Kalacakra with consort Vi5vamii.rii.. Photo by Ptttr Ntbtl

Transcending Time The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga

Gen Lamrimpa (Ven. Lobsang Jampal Tenzin)

Translated by

B. Alan Wallace

Edited by

Pauly B. Fitze

Foreword by

His HoLINEss THE DALAI LAMA

WrsooM PuBLICATIONS • BosTON

WISDOM PuBLICATIONs

199 Elm Street

Somerville MA 02144 USA

© 1999 Gen Lamrimpa and B. Alan Wallace

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechani­

cal, including photography, recording, or by any informacion storage and retrieval system or

technologies now known or later developed, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gen Lamrimpa, 1934-

Transcending time : the K.alacak.ra six-session guru yoga I Gen

Lamrimpa ; foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama ; translated by B.

Alan Wallace; edited by Pauly B. Fitze.

p. em. Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN o-8617I-I52-1 (pbk. : alk. paper)

I. K.alacak.ra (Tantric rite) 2. Yoga (Tantric Buddhism)

I. Wallace, B. Alan.

BQ7699.K34G46 1999

294·3'4436-dc21 99-19501

ISBN o-8617I-I52-1

04 03 02 01 00

6 5 4 3 2

Cover image: Vajradhara, 17th century, from the collection of Shelley and

Donald Rubin. Photo courtesy of Moke Mokotoff.

Designed by: Jennie Malcolm

Wisdom Publications' books are printed on acid-free paper and meet the guidelines for the

permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity

of the Council on Library Resources.

Printed in the United States of America

Foreword

Editor's Acknowledgments

Preface

Introduction

Homage

Contents

PART I PREPARING FOR PRACTICE

I Reflections on the Path

2 Receiving T antric Teachings

3 Overview of the Kalacakra T antra

PART 2 THE KALACAKRA Six-SESSION GuRu YoGA

4 Beginning the Practice

5 Guru Yoga

6 Recollections and Practices

7 Receiving Initiation

8 The Seven Self-Entries of a Child

9 The Higher and Greatly Higher Initiations

10 The Purification of Death

II Generating Oneself as Kalacakra

I2 Deepening Your Understanding

I3 Hooking the Hearts of All Kalacakras

I4 Bindu Yoga and Subtle Yoga

I5 Mantra Recitation

16 Offerings

17 Praise and Dedication

ix

XI

X111

I

9

I3

20

25

37

54

75 88

I04

I27

I4I

I 55 I68

I78

I84

188

I94

I98

PART 3 COMPLETION STAGE PRACTICES

18 The Nature of Phenomena 205

19 The Six-Phase Yoga 212

20 Questions and Answers 239

Dedication Prayer 263

A Lucid Presentation of the Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 265

Charts 277

Glossary 301

Notes 305

Bibliography 309

Index 313

To be read only by those who have received the Kalacakra initiation.

May this be an expression of gratitude

And reverence and love for the Revealer,

And the spiritual mentors, for preserving this

Precious body of wisdom, and may the

Blessings received be passed on to all who

Read this, and thereby to all beings.

Publisher's <.Acknowledgment

The publisher gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the students of

Gen Lamrimpa (Venerable Lobsang Jampal Tenzin), who, through the

Dharma Friendship Foundation Education Fund, helped make production

of this book possible.

cp'oreword

THE DALAI LAMA

The Kalacakra Tantra is a Buddhist practice belonging to the

class of highest yoga tantras, which are among the most profound teachings

of the Bodhisattva Vehicle. According to tradition, Buddha Sakyamuni appeared in the south of India as Kalacakra and set forth this tantra at the request of King Sucandra of Sambhala.

King Sucandra then propagated the teachings of Kalacakra widely among the citizens of Sambhala. The tradition is said not to have reap­peared in India until shortly before it was brought to Tibet in the eleventh

century. Thereafter, until the upheavals of the present century, it thrived

not only among Tibetans, but also among their neighbors in the Mongo­

lian regions to the north, as well as in Sikkim, Bhutan, and Nepal and the

Himalayan regions to the south and west.

For those who attend the initiation and wish to cultivate a daily practice

of meditation based upon it, it is common to begin by performing a

method of six-session guru yoga. This typically presents a concise review of

the important points of the generation stage yogas of the Kalacakra path,

within the context of a prayer to the spiritual master and meditation. Practices of this nature are called "six-session yogas" because they are meant to be recited and contemplated three times during the day and three times

at night. However, we should not limit our practice to this minimal level of

endeavor. The six-session yoga provides the basis for our daily meditation

in which we should try constantly to expand our familiariry with the prac­

tice of Kalacakra.

An increasing number of individuals who do not have access to the orig­

inal Tibetan commentaries are taking interest in this practice. Therefore, it

Foreword ix

is indeed timely that a book has been prepared containing an explanation

of the practice of the .Kdlacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga, based on his own

experience, by Gen LamrimpaJampal Tenzin. I offer my prayers that it will

enable readers to deepen their understanding and appreciation of this sub­

lime teaching of the Buddha.

A(!~-_) '

T enzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama

Foreword x

Editor's <.A'cknowledgments

It is with a sense of continuing gratitude that we think of His

Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama. With sympathy and understanding

for our needs he granted the request made by B. Alan Wallace and the

Dharma Friendship Foundation and encouraged Venerable Lobsang

Jam pal T enzin, Gen Lamrimpa, to travel to Seattle to lead a one-year

famatha retreat in 1988. Gen Lamrimpa's two-year stay (1987-1989) was a

rich experience for those fortunate ones able to participate. Besides the

samatha teachings and retreat-which is the subject of another book enti­

tled Calming the Mind, edited by Hart Sprager-we received teachings on

many quintessential subjects, including the Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga, the subject of this book. With great skill, patience, and generosity he

imparted his treasure of knowledge and insight. It brought about not only

a tremendous enrichment in our lives, but also gave us much food for

reflection and meditation in the future.

We were also most fortunate to have the excellent translation skills of B.

Alan Wallace. His vast background in the Dharma and excellent knowledge

of Tibetan and English made the teachings a truly profound experience.

To reflect Gen Lamrimpa's penetrating erudition as well as profound

realizations, we attempted to preserve the traditional Tibetan format of

teachings he used. There was some minor shifting of introductions to indi­

vidual classes to fit into the major chapters.

Tibetan words used in the text are spelled to reflect the pronunciation, and

the transliteration in parenthesis is in accordance with the Wylie system.

Sans~it words are spelled according to the standard transliteration system.

I would like to express my gratitude to the many individuals who have

made contributions to this project.

Acknowledgments xi

First I would like to thank Venerable Lobsang Jampal Tenzin, Gen

Lamrimpa, for the many hours he gave during his second stay in Seattle in

1993 to go over the text and to clarify aspects that were unclear to me. The

kindness and assistance of Tenzin Tsultrim at that time is also gratefully

remembered.

My gratitude also goes to T. G. Dhongthog Rinpoche for checking the

entire document and making suggestions for improvements.

Thubten Jampa has earned my undying gratitude for his continuing

willingness to help over the many years. Special mention should be made

of Ivanka Jakie for her untiring efforts on behalf of the Kalacakra and to

thank her for requesting the teachings.

It gives me great pleasure to acknowledge my indebtedness and gratitude

to my two co-e_ditors. Brenda Loew studied the entire manuscript and con­

tributed suggestions for presentation and clarity. Jean Paone also

scrutinized the entire manuscript and made many valuable changes. She

had an uncanny knack to pinpoint weak areas and improve them.

During the times when I needed specialized expertise in computer tech­

nology it was my dear friends Elizabeth Heath and Thomas V. Ashbrook

IV who came to my aid. A big thank you to both of them.

I cannot overestimate my debt of gratitude to my husband, Werner

Fitze. Without his continuous and untiring encouragement and generous

support of many kinds, this work would not have been accomplished.

Great care has been taken to report the teachings accurately as given.

Any errors that may have crept in are mine alone and are infinitely regret­

ted. May I be permitted to repeat the sentiments voiced by Gen Lamrimpa:

"I hope this teaching will be of benefit to all and serve as a seed and as a

basis to analyze."

Acknowledgments xu

Preface

This preface focuses on the activities of the Dharma Friendship

Foundation, a nonsectarian group whose members appreciate all traditions.

It is located in Seattle, in the northwestern part of the United States, a

world power in these modern times.

Its spiritual director, American scholar Alan Wallace Ghampa Kelsang),

requested permission from His Holiness the Dalai Lama to invite me to

Seattle. With incomparable kindness he granted permission. Even though I

am impoverished in good qualities from former lives and from learning in

this life, I was regarded as valuable as gold. For one year beginning in

March 1987 I taught Dharma there to the best of my ability. The following

year I taught meditative quiescence and guided fifteen practitioners in a year-long retreat. Between meditative quiescence (Skt. famatha) and insight

(Skt. vipafyantl}, it is in the practice of meditative quiescence that the mind

is truly stabilized internally.

Then the Dharma Friendship Foundation and its altruistic program

director Ivanka Jakie Gampa Lhamo) from Yugoslavia fervently requested

that I teach the .Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga for the purpose of practice

and meditation. This was given for the daily practice of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama by his senior tutor Ling Rinpoche, who was the

Ninety-seventh Holder of the Ganden Throne in the Gelug order. His

Holiness the Dalai Lama kindly gave the permission. As holy scholars and

adepts are very rare in that area, I was conceited enough to feel like a fine­

looking man among dwarfs and I gave these teachings for fifteen days to fifteen people, some of whom participated in the year-long retreat. During

the' preliminary teachings, I tried to emphasize the common path practices,

such as the spirit of awakening, the spirit of emergence, the correct view,

Preface xiii

and so forth. To the best of my ability I explained the specific points of

Kalacakra, including the initiation that brings maturation, the stages of

generation and completion that bring liberation, the basis to be purified,

the practices that purify, and the results of purification. However:

Having dipped the kufa grass tip of my childish intelligence

Into the deep and limitless ocean of treatises,

I worship the merciful and compassionate beings

And confess my errors in the nature of nonobjectivity.

Having entered the midst of the great ocean,

Even though I cannot fathom its depths or breadth,

Is it the custom of articulate and educated people

Not even to speak of the ocean?

Though a great bird' s wings have no power

To reach the far side of the sky,

What intelligent person would say

It should not fly in the sky?

From beginningless time until now,

My body, speech, and mind have been messengers of sarrzsiira. Now, by chance, I have striven for the sake of beings throughout space.

Why isn't this a good thing?

When I was teaching at that time, I was ignorant of the English language,

so Alan Wallace, who is fluent in both English and spoken Tibetan as well

as Dharma terminology, translated well everyrhing I taught, occasionally

helped by the Tibetan Thubten Jampa. Those teachings were recorded on

tape by Pauly and Werner Fitze, who were born in Switzerland but present­

ly live on Vashon Island near Seattle. With great altruism, diligence, and

rugged endurance, they accepted the responsibility of transcribing the

teachings from the tapes, then edited them again and again, many times

over.

There are not many such writings about Kalacakra in English. His

Holiness the Dalai Lama's initiation brings great blessings, and a number

Preface xiv

of Westerners are very interested in learning· more about Kalacakra. So I

hope this teaching will be of benefit as a basis, or seed, for study.

THE PoiNT oF THE PRACTICE

Even if one does not have very much time for meditation, any practice of

Kalacakra brings a blessing. In particular, practicing the Kalacakra Six­

Session Guru Yoga brings tremendous blessings. Moreover, the six-session

guru yoga synthesizes all the essential points of practice of both the sutras

and the tantras.

Once you have received the Kalacakra initiation, it would be very help­

ful for you to gather together for a couple of days at a time to engage in this

practice and discuss the teachings. By doing so, you will acquire experience

in the six-session guru yoga practice as well as gain some familiarity with the

stages of generation and completion. It would be much to your advantage.

Many of you are especially attracted to Kalacakra. If you express this faith in

the practice, this will place very powerful propensities upon your mindstreams.

On the other hand, if you practice with little faith, few benefits arise.

The point of the practice is chiefly to counter the mental afflictions,

which should be the ongoing emphasis of your practice. In short, what we

need to do is to try to diminish the force of the mental afflictions and cul­

tivate wholesome qualities.

Although the chief task is transforming the mind in order to totally erad­

icate the mental afflictions, we should also give very strong emphasis to

diminishing unwholesome tendencies of speech and physical actions. The

reason for this is that even though the mind is the source of all three, if one

does not attenuate verbal and physical actions such as harsh or abusive

speech and other nonvirtues, these will enflaine the mental afflictions. It is very hard to counter the mental afflictions without restraining the

unwholesome actions of body and speech. Moreover, the body and speech

are easier to subdue. So start there as a basis, and with that, counter the

mental afflictions.

Now, in terms of a really practical procedure along the path, it is very

gopd to develop the spirit of awakening, the altruistic wish to be of benefit

to others. As the basis, if one can emphasize being honest, this is extremely

important. Without countering the mental afflictions to some extent, it is

Preface xv

impossible to be honest. If one really becomes accustomed to being honest

to oneself and to others, it is much easier for authentic loving kindness and

compassion to arise.

These things are to be practiced.

GENERAL REMARKS ABOUT TANTRIC TEACHINGS

Although I have given the teachings on Kalacakra, I feel, in fact, that I

cannot teach this material very well. Nevertheless, these teachings were

requested by Ivanka Jakie and the Dharma Friendship Foundation.

Moreover, there are very few people who teach the Kalacakra practice.

Before offering these teachings, I made a lot of effort to study and prepare

the material. As I put together the things that I have studied and heard, I

tried to teach in accord with what is written in the authoritative scriptures

on Ka.lacakra. According to my ability, I have done as well as I can. In com­

parison to the instructions of a great sage, these would not be considered

good teachings.

In the explanations I have taught explicitly about transforming sensual

experiences into the path. The reason for being so very explicit and unam­

biguous is because nowadays there are a lot of people who say they are

practicing tantra, transforming sensual experience and pleasure into the

path. When people have no clear idea what such transformation entails, all

they are doing is confusing themselves and others. If one does indeed have

the proper, extensive preparation that I have discussed at length, and one

transforms sensual pleasure into the path, this is very good.

I have spoken very clearly about these points in order to protect people

from following a deviant path. As I was giving these teachings, I was not

presenting something that I dreamed up. My comments were based upon

authoritative scriptures that have been practiced for over a thousand years.

Also, throughout the whole history of such practice, there have been gen­

erations of siddhas who have gained authentic experience by such means.

If people unfamiliar with Buddhist teachings should take a paragraph

here or there out of context and just focus on that, this could be dangerous.

Therefore, care should be taken that these teachings do not get into the

wrong hands.

When appropriate, if one can clarify these issues to other people, this

Preface xvi

would be a service to humanity, for this is a very precious body of knowl­

edge. It seems that in the West, already a lot of books on tantra have been

written and translated. Some of these may state that in the tantric context

one should not abandon mental afflictions. It would be good to clarify these

issues. If there is an opportunity to go into deeper explanations, then the

people you speak with should have received initiation and have strong, irre­

versible faith.

THE LINEAGE BACKGROUND

Concerning the lineage from which I have received these teachings, I

received the Kalacakra empowerment itself from His Holiness the Dalai

Lama. I also received brief instructions from His Holiness on the genera­

tion and completion stages of the Kalacakra T antra. These teachings were

given to only a few people, by invitation only.

Three people were invited as representatives of large regions of Tibet.

One was Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche, an older monk who was invited to rep­

resent Amdo. A second was Chamdo Geshe, a representative of Kham. I

was the third, and I was invited as a representative of southern and central

Tibet. We represented all of Tibet. Then there were the abbot and three

other monks from Namgyal Monastery, His Holiness' personal monastery.

Seven people in all received the oral transmission of the teachings, the

explanation, and private instructions by His Holiness. Thereafter, His

Holiness encouraged those seven to engage in a propitiatory retreat, which

we did. That is one lineage I have received.

Following that, I received another lineage of the oral transmission of the

K.alacakra Root Tantra, the Vimalaprabhii, and the voluminous annotations

and subcommentaries of Buton. That was a vast undertaking. At that time

there was just one person, as far as we know, at least outside of Tibet, who

had received this complete oral transmission, and this was Kirti Tsenshab

Rinpoche, who had been invited to the previous teaching. His Holiness

then instructed Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche to pass on the oral transmission

to three people. Those three again represented all of Tibet. One was Kirti

Rin~oche, a younger monk, representing Amdo. Then there was Banglang

Rinpoche, representing Kham, and I was again invited to represent central

and southern Tibet.

Preface xvii

I really do not know why these individuals were chosen to represent

those regions of Tibet. There are many lamas and geshes superior to me from central and southern Tibet. I have no special ability, and His Holiness

knows that, but perhaps I was chosen due to some karmic connection from

my previous lives.

Every year since then at least some of the monks ofNamgyal Monastery

engage in the self-initiation rite of Kalacakra, and each time I have been

instructed to come and take the self-initiation with them. And that I have

done.

I encourage you to dedicate the merit of your reading and engaging in

this practice to the best of your ability. Because this particular tantric prac­

tice is intimately related to Sambhala, it is very beneficial to dedicate some

of the merit to your being reborn in Sambhala.

Since His Holiness the Dalai Lama has given permission to publish this

teaching, Pauly and Werner Fitze asked me to write an introduction. In

accordance with the common tradition, I have written a homage and pref­

ace at the beginning and a prayer of dedication at the end.

I, who am known as Lobsang Jam pal T enzin, am a monk from the

Chusang Hermitage (Tib. chu bzang sgrub sde), located in the Lat6 Shelkar

(Tib. La stod shel dkar) district in the western region of the snowy land of

Tibet, which is a realm subdued by Arya Avalokite5vara. Even though I am

single-pointedly devoted to the sublime Dharma, my Dharma behavior is artificial and ordinary. With the thought to benefit all, I have written this

in the iirya land Sikkim, the secret land of Adirya Padmasambhava, at

Dechen Ling on the fifteenth day (commemorating the Buddha's teaching

of the Kiilacakra Paramiidhibuddha at Dhanyaka~aka in India) of the third

Tibetan month of the Tibetan royal year of 2120.

Lobsang Jampal Tenzin

May 6,1993 May joy and goodness prevail

Preface xvm

Introduction B. Alan Wallace

The practice of Kal.acakra belongs to the general category of

Buddhist practice known as Vajrayiina, or Buddhist tantra, which originat­

ed in India and further developed over the past twelve hundred years in

Tibet. According to the Sampufa Tantra, there are four classes of Buddhist

tantra: action (Skt. kriytt), performance (Skt. carytt), yoga, and highest yoga

(Skt. anuttarayoga). In the first three classes of tantras, one generates a

coarse consciousness combining skillful means and wisdom, and then med­

itates on emptiness. Only in the highest yoga tantras are methods taught to

bring forth subtle levels of consciousness arising from the union of skillful

means and wisdom. To utilize such subtle consciousness, one must first

subdue coarse levels of conceptualization, which may be done either by

directing the vital energies within the body into the central channel, or by

engaging in totally nonconceptual meditation, as is done in the practice of

Dzogchen. Highest yoga tantras are further subdivided into the two cate­gories of father and mother tantras. The former emphasize the generation

of an illusory body that is transmuted into a form body (Skt. rnpakiiya) of

a buddha when one achieves spiritual awakening. The latter are principally

concerned with bringing forth the subtle consciousness of clear light (Skt.

prabhiisvara) with which one realizes emptiness, and this subtle mind is ulti­

mately transformed into the mind of a buddha (Skt. dharmakiiya).

The Kal.acakra Tantra belongs to the class of highest yoga mother tantras

and, like other tantras of this class, it includes two stages of practice: the

stage of generation and the stage of completion. This particular system of

theory_ and practice includes three Kal.acakras: the outer Kal.acakra, the

inner Kal.acakra, and the other Kal.acakra. The outer Kal.acakra constitutes

the elements of the external environment in which we live; the inner

Introduction r

Kalacakra constitutes the psychophysical aggregates that make up an indi­

vidual; and the other Kalacakra consists of the stages of generation and of

completion, which purify the first two Kalacakras. According to Buddhist tradition, the Kalacakra Miilatantra, or Root

Tantra (also known as the Paramiidibuddha), was taught by the Buddha

Sakyamuni in his mystical manifestation as the deity Kalacakra to King

Sucandra of Sambhala, who had traveled to India to request these teachings

from him. From Sucandra, this lineage was passed down through a line of

seven Great Kings and twenty-one Kalki Kings of Sambhala, beginning

with Y aSas Maiijusri, who composed the Kalacakra Laghutantra, or

Condemed Tantra. His son Pul).Q.arika composed a great commentary to this

father's work, entitled the Vimalaprabhii, or Stainless Light, which remains

the primary commentary on Kalacakra to this day.

According to the legend of Sambhala, based on the Kalacakra Tantra, I when Yasas Maiijusri reincarnates as the twenty-fifth Kalki King, Sambha­la and our world will unite and a time of great material and spiritual bounty

will begin. In order that as many people as possible might receive karmic

imprints related to this momentous event, the Kalacakra initiation was

openly given in Tibet, and His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama has, in

this same tradition, granted this initiation openly on many occasions

throughout the world. Whether Sambhala is located on our planet but can

be experienced only by those whose minds and karmic propensities are

pure, or whether it exists elsewhere is a question still debated by devout Tibetan Buddhists. But it is certainly true that for almost a millennium

Tibetan Buddhists have been praying to be reborn in Sambhala or in our world when the twenty-fi.fth Kalki King appears and the golden era of

Sambhala begins.

According to Tibetan tradition, the Indian Buddhist yogin Cilupa, who

lived probably in the eleventh century, learned of the existence of Sambha­

la and the Kalacakra Tantra and went in search of this fabled land and the

teachings of Kalacakra. On his way there, he encountered a manifestation

ofMafi.jusri, who granted him the initiation, tantra commentaries, and oral

transmissions of Kalacakra. As far as we know, the Kalacakra Miilatantra was never brought from Sambhala to India, but the Kalacakra Laghutantra and the Vimalaprabhii were, and they were later included in the Tibetan

Introduction 2

Buddhist canon. An Indian lineage of this tradition thus arose and was

passed down from one Indian guru to another, eventually being transmit­

ted to the Nepali pa?Ztfit Samanta Sri:bhadra. In the twelfth century, the

Tibetan yogin Ra Chorab traveled to Nepal to study Kalacakra with

Samanta Srlbhadra, who later accompanied him back to Tibet, where they

translated the main Kalacakra treatises into Tibetan. This lineage was

passed on down to the great fourteenth-century Tibetan Buddhist scholar

Buton (Tib. bu ston rin chen grub), who wrote extensive commentaries and

annotations to the Kalacakra Laghutantra and the Vimalaprabhii. This lin­

eage has been preserved to the present, and the Fourteenth Dalai Lama

received the initiations and oral transmissions of the stages of generation

and completion from his senior tutor, Vajracarya Kyabje Ling Rinpoche.

With the Chinese Communist invasion of Tibet and its genocidal assault

on Tibetan Buddhism, the study of Kalacakra in Tibet has declined during

the latter half of the twentieth century, though there are a few monasteries

in eastern Tibet (in the present-day Chinese provinces of Qinghai and

Sichuan) where it is actively studied and practiced to this day. The lineage

of the complete oral transmission of the Kalacakra Laghutantra, the

Vimalaprabhii, and the Tibetan scholar Buron' s sub-commentaries and

annotations to these treatises were taken from Tibet to India by Kirti

Tsenshab Rinpoche, who, at the request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,

passed it on to Gen Lamrimpa and a few other Tibetan monks in Dharamsala.

Over the past few decades, the Kalacakra Tantra has drawn increasing

interest from scholars and practicing Buddhists throughout the world,

largely as a result of the Dalai Lama granting this initiation many times in

Asia, Europe, and North America. This has led to the publication of a

number of popular and scholarly works in Western languages on the theory

and practice of Kalacakra. Among the first of these is Geshe Ngawang

Dhargyey's Kalacakra Tantra, consisting of his oral teachings on Kalacakra

theory and practice, which I translated. This work is especially valuable for

its detailed discussion of the vows and pledges pertaining to this practice.

The Wheel of Time: The !Vtlachakra in Context by Geshe Lhundub Sopa, et.

al., provides an excellent introduction to the history, the process of initia­

tion, and the general practice of Kalacakra. The !Vtlachakra Tantra: Rite of Initiation by Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, and Jeffrey

Introduction 3

Hopkins presents the context for the practice of Kalacakra and gives a very

detailed account of all the stages of the initiation, as well as the first English

translation of the Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga, which was formulated

by the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and versified by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche. In

his book The Practice of Kalachakra, Glenn Mullin offers an overview of

Kalacakra within Tibetan Buddhism as a whole and presents translations of

various short Tibetan treatises covering different aspects of this tradition.

Barry Bryant offers an engaging account of the Kalacakra tradition in his

visually stunning book The Wheel of Time Sand Mandala: Visual Scripture of Tibetan Buddhism. Most recently, Alexander Berzin has published two

very helpful works entitled Taking the Kalachakra Initiation and Kalachakra and Other Six-Session Yoga Texts, which well complement the earlier litera­

ture in these fields. Recent works of a more scholarly nature include Gilmer

Gronbold's The Yoga of Six Limbs: An Introduction to the History of $at/angayoga, translated from the German by Robert L. Hiltwohl; John R.

Newman's unpublished dissertation entitled The Outer Wheel of Time: Vajrayiina Cosmology in the Kiilacakra Tantra; and Vesna A. Wallace's

unpublished dissertation entitled The Inner Kalacakratantra: A Buddhist Tantric View of the IndividuaL

This present work by the Tibetan monk and contemplative Gen

Lamrimpa (Lobsang Jam pal T enzin) provides an unprecedentedly detailed

explanation of the Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga. The motivation for

presenting this material is to make the practice of Kalacakra accessible to

sincere practitioners who have received the Kalacakra initiation but who do

not have the time or ability to practice the elaborate Kalacakra siidhana, or

means of actualization of the body, speech, and mind of Kalacakra, which

may take many hours each day to complete. This six-session guru yoga, first

translated into English by Jeffrey Hopkins and newly translated here, is

based on a shorter and more generic six-session guru yoga composed by the

First Panchen Lama (Tib. blo bzang chos kyi rgyal mtshan, 1567?-1662). The

purpose of this type of yoga is to provide a concise matrix of highest yoga

tantra practices that include the stages of generation and completion as well

as all the specific tantric pledges (Skt. samaya) associated with the five fam­

ilies of buddhas, namely, Vairocana, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha,

Amoghasiddhi, and ~obhya. By properly practicing this yoga each day,

Introduction 4

all those pledges are fulfilled. Thus, although the various kinds of six-ses­

sion yogas are nowadays affiliated especially closely with the Gelug order,

they are equally pertinent to all those who have taken highest yoga (or, in

the Nyingma order, mahiiyoga and anuyoga) tantric initiations and their

accompanying pledges.

In this eminently practical explanation ofKalacakra practice, inspired by

years of scholarly training and decades of solitary contemplative retreat in

Vajrayana practice, Gen Lamrimpa begins by emphasizing the importance

of a compassionate motivation for spiritual practice. In Mahayana practice

in general and Vajrayana practice in particular, compassion must be more

than a mere appendage to one's spiritual practice to balance one's cultiva­

tion of contemplative insight. Rather, compassion is the very motivating

force behind one's spiritual practice as a whole. By carefully examining the

range of suffering to which all sentient beings are vulnerable, one becomes

moved by a powerful urge to protect everyone from fear and suffering.

With one's present, limited abilities, how can one do anything more than

temporarily relieve the pains and sorrows of others, never truly protecting

them from the underlying causes of misery? With faith in the power of the

spiritual awakening of a buddha and in one's own buddha nature, which

enables one to realize that state of enlightenment, in which one's deepest

capacity for wisdom, love, and power is fully manifested, one brings forth

the motivation of a bodhisattva: to achieve perfect spiritual awakening for

the benefit of all beings. This is the spirit of awakening that lies at the core

of the entire Mahayana tradition, including Vajrayana.

In order to fully ground this spirit of awakening in a deep understand­

ing of the nature of sentient existence, Gen Lamrimpa delves into the

nature of the cycle of existence in which all sentient beings are trapped.

While one may uncritically believe that all one's difficulties will naturally

vanish at death, generations of Buddhist contemplatives attest to the truth

of a continuity of individual consciousness that precedes this present life

and carries on after death. Thus, this present human life is but one in an

unimaginably long sequence of lives reaching into the unknown past and

potentially extending indefinitely into the future. But this present life, he

explains, is one of immeasurable value, for by applying one's human intel­

ligence to effective spiritual practice, one may become forever healed from

Introduction 5

all mental afflictions, such as craving, hostility, and delusion, and their

resultant miseries. By engaging in Mahayana practice, one may set out on the bodhisattva path of the six perfections, or the Paramitayana, which

takes countless eons of dedicated practice before perfect awakening is

achieved. However, by practicing the swift path of the Vajrayana, such as the Kalacakra T antra, one may achieve the enlightenment of a buddha in

one short human life span. One's incentive for practicing Kalacakra should

not be merely impatience at the thought of having to practice for eons, but

rather an urgent sense of compassion, the wish to effectively serve the needs

of sentient beings as soon as possible. No motivation other than a spirit of

awakening is suitable for Vajrayana practice as a whole.

Gen Larnrimpa then proce~ds to discuss the role of "pure vision" and

"divine pride" in Kalacakra practice. According to Vajrayana Buddhism,

the world does not inherently exist in the ways we perceive it and think of

it; nor does our sense of our own identities and that of other beings reflect

anyone's intrinsic existence. Rather, our experience of ourselves, others, and

the world around us is a creation of our own conceptual frameworks and

languages. We are literally "making up" ourselves and our environment

based upon experiences that are themselves products of our own previous

habitual propensities. This is not to say that no one else exists and there is

no universe apart from our conceptual constructs, bur that all that we expe­

rience and imagine is structured by our concepts: neither we nor our

environment inherently exist apart from conceptual designation.

The habitual propensities that structure our ordinary sense of personal

identity and our environment can, however, be overcome through the inge­

nious practice of pure vision, by which-inspired by our own faith in or

intuition of the all-pervasive buddha nature-we imagine all appearances to

be expressions of the Buddha's body, all sounds to be the Buddha's speech,

and all mental events to be the mind of the Buddha. This practice is cou­

pled with the cultivation of divine pride, in which we identify our

Vajrayana guru, ourselves, our spiritual friends, and all other beings as ema­

nations of the Buddha, in this case, Kalacakra. By so purifying our vision

and identification of ourselves and others, the world increasingly arises to

our experience as a pure manifestation of enlightened awareness, and our

progress to spiritual awakening is enormously expedited.

Introduction 6

In order to engage in such profound Vajrayana practice, in which the

motivation of a spirit of awakening is thoroughly integrated with one's

understanding of the lack of inherent existence of all phenomena, one must

rely upon a qualified spiritual mentor and receive tantric initiation. Gen

Lamrimpa therefore gives a detailed explanation of all the stages of the

Kalacakra initiation, each of them designed to purify obscurations of one's

body, speech, or mind and establish within one the potencies for actualiz­

ing the body, speech, and mind of Kalacakra. This explanation, which is

closely based on the ancient commentary the Stainless Light, can be enor­

mously helpful to those who receive this initiation from the Dalai Lama or

any other qualified lama. For without such understanding, the complexities

of this rite may simply leave one bewildered.

In his discussion of the stage of generation, Gen Lamrimpa explains how

this phase of practice is related to the processes of taking birth, living, and

dying, and how it transmutes each of these phases into spiritual awakening.

This entails a presentation of the vital energies, channels, and drops (Skt.

bindu, Tib. thig le) that constitute the subtle body according to the

Kalacakra system. Although none of these may have any direct correlation

to human anatomy and physiology according to modern medicine, this

does not necessarily mean that either system invalidates the other. Medical

science is based on the objective observation of the human body, using a

wide range of technological instruments that detect only those phenomena

known to the physical sciences. No "vital energy" (vis vita or elan vital} has

been, or perhaps can be, detected by such physical instruments. One can

therefore conclude that if anything like the vital energies attested to in

Tibetan Buddhism exist, they do not exist in the same manner as cells, elec­

tric currents, or electromagnetic fields. However, there are many known

phenomena that also cannot be detected by the instruments of technology,

the principle one, perhaps, being consciousness itself. Just as consciousness

is known through first-hand experience, so do generations of Vajrayana

yogis claim that the vital energies, channels, and drops described in this

system can be experienced directly through such practice. Thus, this view

of the subtle body may be regarded as complementary to, and not neces­

sarily in conflict with, medical science's view of the human body.

Gen Lamrimpa concludes his explanation of this practice with a remarkable

Introduction 7

account of the six-phase yoga, including retraction, meditative stabilization,

prii1Jayiima, retention, recollection, and samiidhi. To the best of my knowl­

edge no such detailed account of these secret practices has previously

appeared in English, and it was only with the permission of His Holiness

the Dalai Lama that we ventured to present them here. These are the

unique practices of the Kalacakra stage of completion, and by bringing

these practices to culmination, all the material components of one's body

are said to be exhausted, and one achieves the empty form body, which is

the primordial wisdom body of Kalacakra. In this process, all karmic ener­

gies are extinguished, all cognitive obscurations are abandoned, and with

the realization of the empty form of Kalacakra with consort, one attains the

immutable bliss of a buddha. From that point on, Gen Lamrimpa states,

there is no moment in which one, as the Buddha Kalacakra, is not dedicat­

ed to the welfare of sentient beings, and one's enlightened body, speech,

and mind pervade space.

With the motivation that all beings may achieve this state of spiritual

awakening, these teachings are offered to all those who have received the

Kalacakra initiation and wish to follow this profound path.

Introduction 8

Homage LobsangJampal Tenzin

Namo Guru Munindra Vajradhara

In the nature of the broad pathway of the divine, free of conceptual

elaboration,

All phenomena are displayed with the brush of conceptualization.

I reverently worship those beings of incomparable kindness

Who withdraw them back into the nature of the pathway of the divine.

My spiritual friends, more than twenty-including three who are

foremost-

Embodiments of the primordial wisdom and enlightened activities of all

the merciful jinas, Have variously manifested in accordance with the dispositions, capacities,

and inclinations of sentient beings.

Look after me until the end of sentient existence.

Siddhanha, who dispels the darkness of beings of the final five

hundred years,

Please dispel the darkness of the beings of the land of Tibet, without

closing your eyes.

You, who have been praised for your courage by all the jinaputras, Look after me until the end of sentient existence.

To emptiness free of taint, in union with the immutable enlightened

mind free of stains,

To Kalacakra and your consort in primordial union,

Homage 9

And to the lineage ofKulika Dharma kings I pray:

Look after me until the end of sentient existence.

I reverently worship those aryas who have devoted themselves to the

beings in Tibet-

The abbot, the teacher, and Dharma king; Atisa, Ngog, and Drom;

Marpa, Mila and Dakpo; the three Sakya patriarchs;

And the father and spiritual sons of the Ganden order.

From beginningless time until the end of the world,

May such destructive foes as self-grasping and self-centeredness

Be vanquished, and may we be blessed by a myriad of enlightened

activities

Of those who heed the vajra command.

Homage ro

Part I

Preparing for Practice

The K.alacakra maJ!qala Photo by Ptttr Ntbtl

I

'Rdfections on the Path

Motivation

In Mahayana practice as a whole, motivation is of paramount

importance. In the highest yoga tantra in particular, aspiring for one's own

spiritual development is inappropriate. Rather, one should sincerely seek to

eliminate the unbearable pain and suffering experienced by all sentient

beings. One must develop the courage and compassion to dwell in a hell

realm for many, many eons without being depressed by that prospect in

order to bring even one sentient being to the state of enlightenment. In

addition, when one considers that the general Mahayana practice will

require three countless eons on the path to enlightenment, one thinks: "I

cannot bear the suffering of beings during all this time without being able

to help them and serve them effectively. Therefore, I must attain full awak­

ening as quickly as possible."

Simply wishing to attain individual full awakening, however, is insuffi­

cient for Mahayana practice in general and for the practice of highest yoga

tantra as well. With the motivation to attain full awakening as quickly as

possible in order to dispel the suffering of others, think, "Therefore I shall

engage in this practice of Kalacakra; therefore I am attending this retreat;

therefore I am sitting in this session; and therefore I am practicing this

hour." This motivation needs to be cultivated and maintained in each indi­

vidual practice session.

Bodhisattvas of sharp faculties are on the ordinary Mahayana path. Great

merit is required to approximate their compassion (Skt. karutza, Tib. snying rje), wisdom (Skt. prajfiii, Tib. shes rab), and superior resolve (Tib. !hag bsam). To be a fully appropriate practitioner for the highest yoga tantra,

however, one's compassion, wisdom, and superior resolve should be one

hundred thousand times greater than.that of a bodhisattva of sharp faculties.

Reflections on the Path I3

THE UNSATISFACTORY NATURE oF THE CYCLE oF ExiSTENCE

The .Ktilacakra Root Tantra (Skt. Miilatantra, Tib. rtsa rgyud) states that

each of us abides in the beginningless cycle of existence. The text also

explains the difficulty of obtaining a human rebirth and, within the human

realm, the rarity of possessing a Dharma motivation. Even among people

who feel an aspiration toward Dharma, it is unbelievably exceptional to be

drawn toward the Vajrayana. The text implies that among those who are

drawn to the Vajrayana, it is again rare to have a connection with the high­

est yoga tantra. The point is that it is extremely wonderful and amazing to

have the opportunity to aspire to full awakening, to have the means to

pursue that goal, and to have available the path for attaining the state of

immutable bliss, the mind of a buddha.

The rarity and difficulty of obtaining this human life of leisure and

endowment may be understood in terms of its nature, numbers, and causes.

First of all, consider the difficulty of obtaining a fully endowed human

rebirth in terms of its nature. We can look at the world population of

roughly five billion people, and compare that figure with the number of

those who have obtained a human life of leisure and endowment and are

drawn to the Dharma. We can see that the latter group is quite small. We

can continue by comparing a person with a human life of leisure and

endowment not only with other human beings, but with all sentient beings.

Consider insects, which seem to be everywhere. Indeed, forgetting size for

a moment, if the five billion human beings on this planet were tossed into

the insect population, the humans would simply vanish. Moreover, accord­

ing to modern science there are microorganisms living in the soil as well as

in the air and in water. The comparison of the human population with the

numbers of all sentient beings enables us to understand the difficulty of

obtaining a human life of leisure and endowment in terms of its nature.

In terms of numbers, it is said that most sentient beings exist in the hell

realm, followed by fewer in the preta realm, fewer still in the animal realm;

the fewest can be found in the human realm. So human existence is

extremely uncommon.

The causes for:rebirth in the miserable:realms are unwholesome activi­

ties. If we look into our minds, we find mental afflictions replete with the

causes for unwh6lesome activities. During the course of the day, it is most

Preparing for PraCtice· I4

unusual to experience the arising of a wholesome state of mind. From the

time we get up in the morning to the time we go to bed at night, the day

is filled with unwholesome mental states. Thus, the causes for this human

rebirth are difficult to acquire.

Even for human beings, the occurrence of a truly spiritual state of mind

is extremely unusual. Out of the five billion people in the world, just a few

have the appropriate attitude required for spiritual practice. And among

those who do experience the mind of Dharma, if the ability to discriminate

between proper Dharma and improper Dharma is absent, the presence of a

spiritual attitude does not make much difference.

It is said that among those who do experience a Dharma mind, the ones

who are drawn to the Mahayana are a strikingly small minority. And among

those, the ones who are drawn to tantra are an even smaller minority. In

this context, whether one experiences a mind of Dharma and is drawn to

this form of Dharma depends on whether a fully awakened being has

appeared in the world. But the appearance of a buddha in the world is very

rare. Out of 16,300 great eons, a buddha appears only four times in four

eons, or sixteen times. Most of these eons are said to be eons of darkness.

In one great eon there are eighty intermediate eons. These eighty fall into

four types: twenty are empty eons; twenty are eons of creation, when things

are in the process of becoming; twenty are eons of existence; and twenty are

eons of destruction. A buddha can appear only during the twenty eons of

existence. In each eon of existence, half the time the human life span is

increasing, and during the other half the human life span is decreasing. A

buddha manifests only when the human life span is decreasing. Thus there

are only ten intermediate eons in which a buddha could appear.

One intermediate eon encompasses the following: When the human life

span is on the increase, every one hundred years, the optimum life span

increases by one year, ranging between ten years and eighty thousand years.

Then it decreases in like fashion.

In this present eon, we are now in the phase when the human life span

is decreasing. It has come from eighty thousand down to its present level

and during this whole phase only four buddhas have appeared. One mani­

fested when the human life span was forty thousand years, the second when

the life span was thirty thousand, the third when the life span was tweny

Rej/ectiom on the Path 15

thousand, and the fourth, our historical Buddha, came when the optimal

life span was one hundred years.

If you can take birth on one of those brief occasions when a buddha has

taken birth, you have something precious. Of course, we have missed that

opportunity.

OuR RARE OPPORTUNITY

In terms of a human existence, it is quite remarkable to have the chance to

practice Dharma. Many human beings do not even accept Dharma at all.

Among those who do, many develop misconceptions. In addition, there are

those whose senses are not complete. There are many factors that decrease

our opportunity to practice Dharma. We now have an almost unimagin­

ably rare opportunity: to have a human rebirth, to be drawn to Dharma,

and to have a mind drawn to Vajrayana. It is imperative to make this event

meaningful.

Human beings have profound intelligence, and we should use this intel­

ligence to enable us to avoid the causes for having to wander about in

miserable states of existence. Assuming that one is an appropriate vessel, or

trainee, for the practice of tantra, and one fully receives initiation, then it is

said that even if one does not apply oneself to the practice but simply keeps

the vows and tantric pledges purely, one can attain full enlightenment

within seventeen lifetimes. And it is said that if one does apply oneself very

assiduously to the practice, then it is possible to attain full enlightenment

in one or two lifetimes. Even if one encounters difficulty in attaining full

enlightenment in one lifetime, there are great hopes of attaining it in two.

If we can train ourselves well in the common path, properly receive ini­

tiation, and apply ourselves to the best of our abilities to the stages of

generation and completion, potent imprints will be left on the mind. Even

if we do not fully awaken in this life, we will be able to take rebirth in the

next lifetime as a human being with real capacity to practice tantra and to

attain full enlightenment at that time.

We have the ability to serve not only our own needs but also the needs

of others. We have a very profound mental capacity in this lifetime, and if

we do not make use of it, this is a great loss. The essential point is that it is

very important to take advantage of our opportunities for practicing

Preparing for Practice r6

Dharma. We are extremely fortunate to have the chance to engage in the

practice of highest yoga tantra.

REFUGE

The actual siidhana of the six-session guru yoga begins with taking refuge,

which is said to be the criterion that determines whether one is a Buddhist.

Understanding one's state of suffering and experiencing the fear of being

unable to free oneself from suffering causes one to look elsewhere for pro­

tection and refuge. It is important to reflect upon the nature of the three

causes of the fear that impels us to take refuge, namely: (I) the suffering

nature of the three miserable states of existence; (2) the unsatisfactory

nature of the entire cycle of existence; and (3) the disadvantages of having

cognitive obscurations when trying to serve the needs of other sentient

beings. In the context of Kalacakra, the chief fault to consider is the unsat­

isfactory nature of cognitive obscurations.

What is it that brings about this unsatisfactory cycle of existence? A mis­

taken state of mind. In order to fulfill our desires and to avoid what we do

not desire, we engage in actions of the body and mind. In this process

imprints are placed upon the mind, and these habitual propensities become

the causes of our body, environment, and experiences of pleasure and pain

in future lifetimes. As these habitual propensities in the mind ripen in

future lives, we again use the body and the mind to engage in actions,

which again store habitual propensities. In this way the cycle is perpetuat­

ed. Whether people are in high or low positions, or have great or little

power-indeed, no matter what the circumstances-we are all in the same

situation. If one reflects upon the twelve links of dependent origination, the

nature of the cycle becomes very clear.

Reflecting upon this, we should meditate until we come to the conclu­

sion that there is no end to this compulsive cycle. It self-perpetuates until a

wish arises to bring it to an end. If we think in this way, it becomes clearer

and clearer why the cycle of existence is called an ocean of suffering from

which there is no escape without Dharma. There are no mundane activities

that lead to the cessation of this self-perpetuating cycle. If you want to make

an effective nuclear bomb, make one that would cut that cycle. That would

be a true bomb. This is exactly what Buddhist practice is all about-"bomb

Rejlectiom on the Path I7

making." The realization of emptiness is the bomb that destroys the cycle

of existence.

To cut this continuum of the cycle of existence, there are Hi:nayana

methods that have their own strengths. However, the methods of the

Paramitayana are more effective, and the most effective methods are found

in the Vajrayana.

If we look for the ultimate source of the suffering, we find that it stems

from ignorance. It is very difficult to recognize one's own ignorance and

delusion. Why? Because the actual nature of that ignorance is a veil of

obscurations. For everyday activities we can have a plan, but rarely do the

results of our actions come out exactly according to plan. For that to

happen, we would have to have a perfectly clear vision of the reality that is

involved, but we do not. Nor do we have a perfectly clear vision of what

needs to be done to accomplish our goals. Therefore, reality usually does

not conform closely to our plans. Because we cannot see what is coming in

the future, we do not see our whole situation very clearly on our own. That

really is the essential reason for relying on someone else, and for taking

refuge. There are two causes of Mahayana refuge, namely, the inability to

bear one's own suffering and the compassion by which one is not able to

bear the suffering of others. We must rely upon a teacher who is very famil­

iar with the path.

The teacher we rely on should be one who is fully endowed with the abil­

ity to protect us from suffering. This person is called an object of refuge.

One's objects of refuge should be the Three Jewels-the Buddha, the

Dharma, and the Sangha. We can have utter trust and confidence that the

Three Jewels know the actual nature of reality.

In terms of taking refuge, it is necessary to have a teacher who shows the

way. In this context, of course, the teacher is the Buddha. Even if one has

a teacher, however, if one does not put into practice what is taught, the

teacher cannot be effective. That which is taught, the actual Dharma that

one puts into practice, is the refuge of Dharma. It is very difficult to progress

if one does not have some examples to look to, people who are farther along

on the path. Those to whom one looks as role models are called the Sangha.

The chief of these objects of refuge is the Buddha. There are four crite­

ria demonstrating that the Buddha is a true, authentic object of refuge. The

Preparing for Practice 18

first attribute is that he is free from fear. One who is not free from fear of

danger is not able to protect others from fear. The chief cause of external

danger is actually the elements of one's own mind, namely, one's own delu­

sion, desire, and anger. When one has freed the mind of these distortions,

then one is freed from external dangers. It should be clear that great desire

makes one quite vulnerable. For example, the body, which is grasped by the

mind and to which one is attached, is vulnerable to all kinds of suffering. If

one has no more desire for the body than one has for a stone, one is free

from physical suffering. When someone steps on a stone or grinds it into

little pieces of sand, we do not get concerned. In the same way, things that

happen to your body would not cause you to suffer if you were not attached

to it. The Buddha is totally free of such mental afflictions as desire, anger,

and ignorance, along with the habitual propensities for them.

The second attribute of the Buddha is skill in leading others out of suf­

fering. One who does not employ skillful means in leading others cannot

provide protection to them. It is important that the teacher's methods

accord with reality. A mother who is vety compassionate but does not know

how to take care of her child may give her infant any kind of available food,

in which case the child might die. A skillful mother, knowing that the

child's digestive powers are weak, would give easily digested food that

would gradually increase the strength and digestive powers of the child.

The third quality is that the object of refuge, the Buddha, must be

endowed with compassion.

Fourthly, the object of refuge must not discriminate between those who

are close and those who are far. The Buddha serves the needs of all sentient

beings without regard for whether an individual has been of service to him.

The accounts of the Buddha's life establish that the Buddha was

endowed with all of these qualities. Moreover, the Buddha and all the

objects of refuge are without fraudulence. Because the teacher himself is

without fraudulence, deceit, or deception, the teaching and its true follow­

ers will also be without deception.

In this practice, then, first of all visualize the objects of refuge. Bring to

mind the causes for taking refuge and the excellent qualities of the objects

of refuge. Then, while reflecting upon your own suffering and the suffering

of others, beseech the objects of refuge for protection.

Reflections on the Path I9

2

~ceiving Tantric Teachings

W. now begin the concise teachings on the .Kalacakra Six­Session Guru Yoga, specifically in relation to the stages of generation and

completion. Generally speaking, while listening to teachings of tantra, one

should cast aside ordinary appearances. For example, do not think that you

are sitting in an ordinary house, but imagine this dwelling to be the palace

of Kalacakra. Moreover, do not look at the teacher as an ordinary person,

but as an emanation ofKalacakra. This is true also for the students who are

listening to the teachings. We should generate ourselves in the nature of

Kalacakra.

VAJRASATTVA PURIFICATION

Tradition holds that teachings on the stages of generation and completion

are preceded by the practice of the one-hundred-syllable Vajrasattva

mantra, and also the offering of the torma (Tib. gtor ma). Therefore, after

cultivating the highest Mahayana motivation, we follow tradition and pro­

ceed to the one-hundred-syllable Vajrasattva mantra practice. Do this as

completely as you can by engaging in the Vajrasattva meditation, including

the mantra and the visualization.2 If you know the one-hundred-syllable

mantra, recite that:

o?'fl vajrasattva samayam anupiilaya vajrasattva tvenopatiftha drt/ho me bhava sutOfJO me bhava supofYO me bhava anurakto me bhava sarva siddhi?'fl me prayaccha sarva karmefU ca me citta?'fl friya?'fl kuru hii?'fl ha ha ha ha ho~ bhagavan sarvatathiigata vajra mii me mufica vajri bhava

mahiisamaya sattva ii~ hii?'fl phat Otherwise, you can recite the abbreviated Vajrasattva name mantra:

O?'fl vajrasattva ii~

Preparing for Practice 20

Please cultivate the all-encompassing motivation to attain the highest pos­

sible spiritual awakening for the benefit of all beings throughout space, and

with that motivation listen to the teachings. After cultivating the motiva­

tion, please engage in the Vajrasattva practice.

THE TEACHINGS IN CoNTEXT

Traditionally, the teachings are given sequentially. A presentation of the

teachings of the path in general is followed by explanations of the distinc­

tions between the Mahayana and the Hinayana, between the Siitrayii.na and

the Vajrayana, and among the four different classes of tantras. If you fail to

cover all the topics, you may miss the particular profundity of the path of

tantra, which could lead to misconceptions.

Mahayana and Hinayana

It is said that the teachings of the Buddha, including the 84,000 aspects of

the teachings as antidotes for the habitual propensities of desire, aversion,

and ignorance, all flow into the ocean of reality. Just as there may be many

streams from diverse directions traveling to the ocean, similarly the vast

number of teachings given by the Buddha culminate in the reality that is

the attainment of the tathiigatas. Our experience of suffering occurs because of the confusion of the mind;

mental delusions create our suffering. Insofar as we dispel the delusions of

the mind, we emerge from the suffering and attain liberation.

The attainment of liberation is approached in different ways. For exam­

ple, in the Hinayii.na, desire for sensual objects is identified as the chief

cause of deception, and the antidote is the elimination of desire for objects

such as food, and the cultivation of contentment and satisfaction by simply

accepting alms to eat. The cultivation of contentment for one's clothing or

one's abode is extremely important. Internally, the Hinayana practitioner

focuses on the practice of the three high trainings-ethical discipline, con­

centration, and wisdom-and especially on the abandonment of mental

afflictions (Skt. klefa, Tib. nyon mongs), which are regarded as adversaries.

The goal of the practice is simply liberation for oneself.

Within the Mahayana, there is the Paramitayana, or the vehicle of the

perfections, and the Vajrayana. The Paramitayana, which is based on the

Receiving Tantric Teachings 2I

Mahayana siitra teachings, places an even finer emphasis on the rejection of

desire for sensual objects. One is encouraged not to have the slightest desire

for such things as food, clothing, and lodging for one's own sake. The

bodhisattva abandons all concern for self and focuses entirely on others.

The chief objects to be abandoned are not mental afflictions but cognitive obscurations (Skt. jfleyiivaratza, Tib. shes sgrib), which obscure the omni­

scient potential of awareness. In order to eliminate the cognitive

obscurations, it is necessary to eliminate afflictive obscurations (Skt.

klefiivaratza, Tib. nyon sgrib), which are hindrances to liberation. On this

path, one engages in the practice of the six perfections, and these practices

in turn are qualified by special methods and wisdom.

It is said that one engages in the six perfections for the sake of one's own

ripening, and one engages in the four means of assembly for the sake of others. All the other practices of a bodhisattva can be included in the per­fection of ethical discipline. For the bodhisattva, there are three types of

ethical discipline: keeping one's precepts, serving sentient beings, and

applying oneself to wholesome behavior.

A person following the path of the Hinayana is never permitted to

engage in any of the ten nonvirtues. In contrast, a bodhisattva on the

Mahayana path is occasionally permitted to have desire for sensual objects

for the sake of sentient beings. That is, one does not need to abstain from

sensual objects if one is acting for the sake of others. Similarly, there are

occasions when a bodhisattva is permitted to engage in unwholesome

actions of body and speech for the benefit of sentient beings. You may ask if the distinction between· Hinayana and Mahayana is one

of view or behavior. The distinction is one of behavior. How so? In the

Mahayana, the basis of the motivation is the spirit of awakening (Skt. bodhi­citta, Tib. byang chub kyi sems), and it follows that the bodhisattva has the

intent to act for the sake of sentient beings. The Hinayana practitioner does

not have the basis of the spirit of awakening. Rather, such a person's moti­

vation is based in the trainings of the spiritual path to attain individual

liberation.

Siitrayana and Vajrayana

Within the Mahayana, the distinction between the Paramitayana and the

Preparing for Practice 22

Vajrayana lies, once again, m one's behavior. Whether or not one has

entered the Mahayana path is determined by one's development of the

spirit of awakening. There is, however, a strong distinction in terms of the

nature of the spirit of awakening involved. In tantra, there is an explicit

usage of sensual objects and sensual events along one's spiritual path. In the

Paramitayana, the siitra path, one does not explicitly transform sensuality

into the path.

An additional distinction is that in the Vajrayana, one must fully and

authentically receive initiation. Furthermore, the Vajrayana has the distinc­

tion of the four complete purities (Tib. yongs dag bzhz): (r) Seeing one's

abode as the abode of a buddha (to accomplish this, one imagines one's

abode as the palace of the deity); (2) seeing one's body as the body of the

deity; (3) seeing one's actions as emanations of light that serve the needs of

sentient beings; and (4) seeing one's enjoyments as being in the nature of ambrosia. At the time of fruition, this is the reality: that is, one's abode,

body, actions, and enjoyments are of that pure nature. While one is still

practicing on the path of tantra, one imagines these purities as they will be

present in the state of fruition.

The Four Classes ofTantra

With regard to the time of fruition, there are no distinctions among the

four classes of tantra. There are distinctions, however, in terms of how sen­

sual objects are used explicitly on the path. For example, the four ways of

using sensual attraction toward the meditation goddess are through gazing,

smiling, holding hands, and sexual union. These four aspects correspond to

the four tantric classes, from action tantra up to highest yoga tantra.

The first class of tantra, namely action tantras, places a strong emphasis

on outer action, such as keeping pure hygiene and external rituals. The class

of performance tantras places a somewhat greater emphasis on inner yoga.

For the third class, yoga tantras, there is a definitely stronger emphasis upon

inner yoga. The highest yoga tantras overwhelmingly emphasize the inner

yoga over the outer actions such as ritual purification.

In highest yoga tantra, there are two branches known as the father and

the mother tantras. That branch explicitly concerned with cultivating the

body of a buddha is called the father tantras. The mother tantras are chiefly

Receiving Tantric Teachings 23

concerned with attaining the mind of a buddha. The two are equally advan­

tageous in terms of attaining both the body and mind of a buddha, and

they are equal in the sense that they are both equally founded in the

Vajrayana. The distinction is simply the degree of emphasis in this regard.

Generally speaking, the Kalacakra Tantra is chiefly concerned with the

attainment of the buddha body because it places a special, unique empha­

sis on what is called the pure body of empty form (Tib. dag pa 'i stong gzugs kyi sku). Nevertheless, the Kalacakra Tantra is included in the class of

mother tantras. The reason is that the attainment of empty form is used as

a means for attaining immutable bliss (Tib. mi gyur ba'i bde ba), which

refers to the mind of a buddha.

In other highest yoga tantras, the goal is to transform the extremely

subtle primordial energy into the illusory body and by this means attain the

body of a buddha. In the Kalacakra system, however, there is not such an

explicit transformation of the extremely subtle primordial energy. Rather,

the Kalacakra T antra provides another means to attain the body of a

buddha, through the empty form body.3

Preparing for Practice 24

3

Overview of the l@lacakra Tantra

KALACAKRA's ExTRAORDINARY QuALITIES

It is said that Kalacakra is exceptionally profound. One of the exceptional

qualities of the Kalacakra is that from the time that the Buddha taught the

Kalacakra up to the present, the lineage of teaching and practice has been

maintained by iiryabodhisattvas. The lineage has not degenerated, so the

continuum of the blessing has not deteriorated.

Other profound qualities will become apparent in the future. There are

said to be four sequential historical eras: the era of fulfillment (Tib. rdzogs /dan), the era of threefold endowment (Tib. g.rum !dan), the era having two

qualities (Tib. gnyis !dan), and finally the era of conflict (Tib. rtsod !dan). At the end of the era of conflict, the age of Sambhala, which is an age of

fulfillment, will begin. At that time, Rudra Chakri, the King of Sambhala,

will bestow initiation. Receiving initiation from him will enable easy entry

into the practice of Kalacakra, leading to the swift attainment of full

enlightenment without great effort. Those who can take advantage of this

opportunity will have a very good chance of attaining enlightenment within

three hundred years.

Another extraordinary quality of the Kalacakra is its unique means for

ripening disciples. For instance, at the time of receiving the initiation, dis­

ciples generate the five elements (Tib. khams lnga) of their bodies as deities.

Specifically, the five elements are generated as the five consorts. Then all the

initiating deities of the matzrfala (Tib. dkyil 'khor) are invited to confer ini­

tiation. Meanwhile, the initiating guru generates the waters of the vases

used in the initiation as the form of the five consorts. The five consorts then

dissolve into the nature of the water and the five vases, and the initiation is

Overview of the Kalacakra Tantra 25

bestowed by the initiating deities of the ma1f4ala. Then the five consorts

dissolve into the five elements of the disciple's body, and the elements in

turn transform into the nature of the five consorts.

Later on, as one is practicing the stage of generation, one visualizes those

five consorts in a similar fashion. The five elements, the twelve sense bases

(Tib. skye mched bcu gnyis)-the six sense faculties, or subjective sense bases

(Tib. nang gi skye mched dru/Y, and the six sense objects, or objective sense

bases (Tib. phyi'i skye mched dru/Y-and all other aspects of the discipline

are dissolved into emptiness. They then appear from emptiness and are

transformed into deities. The actual deities are drawn into these imagined

beings, which thereby become the actual deities. The deities are present in

the visualized maq.4ala.

In other tantras, the five psychophysical aggregates are transformed, but

not by the process used in the Kalacakra Tantra, which is by generating

one's sense bases into the nature of the deities, transforming the nature of

the initiating substances into deities, and then taking the substances as

deities, and so forth. These very profound aspects of the ripening process

are not present in other tantras.

Kalacakra practice carries great blessings because one generates the many

parts of one's being into deities. The five buddhas purifY the five aggregates

(Tib. phungpo lnga); the five consorts purifY the five elements; the ten faktis

(Tib. nus ma bcu)-female embodiments of power-purifY the ten chan­

nels; the six male bodhisattvas and the six female bodhisattvas purifY the

twelve sense bases. The twelve male and female wrathful deities (Skt.

krodha, Tib. khro bo, khro mo) transform the different faculties of action

and activities. On the other hand, a ma1f4ala with only five deities directly

purifies only the five aggregates. Although the other constituents of one's

being are included in the aggregates, such a simple practice is not a direct

purifier of the other constituents. Thus, the more detail there is in the visu­

alization, the greater the blessing there is in the generation stage. The more

clearly and precisely one visualizes a maq.4ala with all the deities present,

the more profound one's practice.

When one generates the deities for each of the faculties (eyes, ears, and

so forth) and brings them to mind during the visualization, the energies

that are associated with the different faculties are made fit for action. Then

Preparing for Practice 26

in the completion stage it is much easier to bring these energies into the

central channel.

In the practice of Kalacakra, many, many deities can be visualized, even

at very subtle constituents of the body such as joints and so forth. All this

visualization enhances the process of bringing the energies into the central

channel. These intricate visualizations in the generation stage act as a favor­

able circumstance for the swift ripening that can occur in the completion

stage. By contrast, generating a single deity without consort, be it male or

female, is insufficient as a ripener for the completion stage.

Swift realizations arise as a result of training well in the common path,

authentically receiving initiation, and engaging extensively in the stage of

generation. Without such a blessing of the various energies, it is difficult for

the ripening process to occur. Generally, tantric practice must be preceded

by guru yoga practice, which is the vital essence of the path. In the

Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga one finds the essential elements of the gen­

eration stage.

KALACAKRA, THE CYCLE OF TIME

In the Sanskrit term Kalacakra (Tib. dus kyi 'khor lo), kala means time and

cakra means wheel or cycle. Therefore, the word translates into English as

cycle of time. Kalacakra has three aspects: the outer, inner, and other Kalacakra. In the

outer Kalacakra, kala refers to a year, or the 360 days of the calendar year.4

This annual cycle is symbolized by the wheel. The outer Kalacakra is that

which is external to what is directly grasped by the minds of sentient beings,

namely, everything in the environment apart from our bodies and minds.

The inner Kalacakra is that which is grasped by consciousness. In this

context, kala refers to the twelve subsidiary channels at the navel cakra-six

of them on the right and six on the left-and to the vital energies, or

breaths, that flow through them. Six inhalations and exhalations alternate­

ly flow on the right and left sides.

There are twelve shifts of vital energy each day. For every shift of energy

there are 1,8oo breaths, and within a twenty-four-hour period there are

21,600 breaths. During each of the twelve shifts, 56.25 breaths go into the

central channel, totaling 675 breaths in each twenty-four-hour period. The

Overoiew of the Kalacakra Tantra 27

term cycle in the inner Kalacakra refers to the twelve shifts of energy and the

2r,6oo breaths per day.

In the other Kalacakra, the etymology is understood in terms of the gen­

eration stage, the completion stage, and the fruition, or full enlightenment.

In the fruition, Kalacakra refers to immutable bliss; cycle refers to the pure

body of empty form, which is of the same nature as immutable bliss. In

terms of the union of the body and mind, the fruitional state of enlighten­

ment entails the union of immutable bliss, or mind, and empty form. In the

completion stage, immutable bliss refers to the path rather than the

fruition. That experience of immutable bliss on the path is called time, and

empty form is given the name cycle. In the generation stage, imaginary great

bliss is called time, and the imagined empty form is called cycle. That is the etymology of Kalacakra.

TANTRA, THE CONTINUUM

One of the various meanings of the term tantra is continuum, namely, the

continuum of the reality and the continuum of the words that express real­

ity. The continuum of the words expressing reality refers to the Root Tantra, which has 12,000 verses. The synthesis of the Root Tantra is called

the Condensed Tantra. Among the various tantras, the Kalacakra Tantra is regarded as being

especially clear. Many other tantras, such as Cakrasarpvara and Guhya­

samaja, are called hidden tantras because their actual meaning is not

explicitly revealed but is more veiled. For example, other tantras refer to the

fourth initiation as being similar to the third initiation, but the point is not

elucidated. The Kalacakra Tantra on the other hand, is lucid in this respect

because it very clearly states that the fourth initiation is the integration of

immutable mind and empty form. Because the Kalacakra is so clear and

explicit, it is more accessible, especially for beginning practitioners.

The tantra that is the continuum of reality can be understood as the real­

ity of the ground, the path, and the fruition. The tantra of the ground refers

above all to the innate mind (Tib. gnyug ma'i sems). It is called a continu­

um because this innate mind is present as the ground throughout the path

and at the fruition. At the time of fruition, this innate mind is called pri­

mordial wisdom (Skt. jfiana, Tib. ye shes). It appears as both inanimate and

Preparing for Practice 28

animate phenomena, that is, as the divine palace as well as the deities who

abide in it. The term tantra can be applied in a similar way to the stages of

the path: it refers to empty form, to the innate mind, and to the inanimate

environment created by that mind in the stage of completion. This is also

true for the generation stage, when all this is merely imagined.

STRUCTURE OF THE KALACAKRA TANTRA

Within the five chapters of the Kiilacakra Tantra, this threefold classifica­tion of outer, inner, and other has two approaches: one in terms of

teachings and the other in terms of reality. Make sure that the distinction

between the teachings and reality is clear. The teachings consist of words, while reality consists of the referents of those words. The inner, outer, and

other Kalacakras are to be understood in both these contexts.

Let us first examine the outer and the inner. The outer reality is the outer universe. The inner reality is one's own being, composed of the five aggre­

gates and so forth. In terms of the teachings, the first of the five chapters of the Kiilacakra Tantra, the chapter on the universe, is the outer Kalacakra.

The second chapter, known as the inner chapter, is the teaching of the

inner Kalacakra.

The reality with regard to the third classification of other Kalacakra

includes the initiation, stage of generation, and stage of completion. In the

other Kalacakra, the teachings refer to the remaining three chapters of the

Kiilacakra Tantra, namely, the third chapter, which is the chapter of initia­

tion, the fourth chapter on the practice, and the fifth chapter on primordial

wisdom.

There are three types of initiations. First there is the causal initiation,

which ripens. The ripening elements are the path and the fruition of the

path. The causal initiation is called ripening because if the student has

received the initiation, it is appropriate for the student to engage in this

practice. If the initiation has not been received, it is wrong for the student to enter into the practice. Second, there is the path initiation, which empowers one to become freed from the two obscurations. Third is the resultant initiation ofliberation. It is not the process that liberates as in the

previous ones, but rather it is the fruit of the process.

Related to the resultant initiation of liberation is the fourth initiation,

Overview of the .Kalacakra Tantra 29

which entails the body of unification of immutable bliss and empty form.

That body is free of obscurations, as stated in the fifth chapter of the

Kalacakra Tantra, the primordial wisdom chapter.

Since it is not possible to obtain the resultant initiation of liberation

without having already received the path initiation that liberates, it is indis­

pensable to engage in the practices of the stage of generation and of

completion. These are taught in the practice chapter, which is the fourth

chapter of the text. To practice the stage of generation, it is indispensable

to have previously received the initiation. Consequently, preceding the

chapter on practice is the third chapter on initiation.

As stated in the second chapter, the inner chapter, in order to receive ini­

tiation, one has to be a practitioner who has the basis to be purified, that is,

the five aggregates and so forth.

The practitioner has to have a place to live and practice, and that place

is known as the universe. Therefore, the first chapter is on the nature of the

umverse.

This explains the five chapters of the .Kiilacakra Tantra.

THE KALACAKRA SYSTEM

The .Kiilacakra Tantra emphasizes the attainment of a buddha body by

means of the empty form body, which is used to attain immutable bliss, the

mind of a buddha. This differs from other highest yoga tantras, in which

the buddha body is attained by transforming the extremely subtle primor­

dial energy into the illusory body.

T antric systems use different terms, such as the union of body and mind, the union of the two truths, and the union of method and wisdom. There are

many distinctions regarding these between Kalacakra and other systems, as

shown in chart I.

Empty Form and Immutable Bliss

In the Kalacakra system, immutable bliss acts as the instrument for the utter

annihilation of the material realm. Every day 2r,6oo types of energy course

through the body. Each breath corresponds to one type of energy, and

during one day there are 2r,6oo breaths. As one stops one of these 2r,6oo

vital energies, one brings to cessation one of the 2r,6oo material con-

Preparing for Practice 30

stituents of the body. Each of these cessations corresponds to one great

bliss. The process culminates with the stopping of the so-called karmic

energies (Tib. las rlun~. When one brings to a cessation all the karmic ener­

gies, one brings to an end all the 2r,6oo material constituents and actualizes

the 2r,6oo great blisses. This is the culmination of the path ofKalacakra. At

this stage there is a union of the body, which becomes empty form, and the

mind, which becomes immutable bliss. This union is eternally indivisible.

In order to attain this fruitional union of body and mind, it is necessary to

practice the union of body and mind on the path.

There are three types of mudras,5 or consorts: action (Skt. karma, Tib.

las); primordial wisdom, or visualized mudra (Sk. jiiiinamudrii, Tib. ye shes kyi phyag rgya); and the great mudra, or empty form mahiimudrii (Tib. stong gzugs kyi phyag rgya chen po), arising from the power of meditation. To

engage in the direct practice for immutable bliss, the only mudra that is

appropriate is the empty form mahamudra because it is the only one that is

effective for bringing about immutable bliss. This is the significance of rep­

resenting the deities in union with the consorts in highest yoga tantras. The

use of such pleasure in tantra in general is for the development of

immutable bliss. The action mudra and the primordial wisdom mudra lead

only to mutable bliss.

In the practice, while in union with the empty form mahamudra, the

white bodhicittd' comes down from the crown of the head to the tip of the

jewel, the sexual organ. Simultaneously, one brings the red bodhicitta up to

the crown of the head. The body is filled from the top to the bottom. The

hindus are exercised in this way, and with each of the 2r,6oo hindus one

experiences the immutable bliss and primordial wisdom.

The Attainment of Immutable Bliss

It is necessary to overcome all types of obscurations, and to do so, one must

attain immutable bliss. To do that, one must practice with the empty form

mahamudra. In order to do that, it is necessary first of all to engage in the

practice of recollection (Skt. anusmrtz), the fifth phase of the six-phase yoga

of the completion stage. How is this practiced? At the recollection phase of

the completion stage of Kalacakra, one visualizes Kalacakra with consort in

the center of the navel cakra so vividly that they are lifelike.

Overview of the Kalacakra Tantra 31

Immutable bliss first arises from the visualization of Kalacakra in union

with the consort at the navel cakra. At that phase of the practice of recol­

lection, although one has attained the empty form, the connection between

the body of the yogi and the empty form has not been cut. Sometimes,

when you are actually practicing it, it seems that you are in empty form, but

later it becomes apparent that the connection between the empty form and

ordinary body is still present. Eventually, with the culmination of the path,

the relationship between the two is severed.

The stage of recollection is reached after attaining a very firm hold of the

energies at the navel cakra through the practices of prii[layiima and reten­

tion (Skt. dhiira1Jii), the third and fourth phases of the six-phase yoga. In

order to retain a firm hold on the energies, it is necessary first of all to purify

the central channel through the first two phases of the six-phase yoga,

namely, the practices of retraction (Skt. pratyiihiira) and meditative stabi­

lization (Skt. dhyiina). The purification of the central channel is done by

focusing on the middle of the forehead until signs arise. As the energies con­

verge, different signs arise, and one experiences different types of empty

forms, and gradually one experiences the body of empty form.

Prior to these practices, however, one engages in the practice of the gen­

eration stage. If one fails to bless the various energies in the body through

the practice of the generation stage, it is not possible for the energies to con­

verge in the manner described. In order to engage in the practice of the

generation stage, it is necessary first of all to receive full initiation. To do

that, one needs to practice on the common path, and to do that, one must

listen to the teachings of the common path, reflect upon them, and put

them into practice.

THE PLACE OF PRACTICE

The practice of Kalacakra guru yoga may take place in many possible envi­

ronments. For engaging in actions of power, a forest is an appropriate place.

For engaging in the practices that lead to the eight great siddhis, it is impor­

tant to dwell in an abode that has been blessed by a buddha. Other possible

locations would be temples or shrines, cemeteries, areas near lakes, or simply

very pleasant surroundings. Beginning practitioners should practice in a pleas­

ant environment, while the other places are appropriate for more advanced yogis.

Preparing for Practice 32

There is a lot of discussion in the Kalacakra Tantra about other types of

favorable external conditions. In one's dwelling it is important to have an

altar, upon which is placed a representation of the body of the Buddha, a

vajra and bell symbolizing the mind of the Buddha, and something sym­

bolizing the speech of the Buddha, such as scriptures. It is also good to set

out offerings.

The yogi's seat should be comfortable and soft. While actually practic­

ing, sit in the posture ofVairocana with the seven essential points, the chief

of which is having the body erect. An erect and straight body allows the

channels to be straight and the vital energies to flow freely. This facilitates

greater clarity of the mind and is very helpful for making one's channels and

energies fit for use.

Mter sitting on your cushion, cultivate a proper motivation. You can

begin the practice by focusing upon the breath, which will subdue the mind

if it is in an unwholesome state. On the basis of that, cultivate a virtuous

state of mind. From there we enter into the actual practice, the practice of

the Buddha Kalacakra.

Overview of the .Kalacakra Tantra 33

Part 2

crhe l@lacakra Six-Session (juru Yoga

4

~eginning the Practice

Please cultivate the motivation to aspire to the highest possible

spiritual awakening for the benefit of all sentient beings, and then do the

Vajrasattva practice.

HoMAGE

Namo Guru Sri Kiilacakriiya Having bowed to the original Buddha, the union of the vajra of great bliss with the aspectless mahiimudrii, I will elaborate herein the mode of practic­ing the very profound guru yoga in connection with the six sessions.

The guru yoga begins with a homage that points to the Sanskrit origin of

this practice, the homage to the guru Sri Kalacakra. The "vajra of great

bliss" refers to the definitive meaning ofKalacakra, which is the immutable

bliss. There is a mahamudra with aspect and a mahamudra without aspect.

The mahamudra without aspect refers to emptiness. First set your motiva­

tion, then recite this verse slowly. Do not rush through it.

REFUGE

With great adoration I take refoge in the Buddha, The master from whom the supreme empowerment is received, The Dharma of indivisible method and wisdom which he reveals, And in the two types of Sangha who abide therein.

Visualize in the space in front of you your own root guru, of the same

nature, as the original Buddha, the glorious Kalacakra, who synthesizes all

of the buddhas of the ten directions and the three times. They are all

embodied in this one being, Kalacakra, inseparable from your own guru. In

a more elaborate visualization, you may imagine the whole space in front of

Beginning the Practice 37

you to be filled with all the buddhas. Then imagine all around you, to your

sides, behind you, and so forth, all the sentient beings, for whom you serve

as a representative. You can take refuge while reciting the verse, and imag­

ine doing this on behalf of all the sentient beings.

"The master" refers to your own spiritual mentor, or guru. Imagine your

own guru being of the same nature as the Buddha.

Secondly, take refuge in the Dharma. Method and wisdom, which are

without distinction, are unified. It is said that only in tantra does one find

the indivisible method and wisdom used as a means for attaining the indi­

visible body and mind of the buddha at the time of fruition. It is a unique

quality of tantra. When taking refuge in the Dharma in this practice, you

take refuge in the wisdom of the iiryas, whereas the more symbolic refuge

of Dharma refers to the teachings of the Buddha and related treatises and

commentaries.

In the teachings of the four noble truths, the Buddha taught, "Know the

truth of suffering and abandon the truth of the source of suffering." Two

different minds are doing this. Likewise he says, "Actualize the truth of ces­

sation, and cultivate the truth of the path." In the context of the four noble

truths, each of these is a separate event. In tantra, immutable bliss recog­

nizes suffering, abandons the source of suffering, actualizes the cessation of

suffering, and practices the path to the cessation of suffering all at once.

Therefore it is said to be a Dharma of inseparable method and wisdom.

Finally, take refuge in the Sangha. The Sangha includes the trainees and

non-trainees, those who are still on the path and those who have reached the

culmination of the path. Other twofold distinctions can be made, includ­

ing buddhahood attained by means of the si.itras or tantras; Dharma

divided into the si.itras and tantras; and Sangha classified in terms of those

who are practicing the si.itras or tantras. Another set of twofold classifications

can be made in terms of the chief object of refuge and the ordinary object

of refuge. The actual Buddha is the chief object of refuge; the ordinary

object is a representation of the Buddha, such as a statue. For the Dharma,

the realization of an arya is the actual Dharma refuge, and the teachings and

the scriptures are the ordinary refuge. The principal Sangha refuge is the

aryas, whereas the ordinary Sangha refuge is practitioners who have entered

the path but are still ordinary beings, not yet having become aryas.

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 38

An awareness of the excellent qualities of the objects in which one has

faith is called admiring faith. It can also be understood as a great clarity of

faith without obscurations. There are three types of faith: admiring faith,

aspiring faith, and the faith of belief. There are three qualities that may

darken the mind of faith, namely, lack of admiration, lack of aspiration,

and lack of belief. Any of those three qualities obscure the mind, causing it

to become like a pool of water with algae that makes the water unclear.

Great clarity refers to faith free from all three.

The first line in the refuge verse, "With great adoration I take refuge,"

implies that one must follow the practices concerned with refuge. These

include the nineteen pledges associated with the five classes of buddhas.7

The pledge of taking refuge, associated with Vairocana, requires one to take

refuge six times a day. Reciting this verse fulfills this pledge.

After reciting the refuge verse slowly, pause to reflect on its meaning.

The Basis for Refuge

The great Indian sage Dignaga said that since there is no doubt that there

is no end to this ocean of sarrzsiira, why do you think that you have not sunk

into this ocean? What is meant by the term ocean ofsarrzsiira? It is a condi­

tion of existence in which one is dominated by mental afflictions and the

actions they cause. As a result, one is caught up in the cycle of birth, aging,

sickness, and death. The metaphor Dignaga uses for sarpsara is an ocean,

the depth and breadth of which is virtually impossible to measure.

Similarly, as long as one is still under the domination of mental afflictions

and their ensuing actions, the breadth and depth of suffering to which one

is still subject is inestimable. Dignaga then chides himself, asking, "When

you yourself have sunk into the depth of this ocean, why is it that you do

not experience fear?" He compares himself to a child who is unable to imag­

ine vast undertakings because he is unable to grasp the magnitude of his

situation.

In relation to the whole of sarpsara, the suffering that one experiences in

one lifetime with a maximum span of about one hundred years is relatively

insignificant. What one can experience in that time is trifling. In fact, right

now we are in the midst of a sequence of former and later rebirths, but

because the body acts as a basis for awareness and the body is again and

Beginning the Practice 39

again discarded, we are not able to recollect previous lifetimes.

Nevertheless, they have occurred. As stated in the sutras, if we were to pile

up the skeletons of all the bodies we had in the past, it would reach high

into the sky. It is also said that if it were possible to put into one vessel the

milk we have drunk from our mothers' breasts in previous lives, the four

oceans of the world would not be sufficient to hold it. Likewise, if we were to collect all the tears we shed in previous lives, again the four oceans would

not be big enough to contain them. We cannot see or experience the degree

of suffering that we experienced in previous lives, but if we were able to see

it, we would be stunned by its extent.

So, as long as we continue to have mental afflictions, there will be no end

to this repeated cycle of existence. Even in this lifetime, we tend to forget

much of our experience. If we kept in mind all the suffering, discomfort,

and misery we experienced just in this lifetime, we would be overwhelmed.

Even in the course of one day, a subtle sense of dissatisfaction is pervasive.

In the morning we are not satisfied with staying in bed, we need to rise; but

we can't just stand up the whole time, so we have to sit down. And after a

while we have to stand up again. We have to be in motion, we have to stop,

and then we have to be in motion again. None of these actions is satisfac­

tory. We are simply moving from one state of dissatisfaction to another. If

one really were to investigate the nature of ordinary life, one would find it

is overall simply a hassle. It goes from one state of discontentment to anoth­

er. If we could hire someone to experience these discomforts, we would

have to give them a lot of money, and it would be difficult for that person

to keep everything in order.

In response to the claim that ordinary life is pleasurable, the great Indian

sage Nagarjuna comments that if there is a little bit of pleasure in scratch­

ing a rash, would it not be better not to have the rash in the first place? Even

though there is some satisfaction in scratching a rash, the rash itself is unsat­

isfying.

As long as we are still under the domination of desires, it is inevitable

that we experience dissatisfaction. The main cause for the cycle of existence

is karma, or action. Karma comes to fruition and results in repeated

rebirths due to craving and grasping.

We must reflect on this again and <~:gain to realize that we indeed are

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 40

subject to this condition. Otherwise, it is difficult to experience deep com­

passion for others. Though we can certainly feel compassion or sympathy

at times, this tends to be a state of mind mixed with mental afflictions,

sometimes with the eight mundane concerns and so forth. Reflecting on

this state of dissatisfaction also brings about an authentic taking of refuge.

And the realization that Dharma is the only remedy for our situation results in an authentic refuge in the Dharma as well. Similarly, meditating in this

way gives rise to very profound compassion, and since the very root of the

spirit of awakening is compassion, this has very good results. If one fails to

reflect on one's own suffering situation, although one can practice and do

reasonably well, the practice has no essence.

The Spirit of Emergence

AI> Santideva says, the root of all virtuous action is aspiration, or yearning.

How does this arise? From the belief that suffering is the result of unwhole­

some action and that wholesome action is the cause of happiness and

well-being. Santideva says also that yearning depends upon one's continual

reflection upon the nature of the full fruition of action, in other words, the

nature of karma.

The point is that it is important to cultivate a spirit of emergence. This

is the aspiration to liberation. Unable to bear the miserable nature of the

cycle of existence, one aspires to a liberation that brings an end to that suf­

fering. It is very important to reflect upon this.

Meditating on the nature of suffering brings great benefit. For example,

reflecting upon one's own suffering tends to subdue any sense of pride. It also easily gives rise to compassion for others. Recognizing the source of suf­

fering gives rise to an aspiration to free oneself by avoiding unwholesome

action, and it gives rise to the yearning to engage in wholesome action.

The Buddha, after attaining full awakenin:g and beginning to teach

Dharma, did not say, "Life is great." Rather, he said that life is of the nature

of suffering. He followed this by saying that the suffering we experience

does n9t arise simply by accident but conies from an identifiable source,

that the cessation of suffering is known as liberation (Skt. mok!a, Tib. thar pa), and that the means for accomplishing this is known as the truth of the

path. The truth of the path requires a recognition of the nature of reality

Beginning the Practice 4I

and of the fact that ignorance is incompatible with that nature. The way in

which ignorance grasps reality is incompatible with reality itself.

As long as we are still under the domination of mental afflictions, there

are very few occasions when the buddhas and bodhisattvas can look upon

us with real pleasure. In a family, when the children are very well behaved,

the parents are very pleased with them. The buddhas and bodhisattvas look

upon us with compassion, but without much rejoicing or pleasure. Because

the buddhas and bodhisattvas have our well-being as their sole concern,

they direct all their activities toward this end. So our taking refuge is, no

doubt, a source of pleasure or satisfaction for them.

When taking refuge, imagine limitless quantities of light coming from

the objects of refuge, entering your body and purifying all types of impuri­

ties, obscurations, and unwholesome habitual propensities.

THE SPIRIT OF AWAKENING

From this time until enlightenment I shall develop the spirit of awakening And the pure resolve, And I shall cease grasping onto I and mine.

Recite this verse three times, and then again pause to reflect. This is the

verse for the cultivation of the spirit of awakening. According to the pledges

of the five classes of buddhas, one must cultivate the spirit of awakening

three times during the day and three times at night. To recite the verse

more fully, imagine yourself repeating it after the objects of refuge visual­

ized before you, which is how it is done in the actual ritual for taking the

precepts of the spirit of aspiring to awakening. If you are doing it in accor­

dance with this ritual, imagine taking the commitment to follow these

precepts.

The Two Aspirations

It is said that the prerequisites for the spirit of awakening are causal and

resultant aspirations. Causal aspiration is the basis for serving the needs of

sentient beings; resultant aspiration is the resolve to attain full awakening.

Focusing upon the well-being of others causes the aspiration to achieve per­

fect awakening.

The Kdlacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 42

One looks first to sentient beings with the aspiration to relieve them

from suffering and to bring them to a state of well-being. This is the causal aspiration, from which arises the wish to attain full awakening. The wish,

"Might I attain perfect awakening," is the aspiration to enlightenment (Skt.

bodhi, Tib. byang chub). However, we must understand that the actual

spirit of awakening is difficult to ascertain. What is the measure of an

authentic spirit of awakening? In an authentic spirit of awakening, the aspi­

ration to attain enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings arises

spontaneously and without effort. This occurs, however, only after sus­

tained practice.

The aspiration to release sentient beings from suffering and bring them

to a state of well-being is known as the superior resolve. Having developed

this resolve, you must recognize that, at present, you are incapable of carrying

out that task. Then, recognizing this, you aspire to full awakening. If you do

not have that superior resolve, the actual spirit of awakening will not arise.

A person with this superior resolve takes responsibility for relieving suf­

fering and bringing about happiness. The superior resolve must be preceded

by the yearning for sentient beings to be free from suffering and to experi­

ence happiness. In other words, it must be preceded by loving kindness and

compassion. If one does not already have the wish that sentient beings be

happy and free from suffering, then the wish to accomplish this will not

arise. Moreover, the thought "Might sentient beings meet with happiness

and be free from suffering" would not arise had one not already reflected

upon the manner in which beings are bereft of happiness and satisfaction.

Therefore, loving kindness, compassion, and the superior resolve are the

means for bringing about the well-being of others.

Also, it is said that if you have not reflected upon the manner in which

you yourself are devoid of genuine happiness, subject to the cycle of rebirth,

and under the domination of mental afflictions, then this reflection on

others will not be very effective.

When you feel affection for someone, that person appears lovable. If sen­

tient beiQgs do not appear lovable, the thought of wishing for their well-being

and freedom from suffering will not arise. We can see this in the case of ani­

mals. Father and mother animals have a fondness for their own young, see

their offspring as being lovable, and take care of them. When it comes to

Beginning the Practice 43

other animal offspring, however, this loving aspect is missing, especially

among carnivores, who only have the thought of killing and eating others.

Because the most lovable of persons and our greatest friend is our own

mother, it is appropriate to think of sentient beings as being our mothers.

Before meditating on all sentient beings as our mothers, it is important to

cultivate a sense of even-mindedness to bring an end to the distinction between friend and foe.

If you follow the practice of developing a sense of equality between your­

self and others and then exchanging yourself for others, then you come to

view others as being lovable by recalling that other sentient beings wish to

be happy and free from suffering, just as you do.

If you do not engage in these meditations, an authentic spirit of awak­

ening will not arise. The meditations can be done in either forward or

reverse order. In forward order, you first cultivate a sense of even-minded­

ness regarding all sentient beings, then meditate on sentient beings as being

your mother, and proceed to the actual spirit of awakening. To consider

this in reverse order, finally there is the aspiration for perfect awakening; for

that to arise, there must be the superior resolve; for the superior resolve to

arise, loving kindness and compassion must be cultivated; that requires

seeing other sentient beings as lovable; and for that to arise, even-minded­

ness must be present. This meditation can be effective in either order.

A spirit of emergence, or renunciation, is cultivated by reflecting upon

the unsatisfactory nature of the cycle of existence and by developing the

aspiration to be free from it. The above verse also introduces the element of

time by emphasizing the intent to cultivate a spirit of awakening until one

reaches enlightenment.

The Two Accumulations

In the context of the Kalacakra guru yoga, it is said that in addition to

reflecting on the spirit of awakening, one should reflect upon what are

called the three roots. The term root implies a beginning. The root of the

two accumulations-of merit and knowledge-is ethical discipline. The

root of ethical discipline is the spirit of awakening. Ethical discipline refers

to the ethical discipline of the bodhisattvas, so it is perfectly correct to say

that this stems from the spirit of awakening.

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 44

The root of the accumulation of merit is superior resolve. If one's actions

are not motivated by compassion, they do not lead to an accumulation of

merit that is a cause of perfect awakening. Similarly, if one's pursuit of

knowledge is not motivated by compassion, it does not lead to buddhahood.

Superior resolve, once again, is the aspiration to take upon oneself the

responsibility to bring others to a state of eternal well-being and to relieve

their suffering forever. This intent gives rise to compassion and to altruistic

actions such as the practice of generosity, ethical discipline, patience, and

so forth. In this sense, it is said that superior resolve is the root of the col­

lection of merit. The root of the accumulation of knowledge is the

realization of emptiness.

The last line of the verse for cultivating the spirit of awakening, "I will

cease grasping onto I and mine," suggests that in order to abandon the con­

cepts of I and mine as existing intrinsically, one meditates upon the absence

of intrinsic existence, or emptiness. It appears from this verse that both the

relative spirit of awakening and the ultimate spirit of awakening are culti­

vated by means of this meditation.

During the process of the initiation, the ultimate spirit of awakening is

symbolized by a five-pointed vajra at one's heart. The relative spirit of

awakening is symbolized by a moon, also at the heart. The vajra rests on the

moon. These are blessed during the process of initiation by the guru, who

says, "Never be separated from these." This verse in the guru yoga refers to

the tantric pledge never to be separated from the relative and ultimate spirit

of awakening.

When reciting, "I will cease grasping onto I and mine," reflect upon the

lack of inherent existence of all phenomena. The emphasis on abandoning

the concept of an inherently existent I and mine points out a crucial facet

of the practice. One may grasp onto the true existence of a pen, for exam­

ple. Although this grasping onto true existence is a mental affliction, it does

not seem to give us much harm or much benefit. Grasping onto the true

existence of I or mine, however, has a very powerful impact on our lives. It produces many other mental afflictions, unwholesome behavior, and further

consequences. Therefore, there is special emphasis on meditating on the

lack of inherent existence of these.

Having recited the verse, again pause to reflect on the meaning.

Beginning the Practice 45

The Four lmmeasurables

I will cultivate loving kindness wishing that sentient beings be endowed with happiness,

Compassion wishing that they be free of suffering, Delight in their dwelling forever in joy, And the equanimity of impartiality.

Recite this three times, and then pause to reflect.

This verse refers to the cultivation of the four immeasurables. The first

line refers to loving kindness, the second to compassion, the third to empa­

thetic joy, and the fourth to equanimity, or even-mindedness.

In terms of the actual stages of practice, even-mindedness should be cul­

tivated first. Great even-mindedness is cultivated by reflecting upon the

lack of inherent existence of friend and foe. The main point of the practice

of cultivating great even-mindedness is to counter the attachment toward

people we call friends, and to counter the aversion to those we call enemies.

The reason for leveling these imbalanced views is to recognize that friends

may not remain friends, and that enemies may turn into friends. To counter

attachment to some and aversion to others, it is also appropriate to reflect

upon the fact that these beings are not intrinsically our friends or foes.

Following the cultivation of even-mindedness, one cultivates the wish

that sentient beings who are bereft of happiness may experience happiness

and well-being. Then let the yearning that sentient beings be free from suf­

fering arise. Finally, for those sentient beings who have found well-being,

yearn that they may continue to experience joy.

Among the pledges associated with Ratnasambhava are the four types of

generosity. Reciting and reflecting on this verse fulfills the generosity of

giving love. It is said that cultivating even-mindedness fulfills the pledge of

giving fearlessness. How so? By cultivating even-mindedness, one over­

comes attachment and aversion toward others and thereby offers them

fearlessness.

The Spirit of Aspiring to Awakening

In order to liberate all sentient beings from the dangers of mundane existence and peace,

From now until buddhahood is achieved

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 46

I will maintain the attitude of wishing to achieve peifect enlightenment And not forsake it even at the cost of my life.

Recite this slowly three times.

This verse refers to cultivating the spirit of aspiring to awakening. To

recite it according to the actual ritual of taking the precepts for the spirit of

aspiring to awakening, imagine reciting it after the Buddha in front of you,

and imagine accepting the commitment to follow these precepts.

What is the difference between the spirit of aspiring to awakening by

itself and the commitment of the spirit of aspiring to awakening? What is

the difference between the spirit of aspiring to awakening and the aspiring

mind together with the commitment? This can be understood from the

verse.

Whether by means of the six causes and one result or of exchanging self

for others, one arrives at the aspiration to attain full enlightenment for the

benefit of all creatures. This is the spirit of aspiring to awakening. Before

actually taking the bodhisattva precepts, one might have the thought,

"Might I attain full enlightenment for the benefit of all creatures." This

aspiration without any other characteristics is called the spirit of aspiring to

awakening.

Assuming that one has not yet taken the actual bodhisattva precepts of

the spirit of venturing toward awakening, one may resolve, "I commit

myself to not relinquishing this motivation until I attain full awakening."

Reciting this verse is similar to engaging in the ritual for taking the precepts

of the spirit of awakening. The spirit of aspiring to awakening does not

require any ritual. One simply engages in the meditation leading to the

aspiration for full awakening for the benefit of all beings. When it arises, it

arises. There is no special recitation.

Commitments of the Spirit of Aspiring to Awakening

Taking the precepts of the spirit of aspiring to awakening entails certain

commitments, which include abandoning the four nonvirtuous actions,

devoting oneself to the four virtuous actions, and not abandoning sentient

beings, among others. In this case, first of all, one has the aspiration to full

awakening for the benefit of all creatures. Then, one further resolves not to

relinquish that state of mind until full awakening has been attained. These

Beginning the Practice 47

precepts, however, are not the actual precepts of the spirit of venturing

toward awakening, that is, the bodhisattva precepts. The basis for attaining

full enlightenment is the spirit of aspiring to awakening together with the

actual bodhisattva precepts. Cultivating the spirit of aspiring to awakening

is followed by taking the bodhisattva precepts.

There are six practices pertaining to keeping the commitments of the spirit of aspiring to awakening: (r) reflecting upon the benefits of the spirit

of awakening in order to increase it; (2) cultivating the spirit of awakening

three times during the day and three times at night; (3) applying oneself to

the two accumulations of merit and knowledge; (4) not abandoning any

sentient being; (5) avoiding the four nonvirtuous actions that cause the

spirit of awakening to degenerate; and (6) applying oneself to the four vir­

tuous actions that bring about the increase of the spirit of awakening in

future lifetimes.

The first of the four nonvirtuous actions8 is to deceive or mislead such

holy beings as one's own spiritual mentor, people of exalted nature, people

of spiritual realization, and so forth. The antidote for that is the first of the

four virtuous actions, namely, to refrain from lying or deception. Because

it is not so easy to tell who does and who does not have spiritual realization,

it is better to be on the safe side and avoid deception altogether.

Speaking abusively out of anger or hostility toward Mahayana practi­

tioners is the second of the four nonvirtuous actions. The antidote for that

is the second of the four virtuous actions, namely, to look upon all sentient

beings as buddhas. Again, because we really do not know exactly where

people are in terms of their practice, it is best to look upon all sentient

beings as if they were buddhas. We do not know who is a bodhisattva.

Looking upon all beings as if they are buddhas will subdue harsh and abu­

sive speech.

The third of the four nonvirtuous actions is to discourage others from

engaging in virtuous actions or to cause them to regret previous virtuous

acts. For example, if someone told you that he had been reading the

Mahayana siitras, you might scold him for reading when he could have

been meditating. If the person took this seriously, he would regret reading

the scriptures, and you would be committing one of these four nonvirtuous

actions. There are many such occasions when one might discourage anoth-

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 48

er person from practice. To counter that, it is important to encourage

people in whatever practice they are able to do, recognizing that people are

practicing in accordance with their ability. Be very careful not to discour­

age them or to lead them to regret the practice they have done. The related

virtuous action is to encourage people in the study and practice of Mahayana. When the time is appropriate, this is a very skillful thing to do.

There are many people who are drawn exclusively to the Hinayana and believe there is no other Buddhism apart from that. To tell people who

steadfastly hold this view that they should actually practice Mahayana

would be fruitless and inappropriate. If you do encourage people in the practice of Mahayana, make sure that the occasion is right.

To a certain extent, there are grounds for people drawing the conclusion

that only the Hinayana teachings are the Buddha's teachings. While the

Buddha was living, he did not publicly give many teachings on the bodhi­

sattva path. Most of the Buddha's teachings concerned the friivaka path.

Due to the different way the Buddha taught Mahayana, it is easy to draw

the conclusion that the Buddha's teachings are only those leading to indi­

vidual nirviitza. In fact, there were bodhisattvas to whom the Buddha was

giving other types of teachings. People who hold exclusively to the Hinayana path are not aware of other facets of the teachings as in, for exam­

ple, the Heart Sutra, which contains a lengthy dialogue between Sariputra and Avalokite5vara regarding the nature of ultimate truth.

The fourth nonvirtuous action is acting deceitfully or hypocritically, and

not out of superior resolve. This entails trying to give the impression that

one does not have the faults one actually possesses, and trying to give the

impression that one has excellent qualitieS one actually lacks. For example, if someone extravagantly praises a bodhisattva, and the bodhisattva, out of attachment to praise and honor, acknowledges it, this is a form of

hypocrisy. Another person may constantly fidget during meditation and

have no realization at all, but out of embarrassment, he may claim he was

moving about due to a headache. That, too, is hypocrisy.

The antidote is to be straightforward, motivated by the superior resolve.

This straightforward quality, involving both self-honesty and honesty

toward others, is very important. It has great significance from the outset,

because if one practices upon that basis and then begins cultivating the

Beginning the Practice 49

superior resolve, the practice will be sound. If one's practice is not straight­

forward from the beginning, but is combined with self-deceit as well as

dishonesty toward others, then as one is cultivating compassion, superior

resolve, and so forth, one's practice is bound to go awry because it gets

mixed up with the eight mundane concerns.

Cultivating this straightforward, honest approach alone would tend to

counter the four nonvirtuous actions. The first one would already be elim­

inated because you would not deceive realized beings. For the second one,

if you, motivated by hostility, had the urge to speak abusively, your self­

honesty would cause you to recognize this as being afflicted and you would

avoid such speech. Thus, being straightforward acts as a restraining factor.

Similarly, the third nonvirtuous action would be less likely to occur

because if one witnesses another person engaging in virtuous actions, the

honest response is more than likely to be one of taking satisfaction and

rejoicing. Likewise, being straightforward and honest will preclude the pre­

tense and hypocrisy involved in the fourth type of nonvirtuous actions. We

must judge whether we can practice this for ourselves. It is a very profound

point.

The virtuous action of looking upon all sentient beings as if they were

buddhas requires skill because it is not an attitude to be practiced at all

times, on all occasions. Doing so would block your compassion, since you

do not have compassion for a buddha. One needs to be very skillful to see

when the time is right to generate that thought and when it is the time to

retract it. When one has the impulse to speak abusively about someone,

that is the time to look upon that person as if he or she were a buddha.

Counting the avoidance of the four nonvirtuous actions as one practice

and the devotion to the four virtuous actions as another one, these, in addi­

tion to the preceding four, make a total of six practices for keeping the

commitments of the spirit of aspiring to awakening.

The Spirit of Venturing toward Awakening

The distinction between the spirit of aspiring to awakening and the spirit

of venturing toward awakening can be made in terms of whether one has

received the bodhisattva precepts. From the moment that one takes the

bodhisattva precepts and keeps them, one has cultivated the spirit of ven-

The .Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 50

turing toward awakening. Prior to that point, the spirit of awakening is

called the spirit of aspiring to awakening.

There are different ways to understand the distinction between the two

types of spirit of awakening. The distinction made here is based on the

teachings of Santideva, which in turn are based on the sutras. There are also

corroborating sources in the tantras and in the great commentaries, such as

the great commentary to the Ktilacakra Tantra. According to Santideva in his work A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of

Life, the two are like the attitudes of intending to go and actually going. In

both cases the intention to go is present, but only in the latter case is the

intention coupled with the process of going. Similarly, the spirit of aspiring

to awakening is the intention to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all

creatures. When this intention motivates one to actually engage in the prac­

tice, the result is the spirit of venturing toward awakening.

If one receives the commitments associated with either spirit of awaken­

ing from another person, that person must also have the commitments. In

other words, the person from whom you receive precepts must have the

precepts as well. If, however, one has the wish to take the bodhisattva pre­

cepts but cannot find a person who has them and thus can give them, one

may take them from the Buddha or a representation of the Buddha.

Moreover, if one actually has the spirit of awakening, one can directly take

the bodhisattva precepts, and they will be generated in one's being.

What is involved in taking the bodhisattva precepts? Aspiring to full

awakening for the benefit of all creatures and, with that aspiration, com­

mitting oneself to following all the practices adopted by bodhisattvas. The

spirit of aspiring to awakening alone has no commitment. It is simply the

aspiration to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all creatures.

The Bodhisattva Precepts

Gurus, jinas, and jinaputras, Please attend to me. just as the sugatas of the past Have developed the spirit of awakening And dwelt by stages in the trainings of bodhisattvas, L too, will develop the spirit of awakening for the sake of sentient beings

Beginning the Practice 51

And will gradually engage In the trainings of the bodhisattvas.

By reciting this verse, one takes the bodhisattva precepts of the spirit of ven­

turing toward awakening, taking upon oneself the commitment to avoid

the eighteen root downfalls of a bodhisattva and the forty-six faults. To do

this in accordance with the actual ritual, recite the verse three times and

imagine repeating it after the Buddha in front of you. In this way you

affirm the intention to keep not only the bodhisattva precepts, but also the

tantric precepts, including those that are given in Kalacakra Tantra. It

would be good to accustom yourself to reaffirming the commitment to

keep the precepts of Mahayana, Vajrayana, and Kalacakra.

Following the threefold recitation, again pause and reflect. As you become more acquainted with this it will become more natural, and when

you take the initiation, you can take it in stride.

Two of the eighteen downfalls-abandoning the spirit of awakening and

holding on to false views-are also transgressions of the bodhisattva pre­

cepts. By incurring either of these two, one abandons the spirit of aspiring

to awakening. For the other sixteen, a downfall has occurred but one does

not lose the precepts altogether, and one does not abandon the spirit of

aspiring to awakening. Recall that aspiration itself is the spirit of aspiring to

awakening, whereas the precepts are of the spirit of venturing toward awak­

ening. By abandoning any sentient being, however, one abandons both the

spirit of aspiring to awakening and the bodhisattva precepts.

Upon the conclusion of the third recitation, imagine having received the

bodhisattva precepts. If you think, "Now I take them," and if you do so

with at least a facsimile of the actual spirit of awakening, then this is very

good. It is very potent.

Review the eighteen and forty-six bodhisattva precepts to see if you can

keep them before taking the precepts of the spirit of venturing toward

awakening. If it seems feasible, then it is good to go ahead and take them.

If, however, you feel the precepts are overwhelming, intimidating, or not

feasible, then it is better to wait and simply continue in the practice of the

spirit of aspiring for awakening.

It is the tradition to explain the bodhisattva precepts to trainees before

they take them, so we can become familiar with them and judge for our-

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 52

selves whether we are able to keep them. The process is very open. But the

precepts for individual liberation and the tantric precepts and pledges are

not taught to trainees beforehand. You learn about them after you have received them.

While taking the bodhisattva precepts, consider by way of example the bodhisattvas of the three times, those who have cultivated the spirit of

awakening, engaged in the bodhisattva precepts, and attained the path.

One states, "Just as they practiced, so shall I practice and follow this path

to full awakening."

Now my life is fruitfuL Human existence is well achieved. Today I have been born in the family of the buddhas And I have become a child of the buddhas.

In this verse we rejoice in virtue. It is also a reflection upon the benefits of

the spirit of awakening. Recite this three times and pause to reflect.

Now, whatever happens, I will embark on deeds that accord with this family, And I will not contaminate This flawless, noble lineage.

This verse pertains to the cultivation of conscientiousness. Recite this verse

also three times and pause to reflect.

DISSOLUTION OF THE VISUALIZATION

This section of the six-session guru yoga is concluded by dissolving the visu­

alization in front of you in one of three ways. You can imagine the guru as

Buddha going to his natural abode, dissolving into the nature of light, or

coming to the center of your forehead, dissolving inseparably into you. If

your guru is still living, it is not appropriate to imagine the guru dissolving

into the nature of light. Rather, imagine the guru becoming smaller and

smaller and merging into your body. If your root guru has passed away, it

is fine to imagine the guru dissolving into light and then into space.

Following the dissolution of the guru into yourself, imagine your mind

becoming indivisible from the mind of the guru. Then imagine the arising

of immutable bliss, and imagine the object of this subjective blissful aware­

ness being emptiness.

Beginning the Practice 53

5

(juru Yoga

THE NEED FOR GREAT CoMPASSION

As the great Indian patztfit Santideva stated, the cultivation of great com­

passion is essential for bringing about the harvest of buddhahood. It is

important at the beginning of the path, throughout the course of the path,

and at the culmination of the path. At the beginning, it is like a seed. Just

as there must be seed to have a crop, one must have great compassion to

follow the Mahayana path. Along the course of the path, great compassion

is to the practice what water and fertilizer are to the seed: there will be no

harvest in their absence. Finally, upon the attainment of full enlightenment,

great compassion is indispensable for serving the needs of sentient beings.

Indeed, great compassion is the very heart of the Mahayana path.

Compassion initiates the path and is the gateway to the great profundity of

the tantric path. For one lacking great compassion, it is difficult to enter the

Mahayana path, and difficult even to speak of the tantric path. Even in the

world at large, the absence of compassion and sympathy leaves beings with­

out any protectors at all. Compassion acts as the condition for alleviating the

suffering of others and bringing them happiness, because it is a state of

awareness that cannot bear the fact that others suffer and are bereft of hap­

piness. It is vital that we apply ourselves to the cultivation of great

compassion.

To illustrate what happens to tantric practice without the presence of

great compassion, there is a story from ancient India of a Hevajra practi­

tioner who lacked great compassion. He succeeded only in attaining the

Hinayana state of stream-enterer through his strong renunciation coupled

with Hevajra tantric practice, but he could not attain Mahayana states

The Ki1/acakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 54

because he lacked great compassion. One's practice may involve chosen

deities, self-generation, and so forth, but without great compassion, it is not

a Mahayana practice, and it does not culminate in the attainment of the

three embodiments of a buddha.

According to Candraki:rti, the three essential factors of the path are great

compassion, the spirit of awakening, and realization of emptiness. He

points to great compassion as the root of the other two. It is very important

to give special emphasis to the cultivation of great compassion and the spirit

of awakening by applying ourselves to their development while engaging in

the practice of guru yoga.

GuRu DEVOTION

In guru yoga, one looks upon, or visualizes, the guru as being indivisible

from one's chosen deity. Lama Je Tsongkhapa acknowledges this, but he

says that the chief point of guru yoga is to apply oneself properly to guru

devotion. One can accumulate a very profound store of merit by taking as

the object of devotion one's own guru. It is common to this and other

tantras such as Guhyasamaja, Cakrasarpvara, and Yamantaka, to invite the

field of merit of one's own guru as indivisible from these chosen deities.

Yet, it is even more profound to have the guru as the object of one's devo­

tions. If one fails to do that and simply engages in visualization practices,

then the practices are insignificant.

One may ask, "Is the guru's mind in one's own mind? Are the guru's

mind and one's own mind actually of the same nature?" It is said that all

animate and inanimate phenomena are displays of the innate mind. In this

context, one's guru is, in a sense, an emanation of one's mind. However, as

a result of ignorance, one may create a complete distinction between the

guru and oneself because the guru appears as someone else and not as an

emanation of one's own mind. For that reason, in all practices of guru yoga,

there is the dissolution into emptiness of animate and inanimate phenom­

ena. Then, meditating on emptiness, one generates the divine palace and so

forth. The essential point of this practice is that the guru is an emanation

of one's own mind. This is the purpose of the practices of generating one­

self as the deity, with rays of light going out to all sentient beings to purify

their unwholesome habitual propensities and obscurations. It is also the

Guru Yoga 55

purpose of the practice of making offerings to the buddhas and then having

the buddhas dissolve into oneself.

The fact that all phenomena are of the same nature as one's mind is

obscure to us at the present time. Making an effort to eradicate such obscu­

ration will eventually cause the innate mind to appear nakedly. When that

happens, all animate and inanimate phenomena will appear as emanations

of one's mind. As it says in the Heart Sutra, having transcended the falla­

cious, one goes to nirvat)a. At that point one's mind and the mind of the

guru merge like water into water.

You may encounter the statement that mind pervades all animate and

inanimate phenomena. Do not infer from this that there is only one mind.

Rather, it implies that when one finally attains full enlightenment, one's

mind and the guru's mind become of the same nature. It does not mean

that they become identical. It would be impossible to make a distinction

between the two if they were one mind. They are not one mind, but they

are of the same nature. The continuum of the guru's mind and the contin­

uum of one's own mind are distinct while still on the path, and they remain

distinct upon the attainment of full enlightenment.

All the buddhas are equal in terms of their attainments and their virtues,

in terms of what they have abandoned, and in their activities. However,

from one supreme nirmii1:zakaya to another, one may live longer than

another, or one may have ·more disciples than another. In this sense there

may be distinctions, which indicates that the buddhas are not one.

Because one's mind and that of the guru are of one nature at the culmi­

nation of the path, while engaging in tantric practice one cultivates that

sense of the two being of the "same taste." In the Paramitayana as well as

Vajrayana, the guru is the root of the path, and especially in tantric prac­

tice, proper devotion to the guru is essential.

There is a distinction between the Paramitayana and the Vajrayana,

however. Although in the Paramitayana one looks upon the guru as if he

were a buddha, one does not look upon the guru as having the aspects of

the body, speech, and mind of a buddha. In tantra, one not only looks

upon the guru as a buddha and thinks of the guru as a buddha, but also

regards the aspects of the guru as aspects of a buddha.

Is the ordinary appearance of the guru simply the guru's actual appearance

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Gum Yoga 56

or is it something created by one's own mind? The ordinary appearance is

created by one's own defiled mind, which is blemished by mental afflic­

tions. The story ofNaropa illustrates this point. With great difficulty Guru

Naropa sought out his teacher, Guru Tilopa. While on this quest, he met

a man with a backpack. Naropa asked him, "Have you seen the master

Tilopa?" The man said, "No, I have not seen Tilopa, but if you go over

there by that mountain, you will find a person beating on his parents'

heads." The person carrying the backpack was an emanation ofTilopa.

Naropa went to the mountain and saw a person bashing two heads.

Naropa asked the person beating the heads, "Have you seen Tilopa?" The

person said, "Yes, I have. I will show him to you, but before I do that, my

parents have not treated me well, so you need to bash their heads, too."

Naropa answered, "First, I am a prince; second, I am a fully ordained

monk; and third I am a pai].c.iit; and for these reasons I find it wrong to bash

people's heads." Naropa reflected further and said, "I have been seeking out

this teacher Tilopa in order to practice Dharma, and bashing people's heads

is not Dharma, so I think I will be on my way." As soon as Naropa thought

that, the person beating the heads and the people being beaten vanished. A

voice from the sky said, "For the cultivation of great compassion it is nec­

essary to realize emptiness. You must beat the head of self-grasping with the

hammer of identitylessness."

The fact that the guru appears in an ordinary fashion is most often the

result of the obscurations of one's mind. But the guru may appear in ordi­

nary form for the sake of sentient beings. Also, in that very ordinary form

of the guru, the buddha may dwell and teach Dharma. In order to cleanse

impure appearances, one engages in the practice of guru yoga.

As discussed earlier, in one type of practice you imagine the guru becom­

ing smaller and smaller and dissolving into your forehead. If the guru has

passed away, it is appropriate to visualize the guru dissolving into light and

going into your forehead. After dissolving the guru into the forehead, imag­

ine your mind and the guru's mind becoming of the same taste. Since the

guru'~ mind is of the nature of immutable bliss, upon the merging of these

two minds, you should imagine that your mind is of the nature of immutable

bliss, and that it is realizing emptiness. Abide in meditative equipoise, and

from that state visualize the guru arising from the nature of immutable bliss.

Guru Yoga 57

THE FIELD FOR AccuMULATING MERIT

Within the clear light of mahtimudrti free of conventional elaboration The two phrases "clear light" and "free of conventional elaboration" are

essentially synonymous. Conceptual elaboration in this sense refers to two

things: grasping onto true existence and grasping onto the appearance of

true existence. When those two are absent, there is the experience of empti­

ness. In the context of this practice, the immutable bliss that realizes

emptiness is said to be free of conceptual elaboration (Tib. spros bra~. At present, our minds are constricted by conceptual elaborations. When

the mind is free of such elaborations, the innate mind is able to manifest.

In terms of the Paramitayana, the phrase "free of conceptual elaboration"

refers to the absence of the appearance of true existence. In tantra, "free of

conceptual elaboration" refers both to the subjective immutable bliss and to

the objective emptiness that is realized by such immutable bliss. Similarly, in the Paramitayana "clear light" refers to emptiness, whereas in tantra it

refers both to the subject and the object, great immutable bliss and emptiness.

Moreover, both the grasping onto true existence and the appearance of

true existence are called darkness. In the absence of such darkness, one's

experience is called clear light. Conceptualization itself is also called dark­

ness. The innate mind that is free of conceptual elaboration is also called

clear light, and for that reason the innate mind is also called immutable

bliss.

Mahamudra is so called because of its function. In general, a mudra is

something that is not transgressed. To transgress means to be apart from or

to be outside. The innate mind, or awareness, is called mahamudra, or the

great mudra, because no phenomena transgress its nature.

When thinking of the clear light, do not think of actual light. When you

have established meditative equipoise in the clearlight, there are no dualis­

tic appearances. The appearance of light is a dualistic appearance, which,

therefore, would not arise.

Investigating the View

To understand the foregoing discussion, one must engage in the investiga­

tion of the view in which one does not seek to nullify the existence of

something that does in fact exist, or look upon something that does in fact

The .Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 58

exist as being nonexistent. Rather, the task is to recognize that phenomena

are already devoid of an inherent nature. This is the means for gaining real­

ization of emptiness.

The refutation of true existence is simply the recognition of the absence

of something that is already absent. Why negate that which is already

nonexistent? The reason is that although there is no true existence, one has

the sense that there is true existence. Because of that false imputation, one

is not able to experience the lack of inherent existence of phenomena. One

must recognize the manner in which one is falsely grasping onto the true

existence of phenomena. The point is that phenomena both appear and are

grasped as if they were present from their own side.

For example, it seems that the "I," or the self, is self-existent, already pre­

sent. If the "I" existed in that way, it would exist immutably, that is, it would always abide in that same self-nature. But if the "I" exists in this fash­

ion, does it exist within the body or the mind? We see that the body is

regarded as "my body," so it cannot be equated with the self. Similarly, we

regard the mind as "my mind," so it cannot be equated with the self. The

body and the mind taken together cannot be equated with the self for the

same reason, because again we speak of"my body and mind." If we ask, can

such an "I" be understood apart from the body and mind? the answer is

again no, because no such "I" can be found.

If we equate the self with the body, we have to recognize that, just as the

body has many components, so would the "I" have exactly the same

number of parts. Likewise, if we equate the self with the mind, just as the

mind is comprised of many factors, so would the "I" have to have these

parts as well. So, there would have to be many ''I's," not just one.

By investigating in that way, one comes to the conclusion that such an

"I" is utterly nonexistent, and one abides in the clarity of that realization.

In that state the only thing that appears to the mind is the sheer absence of

a sel£ Apart from that there is no other appearance of some other empti­

ness or anything else. Because this is the nature of the experience, that such

an "I" does not exist, the experience is called inexpressible and incon­

ceivable (Tib. smra bsam bryod med}. Having ascertained the truth of

identitylessness and imagining great bliss arising from the nature of such an

experience, one visualizes the guru.

Guru Yoga 59

By having the realization of emptiness appear as the deity, all the appear­

ances in the next stage of the meditation arise from the nature of that

experience. Imagine the mind of clear light being like a television screen,

and the images on it like the appearances arising from that domain of expe­

rience. That is what is meant by appearances arising as the displays of

emptiness and bliss.

Visualizing the Merit Field

In the broad pathway of the immortal gods in front of me, Is displayed an ocean of offering clouds of Samantabhadra, Luminous like rainbows. In their center, upon a jeweled throne supported by eight lions Is a lovely lotus blossoming with a thousand petals. On this are the discs of the moon, sun, riihu, and kiiliigni

The "broad pathway" or space in front refers to the emptiness or bliss of the

mind. As you enter into this phase of the practice, imagine your subjective

awareness being of the nature of immutable bliss and the object of your

awareness being emptiness. Since the actual state of such an experience is

utterly beyond all duality, imagine your mind to be like space.

The simile of the rainbow indicates that just as a rainbow appears in the

sky, the guru and so forth appear in the space of bliss and emptiness. One

visualizes a vast offering of jewels and precious substances of many kinds.

The jeweled throne is supported by eight lions, two on each of the four

sides. Lions symbolize fearlessness, referring to the eight powers over which

the Buddha has attained mastery. There are eight paranormal abilities, as

well as various other powers of the Buddha.

As you do this and all the subsequent visualizations-of the sun and

moon, the throne upon which the guru sits, and the form of the guru him­

self-imagine them all being produced from the nature of the awareness of

immutable bliss realizing emptiness. This is a very important point, exclu­

sive to the practice of tantra. It is indispensable to bear in mind that all these

visualizations are creations of the mind of immutable bliss. It is very much

like the appearance of the moon in the water. The water is likened to the

mind of immutable bliss focused on emptiness; the reflection of the moon

is likened to the visualizations that are created from the sphere of that mind.

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 6o

In creating the visualizations according to your ability, imagine yourself

being not in an ordinary environment but in a gorgeous, luscious green

meadow or a meadow of the nature of jewels. If you can, imagine a lotus

arising from space itself. If you have a hard time imagining a floating lotus,

have the lotus arise from the meadow. The lotus has as many petals as you like. Upon that imagine a throne supported by eight lions. The throne is

comprised of jewels and precious substances. Upon that imagine another

lotus, an eight-petaled, variegated lotus. Upon that is a moon disc, a sun disc, the blue disc of rahu, and a yellow disc of lcilagni. They are stacked

upon each other like four pennies.

In the context of the outer, inner, and other Ka.lacakra, the moon, sun,

rahu, and kalagni symbolize the outer celestial bodies. Inwardly, the thou­

sand-petaled lotus symbolizes the mother's womb. The sun and the moon refer to the red and white bodhicitta. Rahu and lcilagni symbolize the con­sciousness of the intermediate state.

If you relate this to the yogi's experience, then the lotus refers to the

cakra at the genital region. The sun and moon symbolize the red and white bodhicitta as well as the right and left channels, and rahu and lcilagni refer

to the central channel. In the stage of generation these are symbolized by

the different levels of the throne. Upon them is the compassionate guru, Indivisible from the Lord Kalacakra, In whom are unified all the innumerable forms of refuge.

Seated on the lotus and discs is the guru "in whom are unified all the innu­

merable forms of refuge." This is a synthesis of all the buddhas in the form

of Ka.lacakra, inseparable from the guru.

Bearing the brilliance of sapphire and blazing with glory, He has one face and two hands holding a vajra and bell To symbolize the uncommon path of the union of method and wisdom, He is in union with Vifvamtitti, who is of the color of camphor And holds a curved knife and skullcup.

"Bearing the brilliance of sapphire" indicates a blue color, and "blazing with

glory" means that he radiates stainless light of the five colors. Very slender

beams of light shine out in all directions like rays of sunshine.

The consort Visvamata (Tib. sna tshogs yum) is orange in color. In her

Guru Yoga 61

right hand she holds a curved knife and in the left a skullcup. She is in the

posture of embracing the deity Ka.lacakra around his neck. Ka.lacakra is

embracing his consort under her arms while holding the vajra and bell.

With his right, red leg extended And his left, white leg bent, He dances in a hundred ways upon Mara and Rudra.

The right leg is red and outstretched; the left leg is white and bent. Beneath

the two feet are Mara and Rudra. Mara probably refers to what is known in

Tibetan as Garab Wangchuk (Tib. dga' rab dbang phyug), who looks very

much like the Western Cupid. His hand implements are the five arrows of

desire. Mara and Rudra, each with his own consort, are facing down and

look a little bit depressed or worried. Maybe they do not like being stood

upon.

The outstretched, red leg refers to the falling of the red bodhicitta, and the bent, white leg refers to the rising of the white bodhicitta from the gen­

ital region up the central channel. The outstretched, red, right leg symbolizes the right channel. The bent,

left, white leg symbolizes the left channel. The color blue represents the

movement of the energy through the central channel upon blocking the left

and right channels. The right and left channels symbolize both exercising the red and white bodhicitta and the attainment of immutable bliss.

Therefore, the left and right channels also symbolize Ka.lacakra.

Their bodies, adorned with wondrous ornaments,

Like the expanse ofspace beautified by the constellations, Stand in the midst of a blaze of five stainless lights.

These lines suggest the magnificence of Ka.lacakra. He wears the following

bone ornaments: a circle at the crown of the head; two circles on the ear­

rings; a necklace hanging down from the neck; and a sixteen-spoked wheel

adornment hanging down from the necklace. There is a breast plate and a

back plate, which are bound and crisscrossed in back and front.

There are also wrist ornaments, anklets, bracelets, and rings. On all

these points-the upper arm, wrists, and ankles-are ornaments that

seem to be vajras on each of the four sides, strung together with three bands.

Around the waist is a belt of three strands with an eight-spoked wheel in

the front and vajras on either side. The belt looks more like a webbing of

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 62

strands going around with vajra pendants hanging down.

The hanging folds of cloth are draped with a tiger skin. When the deity

is in union with the consort, the tiger skin is somewhat loose and hangs

down, as do the other raiments, and the deity is in a slightly wrathful mien.

There are five mudras, namely, the ornaments at the head or crown, ears,

neck, arms, and waist. A vajra garland hangs around the neck with some­

thing like a green scarf or ribbon dangling down. There is also a dangling

lower garland.

The hair is wound up and piled on the head in two knots. On the crown

of the head is Vajrasattva. At the base of the crown of tresses is an eight­

spoked wheel. Five of the spokes have panels forming a crown. At the very

peak of the front panel is a vajra jewel, like a crossed double vajra, in the

form of a diamond. From the crown hang three ribbons on the right and

three on the left. The consort has a similar crown. The vajra jewel is direct­

ly above the crown of the head. At the top of the crown of tresses is a

variegated vajra, and upon that a half-moon.

The five-panel crown of both deity and consort suggests the five buddha

classes. According to Kalacakra, the first point of the crown symbolizes

.Alqobhya, to the right of that Arnoghasiddhi, and to the left Amirabha.

The back right side represents Ratnasambhava, and the left rear V airocana.

You can visualize the five points of the crown either as each having the seed

syllable of those five buddhas or as actually being the five buddhas.

The "five stainless lights" are rays of white, yellow, red, green, and blue

light emanating from the body of the deity, representing the five primor­

dial wisdoms.

The three places of their bodies are graced With the luminous forms of syllables Of the divine nature of the three vajras.

These are the three vajras of the body, speech, and mind: the white 01J1 in

the center of the forehead, the red a!; at the throat, and at the heart, the blue

hii1J1. The text says three, but there are actually four. The fourth, the pri­

mordial wisdom vajra, is the yellow ho at the navel, which should also be

visualized.

From the seed syllables at their hearts are emitted terrifYing Vajravegas Bearing various weapons, who draw in well a host of protectors dwelling

Guru Yoga 63

in countless realms,· And they become of one taste with the samayasattvas, Thereby transforming into the great beings who comprise all the refoges.

The Vajravega is a wrathful deity, similar in appearance to Kalacakra,

except that he has twenty-six rather than twenty-four hands.9 From the syl­

lable hii1Jt at the deity's heart, visualize either one Vajravega being emitted

or limitless Vajravegas going out in all directions. The Vajravegas draw in

groups of protectors in the form ofKalacakra from their natural abode and

bring them to merge with the samayasattva visualized in front.

The deity already visualized is known as the samayasattva, and those who

are invited are the jfiiinasattvas. It is said that it does not really matter

whether you invite them because they are already present. But it has some

benefit for those who are concerned that the Buddha is not present in their

visualization. To dispel that qualm you invite the buddhas, visualizing their

presence and then imagining them becoming one with the deity.

The samayasattvas and the jfianasattvas become of the same nature, and

one looks upon them as being the composite of all refuges.

THE SEVEN-LIMB DEVOTION

The seven-limb devotion, also called the seven-limb puja, relates to that

which is to be purified. It is a counterpart to the accumulation of karma, which occurs naturally in terms of the bases,lO and is a facsimile of an

enlightened activity that corresponds to accumulating karma.

Homage

Reverent homage to the guru in whom the three embodiments are indivisible: The dharmakiiya of great bliss, primordially free of conceptual elaboration, The sambhogakiiya bearing the fivefold self-illumination of primordial

wisdom And the dance of nirmiit;zakiiyas in the oceans of realms of animate beings.

The first action of the seven-limb devotion is homage, which also acts as an

antidote for pride. This is an expression of respect and reverence to the

guru, who is of the nature of the dharmakaya, sambhogakiiya, and

nirmai]akaya. The first line suggests the indivisibility of the three bodies of

the Buddha. The expression "dharmakaya of great bliss, primordially free of

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 64

conceptual elaboration," implies that the dharmakaya was never at any time

truly existent. Immutable bliss is also called the dharmakaya. The dhar­

makaya is perceivable by other buddhas but not by those who are still

practicing on the path. According to the Kalacakra system, the

svabhiivakiiya is a composite phenomenon.

The immutable bliss of the dharmakaya appears in the aspect of the

sambhogakaya, which is observable only by aryabodhisattvas and not by

ordinary beings. The sambhogakaya is said to have five definite attributes:

time, location, nature, body, and aspect. There is a distinction in the expla­

nation of the five definite attributes between this system and the

Paramitayana. In the Paramitayana, the sambhogakaya is present until all

sentient beings are enlightened. In the Kalacakra system, the attributes are

as follows: (1) Time refers to the period until the ten signs have been

brought to fulfillment; (2) location refers to the entrance of the vital ener­

gies into the central channel; (3) nature means the body of empty form,

which is not comprised of composites of atoms and is not of a material

nature at all-it is merely an appearance of the mind; (4) body refers to

Vajrasattva's body; and (5) aspect indicates the embrace of the deity and

consort. To trainees who perceive things in an ordinary fashion and there­

fore are unable to perceive the sambhogakaya, the deities appear in many ways, meeting the needs of all sentient beings.

"Reverent homage to the guru in whom the three embodiments are indi­

visible" means that the three bodies are of the same nature. Each pervades

the other; that is, the mind is pervaded by the speech, the speech is per­

vaded by the body, and the body is pervaded by the mind. They are all

mutually interpenetrating.

Offering With a perspective free of the three spheres, without attachment or depression, For the pleasure of the compassionate guru, the supreme field of merit, I offer billowing clouds of outer, inner, and secret offerings Actually presented and emerging from the play ofsamiidhi

Visualizing the guru, making homage, and offering a mai)<;lala are the

means for keeping one of the pledges of ~obhya. This is to be done three

times a day. By making offerings to the objects of refuge three times a day,

Guru Yoga 65

one avoids the first of the forty-six secondary faults among the bodhisattva

precepts.

One makes actual physical offerings, as well as imaginary offerings. In a

tantric context it is inappropriate to make just ordinary offerings. Rather,

such things as cookies and fruit must be dissolved into emptiness and trans­

formed.

As in the previous visualization in front of oneself, so here, one begins by

dissolving everything, especially the objects of offering, into emptiness.

Having dissolved everything into emptiness, one cultivates immutable bliss

and meditates on the emptiness of the offerings. Then one has the offerings

arise from immutable bliss and offers them.

The offerings are made "without attachment," and also without the mind

being discouraged or depressed. One has "a perspective free of the three

spheres," meaning one is free from the conception that the objects of the

offering, the offering itself, and the substance being offered exist inherently.

The text uses only a few words, but, as we can see, the common and

uncommon offerings in reality are quite elaborate. One offers all of these to

the supreme field of merit, the kind guru, and one should imagine the guru

being very pleased to receive these offerings.

Among the different types of offerings, the outer offerings relate to the

vase initiation. The inner offerings are connected to the secret initiation.

The secret offering, the offering of the consort, is associated with the

wisdom-gnosis initiation. The offering in which one visualizes great

immutable bliss indivisible from empty form relates to the fourth initiation,

which is the word initiation. The secret, wisdom-gnosis, and word initia­

tions are among the higher and greatly higher initiations.

Outer Offerings Six pairs of beautifUlly adorned, bliss-bestowing goddesses

Whose lotus-hands are graced with suitable offering substances, As well as common and uncommon offerings,

Together with my body, possessions, and accumulations of virtue.

The offerings are held in the hands of twelve emanated offering goddesses,

who are said to be more subtle and graceful than vines, and more beautiful

than moonlight. They have eyes like the utpiila flowers. Their lips are nat-

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 66

urally red, as if they were wearing lipstick. They have slender waists and

broad hips, and they are full-breasted. They glance sideways out of their

eyes, and they move very beautifully and gracefully.

One's offerings should be very fine and attractive. The offering goddess­

es themselves should be so attractive and beautiful that immediate

happiness arises in the beings to whom the offerings are made.

The offering goddesses are in pairs. The first two, a dancer and a musi­

cian, are green. The offered music sounds as if it were created by a pair of

hand drums. The first goddess is the dancer, performing various dances and

holding clothing for offering. The clothes are like down in the sense that

the material will compress and become quite small, yet when you let it

loose, it gets as big as you want. The clothes are special because they are cool

in hot weather and warm in cold weather.

Next are two black offering goddesses. One is holding offering water that

is scented with camphor and sandalwood, both of which are cooling sub­

stances. In hot weather if you massage somebody on the heart with that, it

is very cooling and refreshing. The other goddess holds flower garlands as

well as petals, and she throws the petals and offers the flower leis, like the

traditional Hawaiian greeting.

The goddess who offers incense and the one who offers lamps are red.

The incense carrier has both natural and artificial incense substances. The

other holds jeweled lamps that dispel the darkness.

Another offering goddess holds various types of food having the flavor of

ambrosia. The other of the pair holds fruits that are delicious to taste and

to smell. Both of these are white.

The next one is simply standing with her hands down. The other is smil­

ing or laughing. They are yellow. The first one holds a crown in her hands,

and the other holds a kind of jeweled garland that is worn down across the

torso.

The last two are a singer, holding a vajra, and an embracer, holding a

lotus. These offering goddesses are blue. The embracer serves as a consort.

These are all called the common, or outer, offerings.

Inner Offerings We next emanate ten offering goddesses, who offer the following inner offerings:

Guru Yoga 67

r. Water, which is purified white bodhicitta

2. Fragrant water, which represents purified urine

3· Scent symbolizing purified bone marrow

4· Incense as purified excrement

5· Flowers representing purified flesh

6. Fruit as purified liver

7· Supreme fruit, offered as purified bile

8. A lamp symbolizing purified blood

9· Food representing purified intestines

10. Clothing as purified skin

In addition, there are thirty-seven uncommon offerings. In the Kalacakra

stage of generation, there are body, speech, and mind ma~4alas, each con­

taining various offerings, as follows:

•:• Semen, or white bodhicitta, urine, excrement, blood, and flesh are

offered in their purified aspects as the five mothers, or the five con­

sorts. They reside in the ma~4ala of great bliss.

•:• The six senses and sense faculties are offered in the nature of the twelve

bodhisattvas. The ears, nose, eyes, anus, tongue, and female sexual

organ arise in their purified form as the six female bodhisattvas. The

five senses and phenomena-form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and

mental objects-arise in their purified form as the six male bodhi­

sattvas. They reside in the mind m~4ala.

·:· The eight substances of pus, phlegm, lice, organisms within the body,

lymph, grease, pores, and hair arise as the eight yoginis. They reside in

the speech m~4ala, one in each of the four cardinal directions, and

one in each of the four intermediate directions.

•:• The intestines, bile, bones, marrow, liver, lungs, channels, skin, heart,

and fat arise as the ten wrathful deities (krodhas). In the mind m~4ala

there are wrathful deities at each of the four doors, plus one above and

one below, making six. In the body m~4ala there are also four male

and female wrathful deities at each of the doors, making ten.

•:• Eight more substances arise as ferocious beings (Tib. gtum mo). These

are: tears, saliva, mucus, complexion, body odor, sweat, body grime,

and teeth. Purified, they are the eight female ferocious beings, who

dwell in cemeteries.

The .Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 68

The visualization of these senses, faculties, and substances arising from the

nature of immutable bliss and emptiness and taking on these appearances

acts as a cause for transforming them into those deities.

Secret Offering The secret offering entails the offering of a fully qualified, authentic con­

sort, and offering union with that consort.

Matufala Offering

The body, speech, and mind of myself and others, together with our possessions and virtues accumulated during the three times,

As well as the excellent, precious maw/ala with the mass of offerings of Samantabhadra,

I raise up with my mind and offer to the guru, the chosen deity, and the Three jewels.

Please accept them out of compassion and grant me your blessings. Guru ida1J1 ratna1fl mardalaka1fl niryiitayiimi

One also offers one's body and resources, that is, all one's possessions and

so forth, as well as the roots of one's virtues of all three times. But one is

not to offer one's bodies of the past, only those of the present and the future.

You offer your body to the guru in order to serve the needs of sentient

beings. If you do not have that in mind when you offer your body to the guru,

he would have to take care of it; and if he were to have many disciples, he

would need a big expense account to take care of all the students' bodies.

Since an authentic guru has only one task, that of serving the needs of

sentient beings, offering our own resources to the guru is a means of serv­

ing sentient beings. We should also practice informally. When eating, for

example, we take the food with the aspiration to attain the highest possible

awakening for the benefit of all creatures, and in order to do so, we take care

of the body. Likewise in wearing clothes, think that we clothe the body for

the sake of all sentient beings. We offer the body, speech, and mind of our­

selves and others, as well as owned and unowned resources. Making these

various offerings keeps the pledge of Amoghasiddhi.

The actual etymology of the Sanskrit term mai].<;iala is to take the essence. When we offer the body, speech, mind, and resources, we offer their

essence. We offer to the guru, the chosen deity, and so forth all the posses-

Guru Yoga 69

sions with which we identify. The point here is not that the guru or the

deity need these things, but that for the sake of our own merit, we ask that

these be accepted with great compassion.

We ask, in effect, "May the blessing powerfully transform the ordinary

body into the vajra body, the speech into the vajra speech, and the mind

into the vajra mind." Also, we may ask for blessings (Tib. byin rlabs)ll that

our minds may be transformed into Dharma, our Dharma transformed

into the path, and the path proceed without obstacles.

And finally, the last line "Guru ida'fJ'l ratna'f!Z mm:zdalaka'f!Z niryiitayiimi," means we take this circle of jewels and offer it to the guru.

Confession

From beginningless time, due to the untamed steed of my mind Being intoxicated by the beer of the three poisons and negligence, I have committed sins and downfalls and caused others to do so. In particular I have disturbed the master's mind and disobeyed his

instructions, Broken the general and specific pledges of the five buddha classes, And have foiled to keep properly the twenty-five disciplines and so on. Each of my mistaken deeds I disclose with intense remorse, And I resolve to restrain myself in the foture.

This is the confession of nonvirtuous deeds, which is to be done with the

four remedial powers. Recite this, and again pause shortly to reflect.

This verse likens the mind that is subject to mental afflictions to a wild

horse, "untamed" and "intoxicated by the beer of the three poisons and

negligence." The point is that since beginningless time our minds have been

untamed. They are subject to mental afflictions, such as the three poisons

of desire, hatred, and ignorance, as well as negligence. The mind in such a

state brings about only dangers and problems for ourselves and others. It

perpetuates unwholesome actions and infractions, not only the ones done

by us, but also the ones we have urged others to do in the past or present,

and will urge others to do in the future. Here we disclose all such unwhole­

some actions and infractions of precepts that we have committed.

The phrase "I have disturbed the master's the mind" refers to not fol­

lowing the instructions of the vajra master. The text also mentions breaking

The .Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 70

"the general and specific pledges of the five buddha classes." There is a set

of pledges relating to the five buddha classes, in addition to the fourteen

root tantric downfalls and the eight secondary precepts (Tib. sdom po). The

Kalacakra Tantra indudes twenty-five disciplines. Infractions of any of

these disciplines are to be confessed. The following are the specific pledges

of each of the five buddha classes. One commits to engaging in each of the

pledges associated with Vairocana and Ratnasambhava six times a day.

1. The six pledges associated with Vairocana are taking refuge in the

Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and abiding by the three types of eth­

ical discipline: keeping one's precepts, serving the needs of sentient

beings, and applying oneself to virtue.

2. The four pledges associated with Ratnasambhava are the four types of

generosity: material generosity, generosity of giving Dharma, generos­

ity of giving loving kindness, and the generosity of giving fearlessness.

3· The three pledges associated with Amita.bha are preserving the outer

tantras (action and performance), the inner tantras (yoga and highest

yoga), and the three vehicles or yiinas (sravaka, pratyekabuddha, and

bodhisattva).

4· The two pledges associated with Amoghasiddhi are keeping all the

above pledges relating to all the other buddhas, and making offerings.

5· The four pledges associated with ~obhya are devoting oneself prop­

erly to one's spiritual mentor; the pledge of the mudra; the pledge of

the vajra; and the pledge of the bell. The last two actually mean bear­

ing in mind the symbolic significance of the vajra and bell as one uses

them. The vajra symbolizes great bliss and the bell symbolizes the real­

ization of emptiness.

These are the nineteen individual pledges associated with the five classes of

buddhas.

While reciting the line, "Each of my mistaken deeds I disclose with

intense remorse, and I resolve to restrain myself in the future," we disclose

our unwholesome actions with strong remorse and develop the intention to

refrain from them in the future. If we do not have both regret for the

unwholesome actions committed in the past and the intention to refrain

from such action in the future, it is not possible for the habitual propensi­

ties from them to be purified.

Guru Yoga 71

If we feel very strong remorse for our unwholesome actions and infrac­

tions of precepts in the past, the power of those habitual propensities

decreases, as if the seeds from these habitual propensities were rotting. If we

do not have the intention to refrain from such action in the future, then of

course the door will be open to repeating them, and again the mind will

simply be polluted. The presence of both regret and restraint make the

purification of the mind very strong.

To fully purify the habitual propensities of unwholesome actions, it is

imperative to engage in all of the four remedial powers: (1) the power of dis­

closure, (2) the power of remorse, (3) the power of restraint, and (4) the

power of purification.

The power of purification includes the power of applying the antidote

and the power of reliance. These two seem to be implicit here. The power

of reliance has two facets, namely, taking refuge and cultivating the spirit of

awakening, together with the four immeasurables, including compassion

and so forth. These two qualities were cultivated earlier in the practice. The

power of applying antidotes entails reciting the purificatory mantra and

meditating on emptiness, both of which are found in this practice.

At this point, in accordance with the leisure time that one has, it is good

to recite other prayers of confession, such as The General Confession (Tib.

spyi bshags) or various other confessional prayers.

Rejoicing

I rejoice in the oceans of good deeds done by myself and others, From which rise a thousand bubbles of fine consequences.

The next part of the seven-limb devotion is rejoicing in virtue. These lines

refer to the nature of wholesome actions that give rise to well-being.

Here we take delight in the deeds oLthe buddhas and bodhisattvas, of

ourselves, and of other practitioners, such as the sravakas and the pratyeka­

buddhas. For example, we might take delight in someone's pleasant voice,

which is a consequence of wholesome conduct in the past. Similarly, if we

see a very attractive or affluent person, we:may rejoice, thinking, "Oh, this

is due to wholesome deeds in the past. How wonderful!"

There are many objects in which we may delight. There is great benefit

and very little difficulty in doing so, and it acts as an antidote to jealousy.

The .Ktllacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 72

Request to Turn the Wheel of Dharma

Please let fall the rain of Dharma of the three vehicles In accordance with the interests and attitudes of inferior, middling,

and superior disciples. This is an entreaty that the wheel of Dharma be turned in order to eradi­

cate the darkness of ignorance of sentient beings. The request counteracts

the possibility of our being bereft of Dharma in the future, and it acts as a

general antidote for the three poisons.

Supplication to Stay

May the coarse embodiments of the buddhas steadily continue to appear To ordinary beings for hundreds of eons without being destroyed or changed.

This is the supplication that the awakened beings not pass into parinirviil)a.

It is also a prayer that the awakened beings and our spiritual mentors may

live long lives. The essential point is to request the awakened beings and

spiritual mentors to teach the Dharma. To do so, they must have long lives,

so we make this supplication. In reality the buddhas are always present, but

for the sake of people who are focused on this life alone-for the sake of

short-sighted people who really rely solely on appearances-the request is

that they do not withdraw their appearances.

Dedication

I dedicate my accumulation of virtue, such as this, To be causes for the swift attainment of the state of union of Kalacakra.

Finally, this is the branch of dedicating the merit. Here we dedicate all our

collections of virtue for quickly attaining the state of union of Kalacakra,

the union of empty form and immutable bliss. The dedication of merit also

acts as an antidote for the three poisons.

It seems that all four of the pledges of generosity associated with

Ratnasambhava-giving Dharma, material things, loving kindness, and

fearlessness-would be included in the dedication of merit. In terms of the

gift of fearlessness, the main things to fear are the two obscurations, afflic­

tive and cognitive. Dedicating the merit to attaining full awakening

implicitly offers that fearlessness. Also, dedicating our collection of virtue to

bring sentient beings to enlightenment is the giving ofloving kindness. The

Guru Yoga 73

other two types of generosity, of Dharma and material things, would also

be included. Dedicating merit to the attainment of awakening implies that

one would also meet with the necessary material circumstances, as well as

the Dharma circumstances, to be able to pursue the path. The commonly

cited analogy is that a drop of water added to the ocean will not vanish until

the whole ocean disappears. Similarly, by dedicating our merit to the attain­

ment of full awakening for all beings, the merit will not vanish until all

sentient beings attain full awakening.

This concludes the seven-limb devotion. It is good to pause after each

point of the devotion, especially after rejoicing in virtue and dedicating the

merit, which are very powerful for enhancing the practice.

This also concludes the reflections and meditations of the common path.

The Ktllacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 74

6

~collections and Practices

""" S antideva declares that the spirit of awakening is the ambrosia that dispels the affliction of suffering of sentient beings, and that nothing

could possibly measure the merit of the spirit of awakening. He goes on to

say that the spirit of awakening is the source of happiness for all sentient

beings. How can we understand this? We can take contemporary figures,

such as Mother Theresa, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, or persons from

long ago, such as Jesus Christ, and we can see that these people are just like

us in that they have bodies, sense faculties, and so forth. However, there is

something special about these beings. When people think of them, many of

them do so with great reverence. Just thinking of them brings happiness to

the mind. Even when people are angry, such beings can soothe their minds and bring about happiness.

What is it about these beings that brings happiness to other people's

minds? It is their kindness, the goodness of their hearts, for they have the

wish to dispel the suffering of others and to bring about the well-being of others. This aspiration actually causes that result to occur.

It is the nature of the spirit of awakening to take upon oneself the

responsibility for dispelling the suffering of others and bringing them to a

state of lasting well-being. As the spirit of awakening arises, one pursues the

path and engages in it to its culmination, the attainment of full awakening.

Then one proceeds to engage in the activities of a fully awakened being,

such as the three turnings of the wheel of Dharma, leading others out of

suffering from its very source, and leading others to a lasting state of hap­

piness as well as to perfect awakening.

Even under the present circumstances, insofar as we are able, we can

reach out and, with a motivation of kindness, share Dharma with other

Recollections and Practices 75

people. We can give advice when others are having problems, and then, if

they have sufficient confidence, help them put the teachings into practice.

This can be a direct means of being of benefit to others.

Engaging in the practices and trainings of a bodhisattva is something

that is right, and it is something we can do. If we can place ourselves in a

position where we can be of service, establishing ourselves as friends to all

sentient beings with the aim of relieving their suffering and bringing about

their happiness, this is something very powerful because there is no limit to

sentient beings. If we wish to engage in the practice of Kalacakra, it should

be motivated by such kindness and compassion.

RECOLLECTION OF THE THREE RooTs

From this time until enlightenment I shall develop the spirit of awakening And the pure resolve, And I shall cease grasping onto I and mine.

Now we should reflect again upon the three roots. The root of the two

accumulations is ethical discipline. The root of ethical discipline is the spirit

of awakening, and the root of that is compassion, loving kindness, and the

superior resolve.

Compassion simply comes from the force of cultivating loving kindness.

Correspondingly, loving kindness comes from the force of cultivating com­

passion. Compassion and loving kindness are intimately related. Saying

that the root of the spirit of awakening is compassion implies that loving

kindness is the root as well. As one relieves the suffering of others, their

well-being is eventually established. Accordingly, if one brings about the

well-being of others, their suffering will be dispelled, too. The greater one's compassion, or feeling of not being able to bear the

suffering of others, the greater one's loving kindness. In a person without

much compassion, one who does not care much about the suffering of

others, loving kindness will not fully arise.

The final line suggests that in order to abandon the concepts of I and

mine as inherently existing, one meditates upon emptiness. As previously

explained, if one's wisdom is not motivated by compassion, it cannot be

called the acc~mulation of knowledge.

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 76

THE TEN PERFECTIONS

For the sake of the three accumulatiom I shall practice the perfectiom of generosity, ethical discipline, patience,

zeal meditative stabilization, wisdom, method, prayer, Power, and primordial wisdom.

The next stage of the practice is the reflection upon the ten perfections:

generosity, ethical discipline, patience, zeal, meditative stabilization,

wisdom, method, prayer, power, and primordial wisdom.

The three accumulations are merit, ethics, and knowledge. Ethics itself is

the collection of ethical discipline. Generosity and patience constitute the

collection of merit. The six final perfections-meditative stabilization,

wisdom, method, prayer, power, and primordial wisdom-are all included

in the collection of knowledge. Zeal, the fourth perfection, is required for

all three collections of merit, ethics, and knowledge because zeal is an indis­

pensable ingredient for all the other perfections.

Generosity is the mind of release. The mind that guards against

unwholesome behavior is called ethical discipline. The mind that is unruf­

fled, undisturbed, is known as patience. Zeal is delight in virtue. Lack of

delight in virtue is called spiritual sloth. The mind that abides single-point­

edly upon its object is called meditative stabilization. The mind that

discriminates between different objects is known as wisdom. The object of

the perfection of wisdom is emptiness, so wisdom is a mind that is able to

discern emptiness.

The following is a review of the ten perfections according to tantra:

1. Freedom from conceptual elaborations is known as generosity.

2. Not losing one's regenerative fluids even when in union with a consort

is known as ethical discipline.

3· The non-craving for the ordinary and the non-craving for true exis­

tence are called patience.

4· The gathering of the ten vital energies in the central channel is called zeal. 5· The mind that single-pointedly abides in immutable bliss is known as

meditative stabilization.

6. The wisdom that is not overcome by conceptualization and that bears

the speech of the buddha, which is perfectly suitable for those to

whom it is directed, is known as wisdom.

Recollections and Practices 77

7· Meditative stabilization is the means for retaining the drops while

engaged with the three mudras, namely, the action mudra, primordial

wisdom mudra, and the empty form mahamudra.

8. Prayer is bringing oneself and others to fulfillment.

9· Power refers to the power of immutable bliss in which one gains lib­eration from the three states of existence.

10. Taking the bodhicitta from the tip of the jewel up to the crown of the

head and experiencing immutable bliss is called primordial wisdom.

A very profound meaning is to be found in these explanations.

THE FouR IMMEASURABLES

I shall cultivate loving kindness wishing that sentient beings be endowed with happiness,

Compassion wishing that they be .free of suffering, Delight in their dwelling forever in joy, And the equanimity of impartiality.

This verse refers to the cultivation of the four immeasurables. The first

three are wishing that sentient beings may experience happiness and free­

dom of suffering, and that they may abide in joy; the fourth is simply the

equanimity of impartiality or even-mindedness.

Wishing for the happiness of others acts as an antidote for hatred.

Wishing that sentient beings may be free of suffering acts as an antidote for

cruelty. Wishing that sentient beings may abide continually in happiness is

the antidote for jealousy. The cultivation of even-mindedness is the antidote

for all the three poisons. Therefore, even-mindedness should be cultivated first.

Following the cultivation of even-mindedness, develop the wish that

sentient beings who are bereft of happiness may experience happiness and

well-being. Then let the yearning arise that sentient beings be free of suf­

fering. Finally, for those sentient beings who have found well-being, yearn

that they may remain in that state.

There is great benefit in continually reflecting upon each of these points:

yearning that sentient beings be endowed with happiness, be free of suffer­

ing, and abide in happiness, and cultivating an even quality of mind. This

brings about a real gentleness of mind. Whenever you see a sentient being,

it is good to cultivate these thoughts.

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 78

THE FouR MEANS OF AssEMBLY

I shall beckon others well with generosity, Engage in pleasant conversation, Nurture them with meaningfUl behavior,

And give them great counsel according to their needs. This verse concerns the four means of assembly. For a bodhisattva to serve

the needs of sentient beings, it is appropriate to first show material gen­

erosity. Following that, one should speak pleasantly. Bodhisattvas should

study and learn all kinds of things in order to meet the needs of various sentient

beings. For those who are interested in carpentry, bodhisattvas learn car­

pentry. For those who are interested in theater, bodhisattvas study acting,

and for those who are interested in business, bodhisattvas learn this field.

Just as we offer Dharma to others, so should we be practicing what we

are teaching. Once we are practicing ourselves, we can encourage other

people to do likewise. "If I have done it, then you can do it, too." This

would be acting very skillfully. If we have developed extrasensory percep­

tion, we can see exactly what others need. If we do not have that, our task

is somewhat more difficult.

THE TEN N ONVIRTUES

I shall eliminate the ten nonvirtues:

The three kinds of bodily actions,

The four verbal ones,

And the three kinds of mental actions. Now we come to the cultivation of mindfulness and introspection as means

of abandoning the ten nonvirtues. The three physical non virtues are killing,

sexual misconduct, and stealing. The four nonvirtuous verbal actions are

lying, abuse, slander, and idle gossip. The three nonvirtuous mental actions

are malice, avarice, and false views.

Whether one's actions of body, speech, and mind are virtuous or not

depends on the mental processes involved. If one engages in action moti­

vated by desire, hostility, or delusion, then the ensuing acts are

nonvirtuous. As Nagarjuna states, actions are virtuous if they are motivat­

ed by a lack of desire, lack of hatred, and lack of delusion with regard to

actions and their results.

Recollections and Practices 79

Desire and hatred refer chiefly to afflictive responses to events in this life.

Otherwise it is difficult to understand. For example, if one engages in

killing out of desire for the pleasures of this life, this would clearly be a non­

virtuous action of the body. But if one engages in killing for the sake of

Dharma, this would clearly indicate the nonvirtuous mental action of hold­

ing to a false view.

THE FIVE HINDRANCES

I shall eliminate the five hindrances That obstruct the three trainings: Remorse, lethargy, drowsiness,

Excitation, and doubt.

These five concern the eradication of the five hindrances. The first of these,

remorse, is chiefly the regret of having to be separated from possessions and

friends of this lifetime. It acts as a hindrance to the fulfillment of ethical dis­

cipline and is a serious obstacle to the cultivation of concentration.

Lethargy, excitation, and drowsiness are also obstacles to concentration

because both lethargy and drowsiness cloud the mind, and excitation agi­

tates the mind. They interfere with the cultivation of concentration from

both sides. Finally, doubt acts chiefly as a hindrance to the cultivation of

wisdom. The kind of doubt involved here is having doubt about the nature

of ultimate truth and the possibility of attaining liberation. Those five hin­

drances must be abandoned.

The Kalacakra Tantra provides another enumeration of the five hin­

drances, different from that which is set forth, for instance, in the

Suhrllekha, the Friendly Letter to the King, by Nagarjuna. It is also different

from the presentation of the five hindrances in the Vinaya. In other pre­

sentations, excitation and remorse are listed as one hindrance. Lethargy and

drowsiness are also combined into one. Moreover, elsewhere, the remain­

ing two are sensual desire and malice. In those presentations, sensual desire

and malice are said to hinder chiefly the cultivation of ethical discipline.

As one engages in this practice, one should resolve to abandon those five

hindrances.

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 8o

THE FouR AFFLICTIONS

I shall eliminate the four a.fflictiom That are the root of cyclic existence: Desire, hatred, Delusion, and pride.

This verse brings to mind the four afflictions and cultivates the resolve to

abandon them. Desire is a mental factor that sees contaminated phenome­

na as being attractive and yearns for them. Hatred is an aggressive state of

mind that is focused upon and is averse to any of the three objects of anger, namely, illness, suffering, and the causes of suffering. Delusion refers to

delusion regarding the relationship of actions and their results, or karma,

and the mode of existence of phenomena. It can also be understood as a dis­

torted intelligence that reifies any of the phenomena of sarpsara or nirva~a.

Pride is a mental factor that looks upon any event or quality related to one­

self with a sense of conceit.

In other contexts, the teachings speak of six mental afflictions as the root

of sarpsara. The Kiilacakra Tantra uniquely identifies these four afflic­

tions-desire, hatred, delusion, and pride-as the root of cyclic existence.

Generally speaking, ignorance attends to the same objects that are appre­

hended with knowledge, but it does so in a way that is incompatible with

actual knowledge. In the Kalacakra system, immutable bliss is called knowl­

edge. That which is diametrically opposed to such knowledge is mutable

desire, also known as ignorance. Another name for ignorance in the

Kalacakra system is the habitual propensity for desire. As long as one has

such propensities, one follows after desires.

It is quite evident that sentient beings, whether human, mammals, or

even insects, naturally follow after the objects of desire, sexual desire in par­

ticular, without needing to be trained or educated. This is because they

have habitual propensities for desire. Such desire is called mutable desire.

On the same basis of desire, be it toward a man or a woman, male or

female, aversion may also arise.

Sexual activity releases the white bodhicitta, the basis for joy. When the

fluid is emitted, the joy that arises in dependence upon it also wanes. At

that point it is said that one is free of desire because the pleasure arising

from that has passed. The exhaustion that follows orgasm in both men and

Recollections and Practices 8I

women and the decrease in the real vividness of awareness is called fainting.

That causes the intelligence, or the power of the mind, to wane. Thus, that

state is called stupor. Ignorance, which is to say mutable desire or the habit­

ual propensity for desire, is said to be the root cause of cyclic existence.

This is a commentary on the point that desire, hatred, delusion, and

pride are all roots of sa1p.sara. In this way it becomes clear that this igno­

rance, which is the habitual propensity for desire, acts as the root of cyclic

existence.

Following the post-orgasmic state, which is like fainting, there once

again arises the sense of I with self-cherishing. The sequence is as follows:

From the habitual propensity for desire arises desire. From desire occurs

aversion. From aversion following orgasm there arises ignorance, and from

that arises pride, a real sense of "I am." In this sense, the manner in which

these four arise as the root of cyclic existence is dear.

This is a presentation unique to Kalacakra. However, bear in mind that

grasping onto true existence, which is normally regarded as the root of exis­

tence, pervades all of these stages that have just been discussed. It is present

at the time of the habitual propensity for desire and while desire is occur­

ring. There is really no contradiction between this presentation and others

on this point.

If the four so-called roots of Sa!p.S3.ra did not arise in conjunction with

the grasping onto true existence, then there would be no way to understand

the four doors of liberation. It would not be comprehensible if one did not

understand ignorance as being the false apprehension of reality. Ignorance

refers here both to the habitual propensity for desire and the ignorance that

falsely apprehends reality.

The antidotes for these afflictions are obvious. At the point in the com­

pletion stage when the regenerative fluid is about to be emitted, blocking

the emission of the regenerative fluid acts as an antidote for mutable desire,

and the realization of emptiness acts as an antidote for the ignorance that

falsely apprehends the nature of reality. The basis for immutable bliss is the

1,8oo drops of bodhicitta. In dependence upon each of those 1,8oo drops

there is immutable bliss, and when one experiences those 1,8oo instances of

immutable bliss, one becomes an arya and an arhat. There seems to be

agreement between this system and that of Cakrasa1p.vara and Guhyasamaja

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 82

that becoming an arya and becoming an arhat are simultaneous, meaning

here that one has gained a realization of the actual clear light.

In all of these three systems, Cakrasarp.vara, Guhyasamaja, and

Kalacakra, one directly and nonconceptually realizes emptiness by means of

the extremely subtle mind, and in so doing one eradicates all afflictive

obscurations, both those that are inborn and those that are artificial.

THE FouR CoNTAMINANTs

I shall eliminate the four contaminants That are the cause ofsarrzsiira, The contaminants of desire, of becoming, Of ignorance, and of false views.

This verse relates to abandoning the four contaminants.I2 The term conta­minant frequently refers to mental afflictions. The first contaminant is the

desire· for the sensual realm. This desire may be focused on any phenome­

na up to and including the deva realms within the sensual realm. The

contaminant of becoming is the desire for the pleasures of the form and

formless realms. The third of the four contaminants is ignorance. The final

one refers to all types of distorted views, including the various classifications

of 360 or twenty distorted views.

THE FouR DooRs oF LIBERATION

I shall accomplish perfect enlightenment By means of the four doors of liberation: Emptiness, signlessness, Desirelessness, and nonactivity.

These are the four means of realizing emptiness, and the fourfold distinc­

tion is made in terms of the phenomena whose ultimate nature IS

emptiness:

1. The lack of inherent existence of an object is known as emptiness.

2. The lack of inherent existence of the cause of phenomena is called

signlessness.

3· The lack of inherent existence of the result is known as desirelessness.

4· The lack of inherent existence of the actions of rising and passing is

known as nonactivity.

Recollections and Practices 83

According to the system of Kalacakra, the realization of emptiness acts as

a substantial cause for the dharmakaya. The realization of signlessness acts

as a substantial cause for the sambhogakaya. Realizing desirelessness acts as

a substantial cause for the nirmfu)akaya. The realization of nonactiviry acts

as the substantial cause for the svabhavakaya.

SUPPLICATION FOR BLESSINGS

I pray to the compassionate guru, the synthesis of the three refuges, Who, if relied upon, is the greatest wish-fulfilling Source of all virtue and excellence within cyclic existence and peace: Please bless my mindstream.

This verse compares one's spiritual mentor to a wish-fulfilling gem, for the

guru grants all of one's wishes and, if relied upon, gives protection from the

dangers of cyclic existence as well as the dangers of peace, which here refers

to nirva.ga.

This supplication is made while bearing in mind the excellent qualities

and the kindness of one's spiritual mentor. Referring here to one's spiritu­

al mentor as the composite of all three refuges means that the body of the

guru can be regarded as the Sangha refuge, the speech of the guru can be

regarded as the Dharma refuge, and the mind of the guru as the Buddha

refuge. Another way of understanding it is that the guru is the Buddha

refuge because one's spiritual mentor reveals the means to realize enlight­

enment. The abandonment of obscurations and the acquisition of positive

qualities in the guru's mind can be regarded as the Dharma refuge. Thirdly,

because the guru is appearing as the nirma.gakaya, he or she can be regard­

ed as the Sangha refuge.

Supplication is made to the guru who is the source of all of the virtues

and goodness within cyclic existence and peace. Why are we making the

supplication? So that any inappropriate aspects of our being may be blessed

and transformed. Other supplications can include the prayers that one's

own mind and that of the guru may be of the same nature, that one's mind

may go to Dharma, one's Dharma may go to the path, and one's path may

be free of obstacles.

To make this more elaborate in terms of one's guru devotion, reflect

upon the benefits of guru devotion and the disadvantages of a lack of guru

The Ka!acakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 84

devotion or a poor relationship with the guru. Reflect upon the excellent

qualities of the guru. Doing this keeps the tantric pledge related to guru

yoga as described in the Fifty Stanzas on the Guru by .ASvagho~a. Reflecting

upon the excellent qualities of the body, speech, and mind of the guru, one

should make very earnest supplication.

THE NAME MANTRA

Orrz tip guru vajradhara mafijufri vagindra sumati jfitina fasanadhara samudra fribhadra sarva siddhi hurrz hurrz

The name mantra should be recited with the attitude of prayerful supplica­

tion to the guru. It is good to visualize the name mantra as a circle at the heart

of the guru and to engage in the visualization of the falling and entrance of

nectar. The nectar flows from the heart of the guru on which you can visu­

alize hurrz hurrz surrounded by the syllables of the name mantra. Imagine the

nectar flowing from there and coming into your body, purifying it.

There are other ways of doing this visualization. You can simply visual­

ize the four letters orrz, tip, hurrz, ho, and imagine the ambrosia flowing from

those, or you can imagine the nectar flowing from the entire body of the

guru. It does not make any difference.

You can visualize yourself alone or surrounded by all other sentient

beings. As the nectar flows, imagine all unwholesome habitual propensities

and obscurations being purified, both in yourself and in others. Imagine the

purification of unwholesome habitual propensities to harming the guru's

body, to acting contrary to the guru's advice, and thirdly, to disturbing the

guru's mind. Imagine all of these habitual propensities being purified.

The above mantra is the name mantra of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

in Sanskrit. In the mantra, the orrz tip at the beginning and one of the hurrz hurrz at the end signify the body, speech, and mind of the buddha. The

meanings of the other words in the mantra are as follows:

<• Guru means spiritual mentor .

.;. In the term Vajradhara, vajra refers to the primordial wisdom of non­

duality of bliss and emptiness. Dhara means to hold, for the guru has

abandoned all impurities and holds the wisdom of nonduality of

emptiness and bliss.

<• Mafijufri is the embodiment of enlightened wisdom.

Recollections and Practices 85

•:• Vagindra means the Lord of Speech.

•:• Sumati means excellent mind.

•:• jfuina means primordial wisdom.

·:· Sasanadhara means holder of the teachings.

·:· Samudra means ocean.

·:· Sribhadra means the gloriously good.

•:• Sarva means all.

·:· Siddhi means feats.

•:• One of the hurrz hurrz refers to the mind of the buddha, and the other

signifies the request to please bestow all siddhis of the body, speech,

and mind of the buddha, which are signified by orrz ii~ hurrz hurrz. Recite the name mantra as many times as you can.

SuPPLICATION FOR INITIATION

Guru Kiilacakra, Please grant me the complete empowerments. Bless me so that the four types of hindrances may be cleared away And that the four embodiments may be achieved

Following the name mantra is the supplication for initiation. It is not

appropriate to give an initiation that has not been requested. To avoid that

fault, the supplication is included.

The supplication begins when one first visualizes the guru, Kalacakra.

One begins the supplication by asking, "Guru Kalacakra, please grant me

the complete empowerments." One says this to avoid requesting only the

self-entry, or self-initiation, of a child (Tib. byis pa bdag Jui) in the

Kalacakra initiation and not the high or the very high initiations. So we are

asking the guru to please not do that. Some people even give the self-entry

of a child only partially. To try to keep that from happening, one asks the

guru to please bestow the initiation completely.

Finally, it is called "of a child" because in this context the practitioner on

the stage of generation is called a child, and the practitioner on the stage of

completion is called an adult. The very terminology of what is called the

self-entry of a child indicates that in order to fully practice the stage of com­

pletion, it is necessary to practice the stage of generation. You cannot

become an adult without being a child first.

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 86

Why does one request initiation? To purify the four types of obscura­

tions in order to achieve the four buddha embodiments. Just as one recites

this verse three times in an actual initiation, so it is recited three times in

this practice.

All of the preceding practices are said to correspond to the accumulation

of karma in ordinary reality.

Recollectiom and Practices 87

7

~ceiving Initiation

PREREQUISITES

In order to practice tantra, it is necessary to have the basis of some under­

standing of emptiness. Another indispensable prerequisite is the cultivation

of the spirit of awakening. Therefore, the spirit of awakening and some

understanding of the view are regarded as basic for receiving initiation. To

authentically receive initiation, one must be able to reflect upon emptiness

and have some understanding of the wisdom that realizes emptiness, and

also the experience of the spirit of awakening. If one does not have any

understanding of emptiness and does not have experience of the spirit of

awakening, it is still possible to go for initiation, but it is highly question­

able whether one will actually receive it.

In the threefold division of outer, inner, and other in the Kiilacakra Tantra, the outer and the inner are known as that which is to be purified.

They are the basis to be purified. The path that is the purifier, or the puri­

fying agent, of the basis to be purified consists of the initiations, the stage

of generation, and the stage of completion. The results of purification are

the qualities ofbuddhahood, such as the three or four bodies of the buddha.

Stated another way, the basis is that which is to be purified-one's psy­

chophysical aggregates, elements, and sense bases. The path is the practice

of generating them in their divine form. In the resultant purification, the

purified aspects of the aggregates, elements, and sense bases manifest in

their divine form.

If one fails to understand these fundamental points, one's practice of

highest yoga tantra is utterly without meaning.

Some people say that the practice of generating oneself as a deity is the

stage of generation, and meditation on emptiness is the stage of completion.

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 88

However, that shows an insufficient understanding of the process. One of

the absurd consequences of the view that merely meditating on emptiness

constitutes the stage of completion is that people practicing Hinayana and

Paramitayana would be practicing the stage of completion even though

they do not imagine themselves being deities. One must understand the

three factors of the basis to be purified, the purifying path, and the result of

purification.

Understanding Emptiness

The Amdo Guru, Choney Guru Rinpoche, said, "If one realizes all the

appearing phenomena as mere apparitions of thought, then the emptiness

that is the absence of conceptual elaborations can arise without depen­

dence." There are two interpretations of the manner in which we

conceptually grasp onto true existence. One explanation is from tantra and

the other is from siitra.

The tantras explain that an experience similar to a nonconceptual realiza­

tion of emptiness occurs simultaneously with the manifestation of the subtle

mind. One has to say that it is an experience similar to the nonconceptual

realization of emptiness. Otherwise, if one says that by the manifestation of

the innate mind one has gained an actual nonconceptual realization of

emptiness, this would imply that as soon as that mind had manifested one

would become an arya. This would be a false consequence. For example, the

very subtle innate mind does manifest during the death process. However,

most people do not realize emptiness at that time.

At the time of the basis, that is, in the experience of ordinary persons

rather than highly realized yogis, there are experiences that are comparable

to the realization of emptiness. At the point of death, the extremely subtle

primordial mind manifests, but we as ordinary beings are not able to rec­

ognize it. What kind of experience is it subjectively? It is like fainting.

Similarly, in the state of very deep sleep there is a facsimile of the mani­

festation of the innate mind. Likewise, while engaging in sexual

intercourse, a facsimile of the manifestation of the innate mind also occurs.

But again, it is difficult to ascertain. An analogy we might use is that when

the father is present, the son is not, and when the son is present, the father

is not. This experience relates to all three: death, deep sleep, and sexual

Receiving Initiation 89

intercourse. In these cases, most people are not able to ascertain the innate

mind. Once that experience has passed, the opportunity has passed. Then

conceptualization comes crowding in and precludes the ascertainment of

that mind.

References are made to the clear light of sleep, of death, and of sexual

intercourse even though we have difficulty ascertaining such clear light.

The point of such practices as mahamudra and Dzogchen is to ascertain the

nature of this innate mind and then to maintain this realization.

In the state of deep sleep, only that state of deep sleep appears to the

mind, and most people are not able to ascertain it. In this state of noncon­

ceptuality, we cannot ascertain it as emptiness, that is, we do not ascertain

that this is the mind that is realizing emptiness. This experience is said to

be one in which dualistic appearance has vanished. What is the nature of

this innate mind? It is free of conceptual elaborations, and no dualistic

appearances are present.

All the aspects of ourselves and our environment-of mountains, forests,

buildings, and so forth-are conceptually apprehended by identifYing this

as opposed to that. That very conceptualization itself arises from the innate

mind. When we realize that all inner and outer phenomena are nothing

more than conceptual elaborations, then we realize that, apart from those

elaborations, no such phenomena exist.

It says in the Cakrasarpvara sadhana that all phenomena are simply illu­

sion-like conceptual elaborations. The Guhyasamiija Tantra states that

practice in this system leads to definite liberation from all conceptualiza­

tions. From these statements, we can reason that the innate mind manifests

eternally upon the attainment of full awakening, and from the moment of

attaining full awakening there is no occasion in which conceptualization

could arise for a buddha.

That is the tantric interpretation of the manner in which phenomena are

apprehended by means of conceptualization.

The siitras explain that the assertion that all phenomena are simply con­

ceptual designations implies it is impossible to assert their true existence. If,

for example, one is looking at an illusion of horses and elephants, and one

apprehends that they are of an illusory nature, that understanding refutes

the notion that they are truly existent.

The Kdlacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 90

Understanding the Aspects of Purification

Two terms are pertinent here: accordant behavior (Tib. chos mthun sbyar ba) and behavior that accords with the basis to be purified (Tib. sbyang gzhi dang chos mthun sbyar ba). If one wishes to have a fine ordinary rebirth in

the future, one engages in wholesome actions to accumulate the karma that

leads to that result. That is an example of accordant behavior. One engages

in behavior that accords with the basis to be purified by undertaking the

practices to accumulate merit previously described, such as developing the

spirit of awakening and so forth, which lead to the attainment of the bodies

of a buddha.

In addition, there are three aspects: the basis to be purified, the purifier,

and the result of purification.

An example of the basis to be purified is death. What is the purifier?

Meditation on emptiness, in which one generates the pride of being the

dharmakaya. This practice acts as the purifier for death. The practice of

meditating on emptiness with the pride of dharmakaya is the path of purifi­

cation in the stage of generation. The experience of realizing immutable

bliss is the purifier in the stage of completion. The result of purification is

the dharmakaya.

The Four Drops

The four principal aspects of the basis to be purified are the four specific

types of drops13 located in the forehead, throat, heart, and navel cakras.

The drop found at the navel cakra and the one at the forehead cakra are

of the same type. The drop at the throat is of the same type as the one at

the genital cakra. Roughly halfway along the shaft of the male organ or

beneath the female organ is a drop of the same type as that at the heart. At

the very tip of the jewel, or vajra-that is, at the tip of the male organ­

there is a drop of the same type as that at the navel cakra; this drop would

be in a comparable channel in the female organ, but this is not clearly stated

in the tantra.

The meaning of the drops is as follows:

•:• The drop at the forehead cakra corresponds to the waking state. It has

the ability to bring forth the various appearances of the environment

and so forth to the mind. In the basis state, meaning before one practices,

Receiving Initiation 9I

this drop has the ability to bring forth the impure appearances of

objects. As one engages in the process of purification, the impure

appearances vanish and are replaced by pure appearances, which also

stem from, or are empowered by, that drop.

•:• The drop at the throat cakra produces the dream state. It also brings forth expression, or articulation, so it has the capability of producing

delusive speech. When purified, it has the capacity to bring forth the

unvanquishable speech.

•!• The drop at the heart cakra creates the deep sleep state. Moreover, it

has the dual capacity to bring forth delusion, or darkness, of the mind

on the one hand, and nonconceptualization on the other. The dark­

ness aspect is gradually purified and its capacity for nonconceptual

awareness is enhanced. This culminates in the nonconceptual, pri­

mordial wisdom of a buddha.

•:• The drop at the navel cakra has the capacity of producing sexual joy.

It is called the sexual joy of emission, or it might be called orgasm, lit­

erally meaning to drip down. The result of purification of this drop is

immutable bliss.

In the impure state these are called the four drops. At the time of fruition

they are called the four bodies of the buddha. The drop at the forehead, as

it is purified, becomes the body vajra. The drop at the throat becomes the

speech vajra. The drop at the heart becomes the mind vajra, and the drop

at the navel becomes the primordial wisdom vajra.

In terms of the path of purification, during the completion stage one

purifies these by means of meditation focused on the different drops. In the

stage of generation one does so by generating them as deities. They are also

generated as deities during the initiation.

The following suggests the existence of these four drops: In the state of

deep sleep most of the vital energies in the body converge in the drops at

the heart and in the sexual organ. But when these energies start to move

from the state of deep sleep, they may converge at the navel cakra and at

the throat, which brings one to the dream state. Then when the energies

move from the drop at the throat up to the forehead, one wakes up.

Then there is something called the fourth occasion, which refers to

orgasm. In this case, the energies converge at the navel cakra and at the

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 92

sexual organ, and they have the capacity to bring forth bliss.

Each of these drops is said to be a mixture of red and white bodhicitta

and is about the size of a sesame seed. It is said that in each of these drops

there is an aspect of the extremely subtle energy-mind. Sentient beings who

are born from the womb and who are endowed with the four elements and the red and white bodhicitta are endowed with these four drops.

There is no reason why animals would not have these four drops, but

most references to them pertain to human existence.

At death as well as in the bardo, or intermediate state, the four drops are

nonexistent. At that time, the innate mind still has the habitual propensi­

ties of those four drops.

The foregoing is the explanation of the basis to be purified as it is under­

stood in the Kalacakra system. Generally speaking, though, there are the

other bases to be purified, such as the aggregates, elements, the sense bases,

and so forth.

Other Bases to Be Purified

The five elements with which we are endowed-earth, water, fire, air, and

space-become the five consorts upon purification at the time of fruition.

The five aggregates-form, feelings, recognition, compositional factors,

and consciousness-which are the bases of purification, transform into the

five classes of buddhas. The ten forms of vital energy (Tib. rlung bcu) are

also bases to be purified, which, at the time of fruition, become the ten

saktis. A sakti is a female embodiment of power, specifically the power to

bring forth bliss. The consorts in their purified aspect at the time of fruition

refer to the realization of emptiness.

Additional bases of purification are the right and left channels. At the

time of fruition, they transform into the main deity with consort. Other

bases to be purified are the six subjective sense bases-eyes, ears, nose,

tongue, body, and the mental sense-as well as the six objective sense

bases-visual form, sound, odors, tastes, touch, and mental phenomena. At

the time of fruition, they become the six male bodhisattvas and the six

female bodhisattvas.

There are said to be six faculties for action (Tib. las kyi dbang po dru~: the mouth, anus, urine orifice, hands, feet, and regenerative organ. Those

Receiving Initiation 93

are bases to be purified, which, upon fruition, become the six male wrath­

ful beings called krodhas.

The six corresponding activities (Tib. bya ba drug) of articulation from

the mouth, activities of the hands, movement with the feet, emission of

excrement from the anus, emission of urine, and emission of semen, are also

bases to be purified. At the time of fruition, they become the six female kro­

dhas.

Upon purification, the aggregate of primordial wisdom and the element

of primordial wisdom transform into Vajrasattva and Prajfiaparamita

respectively. The Prajnaptiramitti Sutras are frequently referred to with the

term mother, for they bear aryas just as a mother bears sons and daughters.

The twelve shifting energies (Tib. 'pho ba) and the 21,600 energies

throughout the day are all transformed in the context of Kalacakra into

deities at the time of fruition.

THE CULTIVATION OF PURE APPEARANCE

The Kalacakra Root Tantra states that the entire inner and outer Kalacakras

appear in the purified form of the mat;Ic,lala. The outer and inner Kalacakras

consist of the bases to be purified. The purified form of the mat;Ic,lala refers

to the purified state of fruition.

Actually, anything that is true of Kalacakra refers in fact to the fruition­

at Kalacakra. References to the processes on the path of the outer, inner,

and other Kalacakra are called Kalacakra, but in reality they only lead to the

true Kalacakra.

How does it happen that the outer and inner Kalacakras appear as the

pure mat;Ic,lala? First of all, one dissolves one's body, resources, environ­

ment, and so forth into the nature of emptiness. From emptiness one

imagines these to arise in the aspect of immutable bliss. If the mind is not

happy, immutable bliss is out of the question, so we have to rely on the

power of imagination.

How can we bring about some facsimile of immutable bliss? At this

point in the meditation we bring to mind something that makes us happy.

It may be an event, an aspect of Dharma, or a wholesome activity in which

we participated in the past, anything that will bring forth some degree of

happiness. The recollection creates a good feeling, and we imagine that to

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 94

be of the nature of immutable bliss, and with that bliss we then focus on

emptiness. In this way, we will get a glimpse of the facsimile of the actual

state we are trying to realize.

Alternatively, if we have access to states of mental and physical well­

being resulting from our meditation, we can tap into these states. In that

case, before focusing on emptiness, we engage in our meditation practice to

bring forth that mental and physical well-being, and as soon as that arises,

we focus on emptiness. From this experience of immutable bliss and empti­

ness we create the palace with the various deities, the male and female

bodhisattvas, the male and female wrathful beings known as krodhas, the

chosen deities, the consorts, and so forth.

It is very important to continue in the practice of the stage of generation

between meditation sessions. Although we are not in a position to bring an

end to ordinary appearances, in our mind's eye we should still imagine our

environment, other beings, and so on to be of the nature of the palace and

the deities. Although we cannot really stop ordinary appearances arising to

the senses, we should cultivate the sense of living in the palace of the deity

and being surrounded by deities.

It is said that once we have become very familiar with this practice, the

habitual propensities in the mind that cause us to grasp onto ordinary

appearances wane. When that happens, we actually see the environment as

the palace. It becomes less imagination and more of a perception. Is our

sensory perception altered by such an experience? Our mental experience of

our environment is so powerful that we actually apprehend the palace. At

the same time the appearances to the senses remain ordinary. We perceive

them as mere appearances, without reifying them.

Here is a way to understand this. There are three different cooperative

conditions for perception, namely: (1) the objective condition (Tib. dmigs

rkyen), (2) the immediately preceding condition (Tib. de ma thag rkyen), and (3) the dominant condition (Tib. bdag rkyen). In this case, what is

altered is the immediately preceding condition, which refers to the state of

the mind itself, together with its habitual propensities. When that happens,

the nature of one's mental experience of events is altered. The immediately

preceding mind is the condition for the subsequently altered moment of

awareness.

Receiving Initiation 95

The following analogy may shed light on this. If one is utterly enchant­

ed by some lovely music, one does not ascertain what is appearing to one's

visual sense, for one is absorbed in the awareness of the sound. Similarly, if one is absorbed in some visual event, one may be unable to ascertain sounds

that are appearing to the auditory faculty. This is analogous to what hap­

pens in the stage of generation, in which the ordinary appearances are

overwhelmed by the power of one's imagination.

To illustrate this, some time ago in Tibet there was a yogi who had

attained quite a high degree of realization in the practice ofYamantaka. In

his practice, during and between sessions, he had a very clear vision of the

many-armed form ofYamantaka. This yogi was from Kham and once jour­

neyed to Lhasa to attend the Great Prayer Festival at the beginning of the

Tibetan new year. Such a new monk coming to that festival is obliged to do

one of two things. Either he could make many offerings to the monks who

were already there, or else he could simply join in and do the work, like any

of the other resident monks. This monk was in fact a great yogi. He chose

the latter route. The task he was given was to help serve the tea with a big

kettle that one has to hold with both hands. But he had such a clear vision

of himself as Yamantaka that he kept on asking people, "With which pair of hands should I hold the kettle?" Finally the visiting monk addressed his

question to the monk in charge, who told him, "Just use your two mitts."

The point is that this yogi had such a vivid experience of his form as

Yamantaka that it overwhelmed the ordinary appearance of his hands.

There was another man who continually meditated upon his own form

as having two great long horns coming out of his head. He simply decided

to imagine that he had horns! Whenever he came to a doorway, he com­

plained that he could not get through. To the mind's eye, when one

becomes very familiar with such a visualization, these are the types of results

that ensue.

Between sessions, whenever we encounter another being, we simply

imagine, "This is Kalacakra." Similarly, when we are looking at inanimate

objects like trees and so forth, we continue to remind ourselves, "This is of

the nature of primordial wisdom." This practice will establish very power­

ful habitual propensities in the mind that will lead gradually to the

overwhelming of ordinary appearance. In addition, when you hear ordinary

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 96

sounds, it is appropriate to imagine that you are hearing 01Jl, ii{J, hii1Jl,

superimposing that over the ordinary sound. In this way we actually trans­

form that experience as well.

We do the same for all the purely mental events that appear to the mind.

If we look upon these mental events as being of the nature of emptiness and

bliss, this will gradually transform the mind so that they are actually expe­

rienced in that way.

The principal teacher of my chief teacher, Shako Khen Rinpoche, or

Gen Nyima, was a great Tibetan yogi by the name ofTongpon Rinpoche.

It was said that when Tongpon Rinpoche was present in a monastic assem­

bly with the tantric master, he saw all the monks as Vajradharas. These are

the types of appearances that occur when one gains a high degree of real­

ization in the stage of generation.

The statement that all the entire inner and outer Kalacakras appear in

the purified form of the divine palace, or mat].9ala, also refers to vajra yoga,

entailing the six phases of the yoga that leads to the fulfillment of

immutable bliss in the stage of completion. In the Kalacakra system, the six­

phase yoga is often known as vajra yoga, which refers to immutable bliss. Because the practices of the six-phase yoga in the stage of completion

directly bring about such immutable bliss, they are called vajra yoga.

The above statement refers to the attainment of the body and mind of a

buddha. The first two phases of the six-phase yoga, that of retraction and

meditative stabilization, are designed to directly bring forth empty form.

Vajra speech is brought forth by the middle two of the six phases, namely

priil].ayama and retention. The two final phases of recollection and samadhi

bring forth immutable bliss, or the mind of the buddha.

Now we move on to the practice to the actual process of the initiation.

THE INITIATION PROCESS

From the heart of Kalacakra are emitted sugatas with their consorts As well as the circle of the matzrfala; the empowering deities Bestow the empowerments of water, crown, crown ribbon, vajra and bell, Conduct, name, and permission.

The sugatas are the tathagatas, that is, the buddhas of the five classes­

~obhya and so forth-and their consorts. The chief deity Kalacakra is

Receiving Initiation 97

also with his consort. Keep in mind that it is the guru you are visualizing in

front of you.

In the guru yoga text in Tibetan, the senior tutor of His Holiness the

Dalai Guru, Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, mentioned the tathagatas first, but it

might be somewhat easier to imagine "the heart of Kalacakra" emitting the

circle of the mat)4ala and all of the deities of the mat)4ala. In either case,

you are inviting twelve deities: Kalacakra with his consort and the five

tathagatas with their five consorts.

In this visualization, you bring to mind the four-sided palace of the

mal!4ala. In the center of the mal).4ala is an eight-petaled lotus, and upon

the center of that lotus stands the principal deity Kalacakra and his consort.

Upon each of the eight petals of the lotus are the eight saktis. The petals are

like a drawing on the floor of the palace. Imagine around that a square. In

each of the four directions there is a tathagata, and on each of the corners

in between the cardinal directions you visualize the consorts of those four

tathagatas.

Among the five tathagatas, you imagine .A.4obhya as being of the same

nature as the principal deity, Kalacakra. You visualize the consort of

Alqobhya, Prajfiaparamita, as being of the same nature as Visvamata. Here

is a further elaboration. The four tathagatas in the four cardinal directions,

on the sides of that square, face inward toward the principal deity. Each of

those four tathagatas is embracing his respective consort who is facing away

from the principal deity. In the intermediate directions, that is, on the cor­

ners of the square, the four consorts are facing toward the principal deity.

They, too, are embraced by their respective tathiigata consorts who are

facing outward.

Around them are the six male and six female bodhisattvas, making a total

of twelve deities. There are two on the eastern side, which is the front side,

and two on all the other sides, south, north, and west. Then there is one on

each of the corners of this square. They are totally separate, and do not even

hold hands. As before, they are all in a dual aspect, giving us twelve pairs.

Since they are all in pairs, we have twenty-four deities.

At each of the doors are the krodhas, and each of those is embracing a

wrathful female being. Above and below are two other krodhas, each

embracing a consort.

The .Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 98

The initiating deities are appearing in the aspect of these deities of the

ma!)4ala. Among these deities in the mat:J.9ala, the five consorts of the

tathagatas bestow the water initiation. The five tathagatas bestow the initi­

ation of the crown. The eight saktis bestow the crown ribbon initiation.

The chief deities of the ma1).4ala, Kalacakra and Vi5vamata, bestow the ini­

tiation of the vajra and bell. The male and the female bodhisattvas bestow

the conduct initiation. They wear on their thumbs something like a vajra

ring, which is one of the implements of initiation. The wrathful beings, or

krodhas, bestow the initiation of the name. The implement of that initia­

tion is a type of vajra bracelet, or vajra wristband.

You may recall that when you received the Kalacakra initiation, at one

point a flower was dropped to determine the buddha class to which the ini­

tiates belong. At that time in a proper initiation, the guru gives a kind of

blessing, stating that this will be our secret name and that we will bear this

name until we attain full enlightenment. There may be some prophetic

aspect to it. In any case, this is associated with the name initiation, and the

deities who bestow this are the male and female krodhas.

Vajrasattva with his consort bestow the initiation of permission. We

should think ofVajrasattva as being nondual from the principal deity. The

principal deity Kalacakra, .Ak§obhya, and Vajrasattva are all of the same

nature. The consort of Vajrasattva is Vajradhatvi5vari, and she is of the

same nature as Visvamata. The consort of .Ak§obhya, Prajfiaparamita, is also

of the same nature as Visvamata.

The different implements of initiation of Vajrasattva with his consort

correspond to different types of disciples, as determined by the dropping of

the flower. These various implements of initiation are the following:

·:· A wheel associated with V airocana

•:• A jewel associated with Ratnasambhava

·:· A lotus associated with Amitabha

•:• A sword associated with Amoghasiddhi

•:• A vajra associated with .Ak§obhya

In using these implements of initiation, the deity and consort are encour­

aging the students to eventually turn the wheel of Dharma in accordance

with the propensities of disciples relating to those five classes.

The water and the crown initiations purify the drop at the forehead

Receiving Initiation 99

related to the waking state. The crown ribbon initiation and the vajra and

bell initiation are for the purification of the drop at the throat associated

with the dream state. The conduct initiation and the name initiation are for

purifying the drop at the heart related to the deep sleep state. Finally, the

initiation of permission purifies the drop at the navel cakra associated with

what is simply called the fourth occasion.

They likewise grant the four pairs of the higher and greatly higher empowerments

As well as the supreme empowerment of the vajra master. These are the eight further initiations, namely, the four higher initiations

and the four greatly higher initiations. There are two sets of four. Also,

there is the initiation of the vajra master. Sometimes the initiation of the

vajra master is included in the initiation of permission.

As a result, the channels and vital energies of the body become JUnctional And I am empowered to cultivate the two stages.

Here the text speaks explicitly of making functional the physical channels

and vital energies. In fact, the initiations are specifically designed to remove

the impurities of the four drops. This particular sadhana, however, is espe­

cially designed to purify the channels and the energies. Therefore, it refers

to these explicitly.

Making the channels and energies serviceable means removing any

obstacles or interferences in their proper functioning, thereby facilitating

your meditation practice. In this case, the 21,600 karmic energies and the

material factors of the body are purified by bringing these energies into the

central channel.

Furthermore, by receiving these initiations, one is empowered to culti-

vate the two stages, namely the stages of generation and completion.

I come to have the fortune of actualizing in this lifetime

The sevenfold state of Kiilacakra, In which the 2I,6oo karmic vital energies And all the material elements of the body are consumed.

The "sevenfold state of Kalacakra" is comprised of the following:

1. The embrace, the union of deity with consort, both being in the

nature of empty form. The Tibetan term for this is kha sbyor, literally,

the joining of the mouths as in a kiss, but it refers more generally to

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 100

the embrace. The interpretative meaning is the embrace itself, while

the definitive meaning is the union of emptiness and bliss.

2. The fulfillment of enjoyment.

3· Great bliss, referring here to immutable great bliss.

4· The lack of inherent existence. This can be understood in two ways:

(a) the object of immutable bliss is the very absence of inherent nature,

and (b) the immutable bliss itself is devoid of intrinsic nature. The

latter is perhaps preferable in this context.

5· Being of the nature of great compassion.

6. The eternal, unceasing stream of enlightened action.

7· The nature of being unceasing. The meaning here is that awakened

beings do not simply abide in nirvii.Q.a, which is regarded as the

extreme of quietism.

These are simply seven names for different aspects of a fully awakened being.

THE MEANING OF INITIATION

The Tibetan term translated here as initiation (Tib. dban~ literally means

empowerment. The ceremony is so called because it empowers, or autho­

rizes, the disciple to engage in the practice of Vajrayana. If one has not

received the initiation, one does not have the authority to do so. In this

sense the Tibetan term could also be translated as authorization. But it is

not nearly as glamorous to say, "I am going to an authorization."

In the process of initiation there are three phases:

+ Purification of the four drops.

<• Transformation. In dependence upon the previous purification, the

four drops are so transformed that at the time of fruition they become

of the nature of the four bodies of a buddha.

•:• Activity. The essential meaning of this is that through the process of

initiation one is empowered to engage in the practice of the two stages.

Both the basis to be purified and the process of purification refer to the four

drops. The first seven initiations-water, crown, crown ribbon, vajra and

bell, conduct, name, and permission-are all self-entries of a child. All of

these together are also called water initiation, because in each case there is

a bestowing of an anointment, which is the literal meaning of abhi1eka, the

Sanskrit term for initiation.

Receiving Initiation ror

By receiving the seven self-entries of a child, one is authorized to engage

in the practice of the stage of generation. In other tantric systems, such as

Cakrasaqwara and Guhyasamaja, one receives the vase initiation. The func­

tion of the vase initiation is similarly to authorize one to engage in the stage

of generation. The difference is one of terminology. In the other systems

this is called the vase initiation, and in this it is called the water initiation.

To illustrate this point, recall that among the bases to be purified is the

drop at the forehead associated with the waking state. During the process

of purification in the stage of generation, one visualizes that drop as the

vajra body, which begins the process of purification of that drop. Moreover,

the same process in the stage of generation is acting as a ripener of one's

being, of one's continuum, for the stage of completion. At that point in

practice, the disciple generates himself or herself as the vajra body.

ENTERING THE MA~I;>ALA

It is stated that it is not permissible to give the Ka.lacakra initiation unless

one is using a sand mat;tc;lala. However, if the master is a very highly real­

ized vajra master and the students are highly realized students, it is possible

to give the initiation in a mat;tc;lala of primordial wisdom.

There are two ways this may happen. One is that the guru may instan­

taneously generate the entire mat;tc;lala with his mind. The disciple is then

right in the midst of the guru's visualization. Another possibility is that the

doors of the heart of the guru, as it were, open up and there is the mal).c;lala

at the heart of the guru, and the disciples enter into this mat;tc;lala. If you are

able to enter into such a mal).c;lala, you fully experience great bliss.

Two of the foremost tantric practitioners of the past were King

Indrabhuti, the chief disciple of the Guhyasamaja Tantra, and King

Sucandra ofSambhala, who was the chief disciple for the Ka.lacakra Tantra.

Both of them received their respective initiations, Guhyasamaja and

Kalacakra, from the Buddha himself. In those cases, the type of mat;tc;lala

they entered to receive the initiation wa~ instantaneously created by the

Buddha. They instantaneously saw the mal).c;lala and actually experienced

being in it.

In the more mundane cases, one must have a sand mat;tc;lala to give the

initiation. The guru meditatively dissolves the sand mat;tc;lala into emptiness,

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 102

and from emptiness the guru generates the Kalacakra mal).4ala where the

sand mal).4ala is located. Then the initiation is bestowed within that

mal).4ala. In this case, all this is done by the power of visualization. It is not

directly experienced as in the previous cases.

On the occasion of the initiation, the disciples should also imagine dis­

solving the entire environment into emptiness, and then from emptiness

visualize the mal).4ala.

The Kalacakra mal).4ala has four entryways. In clockwise direction, the

colors on top of the doors of the palace are black, red, yellow, and white.

These colors correspond to the colors of the faces of Kalacakra facing each

of those directions. The black at the bottom is east, the yellow at the top is

west, the white at right is north, and the red at left is south.

The process of entering the mal).4ala is associated with the use of the

blindfold. When wearing the blindfold, we imagine ourselves being outside

the mal).4ala, and at the point in the initiation when we remove the blind­

fold, we should imagine having entered the mal).4ala. The purpose of this

is to avoid any obstacles to the practice. Also, it is while standing blind­

folded outside the east door of the divine palace that one takes the various

precepts, including the tantric precepts. We then remove the blindfold and

enter the palace through the east door, proceeding on to the north, to the

white fa:ce of Kalacakra.

Receiving Initiation IOJ

8

7'he Seven Self-£ntries of a Child

INITIATION To AcHIEVE THE VAJRA BonY

Prior to receiving the water initiation, the first of the seven self-entries of a

child, we visualize light emanating from Guru Kalacakra' s heart, striking us,

and then drawing us into the mouth and then into the heart of the deity.

We transform into a drop and in that form go from the heart down into

the bhaga (womb) of the consort. We imagine ourselves as a drop in the

bhaga of the consort and dissolve into emptiness.

The chief person meditating on emptiness here is the guru, but the dis­

ciples do as well. It is at this point that the quality of our own mind

becomes of the same nature as the guru and chosen deity's mind.

From that emptiness arises the syllable 01'J'l and from that arises the vajra

body. The vajra body is white, having three faces and six hands. The cen­

tral face is white, the right face is. black, and the left face is red. Here

Amitabha is white, and the vajra body is of the nature of Amitabha. The

hand implements of the vajra body are. as follows: The right hands, top to

bottom, hold (r) a hammer, (2) a spear, and (3) a trident. The left hands,

top to bottom, hold (r) a white, eight-petaled lotus, (2) a wheel, and (3) a

rosary.

P;u:tc;lari, consort of Amitabha, is red and holds the following hand

implements: On the right, (r) a triple arrow, (2) a vajra hook, and (3) a

resounding tfamarn. On the left, (r) a bow, (2) a vajra noose, and (3) a nine­

faceted jewel.

WATER INITIATION

In the process of the water initiation (see chart 2), rays of light are emanat­

ed from the guru's heart, inviting all the buddhas in the form of the vajra

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I04

bodies and dissolving them into himself. The initiation deities are invited,

and the guru requests them to bestow initiation. Upon such supplication,

all the initiation deities with consorts go into union, and from their sexual

bliss, drops descend and enter the crown of Kalacakra' s head. They flow

down the central channel into the bhaga of the consort and dissolve into

ourselves, thereby bestowing initiation. When inviting the initiation deities,

we should imagine the whole Kalacakra maJ].9ala with all the deities and

consorts.

Keep in mind that in this stage of the process of purification, one is puri­

fying the drop at the forehead associated with the waking state. One is

transforming that drop into the vajra body of the buddha. One receives this

phase of the initiation with the deity facing north. We are generated as the

vajra body, and the place where this initiation is received is in the ma99ala

of the vajra body. This ma99ala is visualized as the primordial wisdom

maJ].9ala. The water initiation purifies the five elements. For each of the consorts

with the tathagata, there is an entire initiation process in which we visual­

ize and invite the buddhas in the form of vajra bodies. Together with their

consorts, they dissolve into us. Then there is the invitation to the initiation

deities to bestow the initiation. This process recurs for each of these five ele­

ments, as follows:

•:• The space element of one's body and the water that is used during this

phase of the initiation are generated in the form ofVajradhatviSvari at

the crown. She has three faces and six hands, and she is embracing

Vajrasattva.

+The air element of one's body and the initiating water are generated in

the form of Tara at the navel. She is embracing Vairocana.

•:• The fire element of one's body and the initiating water are generated

in the form of Pa99ari at the forehead, and she is embracing

Amitabha.

•> The water element of one's body plus the initiating water are generated

in the form ofMamaki at the throat. She is embracing Ratnasambhava.

•:• The earth element of one's body and the initiating water are generat­

ed in the form of the consort Locana at the heart, and she is embracing

Amoghasiddhi.

The Seven Self-Entries of a Child ro5

Each of the consorts-Vajradhatvisvari, Tara, Mamaki, PaiJ.cj.ari, and

Locana-dissolves into light and becomes of the nature of the initiating

water. With the water and the vase, they bestow upon us the initiations

while we are at the northern door of the palace.

By this process of initiation, any defilements of the five elements are purified, and one is empowered to attain the siddhis of the five consorts.

Seeds for eventually actualizing the five consorts are placed in one's being.

One is authorized to cultivate the path of the consorts and to attain the sid­

dhis related to them during the stage of generation. This initiation also

places in one's being the capacity for attaining the first bodhisattva ground.

Replicas of the five consorts dissolve into oneself, and then one arises in the

nature of the five consorts. Later on, one generates these five consorts in the

maiJ.cj.ala and meditates upon them. This is a unique and profound aspect

of the Kalacakra system.

The people with whom one has received tantric initiation are called one's

tantric siblings. The reason for that is evident here. We are generated, in

this case, as the body vajra in the bhaga of the consort and have in a sense

been conceived there. Everybody who is receiving initiation together is

going through the same process, so it is as if we were born from the same

womb at the same time.

If we can get a real understanding of this now, it might be possible for us

to actually receive the initiation the next time it is offered. However, if we

do not have any idea of what is going on, it is difficult to receive initiation.

CROWN INITIATION

Following the water initiation is the initiation of the crown (see chart 3).

The crown initiation is designed to purify the five aggregates. At this phase

of the practice we have already generated ourselves as the vajra body.

Although it is not very clear in the teachings on Kalacakra, I surmise that

this phase of the initiation is done by generating the body maiJ.cj.ala, which

means that the visualization is done inside our own body.

The crown initiation has five phases, and it is given by the five

tathagatas. In the actual process of the crown initiation we generate two sets

of deities. We generate our own aggregates as the deities with their consorts,

and we also generate the crowns as the same deities. Where are these

The Ktilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga ro6

crowns, the outer implements of initiation? They are by the principal deity

with his consort. We visualize them in an initiation using a sand mal)<;iala.

If you receive initiation in a primordial wisdom mal)<;iala, you do not need

to do the visualization because the crowns are already there.

•:• The green crown and one's aggregate of consciousness are generated in

the form of green Ak§obhya at the crown cakra. Ak§obhya is embracing

his consort, blue Prajfiaparamita. Bear in mind that Prajfiaparamita,

Visvamata, and Vajradhatvisvari are all of the same nature.

•:• The white crown and one's aggregate of recognition are generated in

the form of white Amitabha at the forehead cakra. He is embracing his

consort, white Pal)<;liiri.

·:· The red crown and one's aggregate of feeling are generated in the form

of red Ratnasambhava at the throat cakra. Ratnasambhava is embrac­

ing his consort, white Mamaki.

•:• The blue crown and one's aggregate of compositional factors are gen­

erated in the form of black Amoghasiddhi at the heart cakra.

Amoghasiddhi is embracing his consort, yellow Locana. (Note that in

the Guhyasamaja Tantra, Amoghasiddhi is generated at the genital

cakra, while in this case he is generated at the heart cakra.)

•:- The yellow crown and one's aggregate of form are generated in the

form of yellow Vairocana at the navel cakra. He is embracing his con­

sort, black Tara.

All the above deities are endowed with crowns and all the pertinent orna­

ments. They have three faces and six hands holding various implements.

The visualization is sequential. In the water initiation we visualize the

consorts, then in the later crown initiation we visualize the deities. Both

times they are in union. Actually, both times we visualize everyone, but

their positions are different. For example, in the water initiation the con­

sort at the crown of the head is Prajfiaparamita, facing the main deity

Kalacakra, and she is in union with Ak§obhya, facing to the back. Later on

in the crown initiation, we visualize Ak~obhya facing Kalacakra, and the

consort Prajfiaparamita is facing to the back. In the water initiation, at the

forehead we have Pal)<;iari facing Kalacakra, in union with her consort,

Amitabha, facing backward. Later, in the crown initiation, we visualize

Amitabha facing Kalacakra, with Pal)<;iari facing backward.

The Seven Self-Entries of a Child I07

In the water initiation, Mamaki is at the throat, facing Kalacakra, in

union with her consort, Ratnasambhava, who faces backward. Later, in the

crown initiation, Ratnasambhava faces forward, and Mamaki backward.

During the water initiation, we visualize Locana at the heart facing

Kalacakra, in union with her consort, Amoghasiddhi, who faces backward.

In the crown initiation, Amoghasiddhi faces forward while in union with

his consort, Locana, who is facing backward.

We first visualize Tara in the water initiation at the navel cakra facing

Kalacakra, in union with Vairocana, who is facing backward. During the

crown initiation, Vairocana is facing forward in union with Tara, who faces

backward.

Now the five crowns and the five aggregates are all generated in the

forms of the five classes ofbuddhas. The central deity, Kalacakra, sends rays

of light from his heart, inviting the five classes of buddhas, who then dis­

solve into the crowns as well as into oneself. After that, from the heart of

Kalacakra rays of light are emitted, inviting the initiating deities. In this

case, the initiation is bestowed upon the crowns, not upon ourselves, in the

following way: After the crowns are generated in the form of the respective

buddhas-A.lqobhya and so forth-the initiation is bestowed on them.

These respective deities, having been initiated, dissolve into light, and then

the light takes on the form of the respective crowns-green, black, and so

forth. Once they have transformed into light and have taken on the form

of the different crowns, the five classes of buddhas come one by one, pick

up the crown, and place it upon our heads, and thus we receive the crown

initiation. This is a process of initiation that is unique to the Kalacakra

system.

Keep in mind that at this point you have already generated yourself as

the vajra body in which you have generated the five classes ofbuddhas. You

imagine the five aggregates (which you have been visualizing as these five

buddhas) as "now having actually become the five buddhas." A replica of

each of the five buddhas in the maJ].<;lala is emanated from their bodies and

dissolves into your own. Then the initiating deities also dissolve into the

five buddhas within your own body.

In terms of a parallel in ordinary life, the initiation of the water corre­

sponds to the mother bathing her infant in water.

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga Io8

There is an Indian custom whereby an infant's hair is left to fall free, but

at some point in early childhood the hair is tied up in a knot. Tying up the

child's hair is the parallel for the crown initiation. This is an Indian custom,

and there is something somewhat similar in the Tibetan tradition. Until a

child is six or seven, the hair is left to hang down, but from the age of about

seven or so onward the hair is braided. This custom applies to both boys

and girls.

The crown initiations purify the defilements of the five aggregates and

also empower one to attain the state of the five buddhas. The seeds of the

five buddhas are established in one's continuum, and the capacity for

attaining the second bodhisattva ground is also established. Both the water

and crown initiations are bestowed in the northern direction of the

mat:tc;lala, which is associated with the drop at the forehead.

The parallel for both of the first two initiations is that while still in the

mothers womb, the five aggregates and the five elements of one's being are

established. Similarly, in the initiation process, first the five elements are

purified, and then the five aggregates are purified. In this way the five ele­

ments are purified so that they are fit to be transformed into the five female

tathagatas, namely, the five consorts. The five aggregates have been purified

of all defilements so that they can transform into the nature of the five male

tathagatas. Both of these initiations are chiefly designed to dispel defile­

ments of the body. The seed of the vajra body is established, and one is

authorized to attain the siddhi of the vajra body.

This concludes the section of the initiation that empowers one to achieve

the vajra body by means of purifying the drop at the forehead associated

with the waking state.

INITIATION To AcHIEVE THE VAJRA SPEECH

The next initiation concerns the purification of the defilements of the drop

at the throat associated with the dream state. It is known as the inner initi­

ation. Recall that in the preceding stages of the initiation the guru is facing

the northern door. Now imagine the central deity taking you, the disciple,

with his right hand and bringing you over to his left. The north would be

to the guru's left, so he takes you with his right hand and brings you around

to the opposite side, to the southern door. The southern door, which is on

The Seven Self Entries of a Child I09

the left of the maQ.<;iala, is red. It corresponds to the color of the face in that

direction, and it is said to be the face of the speech.

The guru is facing the southern door, and rays of light are emitted from the guru's heart, drawing you inward. You go into the mouth, then down

and into the consort's bhaga. The initiation is known as inner because you

are taken inside. You dissolve into emptiness and from the emptiness are

generated as the vajra speech.

The vajra speech is red, with three faces and six hands. Ratnasambhava

is also red, and the vajra speech is of the same nature as Ratnasambhava.

The consort is white Mamaki, who also has three faces and six hands.

As before, rays of light are emitted from the guru's heart, and he there­

by invites the jfianasattvas. These jfi.anasattvas dissolve into yourself, inside

the bhaga of the consort. Following that, the initiating deities are invited by

sending rays of light out from the principal deity's heart. They go into

union, and from the union drops descend through the crown of the prin­

cipal deity's head. They come down through the same passage and initiate

you as the vajra speech.

Then you are, in a sense, born. You emerge from the womb of the con­

sort and abide by the southern door of the palace. This phase of the practice

is preliminary to the actual stage of generation.

The crown ribbon and vajra and bell initiations both pertain to the vajra

speech. The basis to be purified in these initiations is comprised of the ten

vital energies and the two side channels, the right and the left channels.

Recall that at the time of the basis, that is, at the time we are starting out,

the cakra at the heart is imagined as an eight-petaled lotus. This corre­

sponds to eight directions, and we have an energy associated with each of

these eight directions, as well as an energy going upward, and another one

going downward. Thus, there are ten vital energies. The last eight energies

are associated with the four cardinal and four intermediate directions. In

the Kalacakra system, you are facing things from one direction to another.

Once you have come to the south, leap over to the north-don't keep on

going clockwise.

1. Life-sustaining energy originates and is chiefly located in the central

channel above the heart, but it also courses through the other parts of

the body in various channels.

The Kiibtcakra Six-Session Guru Yoga IIO

2. Descending energy originates in the central channel from the heart

down, and is a downward-evacuating energy.

3· Fire-accompanying energy is associated with the channel going to the

east, or straight forward.

4· Turtle energy is associated with the channel to the southeast, veering

off to the deity's right.

5· Ascending energy moves south to the deity's right.

6. Lizard energy is to the southwest, going off to the deity's right side in

the back.

7· Pervasive energy moves in the channel to the north, to the deity's left side.

8. Devadatta energy is the energy to the northeast, on the deity's left,

front side. When a man and woman pray for a child, and the woman

conceives, the child is often called Devadatta, or "a gift from the gods."

9· Naga energy moves in the channel to the west, behind the deity.

ro. Dhana1J2)aya energy moves to the deity's northwest.

Later, in the self-generation phase of the practice, we visualize an eight­

petaled lotus, which symbolizes these various channels with the

corresponding energies. The eight saktis are also symbolized by the eight

energies going in the cardinal and intermediate directions.

Vajradharvisvari symbolizes the life-sustaining energy that moves

through the central channel from the heart upward. Vi5vamata symbolizes

the descending energy, moving from the heart down and also through the

central channel. Recall that Vajradharvisvari and Visvamata are of the same nature, and that they are associated with the central channel. It is, of

course, one central channel, connecting from below the heart to above the

heart.

As previously mentioned, the eight petals of the lotus symbolize the eight

channels of the corresponding energies. The center of the lotus symbolizes

the central channel. Moreover, through the whole meditation process we

imagine the eight saktis and the two consorts above and below in our visu­

alizations. All of these are the purifying agents for those energies.

Generally speaking, the eight-petaled lotus that provides the base for the

chosen deities is variegated in color. However, in the elaborate sadhana of

Kalacakra, the eight-petaled lotus that forms the base for the saktis is entirely

green. In this phase of the practice, the color of the lotus is not stated, so

The Seven Self-Entries of a Child III

we may imagine it as green. However, if we visualize the petals of the lotus

corresponding to the colors associated with the various energies, the colors

are as follows:

•!• East and southeast are black.

•!• South and southwest are red.

•!• North and northeast are white.

•!• West and northwest are yellow.

If we would like to have a correspondence among the bases to be purified,

the agent of purification, and that which is purified, then it would be good

to visualize in this way. In the stage of generation, we visualize the bases to

be purified, namely, the ten energies in the forms of the eight saktis and two

consorts. We visualize the eight subsidiary channels as the eight petals of

the lotus.

CROWN RIBBON INITIATION

We are now at the stage of the crown ribbon initiation (see chart 4). There

are two sets of tassels, or ribbons, five on the left and five on the right, hang­

ing down from the crown. We visualize these ten tassels in the form of the ten saktis. Sometimes the text refers to eight saktis, but here we have ten

saktis, which include Vajradhatvi5vari and ViSvamata.

Recall that you are the vajra speech, abiding in the southern direction of

the ma.t].4ala. At this point of the initiation, dissolve your own ten energies

and the ten crown ribbons into emptiness. Then generate your ten energies

and the ten tassels in the form of the ten saktis:

1. The fire-accompanying energy in the east and one of the black crown

ribbons are dissolved into emptiness, and we generate them in the

form of the goddess Kr~r;tadipta (Tib. nag mo 'bar ma). 2. The turtle energy in the southeast and the other black crown ribbon

are dissolved into emptiness, from which we imagine the goddess

Dhilina (Tib. du ba ma). 3· The ascending energy in the south and one of the two red crown

ribbons are generated in the form of red Raktadipta (Tib. dmar mo 'bar ma).

4· The lizard energy in the southwest and the other red ribbon are gen­

erated as the red goddess Marici (Tib. smig sgyu ma).

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga. II2

5· The pervasive energy in the north and one of the white crown ribbons

are generated as Svetadipta (Tib. dkar mo 'bar ma).

6. The Devadatta energy, located in the northeast, and the second white

crown ribbon are generated as Khagamana (Tib. mkha' snang ma).

7· The Naga energy and one of the yellow crown ribbons in the west are generated in the form of Pitadipta (Tib. ser mo 'bar ma).

8. The Dhanarpjaya energy, located in the northwest, and the other

yellow crown ribbon are generated in the form of Pradipa (Tib. mar

me ma).

9· The life-sustaining energy and one of the blue crown ribbons are gen­

erated in the form of the goddess Vajradharvisvari.

10. The descending energy and a green crown ribbon are generated in the

form of the goddess Visvamata.

All the goddesses have four faces and eight hands. Each of the goddesses in

the four intermediate directions carries a yak-tail fan used to cool the cen­

tral deity. The one to the southeast holds a black fan, the one to the

southwest holds a red fan, the one to the northwest a yellow fan, and the

one to the northeast a white fan. The goddesses in the cardinal directions

hold different hand implements.

The Kalacakra system speaks of ten signs that occur in the stage of com­

pletion, starting with retraction. The ten signs correspond to the insertion

of the ten energies into the central channel. The above goddesses symbol­

ize the signs that appear as the energies enter into the central channel, such

as smoke, mirage, and an appearance of space.

These various goddesses, associated with the different directions, are

generated in two places: at the crown ribbon of the principal deity and at

our heart. The internal visualization is quite straightforward because it is

associated with these energies, and everything has its place; there is a logic

to it.

As before, rays of light are emanated from the principal deity's heart,

inviting the jfianasatrvas, who merge into the deities who are present where

the crown ribbons were, and with the deities who have been generated

inwardly. Again, light is emanated from the heart, inviting the initiating

deities, who initiate only the deities where the crown ribbons were. These

goddesses receive initiation, dissolve into the nature of light, and then

The Seven Self-Entries of a Child II3

transform into the form of crown ribbons. After that, the ten saktis in the

mal).c;lala take hold of the ten crown ribbons, bring them to us, and give us

the empowerment of the crown ribbon.

In this system as well as in other systems of tantra, when these various

initiations are bestowed, the initiating implements-the crown ribbon and

so forth-are touched briefly on five spots: the forehead, throat, heart, and

left and right shoulders. In the Guhyasarnaja initiation, the crown ribbons

go together with the crown. The sequential process here, with the crown

first and the crown ribbons second, is unique to Kalacakra.

The parallel of this stage of the initiation in ordinary life is piercing the

ears of the child. This is still a common tradition in India and among

Tibetans. The process purifies one's own ten energies, making them fit to

enter into the central channel.

The involvement of the ten saktis in this process of initiation empowers

us to attain the common siddhis. Indirectly, the stage of generation leads to

the uncommon siddhi of full enlightenment, so that would also be implic­

itly involved in this stage of initiation.

By this process, the capacity for the ten perfections is also established in

one's being. The ten saktis are also called the ten paramitas, so the capacity

for attaining those is established. The result is the attainment of the third

bodhisattva ground.

VAJRA AND BELL INITIATION

We remain in the form of the vajra speech in the southern direction of the

mal).c;lala during the next phase of the initiation, the vajra and bell initiation

(see chart 5). Recall that Kalacakra is holding the vajra and bell and embrac­

ing Visvarnata, who is holding a curved knife and skullcup.

In this phase of the initiation you simultaneously dissolve into empti­

ness, and from emptiness imagine the following:

•:• Your right channel becomes Kalacakra with his consort, with one face

and two hands.

•:• The vajra held by Kalacakra also becomes Kalacakra with his consort,

with one face and two hands.

•:• Your left channel transforms into Visvamata embracing Kalacakra.

•:• The bell held by Kalacakra also becomes Vi$varnata embracing Kalacakra.

The .Ktilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga II4

Blood courses in the right channel, known as the wisdom channel, and

regenerative fluid courses in the left channel, known as the method channel.

Rays of light are emanated from the heart of Kalacakra and invite both

the jfianasattvas and the initiating deities. The jfianasattvas, in the form of

Kalacakra with consort, dissolve into the two sets ofKalacakra with consort

in front of you. They dissolve into the Kalacakra with consort on your

right, the Kalacakra with consort on your left, as well as the two forms of

Visvamata.

The initiation deities bestow initiation upon the two sets of Kalacakra

with consort in front of you, appearing where the vajra and bell had been

present. They go into sexual union, dissolve into the nature of emptiness

and bliss, and then dissolve into the vajra and bell. Then the principal deity

with consort bestows the vajra and bell initiation upon you by touching the

initiating implements to the five points.

The parallel of this stage of the initiation in ordinary life is the laughter

and speech of a child. It is said that the root of speech is the vital energy. A

child's speech is induced by the power of such energy. The two chief chan­

nels through which the energy courses are the ,left and the right, which are

purified and correspond to the laughter and speech of the child. The defile­

ments of the left and right channels are thus cleansed. This establishes in

you the capacity for joining these two side channels with the central channel.

The vajra initiation aspect of the vajra and bell initiation empowers you

to attain immutable bliss, and the bell aspect of this initiation empowers

you to attain the speech of the buddha bearing all excellent qualities (Tib.

gsung rnam pa thams cad pa), that is, the all-faceted speech of the buddha in

which with one utterance he is able to serve the needs of all sentient beings.

There is no place where the speech of the buddha does not reach; it is

omnipresent.

In dependence upon the chief deiry with consort, one is empowered to

attain siddhis. The energies moving through the sun and moon channels,

referring to the right and left channels, are simultaneously purified. The

special capacity that comes from this occasion is the attainment of the

fourth bodhisattva ground.

Both of the foregoing initiations are given in the southern direction of

the maQ.c.lala, and are designed to purify speech. Simultaneously, they purify

The Seven Self Entries of a Child IIS

the drop at the throat that produces the dream state, and they also purify

the defilements of speech.

The first two initiations, the water and the crown initiations, are analo­

gous in ordinary life to the formation of the elements and the aggregates of

the child in the womb. These initiations are designed to purify the defile­

ments of the elements and the aggregates.

As a synthesis of the second two initiations, the crown ribbon and the

vajra and bell initiation, the parallel in ordinary life is the formation in the

womb of the ten channels and the ten energies that course through those

channels. They are the basis to be purified for these two aspects of initia­

tion. These two initiations are designed to cleanse the impurities of the

channels and the energies. They authorize you to engage in the actions of

the vajra speech and establish the seeds of the vajra speech, and you are

empowered to attain siddhis by means of the vajra speech.

INITIATION TO AcHIEVE THE VAJRA MIND

The conduct initiation and the name initiation are designed to establish the

vajra mind. Recall that the previous two initiations were given in the south­

ern direction of the m~c;lala, with the guru facing in that direction. As we

move to the next initiation, imagine being brought 270 degrees clockwise

from the southern direction over to the eastern direction.

As in the previous cases, light is emanated from the guru's heart, striking

you, and drawing you into his mouth. You proceed down through his vajra,

into the bhaga of the consort, where you are generated in the form of the

vajra mind.

As before, rays of light emanate from the guru's heart, inviting the

jfianasattvas in the form ofKalacakra with consort. They come and dissolve

into you. The initiating deities are invited, and they go into union, which

causes the drops to flow down into the crown of the Kalacakra deity and on

down to you, through his vajra into the bhaga, where they initiate you.

Then you emerge from the womb of the consort in the form of the vajra

mind at the eastern door of the maJ;ic;lala.

The vajra mind is similar in aspect to black Amoghasiddhi. There are

three faces-black in the center, white to the right, and red to the left-and

he has six hands. In the right hands, top to bottom, are (r) a sword, (2) a

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga IIo

curved knife, and (3) a trident. In the left hands, top to bottom, are (I) a

shield, (2) a skullcup, and (3) a kha.tviinga. A kharvanga is a long staff with bracelets on it.

Amoghasiddhi is embracing the consort Locana, who is yellow. She has

three faces: yellow in the center, white to the right, and black to the left.

Her three right hands hold (I) a wheel, (2) a club, and (3) a vajra in wrath­

ful aspect, which means that it has open prongs. In her three left hands are

(I) a spear, (2) a vajra, and (3) an iron chain.

The two are embracing each other. The male deity, the vajra mind,

embraces the consort under her arms, and she embraces him around his

neck.

CoNDUCT INITIATION

The next of the seven initiations is the conduct initiation, bestowed by the

male and female bodhisattvas (see chart 6). The function of this initiation

is to purify all defilements of the twelve sense bases, which are the following:

•:• The six subjective sense bases, or sense faculties (Tib. nang gi skye

mched dru~, comprising the five sensory faculties-the eyes, ears,

nose, tongue, body-and the mental faculty.

•:• The six objective sense bases (Tib. phyi'i skye mched dru~, comprising

the five sensory objects-form, sounds, smell, taste, and touch-and

mental objects. The implement of the conduct initiation is a thumb vajra, which is a vajra

ring that goes on the thumb. In this initiation, you generate the various

sense faculties in the form of the male bodhisattvas. Then you dissolve the

six objects as well as the implement of initiation, the thumb vajra, into

emptiness. These are generated in the form of the female bodhisattvas.

The sense bases and their respective deities are as follows:

•:• The visual faculty becomes red ~itigarbha and consort, white

Riipavajra. Visual form becomes white Riipavajra and consort, red

~itigarbha. At each of the eyes we have ~itigarbha with consort as

well as Riipavajra with consort. There are two pairs of deities at each

of the eyes.

•:• The auditoty faculty becomes green Vajrapiil).i and consort, blue

Sabdavajra. Sound becomes blue Sabdavajra and consort; green

The Seven Self Entries of a Child II7

Vajrapai].i. At each ear we also have two pairs of deities, Vajrapai].i with

consort and Sabdavajra with consort.

<· The olfactory faculry becomes black .Akasagarbha and consort, yellow

Gandhavajra. The smell sense object becomes yellow Gandhavajra and

consort, black .Akasagarbha. At the nose we have two pairs, .Akasagarb­

ha with consort and Gandhavajra with consort.

<• The gustatory faculty becomes white Avalokite5vara and consort, red

Rasavajra. Taste becomes red Rasavajra and consort, white Avaloki­

te5vara. At the tongue we have two pairs of deities, Avalokite5vara with

consort and Rasavajra with consort.

<• The tactile faculty (in the genital region) becomes black Vi~kambhi

and consort, yellow Sparsavajra. Touch becomes yellow Spar5avajra

and consort, black Vi~kambhi. At the genital region, we again have

two pairs, Vi~kambhi with consort and Sparsavajra with consort, each

in union with his respective consort.

<• The mental faculty (located in the heart) becomes blue Samanta­

bhadra and consort, green Dharmadhatuvajra. Phenomena, or mental

objects, become green Dharmadhatuvajra and consort, blue Samanta­

bhadra. At the heart are blue Samantabhadra with consort, and green

Dharmadhatuvajra with consort.

There are two thumb vajras for each of these pairs, and each thumb vajra

has six facets. We generate each of the six facets of each of the two thumb

vajras in the form of the above twelve deities, corresponding to the twelve

sense bases.

As before, the jfianasattvas and the initiating deities are invited, and the

initiating deities dissolve both into those various facets of the thumb vajras

as well as into the deities generated in your own body. Then the initiating

deities who have been invited bestow the initiation upon the implements of

initiation. The deities who have been generated from the implements ofini­

tiation, the thumb vajras, go into union, melt into the nature of great bliss,

and then transform into the nature of the implements of initiation. The

male and female bodhisattvas of the mat].c;iala bestow the initiation using

these implements of initiation.

This initiation purifies the faults of the six faculties and their six objects,

and transforms them into the six male bodhisattvas and six female bodhi-

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga II8

sattvas. Replicas of the six male and six female bodhisattvas of the mat].4ala

are emanated from their bodies and dissolve into the respective deities in

your own body. Then the initiating deities dissolve into yourself.

The parallel of this in ordinary life is the actual birth of the child, not its

conception, and this pertains to the infant's experience of the various sen­

sory objects.

This purifies all defilements of the six faculties and their six objects. One

is thereby authorized to attain the siddhis of the six male and six female

bodhisattvas. By realizing the nature of the five sense objects, one is

empowered to enjoy them, and one is also empowered to attain the vajra

sense base. The result of this particular phase of the initiation establishes the

capacity for the attainment of the fifth bodhisattva ground.

NAME INITIATION

In the next initiation, the initiation of the name, the implements of initia­

tion are bracelets and anklets (see chart 7). The faculties of action and the

activities are purified:

•:• The six faculties of mouth, arm, leg, defecation, and urination, and the

supreme faculty of regenerative fluid emission.

•:• The six activities of talking, taking, going, defecating, urinating, and

emitting regenerative fluid.

These are generated in the forms of the six male and female wrathful deities,

called the krodhas, making six pairs of male and female krodhas.

·:· Green U§I].i§acakravarcin is generated at the orifice for urination.

Normally this deity is generated at the up:zifa (crown protuberance),

but here method and wisdom are reversed, so we generate the deity,

together with the implement of initiation, at the urethra. Atinila is his

consort, and she is blue. The activity of urination is generated as blue

Atinila, and her consort is green U§I].i§acakravartin.

•:• At the faculty of the mouth is black Vighnantaka. The mouth faculty

as well as the implement of initiation, a bracelet, are generated as that

deity. His consort is yellow Stambhani. The activity of speech is gen­

erated as yellow Stambhani, and her consort is the deity black

Vighnantaka.

•:• The faculty of the hands and one facet of the implements of initiation

The Seven Self Entries of a Child II9

are generated in the form of red Prajfiantaka and his consort, white

Manini. The activity of taking with the hands is generated in the form

of white Manini, who is embracing her consort, red Prajfiantaka.

•!• The faculty of the feet and one facet of the implements of initiation

are generated as the deity white Padmantaka, embracing his consort,

red Qombini. The activity of walking is generated in the form of red

Qombini, whose consort is white Padmantaka.

•:• The faculty of the anus and one facet of the implement of initiation is

generated as the deity yellow Yamantaka, whose consort is black

Ativirya. The activity expelling excrement is generated in the form of

black Ativirya and her consort, yellow Yamantaka.

•!• The so-called supreme faculty is the orifice for the regenerative fluid.

The regenerative fluid and the implement of initiation are generated

in the form of blue Sumbharaja. His consort is green Raudrak§i. The

activity of the emission of regenerative fluid is generated as green

Raudrak§i and her consort, blue Sumbharaja.

The male deities represent the faculties, and the female consorts symbolize

the activities. When the activities are highlighted, instead of speaking of

male deities with their consorts, we speak of goddesses with their male deity

consorts.

Rays of light are emitted from the principal deity's heart, inviting the

jfianasattvas, who merge into these twelve deities who have been generated

from the implements of initiation, as well as those who are generated within

one's own body.

The initiating deities bestow the initiation upon the deities generated

from the implements of initiation, who enter into union and then dissolve.

They take on the form of the implements of initiation. Then the male and

female krodhas take the implements of initiation in hand and bestow the

initiation simultaneously while telling the disciple, "You will attain bud­

dhahood in the form of such and such a tathagata." They tell us which

name and which class is associated with that phase of the initiation when

we drop the flower.

By means of this initiation, the various actions and activities are gener­

ated in the form of the male and female krodhas, who produce replicas of

themselves and dissolve into the corresponding male and female beings in

The .Ka/4cakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I20

one's own body. Following that, the initiating deities also dissolve into

these deities within onesel£

The parallel in common life is giving a child its name after it is born.

This initiation purifies all defilements of the faculties of action and the cor­

responding activities. It empowers one to attain the siddhis of the male and

female krodhas. The result of the initiation establishes the capacity for

attaining the sixth bodhisattva ground.

The preceding two initiations of conduct and name are given in the eastern

direction of the mat;1c;lala, associated with the vajra mind. They act to purify

all defilements of the drop at the heart, associated with the deep sleep state.

Just as the faculties and activities emerge while in the womb, so do the

karmic impurities of the mind associated with the various types of actions

and functions emerge at that time. The experiences of the various sense

objects and the mental defilements associated with them are purified by this

process. The capacity for the vajra mind is established and one is empow­

ered to attain the siddhi of the vajra mind. This leads to the meditation in

the stage of generation in which one generates the male and female bodhi­

sattvas as well as the male and female krodhas. At the time of fruition, or

enlightenment, these various elements in one's body and the faculties for

action and their associated activities are established as the male and female

bodhisattvas and as the male and female krodhas.

It is important to understand how the elements, faculties, and activities

relate to the process of initiation, how they lead to the different aspects of

generating the seeds in the stage of generation, how they lead to the corre­

sponding aspects in the stage of completion, and how they lead to various

attainments at the time of fruition. To receive an authentic initiation in

accordance with the tantras themselves, the disciple must understand the

interrelationship of the process of initiation with the stages of generation,

completion, and fruition. Further, one should understand how they pertain

to the .bases to be purified, the path, and the result.

INITIATION To AcHIEVE THE VAJRA PRIMORDIAL WrsooM

At this point, we, the disciples, are taken by the hand and brought 180

degrees clockwise around from the eastern direction in front to the western

direction in back, which is associated with the vajra primordial wisdom.

The Sroen Self-Entries of a Child I2I

As before, rays of light are emitted from the heart of the principal deity

from the western direction. They strike us, and draw us into the mouth of

the deity, down to the level of the throat. With the arising of joy at the

heart, great desire flames up. We melt, go through the vajra of the princi­

pal deity into the bhaga of the consort, and there we dissolve into

emptiness.

From emptiness we arise in the form of the vajra primordial wisdom,

similar in aspect to Vairocana-yellow, with three faces and six hands. The

three faces are yellow, white, and black. In the right hands are, top to

bottom, (r) a wheel, (2) a club, and (3) a wrathful vajra (literally, a "fear­

inciter"). In the three left hands, top to bottom, we hold (r) a conch, (2) a

vajra chain, and (3) a ringing bell. Our consort is black Tara. Her three faces

are black, red, and white. She has six hands; the right hands hold (r) a

sword, (2) a curved knife, and (3) a trident. The left hands hold (r) a shield,

(2) a skull, and (3) a kharvanga.14 The consort and deity are embracing.

Rays of light are emitted from the heart of the principal deity, inviting

the jfianasattvas, who dissolve into us. Then the invited initiation deities go

into sexual union, and the drops that enter through the crown of the prin­

cipal deity bestow initiation on us in the bhaga of the consort.

INITIATION OF PERMISSION

Of these seven initiations, the initiation of permission entails the purifica­

tion process of the drop associated with the fourth occasion (see chart 8).

The implements of initiation are a wheel, a vajra, a sword, a jewel, a lotus,

and another wheel.

In the permission initiation, the aggregate of primordial wisdom (Tib. ye shes kyi phung po) and the element of consciousness are generated as blue

Vajrasattva and blue Prajfiaparamita, respectively. The implements of the

initiation are generated as blue Vajrasattva and blue Prajfiaparamita. Blue

Vajrasattva is embraced by green Vajradhatvisvari, and blue Prajfiaparamita

is embraced by green Alqobhya.

As before, rays of light are emitted from the principal deity. They invite

the jfianasattvas, who merge into both sets of deities, the internal deities

and those as whom the implements have been imagined. Then the initiating

deities are invited, and they bestow initiation upon the deities who have

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I22

emerged from the implements of initiation. The initiation deities,

Vajrasattva and Prajfiaparamita, take the implements of initiation and

bestow initiation upon us. In each case they incite us to turn the wheel of

Dharma associated with that implement of initiation, the implement

having previously been determined by the dropping of the flower.

·:· The initiation with the wheel symbolizes our turning the wheel of

Dharma in the future.

·:· The initiation with the vajra symbolizes turning of the wheel of

Dharma of the vajra class.

·:· The initiation with the sword symbolizes turning the wheel of

Dharma of the sword class.

•:• The initiation with the jewel symbolizes turning the wheel of Dharma

of the jewel class.

•:· The initiation with the lotus symbolizes turning the wheel of Dharma

of the lotus class.

•> The final initiation with the second wheel symbolizes turning of the

wheel of Dharma of the wheel class.

One's aggregates of primordial wisdom and consciousness are both trans­

formed into the form of Vajrasattva with consort. Vajrasattva and his

consort emit replicas of themselves, which merge into the Vajrasattva with

consort in one's being. Then the initiating deities dissolve into the

Vajrasattva with consort in one's being.

VAJRA MASTER INITIATION

The wheel process of initiation is bestowed with the injunction to take

upon ourselves the task of being a vajracarya, or vajra master. We are given

a conch, a volume of scriptures, and a bell, which symbolize the lack of

inherent existence of all phenomena. That is followed by the permission of

the mantra.

In this vajra master initiation, three pledges are given. They are the vajra

mind pledge, the bell speech pledge, and the mudra body pledge. Both you

and the vajra dissolve into emptiness, and from emptiness both arise as

Vajrasattva. The bell is generated as Prajfiaparamita, who is your own con­

sort in this case. This symbolizes that the disciple should continually

cultivate the great bliss symbolized by the vajra, the realization of emptiness

The Seven Self-Entries of a Child I23

symbolized by the bell, and do these in union, which is made possible by

the practice with the mudra.

The seventh initiation has two facets. One is called the initiation of the

mantra, and the other, the initiation of the vajra master. Usually, one is

included in the other. Here they are sequential.

The parallel in ordinary life, especially of the initiation of the mantra, is

the instruction, the child being read to by the parents.

It is said that while the embryo is still in the womb, its vital energies do

not yet move. They start moving only at birth. With the first breath imme­

diately following birth, the primordial wisdom energy begins to move, and

that first breath is through the central channel. The breath in the left and

right channel, or the left and right nostrils, is of even magnitude. Normally

it is not even, but it is said to be even at this point in time.

This initiation purifies the defilements of the aggregate of primordial

wisdom. The so-called aggregate of primordial wisdom is the bliss of orgasm in men and in women. This establishes the seed for actualizing

Vajrasattva and purifies the defilements of the element of consciousness.

This phase of the initiation leads to the attainment of the seventh bodhi­

sattva ground.

SUMMARY OF THE SEVEN INITIATIONS

There are four ma99alas: the m~9ala of meditative stabilization, the body

m~9ala, the cloth ma99ala, and the colored sand m~9ala. The seven ini­

tiations must be granted in dependence upon the colored sand m~9ala.

Each of these seven initiations involves the use of water, so they are called

water initiations. The Kalacakra system does not use the term "seven vase

initiations," but rather "the seven initiations of the self-entry of a child," or

"the seven water initiations."

The initiation generally purifies unwholesome habitual propensities of

body, speech, and mind. It authorizes meditation on the stage of genera­

tion, and it empowers one to attain the mundane siddhis. It also establishes

in one the capacity for accumulating merit, and it authorizes one to engage

in the various types of activities associated with the stage of generation. One

thereby becomes what is called an upiisaka. It is said that if in this life one practices the stage of generation and

The .Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 124

brings it to its culmination, one attains the degree of merit corresponding

to the merit of a bodhisattva on the seventh bodhisattva ground. However,

if one authentically receives the initiation and does not practice the stage of

generation but very assiduously abandons the ten nonvirtues, it is said that

within seven lifetimes one will attain the seventh aryabodhisattva ground.

If one practices the Paramitayana alone, such an attainment takes two

countless eons. On this path, one could reach the same attainment in

roughly 700 years (taking as a maximum lifespan for each life one hundred

years). But within those seven lifetimes, one might eventually apply oneself

diligently to this practice and thus reach that attainment before seven life­

times have passed.

Here is a brief review of the seven initiations (see also chart 9):

1. The water initiation is conducted with a vase, is given by the five con­sorts, and purifies the five elements.

2. In the crown initiation, the five parts of the crown are generated as the

five tathagatas, thereby purifying the five aggregates. The first two ini­

tiations purify the defilements of the drop at the forehead associ~ted

with the waking state. They purify impurities of the elements and the

aggregates and establish the capacity for attaining the vajra body.

3· The crown ribbon initiation is associated with the ten saktis. They

purify the ten energies.

4· In the vajra and bell initiation, the vajra and bell transform into

Kalacakra and consort. They purify the two side channels, right and

left, drawing the energies into the central channel. Both the crown

ribbon and the vajra and bell initiations are designed to remove the

impurities of the drop at the throat associated with the dream state.

They also purify any impurities of the speech, such as deceptive

speech, and they establish the capacity for attaining the vajra speech.

5· The conduct initiation is associated with the six male and the six

female bodhisattvas. They purify the six sense bases and the six sen­

sory faculties.

6. The name initiation is associated with the six male and female kro­

dhas. They purify the six action faculties and the six activities. The

conduct and name initiations are designed to remove impurities asso­

ciated with the drop at the heart that produces the deep sleep state.

The Seven Self-Entries of a Child I2S

They establish the capacity for attaining the vajra mind.

7· The permission initiation removes the impurities of the drop associat­

ed with the fourth occasion. Vajrasattva and his consort Prajfiaparamita,

bearing the symbols of the five types of buddhas, bestow this initia­

tion, thereby purifying the defilements of the aggregate of primordial

wisdom and the consciousness element.

The result in the fruition stage is that these seven initiations bring forth the

vajra body, vajra speech, vajra mind, and vajra primordial wisdom. At this

point, the initiating deities who have been invited to the palace in front of

oneself, including Kalacakra with consort and the eight saktis, are all dis­

solved into oneself. Vajrasattva appears on the crown of one's head, and

Alqobhya arises from the crown of the head of each of the eight saktis

around oneself as well as one's consort.

If we were receiving only the seven initiations of the self-entry of a child,

we would dissolve those invited initiating deities who were in the space in

front. If we are also receiving the high and the greatly higher initiations, we

do not dissolve them yet.

The Ka/4cakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I26

9

'The Higher and (jreatly Higher Initiations

;

S antideva says, "All the joy in the world comes from the desire

for others' happiness, and all the suffering in the world comes from the

desire for one's own happiness." And he continues, "Enough of much talk!

Note the difference between the fool who seeks his own benefit and the sage

who works for the benefit of others."

Generally, it is said that all phenomena are mere appearances to the

mind, and the preceding comments by Santideva illustrate that point. For

example, in relating to such appearances, if one yearns for the well-being of

all sentient beings and acts accordingly, the well-being comes back to one­

self. If, however, one wishes to harm sentient beings, the harm comes back

to oneself. Whether one experiences harm or well-being is not dependent

upon some utterly objective event. One's experience is created by the mind.

In a sense, we emanate our own nature out into the world. What we

emanate is what we get back. If we emanate hostility, which is not in accord

with our buddha nature, suffering comes back. If we look upon others with

an altruistic motivation, what we send out is actually in accordance with

our own essential nature, our buddha nature, and what comes back is sim­

ilarly in accordance with our own nature.

If we discard the well-being of others and devote ourselves exclusively to

our own well-being, this at best can lead only to our own individual liber­

ation, a Hinayana attainment, but it cannot lead to full awakening. It means that we are not able to fully manifest our own buddha nature. In the

Mahayana context, we take upon ourselves the responsibility for the well­

being of all sentient beings and the eradication of suffering of all sentient

beings, enabling us to fully reveal our own nature.

The Higher and Greatly Higher Initiatiom I27

In the Vajrayana context, one regards the entire environment of animate

and inanimate phenomena to be in the nature of bliss, which is in accord

with one's own nature. It is said that when one attains full awakening in

this practice, one realizes the actual nature of all sentient beings. It is with

primordial wisdom that one realizes the actual nature of sentient beings,

and at the point of enlightenment, one realizes the innate mind of every

sentient being.

When we hear incitements to cultivate an altruistic motivation or engage

in wholesome activity, the speaker is not simply being moralistic or arbi­

trarily telling people what to do. Rather, these words relate to a very

profound aspect of reality itself. Emanating hostility and aggression brings

about a bit of harm out in the objective world, but that emanation chiefly

comes back to oneself, disturbing the equanimity of the mind and bringing

suffering to oneself. Therefore, training in an altruistic motivation is

extremely important. Not only is this training for the sake of other sentient

beings, it is also for one's own benefit.

The actual nature of the seven water initiations, or the seven self-entries

of a child, as well as the four higher and the four greatly higher initiations,

is the emergence of great bliss and the resultant realization of emptiness.

This is the very nature of each of the initiations.

A sentient being born from the womb and endowed with the four ele­

ments and the white and red drops is brought forth by orgasm following

the emission of the regenerative fluids of the two parents and their "being

overcome with joy" (Tib. bde bas brgya~. On that occasion, when the male

and female are fainting with joy, the very subtle mind manifests. Normally,

people are not able to recognize the arising of that very subtle mind. But if

one were able to recognize it, one would experience something like a real­

ization of emptiness. The consciousness of the fetus that is about to be conceived enters into

the midst of these red and white drops of the regenerative fluid. The mind

that enters that union of the fluids is the very subtle mind. At that time,

three very subtle minds are conjoined, namely, those of the two parents and

that of the being who is entering the womb. There is a conjoining of the

three subtle minds as well as the red and white fluids.

In other tantric systems such as the Guhyasamaja, the conjunction of the

The Kii!acakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I28

red and white constituents forms the nucleus at the heart around which the

fetus grows. In the Kalacakra system, one surmises on the basis of the for­

mation of the channels that the red and white constituents would be at the

navel of the embryo that is about to be formed. The reason for this is that

Kalacakra and consort are generated at the navel cakra, and the experience

of immutable bliss arises from them.

According to both Guhyasamaja and Kalacakra, the basis for the

extremely subtle consciousness is the red and white indestructible drops,

which are in the central channel at the heart. At the point of death, these

red and white drops separate. The white drop descends, and the red drop

ascends. At the point of the separation of these two drops, the very subtle

consciousness departs.

The yogi who is practicing highest yoga tantra and who has achieved

control over the white and red bodhicitta can cause the red drop to move

from the navel and the white drop to move from the crown. This is done

by bringing forth the tummo flame at the navel cakra and melting the white

bodhicitta at the crown of the head.

According to the Guhyasamaja and Cakrasarpvara systems, it is not

possible to bring forth the very subtle consciousness to the same extent

that occurs naturally at the time of death unless one engages in practice

with a karma mudra, that is, a consort. In the Kalacakra system, engage­

ment with a karma mudra is not needed in order for the subtle mind to

manifest.

The chief reason for engaging in consort practice is not for the sexual

bliss that arises, but rather to bring about the full manifestation of primor­

dial wisdom. For that reason, a practitioner seeks out a fully qualified karma

mudra, and gradually practices with such a karma mudra in order to fully

manifest the very subtle innate mind.

In terms of the female consort, not just any woman will do. It is best if

the consort is an emanation of a <;lakin!. If one cannot find an emanation of

a <;lakini, then the next best thing is to find a karma mudra who has real­

ization on the stage of completion. If one is not available, then one seeks

out a karma mudra who has realization on the stage of generation. If one

cannot find such a karma mudra either, then one seeks out one who is well

trained and has practiced well on the common path, who has fully and

The Higher and Greatly Higher Initiatiom I29

authentically received initiation, and who is keeping the vows and pledges

very strictly.

According to the Kalacakra system, it is still appropriate if the consort is

an older woman (with no specified age limit), whereas in the Guhyasamaja

and Cakrasarpvara systems, it is said that an older woman is not appropri­

ate as a consort. In the scriptures on the tantras in general, the ages of the

consorts most appropriate for karma mudra practice are stated. Generally

speaking, it is good when the tummo fire has not diminished too much. If

you are dealing with an emanation of a 9akini, however, it does not matter

if she is old.

For these reasons, it is said that not just any karma mudra is appropri­

ate. The karma mudra has to have some specific qualities. But it is also true

that if the male yogi is highly realized and can control the movement of the

drops, then the qualities of the karma mudra are not so significant.

In terms of the activities of the principal deity with consort, there is a

danger that these explanations can give rise to misconceptions or doubts.

The story of a Tibetan nomad of the Abuhor tribe, who was on a pilgrim­

age, illustrates this danger. In many temples, the Abuhor saw representations

of deities in union with consorts. After gazing at these for a while, he said

that if that is all it takes to attain enlightenment, he must be enlightened

already! He did not understand the significance of these representations.

THE FouR HIGHER INITIATIONS

There are eight more initiations, namely, four higher and four greatly

higher initiations. In an authentic initiation, these are received by going

into union with an actual consort, a karma mudra. This practice is in

accord with certain facets of reality, although it is not done nowadays.

The names of the four higher initiations are: vase initiation, secret initi­

ation, wisdom-gnosis initiation, and word initiation. The four greatly

higher initiations are given the same names, that is, vase, secret, wisdom­

gnosis, and word.

Generally speaking, the greater the bliss there is in the mind, the more

subtle the mind, and the more subtle the mind, the more conceptualization

is diminished. The more subtle the mind that realizes emptiness, the more

powerful an antidote it is for the mental afflictions. This accounts for the

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I30

fact that in the tantric practice, one uses sensual objects such as food, drink,

and so forth, and tries to bring forth as much bliss and joy from these as

possible.

In the tantras it is said that there is no greater nonvirtue than abandon­

ing sensual desire. The reason for this is that experiencing pleasurable

sensual objects causes joy to arise, which may lead to the manifestation of a

subtle mind, which is then used to penetrate the nature of emptiness. This

is very effective in terms of overcoming the obscurations of the mind. On

the other hand, if one simply abandons the objects of desire and desire

itself, one closes off the access to such practice.

In the context of tantric practice, if one engages in sensual pleasures in

the ordinary, mundane way-without realizing their lack of inherent exis­

tence and without bringing forth the qualities of joy and the subtle

mind-then the disadvantages of that would be greater than those of trans­

gressing the four primary vows of a Buddhist monk.

The Indian tantric sage Kr~I).a-pa commented that if one lacks the real­

ization of yoga but still engages in tantric union with a consort, the practice

leads not to wisdom but to hell. Actual primordial wisdom does not arise.

What does happen as a result of this mere parody is that one takes birth in

a hell realm. Therefore, it is crucial to either do this practice correctly or not

do it at all. If we engage in such practice and we do it correctly, it has a great

benefit. If we engage in such practice incorrectly, it results in disaster.

The Higher Vase Initiation

For the vase initiation of the four higher initiations, one is in the northern

direction and generates oneself as a vajra body. Then one offers to the guru

Kalacakra, in the sense of offering a mal).<j.ala, a fully qualified consort, or

vidyti, so called because the innate mind manifests in dependence upon

her.

Kalacakra accepts the offered consort and, with the deities of the

mal).<j.ala as witnesses, gives the consort back, saying, "I give this consort

back to you for the sake of your experience of the union of bliss and empti­

ness." Bearing in mind that we are already generated in the form of the vajra

body, the consort is generated in the form of the sakti Vi5vamata.

At this point, in the form of the vajra body, one holds and caresses the

The Higher and Greatly Higher Initiations IJI

breasts of the consort and embraces her, resulting in great desire. In

dependence upon that, the white bodhicitta melts, and the experience of

bliss arises. With that bliss one focuses on emptiness, and with this experi­

ence of bllss and emptiness, one receives the vase initiation.

Although in this initiation no vase is actually used, it is nevertheless

called a vase initiation because the breast of the consort is likened to a vase,

for it is called "a container of white milk."

It is said that the vase initiation purifies the desire to smile and laugh.

Recall the four kinds of pleasure, one of which was smiling and laughter. It also removes the defilements of the drop at the forehead associated with the

waking state, and it empowers one to attain the resultant vajra body.

This concludes the vase initiation.

The Higher Secret Initiation

For the higher secret initiation, the disciple is brought around to the right

to the southern side of the palace and is generated in the form of the vajra

speech. The guru and the consort go into union, and rays of light emitted

from the guru's heart bring in all the deities of the ma1.19ala, including

Kalacakra with consort. These come into the mouth of the guru and are dis­

solved by the great desire at the heart. Although it is not clear in the text,

they also go into the mouth of the consort, because both the red and the

white regenerative fluids are involved.

Then they arrive at the tip of the jewel of the vajra, and this symbolizes

the primordial wisdom of nondual bliss and emptiness. The guru first takes

one drop of the white bodhicitta and places it in the mouth of the disciple.

Then the consort also takes one drop of the red bodhicitta from the lotus

and places it in the mouth of the disciple. One experiences the secret sub­

stances of the deity and the consort and gazes at the lotus of the consort,

thereby arousing great desire. With great desire and the concomitant great

joy, the white bodhicitta melts, giving rise to bliss, which is then focused

upon emptiness. With that experience, the secret initiation is received.

This purifies the defilements of the drop associated with the dream state

and establishes the capacity for one to attain the vajra speech and the ninth

bodhisattva ground.

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I32

The Higher Wisdom-Gnosis Initiation

For the higher wisdom-gnosis initiation, one is taken by the hand, moving

clockwise to the front, to the eastern direction. In the forni of the vajra

mind, one stands before the eastern face of the deity. This is for the sake of

removing any defilements of the drop that brings forth the deep sleep state.

The wisdom-gnosis initiation is so called because one enters into union

with wisdom, referring to the consort. Because the initiation is produced by

melting one's own bodhicitta, it is said that one receives initiation in the

maQ.9-ala of the relative spirit of awakening.

The disciple is already generated in the form of the vajra mind. The con­

sort, specifically the one who was previously offered to the deity, is generated

in the form of Visvamata. One enters into union with the three attitudes:

(I) regarding one's body as divine, by visualizing the bodies of both the con­

sort and oneself in divine forms; (2) regarding one's speech as mantra, by

visualizing the phat syllable as in the two instances explained below; and (3)

regarding one's mind as being reality itself, by meditating on emptiness.

Then as the principle deity you dissolve your own vajra-the male

organ-into the nature of light, and from the light arises the syllable hii'f[l.

From the hii'f[l arises a vajra. Think of the central channel as running along

the long axis of the vajra. To prevent the white bodhicitta from emerging

from the vajra, you imagine it being blocked with a yellow phat syllable at

the tip. The reason for visualizing that yellow phat syllable is to arrest the

power of the descending energy that propels the white bodhicitta outward.

In your mind's eye you do not think of an ordinary male organ. Instead,

you visualize a vajra. But now, with pleasure arising from contact in sexual

union, imagine a five-pointed vajra with the prongs on the side. This visu­

alization is very awkward. The following is not in the text, but it is in the

oral tradition. To make it conform better to what is actually being sensori­

ally experienced without bringing in ordinary appearances, imagine this

five-pointed vajra with the central shaft and the phat at the tip as if it were

enclosed by a very smooth, round, pleasant glass container, but not of ordi­

nary glass. Its smooth exterior, its rounded shape, is composed of tiny

vajras, minuscule particles of smooth glass so small that they give the

appearance of a smooth form. In this way you can conform this meditation

to experience without bringing in ordinary appearances.

The Higher and Greatly Higher Initiations 133

Then you dissolve the lotus-the ordinary female organ of the consort­

into light. From that light you generate the lotus in the form of a red three-petaled lotus with an empty center. The center of that is the central

channel, and you imagine this being blocked by the yellow syllable phat as well.

With the three attitudes you enter into union. As the white bodhicitta

drops from the crown to the genital cakra, you experience great bliss. With the mind of great bliss you meditate on emptiness. That experience is called the wisdom initiation.

This purifies defilements of the mind, establishes in one's being the drop

related to the vajra mind, and authorizes one to attain the vajra mind. It also establishes the capacity for attaining the tenth bodhisattva ground.

The Higher Word Initiation

For the fourth higher initiation, the word initiation, one is led by the hand clockwise to the back, which is in the western direction. Facing the pri­

mordial wisdom face of the deity, one generates oneself in the form of vajra

primordial wisdom and one's consort as Vi5vamata. As before, one goes into union.

In this fourth initiation, one goes into union, experiences bliss, and the

white bodhicitta descends this time to the tip of the jewel, whereas previ­ously it went down only to the level of the genital cakra. Bliss arises, and

one meditates on emptiness. This is called the provisional fourth initiation.

The experience of bliss and emptiness introduces one to this initiation.

This initiation purifies the defilements of the drop that produces the

fourth occasion. It establishes the capacity to attain the vajra primordial

wisdom, and it also establishes the capacity for attaining the eleventh

bodhisattva ground. Because this is an initiation that is introduced by words, it is called the

word initiation. Because this initiation is attained in dependence upon the

union of the two truths, which is the definitive meaning, it is said to be

attained in dependence upon the ultimate spirit of awakening.

With these four initiations-the vase initiation, secret initiation,

wisdom-gnosis initiation, and word initiation-the capacity is established

to attain the eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh bodhisattva grounds.

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 134

THE FouR GREATLY HIGHER INITIATIONS

The bases to be purified are the same for the four higher initiations and the

four greatly higher initiations, but the processes of purification are differ­

ent. I have not been able to identifY the difference in function between the

two, but one could infer that the distinction is a matter of degree: the

higher initiations may purifY certain defilements on a gross level, and the

greatly higher initiations may do so on a more subtle level.

For the four greatly higher initiations, the disciple is brought to the

respective quarters of the mat:J.<;iala, as before.

The Greatly Higher Vase Initiation

The first of the greatly higher initiations is the vase initiation, given in the

northern direction. One is generated in the vajra body form. At this point

the disciple has ten consorts, whose attributes are described in the scrip­

tures. These are generated in the form of the ten saktis.

The process of initiation is quite similar to the preceding. The vase ini­

tiation begins as before with the fondling of the breasts, the embrace, and

resultant arousal of great desire. The white bodhicitta melts from the crown

of the head to the forehead. At the forehead there arises bliss, from that bliss

one focuses on emptiness, and with that experience one receives the vase

initiation.

The functions, the seeds it establishes, what it empowers one to do, and

the capacity established by the initiation are the same as in the earlier vase

initiation, and it is called by the same name and has the same etymology.

The Greatly Higher Secret Initiation

The disciple is now led around to the southern side of the mal)<;iala, corre­

sponding to the vajra speech, and one generates oneself as vajra speech.

According to the Gelug tradition, there are two different presentations

of this secret initiation. One is by Gyeltsab Je, one of two principle disci­

ples of Lama Je Tsongkhapa, in his presentation on the stage of completion.

There are also notes taken from Je Tsongkhapa's teachings on the stage of

completion by an unknown disciple. These two accounts are in agreement.

They state that in this secret initiation the principal deity goes into union

with the consort, and then the secret substances are given to the disciple.

The Higher and Greatly Higher Initiations 135

According to Khedrub Je, the other of the two chief disciples of Je

Tsongkhapa, it is the disciple, not the principal deity, who goes into union

with the consort. Furthermore, the white bodhicitta descends into the heart

cakra, not to the throat.

The interpretation of Gyeltsab Je and Je Tsongkhapa's note-taker seems

to be more reasonable, for this is called the secret initiation, which refers to

the bestowal of the secret substances.

Following that interpretation, the principal deity goes into union with

nine of the ten consorts. In union with these consorts, rays of light are emit­

ted from the heart of the principal deity, inviting all the buddhas. They may

come either to the crown of the head or into the mouth-it does not make

any difference-then they come down to the level of the heart, melting into

light. Next, great desire arises in the principal deity, the white bodhicitta

comes to the tip of the jewel of the vajra, and similarly the red bodhicitta

of the consort comes down to the tip of the lotus. A drop of the white and

of the red bodhicitta is forced onto the ring finger and given to the disciple.

Upon tasting the two secret substances, the disciple gazes upon the lotuses

of the nine consorts. Consequently, great desire arises, and the bodhicitta

melts and drops down to the level of the heart. With this great desire one

focuses upon emptiness, and at that point the secret initiation is received.

Although the principal deity goes . into union with the nine consorts,

because the fluid is not emitted, the bliss·. does not decline. It is said that if

the fluid is emitted it leads to death, but if it is retained it leads to the siddhi

of immortality. Moreover, it is said that ifone familiarizes oneself with this

practice of retaining the fluid, the body takes on a more and more youth­

ful appearance. It becomes very supple and strong, and eventually one's

appearance approaches that of a sixteen-year: old.

The explanation of this initiation in terms of the drops, authorization,

and so forth is exactly as previously described for the higher secret initiation.

The Greatly Higher Wisdom-Gnosis ]nitiation

For the wisdom-gnosis initiation, the disciple is led around clockwise to the

eastern direction in front of the m~q.ala, facing the vajra-mind face of the

deity. As described before, the disciple and the nine consorts enter into

union with the three attitudes explained before.

The Ktilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga IJ6

In union with these consorts, the drops descend from the level of the

heart to the genital cakra. Bliss is experienced at that point, and one medi­

tates upon emptiness. With that experience, one is introduced to the third

greatly higher initiation, the wisdom-gnosis initiation. The etymology and

all the results of the initiation are similar to the preceding presentation of

the higher initiation.

When the white bodhicitta goes from the genitals to the tip of the jewel,

it indicates bliss and emptiness. That is of the nature of the wisdom-gnosis

initiation. It is called the "mere fourth initiation" (Tib. dbang bzhi pa tsam), but is of the nature of the wisdom-gnosis initiation.

At this point, Gyeltsab Je and Khedrub Je differ in their explanations.

One says that on the occasion of the wisdom-gnosis initiation, the white

bodhicitta goes directly to the tip of the jewel. The other says simply that

it goes to the genital cakra, and then when it goes to the tip of the jewel, it

is called the mere fourth initiation, to distinguish it from the actual fourth

initiation. The latter interpretation is probably more reasonable, for it cor­

responds more closely to the basis to be purified.

The Greatly Higher Word Initiation

When the white bodhicitta is at the tip of the jewel, one generates oneself

and the consort as deities of empty form. At that point, one's mind arises

in great bliss, and one ascertains emptiness. Then the union of body and

mind appears to the mind's eye. By that experience one is introduced to the

union of the body and mind that occurs at the time of fruition, and that is

called the word initiation, or fourth initiation.

The purification of the various elements of purification that occurs during

this initiation is similar to that described in the higher word initiation.

An exclusive quality of this greatly higher word initiation is that the

capacity for attaining the twelfth incomparable ground is established. The

other aspects, including the etymology and so forth, are the same as in the

higher initiation.

PLEDGES

Bear in mind that during the initiation you are told of the pledges that you

must keep and the downfalls that you must guard against. You are given an

The Higher and Greatly Higher Initiations I37

introduction to the discipline. You are also told that you must abide by the

twenty-five types of conduct within the Kalacakra discipline. Moreover, note

that there are some differences between the fourteen root tantric downfalls

in the general presentation of tantra and those in the Kalacakra system.

SUMMARY OF THE INITIATIONS

For the first seven initiations, you are introduced to the various bases to be

purified, the four drops, and the process of purification. The agents of

purification are the various implements of initiation, corresponding to each

of the initiations described previously.

For the higher and the greatly higher initiations, the bases to be purified

are the four drops, whose defilements are removed, and the processes of ini­

tiation are the four higher and the four greatly higher initiations themselves.

The results of purification are the four bodies of the buddha.

While practicing the stage of generation, the basis to be purified is com­

prised of the four drops. The processes of purification are the generation of

oneself as the four buddhas: the vajra body, the vajra speech, the vajra

mind, and the vajra primordial wisdom. This is one aspect of the process of

purification. Another is visualizing the various deities in the mal).4ala.

Due to the meditation processes on the stage of generation, the vital

energies and the channels are blessed. During the stage of completion, due

to the direct action upon the channels and energies that have been blessed,

immutable bliss arises, and one is able to transform those energies into the

deities, which were merely imagined during the stage of generation. Then

at the time of fruition, the mal).4ala of Kalacakra and all of its inhabitants

are actually manifested.

In order to arrive at the stage of fruition, it is necessary to cultivate the

mind of immutable bliss and to generate the empty form. The six-phase

yoga in the stage of completion is the means for accomplishing that. To

make these channels and the energies serviceable, the practice of the com­

pletion stage by itself is not sufficient-it needs to be blessed by the practice

of the generation stage. Furthermore, if one has not cultivated the pure

vision and divine pride in oneself as the deity during the generation stage,

in the first of the six phases on the completion stage, namely, retraction, it

is said that the deity with consort will not appear.

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 138

Because it is impermissible to meditate on the stage of generation with­

out previously having received the initiation, the initiation precedes such

meditation, and the initiation establishes in one's mindstream the seeds of

the deities that one visualizes later on. Moreover, it is said that if one is not

utterly devoted to the well-being of others, one is not allowed to receive the

initiation.

Therefore, prior to the actual initiation, the disciple comes in front of

the palace of the mal).4ala, and the guru calls out from the mal).4ala, "Who

are you?" You must answer, "I am a forrunate bodhisattva." If you do not

respond in this way, he will tell you, "Go away."

If you gave the correct answer to this question, the deity then asks,

"What do you want?" Now the appropriate response is "In dependence

upon the experience of sensual objects, I seek great bliss." If you give that

answer, the principal deity will say, "Come right in."

The Higher and Greatly Higher Initiatiom I39

10

'The Purification of 7Jeath

It is said that compassion is the one virtue that brings forth all

others. The mind that is unable to bear the suffering of others gives rise to

the yearning to alleviate their suffering and bring them to a state of well­

being. We realize that in our present condition, we do not have the means

to completely alleviate the suffering of other sentient beings, or the means

to bring them to a lasting state of happiness. We understand that we cannot

achieve our aspirations. If we focus on being of material service to others,

at best we can alleviate sentient beings' suffering only temporarily. We

cannot bring about circumstances that are lasting or essential. Moreover, it

is not even certain that such material efforts will actually bring any happi­

ness. They may, in fact, accomplish the opposite of our intentions.

When one becomes accustomed to the cultivation of compassion, one is

able to sacrifice any type of resource or possession in order to alleviate the

suffering of others. As compassion increases, one is able to sacrifice even

one's body for the sake of others if the need arises. Therefore, it is evident

that compassion is a great, powerful force. The cultivation of compassion

culminates in the state of full awakening in which one has a manifest abil­

ity to serve the needs of all sentient beings.

In order to totally eradicate the root of suffering of others, it is necessary

to dispel all forms of delusion. For this reason bodhisattvas engage in all

sorts of trainings. They become fully adept in the complete training of the

sravakas, they are well-versed in the training of the pratyekabuddhas, and

of course they become well-versed in the training of the Mahayana path.

This is the manner in which the arousal of great compassion leads to all

other excellent qualities.

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I40

REVIEW OF THE PATH

I come to have the fortune of actualizing in this lifetime The sevenfold state of Kiilacakra,

In which the 2I,6oo karmic vital energies And all the material elements of the body are consumed.

At this point, if you are so inclined, you can recite a short text called The

Foundation of All Excellence (Tib. yon tan gzhir gyur ma). It is helpful to

reflect upon it and engage in the integrated meditation on the whole path

to enlightenment.

Even if you cannot meditate on the entire path from beginning to end,

it would be good to recollect the three principles of the path: the spirit of

emergence, the spirit of awakening, and the perfect view. This reflection

creates an appropriate motivation for the next phase of the practice, the

stage of generation and completion. The author emphasizes the benefits of

reviewing the common path, perhaps especially for beginning practitioners,

to show that it is a prerequisite for the tantric practices. If one does not train

well in the common path and instead goes directly to the highest yoga

tantra, it could not be anything more than Hinayana practice anyway.

SuPPLICATION TO VAJRADHARA

When I earnestly, reverently pray to you, Guru Vajradhara,

Embodiment of all the infinite refoges, Please bless my mindstream.

You then begin the recitation, which is a supplication to Vajradhara. This

request is not made casually but with a heartfelt understanding of the

nature of sarpsara and of the miserable states of existence, as they pertain to

oneself and to all sentient beings. The supplication is made with a pro­

found, heartfelt yearning for freedom. If one cannot truly feel the suffering

of oneself and all sentient beings in this cycle of existence, then engaging in

this supplication and subsequent practice will merely be an imitation. It

will not be an authentic practice.

The purpose of the supplication is to ask for the blessing of one's mind­

stream, to ripen one's own being in order to ripen the minds of others. That

is why it is made first.

The Purification of Death I4I

BLESSING ONE's MINDSTREAM

Due to the power of such fervent prayer, My primary Guru Kiilacakra Comes to the crown of my head And joyfully dissolves, becoming of one taste with me.

Having made this supplication, we should imagine the guru being very

pleased. If we have visualized him sitting on a lotus throne, we can imagine

it dissolving into him. But it does not matter whether we invite the guru

with the complete throne, the sun, and the lotus, and so forth, or whether

we have them first dissolve into the guru.

The guru comes to the crown of the head, and we imagine ourselves

being purified by ambrosia descending from the guru's body. We imagine

ambrosia flowing down from the crown of our head, purifying all obscura­

tions, unwholesome habitual propensities, and mental afflictions. This is

good for the mind. By engaging in this preliminary step of doing the purifi­

cation just before the guru dissolves into us, we create a sense of purity.

Otherwise, if we think of our body or body-mind as being defiled, we

would not want to invite our guru to be inseparable with us. Following

that, the guru comes down, dissolves into ourselves, and literally we become

of the same taste, or the same nature, as the guru.

In the practice of Kalacakra we do not transform the three bodies into

the path. In other words, we are not transforming death, the intermediate

stage, and birth. There are just two phases in Kalacakra, transforming death

and transforming birth. The intermediate stage is not present in the

Kalacakra system. This is the purification of death.

CAusEs, EFFECTS, AND CoNCEPTUALIZATION

All phenomena-causes, effects, nature, and actions­Are primordially empty of intrinsic nature, Like illusions and dreams.

We can understand the causes of phenomena in two ways, namely, the

causes that compel us to continue in the cycle of existence and the causes

that lead us to the attainment of full awakening.

The causes for the perpetuation of the cycle of existence are karma and

mental afflictions. In this context, the causes for attaining spiritual awakening

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I42

are the practices of the stage of generation and the stage of completion,

motivated by the spirit of awakening. Effects can also be interpreted in two

ways, namely, the effects of the truth of the source of suffering and the cycle

of rebirth, and the effects of the attainment of awakening. Then the text

refers to the general nature of phenomena without regard to the cause or

effect of any specific phenomenon.

The term "actions" in the above verse refers to the activities of creation

and cessation. This can refer to the manner in which the truth of the source

of suffering brings forth misery, or it can refer to the manner in which a

former sarp.saric life brings forth a later one. In terms of enlightenment, it

may also refer to the manner in which the stages of generation and com­

pletion bring forth such things as the empty form body and so forth.

In this context, "phenomena" includes not only composite but also non­

composite, or permanent, phenomena. Because all phenomena are mere appearances devoid of true, or intrinsic, existence, they are said to be "like

illusions and dreams."

In considering the lack of intrinsic nature of causes, effects, and nature,

the one that is easiest to understand is the lack of intrinsic nature of phe­

nomena themselves. With regard to seeking out the lack of inherent

existence of the nature of a phenomenon, one could seek the designated

object with respect to an object such as a pen, or with respect to oneself.

For example, with regard to oneself, one can ask whether the body alone is

"1," and it obviously is not. The mind is obviously not "I," the body and

mind together are not "I," nor is something else apart from those "1." This

is fairly straightforward. Nevertheless, a qualm may arise as one reflects

back on previous lives and thinks, "But wasn't the cause for my existence a

previous life? And would that not imply that I do truly exist?" Similarly, in

terms of the attainments or effects that one looks to in the future, the qualm

might arise, "If those things that I am striving for don't truly exist, if they

are just like illusions, then what is the point?"

To counter those two qualms, one first goes back to the lack of true exis­

tence of the cause. One recognizes that the very fact that a thing or event is

a cause is true merely in dependence upon a conceptual designation; that

item or event does not exist inherently. It, too, is an illusion and lacks

intrinsic nature. Likewise, the results that one is striving for are simply

The Purification of Death I43

conceptually designated and lack intrinsic nature. In dependence upon a

merely designated cause, there arises a merely designated result. The cause

that has a capacity for producing a merely designated result is not truly existent.

The lack of inherent existence of a cause is said to be its signless quality,

which suggests that there is no sign of its having the capacity to truly exist

as a cause. In terms of the lack of intrinsic nature of results, because there

is no capacity to attain any truly existent result, therefore, the results are

said to have a quality of desirelessness. Similarly, the activities themselves

are brought forth by conceptual designation, and they lack inherent exis­

tence or true existence as well. Being a mere conceptual designation

precludes the possibility of there being a truly existent causal relationship

between any causes and effects, including actions and their consequences.

One should carefully examine the way in which one designates specific

phenomena. For example, one can ask, "What determines that a seed pre­

cedes a sprout?" What occurs is that one designates something as a sprout.

This is a basis that appears, and with regard to that basis one says, "This is

a sprout." Bear in mind that two appearances are involved. One is the

appearance that one designates as a sprout, and the other is the appearance

of the location of the sprout. The third appearance, which one designates

as the seed, is at the same location as the sprout before it has arisen.

One must conceptually ascertain the sequential nature of those appear­

ances. By the power of that conceptual apprehension, one ascertains the

sprout as being the result of the seed and the seed being the cause of the

sprout. The progression of these events occurs by the power of the concep­

tual designation. It does not arise purely from the objective side of those

events themselves, unrelated to conceptual designation. Even though there

may be a grain in the ground that one designates as a seed, there is no cer­

tainty that it will in fact give rise to a sprout. Moreover, someone who is

unaware of the relationship between the sprout and the preceding location

of the seed would not be able to establish that there is a causal relationship

between the sprout and the seed. The presentation of causes and effects is

established by the ascertainment of the sequential relationship of causes and

effects, and that comes by the force of conceptual designation.

Take, for example, a class attended by a group of people, each of whom

always sits in the same place in the classroom. We can apprehend this situation

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I44

and say that there is an order in which they always sit. One day someone

new attends the class, and on that particular day everyone sits in a new

place. The people who have been attending the class would say that people

are not sitting in their proper order, but the new person would not see any­

thing out of order. Whether the order is mixed up or not is something only in one's own mind.

One can ask, "Are causes and effects actually sequential or are they simul­

taneous?" Let us imagine some point at which the label "sprout" has not yet

been designated, and later on it is so designated. When one designates

something as a sprout, one is not explicitly designating other things as being

its causes-such as the seed, the fertilizer, moisture, heat, and so forth.

Nevertheless, the very moment one says, "This is a sprout," these other fac­

tors are implicitly designated as the causes for the sprout.

This is true for one who has established the causal relationship between

sprout, seed, fertilizer, and so forth. When people designate something as a

sprout, although they are not explicitly designating the cause, this is done

implicitly by the sequence of appearances that relate to the appearance of

the sprout.

If one does not understand this process, it is very difficult to establish

how anything comes into existence. On the one hand, one may assert that

everything lacks inherent existence, and, on the other hand, one asserts that

things really do have functions. It is hard to juxtapose those two assertions.

For instance, if we consider a group of people in a particular room, for

example, we may think they are all more or less the same, insofar as all are

human beings. This is a kind of general supposition. But when we start to

investigate, we find that we have hardly anything in common. We can start

from the gross and go to the subtle, and we find very few things in

common. When we start to investigate in detail and go down to the com­

ponents of which the body is made, we find again that everything is truly

unique! We don't find much real commonality. Even if we go down to the

smallest particles of which the body is formed, these too are not exactly

identical from one body to the next. They give rise to different results and

they arise from different causes. They are unique. The statement that all

phenomena are delusive refers to this point.

The Purification of Death I45

TRANSFORMING DEATH INTO THE PATH

When the text states that phenomena are "primordially empty of intrinsic

nature," it refers to transforming the dharmakaya into the path through the

dying process. The dying process is the basis to be purified, and the dharmakaya

is the fruitional state. At this point, the meditation on emptiness is for

transforming the dharmakaya into the path by way of the dying process.

How does one transform the fruition into the path? By recognizing the

similarity between the dharmakaya and death. Recall that in the dying

process the innate mind manifests, and there is an experience similar to

realizing emptiness. In the fruitional state of the dharmakaya, the innate

mind is fully manifested, and there is an actual realization of emptiness.

Now in terms of the practice, one meditates on emptiness, then imag­

ines that the innate mind manifests and that one is nonconceptually

experiencing emptiness. At that point one cultivates the sense of divine

pride, "I am the dharmakaya." That is how one transforms the dharmakaya

into the path in relation to the dying process. The union of wisdom and

bliss, with which one imagines directly realizing emptiness, is identified as

dharmakaya, and one identifies with that by thinking, "I am the dharmakaya."

In pursuing this practice there is a risk that if one is fully focused on the

thought, "I am the dharmakaya," one's mind may get caught up in con­

ventional reality. So there is another interpretation of this stage of the

meditation. Some people say that when one is imagining bliss and empti­

ness, directly realizing emptiness, and abiding in this meditative equipoise,

the pride of being the dharmakaya is implicitly present even without think­

ing, "I am the dharmakaya."

Khedrub Je, one of the foremost disciples of Lama Tsongkhapa, says that

in dependence upon ordinary pride in sarp.saric life we establish our own

body and mind, we accumulate karma, and we cycle around in existence.

Taking that as a parallel, he says that as one imagines the manifestation of

the innate mind and further imagines emptiness and bliss, divine pride

arises, and one consequently engages in various virtuous actions.

Here is my critique of the interpretation that says that the pride of

dharmakaya is implicitly present, even though it does not appear to one's

mind's eye: Even though one is imagining that the innate mind is mani­

festing with emptiness and bliss, one is simply focused on emptiness-nothing

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga r46

else. This does not entail the pride of being the dharmakaya, so such pride

does not enter into the situation. To counter that insufficiency, while the

main force of your awareness is imagining the innate mind and focusing on

emptiness, with one small fraction of your awareness, you cultivate the thought, "I am the dharmakaya." Then everything is complete. It is also

very difficult to do! As mentioned earlier, it is said that in the Kalacakra system there is no

explicit transformation of the sambhogakaya into the path in relationship

to the intermediate state. The question may arise, "Is the intermediate state

not purified in the Kalacakra practice?" The answer is that it is purified

because there is no intermediate state utterly apart from the processes of

death and rebirth. By thoroughly purifying death and rebirth, the interme­

diate state is implicitly purified as welL The way to understand this point is as follows: One's body of empty

form cannot be separated from this gross body, which is composed of mate­

rial particles, until we abandon all obscurations-in other words, until

buddhahood. In order to attain full awakening, the agents of purification are the 21,600 immutable blisses, and the bases to be purified are the 21,6oo

red and white drops. In order to actualize that, it is necessary to be a sen­

tient being who is born from the womb and has the four elements and the

white and the red constituents. A bardo being, a being in the intermediate

state, cannot do this because such a being is not born from a womb and

does not have the four elements and the white and red constituents. One cannot cultivate the path on the basis of being a bardo being.

Once again, this is the point at which one should meditate on empti­

ness, imagining the manifestation of the innate mind, focusing on emptiness, and with a fraction of one's mind cultivating the thought, "I

am the dharmakaya."

Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche states, probably based upon an assertion by

Kyabje Phabongka Rinpoche, that just prior to engaging in the meditation

on emptiness in which you transform the dharmakaya into the path in rela­

tionship to death, you should think, "As the dharmakaya I am inaccessible

to sentient beings, which is not satisfactory. Therefore, I will emanate as a

sambhogakaya." Then, think, "A sambhogakaya is still inaccessible to most

sentient beings, so I will emanate as a nirmat;J.akaya." One should follow

The Purification of Death 147

that line of thought prior to the meditation. In the Kalacakra system, how­

ever, we do not explicitly transform the sambhogakaya into the path in

relationship to the intermediate state, so we can skip that and go straight to

the nirmiiq.akaya.

Not only do we precede the practice with this anticipation but we also

continue it in the practice, such that at the end of the dharmakaya practice

we think of the three phases: "As the dharmakaya, I am inaccessible to sen­

tient beings; therefore I will arise as sambhogakaya," and at the end of that

we can reflect, "As a sambhogakaya, I am inaccessible to most sentient

beings; therefore, I will arise as a nirmiiq.akaya." We should also cultivate

the motivation to serve the needs of all sentient beings by means of the

three kiiyas.

DISSOLUTION OF THE ELEMENTS

AND APPEARANCE OF THE TEN SIGNS

In the meditative practice, one imagines that one's water element subdues

the element of fire. With the absence of the fire, the earth element is unable

to persist, so it dissolves into water. The air element dries up the water ele­

ment and then dissolves into consciousness, and consciousness dissolves

into space. Then all phenomena of the environment and one's body­

everything that is composed of material particles-dissolve into emptiness.

The object, emptiness, and the subject, primordial wisdom, become insep­

arable.

In other systems such as Cakrasaqwara and Guhyasamaja, the dissolu­

tion of the four elements of (I) earth, (2) water, (3) fire, and (4) air

correspond in a one-to-one sequential fashion to the four signs of (I) smoke,

(2) a mirage, (3) a firefly, and (4) a butter lamp. In contrast, in the Kalacakra

system, first all the elements dissolve, then those various signs appear

sequentially. The Kiilacakra Root Tantra states how these different elements

dissolve one into the other, how everything dissolves into emptiness, and

then how the various signs appear.

In the Cakrasaqwara and Guhyasamaja systems, the first element to dis­

solve is earth into water. In those systems, the first sign to appear is a

mirage, not smoke. In the Kalacakra system, the first one is smoke. The

reason for this difference is said to be that in the Guhyasamaja and

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 148

Cakrasarpvara systems, the sign prior to the mirage, namely, the sign of

smoke, is concealed, though in fact it does occur. So in reality the smoke

sign is first.

From that experience of meditative equipoise in the dharmakaya arises a

smoke-like appearance. People seem to have different experiences of this

smoke-like appearance. Some experience it like the drifting of smoke in the

room, and others have an experience more like smoke coming out of a

chimney.

The mirage-like experience is common to our ordinaty experience of a

mirage, having a kind of wavering quality.

There seem to be two types of firefly-like experience. One is like seeing

fireflies flying around in the dark, and the other is more like flashing lights,

which also resemble fireflies.

Likewise, for the lamp-like experience there seem to be two types of

appearances that may occur. One is a vision like a flame that does not flick­

er. Another possibility is like a flame that has a translucent shade around it,

concealing the actual flame itself. It is more diffuse.

The Kalacakra system speaks of ten signs. The first four of the ten signs

are said to be the four night signs. In the practice on the stage of comple­

tion, the corresponding meditation has to be practiced in the dark. The

signs correspond to the night, and while one does not necessarily have to

practice at night, one must practice in the dark.

The four night signs, already described, are the following:

I. A smoke-like appearance.

2. A mirage-like experience.

3· A firefly-like experience.

4· A lamp-like experience.

The next six signs are daytime signs. They are to be imagined in the corre­

sponding meditation that gives rise to those signs. This practice is to be

done in the light. The six daytime signs are as follows:

5· The blazing of fire. Some people may have a vision of seeing not only

the blazing of fire, but even something being consumed, like wood

going up in flames.

6. The experience of the round disc of a full moon.

7· A disc of the sun.

The Purification of Death 149

8. Rahu in the shape of a blue disc. Normally it is green, but in this case

it is blue.

9· A vision of forked lightning.

IO. A drop, or a seed. This too is a blue disc, with a kind of black design in it.

For the first four signs, as the smoke and so forth appear sequentially, we

should cultivate divine pride. For example, as the smoke appears, we should

imagine, "Now I have attained enlightenment in the form ofDhuma." The

next one is Marici, then Khagamana, the firefly goddess, and finally

Marmema, the lamp goddess. We imagine in each of these cases, "I have

attained enlightenment" in that form.

As each of the next four signs appears-the flame, the moon, the sun,

and rahu-we imagine ourselves as having attained enlightenment in the

form of the four blazing goddesses: the saktis Kr~l).adipta in the east,

Raktadipta in the south, Svetadipta in the north, and Pitadipta in the west.

These four goddesses are associated with the first four of the six daytime

signs. When the lightning sign appears, one should imagine oneself as

having attained the enlightenment of Vajradhatvi.SVari. When the seed

appears, imagine having attained enlightenment in the form of Visvamata.

In the preceding stage of transforming the dharmakaya into the path in

relation to death, one dissolves both oneself and one's entire environment

into the nature of emptiness. I have already explained briefly the manner in

which the dissolution of the body occurs.

DISSOLUTION AND CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE

In the dissolution of the rest of the world, first the power of the earth element

dissolves into that of water, then the water element dries up and dissolves

into fire, then fire dissolves into air, and air dissolves into space. Then one

cultivates the pride of the primordial wisdom of great bliss, in which all

dualistic appearances of subject and object have vanished. This, in short, is

called transforming the dharmakaya into the path in relation to death.

It is said that upon the complete dissolution of the entire world with all

animate and inanimate entities within it, the only thing remaining is the

mind of clear light, the innate mind. It seems that when one dies, the envi­

ronment, together with the inhabitants that one experiences, also vanishes.

It is said further that when the innate mind brings forth thoughts, the very

The .Kdlacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 150

subtle energy brings forth energies that are conjoined with those conceptu­

alizations as well. Those energies are conjoined with conceptual states of

awareness. There are said to be twelve energies. For the conceptualizations

and the energies of conceptualization, there are said to be twelve subjective

and objective energies. When it is explained in this way, it almost seems as

if awareness itself is energy.

In considering the twelve subjective and objective energies, IS we see that

the six objective energies appear to the six senses as the various sensory

objects. The six subjective energies bring forth the clarity, or the awareness,

of those objects. When those twelve objective and subjective energies are

purified, the fruitional primordial wisdom of great bliss manifests.

Recall that in the explanation of the conduct initiation, we generated the

twelve sense bases as the six male bodhisatrvas and six female bodhisattvas

to purify the mind. In the Kalacakra system, those twelve subjective and

objective energies are of the nature of the six elements. There are no com­

posite phenomena that are not included among the six elements. The

energy of earth manifests as the earth element. Similarly the energy of water

manifests as water, the energy of fire as fire, and the energy of air as air. The

energy of space appears in the aspect of space. The energies manifest as var­

ious shapes and colors. The innate mind gives rise to those conceptual

energies. Then, depending on which energy is predominant, they give rise

to various elements, forms, shapes, and colors.

When one becomes a highly realized yogi or yogini, it is possible to

counteract the power of the various elements so that fire does not burn.

Similarly for the other elements, the yogi is not subject to their ordinary

qualities.

This is how the entire universe, together with animate and inanimate

entities, arises from the energy-mind. It is also stated in the tantras that the

great energy that is free of conceptualization pervades all of existence. It is free of the knower and the known; it is divorced from all duality.

From the impure energy and mind, there arises this world of apparently

tangible phenomena having limitations and borders that we experience

right now. The world of animate and inanimate phenomena that arises from

pure energy-mind is a world of phenomena that is itself a manifestation of

primordial wisdom that realizes emptiness. This realization of emptiness

The Purification of Death 151

by primordial wisdom is to be understood in the context of buddhahood.

If an actual form of the buddha's body were to appear to us, even if it

appeared very small, it would be impossible for us to see its borders. An

illustration of this point is the U~l)i~a (crown protuberance) of Buddha

Sakyamuni. There is a story of a bodhisattva, whose name in Tibetan was

Shugs chang. Shugs chang had great paranormal abilities and he wanted to

find out where the U~l)i~a of the Buddha stopped, how high it would go.

With his supernatural powers he zoomed into the sky, but he could never

find the top of it.

Another mark of the Buddha was a coiled hair at the point between the

eyebrows. Sariputra wanted to see how long it was, so he started pulling on

it. He just kept on pulling and pulling, but he never reached the end. And

Maudgalyayana wanted to know how far you had to go before you could

not hear the Buddha's speech any more. Using his paranormal abilities, he

went extremely far away, but he found that no matter how far he went, the

volume and clarity of the speech were the same.

In our practice, we dissolve the offerings into emptiness and generate

them in the nature of the primordial wisdom of bliss and emptiness. By so

doing, we generate them in a way that is inexhaustible for both the buddhas

and sentient beings.

Here is another story. The great Tibetan Yogi Drukpa Kunlek, who lived

only about six generations ago, once came to the great monastery Tashi­

lhunpo in Shigatse where there were about 3,300 monks in residence. He

told the administrators that he wanted to make an offering of tea to all the

monks there. This was the grand tea offering, which is a Tibetan custom.

He was told, "That is fine, we'll accept gladly. How much butter do you

have and how much tea do you have?" The amount of butter he had was

enough to fit into one finger of a glove. Similarly, he had about one finger­

full of tea. He said, "This is what I have to offer." They told him to stop

fooling around. He said, "Just start pouring and you will see that it will suf­

fice." They started pouring the tea, and it served all of the monks, and there

was still some left. It turned out to be an inexhaustible supply of Tibetan

tea. When one can generate one's offerings in the nature of the primordial

wisdom of bliss and emptiness, the offerings take on an inexhaustible

aspect.

The .Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I52

The world is brought forth by energy-mind. Without understanding all

this, the meditative process of visualizing the palace or ma1).4ala can seem

quite pointless. However, when one dissolves the impure universe into

emptiness, meditates on emptiness, then generates the palace together with

the whole mal).4ala out of the primordial wisdom of emptiness and bliss,

one sees how this corresponds to the natural evolution of the universe.

This process of the creation of the pure and impure cosmos will not be

discovered by scientists using physical instruments. If you want to discover

this, you must do it by means of meditation. As you gain a more and more

profound realization of emptiness through the process of meditation, the

clearer this whole evolutionary process becomes. So if some western cos­

mologists would like a really precise understanding of the evolution of the

cosmos, they should first gain a realization of emptiness, develop the spirit

of awakening, then practice the stage of generation and the stage of com­

pletion, and they will be completely satisfied.

Returning to the stage of generation, there are three different ways in

which the deities of the mal).4ala are generated. The first is called instanta­

neous arising, in which the whole ma1).4ala arises all at once out of

emptiness. The second is called the three process generation, or the three­

fold process: out of emptiness one first generates the seed syllable, then the

implement, and then the deity. In the case ofVajrasattva, one generates first

the hii'f!l upon a lotus, the hii'f!l transforms into a vajra upon a lotus, and

this transforms into Vajrasattva. The third process is the generation

through the five purifications. 16 This entails transforming the dharmakaya

into the path in relation to death. In that phase, one meditates upon empti­

ness free from dualistic appearances of subject and object.

THE CERTAINTY OF DEATH

There is a verse by the Tibetan sage Ngulchu Dharma Bhadra (Tib. dngul chu dharma bhadra) that says it is certain that the great adversary, death,

will come for people like us. It states that it is possible that the Lord of

Death will come today. The point is that there is absolutely no certainty as

to the time of death. There is no way to know whether death will come in

the near future or in the distant future. When we are compelled to leave all

the affairs of this life behind and go on to the next life, then everything in

The Purification of Death I 53

the world-all our possessions, concerns, friends, and resources-has to be

left behind. None of these are of any benefit to us whatsoever. Even this

body, which we cherish so dearly, has to be left behind. The final line of the

verse says, "Bless me that I may accomplish that which is of true benefit."

The point is that, at the time of death, the only thing that is of benefit is

one's practice of Dharma.

If we consider the five billion people on this planet in light of the possi­

bility of sudden death and the certainty of death, we realize that even

though there appear to be a lot of people in this world, they are actually in

a constant state of change. Like the layered skins of an onion, one genera­

tion dies and is replaced by the next. We are one of the skins of the onion.

When our layer of skin gets peeled off, there is only one place to go, and

that is to future lives. In this regard there is only one thing that is of bene­

fit, and that is Dharma.

Future lives simply go on without end. Since, in this lifetime, we are

attracted to the practice of Dharma and are able to practice it, we have a

good chance to perpetuate this opportunity for spiritual practice. By this

process of devotion to Dharma it is possible to establish a continuity of

Dharma practice from one life to another. In this process, one's spiritual

insights increase further and further. Eventually this leads to the point

where we are no longer compelled to take rebirth in the cycle of existence.

When we are no longer compelled to take rebirth but have freedom of

choice, we will have abandoned all suffering. There are great benefits in

this. So it is important to assiduously devote ourselves to the practice of

Dharma, specifically to the transformation of our own minds. Mental

afflictions such as desire, hatred, and delusion bring unhappiness to us, not

only in future lives but in this lifetime as well. It is very important to regard

these mental afflictions as adversaries and to counter even the very subtle

arisings of these afflictions of the mind.

Conversely, it is important to recognize the wholesome factors of the

mind such as loving kindness and compassion, recognizing that these bring

well-being not only in future lives but also in this lifetime. We should apply

ourselves diligently to the cultivation of these wholesome qualities.

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 154

II

(jenerating Oneself as Kglacakra

THE PROCESS OF BIRTH

From the sphere of emptiness, like the emergence of a bubble, The moon, sun, riihu, and kaliigni Appear in the center of a lotus in blossom.

The primordial wisdom of emptiness and bliss is likened to bubbles coming

forth from water. Just as bubbles arising from water are of the very nature

of water, so are the deity, the throne, the clothing, and the offerings of the

very nature of primordial wisdom.

The stage of generation suppresses ordinary appearances and ordinary

conceptual grasping. We normally experience the world as something that

is tangibly firm, and composed of matter, and we suppress these ordinary

appearances and our grasping onto true existence by imagining that the

appearances are of the nature of primordial wisdom. Meditating upon

emptiness counters the grasping onto the true existence of phenomena, and

imagining what appears to the mind as being of the nature of primordial

wisdom counters ordinary appearances. Grasping onto the true existence of

phenomena is the basis for actions that lead to the experience of suffering,

whereas by relying on insight into the lack of inherent existence of phe­

nomena, we engage in actions that lead to happiness and well-being.

The moon, sun, rahu, and kalagni, arising from the sphere of emptiness,

appear on a lotus. Think of the lotus as being of the nature of wisdom.

There are eight opened petals. Generally speaking, the lotus throne in the

ma.t;t4ala is green and it is in the mind ma.t;t4ala of Kalacakra. In other

tantric systems, the eight-petaled lotus that forms the seat for the principal

deity in the ma.t;t4ala is of different colors. In those systems, the petals in the

Generating Oneself as Kalacakra 155

four cardinal directions are red, those in the southeastern and the north­

western directions are yellow, the petal in the southwest is green, and the

petal in the northeast is black. The significance of the formation and the

colors of the petals of the lotus relates to the subsidiary channels and the

process of the purification of the energies therein.

In the Kalacakra system, the mind mal).gala is green. Since there is not

just one right way to give this teaching, we can choose how to visualize the

lotus. The following is the visualization that seems most viable. Visualize

the eastern and southeastern petals as black, the southern and the south­

western petals as red, the northern and northeastern petals as white, and the

western and northwestern petals as yellow. Then imagine the top of the

center of the lotus as green and the bottom side of the center as blue. This

accounts for all the ten energies.

The lotus with its eight petals symbolizes the primary and subsidiary

channels together with the central channel in the middle. The goddesses

that we generate upon these petals, as will be explained later, symbolize the

energies that course through these channels.

Upon that lotus we visualize the moon, sun, ralm, and kalagni, one

stacked on the other. The moon represents the left channel; the sun, the

right channel; rahu, the portion of the central channel from the heart up;

and kalagni, the central channel from the heart down. These four platforms

symbolize the four drops in the following way: the moon symbolizes the

drop at the forehead that produces the waking state; the sun symbolizes the

drop at the throat that produces the dream state; rahu symbolizes the drop

at the heart that produces the deep sleep state; and kalagni symbolizes the

drop at the navel that produces the fourth occasion.

Whichever of these symbolic interpretations we want to use, the point is

that the four drops, the channels, and the energies are the bases to be puri­

fied. The agents of purification are exactly what you visualize in the

eight-petaled lotus with its center: the goddesses who are located on these petals.

Upon them are the moon and sun, of the nature of the white and red ele­ments,

Adorned with a garland of vowels and consonants, of the nature of the

signs and symbols of a buddha. This white moon disc rests upon the moon, sun, rahu, and kalagni discs

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga r56

already visualized, and it symbolizes the white bodhicitta that was received

from one's father. The sun disc is beneath the moon disc and symbolizes

the red bodhicitta received from one's mother.

To symbolize the future attainment of the thirty-two signs of a buddha,

one visualizes around the periphery of the second moon disc two sets of the

sixteen vowels of the Sanskrit alphabet. Both sets come from the back and

meet in front, one set clockwise and the other set counterclockwise. The

short vowels a i r u J and a e ar o a! ha ya ra va fa anusviira a'!l go counter­

clockwise from the back to the front. Clockwise from back to front are Iii vii rii yii hii iii au iir ai ii J ii r i ii iih.

Beneath the moon disc we visualize a second sun disc, symbolizing the

red bodhicitta received from the mother. This represents the eventual

attainment of the eighty symbols of a buddha. For that reason we visualize

twice the forty consonants of the Sanskrit alphabet.

The first set of forty consonants goes clockwise from back to front. Each

consonant has a long vowel: Iii vii yii t/ii tjhii I !Iii vvii #ii tjhtjhii llii I vvii rrii yyii ssii fJPpii I ffii xxkkii ttii ththii ddii dhdhii nnii I ppii phphii bbii bhbhii mmii

I .t.tii .th.thii #ii rjhtjhii tztzii I ccii chchii jjii jhjhii tztzii I kkii khkhii ggii ghghii nna.

The second set of forty consonants goes counterclockwise from the back

to the front. Each consonant has a short vowel: tza gha ga kha ka I fia jha ja cha ca I tza tjha rja .tha .ta I ma bha ba pha pa I na dha da tha ta I xka fa !a JPa sa I ha ya ra va fa I tjha rja ya va fa.

The moon disc also symbolizes the mirror-like primordial wisdom pro­

duced by the purification of the form aggregate. It is said that one generates

Kalacakra by means of the five purifications, of which this is one. The sun

symbolizes the primordial wisdom of equality, which is produced by the

purification of the aggregate of feeling. In both cases this purification takes

place by means of the stage of completion.

In the center are the syllables of vital energy, hii111 and hi, which become uni­fied in the form of the syllable h~.

This transforms into myself as Kiilacakra. Embedded in those two final discs of the sun and moon are two syllables,

both standing upright and facing forward. There is a hiiiJ'l, and right in

front of that is a hi. They do not protrude above the moon disc; they are

Generating Oneself as .Kiilacakra I57

just embedded in the two discs. The moon disc and the sun disc are like

two pennies, one on top of the other, and the hiiJ!l is embedded in both of

them, as is the hi, which is right in front. The hiiJ!l symbolizes the energy

that is the mount of awareness, and the hi symbolizes the awareness that

rides upon energy.

This symbolizes the entrance of the energy-mind into the conjunction of

the red and white bodhicitta at conception. The moon and the sun sym­

bolize the two fluids. The embedding of the hiiJ!l and the hi symbo.lizes the

entrance of the energy-mind into that mixture.

The hiiJ!l symbolizes the primordial wisdom of discernment, which is

produced by the purification of the recognition aggregate in the process of

the stage of completion. The hi symbolizes the primordial wisdom of

accomplishment, which arises from the purification of the aggregate of

compositional factors and is purified in the stage of completion.

Then the preceding four-the top moon disc, the sun disc beneath that,

the hiiJ!l, and the hi-all mix together, and from them arises the syllable

haJ!l. The haJ!l appears visually as the syllable ha with a crescent moon and

a little circle above it, symbolizing the primordial wisdom of the absolute

nature of reality. This arises through the purification of the aggregate of

consciousness, brought about by the state of completion.

From the ha'!l then arises Kalacakra with four faces and twenty-four

arms, together with consort (see chart 10).

To give a more detailed explanation of the symbolism of the harp, the h portion of that syllable symbolizes the consciousness of a bardo being. In

order for this to be articulated, it has to be conjoined with the a, and then

we have ha, a consonant. Consonants in Tibetan, Sanskrit, and Pali include

the vowel a. The a part of the ha symbolizes the energy of a bardo being,

the energy that forms the mount for the bardo consciousness. The crescent

moon sign above the ha symbolizes the red constituent that one receives from

the mother, and the little drop above that symbolizes the white constituent.

The whole syllable haJ!l symbolizes the body, speech, and mind of the

bardo being who enters into the union of the male and female regenerative

substances. The red and white constituents suggest the body, and the h part

of the ha symbolizes the consciousness of the bardo being. The a part of the

ha relates to the energy that symbolizes speech.

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 158

In the stage of completion, the moon sign symbolizes the tummo fire,

and the drop above it symbolizes the white constituent that melts from the

crown of the head. The ha, comprised of the h and the a, symbolizes the

generation of the energy-mind into the nature of great bliss. In terms of its

symbolic significance for the fruition of the path, the entire harrz symbolizes

Kalacakra.

In terms of ordinary life, Kalacakra arising from the harrz symbolizes con­

ception, or entering into the mother's womb, and is a facsimile of the

process of birth.

That one syllable harrz has four different symbolic interpretations, which

relate to the basis to be purified, the state of generation, the stage of com­

pletion, and the fruitional stage.

KALACAKRA's FoRM

For the practice of Kalacakra, we are very fortunate in this age to have the

television, which shows forms coming together, transforming into other

forms, with one image being superimposed upon another. This is analogous

to the types of imagery that you generate in Kalacakra practice. When the

very subtle energy-mind manifests, it is actually possible to transform one's

body instantly into different shapes.

The Body, Four Faces, and Six Mudras Bearing the brilliance of sapphire and blazing with glory, I have four faces and twenty-four hands, the first two embracing my consort And holding vajra and bell symbolizing the vajra of supreme, immutable

bliss And the reality of emptiness of a nature free of conceptual elaboration. The remaining right and left lotus hands

Are graced with such hand symbols as a sword and shield. "The brilliance of sapphire" refers to the blue color ofKalacakra's body, and

"blazing with glory" refers to an aura of light around him. It is blue, but

like the radiance of the sun, it is ablaze with light. There are four faces. The

front face is black; the right, red; the back, yellow; and the left, white. The

front face is slightly wrathful, and the teeth are showing somewhat. The

right (red) face shows a little desire. The back (yellow) face is abiding in

Generating Oneself as Kalacakra 159

samadhi, and the left (white) face is very serene. Each face has three eyes.

It is said that Kalacakra wears a crown of tresses. On the crown of his

head is an eight-spoked wheel, which touches the skin. The hair comes through the spokes and is drawn upward. The ends of the hair are brought back into the center and tied into bunches. This is what is called a crown of

tresses.

In the center of this eight-spoked wheel is the lord of the class, Vajra­

sattva. Of the eight spokes, five of them point to the front and to the sides.

At the tip of each of the five spokes pointing to the front is a panel, form­

ing a five-paneled crown.

At the very top of that crown of tresses is a precious vajra jewel. Right in

front of the crown of tresses, on top of the head, is a variegated crossed

vajra. The four prongs of the variegated crossed vajra match the colors of

the four faces-that is, the prongs are black, red, yellow, and white, going

clockwise from the front.

The variegated crossed vajra is vertical. The black protrusion points

down, and the yellow up, just like in the vertical ma~9ala. The red protru­

sion goes to the right, and the white protrusion goes to the left. It is not

embedded in his head, but rather stands on the top of the head.

Kalacakra wears vajra earrings, which are little circlets, or rings. For each

of the ornamental rings at the various places on his body, there are gener­

ally said to be eight spokes. Some people say that the wheel ornament at the

throat has sixteen spokes.

There are various bracelets, armlets, and anklets. The bracelets are on the

wrists, and the armlets are on the upper arms. There are anklets, one on

each ankle. Some people say there are rings that go around the thighs, but

that is not certain. In some depictions, there are two bracelets on each wrist

with vajras at the top, bottom, and the two sides, making four vajras per

wrist. There is also an ornament at the chest that has eight spokes. There is

a belt ornament with a wheel in the front, a wheel in the back, and vajras

on the left and right sides. The belt also has some webbing with tassels

hanging down.

There are six mudras, or ornaments. Some say that these are the head

ornaments, the ear and throat ornaments, and all of the limb ornaments,

including those on the wrists, upper arms, and ankles. All the limb ornaments

The .Kii!d.cakra Six-Session Guru Yoga r6o

are counted as one. On the chest is a breast plate with a crossed band. This

makes five types of ornaments. The sixth is made in the following way:

One takes a human bone, burns it, and makes it into a powder; then puts three fingers into it and marks the body in different places. That is the sixth

mudra. Other people do not count the breastplate as one of the six, but do

count the belt. There are different ways of enumerating the mudras.

There is this distinction: the father deity has six mudras, including these

three finger markings. The mother deity, the consort, does not have the

three finger markings because the markings symbolize the white bodhicitta.

Kalacakra is wearing a vajra scarf, green and about twelve feet long, and

a vajra rosary. He is also wearing what appears to be a tiger skin kilt. It has

a fold coming down in the front and in the back, and it is held together

with a ring around the waist. It falls in loose folds.

The Twenty-Four Arms and Hands

Kalacakra has three throats and six shoulders, three on each side. The front

two shoulders are blue, the middle two are red, and the back two are white.

These bifurcate into the twelve humeri, six on each side. Well up on the

upper arm is a further bifurcation into twenty-four arms, twelve on each

side. For example, the blue shoulder bifurcates into two humeri, and at the

level of the upper arm these bifurcate into four arms. The same thing hap­

pens to the arms of the other colors on both sides.

For all the hands, the thumb is yellow, the index finger is white, the

middle finger is red, the ring finger is black, and the small finger is green.

Those are the colors on the back of the hand. For each of the fingers, the

inner side is black from the base of the finger to the first joint. It is not just

the joint but the whole section of the finger that is black. The second seg­

ment of the finger is red, and the third white. In addition, Kalacakra is

wearing rings radiant with light.

Some people say that the thumb is completely yellow; the index finger,

white; the middle finger, red; the ring finger, black; and the small finger,

green. That is, the fingers are the same color on the palm and the back side

of the hand. According to the second interpretation, it is not the segment

of the finger that is black, red, or white-just the joints. One joint is black,

the next is red, and the third is white.

Generating Oneself as Kiilacakra I6I

The term "lotus hands" refers to the hands from the wrists to the tips of

the fingers, and they are holding various implements. On the right side,

going from bottom to top, the three sets of four hands hold the following

implements:

-:- The blue hands hold (1) a vajra while embracing the consort, (2) a

sword, (3) a trident, and (4) a curved knife.

<- The red hands hold (x) three fire arrows, (2) a vajra hook on the back

of which is a vajra, (3) a rattling c;l.amaru, and (4) a hammer with two

vajras, one on the top part and one along the handle. The three arrows

are called fire arrows but they are not blazing. Fire often symbolically

refers to the number three; remember, for example, the triangle that

transforms into the fire mat].c;iala.

•:• The white hands hold (x) a wheel, (2) a spear, (3) a dub, and (4) an axe.

On the left side, from bottom to top, the three sets of four hands hold these

implements:

-:• The blue hands hold (x) a bell with a vajra top, (2) a shield, (3) a

kharvanga with a vajra on the top of the prong, and (4) a skullcup

filled with blood. The prongs of the vajra on top of the kharvanga are

somewhat open. On the bottom part of the top section of the

kharvanga is a vajra, on top of that is a yellow vase, and on top of that

is a variegated crossed vajra. Then there are three heads. The first one

is a freshly cut blue head. The second head is red, and it is half-dried.

The third one is white and it is so dried up that it is just a skull. The

heads are in three stages: fresh, somewhat decayed, and well-dried. On

top of that is a five-pointed vajra. The heads symbolize the mind,

speech, and body of the buddha, in that order. At the base of the vase

on the kharvanga is a c;l.amaru and a bell, with three folds of cloth dan­

gling down.

•> The red hands hold (I) a bow, (2) a vajra lasso with a hook on one end

and a vajra on the other, (3) a jewel, and (4) a white lotus.

•> The white hands hold (I) a sea shell in which a certain kind of creature

takes birth five times, (2) a mirror, (3) a vajra chain, and (4) a head of

Brahma with four faces, one face in each of the four cardinal directions.

Regarding the first two hands, which hold vajra and bell and embrace the

consort, the vajra symbolizes great, supreme, immutable bliss, and the bell

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga r62

symbolizes the reality of emptiness, its nature being free of conceptual elab­

oration. The union of primordial wisdom of emptiness and bliss is

symbolized by the vajra and bell, as well as by the embrace of the deity and

consort. The deity Kalacakra embracing the consort is the provisional

meaning. They symbolize immutable bliss and empty form. The definitive

meaning is the nondual nature of these. Therefore, one's divine pride is

associated equally with the deity and the consort.

The Legs

With my right, red leg extended and my white, left leg bent, I dance in a hundred ways Upon Miira and Rudra.

The word "dance" in this context means that Kalacakra stands on top of

these two deities with a haughty stance. Kalacakra's right leg is red and

extended. Beneath the right foot is a red god of desire, Mara. This god of

desire has one face and four hands, holding (I) in the first right hand five arrows of flowers, (2) in the first left hand a bow, (3) in the bottom left hand

a lasso, and (4) in the bottom right hand a hook. The arrows are called

flower arrows because they incite the five poisons, which are the five mental

afflictions. This god of desire casts such arrows at practitioners of Dharma

to arouse in them these five afflictions.

The left leg of Kalacakra is white and bent. Beneath the left foot lies

Rudra, with one face, three eyes, and four hands holding (I) in the first right

hand a trident, (2) in the first left hand a 4amaru, (3) in the bottom right

hand a skullcup, and (4) in the bottom left hand a kharvanga.

The consort of Mara is Priya. She is red and is holding onto a foot of

Kalacakra. The consort ofRudra is called Madhyama. Both of them are tug­

ging at the feet ofKalacakra with their heads somewhat inclined downward.

The Appearance

My body, adorned with a multitude of ornaments, Like the expanse of space beautified by the constellations, Stands in the midst of a blaze of five stainless lights.

The appearance of the deity is like an extremely clear night, with the stars

shining very brightly. The blaze of five stainless lights refers to the rays of

Generating Oneself as Kalacakra r63

light of the five colors being emanated in all directions. They are emitted

from the body and represent the five primordial wisdoms.

The Consort

Facing the Lord is Vifvamiitii, Of the color of camphor, with four faces and eight hands Holding various hand symbols such as a curved knife and skullcup. With her left leg extended, she embraces the lord.

The consort is generated by means of the threefold process. Initially, in front

of the deity Kalacakra there is the syllable phrerrz, which transforms into a

curved knife. The knife transforms into light, and the light becomes

Vi5vamata. She is facing Kalacakra and is yellow. As the male deity has his

right leg extended, the consort has her left leg extended, and they are stand­

ing in union. The verse says she is "of the color of camphor," which means a

ydlow-red or orange color, while the Vimalaprabhii refers to her yellow color.

She has four faces. In clockwise direction, they are yellow, white, blue,

and red. These colors are the opposite from Kalacakra. Each of the faces has

three eyes. For any male deity with a third eye at the forehead, it looks like

a left eye, pivoted up. For a female deity, the right eye is pivoted up. The

eyelashes appear on opposite sides.

She has eight hands. In her right hands, which are on Kalacakra's left

side, she holds (I) a curved knife in the hand that is embracing Ka.lacakra,

(2) a hook held aloft, (3) a drumming c}.arnaru, and (4) a rosary.

In her four left hands she holds (I) a skullcup in the hand embracing

Kalacakra, (2) a lasso, (3) a hundred-petaled lotus, and (4) a jewel. This

jewel is actually composed of three jewels facing each other. It looks like

one set of three jewels, with the middle one higher than the other two.

She is endowed with the five mudras, or adornments, which include the

one at the crown. Visvamata has the eight-spoked wheel on the crown of

her head, as does Kalacakra. The five spokes coming forward end in the five

plates of the panels of the crown. Her hair is also tied up in a fashion sim­

ilar to that of Kalacakra.

Generating ourselves as the deiry with consort does not mean that we

are generating ourselves as a deity only, who is with consort. Rather, our

pride is for both equally-we are both the male and the female aspect.

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I64

THE EIGHT SAKTIS

Surrounded by eight faktis upon the platforms of auspicious petals In each of the cardinal and intermediate directions.

The term used here is "auspicious petals," but there is really nothing auspi­

cious about the petals. The Tibetan word for "auspicious" is a symbolic

term referring to the number eight, because there are eight auspicious signs.

Such symbolic usage is often found in esoteric writings. For example,

"rabbit" refers to the numeral one because it refers to the moon, and there

is one moon. Likewise, "fire" refers to the numeral three because it refers to

the triangle that transforms into the fire maJ).<;iala.

There are eight saktis, one on each petal, and they arise by means of the

threefold process. The first four are in the cardinal directions:

•:• On the eastern petal is K.r~Ifadipta. On this petal arises the short syl­

lable a. From a arises a container of incense, and from that arises

Kr~Ifadipta. Black in color, she has four faces. Going clockwise from

the front around the back, they are black, red, yellow, and white. She

has eight hands. The four right hands, going ftom top to bottom, hold

(r) a container filled with incense, (2) a container f.tlled with sandalwood

powder or paste and saffron, (3) a vessel of camphor, and (4) a con­

tainer of musk. The four left hands, from top to bottom, hold (r) a

bell, (2) a lotus, (3) a celestial tree, and (4) a garland of various flowers.

Regarding the celestial tree, in the Buddhist description of deva realms,

there is a tree around which the asuras at the base and the devas at

the top fight. It is not to be confused with the wish-fulfilling tree.

·:· On the southern petal is Raktadipta. On this petal arises the syllable

a!;. From a!; arises a butter lamp, and from that, Raktadipta. She has

four faces, red, yellow, white, and blue, in a clockwise direction. She

has eight hands. The four right hands, from top to bottom, hold (r) a

lamp, (2) a jewel necklace, (3) a crown, and (4) a bracelet. The four left

hands, from top to bottom, hold (r) a garment, (2) a belt, (3) an ear­

ring, and (4) anklets.

•:• On the northern petal is Svetadipta. On this petal arises the seed syl­

lable a1J1. From a1J1 comes food, and from that arises Svetadipta. Her

four faces are white, black, red, and yellow. She has eight hands. The

four right hands, top to bottom, hold (r) a container filled with milk,

Generating Oneself as Kalacakra Iof

(2) a container filled with water, (3) a container filled with the supreme

medicine, and (4) a container filled with alcohol. The four left hands,

top to bottom; hold (r) ambrosia, referring to the trunk of the arura tree, which has great medicinal properties, (2) a taste of siddhi, a type

of elixir discussed in the .Kalacakra Tantra that turns iron to gold and,

if ingested, extends one's life span, (3) an arura fruit, and (4) a bowl of

porridge.

-> On the western petal is Pitadipta. On this petal arises the letter ii,

which transforms into a conch, which transforms into Pitadipta. She

has four faces, yellow, white, blue, and red. She has eight hands. Her

four right hands, top to bottom, hold (r) a conch, (2) a flute, (3) a

jewel, and (4) a 9amaru. The four left hands, top to bottom, hold (r)

a lute, (2) a drum, (3) a gong, and (4) a trumpet.

These are the four cardinal directions. We also have the intermediate directions,

which are referred to as the fire direction, the wind direction, and so forth.

•:• Agneya is the Sanskrit name for the southeast and refers to the

guardian for that direction. On the southeastern petal is Dhiima. On

this petal arises the syllable ha. From ha arises a black yak-tail fan, and

from that arises Dhiima. She has four faces, black, red, yellow, and

white. She has eight hands, and each of them holds a black yak-tail fan.

•:• Naiqtya indicates the southwest and is the guardian for that direction.

On the southwestern petal is Marici. On this petal arises the seed syl­

lable hap. From hap arises a red yak-tail fan, and from that arises

Marici. She has four faces, red, yellow, white, and blue. She has eight

hands and holds eight red yak-tail fans.

-> Ai~ani indicates the northeast and is the guardian for that direction.

On the northeastern petal is Khagamana. On this petal arises the seed

syllable hartz. This dissolves into a white fan, and from that arises

Khagamana. Her four faces are white, black, red, and yellow. In her

eight hands she holds eight white yak-tail fans.

<• Vayavya indicates the northwest and is the guardian for that direction.

On the northwestern petal is Pradipa. On this petal arises the syllable

hii. From that arises a yellow fan, and from that arises Pradipa. Her

four faces are yellow, white, blue, and red, and in her eight hands she

holds eight yellow yak-tail fans.

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga r66

The deities of the intermediate directions are guardians of the directions for

the practice of Kal.acakra. Altogether, there are ten guardians of the direc­

tions: one for each of the cardinal directions, one for each of the

intermediate directions, one above, and one below. All of their faces have

three eyes. They are all adorned with the five mudras and they are all stand­

ing upright.

Generating Oneself as Kdlacakra z67

12

'Deepening Your Understanding

ADVICE FOR PRACTICE

The great Indian sage Aryadeva comments that although one may have an

altruistic motivation to serve the needs of others, one lacks the capacity to

do so. What he means here is that even though one has the motivation to

be of service to others, one's altruism is still arising with effort.

When we view the training on the common path, the stages of genera­

tion, and the stages of completion, the practice can appear to our minds as a vast and distant undertaking. However, if we apply ourselves in a regular

and persistent fashion, the path becomes nearer and nearer. This means

that even though we may not feel that we are engaging in an authentic prac­

tice of the spirit of awakening or the stage of generation, by assiduously

devoting ourselves, our facsimile of practice gradually turns into the real

thing. For example, when meditating on impermanence, on emptiness, or

on any other· topic, the meditation may not seem very authentic at the

beginning. As•.we become accustomed to the practice, though, it becomes

more real, more actual.

This is true for any kind of activity. When we first set out, we are prob­

ably not doing it correctly; rather, we are doing merely an approximation.

Gradually, with practice, our facsimile gets better and better until it

becomes authentic. The door is closed if we fail to recognize this and

instead think, "How could we ever. gain an actual realization like the one

that is being;described? How can we~even understand what is going on?

Who can possibly do it!" Even though the practice may not go very well in

the beginniJ?.g, as we apply ourselves to. it. from month to month, from year

to year, it will get better. This is- the. nature of reality. By reflecting upon

this, one can. be· quite encour-aged.

The Killacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga z68

ANoTHER LooK AT THE OuTER AND INNER KALACAKRA

If we relate the etymology ofKalacakra to the external universe, kala (time)

refers to a year, and cakra (cycle) refers to the cycle of twelve months.

Relating the etymology to internal reality, kala is a single, complete breath.

Within one breath, similar to the external monthly subdivisions of a year,

there are twelve major shiftings, or internal alternating movements, of the

breath, or vital energy. These twelve are further subdivided. For each of the

twelve there are five minor shiftings of energy, making a total of sixty.

These major and minor shiftings during each breath are also called cakra.

The purified external aspect of time in general, in other words, the exter­

nal kala aspect of Kalacakra, is the male deity Kalacakra. The purified

internal aspect of the breath is also Kalacakra. The purified external aspect

of cakra, the whole cycle of twelve months, is the female deity Visvamata.

The purified inner aspect of the cycle of the twelve major or the sixty minor

shiftings is also Vi5vamata.

In an astrological context, the sun moves in its cycle through the twelve

signs of the zodiac. The twelve signs can be divided into two sets of six. The

first pertains to the days getting longer or shorter, and the second to the sun

going to the north or to the south. Internally, we have the twelve major

shiftings of energy corresponding to the twelve astrological houses. Six

shiftings go through the left nostril, and six through the right nostril.

Internally, the duration of the breaths corresponds externally to the dura­

tion of the days. The internal two sets of six correspond in their purified

aspect to the two legs of Kalacakra. The twelve shifts of energy are associ­

ated with the twelve links of dependent origination.

Dividing twelve into three sets of four gives us a triad, which in its puri­

fied aspect as outer and inner is represented by the three throats of

Kalacakra. Twelve can also be divided into four groups of three, repre­

sented in their purified aspect by the four faces ofKalacakra. We can also

diviqe twelve into six sets of two, and they correspond to the six shoulders

on both sides. Then we have one set of twelve for the actual hands on both

sides. They correspond to the twelve shiftings as well as the twelve signs of

the zodiac.

One zodiacal sign corresponds to one month, and in one month the

moon waxes and wanes. So we multiply the twelve months by two, which

Deepening Your Understanding 169

equals twenty-four. In its purified aspect, this is represented as the twenty­

four hands of Kalacakra.

In the externally purified period of the twelve zodiacal signs, there are

360 days. The internal aspect, when purified, relates to the fifteen joints per

hand on each of the twenty-four hands, equaling 360 joints. Internally, the

joints symbolize the sixty shiftings. Multiplying the 360 joints by the sixty

minor shiftings gives us 21,600.

WoRKING wiTH THE VITAL ENERGIEs

When grasping onto true existence motivates an action, the result is an

accumulation of energy that leads one into future lives. In other words,

karmic energy is generated. Through the purification of the 21,600 karmic

energies, Kalacakra appears.

In order to bring about a cessation or purification of the 21,600 karmic

energies during the stage of completion, one must directly generate 2I,6oo

immutable blisses. To bring about these blisses, wh!ch are the direct anti­

dote on the preceding stage of generation, one generates the entire body of

Kiilacakra.

Now we see a very clear dependent sequence of events. The generation

of the entire body of Kalacakra is the cause that allows for the arising of the

21,600 great blisses, which consequently act as an antidote for the 2I,6oo

karmic energies and lead to the actual attainment of Kiilacakra. The causal

sequence begins at the stage of generation and continues on through the

stage of completion and the final fruition. During the stage of generation

one must very consciously understand, practice, and apply to the medita­

tion an awareness of the basis to be purified, the agents of purification,

their function, and the results. One must do all of that very consciously, or

the various types of immutable bliss in the stage of completion will not

anse. The explanation of purification is not yet complete in terms of the sym­

bolism of the various aspects of the body. The red right leg, the white left

leg, and the blue body pertain to the following.

For an ordinary being at the time of death, the indestructible drop sep­

arates into its red and white facets. The white drop goes down and is

emitted from the lower orifice, and the red drop comes up and is emitted

The .Kii!acakra Six-Session Guru Yoga IJO

through the nostrils. During that process, the consciousness departs, and

one wanders on to the next birth.

Even though a person may appear to be dead-that is, all the vital signs

have stopped-there is no guarantee that the consciousness has actually

departed. The person may appear to be stone dead for a week, or even two

weeks, but the consciousness may not have departed, which means that the

indestructible drop has not disintegrated. As long as the consciousness is

present, the corpse cannot putrefy. As soon as the consciousness departs,

the red and white drops separate up and down respectively, and then the

body can start to putrefy. Tibetans often become awestruck when a great

guru dies, and the drops are seen coming from the nostrils and the lower

orifice. This is nothing unique to highly realized gurus. It is the case for

everybody. If the body is disturbed at the time of death by being moved,

burned, or having an autopsy performed on it, however, there is no cer­

tainty that the drops will be evident.

The yogi reverses that process through meditation. He or she stacks the

white drops from the genital cakra all the way up to the crown of the head,

like stacking pennies. Simultaneously, the yogi inversely stacks the red drops

from the crown of the head down to the genital region. The yogi experiences

the 21,600 immutable blisses and annihilates the 21,600 karmic energies.

The colors of the red right leg, the white left leg, and the blue body sym­

bolize the process of the attainment of 2r,6oo immutable blisses, the

exhaustion of the 21,600 karmic energies, and the attainment of the state of

Kalacakra.

The stacking of the two types of drops occurs in the stage of completion.

To accomplish that, one practices on the stage of generation by visualizing

the different parts of the body, which ripens one's being for the practices

and the arousal of the 21,600 immutable blisses in the stage of completion.

Initiation facilitates meditation in the stage of generation, specifically the

wisdom and secret initiations and the other initiations in which the chan­

nels and the energies are blessed.

The provisional Kalacakra-namely, the Kalacakra with consort in sexual

union-symbolizes the definitive Kalacakra, which is the inseparability of

the primordial wisdom of immutable bliss and the wisdom that realizes

emptiness. That state is one in which there is no dualistic appearance, like

Deepening Your Understanding IJI

one glass of water poured into another. By the very nature of reality, the

inseparability of immutable bliss and the realization of emptiness is

inevitable. It is impossible for it not to exist.

The definitive meaning of Kalacakra with consort is initially accom­

plished in the samadhi phase, the last of the six-phase yogas in the stage of

completion, when one attains the union of the body and mind of

Kalacakra. One first accomplishes the body aspect of that body-mind union

at the recollection phase of the six-phase yoga. In order to ripen one's being

so that one may engage in such a practice, one meditates on the stage of

generation by visualizing the deiry and consort embracing, and one imag­

ines experiencing immutable bliss and wisdom.

THE SYMBOLISM OF KALACAKRA

The Kalacakra system has unique symbolism not found in the Cakrasarp.­

vara or Guhyasamaja systems, such as the several aspects of kala and cakra

regarding the outer environment, the year, and so forth. The following is

another series of unique aspects of the Kalacakra system. First is the pre­

sentation of the four drops, together with the manner in which those four drops are purified during the initiation. Next is the manner in which one

receives initiation in dependence upon the four maQ<;lalas of body, speech,

mind, and primordial wisdom, which are unique to Kalacakra. One receives

initiation in dependence upon the four maQ<;lalas for the practices of both

the generation stage and the completion stage. In dependence upon the

maturation process that takes place in the initiation, one goes on to visual­

ize in the stage of generation the four faces and so forth of Kalacakra.

With respect to the dual classification of method and wisdom, the male

deity Kalacakra is included in the element of consciousness, while the

female deity Vi5vamata is included in the element of primordial wisdom.

The fact that the deity and consort together have thirty-two hands, or four

sets of eight, symbolizes the purification of the four drops.

The first two phases of the completion stage six-phase yoga, retraction

and meditative stabilization, purifY the drop at the forehead that produces the

waking state. These two lead to the body vajra. The third and fourth phases

of praQayama and retention purifY the drop at the throat that produces the

dream state. These two lead to the speech vajra. The fifth phase, recollection,

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 172

purifies the drop at the heart that produces the deep sleep state and leads to

the mind vajra. Finally, the sixth phase, samadhi, purifies the drop at the

navel that produces the fourth occasion and leads to the attainment of the

primordial wisdom vajra. Ultimately, when one manifestly attains enlight­

enment, one does so in the forms of the four vajras of body, speech, mind,

and primordial wisdom. The six elements are also purified in that same

process. That concludes the explanation of the symbolic significance of the

Kalacakra and the consort.

The visualization that has been discussed thus far in the six-session guru

yoga is comprised of visualizing oneself as the deity with consort surround­

ed by the eight saktis. The eight petals of the lotus upon which Kalacakra

with consort stands symbolize the eight branching channels of the heart

cakra. The eight saktis who stand upon those eight lotus petals symbolize

the eight energies that course through those eight subsidiary channels.

These goddesses are visualized in colors that conform to the colors of the

respective energies.

The lower portion of the center of the lotus seat symbolizes the lower

portion of the central channel, that is, the portion below the heart. Through

that flows the descending energy, which is included in the element of pri­

mordial wisdom, symbolized by Visvamata. The element of primordial

wisdom is associated with the color yellow, and in that sense this is what

Visvamata symbolizes. Primordial wisdom in this case means the immutable bliss that arises from the descending of the bodhicitta.

The upper portion of the center of the lotus symbolizes the upper por­

tion of the central channel, the portion above the heart. Through that flows

the life-sustaining energy, which is included in the element of space, sym­

bolized by Kalacakra. The element of space is associated with the color blue,

and in that sense this is what Kalacakra symbolizes. On occasion it is said

that Kalacakra symbolizes the purified aspect of the consciousness element.

In fact, the color associated with both the consciousness element and the

space element is blue.

PREPARING FOR THE CoMPLETION STAGE

At the time of the initiation, one generates the ten energies in the form of

the ten saktis and thereby ripens them. The two principal deities, Kalacakra

Deepening Your Understanding 173

and consort, directly purify the left and right channels by blocking the flow

of energy through them. This implicitly purifies the central channel. The

principal deities directly purify the left and right channels, and indirectly

purify the central channel.

During the initiation there are twelve deities, namely, the ten saktis and

Kalacakra with consort. Of the two additional saktis, one is Vajra­

dhatvisvari and the other is Vi5vamata, the consort of Kalacakra. At that

time, both Vajradhatvisvari and Kalacakra symbolize the purification of the

element of space. During the generation stage there are ten deities, namely,

the eight saktis and Kalacakra with consort. In the generation stage, because

the principal deity Kalacakra represents the purification of the space ele­

ment, he also contains Vajradhatvi5vari. In this way all of the twelve deities

that are visualized during the initiation are included in these ten deities

during the stage of generation. Among the ten types of energy, the life-sus­

taining energy is usually symbolized by Vajradhatvi5vari. However, the

respective element of consciousness, which includes the life-sustaining

energy, is symbolized by Ka.lacakra, so there is no contradiction here.

Moreover, this practice acts to bless the ten energies that enter, remain,

and dissolve into the central channel. In this fashion, the practice ripens

one's being for the completion stage practice, when the chief deity with

consort and all ten of the saktis appear. Thus, there is no real contradiction

in the fact that there is a discrepancy between the initiation and the stage

of generation, which leads to the stage of completion.

Drawing the karmic energies into the central channel is the principal

agent for the attainment of the body and mind ofKa.lacakra. By causing the

karmic energies to enter into the central channel, one accomplishes the

empty form of the principal deity with consort. Initially there is only a fac­

simile of that accomplishment. The first two phases of the six-phase yoga,

retraction and meditative stabilization, bring forth the facsimile of the

empty form of Ka.lacakra with consort at the forehead. Then one practices

in the third and fourth phases of priiJ;layama and retention, and by the force

of those two, the empty form of the deity with consort is brought forth at

the navel cakra, and one immutably holds the energies at the navel cakra.

In the midst of the flaming of the tummo fire, the authentic empty form of

the principal deity with consort appears.

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I74

During the fifth phase, recollection, the empty form of the deity and

consort are in sexual union, and from this bliss arises. Rays oflight emanate

from the deity with consort, illuminating the galaxy. This is when one

attains the body of Kalacakra. During the sixth phase, samadhi, one expe­

riences immutable bliss in dependence upon the union of the empty form

of the deity with consort. We have the body at the time of recollection, and

in the very next phase we have the mind. Finally, the 21,600 immutable

blisses exhaust the 2r,6oo karmic energies, and one attains the realization of

Kalacakra. By means of the purification of the four types of drops, one

manifestly attains the four bodies, which entails the state of Kalacakra.

This short six-session guru yoga sadhana includes all the essential points

of the path. This is His Holiness the Dalai Lama's regular Kalacakra prac­

tice. When giving the Kalacakra initiation, however, His Holiness engages

in a much more elaborate practice of the body, speech, and mind, visual­

ization and preparation of the mai].4ala, self-initiation, and so forth.

This is a rough explanation of the symbolism involved. There are more

elaborate explanations of the symbolic significance of all the deities of the

mal).4ala, but we do not need to give them here.

There is a slight distinction between the texts of the six-session guru yoga

and the initiation. Between the two elements of space and primordial

wisdom, it is said that the element of space is included in the element of

primordial wisdom. The buddha associated with the element of space is

.Alqobhya, and Vajrasattva is the buddha associated with primordial

wisdom. The text of the sadhana explicitly states that the deity visualized

on the crown of the head of Kalacakra is Vajrasattva. I do not know

whether there is some special meaning to this Vajrasattva crown or whether

it is simply a mistake in the text. At the point in the initiation text that

describes the bestowal of the initiation, the deity emerging from the crown

of the head ofKalacakra is identified as .Alqobhya. Similarly, when the same

process occurs for Vajravega, the wrathful form of Kalacakra, again the

deity to emerge from the crown of the head is .Alqobhya. I cannot make a

definitive statement about Vajrasattva, but in terms of meaning, it seems

that .Alqobhya is more appropriate. In both the sadhana and the initiation

text, Vajrasattva is the deity at the crown of the heads ofVisvamata and the

eight saktis.

Deepening Your Understanding I7)

THE FIVE TATHAGATAS AND THEIR ATTRIBUTES

A few more comments might be worthwhile regarding the five tathagatas,

or the five buddha classes. There are some differences between the general

presentation and the one found in the .Kalacakra Tantra. The discussion

here follows the general presentation, so it will not necessarily accord with

the Kiilacakra Tantra. When both types of obscurations, cognitive and afflictive, are totally dis­

pelled, the five aggregates are purified. At the time of fruition, we have the

five types of primordial wisdom and the five tathagatas, which are of the

same nature.

r. Delusion produces the form aggregate. Through purification, the

affliction of delusion transforms!? into the mirror-like primordial

wisdom, which suggests the simultaneous general appearance of objects.

The form aggregate transforms into V airocana. Vairocana' s body is

white, and he holds a wheel. The symbolic meaning is that in order to

dispel ignorance and delusion, the wheel of Dharma must be turned.

2. When the feeling aggregate is purified, it transforms into

Ratnasambhava. Pride produces the feelings of pleasure and pain. By

purifying the mental affliction of pride, the feeling aggregate is trans­

formed into the primordial wisdom of equality, which entails

even-mindedness. Ratnasambhava is yellow. In his hands he holds a

jewel symbolizing the increase of Dharma and wealth.

3· Purification of the aggregate of recognition transforms it into

Amitabha. It is chiefly desire that produces the recognition aggregate.

Through the purification of desire, this aggregate is transformed into

the primordial wisdom of discernment, which distinguishes between

diverse objects. Amitabha is red and he holds a lotus. A lotus arises

from mud, symbolizing that although the five primordial wisdoms

arise from the desire for sensual objects, they are not tainted by such

desire.

4· Through purification, the aggregate of compositional factors trans­

forms into Amoghasiddhi. It is said that i~ is chiefly jealousy that

produces the aggregate of compositional factors. Jealousy is trans­

formed into the primordial wisdom of accomplishment, the wisdom

that realizes what needs to be done. Amoghasiddhi is green and holds

The Ka/4cakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I76

a sword. The sword symbolizes the performance of various deeds, and

is related to the cutting of the knot of jealousy.

5· The aggregate of consciousness is transformed into Alqobhya. It is dif­

ficult to understand how it can be said that hatred produces the

aggregate of consciousness. Be that as it may, hatred is transformed

into the primordial wisdom of the absolute nature of reality. This pri­

mordial wisdom includes all the five forms of primordial wisdom,

among which it is the principal one. The other four types of primor­

dial wisdom are aspects or functions that it performs. Alqobhya is blue

and holds a vajra, which symbolizes a primordial wisdom that cannot

be disturbed by hatred . .Alqobhya means "unmovable," and the vajra

itself is a symbol of immutability.

Among the five mental afflictions, the one that provides the basis for the

other four is delusion. Among the five aggregates, form provides the basis

for the others. In dependence upon the form aggregate, pride, jealousy, hatred, and desire arise.

Vajrasattva is not included among the five tathagatas; he is separate.

Nevertheless, he is in the crown of the consort. I expect that he is associat­

ed with especially strong desire for sexual orgasm.

The extremely subtle life-sustaining energy goes through the central

channel. It is said that this central energy is endowed with light rays of five

colors. Blue is associated with Alqobhya and symbolizes the energy flowing

through the central channel. The white light ray symbolizes Vairocana. The

other buddha classes have a corresponding relation to the remaining colors.

The five subsidiary rays of light coming from the extremely subtle life-sus­

taining energy correspond to the five tathagatas.

The five elements are symbolized by the five consorts. The earth element

is of the Vairocana class. Water goes to two classes, Ratnasambhava and

Alqobhya. Fire is associated with the class of Amitabha, and air with

Amoghasiddhi. We can say that space and consciousness are associated with

.A.lq~bhya. The elements relate to those classes of tathagatas, and in the

purified form they arise as the consorts.

When one's meditation advances to a high degree, it is possible to see the

five colors oflight rays associated with the very subtle life-sustaining energy.

Deepening Your Understanding I77

13

lfooking the Hearts of u1lll(glacakras

How Do WE BENEFIT OTHERs?

To paraphrase a quotation from the siitras, "I bow to Gautama, the

Buddha. With great compassion he taught the Dharma in order to dispel

the obscurations and ignorance of sentient beings."

The point of attaining perfect awakening is to be of benefit to sentient

beings by alleviating their suffering and bringing them to a state of genuine

happiness. Does this mean that we should try to satisfy every desire of every

sentient being? Not necessarily. There is no guarantee that satisfying every

desire of an individual will truly be of benefit to that person. If satisfying

our desires brought us to the culmination of the path, all the buddhas and

bodhisattvas would surround us as servants. But if all our desires were met,

our difficulties would become worse, and we would have more and more

problems. Satisfying every desire would not be of greatest benefit to us.

Rather, the buddhas and bodhisattvas serve and benefit us by identifying

the causes of our suffering, the very distortions of our minds, such as desire,

anger, and delusion. If we do not recognize these as distortions of the mind,

the buddhas and bodhisattvas cannot help us. In a frequently quoted state­

ment, the Buddha said that the awakened ones are not able to cleanse with

water our unwholesome deeds or habitual propensities, nor can they

remove our suffering as if pulling out a thorn. Rather, they serve us by

teaching the Dharma. The buddhas and bodhisattvas explain how to over­

come our present mental state by cultivating a wholesome state of mind,

which brings about well-being. Though all phenomena are in fact devoid of

inherent existence, we nevertheless falsely grasp onto them as being truly

existent. So the buddhas reveal this and show us the ultimate nature of exis­

tence, which is the lack of inherent existence of all phenomena.

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I78

It is difficult to alleviate the suffering of others, that is, to alleviate the

sources of suffering that are the mental afflictions, if one is still subject to

those mental afflictions. Therefore, the first task is to diminish the

distortions of one's own mind. That is the supreme method for serving

others.

SENDING OuT VAJRAVEGAS

The principal deities emit from their hearts terrifying Vajravegas Holding various weapons, Who draw in well a host of protectors dwelling in countless realms; And they become of one taste with the samayasattvas.

The "principal deities" are Kalacakra, his consort, and the eight saktis. The

fact that the deities "emit from their hearts terrifying Vajravegas" symbol­

izes that as soon as we are born from the womb, the energy of primordial

wisdom starts to flow. On all the emanated Vajravegas we visualize the four

syllables: the white O'f!l at the forehead, the red iip at the throat, the blue

hu'f!l at the heart, and the yellow ho at the navel.

Vajravega' s Form

The complete form ofVajravega is identical to that ofKalacakra except that

he has two extra hands. The right one is red, and the left one is yellow, and

they hold up an elephant skin behind him. The right hand of Vajravega

holds the left foreleg of the elephant, and the left hand holds the left hind

leg of the elephant. The symbolism of those extra two hands is as follows:

Recall that Kalacakra has twenty-four hands, which represent the waning

and waxing phases of the moon during the twelve months. According to the

lunar-based astronomical system, occasionally there is an extra month per

year. The extra month will have a waning and waxing phase of the moon as

well, symbolized by Vajravega's two extra hands.

The Ten Niigas Vajravega has six types of bone ornaments, and coiled around those orna­

ments are snakes. When referring to the six types of ornaments, bear in

mind that the anklets and the bracelets are included in one category. If we

categorize those as two pairs, we would have four extra snakes, totaling ten

Hooking the Heart of All Kiilacakras I79

snakes for the six types of ornaments. The ten snakes are in the aspect of

nii.gas, as described in chart II.

Chart II. The Ten Nagas

Naga Location Color

Jaya (Tib. rgyal ba) crown green

Vijaya (Tib. rnam rgya~ ribbon blue

Kulika (Tib. rigs !dan) necklace white

Ananta (Tib. mtha'yas) belt white

Karkop (Tib. stabs rgyu) ear black

Padma (Tib. pad ma) ear black

Vasuki (Tib. nor rgya~ bracelet red

Sankhapii.la (Tib. dung skyon~ bracelet red

Ta4aka (Tib. Jogpo) ankle yellow

Mahapadma (Tib. pad ma chen po) ankle yellow

The Six Types of Bone Ornaments

At the crown ofVajravega is a wheel with eight spokes. In the center of the

wheel is a blue half-vajra with five spokes. Three of the spokes of the wheel

point to the front, three point to the back, and one points over the ears.

On the tips of the wheel spokes are five human skulls. The holes of the

eyes are very big, and there are fangs in the mouth. On each of the skulls

are five bone prongs from which the five buddha classes emerge. Two strings

of bone beads are strung from mouth to mouth between the human skulls.

In addition three bone pendants hang down from above the eyebrows of the

skulls. The left pendant is a yak-tail, the handle of which is wrapped with a

gold thread; the middle pendant is a bell; and the right pendant is a lotus.

On the top of the head, the hair falls loosely through the spokes of the

wheel. Both the wheel and the hair are transparent. At each ear there is a

bone wheel with six spokes from which hang three bone pendants. At the

neck there is a bone wheel with sixteen spokes. On the back side of the neck

and on each shoulder is a bone wheel with six spokes. The strands of bone

beads that hold the wheels together form a diagonally woven band. Three

pendants hang from each of the four bone wheels. The bracelet on the inside

of the arm has a bone wheel with six spokes, and the one on the outside of

The Kdlacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga z8o

the arm has a bone wheel with three spokes. The two wheels are again con­

nected with bone rosaries that form a diagonally woven band. Again, three

pendants hang from the inside of the bracelets.

There are also armlets at each upper arm with two bone wheels. The out­

side one has six spokes, and the inside one has three spokes. These are

connected with diagonally woven bands of beads. Three pendants come

from the front and back wheels.

There are two anklets with wheels. The one on the outside has six

spokes, and the inside wheel has three spokes. The connection between the

two wheels is the diagonally woven band of two strands of beads. On the

top of the anklets are three pendants facing upward.

The breastplate is in the form of a wheel with eight spokes. Another

wheel at the back also has eight spokes. Two bands of diagonally woven

beads crisscross from front to back to hold the wheels together. One set

goes under the arms, and the other over the shoulder. From the bottom of

the wheel three pendants hang, and three face upward. The same pendants

are at the back wheel.

There is a bone belt that has a front wheel with four spokes and a back

wheel with six spokes. Over each hip is a wheel with six spokes each,

making a total of four wheels connected with the diagonally woven bands

of three strings of beads. From the belt hang bone beads long enough to

form a short skirt. At the ends of these strands are again pendants of yak­

tails, bells, and lotuses.

These ornaments are described in the Yamantaka generation stage. On

the basis of the description of the wheel of protection, which is not includ­

ed in the Kalacakra text, it seems that Vajravega does not have a consort.

Vajravega's Activity

Like Kalacakra, Vajravega suppresses Mara and Rudra beneath his two feet.

This is a kind of wrathful activity, and its significance implicitly relates to

both Kalacakra and Vajravega. Suppressing Mara beneath the right foot

symbolizes the overcoming of the four miiras. The way of understanding the

four maras in the Kalacakra system is different from that in other systems:

•:• The obscurations of the body are called the mara of the aggregates.

•:• The obscurations of speech are called the mara of the mental afflictions.

Hooking the Heart of All Kdlacakras 181

•!• The mara of the Lord of Death refers to the obscurations of the mind.

·:· The mara known as Devaputra refers to the ignorance that gives rise

to karma.

Suppressing the god Rudra beneath the left foot symbolizes the overcom­

ing of the four mental afflictions: desire, hatred, ignorance, and pride.

The suppression of Mara and Rudra beneath the feet also symbolizes the

blocking of the left and right channels. The energies in the left and right

channels are brought into the central channel, and the left and right chan­

nels become empty because the energy is flowing entirely through the

central channel.

At this point in the practice, we visualize ourselves as Kalacakra with

consort. At the hiirrz syllable at the heart, visualize a Vajravega and send him

out with an exhalation. I surmise that since it is going out with the exhala­

tion, we might send it out through the nostrils. We can send out either one

Vajravega or many. In the latter visualization, innumerable Vajravegas are

emitted in all directions, like bees out of a bee hive. Alternatively, simply

visualize one Vajravega going out with innumerable rays of light emanating

from his heart. Either way, Vajravega invites all of the Kalacakras with con­

sorts from all directions. Vajravega holds in his dominant right hand a hook

and in his left hand a lasso. He symbolically hooks the hearts of Kalacakras

in all directions and binds them with his lasso. All of those Kalacakras with

consorts and the eight sakt:is are invited to the space before you. Offerings

are made, and then they dissolve into you, the chief deity with consort.

The deities we have already generated are called the samayasattvas. The

ones we have invited are called the jfianasattvas. Then the two become of

the same taste, which means of the same nature.

The jfianasattvas may be dissolved into the samayasattvas in one of two

ways. We can invite countless beings and imagine them converging into ten

groups of ten, corresponding to Kalacakra with consort and the eight sakt:is.

Then we can have each of the ten dissolve into each of the ten

samayasattvas. This is one possibility. Alternatively, we can have them all

converge into one set of ten, in which case it is as if each jfianasattva is a

replica of a samayasattva. One comes right above the other and then dis­

solves into it. The ferocious way in which Vajravega invites beings, with

hook and lasso, is probably meant to suggest a very swift merging of the

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 182

two. When Vajravega is doing all these impressive things, he seems quite

awe-inspiring. When he comes back home, the only place he can go is back

into our own heart, and that is where he dissolves.

INVITING THE INITIATION DEITIES

The empowering deities grant the initiation, and the lord of the class Marks the tops of the heads of the principal deities and the entourage.

Once again, rays of light are emitted from the hiirJ1 at one's heart, inviting

all the buddhas of the ten directions in the form of the initiating deities.

These deities have different ornaments with which they bestow initiation.

We may imagine this initiation in an elaborate way, including all seven of

the initiations, or in a simple way, entailing just the water initiation.

Through the process of initiation, all internal impurities are dispelled,

and all stains are purified. The ambrosia with which one is initiated comes

to the crown of the head of oneself as Kalacakra and then overflows on the

crown of the principal deity into the form of .Ak§obhya, who is the lord of

this class of Kalacakra. A similar process occurs for the consort; here the

lord of the class is Vajrasattva. These are the complete forms of .Ak§obhya

and Vajrasattva, not just the head. They are, however, in their nirmal).akaya

aspects, so they are not replete with all of the adornments and ornaments

of the sambhogakaya.

Recall that the phase of the practice with the eight saktis on the lotuses

symbolizes birth, the emergence from the womb. The phase of practice

starting with the Vajravega going out from the heart ofKalacakra up to the

present point corresponds to the ordinary activity of an infant learning how

to use the faculties of action.

The formation of the mal).4ala up to this point of the actual sadhana is

called the supreme sovereign mal).4ala (Tib. dkyil 'khor rgyal mchog). The

process is more elaborate in the actual extensive mal).4ala, entailing an elab­

orate presentation of supreme sovereign actions (Tib. las kyi rgyal mcho~ of

emitting light and so forth. What is being presented here is just the quin­

tessence of the supreme sovereign actions.

Hooking the Heart of All Kdlacakras r83

14

'Bindu Yoga and Subtle Yoga

Next there are two types of yoga to be practiced, the yoga of

the drops, or hindu yoga (Tib. thig le'i rna! 'byor), and subtle yoga (Skt.

siikfma yoga, Tib. phra mo 'i rna! 'by or). Both the hindu yoga and the subtle

yoga prepare one for the completion stage practices. Both yogas involve a

practice exclusive to a tantra in which the experience of sensual objects is

transformed into the path. For us, the practice is one of engaging in each of

these phases by the power of imagination.

THE BrNou YoGA

In the practice of hindu yoga, one visualizes for oneself as the principal

deity and for the consort a white 01J2 on the forehead, a red ab at the throat,

a dark blue hii1p at the heart, a yellow ho at the navel, a blue ha1p at the gen­

ital cakras, and a green ha at the crown of the head.

Then, as in the wisdom-gnosis initiation, one dissolves the genital region

into emptiness. From emptiness one visualizes the syllable hii1p, and that

transforms into a blue, five-pronged vajra. The tip of the vajra is blocked

with a yellow syllable phaf, and the top of the phat is inserted into the tip

of the vajra to block the descending energy. All downward expulsion, as in

the processes of urination and defecation, is brought about by the descend­

ing energy. The idea is to block that downward motion.

Then one dissolves the genital region of the consort, and from emptiness

there arises the syllable ab. That transforms into light, and the light trans­

forms into a red, eight-petaled lotus. The center of the red, eight-petaled

lotus is similarly blocked with a yellow syllable phat. One chants the syllable

hii1p as if singing a song. Then, with the pride of being Vajradhara­

Vajradhara refers here to Vajrasattva-one enters into union with the consort.

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga r84

One should engage in the union with the three attitudes previously mentioned.

When one experiences bliss, it is indispensable to meditate on emptiness.

According to the oral transmissions of the junior tutor of His Holiness

the Dalai Lama, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, the central channels of the deity

and consort are touching, and the descending energy emerges from the cen­tral channel of the consort. By the force of their union, the descending

energy is actually emitted from the central channel of the consort into the

central channel of the male deity. The energy strikes the ho syllable at the

male deity's naval cakra, and this causes the tummo flame to blaze up from

the navel like pure lightning.

That current of descending energy is now moving upward, pushing the

tummo fire up through the central channel. The five mat;J.<;lalas of the ener­

gies of the nature of the five aggregates course through the left channel. In

the right channel flow the mai).<;lalas of the energies of the five elements,

which in their divine form are the five consorts. The heat ofthe tummo fire

burns up the energies in the side channels, blocking the normal flow of

these energies. As a result, one's sense faculties of vision and so forth are not

able to function. The tummo fire then reaches up to the hii syllable at the

crown of the head.

The hii syllable symbolizes the white bodhicitta. As if the moon were

melting and dripping down moon droplets, the white bodhicitta at the

crown is heated by the tummo fire and melts. When the drops of white

bodhicitta descend from the crown of the head to the throat, one experi­

ences bliss; when it descends from the throat to the level of the heart, one

experiences supreme bliss; and when it descends to the level of the navel,

one experiences extraordinary bliss. In each of these stages the bliss becomes

greater, so a different name is given to each. When the drop of the white

bodhicitta arrives at the tip of the jewel, it is blocked by the syllable phap, and, as a result of its not being emitted, one experiences innate bliss. This

practice is called hindu yoga. On the stage of generation, the four types of

bliss i:hat are experienced thereby are called the four descending blisses.

THE SuBTLE YoGA

Much of the practice of subtle yoga is the same as hindu yoga in terms of

the visualization, the union, and so forth. However, in the subtle yoga, the

Bindu Yoga and Subtle Yoga I8)

white bodhicitta, having arrived at the tip of the jewel of the vajra, now

ascends. As it ascends to the level of the navel cakra, one experiences bliss;

when it arrives at the heart, one experiences supreme bliss; when it arrives

at the throat, one experiences extraordinary bliss; and when it arrives at the

crown of the head, one experiences innate bliss. Bear in mind that this is

not a stacking process, but simply the movement of the drop, up and down.

If one has good habitual propensities for the practice of visualization with

the divine pride, it will actually lead to such blisses.

In this practice, there is a special, quintessential instruction to prevent

emission of the white bodhicitta. The two hands are clenched as vajra fists.

The left hand is on the inside, the right hand is on the outside, and both

are clasped over the two breasts. One draws one's abdomen in to flatten it

against the spine, and gazes up to the sky. Then one forcefully clenches the

toes, and very forcefully utters either hii1[l or phaf. With a bit of practice,

this will certainly cause the white bodhicitta to turn around, if not the first

time, then the second time. It will come with practice.

The situation is like this. In phase one there is a definite danger of white

bodhicitta being emitted; in phase two you do all of the preceding practice,

and you manage to reverse the white bodhicitta. Keeping everything con­

tracted like that, however, will make one ill. Therefore, in phase three, a

kind of diffusion yoga must follow. The diffusion yoga is done in this way:

Clench the two hands in vajra fists at the base of the thighs. Then shake the

body somewhat and simultaneously perform a little vase meditation at the

abdomen. With that, you will have a sense of diffusion of the white bodhi­

citta.

Although it is not very clear in the text, I infer that the supreme sover­

eign maJ:.14ala practice purifies the drop of the waking state at the forehead;

the supreme sovereign action purifies the drop of the dream state at the

throat; the hindu yoga purifies the drop of the sleep state at the heart; and

the subtle yoga purifies the drop of the fourth occasion at the navel. This is

a logical inference, which is not explicitly stated in the text.

Bliss arises and one meditates on emptiness. From that emptiness again

one visualizes one's own lotus seat, one's own body as the deiry with con­

sort and the various saktis. One thinks of all these as being of the nature of

bliss-emptiness.

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga r86

It is said that one's own primordial wisdom of bliss and emptiness

should appear in the very form of the deities of the mal}.cj.ala. Other people

say that one focuses upon the divine form while ascertaining its non-inher­

ent existence. The phrasing is different, but the essential point is really the

same.

The deity yoga in the generation stage can be followed in two ways, one

emphasizing the profound, the other emphasizing the vast aspects of the

path. Profundity is emphasized by meditating on emptiness and having that

very awareness of emptiness manifest in the divine form. In the practice of

the profound, by the realization of emptiness, the accumulation of knowl­

edge is completed. To emphasize vastness in the practice, meditate on

emptiness, and as your awareness of emptiness arises in the various forms of

the deities, have them arise without limitation of location or time. In other

words, they have no borders. By the very appearance of that realization of

emptiness as the divine forms, you accumulate merit.

Knowledge is accumulated in one way, and merit in the other. A unique­

ly profound aspect of tantric practice is that at the time of fruition, the body

and mind of the buddha are of the same nature, and, similarly, during the

path of practice, the accumulations of knowledge and merit are inseparable.

Bindu Yoga and Subtle Yoga I87

15

cMantra ~citation

PURE VISION AND DIVINE PRIDE

At this point in the practice it is good to cultivate what is called pure vision.

Pure vision and divine pride at the stage of generation entail suppressing

ordinary vision and ordinary pride. Right now, we have an ordinary vision

of our environment, body, and resources. These are supplanted by the visu­

alizations of the mai).c;lala and its inhabitants, and that suppresses the

previous ordinary vision. The visualizations ovetwhelm ordinary appear­

ances, and divine pride-the thought, "I am Kalacakra, and this whole

mai).c;lala is of the nature of my primordial wisdom of bliss and empti­

ness"-ovetwhelms ordinary pride.

By the cultivation of pure vision and divine pride, the immediate condi­

tions for ordinary pride and ordinary vision are suspended. Those ordinary

states are ovetwhelmed and replaced by pure vision and divine pride.

Between the pure vision and the divine pride, the latter is more important,

and the pure vision of the divine form brings forth a stable divine pride.

Ordinarily, we accumulate karma by distinguishing between one thing

and another. On the stage of generation there are said to be practitioners of

four types: those who lack both the divine pride and the pure vision; those

who excel in divine pride, but lack pure vision; those who have pure vision

but lack divine pride; and those who have both the pure vision and the

divine pride. Whatever one's predisposition, whatever one's talent may be,

one needs both in the process of the stage of generation. Practice will lead

to the cultivation of both.

In order to cultivate pure vision, do a rough overall visualization and see

what comes most clearly to mind. Focus upon that, and then as you devel­

op stability, gradually extend the clarity that has been gained. If you put too

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga r88

much effort into getting a vivid visualization, though, it will be an obstacle

rather than an aid to actual pure vision.

It is said that if you fail to get clarity, you must investigate and scrutinize

the problem. If the visualization is lost, remind yourself of the form of the

head, the arms, the legs, and so forth. After refreshing the memory and

gaining some stability, abide there. When things start fading again, repeat

the exercise, part by part, and re-establish the visualization. When you

accomplish some stability in the visualization, awareness is brought in. You

recognize that this is of the nature of the wisdom of emptiness and bliss,

and you identify with it and develop divine pride. You should alternate

between the pure vision aspect and the divine pride aspect.

THE MAJ:JJ;)ALA DEITIES AND THEIR MANTRAS

The seed syllables at the hearts of the principal deities and entourage Are each surrounded by garlands of their own mantras, Emitting a host of ma?JrJala deities who serve the needs of animate beings, Then return and dissolve into the seed syllable at their hearts.

The principal deities, of course, are Kalacakra and consort, and the

entourage is comprised of the eight saktis. The mal)4ala deities are emitted

from the seed syllables. They go into union and give the initiation of the

bodhicitta to sentient beings, and make offerings to the buddhas and

bodhisattvas of the ten directions. They bring all sentient beings to their

own state of enlightenment.

KALACAKRA's MANTRA

01(l iii; hii1(l ho ha1flk1amalavaraya hii1(l phat When we are not very well trained in the common path, it is a good idea

to reflect upon its elements while reciting the mantras. Then there is a

better chance of this practice being virtuous. In addition, just before the

recitation of the mantras it is important to make a special point of visualiz­

ing oneself as, and identifying with, the deity.

Prior to reciting 01fl iii; hii1(l ho ha1flk1amalavaraya hii1(l phaf, you can

perform the so-called mental recitation. In this practice, you inhale and

imagine the energy of the breath coming in and making the sound 01fl; you

imagine the energy residing at your heart making the sound hii1(l; and as

Mantra Recitation r89

you exhale you imagine the breath making the sound ap. It is good to do this twenty-one times.

One visualizes at the heart of the principal deity the seed syllable hibrz surrounded by 01'fl ab hii1'{l ho ha1'flk!amalavaraya hii1'{l phat. Alternatively, one could visualize the ha1'{lk!amalavaraya in the center and 01'fl ab hii1'{l ho phat around the periphery. Though it would be reasonable, it is not really clear whether or not the second procedure is correct.

Looking at the multicolored picture of the mantra in the Lanca script, we find the seed syllables of four elements within the ha1'{lk,amalavaraya. The internal reference is the seed syllables, and the external reference is the

various m~<;lalas of the four elements. We have the following parts in

ha1'flk!amalavaraya:

.:. Black ya. Air m~<;lala and air element associated with the heart. <- Red ra. Fire m~<;lala and fire element associated with the throat.

·>White va. Water m~<;lala and water element associated with the forehead .

.:. Yellow Ia. Earth mar;t<;lala and earth element associated with the navel.

<• Four colored ma. Mount Meru associated with the spine or the space

between genitals and navel.

•> Green kfa. Consciousness and the variegated lotus visualized but not actually present at the top of Mount Meru. This corresponds to the desire and form realms associated with the genitals.

•:• Blue ha. Space and moon, corresponding to the formless realm asso-ciated with the left channel.

•> Moon crescent. Sun associated with the right channel.

•:• Bindu. Rahu associated with the upper part of the central channel. •> Nada. Kalagni associated with the lower part of the central channel.

<- Evam. Method and wisdom. The form mar;t<;lalas symbolize the four drops, and the ten signs symbolize the ten energies. Upon the basis of these, one generates the experience of

bliss and emptiness in the stage of completion. At the time of fruition, these

can be applied to the form bodies and the ten goddesses.

I am not entirely satisfied with the presentation given here, specifically

the assertion that the color blue symbolizes the moon and the formless

realm. Also, I feel that the head of the syllable hii1'{l should be white, the

The Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 190

crescent moon on top should be red, the hindu should be blue, and the

nada yellow.

VISVAMATA.'s MANTRA

Orrz phrerrz vifvamtitti hurrz hiirrz phat At the heart ofVisvamata you visualize the seed syllable phrerrz, surrounded

on the periphery by the whole mantra. The orrz symbolizes the body, the

first hiirrz the speech, and the second hiirrz, the mind.

MANTRAS OF THE GODDESSES

Orrz dana ptiramitti hurrz hiirrz phap This mantra is associated with Dhuma, who is in the southeast. At the heart

of that goddess is the seed syllable ha surrounded by the mantra.

Orrz fila ptiramitti hurrz hiirrz phap This mantra is associated with Marici, who is in the southwest. At her heart

is the seed syllable hab, around which is the complete mantra.

Orrz ~anti ptiramitti hurrz hiirrz phap To the northeast is Khagamana. At her heart is the seed syllable harrz sur­

rounded by the mantra.

Orrz virya ptiramitti hurrz hiirrz phap In the northwest is Pradipa. At her heart, surrounded by the mantra, is the seed syllable hti.

Orrz dhytina ptiramitti hurrz hiirrz phat To the east we have l<f~q.adipta. At the heart of the goddess is the seed syl­lable a, and around that is the mantra.

Orrz prajfiti ptiramitti hurrz hiirrz phap At the heart of the goddess Visvamata, we already visualized the syllable

phrerrz. That syllable remains but we transform the surrounding mantra into

orrz prajfiti ptiramitti hurrz hiirrz phap. Orrz uptiya ptiramitti hurrz hiirrz phap

In the south is Raktadipta, at whose heart is the seed syllable ab surround­

ed by the mantra.

Orrz pra1}idhtina ptiramitti hurrz hiirrz phat To the north is Svetadipta, at whose heart we visualize the seed syllable arrz surrounded by the mantra.

Mantra Recitation I9I

01'(l bala piiramitii hu1'(l hii1'(l phaf To the west is Pitadipta, at whose heart is the seed syllable ii, surrounded by the mantra.

01'(l jfziina piiramitii hu1'(l hii'f!l phap Then, once again, at the heart ofVi5vamata, leave the phrerp, as before and

transform the previous mantra into 01'fl jfziina piiramitii hu1'(l hii1'(l phap.

THE ONE-HUNDRED-SYLLABLE MANTRA

01'(l vajrasattva samayam anupiilaya vajrasattva tvenopafi!pha dr¢ho me

bhava sutO!JO me bhava supo!JO me bhava anurakto me bhava sarva siddhi1'(l me prayaccha sarva karme!U ca me citta1'(l friya1'(l kuru hii1'(l ha ha ha ha hop bhagavan sarvatathiigata vajra mii me mufzca vajri bhava mahiisamaya sattva iip hii1'(l phap

During the recitation of the one-hundred-syllable mantra, we visualize

Vajrasattva above the crown of the head of each of the nine deities (count­

ing Kalacakra and consort as one, plus eight saktis). At the heart of the

Vajrasattvas we visualize the syllable hii1'(l surrounded by the one-hundred­

syllable mantra. As we recite the mantra, we imagine ambrosia coming

down, purifying each of the deities, and thereby purifying any unwhole­

some habitual propensities to mistaken pronunciations, whether additions

or subtractions, during the recitation of the preceding mantras.

RECITING THE MANTRAS

You can recite the Kalacakra mantra somewhat more than the consort's

mantra. If you want to do the recitations in accordance with the sadhana,

then as you recite the mantra, you visualize rays of light coming from the

mantras at the hearts of the deities, serving the needs of sentient beings, and

making offerings to the buddhas and bodhisattvas of all directions. As you

make these offerings, it is good to recite 01'fl iip hii1'(l ho three times. Because

it is not appropriate to make ordinary offerings, visualize the offerings dis­

solving into emptiness and then from the nature of primordial wisdom

arising in the nature of ambrosia. Then imagine the rays coming back and

merging into the mantra.

Alternatively, as you recite the mantras you can reflect on other topics such

as the cultivation ofloving kindness, compassion, or the view of emptiness.

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I92

In the hii1Jl hii1Jl phapat the end of each of these mantras, the second hii1Jl always stands for the mind. The syllable phat generally means "to set or place," but here it means "to eradicate," pertaining to the eradication of all

conceptual elaborations and dualistic appearances. Some people interpret it

as a supplication meaning "Please bestow siddhi." These two interpreta­

tions have almost the same meaning.

MANTRA RECITATION FOR A PROPITIATORY RETREAT

In a propitiatory retreat (Tib. snyen pa), you recite the Kalacakra mantra 01Jl

ii/p hii1Jl ho ha1Jlkfamalavaraya hii1JZ phat 10o,ooo times. It is probably suffi­

cient to recite the Visvamata mantra 01Jl phre1Jl vifvamiitii hu1JZ hii1JZ phat 10,000 times, and that should implicitly cover all the other mantras. On the

other hand, there are some people who say that one does not need to give

special emphasis to the Visvamata mantra, but that one should do all ten of

them.

Once you have completed the propitiatory retreat, you are allowed to do

other practices such as the self-initiation. A propitiatory retreat can be done

with this six-session guru yoga text, but it is questionable whether it would

count as a fully authentic propitiatory retreat, allowing you then to engage

in the self-initiation practice. For this you would have to ask His Holiness

the Dalai Lama.

To perform a propitiatory retreat I suggest that you do the entire guru

yoga once in the morning, and for the later sessions throughout the day you can do a more abbreviated form. After reciting the principal mantra

10o,ooo times and the 01Jl phre1Jl mantra ro,ooo times, you should slowly

recite another 10,000 of what is called the mantra of descending wisdom,

OI'Jl ii/p hiii'Jl ho ha1Jlkfamalavaraya hiii'Jl ha a je hiii'Jl phap. Recite the one-hundred-syllable mantra once or three times, as you wish.

Mantra Recitation I93

16

Offerings

Next you make offerings, which have to be blessed first. The

way to do this is to recite the syllables orrz iii; hiirrz ho, and then imagine the

offerings transforming into the ambrosia of wisdom. In that process, you

dissolve them into emptiness, and from emptiness you generate them into

the wisdom of bliss and emptiness in the form of ambrosia.

The offerings have three qualities: they are of the nature of wisdom, they

appear in the aspect of offering substances, and they have the function of

bringing forth undefiled bliss (Tib. zag med kyi bde ba).

THE OFFERING SUBSTANCES

From my heart are emitted offering goddesses who make offerings: Orrz fri kiilacakra sapariviira argharrz praticcha nama!; Orrz fri kiilacakra sapariviira piidyarrz praticcha nama!; Orrz fri kiilacakra sapariviira prokfat;arrz praticcha nama!; Orrz fri kiilacakra sapariviira arrzcamanarrz praticcha nama!; Orrz fri kiilacakra sapariviira pU-fpe praticcha nama!; Orrz fri kiilacakra sapariviira dhiipe praticcha nama!; Orrz fri kiilacakra sapariviira iiloke praticcha nama!; Orrz fri kiilacakra sapariviira gandhe praticcha nama!; Orrz fri kiilacakra sapariviira naividya praticcha nama!; Orrz fri kiilacakra sapariviira fabda praticcha namal;

Orrz fri kiilacakra mm:zrjala sapariviiribhyal; namal; From our heart we emanate these ten offering goddesses who hold the offer­

ing substances. Argharrz is water for drinking; piidyarrz is water for bathing

the feet; prokfattarrz is water for washing the genital area; arrzcamana1J'l is

water for cleansing the mouth; PU!Pe are flowers for the hair; dhiipe is

The Ka!acakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 194

incense; iiloke are butter lamps; gandhe is fragrant water for anointing the chest; naividya is food; fabda is music.

The word namab suggests different things in different contexts, some­times name, sometimes obeisance, and sometimes offering. Here it means

offering.

THE OFFERING MuoR.As For each of the offerings, while reciting 01JZ fri kiilacakra sapariviira, we snap

our fingers in front of our heart and simultaneously emanate these god­

desses who make offerings to us while we are in the form of Kalacakra.

In the Kalacakra system, unlike other tantras, we use the index finger

when snapping the fingers. When emanating a goddess, the right hand is

facing forward and the left hand is facing backward. The left hand is out in

front. Imagine pushing off the offering goddesses with the right hand. The

hands turn over, so they are both facing forward. You say 01JZ and snap your

fingers. Then you rotate the rwo hands and continue the phrase, saying

argha1JZ, with the palms up together and the thumbs tucked in. As soon as

you have said argha1JZ praticcha namab, both of your palms are facing

toward you, with the right hand out front and the left hand closer to your

body. Snap your fingers again with the index finger and draw the offering

goddess back into your heart. This movement is called the lotus cycle. As soon as you have snapped the first one in, snap the second goddess out,

then do the lotus cycle. Do this for each offering goddess. The mudras, or hand gestures, for each substance are done like this:

•> With argharp, the palms are up together with the thumbs tucked in.

•:• With padyarp, the left hand is down, the fingers dangle, and the fin-

gers of the right hand open like a fan.

•:· For pro4at].arp, the small fingers and the ring fingers are held in with

the thumb, and you throw out the index finger and the middle finger

together. This flicking is for the cleansing water.

•:• Arp.carnanarp is for cleansing the mouth. Here the ring finger and the

thumb are touching, and you fan the other fingers with the sense of

sending out water.

•:• For pu~pe, the flowers, the fingers explode out, as if tossing the blos­

soms out into the air.

Offerings 195

•:• With dhupe, fan the fingers down, as if sprinkling powdered incense

down onto the coal so that the fragrant smoke comes rising up.

<• For aloke, the middle finger is up, touched by the thumb, and the

other fingers are curled around.

•> For gandhe, the two index fingers point straight forward, the thumbs

are tucked into the hands, with the fingers and palms up.

•> Naividya is very simple: the thumbs are tucked in, and the palms face

upward. The difference between this and argharp is that for the latter,

the fingers are straight, and for naividya they are a little bit bent.

•> With sabda, the index and the middle fingers are upright, the thumb

touches the ring finger, and the ring finger and the little finger are

bent. This symbolizes hand drums.

This is a time when a picture would be worth a thousand words!

INNER OFFERING

The final line, OY(l fri kiilacakra marz~la sapariviiribhya/:J nama/:J, is for the

inner offering. The inner offering is comprised of two groups of ingredients

that are blessed by the syllables OY(l ii/:J hu'Y(l ho. The syllables dissolve the

offerings into emptiness and then generate them out of primordial wisdom.

One of the groups is called the five fleshes: flesh from a bovine animal, an

elephant, a horse, a dog, and a human. The bovine creature is a powerful

animal, like a king of beasts, with a square head, possibly a buffalo. The ele­

phant is quite extraordinary, for it is the mount of a cakravartin, a world

emperor. The horse is called a supreme steed. What is called a dog is, in

fact, a lion. The human flesh is from what is literally called a seven-lived

brahmin, which refers not to an actual brahmin, but to a person who has

taken rebirth as a human being in seven consecutive lifetimes.

The other group is the five ambrosias: semen, marrow, blood, urine, and

excrement. They symbolize the five tathagatas, and they symbolize the five

elements in the following way. In the body we have energies associated with

the five aggregates and energies of the five elements. Through meditation

we seek to stop these energies flowing through the side channels and to

bring them instead into the central channel, which leads to the experience

of great bliss. This is the actual process symbolized by the various fleshes

and ambrosias and their transformations. In the Kalacakra system, the five

The Ktilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I96

fleshes symbolize the five consorts, and the five ambrosias symbolize the five

tathagatas.

We bless the ingredients of the inner offering by saying the four syllables

O'f!l iii; hii'f!l ho, dissolving the ingredients into emptiness, and generating

them, as before, out of primordial wisdom. They are thereby transformed

into the five fleshes and the five ambrosias.

Then we make the offerings to the lineage gurus, to Kalacakra, and to

the various deities. We can also offer them to all sentient beings, whom we

imagine as Kalacakra. Imagine the principal deity and all of the surround­

ing deities experiencing undefiled bliss.

SECRET OFFERING

You may also make the secret offering in the following way. Visualize your­

self with consort, as done previously in the hindu yoga, and bless the two

genital regions. Then, in union, experience the four descending blisses and

the four ascending blisses, and offer that experience.

Rasavajra, the offering goddesses associated with taste, is emanated for

this final offering. Upon completion of the secret offering, she is drawn

back into the heart.

Offerings I97

17

Praise and rnedication

HOMAGE TO KALACAKRA

Homage to the glorious Kiilacakra,

Having the nature of emptiness and compassion, Who is without birth or destruction in the three realms of cyclic existence,

The embodiment of unified consciousness and the object of consciousness. In this context, compassion refers to the immutable bliss that realizes

emptiness. The phrase "without birth or destruction" refers to the blocking

of the extremes of both existence and of quietism. Saying that Kalacakra is

without birth in cyclic existence suggests the absence of sarpsara, which is

one of the extremes of existence. Being free of destruction refers to the

absence of the extreme of quietism. Freedom from these two extremes is the

essence of emptiness and compassion.

The fourth line refers to the special qualities of both the body and mind

of Kalacakra. Consciousness refers here to immutable bliss, and the object

of consciousness is empty form. This does not imply that immutable bliss

knows the object of empty form, but rather, that immutable bliss and

empty form are of the same nature. Immutable bliss might be likened to

a television screen, and empty form to the images that appear on the

screen.

Describing Kalacakra as glorious means that he is endowed with the glory

of the body and mind of the buddha, and also with the glory of immutable

bliss. I have already explained the outer, inner, and other aspects of

Kalacakra. Here, Kalacakra refers to Kalacakra at the time of fruition,

namely, the Buddha Kalacakra, not the outer or the other Kalacakra.

I bow to Kalacakra,

Whose embodiment is born from the immutable,

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga I98

Even though the absorption of the ali and lcili As well as such syllables as hli!Tl and pha! have been eliminated.

Ali symbolizes the masculine gender, the vowels, and skillful means. Kiili symbolizes the feminine gender, the consonants, and wisdom. To the prac­

titioner on the stage of generation, the visualized Kalacakra arises from ali and Vi5vamata arises from kali. From the union of those two arises hiirJ1. From the hii'f!l arises the vajra of the male deity, which is blocked at the tip

by the syllable phaf. The implication is that the lotus of the consort arises

from ap and is also blocked by phaf. In the process of the generation stage, the deity and consort, as well as

the vajra and lotus, are generated from the ali and kali syllables. In the stage

of completion, even in the absence of this process, the body of Kalacakra

arises from immutable bliss. It arises in dependence upon the completion

stage practice by the experience of the 21,600 immutable blisses.

HoMAGE TO THE CoNsORT

I bow to Mahamudra, Who tramcends the reality of atoms, Having the nature of an apparition, And bearing all supreme qualities.

The term apparition (Tib. pra phab) refers to a kind of illusion produced

by the use of a mantra, a kind of material substance, the practice of

samadhi, and a mirror to see the past, present, and future. One sees images

that are not composed of atoms. This is the description of the body of

Maharnudra, who is, of course, Visvarnata, who "transcends the reality of

atoms." Her body is not composed of material particles. "Having the nature

of an apparition" refers to having the nature of the images in the magical

mirror. That she bears "all supreme qualities" means that her body cannot

be measured; one cannot determine where it begins and where it ends.

Among the three types of mudras, the karma mudra, that is, the actual

consort, and the wisdom mudra, the visualized consort, bring about merely

mutable bliss. It is only Mahamudra who is able to bring about immutable

bliss. Therefore, the consort, Visvarnata, is called Maharnudra.

Homage to Vifvamata, Mother of all the buddhas,

Praise and Dedication I99

Who has eliminated birth and destruction, And who peiforms the deeds of Samantabhadra.

In the Kalacakra system, there are two forms of mother deities, those with

and those without aspects. Emptiness that is free of dualistic appearance

and apprehended by immutable bliss is the definitive meaning of the

mother, the aspectless mother deity. The preceding verse, in which we

bowed to Mahamudra, refers to the mother deity with aspects.

The text says, "Homage to ViSvamata, mother of all the buddhas,"

because before their enlightenment all buddhas meditate on emptiness and

cultivate the perfection of wisdom. Therefore, in that sense, emptiness can

be said to be the mother of all the buddhas. Moreover, all of the deities of

the mar;tgala arise from the wisdom of emptiness and bliss. In this sense,

too, such wisdom is the mother of these buddhas.

Visvamata is free of "birth and destruction" because she is free of all the

elaborations of dualistic appearance. Therefore, she is called the "all good."

The provisional meaning of the consort symbolizes the definitive mean­

ing, which is emptiness itself. So the first verse, "I bow to Mahamudra,"

complements the second, "Homage to ViSvamata."

The etymology of Visvamata is as follows. Vifva often means various,

and it also means all. Matti means mother. On the one hand, she arises from

the wisdom of emptiness and bliss and appears in different fashions, in her

principal fashion and as the eight saktis. On the other hand, she is regard­

ed as the mother of the entire universe.

Because the union of immutable bliss and the realization of emptiness is free

from all elaborations of dualistic appearances, and since it arises and abides for­

ever, at the time of fruition it is symbolized by Kalacakra in union with consort.

One can imagine these verses of praise either as being uttered by the

offering goddesses or as coming from space itself. Upon hearing them,

imagine experiencing immutable bliss.

DISSOLVING THE MA~li~ALA

The faktis with their platforms melt into light and dissolve into myself. I also melt into light, and from the nature of non-objectified emptiness

I again transform into the aspect of the.great Kiilacakra With one face and two hands.

The Kalacakra Six-Session .Guru Yoga 200

This is the retraction of the max;4ala. The dissolution process is as follows.

The stem of the lotus dissolves into the lotus seat, the lotus dissolves into the

throne, and the throne dissolves into the saktis. Or, both the saktis and the

lotus may dissolve into the throne simultaneously. Then the seat dissolves

into light, which dissolves into the principal deity with consort. The princi­pal deity and consort are in union, the primordial wisdom of great bliss arises,

and one imagines the consort dissolving into the principal deity. The princi­

pal deity also dissolves into the nature of the primordial wisdom of great bliss.

One meditates for a while on the experience of emptiness and bliss.

Then, like a bubble emerging from the water, one arises from that as

Kalacakra. You can generate oneself as Kalacakra either with or without

consort. If you find it a little difficult to regenerate oneself with consort,

you can be single. However, because the bliss and emptiness are forever of

the same nature, which is symbolized by the union of the deity and consort,

it is better to visualize the two in union.

This is where the six-phase yoga completion stage practices are imple­

mented, if you wish to do them.

DEDICATION

By the power of the pure virtue derived from this, May L through the influence ofVajradhara, Come to the culmination of the stages of the two-stage path, Without ever transgressing the ethical discipline in all my lifetimes.

In summary, due to the accumulation of the mass of pure virtue such as this, May I soon be born in Sambhala, The treasury ofjewels, and come to the culmination Of the stages of the path of highest yoga tantra.

In all lifetimes may I enjoy the glory of Dharma Without ever being separated from genuine gurus, And upon perfecting the virtues of the grounds and the paths, May I swiftly attain the state ofVajradhara.

The results of the common path and uncommon path arise in dependence

upon the spiritual mentor, so this is the final prayer of dedication.

Praise and Dedication 20I

Part 3

Completion Stage Practices

!8

The Nature of Phenomena

THE CHANNEL SYSTEM

Inside the body, from the level of the genitals up to the crown of the head,

are three channels. The central channel has its upper aperture in the middle of the forehead. The two side channels, the right and the left, have their

upper apertures at the nostrils. Ordinarily, one speaks of three channels

from the level of the navel up and three channels from the level of the navel

down. In that sense, there are six channels.

It is said that the channels come down through the center of the torso,

but not right in the middle of the body as measured from the front and back. The channels are located about sixry percent in from the front and

forty percent in from the back. The channels are described as follows: •:• The central channel (Skt. avadhiiti, Tib. rtsa dbu ma) from the level of

the navel up is green and is sometimes called the ralm channel. It is

principally energy that moves through the central channel above the

navel.

•:• The right channel (Skt. rasanii, Tib. ro ma) from the navel up is also

called the wisdom or sunshine channel. It is red. It is principally blood

that moves through the right channel.

•:• The left channel (Skt. lalanii, Tib. rkyang ma) is white, and through it flows principally the white bodhicitta. The left channel is also called

the skillful means or moonshine channel.

•:• The central channel from the level of the navel down to the tip of the

sexual organ is sometimes called fmikhapiila (Tib. dung skyoniJ and

kalagni (Tib. dus me). This channel is blue, and white bodhicitta

descends through it.

The Nature of Phenomena 205

•:• Below the navel, the right channel veers over to the left side and ends

at the anus. Below the navel it is called piligala (Tib. dmar ser can ma),

and it turns from red to yellow.

•:• The left channel moves to the right side of the central channel below

the navel and is called mefa (Tib. lug). It culminates at the orifice for

urination. Below the navel it is black, and urine flows through it.

According to other tantric systems, at the time of the ground, while one is

starting out in the practice, there is no energy passing through the central

channel at all. In contrast, the Kalacakra system uniquely states that even in

our present state, 675 energies pass through the central channel.

Cakras and Branch Channels

In the Kalacakra system there are six cakras. At the level of each of the

cakras there is a knot; that is, the two side channels coil around the central

channel and thereby constrict it. There is one such constriction for each of

the cakras. There is a difference here with the Guhyasamaja system, which

states that there are three such knots at the heart.

At each of the cakras where the constrictions exist, there are horizontal

channels from which the energy branches out from the central channel. This

accounts for the fact that as one mentally focuses upon the cakras, it is pos­

sible to bring energy into the central channel through the small openings

on the side. At each of these cakras, there are many more small subsidiary

channels branching out from the main horizontal channels, as follows:

•:• The cakra at the very crown of the head has four channels branching

out from the central channel. They are green in color.

•:• The forehead cakra has sixteen subsidiary branching channels, which

are white in color. These sixteen branch out into smaller channels, and

from them branches out a whole network of channels. The forehead

cakra does not refer to the forehead, but to the cakra in the central

channel at the level of the forehead. The forehead cakra is circular.

•:• At the throat there are thirty-two branch channels, which are red. The

cakra is triangular in shape with the apex facing forward.

•:• At the heart are four black branch channels and each of them splits to

make a total of eight. The heart cakra is in the shape of a bow, that is,

more or less semicircular.

Completion Stage Practices 206

•!• The cakra at the navel has sixty-four branch channels, and they are

yellow. The shape of the cakra is square.

•!• At the genital cakra there are thirty-two branch channels, blue in color.

In other systems, such as Cakrasa.rpvara and Guhyasamaja, the number of

the side branch channels in the forehead and throat cakras is reversed, so

there are thirty-two at the forehead and sixteen at the throat.

The commentary does not mention anything about the shapes of the

cakras at the crown of the head or at the genital region. It is unclear what

to infer from this omission. In the Cakrasa.rpvara and Guhyasamaja sys­

tems, it is said that from the top, the cakras look somewhat like an

umbrella, and that there is something corresponding to that shape at the

bottom. The cakras are roughly horizontal.

Another way that the shape of the cakra could be understood is in terms

of the manner in which the branch channels merge into the central chan­

nel. Think of the central channel as being like a tube with the branches

entering into it. The way the branch channels enter into the central chan­

nel determines the shape of the cakra.

The Channel Network

At the genital cakra the six root branch channels come directly out of the

central channel. Two branch out to either side, one goes out in the front, and

one out to the back. The front and back channels do not subdivide, but the

two to either side do. These make the first round. Each of the two side

branch channels splits into four, making the second round. Now we have

two times eight on both sides. In terms of the primary branch channels, we

have six, and then in terms of the next phase we have ten. Added together,

we get sixteen. The sixteen split again. Sixteen plus sixteen equals thirty-two.

You count the front and back channels for the inner circle and for the inter­

mediate circle, but you do not count them for the tertiary circle.

The channels protruding to the front and back are quite short. There are

a lot of very small branch channels, but because they are so short, one does

not speak of them splitting like the others. The sixteen branch channels on

each side in the third circle arborize out into a whole network. The

arborization process occurs at all the cakras, so these very tiny channels per­

vade the entire body.

The Nature of Phenomena 207

Channels of the Twelve Shiftings

Kalacakra has a unique presentation of the so-called channels of the twelve

shiftings. In closest proximity to the central channel at the navel are four

horizontal branch channels. Each of these splits to make eight, and each of

those splits to make sixteen. Out of these sixteen channels, four are said to

be empty channels. This leaves us with only twelve, six on each side. These

are the channels in which the twelve shiftings occur. Each of the twelve

shifting channels branches into five smaller channels. Twelve multiplied by

five equals sixty, making thirty on either side. By adding the four empty

channels, we have a total of sixty-four channels at the navel.

There are twelve shiftings of energy, and for each of the shiftings there

are 1,8oo energies. The twelve shiftings occur during a twenty-four-hour

period, corresponding to the number of complete cycles of respiration per

day. Twelve multiplied by 1,8oo equals 21,6oo. This is the number of ener­

gies that flow through the twelve shifting channels per day. Out of the 1,8oo

shiftings for every two-hour period, 56.25 energies go into the central chan­

nel. In a twenty-four-hour period, 675 energies (12 x 56.25) course through

the central channel.

If we subtract 56.25 from each set ofr,8oo, we get 1,743·75· When that is

divided by five, the resultant 348.75 represents the five elements of earth,

water, fire, air, and space flowing in the respective small branch channels.

In other words, for each shifting we have 348.75 energies of each of the five

elements going through the shifting channels into the left and right side

channels, and 56.25 energies going through the empty channels into the

central channel within every two-hour period ((5 x 348.75) + 56.25 = 1,8oo).

There is a specific sequence for the shiftings of energy. There are six

shifting channels on the right side and six shifting channels on the left side.

In the first shifting, all 1,743.75 energies flow through the right shifting

channel at the back (348.75 each for earth, water, fire, air, and space) in their

respective small branch channels. When these have flowed through, 56.25

go through the empty channels into the central channel.

The second shifting goes to the left shifting channel at the back, repeat­

ing the process described above. The third shifting goes to the right shifting

channel in front of the back channel. The fourth shifting goes to the left

shifting channel next to the back channel. It continues in this way until the

Completion Stage Practices 208

energies have flowed through all the twelve shifting channels from the back

to the front, right, left, right, left, and so forth.

As this is happening, the breath is going through the right nostril for the

shifting channels on the right, and through the left nostril for the shifting

channels on the left. This is the basis for calculating the sum total of the

21,6oo energies.

Though I said previously that energy does not flow in the empty chan­

nel, this is not completely correct. Primordial wisdom energy (Tib. ye shes

kyi rlung) flows through it. It is so called because it is the energy that flows

through the empty channel into the central channel. When the strength of

the breath flowing through both nostrils is equal, this is an indication of the

primordial wisdom energy flowing into the central channel.

THE ENERGIES THAT MovE IN THE CHANNELS

There are ten types of energies, including the life-sustaining energy. They

arise from the heart cakra. Most of the following discussion explains where

these energies go. In short, the energies course through all of the minute

branch channels throughout the body, as follows:

•!• The life-sustaining energy moves in all three channels-central, right,

and left-from the level of the heart up. It performs all of the func­

tions that occur with upward movement, such as articulation, and all

the functions in the upper part of the body, like wiggling one's ears

and so forth. It is green.

•!• The descending energy flows from the level of the heart downward. It is blue, and it performs all of the functions of the lower processes.

•!• The fire-accompanying energy comes out from the branch channels at

the heart in an eastern direction, and it is black.

•!• The tortoise (Skt. kurma) energy goes through the branch channels in

a southeastern direction, and it is black.

•!• The ascending energy flows to the south, and it is red.

•:• The lizard (Skt. krkara) energy flows to the southwest, and it is also red.

•!• The pervasive energy goes to the north and is white.

•!• The devadatta energy flows to the northeast, and it is also white.

•!• The naga energy is to the west, and it is yellow.

•!• The dhanarpjaya energy flows in the northwest, and it is also yellow.

The Nature of Phenomena 209

The text does not state the specific functions of the last eight energies.

Other systems, such as Guhyasamaja and Cakrasarp.vara, speak of the

primary and secondary energies, usually five of each. In contrast, in the Kala­

cakra system, there is no dual classification of primary and secondary energies.

T agtsang Lotsawa, a great Tibetan master who wrote a general commentary

to Kalacakra, explicitly states that there is no such dual distinction.

Although it can be said that all ten of the energies circulate throughout

the entire body, it can also be said that the life-sustaining energy moves

from the heart upward, and the descending energy moves from the level of

the heart downward.

The etymologies of the names for the five energies-life-sustaining

energy, descending energy, fire-accompanying energy, ascending energy,

and pervasive energy-are not found in the Kalacakra system, so the fol­lowing explanations are taken from the Guhyasamaja and Cakrasaqwara

systems:

•:• The life-sustaining energy is so called because it performs the function

of providing a locale for the life force. This energy is located at the heart.

•:• The descending energy is so called because it evacuates the feces and

the urine downward. It moves from the level of the heart downward.

•:• The fire-accompanying energy is instrumental in the digestion of food,

and it is located at the level of the navel.

•:• The ascending energy is located from the level of the throat up and it

is involved in the ascending actions, such as coughing, spitting, and

speaking. All of these upward-moving activities are done with the

ascending energy.

•:• The pervasive energy, as the name implies, is pervasive throughout the

body and is instrumentally involved in such functions as the extension

and contraction of the limbs.

THE RED AND WHITE BoDHICITTAS

The red and white bodhicittas are located in the channels. To review the

functions of the four hindus, or drops, that have been discussed thus far:

•:• The function of the drop at the forehead (sometimes said to be at the

crown) is to avoid confusion. It produces the waking state.

•:• The drop at the throat produces the dream state.

Completion Stage Practices 210

•!• The drop at the heart produces the deep sleep state.

•!• The drop at the navel has two functions: sexual intercourse, or the

fourth occasion, and also the waking state.

In addition, according to Kalacakra:

•!• There is a drop at the genital region that produces the dream state.

•!• Along the shaft of the male organ, there is a drop that produces the

deep sleep state.

•!• In a man, the drop at the tip of the jewel produces the fourth occasion,

and in a woman, that drop moves along the central channel in the

sexual region. The drops occur in the same sequence for men and

women. The drop at the very tip of the woman's sexual organ corre­

sponds to the drop at the tip of the jewel for a man.

All those drops are a mixture of the red and white fluids. The white bodhi­citta is predominant at the forehead, at the shaft of the jewel, and at the tip

of the jewel, whereas the red bodhicitta is less dominant. At the navel, at

the base of the genital region, and at the throat, the red bodhicitta is

stronger.

The white bodhicitta is principally located at the level of the forehead,

and the red bodhicitta is principally located at the navel. All those drops are

located in the cakras. The drop at the heart is said to have equal aspects of

the red and white bodhicittas.

Each of these four drops has an impure aspect. The drop at the forehead

produces impure appearances of objects. Through purification, impure appearances turn into nonconceptual primordial wisdom. The drop at the

throat is for the speech, and the impure aspect produces improper speech.

The impure aspect of the drop at the heart is dreamless sleep. By purifying

this sleep, it turns into nonconceptual wisdom. The impure aspect of the

drop at the navel produces the pleasure from orgasm. By purifying the

impurities of the four drops, they are transformed into the four bodies of

the buddha. The drop at the forehead transforms into the vajra body; that

at the throat transforms into the vajra speech; that at the heart transforms

into the vajra mind; and that at the navel transforms into the vajra primor­

dial wisdom.

This is a concise account of the bodhicittas that are located in the channels.

The Nature of Phenomena 2II

19

The Six-Phase Yoga

OvERVIEW

I will begin this discussion with a general presentation that pertains equal­

ly to all six phases of the six-phase yoga of the completion stage-retraction

(Skt. pratyiihiira), meditative stabilization (Skt. dhyiina), prfu:layama, reten­

tion (Skt. dhiirarzit}, recollection (Skt. anusmrtt), and samadhi. Of initial

importance is the samadhi of the vajra body, followed by the samadhi of the

vajra speech, and finally the samadhi of the vajra mind.

The first two of the six phases, retraction and meditative stabilization,

are included in the first of those three categ6ries, the vajra body. These two

phases are called "the first virtue." The chief function of these two phases is

to actualize empty form. It is the function of retraction to freshly actualize

the empty form, and meditative stabilization stabilizes the empty form that

has already been realized.

The next two phases are prfu:layama and retention, called "the second

virtue." They actualize the vajra speech. The chief function of these two

phases is to gain mastery over the energies. Prfu:layama freshly causes the

energies to flow through the central channel, and the practice of retention

has the function of stabilizing that flow.

Finally there are recollection and samadhi. These two phases are called

"the third virtue," and they actualize the vajra mind. It is the function of

the recollection phase to bring forth the pure vision of the empty form

bodies of the father and mother deities in union. This is not something that

is visualized or created. Rather, it spontaneously appears. It appears to the

mind's eye in a fashion somewhat similar to the sign (Skt. nimitta, Tib.

mtshan ma) in the practice of mindfulness of breathing.

The union of the empty form of the father and mother deities brings

Completion Stage Practices 2I2

forth immutable bliss, and as that immutable bliss is brought to its culmi­

nation, it transforms into the nature of the vajra mind. From that moment

the samadhi phase of the practice begins. The recollection phase brings

forth the actual appearance of the union of the empty form father and

mother deities. The samadhi phase produces the supreme immutable bliss.

For the actual, spontaneous appearance of the union of empty form

father and mother deities to occur, one must have mastered the energies,

and that is brought about by the phases of priil).ayama and retention.

Mastery over the energies occurs when one brings them into the central

channel. In order to master the energies by bringing them into the central

channel, it is necessary to purify the central channel. This is done by means

of the first two phases of retraction and meditative stabilization. This mas­

tery over the energies entails the purification of the central channel so that

the energies can easily flow through it.

We purify the central channel by focusing our awareness on its upper

aperture, which arouses the ten signs, all arising as empty form.

The cultivation of empty form has two functions: to purify the central

channel, and to provide a foundation for the later appearance of the actual

empty form of the father and mother deities in union.

This is called the six-phase yoga on the stage of completion. Yoga means

to join, or put together. These phases are called yoga because they entail a

necessary, sequential process. If the earlier phases are not accomplished, the

latter ones will not be realized.

I will now offer specific presentations of each of the six phases of the

yoga, in which I shall explain (1) the etymology, (2) the time for practice,

(3) the way to meditate, (4) an analysis of whether the verifying cognition

produced in each of these phases is perceptual or inferential, (5) the manner

of purification of the basis to be purified, and (6) the temporal and ultimate

results of each phase. IS

RETRACTION

In order to cultivate the initial phase of retraction, six conditions are nec­

essary. The first of these conditions is place. At first, for the night yoga

phase of practice, one meditates in a completely dark dwelling; later, for the

daytime yoga, one meditates in the light, under a cloudless sky. Ideally, one

The Six-Phase Yoga 2I3

should engage in the nighttime yoga in a three-storied house, and meditate

on the second floor so that one is meditating off the ground. One's medi­

tation room could also be on stilts or blocks, as long as there is empty space

underneath. The reason is that one's practice may be detrimentally influ­

enced by vapors from the ground, so this creates a buffer zone.

Outside one's meditation dwelling there should be a wall that covers it

like a shell. The windows in this outside shell are not parallel to the wall but

are at a steep angle, allowing for ventilation. A little bit of light can come

through, but not much. That is the crucial point. They are baffled win­

dows. If one meditated in a room without proper ventilation, one would

get sick, but no light should filter into the room. This phase of practice

could last for six months. Even though one would not have to stay in that

dark room all the time during that period, one would spend a great deal of

time in it.

The second necessary condition is the posture of the body. The legs are

placed in the lotus posture, while sitting in the seven-point posture of

Vairocana. This well-known posture entails keeping the spine erect, inclin­

ing the head, letting the lips be in the natural position, and so forth. The

hands are clenched in vajra fists, with the back of the hands resting beneath

one's navel or at the base of the thighs. The palms of the hands are facing

up. This mudra is said to be the mudra ofVajrasattva.

The third necessary condition concerns one's gaze. One gazes with the

eyes upward and focuses one's attention on a point in the middle of the

forehead. One should focus specifically on the empty space inside the cen­

tral channel.

The fourth necessary condition concerns the three immobilities: the

body should not move, the mind should not be moved by conceptualiza­

tion, and the eyes should not move. With these three immobilities, one

focuses on the central channel. The eyelashes should not be flickering, as

this would impair one's ability to actually see what is happening there. In

the beginning, until one gets accustomed to this practice, it is a bit difficult,

for the eyes tend to move up and down.

The fifth necessary condition is keeping the mind in a state free of all

thoughts. One's attention should be entirely focused on the aperture of the

central channel on the forehead.

Completion Stage Practices 214

The sixth necessary condition is the experiential realization (Tib. nyams rtogs) in this practice, which is described below.

The Etymology of Retraction

In the Tibetan word translated here as retraction (Tib. sor sdud), the first

syllable means individual, and the second normally means retraction. But

in this context, the second syllable refers to cutting, so the whole word sug­

gests the individual severance of the connection between the sensory

faculties and the objects of the senses.

In order for the sensory faculties to operate, the energies have to course

through the left and right channels. In this phase of meditation, we retract

the energies from the left and right channels and cause them to go into the

central channel. When they cease flowing into the two side channels, then

the connection between the sense faculties and the objects of the senses is

severed.

The Time for Practicing Retraction

It is said that each session of this practice should begin when the breath

starts to go through the right nostril. It is not to be done whenever one feels

like it. Rather, one needs to see how the breath is flowing through the nos­

trils. When one sees that it is going predominantly through the right

nostril, one should begin the session.

The reason is that the breath in the right channel is associated with the

earth energy. If one starts the session in that way, it makes it easier for the

energies to retract. Recall that the energies of all the five elements flow in

the shifting channels, and the first of them to flow is the earth energy. It is best to start the meditation when the earth energy is moving.

The Way to Meditate on Retraction

If we want to engage in the practice of retraction separately from the six­

session guru yoga, then, after cultivating the motivation, we visualize our

guru in the form ofKal.acakra with consort in the space before us. Since we

are about to practice the stage of completion, we renew our previous moti­

vation, "Might I attain perfect awakening by means of the following

practice of the stage of completion." We then make the offerings and

The Six-Phase Yoga 2I5

prayers of supplication. The supplications are: "Please bless me, bless the

channels, and bless the energies so that they may be made serviceable. By

so doing, may immutable bliss arise, and may the state of perfect awaken­

ing be swiftly attained."

Then the guru with consort comes to the crown of the head and dis­

solves into us. Imagine experiencing immutable bliss, focus upon emptiness, and then arise in the form of Kalacakra with consort, with one

face and two hands.

It is said that if one visualizes one's form as being transparent, brilliant,

and purely of the nature of light, and also visualizes one's channels, ener­

gies, and the five elements as being of the nature of transparent light, one

will experience fewer obstacles regarding one's channels and energies.

Having done that, one visualizes the three channels from their upper

apertures down to the lower apertures, as described previously. It is said that

when one is actually meditating, it is not necessary to visualize the various

points of constrictions at the cakras, but it would be good to visualize the

six cakras. However, if one can visualize only the central channel, that alone

is probably sufficient for the phase of retraction. Nevertheless, if one can do

the more elaborate visualization of all the cakras, it will be easier to retract

the various energies. It is said that highly realized yogis are actually able to

see the cakras and the different energies together with the colors and the

channels.

The Nature of Experiential Realization

The following describes the nature of the sixth condition, experiential real­

ization. Recall that the central channel at the forehead is green, but do not

visualize it as such. Just focus on the inside of the channel, which is hollow

and dark. It is said that after focusing on that point for a while, one will

start to see certain visions. As one perseveres in this practice, the energies

gradually start coming into the central channel, and various visions appear

to the mind. Once one achieves a little stability in this practice, certain signs

and visions will appear, such as smoke and a mirage. They will appear as if

they were out in space. When that or a variety of other visions appear, it is

said that one is not to regard these as the authentic appearances of empty

form.

Completion Stage Practices 216

Other events may occur. One's body may start trembling, it may start

jerking around, or it may feel numb. Also, words may be expressed sponta­

neously. One may find certain mental events, thoughts, and so forth,

occurring chaotically, such that one cannot really tell if they make sense or

not, or whether they are good or bad. It is not as if one were following a

train of thought. It is just a kind of mental jumble. These various events are an indication that the energies are beginning to

go into the central channel. However, one should not place credence in

these, thinking that they indicate some kind of realization. If one does, they

turn into obstacles. One should not think of any of those occurrences as

being something special. The yogi who is beginning in this practice, who

does not know the practice properly and does not have proper guidance,

may do exactly that when these things arise. That can lead to insanity. Even

if there is a qualified teacher there, and the student receives proper instruc­

tions, the student may still ignore what the teacher says, in which case again

there is no benefit. That is why it is best to come to one's mentor to receive

advice if problems are encountered in the practice. One should heed the

advice, and then the problems can be surmounted. Otherwise, one may run

into real difficulties.

For this practice it is indispensable for the student to follow the instruc­

tions. In other words, if you have a qualified teacher, do what the guru says

to do and do not do what the guru says not to do. If you do not have a qual­

ified teacher, it is not so important to follow what he or she says.

One really needs to take responsibility for this oneself. As. one engages in

the meditation and sees certain types of behavior starting to arise that do

not conform to one's ordinary behavior, do not succumb to such conduct.

For those who are meditating seriously, this is very, very important. The

crucial point is to recognize when such anomalous behavior arises and not

to go along with it. Do not identify with it, do not indulge in it, do not give

energy to it. Leave it, but continue meditating. If you can deal with the

experiences I have just described, this is very helpful for the whole path, as

well as for abandoning grasping onto the affairs of this lifetime.

You may also experience itching or shooting pains, like being pricked

with needles in the upper torso, in the head, or all over the body, but that

is likely to occur for only a couple of days.

The Six-Phase Yoga 217

Ascertaining the Signs Eventually the signs of smoke and so forth will become more and more

vivid. At that point, the energies have begun to enter into the central chan­

nel. Then the signs of smoke and so forth will start to appear in the central

channel, whereas previously they might have been up in the space above

you. The more the energies are drawn into the central channel, the more

these visions also appear at the aperture of the central channel. This is not

to say that one needs to try to make them do so. One should not visualize

them. They will occur in that place spontaneously. When such visions

appear at the aperture of the central channel, appearances of the external

environment will cease.

One may not be able to ascertain those visions as soon as they arise, but

only right after they have vanished. This is a kind of delayed reaction.

However, as one becomes more and more familiar with the practice, there

is a greater continuity of realization of what is appearing to the mind. In the

early phase of this practice, the visions will be of very short duration, like

flashes, but later on they last longer, and one may be able to ascertain them

while they occur.

Other sensations may also arise. One may have a sensation of something

like a snake moving through one's central channel, either coming in from

the top and going down or coming up from the bottom. Such a sensation

can go in any direction. One may have the sense of a stick being prodded

through the central channel. One may feel as if oneself or some other crea­

ture is being squeezed through a small hole. Of course, these are merely

subjective feelings or sensations.

In addition, one may have the sense of one's body being covered with

insects, some of them biting. Also, while sleeping at night, one may have

the sense of being hugged by another person. One may also have the sense

when asleep, not quite in the dream state, of being hemmed in, either by

sentient beings or other things, which can be oppressive.

At that time, much fear arises. It is very important to anticipate such

states, to anticipate these experiences and think that if they occur, one will

not succumb to the fear, which can be quite strong. Otherwise, when that

happens in the middle of the night, one may find oneself running out of

the house, screaming. It can be dangerous. If instead one can anticipate

Completion Stage Practices 218

these experiences and embolden oneself, thinking, "I will not be afraid, I

will not succumb to terror, I will hold fast," there is tremendous benefit.

There are many accounts of people becoming terrified when they prac­tice tantra. One antidote to this is the practice of severance (Tib. gcod). There was once a practitioner who was having terrifying experiences of this type. He did not yet have any deep realization, and he felt he was being vis­

ited by demons and spirits. Once he was practicing under a window with

the moonlight shining in. Right in front of him was the pillar that held up

the roof, and there were stones at the base of the pillar, polished smooth by

people sitting on them, making a nice smooth shiny surface. When the light

of the moon struck that shiny surface, he saw it while he was practicing and

thought this was another demon. He began screaming, "phaf, phaf, phaf,'' trying to expel it with the realization of emptiness, but it would not go

away.

One may also confuse such subjective impressions with objective reality.

For instance, a yogi was once sitting in meditation, and in front of him

there was a tiny pool of water with a bug in it with its legs up, squirming around, unable to get away. In his mind's eye, the yogi saw this as a lake with a large animal like a yak thrashing about in the water.

The great Indian Buddhist teacher Atisa was once meditating, and a

huge nine-headed scorpion appeared to drop right in front of him. He

responded by embracing it as his chosen deity, and the scorpion immedi­

ately transformed into Tara. If one can accept such experiences and transform them into the path,

they can be of great benefit. But if one cannot do so, there is danger. That

needs to be borne in mind. One should bolster oneself repeatedly, antici­

pating how one will respond.

Having said all this, it should also be mentioned that there is no guar­

antee that these unpleasant sensations will appear. If one is very well

prepared for this phase of the practice, one may go through it much more

easily.

A sign that the energy has entered into the central channel is that the

force of breath that flows through both nostrils is of equal magnitude.

When the energy associated with the five sense faculties ceases to function,

the energy dissolves into the central channel.

The Six-Phase Yoga 219

We should understand that the word "dissolve" used here is the same

word that is used when speaking of the energy of earth dissolving into the

energy of water. This term should not be taken literally. It is not to say that

the energy of one is actually merging into the other, like salt dissolving into

water. Rather, the energy of the earth actually ceases, and in its absence the

energy of the water element manifests more dominantly.

When the energy of the two side channels dissolves into the central

channel, it is not that it flows from the side channels like water from a tube;

rather, the energies cease flowing in the two side channels and they mani­

fest in the central channel. When the energies dissolve into the central

channel, the actual meaning is that the energies vanish in the right and left

channels and freshly arise in the central channel.

Similarly, at other times of practice, one sends out rays of light in all

directions from the heart and then draws them back in and brings them

into the hiir]'Z syllable. This is not as if one were rolling them up like a carpet.

Rather, it is like drawing them in as if they were on a string that vanishes

at the end. The vanishing process continues until everything has vanished

and there is only the hiir]'Z left. This is what is meant by dissolving them.

The Nighttime Signs The first of the ten signs are the four signs for the night yoga, as follows:

•:• Smoke.

•!• A mirage.

•!• Fireflies.

•!• A butter lamp.

At a cenain stage of the practice, just the sign of the smoke appears, and it

appears with greater and greater continuity. Some people say that one expe­

riences each of the four signs immediately, one after the other. But my sense

is that they occur sequentially and gradually over a period of time.

However, different people may have different experiences.

I expect that the process would normally take place over a period of sev­

eral days. One would have the experience of smoke, and then after a few

days that would be replaced by the appearance of a mirage. After a few more

days fireflies would appear, and finally after several more days a butter lamp

would appear.

Completion Stage Practices 220

For some people, these signs may appear before the energies have

stopped flowing through the two side channels and emerged into the cen­

tral channel. If that happens, the signs will appear out in the space before

one. When the special empty form does actually begin to appear, it arises

in the aperture of the central channel.

When these four night signs appear regularly-that is, whenever one sits

down and engages in the retraction, the signs arise sequentially-that is the

time to begin the daytime practice.

What is the reason for making the distinction between nighttime and

daytime yoga? The reason is that in the daytime it is more difficult for the

signs to arise. However, it is not impossible for the six daytime signs to

appear at night. When one practices in the daylight, the light gives a greater

stability and regularity to the daytime signs, which will eventually appear

after the regular experience of the four night signs.

The Daytime Signs The daytime yoga posture, the way to begin the practice, the motivation,

and the visualizations are the same as described previously for the night

yoga. The place is different, of course: instead of meditating in the dark,

you now meditate in the light, under a cloudless sky. In the morning, med­

itate while facing west, so that the sun is behind you. In the afternoon or

evening, face east. The sun should always be behind you.

The focus of the meditation is right at the central channel. By continu­

ing in the meditation during the daytime, the signs will appear again. The

four night signs are followed by the six daytime signs:

-!• Like flame .

.;. Like a disc of the moon .

.;. Like the light of the sun.

•:• R.ahu, which, according to the text, is a vision of darkness. Sometimes

it is referred to as blue, and sometimes as dark or black. The terms are

used interchangeably.

•:• Like forked lightning, the supreme aspect.

•:. A pale blue drop, the size of a sesame seed, which appears at the upper

aperture of the central channel.

There also appears a fine black circle, not a disc, but a fine black line going

The Six-Phase Yoga 221

around the aperture. This appears in the form of clear light. For some

people, the sambhogakaya together with the five definite attributes appears

inside that drop with the little black line framed around it. This does not

necessarily happen to everyone. According to Khedrub Je's writings and

some of those of Je Tsongkhapa, the sambhogakaya appears in that drop.

In another set of notes of Je Tsongkhapa, he simply speaks of the appear­

ance of the drop and the black circle as an indication of the completion of

the retraction phase of the practice. It appears from Je Tsongkhapa's writ­ings that the drop appears first as the tenth sign, and then the

sambhogakaya may appear with the black line around it.

In proper practice, these signs will appear regularly, and apart from

them, many other types of visions will be experienced. Among the ten signs

that occur during the retraction phase, the four night signs indicate the dis­

solving of the energies into the four intermediate-direction branch channels

at the heart. The appearance of the first four of the six daytime signs-the flame, moon, sun, and rahu-indicates the dissolving of the energies into the four cardinal directions of the branch channels at the heart.

The final two daytime signs-the appearance of the supreme aspect,

which is the forked lightning, and the drop-are the final two of the ten

signs, and indicate the dissolution of the energies flowing up and down.

The forked lightning indicates the dissolution of the life-sustaining energy,

and the drop indicates the dissolution of the descending energy.

The ten signs of smoke and so forth appear during the first two phases,

retraction and meditative stabilization. During the phase of retention, the

ten saktis appear. Recall the perfections associated with them, namely, gen­

erosity, ethical discipline, patience, and so forth. During the phase of

recollection, the authentic wisdom body appears. If that practice does not

yield results, special backup techniques are taught that are more forceful,

but there is no backup technique for the retraction phase. Corresponding to the ten signs, one can make a tenfold internal classification within the

phase of retraction.

Analysis of Verifying Cognition in Retraction

The verifying cognition (Skt. pramarza) produced in the retraction phase is

called sensory perception, referring to one's vision of the above signs. I

Completion Stage Practices 222

suspect that it is so called because one's experience of these various signs is

very much like actually seeing them with one's own eyes. However, it is

not actually a sensory perception because it does not rely on the five sense

faculties. It is analogous to sensory perception, but in reality it is a non­

conceptual, mental perception.

The Manner of Purification of the Basis

What is the purified aspect or result of this practice of retraction? It is the

purification of the aggregate and element of primordial wisdom, as well as

two sets of six phenomena. It seems that the aggregate of primordial

wisdom and the element of primordial wisdom are synonymous. What they

are referring to is the pleasure of orgasm at the time of the ground. Through

this practice the aggregate of primordial wisdom and the element of pri­

mordial wisdom, which are actually one, are purified and sublimated.

I have checked four commentaries on Kalacakra, but I have not found

two sets of six phenomena. Here is one possibility. There is an internal five­

fold classification of each of the buddha classes, including V airocana and so

forth, and one may relate these to each of the six aggregates. Begin, for

example, with the aggregate of primordial wisdom. First, recall that the

form aggregate is of the nature of the aggregate of primordial wisdom. Then

go through the other aggregates-feeling, recognition, compositional fac­

tors, and consciousness-and analyze how they also are of the nature of

primordial wisdom. This would make one set of six. Then recalling that the

six elements-earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness-are also of

the nature of primordial wisdom, one could establish another set of six.

Perhaps those are the two sets of six phenomena referred to in the text.

The Temporal and Ultimate Results of Retraction

The temporal, or mundane, benefit of having accomplished the stage of

retraction is that one accomplishes a state called "words of truth," meaning

that all one's words come true. For example, if a house goes up in flames,

one can simply say, "May the fire go out," and the fire will die down. Or if

someone has taken some poison, one may simply say, "May it be pacified,"

and the poison will be neutralized. One's speech itself has the power of

truth.

The Six-Phase Yoga 223

There are techniques that are specifically designed to accomplish the

eight siddhis, or paranormal abilities. It is not necessary to practice them

when one is following these phases of practice, for they will automatically

be accomplished as side effects of the main practice. Such abilities may also

be accomplished by using alchemical or magical substances. But those tech­

niques are ineffective if one has not attained the culmination of the stage of

generation.

If one has accomplished the words of truth, then one may, for example,

dispel a famine simply by the power of speech, but there must be a karmic

relationship with the sentient beings with whom one is performing such a feat.

Within the six-phase yoga, the ultimate result of retraction is that one

actualizes the body ofVajrasattva. As I mentioned already, when the drop,

the tenth sign, has appeared with irs surrounding black circle and possibly

the sambhogakaya form, one is ready to go on to phase two, meditative sta­

bilization.

MEDITATIVE STABILIZATION

The Etymology of Meditative Stabilization

Meditative stabilization is so called because this second phase stabilizes the

accomplishment of the first phase of retraction and because it is similar to

the fifth of the six perfections, namely, the perfection of meditation. However, there is a great difference in that in this phase of practice, the

attention of the meditator is more stable and has many other qualities supe­

rior to that of the sutrayana practice of meditative stabilization.

The Time for Practicing Meditative Stabilization

The time for meditating in the phase of meditative stabilization is the same

as for the phase of retraction.

The Way to Practice Meditative Stabilization

The locale and posture for the second phase are the same as they were in

the first phase. In the first phase, though, the nighttime and daytime yogas

entailed two different locations. It seems odd that both would be involved

in the second phase, because after one has accomplished those signs for the

Completion Stage Practices 224

nighttime yoga, those signs will appear during the day and the night.

Nevertheless, the commentary says the locations are the same. While still

engaged in this practice, one probably uses both locales, in the dark and in

the light.

The motivation, posture, and direction of the gaze are all as they were in

the first phase.

During the training in meditative stabilization, the ten signs (including

the tenth sign followed by the black circle and sambhogakaya with the five

definite attributes appearing in the drop) all occur regularly. In addition,

one may have various hallucinations of such things as pots, articles of cloth­

ing, and so on.

During the practice of the second phase, the mind is so concentrated at

the aperture of the central channel that all sense of duality has vanished. No

mental imagery of one's body, face, head, and so forth appear to the mind,

which has become absorbed into that spot at the aperture of the central

channel. Therefore, during such periods of intense concentration, when

images occur, they do not appear to be arising in that little hole in one's

forehead. For that to occur, one would have to have some sense of one's

body. Rather, the images, including but not limited to the ten signs, seem

to be everywhere. As an analogy, while sleeping in a very small room, one

may dream of elephants and forests and other large things without any of

them being able to fit in that small room.

The empty forms appear as pervasive as space. As these various appari­tions appear, they gradually transform into the different goddesses, who all

dissolve into one goddess, who dissolves into the sambhogakaya with the five

definite attributes. One identifies with this appearance of the sambhogakaya

and develops divine pride, thinking, "I am Kilacakra."

When the various apparitions regularly transform into goddesses and

dissolve into the sambhogakaya, one consistently develops divine pride by

identifying with that sambhogakaya, and when one is well acquainted with

this phase of practice, one has completed the phase of meditative stabiliza­

tion and is ready to go on to the third phase of priil)ayama.

It is said that there are five parts to the second phase of meditative sta­

bilization, but nowhere do the texts discuss the different functions of the

five parts.

The Six-Phase Yoga 225

An Analysis of Verifying Cognition in Meditative Stabilization

There are five factors of meditative stabilization: (1) investigation, which

occurs when one sees coarse empty forms; (2) analysis, which is more subtle

than investigation and occurs when one experiences subtler empty forms;

(3) happiness, that is, the mental happiness brought forth by mental plian­

cy; (4) joy, which is the physical joy brought forth by physical pliancy; and

(5) samadhi, which occurs when one's own awareness merges indivisibly

into the nature of the sambhogakaya bearing the five definite attributes. In

the great commentaries the last factor is called wisdom.

Verifying cognition at this point is called a sensory perception, though it

is not actually sensory, as in the previous phase of retraction.

In accordance with the commentary on Kalacakra by Mahasiddha

Savaripa (Tib. fa ra ba), the tenfold internal classification of the phase of

meditative stabilization corresponds to the ten signs.

The Manner of Purification of the Basis

The two sets of six phenomena are again identified as the objects of purifi­

cation. One is a sixfold classification relating to the purification of the

consciousness aggregate, the other a sixfold internal classification relating to

the element of space. The sixfold classification is like the one in the first

phase, which relates to Vajrasattva, while this one relates to ~obhya. The

purification of the element leads to the realization ofVajradhatvi5vari.

The Temporal and Ultimate Results of Meditative Stabilization

The temporal result of the practice is that one achieves all five forms of

extrasensory perception, including the ability to see treasures beneath the

ground. Ultimately, one attains the body of ~obhya. With the comple­

tion of the final two phases one attains the body vajra, also called the initial

virtue.

Backup Techniques

According to Je Tsongkhapa, one does not need any backup technique for

. either retraction or meditative stabilization, but there are backup tech-

niques for the next four phases and particularly for the retention phase.

In the first backup technique, your left heel is pushed against and blocks

Completion Stage Practices 226

the anus. If that is difficult, then push the heel against a channel that is right

between the base of the genitals and the anus. Press the left heel against that

spot. The right heel goes beneath the left knee.

In the second technique, the left heel is either pressed against the anus

or against the channel between the genitals and the anus. Then the right

heel is placed on top of the left ankle. Both hands are clenched in vajra fists,

the left hand over the right breast, and the right hand over that and the left

breast. One sits upright with the eyes gazing upward. Then at the tip of the

genitals, one visualizes the syllable hiirp pointing inward. While inhaling,

imagine that hiirp ascending the central channel, head first, up to the navel.

As soon as the hiirp arrives at the level of the navel, simply focus on it. One

can use this backup technique whenever one feels that one is not progress­

ing in the practice.

PRA~AYAMA

The Etymology of Prru;tayama

The etymological meaning of priil).ayama is that one blocks the life force, or

the vital energies, from flowing in the two side channels.

The Time for Practicing Prii.J;tayama

The time for engaging in this practice is when one has experienced all the

ten signs in the meditative stabilization phase.

The Way to Practice Prii.J;layama

The posture is the same as before, except that the hands are now in the

mudra of meditative equipoise, held at the level of the navel with the right

hand on top of left, palms up with thumbs touching.

In the phase of the prai).ayama, the chief task is to bring the energies into

the central channel. The task of the next phase, retention, is to firmly sta­

bilize the energies that have been brought into the cakras by means of the

phase of priil).ayama. One must now hold them there unwaveringly.

One visualizes the cakras and the channels as in the preceding two

phases. In the first two phases, the attention is focused at the upper aper­

ture of the central channel. During the priil).ayama phase, one focuses on

The Six-Phase Yoga 227

the navel cakra ;in what is called the vajra recitation. In the very center of

the navel cakra, there is the drop of the fourth occasion. In this practice,

one has to feel that one is actually dwelling in that drop.

This practice is conjoined with the respiration. At the beginning of the

inhalation, one brings one's awareness to the nostrils where the breath is

coming in. As one identifies with the sambhogakaya form there, one sees it

coming down the central channel with the sound 01Jl. During the whole

course of the inhalation, the deity with his consort descends, and one iden­

tifies with the movement, feeling as if one is inside an elevator and going

down. One hears the sound 01Jl all the way down.

When the elevator arrives at the drop at the navel, the deity with consort

merges with that drop. That is, one comes down in the form of the deity

with consort, and as soon as the figures strike the drop, they become insep­

arable from it. In one's mind's eye, the form of the drop vanishes, and just

the two figures remain. As long as there is the inseparability of the drop and

the deity with consort at the navel, one hears the sound hii1Jl.

At the time of exhalation, the two figures come up, and as soon as they

get above the level of the drop, the form of the drop re-emerges and the two

deities start going up the elevator. As the deity and consort come up the

central channel, the breath produces the sound iii;. One does not visualize these syllables, nor does one mentally recite them.

Rather, one listens to these sounds. When one hears the sound 01Jl, one does

not have the sense that one is mentally reciting it or that it is being pro­

duced by the mind. One simply hears it. In this practice, one is blending

the energies with one's mind and with the mantra.

In the beginning stages of this phase of practice, one alternates between

two types of vajra recitations. The first is the one just described, from the

upper aperture of the central channel down to the navel. The other is the

lower vajra recitation. Here one starts the beginning inhalation at the lower

aperture of the central channel and comes up from there. During that

ascent, one hears the sound 01Jl. When it gets up to the navel, one hears the

sound hii1Jl, and when it goes down again, one hears iif;. As one gets a little more accustomed to these two practices, one does

them simultaneously. While energies descend from the head, other energies

rise from the lower aperture of the central channel during the inhalation.

Completion Stage Practices 228

At the end of the inhalation, there is a meeting of these energies at the

navel, and then they part again during the exhalation. It is like a dance.

There is no specified visualization for what goes on from the navel down to

the lower aperture of the central channel. Just think of that as being the

vajra recitation itself.

As one becomes more advanced in this practice, the actual amount of

vital energy that is expelled decreases, and more energy remains in the

abdomen, at the navel. Eventually, the energy remains entirely in the navel

cakra, and at that point one's external breath stops. When one gets to the

point where the breath has stopped, one is ready to do the vase meditation.

Generally speaking, during the stage of completion, the vase meditation

should be done when the quantity of breath going through the left and

right nostrils is evenly distributed. Here the breath has stopped, so there is

a distinction between the general reference to the stage of completion prac­

tice and the one described here.

In this vase meditation, the life-sustaining energy that moves above the

navel, and the descending energy that moves below the navel are united in

the drop at the navel. Bear in mind that there is also the appearance of

Kalacakra with consort.

An Analysis of Verifying Cognition in Plfu.layama

When the mind has stabilized, the tummo fire blazes forth. As a result of

the blazing of the tummo fire, the white bodhicitta at the crown of one's

head melts and descends to the level of the throat, and' one experiences

bliss; at the level of the heart, one experiences great bliss;, at the level of the

navel, there arises extraordinary bliss; and at the tip of the vajra, innate bliss

arises.

In Khedrub Je's writings it is stated that these blisses arise as a result of

firmly conjoining the descending energy and the life-sustaining energy

while steadily maintaining the appearance of deity with consort. At that

point, one has completed the vase meditation and is ready to move on to

the retention phase.

The Manner of Purification of the Basis

The aggregate of compositional factors is purified, and the energies flow

The Six-Phase Yoga 229

through the central channel. The state of Amoghasiddhi is achieved in this

phase of prat;tayama.

The Temporal and Ultimate Results of Pril].ayama

The temporal result is that the energies flow in the central channel. The

ultimate result is that the left and right channels are purified, and the bodhi­

sattvas give praise and make offerings.

RETENTION

The Etymology of Retention

The etymology of retention is that the energies are retained without move­

ment in the cakras.

The Time for Practicing Retention

The time for engaging in this practice is when one has completed first the

vajra recitation and then the vase meditation of the prat;tayama phase.

The Way to Practice Retention

The way to practice retention is very similar to the preceding vase medita­

tion in the sense that one is joining the two energies, the descending and

the life-sustaining energies, and these are mixed with the appearance of the

deity with consort. In our minds, we give effort to holding the energies

together, but we are not giving any effort to maintaining a visualization of

the deity with consort. They are simply present.

Recollect that the image of the deity with consort arises regularly as a

result of the preceding phases of practice. During the phase of pri!).ayama,

one is engaged in two meditations, the first being the vajra recitation and

the second being the vase meditation, with one's mind focused at the navel

cakra. In retention, one meditates in accord with the dissolution of the four

elements, with earth dissolving into water and so forth.

The first step of the retention phase is to focus at the previous point in

the navel cakra, joining the two energies and maintaining the awareness of

the deity with consort. Next, one shifts the focus up to the heart. This may

mean that one draws the appearance of the deity and consort and the con-

Completion Stage Practices 230

joined energies up to the level of the heart. I expect that if, in this phase of

practice, one directs one's awareness to the heart, then the appearance of the

deity with consort will be there.

The navel cakra is associated with the earth element, and the heart cakra

is associated with the water element. As one shifts the focus of one's aware­

ness, one does so with the sense of earth dissolving into water. With the

sense of water dissolving into fire, one focuses on the throat cakra. With the

sense of fire dissolving into air, one shifts the focus of awareness from the

throat to the forehead. With the sense of the air element dissolving into

space, one shifts the awareness from the forehead to the crown of the head.

With the sense of space dissolving into consciousness, one shifts the focus

of the awareness from the crown of the head to the genital region.

One meditates on the unification of the two types of energy (descending

and life-sustaining), one's mind, and the empty form of deity and consort,

as before. As a result, one gains the ability to bring forth not merely the

descending four blisses, but also the ascending four blisses. This practice

should be done in conjunction with emptiness and bliss. This probably

means that one should conjoin the descending and ascending four blisses

with emptiness.

During the descending blisses, from the throat on down, it is said that

the innate bliss cannot arise until the white bodhicitta gets to the tip of the

jewel of the vajra. However, all the ascending blisses are innate bliss. One

still uses the same four terms, but they are in fact all innate bliss.

It is said that in this phase of retention, before one engages in the vase

meditation, one should very strongly project the thought, "I shall arise in

the form of Kalacakra with consort." If one does so, then following the

experience of the four blisses (including the ascending blisses), the empty

form of Kalacakra with consort will appear extremely vividly, in a fashion

similar to that of the actual wisdom body of Kalacakra with consort.

An Analysis ofVerifying Cognition in Retention

In this process, one meditates on the indivisibility of the two types of ener­

gies. Empty form and the meditative state arise by simply directing one's

mind there. When it gets to that point, one has completed the phase of

retention.

The Six-Phase Yoga 2JI

The Manner of Purification of the Basis

This practice stabilizes the flowing of the energies through the central chan­

nel. The feeling aggregate is purified.

The Temporal and Ultimate Benefits of Retention

The temporal benefit of the retention phase is that one cannot be obstruct­

ed by maras and other interferences. All energies become one. The ultimate

benefit is that one attains the state ofRatnasambhava. With the completion

of pr~ayama and retention one attains the speech vajra, called the inter­

mediate virtue.

RECOLLECTION

We now begin the final virtue of recollection and samadhi.

The Etymology of Recollection The fifth phase is called recollection because it' bears a resemblance to the

facsimile of empty form that occurred in the first two phases of retraction

and meditative stabilization.

The Time for Practicing Recollection

As soon as the experience of the four blisses and the empty forms of

Kalacakra and consort appear very vividly· through meditating indivisibly

on the two types of energy, one starts the phase of recollection.

The Way to Practice Recollection

In this phase, the actual forms ofKalacakra and consort appear at the navel

cakra, and they radiate five-colored light in ·ill directions.

A person of sharp faculties will experience the various blisses by means

of the preceding practices of focusing on the facsimile of empty form of the

consort. The experience of the blisses allows. the actual empty form of the

father and mother deity to arise. A person of medium faculties has to prac­

tice with a jfiana mudra, who is visualized. The practice of a person of dull

faculties requires a karma mudra, an actual consort. The practitioner and

the consort enter into union, and their energies are joined in the vase med­

itation. By familiarizing oneself with the bliss that arises from the melting

Completion Stage Practices 232

of the bodhicitta, it is possible for the actual empty form of the father­

mother deity to appear, and at this point the authentic empty form arises.

From the beginning of the completion stage practice up to and includ­

ing the phase of retention, a facsimile of the empty form of deity with

consort appears, and one is able to maintain the divine pride effortlessly.

However, although one has those abilities, the appearance of the deity with

consort in the earlier stages does not emanate rays of light from the pores

of their bodies, illuminating the galaxy. Up to and including the phase of

retention, focusing upon the empty form of the consort does not bring

forth supreme immutable bliss. For that reason, the forms in those previous

stages are called facsimiles of empty form. From this point on, when the

authentic empty form of the deity with consort arises, innumerable rays of

light are emanated from the pores of their bodies.

Many yogin"is are discussed in the context of Kalacakra. There are 360

life goddesses and sixty-four speech yogin"is. There are some thirty-six icchiis

(Tib. 'dod ma) of body and speech, which are female embodiments of

desire. In addition, there are mind yogin"is, which are the ten sakt"is and the

five consorts in the mind m~c;lala. These yogin"is are actualized in their

empty form in the recollection phase. By going into union with any one of

them, one experiences immutable bliss. However, if a person of dull facul­

ties is not able to bring forth the various types of bliss by means of these

appearances to the mind, the person must practice with a karma mudrii.

As soon as one's practice is able to bring forth immutable bliss, one has

completed the phase of recollection and is ready to move on to the sixth and

final phase of samiidhi.

An Analysis of Verifying Cognition in Recollection

By directly going into union with the consort of empty form, the first

drop of fluid melts and comes down to the tip of the vajra, where it is

held unwaveringly. Therefore, it is called Mahiimudrii, who gives

immutable bliss. Mter that first drop resulting from the direct union

with Mahiimudrii, the 21,600 drops·are stacked from the tip of the jewel

to the crown of the head. These 21,6oo energies are purified, which

means that they vanish. The 2116oo blisses are completed, the entire

material constituent aspect is exhausted; .and one manifestly attains the

rainbow state of Kalacakra. As soon as that happens, one is in the samadhi

phase of the practice.

The Manner of Purification of the Basis

The phase of recollection purifies the aggregate of recognition and the ele­ment of water.

The Temporal and Ultimate Results of Recollection

The temporal benefit of the phase of recollection is that one experiences the

actual appearance of the empty forms of the father and mother deities. Five­

colored lights emanate from the pores of that empty form. The ultimate

result is that one attains the state of Amitabha, and one is praised by the

bodhisattvas.

Going into union with the consort "with aspect" makes it is possible to

go into union with the consort "without aspect," that is, to go into medi­

tative equipoise focused upon emptiness that is similar to being devoid of

dualistic appearance.

At the stage of retention, one unwaveringly maintains the descending

energy, the life-sustaining energy, the drop of the fourth occasion, and the

empty form of the deity with consort. Then, the tummo flame blazes

upward, melting the white bodhicitta, which descends and leads to the four

blisses. Once all that has occurred, one moves on to the phase of recollec­

tion. At that exact moment of the shift over to the recollection phase, there

arises the actual empty form of the deity with consort.

In this recollection phase, one recalls the facsimile of empty form that

occurred in the first two phases of retraction and meditative stabilization.

But now it is the actual form and not a facsimile, and one attains the mind

vajra.

SAMADHI

Je Tsongkhapa says that there is no particular etymology in this context for

the name of the sixth phase, samadhi. As soon as one experiences immut­

able bliss in dependence upon the union of the deity with consort at one's

navel cakra, then one begins the transition from the recollection phase to

the samadhi phase. The phase of samadhi lasts from the first moment of the

Completion Stage Practices 234

experience of immutable bliss through the entire process of stacking the

white bodhicitta and the experience of the 21,6oo immutable blisses, until

there arises the direct antidote for the most subtle of the cognitive obscurations.

The sixth phase of samadhi includes both the ordinary path and the

arya path. In the earlier part of this phase, you are still an ordinary being,

not an arya.

During the phase of samadhi, the meditative focal point is shifted from

the navel cakra down to the genital region. In terms of the stacking of the

drops, there are 3,6oo between the tip of the jewel and the base of the gen­

ital region. At the midpoint of the jewel, the number of drops that has been

stacked is 1,8oo. This corresponds to what is called the ground of imaginary

action, and it corresponds to the bodhisattva paths of accumulation and

preparation. It is called the ground of imaginary action because during that

time a person is a bodhisattva but not yet an aryabodhisattva. Thus, the

bodhisattva's actions are still only imagined to be chiefly directed to serving

the needs of sentient beings. Because the emphasis lies in the training of the

motivation at that time, it is called imaginary.

The final 1,8oo of these drops act as a direct antidote for a correspond­

ing specific karmic energy. The drops counteract the karmic energy, and in

the very next moment one attains what is called the liberated path.

This resembles the attainment of the path of seeing in the Paramitayana,

which has two phases. The first one is called the uninterrupted path, which

acts as a direct antidote to the acquired mental afflictions. Then, having

eliminated these acquired mental afflictions, at the very next moment one

attains the liberated path. It does not mean that one is an arhat, but it does

mean that one has entered the path of seeing, whereby one becomes an

arya. According to the Cakrasarpvara and Guhyasamaja systems, one simul­

taneously becomes an arya, who directly realizes emptiness by means of

one's innate mind, and an arhat, who has eliminated all acquired and

inborn mental afflictions.

Simultaneous with the stacking of the white bodhicitta from the tip of

the jewel to the base of the genital region, there is an inverted stacking of

the red bodhicitta from the crown of the head to the forehead. The stack­

ing process continues from the base of the genitals up to the navel cakra,

and once again 3,6oo white drops are stacked in the process. Simultaneous

The Six-Phase Yoga 235

with that is an inverted stacking of the 3,6oo red drops from the forehead

down to the throat.

During the initial phase, due to the stacking from the tip of the jewel to

the base of the genitals, one attains the first two aryabodhisattva grounds.

By the stacking that occurs from the base of the genitals up to the navel

cakra, one attains grounds three and four. Although one has attained four

grounds, it is said that one achieves only the third ground.

This process then continues: from the level of the navel up to the heart

there are another 3,6oo drops; from the heart to the throat there are anoth­

er 3,6oo drops; from the throat to the forehead there are another 3,6oo drops; and from the forehead to the crown of the head there are another

3,6oo drops.

Simultaneously, there is an inverted stacking of the red bodhicitta from

the forehead to the throat, from the throat to the heart, from the heart to

the navel, from the navel to the base of the genitals, and finally, from the

base of the genitals to the tip of the jewel.

In each of these phases one attains two grounds, for a total of twelve

grounds.

Five events occur simultaneously:

•:• The stacking of the first white drop.

•:• The inverted stacking of the first red drop.

•:• The experience of the first immutable bliss.

•:• The cessation of the first of the 21,6oo karmic energies.

•:• The cessation of the first of the 21,600 material elements.

As the material elements are exhausted, the extinguishing process goes

deeper and deeper. This can be likened to a snowman that has a blue core:

the superficial whiteness gets thinner and thinner, until only the blue

remains. During this process, the outer and inner transparent element of

one's body (Tib. stongpa phyi gsa! !a nang gsa!) is the basis for one's wisdom

body, and it is at the core of the body. As that starts to manifest, the mate­

rial elements on the outside get thinner and thinner. Like dry ice, the

material elements just vanish. Likewise, the material constituents of the

body vanish totally. The material aspects of the drops that are being stacked

are also extinguished. What is left over is one's full form. One has now

arisen in an empty form body, which is a primordial wisdom body.

Completion Stage Practices 236

It is said that until that material element is totally exhausted, it is impos­

sible to emanate one's empty form. When meditating, one's empty form

arises, but the material constituent of the drops has not yet been extin­

guished, so when one rises from meditation, one's empty form vanishes.

When all of the karmic energies have been extinguished, all cognitive

obscurations have been abandoned. With the purification of all the karmic

energies and material elements, one attains the union of body and mind,

the empty form of the deity with consort, and one attains immutable bliss.

One purifies the form aggregate and the earth element. Both have a sixfold

classification. One experiences immutable bliss and attains the state of

Vairocana.

The temporal benefit is that the subjective mind and its objects become

one. The ultimate benefit is that one attains the actual primordial wisdom

vajra. It is in reference to this state that there is the praise:

Homage to the glorious Kiilacakra, Bearing the nature of emptiness and compassion, Who is without birth or destruction in the three realms of cyclic existence, The embodiment of unified consciousness and the objects of consciousness.

From that point on, there is no moment in which this being, the Buddha

Kalacakra, is not dedicated to the welfare of sentient beings. One's body,

speech, and mind pervade space. Even if we should encounter Kalacakra as

the size of a sesame seed, it would still be the complete body, speech, and

mind of the Kalacakra. In fact, they are always ready to be met.

The mind of Kalacakra with consort is of the same nature as emptiness,

and there is nothing that is not pervaded by emptiness. The text states in the

practice, "like bubbles arising from water," suggesting that the bubbles that

arise are of the same nature as the water from which they arise. In a similar

fashion, Kalacakra can be encountered anywhere and he takes on these forms.

This concludes a rough explanation of the stages of generation and com-

pletion of the Kalacakra practice.

As an auspicious gesture, I once again quote the initial verse of this practice:

With great adoration I take refuge in the Buddha, The master from whom supreme empowerment is received,

The Dharma of indivisible method and wisdom that he reveals, And the two types of Sangha who abide therein.

The Six-Phase Yoga 237

20

Questions and Answers

Q· Within the threefold classification of father, mother, and nondual tantras, where does Kalacakra fit? A: According to Je Tsongkhapa, there is no threefold classification of

tantras: there are just mother and father tantras, with no nondual tantras. I

have already explained the distinction between mother tantras and father

tantras. All highest yoga tantras lead to the attainment of the body of the buddha as well as the mind of the buddha. But among the different tantras

there are different emphases. The tantras that emphasize the body of the

buddha are called father tantras, whereas those tantras that emphasize the

mind of the buddha are called mother tantras. There are no tantras that

emphasize neither. All the tantras principally emphasize one or the other,

but they all lead to both the body and mind of the buddha.

Q· What is the text upon which this explanation of the Kalacakra Six-Session

Guru Yoga is based? Is it Khedrub ]e's commentary? A: There is no specific commentary to the Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga, which was composed by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and ver­

sified by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche. I have been drawing from the writings of Khedrub Je and Gyeltsab Je, and the Vimalaprabhti as well as other texts,

taking whatever I find relevant to different passages in the sadhana.

Q· Please comment on the issue of practicing even at the cost of one's life in the verse:

In order to liberate all sentient beings .from the dangers of cyclic existence and

quietism, From now until buddhahood is achieved

Questions and Answers 239

I shall maintain the attitude of wishing to achieve perfect enlightenment, And not forsake it even at the cost of my life.

Whenever I come across this verse, it always strikes me that it is very serious. It always makes me wonder what circumstances could arise that might make one hold to this commitment at the cost of one's life. A: Let's clarify what is meant by this phrase "at the cost of my life." If some­

one were to ask, "What would you rather do: give up the spirit of

awakening, or die?" then the appropriate response would be to opt for the

latter. However, it is not very likely that someone is going to ask you this

question. That being the case, why say it in the first place? The reason is that sometimes one may get discouraged and feel that it is probably impos­

sible to carry through with this commitment. Reading that verse may pull

one out of the discouragement and revitalize one's aspiration. If one actu­

ally were to relinquish this aspiration, then the commitment would be

broken, and one would fall to the Hinayana path. It would be extremely

unwholesome to turn away from that commitment.

It is said that it is nonvirtuous to turn away from concern for even one

sentient being's well-being. Since the spirit of awakening is directed to the

well-being of all sentient beings, to turn away from that motivation would

be all that much more unwholesome. So when reciting this verse, one

prays that one may maintain that commitment even in the most dire of

circumstances.

Q: Having meditated on this, I had the thought that "even at the cost of my life" refers to my giving up the life that is incompatible with the spirit of awakening. A: Good! His Holiness the Dalai Lama comments that it is inappropriate

to divide one's life into a mundane portion devoted to worldly pursuits and

into a Dharma portion. Rather, one should see how one can transform the

mundane aspects of one's life and integrate them thoroughly into spiritual

practice.

Q· When the Chinese invaded Tibet, many Tibetans were forced to give up

their Buddhist vows of refuge. Some died, some committed suicide, some fled. In such a case, is it legitimate to verbally give up one's refuge in the Buddha,

Dharma, and Sangha without actually doing so mentally?

Completion Stage Practices 240

A: There were rwo lamas in Tibet. One of them was the renowned tutor of

Dromo Geshe Rinpoche (Tib. gro mo dge bshes rin po che), and the other

was a monk who was the chanting leader in the Lower Tantric College in

Lhasa. To the latter, the Chinese communists said, "Are you willing to

renounce your respect and devotion to the Dalai Lama and his rwo tutors?"

The lama said, "This is a very tough question. I have to really give it seri­

ous consideration. Please give me seven days to think it over."

After the seven days had passed, the lama came back to the Chinese and

said, "This is a difficult question. If you ask me to speak of the excellent

qualities of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his rwo tutors, I could go on

for months. But when you ask me to speak about their faults, I do not have

anything to say at all. However, it would really be excellent if you did not

kill me, because I am a little afraid of dying. But if you do kill me, then I

am just going to die. Whether or not you kill me, it is just a matter of ten

to fifteen years. Do what you like."

During those seven days he had requested to think over the question, he

met the tutor ofDromo Geshe Rinpoche, who said, "Since in our hearts we

can find no fault with His Holiness and his rwo tutors, it may not be so

important whether or not we verbally renounce them." The chanting

leader's response was to spit in disgust. He said, "You spent your whole life

studying the Buddhadharma, but it does not seem that you have a drop of

wisdom."

It is difficult to say what to do on such occasions, when one's life is actu­

ally being threatened. What is going to be stronger: your spirit of

awakening or your fear of death? The issue is very simple. It is a matter of

when we die, and not whether we die. This is what it boils down to.

By the way, the Chinese eventually released the chanting leader, where­

as the tutor of Dromo Geshe Rinpoche was horribly beaten, forced to

submit to a public inquisition, and then thrown into a concentration camp.

The blessing of the spirit of awakening is such that if one can maintain

it like that chanting leader did, it is possible that even though people say

they will kill you, they will not actually do it. In most cases of the Chinese

threatening, "Either give up Dharma or we will kill you," when people

responded, "I don't really want to die; you do what you have to do, but I

am not giving up the Dharma," the Chinese let the people go.

Questiom and Amwers 24I

Q: Please clarifY the dangers of quietism in the phrase "The dangers of cyclic existence and quietism. " A: Quietism refers to nirviil).a, which seems rather odd. On one occasion,

Mafijusrl was teaching five hundred disciples, and they were just about to

attain arhatship. At that point, if they had been taught about emptiness in

accordance with the Madhyamika view, they would have succumbed to

false views. Mafijusrl saw that they could either continue on the path as

they were and attain nirval).a, or they could be taught the Madhyamika

teachings on emptiness and be led to false views. In terms of attaining per­

fect enlightenment, Mafijusrl saw that their path to awakening would be

shorter if they were led to wrong views, so he gave them those teachings on

emptiness. Consequently, they all did develop false views and abandoned

Dharma.

The disciples of the Buddha who were aware of what had occurred were

stunned by this! They reported to the Buddha that Mafijusrl had made a

great mistake by leading these people away from the very near-term attain­

ment of arhatship to developing false views and abandoning Dharma. The

Buddha responded that in fact Mafijusrl had been very skillful, for he rec­

ognized that in the long run this would turn out to be a more direct path

to perfect awakening.

By leading these five hundred to a swifter attainment of perfect awaken­

ing, each of them would be able to be of great benefit to sentient beings.

This is what the Buddha had in mind when he praised Mafijusrl. If they

had attained arhatship, they would have dwelled for an extremely long time

in nirviil).a, and at the end of this long samadhi, they would have had to be

aroused from it to follow the Mahayana path. However, after one has

abided for such a long time in the state of nirviil).a, it is very difficult to be

aroused from that and to relate to sentient beings. One is so saturated with

the peace of nirviil).a that it is difficult to feel any heartfelt compassion for

others. Therefore, the text speaks of the dangers of cyclic existence and the

dangers of quietism, for the latter can obstruct one's attainment of perfect

awakening.

If one has not already been saturated with the peace of nirviil).a and fresh­

ly cultivates the spirit of awakening, then it takes about three countless eons

until you attain buddhahood by following the Paramitayana, whereas if you

Completion Stage Practices 242

first attain arhatship and dwell for an immeasurably long time in nirvfu).a,

and then are aroused from that and follow the Mahayana, it takes much

longer to attain buddhahood. It takes many, many countless eons, not just

three.

Q; Please explain all the kiiyas of the buddha in the context of Vajrayiina and Piiramitiiyiina. A: The presentations of the four kayas, or the four bodies of the buddha, in

the two systems is about the same. It is not possible for sentient beings to

encounter the jiianakaya (Tib. ye shes chos sku) and the svabhavakaya (Tib.

ngo bo nyid sku); only the buddhas can experience them. Both the jiianakaya

and the svabhavakaya are called the dharmakaya.

The dharmakaya is the awareness of all the buddhas. The ultimate,

empty nature of that awareness is known as the svabhavakaya, due to the

purity of its nature, meaning its absence of inherent nature. The

svabhavakaya is also so called because of its freedom from the two types of

adventitious obscurations. They are called adventitious because they are

not in the essential nature of the mind; they are simply veils that can be

dispelled.

The form of the buddha that is uniquely apparent to aryabodhisattvas is

known as the sambhogakaya (Tib. longs spyod rdzogs pa'i sku). The form

that appears to beings of pure karma is called the nirmfu).akaya (Tib. sprul sku). It is said that the four bodies of the buddha are of the same nature.

Q· Please explain the classifications of the kiiyas as two, three, four, or five. A: The classification of the five kayas is made in terms of the five types of

primordial wisdom of a buddha. The four kayas are the nirmfu).akaya, sam­

bhogakaya, dharmakaya, and svabhavakaya. When the svabhavakaya is

included in the dharmakaya, then there are three bodies: the nirmfu).akaya,

sambhogakaya, and dharmakaya.

Sometimes the body, speech, and mind of a buddha are referred to as the

three kayas of a buddha. There is also a twofold classification of the kayas:

the dharmakaya and rupakaya. The latter refers to both the nirmfu).akaya

and the sambhogakaya.

Questions and Answers 243

Q; Please clarify the classification of external internal and secret offerings, as well as the common and uncommon offiring.r. A: The ten inner offerings and the next thirty-seven offerings are all inner

offerings. They are called inner because they are part of one's being. They are

not like flowers, which are outside your body. Among the inner offerings

there are both common and uncommon offerings. The word common does

not mean the offerings are vulgar or ordinary; rather, that these are offerings

that are common with other tantric systems. Then there are offerings that are

unique to the Kalacakra system, which are called uncommon. Among the outer

offerings, the offerings of fruit and the great fruit are uncommon, for these are

unique to Kalacakra. There are different inner offerings: some of them are

common with other tantric systems and some are unique to Kalacakra.

Q; Who is Vajravega? A: The wrathful form of Kalacakra is known as Vajravega, whereas the

peaceful form is Kalacakra.

Q; How might desire for the form and formless realms arise? A: Some non-Buddhist meditators may long for rebirth in such realms. For

example, a teacher might praise the qualities of various states in the form­

less realm, such as infinite space, infinite consciousness, and nothingness,

pointing out that you may remain in such a state for hundreds of thousands

of years. To some people this may appear very attractive, and they strive in

samadhi to get there. We, too, have the habitual propensities for such desire

for form and formless realms.

Q· What is the distinction between wisdom (Skt. prajfia, Tib. shes rab) and primordial wisdom (Skt. jfiana, Tib. ye shes)?

A: There are important differences between the two. Wisdom is included in

primordial wisdom, but primordial wisdom is not included in wisdom.

Primordial wisdom refers to the realization of emptiness, whereas wisdom

includes all kinds of wisdom. In some contexts, it is better translated as

intelligence, which may come under the domination of mental afflictions. In

those contexts, wisdom, or intelligence, is the faculty of the mind that is

able to clearly discriminate between phenomena.

Completion Stage Practices 244

Q: It was stated that intelligence is the capacity to discriminate. It seems para­

doxical that we seek in our practice to attain a type of wisdom that realizes emptiness, and while in that meditative equipoise, we cannot discriminate

between phenomena. A: Even when one attains a nonconceptual realization of emptiness, one is

still focused upon a specific object. The discriminating ability that is able to

distinguish is the means of gaining the realization of that particular object.

It distinguishes between that which is and that which is not emptiness, and

then proceeds to ascertain it.

Q: What is the nature of the innate mind that is free from conceptualization?

!fit is free from conceptualization, how can it give rise to conceptualization and make possible the appearances of objective and subjective phenomena? A: One needs to understand the distinction between the manner in which

something exists and the things that may arise from it. For example, in the

nature of the sky itself there are no clouds, but clouds do arise from the sky.

Just as the appearance of clouds does not obliterate space, and the absence

of clouds does not bring about an end to space, similarly the appearance of

conceptualization does not obliterate the innate mind. And the absence of

conceptualization does not annihilate the innate mind.

To give another analogy: during the daytime when the sun is shining,

although the light of the moon and the stars may be present, they are not

seen because they are overwhelmed by the light of the sun. Similarly, when

conceptualization is present, although the innate mind is present as well, it

is not evident because it is overwhelmed by conceptualization.

Just as with the waning of the light of the sun, the light of the stars and

the moon becomes more evident, so the waning of the strength of concep­

tualization causes the presence of the innate mind to become more and

more evident.

Q· Are the five buddhas, the five consorts, and so forth, in their purified aspects

to be taken literally? Are we made out of these deities? What should we take this

to mean? When they transform, are they aspects of the mind or are they literal­

ly beings in sambhogakiiya form? A: It is said that the purified aspects of these aggregates and so forth appear

Questions and Answers 245

in the form of these various deities, the five buddhas and consorts, and so

forth. For example, as the five mental afflictions are purified as one devel­

ops along the path, their purified aspects arise in the forms of the five types

of primordial wisdom. Just as one speaks of the five aggregates in their puri­

fied form appearing as the five classes of buddhas, so does one speak of the

five mental afflictions in their purified form appearing as the five types of

primordial wisdom. For example, it is said that the form aggregate in its

purified form appears as V airocana. Along these same lines, it is said that

delusion in its purified form arises as the mirror-like wisdom.

Tantric practice is designed for specific disciples. A disciple in whom

delusion is especially dominant will emphasize V airocana, and the buddha

will appear in the form ofVairocana for this disciple. If the disciple suffers

predominately from pride, the buddha will appear in the form of

Ratnasambhava. Similarly, the buddha will appear in the form of Amitabha

to a disciple in whom desire is especially strong. For one whose main neg­

ative emotion is jealousy, the buddha will appear in the form of

Amoghasiddhi. A disciple in whom anger is especially predominant will see

the buddha in the form of ~obhya.

The fact that the buddha appears in these different forms of ~obhya

and so forth is the result of the different capacities and predispositions of

the trainees. Just as gold can take different forms yet remains gold, so from

the side of the buddha there is only the wisdom of emptiness and bliss,

which takes on these different forms for the sake of sentient beings.

Q: Are the drops simply conceptual constructs, or are they real physical phe­nomena? A: The four drops exist whether or not you are visualizing them. As I men­

tioned before, they are composites of the red and white bodhicittas, which

are physical. The white bodhicitta is certainly related, if not exactly identi­

cal, to semen. Similarly, the red bodhicitta is closely associated with blood

and is comparable to blood. In this sense they are physical, and they exist

in those four places mentioned earlier.

Q: Could we just have a few words of clarification of the meaning of the vajra body?

Completion Stage Practices 246

A: The Sanskrit word for body is kaya, which means an aggregate, or some­

thing compounded. This vajra body is called a kaya because it is created in

dependence upon the accumulation of the two collections of merit and

knowledge.

Vajra usually refers to diamond, and the connotation of diamond is that

it is able to crush other things but is itself uncrushable. Because the vajra

body is free of the two types of obscurations, nothing can vanquish it, and

so it is similar to a vajra.

The vajra body is the supreme body that arises as a result of the culmi­

nation of the two collections, of merit and knowledge. Actually, the vajra

body is identical to the rupakaya, which includes both the sarnbhogakaya

and nirmiil)akaya.

Q· Is primordial wisdom defined as the union of immutable bliss and empty form? A: In the context of Kalacakra, at the time of fruition, primordial wisdom

is inseparable from empty form. In a broader context, primordial wisdom

refers to the realization of emptiness, and it is not correct to say that it is

generally of the same nature as empty form. But in the Kalacakra system at

the time of fruition, that is the case. In this context, that which is designat­

ed as nondual bliss and emptiness is primordial wisdom. In our present

practice we simply imagine non dual bliss and emptiness, but that is not yet

the actual indivisible bliss and emptiness.

Q· What is the relatiomhip between emptiness and empty form? A: In the context of Kalacakra, emptiness is called the "mother without

aspect," for when one gains a direct realization of emptiness, it appears

without aspect. In the context of Kalacakra, the term empty form refers to

events that have apparent shape and color but are in fact free of materiali­

ty. That is the crucial point: they have no material substance. Having

merely the appearances of shapes and colors, they are like rainbows. Bearing

that in mind, in terms of the dual classification of ultimate truth and con­

ventional truth, emptiness is ultimate truth, and empty form is

conventional truth.

Questions and Answers 247

Q· Is there a relationship between the four high and very high initiations and the four kinds of bliss? A: The terms bliss, supreme bliss, extraordinary bliss, and innate bliss are

not commonly used in the Kalacakra literature, though they do appear in

the sadhana. Within the Kalacakra system, the discussions of initiation and

the stage of generation are different.

In the initiation, the bodhicitta descends from the crown of the head to

the forehead. This is associated with bliss. When it descends from the fore­

head to the heart, it is associated with supreme bliss. From the heart to the

genitals, it is associated with extraordinary bliss, and from the genitals to

the tip of the jewel it is innate bliss.

The process in all the other tantras is different, and it is also different in

the generation stage presentation even in Kalacakra. In the sadhana, when

the white bodhicitta descends from the forehead to the throat, one experi­

ences bliss; from the throat to the heart, supreme bliss; and from the heart

to the navel there is extraordinary bliss. When it moves from the navel cakra

to the genital cakra, which in this case is the same as the tip of the jewel, it

is innate bliss.

Q· What are the eleventh and the twelfth grounds according to this system? A: In the Paramitayana, there are ten grounds, while in tantra there are

eleven aryabodhisattva grounds. The name of the tenth tantric bodhisattva

ground is the same as that in the Paramitayana. The eleventh ground is

called the "omnipresent light," and the twelfth ground is called the "incom­

parable." In the Paramitayana, one dwelling on the tenth bodhisattva

ground is called an aryabodhisattva, and on the eleventh ground one is said

to be a buddha.

There are nine degrees of cognitive obscurations, ranging from gross to

subtle. Of those, the ninth, the most subtle, has two facets, a grosser aspect

and a more subtle facet. It is said that the Paramitayana is incapable of dis­

pelling the more subtle of those two facets of the ninth cognitive

obscuration. Therefore, it is said that the buddhahood attained by means of

the Paramitayana is called the ground of the omnipresent light. The more

subtle of those two facets of the ninth cognitive obscuration-in other

words, the most subtle of cognitive obscurations-can be eliminated only

Completion Stage Practices 248

by means of tantra. Through the elimination of that degree of obscuration,

one attains the twelfth ground, the incomparable ground, which in fact is

the ground of a buddha. The twelfth ground is explained in the context of

the stage of completion.

With every set of 1,8oo immutable blisses that one experiences, one

attains a ground, since each set of 1,8oo blisses is a direct remedy for obscu­

rations associated with a specific ground. With each 1,8oo, one attains a

ground. If you divide 21,600 blisses by twelve, you should come up with

1,8oo. In other tantric systems there are references to fifteen or sixteen

grounds. These are simply different classifications of the same process of

spiritual awakening.

Q: When visualizing the central channel it is sometimes said that we are to

imagine its upper half, from the navel up, as green, but elsewhere it is said we

should visualize it only at the heart. Why is this?

A: Generally speaking, it is green from the navel up, but in the initial for­

mation of these energies, the heart is the focal point. Like two tendrils, the

section coming up from the heart is green, and the section going down is

blue.

Q: Of the four interpretations ofharp., the second one corresponds to the gener­

ation stage, in which you made reference to the bardo being. It was my

understanding that bardo beings are not discussed in the Kiilacakra system.

Please explain.

A: This does refer to the process of the bardo being taking birth, but it is not

actually a purifying agent for that bardo state. In other sadhanas, that of

Y amantaka for instance, one actually transforms the sambhogakaya into the

path, and there is a separate visualization of a deity that relates to the bardo

being. There is a phase in those sadhanas in which you generate yourself

either as a syllable or as a deity. Then you cultivate the pride of being the

sambhogakaya in order to transform that into the bardo state. This separate

phase of the practice does not occur in Kalacakra.

Q: Is this a lesser purification?

A: It is not less potent. They both accomplish the task. It is just that one

Questiom and Amwers 249

system can be more appropriate than another, depending on the disciples.

For example, for those disciples for whom Guhyasamaja is the most appro­

priate, the Kalacakra system would appear inadequate. Whereas those who

find the Kalacakra system most appropriate might consider the forms of

meditation in the Cakrasa.rp.vara and Guhyasamaja systems to be superflu­

ous in this particular phase.

Q· What is the difference between the siidhana and the six-session guru yoga?

A: This is called a six-session guru yoga because it includes all the pledges

that must be kept six times a day. If you do this properly six times a day,

you are keeping all these pledges.

This practice can also be called a sadhana, in the sense that you are gen­

erating yourself as a deity with consort along with the eight goddesses. First

of all, you do the practice of transforming the dharmakaya into the path in

reference to death. Then, as you transform the nirmii.t).akaya into the path

in reference to birth, you generate yourself as the deity with consort. The

other practices of making offerings and reciting the mantras also entail parts

of a sadhana. For a sadhana to be complete, it must have the initial stages

of refuge and the spirit of awakening, at least a brief visualization of the

field of merit, and guru yoga; it also has to conclude with the dedication of

merit. This six-session guru yoga has all of that.

Q: Is the visualization to be done in stages? For instance, does one visualize

.Kalacakra first, then visualize Vifvamiitii embracing him, or does one see them

both at once?

A: When you read the sadhana, everything proceeds sequentially, of course.

You cannot describe everything in that visualization at once. The sequence

is that you generate the various parts ofKalacakra first, and then Visvamata.

There are different interpretations, though, of the actual meditation

process. The sequential approach is one way to do it, but Khedrub Je states

that it is very potent to visualize the deity with consort instantaneously, and

as powerfully and as vividly as you can. His approach for beginning practi­

tioners is to try with a great burst of the mind to create the whole thing and

maintain this with intense clarity. Then, as one stabilizes in that, one can

gradually fill our the details.

Completion Stage Practices 250

If one is intent on cultivating the stage of generation, then the process is

to first of all generate a general visualization of the whole thing. Then,

maintaining that in a rather vague fashion, give special emphasis to the two

faces and the main two hands of each of the deities. Establish clarity there,

while maintaining a somewhat nebulous surrounding visualization.

At that point, if the visualization of the hands is not clear, try to estab­

lish clarity of the faces and be satisfied with that. Moreover, if the whole

face does not appear clearly to the mind, try to maintain a somewhat neb­

ulous visualization of the whole face. But if some part of the face appears

vividly, focus on that. Whatever appears vividly, give that special emphasis

and maintain clarity in that.

When one can maintain this with clarity and continuity, one gradually

extends clarity in all directions, including all the faces and all the arms, and

eventually one establishes that clarity for the whole mal:).<;lala with its deities.

According to the text, upon having fully and authentically received tantric

initiation, it is possible within six months to attain a clear vision of the

mal:).<;lala. That means that your generation of the mal:).<;lala, with the deities

and so forth, appears to the mind's eye about as vividly as if you were look­

ing at it. Moreover, you will be able to hold the visualization for four

hours.

Q: Is there anyone nowadays who has accomplished that?

A: Maybe so. Fully and authentically receiving the initiation does much to

eliminate the obscurations and unwholesome habitual propensities in the

mind. Upon that basis, if one then very assiduously guards the precepts and

the pledges, the clarity of one's mind is tremendously enhanced. If one does

this, it seems quite possible to attain a clear vision of the mal:).<;lala in six

months.

Remember the different eras, the era of fulfillment, the era of conflict, and

so forth. It is in the era of fulfillment that people very easily attain realization.

It is said that in the era of fulfillment, reciting the mantra 01Jl iii; hil1JZ ho

ha1JZkfamalavaraya hii1Jl phat IOo,ooo times suffices to make the mind ser­

viceable for the full practice of Kalacakra.

In the age of conflict, which is the present age, one needs to recite the

mantra 40o,ooo times to make oneself serviceable for the practice, or to

Questiom and Amwers 2SI

complete the propitiatory retreat. Bearing in mind the fourfold degenera­

tion, it appears that if at the time of fulfillment it was possible to attain such

clarity in six months, that might now take two years. To rephrase this, if

people like us were to fully and authentically receive initiation and very dili­

gently guard the precepts and pledges, there is much hope that we could

attain a clear vision of the m3.I,l9ala in two years. If one has some mental

habitual propensities for this, then it could happen faster. Some people who

have never meditated sit down in meditation and very swiftly gain realiza­

tion. There is no way to predict the influence of hidden habitual

propensities.

Q· Do we view this visualization from in front? A: This is a self-generation. It is not something in front of you. On the

other hand, think of the reflection of the moon appearing in water; liken

your own mind to the water and the visualization to the moon's reflection.

Just as the reflection of the moon appears in the water, so does this reflec­

tion of the visualization appear in your mind.

Q· Is a proper visualization like a solid image, or a rainbow-like, tramparent image? A: It is purely an image of light, like a hologram. You are not visualizing

something solid. Remember that the whole thing is of the nature of

wisdom, and that wisdom is your own wisdom. All of this is an emanation

of your own mind. For everything in the m3.I)9ala you develop divine pride.

All of these are to be regarded as displays of the primordial wisdom of bliss

and emptiness. They all come from the same origin, and you identify with

everything.

Q· Is there any significance in the different number of spokes in the wheels at the cakras? A: The spokes of the wheels are in multiples of four. Usually there are eight.

Symbolically, the eight-spoked wheel refers to the eight branch channels at

the heart cakra.

Q· When generating the divine pride and the pure vision, do you imagine looking

Completion Stage Practices 252

out from the eyes ofVi!vamiitii or from the perspective of Kiilacakra?

A: Where are you now? Are you inside or are you outside?

Student: I am inside myself now.

A: So there are two of you? It is important to determine where you are right

now. Are you inside your body or outside your body? When you think, "I

am Kalacakra," you don't need to think of inside or outside. You think, "I

am here," without making any distinctions of inside or outside. Why do we

tend to think that we are positioned behind the eyeballs? Why is it such a

persistent tendency, even while meditating, to think that we are up there in

our head? It is because in terms of our experience, the visual sense is very

powerful, and it is located in the head. For meditation this perspective is

irrelevant.

If you imagine yourself down at the navel during the recitations, that is

where you are. In fact, this tantric practice is in accord with reality, because

the very subtle mind pervades all of realiry. Even for ordinary experiences,

as we gaze around the world, wherever the mind is, whatever is ascertained,

the mind goes there. If we are looking at a mountain, the mind goes there

and locks onto the mountain.

Consider the actual relationship between the mirror and the reflections

in the mirror. We tend to grasp mentally onto the appearances in the

mirror as if they had their own nature. We tend to view the appearances as

if they were separate from the mirror, but that is not the case at all. The

reflections in the mirror are inseparable from the mirror itself.

Q; Is there a correlation between karmic energies and the karmic habitual

propemities?

A: There is a causal relationship between the two: that is, the karmic habitual

propensities act as the cause for the karmic energies. An energy itself cannot

be a propensity, and a propensity is not necessarily some kind of energy.

Unlike the Kalacakra literature, some texts of the Kagyii and Nyingma

orders state that the appearances of the environment are themselves habitual

propensities of energy as well as propensities of the mind. The reason for

that is that the nature of the mind itself is clear and transparent. The things

that arise in it are displays of its own habitual propensities.

In terms of tantra, it is correct to say that the appearances to the mind

Questiom and Answers 253

are habitual propensities of energy (Tib. rlung gi bag chags). For example,

fire, water, earth, and air are all specific expressions of energy. Science states

that the temperature of any substance determines whether it is a liquid, gas,

or solid. This is analogous to the theory of Buddhist tantra. In this system,

if one draws in all the karmic energy, then one draws in the whole universe.

Q: The Kalacakra system says that by means of the 2r,6oo immutable blisses, the 21,6oo karmic energies are obliterated Does this mean that they vanish without a trace? A: In the Prasangika system, it is said that the extinction of the afflictive and

cognitive obscurations is omniscience. It is not that they vanish and there

is nothing left. Rather, their very extinction is omniscience. To relate this

to the Kalacakra system, the very extinction of the 21,600 karmic energies

is Kalacakra. That is to say that these energies are transformed into bud­

dhahood, and without such a sublimation of the 21,600 karmic energies,

enlightenment is impossible.

Q· What does it mean to say that "The lord of the class marks the tops of the heads of the principal deity and the entourage"? A: Marking the top of the head in that way is sometimes called "making a

seal impression." To make a seal impression generally means to make a con­

tract, a bond, which is immutable, or sealed. This seal of immutability is

symbolized by ~obhya on the crown of the head of the chief deity, and

Vajrasattva on the crown of the heads of the consort and the sakti:s.

Recall that in the initiation, the disciples cast a flower after having

entered into the mai).c;lala. Where the flower lands in the mai).c;lala indicates

the class of buddhas in which they are to attain enlightenment, and that

corresponds to the mental afflictions that are chiefly dominant in the dis­

ciples. ~obhya represents the overcoming of the mental affliction of

hatred. As Alqobhya appears on the crown of the head, he is appearing as

one's own guru.

Q· If one is able to visualize any of these mantras at all, does it make any dif ference whether one visualizes them in Sanskrit, Tibetan, or English? A: I feel that since the practice itself has been translated into English, it

Completion Stage Practices 254

would be good to visualize English letters. You are reciting the whole prac­

tice in English anyway. If you were reciting the whole practice in Sanskrit,

then it would be reasonable to visualize Sanskrit letters. The stream of bless­

ing of this practice was maintained when it was translated from the Sanskrit

into Tibetan. But the stream of blessings for the Sanskrit recitation van­

ished a long time ago. In other words, it is not a living Sanskrit tradition.

Q· Correlations have been made between the syllables and the various locations

in the body, such as the heart, the throat, the forehead, and the navel, pertain­

ing to differing elements. While reciting the mantra, should we try to attend to

those locations?

A: No, you do not need to try to remember the locations of the sections of

the mantra as you recite it.

Q· How many times do we recite the mantras?

A: Recite the mantra for the principal deity one hundred, two hundred,

three hundred, or five hundred times, and recite the other mantras twenty­

one times. You may begin by reciting the first mantra one hundred times,

and if you find you want to do more, you do so and keep reciting the others

twenty-one times. Finally, recite the Vajrasattva mantra once.

Q· What is the relation between compassion and immutable bliss?

A: It is said that as one cultivates compassion to a high degree, it transforms

into immutable bliss. The Sanskrit word for compassion is karm~a, which

literally means "happiness blocker." The word has this etymology because

compassion blocks the happiness of quietism, and by counteracting that,

one is brought to a state of immutable bliss.

Q· I question the use of the adjective "immutable, "for I thought there was

absolutely nothing that was permanent and not in a state of flux.

A: Immutable bliss arises in dependence upon the stacking up of the drops

of the white bodhicitta. Because the white bodhicitta is not being emitted

but is rather stacked up, the basis of such bliss is the unmoving bodhicitta.

Therefore, it is called unmovable or immutable. This does not suggest that

it is noncomposite, or totally without any kind of change whatever.

Questiom andAmwers 255

Q Please explain the verse starting with ''Without tramgressing even in my dreams ... "

A: There are two types of moral boundaries that should not be transgressed.

There are the natural, unwholesome deeds that result in negative karma

whether or not you have precepts. If you kill someone, it is nonvirtuous

whether or not you have taken precepts. There are also misdeeds from vio­

lating Buddhist precepts. If a monk kills someone, it is both a natural

non virtue and a transgression of his precepts. There are two types of moral

transgressions, natural and created. Natural transgressions pertain to every­

body, whereas the created ones pertain only to people who have taken

pratimokfa, bodhisattva, or tantric precepts. For example, if one drinks

alcohol and one has not taken a precept not to do so, there is no downfall,

for this is not a natural moral transgression.

Q Is there a one-to-one correspondence between the 2r,6oo breaths and the number of energies flowing during the day, with an average of four seconds for each breath? This seems like a normal type breath, but what happem when we go jogging and we breathe more rapidly? A: There is a one-to-one correspondence between those breaths and the

movements of the vital energies. The figure of 2r,6oo breaths or movements

of vital energy per day is for an average person in good health.

Certainly there is a difference between a person who exercises and

breathes fast and a person who is ill in bed and breathes slowly. If you

breathe more times per day, which certainly is possible, it means that more

of these energies course each day, and this may shorten your life. If you

breathe more slowly, this may lengthen your life. This is why, for example,

one does the vase breathing, which tends to slow down the breathing. It is

said that one of the effects of this is increased longevity. As the signs of

death occur, the number of breaths per day slowly starts to diminish. Some

of the channels start to dry up, and the energies don't flow through them.

Q· Is the movement of the vital energies a closed system? As I understand it, we inhale either through the right or left nostril, corresponding to the right or left channel. These energies then go down to the navel cakra, and from there branch out and go in various proportiom into the branch channels. After that, do they

Completion Stage Practices 256

go out to a certain point in the body, or do they move back and forth along the

same routes? For example, is this analogous to the circulation of the blood?

A: I have checked this out very carefully, and it is not clear in the texts

whether or not, after the arborization, the vital energies come back into the

major channels. During the process of respiration, vital energy also goes in

and out of the pores of the body.

There is also something called life-sustaining energy (Tib. srog gi rlun~, which determines one's longevity, and this is directly associated with the

breath. The other types of energies also move with the breath, but they per­

vade the whole body. It is not clear whether or not this is a purely cyclical

process.

There are also interrelationships of the energies coursing through this

whole network at the heart and at the navel cakra. How these interrelate

with the gross breathing process through the nostrils is not very clear in the

Kalacakra literature.

Q: Why is it necessary to start on the right side, since the earth energy flows on the left side as well? A: It is true that all energies of the five elements also go through the left

channel, but the sequence with which the energies of these elements move

is opposite. On the right side the order is earth, water, fire, air, and space,

and on the left side the order is space, air, fire, water, and earth. Earth

comes last, and it is better to pick it up on the ascension. The session should

start right when that element begins to go through the right nostril. There

are six such opportunities each day.

Q: What is the basis for this presentation of the stage of completion? A: I am relying on notes on Je Tsongkhapa's teachings on the six-phase

yoga, but it is not clear who wrote them down.

Q· If you are a woman, should you focus on Kalacakra or his consort? A: Regardless of your gender, you still generate yourself as Kalacakra, who

is male. Before doing so, you dissolve your ordinary form and gender into

emptiness, so regardless of your gender, you visualize yourself as Kalacakra

with his consort Visvamata. Moreover, you generate the unified divine

Questions and Answers 257

pride of being Kalacakra and his consort as one, and not the pride of being

Kalacakra who has a consort.

Q· Is the Kalacakra at the crown the size of a sesame seed? A: It is not clear in the Kalacakra literature itself, but generally speaking it

is said that the width of the central channel is that of a wheat straw, about

one-eighth of an inch. That is the size of the central channel, and inside of

that you visualize Kalacakra with consort. Generally speaking, the smaller

the visualization, the more powerful it is.

Q· After you have engaged in the practice of the stage of completion and recited the dedication, do you continue to visualize yourself as Kalacakra with one face and two hands, with consort, as you go about your daily activities?

A: Yes, it is excellent to maintain that sense of identity with Kalacakra with

consort in his simple form, with one face and two hands. And, as men­

tioned before, imagine everything as the divine palace. Repeatedly identify

yourself with Kalacakra, and when you encounter other sentient beings,

think of them, too, as being Kalacakra with consort, and regard your inan­

imate environment as being the palace of Kalacakra.

Moreover, imagine your food as ambrosia, of the nature of primordial

wisdom, and your clothes also as being of the nature of such wisdom. By

doing this you are cultivating pure vision, which is very powerful for accu­

mulating merit.

As your mindfulness and introspection become more stabilized, it is also

good to regard all of your speech as being mantras, and all of your bodily

movements as being mudras and dances of the deity. This, too, is a very

powerful means of accruing merit.

Q: What is the difference between the empty form body and the illusory body? A: The ways of accomplishing them are different. To accomplish the illu­

sory body, you work with the very subtle energy. The empty form is not

generated out of the very subtle energy. Rather, it is a freshly created form.

One crucial point here is that while one is still a trainee, all of one's

energy is material, even the very subtle energies, which means that they are

composed of particles. When you generate the empty form, this is some-

Completion Stage Practices 258

thing nonmaterial. It is a form, but it is nonmaterial in the sense that it is not composed of atoms or material particles. In that sense it is a fresh form,

and it is said to be a mere appearance of the mind. Recall that the drop at the forehead has the capacity to produce two

types of phenomena. One is the impure appearance of objects, and the other is the pure appearance of objects. By means of the practice, one stops the production of impure appearance, and one thereby brings forth pure

appearances. The mere aspect of the appearance of the object is empty

form. It needs to be emphasized that empty form is not form in the ordi­nary sense. It is not material. According to Buddhist psychology, there are

three types of composites: cognitive, material, and abstract phenomena.

Empty form would probably fit into the category of abstract composites

that are neither cognition nor form.

It can be useful to relate these points to the inseparability of the vajra

body, speech, and mind. There is a more explicit relationship here than is

to be found in the Cakras:upvara and Guhyasamaja systems.

Q· It is said on the one hand that the very subtle mind is located in the drop at the heart, and on the other hand that it pervades all of existence. Are these two statements compatible? A: At conception, when the consciousness enters into the union of the red and white constituents of the parents, the conjunction of the three occurs

at the heart of what is going to be the embryo. In the dying process, at the

very moment when the energy mind entirely dissolves into the indestruc­

tible drop, the innate mind manifests. The very subtle mind, or the innate mind, may be said to be located in the indestructible drop in the sense that

when the energy-mind converges into the drop at the heart, the very subtle

mind manifests.

The pervasion of all existence by the innate mind is said to be incon­

ceivable and inexpressible. That very subtle innate mind is of the same

nature as the emptiness of reality. The emptiness of reality pervades every­

thing that exists; that is, everything has emptiness as its ultimate nature.

The innate mind is of the same nature as the emptiness of reality, and the

emptiness of reality pervades all of existence. Therefore, it also follows that

there is nothing that is not pervaded by the innate mind.

Questions and Answers 259

This reality is inconceivable and inexpressible, but it can be experienced.

When the innate mind manifests, one cannot speak of either existence or

nonexistence, for it is inexpressible. As an analogy, it is impossible to speak

of the center of space, yet space pervades everything that physically exists.

On many occasions, the term innate mind is used synonymously with

emptiness, reality itself (Skt. dharmatti, Tib. chos nyid), and the absolute

nature of reality (Skt. dharmadhiitu, Tib. chos kyi dbyings). A mere appear­

ance to the mind is called emptiness. Therefore, Khedrup Norzang Gyatso

commented that anything that exists is a composite. According to Buddhist

philosophy, this is an outrageous statement. But what he had in mind was

that everything, including space itself, consists simply of appearances to the

mind.

Q: You have encouraged us to maintain divine pride throughout the day. So

when we begin our practice of this six-session guru yoga, we should already be

imagining ourselves as Kiilacakra. However, at one point the text says I am to

imagine that the guru dissolves into myself, and I become of the same nature as

him. Does this mean that at that point both the guru and I are Kiilacakra, and

we become of the same nature? Or should I begin this practice with my ordinary

sense of identity?

A: It is good to cultivate the divine pride between sessions, and at the point

in the sadhana where the guru Kalacakra dissolves into yourself, you imag­

ine that Kalacakra and you are of the same nature. But in realiry, you two

are not yet of one nature. That occurs only upon the stage of fruition, when

you have experienced the 2r,6oo immutable blisses and have become per­

fectly awakened. It is for this reason that tantra is called "transforming the

result into the path." One transforms the desired result into the path by

means of imagination.

Q· The offerings are very complex. How shalf we imagine them while we are

beginners in this practice? A: Do not try to visualize them very clearly with everything in its place. In

a general way, simply imagine offering all these things. Gradually refine

your practice as your understanding and experience improve. Eventually

you will be able to make the offerings of Samantabhadra, in which the

Completion Stage Practices 260

whole of space is utterly filled with all kinds of intricate offerings. As begin­

ners, we cannot even imagine the offerings that are made by Samantabhadra.

Q; If sexual desire arises while stacking the white bodhicitta, should one culti­vate it, suppress it, or ignore it? A: There are two types of mental processes here. One is desire for sexual

intercourse, and the other is simply sexual bliss. It is the latter that one

should conjoin with the realization of emptiness. Desire for sexual inter­

course disturbs one's peace, unlike sexual bliss itself, which can be both

physical and mental. This is to be conjoined with meditation on emptiness.

Sexual desire should not be blocked, nor should it be cultivated. Simply

meditate on emptiness. Iflust arises very strongly, it is unlikely that one will be able to maintain the visualization. However, if sexual bliss arises, this

would be unlikely to obscure visualization, but rather would clarify it.

Q· How does one meditate on emptiness when bliss arises? A: If you already have some familiarity with meditating on emptiness, then

you recall your former experience, abiding in that nonconceptual state.

When bliss arises, you do not engage in any type of investigation into the

nature of emptiness. If you start investigating, it will stir up the conceptu­

al mind, which will then disturb the energies, and the whole experience will

dissipate.

Q· How is the sixth perfection of wisdom according to the Piiramitiiyiina dif­ferent from the tenth perfection of primordial wisdom in the Kalacakra Tantra?

A: Generally, it is possible to cultivate the perfections only if one's practice

is motivated by the spirit of awakening.

The perfection of primordial wisdom refers to the perfection of such

wisdom in buddhahood, specifically a buddha's realization of emptiness.

The perfection of wisdom in the Paramitayana refers principally to a bodhi­

sattva's realization of emptiness, which is imbued with the spirit of

awakening.

In the Kalacakra context, the perfection of primordial wisdom is some­

thing that cannot be overcome by conceptualization, and it bears all the

aspects of the speech of a buddha, which implies that it cannot be overcome

Questions and Answers 261

by the passage of time. It also transcends the three times: the past, present,

and future. Finally, the tenth perfection of primordial wisdom is Kalacakra

himself, whereas the sixth perfection of wisdom occurs on the stage of

generation.

Q: Does the statement that tantra can lead to enlightenment in one lifetime

apply equally to men and women? A: There is no difference. If one is a suitable practitioner, there is no dis­

tinction based on one's gender.

Q: Is there a specific time of the year when the self initiation should be done?

A: It is done in the third Tibetan month because the fifteenth day of the

third Tibetan month, being a full moon day, commemorates the day that

the Buddha gave the Kalacakra Tantra. It covers a span of seven to eight

days, with the fifteenth being in the center. Kalacakra practitioners perform

the self-initiation from the eleventh to the eighteenth of the third Tibetan

month.

Completion Stage Practices 262

'Dedication Prayer

By the power of the unified prayers of dedicating the virtue

Of the sentient beings here and throughout space

And of all the jinas and jinaputras of the three times,

May the teachings of the jinas, the source of benefit and joy, flourish and

be preserved.

May those who are sustaining the teachings have long lives, and may their

virtue spread forth in all directions.

In particular, may the life of the Protector of the snowy land of Tibet

remain firm,

May his thoughts reach out over the beings in Tibet,

And spread to all the nations of the world.

May all the three realms of sa.q1sara become empty,

And may we swiftly achieve spiritual awakening, in which our own and

others' aims are ultimately fulfilled.

May my prayers extend throughout

The outmost reaches of space,

Over the full range of all sentient beings,

And across all karma and mental afflictions.

Like the great elements such as earth,

And as constantly as space itself,

May I be a source of sustenance

For immeasurable sentient beings.

Dedication Prayer 263

Likewise, until the realms of sentient beings

Extending throughout space

Have all achieved nirva~a,

May I be the basis for their sustenance.

By the blessings of the jinas and jinaputras,

By the power of the infallible dependent 0rigination of empty

appearances,

And by the strength of my pure altruism,

May all these prayers be fulfilled!

May virture and goodness prevail!

Tramcending Time 264

A Lucid Presentation of the Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga

by

His HoLINEss THE FouRTEENTH DALAI LAMA

Versified by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche

Translated by B. Alan Wallace

Namo Guru Sri Kiilacakriiya Having bowed to the original Buddha, the union of the vajra of great

bliss with the aspectless maharnudra, I will elaborate herein the mode of

practicing the vety profound guru yoga in connection with the six sessions.

With great adoration I take refuge in the Buddha,

The master from whom the supreme empowerment is received,

The Dharma of indivisible method and wisdom that he reveals,

And in the two types of Sangha who abide therein.

From this time until enlightenment

I shall develop the spirit of awakening

And the pure resolve,

And I shall cease grasping onto I and mine. [recite 3x]

I shall cultivate loving kindness wishing that sentient beings be endowed

with happiness,

Compassion wishing that they be free of suffering,

Delight in their dwelling forever in joy,

And the equanimity of impartiality. [recite 3x]

In order to liberate all sentient beings·from the dangers of mundane

existence and peace,

From now until buddhahood is achieved

I shall maintain the attitude of wishing to achieve perfect enlightenment,

And not forsake it even at the cost ofmy life.

The Ka/4cakra Six~Session Guru Yoga 265

Gurus, jinas,I9 and jinaputras,20

Please attend to me.

Just as the sugatas21 of the past

Have developed the spirit of awakening

And dwelt by stages in the trainings of the bodhisattvas,

I, too, shall develop the spirit of awakening for the sake of sentient beings

And shall gradually engage

In the trainings of the bodhisattvas. [recite 3x]

Now my life is fruitful.

Human existence is well achieved.

Today I have been born in the family of the buddhas

And have become a child of the buddhas.

Now, whatever happens,

I shall embark on deeds that accord with this family,

And I shall not contaminate

This flawless, noble lineage.

Within the clear light mahamudra free of conceptual elaboration,

In the broad pathway of the immortal gods in front of me,

Is displayed an ocean of offering clouds of Samantabhadra,

Luminous like rainbows.

In their center, upon a jeweled throne supported by eight lions

Is a lovely lotus blossoming with a thousand petals.

On this are the discs of the moon, sun, rahu, and kalagni,

Upon which is the compassionate guru,

Indivisible from the Lord Kalacakra,

In whom are unified all the innumerable forms of refuge.

Bearing the brilliance of sapphire and blazing with glory,

He has one face and two hands holding a vajra and bell.

To symbolize the uncommon path of the union of method and wisdom,

He is in union with Vi5vamata, who is of the color of camphor

Transcending Time 266

And holds a curved knife and skullcup.

With his right, red leg extended

And his left, white leg bent,

He dances in a hundred ways upon Mara and Rudra.

Their bodies, adorned with wondrous ornaments,

Like the expanse of space beautified by the constellations,

Stand in the midst of a blaze of five stainless lights.

The three places of their bodies are graced

With the luminous forms of syllables

Of the divine nature of the three vajras.

From the seed syllables at their hearts are emitted terrifying Vajravegas

Bearing various weapons, who draw in well a host of protectors dwelling in countless realms;

And they become of one taste with the samayasattvas,22

Thereby transforming into the great beings who comprise all the refuges.

Reverent homage to the guru in whom the three embodiments are

indivisible:

The dharmakaya of great bliss, primordially free of conceptual elaboration,

The sambhogakaya bearing the fivefold self-illumination of primordial

wisdom,

And the dance of nirm3.l)akayas in the oceans of realms of animate beings.

With a perspective free of the three spheres,23 without attachment or

depression,

For the pleasure of the compassionate guru, the suprem'e field of merit,

I offer billowing clouds of outer, inner, and secret offerings

Actually presented and emerging from the play of samadhi,

Six pairs of beautifully adorned, bliss-bestowing goddesses

Whose lotus hands are graced with suitable offering substances,

As well as common and uncommon offerings,

The .Ka/4cakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 267

Together with my body, possessions, and accumulations of virtue.

The body, speech, and mind of myself and others, together with our

possessions and virtues accumulated during the three times,

As well as the excellent, precious ma.t)c;l.ala with the mass of offerings of

Samantabhadra,

I raise up with my mind and offer to the guru, the chosen deity, and the

Three Jewels.

Please accept them out of compassion and grant me your blessings.

Guru idarrz ratnarrz ma1Jdalakarrz niryiitayiimi

From beginningless time, due to the untamed steed of my mind

Being intoxicated by the beer of the three poisons and negligence,

I have committed sins and downfalls and caused others to do so.

In particular I have disturbed the master's mind and disobeyed his

instructions,

Broken the general and specific pledges of the five buddha classes,

And have failed to keep properly the twenty-five disciplines and so on.

Each of my mistaken deeds I disclose with intense remorse,

And I resolve to restrain myself in the future.

I rejoice in the ocean of good deeds of myself and others,

From which rise a thousand bubbles of fine consequences.

Please let fall the rain of Dharma of the three vehicles

In accordance with the interests and attitudes of inferior, middling, and

superior disciples.

May the coarse embodiments of the buddhas steadily continue to appear

To ordinary beings for a hundred eons without being destroyed or changed.

I dedicate my accumulation of virtue, such as this,

To be causes for the swift attainment of the state of union of Kalacakra.

From this time until enlightenment

I shall develop the spirit of awakening

Transcending Time 268

And the pure resolve,

And I shall cease grasping onto I and mine.

For the sake of the three accumulations24

I shall practice the perfections of generosity, ethical discipline, patience, zeal, meditative stabilization, wisdom, method, prayer,

Power, and primordial wisdom.

I shall cultivate loving kindness, wishing that sentient beings be endowed

with happiness,

Compassion, wishing that they be free of suffering,

Delight in their dwelling forever in joy,

And the equanimity of impartiality.

I shall beckon others well with generosity,

Engage in pleasant conversation,

Nurture them with meaningful behavior,

And give them great counsel according to their needs.

I shall eliminate the ten nonvirtues:

The three kinds of bodily actions,

The four verbal ones,

And the three kinds of mental actions.

I shall eliminate the five hindrances

That obstruct the three trainings25:

Remorse, lethargy, drowsiness,

Excitation, and doubt.

I shall eliminate the four affiictions

That are at the root of cyclic existence:

Attachment, hatred,

Delusion, and pride.

I shall eliminate the four contaminants

The .Kiilacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 269

That are the cause of sarpsira:

The contaminants of desire, of becoming,

Of ignorance, and of false views.

I shall accomplish perfect enlightenment

By means of the four doors of liberation:

Emptiness, signlessness,

Desirelessness, and nonactivity.

I pray to the compassionate guru, the synthesis of the three refuges,

Who, if relied upon, is the greatest wish-fulfilling

Source of all virtue and excellence within cyclic existence and peace:

Please bless my mindstream.

01[l ii~ guru vajradhara mafijuiri vagindra sumati jfiiina fasanadhara samu­dra fribhadra sarva siddhi hii1[l hii1[l

Guru Kal.acakra,

Please grant me the complete empowerments.

Bless me so that the four types of hindrances may be cleared away

And that the four embodiments may be achieved. [recite 3x]

From the heart ofKal.acakra are emitted sugatas with their consorts

As well as the circle of the maJ;14ala, and the empowering deities

Bestow the empowerments of water, crown, crown ribbon, vajra and bell,

Conduct, name, and permission.

They likewise grant the four pairs of the high and vety high empowerments

As well as the supreme empowerment of the vajra master.

As a result, the channels and vital energies of the body become functional,

And I am empowered to cultivate the two stages.

I come to have the fortune of actualizing in this lifetime

The sevenfold state of Kal.acakra,

In which the 2r,6oo karmic vital energies

And all the material elements of the body are consumed.

Transcending Time 270

When I earnestly, reverently pray to you,

Guru Vajradhara,

Embodiment of all the infinite refuges,

Please bless my mindstream.

Due to the power of such fervent prayer,

My primary Guru Kalacakra

Comes to the crown of my head

And joyfully dissolves, becoming of one taste with myself.

All phenomena-causes, effects, natures, and actions­

Are primordially empty of intrinsic nature,

Like illusions and dreams.

From the sphere of emptiness, like the emergence of a bubble,

The moon, sun, rahu, and kalagni

Appear in the center of a lotus in blossom.

Upon them are the moon and sun, of the nature of the white and red elements,

Adorned with a garland of vowels and consonants, of the nature of the

signs and symbols of a buddha.

In the center are the syllables of vital energy and the mind, hii1J1 and hi, which become unified in the form of the syllable ha1J1. That transforms into myself as Kalacakra,

Bearing the brilliance of sapphire and blazing with glory.

I have four faces and twenty-four hands, the first two embracing my consort

And holding a vajra and bell symbolizing the vajra of supreme, immutable

bliss

And the reality of emptiness of a nature free of conceptual elaboration.

The remaining right and left lotus hands

Are graced with such hand symbols as a sword and shield.

With my right, red leg extended and my white, left leg bent,

I dance in a hundred ways

The Kiilacakra Six-Session Gurn Yoga 27I

Upon Mara and Rudra.

My body, adorned with a multitude of ornaments,

Like the expanse of space beautified by the constellations,

Stands in the midst of a blaze of five stainless lights.

Facing the lord is Visvamata,

Of the color of camphor, with four faces and eight hands

Holding various hand symbols such as a curved knife and skullcup.

With her left leg extended, she embraces the lord.

Surrounded by the eight saktis upon the platforms of auspicious petals

In each of the cardinal and intermediate directions,

The principle deities emit from their hearts terrifying Vajravegas

Holding various weapons,

Who draw in well a host of protectors dwelling in countless realms;

And they become of one taste with the samayasattvas.

The empowering deities grant the initiation, and the lord of the class

Marks the tops of the heads of the principle deities and the entourage.

The seed syllables at the hearts of the principle deities and entourage

Are each surrounded by garlands of their own mantras,

Emitting a host of m~<;lala deities who serve the needs of animate beings,

Then return and dissolve into the seed syllable at their hearts.

O'f!l ti~ hii'f(l ho ha'f(lkfamalavaraya hii'f(l phat

O'f!l phre1J2 vifvamtitti hu'f!l hii'f(l phat

O'f!l dana ptiramitti hu'f!l hii'f(l phat

O'f!l fila ptiramitti hu'f(l hii'f(l phat

O'f!l kjtinti ptiramitti hu'f!l hii'f(l phat

O'f!l virya ptiramitti hu'f(l hii'f(l phat

O'f!l dhytina ptiramitti hu'f(l hii'f(l phat

O'f!l pra}fiti ptiramitti hu'f(l hii'f(l phat

O'f!l uptiya ptiramitti hu'f(l hii'f(l phat

O'f!l prm:zidhiina ptiramitti hu'f!l hii'f(l phat

Transcending Time 272

01J'l bala piiramitii hu1J'l hu1J'l phaf 01f'l jala piiramitii hu1J'l hu1J'l phaf

01J'l vajrasattva samayam anupiilaya vajrasattva tvenopafi!fha ddho me bhava sutovo me bhava supovo me bhava anurakto me bhava sarva siddhi1[l me prayaccha sarva karme,u ca me citta1J'l friya1J'l kuru hu1J'l ha ha ha ha hob bhagavan sarvatathiigata vajra mii me muiica vajri bhava mahiisamaya sattva ii{1 hu1J'l phaf

From my heart are emitted offering goddesses who make offerings:

01f'l fri kiilacakra sapariviira argha1J'l praticcha namab 01f'l fri kiilacakra sapariviira piidya1[l praticcha namab 01f'l fri kiilacakra sapariviira prokfatza1J'l praticcha namab 01f'l fri kiilacakra sapariviira a1J'lcamana1J'l praticcha namab 01J2 fri kiilacakra sapariviira pUfPe praticcha nama{1 01J2 fri kiilacakra sapariviira dhupe praticcha namab 01J2 fri kiilacakra sapariviira iiloke praticcha namab 01J'l fri kiilacakra sapariviira gandhe praticcha namab 01f'l fri kiilacakra sapariviira naividya praticcha namab 01J2 fri kiilacakra sapariviira fabda praticcha namab 01J2 fri kiilacakra matzt/ala sapariviiribhyab namab

Homage to the glorious Ka.lacakra,

Having the nature of emptiness and compassion,

Who is without birth or destruction in the three realms of cyclic existence,

The embodiment of unified consciousness and the object of consciousness.

t bow to Ka.lacakra,

Whose embodiment is born from the immutable,

Even though the absorption of the ali and kiili As well as such syllables as hu1J'l and phaf have been eliminated.

I bow to Mahamudra,

Who transcends the reality of atoms,

The .Ka/acakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 273

Having the nature of an apparition,

And bearing all supreme qualities.

Homage to Visvamata,

Mother of all the buddhas,

Who has eliminated birth and destruction,

And who performs the deeds of Samantabhadra.

The saktis with their platforms melt into light and dissolve into myself.

I also melt into light, and from the nature of nonobjectified emptiness

I again transform into the aspect of the great Kalacakra

With one face and two hands.

From now on, for the sake of all sentient beings, who have been my mother,

I give away without reservation

My body, possessions, and the mass of virtue

That I accumulate during the three times.

Without transgressing even in my dreams

The subtle training of the pure pratimo~a precepts,

bodhisattva precepts, and Vajrayana precepts,

I shall practice in accordance with the instructions of the Jina.

I shall well preserve all the sublime Dharmas of scripture and realization

Included in the three vehicles and the four classes of tantras

In accordance with the meaning intended by the Jina,

And I shall completely liberate animate beings by any appropriate means.

Just as Surya and the family of sages Achieved primordial wisdom due to this tantra,

Due to the kindness of Kalacakra may the sentient beings

Dwelling in the three types of cyclic existence do likewise.

Just as my mind-vajra is present throughout the earth

For the sake of liberating sentient beings,

Transcending Time 274

Due to the power of .Kalacakra may pure sentient beings

Dwell in the pure three types of cyclic existence.

May those people who, due to evil companions,

Constantly walk in the darkness of deception

And whose ways are decadent reach this path

And swiftly come to the vajra-jewel mansion.

By the power of the pure virtue derived from this,

May I, through the influence ofVajradhara,

Come to the culmination of the stages of the two-stage path,

Without ever transgressing the ethical discipline in all my lifetimes.

In summary, due to the accumulation of the mass of pure virtue

such as this,

May I soon be born in Sambhala,

The treasury of jewels, and come to the culmination

Of the stages of the path of highest yoga tantra.

In all lifetimes may I enjoy the glory of Dharma

Without ever being separated from genuine gurus,

And upon perfecting the virtues of the grounds and the paths,

May I swiftly attain the state ofVajradhara.

The Ka/4cakra Six-Session Guru Yoga 275

Charts

1. Distinctions between Kalacakra and Other Tantric Systems (ch. 3)

2. Water Initiation (ch. 8)

3· Crown Initiation (ch. 8)

4· Crown Ribbon Initiation (ch. 8)

5· Vajra and Bell Initiation (ch. 8)

6. Conduct Initiation (ch. 8)

7· Name Initiation (ch. 8)

8. Permission Initiation (ch. 8)

9· Summary of the Seven Self-Entries of a Child (ch. 8)

ro. Kalacakra Self-Generation (ch. II)

II. The Ten Nagas (ch. 13). See page r8o.

The daca in charts 2-10 are taken from the teachings given by Gen Lamrimpa, and comple­mented from data given in Kalachakra Tantra: Rite of Initiation by Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama (Boston: Wisdom, 1989).

CHART I. DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN KALACAKRA AND

OTHER TANTRIC SYSTEMS

Tenn

Union of Body and Mind

Union ofTwo Truths

Union of Method

and Wisdom

In Kalacakra

Body: Empty form

Mind: Immutable mind*

Conventional: Empty form

Ultimate: Immutable bliss

Method: lmmucable bliss

Wisdom: Empty form

In Other Tantras

Body: Illusory body

Mind: Great bliss/

primordial wisdom

Conventional: Body

Ultimate: Mind

Method: Illusory body

WISdom: Mind

* In the union of body and mind in both Kilacakra and Guhyasamaja

the mind is based on the subtle primordial energy.

Charts 277

CHART 2. WATER INITIATION

Location Seed Symbol Consort Faces Tathiigata

Southeast Sword Tara, 3 Vairocana

black Black, red,

white

Southwest r Jewel PaQc;lari, 3 Amitabha

red Red, white,

black

Northeast u Lotus Mamaki, 3 Ratnasambhava

white White, black,

red

Northwest l Wheel Locana, 3 Amoghasiddhi

yellow Yellow, white,

black

a Vajra Vajradhatvi5vari, 3 Vajrasattva

green Green, red,

white

Four consorts with deities reside in the primordial consciousness maQc;iala in their

respective intermediate directions. Vajradhatvi5vari resides indifferentially with

Vi5vamata, but separates out to bestow the initiation.

All tathagatas and consorts have three eyes. They are in sitting posture, embracing

their respective consorts. The consorts are facing the main deity Kalacakra, and the

deities have their backs to the main deity.

The primordial consciousness maQc;lala is rectangular in shape and surrounded by a

balustrade of green vajras. There are four black pillars, one on each corner.

Transcending Time 278

Hands Element At Seal

6 Air Navel Amoghasiddhi

R: sword, curved knife, trident

L: shield, skull, kha!Vfuiga

6 Fire Forehead Ramasambhava

R: triple arrow, vajra hood,

resounding cjamaru

L: bow, vajra noose,

9-faceted jewel

6 Water Throat Amitabha

R: mallet, spear, trident

L: white 8-petaled lotus,

mirror, rosary

6 Earth Heart Vairocana

R: wheel, staff,

frightening vajra

L: conch, vajra chain,

ringing bell

6 Space Crown .Alqobhya R: vajra, curved knife, axe

L: vajra and bell, skull,

head of Brahma

Charts 279

CHART 3· CROWN INITIATION

Location Seed Crown Symbol

Ease Blue Sword

South r Red Jewel

North u White Locus

West I Yellow Wheel

a Green Vajra

Tathtigata

Amoghasiddhi,

black

Ratnasambhava,

red

Amicabha,

white

Vairocana,

yellow

~obhya,

green

Consort

Locana,

yellow

Mamaki, white

P~4a.ri, red

Tara,

black

Prajiiaparamita,

blue

The four tathagatas with consorts reside in the primordial consciousness m~<;{ala

in their respective main directions. ~obhya resides indifferentially with Kalacakra,

but separates out to bestow the initiation.

All tathagatas and consorts have three eyes. They are in sitting posture, embracing

their respective consorts. The cathagatas are facing the main deity Kalacakra, and

the consorts have their backs to the main deity.

The pristine consciousness m~<;{ala is rectangular in shape and surrounded by a

balustrade of green vajras. There are four black pillars, one on each corner.

Transcending Time 280

Faces Hands A~e~ate At Seal

6 Compositional Heart Amoghasiddhi

Black, R: sword, curved knife, factors

red, trident

white L: shield, skullcup,

kharvanga

3 6 Feeling Throat Ramasambhava

Red, R: triple arrow, vajra hook,

white, resounding 4amaru, black L: bow, vajra noose,

9-faceted jewel

3 6 Recognition Forehead Amitabha

White, R: mallet, spear, trident

black, L: 8-petaled lotus, wheel,

red rosary

6 Form Navel Vairocana

Yellow, R: wheel, club,

black, frightening vajra

white L: conch, vajra chain,

ringing bell

3 6 Consciousness Crown Vajrasatrva

Green, R: vajra, curved knife, axe

red, L: vajra and bell, skull,

white head of Brahma

Charts 281

CHART 4· CROWN RIBBON INITIATION

Location Seed Symbol Sakti

East a V esse! Kr~IJadipta,

of incense Black Blazer

(Tib. nag mo 'bar ma)

South tip Butter Rakcadipta,

lamp Red Blazer

(Tib. dmar mo 'bar ma)

North arp Food Svecadipra,

White Blazer

(Tib. dkar mo 'bar ma)

West a Conch Pitadipra,

Yellow Blazer

(Tib. ser mo 'bar ma)

Faces

4 Black, red,

yellow, white

4 Red, yellow,

white, blue

4 White, black,

red, yellow

4 Yellow, white,

blue, red

This initiation is bestowed by the ten saktis, residing in the ma~J4ala of great bliss

on the eight petals of the lotus in their respective main and intermediate directions.

The saktis have three eyes and five mudras, and a crown with Vajrasattva. They

reside in the posture of equality. The saktis are also called the ten paramitas or the

ten perfections.

Transcending Time 282

Hands Ribbon Ener!J. Ptiramitti

8 Black Fire-accom- Dhyana

R: containers for incense, sandal- panying

wood and saffron, camphor, musk

L: bell, lotus, celestial tree,

flower garland

8 Red Ascending Upaya

R: butter lamp, jewel necklace,

crown, bracelets

L: garment, belt, earring, anklets

8 White Pervasive Pranidhana

R: vessels for milk, water,

supreme medicine, beer

L: vessels for ambrosia, taste of

siddhi, arura fruit, food

8 Yellow Naga Bala

R: conch, flute, jewel, 9-imaru

L: guitar, drum, gong, trumpet

continued on next page

Charts 283

CHART 4· CROWN RIBBON INITIATION, CONT'D.

Location Seed Symbol Sakti Faces

Southeast ha Black yak- Dhiima, 4 tail fan Black Fan Lady Black, red,

(Tib. du ba ma) yellow, white

Southwest hap Red yak- Marici, 4 tail fan Red Fan Lady Red, yellow,

(Tib. smig sgyu ma) white, blue

Northeast haT!l White yak- Khagamana, 4 tail fan White Fan Lady White, black,

(Tib. mkha 'snang ma) red, yellow

Northwest ha Yellow yak- Pradipa, 4 tail fan Yellow Fan Lady Yellow, white,

(Tib. mar me ma) blue, red

The remaining saktis are: ho Vajradhatvi5vari, 3

green Green, red, white

phreT!l Visvamata, 3 blue Blue, white, red

CHART 5· VAJRA AND BELL INITIATION

Location Seed Implement Deity Color

Top of ma~gala hiiT!l Vajra Kalacakra blue

phreT!l Bell Visvamata saffron color

Transcending Time 284

Hands Ribbon Energy Paramita

8 Black Turtle Dana All holding

black yak-tail fans

8 Red Lizard Sila

All holding

red yak-rail fans

8 White Devadatta ~ami

All holding

white yak-rail fans

8 Yellow Dhanaipjaya Virya All holding

yellow yak-rail fans

6 Blue Life-sustaining Jiiana R: vajra, curved knife, axe

L: vajra bell, skull, head of Brahma

6 Green Descending Prajfia R: vajra, bell, axe

L: bell, skull, head of Brahma

Faces Hands Purifies Seal

2 hands holding vajra and bell Right channel ~obhya

2 hands holding curved knife and skullcup Left channel Vajrasatrva

Charts 285

CHART 6. CoNDUCT INITIATION

Location Seed Symbol

Right side of door

East e Sword

South ar Jewel

North 0 Lotus

West al Wheel

Left side of door

East am Vajra

South a Vajra

Bodhisattva

Akasagarbha,

black

l<{;itigarbha,

red

Avalokite5vara,

white

Vi~kambhi,

black

Samanrabhadra,

blue

Vajrapat)i,

green

Consort

Gandhavajra,

yellow

Rupavajra,

white

Rasavajra,

red

Spar5avajra,

yellow

Dharmadharuvajra,

green

Sabdavajra,

blue

This initiation is bestowed by the six male bodhisatrvas and the six female

bodhisatrvas, each in dual aspect, that is, twelve pairs. They are residing in the mind

mar;I<;!ala, left and right of the respective doors and in the four corners.

Tramcending Time 286

Faces Hands Seal Purifying

3 6 Amoghasiddhi Nose faculty

Black, R: sword, curved knife,

red, trident

white L: shield skull,

kharvanga

3 6 Ramasambhava Eye faculty

Red, R: triple arrow, vajra hook,

white, resounding 9-amaru

black L: bow, vajra noose, jewel

3 6 Amitabha Tongue faculty

White, R: mallet, spear, trident

black, L: roo-petaled lotus,

red mirror, rosary

3 6 Vairocana Body faculty

Yellow, R: wheel, staff,

white, frightful vajra

black L: conch, vajra chain,

resounding bell

3 6 ~obhya Mental faculty

Blue, R: vajra, curved knife, axe

red, L: bell, skull,

white head of Brahma

3 6 Vajrasattva Ear faculty

Green, R: vajra, curved knife, axe

red, L: bell, skull,

white head of Brahma

continued on next page

CHART 6 CoNDUCT INITIATION, coNT'o.

Location Seed Symbol Bodhisattva

North ah

West a

Corners

Southeast ai

Southwest ar

Northeast au

Northwest al

Vajra

Vajra

Sabdavajra,

blue

Dharmadhatuvajra,

green

Sword Spaclavajra,

yellow

Jewel Rasavajra,

red

Lotus Riipavajra,

white

Wheel Gandhavajra,

yellow

Transcending Time 288

Consort

Vajrap1i.I}.i,

green

Samantabhadra,

blue

Vi~kambhi,

black

Avalokite5vara,

white

~itigarbha,

red

Akasagarbha,

black

Face Hands Seal PurifYing

3 6 ~obhya Sound Blue, R: vajra, curved knife, axe

red, L: bell, skull,

white head of Brahma

3 6 Vajrasattva Mental objects

Green, R: vajra, curved knife, axe

red, L: bell, skull,

white head of Brahma

3 6 Amoghasiddhi Touch

Black, R: sword, curved knife,

red, trident

white L: shield, skull, kha~ga

3 6 Ratnasambhava Taste

Red, R: triple arrow, vajra hook,

white, resounding 4itnaru

black L: bow, vajra noose,

9-faceted jewel

3 6 Amitabha Visual forms White, R: mallet, spear, trident

black, L: 100-petaled lotus,

red mirror, rosary

3 6 Vairocana Smell

Yellow, R: wheel, staff,

white, frightful vajra

black L: conch, vajra chain,

ringing bell

CHART 7· NAME INITIATION

Location Seed Symbol Wrathful Deity Consort Faces

East ya Sword Vighnantaka, Stambhani

black (see beklw) Black,

red,

white

(fa Wheel Stambhani, 3 yellow Yellow,

white,

black

South ra Jewel Prajfiantaka, Manini 3 red (see beklw) Red,

white,

black

(va Lotus Manini, 3

white White,

black,

red

North va Lotus Padmantaka, Qombini 3 white (see beklw) White,

black,

red

(ra Jewel Qombini,

red Red,

white,

black

This initiation is bestowed by the six male and the six female wrathful deities (Skt.

krodhas, Tib. khro bo [pronounced trowos] and khro mo [pronounced tromos]), that

is, six pairs. Four deities with consorts reside in the doorways of the mind m~c.lala,

one deity with consort resides above the eastern door of the mind m~c.lala, and one

deity with consort resides in the body maJ].c.!ala.

Transcending Time 290

Hands Seal Purifying

6 Amoghasiddhi Mouth faculty

R: word, curved knife, trident

L: shield, skull, kha~anga

6 Vairocana Talking

R: wheel, staff, frightful vajra

L: conch, vajra chain,

resounding bell)

6 Ratnasambhava Arm faculty

R: 3 arrows, vajra hook,

resounding gamaru

L: bow, vajra noose, 9-faceted jewel

6 Amitabha Taking

R: mallet, spear, trident

L: 100-petaled lotus, mirror,

rosary)

6 Amitabha Leg faculty

R: mallet, spear, trident

L: 100-petaled lotus,

mirror, rosaty

6 Ratnasambhava Going

R: 3 arrows, vajra hook,

resounding gamaru

L: bow, noose, 9-faceted jewel)

continued on next page

Charts 291

CHART 7· NAME INITIATION, CONT'D.

Location Seed Symbol Wrathfol Deity

West Ia Wheel Yamantaka,

yellow

(ya Sword

Above ha Vajra U~Qi~acakravanin,

East green

door

(ha/1 Vajra

Body ham Vajra ·sumbharaja,

maQqala blue

(ha Vajra

CHART 8. PERMISSION INITIATION

Seed Symbol

Vajra

Vajra

Deity

Vajrasattva, blue

Prajiiaparamita, blue

Consort Faces

Ativirya 3 {see below) Yellow,

white,

black

Ativirya, 3

black Black,

red,

white

Atinila 3 (see below) Green,

red,

white

Atinila, 3 blue Blue,

red,

white

Raudralqi 3 (see below) Blue,

red,

white

Raudralqi, 3 green Green,

red,

white

Consort

VajradhacviSvari

~obhya

This initiation is bestowed by Vajrasatcva and Prajfi.aparamica, residing in the great

bliss maQqala. In the ma!].qala, Vajrasattva resides on Kalacakra's head, and

Prajfiaparamita is fused with Kalacakra's consort, Visvamata.

Transcending Time 292

Hands Seal

6 Vairocana

R- wheel, staff, frightful vajra

L: conch, vajra chain, bell

6 Amoghasiddhi

R- sword, curved knife, trident

L: shield, skull, white kha~ga)

6 Vajrasattva

R- vajra, curved knife, axe

L: bell, skull, head of Brahma

6 Alqobhya

R: vajra, curved knife, axe

L: bell, skull, head of Brahma)

6 Alqobhya

R- vajra, curved knife, axe

L: bell, skull, head of Brahma

6 Vajrasattva

R: vajra, curved knife, axe

L: vajra and bell, skull, head of Brahma)

Seal Purifying

.Alqobhya

.Alqobhya

Primordial wisdom aggregate

Consciousness element

Charts 293

Purifying

Defecation faculty

Defecating

Urination faculty

Urinating

Supreme faculty

Emitting semen

CHART 9· SUMMARY OF THE SEVEN SELF-ENTRIES OF A CHILD

Initiation

Water

Crown

Crown

Ribbon

Vajra & Bell

Location

White,

Facing North

Red,

Facing South

Residing Deities

Primordial 5 consorts

consciousness with deities

mai].4aJa

Grear

bliss

mal]. gala

5 tathagaras

10 saktis

Kalacakra

Vi5vamara

Transcending Time 294

Implement

Vase

Crowns

Silk ribbon

Vajra & bell

Purification

Five Elements

1 earth

2 water

3 fire

4wind

5 space

Five Aggregates

6form

7 feeling

8 recognition

9 compositional factors

10 consciousness

Ten Energies

II fire accompanying

12 ascending

13 pervasive

14 life-sustaining

15 descending

16 naga

17 turtle

18lizard

19 devadatta

20 dhan:upjaya

Two Side Channels

21 left channel

22 right channel

Purifying

Drop at forehead,

Waking state

Drop at throat,

Dream state

Charts 295

Brings Forth

Vajra body

Vajra speech

continued on next page

CHART 9· SuMMARY OF THE SEVEN SELF-ENTRIES oF A CHILD, coNT'o.

Initiation

Conduct

Name

Permission

Location

Black,

Facing East

Yellow,

Facing West

Residing

Mind

mat;tgala

Deities

6 male &

6 female

bodhisattvas

6 male &

6 female

krodhas

Implement

Thumb ring

Bracelets/

anklets

Great bliss Vajrasattva Hand symbols

mat;tgala Prajfiapiiramita

Transcending Time 296

Purification

Six Sense Bases/Faculties

2.3 eye and form

2.4 ear and sound

25 nose and smell

2.6 tongue and taste

2.7 body and touch

2.8 mental sense and objects

Six Actions/Activities

29 mouth/talking

30 arms/taking

31 legs/walking

32. defecation/defecating

33 urination/urinating.

Purifying

Drop at heart

Deep sleep state

34 supreme faculty/emitting semen

Two Factors of Wisdom

35 aggregate of

primordial wisdom

36 element of consciousness

Drop at navel,

Fourth occasion

Charts 297

Brings Forth

Vajramind

Vajra primordial

wisdom

CHART IO. KALACAKRA SELF-GENERATION

Kiilacakra

Arising from the syllable ha'!l

Blue in color

4 faces Black, red, yellow, white. All faces have 3 eyes.

s-paneled crown of tresses

On top of the head is a crown of cresses, upon chat an eight-spoked wheel, the

hair coming through the spokes. In the center of the wheel is Alqobhya. Five of

the eight spokes point to the front and the sides. On the tip of these five are

panels. On top of the crown of tresses is a four-pronged, variegated, crossed

vajra, standing vertically.

6 mudras Vajra earrings, vajra bracelets, armlets, and anklets, vajra chest

ornament, vajra belt, vajra scarf and vajra rosary, finger markings

3 throats Center black, right red, left white

6 shoulders Two front ones blue, two middle ones yellow, two back ones white

12 upper arms First two black, second two red, back two white

24 lower arms (From bottom) first eight black, second eight red, third eight white

24hands Outside of thumb yellow, index finger white, middle finger red,

ring finger black, little finger green. Insides of first joints black,

middle red, last white. Adorned with rings and emitting light.

Hand implements (from bottom)

8 blue hands R: vajra, sword, trident, curved knife

8 red hands

L: bell, shield, kha~anga, skullcup with blood

R: 3 fire arrows, vajra hook, resounding 9amaru, hammer

L: bow, lasso, jewel, white lotus

8 white hands R: wheel, spear, club, axe

L: conch, mirror, vajra chain, 4-faced head of Brahma

Right red leg outstretched

White leg slightly bent

Right foot over Mara, red god of desire, one face

4 hands, holding 5 flower-like arrows, bow, lasso, iron hook

Left foot over Rudra, white, one face, 3 eyes

4 hands, holding trident, 9amaru, skullcup, kha~anga

Consorts of Mara and Rudra, Priya and Madhyama, hold on to Kalacakra' s heels

with lowered heads.

Transcending Time 298

Vifvamiitii

Arises from the syllable phmp in front of Kalacakra

Saffron color

4 faces Yellow, white, blue, red. All have 3 eyes.

Crown with Vajrasatrva

5 types of mudras (ornaments)

8 hands R: curved knife, hook, drumming <;iamaru, rosary

L: skullcup, lasso, white hundred-petaled lotus, jewel

Fused with .Kiilacakra

~obhya

Consort

3 faces

6 hands

Vajrasattva

Consort

3 faces

6 hands

Green

Prajiiapiiramiti

Green, red, white

R: vajra, curved knife, axe

L: vajra bell, skull, head of Brahma

Blue

Dharmadhatuvajra

Blue, red, white

R: vajra, curved knife, axe

L: vajra bell, skull, head of Brahma

Fused with Vifvamiitii

Vajradharvi5vari

Consort

3 faces

6 hands

Prajiiapiiramita

Consort

3 faces

6 hands

Green

Vajrasattva

Green, red, white

R: vajra, curved knife, axe

L: bell, skull, head of Brahma

Blue

~obhya

Blue, red, white

R: vajra, curved knife, axe

L: bell, skull, head of Brahma

Charts 299

Glossary

(Skt. = Sanskrit; Tib. = Tibetan)

actiom of power. Also called the four types of enlightened activity (Tib.

'phrin las bzhz): (1) activity of peace; (2) activity of increase; (3) activity of

power; (4) activity of wrath/force.

afflictive obscuratiom (Skt. klefiivararza, Tib. nyon sgrib). Obstacles to libera­

tion.

iirya (Skt.). This is translated as superior being and refers to a person who has

directly realized emptiness. There are four types of superior beings: the supe­

rior hearers and the superior solitary conquerors (Skt. pratyekabuddha) of the

Hinayana lineage, and the superior bodhisattvas and superior buddhas of the

Mahayana lineage. In all cases, one first becomes a superior being by devel­

oping a direct realization of emptiness. In this sense, all superior beings are

born from emptiness and the wisdom that realizes emptiness. Tibetan Buddhism .from the Ground Up, B. Alan Wallace (Boston: Wisdom, 1993), 5-6.

bhaga (Skt.). Refers to the womb.

bodhicitta (Skt.). In Tibetan, byang chub kyi sems. Translated here as the

altruistic spirit of awakening. Ultimate or absolute bodhicitta is the union

of emptiness and compassion, the essential nature of the spirit of awaken­

ing. Relative bodhicitta is the tenderness arising from a glimpse of ultimate

bodhicitta that inspires one to train oneself to work for the benefit of

others. In tantra, bo~icitta also refers to the subtle liquid energy, or drops

(Skt. bindu, Tib. thig le), that exists in the channels of the body.

bodhisattva (Skt.). One in whom the spirit of awakening arises effortlessly.

Glossary 30I

cognitive obscurations (Skt. jneyiivaratza, Tib. shes sgrib). Knowledge obstruc­

tions; obstacles to omniscience.

eight great siddhis. Also called the eight powers of the buddha: (I) body of

the buddha; (2) speech of the buddha; (3) mind of the buddha; (4) magical

power; (5) mastery over the three times and nirv3.J:}.a and sarp.sara; (6) all ful­

filling power, which means satisfying the needs of beings; (7) power of good

qualities; (8) power of deeds.

eight worldly dharmas. The eight worldly concerns: (1) pleasure derived from

gaining something; (2) displeasure at not gaining an object of desire.; (3)

happiness caused by worldly pleasures; (4) sadness caused by displeasure; (5)

pleasure at being praised; (6) displeasure at being abused or degraded; (7)

pleasure at hearing pleasing words about relatives, friends, etc.; (8) displea­

sure at hearing unpleasant speech.

five aggregates (Skt. skandha, Tib. phung po). The components of the psy­

chophysical personality on the basis of which beings commonly impute the

false notion of self. They are: (I) form; (2) feeling; (3) discrimination or recog­

nition; (4) consciousness; and (5) compositional factors or mental formations.

four defeats. (I) Killing human beings; (2) stealing; (3) sexual misconduct;

(4) lying.

four means of assembly. (I) Give to disciples things they need; (2) say pleas­

ant things; (3) work for their welfare; (4) be consistent in word and deed.

four remedial powers. Also called the four opponent powers: (I) disclosure or

the power of object; (2) power of regret or remorse; (3) power of restraint;

(4) power of the antidote, or purification. Purification entails (a) recitation

of the one-hundred-syllable mantra; (b) prostration; (c) meditation on

emptiness; and (d) meditation on compassion.

great compassion (Skt. mahii karutza, Tib. snying rje chen po). The root of the

Mahayana and Vajrayana paths. It engenders the intense desire to free others

from suffering based on the realization of the essential identitylessness and

interdependence of all beings, engendering spontaneous actions to eliminate

beings' sufferings and bring them to the highest spiritual awakening.

Transcending Time 302

Hinayana and Mahayana (Skt.). These terms are translated by Robert Thurman as Individual Vehicle and Universal Vehicle.

klefa (Skt.). In Tibetan, nyon mongs. Mental distortion or affliction.

mudra (Skt.). This term translates as seaL It refers to consorts or to specific

ritual hand gestures. It can also refer to the ornaments of a deity .

. matztjala (Skt.). In Tibetan, dkyil 'khor. The purified environment of a

tantric deity; the diagram or painting representing this.

posture ofVairocana. The seven point posture ofVairocana: (I) lotus posi­

tion, or half-lotus position; (2) right hand placed upon left hand with

thumbs touching at level of navel; (3) arms bent bow-shaped; (4) back

straight, to keep channels straight; (5) head slightly inclined forward; (6) tip

of tongue touching roof of mouth to prevent saliva from forming and

making you thirsty; (7) eyes gazing down about one foot in front of knees.

renunciation (Skt. ni[?sara!Za, Tib. nges 'byun~. Other translations are emer­gent mind or spirit of emergence. It is the attitude of wishing to be rid of the sufferings of cyclic existence and their causes, and to attain liberation.

samiidhi (Skt.). In Tibetan, ting nge 'dzin. Literally, mental stabilization.

The state of deep meditative absorption of the yogi or yogini who has

achieved single-pointed concentration, which is the ability to focus effort­lessly and for as long as one wishes on an object of meditation.

famatha (Skt.). In Tibetan, zhi gnas. Meditative quiescence or calm abid­

ing. A form of meditation that creates a stable mind capable of focusing

single-pointedly on emptiness or any other phenomenon. Calming the Mind, Gen Lamrimpa (Ithaca, N.Y.: Snow Lion, I995), I46.

seven-limb devotion (Tib. yan lag bdun pa). Also called the seven-limb puja:

(I) prostration (Tib. phyag 'tshal ba); (2) offering (Tib. mchod pa); (3) dis­

closure (Tib. bshags pa); (4) rejoicing (Tib. rjes su yi ran~; (5) entreaty (Tib.

bskul ba); (6) supplication (Tib. gsol ba 'debs); (7) dedication (Tib. bsngo ba).

Sravakayana (Skt.). The Way of the Hearers.

six perfections. They are: (I) generosity; (2) ethical discipline; (3) patience;

(4) zeal; (5) meditation; (6) wisdom. In tantra there are ten perfections. To

Glossary 303

the above six are added: (7) skillful means; (8) prayer or aspiration; (9)

power; (xo) primordial wisdom.

stream-enterer. One of the four levels of the Sravakayana, or the Way of the

Hearers, which includes stream-enterer, once-returner, never-returner, and

arhat.

tathagata (Skt.). Term meaning "ones gone thus," or paraphrased as "one

who has become one with the essence of what is."

ten energies. (x) Life-sustaining; (2) descending; (3) fire-accompanying; (4)

ascending; (5) pervasive; (6) naga; (7) turtle; (8) lizard; (9) devadatta, or gift

of god; (xo) dhanaqtjaya or victory over wealth.

ten nonvirtuous acts. (r) Killing; (2) stealing, taking what is not given; (3)

sexual misconduct; (4) lying; (5) divisive talk; (6) verbal abuse, harsh words;

(7) idle or senseless speech; (8) covetousness; (9) ill will; (ro) wrong view.

The ten virtuous acts are to refrain from the above.

torma (Tib. gtor ma). A type of religious offering.

tummo (Tib. gtum mo). Literally, ferocious female; also called inner fire.

This term refers to a completion stage tantric meditation technique for

bringing all the vital energies into the central channel. The Bliss of Inner Fire, Lama Thubten Yeshe (Boston: Wisdom, 1998), 206.

twelve links of dependent origination; (1) Ignorance; (2) karma; (3) con­

sciousness; (4) name and form; (5) six sources; (6) contact; (7) feeling; {8)

desire and craving; (9) grasping; {xo) becoming; (u) rebirth; (12) death with

aging and without aging.

Transcending Time 304

Notes

(trans. =translator's note; all others are editor's notes)

1 In this book, the term .Kalacakra Tantra refers to the Kalacakra litera­

ture, in particular, the .Kalacakra Mulatantra, or Root Tantra (also

known as the Paramiidibuddha), taught to King Sucandra of Sambhala

by the Buddha Sakyamuni in his manifestation as the deity Kalacakra;

the .Kalacakra Laghutantra, or Condensed Tantra, composed by Ya.Sas

Mafi.jusri, the first of the twenty-one Kalki Kings of Sambhala; and the

Vimalaprabhii, or Stainless Light, a commentary on the Condensed Tantra composed by Yasas Mafijusri's son.

2 For a detailed explanation of the Vajrasattva practice, refer to The Preliminary Practices of Tibetan Buddhism, Geshe Rabten, Library of

Tibetan Works and Archives, Reprint 1982, 79-85.

3 For an explanation of the distinction between empty form body and illu­

sory body, please see chapter 20.

4 In the Tibetan calendar, the number of days in a year varies from year to

year. The number 360 is merely an average.

Mudra is a Sanskrit term meaning seal. It can also refer to ritual hand

movements, or consorts.

6 Bodhicitta in this sense refers to energy drops (Skt. bindu, Tib. thig le). 7 The nineteen pledges of the five buddha classes are described in the con­

fession part of the seven-limb devotion in chapter 5·

s To facilitate understanding of the four nonvirtuous actions and the four

virtuous actions, each nonvirtuous and virtuous action is discussed

together. Traditionally in the teachings, the four nonvirtuous actions are

explained first, and the four virtuous actions are explained after that.

Notes 305

9 For a further description ofVajravega, see chapter 13.

10 "In terms of the bases" refers to practitioners of Dharma.

11 The Tibetan word byin rlabs (pronounced }in lap) is translated as bless­

ings. It has two syllables: byin refers to power, and rlabs refers to

transformation. It means to transform into power. Trans. 12 The Tibetan term zag pa is translated as defilement, contaminant, or

taint. In Tibetan it literally means to fall. The etymology is that a person

falls into miserable states of existence and into the cycle of existence

because a person is endowed with contaminants. Trans. 13 Lama Thubten Yeshe describes drops as red and white subtle liquid

energy that exists throughout the channels of the body. The drops are

always together in all the channels, but the red female drops predomi­

nate at the navel cakra, and the male white drops at the crown cakra. The

Sanskrit word for drops is hindu; in Tibetan, drops are called thig le. In

the tantras, drops are also referred to as kun da lta bu byang sems, literal­

ly, "moon-like bodhicitta," or simply "bodhicitta." (The Bliss of Inner Fire, Lama Thubten Yeshe [Boston: Wisdom, 1998], 84, 206-207.) In

Tibetan, byang sems (pronounced jang sem) refers to the Sanskrit word

bodhicitta, translated here as the spirit of awakening.

14 For a detailed description of kha~anga, see the section enumerating the

hand implements of Kalacakra in chapter II. In Tibetan, the Sanskrit

word is used. To quote Chandra Das: "the Tantric staff with three skulls

piled one above another at the top, the lowest resting on a pot. This was

originally introduced into Tibet by Padma Sambhava." A Tibetan­

English Dictionary (Delhi: Book Faith India, Reprint 1995).

15 When speaking of the subjective and objective, the usual translation is

yul as objective and yul can (pronounced yul chen) as subjective. In this

case, however, the words are gzungs (pronounced zunf) and 'dzin (pro­

nounced dzin); gzungs means that which is apprehended, 'dzin, that

which apprehends. So, gzungs, that which is apprehended, I am trans­

lating as objective energies, and Clzin, that which apprehends, I am

translating as subjective energies. Trans. 16 Generation through the five purifications is further explained in chapter

II in the section on the process of birth, the generation of the consort,

and the generation of the eight saktis.

Transcending Time 306

17 The Tibetan word for transformation, gnas gyur, literally means a shift­

ing, a movement of status or place, similar to the transformation of a

seed into a sprout. 18 The six-fold presentation is not used in the phase of samadhi. 19 An epithet of the buddhas, literally meaning "the Victorious Ones."

20 An epithet of the bodhisattvas, literally meaning "the Sons of the

Victorious Ones."

21 An epithet of the buddhas, literally meaning "the Well-Gone Ones." 22 Literally, "pledge beings," these are the beings who are originally visual­

ized, into whom merge the jfi.anasattvas, or primordial wisdom beings. 23 These refer to the inherent existence of an agent, action, and object of

the action. 24 Merit, ethics, and primordial wisdom. 25 These are the trainings in ethical discipline, samadhi, and wisdom.

Notes 307

Bibliography

"P.," standing for "Peking edition," refers to Suzuki, Daisetz T. (ed.), The Tibetan Tripitaka: Peking Edition (Tokyo-Kyoto: Tibetan Tripitaka

Research Foundation, 1961).

"Toh.," standing for "Tohoku catalog" to the sde dge edition, refers to

Hakuju Ui (ed.), Complete Catalogue of the Tibetan Buddhist Canom (Sendai, Japan: Tohoku Imperial University, 1934).

SOTRAS AND TANTRAS

Kdlacakra Root Tantra (Mulatantra) (not extant)

Kdlacakra Condemed Tantra (Laghutantra) paramadibuddhoddhrta-srilcilacakra-nama-tantra-raja mchog gi dang po'i sangs rgyas las phyung ba rgyud kyi rgyal po dpal

dus kyi 'khor lo P. 4; Toh. 362 Sanskrit edition: Kdlacakra-TantraAnd Other Texts, 2 vols. Edited by

Raghu Vira and Lokesh Chandra (New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1966).

Cakrasa1J'lvara Tantra sr:i-cakrasariwara-tantra-rajadbuta5ma5analamkara-nama dpal 'khor lo sdom pa'i rgyud kyi rgyal po dur khrod kyi rgyan rmad

du 'byung ba P. m Toh. 413

Guhyasamiija Tantra sarvatathagata-kayavakcittarahasya-guhyasamaja-nama-mahakalparaja de bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi sku gsung thugs kyi gsang chen

gsang ba 'dus pa zhes bya ba brtag pa'i rgyal po chen po P. 81; Toh. 442

Bibliography 309

Sampupa Tantra Sampu1a-nama-mahatantra yang dag par sbyor ba zhes bya ba'i rgyud chen po P. 26; Toh. 381

HeartSutra prajiia-paramita-hrdaya-nama-sutra shes rab gyi pha rol tu phyin pa'i snying po'i mdo P. 16o; Toh. 21/531

General Confession (spyi bshags) byang chub !tung bshags dang spyi bshags sogs bzhugs so excerpted from: triskandhaka-sutra phung po gsum pa'i mdo P. 950; Toh. 284

SANSKRIT AND TIBETAN CoMMENTARIES AND OTHER WoRKs

ASvaghop Fifty Verses on the Guru gurupaii<:aSika bla rna lnga bcu pa P. 4544; Toh. 3721

Kulika Pul).4arika Stainless Light (Vimalaprabhii) Commentary vimalaprabha-nama-mula-tantranusaril).i-dvada5asahasrika-laghu­

kalacakra-tantra-raja-!ika bsdus pa'i rgyud kyi rgyal po dus kyi 'khor lo'i 'grel bshad rtsa ba'i

rgyud kyi rjes su 'jug pa stong phrag bcu gnyis pa dri rna med pa'i 'od ces bya ba

P. 2064; Toh. 1347

Nagarjuna Friendly Letter to the King suhrllekha bshes pa'i spring yig

P. 5682; Toh. 4182

Santideva A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life bodhi [ sattva] caryavatara

Transcending Time JIO

byang chub sems dpa'i spyod pa la 'jug pa P. 5272; Toh. 3871

Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, and Thub-bstan-lung-rtogs­rnam-rgyal-'phrin-las (Glin Rinpoche)

Kalacakra Six-Session Guru Yoga, Dharamsala, 1977 thun drug dang 'brel ba'i dus 'khor bla ma'i mal 'byor nag 'gros su

mdzad pa

Tsongkhapa Foundation of All Excellence yon tan gzhir gyur rna Toh. 5275(1)/6995

ENGLISH TITLES

Andresen, Jensine, Kalacakra: Textual and Ritual Perspectives (Ph.D. dis­sertation, Harvard University, 1997).

Berzin, Alexander, Kalachakra and Other Six-session Yoga Texts (Ithaca, N.Y.: Snow Lion, 1998).

Berzin, Alexander, Taking the Kalachakra Initiation (Ithaca, N.Y.: Snow Lion, 1997).

Bryant, Barry, The Wheel ofTime Sand Mm:zrjala (San Francisco: Harper, 1992).

Gronbold, Gunter, The Yoga of Six Limbs: An Introduction to the History of$arfatzgayoga. Translated by Robert L. Hiitwohl (Santa Fe, NM: Spirit of the Sun Publications, 1996).

Guenther, Herbert H. V., The Life and Teachings of Ntiropa (Boston: Shambhala, 1986).

Mullin, Glenn H., The Practice of .Kiilacakra (Ithaca, N.Y.: Snow Lion, 1991).

Newman, John, The Outer Wheel of Time: Vajraytina Buddhist Cosmology in the .Kiilacakra Tantra (Ph.D. dissertation, University of Wisconsin­Madison, 1987).

Ngawang Dhargyey, .Kiilacakra Tantra. Translated by B. Alan Wallace, edited by lvank.a Vana Jakie (Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 1985).

Sopa, Geshe Lhundup, Roger Jackson, and John Newman, The Wheel of Time: The .Kiilacakra in Context (Ithaca, N.Y.: Snow Lion, 1985).

Bibliography 3II

T enzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Kalachakra Tantra: Rite of Initiation. Translated and edited by Jeffery Hopkins, 2nd ed. (Boston: Wisdom, 1989).

Tenzin Gyatso, The World ofTibetan Buddhism. Translated, edited, and annotated by Geshe Thubten Jinpa (Boston: Wisdom, 1995).

Wallace, B. Alan, Tibetan Buddhism from the Ground Up (Boston: Wisdom, 1993).

Wallace, Vesna, The Inner Kalacakratantra: A Buddhist Tantric View of the Individual (Ph.D. dissertation, University of California-Berkeley, 1995).

Yeshe, Lama Thubten, Introduction to Tantra: A Vision ofTotality. Compiled and edited by Jonathan Landaw (Boston: Wisdom, 1987).

Transcending" Time. 312

Index

afflictions, 6, I4, I9, 2I, 39-4I, 43, 45, 57,

70, 8I-83, I42, I54> I76-77, 235, 244-46 antidote to, I30

four afflictions, 8I-83 mara of the mental afflictions, I8I

aggregates, 2, 26, 29-30, 88, 93, I57-58, !76, I96, 226, 229-32, 245-46 aggregate of primordial wisdom, 94,

I26, 223

as deities, Io6-9, I76-77

mara of the aggregates, I8I

~obhya, 4, 63, 65, 7I, 97-99, I07-8, I22,

126, 175· I76-77, 183, 226, 246, 254 Amitabha, 4, 63, 71, 99, I04, I05, Io7-8,

!76-77, 234, 246 Amoghasiddhi, 4, 63, 69, 7I, 99, 105,

107-8, 176-77, 230, 246 anger, 19, 48, 81, 178, 246

See also afflictions; non-virtuous actions appearance. See pure appearance arhat, 82, 235, 242-43

aryabodhisartva, 25, 65, 125, 235-36, 243, 248 Aryadeva, 168

aspiration for awakening. Su spirit of awakening, aspiration

astrology, 169

Mvagho~a

Fifty Verses on the Guru, 85 Atisa, 219

bardo. See intermediate state bhaga, 104-6, 110, 116, 122 hindu. See drop

bliss, 14, 28, 30-32, 37, 58, 78, 81, 93, 94,

97. 115, 162, 170-72, I96, 20I, 213, 255· 260, 261

of the dharmakaya, 64-65

and emptiness, 53, 57, 6o, 66, 69, 73,

95, I32, 134, 137, 146, 155, 185, 189, 190,

194· 198, 200, 231, 247-48, 252 vajra of great bliss, 37

bodhicitta. See spirit of awakening; white bodhicitta

bodhisattva, 5, I3, 2I-22, 48, 7I, 76, 79,

n8-19, 125, I40, I51, I78, 189, 192, 230, 262

bodhisattva grounds, 106, 109, n4, 116,

119, I21, I24-25, I32, 134, I37. 236,

248-49 bodhisattva precepts, 47-53, 65-66, 256

with sharp faculties, I3, 232 See also aryabodhisattva

brahmin, 196

Buddha, I8-I9, 38, 41, 49-50, 178 five families, 26, 71, 93, I76-77 bodies of, 88, 92, IOI, 243

dharmakaya, I, 64-65, 84, 9I,

146-48, 150, I53· 243· 250 jfianakaya, 243

nirmat;~akaya, 64-65, 84, I47-48,

183, 243. 247. 250 riipakaya, I, 243, 247 sambhogakaya, 64-65, 84, I47-48,

I83, 222, 225, 243· 247· 249 svabhavakaya, 65, 84, 243 vajra body, I02, 104-6, I08-9,

125-26, 13I, I38, 211, 247· 259 Buddha Kilacakra, 8, 37, I98 See also ~obhya; Amitabha; Amoghasiddhi; Rarnasambhava; Vairocana

Buti:in, 3

Index JIJ

cakra, I69-7z, zz7-z9, zsz crown cakra, I07, zo6 forehead cakra, 9I--9z, 107, I84, 206

genital cakra, 9I--9z, I07, I34, I36-37, I7I, I84, Z07 heart cakra, 9I-9z, 107, no, I36-37, I73, I84, zo6, 209, Z3I, 248, z52, Z57 navel cakra, z7, 3I-3z, 9I--9Z, 100,

I07-8, IZ9, I74> I84-5> Z07, ZZ7-35> Z48, zs6-s7 throat cakra, 91--9z, I07, I84, zo6

Cakrasaqwara, z8, 55, 83, 90, 10z, Iz9-30,

I48-49> I7Z, Z07, ZIO, Z35· zso, Z59 channels, 7, z6, 9I, IOO, no-12, 171,

zos-I6, ZI8-I9, Z57 branch channels, 206-9, zzz, Z52 central channel, I, z7, 3z, 6I-6z, 65,

77> IOO, IIQ-II, II4, I24, IZ9, 133, I56,

173, I77, I8z, 185, 190, 196, zos-8,

ZIZ-IJ, ZI5-ZI, ZZ7-30, Z49> Z58 right and left (side) channels, 61-6z,

n4-I5, 156, r8z, I85, 190, 196, 205-6, zis-r6, zzi, 227, zs6, z57 six channels, zos s~e also drops; vital energies

Cilupa, z cognitive obscurations, I7, zz, 55, 176, z35,

Z37> Z48-49 See also afflictions

compassion, s-6, I3, 18-I9, 41-46, 50,

54-57, 7Z, 76, IOI, I40, I54> I78, I9Z, 198, 24Z, Z55

completion stage, I, 8, I6, zo, z7-3I, 8z,

86, 88, 9I--9Z, 97> 100-Z, II3, IZI, IZ9,

I38, I4I-43, 149, 153, I57-59, r68, I73-75> I84, I90, I99-ZOI, 205, ZI3, ZI5,

zz9, z33, z37, 249, z57, zsS compositional factors. See aggregates

confession, 70-7z consciousness. Su aggregates; clear light

consort, IZ!)-I3z, 199 craving. See afflictions

death, 5, 39, 89-9I, 93, Iz9, I36, I40-54, 170, 241, zs6

in the path, 146-48

deep sleep, 89, 9z, Ioo, Iz5, 156, 17z-73, ZIO

deities, 25-3I, 55, 65, 69, 89, 92, 94--95, 97-99, 105-z3, I30, I3I, I37-39, I53> I63, 167,175, I79> I8z-83, I87, I89-9z, I97, zoo, 2Z8, Z34> Z45-46, Z50, Z5I, Z54>

255> Z57> zs8 wrathful. See krodhas See also Kalacakra, main deity

dependent origination, I69 desire. s~~ afflictions

dhyana. See meditative stabilization

Dignaga, 39 divine pride, 6, I38, 146, ISO, 163, I86,

I88-89, 225, ZJ3, Z52, Z53> z58, 260 dream State, 9Z, IOO, I09, U6, I25, I3Z, I56,

I72, 186, zro-u, 218

drops, 7, 78, 82, 99-100, 105, I2I, 125-z6,

rz8-29, I32-37, 147, I50, rs6, 171,

228-Z9, Z33-35> 246, Z55> Z59 four drops, 91-93, IOI, 190 indestructible drop, Iz9, I70, Z59 See also channels; vital energies; white bodhicitta

Drukpa Kunia, I5Z Dzogchen, I, 90

empowerment, IOI

emptiness, 45, 66, 77, 83, 89--90, IOZ-J, I04, liZ, II4, II7, I55> I63, I9Z, z6o, 26I and bliss, 53, 57, 6o, 66, 69, 73, 95, I32,

I34, I37> I46, I55> I85, I89, I90, I94> I98, 200, 231, 247, 25Z as free of conceptual elaborations, 58,

89, I59, 162

and mahamudra, 37 realization of, r, 55, 57-60, 83, 89, 128,

153, I87, 245 energies. See vital energies

ethical discipline, 22, 44-45, 7I, 76-77, So, ZOI, 222

faculties, z6, 68-69, 125, I85, 215, 2I9, zz3

six faculties for action, 93-94, II9-20,

125, I83

Transcending Time JI4

faith, 39

five hindrances, 8o

four immeasurables, 78

generation stage, 1, 16, 20, 26-30, 32, 61,

68, 86, 88, 91-92, 95-97, 100-2, 106,

110, 112, 114, 121, 129, 138, 141, 153-54>

155, 159, 168, 170-74• 181, 188, 199, 224,

237> 248, 249> 251, 262 giving. See perfections; pledges Guhyasamaja, 28, 55, 83, 102, 114, 128-30,

148-49> 172, 206-7, 210, 235> 250, 259 Guhyasamiija Tantra, 90, 107

guru devotion, 55-57, 84-85

Gyeltsab, 135-37, 239

Heart Sutra, 49, 56 Hinayana. See vehicles

Hevajra, 54

inherent existence, 45, 59, 83, 101, 123,

143-45> 155> 178, 187 initiation, 66, 86-87, 97-103, 171-75, 183

conduct initiation, 116-19, 125

crown initiation, 106--9, 125

crown ribbon initiation, 112-14, 125

greatly higher initiations, 100, 12 7-28,

135-38, 248 higher initiations, 100, 127, 130-34, 248

initiation of permission, 122-23, 126

inner initiation, 109-112

meaning of, 101-3

name initiation, 116, 119-21, 125-26

self-initiation, 86, 175, 193, 262

seven initiations, 124-26

three types of, 29

vajra and bell initiation, 114-16, 125

vajra master initiation, 123-24

water initiation, 101, 104-6, 125

intermediate state, 61, 93, 142, 147, 249

jfianasattvas, 64, 110, 118, 122, 182

Kalacakra Kiilacakra Tantra, 1-3, 28-30, 33, 51, 71,

8o, 81, 88, 94, 148, 166, 176, 261, 262

Buddha Kalacakra, 8, 37, 198

chapters of, 29-30

cosmology, 27-28, 61, 151, 169-70

etymology of, 27-28, 169

generating oneself as, 134-37, 155-64,

200-1, 257· 258

main deity, 97-99, 107, 109, 159-65,

173-74

mat:~c,lala, 103, 155-56

mantra, 189--93

precepts, 52

rainbow state of, 233-34

sevenfold state of Kalacakra, 100-1, 141

symbolism of, 172-73

system compared with others, 28, 55,

83, 102, 108, 129-30, 148-49> 172-73,

206-?, 210, 235· 244, 247> 249-50, 254>

259 and tantra classification, 239

Vajravega, 63-64, 175, 179--83, 244

See also completion stage; generation stage; Vimalaprabhii

Kalki kings, 2

Khedrub, 136-37, 146, 222, 229, 239, 250

krodhas, 26, 94, 95, 98-99, 120-21, 125

Kr~J;~a-pa, 131

Madhyamika, 242

Mahamudra, 31, 58, 78, 90, 199, 233

wirh and without aspect, 37

Mahayana. Su vehicles maJ;tc,iala, 68-70, 97, 102-3, 124, 153,

155-60, 183, 189, 200-1, 233· 251, 254

etymology of, 69-70

offering, 65, 69-70

primordial wisdom maJ;~c,lala, 102, 107

mantra, 72, 123, 133, 199, 228, 251, 255

of deities, 189-93

name mantra, 85-86

one-hundred-syllable mantra, 20,

192-93

meditative stabilization, 8, 32, 77-78, 97,

172, 174· 212-13, 224-27 etymology of, 224

merit, 13, 44-45, 58-64, 77, 91, 124-25,

187, 247· 250, 258

Index 315

mind clear light, I, 58, 83

innate mind, 28, 58, 89-90, 128, 131,

146-51, 235> 259-60 See also emptiness, realization of; pri­mordial wisdom; wisdom

mindfulness, 79, 212, 258

motivation, 13-19, 20, 127, 168

mudra, 31, 58, 71, 78, 123, 16o-61, 167,

195-6, 199· 214, 227, 232, 258 action mudra, 78

karma mudra. See consort primordial wisdom mudra, 78

See also Mahamudra

Nagarjuna, 40, 79

Friendly Letter to the King, 8o

Naropa, 57

Ngulchu Dharma Bhadra, 153

nonvirtuous actions, 47-50, 79-80

Nyingma, 5, 253

offerings, 65-70, 196-97

paramlta. See perfections Paramitayana. See vehicles paranormal abilities. See siddhi perfections, 6, 22, 77-78, II4, 200, 222,

224, 261-62

pledges, 7o-71

pra~ayama, 8, 32, 97, 172, 174, 212, 227-30

Prasangika, 254

pride, 81

See also afflictions; divine pride primordial wisdom (jiiana), 28-31, 77,

85-86, 92-94. 96, 126, 128-29, 131-32,

148, l5Q-53• 155, 157-58, 163, 171-75> 177, 179, 187, r88, 192, 196-97, 201, 2n, 223,

244, 247, 252, 258, 259, 261-62

element of primordial wisdom, 173, 223

five primordial wisdoms, 63-64,

163-64, 1?6, 243> 246 primordial wisdom body, 236, 243

primordial wisdom energy, 209

primordial wisdom m~q.aia, 102, 107

primordial wisdom mudra, 78

vajra primordial wisdom, 121-24, 134,

138

pure appearance, 94-97

Ratnasambhava, 4, 46, 63, 71, 73, 99, 105,

IO?-IO, 176-77, 232, 246

recollection, 8, 31-32, 97, 172-73. 212, 222,

232-34

refuge, 17-19, 37-41, 64-66, 71, 72, 84-85,

24o-41, 250

retention, 8, 32, 97, 172, 174, 212, 23o-32

retraction, 8, 32, 97, 174, 212-24

saktis, 26, 93, 98, III-14 126, 135, 150,

165-67, 173-75• 179, 182-83, r86, 189,

192, 20o-1, 222, 233, 254

samadhi, 8, 97, 172, 199, 212, 226, 234-237,

244 samayasattvas, 64, 179, 182

Sambhala, 2, 25, 102, 201

sambhogakaya. See Buddha SaJ!lsara. See cyclic existence Santideva, 41, 51, 54, 75, 127

A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life 51

sense bases, 88, 93

sexual union, 23, 89, 92, 104-5, 129, 133,

261

definitive meaning, roo-1, 171

siddhi, 32, 6o, 86, 106, 109, I14-16, u9,

121, 124, 136. 152, 193· 224 siddhi (elixir), 166

six phase yoga, 8, 31-32, 97, 138, 172-74.

201, 212-37 See also meditative stabilization; pr~ayama; recollection; retention; retraction; samadhi

six-session guru yoga, 17, 27, 32, 37, 44-45,

53. 55· 57· 85, 98, 173· 175· 193· 215, 250, 260

spirit of awakening (bodhicitta), 5-6, 22,

42-44, 46-51, 72, 75-?6, 88, 91, 133-34·

141, 143, 153, r68, 24o-41, 242, 250, 261-62

subtle body. See channels; drops; vital energies

Transcending Time p6

Siitrayana. See vehicles Savaripa, 226

Tagtsang Lotsawa, 2IO tantra, I5, I6, 2o-24, 28-29, 38, 56, 6o, 7I,

89, II6, I29-3I, I5I, I84, I87, I95> 206, 2I9, 239, 248-49, 253-54, 260, 262 four classes of Buddhist tantra, I, 23-24 highest yoga, I, 4• I3-I4, I7, 23, 3D-3I, 88, I29, I4J, 239 See also Kalacakra; vehicles, Vajrayana

Tilopa, 57 transgressions, 52, I3I, 20I, 256

and alcohol, 256 two truths, 247 Tsongkhapa, 55, I35· I46, 222, 226, 234,

239· 257 Foundation of All Excellence, I4I

tummo, I29-30, I59· I74• I85, 229, 234

Vairocana, 4• 33, 39, 63, 7I, 99, I05, I07-8, I22, I76-77, 2I4, 223, 237, 246

vajra, 37, 45, 9I-92, 99-IOI, n6, I22-23,

133· I36, I59· I84-86, 229-34 and bell, 33, 7I, I62-63 vajra body, I02, I04-6, 108-9, I25-26,

I3I, I38, 2II, 247• 259 pledge of the vajra, 71 vajra sense base, II9

vajra yoga, 97 See also initiation

Vajradhara, 85, I4I, I84 etymology of, 85

Vajrasattva, 63, 94, 99, I05, I22-24, 126, I53· I6o, I75• I83, I84, I92, 2I4, 224, 226,

254 Vajrasattva Practice, 2Q-2I, 37, 255

Vajravega. Su Kalacakra, Vajravega vehicles, 2I-23, 7I, 73

Hinayana, 2I-22, 49, 54, 89, I27, I4I,

240 Mahayana, 5, I3, I5, I8, 2o-23, 48-49, 52, 54· I27,I40, 242 Paramitayana, 6, I8, 2I-22, 56, 58, 65,

89, I25, 235, 242, 248, 26I Siitrayana, 2I-23

Vajrayana, I, 5-7, I4, I6, I8, 2I-23, 52, 56, IOI, I28, 243

Vimalaprabhti, 2-3, I64, 239 vital energies, I, 7, 3o-3I, 65, 77, 10o-I,

II2, I7D-72, I96, 2I2-I3, 23D-3I, 256-57, 258-59 five energies, 210

ten energies, no-I4, I25, I56-57, I73-74.I90, 209-IO descending energy, I73• I84-85, 209-10, 222, 229-3I, 234 See also channels; drops

white bodhicitta, 6I-62, 8I, 93, I29-37, I85-86, 205-6, 209-10, 229, 235-36,

246, 248. 255· 26I See also drops

wisdom (prajfia), I3, 2I, 30, 76-77, 8o, 85, 88, II9, I3I, I33, I46, I72, I76, I89-90, 200, 226,244-45· 26I-62 See also primordial wisdom

wrathful deities. See krodhas

Yamantaka, 55, 96, I20, r8I, 249 yoga

hindu yoga, I84-85, I97 deity yoga, I87 subtle yoga, I85-87 v~jra yoga. See six phase yoga See also six-session guru yoga

zeal, 77

Index 3I7