Mahamudra and Related Instructions: Core Teachings of the Kagyu Schools

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Thupten ]inpa, General Editor

MAHAMUDRA AND RELATED INSTRUCTIONS Core Teachings ofthe Kagyu Schools

Translated by Peter Alan Roberts

WISDOM PUBLICATIONS

+

BOSTON

in association with the Institute ofTibctan Classics

Message from the Dalai Lama

THE LAST TWO millennia witnessed a tremendous proliferation of cultural and literary development in Tibet, the "Land of Snows." Moreover, due to the inestimable contributions made by Tibet's early spiritual kings, numer­ ous Tibetan translators, and many great Indian paQc;litas over a period of so many centuries, the teachings of the Buddha and the scholastic tradition of ancient India's Nalanda monastic university became firmly rooted in Tibet. As evidenced from the historical writings, this flowering of Buddhist tradi­ tion in the country brought about the fulfillment of the deep spiritual aspi­ rations of countless sentient beings. In particular, it contributed to the inner peace and tranquility of the peoples of Tibet, Outer Mongolia-a country historically suffused with Tibetan Buddhism and its culture-the Tuva and Kalmuk regions in present-day Russia, the outer regions of mainland China, and the entire trans-Himalayan areas on the southern side, including Bhutan, Sikkim, Ladakh, Kinnaur, and Spiti. Today this tradition of Buddhism has the potential to make significant contributions to the welfare of the entire human family. I have no doubt that, when combined with the methods and insights of modern science, the Tibetan Buddhist cultural heritage and knowledge will help foster a more enlightened and compassionate human society, a humanity that is at peace with itself, with fellow sentient beings, and with the natural world at large. It is for this reason I am delighted that the Institute of Tibetan Classics in Montreal, Canada, is compiling a thirty-two-volume series containing the works of many great Tibetan teachers, philosophers, scholars, and practitio­ ners representing all major Tibetan schools and traditions. These important writings will be critically edited and annotated and will then be published in modern book format in a reference collection called The Library of Tibetan Classics, with their translations into other major languages to follow later. While expressing my heartfelt commendation for this noble project, I pray and hope that The Library of Tibetan Classics will not only make these

vi

Mahdmudrd and Related Instructions

imporcanc Tibetan treatises accessible co scholars of Tibetan studies, but will create a new opportunity for younger Tibetans co scudy and cake inter­ esc in their own rich and profound culture. Through translations into other languages, it is my sincere hope chat millions of fellow citizens of che wider human family will also be able co share in the joy of engaging with Tibet's dassical licerary heritage, textual riches that have been such a great source of joy and inspiration co me personally for so long.

The Dalai Lama The Buddhist monk Tenzin Gyatso

Special Acknowledgments

THE INSTITUTE O F TIBETAN CLAS SIC S expresses its deep gratitude to the Tsadra Foundation for most generously providing the entire funding for this translation project. This is first of the ten volumes being sponsored by Tsadra Foundation from The Library ofTibetan Classics. We also acknowledge the Hershey Family Foundation for its generous support of the Institute of Tibetan Classics' projects of compiling, editing, translating, and disseminating key classical Tibetan texts through the cre­ ation of The Library ofTibetan Classics.

Publisher's Acknowledgments

WISDOM PUBLICATIONS and THE INSTITUTE OF TIBETAN CLASSICS would like to express their deep appreciation to the lng Foundation and Ms. Nita Ing for their generous grant toward the publication costs of this volume, and to Drs. Mordehai and Hanna Wosk and family for underwriting the printing and distribution of significant copies of the volume to be offered to various Tibetan institutions and community associations across the world, as well as to selected university libraries in Canada and the United States. The Publisher also wishes to extend a heartfelt thanks to the following people, who by subscribing to 1he Library of Tibetan Classics have become benefactors ofthis entire translation series: Tenzin Dorjee, Rick Meeker Hay­ man, Steven D. Hearst, Heidi Kaiter, Arnold Possick, the Randall-Gonzales Family Foundation, Jonathan and Diana Rose, the Tibetisches Zentrum e.V. Hamburg, Claudia Wellnitz, Robert White, and Eva and Jeff Wild.

Contents

Foreword by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche General Editor's Preface

Xl Xlll

I

Translator's Introduction

27

Technical Notes

I. A String of Pearls: A Collection of Dharma Lectures Gampopa (I079-IIS 3)

3I

2. The Unrivaled Instructions of Shang Rinpoche: The Preliminaries and Main Practice of the Great Meditation of Mahamudra Shonu Lha (late thirteenth century) 6s 3. The Ultimate Supreme Path of the Mahamudra Lama Shang (II23-93) 4. A Record of Mahamudra Instructions Drukchen Perna Karpo (Is 27-92) S·

Instructions for the Mahamudra Innate Union Karmapa Rangjung Dorje (I284-I339)

I3 5 I 53

6. Prayer for the Definitive Meaning, the Mahamudra Karmapa Rangjung Dorje ( 284-I339) r

7. Oral Transmission of the Supreme Siddhas: A Commentary on Prayerfor the Definitive Meaning, the Mahdmudrd Situ Tenpai Nyinje ( 700- 1 777) r

8. The Bright Torch: The Perfect Illumination of the True Meaning of the Mahamudra, the Essence of All the Dharma Tsele Natsok Rangdrol (b. I 6o8)

I75

x

Mahamudra and ReLated Instructions 9·

The Quintessence ofNectar: Instructions for the Practice of the Six Dharmas ofNaropa Shamarpa Chokyi Wangchuk ( 1 s 84- 1 63o)

1 o. The Single Viewpoint: A Root Text Sherap]ungne(II87-12.41)

333 373

The Hundred and Fifty Vajra Teachings

373

11.

The Forty-Seven Supplements to the H undred and Fifty Vajra Teachings

390

III.

The Four Main Points of the Dharma of the Single Viewpoint

39 5

IV.

The Structural Analysis that Classifies the Sequence of the Seven Chapters

398

I.

11. Light Rays from the Jewel of the Excellent Teaching: A General Presentation on the Points of Secret Mantra Dalrpo Tashi Namgyal ( 1 sI 2.-87)

401

The way in which the Teacher appeared, 401. The Buddhas teaching, 408. The tantras in gentral, 42.6. The lower tantras, 447. Highest yoga tantra, 460. Empowmnmt ritts, 467. Commitments and vows, 492. The two stages in gmeral, 498. Gmrration stage, 507. Completion stage, 5 so. The yoga ofchannels, winds, and drops, ���. The illusory body, 56 s. The bardo and transfrrenct, �72../vlahamudra, �76. Union, s82.. Conduct that enhances the path, �86. Results ofpractice, s98. SELECTED TOPICS:

Table ofTibctan Transliteration

62.1

Notes

61.7

Glossary

701

B ibliography

71�

Index

'749

About the Contributors

76\

Foreword by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

FoR THIS VOLUME, I have selected key classical Tibetan texts from the Kagyii tradition to present the tradition's core teachings. Today, I am happy to see this special anthology of Dakpo Kagyii texts published in English translation as part of The Library of Tibetan Classics, a series envisioned by Thupten Jinpa, the principal English translator to His Holiness the Four­ teenth Dalai Lama. These teachings are intended to create experiences and realizations in the mind. They contain two kinds of instructions: those that engage with the essential points of the body and those that engage with the essential points of the mind. Engaging with the essential points of the body is accomplished through the stationary channels, the moving winds, and so on. These instructions for attaining buddhahood are the path ofmethods, which is comprised of the six Dharmas of Naropa, such as caQ.26 According to the view of the Eighth Lord [ Karmapa Mikyo Dorje] 's commentary on this text,6P this practice has two aspects:

1Ju Quintessenu ofNect,zr

351

a. The actual practice [ 2.4 2. ] b. The practice for enhancing the result

(Practice s )

a. The actualpractice ofthe special training in the illusory body Rest the three doors as they naturally are, without alteration, in the natural, spontaneously present three solitudes. Holding the wind and mind causes the three visions to arise in their generative sequence. Through the process of their reversal, the illusory body arises. Thinking of this, sit with the legs in the vajra posture, the back as straight as an arrow, the eyes staring fixedly without the complication of opening and closing. When there is no exhalation or inhalation of the breath, there is nei­ ther speech, nor the absence of speech. The tongue not touching the lips is the natural, spontaneous presence of vajra repetition. The hands are unmov­ ing in the meditation mudra. In brief, rest in the stable, natural, spontane­ ously present solitude of the body. In that state, there is the natural, spontaneously present solitude of the mind, where attention to the past, present, and future has come to rest in equanimity. Rest without any thoughts of existence or nonexistence, empti­ ness or no emptiness, meditation or meditator, meditation or no meditation, and so on. While in that state, if a thought begins, don't remain in its continu­ ity, but hold all obvious and subtle thoughts in a state without thought and without distraction. If stupor and dullness occur, look upward and sharpen your cognition. If dispersal and agitation occur, look downward and relax your cognition. If there is no dullness or agitation, maintain equanimity. If the beginning of the session is good and the end of the session bad, or if earlier sessions are good and later sessions are bad, this is because the ele­ ments are becoming exhausted, like a pond drying up, so revive your ele­ ments, relax your mind, and then meditate. If the beginnings of sessions are bad and the ends of the sessions are good, or if the earlier sessions [of the day] are bad and the later sessions are good, this is caused by a lack of diligent application, like an irrigation channel that isn't bringing in water from a lake. Therefore, develop enthusiastic dedication and then meditate. Thinking of the guru as the dharmakaya, relinquish your outer, inner, and

352

M,?htimudrd ,md Related lmtmctiom

secret body and your possessions and wealth, and offer them up to the guru, so that the power of blessing and the strength of your practice will cause the mind to maintain the mahamudra. Maintaining that will cause the wind to be controlled. As a result of that the following experiences will arise: The dis­ solving of earth into water causes an appearance that resembles an unstable mirage comprised oflight rays in five colors, alive with little movements like restless water. Water dissolving into fire causes an appearance that resembles the arising and thickening of smoke. Fire dissolving into air causes an appear­ ance that resembles fireflies, sparks, and red flashes. Air dissolving into mind causes an appearance that resembles the flames of lamps. The mind dissolving into mental events causes an appearance that resem­ bles the radiance of moonlight. When mental events dissolve into ignorance, there is an appearance that resembles the sun. When ignorance dissolves into the "total empty;' [ 2.43] there is an appearance that resembles an eclipse, or darkness. That is followed by the "all empty:· which resembles a cloudless sky (which is taught to be the dharmakaya).m Then, the three visions arise in reverse order: From "all empty" arises igno­ rance, from which arise mental events, from which arises the mind. From those three and the air arises the illusory body adorned by the primary and secondary signs. It is described by the twelve examples of illusion (which is taught to be the nirmaQakaya). It is directly perceived by self-knowing. You will also see, without obscuration, as clearly as a myrobalan629 in your hand, all pure and impure appearances, all the animate and inanimate in the three realms and in the three times. That is a brief description of the methods of meditation on the illusory body created by resting in the three solitudes. There is also the method of practicing it with the first three mudras and so on, but I will not describe those here.

(Practice 6)

b. The practicefor enhancing the result ofthe special training in the illusory body If you practice in that way and yet have no experiences, or if you think that an illusory body could not be created from emptiness, then, in order to develop conviction, perform the enhancing practices: the dark retreat, the lac liquid, the sword, and the mirror. These are clearly described in detail in the practice

The Quinte.uencr �(Nectar

�5 3

instructions for the inseparability of wind and mind and so on. Therefore, serve at the lotus feet of the vajra master and request [those instructions) from him.

C. The thirdyoga: drearn yoga The instructions that spontaneously clear away the delusions of dreaming are in three parts: 1 . Recognition of dreams 2.. Training in dreams 3 · Meditation on the true nature of dreams

1. Recognition ofdreams This has two aspects: a. Continuous mindfulness during the day b. Recognition by forceful means : instructions for the nighttime

(Practice 1 )

a. Continuous mindfulness during the day Enter a strict retreat in a solitary place. Consider how samsaric activities have no essence. Develop great compassion, thinking, "All beings, my old moth­ ers, are wandering in samsara because they don't know that all phenomena are like illusions." In all the four kinds of behavior,630 continually develop mindfulness and aspiration with such thoughts as, "E ma! All these appearances are like illu­ sions, like dreams. I am going to know that this is the way they are. In particu­ lar, I shall dream tonight and recognize my dreams to be dreams." [ 2.44]

(Practice 2)

b. Recognition byforceful means: instructions for the nighttime Lie down in the lion posture upon a comfortable mattress, and as you are going to sleep meditate that the guru is upon the crown of your head. Develop intense devotion and make this sincere, heartfelt prayer:

3 5 4 Mahdmudrd and Related Instructions

Lord Guru, the embodiment of the Three Jewels, my king, my realized father, think of me ! Give your blessing that I may merge into the luminosity of sleep. Give your blessing for my dreams to arise as the illusory body. Recite that supplication numerous times. Develop intense mindfulness, thinking, "I will tonight recognize sleep as luminosity. My dreams will arise as the illusory body. I will have many clear dreams that will be the basis for arising as the illusory body. I will dream well. I will definitely recognize my dreams. I will know my dreams to be dreams." Imagine yourself to be Vajrayogini as during caQ