Introduction to the Path of Clarity
Today we are beginning a journey toward greater clarity. I will present a way of living that is grounded in ethical choices, steady attention, and seeing things as they are. These ideas were inspired by the Tibetan teacher Je Tsongkhapa. We will keep our work here practical and free of religious ritual. Think of this a a training program for the mind, much like physical exercise for the body.
There are three pillars on the path to clarity as I understand the teachings of Tsongkhapa. Those three pillars are:
Ethical Clarity – Living in a way that supports peace of mind.
Focus Training- Strengthening the ability to pay attention without strain.
Insight-Understanding how things really work, so our actions are wiser.
In this list of pillars I want to clarity that there is a reason for these being listed sequentially. This is because with every action or practice that we do, we must do it in a way that will bring the best results possible. So, we first build a stable foundation through ethics. We lay an ethical foundation. This means that we understand the cause and effect that our actions produce in our lives and in the lives of other people. Actions have consequences! This is in terms of how behavior shapes relationships, reputation and personal peace of mind. We understand that every person might be our mother or father, sister or bother, spouse or someone else special in our lives. We attempt to act accordingly be relating with compassion and understanding.
Living in a ethical way provides us with a stable foundation upon which we can build our lives. It affords each of us the opportunity to build in a way that will benefit not only us and our family but the larger culture in which we live. In Shambhala this is presented as “enlightened society.” Chogyam Trungpa presented it as a way to utilize mindfulness to connect with our inherent goodness. That inherent goodness which Trungpa called “basic goodness” then spreads to others. This, in essence, is what “ethical living” is all about.
Ethical living also has to do with our learning to avoid harmful habits. Though our practice of meditation and mindfulness we become more aware than we already are of how our behaviors (such as anger, greed and dishonesty) erode our mental clarity. These behaviors also harden our emotional self and cause us to become indifferent to the feelings of other people.
We also train in how to enhance our focus by practicing watching our thoughts as they arise in the moment. This a way to train our mind and is called in some circles, “Calm Abiding.” Regular meditation will strengthen our focus, reduce our mental wandering and allow for a deeper observation of reality. When we begin this practice we start with short sessions, developing the ability to notice distraction and return to the present moment. This is not an easy thing to do, and it will help one to find a meditation instructor that can work with you and answer your questions as you train in mindfulness.
Better decision making can be a result of practicing meditation. Tsongkhapa had many teachers and he used various methods of meditation to develop mindfulness and clarity.
When we begin to cultivate insight we will start to catch a glimpse of reality as it is. It is not always easy to understand what is really happening. In meditation we observe how thoughts arise that create experiences. We understand that thoughts and actions arise from many conditions – encouraging humility and flexibility. This brings us to recognizing impermanence which means that we understand that nothing is eternal or lasts forever. We understand that change is a certainty in the world and to be able to accept and work with change is an important tool for survival.
In the teachings of Tsongkhapa as they are presented in Tibet and in much of the Eastern world, he is the head of a lineage called Gulugpa. While I completely respect those teachings about Tsongkyapa, my references to him and his teachings are presented in a practical way. If one chooses to add esoteric or deeper mystical aspects to the teachings, then they can do so through reading the abundance of material available on the internet and in books published by highly respected Tibetan writers.
I like to think of Tsongkhapa’s teachings as a pathway or roadmap that steers us toward our human potential for clarity. Tsongkhapa’s genius was systematic clarity — he organized the path so practitioners could progress from an ethical foundation to a calm, stable mind, and finally to insight into reality. All three stages can be presented in a practical, rational, evidence-based way without requiring faith in supernatural beings.
