No More Learning

Those signs completely arise at the time of death, but only partially
similar states arise at sleep, as the nostril respiration does not cease.
In the time of the path, the energy is injected into the heart center dhati channel and dissolves there, and the signs completely arise; when
they dissolve elsewhere their mere suggestion does not arise.
366 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
By influence of practice of those three and the intensity of the con- centration and dissolution of the wind-energies, many different degrees of extensiveness and solidity and duration of the object perception can occur. [J86aJ In the context of energy meditations and so on, if a black-out unconsciousness arises without being preceded by the first two lumi-
nances, then it is not imminence.
As for such kinds of three voids, granted they can arise between
magic body attainment and objective clear light realization, on the occa- sion of arising in reverse order from objective clear light, and between attaining the learner's communion and attaining the non-learner's com- munion; and yet they are not mind isolation. Likewise, even before attaining mind isolation there is an occurrence of the wisdom of the three voids, so you should differentiate the three void wisdoms and the mind
isolation void wisdoms by their degrees of pervasiveness.
Some former Tibetans advocated all nonconceptual cognitions such as sense cognitions as whichever of the three luminances, claiming that luminance was such a cognition's first apprehension of an object, radi- ance was the progressive clarification of its seeing the details of the object, and imminence was the final approach to obscurity in its termina- tion. This interpretation is not explained in Root or Explanatory Tantras or in any of the treatises of the Noble father and sons; and it seems to contradict the Integrated Practices' above explanation of the definitions
of the three luminances.
Now, as for the previous mention of "mind, mentality, and con-
sciousness" and the "three realities" and so forth as synonyms of the three luminances, it is because there is some reason for the attaching of each of their names to the three luminances; but it is not that all of them indicate the three luminances. If it were, there would be many inconsis- tencies, such as that the eighty instinctual natures would also become luminances.
Well, but how about the Five Stages' statement:
With the nature of twilight, 1 1 86h l day, and night, There are luminance, luminance-radiance,
And likewise luminance-imminence;
Thus the mind is said to be threefold,
Chapter VII- Mind Isolation ? 367
And thereby its basis is explained. 1 1 1
The wind-energies, in their subtle form
Having become fully mixed with consciousness, Emerging through the paths of the senses,
Thus cause the perception of [all] objects.
-that consciousness, mingling with the subtle wind-energies emerging from the sensory doors such as the eye and so perceiving objects, is what constitutes the three luminances?
As for the meaning of that, in place of the statement that "after explaining the three [forms of ] mind, I must announce their attainment," the Integrated Practices translations of the Great Translator [Rinchen Zangpo] and [the translator] Chag read "their basis," meaning "let us express the wind-energies which support those three minds. " Further, "the three minds having mingled with the wind-energies," they mingle or are moved by the wind-energies, which means that such movement pro- duces cognitions apprehending objects through the sense doors and also the instinctual natures. Just after the above reference, [the Five Stages] continues :
When you have luminance
Mounted on wind-energies,
Then all the instinctual natures
Fully arise without remainder. Wherever the wind-energies remain, There the instinctual natures function.
111 An ambiguity emerges here with the use of Tib. mtshams (usually "boundary") to translate Skt. samdhya, "twilight," aligning it with luminance-imminence, the third of the three luminance intuitions, the state at the boundary between the subtle mind and body and the extremely subtle bodymind, between the dualistsic universe and the nondual clear light. The simile used to convey the experience of imminence is that of the dark night sky, opposite to the moonlit and sunlit skies of luminance and radiance. Then. the pre- dawn morning twilight (Skt. pratyu[iha, Tib. tho rangs) is used as a simile for the clear light transparence, being a state of inconceivable nonduality of dark and light, mind and body, self and other, etc. So the "twilight" aligned with imminence is to be connected with evening twilight which is when light of day merges into dark of night. This ambi- guity comes up again below (p. 46 1 ), in dicussions of the fourth stage clear light clear
enlightenment. (Thanks to David Kittay for focusing my attcntiuon on this issue. )
? 368 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
This is quoted in the Integrated Practices along with the previous
quote, with the statement that the concise meaning of these is that:
Having entered the subtle realm, luminance moves in a second, a moment, an instant, an eye blink, a hand-clap, and in that same 1187aJ second, moment, instant, eye blink, and hand clap the instinctual natures also function.
Further, this is mentioned for the sake of repeatedly merging [the cogni- tions arising] from the voids of sleep with those that are gradually pro- duced from the arisal of the three voids in the reverse order at the time of taking birth. And this does not indicate that the occasional arisals of instinctual natures in conjunction with functioning cognitions are directly produced from the three voids. Though one can exhaustively divide cog- nitions into conceptual and nonconceptual, there is no need to exhaus- tively divide them into luminance and instinctual nature, and therefore it is not necessary for sense cognitions to be instinctual natures since they
are n o t l u m i n a n c e s . 1 1 2
[Vl. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTc"4"b" - Instinctual natures]
If such are the luminances, how do the eighty instinctual notions become instinctual natures? And how are they produced from the lumi- nances?
112
? ? In the context of considering the arguments that support the idea of the coordination
of Sotra and Tantra (mdo sngags ;:ung 'brei), dear to the heart of Tibetan scholars, I am attracted to the theory that the four "formless" or "immaterial" realms (arapyadhatu) described in basic Abhidharma and universally accepted in the cosmology of exoteric Buddhisms are Shakyamuni Buddha's way of providing a hint of what is scientifically
and technically taught to be the four luminances and four voids in Unexcelled Tantra. Thus infinite space hints at luminance, infinite consciousness at radiance, absolute nothingness at imminence, and beyond consciousness and unconsciousness hints at clear light transparence. Of course, outsider and non-Tantric insider yogi/nrs who attain these
immaterial states through advanced samadhis without deep knowledge of voidness. with- out unraveling the heart knot, and without awakening the great bliss mind, experience them as objective realms, and hence can get stuck in them without realizing the workings of their subliminal conceptualities. And Buddha was clear that these states are not n irvana - but he taught their existence as a hint of what everyone passes near at every death, and
what he discovered when he attained communion.
Chapter VII- Mind Isolation ? 369 There are thirty-three instincts in the first luminance. The Five
Stages states:
Its natures arise distinct -
Now I should clearly explain.
They are known as dispassion,
[Small], medium, and great,
Internalizing and externalizing;
[Small, medium, and great] sorrows;
Peace, and mental construction;
Fear, small, medium, and great;
Craving, medium craving, great craving; Appropriation, nonvirtue, hunger, thirst, Sensation, medium, intense sensation moments, Knower, knowing, knowable,
Discernment, conscience, compassion,
Love, small, medium, and great,
Anxiety, greed, and envy; [t87bJ
these are the thirty-three natures, introspectively known by embodied beings.
As for those, "dispassion" has the aspect of not desiring objects, with three degrees of small, medium, and intense. The mentality "exter- nalizing" is going out to objects and "internalizing" is engaging with internal objects. The followers of the Go tradition claim "this applies in general to all. " "Sorrow" is the mental pain of lacking pleasurable objects, with degrees of slight, medium, and intense. "Peace" is explained in the Clear Meaning as the mind abiding peacefully, previous [Tibetan com- mentators] explaining it as the leisure of the mind staying within its essence. "Construction" is explained by the Clear Meaning as abiding in
agitation, previous [Tibetans] explaining it as the construct of combative mind. "Fear" is the mind's fright when encountering the unpleasant, "craving" is longing for an object, and each has three degrees. "Appropria- tion" is the appetitive holding to sense objects. "Nonvirtue" is explained in the Clear Meaning as indecisive hesitation about virtuous action, previous [Tibetans] explaining it as depression in one's mind. It can also be translated as "ignorance. " Previous [Tibetans] explain "hunger" and "thirst" as desire for food and drink. The Chag translation condenses hun- ger and thirst into one [instinctual nature]: but the previous [Tibetans']
370 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
interpretation is better. . . Sensation" includes pleasure, pain, and indiffer-
As for the forty instinctual natures [of radiance], the Five Stages calls them:
Desire, attachment, pleasure, Medium pleasure, intense pleasure, Delight, indulgence,
Amazement, excitement, Satisfaction, embracing,
Kissing, sucking,
Stability, zeal, pride,
Activity, covetousness, aggressiveness,
Enthusiasm, natural [boldness],
Small, medium, and great,
Hostility, charm,
Resentment, virtue,
Lucid truthfulness,
Untruthfulness, certitude,
Non-appropriation, generosity,
Initiative, heroism,
Shamelessness, deceitfulness, sharpness, wickedness,
113Tsong Khapa does not reduce lhe thirty-five instinctual functions here to the thirty- three lhat should be here, though his comment, wilhout approval or disapproval, that lhe translator GO considered "internalizing and externalizing" not to be instinctual functions but properties of all lhirty-three of them may be a hint that he might agree.
? ence, and there are three degrees depending on the object. . . Knower," . . knowing," and . . knowable"- these three functions are the three "con- cepts. " "Discernment" is the investigation of the rational and irrational.
. . Conscience" [ 1 88aJ is the avoidance of the reprehensible for personal or religious reasons. "Compassion" is the desire for freedom from suffering. . . Love" is the desire for the beloved to be protected and to meet with happiness; and it has three degrees. . . Anxiety" is the lack of certainty in the doubting mind. . . Greed" is the thought to accumulate properties. . . Envy" is the disturbance of mind at the fortune of others. . . Avarice" is mentioned in the Clear Meaning and in the Chag translation, but the Five
Stages' and IntegratedPractices' old translations' use ofenvy is better. ll3
Ungentleness, and crookedness; These forty natures constitute The instant of extreme voidness.
is the mental desire for the obtained object. "Pleasure" from the experi-
repeating its experience over and over. "Amazement" is explained by the Clear Meaning as wondering about various stories "Is it? Or isn't it? "- but the previous [Tibetans] explain it as the experience of a mind at an unprecedented event. "Excitement" is the movement of mind when expe- riencing a pleasant object. "Satisfaction" is the notion of satisfaction by an object, though the Clear Meaning explains it as the distinct experience of happiness. "Embracing," "kissing," and "sucking," are minds that desire to do those things. "Stability" is the mind of not changing its process. "Zeal" is exertion in virtue. "Pride" is the haughty mind. "Activity" or "action" is full enaction of routine activities. "Covetousness" is the desire to rob wealth. "Aggressiveness" is the desire to conquer others' armies. "Enthusiasm" is the mind that activates practice on the path of virtue. "Natural" stands for the Sanskrit sahaja, which the former scholars said was not found in the Indian texts, but rather sahasa, which should be translated "hesitant," or "engaged with the difficult. " The commentary Clear Meaning says it means "non-hesitant," explaining its meaning as engaging in nonvirtue through arrogance. Old translations of Integrated Practices have "engagement in difficulties," the Chag translation of the Five Stages has "potency," his translation of the Integrated Practices has "non-hesitant. " 1 189uJ The ancient scholars defined it as "slight, medium, and intense engagement in striving after an objective. " "Hostility" is the unprovoked desire to contend with superiors. "Charm" is the desire to play or possess when seeing a beautiful person. "Resentment" is the mind of resentment. "Virtue" is the desire to initiate such action. "Lucid truthfulness" is the desire to speak understandably and without distortion of idea. "Untruthfulness" is the desire to speak distorting the idea. "Certitude" is a very firm determination. "Non-appropriation" is the dis- inclination to sieze an object. "Generosity" is the desire to give things away. "Initiative" is the desire to arouse lazy others. "Heroism" is the desire to triumph over enemies such as the addictions. "Shamelessness" is
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 37 1
ence of the ( t88bl pleasant is slight, medium, and intense. "Delight" is the
"Desire" is mental desire for the unobtained object. "Attachment'' mind happy with achieving a desired aim. "Indulgence" is such a mind's
372 ? BrilliantIlluminationoftheLamp
engagement in nonvirtue, not avoiding it for personal or religious reasons. "Deceitfulness" is deceiving others with artificiality; when "sharpness" occurs [in texts], it describes [this instinct] as a mind of sharp pickiness. "Wickedness" refers to [a nature] steeped in evil convictions. "Ungentle- ness" is mischievousness toward others. "Crookedness" is dishonesty. In the Chag translation, the last two quarters read, "The instants of the forty natures are produced from extreme voidness. "1 14
As for the seven instinctual natures [corresponding with luminance- imminence], the Five Stages says:
One instant of medium attachment, Forgetfulness, mistakenness, Reticence, fatigue,
Laziness, and doubt.
"Forgetfulness" is the loss of memory. "Mistakenness" is holding a mirage as water and so on. "Reticence" is heartfelt [1H9bJ disinclination to speak. "Fatigue" is mental exhaustion. "Laziness" is disinclination for virtue. The other two are immediately understandable.
As for these three divisions of instincts, though they seem similar in explanation as collected into three classes as determined by their extreme desire for objects, their extreme aversion to objects, and their neutrality, [respectively], they are explained as above relying on the commentary Clear Meaning [attributed to Nagabodhi] and the ancient Tibetans. The commentary Jewel Rosary [also attributed to Nagabodhi] seems to explain a way in which these instincts are interconnected with the fifty-one [Abhidharmic] mental functions. However, since it does not seem plausible, I do not set it forth.
1 14 The count is even further off here, with forty-six instinctual functions listed, though if pleasure and boldness, the only two instinctual functions with three degrees are counted as one function, the count is exactly forty. If we use the same method on the thirty-three previous, however, we would have only twenty-one functions. Neither the Indian Noble writers nor Tsong Khapa are of much help with these enumerations, as apparently these counting questions were not thought of as interesting, in the context of the exalted paths of the perfection stage. What is interesting is the relation of the prakrtikalpana to the lists of kleia and upakleia in the Abhidharma, though Tsong Khapa does not accept the effort of the author of the Commentary Jewel Rosary.
? ? In regard to the Integrated Practices's mention of such three sets of instinctual notions as the nature of the three luminances, "nature" comes from Sanskrit svabhllva, which can be used for element, nature, and thing, and can also be quoted in the meaning of element. The Inte- grated Practices declares it to refer to the natural identity of the three luminances, saying "in short, as for nature. . . " and "in summary, it is these thirty-three natures, and the forty, and the seven. " Lalq;hmi's state- ment that the meaning of "nature" is "of the nature of that" and the Clear Meaning's explanation that it is "included in the category of that" are incorrect. For, as the Self-Consecration of Aryadeva states:
The earth element dissolves into water, The water dissolves into fire,
Fire into the subtle element. Wind-energy dissolves into the mind, Mind dissolves into mental functions, Mental functions into ignorance,
And that goes into clear light transparence.
That wind-energy dissolves before the mind produces luminance, and, since that wind-energy is the mover of the instinctual natures, [190al the instincts must also dissolve at that time; hence, luminance and the instinctual natures are extremely incompatible.
Also in the context of the creation stage, as the Wisdom Vajra Com- pendium states that the instinctual notions are generated after generating the three luminances, and the Terminal Action Investigation states that the one hundred and sixty instincts arise after generating the three voids, and that the first group of instincts are effects having the cause of the luminance wisdom and the other two groups are similar. In some of the editions of that [text], the explanations that the seven instincts [of the last
group] occur at the time of ignorance [here intending imminence], are the result of textual error.
Here one might wonder, "As it is said that wind-energy dissolves into luminance. since there is no luminance before it is generated. it is impossible to dissolve into it! "
Since such statements are made in terms of luminance, radiance, imminence, and clear light, such assertions as that, after the latter is produced the former must dissolve so they are not cause and effect, or
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 373
. H4 ? Brilliant ll/11mination of the Lamp
else they would become unlocatable in any order at all, cannot be
accepted. For the Five Stages states:
Void and extreme void,
Third, great void,
And fourth, universal void-
These are distinguished as causes and effects.
Therefore, . . the former dissolves into the latter" is just a designation for the process wherein the former's potency withdraws and becomes unclear and that potency seems to transfer to the latter. Therefore, the claim such as that . . at the time of dissolving, the thirty-three instincts cease [190b1; then luminance arises. After that, the forty instincts cease, then radiance arises and so on," the similar claim that the instincts and luminance are coordinates, and the claim that at birth first imminence arises and then the seven instincts, and so forth-all these are irrational and contradic- tory positions. I have already quoted the Integrated Practices statement that the instincts emerge from luminance. The Chag translation of the Five Stages, just as in the above explanation of the definition of the three luminances, holds them not to be non-different actualities. Just as in marking a mansion by [the fact that there is] a crow [on the roof], an
actually different definer is given as the definition. Further, the statement of the Integrated Practices:
Likewise, consciousness luminance is formless, yet can be inferred from the instinctual natures such as attach- ment, detachment, medium attachment, and so on
is a means of defining luminance saying that luminance is inferred from the instinctual natures. As for how it is inferred, seeing that instinctual natures have degrees of minor, medium, and intense, the luminance that generates them is mounted on wind-energies, and it can be measured that their movements are weak, medium, and intense. [19laJ Thus, of any of the seven instincts with the weakest [wind-energy] movement, there is an imprint of the weakest movement of the wind-energy-mounted lumi- nance, which can be posited as the effect of imminence. You should extra- polate the same reasoning for the others.
As for the yogrlni who can develop the three wisdoms by the power of meditation on the path, s/he can ascertain those three in manifestation, not inferring them from their signs. Therefore, the persons who must infer
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 375
luminance from the instincts is not one of these; and so it is inaccurate to claim that any of the three luminances [appear] to the sense cognitions. Sense cognitions need not infer from signs but can ascertain things di- rectly. As for the ordinary person, s/he experiences the three luminances along with clear light at the time of birth and death and so on. But such a person cannot induce certitude [about them] through direct perception.
As for the hundred and sixty instinctual natures, they are set forth from the perspective of having a set of eighty engaged in each of day and night. Also, the Vajra Rosary explains that there are a hundred and eight instincts agitated by one hundred and eight wind-energies. 1 15
Thus, in basic reality there are two states, one in which the instinct- moving wind-energy is dissolved and another in which it is not dissolved.
The undissolved state is the time when the instincts emerge. In the dis- solved state, there are two states, one in which the three luminance wind- energies are dissolved and another in which they are not dissolved. The undissolved state is the time of the three voids. The dissolved state is the time of the arisal of clear light. In the time of the path also they are gen- erated in that manner; and that is the necessity to determine the arising [19lbl and dissolving processes of the four voids and the instinctual notions.
Such as the above, it is an import that comes from the literature of the Root and Explanatory Community Tantras. It is not explicit in writings other than the commentaries of the Noble father and sons. And further concerning them, the private instruction of all buddhas, praised in the Integrated Practices as taught by the kindness of [Aryadeva's] own mentor, Nagarjuna, is the way of achieving the clear light and the extra- ordinary magic body. Thus, [the greatness of these teachings] comes from
the vital point of relying on their knowing [of these extraordinary private instructions]. 1 16
mind. Just as in the case of the famous "five aggregates" - Jamyang Sheyba mentions in
1 16 This whole section remains somewhat unclear, since Tsong Khapa starts off by saying that the luminances and the instinctual natures are not the same thing, since the instinctual (cont"d)
? 115 This comment may provide a clue about Tsong Khapa's disinterest in counting too strictly-there are numerous ways ofcounting and various numbers put forth by various authors. All such enumerations are heuristic devices used in meditative practice to develop introspective awareness of the workings of one's conscious and unconscious levels of
his Abhidharma Final Analysis textbook that there could be three aggregates or a hundred
aggregates, and that the five are used as convenient for a specific context.
3 76 ? Brilliant llul mination of the Lamp
How to generate luminance wisdom]
The third has two parts: [i") Setting forth the separate systems; and [ii"] Setting forth the correct opinions among them.
? ? Lak? hmi, Bhavyakirti, and the rest, set OM in the hub of the eight spokes in the wheel of the navel, have OM, Al:J, and HO Mradiate from that, to be set in the crown, throat, and heart centers; then OM radiates white light and attracts OM's, which dissolve into the navel letter, upon which one focuses one-pointedly, generating the luminance wisdom-
intuition. Likewise, they visualize a red Al:I in the hub of the [navel] wheel and a mere drop. Its red and black light rays attract Al:f's and HOMs, respectively, cause them to dissolve into the navel, and focus on that one- pointedly, thereby generating the intuitive wisdoms of luminance-radiance, and [luminance-] imminence, [respectively]. Then, they explain that you meditate the drop and even the wheel as dissolving into the space of the navel, and thus create the clear light preceded by the five signs. The first two intuitions are said to be synonymous with OM and Al:l. In the con-
text of imminence, they use the private instruction of the Five Stages:
The seed is not endowed with a drop; Itdoesnotgoout[192al thedoorofenergy. Who attains the luminances
Has the character of full perfection.
natures must be mobilized by wind-energies, which have dissolved by the time of the arisal of the luminances. Without distinguishing coarse and subtle wind-energies, he goes on to say that the three luminances are driven by wind-energies, obviously subtle wind- energies, since the wind that dissolves into space and luminance in the fourth stage of eightfold death and mind-isolation dissolution processes are the coarse wind-energies. The luminances-mounted subtle wind-energies dissolve only at the transition from immi- nence into clear light transparence and universal voidness. Tsong Khapa's interest here is surely in the practice, and the mind isolation practitioner need not concern herself or himself with the eighty instincts - which disappear upon entering actual luminance - but rather with the four voids and joys marking the dissolving process. The alignment of the 80 instincts in three batches with the three luminances seems rather pertinent only to the ordinary person who is subject to their surgings at death, failing of course to perceive the luminances or transparency except as a flash of light here or there.
? [VJ. B. 3. b. ii. c '3 'd Tc "4 "c " -
[VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTc"4"c"i" - Setting forth the separate systems]
This is called the generation of mind isolation by the art of the stage of mantra. As for the generation by the stage of the seal, it is according to the statement in the Five Stages: I have already explained the way the voids are produced there. 117
Master Go explained two methods of generating mind isolation, the systems of Kr? ht:ta Samayavajra and of Tsunmojen. Concerning the first, as for the path of the lower door [of the central channel], rely on a consort; and as for the upper door, by generating great, medium, and small bliss of the natural melting of the inner enlightenment spirit though the emanation and retraction of the light from meditating a crown HAM, a throat AM, and a heart center A, you should meditate bliss-void from ceasing the three degrees of subtle to coarse natures. They explain that to be the measure of the ancient sages' practice Tantra, and they give that meaning by quoting a reference from Aryadeva. However, the quoting of that reference and the making of that explanation seem to be extremely inconsistent, and so that explanation seems very unsuitable. It is clear that it emerges from the speech of the mentor Samayavajra. And such an explanation does not appear anywhere in any treatise of Aryadeva. Con- cerning the second of the systems, except for generating it depending on the consort, it seems to lack any meditation on seed-syllables. The dis- ciples of Go, Ngog Yeshey Sengey and company, [I92bl explain it accord- ing to that latter system.
Certain others who uphold the interpretation style of Go, maintain a Tsunmojen method relying on the lower door as previously explained. As for their reliance on the upper door, with the energy made fit by vajra recitation, they visualize an AM on a lotus upon a moon in the heart center, from which extremely subtle light rays, white and cool like moonlight, enter into the central channel, energizing the crown HAM, from which
white spirit of enlightenment cascades down abundantly onto the AM, which gets brighter and brighter, and finally the mind-bliss develops into the wisdom-intuition of luminance clear as moon[light]. In a similar manner, visualizing an Al:l on the hub of a vajra on a sun at the heart center and visualizing a lone A not depending on any base, emitting from the central channel light rays hot as sun and very subtle black light rays,
1 1 7 I n t h e G r e a t S t a g e s of M a n t r a .
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 377
? . ? 7M ? Brilliant llluminatinn ofthe Lamp
(respectively. ) and so on. you proceed as before and develop the latter
two intuitions.
Gi'l ' s mentor
Saraha advocates developing the three wisdom- intuitions from visualizing the three letters, without practicing emanating and retracting. All those explanations of the moon, sun, and syllables, and so on as the modalities of the intuitions are accepted as private instructions. saying that Abhijiia1 1 8 has simply explained those as nomi- nal synonyms. yet claim that "he does not teach meditation in that way. " As for this explanation, if you compare it with Go's [own text,] the [Grear} Voidness Session, it does not match his explanation of Tsunmo-
jen's [instructions1.
According to the private instruction of Naropa expressed by Ser-
dingpa as received through Marpa, [you can use either of] two [methods], using or not using a wheel center, the way of setting up a wheel center being as above. [I93al You do not retract the wheel center during the time of vajra recitation, but do retract it during the [practice of the] mind objective. As for holding the upper and lower wind-energies in kiss- connection while you are learning the mind objective, it is taught in the four great and three lesser private instructions; doing it at the heart-center is taught in the Five Point.
They teach also that you create the first void by meditating holding the wind-energy and visualizing the [row of] letters on the outer [part of the] lotus petals, the extreme void by then meditating compressing the letters into the middle and visualizing the middle [row of letters], and the great void next by meditating compressing those again into the four inner letters and visualizing them. Again, "from the beginning causing the first lotus petal to dissolve"; and "visualizing at the beginning after already having experienced the sign-possessor of luminance white like the moon and meditating having dissolved the first lotus petal into the second and so terminating the thirty-three instinctual natures"; and "at the time of visualizing the letter of the latter lotus petal, it is better to collect the
deity body into that"; and again, "after creating the three voids collecting the deity body into the drop of the central channel"; and "radiating light
1 18 Abbijiia ca. 1000, was a teacher of the translator Go (ca. 1030), and was a student of Aasha (982-I054).
? In regard to the three of those, respectively, they are explained in the Wheel Endowed and the Four Point as being the experience of bliss just from the arrival of the spirit of enlightenment at the root of the vajra, at its throat, and at its vase. [ 193hl The Five Point says that at the beginning you experience bliss from merely the enlightenment spirit's movement from its abode, but this becomes the same as the previous two. In the Wheel Endowed it explains that, having prepared with vajra recitation, you alternate with holding the energy in kiss-connection, and since therein there are many different methods of arisal of signs and sign-possessors, I
do not write them here.
In the [procedure] without a wheel, there are three. The first of
these is explained as follows: in the heart center of oneself as a luminous deity, in the center of a mirror-like light, meditate on a drop marked by a short A. Then, practice vajra recitation as above. Then, for the mind objective, hold the upper and lower wind-energies kiss-connected, com- pressing the deity body, light, drop, and short A one into another and meditate to produce the three voids. This is called "wheel-less," designat- ing it influenced by the general name. [Second,] from the Five Stages Triple Nested Spiritual Heroes, it is explained that you meditate a thumb- sized wisdom hero in the heart center of yourself as luminous devotee hero and in its heart center, in the hub of a mustard-seed-size vajra, a samadhi hero of a blue-black HOM, as if drawn by a single hair brush; you do vajra recitation as above, and for the mind objective you hold the wind-energies in kiss connection, you compress the two heroes and the vajra and HOM one into another and meditate to produce the three voids. [Third,] from the Five Stages Simultaneous it is explained that you medi- tate in the heart center of yourself as luminous deity, in the navel of a four petal red lotus, a white drop with a black short A, L194aJ you do vajra recitation as above, and for the mind objective, you aim the mind at the deity body, the lotus petals, and the drop to produce the three voids. Though it teaches you to compress the deity body, lotus petals, drop, and short A one into another, its not setting the dissolving process of those as [equivalent to] the three voids can be understood as an error, by the key of the other two versions. You should produce the three voids through the
Chapter VII- Mind Isolation ? 379
from the letter of the first lotus petal, cultivating vessel and essence, and collecting that into the consonants"; and again, "collecting them into the vowels"; and so on-many different instructions appear, but the real
position is clearly as above.
380 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
three dissolutions as in the previous versions. It seems that the intention here is that you should do vajra recitation until the five signs such as mirage arise, which is excellent.
By the system of these extensive and concise instructions, in devel- oping the mind isolation, it is accomplished by bringing together two arts, the holding of the wind-energies in kiss connection and the compression process of the visualizations. The development of the mind isolation relying on the consort is explained in the Five Stages, not being stated expicitly in the Concise Five Stages or among the personal instructions of Serdingpa, but obvious in the instruction that appears there is the
general way to develop bliss relying on the great seal consort.
Some others who follow Marpa's tradition assert that, without holding the wind-energies in kiss-connection, visualizing the three kinds of letters, practicing vajra recitation in order and purifying the three kinds of instinctual natures, the three wisdoms are created. From the private instructions of Naropa transmitted through Nagtso, in regard to the condition of the mind needing to be realized by combining with bliss, there are two ways; the first is the passionate relying on the lower door, which involves relying on a consort, and [the second] is the dispassionate
relying on the upper door. [ 194bJ
Then there are the three methods to develop bliss, relying on a
garland of letters, on a mere letter, and on no letter. In terms of the first of these, you meditate that, by the light rays radiated from the three kinds of letters in the heart center, the crown HAM melts and fills the heart center, and when bliss develops the energy is taught to be held only for brief intervals; and otherwise there does not seem to be the instructions as before to hold the wind-energies in kiss connection and to visualize the compression process.
Setting forth the correct opinions
The second has two parts: [A'"] Analyzing how are those systems; and [B'") Setting forth the enduring opinion.
? 'VI 8
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I
? -
AnaIyzmg
ow are t 1ose systems hI
As for the wind-energies, to first collect them in the central dhati and dissolve them, you must have the definite vital key of the body.
among thcmj
lVI. 8. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTc"4"c"ii" -
b00 o'J'd'o' ""noon . ,, . . J. . n. c 1 c 4 c 11 A
Chapter VII-MindIsolation ? 381
Having meditated the art of penetrating the vital points in the body through vajra recitation and so on, you inject the wind-energies into the dhati and they dissolve, and you practice by developing the four voids and joys, and then visualize whatever objective and hold the mind [there; then] the wind-energies collect and those experiences as appropriate seem to arise. That occurs by the force of the previous, and it is not certain that there is any imprint of that later objective. Therefore, [though you may] have learned well the vajra recitation, once having learned [a bit about the mind objective], if you hold the visualizations as above explained and those experiences happen to develop, by that reason [alone] one cannot prove that that instruction is the [full] import of those treatises. As for the Five Stages' and Integrated Practices' explanations of the three letters and moon, sun, and vajra as synonyms of the three luminances, they mean that those names are designated to the three lumi- nances of the perfection stage, and that "you should meditate imagining those, as in the creation stage [19. 5aJ you cannot develop the three lumi- nance wisdoms. " Therefore what the mentor Abhijfia asserted is correct, that it does not mean that [you can reach the mind objective just] by meditating through the perfection stage, having set up letters on moon and sun and so on. Even if you cause it to be produced, you must do it in the heart center; if you do it in the navel center, you do not understand the key point of this system. As for statement that "they originate from the intuition of luminance and from radiance. . . ," it indicates that the instinctual natures originate from those [luminance states], and does not teach that the intuitions originate from meditating on letters and so on. By making effort to meditate the letters and the white, red, and black colors of the light rays the objective perceptions arise in those colors; but that is not the way of the arisal of the colors explained in the treatises. Though the Concise Five Stages explains the three sets of letters in order, as illustrative of luminance, radiance, and imminence, it does not need to teach that the intuitions are produced by holding the mind in front of
those letters set up [in visualization). As that text says:
Bind the mind in equanimity,
You will evenly see the wisdom
Of the hub of the wheel in equipoise, And imminence is great void
? 382 ? Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp
-it does not agree with the explanation that you bind the mind from distracting to other objects while visualizing the letter set in the wheel, equilibriating the mind as if it dwelt in the letter; from habituating to that equilibrium. l t95hl the mind enters into the indestructible along with its short A in the hub of the wheel. and the great void is produced from that turning into uniformity of experience.
Therefore. even if you compress the wheel, once you have reached stabilized vivid vision in the letter, first visualize the outer, then com- press into the intermediate, then compress into the inner, and then com- press into the indestructible, and then become habituated to visualizing
that. Or, setting up the letters as above, if you alternate doing that, the compression into the dhati is quick. Whereas if you do not compress into the interior of the dhati but habituate on the outside, the definitive paths of void will not arise, since they emerge from compressing and dissolv- ing into the dhati. From the Concise Five Stages, there is no explanation of holding the wind-energies in kiss connection beyond those of the meditation on the letters and the vajra recitation. Though the Vajra
Rosary often states that "you achieve by the reality of mantra alone ! " - if you meditate knowing the vital points of that, it has the meaning that you achieve even though you do not combine it with any other energy connection .
Here, not having realized the complete vital points of vajra recita- tion, if you think that "if there is no holding the wind-energies in kiss- connection, I won't be able to accomplish the dissolving of the wind- energies into the dhati"; [you are right, as] it is so explained that if if you hold them in kiss-connection it seems you do not realize the key point of this practical instruction; but this does not mean in general that the vajra recitation meditator is at fault if s/he holds the wind-energies in kiss- connection. Here [in mind isolation context,] [ 1 96a] holding in kiss- connection requires that you perform the vase-pressure at the heart center. What is stated in the Vow Arisal, "in first meditating energy- connection, heart-center vase-pressure is a great hindrance," is a message for those who are inexpert in that yoga; if you know what you're doing it is not a big hindrance.
By that explanation of the wind-energy compression process taught in the Wheel Endowed, you can understand also the compression process of the three wheel-less [instructions]. Though it is not sure that the three wisdom-intuitions will be produced immediately in front of the set up of
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 383
the letters, the voids are not posited as occurring from the stages of the descending of the enlightenment spirit from the crown to the jewel. And as for the Marpa tradition personal instruction that the voids are pro- duced from the stages of compression in the heart center, it is the vital point of the word, "consciousness is the support of the compression of life-energy. meditate the wheel of mantra in the heart center"; and this seems to be the unexcelled vital point also of the father and son personal instruction.
[Chandrak. Irti] states in the Illumination of the Lamp that the four signs from mirage to burning candle flame arise from the dissolution one into another of earth, water, fire, wind, and consciousness. It has been explained above how when wind dissolves luminance is produced, which
does not mean that those many signs arise at the time of the three lumi- nances, and so it should be accepted according to [Aryadeva's] explana- tion in the Integrated Practices as expressed in the Concise Five Stages passage :
First the mirage-like experience
Arises with its five light-rays,
Second there is the moon-like luminance,
And third there is embrace by the light of sun; And from the night luminance there is imminence.
[196bl Herenotmentioningthethreesignsotherthanmirageisforthesake of brevity; it can be understood more extensively according to the Further Tantra and other contexts in the Illumination ofthe Lamp. In short, as the previous various systems did not add newly visualizations such as medi- tating letters here in the context of the mind isolation, it is not good to newly add visualizations as arts of developing mind isolation, without examining whether, having first achieved body isolation, you are or are not able to develop how much of the four voids in general by the speech isolation vajra recitation. This is because it would seem to be a case of explaining subtle arts while leaving out the principal of penetrating the vital points in the inner body where mind isolation is developed. The things explained above in the category of the arts of generating bliss through the visualizations given in the private instructions descending from Nagtso seem to be rendered in view of the need of the swift genera-
tion of bliss; nevertheless, they do not seem to convey the import of the authoritative treatises.
384 ? Brilliant Illumination ofthe Lamp
? [VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'dTc"4"c"ii"B"'l'" - The way the wisdoms are pro- duced from outer and inner conditions]
[Nagarjuna states] in the Five Stages:
The mantri/ni staying in vajra recitation
Will attain the mind objective . . .
-that the vajra recitation develops the mind isolation void, but is not explicit about how it develops. [Aryadeva], in the Integrated Practices, states that you will attain mind isolation by abiding in speech isolation and that mind isolation will not arise without speech isolation, but in this context is also not explicit about how that mind isolation arises. However, [197al if you know how to investigate the statements that explain the three [experiences] which you enter in the context of the detailed explanation of speech isolation and those about the arisal of clear light at the conclu- sion when the wind-energies enter the indestructible, you can comprehend how the voids are produced from the vajra recitation's compressing and dissolving the wind-energies into the indestructible; which I have already explained. Further, the Vajra Rosary states often and explicitly how the mind isolation voids are generated from the perspective of the vajra reci-
tation's blocking the circulation of the wind-energies:
By strong application of vajra recitation Having known the nature of wind-energy,
You cut off the instinct-driving wind-energies, And will attain the objective in the mind.
I have already explained how in general the vajra recitation develops the voids. As for the particular boundary whence the mind isolation voids are developed, it is from when, having well released the heart center channel knot, you are able to compress the wind-energies into the heart center indestructible, and it is not before that.
? [VI. B. 3. b. ii. c'3'd'i'c"4"c"ii"o"' -
The second has two parts: [1'"] The way the wisdoms are pro- duced from outer and inner conditions; [2'"] The way such bliss and
Setting forth the enduring opinion]
void are united, and so forth.
Since, from the above quote from the third chapter of the Illumina- tion of the lAmp, "you should meditate always day and night with the yoga of entry, abiding, emergence, and compression," the "yoga of emer- gence, entry, and abiding" is the vajra recitation, the "compression yoga" clearly must be taken to apply to being able to develop the four voids by means of vajra recitation and the indestructible. Naropa's [197bJ private instructions also sometimes mention the development of the voids as "compression yoga. " As for the way of compression, according to the Five Point statement "it is the practice by means of the two contempla- tions," it should be practiced by means of the holistic holding and serial dissolving [samadhis]; since the Lawapa Commentary on Luyipa's Arts ofAchievement explains the compression by serial dissolving from the lower part of the perfection stage, the Personal Instruction also explains through binding the compression by serial dissolving into the heart center indestructible, and there seems to be no difference about that here in this context. Also the private instructions from Naropa as inherited from Nag- tso explain the way to generate mind isolation without any letters, and mantra wheel letters do not appear in the three Concentrated Personal Instructions of the Marpa tradition; thus even in that tradition mantra wheel letters are not indispensable.
If you wonder, "If we take the method of developing the mind iso- lation to be the meditation of the three life-energy controls and the com- pression yoga, will that be sufficient? "
Here the Wisdom Vajra Compendium states:
Uniting the vajra and the lotus serves as the method of mind and mental functions. Uniting mind and mental functions serves as the art of the great bliss samadhi. That is indicated by the simile of magical illusion.
And:
Just as, without thoroughly combining milk and sesa- mum you won't get butter and sesame butter 1 1 "? 1111 ), so. without uniting vajra and lotus which thoroughly com- bine mantrt'/nT and consort, you cannot approach the three
Chapter VII-Mind Isolation ? 385
Well then, you may wonder, are any other visualizations for the compression process needed to develop [the voids] from that boundary,
or are there not?
. ? M6 ? Brilliant Illumination of thr Lamp
consciousnesses. Through such inability to unite vagina
and phallus. the samadhi of great bliss is not discovered.
Here the positive inference is that the three luminances are produced from the union with the consort and the negative inference is that those three are precluded when that union is eliminated. In regard to the "great bliss" mentioned where wisdom is the art of great bliss, [Aryadeva] says in the Integrated Practices that it is the magic body; therefore you need the external consort in order to fully generate the three intuitive wisdoms of mind isolation which are the base for achieving the magic body. As for that import. it is stated in the Five Stages:
Of all magics, woman's magic is most excellent. This clearly marks the distinct three wisdoms- Attachment, detachment, and that between -
All three come from the union of two organs, The connection of vajra and lotus.