What is the Step-by-step Path to Enlightenment?

Here is a very brief lam rim outline. You can look up "Lam Rim" on Wikipedia and many other sources for a more in-depth look. I will be making podcast lessons on related vocabulary and concepts at https://www.youtube.com/@learntibetanwithmanjutib/podcasts and you can find the schedule and link to participate live at https://linktr.ee/manjutib 

1. introduction

   1. authors' identities and lineages

   2. greatness of the step-by-step path

   3. how to receive and give the step-by-step instructions

   4. how students are to be guided through the steps

      1. how to rely on a spiritual mentor

      2. how to train your mind to rely correctly on a spiritual mentor

         1. how to encourage yourself to take the essence of this precious human rebirth

         2. how to take the essence of this precious human rebirth by training your mind in the three motivation level paths

            1. (three motivation levels:

               1. modest, working toward a high rebirth

               2. medium, working toward personal liberation

               3. elevated, working toward developing the means to stop the suffering of all beings)

2. the part of the path shared with the higher-rebirth modest path person

   1. recognizing that this life will end and death will come at an unknown time

   2. recognizing that rebirth is likely to be in the lower realms as an animal, a hungry ghost or a hell being

   3. recognizing the safe refuge of the buddha, his teachings and the followers of his path

   4. adjusting one's actions to be in accord with the law of cause and effect, which will lead you to a rebirth in the human, demigod or god realm

3. the part of the path shared with the personal-liberation medium path person

   1. acknowledging and living by the four noble truths

      1. there is suffering in cyclic existence, even the favourable rebirths

      2. suffering is caused by afflictive emotions, their root being ignorance

      3. cessation of suffering is a state free of suffering and its origins

      4. the paths to attaining the cessation of suffering its causes are eight in number and involve the practice of ethical discipline, concentration and the wisdom recognizing the interdependent and ever-changing nature of all things

   2. acknowledging and understanding the twelve links of dependent arising

4. the part of the path for gaining the means to stop the suffering of all beings, the elevated path person

   1. developing the mind for enlightenment, the wish to become a buddha to be able to help all sentient beings become free from suffering

      1. the advantages of the mind for enlightenment (bodhicitta)

      2. the way to develop the mind for enlightenment

      3. the seven-point instruction in seeing all sentient beings as having been our mothers

      4. the instruction on exchanging your self-interested regard for the regard of the interest of all others, and seeing the drawbacks of self-cherishing, the advantages of cherishing others

   2. the way to train your mind, once you have developed the mind for enlightement, by engaging in training through the practice of the six transcendent attitudes

      1. generosity

      2. ethical discipline

      3. patience

      4. joyous effort

      5. concentration at single-pointedness

      6. wisdom recognizing dependent arising