Through them }'OU zchieve the
ultimate
powerful attainments of the highest realm of sarhsya.
Wang-ch-ug-Dor-je-Mahamudra-Eliminating-the-Darkness-of-Ignorance
through both the dissolution and rc evolution processes is.
the advanced stage of a single taste.
Now you have attained patience for everything since: (you fully realise) there is no true arising. This. covers the interval between the second and seventh. Bodhisattva stages, although some authors explain that this includes the eighth as well.
There arc numerous ways of defining the twelve yogas. of the Mahamudri classification system of the paths and stages. According to the general explanations found in t h t works of the Third K'am-trill Rinpochc, another less. complex set of definitions is as follows.
The stages of single-pointedness have the achievement. o f mental quiescence. A t its early stage the boons appear alternately, sometimes happening and sometimes not. At the? intermediate stage they come automatically and at the: advanced they arc mixed inseparably with Clear Light even. in dreams.
? ENH. 4NCING YOUR PR. 4CTICE 143?
The stages free of mental fabrication are free of grasp- ing at the mind as having any of the four extreme modes of existence-true existence. total non-existence, both and. neither. The extreme of both refers to grasping at pheno4 mena to have true existence on the relative level and total non-existence ultimately. Although all phenomena have neither true nor total non-existence. the extreme of neither is to grasp conceptpally at this fact as if this mode of existence were a "thing'". At the early stage free of mental fabrica4 tion you rtalisc the mind is void of inherent arising, enduring and ceasing. At the intermediate you have no grasping at either appearance or Voidness. At the advanced stage you cut off completely all over and under-estimation of mentally fabricated modes of existence.
On the stages of a single taste. appearances and the mind become completely mixed. At the early stages all things of a dual nature mix into an equal taste of Voidness. At the intermediate, appearances and the mind arc like water mixed with water. At the advanced you see the arisal of the five types of pristine awareness out of the same taste.
All such definitions are not contradictory and are based. on a meditational master's personal experience.
Funhcrmore, although there arc many distinguishing characteristics between each of the ten Bodhisattva stages, one of them is that at each of the stages you fully perfect one of the ten perftctions (plramitls). Thus on the first it is generosity and then progressively moral discipline,
patience, enthusiastic perseverance. meditative concentration, discriminating wisdom, skilful means, power, prayer ? and pristine awareness. Discriminating wisdom (prajfll; she-rab) is o f V oidness, discriminating between correct and incorrect modes of existence. Pristine awareness (jflina; ye-she) is of the inseparability of the two levels of truth, of appearance and Voidness. Either may sometimes be loosely referrred
to as . . wisdom'".
Now the meditation and post4 meditational states become mixed. (Previously) there were still some
? 144 MAHAMUDRA
taints of grasping at blankness during the post? meditation period. But when this is purified. every- thing becomes purified in the void sphere of all things in which there is nothing to be attained and no one to attain it and in which there is not even the slightest difference of wandering or not wander- ing (from this realisation) in the meditation and post-meditation states. When you are free from all signs of (a dualism of) what is to be meditated upon and who is meditating, this is the early stage of no more meditation. This is the eighth Bodhi-
sattva stage.
At this point it is still possible for there some- times to arise while you are sleeping slight taints of this grasping (at signs of something to meditate upon and someone to meditate). ? When this is purified, and everything becomes the same as the great meditative state of pristine awareness, this is the intermediate stage of no more meditation. This is the ninth and tenth Bodhisattva stages.
Then when the sword of discriminating and pristine awareness cuts from their roots the latent obstacles preventing Omniscience (namely the instincts of all ignorance), then the mother Clear Light, which is the totally pure void sphere of all things, and the child Clear Light, which is mirror- like pristine awareness, become . mixed into one. This is the full transformation into the complete Enlightenment of a Buddha, the state of Unity with nothing more to be learned. It is the advanced stage of no more meditation or Buddhahood.
By travelling through the eighth, ninth and tenth Bodhisattva stages to this eleventh stage (of a
? ENHANCING YOUR PRACTICE l4S
Buddha), the natural purity of the primordial state which is simultaneous (sphere of Voidness and mirror-like pristine awareness) is the Dharmakaya that you have made manifest.
The ? Buddha bodies can be divided into two : the Dharmakiya and Rupakaya, or the Wisdom and Form Bodies. The former is the result of a Buddha's perfect abandonment of all obstacles and fulfils his own purposes. The latter are from his perfect accomplishment of all good qualities and arise from his Bodhicitta in order to ful6. 1 the purposes of others.
Dharmakilya is free of arising, ceasing and enduring. It is the permanent, unconditioned, naturally pure, abiding
nature of the mind and all reality. The pristine awareness of the void sphere of all things sees Voidness. That ~icb is mirror-like reflects all knowable pbenom:na without any obstruction. Thus the Dharmakaya's being the simultaneity of these two pristine awarenesses, the mother and child Clear Lights, is often referred to in other contexts as its being the omniscient mind of a Buddha and the Voidness or that mind.
The natural purity of thought, which is the mini (or sentient aspect) of sentient beings, is the Sambhogalrnya that you have made manifest.
The most common siitra definition or Sambhogakiya. the Utility Body, is that Form Body having five certainties. It bas certainty or (l) form, it always utilises a body having all hundred and twelve maojr and minor signs or a Buddha,. (2) teachings, it always utilises the MahAyAna teachings.
(3) disciples, it always teaches to a circle or Arya Bodhi- sattvas, (4) place, always in pure-land Buddha-fields and (S) time, until the end of sadlslra. Here it is defined as the
natural purity of thought. These two definitions arc not incompatible ?
. Arya Bodhisattvas arc those with a Bodbicitta motiva- tion who have bare, nono(;()nccptual perception of Voidness. By the virtue of such insight, their surrot~:ndi~gs b;,com' a.
? 146 MAHAMUDRA
pure-land Buddha-field. The natural purity of thought is something that only such beings can perceive. Therefore Sambhogakaya is that purity of thought or awareness as \'isible only to Arya Bodhisattvas. If, however, you aro confused about this natural purity, then thoughts deceive you into believing they have true existence and thus you
cannot see Sambhogakilya.
And the natural purity of appearances as objects
under the influence ofcircumstances is the Nirmal)a- k~ya that you have made manifest.
Just as if a floor of lapis lazuli is not polished, the reflection of the God Indra will not appear in it, likewise, if the minds of sentient beings are not pure, they will not see a
Buddha even if one were standing before them. Thus Niwnal)akaya or Emanation Bodies of a Buddha are the natural purity of appearances to the minds of ordinary beings. They appear as phenomena arising from causes and circum-
stances and can be classified into three categories.
Supreme Nirmloaklyas, such as Buddha glkyamuni, have all the major and minor signs and enact the twelve deeds of a Buddha-descent from Tu,ita, birth in a royal family, worldly sport, renunciation, austerities, Enlightenment under the bodhi tree, turning the wheel of Dharma and so forth. If you did not have the merit and purity to seo Sakyamuni as the Buddha, he would appear to you only as
a tall man with big ears. If you have the purity of mind, your Guru will appear to you as a Buddha.
Ordinarily appearing Nirmloakiiyas are emanations as monkeys, birds and so forth for specific purposes to teach specific sentient beings. Certain Nirmloakiyas appear as master artists, physicians, musicians and so forth to teach through their particular media. Thus the pure appearance of a Nirmll)akiiya depends on the purity of the mind of the beholder. ?
The effortless virtuous conduct for the sake of othres done without any thought by either these three Buddha bodies or a variety of bodies is beyond all im'! gination. As it effortlessly fulfils the purposes
? ENHANCING YOUR. PR. t4CTICE
of all sentient beings as extensive as the infinitude of space and does so until all of samsara has been emptied, this is the ultimate good quality.
There are many ways of enumerating and defining the Buddha bodies. In general tantra teachings, the enlightened body, speech and mind are explained as NirmaQakaya, Sam- bhogakaya and Dharmakiya, respectively. In some systems in addition to the four usual bodies there are the Vajrakaya or Adamantine Body of the immutability of Enlightenment,
the Jnanakaya or Body of Pristine Awareness and so forth. But regardless of bow many bodies are described, their virtuous conduct (samudacara; tr'in-IA) in helping sentient
beings is the same.
A Buddha is free of all thought, of all conceptual pro-
cesses. He knows everything through bare perception. Thus when he helps others, he does so spontaneously without any thought. His virtuous conduct, therefore, is effortless. This is because while a Buddha was still on the paths to Enlightenment he made innumerable prayers to be able to benefit all sentient beings. His ability to do so once enlightened is the result of these prayers and requires no further conscious effort or thoughts. Just as a cloud has no thoughts to benefit crops and yet when it rains this automatically happens, likewise a Buddha benefits all beings.
There are several aspects of a Buddha's virtuous conduct, known as liberation through seeing, through hearing, recalling and being touched. Thus by merely seeing a Buddha, bearing his words, recalling them or being touched by his hand, you can become liberated from suffering. This docs not mean that this comes about magically and you need not do anything on your own part. Such an isntantaneous liberation may occur in extremely rare cases due to the person's enormous previous accumla- tion of merit. But more usually such a seeing and so forth plants a seed of karmic association with Enlightenment and inspires you to strive towards this state.
All such things happen, however, with no conscious effort on the part of the Buddha. For instance, the n:er:
? 148 MAHAMUDR
sight of His Holiness the Dalai Lama can fill you with inspiration to practise the Dharma, with His Holiness not needing to do anything on his part. The shipa or monument in Bodh Gaya where Sakyamuni Buddha manifested Enlightenment has no thoughts and makes no efforts, yet most people who see it are moved to circumambulate it and inspired to religious thoughts.
The classic example for how liberation through seeing and hearing operate are in terms of the god lndra. lndra sits in his heavenly crystal palace and without doing anything his appearance is reflected on aU the facets of its walls. People on earth see his beautiful reflection and are inspired to work to achieve his state. Likewise, lndra bas a heavenly drum, the sound of which is so moving that people develop profound insights from merely bearing it.
Thus just as the sun and moon have no intentions to benefit people, a Buddha fulfils the aims of others effortlessly through his virtuous conduct and without any thought.
These, then, are the benefits derived from the preliminary practices all the way up to the stage of no more meditation. If you exert effort in develop- ing these (attainments) one after the other, not letting the ones you have developed decline but ever increasing them, these benefits will come about. Increasing your enthusiasm like this and practising is the sixth point (for enhancing your practice).
? Concluding Definitions
Therefore, ultimately and primordially from the beginning everyone has their own share of what is known as the very nature of the mind itself, the very nature of things or the Mah-a:mudni: Great Seal of Voidness and (there is no difference) except
for whether or not you realise its two purities.
The very nature of the mind itself is also known as the Buddha-nature. Its two purities are the natural one of this abiding nature-it is primordially pure from time immemorial-and the purity achieved when the fleeting taints obscuring it have been removed. This is like polished gold having the two-fold purity of its natural condition as
well as that achieved when all tarnish has been removed. That which each being possesses as his share is the basis (Mahamudrn). On (the basis of) this you place yourself into the meditations on the paths, and the very nature of the mind itself during the period up to the tenth Bodhisattva stage is the path (Mah-a:mudr-a:). Then when you have awakened from the sleep of unawareness or ignorance, the realised ultimate pure nature of reality is known as
the fruit Mah-a:mudm.
The basis, path and fruit MahAmudrlls are intere dependent and cannot exist alone, just as is the case with a child, adult and old man. You cannot be an old man iC you have never been a child or an adult. Likewise tho
? 1JO MAHAMUDR. . I
fruit 1\? fahamudra comes about through the basis und path ones.
T o see the actual pure abiding nature o f reality and be free of all (notions of) objects to be grasped and consciousness to grasp them is the (Mah~mudra:) view. To meditate on the meaning ofthis (view) without any mental wandering is (Mahamudni} meditation.
You need u unity of correct view and meditation. To have the latter without the former is like being a blind man on an open plain. You can go nowhere. To have just the correct view but not to meditate is like being a miser ; your knowledge is of no benefit to yourselr or others. But with both y0u have two wings to fly to Enlightenment.
To cultivate whichever of the four activities is appropriate and to do so completely free ofall (notions of) something to be done and someone to do it is (Mah~mudr~) activity.
These four are the activity that is all? good, the hidden one, that of being in crowds and that which brings victory in all directions, as explained above.
And to be free of aU (notions of) something to be meditated upon and someone to medibte and to have no expectations or worries such as fearing you will fall down into sarhs~ra or wishing Y''U would rise up to the at! ainment of Buddhahood is the (Mahamudra) result. When you have realised in this way the meaning of the (Mahamudra) view, meditation, activity and result, you should enhance your enthusiastic effort.
Have fervent regard and loving respect for your Gurus, with complete faith, totally putting yourself into it. Turn away from obsessions by freeing yourself from compulsive attraction to sarhs~ra
? and this life. Rely at all times on being min
not to have any mental wanderings. Have short term plans and execute them straight up and down like a bellows. Whenever such attitudes arise such as wishing to save face or thoughts about this life or the eight worldly feelings, which are all? unneces- sary, smooth them out. Forcefully cut the rope of your selfish concern for this life. And whatever you develop in meditation, do not be blasf about, but exert effort to cultivate it at all times.
Thus you need always to be mindful and alert. If you learn to read and write, what use are they if you do not practise ? If you acquire a precious object and do not take care of it it, will become ruined or lost.
Although there are many diflerences between a ftash experience and an insight, (in general) if the meditator feels there is his own mind (on the one hand and on the other) the object of his meditation, namely blissful, clear, bare non-conceptual Voidness, which he is meditating upon or experiencing, this is a flash experience.
It should be noted that the same technical term is used for flash experiences and the boons. They are steeped with belief in duality and, though beautiful and alluring, are as impermanent as the flowers in a mountain meadow. Insights, on the other hand, are more solid and stable.
I f you realise with bare perception and not just presumption that there is no dualism of a meditator and something meditated upon, this is an insight. Therefore, having differentiated between a flash experience or boon and an insight, place yourself in a state in which you are not obsessed with these (boons) and do not hold them as being supreme. Then cultivate them with effort at all times. This is important.
? IS2 MAHAMUDRA
Although the boons are not supreme. they are the basis for penetrative insight. Therefore by intensifying and cultivating them with no attachment. insights will definitely follow. ?
Of the four seals, the seal ofactivities is the path for those of duller wits. Through it you achieve
the powerful attainments of the Desire Realm.
There are many levels of meaning to the four seals. Here the seal of activities, karmamudra. refers to practising (I) the peaceful actions to pacify sickness and interferences. (2) those to increase your life span. good qualities and merit. (3) those to gain power over the clements and (4) the wrathful ones to eliminate harm, obstacles and hindrances. As a result ofthese you can gain good health. long iife, wealth, power and so forth. which are the powerful attainments of the Desire Realm.
The seal of commitments and that of the Dharma are the paths for those of middling wits.
Through them }'OU zchieve the ultimate powerful attainments of the highest realm of sarhsya. Akani~tha Heaven or Wog-min, that which is not beneath
anything else.
The seal of commitments. samayamudri, is the keeping of the vows and commitments of the various Buddha- families. The seal of Dharma, dharmamudrA, is visualising yourself as a meditational deity. To apply these without the realisation of Voidness can only bring you to the peak of samsara, but not to Enlightenment. You can achieve the common powerful attainments of extra-sensory and physical powers and so forth, but not the &upreme one.
But the Great Seal ofVoidness (Mah~mudr~) is the path for those of sharpest wits. It is the methcd for achieving the supreme powerful attain-
ment (of Enlightenment).
Therefore by applying all four seals progressively to
your practice, you will reach the fully enlightened ~tate of a Buddha.
? ENHANCING YOUR PRACTICE 153
(Mah'lmudri is) the inseparability of appearance and Voidness, bliss and Voidness, awareness and Voidness, clarity and Voidness, free from all extremes of mentally fabricated modes of existence (that it is truly existent, totally non-existent, both or neither). It is not something that can be shown by a Guru, intellectually understood by a disciple, or made intelligible through words. It is free from all notions that it is this and not that. It is a Great Bliss that is experienced although it cannot be identified (as this or that). There is nothing that it does not pervade, either appearances, existence,
samsvaorNifV'I~. Itisthegreatstatebeyondthe intellect (or the conventional mind). The simul- taneity of mind, thought and the Dharmaka:ya has been the case from beginningless time. But because it is not understood, the Gurus explain with their oral teachings that (these three) must be blended into one as an inseparable unity. This is known as the Mah'lmudr'l of the simultaneously arisen and merged.
When you blend the mind, thought and Dharmakiya. it is not like mixing flour and cement, but rather like pouring water into water. The nature of thought is the same as the nature of the mind : they arc both Dharmakaya. Thoughts, though deceptive. are not to be abandoned nor should you strive to establish their cessation. By recognising their nature. they become purified and you realise the Dharmakaya and are a Buddha. When you do not understand them. you arc deceived about thoughts and ar~ a sentient being.
Thoughts, mind and Dharmakiiya have been simultaneous from beginningless time. If you ask which came first, deception or Enlightenment, this is the same as the proverbial question. ? 'Which came first, the chicken or
? 154 MAH. . IMUDR,I
the egg ? " It is not that first you bad Enligbtenment and then you became unaware of it, nor is it that first you were unaware and then became enlightened. They arc simultaneous and beginningless. Yet, a Buddha bas no thought and no deception. What does this mean 1
Thought is pervasive with Dharmakaya, therefore you cannot say that a Buddha bas abandoned thought, since this would imply he has abandoned Dharmakaya. But since a Buddha recognises thought as the Dharmakaya, thoughts do not arise on his mind-stream and all his activity and manifestations are non-conceptual, spontaneous virtuous conduct without any thought.
From the lineage that has passed from Vajradhara to Tilopa, Na:ropa, Marpa, Mi? la ra-pa and then to Gam-po-pa, the lineage of meditational methods deriving from (direct disciples) of Gam-po-pa are the Mahamudras of the Zhang, Ba-rom and
Dr'i-k'ung Ka-gyu, this latter being the lineage from P'ag-mo dr'u-pa. (Those deriving from direct disciples of P'ag-mo dr'u-pa are) the Mahamudra of the Tag-lung, Cha:n-nga, Mar-ye, Shub-se-wa, Tr'o-p'u, Ya-zang and Drug-pa Ka-gyu, this latter being the lineage from Ling-ra:-pa and Gya-ra-pa. But in particuiar there is the Mahamudra of the especially distinguished Kar-ma kam-tsang Ka-gyu which has the undeclined moisture of the breath of the I;>akims and the undeclined warmth of the blessings of the unbroken lineage from Gam-po-pa through (the First Kar-ma-pa) D'u-sum ky'en-pa down to my Guru(the Fifth Zha-mar Rinpoche) Kon- ch'og yan-lag. Jt has a lineage that Cl'mbines into one the special features of all the many, diffuse M:1hamudra teachings. Known as the Maha:mudf1[ of the simultaneou"ily arisen and merged, the source of all good qualities, it is as famous in the world
? ENHANCING YOUR PRACTICE }. ,. ,.
as the sun and the moon. If you practise it conscientiously, it is certain that you will automati- cally develop experiences and insights. Practising in
this way is the seventh point (for enhancing your practice).
? Author's Colophon
Without compiling scriptural quotations and so forth, I have explained this by taking as the main thing recognising the nature of the mind, while pointing a finger directly at the practice. Although I have no experience myself, I, Mi-p'am ch'U-wang
-or Vajre? vara (the Ninth Kar-ma-pa Wang-ch'ug dor-je, 15~6-1603), having borrowed in accordance ? with the words of the previous Gurus, have written this text in Zho-ka-wor House during my medi- tation sessions at the insistent request of the Sam-de Lama Rab-jam ma-wa Sam-tp kun-ga. It has
twenty, twenty-two or twenty-five meditation topics.
By the virtue of this may I and all other motherly sentient beings tum sincerely away from -obsessive attraction to the desirable objects of the senses and sec the nature of the mind. Shubham
. astu sarvajagatam, may all the world be pure.
This text has been rxplaioed with oral commentary bf the Third Jam-yang Ky'en-tze wang-po Rinpocbe, Kar-ma drub-gyii tan-pa yar-p'el gyur-mc g'o-cb'a tr'in-11 kon- ky'ab ptil-zang-po, in accoJdance with the tracbings ofhia Guru, His Holiness the Sixteenth Kar-ma-pa, Rang-j'ung rig-pai dor-je. It bas been translated into English and coUtpiled by Alexander Berzin, and was taught in Tibetan
a t Bodh Gaya, India, between December 1976 and January 1977.
? TWO:
FIFTY STANZAS OF GlJBll-BBYOTION
("GurupaiiC'I? iq", "Bia-ma lnga-bcu-pa")
by Arya4nra
with commentary given orally by Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey
? Preface
"fifty Stanzas of Guru-devotion" ("Gurupai\cf? ikl") was written in about the first century B. C. by A5vagho$a. This Indian poet was known by many names, such as Arya? Qra, MAtrceta, Patrceta, Maticitra and Bhavideva, and was a con- temporary of King Kani,ka of the Ku,an Dynasty. Having previously been a strong non-Buddhist. believer, he became an extremely devout follower of the Buddhas' path writing many works on its various aspects.
SAkyamuni Buddha lived about four centuries before A~vagho$a. He taught sQtras dealing with meditative practices for attaining Liberation and Enlightenment and, in the form of Buddha Vajradhara, Mahamudrl and the tantras covering spee:lier, yet more dangerous methods for achieving this latter goal. Success in following either the Stltr~Ana or Tintrayana path depends solely on your Guru-devotion, for Buddha indicated in the "Saddhar~apur:ujarJka Siitra" (II, 124) and in the "Kye
dor Sbi-gyU dor-jei g'ur," an explanatory work to the "Hevajra Tantra", that in future times of degeneration be would take the form of Gurus. At such times Gurus should be respected the same as the Buddhas, for they will be their living representatives.
Guru-devotion involves both your thoughts and your actions. The most important thing is to develop the total conviction that your Guru is a Buddha. Such a conviction is a prerequisite for receiving any insight. If you are aiming to benefit yourself and overcome all suffering with the attainment of Liberation, or reach the perfected state of aFully Enlightened Buddha so that you can help liberate others, your Guru can only show you the way if he himself has already achieved these accomplishments. If you doubt your Guru's competence and abitity to guide you,
? 160 MAHAMUDRA
your practices will be extremely unstable and you will be unable to make any concrete progress. You must have full confidence that it is possible to become Enlightened, that your Guru is living proof of this, and that by following Buddha's teachings as
be instructs, you can achieve the same. ? only then will it be possible to gain any benefits from the practices.
Seeing only good qualities in your Guru, therefore, is the way to develop these qualities yourself. Normally most people arc blind to their own shortcomings, while the faults of others shine out clearly. But if you did not possess these same faults yourself, you would be unable to recognise them in others. If there are two pieces of fruit, one ripe and one rotten, and the
person next to you takes the ripe one, it is only due to your own greed that you accuse him of being greedy and selfish. If you were unattached to the fruit, it would not matter to you which one he took-you would simply sec him as having taken
a piece of fruit.
Likewise, if you can train yourself to see only good qualities llDd never any faults in your Guru, this positive outlook will come io pervade, amplify and reflect your own state of mind. As everyone has the basis Mahamudri or Buddha-nature within him-the clear, uncontaminated state of pure mind established without any true independent existence-then if you can see your Guru in terms of a Buddha, you have the possibility of activa- ting and realising your own Buddha-nature, that is achieving the resultant Mahamudri. If you see only faults, you merely rein- force your own shortcomings and negative attitude, whereu
if you see only perfection, you will be able to attain the perfec? tion of Buddhahood yourself. Therefore one of the main practices of Guru-yoga, particulary in Mahimudri and the tantra, is to realise the inseparability of your own mind with your Guru, the Buddhas and your meditational deity, who is a pure form manifestation of the Enlightened mind. Thus Guru-
devotion is the root of all attainments.
If your Guru acts in a seemingly unenlightendcd manner and you feel it would be hypocritical to think him a Buddha, you should remember that your own opinions are unreliable and the
apparent faults you see may only be a reflection of your own deluded state of mind. Also you should think that if your Guru
? acted in a completely perfect manner, be would be inaccessible and you would be unable to relate to him. It is therefore out of your Guru's great compassion that be may show apparent flaws. This is part of his use of skilful means in order for him to be able to teach you. He is mirroring your own faults; therefore check within and learn from him how to remove your short- comings. If you are only intent on criticising your Guru, you will never be able to benefit from him.
It was Buddha VajradhAra himself who said that your Guru is to be seen as a Buddha. Therefore if you have faith and take refuge in the Buddhist teachings, you will try to understand what Buddha meant by this statement. Buddhas exert a great positive influence on the world in the same way as does the sun. But just as a magnifying glass is needed to focus the rays of the sun in order for tinder to catch fire, so too a Guru is required to focus the Buddhas' virtuous conduct into a disciple's mind-stream and inspire him to follow a spiritnal path. Thus as living eJtamples representing the Buddhas, Gurus carry on the work of all the Enlightened Beings, acting as an accessible focal
point for your practices to gain Buddhahood yourself.
Through devotion to your Guru, showing him respect, sowing him and making offerings, you build up the merit that will allow you to become liberated from ? au your suffering. Such service is done not to benefit your Guru, but for your own sake. When
you plant seeds in a field, it is not to benefit the earth. It is -you yourself who will harvest the crops. Therefore with the proper devotional attitude towards your Guru-seeing him as a Buddha-the more positive energy you exert in his direction, the closer you come towards Buddhahood yourself. Likewise, if you hate your Guru and generate negative energy towards him, you are deliberately casting yourself away from his state of Enlightenment and its freedom from pain. As a
result you bring intense suffering upon yourself. Therefore if you see faults in your Guru and tend to belittle him, remember your opinions are unreliable and only unhappiness can result from despising the state of happiness be represents.
Remembering your Guru's kindne~s to teach you during tbis degenerate age after Sakyamuni Buddha bas passed away, you must develop loving respect for him. You Guru teaches
GURU-DEVOTION 161
? 162 MAHAMUDRA
you despite your delusions and does not force you to undergo such hardships as Je-tziln Mi-la rli-pa and others have had to endure in the past. He. gives you initiations, oral teachings and tr~nsmits the unbroken lineages coming from Buddha. He inspires you to attain his state and helps you materially when you need it. If you lack loving respect for, your Guru, it is impossible to become Enlightened. If you do not have respect for the state of Buddhabood he
represen~s. how can you attain it ?
These various aspects of devoting yourself to your Guru by
means of your thoughts are taught extensively in such texts as the "GaQI;lavyuha Siltra". These points and their scriptural references are found in detail in the "Lam-rim ch'en-mo" by Je Tzong-k'a-pa. The "Gurupaiicll? ikA" by A~vagh0$8 is the most comprehensive summary of bow to devote yourself to your Guru by means of your actions. lts scriptural sources are a wide range of tantric texts, including the "Guhyasamllja", "Kalacakra", "Cakruarlwara", "V ajra4ikinl" and "Vajra~ hrdayilamkara Tantras". The specific tantric sources for each verse are given in the "La-ma nga-cbu-pl nam-~hi", a ccm- mentary on this text also by Je Tzong-k'a-pa.
For the study and practice of tantra, Guru-devotion is even more essential and receives more emphasis than in the sQtra path. This is because the tantric practices are extremely difficult and complicated. I f done correctly they can bring you Buddha- hood within your lifetime, but if done improperly they may be
very dangerous and bring you extremely dire consequences. Therefore the direct personal gtsidance of a Guru is indispens~ able. As the "Gurupaikli? ika" outlines specifically how a disciple should act with his Guru, it is the custom to teach this text be- fore giving any tantric enpowerment or initiation. Once a Guru? disciple relationship is established, the disciple is taught Guru- devotion and the common path of renunciation of the suffering of satilsara, the Enlightened Motive of Bodhicitta and the correct view of Voidness (SilnyatA). Then after receiving the proper enpowerments, he can be led gradually through the stages o( tantra on the firm foundation of his Guru-devotion and the above "Three Principal Paths",
? Text
Homage_tothe. J;lhagflV. JO Va. Jrasattva.
Bhagavan is one of the man. Y epithet~ used for an Enlight? ened Being, a Buddha. The Tibetan term for it, "Chom-din-da (tiCom? 'lnan~? aas)". -ts etymologised- . ai fbua1t. _ . -'(:hom'" means'- :tb dvetcdJtlb. ,_Buddbas! l h~'lei ? DvJ:fCOJDO: hQth the ob! ltileleS' p. ioventin$: Li. betat. iP. ~: ~o4? . ,tJ\q(IA J:d~ttventing Omnbcienc;c;. Th~formor,. . jpcbs~e. tbc ddu~tU>ns-. o. r-. mQraland me. D~Al de~ffl~llt~ 0\IC. ~ill? as well 's the. ! r_ . ? nst. )pctp? . and the ignoranceofgraspingfortrue? indepen~eilfex1sten. ce. 'llielatter refers _to the instincts of thi$'fgnorance; 'Dllb 'm-ean- to possess. Blid'dlia'S) ~SC! iS' a1l good. qualitie! lr. llll"'inf oompleted 'their aetU'nttihttlon~? of1? botl1? meritnantl1ih~iglit? M:! sotfltlg ialllitf~FtWD\1 and' wi~dottt BBdi~s respectiVelY=. - . ,Bfi? ?
Now you have attained patience for everything since: (you fully realise) there is no true arising. This. covers the interval between the second and seventh. Bodhisattva stages, although some authors explain that this includes the eighth as well.
There arc numerous ways of defining the twelve yogas. of the Mahamudri classification system of the paths and stages. According to the general explanations found in t h t works of the Third K'am-trill Rinpochc, another less. complex set of definitions is as follows.
The stages of single-pointedness have the achievement. o f mental quiescence. A t its early stage the boons appear alternately, sometimes happening and sometimes not. At the? intermediate stage they come automatically and at the: advanced they arc mixed inseparably with Clear Light even. in dreams.
? ENH. 4NCING YOUR PR. 4CTICE 143?
The stages free of mental fabrication are free of grasp- ing at the mind as having any of the four extreme modes of existence-true existence. total non-existence, both and. neither. The extreme of both refers to grasping at pheno4 mena to have true existence on the relative level and total non-existence ultimately. Although all phenomena have neither true nor total non-existence. the extreme of neither is to grasp conceptpally at this fact as if this mode of existence were a "thing'". At the early stage free of mental fabrica4 tion you rtalisc the mind is void of inherent arising, enduring and ceasing. At the intermediate you have no grasping at either appearance or Voidness. At the advanced stage you cut off completely all over and under-estimation of mentally fabricated modes of existence.
On the stages of a single taste. appearances and the mind become completely mixed. At the early stages all things of a dual nature mix into an equal taste of Voidness. At the intermediate, appearances and the mind arc like water mixed with water. At the advanced you see the arisal of the five types of pristine awareness out of the same taste.
All such definitions are not contradictory and are based. on a meditational master's personal experience.
Funhcrmore, although there arc many distinguishing characteristics between each of the ten Bodhisattva stages, one of them is that at each of the stages you fully perfect one of the ten perftctions (plramitls). Thus on the first it is generosity and then progressively moral discipline,
patience, enthusiastic perseverance. meditative concentration, discriminating wisdom, skilful means, power, prayer ? and pristine awareness. Discriminating wisdom (prajfll; she-rab) is o f V oidness, discriminating between correct and incorrect modes of existence. Pristine awareness (jflina; ye-she) is of the inseparability of the two levels of truth, of appearance and Voidness. Either may sometimes be loosely referrred
to as . . wisdom'".
Now the meditation and post4 meditational states become mixed. (Previously) there were still some
? 144 MAHAMUDRA
taints of grasping at blankness during the post? meditation period. But when this is purified. every- thing becomes purified in the void sphere of all things in which there is nothing to be attained and no one to attain it and in which there is not even the slightest difference of wandering or not wander- ing (from this realisation) in the meditation and post-meditation states. When you are free from all signs of (a dualism of) what is to be meditated upon and who is meditating, this is the early stage of no more meditation. This is the eighth Bodhi-
sattva stage.
At this point it is still possible for there some- times to arise while you are sleeping slight taints of this grasping (at signs of something to meditate upon and someone to meditate). ? When this is purified, and everything becomes the same as the great meditative state of pristine awareness, this is the intermediate stage of no more meditation. This is the ninth and tenth Bodhisattva stages.
Then when the sword of discriminating and pristine awareness cuts from their roots the latent obstacles preventing Omniscience (namely the instincts of all ignorance), then the mother Clear Light, which is the totally pure void sphere of all things, and the child Clear Light, which is mirror- like pristine awareness, become . mixed into one. This is the full transformation into the complete Enlightenment of a Buddha, the state of Unity with nothing more to be learned. It is the advanced stage of no more meditation or Buddhahood.
By travelling through the eighth, ninth and tenth Bodhisattva stages to this eleventh stage (of a
? ENHANCING YOUR PRACTICE l4S
Buddha), the natural purity of the primordial state which is simultaneous (sphere of Voidness and mirror-like pristine awareness) is the Dharmakaya that you have made manifest.
The ? Buddha bodies can be divided into two : the Dharmakiya and Rupakaya, or the Wisdom and Form Bodies. The former is the result of a Buddha's perfect abandonment of all obstacles and fulfils his own purposes. The latter are from his perfect accomplishment of all good qualities and arise from his Bodhicitta in order to ful6. 1 the purposes of others.
Dharmakilya is free of arising, ceasing and enduring. It is the permanent, unconditioned, naturally pure, abiding
nature of the mind and all reality. The pristine awareness of the void sphere of all things sees Voidness. That ~icb is mirror-like reflects all knowable pbenom:na without any obstruction. Thus the Dharmakaya's being the simultaneity of these two pristine awarenesses, the mother and child Clear Lights, is often referred to in other contexts as its being the omniscient mind of a Buddha and the Voidness or that mind.
The natural purity of thought, which is the mini (or sentient aspect) of sentient beings, is the Sambhogalrnya that you have made manifest.
The most common siitra definition or Sambhogakiya. the Utility Body, is that Form Body having five certainties. It bas certainty or (l) form, it always utilises a body having all hundred and twelve maojr and minor signs or a Buddha,. (2) teachings, it always utilises the MahAyAna teachings.
(3) disciples, it always teaches to a circle or Arya Bodhi- sattvas, (4) place, always in pure-land Buddha-fields and (S) time, until the end of sadlslra. Here it is defined as the
natural purity of thought. These two definitions arc not incompatible ?
. Arya Bodhisattvas arc those with a Bodbicitta motiva- tion who have bare, nono(;()nccptual perception of Voidness. By the virtue of such insight, their surrot~:ndi~gs b;,com' a.
? 146 MAHAMUDRA
pure-land Buddha-field. The natural purity of thought is something that only such beings can perceive. Therefore Sambhogakaya is that purity of thought or awareness as \'isible only to Arya Bodhisattvas. If, however, you aro confused about this natural purity, then thoughts deceive you into believing they have true existence and thus you
cannot see Sambhogakilya.
And the natural purity of appearances as objects
under the influence ofcircumstances is the Nirmal)a- k~ya that you have made manifest.
Just as if a floor of lapis lazuli is not polished, the reflection of the God Indra will not appear in it, likewise, if the minds of sentient beings are not pure, they will not see a
Buddha even if one were standing before them. Thus Niwnal)akaya or Emanation Bodies of a Buddha are the natural purity of appearances to the minds of ordinary beings. They appear as phenomena arising from causes and circum-
stances and can be classified into three categories.
Supreme Nirmloaklyas, such as Buddha glkyamuni, have all the major and minor signs and enact the twelve deeds of a Buddha-descent from Tu,ita, birth in a royal family, worldly sport, renunciation, austerities, Enlightenment under the bodhi tree, turning the wheel of Dharma and so forth. If you did not have the merit and purity to seo Sakyamuni as the Buddha, he would appear to you only as
a tall man with big ears. If you have the purity of mind, your Guru will appear to you as a Buddha.
Ordinarily appearing Nirmloakiiyas are emanations as monkeys, birds and so forth for specific purposes to teach specific sentient beings. Certain Nirmloakiyas appear as master artists, physicians, musicians and so forth to teach through their particular media. Thus the pure appearance of a Nirmll)akiiya depends on the purity of the mind of the beholder. ?
The effortless virtuous conduct for the sake of othres done without any thought by either these three Buddha bodies or a variety of bodies is beyond all im'! gination. As it effortlessly fulfils the purposes
? ENHANCING YOUR. PR. t4CTICE
of all sentient beings as extensive as the infinitude of space and does so until all of samsara has been emptied, this is the ultimate good quality.
There are many ways of enumerating and defining the Buddha bodies. In general tantra teachings, the enlightened body, speech and mind are explained as NirmaQakaya, Sam- bhogakaya and Dharmakiya, respectively. In some systems in addition to the four usual bodies there are the Vajrakaya or Adamantine Body of the immutability of Enlightenment,
the Jnanakaya or Body of Pristine Awareness and so forth. But regardless of bow many bodies are described, their virtuous conduct (samudacara; tr'in-IA) in helping sentient
beings is the same.
A Buddha is free of all thought, of all conceptual pro-
cesses. He knows everything through bare perception. Thus when he helps others, he does so spontaneously without any thought. His virtuous conduct, therefore, is effortless. This is because while a Buddha was still on the paths to Enlightenment he made innumerable prayers to be able to benefit all sentient beings. His ability to do so once enlightened is the result of these prayers and requires no further conscious effort or thoughts. Just as a cloud has no thoughts to benefit crops and yet when it rains this automatically happens, likewise a Buddha benefits all beings.
There are several aspects of a Buddha's virtuous conduct, known as liberation through seeing, through hearing, recalling and being touched. Thus by merely seeing a Buddha, bearing his words, recalling them or being touched by his hand, you can become liberated from suffering. This docs not mean that this comes about magically and you need not do anything on your own part. Such an isntantaneous liberation may occur in extremely rare cases due to the person's enormous previous accumla- tion of merit. But more usually such a seeing and so forth plants a seed of karmic association with Enlightenment and inspires you to strive towards this state.
All such things happen, however, with no conscious effort on the part of the Buddha. For instance, the n:er:
? 148 MAHAMUDR
sight of His Holiness the Dalai Lama can fill you with inspiration to practise the Dharma, with His Holiness not needing to do anything on his part. The shipa or monument in Bodh Gaya where Sakyamuni Buddha manifested Enlightenment has no thoughts and makes no efforts, yet most people who see it are moved to circumambulate it and inspired to religious thoughts.
The classic example for how liberation through seeing and hearing operate are in terms of the god lndra. lndra sits in his heavenly crystal palace and without doing anything his appearance is reflected on aU the facets of its walls. People on earth see his beautiful reflection and are inspired to work to achieve his state. Likewise, lndra bas a heavenly drum, the sound of which is so moving that people develop profound insights from merely bearing it.
Thus just as the sun and moon have no intentions to benefit people, a Buddha fulfils the aims of others effortlessly through his virtuous conduct and without any thought.
These, then, are the benefits derived from the preliminary practices all the way up to the stage of no more meditation. If you exert effort in develop- ing these (attainments) one after the other, not letting the ones you have developed decline but ever increasing them, these benefits will come about. Increasing your enthusiasm like this and practising is the sixth point (for enhancing your practice).
? Concluding Definitions
Therefore, ultimately and primordially from the beginning everyone has their own share of what is known as the very nature of the mind itself, the very nature of things or the Mah-a:mudni: Great Seal of Voidness and (there is no difference) except
for whether or not you realise its two purities.
The very nature of the mind itself is also known as the Buddha-nature. Its two purities are the natural one of this abiding nature-it is primordially pure from time immemorial-and the purity achieved when the fleeting taints obscuring it have been removed. This is like polished gold having the two-fold purity of its natural condition as
well as that achieved when all tarnish has been removed. That which each being possesses as his share is the basis (Mahamudrn). On (the basis of) this you place yourself into the meditations on the paths, and the very nature of the mind itself during the period up to the tenth Bodhisattva stage is the path (Mah-a:mudr-a:). Then when you have awakened from the sleep of unawareness or ignorance, the realised ultimate pure nature of reality is known as
the fruit Mah-a:mudm.
The basis, path and fruit MahAmudrlls are intere dependent and cannot exist alone, just as is the case with a child, adult and old man. You cannot be an old man iC you have never been a child or an adult. Likewise tho
? 1JO MAHAMUDR. . I
fruit 1\? fahamudra comes about through the basis und path ones.
T o see the actual pure abiding nature o f reality and be free of all (notions of) objects to be grasped and consciousness to grasp them is the (Mah~mudra:) view. To meditate on the meaning ofthis (view) without any mental wandering is (Mahamudni} meditation.
You need u unity of correct view and meditation. To have the latter without the former is like being a blind man on an open plain. You can go nowhere. To have just the correct view but not to meditate is like being a miser ; your knowledge is of no benefit to yourselr or others. But with both y0u have two wings to fly to Enlightenment.
To cultivate whichever of the four activities is appropriate and to do so completely free ofall (notions of) something to be done and someone to do it is (Mah~mudr~) activity.
These four are the activity that is all? good, the hidden one, that of being in crowds and that which brings victory in all directions, as explained above.
And to be free of aU (notions of) something to be meditated upon and someone to medibte and to have no expectations or worries such as fearing you will fall down into sarhs~ra or wishing Y''U would rise up to the at! ainment of Buddhahood is the (Mahamudra) result. When you have realised in this way the meaning of the (Mahamudra) view, meditation, activity and result, you should enhance your enthusiastic effort.
Have fervent regard and loving respect for your Gurus, with complete faith, totally putting yourself into it. Turn away from obsessions by freeing yourself from compulsive attraction to sarhs~ra
? and this life. Rely at all times on being min
not to have any mental wanderings. Have short term plans and execute them straight up and down like a bellows. Whenever such attitudes arise such as wishing to save face or thoughts about this life or the eight worldly feelings, which are all? unneces- sary, smooth them out. Forcefully cut the rope of your selfish concern for this life. And whatever you develop in meditation, do not be blasf about, but exert effort to cultivate it at all times.
Thus you need always to be mindful and alert. If you learn to read and write, what use are they if you do not practise ? If you acquire a precious object and do not take care of it it, will become ruined or lost.
Although there are many diflerences between a ftash experience and an insight, (in general) if the meditator feels there is his own mind (on the one hand and on the other) the object of his meditation, namely blissful, clear, bare non-conceptual Voidness, which he is meditating upon or experiencing, this is a flash experience.
It should be noted that the same technical term is used for flash experiences and the boons. They are steeped with belief in duality and, though beautiful and alluring, are as impermanent as the flowers in a mountain meadow. Insights, on the other hand, are more solid and stable.
I f you realise with bare perception and not just presumption that there is no dualism of a meditator and something meditated upon, this is an insight. Therefore, having differentiated between a flash experience or boon and an insight, place yourself in a state in which you are not obsessed with these (boons) and do not hold them as being supreme. Then cultivate them with effort at all times. This is important.
? IS2 MAHAMUDRA
Although the boons are not supreme. they are the basis for penetrative insight. Therefore by intensifying and cultivating them with no attachment. insights will definitely follow. ?
Of the four seals, the seal ofactivities is the path for those of duller wits. Through it you achieve
the powerful attainments of the Desire Realm.
There are many levels of meaning to the four seals. Here the seal of activities, karmamudra. refers to practising (I) the peaceful actions to pacify sickness and interferences. (2) those to increase your life span. good qualities and merit. (3) those to gain power over the clements and (4) the wrathful ones to eliminate harm, obstacles and hindrances. As a result ofthese you can gain good health. long iife, wealth, power and so forth. which are the powerful attainments of the Desire Realm.
The seal of commitments and that of the Dharma are the paths for those of middling wits.
Through them }'OU zchieve the ultimate powerful attainments of the highest realm of sarhsya. Akani~tha Heaven or Wog-min, that which is not beneath
anything else.
The seal of commitments. samayamudri, is the keeping of the vows and commitments of the various Buddha- families. The seal of Dharma, dharmamudrA, is visualising yourself as a meditational deity. To apply these without the realisation of Voidness can only bring you to the peak of samsara, but not to Enlightenment. You can achieve the common powerful attainments of extra-sensory and physical powers and so forth, but not the &upreme one.
But the Great Seal ofVoidness (Mah~mudr~) is the path for those of sharpest wits. It is the methcd for achieving the supreme powerful attain-
ment (of Enlightenment).
Therefore by applying all four seals progressively to
your practice, you will reach the fully enlightened ~tate of a Buddha.
? ENHANCING YOUR PRACTICE 153
(Mah'lmudri is) the inseparability of appearance and Voidness, bliss and Voidness, awareness and Voidness, clarity and Voidness, free from all extremes of mentally fabricated modes of existence (that it is truly existent, totally non-existent, both or neither). It is not something that can be shown by a Guru, intellectually understood by a disciple, or made intelligible through words. It is free from all notions that it is this and not that. It is a Great Bliss that is experienced although it cannot be identified (as this or that). There is nothing that it does not pervade, either appearances, existence,
samsvaorNifV'I~. Itisthegreatstatebeyondthe intellect (or the conventional mind). The simul- taneity of mind, thought and the Dharmaka:ya has been the case from beginningless time. But because it is not understood, the Gurus explain with their oral teachings that (these three) must be blended into one as an inseparable unity. This is known as the Mah'lmudr'l of the simultaneously arisen and merged.
When you blend the mind, thought and Dharmakiya. it is not like mixing flour and cement, but rather like pouring water into water. The nature of thought is the same as the nature of the mind : they arc both Dharmakaya. Thoughts, though deceptive. are not to be abandoned nor should you strive to establish their cessation. By recognising their nature. they become purified and you realise the Dharmakaya and are a Buddha. When you do not understand them. you arc deceived about thoughts and ar~ a sentient being.
Thoughts, mind and Dharmakiiya have been simultaneous from beginningless time. If you ask which came first, deception or Enlightenment, this is the same as the proverbial question. ? 'Which came first, the chicken or
? 154 MAH. . IMUDR,I
the egg ? " It is not that first you bad Enligbtenment and then you became unaware of it, nor is it that first you were unaware and then became enlightened. They arc simultaneous and beginningless. Yet, a Buddha bas no thought and no deception. What does this mean 1
Thought is pervasive with Dharmakaya, therefore you cannot say that a Buddha bas abandoned thought, since this would imply he has abandoned Dharmakaya. But since a Buddha recognises thought as the Dharmakaya, thoughts do not arise on his mind-stream and all his activity and manifestations are non-conceptual, spontaneous virtuous conduct without any thought.
From the lineage that has passed from Vajradhara to Tilopa, Na:ropa, Marpa, Mi? la ra-pa and then to Gam-po-pa, the lineage of meditational methods deriving from (direct disciples) of Gam-po-pa are the Mahamudras of the Zhang, Ba-rom and
Dr'i-k'ung Ka-gyu, this latter being the lineage from P'ag-mo dr'u-pa. (Those deriving from direct disciples of P'ag-mo dr'u-pa are) the Mahamudra of the Tag-lung, Cha:n-nga, Mar-ye, Shub-se-wa, Tr'o-p'u, Ya-zang and Drug-pa Ka-gyu, this latter being the lineage from Ling-ra:-pa and Gya-ra-pa. But in particuiar there is the Mahamudra of the especially distinguished Kar-ma kam-tsang Ka-gyu which has the undeclined moisture of the breath of the I;>akims and the undeclined warmth of the blessings of the unbroken lineage from Gam-po-pa through (the First Kar-ma-pa) D'u-sum ky'en-pa down to my Guru(the Fifth Zha-mar Rinpoche) Kon- ch'og yan-lag. Jt has a lineage that Cl'mbines into one the special features of all the many, diffuse M:1hamudra teachings. Known as the Maha:mudf1[ of the simultaneou"ily arisen and merged, the source of all good qualities, it is as famous in the world
? ENHANCING YOUR PRACTICE }. ,. ,.
as the sun and the moon. If you practise it conscientiously, it is certain that you will automati- cally develop experiences and insights. Practising in
this way is the seventh point (for enhancing your practice).
? Author's Colophon
Without compiling scriptural quotations and so forth, I have explained this by taking as the main thing recognising the nature of the mind, while pointing a finger directly at the practice. Although I have no experience myself, I, Mi-p'am ch'U-wang
-or Vajre? vara (the Ninth Kar-ma-pa Wang-ch'ug dor-je, 15~6-1603), having borrowed in accordance ? with the words of the previous Gurus, have written this text in Zho-ka-wor House during my medi- tation sessions at the insistent request of the Sam-de Lama Rab-jam ma-wa Sam-tp kun-ga. It has
twenty, twenty-two or twenty-five meditation topics.
By the virtue of this may I and all other motherly sentient beings tum sincerely away from -obsessive attraction to the desirable objects of the senses and sec the nature of the mind. Shubham
. astu sarvajagatam, may all the world be pure.
This text has been rxplaioed with oral commentary bf the Third Jam-yang Ky'en-tze wang-po Rinpocbe, Kar-ma drub-gyii tan-pa yar-p'el gyur-mc g'o-cb'a tr'in-11 kon- ky'ab ptil-zang-po, in accoJdance with the tracbings ofhia Guru, His Holiness the Sixteenth Kar-ma-pa, Rang-j'ung rig-pai dor-je. It bas been translated into English and coUtpiled by Alexander Berzin, and was taught in Tibetan
a t Bodh Gaya, India, between December 1976 and January 1977.
? TWO:
FIFTY STANZAS OF GlJBll-BBYOTION
("GurupaiiC'I? iq", "Bia-ma lnga-bcu-pa")
by Arya4nra
with commentary given orally by Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey
? Preface
"fifty Stanzas of Guru-devotion" ("Gurupai\cf? ikl") was written in about the first century B. C. by A5vagho$a. This Indian poet was known by many names, such as Arya? Qra, MAtrceta, Patrceta, Maticitra and Bhavideva, and was a con- temporary of King Kani,ka of the Ku,an Dynasty. Having previously been a strong non-Buddhist. believer, he became an extremely devout follower of the Buddhas' path writing many works on its various aspects.
SAkyamuni Buddha lived about four centuries before A~vagho$a. He taught sQtras dealing with meditative practices for attaining Liberation and Enlightenment and, in the form of Buddha Vajradhara, Mahamudrl and the tantras covering spee:lier, yet more dangerous methods for achieving this latter goal. Success in following either the Stltr~Ana or Tintrayana path depends solely on your Guru-devotion, for Buddha indicated in the "Saddhar~apur:ujarJka Siitra" (II, 124) and in the "Kye
dor Sbi-gyU dor-jei g'ur," an explanatory work to the "Hevajra Tantra", that in future times of degeneration be would take the form of Gurus. At such times Gurus should be respected the same as the Buddhas, for they will be their living representatives.
Guru-devotion involves both your thoughts and your actions. The most important thing is to develop the total conviction that your Guru is a Buddha. Such a conviction is a prerequisite for receiving any insight. If you are aiming to benefit yourself and overcome all suffering with the attainment of Liberation, or reach the perfected state of aFully Enlightened Buddha so that you can help liberate others, your Guru can only show you the way if he himself has already achieved these accomplishments. If you doubt your Guru's competence and abitity to guide you,
? 160 MAHAMUDRA
your practices will be extremely unstable and you will be unable to make any concrete progress. You must have full confidence that it is possible to become Enlightened, that your Guru is living proof of this, and that by following Buddha's teachings as
be instructs, you can achieve the same. ? only then will it be possible to gain any benefits from the practices.
Seeing only good qualities in your Guru, therefore, is the way to develop these qualities yourself. Normally most people arc blind to their own shortcomings, while the faults of others shine out clearly. But if you did not possess these same faults yourself, you would be unable to recognise them in others. If there are two pieces of fruit, one ripe and one rotten, and the
person next to you takes the ripe one, it is only due to your own greed that you accuse him of being greedy and selfish. If you were unattached to the fruit, it would not matter to you which one he took-you would simply sec him as having taken
a piece of fruit.
Likewise, if you can train yourself to see only good qualities llDd never any faults in your Guru, this positive outlook will come io pervade, amplify and reflect your own state of mind. As everyone has the basis Mahamudri or Buddha-nature within him-the clear, uncontaminated state of pure mind established without any true independent existence-then if you can see your Guru in terms of a Buddha, you have the possibility of activa- ting and realising your own Buddha-nature, that is achieving the resultant Mahamudri. If you see only faults, you merely rein- force your own shortcomings and negative attitude, whereu
if you see only perfection, you will be able to attain the perfec? tion of Buddhahood yourself. Therefore one of the main practices of Guru-yoga, particulary in Mahimudri and the tantra, is to realise the inseparability of your own mind with your Guru, the Buddhas and your meditational deity, who is a pure form manifestation of the Enlightened mind. Thus Guru-
devotion is the root of all attainments.
If your Guru acts in a seemingly unenlightendcd manner and you feel it would be hypocritical to think him a Buddha, you should remember that your own opinions are unreliable and the
apparent faults you see may only be a reflection of your own deluded state of mind. Also you should think that if your Guru
? acted in a completely perfect manner, be would be inaccessible and you would be unable to relate to him. It is therefore out of your Guru's great compassion that be may show apparent flaws. This is part of his use of skilful means in order for him to be able to teach you. He is mirroring your own faults; therefore check within and learn from him how to remove your short- comings. If you are only intent on criticising your Guru, you will never be able to benefit from him.
It was Buddha VajradhAra himself who said that your Guru is to be seen as a Buddha. Therefore if you have faith and take refuge in the Buddhist teachings, you will try to understand what Buddha meant by this statement. Buddhas exert a great positive influence on the world in the same way as does the sun. But just as a magnifying glass is needed to focus the rays of the sun in order for tinder to catch fire, so too a Guru is required to focus the Buddhas' virtuous conduct into a disciple's mind-stream and inspire him to follow a spiritnal path. Thus as living eJtamples representing the Buddhas, Gurus carry on the work of all the Enlightened Beings, acting as an accessible focal
point for your practices to gain Buddhahood yourself.
Through devotion to your Guru, showing him respect, sowing him and making offerings, you build up the merit that will allow you to become liberated from ? au your suffering. Such service is done not to benefit your Guru, but for your own sake. When
you plant seeds in a field, it is not to benefit the earth. It is -you yourself who will harvest the crops. Therefore with the proper devotional attitude towards your Guru-seeing him as a Buddha-the more positive energy you exert in his direction, the closer you come towards Buddhahood yourself. Likewise, if you hate your Guru and generate negative energy towards him, you are deliberately casting yourself away from his state of Enlightenment and its freedom from pain. As a
result you bring intense suffering upon yourself. Therefore if you see faults in your Guru and tend to belittle him, remember your opinions are unreliable and only unhappiness can result from despising the state of happiness be represents.
Remembering your Guru's kindne~s to teach you during tbis degenerate age after Sakyamuni Buddha bas passed away, you must develop loving respect for him. You Guru teaches
GURU-DEVOTION 161
? 162 MAHAMUDRA
you despite your delusions and does not force you to undergo such hardships as Je-tziln Mi-la rli-pa and others have had to endure in the past. He. gives you initiations, oral teachings and tr~nsmits the unbroken lineages coming from Buddha. He inspires you to attain his state and helps you materially when you need it. If you lack loving respect for, your Guru, it is impossible to become Enlightened. If you do not have respect for the state of Buddhabood he
represen~s. how can you attain it ?
These various aspects of devoting yourself to your Guru by
means of your thoughts are taught extensively in such texts as the "GaQI;lavyuha Siltra". These points and their scriptural references are found in detail in the "Lam-rim ch'en-mo" by Je Tzong-k'a-pa. The "Gurupaiicll? ikA" by A~vagh0$8 is the most comprehensive summary of bow to devote yourself to your Guru by means of your actions. lts scriptural sources are a wide range of tantric texts, including the "Guhyasamllja", "Kalacakra", "Cakruarlwara", "V ajra4ikinl" and "Vajra~ hrdayilamkara Tantras". The specific tantric sources for each verse are given in the "La-ma nga-cbu-pl nam-~hi", a ccm- mentary on this text also by Je Tzong-k'a-pa.
For the study and practice of tantra, Guru-devotion is even more essential and receives more emphasis than in the sQtra path. This is because the tantric practices are extremely difficult and complicated. I f done correctly they can bring you Buddha- hood within your lifetime, but if done improperly they may be
very dangerous and bring you extremely dire consequences. Therefore the direct personal gtsidance of a Guru is indispens~ able. As the "Gurupaikli? ika" outlines specifically how a disciple should act with his Guru, it is the custom to teach this text be- fore giving any tantric enpowerment or initiation. Once a Guru? disciple relationship is established, the disciple is taught Guru- devotion and the common path of renunciation of the suffering of satilsara, the Enlightened Motive of Bodhicitta and the correct view of Voidness (SilnyatA). Then after receiving the proper enpowerments, he can be led gradually through the stages o( tantra on the firm foundation of his Guru-devotion and the above "Three Principal Paths",
? Text
Homage_tothe. J;lhagflV. JO Va. Jrasattva.
Bhagavan is one of the man. Y epithet~ used for an Enlight? ened Being, a Buddha. The Tibetan term for it, "Chom-din-da (tiCom? 'lnan~? aas)". -ts etymologised- . ai fbua1t. _ . -'(:hom'" means'- :tb dvetcdJtlb. ,_Buddbas! l h~'lei ? DvJ:fCOJDO: hQth the ob! ltileleS' p. ioventin$: Li. betat. iP. ~: ~o4? . ,tJ\q(IA J:d~ttventing Omnbcienc;c;. Th~formor,. . jpcbs~e. tbc ddu~tU>ns-. o. r-. mQraland me. D~Al de~ffl~llt~ 0\IC. ~ill? as well 's the. ! r_ . ? nst. )pctp? . and the ignoranceofgraspingfortrue? indepen~eilfex1sten. ce. 'llielatter refers _to the instincts of thi$'fgnorance; 'Dllb 'm-ean- to possess. Blid'dlia'S) ~SC! iS' a1l good. qualitie! lr. llll"'inf oompleted 'their aetU'nttihttlon~? of1? botl1? meritnantl1ih~iglit? M:! sotfltlg ialllitf~FtWD\1 and' wi~dottt BBdi~s respectiVelY=. - . ,Bfi? ?
