Lesson 22 from A Comprehensive Commentary on the Words of My Perfect Teacher opens with a reminder of the two thoughts every listener should hold — the rarity of the Dharma and the bodhicitta motivation — before turning to Longchenpa's sixteen additional conditions that obstruct practice, as set out in the Wish-granting Treasury.
The lesson covers in full the first set of eight: the intrusive circumstances. These are turmoil from the five emotions, unintelligence, being dominated by evil influences, laziness, being inundated by the effect of past evil actions, enslavement to others, seeking protection from dangers, and hypocritical practice. For each, the lesson supplies both a vivid illustration and a specific remedy — meditation on impurity or impermanence for greed, loving-kindness for anger, meditation on dependent arising for ignorance, confession and Manjushri mantra for unintelligence, reflection on impermanence for laziness, and perseverance with faith in karma for heavy obscurations. The key criterion for distinguishing a genuine teacher from a charlatan is given as bodhicitta alone, regardless of rank or eloquence. The lesson closes with the reminder that these circumstances can arise at any time, and that the practitioner's only protection is continuous mindfulness and vigilance.
