wing his willingness to bow down before all the lamas of the lineage and in particular then his principal teachers。
The Promise to pose the Text
So then we have now reached the first stanza which is the promise of position； so I will read from the root text：
I will explain as well as I am able
the essence of all the teachings of the Conqueror；
the path praised by the Conqueror's offspring；
the entrance for the fortunate ones who desire liberation。
So here when we talk about 'the teachings of the Conqueror'； the 'Conqueror' here then refers to the Fully Enlightened One； the Buddha； and then 'the essence of the teachings' here … whether it be the various sutras or the various teachings of the Secret Mantra and the fourfold division therein； the essential part of all of this is what is going to be explained。 So here then we have to understand what is meant by the teaching of the Buddha。 It wasn't that the Buddha just gave a teaching and then everybody had to follow that teaching。 Rather； as is mentioned by Nagarjuna in the 'recious Garland'； the Buddha teaches as a grammarian instructs his pupils。 That is to say； a grammarian doesn't just teach advanced grammar to。。。 ＇end of side … tape breaks here＇
Renunciation
…initially then one would learn the alphabet； so you would learn the basic Tibetan grammar like ＇Tib＇； or in English 'A； B； C'； then in dependence upon that you would learn how to form words and then sentences and then advance up into advanced grammar and so forth。 So the Buddha taught his disciples in much the same way； that is to say； in a method which would lead them along a path。 So 'path' here then is referring initially to renunciation。 So there are two kinds of renunciation which are mentioned … one is to turn one's attention away from this life in and of itself and towards one's future lives； then to turn one's mind even away from future lives and put one's mind in a state where one wishes to achieve liberation from the cycle of existence。 So thus then there is turning away from this life and then turning away from future lives； thus two kinds of turning away； and these are taught in stages to the aspiring disciples。 In essence； we can say that the Buddhist teachings are taught as a method to subdue one's unruly mind； to subdue the destructive emotions which we find therein； and then to develop the spiritual qualities on top of that。 So this is what is meant by 'the essence of all the teachings of the Conqueror'； and here 'Conqueror' refers to having conquered all others； thus the Fully Enlightened One。
Bodhicitta
So then the second line of 'The Three Principle Teachings of the Path' （which is the first in Tibetan） talks about the practice of renunciation。 The third in English （and the second in Tibetan） … 'the path praised by the Conqueror's offspring'。 So here then let us have a look at the word 'Conqueror's offspring'。 Here then if we read from the Tibetan it says the holy Conqueror's offspring； or the exalted Conqueror's offspring。 So this word 'exalted' means that a person in whose mental continuum； or mind； the wish to achieve full awakening for the benefit of all sentient beings has arisen； bees a superior individual； thus kind of a holy individual。 At that moment of generating the mind aspiring to the highest enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings； a lot of negative karma is destroyed； and that person then bees what is known as one of the 'Conqueror's offspring'； or the son or daughter of the Victorious One。 This is mentioned quite clearly in Shantideva's book called 'The Bodhicharyavatara' where it says that just through having given rise to this； no matter what caste one is born to； one bees renowned as the son or the daughter of the Victorious One。 So no matter what caste or what colour one might be； one is equal in the sense that one will be equally regarded； through having given rise to this mind； as the offspring of the Victorious One。 This mind then is one is which is extremely important and its importance cannot be overestimated because through this mind one achieves the state of buddhahood； and if one doesn't have this mind； if one hasn’t given rise to this thought； then no matter what practice one engages in； one will not e any closer to the state of omniscience。
Correct View
Then the next line reads 'the entrance for the fortunate ones who desire liberation'。 So 'fortunate ones' here then refers to those who are engaging in the Buddhist practice … fortunate in the sense that we have bee into contact with the Buddha's teaching and are able to put them into practice； and in particular； fortunate in the sense that we have e into contact with the teaching of the greater vehicle； or the Mahayana teaching。 So this sentence is describing the third of the three principles of the path which is correct view； correct view of reality。 Because as the line says； 'the entrance for the fortunate ones who desire liberation'。 So here then 'desire liberation' … what is meant by 'liberation' and how does this sentence teach us about the correct view of reality？ Here we have to understand what is meant by 'liberation'。 So liberation then refers to a kind of release or an escape。 So if there is a release； something has to loosen so we can escape from it； or if there is an escape there has to be something from which we are going to escape。 So here then what we are escaping from or loosening and then getting away from is the destructive emotions； and then action； or karma。 So these are the two fetters which bind us to the wheel； or cycle； of existence。 So it is only through removing ourselves from the destructive emotions and action that one is able to achieve liberation。 So then if we think about what the cause of the destructive emotions and karma is； we can say that the root of the causes of cyclic existence （that is to say； of the destructive emotions and then the action which is brought about through them） is grasping at a truly existent or self…existent self or 'I'。 So then if one wants to reverse this root； one needs to understand how this root is baseless； that is to say； we need to understand how phenomena actually exist and how； perceiving them in a wrong way； we develop these destructive emotions and then through having brought about these destructive emotions； we engage in action； the result of which is the wheel of existence； that is to say； the state of dissatisfaction。 If we look at action and destructive emotions in and of themselves； then we find that the strongest of the two is the destructive emotions。 If we look at the destructive emotions； then we find in the various college text books that there are two kinds； that is to say； the root and then the secondary destructive emotions； but whether it be root or secondary； these destructive emotions are emotions which cause us to have an unpeaceful or disturbed mind。 So those states of mind are those which we are seeking to abandon through uprooting the root of those destructive emotions； that is to say； wrong view。 So that which is going to uproot the wrong view is the correct view which is taught here in the third line … 'the entrance for the fortunate ones who desire liberation'。 'Entrance' here then referring to the path which one has to engage in if one wants to achieve liberation； that is； the removal of the destructive emotions and the actions which e about through that。
Then the last line in the Tibetan which is the first in English is 'I will explain as well as I am able'。 So through this we see that Je Rinpoche was a very humble individual。 He in fact was an incredibly learned person； so he could easily have written 'I am going to explain the subject matter better than others or in a different way to others' but rather than that he wrote 'I will explain as much as I can； as well as I am able'； then he went on to give the rest of the verse。 So this clearly shows that Lama Tsong Khapa himself was a very humble individual who always took a low status。
The Cycle of Existence
So that concludes the promise to pose the text。 The next stanza is a request to listen well to the teaching which is to follow。 So in English it reads：
'Listen with clear minds you fortunate ones
who d