Treasury of Esoteric Instructions

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Treasury of Esoteric Instructions

An Explication of the Oral Instructions of the Path with the Result

LAMA DAMPA SbNAM GYALTSEN

Translated and edited by Cyrus Stearns

SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS ITHACA, NEW YORK

Snow Lion Publications P. 0. Box 6483 Ithaca, NY 14851 USA (6o7) 2.73-8519 www.snowlionpub.com

Copyright© 2.011 Tsadra Foundarion and Cyrus Stearns

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher.

Primed in USA on acid-free recycled paper. Designed and typeset by Gopa & Ted2., Inc. ISBN-10: 1-55939-337-8 ISBN-13: 978-1-55939-337-9

In memory of Chogye Trichen Rinpoche (1919-2007), glorious Hevajra himself

According to the stated wish of His Holiness Sakya Trizin, this book is intended only for people who have received the complete teachings of the Path with the Result (Lamdrc!).

Contents

Foreword by His Holiness Sakya Trizin

xm

Translator's Introduction

1

VajraLines by Virupa

7

Treasury ofEsoteric Instructions: An Explication of the Oral Instructions of the Path with the Result by Lama Dampa Sonam Gyaltsen

19

BooK ONE: Homage and Promise to Explain

25

BooK Two: Establishing the Actual Treatise

41

Section One: 1he General Meaning

43

Section Two: 1l1e Meaning of the Words

52

Subsection One: llte Extensive Path

53

One: 1l1e Path Part One: llte Path ofSa!Jtsara and Nirval).a in Common

54 55

Chapter One: llte lluee Appearances

57

Chapter Two: 1l1e lluee Continua

71

Chapter lluee: 1l1e Four Authentic Qualities

198

Chapter Four: 1l1e Six Oral Instructions

204

Chapter Five: 1l1e Four Oral Transmissions

223

Chapter Six: 1l1e Five Dependently Arisen Connections 226

viii

Treasury ofEsoteric Instructions

Chapter Seven: Protection from Obstacles on the Path for a Yogin Who Is Over Inclined toward Method or Wisdom Part Two: 1he Mundane Path Chapter One: A General Classification of the Path Chapter Two: 1he Meaning of the Words I. lhe BriefPresentation of the Causes for the Arising of Meditative Concentration II. An Extensive Presentation in a Condensed Form III. 1he Presentation of the Path Free from Hope and Fear IV. 1he Path Presented as the Four Tests V. 1l1e Presentation of the Applications of Mindfulness as the Cause VI. The Presentation of the Perfect Renunciations as the Result VII. The Presentation of a Final Summary of1l1em Part Three: lhe Transcendent Path Chapter One: A General Classification of the Path Chapter Two: 1l1e Meaning of the Words I. lhe Presentation of the Six Levels of the Vase Initiation II. 1l1e Presentation of the Four Levels Included in the Secret Initiation III. 1l1e Presentation of the Two Levels of the Initiation of Primordial Awareness Dependent on an Embodiment ofWisdom N. lhe Presentation of the Half Level of the Fourth Initiation

234 261 263 271 272 319 323 328 329 333 343 345 347 350 351 364

375 385

Two: 1l1e Presentation of the Ultimate Results Achieved through 1l1ose Paths

400

11uee: A Condensed Presentation of the Treatise

405

Subsection Two: 1l1e Presentation as the 11uee (Profound, Medium, and Inferior) Paths

407

Contents

BooK THREE: 11te Presentation of the Completion of the Treatise

ix

409

Appendix: Complete Outline of the Treasury of

Esoteric Instructions

413

Glossary

437

Notes

443

Bibliography

465

Index

469

VAJRA NAIRATMYA

Late sixteenth-century painting. Collection of Navin Kumar.

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Foreword

HIS HOLINESS SAKYA TRIZIN

Head ofthe Sakya Tradition ofTibetan Buddhism

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HE VENERABLE LORD Mafijusri himself, the single embodiment of the primordial awareness ofall the conquerors ofthe three times, has manifested in the immaculate Khon family as expert and realized persons who have remarkably expanded the entire doctrine of the explication and practice of sutra and mantra by upholding, protecting, and spreading it. Of those who have successively appeared and carefully cared for creatures in the north of the world with the complete Dharma and fine material things, this king of Dharma in the three realms, glorious Lama Dampa, the protector ofliving beings, the Dharma lord Sonam Gyaltsen Palsangpo, the banner of whose famous name waves in a hundred directions, was a second Sakyamuni for the northern regions and the lord of all realized experts. In the residence known as the Shalu Khangsar of the Rinchen Gang palace of glorious Sakya, the source of numerous precious qualities, Lama Dampa was born along with many marvelous and miraculous signs on the morning of the eighth day of the Vaisakha month in the Water Mouse Year of the fifi:h Tibetan cycle (in the year 1312 of the Western calendar), as the son of the father Dakchen Sangpo Pal and the mother Machik Shonu Bum. From the moment of his birth, he was untouched by faults and his mindstream was rich with good qualities. From when he learned to speak, it was known everywhere that a person free from childish beha vior and possessing supreme confidence and great energy ofbody, speech, and mind had arrived. When he reached the age of three, Lama Dampa requested the reading transmission and oral instructions of Mail jusri Arapacana in the

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Foreword xvii

as his spiritual sons many great persons of different traditions who were famous in the glacial land, such as the master Palden Tsultrim, the omniscient Longchen Rabjampa, the greatlord Tsongkhapa, the great translatorJangchup Tsemo, KarmaJamcho, and [Tai Situ] Jangchup Gyaltsen. Then, to urge lazy people toward diligence and to produce renunciation in those clinging to permanence, during the late evening of the twenty-fifth day of the sixth month in a Rabbit Year (the year 1375 of the Western calendar), when Lama Dampahad reached the age of sixty-four, at glorious Samye he demonstrated with many marvelous signs how the mind departs into the basic space of phenomena. As for this excellent being's compositions, which offered immense support to the continuity of the doctrine, seventy-nine Dharma works existed, such as three (extensive, medium, and condensed) commentaries on the Pramdr,zavdrttika, a commentary on the Abhisamaydlmrtkdra, and manuals of guidance for the Path with the Result. Of those, this composition with the supreme taste and nutrient of the profound meaning, and possessing wonderful beneficial qualities, is famed as the Treasury of Esoteric Instructions: An Explication ofthe Treatise. For people of acute faculties, the peerless Teacher, great Vajradhara, taught the ]antra Trilogy of glorious Heva jra, the king ofall tantras. 1he fearless Lord ofYogins, glorious Virupa, taught the entire profound quintessence of their intended meaning. First, beginning with the presentation of the path of the three appearances to show that both the appearances of sarpsara and of nirvaJ)a arise as the experiential appearance of a yogin, up through the thirty protections of method and wisdom for protection from the many obstacles on the path of the three gatherings ofthe essential constituents, Virupa presented the path of saJ!ISara and nirv3J?,a in common by dividing part of the treatise of the vtzjra Lines into seven sections, combining the mode of existence of the entire environment and its inhabitants in the three realms of saq1sara with the activities and vast domains of the three kayas of nirvaJQ.a. Second, because the dependently arisen connections must be aligned with effort, like the wheels of a cart that have not been perfected, he presented the mundane path of bringing the wheels into sync by dividing part of the treatise into seven sections. lhird, since meditative concentration arises without interruption when the five dependently arisen connections are always effortlessly aligned, like the wheels of a cart that have been perfected, he presented

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Foreword

xix

the transcendent path of turning the wheels by dividing part of the treatise into four sections. In short, Viriipa formulated a brief explanation of the Path with the Result, the gathered quintessence of the complete and unmistaken esoteric instructions of all the stages of the paths of siitra and mantra, the Vajra Lines possessing eleven great qualities, this small treatise that is like a wish-fulfillingjewel. In the east, to the north ofJambudvipa that is bordered by the ocean, there have been many treatises ofcommentary on the intention of the Vajra Lines. However, this Treasu1-y ofEsoteric Instructions, the commentary composed by the sovereign of the doctrine, Lama Dampa Sonam Gyaltsen Palsangpo of the Khan family, has many special qualities, and is clearer and more easily understood than others, suitably elaborate, and precise in drawing out the key points. Its use for spreading the explanation has also been very extensive. Nowadays, with the sophisticated connections of travel in the world, many people in foreign countries are also engaged in serious study and reflection in the field of Buddhism in general and, more specifically, striving to carry out study, reflection, and meditation on the basis of the treatises of secret mantra. Corresponding to their needs, Mr. Cyrus Stearns has overcome the difficulties and, after detailed comparative investigation, translated into English the root text of the Vajra Lines together with the Treasury ofEsoteric Instructions: An Explication ofthe Treatise. I am certain that this will yield immense beneficial and virtuous results for study, reflection, and practice by numerous seekers. I sincerely rejoice and, with virtuous prayers for all the present and the future, thank the translator and everyone who provided assistance. Sakya Trizin Rajpur, India October 14,2001 Good fortune!

VAJRA NAIRATMYA

Late sixteenth-century painting. Collection of Navin Kumar.

Translator's Introduction

T

Vajra Nairatmya, who is the consort of Hevajra, originally transmitted the teachings of the Path with the Result, or Lamdre (Lam 'bras), to the great Indian adept Viriipa (ca. seventh-eighth centuries). When Viriipa formulated her succinct instructions, they became known as the Oral Instructions, together with the Esoteric Instructions, ofthe Path with the Result (Lam 'bras bu dangbcas pa'i gdams ngagdangman ngagtubcaspa), which is usually referred to simply as the TlajraLines (RdtJ rje'i tshigrkang). lhe Path with the Result is a system of tantric theory and practice based generally on all the highest yoga tantras, specifically on the three scriptures known as the Tantra Trilogy of Hevajra, and especially on the Hevajra Tantra itsel£ lhe Vtzjra Lines represents an oral revelation of the distilled essence of these tantras. lhe vajra Lines and all the instructions of the Path with the Result encoded within it were transmitted orally without any written text for at least eight generations. Viriipa first gave the Vajra Lines to his disciple Kii.Qha as a summation of the entire path to enlightenment in the tradition of Buddhist tantra. Kar;ilia spoke the lines to l)amarupa, who taught Avadhiiti.Avadhiiti transmitted the instructions toGayadhara(d. II03). Gayadhara came to Tibet in 1041 and taught the great Tibetan translator Drokmi Lotsawa Shakya Yeshe (993-1077?). Drokmi memorized the lines in the original Indian dialect and then spoke them in Tibetan to his disciples who received the Path with the Result. lhe Vajra Lines, now in Tibetan, continued to be memorized and passed down in an oral transmission until the time ofSachen Kunga Nyingpo (ro92.-l158), who finally wrote it down when he first taught the Path with the Result in II41, exactly one hundred years after the arrival of the tradition in Tibet.' Sachen Kunga Nyingpo received the Path with the Result from Shangton Chobar (ros3-l13S) during a period of four years beginning HE TANTRIC GODDESS

2.

Treasury ofEsoteric Instructions

in m.o. He spent the next eighteen years in intense practice, forbidden by Shangton from teaching or even mentioning the name of the instructions. In 1138, when he was forty-six years old, Sachen experienced an extraordinary visitation from Vitiipa himself, who bestowed on him the direct transmission of the Path with the Result.2 When the eighteen-year restriction expired, Sachen first taught the Path with the Result to Aseng Dorje Tenpain 1141 and placed the VajraLines in writing for his benefit. From II41 until his death in ns8, Sachen is said to have written about eleven commentaries explaining the cryptic meaning of the Vajra Lines. Other important texts to further explain the teachings were also written by Sachen's sons,Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen ( II4 7-12.16) and Lopan SOnam Tsemo(n42.-82.), and by his other disciples such as PhakmodrupaDorje Gyalpo (u10-70). lhe most essential of these works were edited by Drakpa Gyaltsen into a collection that came to be known as the l'ellow

Volume (Pod ser). lhe next influential commentary on the 1/ajra Lines was written by Marton Chokyi Gyalpo (c.1I98-c.12.59). In the text known as Account

ofthe ·words ofMy Manjulri Master (Jam dbyangs bla ma'i g.sung sgros) or as Mar's Explication of the Treatise (Gzhung bshad dmar ma), Marton recorded his teacher Sakya PaJ)Qita Kunga Gyaltsen's (u82.-12.51) explanations of Viriipa's work. Marton's commentary was proofread and praised by Sakya PaJ)Qita himsel£ No separate reading transmission for the Account ofthe Words ofMy Maf9u!ri Master exists today, but the transmission of most of its contents has survived by virtue of inclusion in the Treasury ofEsoteric Instructions (Man ngaggter mdzod) written by Lama Dampa SOnam Gyaltsen, for which there is a transmission. Lama Dampa, who was the fi.fi:eenth throne holder ofSakya, composed a monumental collection of esoteric instructions on the Path with the Result between the years 1342. and 134 7· His collection became known as the Black Volume (Pod nagma) because of the color of the doth in which these texts were wrapped. With the Black Volume, Lama Dampa created a cohesive group of works that cover virtually all the major topics of the Path with the Result. lhe main text of the volume, entitled Treasury of Esoteric Instructions, was written in 1342.. lhis commentary on the Vizjra Lines is one ofthe masterpieces ofthe Sakya tradition. Here Lama Dampa draws heavily from two of Sachen's eleven commentaries-the Explica-

tion of the Treatise

ofthe Path with the Result for the Benefit ofthe Sons

Translator's Introduction

3

(Lam 'bras gzhung bshad sras don ma) and the Explication ofthe Treatise for Nyak (Gzhungbshadgnyags ma)-and from Marton's commentary on the Wzjra Lines, while also fully incorporating several other small works by Sachen, Drakpa Gyaltsen, and Sakya Pai:1Qita.3 Lama Dampa's text was the last major commentary on the JajraLineswritten in Tibet, and represents the culmination of the tradition of commentary on Virupa's work. It is also considered to be a commentary on the meaning of Sachen's two previously mentioned treatises. 4 Together with the eleven commentaries of Sachen and the work of Marton, the Treasury ofEsoteric Instructions has since remained one of the essential texts for the study of the Vajra Lines. lhe Tibetan text of the Vajra Lines (Rdo rje'i tshig rkang) is available in a number of editions that vary to a considerable degree. lhis English translation is primarily based on the version published with Sachen's

Explication of the Treatise of the Path with the Result for the Benefit of the Sons (Lam 'bras gzhung bshad sras don ma). Several preferable readings found in the edition published in the Yellow Volume (Pod ser) have also been taken into account. Both these Tibetan editions of the Vajra Lines have clearly undergone alterations over the centuries. Some of these changes are very significant and some merely reflect the attempts of unknown editors to update archaic terms and spellings. Where important variations exist between these two editions, the version that seems to have been followed in Lama Dampa's commentary has been chosen for the translation. Only the most significant of these textual variants have been mentioned in the endnotes. lhe small subscript numbers in the translation ofVirupa's Vajra Lines indicate the page numbers in the translation of Lama Dampa's commentary where the explanation of each phrase or word can be found. lhese subscript numbers are placed at the end of the phrases to which they refer, which are ofi:en explained out of sequence in the commentary. lhe numbers in brackets are the page numbers from the Tibetan text of the Vajra Lines published with Sachen's Explication ofthe Treatise ofthe Path with the Result for the Benefit of the Sons, found in volume 12. of the Saskya-pa Lam- 'bras Literature Series. Citations from Tibetan works in the endnotes are identified either by arabic page number (p. I, p. :z., etc.) or Tibetan folio number(za, 1b, :z.a, :z.b, etc.). lhe Vajra Lines consists almost entirely of mnemonic phrases that list topics in a cryptic, unelaborated form. lhese lines are called vajra

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Treasury o/Esoteric /mtructiom

or adamantine because they are extremely difficult to penetrate without instructions from a master of the tradition. However, when they are understood, they are like a magic gem that fulfills all wishes. Dezhung Rinpoche said that in his own experience it was necessary to read a text at least ten times to gain an understanding of the contents. And he was not even speaking about this specific material, which is often exceptionally difficult. Concerning the teachings of the Path with the Result, Rinpoche said that even his master NgawangLekpaRinpoche (1864-1941) hoped to go to the paradise of Sukhavati when he passed away, because there he would be able to ask Sachen and Sakya PaQ4ita for further clarification of certain points in the teachings. So, needless to say, my understanding (and thus this translation) is certainly not perfect. The published version of the Tibetan text of the Treasury ofEsoteric Instructions (lvf an ngaggter mdzod} is found in volume 16 of the Sa-skyapaLam- 'bras Literature Series. Unfortunately, the published text contains many serious scribal errors. In the opinion ofKhenchen Appey Rinpoche (1927 -2010 ), it would seem that the transmission of the physical text was not carefully maintained. Fortunately, an unpublished manuscript copy of the same work was located in Nepal By comparison of the two texts it has been possible to solve almost all the problems. lhe most important points where readings from the manuscript have been followed instead of those found in the published edition have been mentioned in the endnotes. In the manuscript copy, the words in the body of the commentary that are from the VttjraLineshave usually been highlighted, and, with few exceptions, this convention has been followed in the translation. llms the words in bold font in the prose sections of the translated commentary are the words from the Va jra Lines that Lama Dampa has woven into his explanation, sometimes scattered around, but usually together. Lama Damp a rarely begins a section of his commentary by quoting the phrases of the VttjraLines he is explaining.l11e reader is expected to know the lines by heart and recognize what is being explained. Drokmi Lotsawa also apparently altered some phrases on purpose to make it difficult for anyone to understand if they had not received the oral instructions. A text of this kind would never have been read out of mere curiosity, but only by people engaged in serious study and practice of the Path with the Result. Since readers of the English translation wUl not have memorized Viriipa's text, I have added in bold font the individual lines or words (if

Translator's Introduction

s

Lama Dampa has not actually quoted them) at the beginning of sections in the commentary where they are explained lhe lines are sometimes commented on in a different order than their original arrangement in the 1-~jra Lines, and individual phrases are sometimes pulled out of sentences and commented on out oforder. lhe numbers in brackets in the translation are the page numbers from the published version of the Tibetan text. When possible, these numbers have been placed in the English text at the end of sentences. In the bibliography and endnotes the various references from classical Indian works in the Kangyur and Tengyur are identified according to the numbers in the Tohoku catalogue of the Derge edition of these collections: A Cumplete Catalogue ofthe Tibetan Buddhist Canons (Bka/Jbgyur and Bstan-l;gyur), edited by Haku ju Ui, Munetada Suzuki, Yensho Kanakura, and Tokan Tada. Sendai: Tohoku Imperial University, 1934. When available, the numbers in the Peking edition of the Kangyur and Tengyur are also provided in the bibliography. lhe numbering of sections within the commentary also requires some explanation. lhere are situations where the Tibetan text may say, for example, "lhis has five topics:' and then not begin numbering until the third or founh topic is reached. I have attempted to add the missing numbers (and sometimes subject headings) into the translation. lhe first mention of subject headings in the Tibetan text is also sometimes slightly different than the heading given later when the topic is actually explained. lhe table of contents to the translation mentions only major headings. A full outline of the Treasury ofEsoteric Instructions, including page numbers in the translation for each topic, is given as an appendix at the end of the book. A shon glossary of selected key terms is also provided. lhis glossary and the translation of the J~jra Lines (with some revisions here) were previously included in Taking the Result as the Path: Core Teaching.s ofthe Sakya Lamdre Tradition(© Institute of Tibetan Classics, 2.006. Reprinted with permission from Wisdom Publications). Familiarity with the terms in the glossary will greatly facilitate an understanding of the translation. A hdpful structural commentary to the J~jra Lines entitled A Pleasure Grove Where Satisfaction Arises for the Intelligent, written by JamgonAmeshap NgawangKungaSOnam (1597-1659), has also now been published as a small booklet to accompany this translation of Lama Dampa's work.

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Treasury o/Esoteric Instructions

In the fall of 1988, His Holiness Sakya Trizin first suggested to me that it would be beneficial to translate Lama Damp a's Treasury ofEsoteric Instructions. In the opinion of His Holiness, the Treasury ofEsoteric Instructions is the clearest of the existing commentaries. Lama Dampa's work presents every aspect of the practice of the Path with the Result and provides an extremely detailed interpretation of all the experiences that arise during progression through the paths and levels. lhis translation of the Treasury ofEsoteric Instructions has been completed only as a result of the blessing of Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, from whom I received the full teachings of the Lamdre Lobshe and the oral transmission of this text, and His Holiness Sakya Trizin, who has patiently encouraged the translation of the text. Both these masters were very generous in explaining difficult terms and passages. lhe exceptionally clear explanations of Khenchen Appey Rinpoche were particularly helpful. Dezhung Rinpoche (1906-87) also kindly explained many crucial elements of the Path with the Result to me long before this project began. At the direction of His Holiness Sakya Trizin, the Vikrama.Sila Foundation bestowed a generous grant for the translation. I am deeply grateful to Eric Colombe! of the Tsadra Foundation for his patient and extremely generous support of this project, and for his altruistic commitment to sponsor a high-quality publication. My heartfelt thanks go to Sidney Pi burn and Jeffrey Cox of Snow Lion Publications for their willingness to publish such an arcane book. Several individuals have made substantial contributions toward sponsorship of the work. In particular, the initial contribution of Kirsty Chakravarty made it possible for the project to begin. Further contributions were later made by Jetsun Chimey Luding, John Deweese, Joseph Ling, Dennis Oliver, and Tai Han Min and Wong Miin. Guru Rinchen Chodar generously made copies of rare manuscripts available. Lama Kunga Rinpoche and Kurt Keutzer kindly read through the translation of the Utjra Lines and offered helpful suggestions. lhe skillful editorial work of Victoria Scott was of great benefit, made possible by a contribution from Kurt Keutzer. L.S. Summer prepared the detailed index. I would also like to thank Steven Rhodes of Snow Lion Publications for his insightful comments and queries about the final version of the translation and for his indispensable help in sorting out problems in the extensive outline of the commentary. Gopa &Te