But the Tibetan translators did not chose a literal translation but
preferred
another word because when one says something has great value, one is emphasizing its outer quality.
Khenchen-Thrangu-Rinpoche-Asanga-Uttara-Tantra
"Inconceivable" means that the nature of things being beyond the four conceptual extremes is neither existent or nonexistent nor a combination of these two nor beyond these two.
It is "inconceivable" in terms of using words.
The second quality is nonduality which means freedom from the impurities of karma and defilements. Karma literally means "action" and refers to all good and bad actions a person does. These actions are always tainted by defilements and dualistic thought. Even when we perform good actions, these actions are still tainted in some subtle sense (such as wanting something in return for the good action) and therefore are still a cause for rebirth. If we
perform good actions, they will produce good results and lead to a higher rebirth in samsSra. But still they will result in rebirth in sams&ra. The defilements are the root of ego and the belief in the existence of the self. If there is still the presence of karma and defilements, then there is still samsSra. The dharma is free from both karma and
defilements and therefore it is called nondual.
The third quality of the truth of cessation is non- conceptual or being totally free from concepts and thoughts. Whenever there are thoughts, there is the danger of incorrect thoughts which are thoughts contradicting the actual nature of things. These incorrect thoughts generate
negative actions and defilements and with these one ends up living in samsSra. These concepts then are the r6ot of samsSra. The truth of cessation doesn't have any of these
? thoughts which will give rise to samsara.
The quality of stainlessness means free from the stains
of defilements and dualistic knowledge. The dharma of the truth of the path is free from these impurities. Even though they may appear, these impurities are only fleeting and not really part of the dharma. The dharma by nature has never been soiled or polluted by these impurities. It is similar to pure gold which might sometimes be tarnished, but that tarnish is not an inherent part of the gold. The tarnish is only a temporary condition that can be eliminated. Similarly, there may be clouds in the sky, but clouds are not an inherent part of the nature of the sky; they are just accidents passing through the sky. In the same way, the impurities of karma, defilements and dualistic knowledge, are just fleeting phenomena happening in the mind and not an integral part of dharma.
When the truth of the path has been completely realized, there is a brilliance which lights up all the appearances of relative reality very' clearly. One can also see the true nature of phenomena at the same time with this clarity. One sees phenomena in the relative aspect and the ultimate aspect. When the truth of the path has been achieved, it is like a light that lights up both the relative and absolute aspect of phenomena.
The realization of the qualities of purity and clarity eliminate the defilements of the three poisons: attachment, aggression, and ignorance. Dharma has the intrinsic characteristics of freedom from the causes of bondage. Freedom from bondage relates to the truth of cessation.
? Bondage is all the emotional negativities, the obscurations of dualistic knowledge, and the subconscious traces that remain after the coarser impurities have been removed. These obscurations bind one to samsara and these defilements do not disappear by themselves, so one must apply a remedy to the obscurations.
If one practices the path, beginning with the path of ac- cumulation, the path of junction, etc. , eventually one attains Buddhahood. The truth of the path frees one from bondage and when bondage has disappeared, one has reached the truth of cessation. So the dharma can be said to be that which has the qualities of the truth of cessation and the truth of the path.
Dharma has two aspects--the dharma of teaching and the dharma of realization. When one takes refuge, one must realize there are two aspects of refuge--refuge as a causal condition leading one to enlightenment and refuge as the result after one has achieved enlightenment. The refuge of cause is taken at the very beginning of the path as ordinary beings by taking refuge in the Buddha, the
dharma, and the sangha. At this point one does not know the path that leads to Buddhahood and therefore one needs to rely on the Buddha who shows the path as guide. One takes refuge in the dharma as the teachings of the Buddha and one takes refuge in the sangha as companions on the path. As an ordinary being one takes refuge in the Buddha who is outside oneself, the dharma that's not one's
personal realization, and the sangha composed of beings with their own realization. So in the beginning one takes
? refuge in things realized by other beings and one studies the TripitaJca as the dharma.
In the Uttara Tantra, on the other hand, refuge is in the context of the fruition refuge. One first takes refuge in the three jewels as the cause for one's future enlightenment. When one takes refuge in the sangha, one becomes part of the sangha. Next on the path if one practices and eliminates the obscurations and impurities. The true qualities of dharma become evident. Then the dharma aspect becomes realized and when one takes refuge in the dharma, it is not external but is internalized. Eventually one becomes a Buddha and does not rely on anything external any more and one becomes one's own refuge. At the fruition level one takes refuge in the dharma of realization rather than in the dharma as a teaching and becomes the realized sangha. The Uttara Tantra refers to the truth of the path which leads to the truth of cessation and dharma as realization.
How the Qualities are Connected to the Truths
[11] The truth of cessation is freedom from bondage when there is nothing more to relinquish and the truth of the path frees one from bondage. The truth of cessation has qualities of inconceivability, nonduality, and noncon- ceptuality. The truth of path has the qualities of purity, clarity, and remedy. So the six qualities are contained in the two truths.
? How the Qualities are Connected to the Salutation
[12] Asanga in the Uttara Tantra goes through the qualities three times to make sure they are understood. First, he gives it in the salutation, then he gives it in detail in the second point and then ! ie connects the various qualities with the praise in the third part. In the fourth point, the truth of cessation is presented as inconceivable because it is beyond the grasp of intellect: when one thinks about it, one cannot say it is like this or that or give it a color or definition. Secondly, it is beyond the grasp of speech: it cannot be expressed, it cannot be described in words; one cannot say it is like this or like that. Thirdly, it is inconceivable because it cannot be grasped by the understanding of an ordinary person. In the salutation to
the dharma it states that the truth of cessation is self- cognizant and known only to the deeply realized. When one is working on the path, one learns about this truth, then one reflects on it, then one meditates on it. When all impurities have been removed through meditation, one will reach the state of realized ones, the level of the bodhisattvas, when one sees the true nature of phenomena directly without any distortion. Then one will know the truth of cessation directly because the truth of cessation
cannot be known by an ordinary mind.
The second quality of peace is inherent in the true
nature of phenomena which are endowed with twofold purity. This peace is there because all forms of suffering have been removed because karma and defilements have
? been relinquished. So first "peace" means suffering has been pacified. Secondly, it is peace because it is completely free from anything rough and coarse or harsh. Thirdly, it is peace because it is nondual or nonconceptual being free from the coarseness of thoughts.
With the three qualities of the truth of the path, purity is a natural feature of the realization because the twofold obscurations have been removed. There is not only purity, but there is also clarity. Once there is purity and clarity, there is the power to remedy the three poisons. In the salutation this is explained in the example of the sun. The sun is by nature very pure, and because of this purity, it dispels all forms of darkness. In the same way, realization of the truth of the path eliminates obscurations, defilements, and dualistic knowledge and brings about the recognition of the natural purity of the nature of phenomena.
? CHAPTER 4
The Sangha
In the Uttara Tantra the sangha is the realized sangha, the mahSyana sangha. The Tibetan word for "sangha" is gendun. The first syllable ge means "virtue" and the second dun means "aspiration" so gendun are those aspiring to virtue. There are two types of sangha--that of ordinary beings and that of realized beings. Ordinary beings haven't reached a state of realization and don't have a direct understanding of the truth because they are still subject to the defilements. However, they have strong aspirations to do what is good. The sangha of ordinary beings is made up of lay people and ordained people. It is
possible to follow the Buddhist path without being ordained but by taking refuge and taking any of the levels of the precepts. At the refuge ceremony one takes refuge in the three jewels which represents ordinary refuge but is also taken by the realized sangha. In this refuge ceremony there is no distinction among those who take refuge and the sangha is made up of friends and companions who help us on the path and make sure we don't go astray. But the Uttara Tantra describes fruition refuge which is the refuge we are trying to achieve ultimately. In this fruition refuge
we are trying to go beyond the state of ordinary beings which on the mahayana path means achieving Buddhahood and the sangha is called the realized sangha.
? Definition o f the Sangha in the Salutation
[13] The outline of this chapter will be similar to the chapter on the Buddha because it also has three divisions: a definition of the nature of the sangha in the salutation, the identification of the qualities in the sangha, and a description of the six qualities mentioned in the salutation. The salutation begins, "I bow down. . . " to the realized sangha who possess these qualities by one who is trying to follow their example to reach enlightenment. These qualities are two-fold--the qualities of knowledge and the qualities of purity. The qualities of knowledge make it possible for the realized sangha to see the nature of all phenomena just as it is. The qualities of purity allow one to be free of all impurities and obscurations. There are three aspects of this knowledge: the knowledge of how-it-is, the knowledge of variety, and the inner knowledge of jnana which perceives the presence of buddha potential in all beings. From these three kinds of knowledge come three aspects of freedom: freedom from emotional defilements; freedom from the hindrances of dualistic thinking which blocks the vision of the true nature of phenomena, and the freedom from lower motivation that leads to striving for
happiness for just oneself.
[14] The first aspect of knowledge is the jii5na of how- it-is. From the beginning of time the nature of mind has been empty and clear. Emptiness has been emphasized in the Madhyamaka teachings. But in the teachings on meditation, particularly the mahamudra, emptiness is
considered just one aspect of the nature of the mind with the other aspect being clarity. The real nature of the mind then is a combination of emptiness and clarity. The
? defilements of attachment, aggression, and ignorance might or might not be present, but they are not an inherent part of the mind. The defilements are more like mistakes or delusions. The jnana of how-it-is perceives the true nature of the mind, the one with emptiness and clarity which is described in the next verse.
The second aspect of knowledge, the jnana of variety, appears once one has the knowledge of the ultimate nature of phenomena and there is such great clarity that one can see the actual nature of beings--each and every being just as he or she is. Through the jfiana of variety of phenomena one sees the true nature of beings as being the ultimate "no-self. " One discovers that the self does not exist in reality and this is the actual nature of all beings.
The third aspect of the realized sangha is the pure vision gained through the inner jfiana and thus "they know the all-pervasive presence of perfect Buddhahood in each and every one of them. " Through this aspect of knowledge individuals see the essence of Buddhahood in themselves and all the other beings. This essence is like the germ of the jnana of the Buddha and that seed is in the mind of all beings. At the stage of ordinary beings, this essence of Buddhahood does not manifest. At the stage of bodhisattvas, this essence manifests to some extent. Only when one has achieved enlightenment can this essence fully manifest into Buddhahood. The difference between these three types of beings is not one of nature because the
essence of the Buddha is the same in all beings. So this is what is "seen though inner jnana. "
In the salutation it says that the realized sangha are unobscured in intelligence and this word "unobscured" refers to the three qualities of freedom. The first freedom is
? from emotional obscurations--attachment, aggression, or ignorance. The second freedom is from the obscuration of dualistic thinking. Dualistic thinking is to think in terms of subject and object and to believe everything is substantial. The third freedom is from a combination of the previous two obscurations which creates the mistake of wanting to find happiness just for oneself such as the fravakas or
pratyekabuddhas do. In summary, through jnana the realized sangha possesses three types of knowledge so they can see the ultimate purity of the nature of all beings. These six qualities are summarized in Table 1.
In the third chapter on the Buddha, the ultimate dharmakaya was discussed without discussing the sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya. In the chapter on the dharma the scriptural dharma and dharma of realization were discussed and the realization dharma was emphasized. In the discussion of the sangha, the ordinary and the realized sangha were discussed with the emphasis on the realized sangha. So in these three chapters the approach has emphasized the ultimate, highest form of the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha.
Six Qualities ofthe Sangha
[15] The knowledge of how-it-is in its fullest degree is only achieved with Buddhahood. When one is on the path of the bodhisattva, this knowledge is present to a varying degree. With knowledge of how-it-is one does not perceive the relative aspect, the illusory appearance of phenomena, but sees it just as it is without any distortion. For example, if one sees a rope in the dark, one might mistake it for a snake. The knowledge of how-it-is wouldn't see the rope
? as a snake because the nature of how-it-is does not see the illusory appearances of samsSra. This knowledge experiences the actual nature of phenomena which is the nature of the dharmadhatu, the original nature. This is the nature and function of this knowledge of how-it-is.
[16] The jnana of variety of phenomena is to see what there is in many aspects, not just 10 things or 100 things, but to see everything in its great diversity. The knowledge of how-it-is pertains to absolute truth, the knowledge of variety pertains to the relative truth. So with the knowledge of variety one sees everything: one sees the number of beings, one sees the motivations of the beings, and one sees all the various appearances of existence. One also sees the characteristics of objects such as their colors, form, etc. , but there's no confusion in seeing them, they are each seen very distinctly. Realized beings perceive the relative reality of all appearances and their perception is not divorced from the knowledge of how-it-is. When one sees
relative phenomena, one does not get caught up in confusion and illusion. So even though realized beings can see the relative, at the same time they know the ultimate level, which means they cannot go back to seeing illusions. [17] The third quality of the perception of inner jnana is very intimately connected to the knowledge of how-it-is and the knowledge of variety. It is connected with the knowledge of how-it-is because jnSna perceives the true, absolute nature of phenomena; the "thatness of suchness. " It doesn't see phenomena as totally empty but being
indivisible from all the qualities of Buddhahood. This perception is also connected with the knowledge of variety by perceiving all beings as possessing the essence of Buddhahood. The word "inner" in "inner jnana" (Tib.
? nang gi yeshe)\ refers to the fact that it belongs to the true nature of the mind. "Jnana" (Tib. yeshe) refers to the fact that of the two aspects of phenomena, emptiness and clarity, with jnana being the clarity aspect. This jnana has the capacity to develop fully into all the qualities of freedom and maturity of a Buddha and knows that the inner jnana present in all beings.
[18] Perception with the three aspects of knowledge is absolutely pure and this relates to the three qualities of purity. The realized ones are free from the three types of obscurations of attachment, aggression, or ignorance. If they had these they would act in a negative way causing them to be trapped in samsara and the three aspects of pure knowledge would not arise. In the case of sravakas, for example, who are free of the first obscuration of emotions the realized sangha is most important.
[19] There are three reasons for the presentation of the division of three refuges. The first is that there are the three vehicles (Skt. yanas) of the hlnayana, mahayana, and vajrayana. The second reason for the division of three refuges is that there are three types of deeds. There are deeds of making prostrations, offerings, and prayers to the Buddha. Individuals doing these feel the Buddha is really the best of all beings and a model to respect. Others feel that the dharma is really the most important thing because it is the path of liberation and they feel great faith and
respect for the teachings. The third category of persons feels the most important point for them is the sangha so they will direct most of their deeds towards building the sangha.
The third reason for the division of the three refuges is just personal preference: some are more attracted to the
? Buddha, some to the dhaima, and some to the sangha as a refuge.
Dharma and Sangha are not the Ultimate Refuge
[20] The only ultimate source of refuge is the Buddha. The dharma and sangha are a refuge on the way to Buddhahood, but once one becomes a Buddha there is no longer any need for the props of dharma and sangha. Scriptural dharma cannot be an ultimate refuge because upon achieving Buddhahood, one leaves the teachings behind and no longer has any need to practice them. The dharma of realization is not the ultimate refuge either. On the path one goes through different stages of realization and as soon as one reaches one level, then the previous one becomes obsolete. Because the path changes all the rime, how could it be an ultimate source of refuge? The truth of
cessation cannot be the ultimate source of refuge because once one develops realization, one doesn't have anything to show for it--something tangible; rather one becomes free from what is unwanted. The truth of cessation is eliminating what is unwanted and not acquiring something positive, so it cannot be the ultimate source of refuge.
[21] The sangha is not the ultimate source of refuge because it still has fear. The sangha has not totally travelled the path and still needs to take refuge in the Buddha and therefore is not beyond all fears.
In the ultimate sense only the Buddha is the true refuge. All suffering and difficulties disappear only when changeless happiness is reached and this occurs only wben one becomes a Buddha. Therefore the Buddha is the only real refuge. Does this mean that refuge in the dharma and
? sangha is not very good? No, because dharma and sangha are qualities that include the Buddha. The Buddha is the dharmakaya which literally means the "embodiment of dharma. " The sangha are beings who are working on the path to Buddhahood and go from one level to another until they finally reach complete realization. The qualities of the Buddha are also the ultimate attainment of the sangha, so it can be said that in the Buddha all the qualities of the dharma and the sangha are present. This is why the Buddha is the ultimate refuge.
Why They are Called the Three Jewels
[22] The original Sanskrit word for "jewel" in the three jewels was ratna and a literal translation into Tibetan should have been rinpoche which means "very precious" or having great value.
But the Tibetan translators did not chose a literal translation but preferred another word because when one says something has great value, one is emphasizing its outer quality. The three jewels are so much greater so it was translated it as kern cho. Kern means "rare" and cho means "supreme" or "most excellent. " They chose the word kern because the three jewels are most rare
and cho because they are unsurpassable.
There are six reasons why the Buddha, dharma, and
sangha are referred to as rare and supreme in Tibetan. First, a jewel is very rare and there aren't many persons who encounter one. Likewise the Buddha, dharma, and sangha are quite rare and many persons do not encounter them. Second, jewels are stainless. When one finds a jewel, it is
very bright and shiny and not dirty or repulsive. Similarly, the three jewels are very pure because they are totally free
? from all emotional stains. Third, possessing jewels is to have power. When one possesses a jewel, one has something of great value and by selling it one can obtain financial power which allows one to accomplish many things. Similarly, the three jewels are powerful because they can extinguish all the suffering of beings. Fourth, a jewel is an ornament which makes things more beautiful by its presence. In the same way, the three jewels are ornaments of the world because they bring much goodness to the world because their basic motivation is to benefit other beings with their mere presence. Also the three jewels have such a great sense of self-respect and won't behave incorrectly because they are very careful in their behavior. They have enough respect of others so they will
not behave incorrectly towards them. So these beings have a very high and pure quality because of the way they behave. People who practice the path of dharma on the whole will achieve the final realization of the path. So as time goes by there will be more and more beings who reach the highest state and there will be more and more ornaments of the world. The fifth reason is that the three
jewels have the quality of excellence. In our world there are many different persons who are supposed to be wonderful because they have achieved fame or success or wealth. But these worldly achievements are not permanent and ultimately are not capable of being beneficial. But the three jewels bring eternal peace and changeless happiness. The sixth reason is the three jewels can bring fruition that is changeless. This is similar to a jewel because it doesn't disintegrate. Once one has reached Buddhahood, there is no possibility of falling back into confusion and suffering.
? VAJRA POINT I The Buddha
! Based on the truth o f
Value for Oneself (1**) 1. * Uncreated (2)
2. Spontaneous presence (3) 3. No external conditions (4)
Value for Others (5)
4. Perfect knowledge (6) 5. Compassionate love (7) 6. Power to remedy (8)
VAJRA POINT n The Dharma 'Based on the truth o f
Value for Oneself (1)
1. Inconceivable (2)
2. Nonduality (3)
3. Nonconceptuality (4)
Value for Others (5)
4. Stainlessness (6) 5. Brilliance (7)
6. Remdial power (8)
VAJRA POINT III The Sangha
'Based on the truth o f
Value for Oneself (1)
1. Knowledge of how-it-is (2) 2. Knowledge of manyness (3) 3. InnerjnSna(4)
Value for Others (5)
4. Free from defilements (6) 5. Free from dualism (7)
6. Free from lower paths (8)
Table 1
Outline o f the first Three Vajra Points
* The number in front are for counting the qualities using the 6-quality method of counting. ? ? the numbers behind are for tor using the 8-quality counting method.
THE U T T A R A T A N T R A
? CHAPTER 5
An Introduction to Book II:
The Last Four Vajra Points
The last four vajra points are buddha essence,4 enlighten- ment, the buddha qualities, and the buddha activities. Each vajra point will be divided into two parts: a general description and then a more detailed description. This introduction will be a description of these last four vajra points which cannot be understood directly by ordinary beings.
The Nature o f Each Point
[23] The nature of sugatagarbha or buddha nature is unpolluted suchness which is the true condition of phenomena when it is not distorted by illusion or confusion created by the mind. In the example of mistaking a rope for a snake, if one knows the suchness of the rope, then one doesn't have any fear. Normally, the suchness of
everything is distorted by the illusion of samsara, even though the actual nature of suchness of phenomena is emptiness and clarity. So this polluted suchness is similar to buddha nature. If one has a jewel covered with mud and
4 The fourth vajra point is sugatagarbha (Tib. der sheg nying po). <nhs will be referred to as "buddha nature" or "essence of Buddhahood" for variety.
? one removes the mud, one can see the jewel in its purity. Because the nature of the jewel is pure, one can remove the impurities and it will still retain its purity. In the same way, buddha nature is stainless in that when one removes the emotional and cognitive obscurations, there will be the presence of unpolluted suchness which is Buddhahood. Once all the impurities are removed, the suchness can
manifest in all its purity and becomes enlightenment which is the second of the last foui vajra qualities. When the suchness has been purified, all the qualities inherent in the suchness can manifest; these are the buddha qualities which are the third of the last four vajra points. The buddha qualities represent total fulfillment for oneself and
others. It is fulfillment for oneself because all the causes of suffering, karma, have been removed. This happiness is complete and unchanging because all causes of happiness are present. From the qualities of Buddhahood spring the power to help other beings creating the fourth of the last vajra points, buddha activity. Buddhahood is the supreme way to help all beings and as long as samsara goes on and it will help an infinite number of beings. Buddha activity also doesn't give just temporary relief from suffering, but helps achieve ultimate happiness.
It is said that before we see the three jewels as rare and supreme, we see them as refuge with the Buddha being the ultimate refuge. But where do these refuges come from? They arise from the above four qualities of unpolluted suchness, the qualities of Buddhahood, and the deeds of Buddhahood. Through these qualities one can achieve the three refuges. It is difficult for ordinary persons to under- stand how these last four vajra points can bring the
realization of the three jewels because only Buddhas are capable of seeing this directly.
? [24] The Buddha can perceive the last four vajra points and understand them fully. The three jewels are the fruition of the realization of the path. Only the Buddhas can see the causal ground because they are endowed with pure vision of how-it-is and variety of all phenomena. Therefore buddha nature, enlightenment, buddha qualities, and
buddha activities are inconceivable to ordinary beings.
[25] There are four reasons why the four vajra points are inconceivable to ordinary beings. First, the essence of en- lightenment is inconceivable because it is pure but is also accompanied by defilements. The essence of enlighten- ment is perfectly and naturally pure from the very beginning having never known any stain. Yet it is
accompanied by defilements and this sounds like a paradox. Thinking about suchness being present with defilements in the mind is quite inconceivable to ordinary beings. If one tries to meditate on it, one can't experience it directly; therefore it is perceived only by the Buddhas. Second, enlightenment is inconceivable to ordinary beings because enlightenment is completely free from defilements, yet has to be purified. Buddha nature is completely pure and through gradual purification buddha nature manifests in its full purity (enlightenment). So there is a logical contradiction between the original purity and
the need to purify it through practice. Third, the buddha qualities are inconceivable because they are inseparable from buddha nature. From the beginning all the qualities of Buddhahood are present in buddha nature, but one achieves all these qualities only when one reaches Buddhahood. Fourth, buddha activity is inconceivable because it is both spontaneous and nonconceptual. Buddha
activity occurs without effort on the part of the Buddha.
? This activity responds to what people need, yet the Buddha doesn't need to think, "I must do this for this person. " Yet all the time the activity is happening exactly in the way needed for each and every being.
[26] The reasons that these vajra points are inconceivable is they appear to be paradoxes. But with closer examination there is no real contradiction. First, buddha nature is perfectly pure from the viewpoint of its nature or essence. The impurities, the defilements, are only the fruition of a mistaken view and therefore has nothing to do with the actual nature of buddha nature. Second, the defilements can be removed because they are not an inherent pan of enlightenment, so they can not pollute its nature. If one looks at the qualities there is no real contradiction either because from the viewpoint of the actual nature these qualities have always been inseparable and present in the essence of Buddhahood. But when
covered up by impurities, they cannot display their presence in action. When impurities are removed, the qualities function as they ought to do. It's similar to what happens when the sun is covered by clouds. When the sun is covered by clouds, the sunlight cannot manifest; however the light itself has not been changed. In the same way, when the qualities of enlightenment are covered up by impurities or not. When they're covered up by impurities, these qualities do not manifest. The fourth point of activity is also not a contradiction. Buddha activity is spontaneous, effortless, and nonconceptual. It is the result of all the previous wishes and resolutions and prayers made by the Buddhas when they were on the path to enlightenment. From the strong impetus of previous
practice all this activity can arise spontaneously and without any conceptualization.
? The Realization o f these Vajra Points
The essence of Buddhahood is actual realization. The attributes that spring from this realization are the qualities that bring about realization to other beings. Buddha nature constitutes the causal conditions and the other three vajra points constitute a result that * akes it possible to purify other beings.
? CHAPTER 6 Buddha Nature:
The Ten Aspects
This chapter is divided into four parts. The first part is a summary of the meaning of the essence of Buddhahood. The second is a more detailed explanation. The third part illustrates through examples how one can purify buddha nature and the fourth part gives the purpose for teaching about buddha nature.
What is Buddha Nature?
The Buddha taught three turnings of the wheel of dharma. In the first turning the Buddha taught the four noble truths concerning mostly the relative level of reality. We perceive the nature of suffering which is the first noble truth. The origin of this suffering is to be found in all our previous actions and emotional obscurations. The third noble truth of cessation of suffering appears when one eliminates these two causes of suffering. Finally, in order to realize the truth of cessation one has to enter the proper path which is the truth of the path. The Buddha then showed how one has to
progress along five different levels of the path before reaching complete enlightenment. In the second turning the Buddha taught about the ultimate nature of phenomena. He said that all phenomena are empty by nature. In the third
? turning the Buddha went further by showing that this emptiness of phenomena does not mean simple absence of things. When beings are in the impure phase, they still possess the essence of Buddhahood. When they reach Buddhahood, there's the presence of the twofold jnana of the how-it-is and variety of phenomena. So the third turning goes beyond the meaning of the first two turnings. [27] The Uttara Tantra relates to the third turning
because it is concerned with the presence of buddha nature in all beings. There are three reasons for buddha nature being present in all beings. First, the dharmakaya of the Buddha pervades all phenomena and can give rise to any phenomena so it is present everywhere. Second, the suchness or the actual nature of nirvana and samsaric phenomena is undifferentiated so there's no "good suchness" which relates to nirvana and no "bad suchness" which relates to samsara. There is only one suchness of all phenomena. Third, all beings possess the foundation for buddha nature and when purified it can develop into full Buddhahood.
Ten Qualities o f Buddha Nature
[29] There are ten different aspects from which one can approach the essence of Buddhahood. These are nature, cause, result, influence, endowments, approach, the various phases, all-pervasiveness, unalterability, and inseparability of its qualities. These are listed in Table 2 .
1. Nature
[30] The nature of buddha nature is explained by means of three examples of a jewel, the sky, and water. The
? significance of these examples will be given later. The dharmakaya is like a jewel because it is totally free from any impurities. It is like the sky when there are no clouds present because the sky by nature is free from clouds. It is like water because water is naturally ver\ pure and the impurities found in water are not part of the nature of the water. In the same way, buddha nature is perfectly pure.
There are four different ways to make buddha nature manifest. First, one must aspire to the dharma because with no aspiration obviously one will not practice it. The second way is to let the essence of buddha nature shine in its clarity and this is accomplished with intelligence (prajna). The third way is by samadhi (meditation) and the fourth is compassion. Without study one will not reflect on buddha nature or without meditation one will not be able to go through the process that makes buddha nature manifest. In more detail:
[31] In the example of the jewel, buddha nature pos- sesses tremendous power because it has the pov/er to achieve ultimate happiness Buddhahood, which is of greatest value for all beings. So it is extremely precious and powerful and is compared to a jewel because a jewel has the power to dispel poverty.
The essence of Buddhahood is compared to the sky because the sky never changes. The earth is constantly changing, but the sky even over periods of thousands of years never turns into anything different. In the same way, the suchness of all phenomena is unchanging and there is no alteration of its nature.
The essence of Buddhahood is compared to water because water has a wet and flowing quality which allows it to go everywhere. By its mere presence everything can
? grow. Buddha nature also possesses a moistening quality, the lubricating quality of compassion.
So buddha nature has the moistening quality of compassion, the unchanging quality of space, and the power of a jewel.
2. Cause
[32] In our present condition of ordinary beings the essence of Buddhahood has not manifested because we encounter the four unfavorable obstacles of Buddhahood. The first obstacle is having hostility or a natural dislike for the dharma. One may wish not to have anything to do with dharma and not want to practice. Obviously, one will never enter the dharma with this kind of attitude. Even without hostility towards the dharma, there may be no confidence in the value of the teaching so there is the feeling that everything taught is useless. The second obstacle is the strong belief in the reality of self. Even if one is interested
in the dharma and wishes to practice, if one has a very solid belief in ego, one will encounter an obstacle in the manifestation of buddha nature because a belief in self is contradictory to the understanding of attaining Buddhahood and is also the root of all negativity. To have the essence of Buddhahood manifest, one has to remove the two types of emotional and cognitive obscurations. But with a very strong belief in a self then, one cannot begin to remove these obscurations. The third obstacle is the fear of
suffering in samsara because this fear will prevent one from entering the mahSySna path. We are striving oo eliminate suffering, but there has to be an understanding of the void nature of this suffering at the same time. If1one
? can understand that suffering is void, then one doesn't fear this suffering and is able to help all beings attain freedom
from suffering. The fourth obstacle is the lack of an inclination to help other beings. This occurs when one feels one's own problems are enough and so one is not really interested in what happens to others. Someone with this attitude who practices is going to reach the higher states of rebirth in samsara and a form of liberation such as that of the arhats, but it will not be complete liberation of buddha nature manifesting into Buddhahood.
[33] Each obstacle has a type of person attached to it. The first obstacle is associated with persons hostile to the dharma. The second obstacle can be found in many religions. Some religions include a need to eliminate a belief in a self, but many do not even consider this quality; the self is just considered normal and does not have to be relinquished. The Buddhist term for people holding this belief in self is tirthika. Tirthikas are people who are fairly close to the dharma in that they are religious, but the religious belief is not powerful enough to manifest the essence of Buddhahood because they still believe in the presence of a self. The third obstacle is present in the SrSvakas who are individuals who want to find liberation only for themselves because they are afraid of suffering.
The fourth obstacle is found in pratyekabuddhas.
These four obstacles can be removed by their opposite qualities. Aspiration for the dharma will eliminate hostility towards the dharma. Great prajna will eliminate belief in self.
The second quality is nonduality which means freedom from the impurities of karma and defilements. Karma literally means "action" and refers to all good and bad actions a person does. These actions are always tainted by defilements and dualistic thought. Even when we perform good actions, these actions are still tainted in some subtle sense (such as wanting something in return for the good action) and therefore are still a cause for rebirth. If we
perform good actions, they will produce good results and lead to a higher rebirth in samsSra. But still they will result in rebirth in sams&ra. The defilements are the root of ego and the belief in the existence of the self. If there is still the presence of karma and defilements, then there is still samsSra. The dharma is free from both karma and
defilements and therefore it is called nondual.
The third quality of the truth of cessation is non- conceptual or being totally free from concepts and thoughts. Whenever there are thoughts, there is the danger of incorrect thoughts which are thoughts contradicting the actual nature of things. These incorrect thoughts generate
negative actions and defilements and with these one ends up living in samsSra. These concepts then are the r6ot of samsSra. The truth of cessation doesn't have any of these
? thoughts which will give rise to samsara.
The quality of stainlessness means free from the stains
of defilements and dualistic knowledge. The dharma of the truth of the path is free from these impurities. Even though they may appear, these impurities are only fleeting and not really part of the dharma. The dharma by nature has never been soiled or polluted by these impurities. It is similar to pure gold which might sometimes be tarnished, but that tarnish is not an inherent part of the gold. The tarnish is only a temporary condition that can be eliminated. Similarly, there may be clouds in the sky, but clouds are not an inherent part of the nature of the sky; they are just accidents passing through the sky. In the same way, the impurities of karma, defilements and dualistic knowledge, are just fleeting phenomena happening in the mind and not an integral part of dharma.
When the truth of the path has been completely realized, there is a brilliance which lights up all the appearances of relative reality very' clearly. One can also see the true nature of phenomena at the same time with this clarity. One sees phenomena in the relative aspect and the ultimate aspect. When the truth of the path has been achieved, it is like a light that lights up both the relative and absolute aspect of phenomena.
The realization of the qualities of purity and clarity eliminate the defilements of the three poisons: attachment, aggression, and ignorance. Dharma has the intrinsic characteristics of freedom from the causes of bondage. Freedom from bondage relates to the truth of cessation.
? Bondage is all the emotional negativities, the obscurations of dualistic knowledge, and the subconscious traces that remain after the coarser impurities have been removed. These obscurations bind one to samsara and these defilements do not disappear by themselves, so one must apply a remedy to the obscurations.
If one practices the path, beginning with the path of ac- cumulation, the path of junction, etc. , eventually one attains Buddhahood. The truth of the path frees one from bondage and when bondage has disappeared, one has reached the truth of cessation. So the dharma can be said to be that which has the qualities of the truth of cessation and the truth of the path.
Dharma has two aspects--the dharma of teaching and the dharma of realization. When one takes refuge, one must realize there are two aspects of refuge--refuge as a causal condition leading one to enlightenment and refuge as the result after one has achieved enlightenment. The refuge of cause is taken at the very beginning of the path as ordinary beings by taking refuge in the Buddha, the
dharma, and the sangha. At this point one does not know the path that leads to Buddhahood and therefore one needs to rely on the Buddha who shows the path as guide. One takes refuge in the dharma as the teachings of the Buddha and one takes refuge in the sangha as companions on the path. As an ordinary being one takes refuge in the Buddha who is outside oneself, the dharma that's not one's
personal realization, and the sangha composed of beings with their own realization. So in the beginning one takes
? refuge in things realized by other beings and one studies the TripitaJca as the dharma.
In the Uttara Tantra, on the other hand, refuge is in the context of the fruition refuge. One first takes refuge in the three jewels as the cause for one's future enlightenment. When one takes refuge in the sangha, one becomes part of the sangha. Next on the path if one practices and eliminates the obscurations and impurities. The true qualities of dharma become evident. Then the dharma aspect becomes realized and when one takes refuge in the dharma, it is not external but is internalized. Eventually one becomes a Buddha and does not rely on anything external any more and one becomes one's own refuge. At the fruition level one takes refuge in the dharma of realization rather than in the dharma as a teaching and becomes the realized sangha. The Uttara Tantra refers to the truth of the path which leads to the truth of cessation and dharma as realization.
How the Qualities are Connected to the Truths
[11] The truth of cessation is freedom from bondage when there is nothing more to relinquish and the truth of the path frees one from bondage. The truth of cessation has qualities of inconceivability, nonduality, and noncon- ceptuality. The truth of path has the qualities of purity, clarity, and remedy. So the six qualities are contained in the two truths.
? How the Qualities are Connected to the Salutation
[12] Asanga in the Uttara Tantra goes through the qualities three times to make sure they are understood. First, he gives it in the salutation, then he gives it in detail in the second point and then ! ie connects the various qualities with the praise in the third part. In the fourth point, the truth of cessation is presented as inconceivable because it is beyond the grasp of intellect: when one thinks about it, one cannot say it is like this or that or give it a color or definition. Secondly, it is beyond the grasp of speech: it cannot be expressed, it cannot be described in words; one cannot say it is like this or like that. Thirdly, it is inconceivable because it cannot be grasped by the understanding of an ordinary person. In the salutation to
the dharma it states that the truth of cessation is self- cognizant and known only to the deeply realized. When one is working on the path, one learns about this truth, then one reflects on it, then one meditates on it. When all impurities have been removed through meditation, one will reach the state of realized ones, the level of the bodhisattvas, when one sees the true nature of phenomena directly without any distortion. Then one will know the truth of cessation directly because the truth of cessation
cannot be known by an ordinary mind.
The second quality of peace is inherent in the true
nature of phenomena which are endowed with twofold purity. This peace is there because all forms of suffering have been removed because karma and defilements have
? been relinquished. So first "peace" means suffering has been pacified. Secondly, it is peace because it is completely free from anything rough and coarse or harsh. Thirdly, it is peace because it is nondual or nonconceptual being free from the coarseness of thoughts.
With the three qualities of the truth of the path, purity is a natural feature of the realization because the twofold obscurations have been removed. There is not only purity, but there is also clarity. Once there is purity and clarity, there is the power to remedy the three poisons. In the salutation this is explained in the example of the sun. The sun is by nature very pure, and because of this purity, it dispels all forms of darkness. In the same way, realization of the truth of the path eliminates obscurations, defilements, and dualistic knowledge and brings about the recognition of the natural purity of the nature of phenomena.
? CHAPTER 4
The Sangha
In the Uttara Tantra the sangha is the realized sangha, the mahSyana sangha. The Tibetan word for "sangha" is gendun. The first syllable ge means "virtue" and the second dun means "aspiration" so gendun are those aspiring to virtue. There are two types of sangha--that of ordinary beings and that of realized beings. Ordinary beings haven't reached a state of realization and don't have a direct understanding of the truth because they are still subject to the defilements. However, they have strong aspirations to do what is good. The sangha of ordinary beings is made up of lay people and ordained people. It is
possible to follow the Buddhist path without being ordained but by taking refuge and taking any of the levels of the precepts. At the refuge ceremony one takes refuge in the three jewels which represents ordinary refuge but is also taken by the realized sangha. In this refuge ceremony there is no distinction among those who take refuge and the sangha is made up of friends and companions who help us on the path and make sure we don't go astray. But the Uttara Tantra describes fruition refuge which is the refuge we are trying to achieve ultimately. In this fruition refuge
we are trying to go beyond the state of ordinary beings which on the mahayana path means achieving Buddhahood and the sangha is called the realized sangha.
? Definition o f the Sangha in the Salutation
[13] The outline of this chapter will be similar to the chapter on the Buddha because it also has three divisions: a definition of the nature of the sangha in the salutation, the identification of the qualities in the sangha, and a description of the six qualities mentioned in the salutation. The salutation begins, "I bow down. . . " to the realized sangha who possess these qualities by one who is trying to follow their example to reach enlightenment. These qualities are two-fold--the qualities of knowledge and the qualities of purity. The qualities of knowledge make it possible for the realized sangha to see the nature of all phenomena just as it is. The qualities of purity allow one to be free of all impurities and obscurations. There are three aspects of this knowledge: the knowledge of how-it-is, the knowledge of variety, and the inner knowledge of jnana which perceives the presence of buddha potential in all beings. From these three kinds of knowledge come three aspects of freedom: freedom from emotional defilements; freedom from the hindrances of dualistic thinking which blocks the vision of the true nature of phenomena, and the freedom from lower motivation that leads to striving for
happiness for just oneself.
[14] The first aspect of knowledge is the jii5na of how- it-is. From the beginning of time the nature of mind has been empty and clear. Emptiness has been emphasized in the Madhyamaka teachings. But in the teachings on meditation, particularly the mahamudra, emptiness is
considered just one aspect of the nature of the mind with the other aspect being clarity. The real nature of the mind then is a combination of emptiness and clarity. The
? defilements of attachment, aggression, and ignorance might or might not be present, but they are not an inherent part of the mind. The defilements are more like mistakes or delusions. The jnana of how-it-is perceives the true nature of the mind, the one with emptiness and clarity which is described in the next verse.
The second aspect of knowledge, the jnana of variety, appears once one has the knowledge of the ultimate nature of phenomena and there is such great clarity that one can see the actual nature of beings--each and every being just as he or she is. Through the jfiana of variety of phenomena one sees the true nature of beings as being the ultimate "no-self. " One discovers that the self does not exist in reality and this is the actual nature of all beings.
The third aspect of the realized sangha is the pure vision gained through the inner jfiana and thus "they know the all-pervasive presence of perfect Buddhahood in each and every one of them. " Through this aspect of knowledge individuals see the essence of Buddhahood in themselves and all the other beings. This essence is like the germ of the jnana of the Buddha and that seed is in the mind of all beings. At the stage of ordinary beings, this essence of Buddhahood does not manifest. At the stage of bodhisattvas, this essence manifests to some extent. Only when one has achieved enlightenment can this essence fully manifest into Buddhahood. The difference between these three types of beings is not one of nature because the
essence of the Buddha is the same in all beings. So this is what is "seen though inner jnana. "
In the salutation it says that the realized sangha are unobscured in intelligence and this word "unobscured" refers to the three qualities of freedom. The first freedom is
? from emotional obscurations--attachment, aggression, or ignorance. The second freedom is from the obscuration of dualistic thinking. Dualistic thinking is to think in terms of subject and object and to believe everything is substantial. The third freedom is from a combination of the previous two obscurations which creates the mistake of wanting to find happiness just for oneself such as the fravakas or
pratyekabuddhas do. In summary, through jnana the realized sangha possesses three types of knowledge so they can see the ultimate purity of the nature of all beings. These six qualities are summarized in Table 1.
In the third chapter on the Buddha, the ultimate dharmakaya was discussed without discussing the sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya. In the chapter on the dharma the scriptural dharma and dharma of realization were discussed and the realization dharma was emphasized. In the discussion of the sangha, the ordinary and the realized sangha were discussed with the emphasis on the realized sangha. So in these three chapters the approach has emphasized the ultimate, highest form of the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha.
Six Qualities ofthe Sangha
[15] The knowledge of how-it-is in its fullest degree is only achieved with Buddhahood. When one is on the path of the bodhisattva, this knowledge is present to a varying degree. With knowledge of how-it-is one does not perceive the relative aspect, the illusory appearance of phenomena, but sees it just as it is without any distortion. For example, if one sees a rope in the dark, one might mistake it for a snake. The knowledge of how-it-is wouldn't see the rope
? as a snake because the nature of how-it-is does not see the illusory appearances of samsSra. This knowledge experiences the actual nature of phenomena which is the nature of the dharmadhatu, the original nature. This is the nature and function of this knowledge of how-it-is.
[16] The jnana of variety of phenomena is to see what there is in many aspects, not just 10 things or 100 things, but to see everything in its great diversity. The knowledge of how-it-is pertains to absolute truth, the knowledge of variety pertains to the relative truth. So with the knowledge of variety one sees everything: one sees the number of beings, one sees the motivations of the beings, and one sees all the various appearances of existence. One also sees the characteristics of objects such as their colors, form, etc. , but there's no confusion in seeing them, they are each seen very distinctly. Realized beings perceive the relative reality of all appearances and their perception is not divorced from the knowledge of how-it-is. When one sees
relative phenomena, one does not get caught up in confusion and illusion. So even though realized beings can see the relative, at the same time they know the ultimate level, which means they cannot go back to seeing illusions. [17] The third quality of the perception of inner jnana is very intimately connected to the knowledge of how-it-is and the knowledge of variety. It is connected with the knowledge of how-it-is because jnSna perceives the true, absolute nature of phenomena; the "thatness of suchness. " It doesn't see phenomena as totally empty but being
indivisible from all the qualities of Buddhahood. This perception is also connected with the knowledge of variety by perceiving all beings as possessing the essence of Buddhahood. The word "inner" in "inner jnana" (Tib.
? nang gi yeshe)\ refers to the fact that it belongs to the true nature of the mind. "Jnana" (Tib. yeshe) refers to the fact that of the two aspects of phenomena, emptiness and clarity, with jnana being the clarity aspect. This jnana has the capacity to develop fully into all the qualities of freedom and maturity of a Buddha and knows that the inner jnana present in all beings.
[18] Perception with the three aspects of knowledge is absolutely pure and this relates to the three qualities of purity. The realized ones are free from the three types of obscurations of attachment, aggression, or ignorance. If they had these they would act in a negative way causing them to be trapped in samsara and the three aspects of pure knowledge would not arise. In the case of sravakas, for example, who are free of the first obscuration of emotions the realized sangha is most important.
[19] There are three reasons for the presentation of the division of three refuges. The first is that there are the three vehicles (Skt. yanas) of the hlnayana, mahayana, and vajrayana. The second reason for the division of three refuges is that there are three types of deeds. There are deeds of making prostrations, offerings, and prayers to the Buddha. Individuals doing these feel the Buddha is really the best of all beings and a model to respect. Others feel that the dharma is really the most important thing because it is the path of liberation and they feel great faith and
respect for the teachings. The third category of persons feels the most important point for them is the sangha so they will direct most of their deeds towards building the sangha.
The third reason for the division of the three refuges is just personal preference: some are more attracted to the
? Buddha, some to the dhaima, and some to the sangha as a refuge.
Dharma and Sangha are not the Ultimate Refuge
[20] The only ultimate source of refuge is the Buddha. The dharma and sangha are a refuge on the way to Buddhahood, but once one becomes a Buddha there is no longer any need for the props of dharma and sangha. Scriptural dharma cannot be an ultimate refuge because upon achieving Buddhahood, one leaves the teachings behind and no longer has any need to practice them. The dharma of realization is not the ultimate refuge either. On the path one goes through different stages of realization and as soon as one reaches one level, then the previous one becomes obsolete. Because the path changes all the rime, how could it be an ultimate source of refuge? The truth of
cessation cannot be the ultimate source of refuge because once one develops realization, one doesn't have anything to show for it--something tangible; rather one becomes free from what is unwanted. The truth of cessation is eliminating what is unwanted and not acquiring something positive, so it cannot be the ultimate source of refuge.
[21] The sangha is not the ultimate source of refuge because it still has fear. The sangha has not totally travelled the path and still needs to take refuge in the Buddha and therefore is not beyond all fears.
In the ultimate sense only the Buddha is the true refuge. All suffering and difficulties disappear only when changeless happiness is reached and this occurs only wben one becomes a Buddha. Therefore the Buddha is the only real refuge. Does this mean that refuge in the dharma and
? sangha is not very good? No, because dharma and sangha are qualities that include the Buddha. The Buddha is the dharmakaya which literally means the "embodiment of dharma. " The sangha are beings who are working on the path to Buddhahood and go from one level to another until they finally reach complete realization. The qualities of the Buddha are also the ultimate attainment of the sangha, so it can be said that in the Buddha all the qualities of the dharma and the sangha are present. This is why the Buddha is the ultimate refuge.
Why They are Called the Three Jewels
[22] The original Sanskrit word for "jewel" in the three jewels was ratna and a literal translation into Tibetan should have been rinpoche which means "very precious" or having great value.
But the Tibetan translators did not chose a literal translation but preferred another word because when one says something has great value, one is emphasizing its outer quality. The three jewels are so much greater so it was translated it as kern cho. Kern means "rare" and cho means "supreme" or "most excellent. " They chose the word kern because the three jewels are most rare
and cho because they are unsurpassable.
There are six reasons why the Buddha, dharma, and
sangha are referred to as rare and supreme in Tibetan. First, a jewel is very rare and there aren't many persons who encounter one. Likewise the Buddha, dharma, and sangha are quite rare and many persons do not encounter them. Second, jewels are stainless. When one finds a jewel, it is
very bright and shiny and not dirty or repulsive. Similarly, the three jewels are very pure because they are totally free
? from all emotional stains. Third, possessing jewels is to have power. When one possesses a jewel, one has something of great value and by selling it one can obtain financial power which allows one to accomplish many things. Similarly, the three jewels are powerful because they can extinguish all the suffering of beings. Fourth, a jewel is an ornament which makes things more beautiful by its presence. In the same way, the three jewels are ornaments of the world because they bring much goodness to the world because their basic motivation is to benefit other beings with their mere presence. Also the three jewels have such a great sense of self-respect and won't behave incorrectly because they are very careful in their behavior. They have enough respect of others so they will
not behave incorrectly towards them. So these beings have a very high and pure quality because of the way they behave. People who practice the path of dharma on the whole will achieve the final realization of the path. So as time goes by there will be more and more beings who reach the highest state and there will be more and more ornaments of the world. The fifth reason is that the three
jewels have the quality of excellence. In our world there are many different persons who are supposed to be wonderful because they have achieved fame or success or wealth. But these worldly achievements are not permanent and ultimately are not capable of being beneficial. But the three jewels bring eternal peace and changeless happiness. The sixth reason is the three jewels can bring fruition that is changeless. This is similar to a jewel because it doesn't disintegrate. Once one has reached Buddhahood, there is no possibility of falling back into confusion and suffering.
? VAJRA POINT I The Buddha
! Based on the truth o f
Value for Oneself (1**) 1. * Uncreated (2)
2. Spontaneous presence (3) 3. No external conditions (4)
Value for Others (5)
4. Perfect knowledge (6) 5. Compassionate love (7) 6. Power to remedy (8)
VAJRA POINT n The Dharma 'Based on the truth o f
Value for Oneself (1)
1. Inconceivable (2)
2. Nonduality (3)
3. Nonconceptuality (4)
Value for Others (5)
4. Stainlessness (6) 5. Brilliance (7)
6. Remdial power (8)
VAJRA POINT III The Sangha
'Based on the truth o f
Value for Oneself (1)
1. Knowledge of how-it-is (2) 2. Knowledge of manyness (3) 3. InnerjnSna(4)
Value for Others (5)
4. Free from defilements (6) 5. Free from dualism (7)
6. Free from lower paths (8)
Table 1
Outline o f the first Three Vajra Points
* The number in front are for counting the qualities using the 6-quality method of counting. ? ? the numbers behind are for tor using the 8-quality counting method.
THE U T T A R A T A N T R A
? CHAPTER 5
An Introduction to Book II:
The Last Four Vajra Points
The last four vajra points are buddha essence,4 enlighten- ment, the buddha qualities, and the buddha activities. Each vajra point will be divided into two parts: a general description and then a more detailed description. This introduction will be a description of these last four vajra points which cannot be understood directly by ordinary beings.
The Nature o f Each Point
[23] The nature of sugatagarbha or buddha nature is unpolluted suchness which is the true condition of phenomena when it is not distorted by illusion or confusion created by the mind. In the example of mistaking a rope for a snake, if one knows the suchness of the rope, then one doesn't have any fear. Normally, the suchness of
everything is distorted by the illusion of samsara, even though the actual nature of suchness of phenomena is emptiness and clarity. So this polluted suchness is similar to buddha nature. If one has a jewel covered with mud and
4 The fourth vajra point is sugatagarbha (Tib. der sheg nying po). <nhs will be referred to as "buddha nature" or "essence of Buddhahood" for variety.
? one removes the mud, one can see the jewel in its purity. Because the nature of the jewel is pure, one can remove the impurities and it will still retain its purity. In the same way, buddha nature is stainless in that when one removes the emotional and cognitive obscurations, there will be the presence of unpolluted suchness which is Buddhahood. Once all the impurities are removed, the suchness can
manifest in all its purity and becomes enlightenment which is the second of the last foui vajra qualities. When the suchness has been purified, all the qualities inherent in the suchness can manifest; these are the buddha qualities which are the third of the last four vajra points. The buddha qualities represent total fulfillment for oneself and
others. It is fulfillment for oneself because all the causes of suffering, karma, have been removed. This happiness is complete and unchanging because all causes of happiness are present. From the qualities of Buddhahood spring the power to help other beings creating the fourth of the last vajra points, buddha activity. Buddhahood is the supreme way to help all beings and as long as samsara goes on and it will help an infinite number of beings. Buddha activity also doesn't give just temporary relief from suffering, but helps achieve ultimate happiness.
It is said that before we see the three jewels as rare and supreme, we see them as refuge with the Buddha being the ultimate refuge. But where do these refuges come from? They arise from the above four qualities of unpolluted suchness, the qualities of Buddhahood, and the deeds of Buddhahood. Through these qualities one can achieve the three refuges. It is difficult for ordinary persons to under- stand how these last four vajra points can bring the
realization of the three jewels because only Buddhas are capable of seeing this directly.
? [24] The Buddha can perceive the last four vajra points and understand them fully. The three jewels are the fruition of the realization of the path. Only the Buddhas can see the causal ground because they are endowed with pure vision of how-it-is and variety of all phenomena. Therefore buddha nature, enlightenment, buddha qualities, and
buddha activities are inconceivable to ordinary beings.
[25] There are four reasons why the four vajra points are inconceivable to ordinary beings. First, the essence of en- lightenment is inconceivable because it is pure but is also accompanied by defilements. The essence of enlighten- ment is perfectly and naturally pure from the very beginning having never known any stain. Yet it is
accompanied by defilements and this sounds like a paradox. Thinking about suchness being present with defilements in the mind is quite inconceivable to ordinary beings. If one tries to meditate on it, one can't experience it directly; therefore it is perceived only by the Buddhas. Second, enlightenment is inconceivable to ordinary beings because enlightenment is completely free from defilements, yet has to be purified. Buddha nature is completely pure and through gradual purification buddha nature manifests in its full purity (enlightenment). So there is a logical contradiction between the original purity and
the need to purify it through practice. Third, the buddha qualities are inconceivable because they are inseparable from buddha nature. From the beginning all the qualities of Buddhahood are present in buddha nature, but one achieves all these qualities only when one reaches Buddhahood. Fourth, buddha activity is inconceivable because it is both spontaneous and nonconceptual. Buddha
activity occurs without effort on the part of the Buddha.
? This activity responds to what people need, yet the Buddha doesn't need to think, "I must do this for this person. " Yet all the time the activity is happening exactly in the way needed for each and every being.
[26] The reasons that these vajra points are inconceivable is they appear to be paradoxes. But with closer examination there is no real contradiction. First, buddha nature is perfectly pure from the viewpoint of its nature or essence. The impurities, the defilements, are only the fruition of a mistaken view and therefore has nothing to do with the actual nature of buddha nature. Second, the defilements can be removed because they are not an inherent pan of enlightenment, so they can not pollute its nature. If one looks at the qualities there is no real contradiction either because from the viewpoint of the actual nature these qualities have always been inseparable and present in the essence of Buddhahood. But when
covered up by impurities, they cannot display their presence in action. When impurities are removed, the qualities function as they ought to do. It's similar to what happens when the sun is covered by clouds. When the sun is covered by clouds, the sunlight cannot manifest; however the light itself has not been changed. In the same way, when the qualities of enlightenment are covered up by impurities or not. When they're covered up by impurities, these qualities do not manifest. The fourth point of activity is also not a contradiction. Buddha activity is spontaneous, effortless, and nonconceptual. It is the result of all the previous wishes and resolutions and prayers made by the Buddhas when they were on the path to enlightenment. From the strong impetus of previous
practice all this activity can arise spontaneously and without any conceptualization.
? The Realization o f these Vajra Points
The essence of Buddhahood is actual realization. The attributes that spring from this realization are the qualities that bring about realization to other beings. Buddha nature constitutes the causal conditions and the other three vajra points constitute a result that * akes it possible to purify other beings.
? CHAPTER 6 Buddha Nature:
The Ten Aspects
This chapter is divided into four parts. The first part is a summary of the meaning of the essence of Buddhahood. The second is a more detailed explanation. The third part illustrates through examples how one can purify buddha nature and the fourth part gives the purpose for teaching about buddha nature.
What is Buddha Nature?
The Buddha taught three turnings of the wheel of dharma. In the first turning the Buddha taught the four noble truths concerning mostly the relative level of reality. We perceive the nature of suffering which is the first noble truth. The origin of this suffering is to be found in all our previous actions and emotional obscurations. The third noble truth of cessation of suffering appears when one eliminates these two causes of suffering. Finally, in order to realize the truth of cessation one has to enter the proper path which is the truth of the path. The Buddha then showed how one has to
progress along five different levels of the path before reaching complete enlightenment. In the second turning the Buddha taught about the ultimate nature of phenomena. He said that all phenomena are empty by nature. In the third
? turning the Buddha went further by showing that this emptiness of phenomena does not mean simple absence of things. When beings are in the impure phase, they still possess the essence of Buddhahood. When they reach Buddhahood, there's the presence of the twofold jnana of the how-it-is and variety of phenomena. So the third turning goes beyond the meaning of the first two turnings. [27] The Uttara Tantra relates to the third turning
because it is concerned with the presence of buddha nature in all beings. There are three reasons for buddha nature being present in all beings. First, the dharmakaya of the Buddha pervades all phenomena and can give rise to any phenomena so it is present everywhere. Second, the suchness or the actual nature of nirvana and samsaric phenomena is undifferentiated so there's no "good suchness" which relates to nirvana and no "bad suchness" which relates to samsara. There is only one suchness of all phenomena. Third, all beings possess the foundation for buddha nature and when purified it can develop into full Buddhahood.
Ten Qualities o f Buddha Nature
[29] There are ten different aspects from which one can approach the essence of Buddhahood. These are nature, cause, result, influence, endowments, approach, the various phases, all-pervasiveness, unalterability, and inseparability of its qualities. These are listed in Table 2 .
1. Nature
[30] The nature of buddha nature is explained by means of three examples of a jewel, the sky, and water. The
? significance of these examples will be given later. The dharmakaya is like a jewel because it is totally free from any impurities. It is like the sky when there are no clouds present because the sky by nature is free from clouds. It is like water because water is naturally ver\ pure and the impurities found in water are not part of the nature of the water. In the same way, buddha nature is perfectly pure.
There are four different ways to make buddha nature manifest. First, one must aspire to the dharma because with no aspiration obviously one will not practice it. The second way is to let the essence of buddha nature shine in its clarity and this is accomplished with intelligence (prajna). The third way is by samadhi (meditation) and the fourth is compassion. Without study one will not reflect on buddha nature or without meditation one will not be able to go through the process that makes buddha nature manifest. In more detail:
[31] In the example of the jewel, buddha nature pos- sesses tremendous power because it has the pov/er to achieve ultimate happiness Buddhahood, which is of greatest value for all beings. So it is extremely precious and powerful and is compared to a jewel because a jewel has the power to dispel poverty.
The essence of Buddhahood is compared to the sky because the sky never changes. The earth is constantly changing, but the sky even over periods of thousands of years never turns into anything different. In the same way, the suchness of all phenomena is unchanging and there is no alteration of its nature.
The essence of Buddhahood is compared to water because water has a wet and flowing quality which allows it to go everywhere. By its mere presence everything can
? grow. Buddha nature also possesses a moistening quality, the lubricating quality of compassion.
So buddha nature has the moistening quality of compassion, the unchanging quality of space, and the power of a jewel.
2. Cause
[32] In our present condition of ordinary beings the essence of Buddhahood has not manifested because we encounter the four unfavorable obstacles of Buddhahood. The first obstacle is having hostility or a natural dislike for the dharma. One may wish not to have anything to do with dharma and not want to practice. Obviously, one will never enter the dharma with this kind of attitude. Even without hostility towards the dharma, there may be no confidence in the value of the teaching so there is the feeling that everything taught is useless. The second obstacle is the strong belief in the reality of self. Even if one is interested
in the dharma and wishes to practice, if one has a very solid belief in ego, one will encounter an obstacle in the manifestation of buddha nature because a belief in self is contradictory to the understanding of attaining Buddhahood and is also the root of all negativity. To have the essence of Buddhahood manifest, one has to remove the two types of emotional and cognitive obscurations. But with a very strong belief in a self then, one cannot begin to remove these obscurations. The third obstacle is the fear of
suffering in samsara because this fear will prevent one from entering the mahSySna path. We are striving oo eliminate suffering, but there has to be an understanding of the void nature of this suffering at the same time. If1one
? can understand that suffering is void, then one doesn't fear this suffering and is able to help all beings attain freedom
from suffering. The fourth obstacle is the lack of an inclination to help other beings. This occurs when one feels one's own problems are enough and so one is not really interested in what happens to others. Someone with this attitude who practices is going to reach the higher states of rebirth in samsara and a form of liberation such as that of the arhats, but it will not be complete liberation of buddha nature manifesting into Buddhahood.
[33] Each obstacle has a type of person attached to it. The first obstacle is associated with persons hostile to the dharma. The second obstacle can be found in many religions. Some religions include a need to eliminate a belief in a self, but many do not even consider this quality; the self is just considered normal and does not have to be relinquished. The Buddhist term for people holding this belief in self is tirthika. Tirthikas are people who are fairly close to the dharma in that they are religious, but the religious belief is not powerful enough to manifest the essence of Buddhahood because they still believe in the presence of a self. The third obstacle is present in the SrSvakas who are individuals who want to find liberation only for themselves because they are afraid of suffering.
The fourth obstacle is found in pratyekabuddhas.
These four obstacles can be removed by their opposite qualities. Aspiration for the dharma will eliminate hostility towards the dharma. Great prajna will eliminate belief in self.
