No More Learning

The Chag translation reads "Those are endowed all at once with freedom from instinctual natures," and "the end of darkness is finished and the splendor of twilight is entirely transcended, as long as the sun does not arise in that immaculate instant, here is taught the reality limit. "
Also [Aryadeva states] in the Integrated Practices, that
There are two kinds of manifest enlightenment. The outer manifest enlightenment is the clear light universal void- ness in the boundary-state of the predawn when the igno- rance luminance is transcended and the sun has not yet risen. Therein is the clear light universal voidness. 1 38
The import of this is explained as in the Five Stages, that passing beyond the times of imminence and the luminance night, while the sun has not yet risen, it is the predawn twilight [of clear light transparence] . [The Inte- grated Practices continues] :
When the sun rises it is radiance, When the sun sets it is ignorance, When the moon rises it is luminance.
As for teaching the inner manifest enlightenment: first, in the mirage-like state one sees an assemblage of five-colored light rays. Second, there is luminance like moon-rays. Third, there is luminance- radiance like sun-rays. Fourth, there is luminance-imminence like dark- ness. Then in the instant free from darkness, there is clear light transpar- ence, 1245bl extremely clear, having the nature of constant luminance, seen by the intuitive wisdom eye as the intrinsic identity of the ultimate reality.
138 Tsong Khapa abbreviates this quote from the CMP, especially the last phrases, but keeps the essential point .
? Chapter IX- Ultimate Clear Light Transparence ? 463
Here you might wonder, "Here the mentor teaches the disciple the two enlightenments, outer and inner. As for the first, dividing an outer day into four parts, if you interpret separately the explanation of the four voids, it is incorrect that the fourth void is the instant of enlightenment and that it is the object of the yogT/nT him/herself. If I interpret him [or her] as explaining the four voids taking as example the four skies of those times, since the inner four voids are also like that I will not be able to differentiate the outer and the inner? since in the inner occasion also, they are taught using the examples of moon, sun, and darkness. If I interpret it as producing the four wisdoms of the four voids in the four times, it would happen that in the time of each of those four times the four voids would not develop in one time, and so how then would l distinguish the difference between the outer and inner enlightenments? "
In this regard, Master Go set forth two systems, the position of Naropa and the position of both Tsunmojen and Kr? hQa Samayavajra.
The first of these [systems] is the explanation of the four parts of the day as the four voids, which refers to the interpretable meaning, outer enlightenment, since it is the example of reality, the time, the sign, and the means of indication. The definitive meaning is the inner enlighten- ment; if you meditate by uniting with the consort, bringing the enlighten-
ment spirit into the root, shaft, and vase of the vajra and sealing those three blisses with voids, then ensue the three path luminances and the universal (246aJ void clear light, when there is the wisdom of the bliss that eliminates the reality [habit grounded] instinctual constructs at the time of two drops releasing and two drops abiding.
The second of these [systems] is the outer enlightenment [that occurs] when the four outer examples indicate the negandum from the part of the four freedoms from adventitious instinctual constructs, and the inner enlightenment is when that is shown from the side of the expe- rience of immersing the magic [body] in the clear light through the two
contemplations.
As for Lak? hmi explaining the four parts of the day as the four
voids, it is claimed that these are the four inner voids which have those names, and the inner enlightenment is explained as the four voids relying on the evolution consort and the four voids relying on the wisdom consort, or the four voids attained through the progression of the five signs such as mirage. The Moonlight Commentary, the Clear Meaning, the Samayavajra Commentary, and Munishri explain the four voids of
464 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
the outer occasion as the inner four voids, without clearly differentiating outer and inner voids. If you analyze as before explained, those who dif- ferentiate outer and inner have no cogent answer, neither do the explana- tions of those who do not differentiate seem to have a cogent answer.
This point is very hard to understand and seems to be important, so it must be investigated. It must be understood relying on the statements from the Illumination of the Lamp Fifteenth Chapter. The Root Tantra states:
[With] a girl from the priest, warrior, Merchant lord, and commoner classes,
You should practice as the vajra Dharma-lord.
This is the means to attain the secret.
When the vajra sun sets
You should initiate all achievements.
At the time when the dawn light arises,
It will be achieved by the supreme meditation.
Explaining the meaning of this, [246h] [Chandrak. Irti's] [Illumination of the Lamp] Commentary explains as follows: The perfection stage practi- tioner takes a female consort from either of the four castes; relying on her, the Dharma unbreakable as a vajra diamond is the perfection stage yoga. As for the nature of that, the practitioner endowed with that under- standing should achieve the means of attaining the vajra secret that is Vajradhara. And that must be perfected by means of the progression of manifest enlightenment. The method of that is shown by the four lines
beginning with [the one containing] "vajra. "
In that regard, as there are two processes of outer and inner enlight-
enment, as for explaining the first; the vajra sun is the actual sun. "When it sets" refers to the passing of the time when the red sun is cut off; you should propitiate the mentor with whatever possessions are at hand. Then when you have attained initiation by the kindness of the mentor at midnight, at the time of dawn, since the parts of the night that indicate luminance have passed, at the time just before sunrise, you are struck by the transmission of the process of clear enlightenment, and you will achieve it-meaning it will become pure. All this explains the process of the outer enlightenment. If one explains according to the process of inner enlightenment, the vajra sun emerges as the nature of union of the art
Chapter IX- Ultimate Clear Light Transparence ? 465
[male] with the intuitive wisdom [female], and its setting is its cessation as the reality of wisdom emerges. Thus when luminance and radiance have set, you should initiate the imminence, the means of achieving clear light-that is, it emerges. Dawn arising is ignorance; when that is passed, the practitioners, by the cause and condition of the three voids, realize the supreme meditation that is the clear light, and thereby they will achieve the universal seal [embrace]. Here the universal seal [embrace] is [247al the communion [stage].
Since this is stated as the means of the direct realization of clear light, both outer and inner enlightenments should be applied to objective clear light. As for the reliance on the external seal [consort] in the occa- sion of the proximate cause of realizing that, it is the meaning of the first verse. As for the way of reliance, at midnight the mentor confers the initiation relying on the evolution seal, as a means of indicating clear light. After that, when hit by the personal instructions of the way of meditating predawn clear light and of the system of achieving commun- ion after that, you will attain objective clear light, and after that achieve communion. Thus, since the realization of objective clear light specially relates to the predawn time, it is called the outer enlightenment, and since the realization is accomplished by the process of the four inner voids it is called the inner enlightenment. Therefore, having taken the other three segments of time in a day as the other three voids, explained above in the mind isolation context, it is indicated by the examples of the sky of those times, and so there is no fault of being unable to differentiate outer and inner. The nonleamer's communion is also stated [by Nagarjuna] in Five Stages and [Aryadeva] in Integrated Practices as being attained in the predawn time.
[Here, you might] object, "As for the fact that the Five Stages and the Integrated Practices, for the sake of that one who has achieved the magic body and aims for the clear light, state the private instructions of the predawn after midnight initiation [as] two enlightenments and two contemplations, is it that you can produce the objective clear light in that
very predawn, or not? If not, it contradicts what was said above from the Illumination ofthe Lamp. If so, 1247111 since before obtaining such ability. one would be unfit to be taught the personal instructions of clear light.
? Second - Rebutting objections]
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c '3 'd 'ii 'A "2 "a "ii "A "'2 "'
466 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
though one fully attains all four initiations before achieving the magic body, one would become unfit to learn completely the perfection stage that explains the Tantra by the six parameters and four procedures. Or, if one were fit, then explain the intention of teaching as above the way of learning the personal instruction of clear light having completed the magic body! "
Let us explain. In regard to that statement in the Five Stages and the Integrated Practices, there are two contexts, one that of achieving basic fitness and the other that of having attained the magic body and having such an ability. The Illumination ofthe Lamp statement intends the latter context and is not made in terms of all such statements. A qualified dis- ciple will prepare for attaining the complete fitness initiation by develop- ing understanding from a complete explanation of the Tantra. A fully quali- fied mentor thoroughly develops in his spiritual process a realization of
each phase of the path and so will explain the personal instructions that are developed in the disciple ' s spiritual process by the stages of the path teachings. Now since that disciple must still rely [on the mentor] even more intensely, how could it be the case that the personal instruction on the clear light previously explained would not now have to be explained [more deeply]? Therefore, since there are naturally limitless disciples for achieving the magic body, and there are even more limitless persons worthy of being their mentors, it does not suffice to count them by the masters and disciples of nowadays. I39
Just having attained the magic body, you cannot develop the objec- tive clear light within a single day; [248aJ since the Wisdom Vajra Com-
pendium states in the context of ultimate clear light as follows:
"Divine Lord! What happens after the three voids and clear light? " The Divine Lord replied, "Just as fire bums wood to ashes, so in clear light, wisdom intuition causes purification over a long time. Just as the tala leaves become ashes, the art intuition causes purification. Just as the petals of cotton plants bum, so the intuition of lumi- nance attained causes purification supremely quickly. "
139This is a rather amazing statement, considering the usual view ofthen and now being ever deeper in a dark age.
? Chapter IX- Ultimate Clear Light Transparence ? 467
And the Five Stages also states:
In a year or in a month, having propitiated that mentor. . .
Thus, even having attained the magic body, having heard the instruction of the clear light from the mentor, after having meditated many methods of entering into the clear light through the two contemplations, you should then do as the Illumination ofthe Lamp statement recommends. You must differentiate how orgasmic bliss becomes the objective clear light which directly realizes the import of the reality of thatness and how it well under- stands the qualities of the metaphoric clear light even when it does not [yet] become that [metaphoric clear light].
the art of realizing them]
As previously explained, one who has well achieved the magic body must strive to develop the objective clear light in her or his spiritual continuum. When objective clear light manifests for you, you must be taught the way the outer and inner enlightenments occur, and before 1248bJ that the way to meditate the two contemplations of the holistic holding and the serial dissolving. Of these, the former has already been explained; so here I will explain the two contemplations.
Nagarjuna explains these in the Fourth Stage [chapter of the Five Stages] :
The disciple who has gotten the private instruction, Then learns the two kinds of yoga:
The processes of holistic holding
And of serial dissolving.
From the head or the feet,
Until it reaches the heart center,
The yogi/ni should enter the truth limit- That is called the holistic holding.
First having made animate and inanimate
Into clear light,
[The yogi/ni] should make [his own] nature such - That is the dissolving process.
? [VI. B. 3. b. ii. c '3 'd 'ii 'A "2 "a "ii "B " '
- Explaining the two contemplations,
468 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
As breath on a mirror
Completely dissolves,
So the yogi/ni should enter the truth limit Again and again.
And [Aryadeva, in] the Integrated Practices:
Thus having realized directly universal voidness one should visualize the two contemplations through this stage. The procedure is as follows: As a lump [of snow] placed in an immaculate stream or pond, so the yogi/ni should gradually meditate a process of serial dissolving. S/he should regard it as like breath-vapor gradually fad- ing in a mirror. And also in the case of holding holisti-
cally, s/he should visualize also in this stage.
Here, as for "having realized the fourth void and accomplishing the visu- alization in the two contemplations," it describes the realizations of the two enlightenments and the two contemplations, after what has already been explained. The two verses beginning with "the disciple who has gotten the private instruction" [249aJ refers to one who has gotten the private instruction and is in training. For that person, holistic holding proceeds "reaching up to the heart center" by compressing down from your head and up from your feet, [bringing] both ends into your heart center. Kan- hapa explains that you compress everything between your head and your feet into your heart center seed and that into a drop and that into the void. Thus compressing into the heart center the yogi/ni enters into the truth limit clear light transparence. As for the example of that, it is given by the four lines beginning with "of the breath. . . . " As the vapor smudge left on a mirror by breath collects from all its limits into the center, so you compress into the center of the heart center from the up and down, left
and right, back and front of the body.
As for dissolving, first you compress animate and inanimate into
clear light and after that compress yourself into clear light. As for "accord- ing to your nature" is correctly explained by Kanhapa as performed in the same way as holistic holding. "Again and again" refers to the need for practicing those two repeatedly. The example of dissolving is the gradual melting of a ball of snow in a pond. Here the old Chag translation is more apt in mentioning "drops" (thigs pa).
? Chapter IX- Ultimate Clear Light Transparence ? 469
Both these practices involve a gradual destruction of your aggre- gate, being distinguished merely by whether or not they first compress the rest of the animate and inanimate environment. The verbal meaning of "dissolving" is as [already] explained. Abhaya explains that "holistic" refers to the body and "holding" to its being held by voidness. The body enters, or is held, into clear light. [249b] That the two contemplations both realize the objective clear light having made the heart center the final place of compression is the marvellous position of the Noble father and sons, as you must understand according to the many reasons already
explained.
In regard to this visualization of a process of compression, though
it is not openly and clearly explained as a compression of wind-energy, you should understand that when you perform that visualization it in fact serves as the unexcelled wind-energy-compression process. Here, the Four Goddess Dialogue says:
Always abide in the center of the heart,
Endowed with the blaze of great light,
Up to reaching the nine,
Abiding in the forehead and down to the foot soles, Compress it all into that drop,
Abiding in the center of that hub.
Thus, from the "brow," that is the head, down to the soles of the feet, everything is compressed into that very heart center drop, which means it states that you should make it stay in the hub of the lotus of the heart center. Therefore, in the speech isolation context, you must understand that all three meditations of life-energy control are methods of develop- ing the four voids by compressing the energies and light-spirits into the heart center. By the force of habituation to that, here by the process of compressing the sphere of vision, you cause the energy and enlighten- ment spirit to compress into the heart center and enter into clear light; and that is the reason why the two contemplations are stated as the medi- tation that is the method for the magic body yogi/ni to enter into clear
light.
Moreover, the necessity of uniting with the outer seal is stated in the Wi. 'idom Vajra Compendium, since it has the same function (as the two contemplations ) . As for the statement that the two contemplations cause
the magic body to enter the clear light-having 12Sflul meditated on the
470 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
energy and mind again and again compressing into the heart center and developing the four voids-at the time when the objective clear light is manifest, it means that it serves to purify the magic body as well. As for the magic body person meditating the two contemplations, though the followers of the Marpa tradition do not teach the meditation of the triply stacked spiritual heroes of the three vajras, the private instructions of the Go system claim that the meditation of those three is the meaning of the Root [Tantra] and Commentaries of the Eleventh Chapter. Thus it is espe- cially excellent, in that something lying in the Tantra commentary is taken out and used as a private instruction. That again is stated in the Root Tantra:
Buddha abiding in the center of the mandala, Place Vairochana in my body.
Visualize the letter OM in the heart center, Meditate conscousness in the mantra.
The cessation vajra in the very mind, When it develops there,
Hold the supreme of all buddhas, Like the glorious wish-fullfiller.
Buddha abiding in the center of the mandala, Meditate Vajra Ak? hobhya,
Meditate the HOM letter in the heart center, Place the mind to become the drop.
Buddha abiding in the center of the mandala Meditate Amitayus.
Visualize the letter A/:1 in the heart center, Place the vajra in becoming the drop.
This is that supreme of supreme commitments- Meditating the three vajra unbreakables,
The cessation vow intuitive wisdom
You will attain the power of buddhahood.
Here "buddha" means "buddha-realization," what is to be realized, the mandala I2SObJ of knowable objects, the body, speech, and mind of the three realms. "In the center of that" means the reality of those things. "Abiding there" means you imagine the actuality of your body, speech,
Chapter IX- Ultimate Clear Light Transparence ? 47 1
and mind. As for meditating Vairochana. Ak? hobhya and Amitayus, it means meditating Vairochana as the inseparability of the two bodies. Ak? hobhya as the inseparability of the two minds. and Amitabha as the
inseparability of the two speeches
As for meditating the three, OM A/:1 HOM, in the heart centers of
the three meditated devotee heroes, they are the wisdom hero. As for the mantra, OM is assigned as consciousness, the samadhi hero drop, HOM is assigned as the natural mind of the samadhi hero become a drop. and Al:l is assigned as the vajra of the samadhi hero, the natural mind become a drop. The yogi/ni who meditates in that manner injects his/her natural mind into the center of the cessation vajra, the clear light. Thereby, when s/he abandons meditating the drop and the ultimate clear light is devel- oped, s/he holds or achieves the supreme of all buddhas, becoming like a wish-fulfilling gem which fulfills all aspirations, endowed with the glory of both stores [of wisdom and merit] . As for this meditation of the indivisi- bility of your own body, speech, and mind and the three vajras of body, speech, and mind of all beings, it is the supreme commitment, superior to the creation stage, generating the intuitive wisdom which is understood by the private instruction which holds the commitment to the clear light transparence of cessation. Therefore, the Buddha, [25 laJ that is the accom- plishments of the aggregates, free from the ordinary body, the profound, magnificent wisdom body, will be attained. Such is the explanation of the Illumination ofthe Lamp.
Thus, having attained the magic body, for the sake of immersing your body, speech, and mind into the clear light, first you meditate, as triply nested, the body vajra, then the speech vajra, and then the mind vajra. You truly meditate not only the first two heroes, but also the samadhi hero as the drop, and thereby cause your own immersion in the clear
light. The samadhi hero as the three drops is claimed by the followers of Go as being within the short A and the place of focus, the triangular drops. After that, the Tantra explains the meditation of the three vajras by the passage "the vajra abides in the realm of space. . . " and so forth, which some people connect with the dissolving and the former holistic holding; since it is stated that the previous import is illuminated by the later statements by different expression, the previous meaning itself is divided into the two, the holistic holding and the dissolving. As for the
way to meditate that, you radiate light rays from whatever seed in the heart center, you compress the devotee hero into the wisdom hero of the
.
472 ? Brilliant Illumination o. fthe Lamp
hean center through a process of descent from the head and ascent from the foot-soles. you compress the wisdom heroes again gradually into the short A. the samadhi hero indestructible drop, and then you compress that into clear light and hold the mind there undeviating, similar to both the contemplations. 125IhJ
As for the way that dissolving preliminarily compresses into clear light all animate and inanimate things other than oneself, it is according to what the Ilul mination ofthe Lamp says:
Moving and unmoving things, taking the letter KHAM as sky, are made insubstantial by the process of serial dis- solving, then one is made to enter gradually therein, the vajra wisdom becoming equal to space, and one becomes one who has the nature of the three spiritual heroes.
KHAM is clear light.
The Patsab and Chag translations explain that dissolving makes all things invisible and enters oneself therein gradually. Thus one's heart center seed radiates light rays that melt all animate and inanimate things into light, which mass of light gradually dissolves into oneself, making it also invisible. In general the OM letter is meditated on the crown and the Al:I on the throat, but here all three letters are stated to be meditated at the heart center; the reasons for which have already been stated, which does not accord with the meaning of Lak? hmi' s instruction to have the radiation and compression in the navel from the letter in the hub of the wheel established at the navel. As for the statement that, as the benefit of this, one attains the wisdom body free of the ordinary body, though one
has attained a wisdom magic body separated from the ordinary body, it does not preclude one's attaining a previously unattained communion vajra body free from the ordinary body. As [Nagarjuna says] in the Five Stages :
The magical illusion samadhi
Is purified by the limit of reality.
And [Aryadeva says] in the Integrated Practices:
Superficial reality is purified l252al by the ultimate reality.
Do not think that [Chandrakirti ' s explanation in] the Illumination of the Lamp-that the magic body is immersed in clear light by the two con-
Chapter IX- Ultimate Clear Light Transparence ? 473
templations-contradicts the fact that the meditation of the three vajras here immerses you in the clear light, since the magic body is the vajra- dhara body. Although that body achieved as the magic body abides in the beatific vajradhara body, by habituating its repeated compression into clear light by the meditation as the emanation body of the three vajras, when the objective clear light is directly realized, the magic body also disappears like a rainbow in the sky. Further, the body achieved by the energy purified by the objective clear light is not eliminated at the time of direct realization of clear light, and there is the difference that this differs from the [body] achieved by the energy purified by the metaphoric clear light.
Here, relying on the two contemplations and the seal [consort], at the time of repeating the fourth void, if you do not meditate by conjoin- ing as subject and object that bliss and the void of decisive insight into reality, however you accustom yourself to the four voids coming from the mere process of compressing the energy and mind, it is impossible to realize the objective clear light. Thus it is necessary to have the way of uniting bliss and void of the sages. And in that context, though many predawn-like clear skies may arise, purged of coarse dualistic appear- ance, the extremely subtle dualistic appearances will not be eliminated, and the direct realization of voidness coming from the one taste of the two things, subjective bliss and objective reality, will not arise. 1252bl Thus you must well distinguish between [real clear-transparence-purified com- munion bodies] and these conditions of the magic body which have not been purified in clear light.
If you do not differentiate them properly, then you are likely to con- sider the dawnings of the three voids from the low state of not yet reach- ing mind isolation as the actual mind isolation; to consider the divine body that arises after that in mental experience as a transparent, very clear, rainbow-like, luminant body as the actual magic body; to consider as the
.
actual clear light the state of obliteration of imaginative aiming that manifests with the thought of "This is it! " when you meditate the two contemplations and purify that body in the clear sky; and to consider that the arisal in a deity body after that is the actual communion. Those states are categorized as the virtual simulations of the four stages such as mind isolation, hence fit to be merely designated by their names in contexts
where authentic and virtual are not distinguished
being the actualities of the four out of the five stages, then, (evenJ with
But if you hold them as
474 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
the key of the ultimate private instruction of the Five Stages and the Inte- grated Practices, you can never open up the vital points of the Root and Explanatory Tantras.
Therefore, you must understand properly the way these accomplish- ments are developed in the spiritual process of the disciple by the teach- ing of the way the former paths are completed and the way that the later paths are then entered into, using the teachings of the Root and Explana- tory Tantras and the treatises of the Noble father and sons, mostly applied in terms of the jewel-like person who is the chief disciple. Then you must also distinguish properly how the other four persons who do not have such an ability and especially the contemporary persons who meditate do
develop in their spiritual processes the virtual simulations of those previ- ous paths; [253al and thereby you will not consider whatever virtual reali- zations of the five stages they develop to be the same as the actual path of the five stages as defined. Thus, having become habituated through the two contemplations, when you discover well the signs of approaching very close to the realization of the objective clear light, through the teaching of the midnight initiation and the predawn private instruction you will realize objective clear light.
Explaining their synonyms. along
with their greatness]
The nominal synonyms of that objective clear light transparence of the direct realization of the meaning of the reality of thatness by the orgas- mic bliss are many, such as clear light and universal void and so on. In the {Root Tantra] Second Chapter the six. transcendent buddhas each express the spirit of enlightenment, and other Unexcelled Yoga Tantras make state- ments such as [the following from the Nondual Triumph Tantra]:
Transcending meditation of all branches, Abandoning conceptions of conceptions, Transcending the augmented drop [vowels] - This is the supreme mandala.
In sum, these expressions are those mentioned in the Integrated Prac- tices as:
These words uncertain in what they name, being the most difficult of the literal meanings of all eighty-four
? [VI. B. J. b. ii. c'J'd'ii'A"2"a"ii"c"' -
Chapter /X- Ultimate Clear Light Transparence ? 475 thousand teachings, are renowned as based upon ultimate
reality
In the various Sotras and Tantras,
Whatever of thatness reality is taught,
Other than this very abode of universal void - Nothing is there declared!
Thus, in the Sotras and Tantras, whatever of the import of thatness reality [253bl is taught, it is explained that no other thing is expressed than univer- sal void clear light transparence. As for the meaning of such a statement, though great bliss intuition is not mentioned, there are very many expres- sions of the import of thatness, therefore the clear light that is the realiza- tion of thatness reality by orgasmic bliss is not that which is taught in every case. Nevertheless, [the above statements intend] the teaching of the ultimate clear light which is the object of that intuition and the clear light of realizing thatness by the intuitive subjectivities other than great bliss as being what is taught by all the Sutras that teach thatness from the orientation of the transcendences and by the lower Tantras. Such a clear light is the general image of clear light. The realization of thatness by great bliss is classified as whichever, the hidden meaning and the ultimate [meaning] clear light. Therefore, in regard to the intuition that enters into experiential uniformity with the import of thatness reality, it has two
forms, one that is, and one that is not, the intuition of the perfection stage. Thus having cut the doubts about the two kinds of enlightenment, the practical instructions of the two contemplations which are the arts of [realizing] those, and the synonyms of clear light, as for the way in which the disciple performs the eulogy invocation that aims to the mentor who teaches that and the teaching itself, with countenance very clear, palms
joined together:
Emaho Buddha! Emaho Dharma! Teaching Dharma-the great wonder! Realistic meaning, pure meaning ! Homage to the enlightenment spirit!
Five Stages] says:
because such teachings dispel the intellectual insistence that insists on different meanings for each name. As the Second Stage [chapter of the
476 ? Brilliam Illumination ofthe Lamp
It is to be expressed thus, as stated in the second chapter Iof the E. wteric Community Root Tantra]. The two "Emaho" exclamations praise from the conventional and ultimate perspectives respectively f2S4aJ. The mean- ing of the second line is to praise from the perspective of teaching the union ofthe two realities. The "realistic meaning" refers to the clear light and the meaning purified by that refers to the fully purified divine body; which two phrases together mean "Homage to thee, great Vajradhara who has such qualities! " Such as this illustrates the culmination of teachings
explained on other stages.
end of other paths]
The Integrated Practices, after teaching the personal instruction of clear light, continues:
By this very stage, all the transcendent buddhas stirred the Divine Lord, Glorious Shakyamuni by the sound of a fingersnap, and he arose from his immovable samadhi, went and sat down near the enlightenment tree, and at the time of midnight directly realized clear light. He then arose from the magical samadhi, and manifested the teaching of the Dharma for the beings. From that begin- ning, for as long as the noble Dharma lasts, it has de- scended from mentor's mouth to mentor's mouth.
The Chag translation here renders it:
. . . Then arising with the magical samadhi, he turned the wheel of Dharma for the tamable beings. . . .
"This very stage" refers back in the Integrated Practices to the pre-dawn teaching of the personal instruction, having been initiated at midnight. And before that, if you connect it to "just after that one should confer the wisdom and intuition initiations"; the meaning is similar. Also, the [Five Stages'] Second Stage, after showing that the Unexcelled Yoga mantri/ni's own path is the way to buddhahood:
Then from the pure clear light,
Intuitive wisdom's expression (254bl emerges,
? ? [VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'd'ii'A"2"a"iii"-The way that stage also reaches the
Chapter IX- Uitimate Clear Light Transparence ? 477
Holding the thirty-two signs. Endowed with the eighty marks, Supreme in all aspects.
Thus becoming omniscient;
it continues:
As the Magnificent Play Sarra states:
"The Transcendent Shakyamuni, Wishing this manifest enlightenment, Formed the intention ' I must attain Buddahood by the great void. "'
On the bank ofthe Nairafijana river,
He entered into the immovable samadhi. Then the victors sitting in the space vajra, Just as sesame seeds fill their pod, Snapped fingers and spoke in unison
To the bodhisattva:
"This contemplation is not perfect.
You won't reach the ultimate by this.
You must perceive the clear light,
Supreme like the face of the sky.
Attaining the abode of clear light,
You will be born in the form of extreme joy. That time you will attain the lordship over all, The extreme joy vajra body. "
When he heard that expression,
He gave up the immovable samadhi, And thus at that midnight time,
The victor-child perceived thatness.
And also:
Universal void the great amazement! Great intuition clear and transparent! B y the kindness of the mentor himself, Then that is clearly seen.
478 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp And:
By the vajra-like samadhi ,
At the time when gray light arises,
He is adorned by the qualities of magic, Such as water-moon and hallucination. Seated at the essence of enlightenment, He conquered all the devils.
The Shakya Savior well attained
The realistic [255al unexcelled intuition, Saving and helping beings,
Here he taught all thatness. 140
Thus is taught the procedure of buddhahood by the unexcelled path at the culmination of the Universal Vehicle transcendence path.
The Chag translation renders it, "from that pure clear light" and "likewise also the Universal Vehicle Siitra," of which the last is better. This means to show that, just as one attains buddhahood through clear light and communion by one's own path, one uses that same art to attain buddhahood at the culmination of the other paths; since this is not p? t forth as a means of proving the previous teaching. The six lines begin- ning with "Shakyamuni" show that Shakyamuni wished to attain buddha- hood through the great void and entered the immovable samadhi on the bank of the Nairaiijana river. That much was stated in the Magnificent Play. As for the rest, from "That time the victors space vajra," and so on was not taught as stated in that Sutra. "Great void" is explained by some commentators on the Five Stages as referring to the stage of imminence, but in that Siitra it states that he entered the space-pervading samadhi of the fourth contemplation, and so if we interpret it as referring to that, it is better, as that also is called the "immovable samadhi. " In the Integrated Practices it only mentions that "Shakyamuni was stirred up," but then
140 This
? quote from the Lalitavistara Sarra is not in the Sanskrit or Tibetan versions of 2006, p. 139, n. 158) states that there are some terms in the existing Lalitavistara that
that work, but seems to originate in a quote from the Five Stages, presumably cited from an correspond to this account, but no actual narration. However, he traces the account to
earlier recension of the Sotra. Tomabechi, in his erudite Etude du Pancakrama (Lausanne, Jiianapada's Pearl ofLiberation, and to the Tantra, Sarvatathagatatattvasam graha
Chapter IX- Uitimate Clear Light Transparence ? 479
the four lines beginning with "that time" explain how he was impelled to sit on the bank of the Nairafijana river.
In the Reality Compendium, it says no more than, "when the bodhi- sattva SiddMrtha sat near the enlightenment tree, the transcendent lords stirred him up," and is not explicit about the Akani? hta 1255hl and the desire realm. The Vajra Summit says that he was at the Akani? hta Dense Array buddhaverse. As for the way he was exhorted by voice, "this samadhi" and so forth the four lines exhort him by saying that the previ-
ous contemplation is incapable of purifying all the obscurations, and will not lead to the attainment of the ultimate exaltation, therefore you must realize clear light. The next four lines exhort him to realize the vajra- dhara exaltation, the communion with its eight divinities, how it serves as an exhortation being clearly explained in the Chag translation. As for being exhorted by voice, except for the Reality Compendium statement:
Are you thinking of attaining buddhahood through asceti- cism, without realizing the thatness of all transcendent buddhas?
the way of exhortation and the way of realizing the fruition after being exhorted here [in the Integrated Practices] are absent in the [Vajra} Sum- mit and the Reality Compendium. Thus, it seems that this explanation is set forth as occurring in some other Unexcelled Yoga Tantra.
The four lines beginnning "Thus. . . " and the Integrated Practices passage from "immovable" to "realized" must be explained as the same in meaning, so he was exhorted while sitting on the riverbank; after arising from there he sat at the enlightenment tree, and at midnight [in Akani? hta] he relied on the seal consort, was initiated, and realized clear light. The four lines beginning with "universal void" makes more explicit "he per-
ceived thatness. " The four lines beginning with "vajra-like" describe how he attained the non-learner's communion body in the pre-dawn twilight, the two lines beginning with "enlightenment" describe his conquest of the devils, and the four lines beginning with "Shakya" describe how he
taught others, once he had attained the fruition. [256al The Terminal Action Investigation states that:
Even through limitless aeons
By giving gifts such as head and treasures,
480 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
One will not attain the fruition of enlightenment, Because the visions have not been purified. Likewise even through limitless aeons
Of practicing justice and tolerance and so on. . .
And after that as above, and then:
Even through limitless aeons,
By the samadhi of the mantra body,. . .
with the conclusion as above; but then finally:
When you purify the three visions There will be no doubt of omniscience.
Here the intention is that, as the first two verses mention the Tran- scendence Vehicle, and the next verse mentions the paths of the three lower Tantras and the creation stage alone, these do not have the ability to purify the three visions, and thus will not lead to attainment of the un- excelled enlightenment. Thus, since there is the dualistic perception error in the occasion of the three visions, that dualistic perception will not be eliminated until the erroneous instinct has been entirely purified. And in
regard to conduct, up to the way of the definite elimination of that [dual- istic perception], what is required is meditation with orgasmic bliss real- izing the import of thatness reality; and the meaning is that outside of the unexcelled vehicle there is no other way.
As the Liberation Drop says:
Wherefore, Shakyamuni, having gathered stores for countless aeons, not realizing that meaning, dwelt in the samadhi of nothingness on the Nairafijana bank. That time all the transcendent buddhas eliminated that crush- ing attitude, and like the mandala of sky, manifested the taintless profound clarity of total purity. At the time of midnight, L256b] as if fainting, meditating on thatness reality, at the time of pre-dawn twilight, in an instant, thatness was realized.
Thus it agrees with the two former passages. As for "nothingness," the commentary explains it as the [nihilistic] voidness that crushes to dust,
Chapter IX- Ultimate Clear Light Transparence ? 48 1
and that he realized thatness as if fainting. having been blessed by the orgasmic master: the "master" here explained as the science consort. 141
The SheafofInstructions states:
By means of the knowledges of private instructions. he will come to understand totally clearly this excellence. it being sufficiently [shown] by this very detailed [account]; "You should declare that the supreme culmination de- pended on this art! " For example, from the initiation of the wisdom [consort] given by the perfect buddhas seated in the sky, the Shakya Savior sat near the enlightenment tree, and relied [on her] at midnight in order to attain enlightenment, just so, only by this, 0 Divine Lord, at the vajra essence [site], the conferral of initiation was given through the supreme consort of the [indestructible] drop.
As for the Hevajra statement:
Erecting the mandala
Vibrating the garland of blazing flames, Because of giving initiation at the vajra essence, The supreme drop is compelled.
It is the scriptural source for the fact that the tenth stage bodhisattva is initiated relying on the actual science consort.
Here you might wonder, "It is stated that the Buddha would not have manifested the buddha deeds in the desire realm without having pre- viously attained buddhahood in the matter realm Akani? hta. In the great Transcendence Vehicle, it is stated also that the Shakya Savior attained buddhahood many aeons previously. The Stage ofArrangement ! 257aJ also
states that the next-to-last life bodhisattva [Shvetaketu] did not use a bea- tific body to accomplish the aims of humans, and thus entered a mother's womb in order to manifest the emanation body [of Siddhartha]. And the Magnificent Play indicates that Shakyamuni was already a buddha before he manifested the [twelve] deeds such as asceticism. Therefore. how is it
141 "Master" does not seem to be included in the quote as we have it, only mention of the transcendent buddhas, so Tsong Khapa here seems to anticipate the next quote.
? 482 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
that attaining buddhahood by the path of Mantra at the end of the path of transcendences is stated here to come after he performed the ascetical deeds on the banks of the river? "
Let me explain. First, at the end of the path of the Transcendence Vehicle, at the time of both the final existence before buddhahood in the beatific body embodiment in Akani? hta and the final existence before buddhahood in the emanation body in the desire realm, there are respec- tively the actual buddhahood through exhortation as explained above and the manifestation of the way of attaining buddhahood. Therefore, the latter is not a fresh buddhahood of someone who has not already attained buddhahood; and such a demonstration shows in general that an embodi- ment of a final existence of a tenth stage bodhisattva of the Transcen- dence Vehicle must attain buddhahood by creating the Mantra path in their continuum.
The Vajra Rosary Commentary states that the bodhisattva Siddhartha was initiated by the buddhas, once they had prepared and emanated the mandala; and [then, that by] relying on the teaching of three samadhis, the hundred clan body isolation, and the private instructions of the five stages, at midnight, [he attained] buddhahood; and at predawn, the devil conquest. This latter [explanation] contradicts both the Five Stages and the Integrated Practices, l257bJ contradicting their statements that at this
time no other private instructions than those of the clear light transpar- ence and the communion were given.
The followers of Go claim that the progression through the tran- scendence path up to the tenth stage is the substitute for creating in one's continuum the progression from the creation stage to the mind isolation, because the Five Stages states:
By the beginner's yoga
One should attain the eighth stage; And who sees the three luminances Is exalted on the tenth stage.
Therefore, that final existence of the Transcendence Vehicle is equal to meditating onward from the magic body [stage]. In the evening receiving the secret initiation, the magic body is realized. At midnight receiving? the third initiation, clear light is realized. In the pre-dawn twilight, the fourth initiation is received and the nonlearner's communion is realized-it is claimed that he attains buddhahood in a single night. The boundary at
Chapter IX- Ultimate Clear Light Transparence ? 483
which one enters the Mantra at the end of the Transcendence Vehicle is the tenth stage, which is equivalent to the latter of being both a next-to- last-life bodhisattva and being a final existence [bodhisattva, Shvetaketu and Siddhartha], which can be understood from this [process] being equated to attaining buddhahood in a single night.
As for how one enters, it is not by rejecting one's own path, but rather by adding the Mantra path to that path; it being correct as the Go school maintains that in this case you do not need to create the progres- sion from the creation stage up to the mind isolation. As for the reason why you don't need the magic body of the third stage, you can under- stand that from the teaching of the reason why the person who engages in the Unexcelled Yoga from the beginning needs to achieve the magic body before s/he [2S8al can realize clear light.
Having conferred the third initiation, there is mention of giving also the fourth; and those are the two initiations given. When the third initia- tion is given, the subtle dualisms of the prior experiences of luminance, radiance, and imminence, and the transition from imminence into clear light are purified and the objective orgasmic [bliss-wisdom] is realized. This bodhisattva had already realized reality from the first stage, but had not previously experienced directly the voidness with the orgasmic great bliss, which is what is created here. Then, meditating on that import, in the pre-dawn magic samadhi he is said to achieve the body characterised by
the examples of magic, such as water moon; which means he attained the orgasmic intuition of objective clear light and the mere energy on which it rides, the totally pure magic body of the non-learner's communion.
In the Transcendence Vehicle, one attains the body adorned with the signs from the first stage and, at the end of the progressive improve- ment of the stages, one attains the culmination of the learner's signs by that method. But by the unexcelled art, by reason of not attaining the non- learner's matter body by just that, one must first create the basis on which that body is achieved, the extraordinary clear light intuition along with its
wind-energy. Knowing this, you can well understand whether you can achieve or not the magic body [just] from the evolution of the coarse body in the occasion of the third stage and the learner's communion. There- fore, until you have meditated on the direct realization of the import of thatness with the orgasmic great bliss, you will not attain the truth body that completely abandons the objective obscurations. 1 25Kh l And until you have attained the magic body from the mere wind-energy-mind cultivated
4M4 ? Brilliant Illumination r? fthe Lamp
by the objective clear light. you will not attain the non-learner's matter body. Since these are taught. that teaches that the union of bliss and void and the achievement of the magic body are the ultimate essence of the unexcelled vehicle and these two are the two extraordinary causes of the two bodies.
In this context, that very meditation relying on the consort of the third initiation substitutes for the conduct, and so the reason that he did not need to learn the other three conducts can be understood by the previ- ous reason. Likewise, these are the means to understand how the confer- ral of the two final initiations without having previously conferred the vase initiation and the secret initiation, and this creation of the two final stages without having first created the [unexcelled] path below the third stage magic body, are exceptions to the rule. So that the previously explained
sequence of the two stages, the determination of the number needed, the fact that the Mantra path needs the embodiment of the desire realm, and the necessity of the passion of the union of the two organs, are all taught in terms of the definite category of practitioner who enters the unexcelled path from the beginning. As for the statements such as that the desire realm deities and so on never emit the jasmine-like enlightenment spirit, they intend ordinary desire realm and matter realm gods and do not intend exceptional embodiments such as that of the final existence bodhisattva.
? 142 lung rnam 'byed, identified with the Vinaya-vibhan ga(see Blue Annals, I, 36; II, 490).
Just as one can postulate three temporary definite categories without
postulating the definite categories of the ultimate three vehicles, though one enters the unexcelled path at the end of the Transcendence Vehicle, this does not contradict [259aJ one's being definitely categorized by one's own path prior to the tenth stage. Though arhat saints and non-regressors are free of attachment to food and clothing, they can purposefully wish for food and clothing. Tenth stage bodhisattvas have ended addictions
and so have ended craving for the bliss of sexual union; yet this does not prevent them from producing the purposeful desire for that bliss. Other-
wise, since the outsiders hold that where there is desire there is passionate attachment, it would not refute [the view] that any one speaking a word must be counted as one passionately attached. Therefore, to hold that "since the Analysis ofTradition142 explains separately the causes of making
Chapter IX- Ultimate Clear Light Transparence ? 485
fit a [sexual] organ to be free or not to be free from attachment to desire, so therefore it is impossible for one who has terminated craving for sense objects to rely on a consort! "-this is an opinion that betrays a lack of learning whether in Mantra or in Transcendence [Vehicle literatures]. As for the two paths, [one being], at the end of three incalculable aeons on the Transcendence Vehicle, then to rely on the Mantra path and reach the universal illumination eleventh stage of buddhahood, and [the other being] to enter the Mantra Vehicle from the beginning and thus reach the univeral illumination stage of buddhahood in a single lifetime, though neither is inferior to the other [intrins? cally]. that doesn't mean that the difference between the two paths is negligible; since it is obvious that there is a great difference of distance [in time] , and another path must be added finally to the Transcendence Vehicle path.
Such being the case, finally, relying on the Mantra path does not contradict the attainment of buddhahood through countless aeons. For that [Transcendence Vehicle bodhisattva] did have to add the [Mantra] path at the end of the three incalculable [aeons], in order to manifestly attain perfect buddhahood. As the Vajra Summit says:
Previously ! 259bl in the past,
Having upheld the spirit of enlightenment, He became a bodhisattva
Endowed with art and wisdom.
Great delight! Great wonder!
He performed measureless hardships, In order that he would attain well, Until he became initiated.
He consummated the stage by the great wisdom. Having attained the raiment initiation,
He experienced joy in the dense array of Akani? hta. Entering the great intelligence.
Thus he completed the learner's stages, and while sitting near the enlight- enment tree, he was exhorted by the buddhas, and meditated the five illu- minations and became a buddha.
Again the same text continues:
486 ?
Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
Through three incalculable aeons,
Giving and the good fruit of giving,
He attained treasures like space,
And was initiated by the wish-granting jewel.
In the third incalculable aeon,
Performing ordeals of other [paths] ,
He achieved the fruition through enterprise, And was initiated through the vajra.
And:
Thus, being initiated as Vajrasattva, Vajradharma, Vajraratna, and Vajra- karma, he attained, respectively, the reality body, the beatitude body, the signs and marks, and the emanation body, thus becoming a buddha. Further it explains that he was previously such a bodhisattva and attained those paths in three incalculable aeons.