No More Learning

As for the five external earths, they are Sumeru, and the continents of the south, west, north, and east. And the five external-internal classes [of buddha-clans] are Lochana-Vairochana and so forth.
If we analyze water [liquidity] Mamakr, the five internal waters are phlegm, including mucus, sweat, blood, saliva, and urine; the outer waters are waterfalls, streams, canals, pools, and oceans; and the five clans are Mamaki-Vairochana and so forth.
If we analyze fire [heat-energy] Pandaravasini, the inner are the heats of head, navel, all limbs, belly, and heart; the outer are stone fires, fire-crystal fires, wood fires, forest fires, and constant fires; and their clans are Pandaravasini-Vairochana and so forth.
If we analyze wind [motility] Tara, the inner are pervading, evacu- ating, ascending, metabolizing, and life-energy-holding; the outer are zenith, south, west, north, and east winds; and their clans are Tara- Vairochana and so forth. If outer and inner are separately counted for four elements there are two sets of twenty. However, they are taken as
one twenty, taking both outer and inner elements together in each ele- ment such as earth.
Chapter IV- Body Isolation ? 1 95
As for the meaning of the second line of this quote, it is according
faculty, 192hl the practitioner attains the object. "
1 96 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTA"4"a"iii" - Body isolation of the six faculties] [93aJ The Root Tantra states:
The vajra sense-media themselves
Are the supreme mandala of bodhisattvas.
This states that the six senses are the isolable body of the inner media body isolation, and their body isolation is the realization that they are the bodhisattvas.
If the eye Kshitigarbha is analyzed, there are the eye's perceiving threefold form, the white of the eyeball, the form of the eye glancing side- ways, eye movement, and the precisely grape-size eye sense; and their [clans are] Kshitigarbha-Vairochana and so forth.
If the ear Vajrapal). i is analyzed, there are the ear-nature, its per- ceiving threefold sound, the ear hole, the ear root, and the cut-twisted- birchbark-like ear sense; their clans are Vajrapal). i-Vairochana and so forth.
If the nose Akaihagarbha is analyzed, there are the nose's nature, the center of its inner part, its perceiving threefold smell, its nostril holes, and the fine eye-medicine-spqon-like nose sense; these are the clans of Khagarbha-Vairochana and so forth.
If the tongue Lokes hvara is analyzed, there are the tongue nature, its root, its tip, its perceiving threefold taste, the half-moon-shape tongue sense; these are the clans of Lokes hvara-Vairochana and so forth.
If the body Sarvanivaral). aviskambhin is analyzed, there are the body sense, the body's bones, the flesh nature, the skin nature, and the perceiv- ing of texture; and these are the clans of Sarvanivaranaviskambhin- Vairochana and so forth.
? If the mind sense faculty Mafijus hrl in which luminance, radiance, and imminence are collected, is analyzed, there are the mirror-like, equal- ity, individuating, all-accomplishing, and truth-realm wisdoms; and these are the clans of Mafijus hrJ. Vairochana and so forth.
In regard to these [five wisdoms], 193bJ (A ryadeva] in theInte- grated Practices describes them, after the purification of virtuous and nonvirtuous instincts, [respectively:] as the simultaneous knowledge of all things as reflections in a mirror; as the realization of all beings-of the four types, footless etc. -as being of the single aspect "merely mental"; as the abiding, doubt-free individual discernment of all inner and outer
things, knowing that if investigated "all have the nature of buddhas," yet distinguishing these "members of the class of all things" as separate, like the petals of a lotus; as the full accomplishment of self and other's duties of body, speech, and mind; and as the deliverance from affliction and evolution, purifying the obscurations of body, speech, and mind. These descriptions concern the fruitional stage of the wisdoms.
The [Stage of] Arrangement describes them - intending to accord with the explanation of the process of the dissolution of the four wisdoms -as the clear appearance of objects like clear reflections in a mirror, as the equality of class unity among the three sensations, as the individual remembrance of the individual names of beings such as father and mother, and as the mindfulness of mundane activities and necessities. These are the first four, and the fifth is the actuality of the mental sense, ready to be transformed upon abandonment of the taints.
Here, the Integrated Practices explains:
The samadhi ofMafijushrihas already been explained. . .
thinking that, after explaining also the five, Rupavajraand so forth, he explains the five wisdoms. So, to take the explanation of Mafijushrias incidental, then to additionally explain the five wisdoms would be incor- rect: because [the hundred clans] is [reached by] making each deity into five clans, leaving out of the thirty-two deities the ten terrifies and Sam- antabhadra and Maitreya; r94a] and because the five wisdoms counted as five clans of the hundred clans are collected in the mental consciousness;
and because, even in the context of the sense-media, though those sense- media are not openly there, many occasions of placing them in the clans of those contexts are [elsewhere] evident.
The Root Tantra states:
The mantrialways realizes
Form, sound, and so forth as deities.
Thus the isolable body of objective body isolation is the five objects, and their body isolation is their realization as the five vajras.
Now, if the visible form Ropavajra, associated with the seeing of forms through the moving energy operating through the eye, is analyzed:
Chapter IV- Body Isolation ? 1 97
? IYI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'd'i'A"4"a"iv" -
Body isolation of the five objects]
1 98 ? Brilliant lllumination of the Lamp
there are mere general form seen based on the assembly of three condi- tions; passionate form; pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral form; work- accomplishing form; and alluring-seductive, playful, and charming- form. These are the clans of Ropavajra-vairochana and so forth.
If the sound Shabdavajra, associated with the hearing of sounds through the permoving energy operating through the ear, is analyzed; there are sounds inside ear, head, and hair; sounds of songs and continuous sounds of palate and lips and speech; musical sounds of clay drum and so on; sounds of forest, streams, and palms clapping; and sounds of the mild and fierce HOM letter. These are the clans of the five, Shabdavajra- Vairochana and so forth.
If the smell experience Gandhavajra, associated with the smelling of scents based on the commoving energy operating through the nose, is analyzed; there are general smell, auxiliary scents, specifics of threefold smell, [94bl smells of tastes, and inexhaustible smells. These are the five clans of Gandhavajra-Vairochana and so forth.
If the taste experience Rasavajra, associated with the tasting of tastes based on the surmoving energy operating through the tongue, is analyzed; there are sweet, astringent, salty, hot and sour, and bitter tastes; these are the clans of Rasavajra-Vairochana and so forth.
If the texture experience Sparshavajra, associated with the experi- ence of textures based on the ultramoving energy operating through the body-sense, is analyzed; there are textures from staying in one seat, em- brace, sucking, kissing, and sexual union. These are the five clans of Sparshavajra-Vairochana and so forth.
As for the way in which those deities, thus taken as five for the twenty [above] arise as deities, if we use Vairochana as an example, the five [Ropavajra-Vairochana and so forth] are similar to Vairochana in number of faces and arms and implements, and yet become five by differ- ing in colors; by this the others can be understood.
If one wonders, "Well, having explained twenty out of thirty-two, why not elucidate the other twelve? "
The Root Tantra clearly explains the contemplation of each of the twenty from matter aggregate to texture as a deity, while the ten limbs, the joints, and the muscles and channels are not clearly explained to be meditated as the ten terrifies and the two bodhisattvas. Therefore, the Integrated Practices explanation was given in the same terms; because [Aryadeva] stated that, "If each of the four sets is completed, it explains
Chapter IV- Body Isolation ? 1 99
the meaning of this summary in the Root Tantra. " The Integrated Prac- tices quotes the Moon E. mteric Drop as the textual source of such a hundred clan [teaching], or its derivatives. the five clan practice. or the three clan practice. For example. in the Further Tamra:
Thatness [practice] is explained in five forms. Secretly it is explained in three forms:
The archetype deity is the great secret: l95nt The hundred clans are a hundred.
This statement shows the meaning.
The Explanatory Tantra Vajra Rosary also teaches the hundred
clans. Again in that Tantra. in the context of the body isolation explained in the hidden meaning manner in the preface, the ten limbs are explained as the ten terrifies: and in the actual explanation of eye Kshitigarbha and so forth. Maitreya and Samantabhadra are also picked out, so that all thirty-two deities are completely accounted for: because it is stated [in that way] in the context of meditating the body as a deity in other sections [of the text] ; because there is no difference on making each of the twenty deities suitable for analysis into five clans, while leaving the others un- suitable; and because they are equally used or not used in the body isola- tion [practice].
Therefore, even though one is concerned lest the hundred clans become too numerous if one applied the above explanation of the ten ter- rifies to the body isolation, it would not be correct to omit the complete explanation of the thirty-two deities, by not seeing how to arrange the passion-practice-concealing explanation, which had previously included them. Therefore all should be included in the section of the body isola-
tion. You practice your body isolation using those twenty and, since you rely on the deities of the five clans dividing out into the hundred parts, it is stated that "your own body becomes realized as made with the subtle atoms of all transcendent buddhas. " Here "subtle atoms" is a name of having divided [the body] into a hundred separate parts and realizing
them as a hundred deities.
200 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTA"4"b" - Body isolation of the thatness five clans]
If one [can] compress those classifications among the holy hundred clans, they can be compressed into five clans. Here, the isolable body five clans are comprised of the four elements such as earth and the realm of consciousness. The twenty from the matter [9SbJ Vairochana clan to the Sparshavajra-Vairochana clan are included in the earth realm. Likewise,
the twenty Ratnasambhava clans are water, the twenty Amitabha clans are fire, the twenty Amoghasiddhi clans are wind-energy, and the twenty Ak? hobhya clans are included in the consciousness realm.
Here the Integrated Practices explains the matter aggregate and so on as derivative elements. Now, the matter aggregate, except for the four elements and the form in the objective sense-medium, does consist of actual derivative elements, and the four nominal aggregates are also desig- nated as derivative elements as they just depend on the elemental body.
It is good that the five realms that compress the hundred clans should be taken as the clans of the five transcendent buddhas.
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTA"4"c"-Body isolation ofthe secretthree clans]
The same [hundred clan isolation body] compressed into five clans is again compressed into the secret three clans; which is accomplished by the process of including the Ratnasambhava clan in the body vajra Vairo- chana clan, including the Amoghasiddhi clan in the speech vajra Amitabha clan, and including the Vajradhara clan in the mind vajra Ak? hobhya clan.
Here the Integrated Practices statement that the buddhas and bodhi- sattvas from the hundred clans to the five clans are collected within one's body, speech, and mind does not contradict the above analysis into the hundred clans wherein are mentioned many things contained in the proc- esses of persons other than the practitioner as well as many things not contained in the personal processes of either self or other but only in the inanimate universe: because the way in which they are contained is not only by the way in which the matter aggregate contains the four elements. (96ol This will be explained [below]. Here the isolable body consists of
the three, body, speech, and mind.
? ? [VI. B. 3. b. ii. c '3 'd TA "4 "d " -
clan]
If one again condenses what is thus included in the three clans, it becomes the great secret single clan. And that, from the perspective of taking body, speech, and mind as the three vajras, becomes the sixth archetype deity, Vajradhara, the indivisibility of the three vajras; and this is the ultimate in body isolation.
The fifth has two parts: [a"] How retraction is contained within body isolation; [b'1 How contemplation is contained within body isolation.
isolation]
In regard to "retraction," the Further Tantra states:
"Retraction" occurs,
When desires concerning
All ofthe ten faculties' natural functions And habituation to them are withdrawn.
Generally, "desires" can mean both "the desirer" and "the desired"; here is it the latter, which is desired and craved, namely the five sense objects, matter, and so on. Toward them, the sense faculties withdraw again and again from each [object], and by taking each one by one, [the process] is called "retraction. " Designating the objects also with the word "sense faculty," they are explained as the ten sense faculties. "Natural function" is the natural action of the five sense organs, eye, and so on, as appre- hender, and form, and so on, as apprehended. "Habituation to them" is natural habitual action. "All" means habituated to lesser, greater, and medium differences. "Concerning" means the dative [or locative] case. The sense faculties function for all those. The Chag translation says "of the ten sense faculties," J96bl and in the commentary there is no meaning
of again and again.
The semantic equivalent for [the Tibetan] "so so" is [Sanskrit] "prati. "
In the context of relativity, in the Lucid Exposition, it is explained as meaning "to meet" or "to repeat. " The meaning of pratimok,\? ha as a
Chapter IV- Body Isolation ? 20 1
? ? ? [VI. B. 3. b. ii. c '3 'd TA "5 " -
tion branches (of the six yoga branches)]
Body isolation of the great secret single
How it serves as retraction and contempla-
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTA"5"a" - How retraction is contained within body
202 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
semantic equivalent for so sor thar pa is explained in the [Abhidharma} ko$ha as "primary liberation. " The meaning ofprattchha is explained as "specific acceptance. " Here, the meaning of "repeat" is to "repeat again and again, and memorize. " Further, in the context of the expression "I will repeatedly memorize firmly" other commentaries likewise explain it in the sense of "again and again. " Therefore, it is not necessary to mention each and every different sense of "so so. " Here, we are not postulating the explanation in the Extreme Illumination of the Lamp: "It functions in each-matter, and so on," and "It is withdrawn from the respective [ob-
jects]-form, and so on. " There are also many meanings for "withdraw," but here they have the sense of "retract" and "collected retraction. " Gath- ered things are said to be the five objects of desires, so the sense faculties enjoy five objects.
Furthermore, completing common familiarization practice-the four vajras, the sense faculties of the yogi/ni who enters the supreme familiarization practice do indeed enjoy objects, but just this alone is not the path of "retraction" meditation, because that must be posited as for the mental consciousness itself alone. Therefore, in the Illumination of the Lamp Fifteenth Chapter it is stated, [quoting the Root Tantra]:
"Eat the vow of excrement and urine! " Here, 'Excre- ment' means the sense objects, form, and so on. 'Urine' means the sense organs, eye, and so on. The 'vow' of those is the coming together of the object and subject. 'Eating' that is the gradual experience of the stages of retraction [97a l and so on.
Thus [Chandrakirti] says that the sense faculties enjoying the sense objects is what is to be eaten, and "retraction" is the process of eating. Therefore, as above explained, the expression "retraction" is used for some special methods of enjoyment of sense objects by a yogi/ni's sense faculties, but the "retraction" member of the six-branched yoga is, when the sense faculties are enjoying the sense objects, the yoga of enjoyment that is sealed by the bliss-void great bliss of meditatively entranced body isolation. Thus, "retraction" is body isolation as an aftermath practice.
Well, someone might ask, "What is the meaning of the statement in the Extreme Illumination of the Lamp which teaches the second branch [contemplation] for the purpose of purifying retraction? "
Chapter IV- Body Isolation ? 203
Even though retraction and contemplation are similar in taking the senses' enjoyment of desire objects as the path. the meaning [of the above statement] is that in retraction there is no enjoyment through realizing those [senses and objects] as deities as there is in the contemplation [branch]. Further, that being the case, there is no fault of them not coun-
ting as body isolation, because great bliss itself is the definitive meaning deity, and meditating as sealed by that [great bliss1 is the great art which isolates one from notions of ordinariness.
In the Further Tantra it is explained that:
In sum, the five desired [sense-objects]
Are connected to the five buddhas;
By this they are discerned and contemplated,
That contemplation becoming five-fold:
[A process of] examining, analyzing, being joyful, Having the great bliss of suchness,
And actualizing one-pointed mind- Contemplation is comprised of these five.
The Esoteric [Community] Tantra
Explains all [these] [97bJ in many different ways. Examining is the arisal of the three secrets,
Analyzing is the enjoyment of those;
Third is the touching ofjoy;
Fourth is being concentrated through bliss, Ending the arisal of subjects and objects; And knowing your own mind is the fifth. The actuality of all buddhas is peace, Which permeates everything desired. 67
As for the statement that "The five desired [sense objects], form, sound, and so on, are concentrated and made one with the sense faculties,"
67 This part of this verse resembles verse 41 of Nagarjuna's Letter to a Friend (thanks to Dr. Lozang Jampal for this information).
? ? IVI. 8. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTA"S"b,. - body isolation]
How contemplation is contained within
204 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
it means that both sense faculty and object are included as both faculty and object.
In the statement in the Illumination ofthe Lamp: "The five buddhas are the eye, and so on, in union with them, true union, by uniting with them as the five buddhas, thereby even form and so on are buddhas"; the phrase "The five buddhas are the eye etc. in union with them" though it is intelligible, the translation is a bit awkward.
As for the true uniting of the five [sense organs], eye, and so on, with the five buddhas, from Vairochana to Ak! ? hobhya, the five [sense ob- jects], form, sound, and so on are also connected to the five clans. Thus, to say that both the faculties and objects are buddhas is to designate them as totally purified deities; that is contemplation. That is [broken down] in- to five - examination and so on. In this context of explaining the general definition, when it is explained that the contemplation [branch] is that which meditates objects and faculties as deities, it is just for illustration. According to the context of the body isolation, one should understand that one also meditates the aggregates as deities. Therefore, do not think that it is only the body of the deity that one meditates on. One must also meditate the reality of the deity, as one can understand from the context
of the extensive explanation. [98aJ
In the Elixir Secret, there are the five desired [objects] and the five
aggregates, and each has [further] internal classifications, but that does not mean that they are classified as five for the sake of abbreviation. The sense faculty, the object, and the faculties' cognition are the three secrets; and the idea that "the three sets of five have the nature of the five buddha- clans" is [the contemplation component called] "examination. " The analy- sis [component] is that that these three sets of five are analyzed as of the nature of the five clans. Patsab and Chag translate "the three secrets are examination," which is appropriate, since there is no point in bringing this up further in the commentary. Then, one enjoys that examination, dwelling further on that object by analyzing it; and that is [the contempla- tion component of] analysis. Since the Elixir Secret explains that analysis is meditating through distinguishing, the components of examination and analysis are differentiated by fineness of discrimination, while both of
them are body isolations cultivated in aftermath states.
Thus, first on the occasion of retraction, you learn to view things
such as objects and senses as the transformations of bliss-void. As that
stabilizes, you learn contemplation wherein those bliss-void transforma- tions arise as deities.
Here, the Illumination ofthe Lamp says:
Thus having analyzed, when one confronts the entry into thatness, that having the nature of mental bliss is the contact with joy. Then, when one enters manifestly into thatness, that bliss which one attains with the nature of body fluency and so on, is comprised as bliss.
Joy is said to be mental bliss, and [pure] bliss is body fluency.
"And so on" indicates the bliss of mental fluency. The former is attained by confronting entry into thatness, 198b1 and the latter is attained having entered into thatness. Patsab's translation says "while thus analyzing," and Chag's translation says "from thus having analyzed. " The two old translations say "thus having analyzed. " The meaning there is that both examination and analysis are referred to by saying "thus having ana- lyzed. " "By entering thatness, joy and bliss will be attained" indicates the future attainment of the latter [components of contemplation]. "Entering into" thatness and "confronting" thatness are similar in import, but as for the way in which joy and bliss are attained by that process; first you attain great bliss by the power of meditating the subtle [drop] in the lower door [of the central channel], and then you meditate with that
[bliss] being focused on the ascertainment of the import of thatness. Thereby you will attain contact with the distinctive mental bliss of realiz- ing voidness and you will attain the physical and mental fluency that arise from realizing voidness.
Actual physical fluency is a special kind of tangible experience which makes the body become extremely adept, but here it is not that [type]. This is the bliss of fluency which becomes the property that causes both body and mind to become extremely adept. It is a mental fun- ction which is a correlate of the previous mental bliss.
By practicing as previously explained or by becoming accustomed to that, thereby you terminate the six [subjective] consciousnesses, visual and so on, and the six objects, form and so on, and [you realize] voidness
with respect to the mind's perception of the subject-object dichotomy. Therefore, [such] one pointedness of mind, defined as primal wisdom. is called one's "nature of mind. " I'J9ul Here, the Chag translation ! of the
Illumination ofthe LampI says:
Chapter IV-Body Isolation ? 205
206 ? Brilliant lllumination of the Lamp
The nature of all buddhas is peace; all of them totally
and
abide in space. . .
Such a yogi/ni's mind is peace, the nature of all buddhas.
[The mind of contemplation] is said to be "peace" because it has eliminated the notions of objects and so on, and is merely vision. Previous statements, such as "This ultimately occurs in unity with universal voidness" are good, but the Patsab translation's "that cul- minates only in universal voidness" is better. As for that previous one-pointedness of mind, it means the entry into voidness, the nature of all buddhas, and the word "merely" means peace in that it cuts off all ideations at that time. "Space" means void, and "uni- versal void" is the fourth void. When you wholly abide there, you enter by going through the three previous voids. These two lines
explain one-pointedness of mind. Therefore, what Lan said:
If one interprets one-pointedness of mind as mind isola- tion, then, in short, by the expression "the actuality of all buddhas" one means the magic body, and by the rest of that one refers to clear light . . .
is incorrect. In the context of the body isolation of the elements, there is the cryptic explanation of the prologue of [of the Esoteric Community Tantra] in the Vajra Rosary:
Wind, fire, water, and earth,
Are the four, Lochana and so on,
Known as three types of natural primal wisdom, They grant the buddha enlightenment.
It states that the four elements - realized as Locana, and so on - should be understood as having the nature of the three wisdoms of the three voids, [luminance, radiance, and imminence]; 199bl and therefore the path-time three voids' primal wisdom is present during body isolation.
The previous mention of the fourth void is metaphoric clear light, and its arisal is never precluded from body isolation up to the magic body. However, the mention of the three voids being present before the magic body intends that metaphoric clear light be included in the great void of
Chapter IV- Body Isolation ? 207
imminence. Therefore, in these contexts, the entry of imminence into clear light should be understood as the imminence in which you become unconscious, after which you enter into the cloudless-sky-like absorption in universal voidness.
Well here you might think that the above general definition of con- templation seems to account for examination and analysis, but it does not seem to describe joy. bliss, and one-pointedness of mind; so would not those three become severed from that sort of contemplation?
This is not a problem, since that explanation of contemplation as the meditation of the senses and objects and so on as deities includes both the meditation of the deities with forms of faces and hands and also the meditation focusing on the thatness of the deities. In the Extreme Illumi- nation ofthe Lamp it is stated that when one engages objects, the idea that the senses and so on, the three, have the nature of the five clans, is "examination," the idea that those are the nature of the five primal wis- doms is ideational "analysis," the arisal of a distinctive joy from thinking "I am a realization of thatness" is "joy," and "bliss" is explained as physi- cal fluency coming from attaining that mental bliss. And examination and analysis are explained to be luminance, joy to be radiance, and bliss to be imminence. And this [text] does seem to claim the presence [here] of the three primal wisdoms of mind isolation.
In this regard, the meaning of the three primal wisdoms [tOOal as stated in the Wisdom Vajra Compendium is the objective explained in the Integrated Practices in the context of mind isolation, where there is the problem of not being thoroughly explicit about the way in which what sort of habit pattern holds that object. And Naropa's explanation of these two branches [retraction and contemplation] appears just to consist of his quoting of the Illumination of the Lamp.
Although one should explain in detail this six-branched yoga of the Noble system, since my predecessors did not seem to give the details, here I explained in detail, and will do so [even more] below.
[Vl. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTA"6" -
The sixth has three parts: [a"] How to concentrate the wind-energies by meditating the subtle; [b"] How melting bliss arises from that; and [c"] How to cultivate samadhic and aftermath [body isolations] when
? [bliss] arises.
How to put into practice the body isolation]
208 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTA"6"a" - How to concentrate the wind-energies by
? meditating the subtle]
Having discovered the stable yoga which visualizes the subtle man- dala, you then become able to develop a distinctive melting bliss. Once that has emerged, then you already know how to produce joy, and you should cultivate it as will be explained. However, if you discover that, but [melting bliss] does not emerge, in the interim you should meditate abiding in the yoga of the lord and lady. If that also is not there, if you
practice the entry into the present, you should meditate after concluding a preliminary meditation of the yoga of the retinue of [the deities of] the mandala. As it is explained in the Concise Five Stages:
One should know the four kinds of essential points, Those of body, time, object, and wind-energy.
The essential point of the body will be explained in the speech isolation. The essential point of time in general is continuity, but in specific it is when awareness is clear and you meditate in the afternoon in the time of fire. The essential point of wind-energy is sufficiently [explained in] our own system. As for the essential point of object, the place where one aims one's perception, the sixth chapter of the Illumination of the Lamp says that (JOObJ "For the male, in the hole of the vajra there is a mere barley grain size hand symbol; and for the female there is the mere measure of a chickpea68 in her vagina. " The third chapter of the Illumination of the Lamp explains that one should meditate the superficial spirit of enlight- enment, the size of a grain of mustard, in the mouth of one's vajra, as having the nature of the five clans. And in the Personal Instruction [of ManjushrT] it says: "As previously quoted, one should meditate [it) in the center of the jewel"; so there is no disagreement with the statement "Meditate [it] in the hole of the vajra. " "Meditate in the mouth of the vajra" intends the lower opening of the dhati; those two are similar. The Personal Instruction explains that with the clear light of the seed at the
heart center one invites the mandala, melts those absorbed into the heart center, whence they descend as a drop and abide in the jewel.
68 Sanskrit ca{laka means chickpea.
? The Illumination of the Lamp explains that you should meditate in harmony with the process of birth in existence, as when the basic time male and female sexually unite and the fire of passion melts the drop and it falls into the lotus; which makes plain the meditation of the drop thus produced descending to the lower door. The Illumination of the Lamp in- tends that the color of the drop should be the color of your deity. If you hold the mind in the extremely subtle drop, it is easy to cut off concep- tual thoughts, because it is easy to terminate the evolutionary wind- energy which drives those [conceptions]. However, if it seems that you can not hold it like that no matter what you do, then let it be a little bigger, and when you can hold it, then make it subtler. This could be a problem of jumping a stage of meditation, not having stabilized [well enough] on the creation stage. If one makes it stable, then there is no problem of of not being able to hold the mind on such an object.
The distinctive way of holding the mind, the way of cultivating without depression and elation, not desiring the termination of the wind- energy even though the object is well-held, [ t O t al how to proceed when you are not ready to generate such an intense bliss and so on, and the way to dispel the arisal of some odds and ends of previous discomfort in desiring to terminate the energy, etc. -all these private instructions are explained in detail elsewhere. Thus, you meditate by aiming your vision towards the place of the great life-energy of the body, either the lower door of the dhati or the center of the channel wheel of the jewel, and you hold your mind there by means of the vital point of getting the energy
and mind to function in unity. At that moment, you terminate the wind- energies' movement in the rasana and lalana channels and move them into the dhuti. After that, it begins to dissolve there, and first the five signs will arise. In the Personal Instruction it is stated:
Thereupon [in] the great secret drop Very subtle, like a lump-
Hold your own mind - gently, gently -
And reach the place of thinglessness. There again, by cultivating this object, The deceptive earth disappears,
You perceive hallucinations
And you must know the first of the signs. Likewise, when water disappears,
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Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
You perceive the smoke-like [sign] ; You must know it as the second [sign]. When fire disappears in turn,
You have the third [sign] like fireflies. When wind-energy likewise disappears,
You perceive a butter-lamp-like flame, And you must know it as the fourth sign. Likewise deceptive consciousness is gone, The nonduality of depth and clarity
You see clear as a cloudless sky-
That sign you recognize as the fifth. With [the arisal of] those five signs You will attain non-located nirvana.
The yogi/ni thus should strive in this - This being the branch of endurance.
As for the Further Tantra statement that these five signs emerge in thecontextoftheyogabranchofendurance,69[tOtb) thefoursignsemerge before entering into clear light, and the fifth at the time of clear light. This intends that the entry into clear light is an entry by the power of meditat- ing the three life-energy-control practices. The Personal Instruction also says that the five signs emerge in the contexts of meditating the subtle [object] in the lower door and the indestructible [drop] in the heart; so you should understand that these signs emerge then by performing those
two [types of] vajra recitation.
As for the Illumination of the Lamp explaining the entry into clear
light through the door of the five signs, though it should be explained that the entry into clear light comes [only] after having attained mind iso- lation and the magic body by completing the three life-energy controls, nevertheless it is not that [Chandrakirti] does not accept the arisal of those signs on the lesser occasions of entering into the metaphoric clear light. So there is no contradiction in explaining the branch of endurance as an entry into the clear light which abides in insubstantiality by the
69 In the quote just given, "endurance" is spelled in Tibetan as gzung ba, perhaps old- fashioned way of spelling it, whereas Tsong Khapa correctly writes 'dzin pa in his gloss.
? Chapter JV- Body Isolation ? 2 1 1
progression of the signs on the occasion of meditation on the subtle [drop] in the lower door.
Tathagatavajra explains that by meditating the HOM letter at the heart center, you meditate the energy entering its drop, and holding that, you will attain clear light- it is explained just so. It is explained that you will achieve the clear light of endurance, either with the yoga of the subtle vowels and consonants abiding in the navel channel, or meditating the drop in the tip of the vajra, or meditating with the furor yoga, and so on, whichever [of these] are suitable. It is explained in agreement even in the Indian treatise of the six-branched yoga of the Jfianapada system. So this is excellent. Therefore, when one holds the mind in the point of the great life-energy of the channels of the body, it is not like other foci of the mind. The practice of meditating the subtle in the lower door I I02al exists up to there, but as explained above, if one doesn't know the advantages of meditating on that, then it seems one will not find certitude about the personal instructions. This is well explained depending on the Further Tantra and the statements of His Holiness Mafijushri. Thus, this path should be understood as the instruction that is an unerring, distinctive method of life-energy control. Therefore, it is said that the yogi/ni should make effort in this. Make a fierce effort in this meditation.
[VI. 8. 3. b. ii. c'3'd'i'A"6"b" - How melting bliss arises from that]
Second, there is a normal experience of joy that comes from the melted enlightenment spirit descending to the secret place of those both meditating and not meditating the path in general, and it can happen that a melting will emerge from the blazing of furor-fire both in the navel and the secret place. So, it is not necessary that the life-wind-energy dissolve
into the dhati for the furor-fire to burn and melt the spirit of enlighten- ment. Therefore, certain types of persons meditate as above and so expe- rience the bliss of the melting of the spirit of enlightenment, though their wind-energies do not dissolve into the dhati.
This kind of similar [experience] can happen to [people in general] , as [those that are achieved by yogi/nis] meditating other personal instruc- tions for penetrating the vital points in the body. When such a drop reaches the vajra jewel, it seems to be very difficult to retain. So one must first, by the outer and inner descending methods, forcefully reverse
? the descent of the enlightenment spirit from those places [higher in the
2 1 2 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
system] before it reaches the jewel. As soon as it reaches the vajra, if it cannot be diffused within the body, the many [redirecting] strains [needed] to instantly reverse it and the forceful methods of reversing it seem to produce sickness. And even if [some] have already implemented many procedures of such diffusion, J I02bl it does not seem that they know the systems of distinguishing the enlightenment spirit melting with the wind- energies dissolving into the dhati from its melting without [the wind- energies dissolving there], and thus how to determine the difficulty or ease of retaining the enlightenment spirit, the necessity of its forceful reversal or lack [of such necessity], and whether or not one will become
sick by not spreading the reversed [spirit] within the body.
About that, as for the necessity of the melting of the enlightenment spirit by burning the furor-fire by the power of meditating the path, it is for the sake for generating the orgasmic intuitive wisdom. In generating that [furor fire], the enlightenment spirit melts and falls; if it does not generally reach below the navel and particularly reach into the jewel and stay there somewhat without emitting, you can never develop the fully defined orgasmic [wisdom]. And to equate this orgasmic [wisdom] with the great bliss of the perfection stage, it must be one that abides by the power of dissolving the wind-energies. If the enlightenment spirit is melted by the power of dissolving the wind-energies into the dhati, then it will be held in the tip of the jewel and will not emit outward until the fully defined orgasmic [bliss] has been generated. This is because, when the enlightenment spirit descends from the crown [wheel] by stage after stage, as the wind-energies become weaker and weaker and it reaches the jewel, the wind-energy's function which would push that enlightenment spirit outside becomes calmed. At that point, it will not emit until one
arises from the orgasmic samadhi.
When you do arise, as the energy can become greatly agitated, you
must know the art of not emitting [the enlightenment spirit]. In that case, even if you do not practice the method of reversing [the spirit] at the first occasion when you are not accustomed [to the experience] and the method of reversing it later [when you are accustomed], again, when it goes back upwards [in the body] at both times of naturally going in reverse again, there is definitely no arisal of sickness by its not having spread out within the body. If you melt the enlightenment spirit by meditation on the subtle and so on, not by the power of dissolving the wind-energies, I I03al you cannot hold it more than a bit in the jewel, so you must reverse it
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right away, and you must understand the height of the place to reverse it to. If the melting is weak, it is easy to reverse it. If it is intense, it must be spread in the body. If you meditate on this for a long time, even though you don't reverse it right away, you will get the ability after a while.
As for the fact that, in the Tantras and the great Indian treatises, these subjects do not occur as they do in other practical instructions, it is because of the essential point that the principle [jewel-like] disciple of this teaching will quickly generate the wind-energy-dissolving perfection stage, [and so] such practical instructions are not necessary.
As for the process of generating the four joys in descending order, as the enlightenment spirit melts and reaches from place to place, the Vajra Rosary Tantra says:
Then one should teach the emerging order: In the crown of the great bliss wheel,
It is said to be "joy";
In the wheel of beatitude it is "supreme joy"; In the Dharma wheel it is "ecstatic joy";
And in the emanation wheel "orgasmic joy" - All these are caused to be experienced.
Here, "joy" is assigned [to the movement] from the crown to the throat. 70 The other three should also be understood in that way.
As for the way of generating [the four joys] welling up from below, according to the same text [the Vajra Rosary] :
In the emanation wheel there is joy,
Supreme joy dwells in the Dharma wheel,
Ecstatic joy dwells in the beatific wheel, and
Orgasmic [joy in the] great bliss [wheel] ,
These are declared these are stages are the reverse order.
The places of this should be understood by the reasonings previously explained.
70 Here the movement down from each wheel to the next is where the joy etc. are experi- enced, not merely in the wheel itself. Tsong Khapa is here improving a bit on the original text. The genital wheel is not mentioned in this passage and the following. though the emerging order joys end in it and the reversing order joys begin in it.
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This also agrees with the Great Seal Drop. I I03bl In that text also, it says that, by making each of them, upper and lower, have four parts, there are sixteen parts of the moon, and from the solar point of view in each there are three and [thus] there are twelve parts. To quote that same text:
These parts of the "rabbit-marked" moon Are the sixteen drops of joy
To be known as actually the ali [vowels]. From the stages in the four wheels
Just as has been explained,
We say there are twelve solar parts.
Here when the spirit of enlightenment streams up and down, it streams together with the blood. Here you experience a bliss in each of the sections which you made of the four parts of each of the four places. In each of the four places from the point of view of particles streaming in each of the four sections made into three parts, respectively, there are small, medium and great bliss discerned in one's experience, and one who has that should understand it, said to be [quite] subtle. In the Sheaf of Instructions it is explained that the four upward-surging orgasmic blisses are differentiated into small, medium, great, and intensely great.
The upward-surging four blisses are said to be more intense than the downward-falling four blisses. When surging from below, until the rever- sal has become firm at the crown, bliss is not stable. When it is firm in the crown, then it is stable, it is said. The same text [Sheaf of Instruc- tions] says:
Upon the life-energy [-wind] is mentality. Going against that, it will descend.
Abiding in the center of the navel of the lotus, It stabilizes outside of that.
At that time the savior will not go. Just as in a vessel with no holes Water will remain inexhaustibly. At that time bliss will be firm. When firm, there is orgasmic joy. Thus, buddha inexhaustible-
The yogT/nT will definitely [ I04a? l achieve.
The SheafofInstructions explains that here, "mentality" means "semen. " "Going against" means "the reverse order. " "Firm" means "reaching the crown. "
Here, Lakshmi explains that when the enlightenment spirit drips from the crown, it is luminance. When it descends into the joints of all the limbs, it is radiance. When the one drop emits from the tip of the vajra, it is imminence, and when it is firm in that very tip, then that is the arisal of clear light. Again, the first two [stages] are similar, but its going into the vajra tip or center being imminence, and abiding within the jewel being the arisal of clear light, are also explained as the four joys. There
are many [explanations] like this, [all of] which are similar.
Munishri explains that when it reaches the root of the vajra, it is luminance; when it reaches the center of the jewel, it is imminence, and when it reaches the tip of the jewel, it is clear light. This implies that he
must claim that when it reaches from the root of the vajra to the throat of the jewel, it is the arisal of radiance.
The Great Seal Drop explains that the four joys are the same as lu- minance, radiance, imminence, and clear light. The Root and Explana- tory Tantras of the Esoteric Community and treatises of the five Noble literatures do not contain explanations of the four joys as the four voids, and the five Noble father and sons do not say that when [the enlighten- ment spirit] melts and reaches this place, the four joys or the four voids arise, they just explain the arisal of luminance by dissolving the wind- energies and the arisal of radiance by the dissolving of mind, and so forth.
As for most of the other followers of the five Noble literatures, except for mentioning the four voids generated from the process of the descent of enlightenment spirit from the crown to the secret place vajra, they do not explain any other way in which the primal wisdom of the four voids is included in the path. [104bl Not to accept [the reticence ofthese sages] is a misunderstanding of the great vital point of this system, as will be ex-
plained below.
Here, someone says, "Which should be accepted among these ways
of generating the four joys by the process of the streaming of the enlight- enment spirit? "
The distinctive types of the four voids that will be taught emerge from penetrating the vital point in the heart center. Although these are not produced here, a simulation of the four voids is produced. If one practices like Munishri it is clear that there is a very important correspondence
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here. Here, great bliss is the life of the path, and making it firm, as it depends on the upward-surging bliss, is the extremely important way to produce it. Again, the SheafofInstructions says:
With the arisal of that enlightenment-spirit, beginning from the jewel until it reaches the navel, it increases without emitting, and proceeds upwards.
Taking this literally, [we would think that] when it does not emit from the jewel, it is as if it naturally reversed itself; but it is not so. Even though it does not emit, it can happen that it goes indivisibly where it will, without entering the very same path as it came down. And it can happen that even if it reverses direction, there is no certainty it will reach straight to the
crown and it may spread out into the lower part of the body. Therefore, if it is necessary that it go to the crown by winding itself upwards, the yog1nimust do that purposefully.