1000, was a teacher of the
translator
Go (ca.
Thurman-Robert-a-F-Tr-Tsong-Khapa-Losang-Drakpa-Brilliant-Illumination-of-the-Lamp-of-the-Five-Stages
.
.
Knower," .
.
knowing," and .
.
knowable"- these three functions are the three "con- cepts.
" "Discernment" is the investigation of the rational and irrational.
. . Conscience" [ 1 88aJ is the avoidance of the reprehensible for personal or religious reasons. "Compassion" is the desire for freedom from suffering. . . Love" is the desire for the beloved to be protected and to meet with happiness; and it has three degrees. . . Anxiety" is the lack of certainty in the doubting mind. . . Greed" is the thought to accumulate properties. . . Envy" is the disturbance of mind at the fortune of others. . . Avarice" is mentioned in the Clear Meaning and in the Chag translation, but the Five
Stages' and IntegratedPractices' old translations' use ofenvy is better. ll3
Ungentleness, and crookedness; These forty natures constitute The instant of extreme voidness.
is the mental desire for the obtained object. "Pleasure" from the experi-
repeating its experience over and over. "Amazement" is explained by the Clear Meaning as wondering about various stories "Is it? Or isn't it? "- but the previous [Tibetans] explain it as the experience of a mind at an unprecedented event. "Excitement" is the movement of mind when expe- riencing a pleasant object. "Satisfaction" is the notion of satisfaction by an object, though the Clear Meaning explains it as the distinct experience of happiness. "Embracing," "kissing," and "sucking," are minds that desire to do those things. "Stability" is the mind of not changing its process. "Zeal" is exertion in virtue. "Pride" is the haughty mind. "Activity" or "action" is full enaction of routine activities. "Covetousness" is the desire to rob wealth. "Aggressiveness" is the desire to conquer others' armies. "Enthusiasm" is the mind that activates practice on the path of virtue. "Natural" stands for the Sanskrit sahaja, which the former scholars said was not found in the Indian texts, but rather sahasa, which should be translated "hesitant," or "engaged with the difficult. " The commentary Clear Meaning says it means "non-hesitant," explaining its meaning as engaging in nonvirtue through arrogance. Old translations of Integrated Practices have "engagement in difficulties," the Chag translation of the Five Stages has "potency," his translation of the Integrated Practices has "non-hesitant. " 1 189uJ The ancient scholars defined it as "slight, medium, and intense engagement in striving after an objective. " "Hostility" is the unprovoked desire to contend with superiors. "Charm" is the desire to play or possess when seeing a beautiful person. "Resentment" is the mind of resentment. "Virtue" is the desire to initiate such action. "Lucid truthfulness" is the desire to speak understandably and without distortion of idea. "Untruthfulness" is the desire to speak distorting the idea. "Certitude" is a very firm determination. "Non-appropriation" is the dis- inclination to sieze an object. "Generosity" is the desire to give things away. "Initiative" is the desire to arouse lazy others. "Heroism" is the desire to triumph over enemies such as the addictions. "Shamelessness" is
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 37 1
ence of the ( t88bl pleasant is slight, medium, and intense. "Delight" is the
"Desire" is mental desire for the unobtained object. "Attachment'' mind happy with achieving a desired aim. "Indulgence" is such a mind's
372 ? BrilliantIlluminationoftheLamp
engagement in nonvirtue, not avoiding it for personal or religious reasons. "Deceitfulness" is deceiving others with artificiality; when "sharpness" occurs [in texts], it describes [this instinct] as a mind of sharp pickiness. "Wickedness" refers to [a nature] steeped in evil convictions. "Ungentle- ness" is mischievousness toward others. "Crookedness" is dishonesty. In the Chag translation, the last two quarters read, "The instants of the forty natures are produced from extreme voidness. "1 14
As for the seven instinctual natures [corresponding with luminance- imminence], the Five Stages says:
One instant of medium attachment, Forgetfulness, mistakenness, Reticence, fatigue,
Laziness, and doubt.
"Forgetfulness" is the loss of memory. "Mistakenness" is holding a mirage as water and so on. "Reticence" is heartfelt [1H9bJ disinclination to speak. "Fatigue" is mental exhaustion. "Laziness" is disinclination for virtue. The other two are immediately understandable.
As for these three divisions of instincts, though they seem similar in explanation as collected into three classes as determined by their extreme desire for objects, their extreme aversion to objects, and their neutrality, [respectively], they are explained as above relying on the commentary Clear Meaning [attributed to Nagabodhi] and the ancient Tibetans. The commentary Jewel Rosary [also attributed to Nagabodhi] seems to explain a way in which these instincts are interconnected with the fifty-one [Abhidharmic] mental functions. However, since it does not seem plausible, I do not set it forth.
1 14 The count is even further off here, with forty-six instinctual functions listed, though if pleasure and boldness, the only two instinctual functions with three degrees are counted as one function, the count is exactly forty. If we use the same method on the thirty-three previous, however, we would have only twenty-one functions. Neither the Indian Noble writers nor Tsong Khapa are of much help with these enumerations, as apparently these counting questions were not thought of as interesting, in the context of the exalted paths of the perfection stage. What is interesting is the relation of the prakrtikalpana to the lists of kleia and upakleia in the Abhidharma, though Tsong Khapa does not accept the effort of the author of the Commentary Jewel Rosary.
? ? In regard to the Integrated Practices's mention of such three sets of instinctual notions as the nature of the three luminances, "nature" comes from Sanskrit svabhllva, which can be used for element, nature, and thing, and can also be quoted in the meaning of element. The Inte- grated Practices declares it to refer to the natural identity of the three luminances, saying "in short, as for nature. . . " and "in summary, it is these thirty-three natures, and the forty, and the seven. " Lalq;hmi's state- ment that the meaning of "nature" is "of the nature of that" and the Clear Meaning's explanation that it is "included in the category of that" are incorrect. For, as the Self-Consecration of Aryadeva states:
The earth element dissolves into water, The water dissolves into fire,
Fire into the subtle element. Wind-energy dissolves into the mind, Mind dissolves into mental functions, Mental functions into ignorance,
And that goes into clear light transparence.
That wind-energy dissolves before the mind produces luminance, and, since that wind-energy is the mover of the instinctual natures, [190al the instincts must also dissolve at that time; hence, luminance and the instinctual natures are extremely incompatible.
Also in the context of the creation stage, as the Wisdom Vajra Com- pendium states that the instinctual notions are generated after generating the three luminances, and the Terminal Action Investigation states that the one hundred and sixty instincts arise after generating the three voids, and that the first group of instincts are effects having the cause of the luminance wisdom and the other two groups are similar. In some of the editions of that [text], the explanations that the seven instincts [of the last
group] occur at the time of ignorance [here intending imminence], are the result of textual error.
Here one might wonder, "As it is said that wind-energy dissolves into luminance. since there is no luminance before it is generated. it is impossible to dissolve into it! "
Since such statements are made in terms of luminance, radiance, imminence, and clear light, such assertions as that, after the latter is produced the former must dissolve so they are not cause and effect, or
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 373
. H4 ? Brilliant ll/11mination of the Lamp
else they would become unlocatable in any order at all, cannot be
accepted. For the Five Stages states:
Void and extreme void,
Third, great void,
And fourth, universal void-
These are distinguished as causes and effects.
Therefore, . . the former dissolves into the latter" is just a designation for the process wherein the former's potency withdraws and becomes unclear and that potency seems to transfer to the latter. Therefore, the claim such as that . . at the time of dissolving, the thirty-three instincts cease [190b1; then luminance arises. After that, the forty instincts cease, then radiance arises and so on," the similar claim that the instincts and luminance are coordinates, and the claim that at birth first imminence arises and then the seven instincts, and so forth-all these are irrational and contradic- tory positions. I have already quoted the Integrated Practices statement that the instincts emerge from luminance. The Chag translation of the Five Stages, just as in the above explanation of the definition of the three luminances, holds them not to be non-different actualities. Just as in marking a mansion by [the fact that there is] a crow [on the roof], an
actually different definer is given as the definition. Further, the statement of the Integrated Practices:
Likewise, consciousness luminance is formless, yet can be inferred from the instinctual natures such as attach- ment, detachment, medium attachment, and so on
is a means of defining luminance saying that luminance is inferred from the instinctual natures. As for how it is inferred, seeing that instinctual natures have degrees of minor, medium, and intense, the luminance that generates them is mounted on wind-energies, and it can be measured that their movements are weak, medium, and intense. [19laJ Thus, of any of the seven instincts with the weakest [wind-energy] movement, there is an imprint of the weakest movement of the wind-energy-mounted lumi- nance, which can be posited as the effect of imminence. You should extra- polate the same reasoning for the others.
As for the yogrlni who can develop the three wisdoms by the power of meditation on the path, s/he can ascertain those three in manifestation, not inferring them from their signs. Therefore, the persons who must infer
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 375
luminance from the instincts is not one of these; and so it is inaccurate to claim that any of the three luminances [appear] to the sense cognitions. Sense cognitions need not infer from signs but can ascertain things di- rectly. As for the ordinary person, s/he experiences the three luminances along with clear light at the time of birth and death and so on. But such a person cannot induce certitude [about them] through direct perception.
As for the hundred and sixty instinctual natures, they are set forth from the perspective of having a set of eighty engaged in each of day and night. Also, the Vajra Rosary explains that there are a hundred and eight instincts agitated by one hundred and eight wind-energies. 1 15
Thus, in basic reality there are two states, one in which the instinct- moving wind-energy is dissolved and another in which it is not dissolved. The undissolved state is the time when the instincts emerge. In the dis- solved state, there are two states, one in which the three luminance wind- energies are dissolved and another in which they are not dissolved. The undissolved state is the time of the three voids. The dissolved state is the time of the arisal of clear light. In the time of the path also they are gen- erated in that manner; and that is the necessity to determine the arising [19lbl and dissolving processes of the four voids and the instinctual notions.
Such as the above, it is an import that comes from the literature of the Root and Explanatory Community Tantras. It is not explicit in writings other than the commentaries of the Noble father and sons. And further concerning them, the private instruction of all buddhas, praised in the Integrated Practices as taught by the kindness of [Aryadeva's] own mentor, Nagarjuna, is the way of achieving the clear light and the extra- ordinary magic body. Thus, [the greatness of these teachings] comes from
the vital point of relying on their knowing [of these extraordinary private instructions]. 1 16
mind. Just as in the case of the famous "five aggregates" - Jamyang Sheyba mentions in
1 16 This whole section remains somewhat unclear, since Tsong Khapa starts off by saying that the luminances and the instinctual natures are not the same thing, since the instinctual (cont"d)
? 115 This comment may provide a clue about Tsong Khapa's disinterest in counting too strictly-there are numerous ways ofcounting and various numbers put forth by various authors. All such enumerations are heuristic devices used in meditative practice to develop introspective awareness of the workings of one's conscious and unconscious levels of
his Abhidharma Final Analysis textbook that there could be three aggregates or a hundred
aggregates, and that the five are used as convenient for a specific context.
3 76 ? Brilliant llul mination of the Lamp
How to generate luminance wisdom]
The third has two parts: [i") Setting forth the separate systems; and [ii"] Setting forth the correct opinions among them.
? ? Lak? hmi, Bhavyakirti, and the rest, set OM in the hub of the eight spokes in the wheel of the navel, have OM, Al:J, and HO Mradiate from that, to be set in the crown, throat, and heart centers; then OM radiates white light and attracts OM's, which dissolve into the navel letter, upon which one focuses one-pointedly, generating the luminance wisdom-
intuition. Likewise, they visualize a red Al:I in the hub of the [navel] wheel and a mere drop. Its red and black light rays attract Al:f's and HOMs, respectively, cause them to dissolve into the navel, and focus on that one- pointedly, thereby generating the intuitive wisdoms of luminance-radiance, and [luminance-] imminence, [respectively]. Then, they explain that you meditate the drop and even the wheel as dissolving into the space of the navel, and thus create the clear light preceded by the five signs. The first two intuitions are said to be synonymous with OM and Al:l. In the con-
text of imminence, they use the private instruction of the Five Stages:
The seed is not endowed with a drop; Itdoesnotgoout[192al thedoorofenergy. Who attains the luminances
Has the character of full perfection.
natures must be mobilized by wind-energies, which have dissolved by the time of the arisal of the luminances. Without distinguishing coarse and subtle wind-energies, he goes on to say that the three luminances are driven by wind-energies, obviously subtle wind- energies, since the wind that dissolves into space and luminance in the fourth stage of eightfold death and mind-isolation dissolution processes are the coarse wind-energies. The luminances-mounted subtle wind-energies dissolve only at the transition from immi- nence into clear light transparence and universal voidness. Tsong Khapa's interest here is surely in the practice, and the mind isolation practitioner need not concern herself or himself with the eighty instincts - which disappear upon entering actual luminance - but rather with the four voids and joys marking the dissolving process. The alignment of the 80 instincts in three batches with the three luminances seems rather pertinent only to the ordinary person who is subject to their surgings at death, failing of course to perceive the luminances or transparency except as a flash of light here or there.
? [VJ. B. 3. b. ii. c '3 'd Tc "4 "c " -
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTc"4"c"i" - Setting forth the separate systems]
This is called the generation of mind isolation by the art of the stage of mantra. As for the generation by the stage of the seal, it is according to the statement in the Five Stages: I have already explained the way the voids are produced there. 117
Master Go explained two methods of generating mind isolation, the systems of Kr? ht:ta Samayavajra and of Tsunmojen. Concerning the first, as for the path of the lower door [of the central channel], rely on a consort; and as for the upper door, by generating great, medium, and small bliss of the natural melting of the inner enlightenment spirit though the emanation and retraction of the light from meditating a crown HAM, a throat AM, and a heart center A, you should meditate bliss-void from ceasing the three degrees of subtle to coarse natures. They explain that to be the measure of the ancient sages' practice Tantra, and they give that meaning by quoting a reference from Aryadeva. However, the quoting of that reference and the making of that explanation seem to be extremely inconsistent, and so that explanation seems very unsuitable. It is clear that it emerges from the speech of the mentor Samayavajra. And such an explanation does not appear anywhere in any treatise of Aryadeva. Con- cerning the second of the systems, except for generating it depending on the consort, it seems to lack any meditation on seed-syllables. The dis- ciples of Go, Ngog Yeshey Sengey and company, [I92bl explain it accord- ing to that latter system.
Certain others who uphold the interpretation style of Go, maintain a Tsunmojen method relying on the lower door as previously explained. As for their reliance on the upper door, with the energy made fit by vajra recitation, they visualize an AM on a lotus upon a moon in the heart center, from which extremely subtle light rays, white and cool like moonlight, enter into the central channel, energizing the crown HAM, from which
white spirit of enlightenment cascades down abundantly onto the AM, which gets brighter and brighter, and finally the mind-bliss develops into the wisdom-intuition of luminance clear as moon[light]. In a similar manner, visualizing an Al:l on the hub of a vajra on a sun at the heart center and visualizing a lone A not depending on any base, emitting from the central channel light rays hot as sun and very subtle black light rays,
1 1 7 I n t h e G r e a t S t a g e s of M a n t r a .
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 377
? . ? 7M ? Brilliant llluminatinn ofthe Lamp
(respectively. ) and so on. you proceed as before and develop the latter
two intuitions.
Gi'l ' s mentor
Saraha advocates developing the three wisdom- intuitions from visualizing the three letters, without practicing emanating and retracting. All those explanations of the moon, sun, and syllables, and so on as the modalities of the intuitions are accepted as private instructions. saying that Abhijiia1 1 8 has simply explained those as nomi- nal synonyms. yet claim that "he does not teach meditation in that way. " As for this explanation, if you compare it with Go's [own text,] the [Grear} Voidness Session, it does not match his explanation of Tsunmo-
jen's [instructions1.
According to the private instruction of Naropa expressed by Ser-
dingpa as received through Marpa, [you can use either of] two [methods], using or not using a wheel center, the way of setting up a wheel center being as above. [I93al You do not retract the wheel center during the time of vajra recitation, but do retract it during the [practice of the] mind objective. As for holding the upper and lower wind-energies in kiss- connection while you are learning the mind objective, it is taught in the four great and three lesser private instructions; doing it at the heart-center is taught in the Five Point.
They teach also that you create the first void by meditating holding the wind-energy and visualizing the [row of] letters on the outer [part of the] lotus petals, the extreme void by then meditating compressing the letters into the middle and visualizing the middle [row of letters], and the great void next by meditating compressing those again into the four inner letters and visualizing them. Again, "from the beginning causing the first lotus petal to dissolve"; and "visualizing at the beginning after already having experienced the sign-possessor of luminance white like the moon and meditating having dissolved the first lotus petal into the second and so terminating the thirty-three instinctual natures"; and "at the time of visualizing the letter of the latter lotus petal, it is better to collect the
deity body into that"; and again, "after creating the three voids collecting the deity body into the drop of the central channel"; and "radiating light
1 18 Abbijiia ca.
1000, was a teacher of the translator Go (ca. 1030), and was a student of Aasha (982-I054).
? In regard to the three of those, respectively, they are explained in the Wheel Endowed and the Four Point as being the experience of bliss just from the arrival of the spirit of enlightenment at the root of the vajra, at its throat, and at its vase. [ 193hl The Five Point says that at the beginning you experience bliss from merely the enlightenment spirit's movement from its abode, but this becomes the same as the previous two. In the Wheel Endowed it explains that, having prepared with vajra recitation, you alternate with holding the energy in kiss-connection, and since therein there are many different methods of arisal of signs and sign-possessors, I
do not write them here.
In the [procedure] without a wheel, there are three. The first of
these is explained as follows: in the heart center of oneself as a luminous deity, in the center of a mirror-like light, meditate on a drop marked by a short A. Then, practice vajra recitation as above. Then, for the mind objective, hold the upper and lower wind-energies kiss-connected, com- pressing the deity body, light, drop, and short A one into another and meditate to produce the three voids. This is called "wheel-less," designat- ing it influenced by the general name. [Second,] from the Five Stages Triple Nested Spiritual Heroes, it is explained that you meditate a thumb- sized wisdom hero in the heart center of yourself as luminous devotee hero and in its heart center, in the hub of a mustard-seed-size vajra, a samadhi hero of a blue-black HOM, as if drawn by a single hair brush; you do vajra recitation as above, and for the mind objective you hold the wind-energies in kiss connection, you compress the two heroes and the vajra and HOM one into another and meditate to produce the three voids. [Third,] from the Five Stages Simultaneous it is explained that you medi- tate in the heart center of yourself as luminous deity, in the navel of a four petal red lotus, a white drop with a black short A, L194aJ you do vajra recitation as above, and for the mind objective, you aim the mind at the deity body, the lotus petals, and the drop to produce the three voids. Though it teaches you to compress the deity body, lotus petals, drop, and short A one into another, its not setting the dissolving process of those as [equivalent to] the three voids can be understood as an error, by the key of the other two versions. You should produce the three voids through the
Chapter VII- Mind Isolation ? 379
from the letter of the first lotus petal, cultivating vessel and essence, and collecting that into the consonants"; and again, "collecting them into the vowels"; and so on-many different instructions appear, but the real
position is clearly as above.
380 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
three dissolutions as in the previous versions. It seems that the intention here is that you should do vajra recitation until the five signs such as mirage arise, which is excellent.
By the system of these extensive and concise instructions, in devel- oping the mind isolation, it is accomplished by bringing together two arts, the holding of the wind-energies in kiss connection and the compression process of the visualizations. The development of the mind isolation relying on the consort is explained in the Five Stages, not being stated expicitly in the Concise Five Stages or among the personal instructions of Serdingpa, but obvious in the instruction that appears there is the
general way to develop bliss relying on the great seal consort.
Some others who follow Marpa's tradition assert that, without holding the wind-energies in kiss-connection, visualizing the three kinds of letters, practicing vajra recitation in order and purifying the three kinds of instinctual natures, the three wisdoms are created. From the private instructions of Naropa transmitted through Nagtso, in regard to the condition of the mind needing to be realized by combining with bliss, there are two ways; the first is the passionate relying on the lower door, which involves relying on a consort, and [the second] is the dispassionate
relying on the upper door. [ 194bJ
Then there are the three methods to develop bliss, relying on a
garland of letters, on a mere letter, and on no letter. In terms of the first of these, you meditate that, by the light rays radiated from the three kinds of letters in the heart center, the crown HAM melts and fills the heart center, and when bliss develops the energy is taught to be held only for brief intervals; and otherwise there does not seem to be the instructions as before to hold the wind-energies in kiss connection and to visualize the compression process.
Setting forth the correct opinions
The second has two parts: [A'"] Analyzing how are those systems; and [B'") Setting forth the enduring opinion.
? 'VI 8
?
I
? -
AnaIyzmg
ow are t 1ose systems hI
As for the wind-energies, to first collect them in the central dhati and dissolve them, you must have the definite vital key of the body.
among thcmj
lVI. 8. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTc"4"c"ii" -
b00 o'J'd'o' ""noon . ,, . . J. . n. c 1 c 4 c 11 A
Chapter VII-MindIsolation ? 381
Having meditated the art of penetrating the vital points in the body through vajra recitation and so on, you inject the wind-energies into the dhati and they dissolve, and you practice by developing the four voids and joys, and then visualize whatever objective and hold the mind [there; then] the wind-energies collect and those experiences as appropriate seem to arise. That occurs by the force of the previous, and it is not certain that there is any imprint of that later objective. Therefore, [though you may] have learned well the vajra recitation, once having learned [a bit about the mind objective], if you hold the visualizations as above explained and those experiences happen to develop, by that reason [alone] one cannot prove that that instruction is the [full] import of those treatises. As for the Five Stages' and Integrated Practices' explanations of the three letters and moon, sun, and vajra as synonyms of the three luminances, they mean that those names are designated to the three lumi- nances of the perfection stage, and that "you should meditate imagining those, as in the creation stage [19. 5aJ you cannot develop the three lumi- nance wisdoms. " Therefore what the mentor Abhijfia asserted is correct, that it does not mean that [you can reach the mind objective just] by meditating through the perfection stage, having set up letters on moon and sun and so on. Even if you cause it to be produced, you must do it in the heart center; if you do it in the navel center, you do not understand the key point of this system. As for statement that "they originate from the intuition of luminance and from radiance. . . ," it indicates that the instinctual natures originate from those [luminance states], and does not teach that the intuitions originate from meditating on letters and so on. By making effort to meditate the letters and the white, red, and black colors of the light rays the objective perceptions arise in those colors; but that is not the way of the arisal of the colors explained in the treatises. Though the Concise Five Stages explains the three sets of letters in order, as illustrative of luminance, radiance, and imminence, it does not need to teach that the intuitions are produced by holding the mind in front of
those letters set up [in visualization). As that text says:
Bind the mind in equanimity,
You will evenly see the wisdom
Of the hub of the wheel in equipoise, And imminence is great void
? 382 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
-it does not agree with the explanation that you bind the mind from distracting to other objects while visualizing the letter set in the wheel, equilibriating the mind as if it dwelt in the letter; from habituating to that equilibrium. l t95hl the mind enters into the indestructible along with its short A in the hub of the wheel. and the great void is produced from that turning into uniformity of experience.
Therefore. even if you compress the wheel, once you have reached stabilized vivid vision in the letter, first visualize the outer, then com- press into the intermediate, then compress into the inner, and then com- press into the indestructible, and then become habituated to visualizing
that. Or, setting up the letters as above, if you alternate doing that, the compression into the dhati is quick. Whereas if you do not compress into the interior of the dhati but habituate on the outside, the definitive paths of void will not arise, since they emerge from compressing and dissolv- ing into the dhati. From the Concise Five Stages, there is no explanation of holding the wind-energies in kiss connection beyond those of the meditation on the letters and the vajra recitation. Though the Vajra
Rosary often states that "you achieve by the reality of mantra alone ! " - if you meditate knowing the vital points of that, it has the meaning that you achieve even though you do not combine it with any other energy connection .
Here, not having realized the complete vital points of vajra recita- tion, if you think that "if there is no holding the wind-energies in kiss- connection, I won't be able to accomplish the dissolving of the wind- energies into the dhati"; [you are right, as] it is so explained that if if you hold them in kiss-connection it seems you do not realize the key point of this practical instruction; but this does not mean in general that the vajra recitation meditator is at fault if s/he holds the wind-energies in kiss- connection. Here [in mind isolation context,] [ 1 96a] holding in kiss- connection requires that you perform the vase-pressure at the heart center. What is stated in the Vow Arisal, "in first meditating energy- connection, heart-center vase-pressure is a great hindrance," is a message for those who are inexpert in that yoga; if you know what you're doing it is not a big hindrance.
By that explanation of the wind-energy compression process taught in the Wheel Endowed, you can understand also the compression process of the three wheel-less [instructions]. Though it is not sure that the three wisdom-intuitions will be produced immediately in front of the set up of
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 383
the letters, the voids are not posited as occurring from the stages of the descending of the enlightenment spirit from the crown to the jewel. And as for the Marpa tradition personal instruction that the voids are pro- duced from the stages of compression in the heart center, it is the vital point of the word, "consciousness is the support of the compression of life-energy. meditate the wheel of mantra in the heart center"; and this seems to be the unexcelled vital point also of the father and son personal instruction.
[Chandrak. Irti] states in the Illumination of the Lamp that the four signs from mirage to burning candle flame arise from the dissolution one into another of earth, water, fire, wind, and consciousness. It has been explained above how when wind dissolves luminance is produced, which
does not mean that those many signs arise at the time of the three lumi- nances, and so it should be accepted according to [Aryadeva's] explana- tion in the Integrated Practices as expressed in the Concise Five Stages passage :
First the mirage-like experience
Arises with its five light-rays,
Second there is the moon-like luminance,
And third there is embrace by the light of sun; And from the night luminance there is imminence.
[196bl Herenotmentioningthethreesignsotherthanmirageisforthesake of brevity; it can be understood more extensively according to the Further Tantra and other contexts in the Illumination ofthe Lamp. In short, as the previous various systems did not add newly visualizations such as medi- tating letters here in the context of the mind isolation, it is not good to newly add visualizations as arts of developing mind isolation, without examining whether, having first achieved body isolation, you are or are not able to develop how much of the four voids in general by the speech isolation vajra recitation. This is because it would seem to be a case of explaining subtle arts while leaving out the principal of penetrating the vital points in the inner body where mind isolation is developed. The things explained above in the category of the arts of generating bliss through the visualizations given in the private instructions descending from Nagtso seem to be rendered in view of the need of the swift genera-
tion of bliss; nevertheless, they do not seem to convey the import of the authoritative treatises.
384 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
? [VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTc"4"c"ii"B"'l'" - The way the wisdoms are pro- duced from outer and inner conditions]
[Nagarjuna states] in the Five Stages:
The mantri/ni staying in vajra recitation
Will attain the mind objective . . .
-that the vajra recitation develops the mind isolation void, but is not explicit about how it develops. [Aryadeva], in the Integrated Practices, states that you will attain mind isolation by abiding in speech isolation and that mind isolation will not arise without speech isolation, but in this context is also not explicit about how that mind isolation arises. However, [197al if you know how to investigate the statements that explain the three [experiences] which you enter in the context of the detailed explanation of speech isolation and those about the arisal of clear light at the conclu- sion when the wind-energies enter the indestructible, you can comprehend how the voids are produced from the vajra recitation's compressing and dissolving the wind-energies into the indestructible; which I have already explained. Further, the Vajra Rosary states often and explicitly how the mind isolation voids are generated from the perspective of the vajra reci-
tation's blocking the circulation of the wind-energies:
By strong application of vajra recitation Having known the nature of wind-energy,
You cut off the instinct-driving wind-energies, And will attain the objective in the mind.
I have already explained how in general the vajra recitation develops the voids. As for the particular boundary whence the mind isolation voids are developed, it is from when, having well released the heart center channel knot, you are able to compress the wind-energies into the heart center indestructible, and it is not before that.
? [VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'd'i'c"4"c"ii"o"' -
The second has two parts: [1'"] The way the wisdoms are pro- duced from outer and inner conditions; [2'"] The way such bliss and
Setting forth the enduring opinion]
void are united, and so forth.
Since, from the above quote from the third chapter of the Illumina- tion of the lAmp, "you should meditate always day and night with the yoga of entry, abiding, emergence, and compression," the "yoga of emer- gence, entry, and abiding" is the vajra recitation, the "compression yoga" clearly must be taken to apply to being able to develop the four voids by means of vajra recitation and the indestructible. Naropa's [197bJ private instructions also sometimes mention the development of the voids as "compression yoga. " As for the way of compression, according to the Five Point statement "it is the practice by means of the two contempla- tions," it should be practiced by means of the holistic holding and serial dissolving [samadhis]; since the Lawapa Commentary on Luyipa's Arts ofAchievement explains the compression by serial dissolving from the lower part of the perfection stage, the Personal Instruction also explains through binding the compression by serial dissolving into the heart center indestructible, and there seems to be no difference about that here in this context. Also the private instructions from Naropa as inherited from Nag- tso explain the way to generate mind isolation without any letters, and mantra wheel letters do not appear in the three Concentrated Personal Instructions of the Marpa tradition; thus even in that tradition mantra wheel letters are not indispensable.
If you wonder, "If we take the method of developing the mind iso- lation to be the meditation of the three life-energy controls and the com- pression yoga, will that be sufficient? "
Here the Wisdom Vajra Compendium states:
Uniting the vajra and the lotus serves as the method of mind and mental functions. Uniting mind and mental functions serves as the art of the great bliss samadhi. That is indicated by the simile of magical illusion.
And:
Just as, without thoroughly combining milk and sesa- mum you won't get butter and sesame butter 1 1 "? 1111 ), so. without uniting vajra and lotus which thoroughly com- bine mantrt'/nT and consort, you cannot approach the three
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 385
Well then, you may wonder, are any other visualizations for the compression process needed to develop [the voids] from that boundary,
or are there not?
. ? M6 ? Brilliant Illumination of thr Lamp
consciousnesses. Through such inability to unite vagina
and phallus. the samadhi of great bliss is not discovered.
Here the positive inference is that the three luminances are produced from the union with the consort and the negative inference is that those three are precluded when that union is eliminated. In regard to the "great bliss" mentioned where wisdom is the art of great bliss, [Aryadeva] says in the Integrated Practices that it is the magic body; therefore you need the external consort in order to fully generate the three intuitive wisdoms of mind isolation which are the base for achieving the magic body. As for that import. it is stated in the Five Stages:
Of all magics, woman's magic is most excellent. This clearly marks the distinct three wisdoms- Attachment, detachment, and that between -
All three come from the union of two organs, The connection of vajra and lotus.
Thus, this does not mean that, in order to generate mind isolation, the specifying of the lustful and the lust-free refers to the practice of the lower door and the upper door. Bearing in mind that statement in the Five Stages, [Aryadeva] in the Integrated Practices did not mention the exter- nal art for generating mind isolation. As for Lak? hmi' s explanation of this marking of the three wisdoms from the consort in the time of the third initiation, though in general such does apply in the time of the third initiation, this is the context of the path of learning [198bJ the mind isolation.
Here you might wonder, "If in the case of a properly qualified person, if the actual anointment with the third initiation is preliminary to meditating the path of the two stages, is it necessary or not that in this context the three wisdoms are marked through relying on the evolution- ary consort? "
Previously, in that initiation the four joys are there from the per- spective of the outer life-energy control which dissolves the energy into the dhati. In this context [of mind isolation] , it is taken as referring to the proper discovery of the ability [to dissolve the wind-energies] by medi-
tating the three life-energy controls. Thus here it concerns the generation of the mind isolation three wisdom-intuitions, much more distinctively
excellent than the former; so it is not unnecessary that again it be marked [in that way] here.
You may then wonder, "Here, is that generating of the three wis- doms relying on the evolutionary consort a matter of generating it from the enlightenment spirit melting from the crown and falling to the tip of the phallus at the secret center? Or is it a matter of compressing the melted enlightenment spirits from the upper and lower parts of the body into the heart center? "
[Chandrakirti says] in the Illumination ofthe Lamp that the mandala triumph is generated from the enlightenment spirit melting and falling into the path of the vajra. However, other treatises' clear explanation that when the enlightenment spirit melts and reaches this center in the body, this joy and void are produced, does not appear in the treatises of the five father and sons. Nevertheless, it is explained that when wind dissolves there is mind luminance, when mind dissolves there is mental function radiance, when mental function dissolves there is imminence, and when that dissolves clear light arises. As [Aryadeva explains] in the Integrated Practices:
From the union of the vajra and the lotus, beginning from the crown, the enlightenment spirit melts from the 72,000 channels [199a] and descends gradually through the lustful, lustfree, and their medium states.
By force of the melting of the enlightenment spirit the three wis- doms are produced. Thus the four voids arise by the force of both the process of dissolving the wind-energies and the melting and falling of the enlightenment spirit. In that regard, I have already explained that the best place for dissolving the energy of this system is the interior of the heart center dhati; and I will explain it further. Thus, through vajra recitation and
so forth, the fury-fire blazes and the enlightenment spirit melts, and the place wherein compressing it produces the four voids is the heart center. Again, it is not that the four joys cannot be produced in the emergent order through the falling of the melted enlightenment spirit to the sensi- tive tip of the secret place and the reverse order of its reversing back up to the head crown. That does indeed take place as already explained in the context of the body isolation. Here you are developing the four voids of extremely great impact according to the death process, and so it is an emergent order coming from the process of compressing the wind-energies
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 387
388 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
hither into the heart center and a reverse order coming from a process of expanding back out from the heart center. Thus, by the inner condition of the method of meditating life-energy control however you do it, and by an outer condition of relying on union with the consort, the wind-energies and enlightenment spirits are both compressed into the heart center from the top and bottom of the body. As [Aryadeva says] in the Integrated Practices :
Together with your consort, by the process of the holis- tic holding or serial dissolving, you enter into ultimate reality.
Thereby, he explains that by uniting with the outer consort [199bl you enter into ultimate reality by the process of the four voids, using the compres- sion yoga of whichever of the two contemplations, which amounts to compression in the heart center; because, when you rely on previous habituation to the compression process in the heart center, when you unite with the consort and practice the yoga of the two contemplations, the union with the outer consort serves as a condition for the compres-
sion of the wind-energy-mind into the heart center.
As for the arisal of the voids from compression of the enlighten-
ment spirits melted down [and up] from upper and lower body through the vajra recitation's ignition of the furor-fire, it can be understood as applying from the boundary of being able to generate the voids from the dissolving process compressing the wind-energies into the heart center through vajra recitation, even though it is not yet perfected. Thus, you can understand correctly the generation of the voids by melting the en- lightenment spirits through the condition of the outer consort, serving as the condition of compressing [wind-energies and enlightenment spirits] into the heart center from the top and bottom of the body. By this you should understand also how by uniting with the wisdom consort you can compress wind-energy and enlightenment spirit into the heart center. If you can generate the voids through the process of compressing the wind- energy and enlightenment spirit in the heart center, you can also be able to practice either way to develop the distinctive voids, through the process of the joys of downward descending and upward stabilizing, or the process
of compressing into and expanding out from the heart center.
Some others who follow the father and sons do not grasp the vital point of generating the distinctive four voids of this system, since they
interpret according to the explanation that in general the voids emerging from melting the enlightenment spirits and especially the voids emerging from union with the outer consort, all of them are the same as the four joys, [200aJ whether of falling from crown to secret place sensitive tip or of rising back up to the crown. They have made the mistake of not deter- mining precisely the need to achieve the magic body according to the between [process] and the need to generate the voids systematically according to the processes of death. Here, [Nagarjuna states] in the Five Stages :
Who finds not vajra-lotus union
Even superficially,
Will [still] achieve [mind objective] once by experience, Due to the potency of the yoga.
Through the actuality of the wisdom function, Understanding accurately the distinctions, The yogi/ni should always discern that
Just that also is the instinctual nature.
In regard to the meaning of this, [Viryabhadra' s] Clear Meaning explana- tion is not correct in saying that this refers to the precept holders and the hermaphrodites who have no union of two sex organs yet can generate the three wisdoms from the vivid contemplative stabilization. Damtsig Dorjey explains that if the devotee vajra experiences [this deep dissolv- ing] one time [already] at the time of initiation, it will be achieved on the strength of his/her inner yoga; such also are the positions of the Moon- light and of Lak? hmi. The explanation of Master Go [of this] as the Tsun- mojen system, that the yogilni, even without uniting with the outer con- sort in constant reliance, if s/he recognizes [the mind objective] naturally a single time, afterwards s/he learns in other ways; that is the meaning of the treatise. ["Not finding even] superficially" is claimed by some to refer to not finding according to common knowledge. However, the meaning is that, I200bl just as the "superficial" nose tip refers to the facial nose-tip, even though there is no continuous union of the superficial [outer consort's] lotus and vajra, by experiencing [such union] even once [imaginarily], depending on that, by accustoming yourself to a wisdom
consort and so on, you can develop the mind isolation.
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 389
JQO ? Brilliant lll11minotion of the u1mp
Here. one might wonder. "If reliance on the outer consort begins from the boundary of perfecting the vajra recitation, then the Esoteric: Accmrpr li. 'ihment statement:
Having an evolutionary consort, Through the union of vajra and lotus, A truth speaker can experientially Proclaim such a meditation.
A beginner practitioner
Who gives up such an evolutionary consort,
[Even] showing [mastery of] the enlightenment spirit,
By other-shown [arts] will not see [the mind objective] - As should be understood from the beginner's case.
and the Five Stages also will be in contradiction; since from that [text above] it states that in the case of the beginner, if s/he abandons the method of the outer consort, s/he will not be shown [the goal] by other methods, and so s/he must be shown by that [method]. And here the beginner is defined as the yogi/ni who cannot inject the wind-energies into the dhuti by the force of meditating the inner life-energy control.
There is no such contradiction, since the explanation in the Five Stages intends the generation of the three wisdoms of mind isolation, and the intention of the Esoteric Accomplishment is the generation of the orgasmic wisdom of the four joys. As for a fully qualified embodied person as stated in the definition of such a beginner, it is extremely rare; so since the object is like that, you should not make a mistake in regard
to what is a "beginner. " [20la] In regard to that embodied person as a vehicle of bliss, though there seem to be other arts of developing it up to the secret center, "if you abandon the above-explained art other [methods]
will not show [the objective]" intends its serving as an art for injecting the wind-energies into the dhuti. Further, as for the reason for that, though you can develop a little assurance if you apply the references from the Vajra Rosary, the Great Seal Drop, and the Personal Instruction, a deci- sive assurance is extremely difficult. As for the art for such an embodied person to be able to hold [back the wind-energy and spirit of enlighten- ment] without emission until the orgasmic [bliss] is shown, it is the medi- tation of the reversal of wind-energy and the [placement of the] PHAT
syllable, and so on.
Here you might wonder, "it is not necessary to reverse the wind- energy in relying on an outer consort, since the Vajra Angel, the Red Yamdri Tantra eighteenth chapter, and the Achala Unexcelled Tantra and
so on state many techniques . for arresting the substance seed. "
Such statements are for the general purpose of causing one not to emit the enlightenment spirit. If you apply them to the context of the outer consort, statements such as "if enlightenment spirit falls after hav- ing held the showing of orgasmic wisdom, take it with the tongue," are for the propose of not allowing enlightenment spirit to be emitted, and are neither stated when one cannot inject the wind-energies into the dhati and dissolve them nor stated when one can dissolve the wind-energies in the dhati by the force of meditating vajra recitation and so on. As for this, for many who can hold [enlightenment spirit] without emission, there is no fault, and though [the practice] can be claimed to produce great excel-
lent qualities, if there is no art of uniting this [practice] with the view of voidness that decisively ascertains reality, the purpose for generating bliss is lost. Hence, [20JbJ there are very many statements that it [can] become a cause of endless horrible migrations; but I do not recite them, fearing prolixity. Further, since it is not enough either, just to have such a view of voidness, you must realize with precision the purposes for fulfilling many other qualifications.
In terms of the objective [consort] mentioned, you should under- stand, from the Personal Instruction and the Vow Arisal and so on, the mention in general of the three yoginis, the orgasmic, the local, and the mantric, and chiefly the latter; those of the buddha-clans such as Lochana, who are of four types, the "lotus-possessing," the "conch- possessing," the "elephant-possessing," and the "deer-possessing"; and who individually have general and specific characteristics and so forth of body and mind. Just as in inner life-energy control there are many ways of developing distinctive qualities from the procedures of penetrating the
vital points in the different channel wheels, there are the same [variety of ways] in the outer life-energy control. As for the reason why such an art must mark such a special beginner, the remembering and cultivating that bliss-void in the context of the creation stage has served as a special means of developing the roots of virtue that generate the realizations of the perfection stage; and when s/he meditates the arts of penetrating the vital points in the body of the perfection stage, there arc many purposes.
such as [giving] an extreme ease of compressing the wind
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 391
-
energies
.
392 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp are united, and so forth]
Thus, in relying on an outer consort, you must unite the bliss developed by that method and the void you have precisely understood. As for the bliss developed by meditating vajra recitation and so on, if your voidness view is well developed, you must meditate uniting it with that. [202al In this regard, in other Tantras when the four joys are gener- ated, they usually do not teach uniting the first three joys with the voids, but often mention uniting [universal voidness] with the fourth, orgasmic joy. Here, as above explained, mind isolation is generated as a means of realizing the reality of the mind, and therefore it is a union of bliss and void in the context of all four voids. Since you will not realize selfless- ness if you do not unite the bliss and void of the three wisdom-intuitions, they will not arise in the mode of nonelaboration, and only the luminances themselves of white, red, and black will arise. If you do unite the bliss and void of those three, in the actuality of the certain knowledge of the view you must eliminate the subject-object dichotomy in the three lumi-
nances.
. . Conscience" [ 1 88aJ is the avoidance of the reprehensible for personal or religious reasons. "Compassion" is the desire for freedom from suffering. . . Love" is the desire for the beloved to be protected and to meet with happiness; and it has three degrees. . . Anxiety" is the lack of certainty in the doubting mind. . . Greed" is the thought to accumulate properties. . . Envy" is the disturbance of mind at the fortune of others. . . Avarice" is mentioned in the Clear Meaning and in the Chag translation, but the Five
Stages' and IntegratedPractices' old translations' use ofenvy is better. ll3
Ungentleness, and crookedness; These forty natures constitute The instant of extreme voidness.
is the mental desire for the obtained object. "Pleasure" from the experi-
repeating its experience over and over. "Amazement" is explained by the Clear Meaning as wondering about various stories "Is it? Or isn't it? "- but the previous [Tibetans] explain it as the experience of a mind at an unprecedented event. "Excitement" is the movement of mind when expe- riencing a pleasant object. "Satisfaction" is the notion of satisfaction by an object, though the Clear Meaning explains it as the distinct experience of happiness. "Embracing," "kissing," and "sucking," are minds that desire to do those things. "Stability" is the mind of not changing its process. "Zeal" is exertion in virtue. "Pride" is the haughty mind. "Activity" or "action" is full enaction of routine activities. "Covetousness" is the desire to rob wealth. "Aggressiveness" is the desire to conquer others' armies. "Enthusiasm" is the mind that activates practice on the path of virtue. "Natural" stands for the Sanskrit sahaja, which the former scholars said was not found in the Indian texts, but rather sahasa, which should be translated "hesitant," or "engaged with the difficult. " The commentary Clear Meaning says it means "non-hesitant," explaining its meaning as engaging in nonvirtue through arrogance. Old translations of Integrated Practices have "engagement in difficulties," the Chag translation of the Five Stages has "potency," his translation of the Integrated Practices has "non-hesitant. " 1 189uJ The ancient scholars defined it as "slight, medium, and intense engagement in striving after an objective. " "Hostility" is the unprovoked desire to contend with superiors. "Charm" is the desire to play or possess when seeing a beautiful person. "Resentment" is the mind of resentment. "Virtue" is the desire to initiate such action. "Lucid truthfulness" is the desire to speak understandably and without distortion of idea. "Untruthfulness" is the desire to speak distorting the idea. "Certitude" is a very firm determination. "Non-appropriation" is the dis- inclination to sieze an object. "Generosity" is the desire to give things away. "Initiative" is the desire to arouse lazy others. "Heroism" is the desire to triumph over enemies such as the addictions. "Shamelessness" is
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 37 1
ence of the ( t88bl pleasant is slight, medium, and intense. "Delight" is the
"Desire" is mental desire for the unobtained object. "Attachment'' mind happy with achieving a desired aim. "Indulgence" is such a mind's
372 ? BrilliantIlluminationoftheLamp
engagement in nonvirtue, not avoiding it for personal or religious reasons. "Deceitfulness" is deceiving others with artificiality; when "sharpness" occurs [in texts], it describes [this instinct] as a mind of sharp pickiness. "Wickedness" refers to [a nature] steeped in evil convictions. "Ungentle- ness" is mischievousness toward others. "Crookedness" is dishonesty. In the Chag translation, the last two quarters read, "The instants of the forty natures are produced from extreme voidness. "1 14
As for the seven instinctual natures [corresponding with luminance- imminence], the Five Stages says:
One instant of medium attachment, Forgetfulness, mistakenness, Reticence, fatigue,
Laziness, and doubt.
"Forgetfulness" is the loss of memory. "Mistakenness" is holding a mirage as water and so on. "Reticence" is heartfelt [1H9bJ disinclination to speak. "Fatigue" is mental exhaustion. "Laziness" is disinclination for virtue. The other two are immediately understandable.
As for these three divisions of instincts, though they seem similar in explanation as collected into three classes as determined by their extreme desire for objects, their extreme aversion to objects, and their neutrality, [respectively], they are explained as above relying on the commentary Clear Meaning [attributed to Nagabodhi] and the ancient Tibetans. The commentary Jewel Rosary [also attributed to Nagabodhi] seems to explain a way in which these instincts are interconnected with the fifty-one [Abhidharmic] mental functions. However, since it does not seem plausible, I do not set it forth.
1 14 The count is even further off here, with forty-six instinctual functions listed, though if pleasure and boldness, the only two instinctual functions with three degrees are counted as one function, the count is exactly forty. If we use the same method on the thirty-three previous, however, we would have only twenty-one functions. Neither the Indian Noble writers nor Tsong Khapa are of much help with these enumerations, as apparently these counting questions were not thought of as interesting, in the context of the exalted paths of the perfection stage. What is interesting is the relation of the prakrtikalpana to the lists of kleia and upakleia in the Abhidharma, though Tsong Khapa does not accept the effort of the author of the Commentary Jewel Rosary.
? ? In regard to the Integrated Practices's mention of such three sets of instinctual notions as the nature of the three luminances, "nature" comes from Sanskrit svabhllva, which can be used for element, nature, and thing, and can also be quoted in the meaning of element. The Inte- grated Practices declares it to refer to the natural identity of the three luminances, saying "in short, as for nature. . . " and "in summary, it is these thirty-three natures, and the forty, and the seven. " Lalq;hmi's state- ment that the meaning of "nature" is "of the nature of that" and the Clear Meaning's explanation that it is "included in the category of that" are incorrect. For, as the Self-Consecration of Aryadeva states:
The earth element dissolves into water, The water dissolves into fire,
Fire into the subtle element. Wind-energy dissolves into the mind, Mind dissolves into mental functions, Mental functions into ignorance,
And that goes into clear light transparence.
That wind-energy dissolves before the mind produces luminance, and, since that wind-energy is the mover of the instinctual natures, [190al the instincts must also dissolve at that time; hence, luminance and the instinctual natures are extremely incompatible.
Also in the context of the creation stage, as the Wisdom Vajra Com- pendium states that the instinctual notions are generated after generating the three luminances, and the Terminal Action Investigation states that the one hundred and sixty instincts arise after generating the three voids, and that the first group of instincts are effects having the cause of the luminance wisdom and the other two groups are similar. In some of the editions of that [text], the explanations that the seven instincts [of the last
group] occur at the time of ignorance [here intending imminence], are the result of textual error.
Here one might wonder, "As it is said that wind-energy dissolves into luminance. since there is no luminance before it is generated. it is impossible to dissolve into it! "
Since such statements are made in terms of luminance, radiance, imminence, and clear light, such assertions as that, after the latter is produced the former must dissolve so they are not cause and effect, or
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 373
. H4 ? Brilliant ll/11mination of the Lamp
else they would become unlocatable in any order at all, cannot be
accepted. For the Five Stages states:
Void and extreme void,
Third, great void,
And fourth, universal void-
These are distinguished as causes and effects.
Therefore, . . the former dissolves into the latter" is just a designation for the process wherein the former's potency withdraws and becomes unclear and that potency seems to transfer to the latter. Therefore, the claim such as that . . at the time of dissolving, the thirty-three instincts cease [190b1; then luminance arises. After that, the forty instincts cease, then radiance arises and so on," the similar claim that the instincts and luminance are coordinates, and the claim that at birth first imminence arises and then the seven instincts, and so forth-all these are irrational and contradic- tory positions. I have already quoted the Integrated Practices statement that the instincts emerge from luminance. The Chag translation of the Five Stages, just as in the above explanation of the definition of the three luminances, holds them not to be non-different actualities. Just as in marking a mansion by [the fact that there is] a crow [on the roof], an
actually different definer is given as the definition. Further, the statement of the Integrated Practices:
Likewise, consciousness luminance is formless, yet can be inferred from the instinctual natures such as attach- ment, detachment, medium attachment, and so on
is a means of defining luminance saying that luminance is inferred from the instinctual natures. As for how it is inferred, seeing that instinctual natures have degrees of minor, medium, and intense, the luminance that generates them is mounted on wind-energies, and it can be measured that their movements are weak, medium, and intense. [19laJ Thus, of any of the seven instincts with the weakest [wind-energy] movement, there is an imprint of the weakest movement of the wind-energy-mounted lumi- nance, which can be posited as the effect of imminence. You should extra- polate the same reasoning for the others.
As for the yogrlni who can develop the three wisdoms by the power of meditation on the path, s/he can ascertain those three in manifestation, not inferring them from their signs. Therefore, the persons who must infer
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 375
luminance from the instincts is not one of these; and so it is inaccurate to claim that any of the three luminances [appear] to the sense cognitions. Sense cognitions need not infer from signs but can ascertain things di- rectly. As for the ordinary person, s/he experiences the three luminances along with clear light at the time of birth and death and so on. But such a person cannot induce certitude [about them] through direct perception.
As for the hundred and sixty instinctual natures, they are set forth from the perspective of having a set of eighty engaged in each of day and night. Also, the Vajra Rosary explains that there are a hundred and eight instincts agitated by one hundred and eight wind-energies. 1 15
Thus, in basic reality there are two states, one in which the instinct- moving wind-energy is dissolved and another in which it is not dissolved. The undissolved state is the time when the instincts emerge. In the dis- solved state, there are two states, one in which the three luminance wind- energies are dissolved and another in which they are not dissolved. The undissolved state is the time of the three voids. The dissolved state is the time of the arisal of clear light. In the time of the path also they are gen- erated in that manner; and that is the necessity to determine the arising [19lbl and dissolving processes of the four voids and the instinctual notions.
Such as the above, it is an import that comes from the literature of the Root and Explanatory Community Tantras. It is not explicit in writings other than the commentaries of the Noble father and sons. And further concerning them, the private instruction of all buddhas, praised in the Integrated Practices as taught by the kindness of [Aryadeva's] own mentor, Nagarjuna, is the way of achieving the clear light and the extra- ordinary magic body. Thus, [the greatness of these teachings] comes from
the vital point of relying on their knowing [of these extraordinary private instructions]. 1 16
mind. Just as in the case of the famous "five aggregates" - Jamyang Sheyba mentions in
1 16 This whole section remains somewhat unclear, since Tsong Khapa starts off by saying that the luminances and the instinctual natures are not the same thing, since the instinctual (cont"d)
? 115 This comment may provide a clue about Tsong Khapa's disinterest in counting too strictly-there are numerous ways ofcounting and various numbers put forth by various authors. All such enumerations are heuristic devices used in meditative practice to develop introspective awareness of the workings of one's conscious and unconscious levels of
his Abhidharma Final Analysis textbook that there could be three aggregates or a hundred
aggregates, and that the five are used as convenient for a specific context.
3 76 ? Brilliant llul mination of the Lamp
How to generate luminance wisdom]
The third has two parts: [i") Setting forth the separate systems; and [ii"] Setting forth the correct opinions among them.
? ? Lak? hmi, Bhavyakirti, and the rest, set OM in the hub of the eight spokes in the wheel of the navel, have OM, Al:J, and HO Mradiate from that, to be set in the crown, throat, and heart centers; then OM radiates white light and attracts OM's, which dissolve into the navel letter, upon which one focuses one-pointedly, generating the luminance wisdom-
intuition. Likewise, they visualize a red Al:I in the hub of the [navel] wheel and a mere drop. Its red and black light rays attract Al:f's and HOMs, respectively, cause them to dissolve into the navel, and focus on that one- pointedly, thereby generating the intuitive wisdoms of luminance-radiance, and [luminance-] imminence, [respectively]. Then, they explain that you meditate the drop and even the wheel as dissolving into the space of the navel, and thus create the clear light preceded by the five signs. The first two intuitions are said to be synonymous with OM and Al:l. In the con-
text of imminence, they use the private instruction of the Five Stages:
The seed is not endowed with a drop; Itdoesnotgoout[192al thedoorofenergy. Who attains the luminances
Has the character of full perfection.
natures must be mobilized by wind-energies, which have dissolved by the time of the arisal of the luminances. Without distinguishing coarse and subtle wind-energies, he goes on to say that the three luminances are driven by wind-energies, obviously subtle wind- energies, since the wind that dissolves into space and luminance in the fourth stage of eightfold death and mind-isolation dissolution processes are the coarse wind-energies. The luminances-mounted subtle wind-energies dissolve only at the transition from immi- nence into clear light transparence and universal voidness. Tsong Khapa's interest here is surely in the practice, and the mind isolation practitioner need not concern herself or himself with the eighty instincts - which disappear upon entering actual luminance - but rather with the four voids and joys marking the dissolving process. The alignment of the 80 instincts in three batches with the three luminances seems rather pertinent only to the ordinary person who is subject to their surgings at death, failing of course to perceive the luminances or transparency except as a flash of light here or there.
? [VJ. B. 3. b. ii. c '3 'd Tc "4 "c " -
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTc"4"c"i" - Setting forth the separate systems]
This is called the generation of mind isolation by the art of the stage of mantra. As for the generation by the stage of the seal, it is according to the statement in the Five Stages: I have already explained the way the voids are produced there. 117
Master Go explained two methods of generating mind isolation, the systems of Kr? ht:ta Samayavajra and of Tsunmojen. Concerning the first, as for the path of the lower door [of the central channel], rely on a consort; and as for the upper door, by generating great, medium, and small bliss of the natural melting of the inner enlightenment spirit though the emanation and retraction of the light from meditating a crown HAM, a throat AM, and a heart center A, you should meditate bliss-void from ceasing the three degrees of subtle to coarse natures. They explain that to be the measure of the ancient sages' practice Tantra, and they give that meaning by quoting a reference from Aryadeva. However, the quoting of that reference and the making of that explanation seem to be extremely inconsistent, and so that explanation seems very unsuitable. It is clear that it emerges from the speech of the mentor Samayavajra. And such an explanation does not appear anywhere in any treatise of Aryadeva. Con- cerning the second of the systems, except for generating it depending on the consort, it seems to lack any meditation on seed-syllables. The dis- ciples of Go, Ngog Yeshey Sengey and company, [I92bl explain it accord- ing to that latter system.
Certain others who uphold the interpretation style of Go, maintain a Tsunmojen method relying on the lower door as previously explained. As for their reliance on the upper door, with the energy made fit by vajra recitation, they visualize an AM on a lotus upon a moon in the heart center, from which extremely subtle light rays, white and cool like moonlight, enter into the central channel, energizing the crown HAM, from which
white spirit of enlightenment cascades down abundantly onto the AM, which gets brighter and brighter, and finally the mind-bliss develops into the wisdom-intuition of luminance clear as moon[light]. In a similar manner, visualizing an Al:l on the hub of a vajra on a sun at the heart center and visualizing a lone A not depending on any base, emitting from the central channel light rays hot as sun and very subtle black light rays,
1 1 7 I n t h e G r e a t S t a g e s of M a n t r a .
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 377
? . ? 7M ? Brilliant llluminatinn ofthe Lamp
(respectively. ) and so on. you proceed as before and develop the latter
two intuitions.
Gi'l ' s mentor
Saraha advocates developing the three wisdom- intuitions from visualizing the three letters, without practicing emanating and retracting. All those explanations of the moon, sun, and syllables, and so on as the modalities of the intuitions are accepted as private instructions. saying that Abhijiia1 1 8 has simply explained those as nomi- nal synonyms. yet claim that "he does not teach meditation in that way. " As for this explanation, if you compare it with Go's [own text,] the [Grear} Voidness Session, it does not match his explanation of Tsunmo-
jen's [instructions1.
According to the private instruction of Naropa expressed by Ser-
dingpa as received through Marpa, [you can use either of] two [methods], using or not using a wheel center, the way of setting up a wheel center being as above. [I93al You do not retract the wheel center during the time of vajra recitation, but do retract it during the [practice of the] mind objective. As for holding the upper and lower wind-energies in kiss- connection while you are learning the mind objective, it is taught in the four great and three lesser private instructions; doing it at the heart-center is taught in the Five Point.
They teach also that you create the first void by meditating holding the wind-energy and visualizing the [row of] letters on the outer [part of the] lotus petals, the extreme void by then meditating compressing the letters into the middle and visualizing the middle [row of letters], and the great void next by meditating compressing those again into the four inner letters and visualizing them. Again, "from the beginning causing the first lotus petal to dissolve"; and "visualizing at the beginning after already having experienced the sign-possessor of luminance white like the moon and meditating having dissolved the first lotus petal into the second and so terminating the thirty-three instinctual natures"; and "at the time of visualizing the letter of the latter lotus petal, it is better to collect the
deity body into that"; and again, "after creating the three voids collecting the deity body into the drop of the central channel"; and "radiating light
1 18 Abbijiia ca.
1000, was a teacher of the translator Go (ca. 1030), and was a student of Aasha (982-I054).
? In regard to the three of those, respectively, they are explained in the Wheel Endowed and the Four Point as being the experience of bliss just from the arrival of the spirit of enlightenment at the root of the vajra, at its throat, and at its vase. [ 193hl The Five Point says that at the beginning you experience bliss from merely the enlightenment spirit's movement from its abode, but this becomes the same as the previous two. In the Wheel Endowed it explains that, having prepared with vajra recitation, you alternate with holding the energy in kiss-connection, and since therein there are many different methods of arisal of signs and sign-possessors, I
do not write them here.
In the [procedure] without a wheel, there are three. The first of
these is explained as follows: in the heart center of oneself as a luminous deity, in the center of a mirror-like light, meditate on a drop marked by a short A. Then, practice vajra recitation as above. Then, for the mind objective, hold the upper and lower wind-energies kiss-connected, com- pressing the deity body, light, drop, and short A one into another and meditate to produce the three voids. This is called "wheel-less," designat- ing it influenced by the general name. [Second,] from the Five Stages Triple Nested Spiritual Heroes, it is explained that you meditate a thumb- sized wisdom hero in the heart center of yourself as luminous devotee hero and in its heart center, in the hub of a mustard-seed-size vajra, a samadhi hero of a blue-black HOM, as if drawn by a single hair brush; you do vajra recitation as above, and for the mind objective you hold the wind-energies in kiss connection, you compress the two heroes and the vajra and HOM one into another and meditate to produce the three voids. [Third,] from the Five Stages Simultaneous it is explained that you medi- tate in the heart center of yourself as luminous deity, in the navel of a four petal red lotus, a white drop with a black short A, L194aJ you do vajra recitation as above, and for the mind objective, you aim the mind at the deity body, the lotus petals, and the drop to produce the three voids. Though it teaches you to compress the deity body, lotus petals, drop, and short A one into another, its not setting the dissolving process of those as [equivalent to] the three voids can be understood as an error, by the key of the other two versions. You should produce the three voids through the
Chapter VII- Mind Isolation ? 379
from the letter of the first lotus petal, cultivating vessel and essence, and collecting that into the consonants"; and again, "collecting them into the vowels"; and so on-many different instructions appear, but the real
position is clearly as above.
380 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
three dissolutions as in the previous versions. It seems that the intention here is that you should do vajra recitation until the five signs such as mirage arise, which is excellent.
By the system of these extensive and concise instructions, in devel- oping the mind isolation, it is accomplished by bringing together two arts, the holding of the wind-energies in kiss connection and the compression process of the visualizations. The development of the mind isolation relying on the consort is explained in the Five Stages, not being stated expicitly in the Concise Five Stages or among the personal instructions of Serdingpa, but obvious in the instruction that appears there is the
general way to develop bliss relying on the great seal consort.
Some others who follow Marpa's tradition assert that, without holding the wind-energies in kiss-connection, visualizing the three kinds of letters, practicing vajra recitation in order and purifying the three kinds of instinctual natures, the three wisdoms are created. From the private instructions of Naropa transmitted through Nagtso, in regard to the condition of the mind needing to be realized by combining with bliss, there are two ways; the first is the passionate relying on the lower door, which involves relying on a consort, and [the second] is the dispassionate
relying on the upper door. [ 194bJ
Then there are the three methods to develop bliss, relying on a
garland of letters, on a mere letter, and on no letter. In terms of the first of these, you meditate that, by the light rays radiated from the three kinds of letters in the heart center, the crown HAM melts and fills the heart center, and when bliss develops the energy is taught to be held only for brief intervals; and otherwise there does not seem to be the instructions as before to hold the wind-energies in kiss connection and to visualize the compression process.
Setting forth the correct opinions
The second has two parts: [A'"] Analyzing how are those systems; and [B'") Setting forth the enduring opinion.
? 'VI 8
?
I
? -
AnaIyzmg
ow are t 1ose systems hI
As for the wind-energies, to first collect them in the central dhati and dissolve them, you must have the definite vital key of the body.
among thcmj
lVI. 8. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTc"4"c"ii" -
b00 o'J'd'o' ""noon . ,, . . J. . n. c 1 c 4 c 11 A
Chapter VII-MindIsolation ? 381
Having meditated the art of penetrating the vital points in the body through vajra recitation and so on, you inject the wind-energies into the dhati and they dissolve, and you practice by developing the four voids and joys, and then visualize whatever objective and hold the mind [there; then] the wind-energies collect and those experiences as appropriate seem to arise. That occurs by the force of the previous, and it is not certain that there is any imprint of that later objective. Therefore, [though you may] have learned well the vajra recitation, once having learned [a bit about the mind objective], if you hold the visualizations as above explained and those experiences happen to develop, by that reason [alone] one cannot prove that that instruction is the [full] import of those treatises. As for the Five Stages' and Integrated Practices' explanations of the three letters and moon, sun, and vajra as synonyms of the three luminances, they mean that those names are designated to the three lumi- nances of the perfection stage, and that "you should meditate imagining those, as in the creation stage [19. 5aJ you cannot develop the three lumi- nance wisdoms. " Therefore what the mentor Abhijfia asserted is correct, that it does not mean that [you can reach the mind objective just] by meditating through the perfection stage, having set up letters on moon and sun and so on. Even if you cause it to be produced, you must do it in the heart center; if you do it in the navel center, you do not understand the key point of this system. As for statement that "they originate from the intuition of luminance and from radiance. . . ," it indicates that the instinctual natures originate from those [luminance states], and does not teach that the intuitions originate from meditating on letters and so on. By making effort to meditate the letters and the white, red, and black colors of the light rays the objective perceptions arise in those colors; but that is not the way of the arisal of the colors explained in the treatises. Though the Concise Five Stages explains the three sets of letters in order, as illustrative of luminance, radiance, and imminence, it does not need to teach that the intuitions are produced by holding the mind in front of
those letters set up [in visualization). As that text says:
Bind the mind in equanimity,
You will evenly see the wisdom
Of the hub of the wheel in equipoise, And imminence is great void
? 382 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
-it does not agree with the explanation that you bind the mind from distracting to other objects while visualizing the letter set in the wheel, equilibriating the mind as if it dwelt in the letter; from habituating to that equilibrium. l t95hl the mind enters into the indestructible along with its short A in the hub of the wheel. and the great void is produced from that turning into uniformity of experience.
Therefore. even if you compress the wheel, once you have reached stabilized vivid vision in the letter, first visualize the outer, then com- press into the intermediate, then compress into the inner, and then com- press into the indestructible, and then become habituated to visualizing
that. Or, setting up the letters as above, if you alternate doing that, the compression into the dhati is quick. Whereas if you do not compress into the interior of the dhati but habituate on the outside, the definitive paths of void will not arise, since they emerge from compressing and dissolv- ing into the dhati. From the Concise Five Stages, there is no explanation of holding the wind-energies in kiss connection beyond those of the meditation on the letters and the vajra recitation. Though the Vajra
Rosary often states that "you achieve by the reality of mantra alone ! " - if you meditate knowing the vital points of that, it has the meaning that you achieve even though you do not combine it with any other energy connection .
Here, not having realized the complete vital points of vajra recita- tion, if you think that "if there is no holding the wind-energies in kiss- connection, I won't be able to accomplish the dissolving of the wind- energies into the dhati"; [you are right, as] it is so explained that if if you hold them in kiss-connection it seems you do not realize the key point of this practical instruction; but this does not mean in general that the vajra recitation meditator is at fault if s/he holds the wind-energies in kiss- connection. Here [in mind isolation context,] [ 1 96a] holding in kiss- connection requires that you perform the vase-pressure at the heart center. What is stated in the Vow Arisal, "in first meditating energy- connection, heart-center vase-pressure is a great hindrance," is a message for those who are inexpert in that yoga; if you know what you're doing it is not a big hindrance.
By that explanation of the wind-energy compression process taught in the Wheel Endowed, you can understand also the compression process of the three wheel-less [instructions]. Though it is not sure that the three wisdom-intuitions will be produced immediately in front of the set up of
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 383
the letters, the voids are not posited as occurring from the stages of the descending of the enlightenment spirit from the crown to the jewel. And as for the Marpa tradition personal instruction that the voids are pro- duced from the stages of compression in the heart center, it is the vital point of the word, "consciousness is the support of the compression of life-energy. meditate the wheel of mantra in the heart center"; and this seems to be the unexcelled vital point also of the father and son personal instruction.
[Chandrak. Irti] states in the Illumination of the Lamp that the four signs from mirage to burning candle flame arise from the dissolution one into another of earth, water, fire, wind, and consciousness. It has been explained above how when wind dissolves luminance is produced, which
does not mean that those many signs arise at the time of the three lumi- nances, and so it should be accepted according to [Aryadeva's] explana- tion in the Integrated Practices as expressed in the Concise Five Stages passage :
First the mirage-like experience
Arises with its five light-rays,
Second there is the moon-like luminance,
And third there is embrace by the light of sun; And from the night luminance there is imminence.
[196bl Herenotmentioningthethreesignsotherthanmirageisforthesake of brevity; it can be understood more extensively according to the Further Tantra and other contexts in the Illumination ofthe Lamp. In short, as the previous various systems did not add newly visualizations such as medi- tating letters here in the context of the mind isolation, it is not good to newly add visualizations as arts of developing mind isolation, without examining whether, having first achieved body isolation, you are or are not able to develop how much of the four voids in general by the speech isolation vajra recitation. This is because it would seem to be a case of explaining subtle arts while leaving out the principal of penetrating the vital points in the inner body where mind isolation is developed. The things explained above in the category of the arts of generating bliss through the visualizations given in the private instructions descending from Nagtso seem to be rendered in view of the need of the swift genera-
tion of bliss; nevertheless, they do not seem to convey the import of the authoritative treatises.
384 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
? [VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTc"4"c"ii"B"'l'" - The way the wisdoms are pro- duced from outer and inner conditions]
[Nagarjuna states] in the Five Stages:
The mantri/ni staying in vajra recitation
Will attain the mind objective . . .
-that the vajra recitation develops the mind isolation void, but is not explicit about how it develops. [Aryadeva], in the Integrated Practices, states that you will attain mind isolation by abiding in speech isolation and that mind isolation will not arise without speech isolation, but in this context is also not explicit about how that mind isolation arises. However, [197al if you know how to investigate the statements that explain the three [experiences] which you enter in the context of the detailed explanation of speech isolation and those about the arisal of clear light at the conclu- sion when the wind-energies enter the indestructible, you can comprehend how the voids are produced from the vajra recitation's compressing and dissolving the wind-energies into the indestructible; which I have already explained. Further, the Vajra Rosary states often and explicitly how the mind isolation voids are generated from the perspective of the vajra reci-
tation's blocking the circulation of the wind-energies:
By strong application of vajra recitation Having known the nature of wind-energy,
You cut off the instinct-driving wind-energies, And will attain the objective in the mind.
I have already explained how in general the vajra recitation develops the voids. As for the particular boundary whence the mind isolation voids are developed, it is from when, having well released the heart center channel knot, you are able to compress the wind-energies into the heart center indestructible, and it is not before that.
? [VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'd'i'c"4"c"ii"o"' -
The second has two parts: [1'"] The way the wisdoms are pro- duced from outer and inner conditions; [2'"] The way such bliss and
Setting forth the enduring opinion]
void are united, and so forth.
Since, from the above quote from the third chapter of the Illumina- tion of the lAmp, "you should meditate always day and night with the yoga of entry, abiding, emergence, and compression," the "yoga of emer- gence, entry, and abiding" is the vajra recitation, the "compression yoga" clearly must be taken to apply to being able to develop the four voids by means of vajra recitation and the indestructible. Naropa's [197bJ private instructions also sometimes mention the development of the voids as "compression yoga. " As for the way of compression, according to the Five Point statement "it is the practice by means of the two contempla- tions," it should be practiced by means of the holistic holding and serial dissolving [samadhis]; since the Lawapa Commentary on Luyipa's Arts ofAchievement explains the compression by serial dissolving from the lower part of the perfection stage, the Personal Instruction also explains through binding the compression by serial dissolving into the heart center indestructible, and there seems to be no difference about that here in this context. Also the private instructions from Naropa as inherited from Nag- tso explain the way to generate mind isolation without any letters, and mantra wheel letters do not appear in the three Concentrated Personal Instructions of the Marpa tradition; thus even in that tradition mantra wheel letters are not indispensable.
If you wonder, "If we take the method of developing the mind iso- lation to be the meditation of the three life-energy controls and the com- pression yoga, will that be sufficient? "
Here the Wisdom Vajra Compendium states:
Uniting the vajra and the lotus serves as the method of mind and mental functions. Uniting mind and mental functions serves as the art of the great bliss samadhi. That is indicated by the simile of magical illusion.
And:
Just as, without thoroughly combining milk and sesa- mum you won't get butter and sesame butter 1 1 "? 1111 ), so. without uniting vajra and lotus which thoroughly com- bine mantrt'/nT and consort, you cannot approach the three
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 385
Well then, you may wonder, are any other visualizations for the compression process needed to develop [the voids] from that boundary,
or are there not?
. ? M6 ? Brilliant Illumination of thr Lamp
consciousnesses. Through such inability to unite vagina
and phallus. the samadhi of great bliss is not discovered.
Here the positive inference is that the three luminances are produced from the union with the consort and the negative inference is that those three are precluded when that union is eliminated. In regard to the "great bliss" mentioned where wisdom is the art of great bliss, [Aryadeva] says in the Integrated Practices that it is the magic body; therefore you need the external consort in order to fully generate the three intuitive wisdoms of mind isolation which are the base for achieving the magic body. As for that import. it is stated in the Five Stages:
Of all magics, woman's magic is most excellent. This clearly marks the distinct three wisdoms- Attachment, detachment, and that between -
All three come from the union of two organs, The connection of vajra and lotus.
Thus, this does not mean that, in order to generate mind isolation, the specifying of the lustful and the lust-free refers to the practice of the lower door and the upper door. Bearing in mind that statement in the Five Stages, [Aryadeva] in the Integrated Practices did not mention the exter- nal art for generating mind isolation. As for Lak? hmi' s explanation of this marking of the three wisdoms from the consort in the time of the third initiation, though in general such does apply in the time of the third initiation, this is the context of the path of learning [198bJ the mind isolation.
Here you might wonder, "If in the case of a properly qualified person, if the actual anointment with the third initiation is preliminary to meditating the path of the two stages, is it necessary or not that in this context the three wisdoms are marked through relying on the evolution- ary consort? "
Previously, in that initiation the four joys are there from the per- spective of the outer life-energy control which dissolves the energy into the dhati. In this context [of mind isolation] , it is taken as referring to the proper discovery of the ability [to dissolve the wind-energies] by medi-
tating the three life-energy controls. Thus here it concerns the generation of the mind isolation three wisdom-intuitions, much more distinctively
excellent than the former; so it is not unnecessary that again it be marked [in that way] here.
You may then wonder, "Here, is that generating of the three wis- doms relying on the evolutionary consort a matter of generating it from the enlightenment spirit melting from the crown and falling to the tip of the phallus at the secret center? Or is it a matter of compressing the melted enlightenment spirits from the upper and lower parts of the body into the heart center? "
[Chandrakirti says] in the Illumination ofthe Lamp that the mandala triumph is generated from the enlightenment spirit melting and falling into the path of the vajra. However, other treatises' clear explanation that when the enlightenment spirit melts and reaches this center in the body, this joy and void are produced, does not appear in the treatises of the five father and sons. Nevertheless, it is explained that when wind dissolves there is mind luminance, when mind dissolves there is mental function radiance, when mental function dissolves there is imminence, and when that dissolves clear light arises. As [Aryadeva explains] in the Integrated Practices:
From the union of the vajra and the lotus, beginning from the crown, the enlightenment spirit melts from the 72,000 channels [199a] and descends gradually through the lustful, lustfree, and their medium states.
By force of the melting of the enlightenment spirit the three wis- doms are produced. Thus the four voids arise by the force of both the process of dissolving the wind-energies and the melting and falling of the enlightenment spirit. In that regard, I have already explained that the best place for dissolving the energy of this system is the interior of the heart center dhati; and I will explain it further. Thus, through vajra recitation and
so forth, the fury-fire blazes and the enlightenment spirit melts, and the place wherein compressing it produces the four voids is the heart center. Again, it is not that the four joys cannot be produced in the emergent order through the falling of the melted enlightenment spirit to the sensi- tive tip of the secret place and the reverse order of its reversing back up to the head crown. That does indeed take place as already explained in the context of the body isolation. Here you are developing the four voids of extremely great impact according to the death process, and so it is an emergent order coming from the process of compressing the wind-energies
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 387
388 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
hither into the heart center and a reverse order coming from a process of expanding back out from the heart center. Thus, by the inner condition of the method of meditating life-energy control however you do it, and by an outer condition of relying on union with the consort, the wind-energies and enlightenment spirits are both compressed into the heart center from the top and bottom of the body. As [Aryadeva says] in the Integrated Practices :
Together with your consort, by the process of the holis- tic holding or serial dissolving, you enter into ultimate reality.
Thereby, he explains that by uniting with the outer consort [199bl you enter into ultimate reality by the process of the four voids, using the compres- sion yoga of whichever of the two contemplations, which amounts to compression in the heart center; because, when you rely on previous habituation to the compression process in the heart center, when you unite with the consort and practice the yoga of the two contemplations, the union with the outer consort serves as a condition for the compres-
sion of the wind-energy-mind into the heart center.
As for the arisal of the voids from compression of the enlighten-
ment spirits melted down [and up] from upper and lower body through the vajra recitation's ignition of the furor-fire, it can be understood as applying from the boundary of being able to generate the voids from the dissolving process compressing the wind-energies into the heart center through vajra recitation, even though it is not yet perfected. Thus, you can understand correctly the generation of the voids by melting the en- lightenment spirits through the condition of the outer consort, serving as the condition of compressing [wind-energies and enlightenment spirits] into the heart center from the top and bottom of the body. By this you should understand also how by uniting with the wisdom consort you can compress wind-energy and enlightenment spirit into the heart center. If you can generate the voids through the process of compressing the wind- energy and enlightenment spirit in the heart center, you can also be able to practice either way to develop the distinctive voids, through the process of the joys of downward descending and upward stabilizing, or the process
of compressing into and expanding out from the heart center.
Some others who follow the father and sons do not grasp the vital point of generating the distinctive four voids of this system, since they
interpret according to the explanation that in general the voids emerging from melting the enlightenment spirits and especially the voids emerging from union with the outer consort, all of them are the same as the four joys, [200aJ whether of falling from crown to secret place sensitive tip or of rising back up to the crown. They have made the mistake of not deter- mining precisely the need to achieve the magic body according to the between [process] and the need to generate the voids systematically according to the processes of death. Here, [Nagarjuna states] in the Five Stages :
Who finds not vajra-lotus union
Even superficially,
Will [still] achieve [mind objective] once by experience, Due to the potency of the yoga.
Through the actuality of the wisdom function, Understanding accurately the distinctions, The yogi/ni should always discern that
Just that also is the instinctual nature.
In regard to the meaning of this, [Viryabhadra' s] Clear Meaning explana- tion is not correct in saying that this refers to the precept holders and the hermaphrodites who have no union of two sex organs yet can generate the three wisdoms from the vivid contemplative stabilization. Damtsig Dorjey explains that if the devotee vajra experiences [this deep dissolv- ing] one time [already] at the time of initiation, it will be achieved on the strength of his/her inner yoga; such also are the positions of the Moon- light and of Lak? hmi. The explanation of Master Go [of this] as the Tsun- mojen system, that the yogilni, even without uniting with the outer con- sort in constant reliance, if s/he recognizes [the mind objective] naturally a single time, afterwards s/he learns in other ways; that is the meaning of the treatise. ["Not finding even] superficially" is claimed by some to refer to not finding according to common knowledge. However, the meaning is that, I200bl just as the "superficial" nose tip refers to the facial nose-tip, even though there is no continuous union of the superficial [outer consort's] lotus and vajra, by experiencing [such union] even once [imaginarily], depending on that, by accustoming yourself to a wisdom
consort and so on, you can develop the mind isolation.
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 389
JQO ? Brilliant lll11minotion of the u1mp
Here. one might wonder. "If reliance on the outer consort begins from the boundary of perfecting the vajra recitation, then the Esoteric: Accmrpr li. 'ihment statement:
Having an evolutionary consort, Through the union of vajra and lotus, A truth speaker can experientially Proclaim such a meditation.
A beginner practitioner
Who gives up such an evolutionary consort,
[Even] showing [mastery of] the enlightenment spirit,
By other-shown [arts] will not see [the mind objective] - As should be understood from the beginner's case.
and the Five Stages also will be in contradiction; since from that [text above] it states that in the case of the beginner, if s/he abandons the method of the outer consort, s/he will not be shown [the goal] by other methods, and so s/he must be shown by that [method]. And here the beginner is defined as the yogi/ni who cannot inject the wind-energies into the dhuti by the force of meditating the inner life-energy control.
There is no such contradiction, since the explanation in the Five Stages intends the generation of the three wisdoms of mind isolation, and the intention of the Esoteric Accomplishment is the generation of the orgasmic wisdom of the four joys. As for a fully qualified embodied person as stated in the definition of such a beginner, it is extremely rare; so since the object is like that, you should not make a mistake in regard
to what is a "beginner. " [20la] In regard to that embodied person as a vehicle of bliss, though there seem to be other arts of developing it up to the secret center, "if you abandon the above-explained art other [methods]
will not show [the objective]" intends its serving as an art for injecting the wind-energies into the dhuti. Further, as for the reason for that, though you can develop a little assurance if you apply the references from the Vajra Rosary, the Great Seal Drop, and the Personal Instruction, a deci- sive assurance is extremely difficult. As for the art for such an embodied person to be able to hold [back the wind-energy and spirit of enlighten- ment] without emission until the orgasmic [bliss] is shown, it is the medi- tation of the reversal of wind-energy and the [placement of the] PHAT
syllable, and so on.
Here you might wonder, "it is not necessary to reverse the wind- energy in relying on an outer consort, since the Vajra Angel, the Red Yamdri Tantra eighteenth chapter, and the Achala Unexcelled Tantra and
so on state many techniques . for arresting the substance seed. "
Such statements are for the general purpose of causing one not to emit the enlightenment spirit. If you apply them to the context of the outer consort, statements such as "if enlightenment spirit falls after hav- ing held the showing of orgasmic wisdom, take it with the tongue," are for the propose of not allowing enlightenment spirit to be emitted, and are neither stated when one cannot inject the wind-energies into the dhati and dissolve them nor stated when one can dissolve the wind-energies in the dhati by the force of meditating vajra recitation and so on. As for this, for many who can hold [enlightenment spirit] without emission, there is no fault, and though [the practice] can be claimed to produce great excel-
lent qualities, if there is no art of uniting this [practice] with the view of voidness that decisively ascertains reality, the purpose for generating bliss is lost. Hence, [20JbJ there are very many statements that it [can] become a cause of endless horrible migrations; but I do not recite them, fearing prolixity. Further, since it is not enough either, just to have such a view of voidness, you must realize with precision the purposes for fulfilling many other qualifications.
In terms of the objective [consort] mentioned, you should under- stand, from the Personal Instruction and the Vow Arisal and so on, the mention in general of the three yoginis, the orgasmic, the local, and the mantric, and chiefly the latter; those of the buddha-clans such as Lochana, who are of four types, the "lotus-possessing," the "conch- possessing," the "elephant-possessing," and the "deer-possessing"; and who individually have general and specific characteristics and so forth of body and mind. Just as in inner life-energy control there are many ways of developing distinctive qualities from the procedures of penetrating the
vital points in the different channel wheels, there are the same [variety of ways] in the outer life-energy control. As for the reason why such an art must mark such a special beginner, the remembering and cultivating that bliss-void in the context of the creation stage has served as a special means of developing the roots of virtue that generate the realizations of the perfection stage; and when s/he meditates the arts of penetrating the vital points in the body of the perfection stage, there arc many purposes.
such as [giving] an extreme ease of compressing the wind
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 391
-
energies
.
392 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp are united, and so forth]
Thus, in relying on an outer consort, you must unite the bliss developed by that method and the void you have precisely understood. As for the bliss developed by meditating vajra recitation and so on, if your voidness view is well developed, you must meditate uniting it with that. [202al In this regard, in other Tantras when the four joys are gener- ated, they usually do not teach uniting the first three joys with the voids, but often mention uniting [universal voidness] with the fourth, orgasmic joy. Here, as above explained, mind isolation is generated as a means of realizing the reality of the mind, and therefore it is a union of bliss and void in the context of all four voids. Since you will not realize selfless- ness if you do not unite the bliss and void of the three wisdom-intuitions, they will not arise in the mode of nonelaboration, and only the luminances themselves of white, red, and black will arise. If you do unite the bliss and void of those three, in the actuality of the certain knowledge of the view you must eliminate the subject-object dichotomy in the three lumi-
nances.
