Or else it is obvious also that it is also
suitable
that in the former case the four goddesses in this context are held with the pride of being Lochana and so on and so exhort [you].
Thurman-Robert-a-F-Tr-Tsong-Khapa-Losang-Drakpa-Brilliant-Illumination-of-the-Lamp-of-the-Five-Stages
c.
ii.
c' - The method of learning the conducts I
The third has two parts: [ 1 '] The way of achieving the elaborated and unelaborated conducts; and [2'] The way of achieving the extremely unelaborated conduct.
? Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 549 IYI. B. 3. c. ii. c'l ' - The way of achieving the elabomtcd and unclaboratcd
? conduds l
The first has two parts: [a'] Common procedures [for both]; and
[b') Particular procedures [for each]. [VI. 8. 3. c. ii. c'l 'a? -
? As for the place where these two conducts are achieved, from the old translation of the Integrated Practices quote of the [Buddha} Union:
Further, practice [anywhere] in the three realms, Or in a pleasure garden.
And from the Patsab translation:
The three worlds are your pleasure garden.
And the Chag translation:
Practice in a holy place,
Or in your own pleasure garden.
Or in the separate translation of the Tantra [itself]: Practice in your own place
Or in a pleasure garden.
As in all these, you should practice in your own abode or in a pleasure garden, a place agreeable to your mind, free from any L297bJ ill-destined persons.
As for how to get your house together, you should make it a three storied deity house made of glazed brick, with four doors, four comers, and four porticos, adorned with various ornaments such as jewel decora- tions. Otherwise an earthen house with a strong fence wall adorned with ornaments. Those two are the excellent and the inferior [kinds of] houses, though they should be the same in having three stories; so the latter should not be some sort of three level earthen cave. Therein, as for the process of adorning through worship; on the first floor are the kitchen and the gathering areas, on the second floor you should arrange the lutes and
song and music equipment, and the upper floor, as above explained, you should adorn with the jewel ornaments, the bells and yak tails and canopies and so on, since it is the place of the gathering of supremely fortunate
Common procedures <for hoth)l
550 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
yogis and yoginis of multifarious glories. Up to there the two [later] con- ducts are similar.
If there you engage in elaborated conduct, set up twenty variegated lotus seats covered with cloths with one more for the chief. If it is unelabo- rated, set them up according to the number of the gathering. As for the change of costumes of the yogis and yoginis, according to the explana- tion of the [Buddha] Union and as explained in the [Community] Six- teenth Chapter:
Of the body, speech, and mind vajras, Meditating the body, speech, and mind, Do that by one's own natural way- Thus you will attain accomplishments.
- and in commentary on that:
"One's [own natural] way. . . " is doing
it by the very change of costume, not just [298al by meditating.
Thus the yogi/nis of three vajras when they performs the discipline of the science [consort], this is explained for them and their consort seal. As for the substance of the mask, the Great Translator's and Patsab's version of the Integrated Practices and the separate translation of the [Buddha] Union state "the nature of the element and life and arisen from a root," about the latter of which, Chag's translation "a living being, [and] arisen from a root" is better. This means you should make the mask out of precious elements such as gold or silver, or human bone and so on animal products, or from the root of a tree and so on. The Illumination of the Lamp explains that you should make it out of wood etc. As for the form of craftsmanship, it can either be poured in a mold, carved in relief, manu- factured by beating, or painted. You should make it according to the deity as far as faces and arms, etc. , color, and symbolic implements. As the old
translation of the Integrated Practices and the Chag translation say: Surround it with the seal,
Who practices oriented toward one ' s deity
-they explain that you do not need the seal who serves as the science [consort] of this [deity]. Nevertheless, as Patsab['s translation] says:
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 55 1 The masks of one ' s deity
Do bring forth the seal of accomplishment
-so the masks of one's deity do occasion the accomplishment which is the costumed seal. which is the meaning of "surround. " Also the separate translation of the {Buddha] Union :
You should perform with the seal of achievement In the costume of your deity. [ 298h l
The Integrated Practices old translation says:
Poured or carved, Manufactured or painted, Images of various forms,
Thus conceive the marked seal.
The "marked seal" here is not explained as "masked," since it is clearly expained in the Tantra to be the marked seal's symbolic implement. Thus, Patsab's translation [separating images and marked seal with] "images of various forms and. . . " is preferable.
The Integrated Practices old translation says:
Instructing well the consorts,155
Endowed with your own deity,
The fortunate one is marked by his/her own seal. Thus conceive the group mandala.
The meaning of the first phrase is like what is stated in the separate trans- lation of the Tantra, "similar to your own deity. " As for how it is similar, you should understand it according to Patsab's translation:
By the masks of your own deity Practice well with the consorts.
155 Though the word is bud med rnams, "women," I transite "consorts," to mke this appli- cable as instruction for a yogini as well as a yogi, which the tradition maintains as theoreti- cally possible if practically only rarely done. The inflected Sanskrit and Tibetan grammars rarely rsort to gender-differentiated pronouns, and when they do, the male by grammatical rule stands for both male and female, as the English "man" generically includes women in the category of humankind. In what follows form the Buddha Union, the goddesses etc. cannot so easily be neutralized in gender.
? 5 5 2 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
However, "instruct well" is a preferable translation. This arrangement of the places of yogis and yoginrs who are costumed according to the number of deities of the mandala is called "the group mandala. " In the [Buddha] Union Root Tantra it is stated that here the disciple is given empowerment.
Further, [there is] the yogi/or who is the agent of conduct in the center of the mandala; and the four consorts respectively in the east, south, west, and north of the first row of that are established as the four god- desses, Sariwaramaya, Ahosukha, Drpa, and Shashr. The last of these are translated by Chag as "ri bong can" [Shashr, i. e. , Moon]. These [299a] are consorts for accompanying the conduct.
In the clockwise direction in the quarter directions from the south- east there are four consorts who are established as the four goddesses, Buddhabodhr, Dhannachakrr, Tridhatuvijayr, and KamaQkushi.
Outside of those in the second row also clockwise in the quarter directions from the southeast there are four consorts arrayed as the four goddesses, Lingbuma, Gyumangma, Gyucgigma, and Gyutugpoma, the latter three of which can be recognized from the seal section of the [Buddha] Union as Piwangma, Ngadumma, and Dzangama. 156
Outside of those in the third row also clockwise in the quarter direc- tions from the southeast there are four consorts arrayed as the four god- desses, Vajrapu? hpa, Vajragandha, Vajradipa, Vajral). jali, holding, respec- tively, flowers, incense, a fine lamp, and a conch vessel full of perfume.
In the third row clockwise from the east157 in the doors are four consorts standing in the form of Ashvasya, Vajrashukarasya, Vajraloka, and Rajal)pranashanavetala, whose [name] means of "zombie having died and become dust. " The other sixteen are recognized by the meaning of being consorts with whom one is to engage.
The Illumination of the Lamp Fifteenth Chapter states that you should make the mandala with the mandala rites of the context of the
156 If the Sang rgya? ; mnyam sbyor exists in Sanskrit, one would have more confidence about these names in Sanskrit - Sarhvaramllyll, Emahosukha, Dipll, and Shashi ; Buddha- bodhT, DharmachakrT, TridhlltuvijayT, and Kam! lQku? hT; Dhvaninala. Bahutantrr, Ekatantrl, Ghar;tatantrr (also VTnll, DundubhT, Mrc,1a? ;tgT).
157The text says "southeast," but the doors are in the cardinal, not quarter, directions, so I have emended.
? Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 553
unelaborated conduct of the creation stage, and such [ 29911 1 is the position of the Master Go; [yet] it is preferable to perform [the rites] by drawing well the mandala with water colors. If you are an unelaborated yogi/nT of the Community, draw the Community mandala with water colors, and enter with costumes and masks that conform to the size of the group, setting each deity in its place.
IVI. B. 3. c. ii. c'l 'b' -
The second has two parts: [i'l The elaborated rites; and [ii'J The unelaborated rites.
1 VI. B. 3. c. ii. c 'l 'b 'i ? - The el aborated rites I
Granted that the Noble father and sons do not state clearly that the Esoteric Community practitioner should perform the elaborated and un- elaborated rites in such a way, they do advocate the performance of the elaborated conduct from the point of view of the Community. As for per- forming it, [considering] how it is performed, [it is] granted that some people say you should perform it adding two goddesses in the male and female yogi/ni costumes to the twenty goddesses explained in the {Buddha]
Union. Nevertheless, the Integrated Practices states that you should per- form it together with the disciple included in the same clan; thus the rites of the mandalas of the {Buddha] Union and the Community are not in common. Therefore, if you perform the elaborated conduct with the system of the Community, you must do it adding the elaborations such as seal and seal response explained in other Tantras, keeping them equal to the number
of deities of the Community.
If you perform it according to the [Buddha] Union, together with the
yogi/nis of the two stages, meditating voidness objectified as ultimate reality, then you create [the mandala] with complete characteristics, begin- ning with the stacked elements and mount Meru, on top of which emerge the lotus and variegated vajra-cross producing the earth base, up to the 1300al measureless mansion with vajra pinnacle, containing the deity seats. Then you create Vajrasattva, etc. , whichever lord, by the process of self- consecration, and you sit in the manner of being lord of the mandala and then create the retinue, creating twenty consorts in the actuality of such and such a goddess, and they themselves each create themselves in such a manner. The Integrated Practices only expresses that much in words, it
? ? ? Particular procedures ( for each) !
554 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
is clear that you must fill in the procedure by such things as previously meditating the defense wheel and bringing in the wisdom heroes.
Then, you engage with desire objects; first preparing by remember- ing that you have the nature of the pattern of true samadhi, thinking "I must satisfy the transcendent buddhas abiding within my body mandala! " First engage with visual, audial, and olfactory objects. Then, as for engag- ing with tastes, purify, transmute, and blaze your foods, remember your natural inner fireplace and eat with the attitude that you are offering burnt offerings to the mouth of the samadhi hero. Thereby it will be easily di- gested and will become an elixir practice. Thus by food and drink you satisfy the aggregates and elements of your physical vajra body. Finally,
the way of engaging with textures, within the twenty together-engaging and after-engaging goddesses, take a seal as you please who is skilled in the arts of desire, and place her on your lap. Thinking, "Relying on this one, I will achieve completely the great seal accomplishment! " [300b] create a stable determination, engage in the process from coupling with her up to stimulating the channels, and you abide in the action of union endowed with the posture of your own clan.
Here. the Integrated Practices states that you should use postures such as the transcendent, vajra, jewel, lotus, and action [clan postures], which is the system of the death-transition of each specific lord. Then from the friction of the vajra and the lotus, all the transcendent buddhas, who are the actuality of the aggregates and so forth, melt the vowel and
consonant enlightenment spirits down from the 72,000 channels begin- ning from the crown, like streams of water cascading down a mountain cliff. Then, with [the mind] descending by the stages of generating dis- passionate luminance, passionate radiance, and semi-passionate immi- nence, finally each yogi/ni introspectively comes to realize the actuality of transcendent wisdom, universal void clear light. This is principlally explained according to the system of the [Buddha] Union, explained as
the experience of the four joys falling from the crown to the jewel-tip. However, it is not that this system does not also, as will be explained below, [teach] the generation of the four voids through the process of dissolving into the heart center. Here, as for the statement that the yogi/ni who attains the supreme performs the wondrous deeds of punishing and upholding in that very group mandala from the door of the six clans, it is mostly [referring to] the time after attaining the learner's communion; and those deeds are stated in the [Buddha] Union.
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 5 5 5
Thus, at the end of cultivating the creation of the orgasmic [wisdom- intuition] by relying on the consort seal, (30tnl arising from that, the lord who is the actuality of great bliss, in order to teach strongly the great arali play, which quickly gives rise to the Dharma of fulfilling the aims of self and other, there is the stage of performing the dance of the buddha-music. Together with the yoginis, the lord shows seal-gestures, the science [consort] shows a response to that seal-gesture; and so by the gesture and the gesture response, the worship and the worship response, the dance and the dance response, and the song and the song response, and by those physical and verbal signs the symbolic conventions are performed. When the Integrated Practices explains the latter two [con- ducts], except for the brief mention of seal-gesture and seal-gesture- response and worship and worship-response, does not mention the others, so they must be known from other [sources]. As for the need for perform- ing those, the Integrated Practices says that it is for the sake of not letting the mind tum elsewhere and to mutually delight each other, meaning that the mind should not deviate from great bliss, and to mutually increase the bliss.
You should totally engage in the conduct day and night, by the previously explained meditation and intention, meditating the orgasmic [wisdom] in trance relying on engagement with desire objects, and arising from that in the aftermath engaging with deire objects through many elaborations concerning the seal consort and so forth. If you perform the elaborated conducts with the system of the Esoteric Community, at the end of meditating according to the performances of the two stages, hav- ing established on thirty one seats in the deity places yogis and yoginis equal in number to the thirty-two deities with thirty-two costumes, [311JhJ
after having enjoyed the five desire objects as taught above, you should add the elaborations of performing the seal-gestures and the gesture responses. The procedure of the rites will be explained [below].
The unelaborated ritesj
The Integrated Practices teaches three ways of the unelaborated conduct; if you cannot completely make the condensed mandala for the unelaborated conduct due to insufficient wealth, you should perform the unelaborated conduct with the five thatnesses together with the five seal consorts; or, if you do not have that, you should perform the unelaborated
? [VI. B. 3. c. ii. c'l 'b'ii' -
556 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
conduct together with a single consort. Or, if you have sufficient wealth you should perform the unelaborated conduct having completely created the condensed mandala. Then, if you cannot create the condensed man- dala completely, it is a question of having or not having all the equipment such as costumes and so on for the yogis and yoginis equal in number to the deities, it is not a matter of performing or not performing the medi- tative rites in the complete mandala. Since the Illumination of the Lamp Fifteenth Chapter states, in the context when the Ak? hobhya yogi/ni per- forms the unelaborated conduct together with his/her seal consort, that the deities of the mandala meditated as the Ak? hobhya mandala should adorn the mandala, the meditation of the full deities of the mandala is the same in all three forms of the unelaborated conduct.
Thus, in the water-color drawn mandala, the arrangement of the thirty-one variegated lotus seats covered with cloths as the deities' places and the [302aJ twenty-three yogis and nine yoginis arrayed with the deity costumes is the expansive unelaborated. As for the medium unelaborated, the conduct of the thatness of the five secrets, the Illumination of the Lamp Root Commentary Fifteenth Chapter states that you should place day and night the practitioner meditated as Vajradhara on the central seat and four consorts well learned in Mantra and Tantra visualized as the actualities of the four goddesses Lochana etc. on the seats of Lochana etc. [On the other hand,] the Integrated Practices states that four consorts with the forms of the four goddesses Rupavajra etc. should be placed in
the four quarters, and one consort with the form of Sparshavajra should abide upon your lap. If you only have five consorts, then it is obvious you have to choose between those two [options]. The Sixteenth Chapter [Illumination of the Lamp]'s explanation that the three clan yogi/nis should practice with Lochana, Mamaki, and Pandaravasini is cited by the Integrated Practices as a source for the unelaborated conduct with a single consort. Thus, it is not definite that the lord's consort seal should be created as only Sparshavajra, which should also be understood with regard to the other two [forms of the] unelaborated conduct. Therefore, if you perform the medium unelaborated, you should place five variegated lotuses covered with cloths in the center of the mandala and in the inner four comers; or, you should place the five seats and six costumes on the second row four corners [and in the center]. If you perform the con- densed unelaborated, you should use two seats and two costumes.
Chapter Xi- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 557 Then, as for the actual stages of the rite, the Integrated Practices
states: 158
There create the measureless mansion with the vajra jewel pinnacle, purify the outer seal consort, f. \02hl and you should practice the great seal [embrace] together with the disciple included within one clan. The process of that is, first only, understanding ultimate reality, then arising by the process of self-consecration, emitting and then internalizing Ak? hobhya, you abide as the very lord
and master of the mandala.
As for the way of creating the retinue, Patsab's translation of the Inte-
grated Practices is clear:
Then, having visualized the deities of the mandala such as Vairochana, the retinue unwaveringly free of any notions of ordinariness who serve as members of your own body mandala, you should propitiate the whole mandala circle.
[It goes on to] state that:
Then, together with your seal consort you enter ultimate reality by the stages of holistic holding and serial disso- lution [samadhis]. Then the goddesses, Lochana, etc. , exhort you with the verses "You the vajra mind," and so on, you arise instantaneously by the self-consecration stage, and, in order to experience the supreme joy, with the nine aesthetic moods, you first engage with form, sound, scent, and taste, and then with texture, taking whichever consort, such as one of the butcher caste, and uniting with her.
158 This quote closely corresponds to the extant text (CW, Tib. p. 636), as do the follow- ing passages identified as from the Patsab translation, which could either be paraphrase or quite likely alternate translation, not available to us. It is very close to the existing text in general terms.
? 558 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
There. it is not clear in fine detail about just how you perform the rite of prime union. The position of Master Go is that [right] from the defense wheel [visualization] you should completely meditate the prime union, claiming that to be the position of Tsunmojen and Trinshugjen,I59 and the creation stage practitioner should follow the evocation by using the three rite creation and so on, [303aJ while the perfection stage practitioner should use the instantaneous creation. There are also explanations in other treatises that you should use instantaneous creation in the self-
creation context, once you have completed the creation stage.
In regard to the tendency of the Integrated Practices statements, they are suitable for both the Vajradhara and Ak? hobhya practitioners; in general, they serve for the taking [whichever] as chief from [among] the six clans, and are similar for both stages. As for creating the measureless mansion on the peak of Sumeru, it was explained previously in the con- text of the Mother Tantras, but is unnecessary here. The creation stage practitioner in this [Esoteric Community] context is capable of producing the distinctive orgasmic [wisdom intuition] by means of the four joys in
all three occasions, the prime union, the entry into clear light at the end of the supreme mandala triumph, and the reliance on the actual science consort upon arising therefrom; therefore this is not the same as other [Tantras ' ] creation stage occasions.
As for the supreme mandala triumph, once you enter the trance- union with the actual science consort, you create the habitat and inhabi- tant mandala in the mother's lotus. As for emitting Ak? hobhya, bringing
him into oneself after radiating [many emanations of] him and so on, and thus becoming Anger Vajra, it is in terms of two clans; and you should do it correspondingly in terms of whatever other clan [lord] as chief [deity]. Having emitted [the deities] from Vairochana to Sumbharaja and having dissolved them into the thirty-one male and female yogi/nis of your retinue you should imagine them as indivisible. By meditating your retinue with deity yoga you eliminate the pride of ordinariness, and so should not be disturbed by that concept [of ordinariness].
As for the meaning of [the deities'] becoming components of your body mandala, those members of the retinue [303hl are the members of
159 sPrin shugs can, presumably another adept with a tradition of personal instructions.
? Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 559
your body, visualizing the parts as of the nature of the [five] aggregates and so forth. Both you and your retinue should meditate in that way. In regard to [practicing] with the five seal consorts and with the one seal consort, you should dissolve the [visualized deities] into whichever are actually there, and in the case of those who are not there, you should do the same dissolving each into their own place. In regard to the expression "having pleased the entire circle of the mandala," the Chag translation has "having impassioned," which means that you have already reached the supreme mandala triumph and you have pleased the deities by uniting in trance with the actual science consort, from the point of view of the deities being parts of your body. It is not only [a question of] just having united and entered into clear light, but it also means adding the medita- tions of yoga through the two contemplations and creating the four voids through the door of compressing the wind-energy-mind into the heart center, as previously explained. That is to be understood as applicable to other contexts of trance-union, though [ultimately] it is connected to the perfection stage itself.
As for being exhorted by songs after immersing in clear light, you should visualize it in the extensive unelaborated [conduct], in the case where there are four consorts in the inner corner directions meditated as Lochana and so forth, actually exhorting with song meditated as the five Vajra [sense goddesses], and [to be visualized] in the case where there is but the single consort seal.
Or else it is obvious also that it is also suitable that in the former case the four goddesses in this context are held with the pride of being Lochana and so on and so exhort [you]. Arising from that, as for the statement about enjoyment of the good, bad, and medium of the first four [desire-]objects, it obviously intends that from just this boundary of the path, the inferior objects serve as auxiliaries 1. 304al to your
inner bliss.
When you are in the first three occasions of the perfection stage,
and, having attained the beginning of the path of mind isolation, you are performing the conduct for the sake of the magic body, you can create it instantaneously without creating it from syllable and symbolic implement and so on. Above the measureless mansion, you create the intuition place, and on the occasion of compressing the visualization into clear light. it is compressed by the power of dissolving the wind-energies. Although both magic body [adepts] and learner's communion [adepts] can practice this,
there is a great difference [between them] in intensity of power.
560 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
As for resurrecting from the void in the body of the primal savior, you can arise from the wind-energy-mind in conformity with the third stage magic body at the time of mind isolation. If you are a magic body [adept] it actually can be done, but when you enter the void while still not having realized the clear light, it does not serve to purify the magic body. When you arise, it is an arisal of the mind from the metaphoric clear light and is not an arisal in a new body. When you attain communion [in the future], there is no interruption of the homogeneity of the magic body, so [at this stage] you should enter into and arise from the clear light
basing [yourself] on the mind and not upon the magic body. Therefore, from both of those [stages], when you arise from clear light you should take up in your mind whatever [deity] body you already have [devel- oped] through the process of visualization.
As for maintaining the emanation body, you should create your coarse body as an emanation body by bring back together what was sepa- rated from the coarse body. Though you have attained [only a measure of] virtual conformity with the magic body, you can make it similar to the actual [magic body] in the experience of your mentality.
In those explanations, you should understand [their application to all three;] the occasion of the prime union [304hl, the creation of the orgas- mic [intuition] from union with the science consort at the end of the supreme mandala triumph, and the arisal from that and so forth. In the
[Root Tantra] Seventeenth Chapter Commentary, as it explains that, after the arisal upon exhortation with song, you uphold the pride of the four clans such as Vairochana and you perform the unions with all four god- desses, Lochan? and so forth, it is clear that here also you must perform that, the same in both stages. And that corresponds with taking those four goddesses as the consorts who unite with the chief [deity]. Further, those uniting consorts, since they serve as the science consorts of the lord, are also clearly engaging as Rnpavajr? and so on also. By that reason, in the
case of the medium and concise form of the unelaborated conduct, they are classified according to the number of the circle of science consorts and not according to the number of male [deities].
As for the Integrated Practices statement that you should perform relying on whichever of the five, such as low caste consorts and so forth, it is in terms of there being no certainty about caste for the perfection stage practitioner; the creation stage practitioner is explained as having a consort of his own clan. Whichever of the two clans are there, as for the
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 56 1
actual conduct, having trance-united with the consort of your own occa- sion, you create orgasmic joy and meditate through uniting bliss and void: you do not meditate yourself as the lord [alone]. in a mantric body if a creation stage practitioner, and in a magic body if a magic body [adept].
There is no explicit explanation as to how often in a day you prac- tice this rite of the conduct, but since the Sixteenth Chapter Root Com- mentary states. in the context of the conduct, that you should make the secret offering while trance-united with the science consort in the four times, l-'05ul you should perform this in four sessions.
The [Buddha} Union states that the group circle rite, relying on the group mandala, should be performed once each year and once each month. The Integrated Practices, concerning its statement about the two latter conducts, as it is not referring to the conduct in the context of its explanation of the four boundaries when performing the conduct, its meaning is not an explanation of whether or not there is elaboration of time in the conduct that has arrived at the high path of the two stages relying on that scriptural reference. If you engage in the elaborated [con- duct] after engaging in textures, you perform from the perspective of your own specific meditation and intention concerning the seal gesture and its response; if you are [engaging in] the unelaborated [conduct], you do not perform [in that way]. Therefore, the old translation of the Inte- grated Practices wrote "here you should completely perform the arali," but the Patsab translation "cause the accomplishment of the arali" is better.
As for the statement that you should eat in solitude, having cleansed and so on the five meats and the five elixirs, it is similar for all the con- ducts of the two stages.
As for the Integrated Practices statement that
All this should be perfected by the inner self itself, with- out binding of the consort, neither painting a mandala nor offering [in it] the symbolic universe, not performing external hearth fire sacrifice, not making stupas for placing clay images and so forth, not reading scriptures, abandoning physical asceticism, not performing prostra- tions to painted or wood or stone carved icons, not taking refuge in saints or hermit buddhas, and not relying on
any astrology and so forth . . .
562 ? Brilliant Illumination oj the Lamp
-this refers to the context of the conduct of the perfection stage; and does not include the context of conduct [on the creation stage; since it contains such a prohibition of] the binding of the seal consort [30Sb] and the painting of the mandala and so forth. By mistaking statements about not doing such things in the Community, and in many other Tantras, the Esoteric Accomplishment, and the Enlightenment Songs, and so on, it seems that many act even from the time of being a beginner in such a way that the sharp minded do not perform those practices instantaneously
and the dull-minded do them more gradually. I VI. B. 3. c. ii. c '2 ' -
conduct]
Second, as for which embodiment should perform this extremely unelaborated conduct, Tsunmojen explains it is only the perfection stage practitioner and Kanhapa declares it can be anyone on the two stages; of these two you should take the latter as preferable, according to the view of Master Go.
As for the place, you should use a solitary mountain, a riverbank, near a waterfall, and a charnel ground and so forth-you do not practice this in a three-storied house.
As for the companion to provide your food, you should get a crea- ture such as a forest spirit devotee, or a superior practitioner companion, or get your food from a large [monastic] community. As for the latter, Pa- tsab translates "by getting just your rice gruel from a minister," meaning that wealthy persons such as ministers should serve as patrons. If you can get a forest spirit devotee, since wealth comes with performing either the
elaborated or unelaborated [conduct], it is not definite that this [extremely unelaborated conduct] is performed only for the reason of lack of wealth of equipment.
? The way of achieving the extremely unelaborated
As for the particulars of intention, there are four. First is when as a
somewhat beginning practitioner you remember the beginningless suffer- ing of the life cycle and desire the bliss of nirvana, you should abandon all socializing, and finally you should meditate the notion of suffering even concerning the gaining of power t30ttuJ over the entire kingdom. Second, the two new translations are good, saying "you should destroy any entertaining of even anything as much as a grain of sesamum," which should be interpreted as not holding onto any accumulation of equipment
Chapter XI-Conduct Heightening Impact ? 563
such as a mere grain of sesamum, and you should not take it as meaning you should not identify the manifestations of the truth habits. Third, through your faith in meditating clear light as ultimate reality, you should not be concerned for your body and life. Fourth. you should not be ambi- tious for the minor mundane accomplishments or the eight great [mun- dane) accomplishments. because they can become distractions and causes for regression.
For a creation stage practitioner to perform the conduct, since s/he has the fully qualified spirit of enlightenment. granted s/he wants to attain buddhahood in general, since s/he performs the conduct with her/his mind attracted by common accomplishments, as long as s/he has not completed the creation stage and produced the perfection stages, except for the second intention, [s/he should focus on that, since] the other three apply only to the perfection stage practitioner.
As for the distinctions of the seal consort, the Integrated Practices says160 that, thus, abandoning the outer consort, you should perceive your- self uniting rather with the wisdom consort abiding in the heart center, thinking "thereby I will more quickly attain the vajradharahood," and you should perform the conduct only being alone, [meaning obviously that you should use] a wisdom consort. As for that wisdom consort, though Lak? hmi says that the creation stage practitioner brings forth the goddess with shape from within the heart center and the perfection stage practitioner unites with the wisdom seal just through his/her meditation on voidness, 1306bl it is rather the case that the perfection stage practi- tioner also unites with the wisdom seal as having the form of a goddess. The Illumination of the Lamp Fifth Chapter says that if you do not obtain
an actual consort, you should bring forth the mother of buddhas, Tran- scendent Wisdom, from within your heart and perform union with her; and proves [that statement] with reasons. The Sixteenth Chapter [Root Tantraj says:
Contemplatiing with the three syllable vajra, Visualize your own consort with your mind, Thereby the omniscient buddhas
Will doubtless be delighted.
160 The following closely paraphrases the canonical Tibetan (CW, p. 647).
? 564 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
The Commentary here says that this text teaches uniting with the wisdom seal, and that "contemplating with the three syllable vajra" means that a three vajra yogi such as Vairochana, who has no concern for any outer consort, brings forth as his seal the Vajradhatvishvari who dwells in his heart.
Thus, as for the explanation that "if you cannot find an outer con- sort, rely on the wisdom consort," it implies that the [reliance on a] wis- dom seal cannot produce the samadhi of great bliss as [well as] the reli- ance on an external consort, and this intends that if you do find an outer consort, you should do the opposite of the previous statement about abandoning her and relying on the wisdom consort. Further, it is like the statement of the Illumination of the Lamp Seventeenth Chapter-both new translations-that those whose minds are not stable in union with
the wisdom consort should rely on a physical consort. Though the old translation of the Illumination of the Lamp states that "you should rely on the physical consort when your mind is stable," the above translations are better.
Like that, [307al there seem to be particular [choices made] according to the type of a person and the way of learning with a wisdom consort after first meditating the path. In this regard, the creation stage practitioner may indeed give up other elaborations, but the stage of the procedure is clearly similar, so one unites with the wisdom seal when completing the mandala triumph, generating the orgasmic joy by the processes of the
four joys and meditating bliss-void. Thereupon, you arise exhorted by the songs of the meditated goddesses, enjoying the food and the science consort's desire objects through your contemplative visualization. In the three occasions of the perfection stage, relying on the appropriate pro- cess of the procedure of the evocation, when you unite with the wisdom consort, by the force of your combining it with the perfection of the yoga of the inner winds, you cut off the many dualistic elaborations and realize a distinctively excellent four voids. Then again, from the process of com- pressing that gathers the wind-energy-mind in the heart center and the descent of the enlightenment spirit to the tip of the vajra, you have the ability to generate whatever possible of the four voids, but the main thing is to perform the previous [compression of the wind-energies in the heart center] .
Concerning this, the Integrated Practices' explanation of the aggre- gates' etc. subtle elements entering into wind-energy, that into mind, that
Chapter XI-Conduct Heightening Impact ? 565
into mental functions, and that entering into misknowledge and after that your meditating the clear light-all this is performed relying on the wis- dom seal; in the other conducts it is similar but relying on an actual seal. Nevertheless, here the statement of cultivating the sleep clear light itself is on the occasion of the conduct of the perfection stage, and that again, by this, by intermittent [J07bl meditation of clear light, it seems to mean that you meditate with a merging of the clear light with sleep. And it does not mean that you perform separate ways of meditation of the clear light as on other occasions, when not merged with sleep but in waking time, and when merged with sleep in sleeping time. This you can understand when you understand all the keys of merging.
Thus, when you practice by performing the conducts on the two stages, except for differences of degree of the four joys and the four voids, by both you entrance yourself and rely on union with the wisdom consort and cultivate the orgasmic [bliss] and clear light itself. When you cannot abide therein and so arise, again, relying on that consort and increase that meditation as before. Here, your creativity is extremely intense, you are averse to elaborations, and from the perspective of your intense faith in meditating the orgasmic [wisdom] you perform the con- duct as before; and this is called "the bhusuku conduct," because it is to maintain the conduct of eating, sleeping, and evacuating. As follows, the first syllable derives etymologically by adding syllables from bhufijana and gives you "eating food," sutana is explained as sleeping, and ku(isara is explained as evacuating by expelling excrement and urine. Except for just those three ideas, you abandon socializing, you don't consider body, sensations, objects, and senses, and you perform by merging sleep and clear light. Some also analyzed the bhu as coming from bhukta, again meaning "to eat. "
By such a perfection stage conduct, you will be caused to swiftly attain the magic body where your actual being transforms, the learner's communion vajra body, and the non-learner's communion vajra body. without requiring the other two conducts. Thus the Sixth Chapter Com- mentary states that the "bhusuku conduct" is the supreme conduct. The Integrated Practices often cites the extremely unelaborated 1 . \lllla l conduct
as what you should explain as being the process explained by the Cra;:;y
which occurs in the sixteenth chapter of the Vajra
Di? ? cipline Sarra
Essence Ornament Tantra. Concerning this. both new translations of the
,
Integrated Practice. . , follow the way and the process stated in the Tantra
.
566 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
and state "you should practice the extremely unelaborated conduct by the crazy discipline. " The Great Translator translates very well here "the Sotra that teaches the crazy discipline. " In that chapter, the conduct of the discipline is taught, that is said to be the "crazy discipline," and "taught" means "teach the crazy discipline," since this is not taught in the Explana- tory Tantras of the Community.
By engaging in the conduct according to both that Tantra and the Community, the goal to be achieved by that being practiced for six months is the exaltation of buddhahood; hence that is not the conduct of the creation stage.
The Integrated Practices declares that by learning the three con- ducts in a fortnight, or one month, or six months, the eight signs of the universal seal, such as subtle form and light texture, etc. , and the dream signs stated in the [Root] Tantra Fifteenth Chapter will emerge. You will achieve whenever those signs emerge, even before six months. In that regard, the eight masteries such as mastery of the body are supreme accomplishments, as the Chag translation says:
Subtle matter and light touch,
True attainment, true pervasiveness, Firm extreme illumination itself- Mastery 1308bJ itself and all fulfillment.
These eight are called the "eight excellences of mastery," and not the "eight masteries. " As to their meaning being explained by the previous, it seems that you cannot find an explanation of the eight excellences of mastery, so you should apply the explanation of the eight excellences of mastery by Avalokitavrata. Regarding that, such mastery involves the subtle causing the creation and destruction of the world of beings, the light causing of the creation and destruction of the world of things, and the ownership of the creation and destruction of both of them; so here the yogi/ni has the ability to emanate and dissolve those things.
The latter is shown by "true attainment. " Going wherever the mind thinks [to go] is indicated by "true pervasiveness. " Being worshipped by all elemental spirits is shown by one's appearing extremely illuminating and overwhelming all others by light and majesty. "Mastery" is having the power to [both] punish and support beings. As an excellence, developing the power of fulfillment is to possess "all fulfillment. " This is shown by
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 567
the ability to get whatever you want to get, relying on abiding in fulfilled delight.
Attaining the supreme in less than six months refers to the attaining of the Ieamer's union. When you perform the conducts on the four occa- sions previously explained, since you practice until you attain your frui- tion, you do not calculate whether or not there is the elaboration of time.
Although you have practiced conduct thus by the two stages, if you do not swiftly achieve the fruition of each particular occasion, as for the way of being urged along I-? 09nJ each of the two stages, you should under- stand it from the Root Tantra Tenth Chapter Commentary and Naropa's Further Tantra Commentary.
[VI. B. 4. - How the fruition will be attained at meditation's end]
Fourth, as for the way of realizing the fruition at the end of medi-
tating the path, the Illumination ofthe Lamp declares:
Further the need is to be explained,
The ritual procedures of peace and so on, Likewise the eight accomplishments, And buddhahood as the supreme.
Thus, buddhahood is best, the eight great accomplishments is medium, and the deeds of peace, growth, power, and terror is least.
As for the eight accomplishments, the Wisdom Vajra Compendium directly mentions six and omits two:
Mantra, medicine, fire-sacrifice, powder, eye-salve, swift- foot, and so on, the eight great accomplishments.
The Four Goddess Dialogue explains the achievement of the eight substances and the limbs:
Pills, and eye-salve medicines,
The underground, the sword accomplishment, Flying in the sky, invisibility,
Deathlessness, and healing sicknesses.
The Vajra Pavilion says:
Eye-salve, speed-travel,
Sword, underground accomplishments,
? 568 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp Pill, sky-walking,
Invisibility, and fasting.
The latter two fruitions [eight accomplishments and four deeds], are collected in the common accomplishments, giving two kinds, supreme and common, as the Further Tantra says:
The accomplishments of invisibility, and so on, Are explained as the ordinary [ones] ;
Buddha proclaimed the attainment of buddhahood, To be the supreme accomplishment.
At the end of learning the creation stage and its conduct, [309bJ as for the way of achieving the common accomplishments, you can understand it from reading the Tantra Commentary.
At the end of learning the perfection stage and its conduct, as for the way of achieving the nonlearner's communion, it is as previously explained. When you have realized the pre-dawn clear light transparence through the two enlightenments outer and inner, at the time of the mani- festation of the ultimate truth body, the learner's communion magic body becomes the nonlearner's communion magic body, and you abide without deviating from those two bodies as long as the samsaric life cycle lasts [for other beings].
As for the objective clear light transparence endowed with two such purities, it is called the "uncreated truth body," the "subjective clear light intuition truth body," and the "great bliss body. "
Its support embodiment matter body is the beatific body made of wind-energy-mind only, those two bodies being [merely] conceptually different but one in actuality, frequently referred to as the "intuition body nondual with the matter body," so you should understand that the claim that the Noble father and sons' positions are that the matter body is not included in the buddha-stage but only in the continuum of the disciples, that the matter body is [coarsely] material and actually different from consciousness, and that there is no intuitive wisdom in the context of fruition, and so forth, is not a valid claim.
Such a communion body creates many emanations such as the supreme emanation body, and having taken the emanation body com- munion body as one, you can understand well the arrangement of the two [beatific and truth] bodies in the communion body. In other Mantra
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 569
treatises there certainly are explanations of emanation body matter body as embodiment of intuitive wisdom, mind as 13lllul truth body. and speech as beatific body, but the position of the father and sons is as above.
As previously explained. at the end of other paths you add the distinctive mantric path and attain buddhahood in Akani? hta heaven, and that is accepted as unexcelled buddhahood. However, that does not con- tradict the explanation of attaining buddhahood in an embodiment that desires buddhahood in one lifetime from entering the unexcelled path from the beginning: because positing buddhahood through the unexcelled system and attaining buddhahood having entered the unexcelled path from the beginning do not have the same meaning. You can understand from what was explained above the subtle differences of the systems of achieving the truth and matter bodies of these two kinds of buddhahoods.
As for attaining buddhahood in the embodiment of a magic body person who has attained the magic body in a human embodiment, it is easy to understand how that is buddhahood in a human embodiment. When a yogi/ni in a human embodiment, having given up his/her human lifespan, achieves the magic body in place of becoming a between being, that embodiment for attaining buddhahood in that embodiment, though it is not included in the six migrations of beings, is not contradicted; just as, for example, the non-returner [saint] attains nirvana in the between and attains arhatship in that [between] embodiment.
Having meditated such a path, one abides in the buddha beatific body with its seven components, but there is no certainty about the ema- nation body. Therefore, as for the sky union component of the beatific body, it is declared that it creates the bestowal of the great bliss of play through the entrancement of union with many science companions such as the orgasmic [science consorts], [Jlllbl and in conformity with that frui-
tion, in the time of the path, one performs totally expansive great bliss by the way of playing with the desire objects of youth and beauty.
On the occasion of the fruition, you must settle [your insight] through objections and answers, and though there seem to be many more, here I have explained those points of the greatest difficulty. And I have not written about [all] the difficult points of formulations common to both Universal Vehicles, both because you can understand them from others and I fear the book will become too long.
Thus, as prophesied to teach the ultimate definitive meaning of the Sn tras, the ultimate of all Sil tras, the sole jewel of the three worlds, the
570 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
Glorious Esoteric Community, the great king of Tantras famous as the sun and moon, the Savior Nagarjuna, father and sons, having realized the meaning, elucidated it as they had seen it themselves, and fully and clearly explained all the meanings of the keys of the glorious Five Stages. If you do not understand well the lower paths and theories from which this is distinctive, then you will not understand the subtle and extraordinary distinctive specialties of the higher paths and theories. And especially, if you do not develop the precise intellectual discernment derived from cultivating the ultimate, definitive meaning, profound voidness and the definitive meaning Sutras, and the extremely subtle reasoning processes of the Savior Nagarjuna, you will not discover the key of the general path that leads to liberation and omniscience. And in particular, you will not identify well the essence of the subjects of the two nondual [Father and Mother] Tantras, the orgasmic intuitive wisdom from practicing the join- ing of bliss [31 lal and void; though you will admire it, you will see it as
merely a matter of faith.
Therefore, I studied well the treatises of our own and others' schools,
our Individual and Universal Vehicles, [the latter with] both its Transcen- dence and Mantra Vehicles, and the four classes of Vajra Vehicle Tantras. Further, through intensive practice I conducted far-reaching investiga- tions concerning the way of leading the disciple through the processes of the completion of the body of each particular path, adorned by the specific appropriate personal instruction, concerning the determining of voidness and, having determined it, meditating it, and concerning the way of explaining the specific systems of the Community as above explained. [Then, taking] the full measure of the Tibetan translations of the Indian treatises of the Noble literature, and all the personal instruc- tions [connected with these], I comparatively connected well the Root Tantra and the Explanatory Tantras. [Then,] I prayed far-reachingly and encountered distinctively excellent signs for composing a treatise. [Thus,] with the pure motivation to restore to excellence the extremely degener- ated Community system of the Noble literature and to see it endure for a long time without degenerating [again], I wrote [this treatise].
The supreme lamp dispelling beings' mental darkness, The sole mine of all jewels of good eloquence, Peerless Teacher, crown of all philosophers,
The pervasive Lord, Glorious Vajradhara King,
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? Taught more than two million two billion
Of Unexcelled Yoga Tantras.
Thus, like an emperor among the kings of earth, Surrounded by retinues of fabulous 131 1bl Tantras, Ruling the continent ofjewel Sotras,
Fulfilling the hopes of the thousand bodhisattvas. Serving as the summit of all the Sotras-
Such is the Glorious Community, King ofTantras.
Having consummated all stages by its path, The supreme adept Nagarjunapada
Well elucidated its hidden intention,
And [that intentions] was developed
By Aryadeva, Nagabodhi,
Shakyamitra, and Chandrakirti-
Who composed this feast of new true eloquence, The supreme Illumination ofthe Lamp, illuminating All the key points of the five stages,
Dispelling all the darkness of nonunderstanding and
misunderstanding,
About the Five Stages, itself the essence of true eloquence.
The So. tras in general and especially the Noble tradition, Having tremendously declined for a very long time,
To discern the hard to fathom meaning of the Tantra, The contemplation playing in bliss, is indeed difficult.
Still, by this performer of good evolutionary action, Exceedingly blest with a good share of discerning genius, Schooled in critical discernment by the vast sphere
Of the intelligence of [my] many expert [teachers],
Rich with treasures of insight that restored me
And energized [my mind] beyond all doubt-
For [you, you] superior ones, here at this end of time, This unprecedented lucid teaching cannot not be given.
57 t
572 ?
Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
Having worked hard on this way, and researched afar, I have composed, analyzing well and in detail;
Yet my mind inadequate, the Tantra's meaning hard to
fathom,
Therefore whatever errors I have committed,
As loving parents still hold as wondrous
Even the errors of speech of their little child,
So may the divine host of Ak? hobhyavajra
And the masterful beings please do likewise ! ! 31 2a l
For someone who does not take the treatises as personal instructions
-Unskilled in our and others' theories, content with prejudice,
Not struggling with the subtleties of the path of reason - To take up the key points of a path so long lost [to the
world],
Is like for a child who climbs up on a stone stand
To struggle wildly to catch the sun-
Such a one can be said only to be well-meaning. Thus, it is right [only] for the discerning to make the
effort.
For even the slightest sliver of your deeds
To enter the heart is so rare and precious,
Yet you made the well hidden meaning brilliantly clear- May Your Holiness, Wisdom Treasure, please protect me!
By whatever good evolutionary force I gain, By making effort on this treatise,
Seeing which and thinking over its meaning Captivates the mind of the wise.
As a lover' s heart is [enchanted]
By the form of a beautiful woman,
May all beings understand precisely
The key points of the Tantras, so hard to discern, And then accomplish their [profound] meaning, And so proceed to the state of Vajradhara!
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 573
As long as the axial mountain Meru stands in the stamen Of the eight-petalled lotus of earth's continents,
So long may this true eloquence, for fortunate beings, Long make clear the ultimate [meaning] of the path !
And may I from now for all my lives,
Never be apart from this ultimate of paths,
And may I always please the holy spiritual friend, The peerless root of the mass of excellence !
[COLOPHON]
Thus, as for this Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp oj! 312bl All Key Meanings of the Profound Five Stages, the Essence of the King of Tantras, The Glorious Esoteric Community-due to being repeatedly petitioned to write down a clear and detailed version of the keys of the path of the Five Stages, taking with the crown of my head the dust from the feet of the holy mentors such as His Holiness reverend Khyungpo Lhaspa and His Holiness reverend [Rendawa] Kumaramati, the Glorious Esoteric Community yogi and learned mendicant, the Easterner Tsong Khapa Losang Drakpay Pal, in the Ganden Triumph Monastery on Great Nomad Mountain, [composed this text], and the scribe was Rinchen Pal. an Esoteric Community practitioner upholding the fourfold asceticism.
Mangalam
APPENDIX, GLOSSARIES, BIBLIOGRAPHIES, INDEXES
APPENDIX
Topical Outline (sa bead) of Tsong Khapa 's Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
VI-. . J. . 0"1?
? ? " -
cli:: ::. :. :. ;;?
? ?
The third has two parts: [ 1 '] The way of achieving the elaborated and unelaborated conducts; and [2'] The way of achieving the extremely unelaborated conduct.
? Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 549 IYI. B. 3. c. ii. c'l ' - The way of achieving the elabomtcd and unclaboratcd
? conduds l
The first has two parts: [a'] Common procedures [for both]; and
[b') Particular procedures [for each]. [VI. 8. 3. c. ii. c'l 'a? -
? As for the place where these two conducts are achieved, from the old translation of the Integrated Practices quote of the [Buddha} Union:
Further, practice [anywhere] in the three realms, Or in a pleasure garden.
And from the Patsab translation:
The three worlds are your pleasure garden.
And the Chag translation:
Practice in a holy place,
Or in your own pleasure garden.
Or in the separate translation of the Tantra [itself]: Practice in your own place
Or in a pleasure garden.
As in all these, you should practice in your own abode or in a pleasure garden, a place agreeable to your mind, free from any L297bJ ill-destined persons.
As for how to get your house together, you should make it a three storied deity house made of glazed brick, with four doors, four comers, and four porticos, adorned with various ornaments such as jewel decora- tions. Otherwise an earthen house with a strong fence wall adorned with ornaments. Those two are the excellent and the inferior [kinds of] houses, though they should be the same in having three stories; so the latter should not be some sort of three level earthen cave. Therein, as for the process of adorning through worship; on the first floor are the kitchen and the gathering areas, on the second floor you should arrange the lutes and
song and music equipment, and the upper floor, as above explained, you should adorn with the jewel ornaments, the bells and yak tails and canopies and so on, since it is the place of the gathering of supremely fortunate
Common procedures <for hoth)l
550 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
yogis and yoginis of multifarious glories. Up to there the two [later] con- ducts are similar.
If there you engage in elaborated conduct, set up twenty variegated lotus seats covered with cloths with one more for the chief. If it is unelabo- rated, set them up according to the number of the gathering. As for the change of costumes of the yogis and yoginis, according to the explana- tion of the [Buddha] Union and as explained in the [Community] Six- teenth Chapter:
Of the body, speech, and mind vajras, Meditating the body, speech, and mind, Do that by one's own natural way- Thus you will attain accomplishments.
- and in commentary on that:
"One's [own natural] way. . . " is doing
it by the very change of costume, not just [298al by meditating.
Thus the yogi/nis of three vajras when they performs the discipline of the science [consort], this is explained for them and their consort seal. As for the substance of the mask, the Great Translator's and Patsab's version of the Integrated Practices and the separate translation of the [Buddha] Union state "the nature of the element and life and arisen from a root," about the latter of which, Chag's translation "a living being, [and] arisen from a root" is better. This means you should make the mask out of precious elements such as gold or silver, or human bone and so on animal products, or from the root of a tree and so on. The Illumination of the Lamp explains that you should make it out of wood etc. As for the form of craftsmanship, it can either be poured in a mold, carved in relief, manu- factured by beating, or painted. You should make it according to the deity as far as faces and arms, etc. , color, and symbolic implements. As the old
translation of the Integrated Practices and the Chag translation say: Surround it with the seal,
Who practices oriented toward one ' s deity
-they explain that you do not need the seal who serves as the science [consort] of this [deity]. Nevertheless, as Patsab['s translation] says:
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 55 1 The masks of one ' s deity
Do bring forth the seal of accomplishment
-so the masks of one's deity do occasion the accomplishment which is the costumed seal. which is the meaning of "surround. " Also the separate translation of the {Buddha] Union :
You should perform with the seal of achievement In the costume of your deity. [ 298h l
The Integrated Practices old translation says:
Poured or carved, Manufactured or painted, Images of various forms,
Thus conceive the marked seal.
The "marked seal" here is not explained as "masked," since it is clearly expained in the Tantra to be the marked seal's symbolic implement. Thus, Patsab's translation [separating images and marked seal with] "images of various forms and. . . " is preferable.
The Integrated Practices old translation says:
Instructing well the consorts,155
Endowed with your own deity,
The fortunate one is marked by his/her own seal. Thus conceive the group mandala.
The meaning of the first phrase is like what is stated in the separate trans- lation of the Tantra, "similar to your own deity. " As for how it is similar, you should understand it according to Patsab's translation:
By the masks of your own deity Practice well with the consorts.
155 Though the word is bud med rnams, "women," I transite "consorts," to mke this appli- cable as instruction for a yogini as well as a yogi, which the tradition maintains as theoreti- cally possible if practically only rarely done. The inflected Sanskrit and Tibetan grammars rarely rsort to gender-differentiated pronouns, and when they do, the male by grammatical rule stands for both male and female, as the English "man" generically includes women in the category of humankind. In what follows form the Buddha Union, the goddesses etc. cannot so easily be neutralized in gender.
? 5 5 2 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
However, "instruct well" is a preferable translation. This arrangement of the places of yogis and yoginrs who are costumed according to the number of deities of the mandala is called "the group mandala. " In the [Buddha] Union Root Tantra it is stated that here the disciple is given empowerment.
Further, [there is] the yogi/or who is the agent of conduct in the center of the mandala; and the four consorts respectively in the east, south, west, and north of the first row of that are established as the four god- desses, Sariwaramaya, Ahosukha, Drpa, and Shashr. The last of these are translated by Chag as "ri bong can" [Shashr, i. e. , Moon]. These [299a] are consorts for accompanying the conduct.
In the clockwise direction in the quarter directions from the south- east there are four consorts who are established as the four goddesses, Buddhabodhr, Dhannachakrr, Tridhatuvijayr, and KamaQkushi.
Outside of those in the second row also clockwise in the quarter directions from the southeast there are four consorts arrayed as the four goddesses, Lingbuma, Gyumangma, Gyucgigma, and Gyutugpoma, the latter three of which can be recognized from the seal section of the [Buddha] Union as Piwangma, Ngadumma, and Dzangama. 156
Outside of those in the third row also clockwise in the quarter direc- tions from the southeast there are four consorts arrayed as the four god- desses, Vajrapu? hpa, Vajragandha, Vajradipa, Vajral). jali, holding, respec- tively, flowers, incense, a fine lamp, and a conch vessel full of perfume.
In the third row clockwise from the east157 in the doors are four consorts standing in the form of Ashvasya, Vajrashukarasya, Vajraloka, and Rajal)pranashanavetala, whose [name] means of "zombie having died and become dust. " The other sixteen are recognized by the meaning of being consorts with whom one is to engage.
The Illumination of the Lamp Fifteenth Chapter states that you should make the mandala with the mandala rites of the context of the
156 If the Sang rgya? ; mnyam sbyor exists in Sanskrit, one would have more confidence about these names in Sanskrit - Sarhvaramllyll, Emahosukha, Dipll, and Shashi ; Buddha- bodhT, DharmachakrT, TridhlltuvijayT, and Kam! lQku? hT; Dhvaninala. Bahutantrr, Ekatantrl, Ghar;tatantrr (also VTnll, DundubhT, Mrc,1a? ;tgT).
157The text says "southeast," but the doors are in the cardinal, not quarter, directions, so I have emended.
? Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 553
unelaborated conduct of the creation stage, and such [ 29911 1 is the position of the Master Go; [yet] it is preferable to perform [the rites] by drawing well the mandala with water colors. If you are an unelaborated yogi/nT of the Community, draw the Community mandala with water colors, and enter with costumes and masks that conform to the size of the group, setting each deity in its place.
IVI. B. 3. c. ii. c'l 'b' -
The second has two parts: [i'l The elaborated rites; and [ii'J The unelaborated rites.
1 VI. B. 3. c. ii. c 'l 'b 'i ? - The el aborated rites I
Granted that the Noble father and sons do not state clearly that the Esoteric Community practitioner should perform the elaborated and un- elaborated rites in such a way, they do advocate the performance of the elaborated conduct from the point of view of the Community. As for per- forming it, [considering] how it is performed, [it is] granted that some people say you should perform it adding two goddesses in the male and female yogi/ni costumes to the twenty goddesses explained in the {Buddha]
Union. Nevertheless, the Integrated Practices states that you should per- form it together with the disciple included in the same clan; thus the rites of the mandalas of the {Buddha] Union and the Community are not in common. Therefore, if you perform the elaborated conduct with the system of the Community, you must do it adding the elaborations such as seal and seal response explained in other Tantras, keeping them equal to the number
of deities of the Community.
If you perform it according to the [Buddha] Union, together with the
yogi/nis of the two stages, meditating voidness objectified as ultimate reality, then you create [the mandala] with complete characteristics, begin- ning with the stacked elements and mount Meru, on top of which emerge the lotus and variegated vajra-cross producing the earth base, up to the 1300al measureless mansion with vajra pinnacle, containing the deity seats. Then you create Vajrasattva, etc. , whichever lord, by the process of self- consecration, and you sit in the manner of being lord of the mandala and then create the retinue, creating twenty consorts in the actuality of such and such a goddess, and they themselves each create themselves in such a manner. The Integrated Practices only expresses that much in words, it
? ? ? Particular procedures ( for each) !
554 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
is clear that you must fill in the procedure by such things as previously meditating the defense wheel and bringing in the wisdom heroes.
Then, you engage with desire objects; first preparing by remember- ing that you have the nature of the pattern of true samadhi, thinking "I must satisfy the transcendent buddhas abiding within my body mandala! " First engage with visual, audial, and olfactory objects. Then, as for engag- ing with tastes, purify, transmute, and blaze your foods, remember your natural inner fireplace and eat with the attitude that you are offering burnt offerings to the mouth of the samadhi hero. Thereby it will be easily di- gested and will become an elixir practice. Thus by food and drink you satisfy the aggregates and elements of your physical vajra body. Finally,
the way of engaging with textures, within the twenty together-engaging and after-engaging goddesses, take a seal as you please who is skilled in the arts of desire, and place her on your lap. Thinking, "Relying on this one, I will achieve completely the great seal accomplishment! " [300b] create a stable determination, engage in the process from coupling with her up to stimulating the channels, and you abide in the action of union endowed with the posture of your own clan.
Here. the Integrated Practices states that you should use postures such as the transcendent, vajra, jewel, lotus, and action [clan postures], which is the system of the death-transition of each specific lord. Then from the friction of the vajra and the lotus, all the transcendent buddhas, who are the actuality of the aggregates and so forth, melt the vowel and
consonant enlightenment spirits down from the 72,000 channels begin- ning from the crown, like streams of water cascading down a mountain cliff. Then, with [the mind] descending by the stages of generating dis- passionate luminance, passionate radiance, and semi-passionate immi- nence, finally each yogi/ni introspectively comes to realize the actuality of transcendent wisdom, universal void clear light. This is principlally explained according to the system of the [Buddha] Union, explained as
the experience of the four joys falling from the crown to the jewel-tip. However, it is not that this system does not also, as will be explained below, [teach] the generation of the four voids through the process of dissolving into the heart center. Here, as for the statement that the yogi/ni who attains the supreme performs the wondrous deeds of punishing and upholding in that very group mandala from the door of the six clans, it is mostly [referring to] the time after attaining the learner's communion; and those deeds are stated in the [Buddha] Union.
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 5 5 5
Thus, at the end of cultivating the creation of the orgasmic [wisdom- intuition] by relying on the consort seal, (30tnl arising from that, the lord who is the actuality of great bliss, in order to teach strongly the great arali play, which quickly gives rise to the Dharma of fulfilling the aims of self and other, there is the stage of performing the dance of the buddha-music. Together with the yoginis, the lord shows seal-gestures, the science [consort] shows a response to that seal-gesture; and so by the gesture and the gesture response, the worship and the worship response, the dance and the dance response, and the song and the song response, and by those physical and verbal signs the symbolic conventions are performed. When the Integrated Practices explains the latter two [con- ducts], except for the brief mention of seal-gesture and seal-gesture- response and worship and worship-response, does not mention the others, so they must be known from other [sources]. As for the need for perform- ing those, the Integrated Practices says that it is for the sake of not letting the mind tum elsewhere and to mutually delight each other, meaning that the mind should not deviate from great bliss, and to mutually increase the bliss.
You should totally engage in the conduct day and night, by the previously explained meditation and intention, meditating the orgasmic [wisdom] in trance relying on engagement with desire objects, and arising from that in the aftermath engaging with deire objects through many elaborations concerning the seal consort and so forth. If you perform the elaborated conducts with the system of the Esoteric Community, at the end of meditating according to the performances of the two stages, hav- ing established on thirty one seats in the deity places yogis and yoginis equal in number to the thirty-two deities with thirty-two costumes, [311JhJ
after having enjoyed the five desire objects as taught above, you should add the elaborations of performing the seal-gestures and the gesture responses. The procedure of the rites will be explained [below].
The unelaborated ritesj
The Integrated Practices teaches three ways of the unelaborated conduct; if you cannot completely make the condensed mandala for the unelaborated conduct due to insufficient wealth, you should perform the unelaborated conduct with the five thatnesses together with the five seal consorts; or, if you do not have that, you should perform the unelaborated
? [VI. B. 3. c. ii. c'l 'b'ii' -
556 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
conduct together with a single consort. Or, if you have sufficient wealth you should perform the unelaborated conduct having completely created the condensed mandala. Then, if you cannot create the condensed man- dala completely, it is a question of having or not having all the equipment such as costumes and so on for the yogis and yoginis equal in number to the deities, it is not a matter of performing or not performing the medi- tative rites in the complete mandala. Since the Illumination of the Lamp Fifteenth Chapter states, in the context when the Ak? hobhya yogi/ni per- forms the unelaborated conduct together with his/her seal consort, that the deities of the mandala meditated as the Ak? hobhya mandala should adorn the mandala, the meditation of the full deities of the mandala is the same in all three forms of the unelaborated conduct.
Thus, in the water-color drawn mandala, the arrangement of the thirty-one variegated lotus seats covered with cloths as the deities' places and the [302aJ twenty-three yogis and nine yoginis arrayed with the deity costumes is the expansive unelaborated. As for the medium unelaborated, the conduct of the thatness of the five secrets, the Illumination of the Lamp Root Commentary Fifteenth Chapter states that you should place day and night the practitioner meditated as Vajradhara on the central seat and four consorts well learned in Mantra and Tantra visualized as the actualities of the four goddesses Lochana etc. on the seats of Lochana etc. [On the other hand,] the Integrated Practices states that four consorts with the forms of the four goddesses Rupavajra etc. should be placed in
the four quarters, and one consort with the form of Sparshavajra should abide upon your lap. If you only have five consorts, then it is obvious you have to choose between those two [options]. The Sixteenth Chapter [Illumination of the Lamp]'s explanation that the three clan yogi/nis should practice with Lochana, Mamaki, and Pandaravasini is cited by the Integrated Practices as a source for the unelaborated conduct with a single consort. Thus, it is not definite that the lord's consort seal should be created as only Sparshavajra, which should also be understood with regard to the other two [forms of the] unelaborated conduct. Therefore, if you perform the medium unelaborated, you should place five variegated lotuses covered with cloths in the center of the mandala and in the inner four comers; or, you should place the five seats and six costumes on the second row four corners [and in the center]. If you perform the con- densed unelaborated, you should use two seats and two costumes.
Chapter Xi- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 557 Then, as for the actual stages of the rite, the Integrated Practices
states: 158
There create the measureless mansion with the vajra jewel pinnacle, purify the outer seal consort, f. \02hl and you should practice the great seal [embrace] together with the disciple included within one clan. The process of that is, first only, understanding ultimate reality, then arising by the process of self-consecration, emitting and then internalizing Ak? hobhya, you abide as the very lord
and master of the mandala.
As for the way of creating the retinue, Patsab's translation of the Inte-
grated Practices is clear:
Then, having visualized the deities of the mandala such as Vairochana, the retinue unwaveringly free of any notions of ordinariness who serve as members of your own body mandala, you should propitiate the whole mandala circle.
[It goes on to] state that:
Then, together with your seal consort you enter ultimate reality by the stages of holistic holding and serial disso- lution [samadhis]. Then the goddesses, Lochana, etc. , exhort you with the verses "You the vajra mind," and so on, you arise instantaneously by the self-consecration stage, and, in order to experience the supreme joy, with the nine aesthetic moods, you first engage with form, sound, scent, and taste, and then with texture, taking whichever consort, such as one of the butcher caste, and uniting with her.
158 This quote closely corresponds to the extant text (CW, Tib. p. 636), as do the follow- ing passages identified as from the Patsab translation, which could either be paraphrase or quite likely alternate translation, not available to us. It is very close to the existing text in general terms.
? 558 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
There. it is not clear in fine detail about just how you perform the rite of prime union. The position of Master Go is that [right] from the defense wheel [visualization] you should completely meditate the prime union, claiming that to be the position of Tsunmojen and Trinshugjen,I59 and the creation stage practitioner should follow the evocation by using the three rite creation and so on, [303aJ while the perfection stage practitioner should use the instantaneous creation. There are also explanations in other treatises that you should use instantaneous creation in the self-
creation context, once you have completed the creation stage.
In regard to the tendency of the Integrated Practices statements, they are suitable for both the Vajradhara and Ak? hobhya practitioners; in general, they serve for the taking [whichever] as chief from [among] the six clans, and are similar for both stages. As for creating the measureless mansion on the peak of Sumeru, it was explained previously in the con- text of the Mother Tantras, but is unnecessary here. The creation stage practitioner in this [Esoteric Community] context is capable of producing the distinctive orgasmic [wisdom intuition] by means of the four joys in
all three occasions, the prime union, the entry into clear light at the end of the supreme mandala triumph, and the reliance on the actual science consort upon arising therefrom; therefore this is not the same as other [Tantras ' ] creation stage occasions.
As for the supreme mandala triumph, once you enter the trance- union with the actual science consort, you create the habitat and inhabi- tant mandala in the mother's lotus. As for emitting Ak? hobhya, bringing
him into oneself after radiating [many emanations of] him and so on, and thus becoming Anger Vajra, it is in terms of two clans; and you should do it correspondingly in terms of whatever other clan [lord] as chief [deity]. Having emitted [the deities] from Vairochana to Sumbharaja and having dissolved them into the thirty-one male and female yogi/nis of your retinue you should imagine them as indivisible. By meditating your retinue with deity yoga you eliminate the pride of ordinariness, and so should not be disturbed by that concept [of ordinariness].
As for the meaning of [the deities'] becoming components of your body mandala, those members of the retinue [303hl are the members of
159 sPrin shugs can, presumably another adept with a tradition of personal instructions.
? Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 559
your body, visualizing the parts as of the nature of the [five] aggregates and so forth. Both you and your retinue should meditate in that way. In regard to [practicing] with the five seal consorts and with the one seal consort, you should dissolve the [visualized deities] into whichever are actually there, and in the case of those who are not there, you should do the same dissolving each into their own place. In regard to the expression "having pleased the entire circle of the mandala," the Chag translation has "having impassioned," which means that you have already reached the supreme mandala triumph and you have pleased the deities by uniting in trance with the actual science consort, from the point of view of the deities being parts of your body. It is not only [a question of] just having united and entered into clear light, but it also means adding the medita- tions of yoga through the two contemplations and creating the four voids through the door of compressing the wind-energy-mind into the heart center, as previously explained. That is to be understood as applicable to other contexts of trance-union, though [ultimately] it is connected to the perfection stage itself.
As for being exhorted by songs after immersing in clear light, you should visualize it in the extensive unelaborated [conduct], in the case where there are four consorts in the inner corner directions meditated as Lochana and so forth, actually exhorting with song meditated as the five Vajra [sense goddesses], and [to be visualized] in the case where there is but the single consort seal.
Or else it is obvious also that it is also suitable that in the former case the four goddesses in this context are held with the pride of being Lochana and so on and so exhort [you]. Arising from that, as for the statement about enjoyment of the good, bad, and medium of the first four [desire-]objects, it obviously intends that from just this boundary of the path, the inferior objects serve as auxiliaries 1. 304al to your
inner bliss.
When you are in the first three occasions of the perfection stage,
and, having attained the beginning of the path of mind isolation, you are performing the conduct for the sake of the magic body, you can create it instantaneously without creating it from syllable and symbolic implement and so on. Above the measureless mansion, you create the intuition place, and on the occasion of compressing the visualization into clear light. it is compressed by the power of dissolving the wind-energies. Although both magic body [adepts] and learner's communion [adepts] can practice this,
there is a great difference [between them] in intensity of power.
560 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
As for resurrecting from the void in the body of the primal savior, you can arise from the wind-energy-mind in conformity with the third stage magic body at the time of mind isolation. If you are a magic body [adept] it actually can be done, but when you enter the void while still not having realized the clear light, it does not serve to purify the magic body. When you arise, it is an arisal of the mind from the metaphoric clear light and is not an arisal in a new body. When you attain communion [in the future], there is no interruption of the homogeneity of the magic body, so [at this stage] you should enter into and arise from the clear light
basing [yourself] on the mind and not upon the magic body. Therefore, from both of those [stages], when you arise from clear light you should take up in your mind whatever [deity] body you already have [devel- oped] through the process of visualization.
As for maintaining the emanation body, you should create your coarse body as an emanation body by bring back together what was sepa- rated from the coarse body. Though you have attained [only a measure of] virtual conformity with the magic body, you can make it similar to the actual [magic body] in the experience of your mentality.
In those explanations, you should understand [their application to all three;] the occasion of the prime union [304hl, the creation of the orgas- mic [intuition] from union with the science consort at the end of the supreme mandala triumph, and the arisal from that and so forth. In the
[Root Tantra] Seventeenth Chapter Commentary, as it explains that, after the arisal upon exhortation with song, you uphold the pride of the four clans such as Vairochana and you perform the unions with all four god- desses, Lochan? and so forth, it is clear that here also you must perform that, the same in both stages. And that corresponds with taking those four goddesses as the consorts who unite with the chief [deity]. Further, those uniting consorts, since they serve as the science consorts of the lord, are also clearly engaging as Rnpavajr? and so on also. By that reason, in the
case of the medium and concise form of the unelaborated conduct, they are classified according to the number of the circle of science consorts and not according to the number of male [deities].
As for the Integrated Practices statement that you should perform relying on whichever of the five, such as low caste consorts and so forth, it is in terms of there being no certainty about caste for the perfection stage practitioner; the creation stage practitioner is explained as having a consort of his own clan. Whichever of the two clans are there, as for the
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 56 1
actual conduct, having trance-united with the consort of your own occa- sion, you create orgasmic joy and meditate through uniting bliss and void: you do not meditate yourself as the lord [alone]. in a mantric body if a creation stage practitioner, and in a magic body if a magic body [adept].
There is no explicit explanation as to how often in a day you prac- tice this rite of the conduct, but since the Sixteenth Chapter Root Com- mentary states. in the context of the conduct, that you should make the secret offering while trance-united with the science consort in the four times, l-'05ul you should perform this in four sessions.
The [Buddha} Union states that the group circle rite, relying on the group mandala, should be performed once each year and once each month. The Integrated Practices, concerning its statement about the two latter conducts, as it is not referring to the conduct in the context of its explanation of the four boundaries when performing the conduct, its meaning is not an explanation of whether or not there is elaboration of time in the conduct that has arrived at the high path of the two stages relying on that scriptural reference. If you engage in the elaborated [con- duct] after engaging in textures, you perform from the perspective of your own specific meditation and intention concerning the seal gesture and its response; if you are [engaging in] the unelaborated [conduct], you do not perform [in that way]. Therefore, the old translation of the Inte- grated Practices wrote "here you should completely perform the arali," but the Patsab translation "cause the accomplishment of the arali" is better.
As for the statement that you should eat in solitude, having cleansed and so on the five meats and the five elixirs, it is similar for all the con- ducts of the two stages.
As for the Integrated Practices statement that
All this should be perfected by the inner self itself, with- out binding of the consort, neither painting a mandala nor offering [in it] the symbolic universe, not performing external hearth fire sacrifice, not making stupas for placing clay images and so forth, not reading scriptures, abandoning physical asceticism, not performing prostra- tions to painted or wood or stone carved icons, not taking refuge in saints or hermit buddhas, and not relying on
any astrology and so forth . . .
562 ? Brilliant Illumination oj the Lamp
-this refers to the context of the conduct of the perfection stage; and does not include the context of conduct [on the creation stage; since it contains such a prohibition of] the binding of the seal consort [30Sb] and the painting of the mandala and so forth. By mistaking statements about not doing such things in the Community, and in many other Tantras, the Esoteric Accomplishment, and the Enlightenment Songs, and so on, it seems that many act even from the time of being a beginner in such a way that the sharp minded do not perform those practices instantaneously
and the dull-minded do them more gradually. I VI. B. 3. c. ii. c '2 ' -
conduct]
Second, as for which embodiment should perform this extremely unelaborated conduct, Tsunmojen explains it is only the perfection stage practitioner and Kanhapa declares it can be anyone on the two stages; of these two you should take the latter as preferable, according to the view of Master Go.
As for the place, you should use a solitary mountain, a riverbank, near a waterfall, and a charnel ground and so forth-you do not practice this in a three-storied house.
As for the companion to provide your food, you should get a crea- ture such as a forest spirit devotee, or a superior practitioner companion, or get your food from a large [monastic] community. As for the latter, Pa- tsab translates "by getting just your rice gruel from a minister," meaning that wealthy persons such as ministers should serve as patrons. If you can get a forest spirit devotee, since wealth comes with performing either the
elaborated or unelaborated [conduct], it is not definite that this [extremely unelaborated conduct] is performed only for the reason of lack of wealth of equipment.
? The way of achieving the extremely unelaborated
As for the particulars of intention, there are four. First is when as a
somewhat beginning practitioner you remember the beginningless suffer- ing of the life cycle and desire the bliss of nirvana, you should abandon all socializing, and finally you should meditate the notion of suffering even concerning the gaining of power t30ttuJ over the entire kingdom. Second, the two new translations are good, saying "you should destroy any entertaining of even anything as much as a grain of sesamum," which should be interpreted as not holding onto any accumulation of equipment
Chapter XI-Conduct Heightening Impact ? 563
such as a mere grain of sesamum, and you should not take it as meaning you should not identify the manifestations of the truth habits. Third, through your faith in meditating clear light as ultimate reality, you should not be concerned for your body and life. Fourth. you should not be ambi- tious for the minor mundane accomplishments or the eight great [mun- dane) accomplishments. because they can become distractions and causes for regression.
For a creation stage practitioner to perform the conduct, since s/he has the fully qualified spirit of enlightenment. granted s/he wants to attain buddhahood in general, since s/he performs the conduct with her/his mind attracted by common accomplishments, as long as s/he has not completed the creation stage and produced the perfection stages, except for the second intention, [s/he should focus on that, since] the other three apply only to the perfection stage practitioner.
As for the distinctions of the seal consort, the Integrated Practices says160 that, thus, abandoning the outer consort, you should perceive your- self uniting rather with the wisdom consort abiding in the heart center, thinking "thereby I will more quickly attain the vajradharahood," and you should perform the conduct only being alone, [meaning obviously that you should use] a wisdom consort. As for that wisdom consort, though Lak? hmi says that the creation stage practitioner brings forth the goddess with shape from within the heart center and the perfection stage practitioner unites with the wisdom seal just through his/her meditation on voidness, 1306bl it is rather the case that the perfection stage practi- tioner also unites with the wisdom seal as having the form of a goddess. The Illumination of the Lamp Fifth Chapter says that if you do not obtain
an actual consort, you should bring forth the mother of buddhas, Tran- scendent Wisdom, from within your heart and perform union with her; and proves [that statement] with reasons. The Sixteenth Chapter [Root Tantraj says:
Contemplatiing with the three syllable vajra, Visualize your own consort with your mind, Thereby the omniscient buddhas
Will doubtless be delighted.
160 The following closely paraphrases the canonical Tibetan (CW, p. 647).
? 564 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
The Commentary here says that this text teaches uniting with the wisdom seal, and that "contemplating with the three syllable vajra" means that a three vajra yogi such as Vairochana, who has no concern for any outer consort, brings forth as his seal the Vajradhatvishvari who dwells in his heart.
Thus, as for the explanation that "if you cannot find an outer con- sort, rely on the wisdom consort," it implies that the [reliance on a] wis- dom seal cannot produce the samadhi of great bliss as [well as] the reli- ance on an external consort, and this intends that if you do find an outer consort, you should do the opposite of the previous statement about abandoning her and relying on the wisdom consort. Further, it is like the statement of the Illumination of the Lamp Seventeenth Chapter-both new translations-that those whose minds are not stable in union with
the wisdom consort should rely on a physical consort. Though the old translation of the Illumination of the Lamp states that "you should rely on the physical consort when your mind is stable," the above translations are better.
Like that, [307al there seem to be particular [choices made] according to the type of a person and the way of learning with a wisdom consort after first meditating the path. In this regard, the creation stage practitioner may indeed give up other elaborations, but the stage of the procedure is clearly similar, so one unites with the wisdom seal when completing the mandala triumph, generating the orgasmic joy by the processes of the
four joys and meditating bliss-void. Thereupon, you arise exhorted by the songs of the meditated goddesses, enjoying the food and the science consort's desire objects through your contemplative visualization. In the three occasions of the perfection stage, relying on the appropriate pro- cess of the procedure of the evocation, when you unite with the wisdom consort, by the force of your combining it with the perfection of the yoga of the inner winds, you cut off the many dualistic elaborations and realize a distinctively excellent four voids. Then again, from the process of com- pressing that gathers the wind-energy-mind in the heart center and the descent of the enlightenment spirit to the tip of the vajra, you have the ability to generate whatever possible of the four voids, but the main thing is to perform the previous [compression of the wind-energies in the heart center] .
Concerning this, the Integrated Practices' explanation of the aggre- gates' etc. subtle elements entering into wind-energy, that into mind, that
Chapter XI-Conduct Heightening Impact ? 565
into mental functions, and that entering into misknowledge and after that your meditating the clear light-all this is performed relying on the wis- dom seal; in the other conducts it is similar but relying on an actual seal. Nevertheless, here the statement of cultivating the sleep clear light itself is on the occasion of the conduct of the perfection stage, and that again, by this, by intermittent [J07bl meditation of clear light, it seems to mean that you meditate with a merging of the clear light with sleep. And it does not mean that you perform separate ways of meditation of the clear light as on other occasions, when not merged with sleep but in waking time, and when merged with sleep in sleeping time. This you can understand when you understand all the keys of merging.
Thus, when you practice by performing the conducts on the two stages, except for differences of degree of the four joys and the four voids, by both you entrance yourself and rely on union with the wisdom consort and cultivate the orgasmic [bliss] and clear light itself. When you cannot abide therein and so arise, again, relying on that consort and increase that meditation as before. Here, your creativity is extremely intense, you are averse to elaborations, and from the perspective of your intense faith in meditating the orgasmic [wisdom] you perform the con- duct as before; and this is called "the bhusuku conduct," because it is to maintain the conduct of eating, sleeping, and evacuating. As follows, the first syllable derives etymologically by adding syllables from bhufijana and gives you "eating food," sutana is explained as sleeping, and ku(isara is explained as evacuating by expelling excrement and urine. Except for just those three ideas, you abandon socializing, you don't consider body, sensations, objects, and senses, and you perform by merging sleep and clear light. Some also analyzed the bhu as coming from bhukta, again meaning "to eat. "
By such a perfection stage conduct, you will be caused to swiftly attain the magic body where your actual being transforms, the learner's communion vajra body, and the non-learner's communion vajra body. without requiring the other two conducts. Thus the Sixth Chapter Com- mentary states that the "bhusuku conduct" is the supreme conduct. The Integrated Practices often cites the extremely unelaborated 1 . \lllla l conduct
as what you should explain as being the process explained by the Cra;:;y
which occurs in the sixteenth chapter of the Vajra
Di? ? cipline Sarra
Essence Ornament Tantra. Concerning this. both new translations of the
,
Integrated Practice. . , follow the way and the process stated in the Tantra
.
566 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
and state "you should practice the extremely unelaborated conduct by the crazy discipline. " The Great Translator translates very well here "the Sotra that teaches the crazy discipline. " In that chapter, the conduct of the discipline is taught, that is said to be the "crazy discipline," and "taught" means "teach the crazy discipline," since this is not taught in the Explana- tory Tantras of the Community.
By engaging in the conduct according to both that Tantra and the Community, the goal to be achieved by that being practiced for six months is the exaltation of buddhahood; hence that is not the conduct of the creation stage.
The Integrated Practices declares that by learning the three con- ducts in a fortnight, or one month, or six months, the eight signs of the universal seal, such as subtle form and light texture, etc. , and the dream signs stated in the [Root] Tantra Fifteenth Chapter will emerge. You will achieve whenever those signs emerge, even before six months. In that regard, the eight masteries such as mastery of the body are supreme accomplishments, as the Chag translation says:
Subtle matter and light touch,
True attainment, true pervasiveness, Firm extreme illumination itself- Mastery 1308bJ itself and all fulfillment.
These eight are called the "eight excellences of mastery," and not the "eight masteries. " As to their meaning being explained by the previous, it seems that you cannot find an explanation of the eight excellences of mastery, so you should apply the explanation of the eight excellences of mastery by Avalokitavrata. Regarding that, such mastery involves the subtle causing the creation and destruction of the world of beings, the light causing of the creation and destruction of the world of things, and the ownership of the creation and destruction of both of them; so here the yogi/ni has the ability to emanate and dissolve those things.
The latter is shown by "true attainment. " Going wherever the mind thinks [to go] is indicated by "true pervasiveness. " Being worshipped by all elemental spirits is shown by one's appearing extremely illuminating and overwhelming all others by light and majesty. "Mastery" is having the power to [both] punish and support beings. As an excellence, developing the power of fulfillment is to possess "all fulfillment. " This is shown by
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 567
the ability to get whatever you want to get, relying on abiding in fulfilled delight.
Attaining the supreme in less than six months refers to the attaining of the Ieamer's union. When you perform the conducts on the four occa- sions previously explained, since you practice until you attain your frui- tion, you do not calculate whether or not there is the elaboration of time.
Although you have practiced conduct thus by the two stages, if you do not swiftly achieve the fruition of each particular occasion, as for the way of being urged along I-? 09nJ each of the two stages, you should under- stand it from the Root Tantra Tenth Chapter Commentary and Naropa's Further Tantra Commentary.
[VI. B. 4. - How the fruition will be attained at meditation's end]
Fourth, as for the way of realizing the fruition at the end of medi-
tating the path, the Illumination ofthe Lamp declares:
Further the need is to be explained,
The ritual procedures of peace and so on, Likewise the eight accomplishments, And buddhahood as the supreme.
Thus, buddhahood is best, the eight great accomplishments is medium, and the deeds of peace, growth, power, and terror is least.
As for the eight accomplishments, the Wisdom Vajra Compendium directly mentions six and omits two:
Mantra, medicine, fire-sacrifice, powder, eye-salve, swift- foot, and so on, the eight great accomplishments.
The Four Goddess Dialogue explains the achievement of the eight substances and the limbs:
Pills, and eye-salve medicines,
The underground, the sword accomplishment, Flying in the sky, invisibility,
Deathlessness, and healing sicknesses.
The Vajra Pavilion says:
Eye-salve, speed-travel,
Sword, underground accomplishments,
? 568 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp Pill, sky-walking,
Invisibility, and fasting.
The latter two fruitions [eight accomplishments and four deeds], are collected in the common accomplishments, giving two kinds, supreme and common, as the Further Tantra says:
The accomplishments of invisibility, and so on, Are explained as the ordinary [ones] ;
Buddha proclaimed the attainment of buddhahood, To be the supreme accomplishment.
At the end of learning the creation stage and its conduct, [309bJ as for the way of achieving the common accomplishments, you can understand it from reading the Tantra Commentary.
At the end of learning the perfection stage and its conduct, as for the way of achieving the nonlearner's communion, it is as previously explained. When you have realized the pre-dawn clear light transparence through the two enlightenments outer and inner, at the time of the mani- festation of the ultimate truth body, the learner's communion magic body becomes the nonlearner's communion magic body, and you abide without deviating from those two bodies as long as the samsaric life cycle lasts [for other beings].
As for the objective clear light transparence endowed with two such purities, it is called the "uncreated truth body," the "subjective clear light intuition truth body," and the "great bliss body. "
Its support embodiment matter body is the beatific body made of wind-energy-mind only, those two bodies being [merely] conceptually different but one in actuality, frequently referred to as the "intuition body nondual with the matter body," so you should understand that the claim that the Noble father and sons' positions are that the matter body is not included in the buddha-stage but only in the continuum of the disciples, that the matter body is [coarsely] material and actually different from consciousness, and that there is no intuitive wisdom in the context of fruition, and so forth, is not a valid claim.
Such a communion body creates many emanations such as the supreme emanation body, and having taken the emanation body com- munion body as one, you can understand well the arrangement of the two [beatific and truth] bodies in the communion body. In other Mantra
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 569
treatises there certainly are explanations of emanation body matter body as embodiment of intuitive wisdom, mind as 13lllul truth body. and speech as beatific body, but the position of the father and sons is as above.
As previously explained. at the end of other paths you add the distinctive mantric path and attain buddhahood in Akani? hta heaven, and that is accepted as unexcelled buddhahood. However, that does not con- tradict the explanation of attaining buddhahood in an embodiment that desires buddhahood in one lifetime from entering the unexcelled path from the beginning: because positing buddhahood through the unexcelled system and attaining buddhahood having entered the unexcelled path from the beginning do not have the same meaning. You can understand from what was explained above the subtle differences of the systems of achieving the truth and matter bodies of these two kinds of buddhahoods.
As for attaining buddhahood in the embodiment of a magic body person who has attained the magic body in a human embodiment, it is easy to understand how that is buddhahood in a human embodiment. When a yogi/ni in a human embodiment, having given up his/her human lifespan, achieves the magic body in place of becoming a between being, that embodiment for attaining buddhahood in that embodiment, though it is not included in the six migrations of beings, is not contradicted; just as, for example, the non-returner [saint] attains nirvana in the between and attains arhatship in that [between] embodiment.
Having meditated such a path, one abides in the buddha beatific body with its seven components, but there is no certainty about the ema- nation body. Therefore, as for the sky union component of the beatific body, it is declared that it creates the bestowal of the great bliss of play through the entrancement of union with many science companions such as the orgasmic [science consorts], [Jlllbl and in conformity with that frui-
tion, in the time of the path, one performs totally expansive great bliss by the way of playing with the desire objects of youth and beauty.
On the occasion of the fruition, you must settle [your insight] through objections and answers, and though there seem to be many more, here I have explained those points of the greatest difficulty. And I have not written about [all] the difficult points of formulations common to both Universal Vehicles, both because you can understand them from others and I fear the book will become too long.
Thus, as prophesied to teach the ultimate definitive meaning of the Sn tras, the ultimate of all Sil tras, the sole jewel of the three worlds, the
570 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
Glorious Esoteric Community, the great king of Tantras famous as the sun and moon, the Savior Nagarjuna, father and sons, having realized the meaning, elucidated it as they had seen it themselves, and fully and clearly explained all the meanings of the keys of the glorious Five Stages. If you do not understand well the lower paths and theories from which this is distinctive, then you will not understand the subtle and extraordinary distinctive specialties of the higher paths and theories. And especially, if you do not develop the precise intellectual discernment derived from cultivating the ultimate, definitive meaning, profound voidness and the definitive meaning Sutras, and the extremely subtle reasoning processes of the Savior Nagarjuna, you will not discover the key of the general path that leads to liberation and omniscience. And in particular, you will not identify well the essence of the subjects of the two nondual [Father and Mother] Tantras, the orgasmic intuitive wisdom from practicing the join- ing of bliss [31 lal and void; though you will admire it, you will see it as
merely a matter of faith.
Therefore, I studied well the treatises of our own and others' schools,
our Individual and Universal Vehicles, [the latter with] both its Transcen- dence and Mantra Vehicles, and the four classes of Vajra Vehicle Tantras. Further, through intensive practice I conducted far-reaching investiga- tions concerning the way of leading the disciple through the processes of the completion of the body of each particular path, adorned by the specific appropriate personal instruction, concerning the determining of voidness and, having determined it, meditating it, and concerning the way of explaining the specific systems of the Community as above explained. [Then, taking] the full measure of the Tibetan translations of the Indian treatises of the Noble literature, and all the personal instruc- tions [connected with these], I comparatively connected well the Root Tantra and the Explanatory Tantras. [Then,] I prayed far-reachingly and encountered distinctively excellent signs for composing a treatise. [Thus,] with the pure motivation to restore to excellence the extremely degener- ated Community system of the Noble literature and to see it endure for a long time without degenerating [again], I wrote [this treatise].
The supreme lamp dispelling beings' mental darkness, The sole mine of all jewels of good eloquence, Peerless Teacher, crown of all philosophers,
The pervasive Lord, Glorious Vajradhara King,
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? Taught more than two million two billion
Of Unexcelled Yoga Tantras.
Thus, like an emperor among the kings of earth, Surrounded by retinues of fabulous 131 1bl Tantras, Ruling the continent ofjewel Sotras,
Fulfilling the hopes of the thousand bodhisattvas. Serving as the summit of all the Sotras-
Such is the Glorious Community, King ofTantras.
Having consummated all stages by its path, The supreme adept Nagarjunapada
Well elucidated its hidden intention,
And [that intentions] was developed
By Aryadeva, Nagabodhi,
Shakyamitra, and Chandrakirti-
Who composed this feast of new true eloquence, The supreme Illumination ofthe Lamp, illuminating All the key points of the five stages,
Dispelling all the darkness of nonunderstanding and
misunderstanding,
About the Five Stages, itself the essence of true eloquence.
The So. tras in general and especially the Noble tradition, Having tremendously declined for a very long time,
To discern the hard to fathom meaning of the Tantra, The contemplation playing in bliss, is indeed difficult.
Still, by this performer of good evolutionary action, Exceedingly blest with a good share of discerning genius, Schooled in critical discernment by the vast sphere
Of the intelligence of [my] many expert [teachers],
Rich with treasures of insight that restored me
And energized [my mind] beyond all doubt-
For [you, you] superior ones, here at this end of time, This unprecedented lucid teaching cannot not be given.
57 t
572 ?
Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
Having worked hard on this way, and researched afar, I have composed, analyzing well and in detail;
Yet my mind inadequate, the Tantra's meaning hard to
fathom,
Therefore whatever errors I have committed,
As loving parents still hold as wondrous
Even the errors of speech of their little child,
So may the divine host of Ak? hobhyavajra
And the masterful beings please do likewise ! ! 31 2a l
For someone who does not take the treatises as personal instructions
-Unskilled in our and others' theories, content with prejudice,
Not struggling with the subtleties of the path of reason - To take up the key points of a path so long lost [to the
world],
Is like for a child who climbs up on a stone stand
To struggle wildly to catch the sun-
Such a one can be said only to be well-meaning. Thus, it is right [only] for the discerning to make the
effort.
For even the slightest sliver of your deeds
To enter the heart is so rare and precious,
Yet you made the well hidden meaning brilliantly clear- May Your Holiness, Wisdom Treasure, please protect me!
By whatever good evolutionary force I gain, By making effort on this treatise,
Seeing which and thinking over its meaning Captivates the mind of the wise.
As a lover' s heart is [enchanted]
By the form of a beautiful woman,
May all beings understand precisely
The key points of the Tantras, so hard to discern, And then accomplish their [profound] meaning, And so proceed to the state of Vajradhara!
Chapter XI- Conduct Heightening Impact ? 573
As long as the axial mountain Meru stands in the stamen Of the eight-petalled lotus of earth's continents,
So long may this true eloquence, for fortunate beings, Long make clear the ultimate [meaning] of the path !
And may I from now for all my lives,
Never be apart from this ultimate of paths,
And may I always please the holy spiritual friend, The peerless root of the mass of excellence !
[COLOPHON]
Thus, as for this Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp oj! 312bl All Key Meanings of the Profound Five Stages, the Essence of the King of Tantras, The Glorious Esoteric Community-due to being repeatedly petitioned to write down a clear and detailed version of the keys of the path of the Five Stages, taking with the crown of my head the dust from the feet of the holy mentors such as His Holiness reverend Khyungpo Lhaspa and His Holiness reverend [Rendawa] Kumaramati, the Glorious Esoteric Community yogi and learned mendicant, the Easterner Tsong Khapa Losang Drakpay Pal, in the Ganden Triumph Monastery on Great Nomad Mountain, [composed this text], and the scribe was Rinchen Pal. an Esoteric Community practitioner upholding the fourfold asceticism.
Mangalam
APPENDIX, GLOSSARIES, BIBLIOGRAPHIES, INDEXES
APPENDIX
Topical Outline (sa bead) of Tsong Khapa 's Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
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