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urning 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 direct your minds to the path pleasing to the Buddha；
who strive to make good use of leisure and opportunity
and are not attached to the joys of samsara。'
'Not attached to the joys of samsara' here refers to having turned away from the pleasures in which one may indulge in the wheel of existence； that is to say； samsara。 So having gained precious human existence which is adorned with leisure and opportunity； then engaging with effort in the practice of the path； then to make use of this human opportunity which we now have in our hands by directing our minds to the path which is pleasing to the Buddha。 Here 'pleasing to the Buddha' means the path of the greater vehicle； that is to say； having engaged with effort in the practice of generating the mind aspiring to highest enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings； and then engaging single…pointedly in that practice； thus the path which is pleasing to the Buddha。 Then for the disciples listening to the discourse then … 'listen with clear minds you fortunate ones' … 'fortunate' in the sense of having e into contact with this particular teaching and then engaging in the practice thereafter。
So then the next stanza of the text reads：
Those with bodies are bound by the craving for existence；
without pure renunciation there is no way
to still attraction to the pleasures of samsara。
Thus from the outset； seek renunciation。'
So this stanza then teaches us that initially one should strive to generate a mind which is turned away from the world； that is to say； a mind which is free from seeking the pleasures of the cycle of existence； so one's attraction to those fetters have been reversed and thus one is striving in the opposite direction； that is to say； striving to achieve release from the cycle of existence。 If one initially doesn't seek release from the cycle of existence； one isn't going to be able to get out of the cycle of existence； one isn't going to find any release from the cycle of existence within that。 So initially one should seek renunciation from that cycle of existence。 So as the text tells us； 'without pure renunciation； there is no way to still attraction to the pleasures of samsara'； thus one will not be able to turn away from the pleasures of samsara； therefore one will still be trapped within that。 So the first line reads 'those with bodies are bound by the craving for existence' … 'those whose bodies' then refers in particular to human beings who are bound by this craving for existence。 So this craving is one which has to be reversed before one can really start out on the path of liberation。
Contemplation on the Preciousness of Human Existence
So then the next stanza reads：
Leisure and opportunity are difficult to find；
there us no time to waste。
Reverse attraction to this life； reverse attraction to future lives。
Think repeatedly of the infallible effects of karma
and the misery of this world。
So here then we are taught about renunciation； renunciation away from initia