Wisdom Is the Key to a Happy Life: A Teaching for the Reading Transmission

of the Mañjuśrī-nāma-saṃgīti Tantra

His Holiness the Sakya Trichen

La sabiduría es la clave para una vida feliz: una enseñanza para la transmisión
de la lectura del Tantra “Mañjuśrī-nāma-saṃgīti"
Por su Santidad Sakya Trichen
 Acknowledgement

His Holiness the Sakya Trichen (the 41st Sakya Trizin) bestowed this teaching
on May 30, 2014, at Nagarjuna Center, Valencia, Spain. In 2023, this English
transcript was prepared, edited, and published by The Sakya Tradition, Inc., a
nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and making widely available the
precious Dharma teachings of the glorious Sakya lineage. The text was translated
into the Spanish language by The Sakya Tradition translation team in 2024.

Su Santidad el Sakya Trichen (el 41° Sakya Trizin) impartió esta enseñanza
el 30 de Mayo del 2014, en el Centro Nagarjuna, Valencia, España. En el 2023, esta
transcripción se preparó, editó y publicó en inglés por La Tradición Sakya. Inc. Una
organización sin fines de lucro dedicada a preservar y difundir ampliamente las
preciosas enseñanzas del Dharma del glorioso linaje Sakya. El texto se tradujo al
español por La Tradición Sakya en el 2024.

This publication was made possible by the generous donations of Jozef Wist,
Maria Julia Silva, and Cheah Poh Peng. We also want to thank all volunteers for
their dedication and effort in putting this teaching together.

Esta publicación fue posible gracias a la generosa donación de Jozef Wist,

Maria Julia Silva y Cheah Poh Peng. También extendemos nuestro agradecimiento
a todos los voluntarios por su dedicación y esfuerzo en la elaboración/ recolección
de esta enseñanza.

By the merit of this work, may His Holiness the Sakya Trichen enjoy perfect
health and a very long life, and continue to turn the wheel of Dharma.

Por el mérito de este trabajo pueda su Santidad el Sakya Trichen disfrutar

de una perfecta salud y muy larga vida, y continúe girando la rueda del Dharma.
We all want to be happy, and our definition for happiness and the way we pursue happiness
vary. However, the happiness that most people are aggressively pursuing is temporary.

Todos queremos ser felices, pero nuestra definición de lo que es la felicidad y la manera de
conseguir la felicidad varía.

From the Buddhist perspective, only wisdom can one gain real happiness, which is ultimate and
permanent.

Desde la perspectiva budista, solo a través de la sabiduría uno puede obtener la verdadera
felicidad, la cual es última y permanente.

How do we acquire wisdom? As we have heard, Mañjuśrī is the embodiment of wisdom. This
teaching was from the reading transmission of the Mañjuśrī-nāma-saṃgīti Tantra. His Holiness
explains how wisdom could be acquired in a clear and orderly manner, guiding us to explore the
adventure of wisdom.
¿Cómo podemos adquirir sabiduría? Como hemos escuchado, Mañjuśrī es la encarnación de la
sabiduría. Esta enseñanza proviene de la transmisión de la lectura del Tantra “Mañjuśrī-nāma-
saṃgīti”. Su Santidad explica cómo la sabiduría puede adquirirse de una manera clara y
ordenada, guiándonos a explorar la aventura de la sabiduría.
 Wisdom Is the Key to a Happy Life: A Teaching for the Reading
Transmission of the Mañjuśrī-nāma-saṃgīti Tantra

In the world in which we live, there are many different people, different ideas, and
different cultures. There is, however, one thing that we all have in common. We all
wish to be free from suffering and to obtain happiness. For the sake of achieving
happiness, every individual—and every society, too—is running towards the things
that they think will bring it. Modern progress and economic development arose in
pursuit of happiness. In the last century, there has been tremendous progress in
science and technology, and this has produced many benefits. However, it is clear
that real happiness cannot be found through outer technological development. To
achieve real happiness, we must change our minds. To do this, what we need more
than technological development is spiritual development so that we can free our
minds from defilements.

En el mundo en el que vivimos, existen muchos tipos de personas,

diferentes ideas y diferentes culturas. Sin embargo, hay una cosa que todos
tenemos en común. Todos deseamos librarnos del sufrimiento y obtener la felicidad.
En esta búsqueda de la felicidad, cada individuo, y también cada sociedad, está
corriendo tras las cosas que creen que la traerá. El progreso moderno y el desarrollo
de la economía surgieron gracias a esta búsqueda de la felicidad. En el último siglo,
ha habido un enorme progreso en la ciencia y la tecnología, y esto ha producido
muchos beneficios. Sin embargo, está claro que la verdadera felicidad no se puede
encontrar a través del desarrollo tecnológico. Para alcanzar la verdadera felicidad,
debemos cambiar nuestras mentes. Para lograrlo, más que el desarrollo tecnológico
lo que necesitamos es desarrollo espiritual para que podamos liberar nuestras
mentes de los oscurecimientos/ de las impurezas.

I personally believe that every major world religion has its own beauty and its own
way to help mankind. Different spiritual traditions are necessary in the same way that
we need different medicines to cure different diseases. The key to happiness that I
am talking about here is from a Buddhist point of view.

Personalmente creo que cada religión principal del mundo tiene su propia
belleza y su propia manera de ayudar a la humanidad. Necesitamos diferentes
tradiciones espirituales del mismo modo que necesitamos diferentes tipos de
medicinas para curar diferentes enfermedades. La clave de la felicidad de la que
estoy hablando aquí es desde el punto de vista budista.
In the Buddhist perspective, the mind or consciousness has no beginning. It is one of
the great wonders that consciousness has no origin. It is like a beginningless
generation of seeds. How can we ever find the first seed? Similarly, there was no
point in time that can be called the beginning of an individual consciousness. We
have been caught up in saṃsāra from beginningless time, and as long as we are in
saṃsāra, there can be no freedom and no happiness, and we must go through
enormous suffering. We should make efforts, then, especially now when we possess
such good opportunities, such as having been born as human beings, and when we
have all the prerequisites which should not be wasted. We should try to achieve
concrete results while we have this golden opportunity. Although there are many
different kinds of spiritual paths, and we all possess different abilities, mentalities,
and defilements, we can say that transforming the mind through cultivating wisdom is
the essential thing.

En la perspectiva budista, la mente o la consciencia no tiene principio. Uno

de los grandes misterios es que la consciencia no tiene origen. Es como una
generación de semillas sin principio. ¿Cómo es posible encontrar alguna vez la
primera semilla? De la misma manera, no hubo un punto en el tiempo que se pueda
reconocer como el inicio de una conciencia individual. Hemos estado atrapados en
el saṃsāra desde tiempos sin principio, y mientras estemos en el saṃsāra, no
puede haber libertad, ni felicidad, y debemos atravesar un enorme sufrimiento. Por
tanto, debemos esforzarnos, especialmente ahora que tenemos tan buenas
oportunidades, tal como haber nacido como seres humanos, y cuando tenemos
todos los prerrequisitos que no se deben desperdiciar. Debemos intentar lograr
resultados concretos mientras tengamos esta oportunidad de oro. Aunque existen
muchos tipos diferentes de caminos espirituales, y todos poseemos diferentes
habilidades, mentalidades y oscurecimientos/impurezas, podemos decir que
transformar la mente a través del cultivo de la sabiduría es lo esencial.

The Three Kinds of Spiritual Paths

Tres tipos de caminos espirituales

1) The Inferior Path

El camino inferior
The Buddha said that all compounded things are impermanent, which means that
anything that arises from causes and conditions is impermanent. Naturally, this
includes our lives. Anyone who has been born is going to die: the end of birth will
always be death. When we die, our physical bodies will be disposed of in one
way or another, but consciousness will not simply disappear. Mind and body are
totally different. The body is visible. We can see it with our eyes, and we can
touch it and describe it. But the mind is something other than this, something
invisible. We cannot see it or touch it, and it cannot simply disappear or
disintegrate but will continue.
 El Buda dijo que todas las cosas compuestas son impermanentes, lo que
significa que todo lo que surge de causas y condiciones es impermanente.
Naturalmente, esto incluye nuestras vidas. Cualquiera que haya nacido va a
morir: el fin de la vida siempre será la muerte. Cuando morimos, nuestros
cuerpos físicos serán desechados de una forma u otra, pero la consciencia no
desaparecerá simplemente. La mente y el cuerpo son totalmente diferentes. El
cuerpo es visible. Podemos verlo con nuestros ojos, podemos tocarlo y
describirlo. Pero la mente es algo distinto, algo invisible. No podemos verla,
tocarla y no puede simplemente desaparecer o desintegrarse, sino que
continuará.

While we are living, our actions determine our future. If we have committed
negative deeds, then this will cause us to fall into the lower realms, while virtuous
deeds will cause us to be born into the higher realms. For those who fall into the
lower realms, there is an unimaginable amount of suffering.

Mientras estamos vivos, nuestros actos determinan nuestro futuro. Si

hemos cometido actos negativos, esto provocará que caigamos en los reinos
inferiores, mientras que los actos virtuosos nos harán renacer en los reinos
superiores. Para aquellos que caen en los reinos inferiores, existe una cantidad
inimaginable de sufrimiento.

If we practice Dharma to prevent this suffering and to be born continuously in the

higher realms, then this is called the small person’s path. To carry it out
successfully, you must abstain from nonvirtuous deeds, practice virtuous deeds,
and maintain good moral conduct. It is called the small person’s path because the
motivation is for rebirth in the higher realms, which is still within the circle of
saṃsāra. Nevertheless, it is still a spiritual path. Even with this inferior or basic
path, wisdom is needed. To practice it successfully depends on the wisdom that
enables you to keep good moral conduct.

Si practicamos el Dharma para prevenir este sufrimiento y para renacer

continuamente en los reinos superiores, esto se llama “pequeño camino
individual”. Para llevarlo a cabo con éxito, debes abstenerte de actos no
virtuosos, practicar actos virtuosos y mantener una buena conducta moral. Se
llama el “pequeño camino individual” porque la motivación es el renacimiento en
los reinos superiores. Incluso cuando este es un camino inferior o básico, se
necesita sabiduría. Por tanto, practicarlo con éxito depende de la sabiduría que
te permite mantener una buena conducta moral.

2) The Mediocre Path

El camino mediocre
Next, there is the mediocre person’s path. This is the path of those who realize
that suffering is the nature not only of the lower realms but of the higher realms,
too. Of course, between them, there are different degrees of suffering. There is
heavy suffering in the lower realms and less in the higher realms, but both are of
the nature of suffering. Even the feelings that we ordinarily consider to be joy or
pleasure in our lives are actually another form of suffering. This is why we as
Buddhists consider the whole of saṃsāra, from the highest heavenly realm to the
lowest hell realm, to be of the nature of suffering.

Luego, está “el camino medio del individuo”. Este es el camino de aquellos
que se dan cuenta de que el sufrimiento es la naturaleza no solo de los reinos
inferiores, sino también de los reinos superiores. Por supuesto, entre ellos, hay
diferentes grados de sufrimiento. En los reinos inferiores, el sufrimiento es
intenso, mientras que en los superiores es menor, pero ambos comparten la
misma naturaleza de sufrimiento. Incluso los sentimientos que normalmente
consideramos como alegría o placer en nuestras vidas son en realidad otra
forma de sufrimiento. Es por esto que nosotros, como budistas, consideramos
que todo el saṃsāra, desde el más alto reino celestial hasta el más bajo
infernal, está impregnado de sufrimiento.

Those who realize that there is not a single spot worthy of attachment in the
whole of saṃsāra will wish to renounce saṃsāra and seek liberation. To
accomplish this goal, they will need to cut saṃsāra at the root, and the root of
saṃsāra is self-clinging. Not seeing the true nature of the mind, we cling to a self
without any logical reasons. If you analyze the matter carefully and look for this
self, you will not find it anywhere. It is only due to strong habitual tendencies that
we have the habit of clinging to a self. Once there is self, then the other
automatically appears. Self and other depend upon each other.

Aquellos que se dan cuenta de que no hay nada rescatable/digno de

rescatacar en todo el saṃsāra desearán renunciar al saṃsāra y buscar la
liberación. Para lograr este objetivo, necesitarán cortar el samsara de raíz, y la
raíz del saṃsāra es el aferramiento al “yo”. Al no ver la verdadera naturaleza de
la mente, nos aferramos a un “yo” sin basarnos en ninguna razón lógica. Si
analizas cuidadosamente el asunto y buscas a este “yo”, no lo encontrarás en
ningún lado. La costumbre de aferrarnos a un “yo” se debe a tendencias
fuertemente arraigadas. En el momento que existe “yo”, automáticamente
aparece un “otro”. “Yo” y “otro” dependen mutuamente.

The fault here is ignorance of the nature of reality. Due to ignorance, we cling to
self, and then the other appears, and whenever there is self and other, desire and
attachment to one’s own side and anger towards the other arise naturally. From
these three basic defilements—ignorance, desire, and anger—the other
defilements arise, such as pride, stinginess, jealousy, and so on. Because our
minds are obscured by these defilements, we take actions and create karma
which ties us to saṃsāra.

El error aquí es la ignorancia sobre la naturaleza de la realidad. Debido a la

ignorancia, nos aferramos al “yo”, y entonces aparece el “otro”, siempre que hay
un “yo” y un “otro”, surgen naturalmente el deseo y el apego hacia lo propio y la
ira/desprecio hacia lo ajeno. A partir de estas tres impurezas básicas-ignorancia,
deseo e ira- surgen las demás impurezas, como el orgullo, la avaricia, los celos,
y así sucesivamente. Debido a que nuestras mentes están contaminadas por
 estas impurezas, realizamos acciones y creamos karma que nos atan al
saṃsāra.

If you want to renounce saṃsāra totally, you need to cut the root of saṃsāra,
which is self-clinging, and to do this you need the wisdom that realizes
selflessness. Wisdom is absolutely essential to accomplish this goal. Without it,
you cannot attain liberation from saṃsāra and reach nirvāṇa. We call this level
the mediocre person’s path because it is higher than the path of those who are
only seeking higher rebirth, but it is still lower than the ultimate goal.

Si deseas renunciar completamente al saṃsāra, necesitas cortar la raíz del

samsara, que es el apego al “yo”. Para lograrlo, necesitas la sabiduría que
reconoce la naturaleza vacía del “yo”. La sabiduría es absolutamente esencial
para alcanzar este objetivo. Sin ella, no puedes lograr la liberación del saṃsāra y
alcanzar el nirvāṇa. Llamamos a este nivel “el camino medio del individuo”
porque su objetivo es mayor que el camino de aquellos que solo buscan un
renacimiento en un reino superior, pero aún es inferior al objetivo final [del
camino superior]

3) The Great Path

El camino superior
Next we have the great person’s path. This is the path of the one who realizes
not only that the whole of saṃsāra is suffering, as the mediocre person also
does, but realizes, too, that every sentient being in saṃsāra experiences
suffering. As a result of this realization, they make a vow to attain enlightenment
for the sake of all sentient beings. We call this bodhicitta, or enlightenment mind,
which is the wish to attain enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.

Seguimos con el “camino superior del individuo”. Este camino es de aquel que
comprende no solo que todo el saṃsāra es sufrimiento, como también lo hace
una persona mediocre, sino que también se da cuenta de que todo ser sintiente
en el el saṃsāra experimenta sufrimiento. Como resultado de esta compresión,
asumen el compromiso de alcanzar la iluminación para el beneficio de todos los
seres. A esto lo llamamos “bodhichitta” o la “mente iluminada”, que es el deseo
de alcanzar la iluminación para el beneficio de todos los seres sintientes.
As Buddhists, we believe that from beginningless time until now we have been
caught up in saṃsāra, in endless cycles of rebirth, like a wheel that turns
endlessly—the wheel of life. In this endless cycling, there is not a single sentient
being who has not been at some point your very kind mother, father, relative, or
friend. Every time that we have taken birth, these dear ones have given us
tremendous love and saved us from harm. All of them have been very kind.
However, because of the change of life, we do not recognize each other. We see
some as relatives, some as friends, some as enemies, and some indifferently,
when in reality everyone is our very kind mother, our friend, and so on. It is our
duty and responsibility to pay them back for their kindness, love, and for the
benefits that they have given to us. To ignore them and to seek liberation for
oneself alone would not be right. Even at the worldly level, even just in this life, if
your family members or friends whom you love are in the midst of great suffering,
while you are in a safe and happy place, you would not feel happy if you are a
good-hearted person. Morally, it would not be right. With these thoughts, instead
of seeking your own liberation, you think of other sentient beings and wish to
relieve them of suffering and to place them on the path to happiness, and create
genuine loving-kindness and compassion for all sentient beings without exception
or discrimination.

Como budistas, creemos que desde los tiempos sin principio hemos estado
atrapados en el saṃsāra, en ciclos interminables de renacimientos, como una
rueda que gira sin cesar : la rueda de la vida. En esta existencia cíclica, no hay
un solo ser sintiente que no haya sido en algún momento tu bondadosa madre,
padre, pariente o amigo. Cada vez que hemos nacido, estos seres queridos nos
han brindado un inmenso amor y nos han protegido de los peligros. Todos han
sido muy bondadosos con nosotros. A pesar de ello, debido al cambio de vida,
no nos reconocemos unos a otros. Distinguimos a algunos como parientes, a
otros como amigos, a otros como enemigos y a otros con indiferencia, cuando en
realidad todos son nuestra querida madre, nuestro amigo y así sucesivamente.
Es nuestro deber y responsabilidad retribuirles su amabilidad, amor y los
beneficios que nos han brindado. Ignoralos y buscar la liberación solo para uno
mismo no sería lo correcto. Incluso a nivel mundano, incluso solo en esta vida, si
los miembros de tu familia o amigos a quienes amas están sufriendo mucho
mientras tú te encuentras un lugar seguro y feliz, si eres una persona de buen
corazón, no te sentirás feliz. En términos morales, tampoco sería lo apropiado.
Con esto en mente, en lugar de buscar nuestra propia liberación, piensa en los
demás seres sintientes, desea aliviar su sufrimiento, guiarlos hacia el camino de
la felicidad y cultivar un genuino amor bondadoso y compasión por todos los
seres sintientes sin hacer excepciones ni discriminaciones.
 When you have produced genuine loving-kindness and compassion, you feel you
cannot remain idle. You must do something. And yet you cannot do anything
because you are just an ordinary being and have no freedom. As ordinary beings,
wherever the winds of karma blow, that is where we must go. Even if we have
genuine feelings of compassion and a strong wish to help, we cannot. The only
real way to help sentient beings is to seek full enlightenment. An enlightened one
can save countless sentient beings in the space of a single moment.

Cuando has cultivado un amor bondadoso y una compasión genuinos,

sientes que no puedes quedarte de brazos cruzados. Debes hacer algo. Sin
embargo, no puedes hacer nada porque eres un ser ordinario y como tal careces de
libertad. Como seres ordinarios, estamos a merced de los vientos del karma, allí
donde soplen, allí debemos ir. Incluso si tenemos sentimientos genuinos de
compasión y un fuerte deseo de ayudar, no podemos hacerlo. La única forma real
de ayudar a los seres sintientes es buscar la completa iluminación. Solo un ser
iluminado puede salvar a innumerables seres sintientes en el espacio en un solo
instante.

Six Perfections
To attain enlightenment, you need to enter the bodhisattva’s path. The main practice
of bodhisattvas is called the six perfections, or six pāramitās. These are the
perfection of generosity, the perfection of moral conduct, the perfection of patience,
the perfection of endeavor, the perfection of meditation, and the perfection of
wisdom. The first five are method, and the last is wisdom. Without wisdom, the other
five are like a blind person. These practices will not be able to lead us to our
destination without wisdom, just like a blind person cannot walk to a destination
without seeing the road. In fact, without wisdom, generosity and the others can never
be perfect. To have the name of perfection, they must be combined with wisdom.

Method is like feet while wisdom is like the eyes. You need eyes to see and feet to
walk with. A blind person with strong feet is as unable to get to the destination as a
person with strong eyes but no feet. A person with strong feet and good eyes,
however, is able both to see the path and to walk. The combination of method and
wisdom is essential for the bodhisattva’s path. In fact, for any path, wisdom is
needed to see the way—whether it is a worldly path, the path of a higher rebirth, the
śrāvaka path, or the path of personal liberation.

Vajrayāna Path
Even higher is the Vajrayāna path, also called the Mantrayāna. There is no
difference between the Pāramitāyāna, also called the general Mahayāna, and the
Mantrayāna in terms of the motivation, which is bodhicitta, the realization of ultimate
truth, and the goal, which is full enlightenment not only for one’s own sake but for the
sake of all sentient beings. However, there are four ways in which Mantrayāna is
greater than the general Mahayāna.

The Four Distinctions of Mantrayāna

In the general Mahayāna, one gradually approaches the realization of ultimate reality
through the practice of meditation. As ordinary beings, however, there is no
possibility of seeing ultimate reality. One can have ideas about it but not direct
experience or a direct glimpse. In the Vajrayāna, this is different. During a major
empowerment, the transcendental wisdom descends. Then, by using yogic methods
with the channels and elements and so on, even an ordinary person can have an
experience of or a glimpse of ultimate reality. So, the first distinction is that
Vajrayāna has methods to experience ultimate reality.

Second, Mantrayāna has more methods—many different methods. These methods

utilize the body, the elements, the channels, the breath, and also visualization and
recitation. These diverse methods have a powerful impact on the achievement of
realization.

The third distinction is that Mantrayāna is meant for intelligent beings. The Buddha’s
teachings are vast and profound like the ocean. For ordinary persons, it is difficult to
comprehend the tantric teachings which are bound with vajra words. It is necessary
to have wisdom.

The fourth distinction is that the Mantrayāna allows one to practice without
undergoing hardships. In the Pāramitāyāna, one performs very difficult practices like
giving away parts of one’s own body, and so on. But in Vajrayāna, we need not go
through such hardships but can go from bliss to bliss.

Whichever of these levels of the spiritual path you follow, wisdom is absolutely
essential. All of us possess the seed of wisdom because all of us possess buddha
nature. The true nature of our minds is never stained with obscurations. The true
nature of the mind is naturally pure from beginningless time. To awaken this seed of
wisdom, however, requires the necessary conditions. A seed has the potential to
grow into a crop, but if you keep the seed in a dry box, it will never grow. It needs the
right conditions: fertile ground, moisture, sunlight, and the right temperature.

To awaken our buddha nature, then, we should seek the blessings of Mañjuśrī, the
manifestation of all the buddhas’ wisdom. The practice of Mañjuśrī will help us—
especially the recitation of the Mañjuśrī-nāma-saṃgīti Tantra. Therefore, I am going
to give the reading transmission of this tantra today. I received this transmission from
many gurus but most preciously from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This is very
important because it is the root of all the other tantras. As I read, as you receive the
reading transmission, it is important that you have the right motivation. This should
be the thought that for the sake of all sentient beings you must attain full
enlightenment, and in order to attain enlightenment, you are receiving this reading
transmission. After receiving the transmission, you should think that you will diligently
follow the path with the right motivation and the right conduct, just like a patient
receiving advice from a doctor.

[His Holiness bestows the reading transmission.]

Conclusion
It is very good that many Dharma centers are now being established. I encourage
everyone to focus on the teachings that you have received and to try to bring them
into practice in your everyday life as much as possible. Generally speaking, all of the
teachings of the Buddha are based on compassion, but for the Mahayāna in
particular, the root is compassion. The sutras and commentaries emphasize the
importance of compassion at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end. Whatever
little compassion we can generate as ordinary persons is very precious, so we must
try to produce it, try to increase it, and even more importantly, try to put it into action.

We should generate universal compassion for every sentient being. Especially for us
at our level, this means those who are around us: our neighbors, especially those
who are sick and destitute or poor. As a Dharma center, we must try to help them as
much as possible and to provide general social services. In this way, the Dharma
center can manifest compassion in action. This is what His Holiness the Dalai Lama
has emphasized. He has said that when he visits Dharma centers, he advises them
on the importance of putting compassion into action through social service,
environmentalism, and animal welfare. I believe that Dharma centers should take the
initiatives and set an example.

Once again, I would like to thank you very much for inviting me today and giving me
such a warm reception. I wish that all of you will meet with complete success in your
personal practice as well as in your community work. May the blessings of the
Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha be with you now and always.

Introduction to the Teaching

Happiness is important to all of us. It is easy to see that newborn babies, animals,
and even insects do what they do in search of happiness and relief from suffering.
Happiness is also the aim of material and technological progress and of all the world
religions. In this teaching, His Holiness acknowledges the usefulness of different
spiritual traditions that suit different temperaments, emphasizing the fundamental
relevance of wisdom regardless of the path that one follows.

Next, he describes the different levels of spiritual paths. There are paths that seek
happiness within saṃsāra, paths that seek happiness through nirvāṇa, and paths
that seek the ultimate happiness of all sentient beings. His Holiness discusses the
pāramitā path to this ultimate goal of buddhahood and then describes the distinctive
features of the Vajrayāna.

In the conclusion, His Holiness addresses Dharma centers in general. He

encourages them to put compassion into action by helping the poor, promoting
animal welfare, and protecting the environment.