ACI 4 Class 4

Question 1

The term”valid” or “correct” perception (tsema or pramana) is sometimes used with
reference not to a state of mind, but to the Buddha himself. This is because of the
special object towards which only a Buddha has correct perception. Describe the two
parts of this object.

Answer 1

1. He sees the “totality” of all objects
2. He sees all existing things “as they really are” referring to the
   emptiness,

Question 2

The Buddha cannot be a being who is totally correct if He has any state of mind
which is not valid or correct perception. Recollection, perceiving something that you
have already perceived earlier, is not considered a correct perception, because you
perceive only an image of the object you saw before, and not the object itself. Does the Buddha ever see something He saw before, and does this mean that he is capable of a perception which is not correct?

Answer 2

The Buddha sees all things of the past, present, and future simultaneously, all the time. Therefore, He does not rely upon
recollection, but is instead always perceiving everything directly and
freshly.

Question 3

What are the three main methods for a normal person to determine that the Buddha is totally correct about the very deep teachings He gave?

Answer 3

1. The teachings cannot be disproved by any direct valid perception that
   we have or have had.
2. The teachings cannot be disproved by any airtight reasoning.
3. The teachings themselves are free of any internal inconsistency:
   nothing that Lord Buddha said at one time contradicts what He
   said at another time.

Question 4

Name and describe briefly the three “ground rules” for interpreting the Buddha; that is, for deciding that something which Lord Buddha said was meant only figuratively,
and not literally.

Answer 4

1. True intent: Lord Buddha must have had something else specific in
   mind when he said something which was not literal.
2. Contradiction: The statement that Lord Buddha made must contradict
   what we know to be actually true.
3. Need: There must be some compelling need or purpose served by the Buddha saying something which is not technically true.

Question 5

Name two purposes why Master Dignaga stated the words “who turned” in the opening lines of his work, The Compendium on Valid Perception.

Answer 5

1. To make it clear that the Buddha wasn’t always a Buddha, that he
   turned into a Buddha from an imperfect state.
2. To indicate that He followed some method or path to become a
   Buddha.