Without investigating it, mind seems to arise in
response
to objects.
Khenchen-Thrangu-Rinpoche-The-Spiritual-Song-of-Lodro-Thaye
34
THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODRO THAYE
What is the sign that Jamgon Kongtrul understood something of the nature of his mind through the power of his supplication and devotion? First, his attention to and attachment to the eight worldly concerns has diminished. The eight worldly concerns are phenomena which contradict dharma and keep one from dharma practice. They are (I) to be happy with pleasing things and (2) to be displeased with unpleasant phenomena; (3) to be happy with wealth and prosperity; and (4) to be displeased when not having it; (5) to be happy with praise and (6) to be displeased when one is not praised or slandered; and (7) to be happy when one has fame and (8) unhappy when one is not well known. Having excessive attachment to these can be an obstacle to the practice of dharma. But if one practices dharma well, one's attachments are diminished. So Jamgon Kongtrul is saying although he has a small understanding of his own nature, based on the lama's blessing his tendency for attachment to the eight worldly concerns is diminished.
10. By mixing my mind with the guru's
11. I have seen clearly that famous "luminous dharmakaya. "
This describes the result of his supplication, devotion, and understanding of his mind. Similarly, the next line "That famous 'luminous dharmakaya'" is about the nature ofclarity or luminosity (Tib. salwa) that everybody's heard so much about. Jamgon Kongtrul is saying, "I have seen it. I have realized it," through the kindness of his root lama, Perna Nyingche Wangpo. This was done in meditation by visualizing Perna Nyingche Wangpo on his head and receiving the four empowerments from him. In this visualization white, red, blue, and yellow light emanated from the four chakras (the forehead, the throat, the heart, and the navel) ofhis guru and entered into the four chakras ofJamgon Kongtrul. By meditating this way, he was
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35
completely filled with light and received the four empowerments: the vase empowerment, the secret empowerment, wisdom empowerment, and the name empowerment. The blessings of body, speech, and mind entered. Then the entire being ofPema Nyingche Wangpo dissolved into light and melted into Jamgon Kongtrul making him and his guru inseparable. The mind of the guru and the mind ofJamgon Kongtrul completely mixed, which is called "mixing mind and mind. " This practice is the combining of the lama's mind with one's own mind believing completely that one's mind is completely inseparable so that whatever qualities, realizations and experiences the lama's mind has are now one's own realization and experience. By just thinking and believing in this experience of the mixing of the minds, realization actually arises. Jamgon Kongtrul says, "Mind and mind mixing, I see it transparently. " This means he saw the dharmakaya. Based on the teachings of mixing the lama's mind with one's own, he is saying that we also need to practice in this way.
12. Non-thought was found amidst discursive thought 13. Wisdom dawned within non-conceptualization.
At first we are completely involved by many discursive thoughts, then gradually the thoughts clear away and we attain a state of non- thought through this practice. Even though there are many thoughts, with practice we develop the beginning of non-thought and the result of that development of reduced thought is that pristine wisdom gradually dawns.
14. Delighted to become a lineage heir ofthe Dakpo Buddhas, 15. I am moved to lift my voice in appreciation.
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THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODRO THAYE
Having first met and supplicated Perna Nyingche Wangpo, Jamgon Kongtrul was able to enter into the teachings of the Dakpo Kagyu and able to do these practices. 4 Through his devotion and supplication and receiving these blessings and receiving the indications of the blessings, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche feels like a child of the lineage, a possessor, or almost successor, of this lineage, and realizing this he is extremely pleased and very happy and joyful.
So Jamgon Kongtrul made supplications to the lama, and based on the supplications he received blessing, then through the blessing realization dawned. After attaining realization he reflected on how realization had arisen due to faith and how one needs to mix one's mind with the lama's, and how if one doesn't, then experience and realization won't arise. It was not really enough for these experiences to have arisen in him alone, so he explains this to everybody so that they will receive the blessing of the lama and practice in this same way. Then the desire to compose this song arose in him.
16. From the dakini's secret treasure in Uddiyana in the West, 17. The great siddha Tilo
18. Opened the treasure chest o fthe three gems.
Up to this point Jamgon Kongtrul has been talking about his root lama and the benefits ofthe practice ofthe lama. After describing the great blessing ofthe root lama, he goes on to describe the lineage lamas who are the source of these powerful oral instructions and practices. "In Uddiyana in the West" is a poetic devise in which "West" means west to Bodhgaya in India. As described in the spiritual biography of Tilopa, he traveled miraculously to Uddiyana, the dakini's land and received three special or pith instructions from Uddiyana and these are the Three Gems (Tib. norbu sum) ofTilopa. The first special instruction ofTilopa was the "wish-fulfilling jewel
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oflineage," the second "the wish-fulfilling jewel ofmaturation," and the third "the wish-fulfilling jewel of the path of liberation. " The first jewel deals with the instructions, supplication, and devotion in the guru yoga practice. The second one explains the Six Yogas of Naropa, for developing the channels, winds, and energies5 in order to attain liberation. The third path of liberation is Mahamudra practice which doesn't involve practice of the channels, winds, or energies, but involves meditating naturally in samadhi, and based on this meditation, realization arises.
So, the founder of the Kagyu lineage, Tilopa, brought from Uddiyana, from Chakrasamvara, and from Vajradhara these special instructions called the Three Gems.
Of the two approaches (the path of method and the path of liberation), the path of liberation is doing very hard meditation and the path of method is employing various means for developing the life-giving energy of the body or the prana. When one has some control over the prana by being able to restrict or bind it, the experience ofheat arises. With the experience ofheat, the experience of bliss arises. With the experience of bliss, one's realization and experience becomes clearer and clearer. When this clarity is attained through the path of method, eventually wisdom or prajna will dawn.
19. A t the monastery o fSplendid Ravishing Flowers in the North 20. The learnedgreatpandita Naropa
21. Engendered the sign o fattainment o finseparable prana-mind.
The second holder of the Kagyu lineage is Naropa. He is in the north in a place called "Illustrious, Seductive Flowers" which in Sanskrit is "Pupahari. " The north here indicates the University of Nalanda, a very important and special place where the Buddhadharma flourished. Here Marpa first met Naropa and received many
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THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODRO THAYE
teachings. There the learned one, the great pandita Naropa, displayed signs which indicated that he was a siddha whose prana and mind had become inseparable. This sign results from the exceptional practice of the Six Yogas ofNaropa. 6
Normally, "subtle wind" which is called prana in Sanskrit or lung in Tibetan is pretty much synonymous with breath. We think of prana as the inhalation and exhalation of breath, moving in and out with the body. This is our feeling or experience of prana. What we call "mind" is the movement ofdiscursive thought that we perceive. There are two kinds of prana. On the grosser level it seems simply that prana is this feeling of the body inhaling and exhaling. But on a closer examination, prana is the moving of the mind which creates the feeling ofprana. The mind and thoughts are connected with the prana because they are both moving. We believe inhalation is one thing and our thought process is another. But in fact they are inseparable. For instance, the feeling of lung, the feeling of wind being exhaled and inhaled, is actually just a perception of mind. If we try to locate exactly where this prana is by asking, "Is it in our body? Is it outside our body? and so on, we simply can't find it solidly existing like a typhoon. The exhalations and inhalations are mental phenomena.
The experience of the inseparability of prana and mind begins to happen with the practice ofsubtle heat (Tib. tummo) in which we are working on our breath, particularly holding the breath. When we hold the breath we start to notice that the mind also stays. Then the physical obscurations are cleared and bliss is generated. When this happens, there is more and more clarity and insight into the nature of mind. This engenders the realization of the inseparability of mind and prana. By changing the mind we can change the prana, by changing the prana we can change the mind. This is why there are so many meditations based on the breath; they show this inseparability
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of mind and breath. In the beginning of tranquility (Skt. Shamatha) meditation we focus on our exhalation and inhalation. By calming the breath, we calm the mind and less thoughts arise. All the way up to the practice of subtle heat where we hold the breath and cultivate the prana, we meditate on breath. Even in the visualization practice ofVajrayogini, the vajra recitation of this practice is based on the breath.
22. In the valley ofherbs, Drowolung, in the South, 23. The translator, an emanation ofHevajra,
24. Established the wellspring o fall siddhas.
The next lineage holder is Marpa Lotsawa. The line, "In the valley of herbs, Drowolung, in the South" means that it is a very isolated area where many different plants and medicinal herbs grow which wouldn't grow in populated areas. So this really means in the wilderness. Marpa (who came from the Trowo valley in Tibet) was actually an emanation ofHevajra and being an emanation ofHevajra, his main activity was to translate books from the Indian languages into Tibetan. He is called a lotsawa, which means "a translator. " He stayed in Trowolung which was an isolated place but the "wellspring of all siddhas" means that although it was isolated, many disciples came and because the special teachings were so profound, they attained siddhi. They in turn transmitted these teachings to others who also became siddhas. Therefore it is said that Marpa established the source of the river, which is a spring, from which many siddhas have arisen. The reason is that the special teachings were so profound.
25. In the Lachi snow mountains o fthe "West 26. The excellent being, Laughing Vajra,
27. Attained the state o funity in one lifetime.
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THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODRO THAYE
Then the lineage continues to Milarepa whose main abode was the snow mountain range of Lachi. The fact that a cold region was his main abode is an indication of his practice of subtle heat. He is called Shepa Dorje or "Laughing Vajra," because when Marpa bestowed the empowerment of Chakrasamvara on him, Chakrasamvara was seen actually appearing and giving the name "Laughing Vajra" to Milarepa. Because he had these exceptional teachings and put them into practice, Milarepa attained the ability to reach the state of union (enlightenment) in a single lifetime.
28. In the pure land ofDhaklha Campo in the East
29. The honorable doctor, the second Buddha,
30. Actualized the samadhi o fthe tenth bodhisattva level
Milarepa passed on these special and exceptional teachings to Gampopa who was like a second Buddha. By putting these exceptional teachings from Milarepa into practice, Gampopa was able to actualize the samadhi of the tenth bodhisattva level (Skt. bhumi). In the East in the pure land called Dhaklha Gampo, Gampopa established Dhaklha Gampo Monastery as his main seat and continued the lineage. So there were these first lineage holders: Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, and Gampopa.
31. In the holy places ofthe body, speech, and mind centers, 32. The many siddhas ofthefour great and eight lesser lineages 33. Gained the essential power o fMahamudra
34. And couldn't help but reach Buddhahood.
The line "in the holy places of body, speech, and mind centers" refers to the three main seats begun by Dusum Khyenpa (the first Karmapa) where the Karma Kagyu teachings flourished. The
? ? THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LINEAGE LAMAS 41
monasteries referred to are Gampo (body), Karma Gon (speech), and Tsurphu (mind) monasteries. These are the three sources or three original seats o f the Karma Kagyu teachings which Jamgon Kongtrul says are like the purified aspects of the chakras of body, speech, and mind, and that many siddhas arose from these centers.
Gampopa had many disciples and in these places ofbody, speech, and mind arose the four greater and eight lesser lineages ofthe Kagyu tradition. He gave some teachings to some disciples and other teachings to other disciples. He had twelve main disciples each of whom in turn completely passed on the special instructions they had received. In this way, they developed an unbroken lineage o f the four greater and the eight lesser Kagyu schools. 7
So in this way all the way down to one's root lama there have been unimaginable siddhas. All these various lamas of the Kagyu lineage are like siddhas or Buddhas because they practiced and mastered the Mahamudra. There was no way for them not to attain Buddhahood.
35. Expert in the attracting power through bodhichitta, 36. They couldn't help but bring benefit to beings.
These lineage lamas were able to benefit an unimaginable number ofbeings. Each one had many, many disciples who were very special individuals who were naturally drawn to them. The reason that they had these many disciples and were able to spread their teachings so widely was that they had bodhichitta. They had the aspiration to attain enlightenment which came from their desire to benefit beings. If one has bodhichitta, then automatically beings are drawn to one because of the bodhichitta. However, it will be very noticeable if someone with the desire to be surrounded by an entourage tries to promote him or hersel( People can usually tell if something is not
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THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODRO THAYE
very straightforward or honest and nobody comes. But if one has a sincere wish to help beings, then just from the power of the bodhichitta, beings gather around and there is an automatic ability to help many beings. The text says that because the lineage lamas are skilled in bodhichitta, there is no way beings will not be spontaneously or automatically helped through this bodhichitta, and there is no way not to help beings.
37. Having perfected the two accumulations, this profound attainment ofwealth,
38. They could not help but experience enjoyment.
These lineage lamas also naturally acquired a great deal ofwealth and necessities. If one thinks that there is something wrong with dharma practitioners acquiring wealth, then this is not quite a correct view. These genuine beings have no choice. These things are simply accumulated because they had completely accomplished the two accumulations of merit and wisdom. Having completed their accumulation of merit and wisdom, wealth and possessions automatically followed.
39. Developing the knowledge that "understanding one liberates all. " 40. They couldn't help but fulfill their great prophecies.
Because these lamas all had great transcendent wisdom or prajna, all had received prophecies by the Buddha. For instance, the appearance of Gampopa and Jamgon Kongtrul were predicted in the sutras. They had prophecies due to their great insight and wisdom. This did not come about through many studies and working really hard but by developing the knowledge that "understanding one liberates all. " Ifone really knows the meaning ofdharmata, the nature
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43
oftrue being, then one knows everything, so for this reason they had transcendental wisdom (Tib. yeshe).
So up to this point this spiritual song has reviewed the necessity of faith and devotion in the root and lineage lamas.
Questions
Question: What is unobstructed mind?
Rinpoche: Unobstructed means first of all unborn. If something is not born, there is no ceasing. then when you see that it is empty of essence, then there is no obstruction. If something were solid and corporeal it would be an obstruction. If at first there is emptiness, then there can be no thing to obstruct.
Mind's very nature is empty, therefore, the appearances that arrive from within that emptiness are also by nature empty, they basically have no intrinsic reality.
Question: What is mind? Is it opposed to objects?
Rinpoche: To our perception it seems that mind arises based on objects. But really, objects arise based on mind.
Without investigating it, mind seems to arise in response to objects. But ifyou really examine mind when it seems to arise, you see it is empty ofessence. Therefore, it is called unborn and unceasing. Sometimes the terms "unobstructed," "unmoving," "primordially permanent" and "undemonstratable" and so forth are used. The reason is that its essential nature is non-existent. There is no way to say, "here it is," or "it is like this. "
Question: If mind is unobstructed, how does karma fit in? Rinpoche: As we discussed previously, there is the way it is and the way it is confused (or appears). Mind being permanent, unchanging,
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THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODRO THAYE
etc. These are statements in relation to the way it is. Karmic cause and effect are used in terms of the confusion. From the perspective ofconfusion, anything can arise. When anything arises, karma takes place. As is said, "awareness is the selfand intrinsic radiance is the effect. " There is the perception of the existence of self and outer objects, and based on that actions are accumulated, and based on that their results occur, then the essential nature is completely lost. The root ofall that, however, is the mind and in it there is not even a bit ofexistence. This is the whole point ofmeditating on the nature ofmind-it is the root ofthe whole thing.
For example, on television we can watch the news from India or Russia or anything. But when we turn off the television it is basically dumb and speechless and can't show anything at all. Like this, anything that arises does so in basic bewilderment, but if you really look at the root or source, if you meditate on the mind, you see it is empty of anything. If you just look at the turned off television nothing is there.
? ? 2
The View zn Mahamudra
IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER THE necessity ofthe exalted root and Iineage lamas, and the manner ofshowing faith and devotion for receiving the blessings was discussed. We will now discuss mainly the importance of enthusiastic effort, mindfulness, and awareness. Generally, the way to cultivate these is explained in the Song o fLodro Thaye as being dependent on the special qualities that have arisen due to the connection with the exceptional root and lineage lamas. So a special meditation arose in the stream of being of Jamgon Kongtrul, but it wasn't due to his own powers but to the blessings of the root and lineage lamas. It is explained by way of two examples.
Diligence, awareness, and mindfulness are very important for attaining experience quickly. But ifwe don't have them, everything is not just a waste of time. For instance, if a person in Halifax wants to go to Gampo Abbey, but doesn't have much mindfulness or diligence, he or she may take one step, and that is all. That person won't arrive at Gampo Abbey. In contrast, ifone has thought, "I want to meditate," eventually this thought will have a great effect. So even just visualizing the lama one time above one's head or doing one mantra will later have a very great result and is certainly not a waste of time. But if we want to attain Buddhahood right now, then we really need diligence, mindfulness and awareness. So the
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THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODRO THAYE
Buddha said when one takes one step with the motivation to attain enlightenment, it is very beneficial. But in the end it is not enough.
41. Children o fparents who have accumulated much wealth 42. Are naturally rich due to previous karma.
43. Offipringofthewhitelionessandofthegreatgaruda
44. Are naturally folly developed with the power o ftheir species.
There are two examples given here. A child ofa wealthy person is born with all the pleasures to enjoy him or herself. The child has not accumulated this through his own efforts but through the efforts of his father and forbearers. He or she has wealth to use and yet it wasn't through his or her own efforts but through positive karma accumulated in previous lives. The second example is of lion cubs and the garuda babies who are both very powerful animals. They are powerful from the time they are born,8 not because they have developed the strength but they inherited their strength as part of their species.
45. Thefollowers ofthe lineage ofKagyu siddhas 46. Meditate naturallyfrom the strength ofblessings.
In the same way, meditation naturally arose in the stream of being of Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche and the other lineage lamas regardless of whether they were diligent or not. This natural arising came through the power of blessings. The blessings were unbroken and pure starting from Tilopa right down to Jamgon Kongtrul's own lama Perna Nyingche Wangpo. It wasn't as if the lineage was good for a while and then broken later on. It was unsurpassed all the way through, not only in words and scholarship, but also in actual practice experience. Therefore, there was the power of blessings. Meditation
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arose from the blessing of the lineage because each and every one of the holders of the lineage starting with Tilopa obtained complete mastery and was a siddha. He then passed these same instructions on to Naropa, who not only obtained the words but went on to obtain complete mastery of the meditation ability. He then passed them on to Marpa who also became a siddha. The lineage continued to Milarepa and so on to Perna Nyingche Wangpo.
47. Boastfully counting the years o fpractice,
48. Proud about dwelling in leisure,
49. Puffed up over the exertions o fsitting,
50. Chauvinist in discriminating selfabove others,
The process of passing on the lineage is different from what
ordinary people do. Ordinary individuals might meditate diligently for many years and announce, "I meditated for nine years" or "I have been meditating for fifteen years and it looks like I must have experience and realization because I have been meditating for all these years. " But Jamgon Kongtrul did not say this because no matter how many years one meditates, if the three aspects of effort, mindfulness, and awareness are not present, it does not do any good.
Some people might develop pride about staying in retreat or alone in isolation, which should lead to great results in practice. But this pride is empty. Ifpride develops simply because ofhaving stayed in retreat, no matter how long one meditates, if there is not mindfulness, awareness, or enthusiasm, there won't be any results. In fact, just being all alone with nothing to do and with nobody around is completely meaningless and nothing to be proud about.
Arrogance and haughtiness can develop when enduring an ascetic existence saying, "I have endured so many hardships. I have persisted through many difficulties in meditation. Because I have
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THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODROTHAYE
gone through these many hardships and deprivations, this is practice. " However, if one misses the point of the practice, there is nothing to be arrogant about.
A feeling of superiority can develop when one distinguishes oneself from others and regards others with disdain, thinking, "I am so much better than these people. I have such and such qualities that I developed over these long years, so I am actually much better than everybody else. " Once again, ifdiligence, mindfulness, and awareness are not applied, one has missed the whole point of meditation and this feeling ofsuperiority is absolutely useless.
51. Keeping track ofone's ordinary discursive thoughts,
52. Counting them to be the actual realizations on the paths and stages:
One might believe one's ordinary thoughts are special thinking, "I have developed this spiritual quality" and being very hopeful about it. But again, without effort, mindfulness, and awareness this is useless. So the problem is thinking that, "Oh, I've been meditating, this must be a sign of good meditation. " Then one keeps score: "There's an experience, this must be a sign of attaining the first bodhisattva level or sign ofactual realization on the path. "
To summarize, these five aspects of thinking of how long one has meditated, how much one has been in retreat, how much difficulty one has gone through, how much better one is than everyone else, and then keeping track ofone's qualifications, are not beneficial at all.
53. Such are the distinctive characteristics offoolish meditators in this degenerate age.
54. No siddha can be named who would befree ofthem
55. But because ofthefine oral instructions ofthe exemplary lineage 56. The primordial wisdom ofultimate Mahamudra is seen.
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These are degenerate times where faith and devotion don't come easily, and there are many mistaken kinds of meditation. These are the distinguishing characteristics of this age. We do not hear of mahasiddhas who are free of these characteristics. These kind of calculating thoughts ofbeings to be spiritually realized have nothing to do with true mastery or siddhi. It is no indication of spiritual qualities at all. Even though he lived in a degenerate age, Jamgon Kongtrul through the lineage received the true, profound instructions and practiced according to these instructions. Based on these special instructions of the lineage, the meaning, the result, the fruition of these instructions was seeing the transcendent wisdom of Mahamudra. Through the arising of this wisdom, the ground, path, and fruition Mahamudra is understood.
57. Foundation Mahamudra is understanding the nature, the view. 58. Path Mahamudra is experiencing it, the meditation.
59. Fruition Mahamudra is the realization ofBuddhahood in one's mind.
In this text Mahamudra is divided into three parts: ground or foundation Mahamudra, path Mahamudra, and fruition Mahamudra. These three parts basically constitute the rest of the text. Of these three, the foundation has to do with the nature of things as they are, the nature oftruth. Jamgon Kongtrul intellectually understood the nature of the view of Mahamudra, ground Mahamudra. The path ofMahamudra is meditation and what arises in meditation, that is, experience. Finally, the fruition of that experience arising in one's being is ultimately realizing that the Buddha is not outside of oneself, but within one. One's mind is the state of Buddha. These three aspects of ground, path, and fruition were fully understood by Jamgon Kongtrul.
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60. I am unworthy, but my guru is excellent.
61. Even though born in the degenerate age, I have goodfortune. 62. In spite o flittle perseverance, the instructions are profound.
How is it that Jamgon Kongtrul has understood the foundation Mahamudra, experienced the path, and realized the fruition Mahamudra? It is not just from himself for he says he has no power to engender these kinds of qualities or great wisdom and diligence. However, he did have the advantage that his lama was good. Also, even though he lived in a degenerate age where he could not even meet the Buddha or bodhisattvas, Jamgon Kongtrul was personally very fortunate, which was the second advantage that he had. Finally, he says that he had very little perseverance but he was fortunate in having received the profound teachings. Through these advantages: having a great lama, having great fortune, and having the profound teachings, he was able to realize the Mahamudra.
For these reasons Jamgon Kongtrul could compose this song, and his understanding and experience of Mahamudra make it worthwhile to study and practice. Next, the three aspects ofground, path, and fruition will be discussed in detail in the following chapters.
? ? 3 Ground Mahamudra
I. GROUND MAHAMUDRA
63. What isfoundation Mahamudra?
Mahamudra (Tib. chakgya chenpo} is Sanskrit, the word maha corresponding in Tibetan to chenpo which means "great. " Mudra actually is the word gya in Tibetan, more commonly called tise, which means "seal" as in the seals a king stamps on his edicts. The Tibetan translators then added the word chak which is the honorific form for "hand," and is not actually in the Sanskrit word. Gya indicates the all-pervasive quality ofMahamudra. For instance, a king creates laws and edicts and may issue an edict with many minor points on it. He doesn't have to put his seal on every single point, but can just apply it once to indicate that all ofthese laws came from him. In the same way, when we meditate and recognize the true nature ofmind, which is Mahamudra, it pervades all aspects of experience. Everything is possible, everything has this seal on it. So we don't have to meditate to clear away all our desire, then start again to eliminate aggression, then start again to remove ignorance, and so on. One realization, that of Mahamudra, removes all these different obscurations and develops all the good qualities.
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So gya with this meaning of pervasiveness should be understood as intrinsic awareness (Skt. jnana Tib. yeshe). A tise is used mainly by a king on his edicts, and awareness is "stamped" on the general essence as well as the manifestations of all phenomena. Chak was needed because the natural essence of intrinsic awareness is emptiness. The luminosity and emptiness of phenomena are inseparable. Awareness and space (Tib. ying) are united. So the chak (hand), represents emptiness, because a hand with nothing in it, by itself, is also empty. The emptiness or space is chak and the clarity or pervasive awareness is gya. Awareness realizes emptiness, emptiness is the essence of awareness; and the two are inseparable.
In brief, how we are to understand chak gya chen po is that our mind stream or nature has awakened awareness (Skt. buddhajnana, Tib. sang gye yeshe). This awakened awareness is not like the "self" posited by other religious traditions, but its essential true nature is empty. This awareness, inseparable from dharmakaya, is present in all beings with sentience, and becomes manifest at the time of attaining the state ofa Buddha.
In the Buddhist tradition, the goal of practice is to attain the state ofa Buddha. But this state is not newly attained, but one that is manifested or realized. The Shakyamuni Buddha demonstrated that we already have this quality. Therefore, in Mahamudra this is called the ground or foundation Mahamudra, meaning we have it already. But because we do not experience it that way, then we need the path Mahamudra. Based on the path, what one already possesses can be actualized, and that's called fruition Mahamudra. So these are the ground, path, and fruition of Mahamudra.
The view is like this. Generally our whole experience consists of two kinds of grasping. All appearance occurs to us because of the objective grasping to object and subjective grasping of mind. Even though this is our experience, it is not actually the real state of
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53
phenomena, but an illusion or bewilderment. Mahamudra is the realization of the true nature without bewilderment. From the point of view of Madhyamaka the true state of phenomena is emptiness. But everything is not just empty because there is also a clear or luminous aspect to it which we call awareness or jnana. That is why we talk about indivisibility or the union of space and awareness. This union ofspace and awareness is the view ofground Mahamudra. We need to intellectually understand this fact and then the actual experience of it is path Mahamudra. When this understanding and experience is complete, then one has achieved fruition Mahamudra.
There is an example in the Uttaratantra illustrating the relationship of ground, path, and fruition Mahamudra. It is as if a person lost a large bag of gold by throwing it out with the garbage and this gold became buried under the refuse. Eventually it became completely covered with dirt and sand and may have become tarnished. But the gold never lost any of its value because its qualities are inherent within the gold. Many thousands ofyears pass but the gold still keeps all of its value. Then a very poor man comes along and builds a shack on this spot not knowing that there is gold under it.
THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODRO THAYE
What is the sign that Jamgon Kongtrul understood something of the nature of his mind through the power of his supplication and devotion? First, his attention to and attachment to the eight worldly concerns has diminished. The eight worldly concerns are phenomena which contradict dharma and keep one from dharma practice. They are (I) to be happy with pleasing things and (2) to be displeased with unpleasant phenomena; (3) to be happy with wealth and prosperity; and (4) to be displeased when not having it; (5) to be happy with praise and (6) to be displeased when one is not praised or slandered; and (7) to be happy when one has fame and (8) unhappy when one is not well known. Having excessive attachment to these can be an obstacle to the practice of dharma. But if one practices dharma well, one's attachments are diminished. So Jamgon Kongtrul is saying although he has a small understanding of his own nature, based on the lama's blessing his tendency for attachment to the eight worldly concerns is diminished.
10. By mixing my mind with the guru's
11. I have seen clearly that famous "luminous dharmakaya. "
This describes the result of his supplication, devotion, and understanding of his mind. Similarly, the next line "That famous 'luminous dharmakaya'" is about the nature ofclarity or luminosity (Tib. salwa) that everybody's heard so much about. Jamgon Kongtrul is saying, "I have seen it. I have realized it," through the kindness of his root lama, Perna Nyingche Wangpo. This was done in meditation by visualizing Perna Nyingche Wangpo on his head and receiving the four empowerments from him. In this visualization white, red, blue, and yellow light emanated from the four chakras (the forehead, the throat, the heart, and the navel) ofhis guru and entered into the four chakras ofJamgon Kongtrul. By meditating this way, he was
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completely filled with light and received the four empowerments: the vase empowerment, the secret empowerment, wisdom empowerment, and the name empowerment. The blessings of body, speech, and mind entered. Then the entire being ofPema Nyingche Wangpo dissolved into light and melted into Jamgon Kongtrul making him and his guru inseparable. The mind of the guru and the mind ofJamgon Kongtrul completely mixed, which is called "mixing mind and mind. " This practice is the combining of the lama's mind with one's own mind believing completely that one's mind is completely inseparable so that whatever qualities, realizations and experiences the lama's mind has are now one's own realization and experience. By just thinking and believing in this experience of the mixing of the minds, realization actually arises. Jamgon Kongtrul says, "Mind and mind mixing, I see it transparently. " This means he saw the dharmakaya. Based on the teachings of mixing the lama's mind with one's own, he is saying that we also need to practice in this way.
12. Non-thought was found amidst discursive thought 13. Wisdom dawned within non-conceptualization.
At first we are completely involved by many discursive thoughts, then gradually the thoughts clear away and we attain a state of non- thought through this practice. Even though there are many thoughts, with practice we develop the beginning of non-thought and the result of that development of reduced thought is that pristine wisdom gradually dawns.
14. Delighted to become a lineage heir ofthe Dakpo Buddhas, 15. I am moved to lift my voice in appreciation.
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THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODRO THAYE
Having first met and supplicated Perna Nyingche Wangpo, Jamgon Kongtrul was able to enter into the teachings of the Dakpo Kagyu and able to do these practices. 4 Through his devotion and supplication and receiving these blessings and receiving the indications of the blessings, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche feels like a child of the lineage, a possessor, or almost successor, of this lineage, and realizing this he is extremely pleased and very happy and joyful.
So Jamgon Kongtrul made supplications to the lama, and based on the supplications he received blessing, then through the blessing realization dawned. After attaining realization he reflected on how realization had arisen due to faith and how one needs to mix one's mind with the lama's, and how if one doesn't, then experience and realization won't arise. It was not really enough for these experiences to have arisen in him alone, so he explains this to everybody so that they will receive the blessing of the lama and practice in this same way. Then the desire to compose this song arose in him.
16. From the dakini's secret treasure in Uddiyana in the West, 17. The great siddha Tilo
18. Opened the treasure chest o fthe three gems.
Up to this point Jamgon Kongtrul has been talking about his root lama and the benefits ofthe practice ofthe lama. After describing the great blessing ofthe root lama, he goes on to describe the lineage lamas who are the source of these powerful oral instructions and practices. "In Uddiyana in the West" is a poetic devise in which "West" means west to Bodhgaya in India. As described in the spiritual biography of Tilopa, he traveled miraculously to Uddiyana, the dakini's land and received three special or pith instructions from Uddiyana and these are the Three Gems (Tib. norbu sum) ofTilopa. The first special instruction ofTilopa was the "wish-fulfilling jewel
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oflineage," the second "the wish-fulfilling jewel ofmaturation," and the third "the wish-fulfilling jewel of the path of liberation. " The first jewel deals with the instructions, supplication, and devotion in the guru yoga practice. The second one explains the Six Yogas of Naropa, for developing the channels, winds, and energies5 in order to attain liberation. The third path of liberation is Mahamudra practice which doesn't involve practice of the channels, winds, or energies, but involves meditating naturally in samadhi, and based on this meditation, realization arises.
So, the founder of the Kagyu lineage, Tilopa, brought from Uddiyana, from Chakrasamvara, and from Vajradhara these special instructions called the Three Gems.
Of the two approaches (the path of method and the path of liberation), the path of liberation is doing very hard meditation and the path of method is employing various means for developing the life-giving energy of the body or the prana. When one has some control over the prana by being able to restrict or bind it, the experience ofheat arises. With the experience ofheat, the experience of bliss arises. With the experience of bliss, one's realization and experience becomes clearer and clearer. When this clarity is attained through the path of method, eventually wisdom or prajna will dawn.
19. A t the monastery o fSplendid Ravishing Flowers in the North 20. The learnedgreatpandita Naropa
21. Engendered the sign o fattainment o finseparable prana-mind.
The second holder of the Kagyu lineage is Naropa. He is in the north in a place called "Illustrious, Seductive Flowers" which in Sanskrit is "Pupahari. " The north here indicates the University of Nalanda, a very important and special place where the Buddhadharma flourished. Here Marpa first met Naropa and received many
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THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODRO THAYE
teachings. There the learned one, the great pandita Naropa, displayed signs which indicated that he was a siddha whose prana and mind had become inseparable. This sign results from the exceptional practice of the Six Yogas ofNaropa. 6
Normally, "subtle wind" which is called prana in Sanskrit or lung in Tibetan is pretty much synonymous with breath. We think of prana as the inhalation and exhalation of breath, moving in and out with the body. This is our feeling or experience of prana. What we call "mind" is the movement ofdiscursive thought that we perceive. There are two kinds of prana. On the grosser level it seems simply that prana is this feeling of the body inhaling and exhaling. But on a closer examination, prana is the moving of the mind which creates the feeling ofprana. The mind and thoughts are connected with the prana because they are both moving. We believe inhalation is one thing and our thought process is another. But in fact they are inseparable. For instance, the feeling of lung, the feeling of wind being exhaled and inhaled, is actually just a perception of mind. If we try to locate exactly where this prana is by asking, "Is it in our body? Is it outside our body? and so on, we simply can't find it solidly existing like a typhoon. The exhalations and inhalations are mental phenomena.
The experience of the inseparability of prana and mind begins to happen with the practice ofsubtle heat (Tib. tummo) in which we are working on our breath, particularly holding the breath. When we hold the breath we start to notice that the mind also stays. Then the physical obscurations are cleared and bliss is generated. When this happens, there is more and more clarity and insight into the nature of mind. This engenders the realization of the inseparability of mind and prana. By changing the mind we can change the prana, by changing the prana we can change the mind. This is why there are so many meditations based on the breath; they show this inseparability
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of mind and breath. In the beginning of tranquility (Skt. Shamatha) meditation we focus on our exhalation and inhalation. By calming the breath, we calm the mind and less thoughts arise. All the way up to the practice of subtle heat where we hold the breath and cultivate the prana, we meditate on breath. Even in the visualization practice ofVajrayogini, the vajra recitation of this practice is based on the breath.
22. In the valley ofherbs, Drowolung, in the South, 23. The translator, an emanation ofHevajra,
24. Established the wellspring o fall siddhas.
The next lineage holder is Marpa Lotsawa. The line, "In the valley of herbs, Drowolung, in the South" means that it is a very isolated area where many different plants and medicinal herbs grow which wouldn't grow in populated areas. So this really means in the wilderness. Marpa (who came from the Trowo valley in Tibet) was actually an emanation ofHevajra and being an emanation ofHevajra, his main activity was to translate books from the Indian languages into Tibetan. He is called a lotsawa, which means "a translator. " He stayed in Trowolung which was an isolated place but the "wellspring of all siddhas" means that although it was isolated, many disciples came and because the special teachings were so profound, they attained siddhi. They in turn transmitted these teachings to others who also became siddhas. Therefore it is said that Marpa established the source of the river, which is a spring, from which many siddhas have arisen. The reason is that the special teachings were so profound.
25. In the Lachi snow mountains o fthe "West 26. The excellent being, Laughing Vajra,
27. Attained the state o funity in one lifetime.
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THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODRO THAYE
Then the lineage continues to Milarepa whose main abode was the snow mountain range of Lachi. The fact that a cold region was his main abode is an indication of his practice of subtle heat. He is called Shepa Dorje or "Laughing Vajra," because when Marpa bestowed the empowerment of Chakrasamvara on him, Chakrasamvara was seen actually appearing and giving the name "Laughing Vajra" to Milarepa. Because he had these exceptional teachings and put them into practice, Milarepa attained the ability to reach the state of union (enlightenment) in a single lifetime.
28. In the pure land ofDhaklha Campo in the East
29. The honorable doctor, the second Buddha,
30. Actualized the samadhi o fthe tenth bodhisattva level
Milarepa passed on these special and exceptional teachings to Gampopa who was like a second Buddha. By putting these exceptional teachings from Milarepa into practice, Gampopa was able to actualize the samadhi of the tenth bodhisattva level (Skt. bhumi). In the East in the pure land called Dhaklha Gampo, Gampopa established Dhaklha Gampo Monastery as his main seat and continued the lineage. So there were these first lineage holders: Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, and Gampopa.
31. In the holy places ofthe body, speech, and mind centers, 32. The many siddhas ofthefour great and eight lesser lineages 33. Gained the essential power o fMahamudra
34. And couldn't help but reach Buddhahood.
The line "in the holy places of body, speech, and mind centers" refers to the three main seats begun by Dusum Khyenpa (the first Karmapa) where the Karma Kagyu teachings flourished. The
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monasteries referred to are Gampo (body), Karma Gon (speech), and Tsurphu (mind) monasteries. These are the three sources or three original seats o f the Karma Kagyu teachings which Jamgon Kongtrul says are like the purified aspects of the chakras of body, speech, and mind, and that many siddhas arose from these centers.
Gampopa had many disciples and in these places ofbody, speech, and mind arose the four greater and eight lesser lineages ofthe Kagyu tradition. He gave some teachings to some disciples and other teachings to other disciples. He had twelve main disciples each of whom in turn completely passed on the special instructions they had received. In this way, they developed an unbroken lineage o f the four greater and the eight lesser Kagyu schools. 7
So in this way all the way down to one's root lama there have been unimaginable siddhas. All these various lamas of the Kagyu lineage are like siddhas or Buddhas because they practiced and mastered the Mahamudra. There was no way for them not to attain Buddhahood.
35. Expert in the attracting power through bodhichitta, 36. They couldn't help but bring benefit to beings.
These lineage lamas were able to benefit an unimaginable number ofbeings. Each one had many, many disciples who were very special individuals who were naturally drawn to them. The reason that they had these many disciples and were able to spread their teachings so widely was that they had bodhichitta. They had the aspiration to attain enlightenment which came from their desire to benefit beings. If one has bodhichitta, then automatically beings are drawn to one because of the bodhichitta. However, it will be very noticeable if someone with the desire to be surrounded by an entourage tries to promote him or hersel( People can usually tell if something is not
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THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODRO THAYE
very straightforward or honest and nobody comes. But if one has a sincere wish to help beings, then just from the power of the bodhichitta, beings gather around and there is an automatic ability to help many beings. The text says that because the lineage lamas are skilled in bodhichitta, there is no way beings will not be spontaneously or automatically helped through this bodhichitta, and there is no way not to help beings.
37. Having perfected the two accumulations, this profound attainment ofwealth,
38. They could not help but experience enjoyment.
These lineage lamas also naturally acquired a great deal ofwealth and necessities. If one thinks that there is something wrong with dharma practitioners acquiring wealth, then this is not quite a correct view. These genuine beings have no choice. These things are simply accumulated because they had completely accomplished the two accumulations of merit and wisdom. Having completed their accumulation of merit and wisdom, wealth and possessions automatically followed.
39. Developing the knowledge that "understanding one liberates all. " 40. They couldn't help but fulfill their great prophecies.
Because these lamas all had great transcendent wisdom or prajna, all had received prophecies by the Buddha. For instance, the appearance of Gampopa and Jamgon Kongtrul were predicted in the sutras. They had prophecies due to their great insight and wisdom. This did not come about through many studies and working really hard but by developing the knowledge that "understanding one liberates all. " Ifone really knows the meaning ofdharmata, the nature
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oftrue being, then one knows everything, so for this reason they had transcendental wisdom (Tib. yeshe).
So up to this point this spiritual song has reviewed the necessity of faith and devotion in the root and lineage lamas.
Questions
Question: What is unobstructed mind?
Rinpoche: Unobstructed means first of all unborn. If something is not born, there is no ceasing. then when you see that it is empty of essence, then there is no obstruction. If something were solid and corporeal it would be an obstruction. If at first there is emptiness, then there can be no thing to obstruct.
Mind's very nature is empty, therefore, the appearances that arrive from within that emptiness are also by nature empty, they basically have no intrinsic reality.
Question: What is mind? Is it opposed to objects?
Rinpoche: To our perception it seems that mind arises based on objects. But really, objects arise based on mind.
Without investigating it, mind seems to arise in response to objects. But ifyou really examine mind when it seems to arise, you see it is empty ofessence. Therefore, it is called unborn and unceasing. Sometimes the terms "unobstructed," "unmoving," "primordially permanent" and "undemonstratable" and so forth are used. The reason is that its essential nature is non-existent. There is no way to say, "here it is," or "it is like this. "
Question: If mind is unobstructed, how does karma fit in? Rinpoche: As we discussed previously, there is the way it is and the way it is confused (or appears). Mind being permanent, unchanging,
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etc. These are statements in relation to the way it is. Karmic cause and effect are used in terms of the confusion. From the perspective ofconfusion, anything can arise. When anything arises, karma takes place. As is said, "awareness is the selfand intrinsic radiance is the effect. " There is the perception of the existence of self and outer objects, and based on that actions are accumulated, and based on that their results occur, then the essential nature is completely lost. The root ofall that, however, is the mind and in it there is not even a bit ofexistence. This is the whole point ofmeditating on the nature ofmind-it is the root ofthe whole thing.
For example, on television we can watch the news from India or Russia or anything. But when we turn off the television it is basically dumb and speechless and can't show anything at all. Like this, anything that arises does so in basic bewilderment, but if you really look at the root or source, if you meditate on the mind, you see it is empty of anything. If you just look at the turned off television nothing is there.
? ? 2
The View zn Mahamudra
IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER THE necessity ofthe exalted root and Iineage lamas, and the manner ofshowing faith and devotion for receiving the blessings was discussed. We will now discuss mainly the importance of enthusiastic effort, mindfulness, and awareness. Generally, the way to cultivate these is explained in the Song o fLodro Thaye as being dependent on the special qualities that have arisen due to the connection with the exceptional root and lineage lamas. So a special meditation arose in the stream of being of Jamgon Kongtrul, but it wasn't due to his own powers but to the blessings of the root and lineage lamas. It is explained by way of two examples.
Diligence, awareness, and mindfulness are very important for attaining experience quickly. But ifwe don't have them, everything is not just a waste of time. For instance, if a person in Halifax wants to go to Gampo Abbey, but doesn't have much mindfulness or diligence, he or she may take one step, and that is all. That person won't arrive at Gampo Abbey. In contrast, ifone has thought, "I want to meditate," eventually this thought will have a great effect. So even just visualizing the lama one time above one's head or doing one mantra will later have a very great result and is certainly not a waste of time. But if we want to attain Buddhahood right now, then we really need diligence, mindfulness and awareness. So the
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THE SPIRITUAL SONG OF LODRO THAYE
Buddha said when one takes one step with the motivation to attain enlightenment, it is very beneficial. But in the end it is not enough.
41. Children o fparents who have accumulated much wealth 42. Are naturally rich due to previous karma.
43. Offipringofthewhitelionessandofthegreatgaruda
44. Are naturally folly developed with the power o ftheir species.
There are two examples given here. A child ofa wealthy person is born with all the pleasures to enjoy him or herself. The child has not accumulated this through his own efforts but through the efforts of his father and forbearers. He or she has wealth to use and yet it wasn't through his or her own efforts but through positive karma accumulated in previous lives. The second example is of lion cubs and the garuda babies who are both very powerful animals. They are powerful from the time they are born,8 not because they have developed the strength but they inherited their strength as part of their species.
45. Thefollowers ofthe lineage ofKagyu siddhas 46. Meditate naturallyfrom the strength ofblessings.
In the same way, meditation naturally arose in the stream of being of Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche and the other lineage lamas regardless of whether they were diligent or not. This natural arising came through the power of blessings. The blessings were unbroken and pure starting from Tilopa right down to Jamgon Kongtrul's own lama Perna Nyingche Wangpo. It wasn't as if the lineage was good for a while and then broken later on. It was unsurpassed all the way through, not only in words and scholarship, but also in actual practice experience. Therefore, there was the power of blessings. Meditation
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arose from the blessing of the lineage because each and every one of the holders of the lineage starting with Tilopa obtained complete mastery and was a siddha. He then passed these same instructions on to Naropa, who not only obtained the words but went on to obtain complete mastery of the meditation ability. He then passed them on to Marpa who also became a siddha. The lineage continued to Milarepa and so on to Perna Nyingche Wangpo.
47. Boastfully counting the years o fpractice,
48. Proud about dwelling in leisure,
49. Puffed up over the exertions o fsitting,
50. Chauvinist in discriminating selfabove others,
The process of passing on the lineage is different from what
ordinary people do. Ordinary individuals might meditate diligently for many years and announce, "I meditated for nine years" or "I have been meditating for fifteen years and it looks like I must have experience and realization because I have been meditating for all these years. " But Jamgon Kongtrul did not say this because no matter how many years one meditates, if the three aspects of effort, mindfulness, and awareness are not present, it does not do any good.
Some people might develop pride about staying in retreat or alone in isolation, which should lead to great results in practice. But this pride is empty. Ifpride develops simply because ofhaving stayed in retreat, no matter how long one meditates, if there is not mindfulness, awareness, or enthusiasm, there won't be any results. In fact, just being all alone with nothing to do and with nobody around is completely meaningless and nothing to be proud about.
Arrogance and haughtiness can develop when enduring an ascetic existence saying, "I have endured so many hardships. I have persisted through many difficulties in meditation. Because I have
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gone through these many hardships and deprivations, this is practice. " However, if one misses the point of the practice, there is nothing to be arrogant about.
A feeling of superiority can develop when one distinguishes oneself from others and regards others with disdain, thinking, "I am so much better than these people. I have such and such qualities that I developed over these long years, so I am actually much better than everybody else. " Once again, ifdiligence, mindfulness, and awareness are not applied, one has missed the whole point of meditation and this feeling ofsuperiority is absolutely useless.
51. Keeping track ofone's ordinary discursive thoughts,
52. Counting them to be the actual realizations on the paths and stages:
One might believe one's ordinary thoughts are special thinking, "I have developed this spiritual quality" and being very hopeful about it. But again, without effort, mindfulness, and awareness this is useless. So the problem is thinking that, "Oh, I've been meditating, this must be a sign of good meditation. " Then one keeps score: "There's an experience, this must be a sign of attaining the first bodhisattva level or sign ofactual realization on the path. "
To summarize, these five aspects of thinking of how long one has meditated, how much one has been in retreat, how much difficulty one has gone through, how much better one is than everyone else, and then keeping track ofone's qualifications, are not beneficial at all.
53. Such are the distinctive characteristics offoolish meditators in this degenerate age.
54. No siddha can be named who would befree ofthem
55. But because ofthefine oral instructions ofthe exemplary lineage 56. The primordial wisdom ofultimate Mahamudra is seen.
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These are degenerate times where faith and devotion don't come easily, and there are many mistaken kinds of meditation. These are the distinguishing characteristics of this age. We do not hear of mahasiddhas who are free of these characteristics. These kind of calculating thoughts ofbeings to be spiritually realized have nothing to do with true mastery or siddhi. It is no indication of spiritual qualities at all. Even though he lived in a degenerate age, Jamgon Kongtrul through the lineage received the true, profound instructions and practiced according to these instructions. Based on these special instructions of the lineage, the meaning, the result, the fruition of these instructions was seeing the transcendent wisdom of Mahamudra. Through the arising of this wisdom, the ground, path, and fruition Mahamudra is understood.
57. Foundation Mahamudra is understanding the nature, the view. 58. Path Mahamudra is experiencing it, the meditation.
59. Fruition Mahamudra is the realization ofBuddhahood in one's mind.
In this text Mahamudra is divided into three parts: ground or foundation Mahamudra, path Mahamudra, and fruition Mahamudra. These three parts basically constitute the rest of the text. Of these three, the foundation has to do with the nature of things as they are, the nature oftruth. Jamgon Kongtrul intellectually understood the nature of the view of Mahamudra, ground Mahamudra. The path ofMahamudra is meditation and what arises in meditation, that is, experience. Finally, the fruition of that experience arising in one's being is ultimately realizing that the Buddha is not outside of oneself, but within one. One's mind is the state of Buddha. These three aspects of ground, path, and fruition were fully understood by Jamgon Kongtrul.
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60. I am unworthy, but my guru is excellent.
61. Even though born in the degenerate age, I have goodfortune. 62. In spite o flittle perseverance, the instructions are profound.
How is it that Jamgon Kongtrul has understood the foundation Mahamudra, experienced the path, and realized the fruition Mahamudra? It is not just from himself for he says he has no power to engender these kinds of qualities or great wisdom and diligence. However, he did have the advantage that his lama was good. Also, even though he lived in a degenerate age where he could not even meet the Buddha or bodhisattvas, Jamgon Kongtrul was personally very fortunate, which was the second advantage that he had. Finally, he says that he had very little perseverance but he was fortunate in having received the profound teachings. Through these advantages: having a great lama, having great fortune, and having the profound teachings, he was able to realize the Mahamudra.
For these reasons Jamgon Kongtrul could compose this song, and his understanding and experience of Mahamudra make it worthwhile to study and practice. Next, the three aspects ofground, path, and fruition will be discussed in detail in the following chapters.
? ? 3 Ground Mahamudra
I. GROUND MAHAMUDRA
63. What isfoundation Mahamudra?
Mahamudra (Tib. chakgya chenpo} is Sanskrit, the word maha corresponding in Tibetan to chenpo which means "great. " Mudra actually is the word gya in Tibetan, more commonly called tise, which means "seal" as in the seals a king stamps on his edicts. The Tibetan translators then added the word chak which is the honorific form for "hand," and is not actually in the Sanskrit word. Gya indicates the all-pervasive quality ofMahamudra. For instance, a king creates laws and edicts and may issue an edict with many minor points on it. He doesn't have to put his seal on every single point, but can just apply it once to indicate that all ofthese laws came from him. In the same way, when we meditate and recognize the true nature ofmind, which is Mahamudra, it pervades all aspects of experience. Everything is possible, everything has this seal on it. So we don't have to meditate to clear away all our desire, then start again to eliminate aggression, then start again to remove ignorance, and so on. One realization, that of Mahamudra, removes all these different obscurations and develops all the good qualities.
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So gya with this meaning of pervasiveness should be understood as intrinsic awareness (Skt. jnana Tib. yeshe). A tise is used mainly by a king on his edicts, and awareness is "stamped" on the general essence as well as the manifestations of all phenomena. Chak was needed because the natural essence of intrinsic awareness is emptiness. The luminosity and emptiness of phenomena are inseparable. Awareness and space (Tib. ying) are united. So the chak (hand), represents emptiness, because a hand with nothing in it, by itself, is also empty. The emptiness or space is chak and the clarity or pervasive awareness is gya. Awareness realizes emptiness, emptiness is the essence of awareness; and the two are inseparable.
In brief, how we are to understand chak gya chen po is that our mind stream or nature has awakened awareness (Skt. buddhajnana, Tib. sang gye yeshe). This awakened awareness is not like the "self" posited by other religious traditions, but its essential true nature is empty. This awareness, inseparable from dharmakaya, is present in all beings with sentience, and becomes manifest at the time of attaining the state ofa Buddha.
In the Buddhist tradition, the goal of practice is to attain the state ofa Buddha. But this state is not newly attained, but one that is manifested or realized. The Shakyamuni Buddha demonstrated that we already have this quality. Therefore, in Mahamudra this is called the ground or foundation Mahamudra, meaning we have it already. But because we do not experience it that way, then we need the path Mahamudra. Based on the path, what one already possesses can be actualized, and that's called fruition Mahamudra. So these are the ground, path, and fruition of Mahamudra.
The view is like this. Generally our whole experience consists of two kinds of grasping. All appearance occurs to us because of the objective grasping to object and subjective grasping of mind. Even though this is our experience, it is not actually the real state of
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53
phenomena, but an illusion or bewilderment. Mahamudra is the realization of the true nature without bewilderment. From the point of view of Madhyamaka the true state of phenomena is emptiness. But everything is not just empty because there is also a clear or luminous aspect to it which we call awareness or jnana. That is why we talk about indivisibility or the union of space and awareness. This union ofspace and awareness is the view ofground Mahamudra. We need to intellectually understand this fact and then the actual experience of it is path Mahamudra. When this understanding and experience is complete, then one has achieved fruition Mahamudra.
There is an example in the Uttaratantra illustrating the relationship of ground, path, and fruition Mahamudra. It is as if a person lost a large bag of gold by throwing it out with the garbage and this gold became buried under the refuse. Eventually it became completely covered with dirt and sand and may have become tarnished. But the gold never lost any of its value because its qualities are inherent within the gold. Many thousands ofyears pass but the gold still keeps all of its value. Then a very poor man comes along and builds a shack on this spot not knowing that there is gold under it.
