No More Learning

[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'a' -
The first has two parts: [i'] The actual categories; and [ii'] The way
to reconcile the five stages and the six branches.
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'aT -
Here one wonders, "how many stages are included within the per- fection stage? " [70al The Root Tantra-Patsab translation, sixth chapter- states that:
? ? ? Categories of the perfection stage]
The actual categories]
1 56 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
In mantra [practice], by the visualized body,
And by speech which urges [Vajrasattva] in the mind, You attain the extreme and supreme acomplishment, The mind's delight, and [perfect] beatitude.
As for the meaning of this, "in mantra [practice], visualized" refers to speech isolation. "By body" refers to the body emanated as the means of attaining vajra recitation; that is, the body isolation. The "speech" isola- tion thereby attained, "which urges" the Vajrasattva who abides "in the mind," in the heart center. By precisely taking him as object, one should attain the four "extreme" and "supreme" [attainments, i. e. the voids and
joys of the mind objective] in the Yogi Tantras. The "extreme and supreme" is the mind isolation developed from the vajra recitation. "Accomplishment" refers to the self-consecration, [i. e. the creation of the magic body]. "The mind's delight" refers to the ultimate reality clear light that is the means of purifying the magic body. "Beatitude" is de- clared when one is liberated in the communion body of great Vajradhara. Thus, here there are said to be six stages such as body isolation and so forth.
As for the translations of both [Root] Tantra and commentaries in this context, the new translations are better. This verse is quoted in the Integrated Practices in the context of the single clan body isolation, and [our explanation above] does not contradict the explanation of its mean- ing there, as being that, having developed the body vajra, one engages with the speech vajra by connected in tongue, palate, and lips, while the mind vajra is the means of urging [Vajrasattva] therein; and by the union of these three [vajras], the mind is delighted and satisfied and one attains accomplishment. For some vajra words can be given many different ex- planations. 170bl For example, when the [Root Tantra] Seventh Chapter proclaims that one will attain the supreme accomplishment when one kills the host of transcendent lords, the Savior Nagarjuna interprets this as referring to the retraction of one's visualization into clear light, while Aryadeva explains it as referring to entrance into the perfection stage clear light.
In the Illumination of the Lamp on the first chapter, [Chandrakirti] makes the creation stage one stage and the perfection stage four stages from mind objective. In regard to that, from that same text, it states:
It is the condensed meaning of all Tantras. . .
Chapter Ill-Perfection Stage ofthis Tantra ? 157
so this is an interpretation that condenses all the main meanings, without putting into five stages a single element of the subjects of the Tantra. Though Master Bhavyakirti and company explain that "The mantra body is very much attained" refers to the vajra recitation, it is better to follow the Tibetan scholars who include body isolation and speech isolation within the mind objective, since that accords with the reference to the first two isolations in the context of the hiddenness of the mind in the Vajra Rosary, the Tantra of the hidden meaning explanation of the setting of the [main] Tantra.
In the Summary Teaching ofthe Five Stages, the Noble [Nagarjuna] makes the perfection stage into five stages, taking the vajra recitation as the first, which follows the system in the final chapter of the Explanatory Tantra Vajra Rosary. In the Integrated Practices, "That same thing is five! " is similar to those, while in its detailed explanation, it makes a whole chapter out of the body isolation and states six stages. In the Stage ofArrangement, [7lal the vajra recitation is interpreted as the first stage and the mind objective as the second, showing its preference of a system of five stages like the Summary Teaching.
That the Noble master does not explain body isolation clearly- except for a brief mention in the Third Stage [chapter of the Five Stages] -is extensively explained in the Integrated Practices. Here one might wonder about the reason why the Noble master does not speak of it in the way [A ryadeva] does in the Integrated Practices, putting it before the speech isolation. Concerning this, the Kashmiri Lak? hmi and Bhavyakirti explain that the expression "well abiding on the creation stage" refers to both the triple samadhi creation stage and to the body isolation, thereby claiming that the Noble master also indicates body isolation as prelimi- nary to speech isolation. As for "creation stage" referring to body isola-
tion, it must be accepted because of the explanations of body isolation as the creation stage in the Moonlight Commentary and so forth. As for the Five Point statement:
The Noble master did not interpret the creation stage as completing the magic body. . .
and the Four Point statement:
the creation stage preliminarily includes the magic body . . .
158 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
they consider the mode of deity creation of the body isolation and that of the creation of Vajradhara as the magic body to be the same; but as for saying that it seems that both are considered creation stage-including the magic body in the creation stage-it only refers to the body isolation magic body as included in creation stage, and does not refer to any body isolation apart from the creation stage. This does not accord with any of the treatises of the noble literature 17tbl and seems to be an explanation coming from not understanding the meaning of the Concise Five Stages
Elucidation.
As for my own interpretation, the Noble master did not mention the second stage body isolation, taken as the second part of a twofold body isolation, prior to the speech isolation, considering it contained within the varja recitation stage. Thus, the first two isolations can be contained within the mind objective stage and the perfection stage considered to have four stages overall. Or the vajra recitation can be
taken separately, subsuming the body isolation, and there are five stages. Or the body isolation can be taken separately and there can be six stages. All this is not contradictory, since it is [simply] a matter of separating or including.
Again, in the Community Further Tantra the perfection stage as the supreme service is proclaimed as the six branches of yoga such as retrac- tion :
Taking it as the six branches of service,
It is to be supremely achieved;
The practice of others will not bring forth The supreme accomplishment.
Retraction, contemplation,
Life-energy control, and endurance, Mindfulness and samadhi -
These are called the six branches of yoga.
This first verse states that if you do not attain the supreme by way of the six branches, you will not attain it: and so all Unexcelled Yoga Tantra accomplishments of the supreme must complete the six branches - but it is not necessary that one must do it exactly according to every system's interpretation of the six yogas. Otherwise, all perfection stages must be-
come the same. And since 172al the reasoning must equally apply to all
Chapter Ill-Perfection Stage ofthis Tantra ? 159
creation stages, [the Buddha's] teaching of infinite Tantras for the sake of different disciples would have been pointless, since the teaching of one Tantra would have sufficed. Therefore, though most creation stage visu- alization practices are similar in being contained within the three sama- dhis such as the primary application, there are many differing methods which must be interpreted as carrying the meaning of those three. Like- wise, although all perfection stages are similar in having to be interpreted as arrangements of the six yoga branches, they have many things of dis- similar meaning. Sometimes even [yoga branches] such as "retraction" and so on may have the same names [in different Tantras' perfection stages] and not need to be interpreted as synonymous. For there seem to be innu- merable cases in both Su tras and Tantras where the name is the same and the referents different, and where the same referent has different names.
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'a'ii' - The way to reconcile the five stages and the six branches]
The second has two parts: [A"] Setting forth the various systems; and [B"] Analyzing their correctness and incorrectness.
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'a'ii'A" - Setting forth the various systems]
The first has two parts: [1"] Setting forth the systems of the [Indian] commentators; and [2") Setting forth the systems of the Tibetan mentors.
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'a'ii'A"l" - Setting forth the systems of the [Indian] commentators]
Here the means of inclusion are the six stages including body iso- lation, and those to be included are the six branches of yoga. Now there are many systems of these, similar in names but divergent in meaning; such as the six branch systems of the three Bodhisattva Commentaries,62
62 Namely, the famous Kalachakra commentary, Vima/aprabha (Stainless Light: Tl'ih. 1347) by Pul)4 ar1ka CAvalokiteshvara); VajrapBQi's Lak? ? abhidhanacl uddhrta-laghu- rantra-pit;U/llrtha-vivarw:za-nama (Supreme Hli. u Eulogy Commnztary; Tl'ih. 1402); and Vajragarbha'! ii Hevajrapir. uJarthatTka (Commentary on the Conci. \? e Mt'tming t? l thc He- vajra;Toh. 1180).
? ? ? ? 1 60 ? Brilliant lllumination of the Lamp
of the Personal Instruction of MafijushrT and its commentaries, of the Flower Bouquet, of the Sheaf of Instructions, and of the Tathagatavajra explanation based on the Lo yipaSupreme Bliss tradition, and so forth. l72bJ Here I am not going to describe all the ways of their being reconciled, but am going to show the way to reconcile the six branches as explained in the Illumination of the Lamp in elucidating the textual meaning of the
Further Tantra.
Here, the "retraction," which the Moonlight Commentary has in- cluded with "contemplation" in the abbreviated creation stage, is the deity meditation. With it go the fivefold contemplation branch, with the
judgement and discrimination which analyze in terms of superficial and ultimate, the joy and bliss from the confrontation with the immersion in thatness, and the one pointedness of mind from aiming the mind exclu- sively at voidness. Here, the compressing of the winds in the indomitable [central channel] is explained as "life-energy control," not included in these five stages [of "contemplation"]; and yet this reconciles with the vajra recitation. "Endurance" is explained as the magical vajradhara body, of the nature of clear light; so the "endurance" [branch] is reconciled with the magic body and the clear light. The instantaneous perfection of the vajradhara body after the clear light is reconciled with the "mindful- ness" [branch], and the same thing meditated as the nature of communion is the "samadhi" branch; the last two branches being reconciled with the communion stage. This is said by the followers of the Illumination ofthe
Lamp to be the explanation of the concise essence.
The Extreme Illumination of the Lamp explains that retraction and
contemplation are included in mind isolation, life-energy control in vajra recitation, endurance in clear light, and mindfulness and samadhi in com- munion; and the Heart Mirror is similar. But those two [texts] follow the Illumination ofthe Lamp system of reconciling the six yogas with the five stages. [73uJ
The Master Ekadashanirgho? ha63 explains that the [Further Tantra] verse "ten faculties" and so on mentions retraction as the foundation of body isolation and the four verses "five desires" and so forth, mention contemplation as body isolation [itself]. In this treatise the two lines
63 Toh. 1823, cited above, 30a, is the only text by this author in the entire Tengyur.
? Chapter Ill-Perfection Stage ofthis Tantra ? 161
"secret Tantra" and so on appear to be missing. Further, the two verses "of five wisdoms" and so forth are claimed to refer to life-energy control as speech isolation, and the two lines "then independence" and so forth to refer to the endurance branch as mind isolation. The magic body is mentioned by the line "produced from that interior illumination," and the explanation concludes that it is an arrangement hiding the fifth branch, in order to break the pride of the intelligent. As for the holistic meditation, the method of realizing clear light, "art and wisdom united" proclaims the union of art and wisdom as the joining of the vajra and lotus of father and mother. And as for the dissolvent meditation, it is shown by two lines "all things in summary are compressed in the way of a lump" and three and a half verses "then as the way of creating the five signs, the mind becomes the vajra of cessation" and so forth. And clear light, he says, as it is a great secret, is explained by confusing the fifth and sixth stages. That means that he is claiming that the "mind is cessation vajra" refers to the fifth branch and the three lines "art and" and so on are the text for the sixth branch. [73bJ He claims that communion is referred to by the five lines "becoming firm" and so on. He claims that magic body, clear light, and communion are all three apart from the mindfulness branch. And the three lines "from in the center" indicates the samadhi branch, explained as the path of spontaneous accomplishment. The three lines referring to the sixth branch were previously explained as referring to clear light, so he must believe one part of clear light to be in the sixth branch. Though this author does not directly quote the Illumination ofthe Lamp as source, he seems to be explaining the six branches depending on the Illumination
ofthe Lamp's explanation of the Further Tantra, and so that is his way of reconciling [the branches and stages].
IVI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'a'ii'A"2" - mentors]
The scholar Lan of the Go tradition divided the six branches into two sections, the thatness samadhi and the deeds which conform to it, then saying that retraction corresponds to the deeds at the time of the magic body and the other five branches correspond to samadhi. He claims
that the contemplation branch with its judgement and discrimination becomes body isolation, joy becomes the benefit of body isolation, life- energy control becomes speech isolation, bliss its benefit, one pointedness
? Setting forth the systems of the Tibetan
1 62 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
becomes mind isolation, the benefit of contemplation "actuality of all buddhas" becomes magic body, endurance becomes clear light, and mindfulness and samadhi become communion; [he claims that] this also is the way the Illumination of the Lamp explains the division of the six yoga branches.
A certain scholar of the Marpa tradition claims that retraction corresponds to body isolation, contemplation to mind isolation, [74aJ life- energy control to vajra recitation, endurance to mind objective, mind- fulness to magic body, and samadhi corresponds to clear light and com- munion, seeming to say that the latter is included in the former two. He also believes this to be the way to reconcile [this system with] the six branches of the Time Machine.
A certain recent Tibetan scholar argued that Abhayakara's explana- tion of retraction and contemplation as creation stage [in his Moonlight commentary on Nagarjuna's Five Stages] is incorrect, since the Further Tantra explains that the four vajras of service connected with the creation stage are the means of achieving common accomplishments, stating that:
practicing by means other than the six branches, the supreme accomplishment will not be attained,
and so [Abhaya's interpretation] contradicts that the six branches must be the uncommon service, the means of achieving the supreme, and the creation stage is not the means of achieving the supreme. Also the [above scholar] Lan's statement that retraction corresponds to the conduct and contemplation to body isolation is very incorrect, since sequence is contradicted when the beginning of achieving the supreme involves the conduct, and since body isolation will not have the slightest benefits of knowledge and knowable. Therefore, since the Stainless Light states:
The pure self-consecration is the sign
Of beholding the three realms in the void . . .
and the VajrapaQi Praise Commentary states:
Here 'self-consecration' means that retraction beholds
the superficial reality such as smoke, and so on, . . .
retraction and contemplation are included in magic body, life-energy control in vajra recitation, endurance in clear light, and mindfulness, like the previous vision in the occasion of retraction and contemplation, in the
Chapter Ill-Perfection Stage ofthis Tantra ? 163
magic body in its aspect of beholding purified reflections and at the same time in mind isolation in its aspect of the path of the experience of the bliss of melting. (74hl For, mind isolation becomes the path of luminance. radiance, and imminence, and they are analogues of the three joys. And finally, he claims that samadhi is communion. Thereby. he explains the method of reconciling the Time Machine six branches with the five stages.
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c '3 'a 'ii 'o " -
The second has two parts: [ I "l Analyzing the accuracy of the [Indian] commentators; and [2"] Analyzing the accuracy of the Tibetan explanations.
In regard to the Moonlight refutation of including retraction and contemplation in the creation stage, it is not contradicted by the statement that the creation stage is the means of achieving common accomplish- ments and the six branches are the means of achieving the supreme accomplishment. If it were, it would contradict the achievement of both accomplishments by a single path, in which case the perfection stage path could not lead to achievement of common accomplishments. The state-
ment that
indicates that the supreme accomplishment will not be achieved by other practices than those of the six branches, and definitely does not indicate that paths other than the six branches are never a means of achieving the supreme accomplishment. Though the supreme accomplishment is not achieved by the creation stage alone, how can that preclude the creation stage from being a cause of the supreme accomplishment? Otherwise, it would be the same for the perfection stage, and also, as each of the perfection stage's six branches do not [alone] lead to the achievement they would not become the path of achieving the supreme. If the creation stage were definitely unfit as means of achieving the supreme, how
would this not contradict his own explanation about the meaning of "common" in the context of mentioning common and supreme types of service, that a common cause is cause of both accomplishments? 175? ? 1
? ? practicing by other than the six branches practice, the supreme [accomplishment] will not be achieved
Analyzing their correctness and incorrectness I
IYI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'a'ii'B"1" -
Analyzing accuracy of findian I commentalnrs 1
1 64 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
The import of teaching the visualization practices of the Divine Lord Ak? hobhya and the [Buddha] Supreme Bliss Wheel and so on would become uncertain, and all statements that they are arts for attaining buddhahood in the context of the benefits of their meditations would become contradicted.
Here you may wonder that, if both paths are arts for both accom- plishments, why were they mentioned separately as means of achieving common and supreme [accomplishments, respectively]? Since without regard to the perfection stage it leads to achievement of common accom- plishments, the creation stage is a means of achieving common accom- plishments, at the same time it is the means of developing the root of
virtue needed to realize the perfection stage. The perfection stage is the chief path for achieving the supreme, and so is mentioned as the means for achieving the supreme. Thus, as means of achievement, the two are not mutually exclusive.
While retraction and contemplation are explained in terms of the perfection stage by other authoritative scholars, because that is the inten- tion of the Personal Instruction, it seems necessary to explain them also in terms of the creation stage; thus in general we should not interpret retraction and contemplation as wholly in either creation or perfection stages, but should accept both parts [of each of them] . In particular, we should interpret them according to the explanation in the context of whichever stage of the text is at hand. Thus, as according to the Noble tradition they are explained in their perfection stage context, I think it is
good [so to interpret them in that context].
It does not seem proper that endurance should refer to the magic
body, as I will explain below.
As for the correctness or incorrectness of the Extreme Illumination
ofthe Lamp's way of reconciling [the branches and stages], it will be easy to understand if I explain it in the context of explaining below the identification of the six branches. [7Shl
As for Master Ekadashanirgho? ha's explanation of retraction as the foundation of the body isolation, he is thinking of the import of the Illu- mination of the Lamp's explanation of retraction as that to be purified and of contemplation as the means of purification.
The claims that the two [lines] "independent" and so on indicate endurance to be the mind isolation, that "separately illuminated" refers to the magic body, that the three lines indicating the last branch refer to the
Chapter III-Perfection Stage ofthis Tantra ? 165
two contemplations, that communion is explained apart from the samadhi branch, and that the last three lines refer to a path of spontaneity different from communion-all these are not good.
They will be easy to under- stand when I explain them below in the context of explaining the text on the six branches.
tions]
When we refute the claim of a certain Tibetan, [the scholar] Lan, that "retraction" refers to the conduct, the argument "the normal order is contradicted if the conduct comes at the beginning of achieving the supreme" can be applied equally well to our own position. Thus, it is incorrect for "retraction" and "contemplation" to refer to the magic body, because it is contradictory for the magic body to come at the beginning of achieving the supreme. By explaining "at the beginning," we are saying "it must not come at the beginning," and this is the same when used about the conduct. If we indicate the fault of contradicting the normal order, it applies the same way to either the six branches or the five stages, and it is very contradictory for a retraction and contemplation
[branch] magic body to develop before the life-energy-control vajra reci- tation, for there to be a mindfulness [branch] mind isolation after the endurance [branch] clear light, and for the [premature] arisal of the third stage magic body. Furthermore, since it is certain that there is a life- energy-control path in the five stages and that mind isolation and magic body arise developed in sequence, [76aJ in the Time Machine system also both the life-energy-control vajra recitation and the mindfulness mind isolation would have to come before the retraction and contemplation magic body, and one part of mindfulness would have to develop before
endurance; because they are accepted as synonymous.
Such faults are not properly explained as the same in meaning, so
we should not insist on explaining them as the same. Likewise, we our- selves assert that the magic body is the eleventh stage, and clear light the twelfth, or the thirteenth [stage]. if we count from the stage of faith. and the twelfth stage is the stage of becoming noble. Such being the case, it seems contradictory [to claim] such views as that the noble stage eleventh stage magic body will be attained through retraction in the beginning of the achievement of the supreme, that the Time Machine samadhi branch
? [ VI. B. 3. b. ii. c '3 'a 'ii 'B "2 " -
Analyzing the accuracy of Tibetan explana-
1 66 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
will be attained from the alienated individual's stage, that it could be understood as communion and so forth.
As for the reason why it is incorrect for contemplation to refer to body isolation, to state that "it is because no benefit of the lessening of subject and object [dichotomy] will develop in body isolation," will not apply to that fault, since the opponent did not claim that, and it seems
that the opponent does claim that the one pointedness of mind of lessen- ing of subject and object is [a benefit of] mind isolation. Therefore, both "self-consecration" and "superficial reality," as explained by the Noble father and sons and by the Time Machine literature, are nominally the same but different in meaning. For example, there are many [differing interpretations of the two] such as when GhaiJtapada's [Supreme Bliss] Five Stages explains the self-consecration as the meditation on the drop in the heart center.
As for how other Tibetans seem to take the position that the Time Machine way of reconciling the six yoga branches with the six stages has the same meaning, their p(,bl incorrectness can be understood from what has already been explained.
Therefore, Naropa explained the texts on the six yogas of the Further Tantra according to the explanation of the Illumination of the Lamp, but in his Commentary on the Summary ofInitiations, he explained according to the Time Machine. Thus even though such things are not properly explained as the same in meaning, it is good to investigate what is the equivalent, since if you do that, you will determine the practical instructions of each individual Tantra.
To explain a little more, the Time Machine system's retraction and contemplation [branches] are the means of purifying the central channel preliminary to the life-energy-control branch's injection of the two [side channel] winds into that central channel. So even if you do not meditate according to how it is explained there, if [what you do meditate] seems to serve as a means of purification of the central channel to prepare for inserting the two winds there, it is the equivalent. Likewise, the Time Machine's life-energy-control [branch] is the means of inserting the winds into the central channel, and [its] endurance is the holding those inserted winds immobile in the hubs of the channel wheels; so even if you do not meditate life-energy control and endurance exactly as it is explained in that source, if [what you do meditate] seems a means to achieve that purpose, it is the equivalent of those two. Likewise, [the Time Machine's]
Chapter III-Perfection Stage ofthis Tantra ? 167
mindfulness is, by the art of meditating depending on the prior means, burning the furor-fire, melting the spirit of enlightenment, and experi- encing the joy of its falling to the tip of the secret place, and [its] samadhi is the changeless bliss of holding that enlightenment spirit with- out emission; so, even if you do not meditate exactly as explained from that source, if what you do serves as a path able to achieve that purpose, then it serves as the equivalent of those two. Therefore, from the perspec- tive of the ability to achieve a particular purpose, the five stages and so on can be matched with other paths and one can mutually reconcile the paths; (77uJ though you do not explain them as having the same meaning, the point of the context is accomplished, and you will attain fearlessness about where the keys of the paths of different Tantras fit. And such reasoning can also be understood to apply to other paths as well. So you should hold on to this exceptional way of analyzing of those of great genius .
As for Lan's interpretation of retraction as the conduct, though there is a mere similarity of definition, it does not work out since the Further Tantra mentions the conduct entirely apart from the six branches. There- fore, avoiding that, if you connect the six branches to the six stages of the perfection stage, it is better to follow Ekadashanirgho? ha and con- nect retraction and contemplation to body isolation. According to the Illumination of the Lamp explanation, there are three life-energy controls meditated on the three nose tips, so, though there is a life-energy control
[practice] that is neither the actual speech isolation nor vajra recitation, those two are given the name as they are the chief kind of life-energy control; so [life-energy control] is included with those two, [speech isola- tion and vajra recitation. Mind isolation, except that it can be understood to be the one pointedness of contemplation and has similar characteristics with the three voids prior to entry into clear light, is not mentioned explicitly. Endurance is explained by the Illumination ofthe Lamp as the same in meaning as clear light, so it does not work out for it to indicate mind isolation and magic body. Mindfulness refers to the way of arisal of the luminances coming during the re-emergence from clear light. Samadhi is very clearly explained in the Illumination of the Lamp as communion, so there is no point in explaining it otherwise, as I will explain in detail below. The third stage magic body, except that it can be understood from its having similar characteristics to the communion magic body, 177hl is not mentioned verbally among the subjects explained by the commentaries
? 1 68 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
of the texts on the six branches. And as for the fact that "actuality of all buddhas" does not refer to the magic body, I will explain it below. If I explain their meanings in detail, the magic body and the mind isolation will also be brought out, so there is no fault of not reconciling the im- portant things about the achievement of the supreme of the perfection
stage with the path of the six branches.
As for the statement in the Five Stages about the two stages being like the steps of a ladder, the five stages of the perfection stage are similar; for it states that by abiding in vajra recitation, the mind objective will be attained, [then] the magic body will be purified by the reality limit clear light, and arising from that, nondual communion will be attained. And one can also understand thereby that by abiding in the mind objective the magic body will be attained. That is the order indi- cated, in that each later stage arises depending on each previous stage.
This is not detailed in the Five Stages but is detailed in the Integrated Practices; where it states the order of the progress of the two spiritual conceptions, [including] the aspiration to the buddha-vehicle, the single- minded awareness of the coarse deity yoga, the subtle conceptual yoga, the training in each previous stage from body isolation to communion leading to the learning of each subsequent stage; and it also states the order of the reverse, how from body isolation on, if the former is lacking, the latter will not arise. So, from this one must accept the certainty about the progressive order. Except for just that explanation, the Root and Explanatory Tantras and the treatises of the Noble father and sons do not provide clearly the reason for the certainty of such an order.
The Kashmiri Lak? hmi 178al explains [the process as] first the neces- sary purifying of the ordinary body, which is accomplished by the creation stage from the first beginning up until the body isolation of the hundred clans. Then the speech isolation purifies the speech, and the mind isola- tion purifies the ordinary mind. Then in order to bring to fruition one's former vows, to abandon the nihilistic tendency gotten from the teaching
of the god Mahe? hvara, to accomplish beings' aims until the end of the aeon and to abandon the cessation truth accepted as enlightenment by the
? [VI. B. 3. b. ii. c '3 'b ' - Certification of their order]
Chapter Ill-Perfection Stage ofthis Tantra ? 169
disciples, one attains the magic body. 64 Again. if one is attached even to that, one will become objectivity oriented. and one uses clear light to purify that. And finally, communion is taught in order to abandon any nihilistic extremism related to clear light.
Previous Tibetan scholars have said that. just as a flute will not give a pleasant sound until its insides are cleansed, the speech isolation will not arise until the ordinary body is isolated by the body vajra samadhi, and it will arise in the opposite case. Just as, until the horse-like wind mounted by the mind is tamed, the rider-like mind will not be under control, so mind isolation will arise when speech isolation has brought the winds under control. In mind isolation, if even at the coarsest [level] one does not understand all things as merely self-aware mind, if at the subtlest one does not understand superficial reality as mere magical illu- sion, or if one has not [attained] the self-aware bliss samadhi in mind isolation, then the magic body will not arise; for the magic body is achieved from just those. For example, if the cognition cannot pick out a vase it cannot determine its property of impermanence. Likewise, without going to the limit of the subject of magical illusion, 178bJ one will not realize the clear light of [its] dissolution by the two [holistic and dissolv- ing] contemplations. If the invisible clear light is not first attained, one will not realize the communion of vision-void indivisible, just as before one's cognition can determine a mirror image as vision-void indivisible, one must have determined that a mirror reflection lacks the substance of the reflected object.
A certain Marpa tradition scholar holds the same position as Lak? hmi on the first two, posits mind isolation as it is taught to include body and speech, posits magical illusion in order to abandon truth-
insistence, posits clear light in order to abandon insistence on mere magical llusion, and posits the teaching of communion in order to aban- don nihilistic extremism.
64 This is a very interesting way of defining the role of the creative art of the magic body, as the special means for fulfilling the bodhisattva vow, and avoiding the temptation of escaping into the bliss of the clear light which is seen either as a tendency of the great Shiva or as a trap into which the Individual Vehicle adept might fall through attachment to a dualistic notion of the third noble truth.
? ? 1 70 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
In regard to that, the first interpretation seems to say that the three isolations are the means of purifying the three doors [of body, speech, and mind], since from the coarse level there must be abandonment, con- sidering the certainty of the order of those three doors; that since there is
nihilistic extremism in mind isolation, one achieves the magic body in order to abandon it; that clear light purifies any orientation of absolutist extremism toward that [magic body]; and that communion is taught to abandon any lingering nihilism in that [clear light]. [This system] does not contain the necessary indication of the exceptional way in which the former develops the latter among the three isolations. Its procedure of de- veloping an absolutist path to abandon nihilism, and then a nihilistic path to abandon absolutism is, like an elephant washing himself [with mud], not truly appropriate. As in the Integrated Practices:
If you lack understanding of the superficial reality, you cannot directly realize the ultimate reality !
[A ryadeva] teaches that you must understand and attain the magic body before you can experience the clear light, l79al so he must show a reason for the position that magic body must be developed before clear light can be realized-and how can "one must enter clear light to abandon insis- tence on magical illusion" count as a reason? Reasons must be shown in that manner for the order of mind isolation, magic body, clear light, and communion; showing them in other ways seems to miss the essential point.
Furthermore, as for the statement that mind isolation is taught in order to understand the inclusion of body and speech into the mind, it shows the fault of not investigating carefully how the orientations of mind isolation are produced. [A ryadeva] states in the Integrated Practices that having understood properly the true import of the mind, one can engage in the achievement of the magic body, which does not mean that one could fail to eliminate doubts about the truth habit concerning the mind while in the mind isolation and subsequently eliminate them by means of the magic body; for it is stated that one must thoroughly ascertain the import of voidness [long before], even in the time of meditating the creation stage.
The second interpretation is quite excellent in stating its reasons, in that speech isolation develops mind isolation by the power of its control- ling the winds, that mind isolation serves as foundation of achieving the
Chapter Ill-Perfection Stage ofthis Tantra ? 171
magic body, that the magic body must realize clear light, being immersed in it by the two contemplations, and that clear light must precede the achievement of the [magic-body-clear-light] complementary communion. But as for its statement of example and import of the Jute as the reason for the order of the first two isolations, it is insufficient, since it seems that the analogy between example and import remains to be established.
As for our own system ' s reasons for making the order certain , I will explain them in the context of proving the certainty of the enumeration.
The third [79bl has two parts: [i'] The actual meaning; and [ii'] How to reconcile other paths with this path.
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c '3 'c 'i ' - The actual meaning]
The Integrated Practices explains as above the way of learning the path in stages. It states that after having attained communion there is no new learning of any stage of the path. The Five Stages also states:
Dwelling in the communion samadhi, There is nothing at all further to learn.
-that there are no stages of the path not included in these and that one must learn them [all in order]. Thus, since no other paths not included there are needed, a larger number is eliminated, and since without them one cannot [achieve the goal], a smaller number is eliminated. Therefore, we must accept the certainty of their enumeration. Even so, a clear reason for the certainty of the number [of the stages] is not explicitly stated in the two kinds of Tantras or by the father and sons.
In this regard, Lak? hmi says that the three isolations isolate [from ordinariness] and so purify body, speech, and mind; the clear light iso- lates and so purifies superficial and ultimate realities; communion causes the attainment of vajradharahood where the two realities are one in taste;
and there are no more things to learn after that-so six stages are not needed. And since by just this explained above our desired goal is achieved, and since there are not only four stages, the number of five stages is definite.
Bhavyakirti is the same in regard to the first three. The self-conse- cration is in order to accomplish the aims of beings with the purified
? ? (VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'c' - Certainty of their enumeration!
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three doors. Insistent adherence to that is abandoned by clear light, and any [temptation otl nihilism in that is abandoned by communion. There is nothing beyond that to learn, so there is no sixth stage, nor are there any less stages. since without those two the aims of fllllal self and other
would not be accomplished.
Another former Tibetan scholar determines a count of six stages in
terms of suppressing the manifestations of obscurations and eradicating the seeds of them. He locates the three isolations in the suppression of the manifestations of addictions and conceptual notions: body isolation, as the support of the tranquility of bliss-void, and speech isolation, as controlling the winds and thus not allowing conceptual notions to arise, are the conditions and mind isolation is the actuality, since that bliss-void is developed in the mind process by depending on the consort. He further states that magical illusion is there to abandon, through its realization of objective voidness, the seeds of objectivity notions insisting on objects in
the private process, that clear light is there to abandon, through its reali- zation of the voidness of the mind, subjectivity notions insisting on the subjective mind, and that communion is there to abandon the seed of in- sistence on the difference of the two realities; and that there are no more things to be abandoned than these.
The first two [of these interpretations] , except for some differences of expression, seem the same in meaning; and I have already examined whether they are correct or not. They do not appear to claim that [the dif- ferent stages] are like the transcendent wisdom explanations of tranquility and insight as different in meditative mode while similar in orientation toward voidness, so I do not think their interpretations are satisfactory; since one can't make the paths of quiescence and insight different, and one cannot determine the latter three paths [of the perfection stage] as individual remedies for different notions. [80bJ
Well then, one wonders, relying on what can one achieve the deter- mination of the number [of stages] ?
Relying on the ultimate thing to be achieved, [one can determine the number] by the procedure of "because to achieve that, these are neces- sary, and it is not necessary not to include them here. " Just to do that, we will explain further below the already explained fruit of communion, which unites the wisdom truth body and its support the extraordinary matter body. In order to attain such a communion, you must create on the learning path the learner's communion that combines the ultimate clear
Chapter Ill-Perfection Stage ofthis Tantra ? 173
light, which is the direct application of the great bliss wisdom to the import of thatness, and the utterly pure superficial magic body. which is developed from the cause of the five light rays of the winds that carry that wisdom. Prior to that communion of the two realities. you must achieve each side of the pair individually; because, as [A ryadeva] says in the Integrated Practices that:
without realizing ultimate reality, you cannot realize the stage of communion . . .
and it is stated that you cannot realize clear light without having previ- ously attained the superficial magic body. Therefore, first you must create the magic body as the support for the direct realization of clear light, the reason for which will be explained.
The third stage, magic body, and the fourth stage, clear light, no longer exist at the time of communion, and so are not the two parts of the time of communion. Yet in general, superficial magic body and ultimate clear light become the parts of communion; and so the two former things are explained thinking of their becoming those two [parts of communion] .
As for the wind-energy and the mind which serve as the basis from which such a magic body is achieved, LMia] they are the mind created as the three wisdoms of the mind isolation and the wind-energies serving as their mount, arising from the dissolving process of the wind-energies collecting in the heart center by the process of earth dissolving into water, and so forth, and of the wind-energies that move the eighty natural in- stincts themselves dissolving and so forth; therefore you must attain mind isolation before the magic body.
By such arts, to achieve the distinctive process of compression in the heart center, you must have the two meditations of the outer life-energy control uniting with the evolutionary and wisdom consorts and the inner life-energy control meditating on the wind-energies and drops and so on; therefore, before mind isolation you must achieve the process of speech
isolation vajra recitation. "Speech isolation" and "vajra recitation" are designated by the name of one side of life-energy control, but the general name of this stage is mentioned in the Further Tantra as the "life-energy control" that is third of the six branches. It has three life-energy controls which meditate the substance drop at the lower nose tip, the indestruc- tible mantra drop at the heart center nose tip, and the light drop at the facial nose tip. While it teaches the union with the two consorts by
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meditating the substantial drop outside the two lower nose tips of the art and wisdom, there are two occasions of life-energy control of union with the two consorts, one performed before the consummation of vajra reci- tation and one after such consummation.
The chief reason for the necessity of the energy mind arisen from the wind-energies gathering and dissolving in the heart center dhati chan- nel as the basis for the achievement of the magic body, has already been explained. I will explain below the detailed reasons for that and the pro- cedure by which the two consorts become the means for compressing the wind-energies in the heart center. Thus, before achieving the path of life- energy control which is a distinctive procedure of collecting the wind-
energies in the heart center, [! llhl you must meditate aiming your visuali- zation at other key points of the body. And so you must meditate the body isolation which meditates the development of orgasmic bliss arising from the general injection and dissolution of the two wind-energies in the dhati channel, which views all that arises as the play of that [bliss], and meditates all of that in the form of divinity. As there is no certainty of specific channels and wheels in terms of the other key points of such a body, here you focus your meditation on the drop in the lower door.
As for the development of the roots of virtue underlying the gen- eration in your mental process of such a complete perfection stage, you must first meditate the single-mindedness of the coarse yoga of the first stage that cleanses the mind process through conversion of birth, death, and between into the three bodies and the four session yoga that constructs the subtle mandala. And as for achieving fitness as a vessel of meditating the two stages, you must attain complete and pure initiations, and must maintain carefully the undertaken vows and commitments. And in order to become fully qualified as a vessel of maintaining the initiations and
commitments, you must, as I have previously explained, cultivate the common path stages to cleanse your two spirits of enlightenment and their accessories. And as for the conducts that heighten the impact [of the practices], as they are taught by the example of the outer life-energy con- trol, such is the ascertainment of the number of all paths, of the two stages, and of the stages of the two stages.
Thereby, you can know the ascertainment of their order as well. A single person needs all of those to become enlightened, and so Lak! ;ihmT. Bhavyakirti and so on are right to say that one person must meditate all five stages, 182ul and each stage is not taught in terms of each different
Chapter III-Perfection Stage ofthis Tantra ? 175
personal process. The Moonlight Commentary is not correct when it ex- plains that the best person needs the last two stages, the medium person needs the third and fourth stages, the inferior person needs the creation stage and vajra recitation, and the most inferior needs those two and verbal recitation, asserting that others' system is that "best, medium, and inferior" are posited in the context of one mental process gradually progressing from higher to higher and that its own system is that this intends different personal processes; since this [interpretation] contra- dicts the Noble father and son treatises' indications of order and also the Rosary of Complete Yoga.
This ascertainment of the number [of the stages] , if you apply it to other Tantras, the last three stages should be interpreted as above. Since the heart center compression processes exist openly in such texts as the Supreme Bliss Five Stages [by GhaQ. tapada] and Kukuripa's [Heruka Sadhana] instruction [based] on the Mahamaya [Tantra], it is easy to understand the way of focus on it. Without that [heart center compres- sion], you should understand the procedure of finally focusing on com- pression in the heart center even on the paths of penetrating the vital points in the navel and so on. And, you should understand what is explained here as the reason how elsewhere even when the name "body isolation" is absent, if its referent is present, it is the same, and if its referent is absent it need not be contradictory, as a part of understanding the easy
compression in the heart center. And you should supply the same principle also to the creation stage. As for the common path, it is similar in all [these principles of progression] .
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'c'ii' - How to reconcile other paths with this path] This is the supreme branch of practice,
The condensed import of all Tantras . . .
that in these five stages including the first stage all imports of all Tantras are included. 182bJ You should not understand this as meaning merely all Community Tantras, but must understand it as referring to all Tantras; because the same text states that the Community is the root of all Tantra
categories and the vessel of all Su tras. Therefore, the statement from the same text:
? [Chandrakirti] states in the Illumination ofthe Lamp:
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The divisions of this stage -
Who understands how all the many Elaborated stages truly fit into them - That one does know Tantra
should not be understood as referring only to Community Tantras, but to all Tantras.
Here you wonder, "well, what is the meaning of the statement that who knows the path stages of other Tantras, as stages elaborated from here and also as included here, knows [all about] Tantra? "
This, as explained above, does not mean they are included because they are exactly the same in meaning, but that they are included because they have corresponding functions. Further, you must understand how, while it is according to the interpretation of purposes from mind isolation up to communion, the chief art of developing mind isolation is the process of compression in the heart center, and how, even if the heart center com- pression process is not explicitly clear, compressions in other places such as the navel end up focusing on the heart center. But I have not written
more than this little bit [on this], fearing prolixity.
Even though [another Tantra's creation stage] might be somewhat
dissimilar from this [Community' s] creation stage, if you understand how it must serve as the means of developing the roots of virtue to complete the perfection stage, its meaning must be similar. Therefore, if you under- stand well the way of reconciling such a path, you will attain fearlessness in regard to all imports of Tantra.
Here someone [claims] that, just after the above quoted "you should meditate in a single sitting," the Concise Five Stages Elucidation goes on to say:
In order to truly realize thatness,
The supreme lll. lnJ path with the five stages,
The Transcendence and the various other Vehicles Are explained connecting them upon a single mat, In an existent life, in a single day.
As for the meaning of the beginning, [that someone claims that] in the Transcendent Wisdom Sarra, the Teacher sitting with body erect indicates the creation stage, his body's radiating millions of light rays, the vajra recitation, the eighteen voidnesses, the mind objective, the illusoriness of
Chapter Ill-Perfection Stage ofthis Tantra ? 177
matter, the magic body, the identitylessness of matter and so on, the clear light, and nonduality, nondualism, and so on, indicate communion. Furthermore, as for the meaning of "connected to various vehicles," [Serdingpa's] Five Point explains that:
The disciple vehicle is included in the creation stage, be- cause the appearance of coarse atomic conglomerations asserted by the disciples and the constructive yoga of the creation stage qualitatively correspond; the vajra recita- tion includes the hermit buddha vehicle, because the vajra recitation of the twelve energy transits qualitatively corresponds with the twelve relativity [links] of the hermits; the mind only vehicle is included in the mind objective stage, because both of them emphasize the mind; the illusory centrists are included in the magic body, because both assert that all things are illusory; the non-abiding centrists are included in clear light, because both assert all things as void; and all secret Mantra vehicles are included in communion, since all Tantric views are the equal taste communion of the two realities.
[Serdingpa's] Wheel Endowed and the Father Tantra Quintessence [Five Stages Single Session] agree also.
As for the meaning in that treatise of "explaining in connection with the Transcendent Wisdom [Satra] and the various [83hJ vehicles," it is not connected as in the above explanation, connecting the basic time five stages to the process of existence, birth and death, and to a single day. Well then what is it connected to? "Explain them as connected to them" indicates that in general the Su tras of the various Individual and
Universal Vehicles, and specifically the keys of all the profound Tran- scendent Wisdom Satras, are incorporated in the Community Tantra, since their vital points are included in the five stages of the Community's path; because the same text explains:
That which serves as the path with its five stages
Is indicated by various words such as
The accessories of enlightenment, import of Su tras, The three secret things, and the two ultimate [imports of
the Tantras]
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-that is, that the verbal meanings of the various So tras that teach the accessories of enlightenment and of the various Tantras that teach the three secrets and the two ultimates indicate by example the five stages.
As for the way they are included, although those paths as explained in other treatises are not explained here, the vital points of the paths of those [vehicles] are the means of achieving the liberation of deliverance from the life cycle and the exaltation of buddhahood. And the meaning of [this Tantra] serving as their root is that they are completely, with their
accessories, present within the path taught here, and also those other paths must focus here in the end.