“In ancient times, Buddhism flourished in India as a brilliant sun rising in every direction, unobstructed by any clouds or fog. During this peak of Buddhism in India, the great master Vasubandhu was appreciated and honored by all great masters as the “Second Buddha.” Vasubandhu taught many different teachings that deal with both the Hinayana and the Mahayana. This particular teaching is a Mahayana teaching on the Mind Only school. The Twenty Stanzas explains that everything is mind—actually nothing but mind. In order to bring about this realization, in the Twenty Stanzas Vasubandhu explains that everything is mind by using logic, reasoning, scriptural study of the Buddha’s teachings.

Lung means “support from the scriptures of Buddha’s teaching.” Rigpa (rigs pa) is “support through the logic and reasoning of one’s self or others.” By putting these supports together, Vasubandhu establishes that everything is mind. This claim is not just in the Mind Only school. Madhyamaka, outer tantra, inner tantra, and inner Dzogchen are all based on the view that everything is mind. In the Vajrayana, one begins to see that everything is mind. If we don’t realize that everything is mind, then we begin to make distinctions between subject and object. We begin dividing. We create divisions in the nature instead of finding the nature’s reality. Therefore the Mind Only school’s philosophy is essential to all the views of Mahayana teaching. We should remember and think about this”

 

Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches

Opening the Clear Vision of the Mind Only School (pg 45)