Dharmarakshita who operated from the jungles of Sumatra.
This great text was written by the great yogi Dharmarakshita in his great jungle retreat, an external jungle infested with wild beasts, while the internal jungle is the mind. The jungle is also the place where great negativity is enacted at this time of the degenerated conditions. Dharmakshita, whose name means “he who defends the dharma” and followed by other name Shilarakshita meaning “he who safeguards discipline”. Considering all the teachings he had received, this excellent wisdomised spiritual friend had summarised these in this book in a verse form. It is strongly advised that after having received this teaching, we should practise it well, as this human form is obtained with such difficulties and the best way to repay the kindness of our Guru is to practise as advised! Om mani padme hung.
Dear Rinpoche,
I have this teaching printed out and I read it occasionally. Thank you for Rinpoche’s great kindness to share it with us here https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/prayers-and-sadhanas/sadhana-prayers.html#sharpWeapons .
This teaching allows me to directly examine myself the law of causality. It also guides me to avoid creating more negative causes which I will definitely regret in this and future lives. Sometimes, this teaching is a great companion for me when I am bogged down by negativity. It serves as a reminder on what should be avoided. Thank you for the explanation and I really do hope, with my folded hands that Rinpoche will continue to teach this text again.
Despite self examination, the great life example given by Lord Dharmarakshita moved me to the core. He surrounded himself with the most difficult people and this itself serves as a teaching for me. You see, from my point of view, Lord Dharmarakshita gave a very profound teaching to me that I should never use ‘karma’ lightly or to look down on others due to their ‘negative karma’. We should in fact, brace ourselves to get close to difficult people, help them, encourage them on the path to liberation and care for them for they will not be helped by many.In fact, instead of putting down judgement such as “it’s his or her karma” , we should try to see if we can actually do something or at least speak some kind words or shed some light in their life. Nevertheless, it’s tough but it can be done. Proof: H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. Thank you.
Speaking about that, it reminds me on Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. In one of the teachings kindly shared by Rinpoche, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche went to a war ship with His attendant for the purpose of blessing the crews and its members.That ship was meant to be the first to be bombed by the enemy! Rinpoche actually blessed them, how wonderful! Rinpoche didn’t just say ‘oh, well it’s their karma’ but instead He thought of other ways to help them and in this case, a blessing of their mind stream oblivion to others. Wow!
DEAR RINPOCHE,
This is my favourite teaching and i like it so much that it makes us realize the effects of our own very actions we do knowingly or unknowingly. It hits direct to my heart because it talks about my or everybody’s behaviour we have been mindlessly carrying out.
Thank you Rinpoche
[…] along with everyone as much as possible and be forgiving. Very practical. Study Lamrim. Study the Wheel of Sharp Weapons. Study the Bodhisattvacharyavatara by Shantideva, and Lojong. Lojong is mind transformation […]
Thank you for sharing this teaching with us Rinpoche and explaining to us the teaching by Lord Dharmarakshita. We must be mindful of our actions and understand how karma works. Whatever harm and suffering we inflict will always return to us, even thought it seems like we’ve escaped, they will return when we least expect it.
Thank you for this wheel of sharp weapons, it help me alot.
A Very good and clear teaching. And easy to understand. Practicing it daily.
Thank You Rinpoche. 🙂
Best Regards : Eric kksiow
Dear Rinpoche, thank you so much for this teaching, it feels like medicine when I feel myself depressed. It helps me to understand the reasons why I experience hardships in my life and it also gives me inspiration to change, little by little, my view of the world. I´m in debt with you. Love from Spain.
Thank you so much for this talk rinpoche may all beings be happy
Thank you Rinpoche for being our Dharmarakshita and for never giving up on the most difficult of us, with the most difficult parts of our minds right at the forefront of everything we do. As much as Rinpoche would prefer to be in solitary retreat, the very fact that he surrounds himself, in his personal home, with so many people every day, walking in and out, working, talking, moving about shows exactly his compassion to give ups his own personal space and preferences for that small chance that during that day, something may click for each one of us and spur us further in our practice; that during the day, he might bump into us in this small space and be able to tell us something to open up our minds; that, whenever he sees us – no matter how much he’d like to be alone – he can do something to help us stop the wheel of sharp weapons from returning upon us too quickly, too dangerously, too painfully.
For all the years I have been with Rinpoche, I have also seen that so, so often Rinpoche simulates the Wheel of Sharp Weapons for us himself, showing ourselves to ourselves – pointing out to us exactly why it is that we suffer, feel pain for this, or suffer for what. Like a mathematician almost, Rinpoche draws out a clear formula for us, showing us why suffer the effects of the things we do – why we get depressed (and the reason varies for each person), why we get lonely, why we fail in the work we try to do, why we always end up with no money, why we drive people away from us, why we can never get friends etc etc.
If we only just listen to the words that Rinpoche so patiently shares with us at every corner – in jokes, teachings, through the blog and his videos – we would realise that actually the Wheel of Sharp Weapons comes to life just for us in every single one of Rinpoche’s teaching.
We are indeed very fortunate to be able to receive the teachings on the Wheel of Sharp Weapons easily and freely on the Internet. In the past, Atisha had to leave India, traveled on the great Indian Ocean and sailed to Indonesia where he met with a different culture, language and so forth.
He found his Guru Dharmarakshita Amazing! He became so devoted and Dharmarakshita just poured the teachings into him like a big receptacle. The challenges and dangers he experience sailing to and back from Indonesia did not deter him from the Dharma. We who are filled with self-made obstacles cower at the first encounter with difficulty.
Anyway, the Wheel of Sharp Weapons is perhaps one of the more accessible and practical teachings that Atisha brought back from Indonesia. It’s relevance today have no parallels. Hence, it is an ideal teaching for everyone – the most advance practitioner as a reminder and meditational tool or the newest of practitioners.
The book is amazing! The teaching, mind explosion! Suddenly you shut up and realise all your complains we’re really about yourself, so there is no bigger culprit in your situation and problems then you yourself/I myself. This is the wheel of sharp weapons turning in full swing back at you for what you yourself put out there – silly me became dumbfounded. That was how I felt after reading the book and Rinpoche’s teaching just turn on the light bulb. Let’s hope it stays on always.
This is a book I would highly recommend to any one and every one though some may deem it to be a poetry book… very eloquently written it is a mirror of all your actions and what you will be receiving or why you are receiving a certain type of experience. Really there is no one blame… except the creator of the weapon – our self. From time to time when we forget and lose ourself, it is great to refer back to this book to ground us back to reality. It will show you where the holes are then it is up to us to cross and avoid falling in it or be blindly ignorant and step in to it. Thank you Rinpoche for this teaching… and always showing us where the hole is so we stop falling in it!
Thank you Rinpoche for the teaching. The Wheel of Sharp Weapons is about the law of Karma. Everything that we do either it is positive or negative, we are actually creating a cause and plantng a seed and this will come back to us so we should use this mind training teachings as a method to transform our mind and to cut our own negativities.
I like this teaching very much, Rinpoche. I have listened few times but still yet to absorb the teaching well enough.
I like especially the stories of Rinpoche lost his bag and money on Indian train to tell our selfish mind and me me me; as well as sick and suffer for others – my lost/sickness to another person’s benefit.
What makes us unhappy is our selfish mind/ego, not hardship, difficulties or difficult people. Once our mind is trained difficulties are no more difficulties.
Thank you, Rinpoche.
This text is definitely one of the most beautiful writings I have encountered.
The Wheel Of Sharp Weapons is such a powerful teaching and it goes straight to the core and source of all human problems and miseries. The text tells us directly that the root of all our problems is ourselves, in particular our own mind that places the fictional Self as the centre of a fictitious universe. Ironically, there is no such Self.
In trying to chase after an illusion of course we fail but in the process we become more greedy, full of desire and angry and our mind becomes overgrown with “poisonous plants” and everything we do with the same motivation of benefitting the Self only serve to make the poisons stronger. In reality with such deadly toxins in us, we are already on death row and yet we are unaware and continue to enhance and accelerate the cause of our miseries. What is more, these poisons do not leave us after we die and sadly we carry the same enemy into the next life to repeat the process again.
The texts sets out so many examples of self created situations – one insightful evidence after another – that give us pain and suffering and relate each of these situations to its source…our own selfish minds. In that, this text is invaluable for with it, we can no longer blame “fate” and “ill luck” for our woes. In the final and absolute analysis, we cause all our own problems.
Then out of compassion the author of the text, the great Yogi Dharmarakshita gives us a powerful and precise antidote that strikes at the enemy’s most vital points, and counsels us not to keep making our enemy even stronger. The antidote is for us to focus out and act out of selflessness and for the benefit of others. And to aid us in our campaign against the death of our chances to find enlightenment, we are told to summon the powerful Yamantaka to ferociously and unrelentlessly pound the enemy. Just like the poison, the powerful antidote and the all powerful Yamantaka have always been present but our selfishness binds him. The moment we see our error in being self cherishing, we unleash Yamantaka. We are the creator of the poison, just as we are the creator of the antidote.
And beautifully, the text draws our attention to the fact that all this time, our Guru has been there, and like a peacock that eats poison and lives, the Guru is a living example that we in fact live a thriving life by ingesting our own poisonous ways.
As we start practicing the antidote, we see clearly our true inheritance that is the realization that there is nothing of our Self that we need to grasp at. That is why we have never succeeded in doing so. It is only in the living for the benefit of others and the desire to keep doing so that we see the path out of suffering that the Buddha has always told us about.
I love the imagery of the wheel that tells that that everything we do returns to us and also the imagery of the weapon. That basically tells us that there is a wrong way to handle things which will hurt us and then there is the right way to handle it which empowers is.
Thank you Rinpoche for such a precious teaching.
I like the part where Rinpoche explained about the crow and the peacock. Crow being the untrained mind (ie, person who is not learning and practise Dharma to train their mind but yet thinking they are doing good deeds with Dharma motivation) and peacock being a person whose mind is trained by studying and practise Dharma. A crow can be easily dragged down into Samsara further whereas peacock is able to see the nature of reality no matter what kind of situation peacock is in.
Dharma is all about mind training, about transforming ourselves. When our perception changes (ie, mind changes), difficulty is not a difficulty anymore and we
Thank you Rinpoche for giving such a profound explanation about The Wheel Of Sharp Weapons, it really blows my mind.
I like the last part which Rinpoche explains about “the wheel of weapons”. He says weapons it’s something to hurt, when we have knife, we can handle one side that will not hurt us, but when it’s in the wheel forms, it means there’s no place that you can handle it without getting hurts, because it’s weapons pointing out every direction. Our ego, our self-cherishing mind is like the wheel of sharp weapons, it’s hurting people and us in any way.
I found that the Buddhist training is about how we tame our mind and control our action, so it won’t hurt others and ourselves.
I am looking forward to understand more about the other part of The Wheel Of Sharp Weapons. It gives me a broader view of how to look at things happen in me.
Thank you Rinpoche.
Thank you Rinpoche for the teaching.
It is indeed very important for us to focus out and not focus in, when something bad happened, instead of getting angry and frustrated and moody, we can choose to focus out, that is to think why like this? why he acted like that?
For example, when we get scolded, we often hear just the tone of the voice and be unhappy instead of hear the meaning of the words and be improve.
I remember i heard a story before few years back:
One morning a father, mother and a 8 years old daughter having breakfast, the daughter accidentally spilled the milk onto father’s new shirt which he purposely prepared for today’s important presentation, then he get angry and started to scold his daughter, then he go up to change and drive her to school, but along the way, he still keep scolding to let out his anger, obviously the daughter felt very bad and guilty, so he ended up couldn’t do a good presentation due to the anger he has, his daughter was not performing well in school from the scolding and shouting from the father. Teacher called regarding of daughter’s misbehaving in school and the father get even more angry, at the end, everything is so messed up and created such a bad condition.
Instead of choosing to be angry, he can focus out to his daughter, understand why she spilled the milk, tap her and say it is alright, then go change shirt and go to work, when leaving, the daughter from feeling guilty became happy again, the father from angry became okay, and he manage to do a good presentation still.
In both scenario, he also has to go change another shirt, he also has to send daughter to school and to do his presentation at work, the action is the same, but when we do not just focus on ourselves, the outcome is totally different.
Whether you believe on Karma or not, that’s not the point, but Rinpoche’s teaching is so valid that it applies to everyone.
The Wheel of Sharp Weapon is a wonderful teaching, applicable to everyone, everywhere and without exception.
I just read the post on The Wheel of Sharp Weapons. Thank you Rinpoche, I dont know how you do it but you seem to know exactly what teaching to give those of us who need to hear certain texts and teachings at different times. Personally for me this makes more sense now than it would have had I read it a few weeks ago. All my life at work I have had to deal with people…most of the time nice people but sometimes not so nice people. I believe that dealing with people is the hardest part of any job. Especially difficult people. But lately, I have come to realise with your teachings that with compassion, this job can be made easier. Thank you again dear Rinpoche for this wonderful teaching.
tashi delek
读了利器之轮，会发觉到我们必须了解到每一件事情的发生都会有他们相应的业果。拥抱你的敌人，我们所做的任何一件事最终都会回到，或发生在我们的身上。一些人因此而害怕去面对，其实如果我们不断地对别人好，同理，别人也会对我们好（在许多情况下，不一定是你帮的人对你好，而是些许时日后你发觉别人会对你比较好）。要懂得感恩。
When I first read of the Wheel of Sharp Weapons the contents of the text is so much real, it points to the truth, to the heart of reality. Although I didn’t understand much of what was written in the text nevertheless the message is deep and profound. I am happy Rinpoche is giving a commentary of this text in laymen terms. The sharp weapons are inside of us and we don’t know about it. We think the pain and the hurt is from outside when in fact the wound is already inside of us. The external condition triggers the wound to be painful. When we heal our wound external circumstances and situations wouldn’t affect us any more. Then the pain doesn’t become pain but the feeling others’ pain. This Dharma book is a treasure.
Dear Rinpoche – Thank you very much for your excellent Dharma teachings in general and in particular your elucidation of the great Indian Yogi Dharmarakshita’s work “The Wheel of Sharp Weapons.” I find your explanations of the works & teachings of the great Indian & Tibetan Buddhist Masters very beneficial. With much gratitude & appreciation from a student who has watched most of your YouTube videos.
Yes, Lord Dharmarashita was a great Yogi, filled with great compassion, chosed to be surrounded by the most difficult, harshed and materialistic people whose minds were unstable, egoistical, angersome, and always working for self benefits. His primarily purpose was to specifically help to tame their minds with the nectar of Dharma out of great compassion for them. As said,having their minds tamed, he can help them to avoid sufferings and also to reach Liberation. For the benefit of these students and other future new ones, he composed an incredible text and taught them untiringly and with great patience, humbly putting up with all their angersome and selfish mind games. He gave them specific teachings on mind trainings to eliminate the self cherishing mind – the cause of all unwanted sufferings. Thus, the Wheel of Sharp Weapons, a basic text for the Mahayana training of the Mind was born, as composed by the great Yogi Dharmarashita, translated from sanskrit into Tibetan and brought into Tibet by the great Indian Pandit Atisha and taught to his main disciple, Upasaka Dromtonpa and finally arrived at the hands of the King of Dharma, Tsongkhapa. It is said that this text was taught to many for hundreds of years till today. As published by the Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala, Rinpoche advised that everyone should possess a copy of this incredible text and to be shared with others too!
Rinpoche, I forgot to comment after watching, this dharma talk is incredibly helpful and amazing, thank you! The Wheel of Sharp Weapons, which you actually very generously gave me, is one of my favorite texts. It is a humbling, poetic reminder of everything “dharma,” and how it relates to appearances of mundane life.
The Wheel of Sharp Weapon is a reminder for us to be mindful of our actions as the Law of Karma does exist. Whatever actions we do will come back to us. Thus we should use this mind training teachings as a method to transform our mind, to cut away our attachments and ego, have a good mindset to listen to dharma teaching and follow our Guru’s advise.
Thank you, Rinpoche, for sharing this dharma talk with us.
A beautiful teaching whether you agree with karma or incarnation or not.It focus on the “giving and taking”,an advanced Mahayana method whereby we imagine taking the sufferings of others and giving them happiness.
Thank you Rinpoche for this clear explanation of this teaching.
The Wheel of Sharp Weapons teaches us so much about the law of Karma. Its like a boomerang. Whatever actions we do whether its positive or negative, we will reap the fruits of our own actions. If we apply the teachings well, we can tremendously reduce the negative actions of our body, speech and mind. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this teaching with us. This may be good to teach in Manjushri kids class too so that they can start practising at a younger age.
Wheel Of Sharp Weapon did show us very clear about KARMA. It’s a very good teaching. Thank You Rinpoche do spent time to gave a talk on it.
Best Regards : Erickksiow
I need to listen again to this very precious talk!!! Thank you so much Rinpoche and all of you for making it available to us! it is almost like being there…:)
There are many verses in the Wheel of Sharp Weapons when we read it before we start on any project in the Ladang so it serves as a reminder to new people as well as existing Buddhist dharma practitioner.
I like to re-read this book over and over again as a reminder to the practise of the spiritual path. Thank you, Rinpoche for sharing this precious teaching with us. With folded hands.
Thank you again Rinpoche. Wow! The great Teacher Dharmarakshita is so inspiring! Sometime ago Sister Patsy gave me a xerox copy of the WOSW, which i quickly re-xeroxed and gave to one of my ‘hardcore’ friends – he actually liked it, for its simple language form and meaningful message!