- Buddha-Nature
- Compassion
- Defining Bodhicitta
- Emptiness
- Equalizing & Exchanging Self and Others
- History of Bodhicitta Teachings
- How to Develop Bodhicitta
- Interdependent Origination
- Lineage of the Profound View
- Lineage of the Vast Conduct
- Mahāyāna
- Mind Training
- Non-Self
- Seven-Point Instructions of Cause and Effect
- The Bodhisattva Ideal
- The Bodhisattva Path
- The Bodhisattva Vow
- The Bodhisattva's Goal
- The Four Immeasurables
- The Six Perfections
- The Three Higher Trainings
- The Two Accumulations
- The Two Truths
- Tonglen: The Practice of Taking and Giving
- Types of Bodhicitta
The Vast Conduct lineage is linked to Buddha Maitreya and the philosopher Asaṅga, one of the founding masters of the Yogācāra school. The lineage was passed down through Atiśa and emphasizes the methodical cultivation of compassion through the "sevenfold cause-and-effect instruction"—a structured contemplative sequence progressing from recognizing all beings as former mothers to generating bodhicitta. This tradition provides a detailed analysis of the causes, conditions, and strengths needed for awakening.
The Lineage of the Vast Conduct
What is today known as the Vast Conduct tradition of Mahāyāna Buddhism is the line of thought and practice which started with the writings of Maitreya and Asaṅga and was passed down through Vasubandhu and other masters in India until the time of Atiśa Dīpaṃkara Śrījñāna, who transmitted it to Tibet. While this is the common understanding, it is important to keep in mind, as already noted in the section on the Profound View tradition, that Atiśa and Longchenpa referred to the tradition starting from Śāntideva as the Vast Conduct tradition. This is different from most other accounts, which count Śāntideva as a lineage holder of the Profound View tradition originating in Mañjuśrī and Nāgārjuna. In bodhisattva vow rituals today, verses and procedures from Śāntideva's compositions are commonly used to represent the Profound View tradition, while other texts and procedures are used for the Vast Conduct tradition of Asaṅga.
What distinguishes the two lineages then? Apart from the line of masters through whom the transmission was passed down, there are no major differences. Even the transmission of the teachings and vows mostly merged in the eleventh century in the figure of Atiśa through whom they were mainly passed down in Tibet. One could say, broadly speaking, that there are three main differences between the two traditions with regard to bodhicitta theory and practice. There are differences in the procedures for the bodhisattva vow, in the enumeration of main precepts, and in the modes of contemplative practices to cultivate and enhance bodhicitta.
The Profound View tradition recommends having a preceptor in person to administer the vows, but it is also feasible to obtain the bodhisattva vows without a preceptor in person. The vows for aspiring and applied bodhicitta are also often administered simultaneously by chanting the verses from Śāntideva's Way of the Bodhisattva. However, the procedures in the Vast Conduct tradition of Asaṅga require a teacher in person to administer the vows, particularly for the applied bodhicitta vows, as the preceptor has to chant most of the liturgies. The vows for aspiring and applied bodhicitta are also normally administered separately. The liturgies to chant for administering the vows in the two different traditions are given in the practice section of this website.
The Profound View tradition, following sūtras such as The Sūtra of Ākāśagarbha, has eighteen root downfalls, whereas the Vast Conduct tradition mentions four white dharmas to follow and four dark dharmas to eschew as root precepts. In terms of practice for the cultivation of bodhicitta, the Profound View tradition mainly, but not exclusively, uses meditation techniques such as the equality between self and others and exchange between self and others. The Vast Conduct tradition uses the seven instructions of cause and effect and other forms of mind training (lojong) practices. Both traditions use the four immeasurable thoughts.
The Vast Conduct tradition is traced back to the Buddha via Maitreya, the future Buddha who composed five treatises including The Ornament of Direct Realization, The Ornament of Mahāyāna Sūtras, Distinguishing the Middle and Extremes, Distinguishing Phenomena and Their Nature, and The Ultimate Continuum. Asaṅga, a fourth-century Indian scholar, is said to have received the teachings on these five treatises from Maitreya, after praying to Maitreya for about a dozen years and having a vision of him. In addition to propagating the teachings of Maitreya in the world, Asaṅga also composed five treatises known as "stages" and two known as "compendiums." The Bodhisattva Stages, which is a part of The Yogacāra Stages, is his main text on the theory and practice of bodhicitta and also an important source for the Vast Conduct tradition.
Asaṅga and his brother Vasubandhu, who became Asaṅga's student, interpret the Mahāyāna teachings on emptiness with an idealist tendency. They argue that external matter lacks true nature and exists only on a conventional level, while the essence of consciousness exists even on the ultimate level. They argue that phenomena are empty of a subject-object duality, as there is no truly existent external object. Using a reductive analysis, they negate the true existence of the material world. Thus, the perception of an external object is also false, but the true essence of consciousness as a luminous awareness exists as the basis of all phenomenal existence. This school of thought became known as the Cittamātra or Mind Only school of Mahāyāna and is often referred to as Yogācāra, although this latter name is also used broadly to refer to engagement in spiritual yoga.
Because of Asaṅga and Vasubandhu's philosophical espousal of the Mind Only theory, the tradition of bodhicitta teachings which came down from them also became known as the Cittamātra tradition in contrast to the Middle Way tradition, which came down from Nāgārjuna via Śāntideva. Thus, the Vast Conduct tradition is often called the Mind Only tradition, although most masters in later stages of its transmission in India and virtually all masters passing down this line in Tibet were not proponents of Mind Only philosophy but subscribed to the Middle Way school of thought. The lineage of masters who upheld this transmission and passed it down until Tsongkhapa are given below according to his supplication to the masters of the lineage.[1]
- The Buddha
- Maitreya
- Ārya Asaṅga
- Vasubandhu
- Ārya Vimuktisena
- Venerable Vimuktisena
- Chogi De (Paramasena*)
- Dulwai De (Vinatasena*?)
- Vairocana
- Haribhadra
- Kusali
- Gewachen (Kalyanaka*)
- Dharmakīrti of Suvarṇadvīpa
- Atiśa Dīpaṃkara
- Dromtönpa
- Gönpawa
- Neu Zurpa
- Thagmapa
- Namkha Senge
- Namkha Gyalpo
- Senge Zangpo
- Gyalse Zangpo
- Namkha Gyaltsen
- Tsongkhapa
A similar line is presented by Kongtrul Lodrö Taye for the Vast Conduct tradition, but it diverges after Dromtönpa to Chenngawa instead of Gömpawa.
- The Buddha Śākyamuni
- Maitreyanātha
- Asaṅga
- Vasubandhu
- Vimuktasena
- Paramasena
- Vinitasena
- Vairocana
- Haribhadra
- Kusāli Senior
- Kusāli Junior
- Dharmakīrti of Suvarṇadvīpa
- Atiśa Dīpaṃkara
- Dromtön Gyalwai Jungne
- Chennga Tsultrim Bar
- Jayulwa
- Yeshe Bar
- Gyachak Riwa
- Nazurwa
- Gampopa
- Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa
- Rechen Sönam Drakpa
- Gyalse Sönam Dorje
- Drupchen Chökyi Lama
- Nyenre Gendun Bum
- Karmapa Rangjung Dorje
- Yungtön Dorje Pal
- Gönpo Gyaltsen
- Zamling Chökyi Drakpa
- Kachö Wangpo
- Karmapa Dezhin Shekpa
- Chöpal Yeshe
- Karmapa Tongwa Dönden
- Jampal Zangpo
- Paljor Döndrup
- Karmapa Chödrak Gyatso
- Sangye Nyenpa
- Karmapa Mikyö Dorje
- Könchok Yenlak
- Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje
- Chökyi Wangchuk
- Karmapa Chöying Dorje
- Yeshe Nyingpo
- Karmapa Yeshe Dorje
- Chökyi Döndrup
- Karmapa Jangchup Dorje
- Chökyi Jungne
- Karmapa Dudul Dorje
- Jamgön Pema Nyinje Wangpo
- Kongtrul Lodrö Taye
Kongtrul also presents the following alternate line of the Vast Conduct lineage mainly passed down through the Sakya school and received from Jamyang Kyentse Wangpo.
- The Buddha
- Maitreya
- Asaṅga
- Vasubandhu
- Vimuktasena
- Paramasena
- Haribhadra
- Kusāli Senior
- Kusāli Junior
- Dharmakīrti of Suvarṇadvipa
- Atiśa Dīpaṃkara
- Dromtönpa
- Chennga Tsultrim Bar
- Geshe Jayulwa
- Gyalse Charchenpa (Mumenpa)
- Drotön Dutsi Drak
- Sangye Gompa Senge Chab
- Chim Namkha Drak
- Khenchen Senge Kyap
- Khetsun Sönam Yeshe
- Jangsem Sönam Drakpa
- Gyalse Tokme Zangpo
- Drupchen Buddhaśrī
- Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo
- Khedrup Palden Dorje
- Khenchen Könchok Tsultrim
- Gorumpa Kunga Lekpa
- Jamyang Khyentse Wangchuk
- Wangchuk Rapten
- Khenchen Ngawang Chödrak
- Jamgön Kunga Sönam
- Sönam Wangchuk
- Lhakhang Khenchen Döndrup Lekzang
- Morchen Kunga Lhundrup
- Nesarwa Lekpai Jungne
- Sachen Kunga Lodrö
- Muchen Sönam Palzang
- Muchen Yeshe Gyalchok
- Yongzin Lodrö Gyatso
- Sakyapa Ngawang Dorje Rinchen
- Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
- Kongtrul
From Jangsem Sonam Drakpa, it was also passed down to Butön Rinchen Drup and then through many Geluk hierarchs to Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Kongtrul.
- Butön Rinchen Drup
- Tukse Rinchen Namgyal
- Khenchen Drupa Sherap
- Paṇchen Gendun Drup
- Dulzin Lodrö Bepa
- Paṇchen Lungrik Gyatso
- Je Kyapchok Pal
- Ensapa Lozang Döndrup
- Khedrup Sangye Yeshe
- Paṇchen Lozang Chökyi Gyaltsen
- Drungpa Tsöndru Gyaltsen
- Tapukpa Damchö Gyaltsen
- Drupkhangpa Gelek Gyatso
- Purbuchok Ngawang Jampa
- Yongzin Yeshe Gyaltsen
- Shenyen Lozang Gyaltsen
- Rinchen Losal Tenkyong
- Jampalyang Khyentse Wangpo
- Kongtrul
In another line, it was passed down from Gyalse Tokme Zangpo to Lochen Jangchup Tsemo.
- Lochen Jangchup Tsemo
- Deön Lochen Drakgyal
- Bodong Paṇchen Chokle Namgyal
- Jamlingpa Lachen Sönam Namgyal
- Serdok Paṇchen Śākya Chokden
- Paṇchen Dönyö Drupa
- Jetsun Kunga Drolchok
- Paṇchen Lungrik Gyatso
- Jetsun Kunga Nyingpo
- Gyaltsap Yeshe Gyatso
- Je Yönten Gönpo
- Drupchen Gönpo Paljor
- Tsungme Gönpo Drakpa
- Drupwang Gönpo Namgyal
- Rikzin Jamyang Gyatso
- Kunzik Trinle Shingta
- Mokchokpa Kunga Gelek
- Kunga Lhundrup Gyatso
- Je Kagyu Tenzin
- Lama Karma Lhaktong
- Drupwang Karma Norbu
- Kongtrul Lodrö Taye
From the transmissions of the bodhisattva vow Kongtrul received, we can understand how the transmissions were not a single linear process but how the lines converged, diverged, and interlaced as the teachings were passed down from master to disciple.
The above examples are of the Vast Conduct lineage as it is commonly understood among Tibetan scholars today. Longchenpa called this the lineage of both Profound and Vast traditions and presents the following list of masters:
- The Buddha
- Maitreya
- Asaṅga
- Vasubandhu
- Ārya Vimuktisena
- Venerable Vimuktisena
- Chogi De (Paramasena*)
- Dulwai De (Vinitasena*)
- Vairocana
- Haribhadra
- Buddhajñānapāda
- Guṇamitra
- Ratnaparvathā
- Bumtrak Sumpa
- Loden Serab
- Dre Sherab Bar
- Ar Jangchub Yeshe
- Khu Sherab Tsondru
- Karchung Ringmowa
- Zhang Yepa
- Nyelzhig
- Gya Chingrupa
- Chumikpa Senge Pel
- Lodrakpa
- Tsengonpa / Wen Gewa
- Gewa Śākya Senge
- Ladranpa Chöpel Gyaltsen / Chodrak
- Longchenpa
Longchenpa received the transmission from the last two hierarchs.
Here, it may be also pointed out again that the name Vast Conduct was not always used to refer to the Maitreya/Asaṅga line, but Atiśa and Longchenpa use it to refer to the line originating from Mañjuśrī and Śāntideva. According to this version, the Vast Conduct line includes the following figures as presented by Longchenpa.
- The Buddha
- Mañjuśrī
- Śāntideva
- Eladhari
- Mahāśrī
- Ratna
- Bhavavajra
- Dharmakīrti of Suvarṇadvīpa
- Atiśa Dīpaṃkara
- Sumati
- Lotsāwa Loden Sherab
- Tsepongwa Chöki Lama
- Chapa Chöki Senge
- Denbak Darma Tashi
- Sherab Lodoe
- Sherab Wangchuk
- Sangay Tsundru
- Wen Gewa Śākya Senge
- Ladrangpa Chöpel Gyaltsen
- Samyepa Tshultrim Lodoe / Longchenpa
From the above list of masters belonging to the Profound View and Vast Conduct lineages, it is clear that the application of the lineage names was not as fixed and standard as it seems. The doxographical and lineage classifications were varied and fluid, evolving over the centuries. It is also clear that the transmissions diverged, converged, and sometimes were actively integrated into one. No doubt many transmission lines would have also ceased to exist without being passed down.
Notes
- ↑ See Tsongkhapa, Rje thams cad mkhyen pa tsong kha pa chen po'i bka' 'bum thor bu, in 'Jam mgon bla ma tsong kha pa chen po'i gsung 'bum (Mundgod: Je Yabse Sungbum Project, 2019), 2:1.
