Uncompounded Wisdom

Those who understand as the actual pristine wisdom something that is a new putting together of (1) a momentary compounded mind and (2) an uncompounded mere emptiness make evident their own internal poverty of not having identified basic knowledge due to not having a lanstructions. From the perspective of all

those who have not been introduced to the entity of actual innate basic ntial instructions, it is thought that although emptiness is uncompounded, how could it be possible for what is luminous, knowing, and blissful to be anything other than compounded? That they think this only arises due to the force of

not having realized the unified mode of subsistence. Here, with respect to and knowing 112 if this involves apprehension in the context of having marks, then indeed it would be suitable for it to be compounded. However, although [basic knowledge] is expressed in 113 not even a speck of a mark of those two

being different is observed, due to which essentially pure basic knowledge impartial and signless has nothing about it that serves as a reason for calling it m When such a union is not identified, and persons hear nothing other than something compounded dawns to their mind, and when they hear nothing other than a non-thing dawns to their mind.a When

a When it is said that it is luminous, nothing appears to that ; when it is said that is uncompounded. The two get separated. Thus, when union is

they hear union they do not understand that these are of one taste; rather, all that they understand is a mere collection together of a thing and a non-thing. Due to this, they apprehend suchness to be just a mere emptiness, a non-thing, and they understand the knower of that suchness to be a compounded

awareness. When they set forth the emptiness of the sÒtra system, that is what they describe, and even when they explain the innate [[[wisdom]]] of the Mantra system, they cannot draw out even a speck of anything more developed beyond what was explained before, except for just different techniques of paths. Even until the final point of their deaths, they remain without being able to generate any understanding concerning how suchness is beyond the extremes of things and non-things, this being evident in their own treatises.a However, when basic knowledge is introduced and identified as it is, it is decided in

evident experience that it is uncompounded. The Tantra of Great Luminous Meaning Devoid of Proliferation says: The body of attributes, self-arisen basic knowledge, Is not established as the entity of anything. Hence any doubt that it is a compounded thing with marks is eliminated. and:

mentioned, they do not recognize that luminosity and emptiness are of one taste, and understand nothing other than a mere coming together of something that is compounded and something that is uncompounded. a That they cannot generate even a verbal understanding of something beyond that can be understood when one looks into their texts.

In the body of attributes, self-arisen pristine wisdom, There are no causes and conditions and hence nothing compounded. This is called noumenal fundamental mind.114 From the viewpoint of being self-luminous, it is indicated with the ot a mind included within the eight collections of consciousness that are compounded phenomena. The Tantra Containing the Definitive Meaning of the Great Completeness says:115 Self-arisen body without earlier and later

Is not arisen from mind it is buddha. Due to being immutable, it is devoid of suffering. and: You who are the essence of retinues, listen! With respect to the definitive meaning, the distinctive buddha, Since there is no basis-of-all, there is no appearance. Hence, this basal mindless knowledge Is not arisen

from mind it is buddha The supreme from among the doctrines of the nine vehicles. and: Because of being without the eight collections of consciousness, it is devoid of mind, The self-arisen matrix, the body of attributes. Since within that mode of subsistence of the undifferentiable sphere [of emptiness] and

basic knowledge known individually by oneself there is no mutable mind holding the various predispositions [from actions], how could this basic knowledge be the mind-basis-of-all?

Since it is absent the external objects of the six collections of consciousness and absent awareness apprehending the internal self or even a little bit of the marks of their objects, how could it be the consciousnesses of the five doors of the senses, the mental consciousness, or the afflicted mentality?

While, like space, it is without any of the phenomena of effective things or marks such external and internal marks are not observed it is empty, unhindered,116 selfluminous, and seen directly. Although it is such, in this entity of luminosity and knowledge there primordially does not exist even a

particle of an aspect of marks, which would be what one was aiming at [in conceptuality]. It is not imputable as having arisen from any causes and as having been produced from any conditions; therefore, it is self-arisen great primordial emptiness, self-luminous, and hence self-arisen pristine wisdom.117

It is noumenal mind or pristine wisdom of clear light.118 Although those who do not have quintessential instructions do not believe in this, it is not that there is no such noumenal knowledge. [For it is taught] not just in Mantra but also in the common vehicle; Ornament for the Great Vehicle SÒtras

says:119 It is said that aside from the noumenal mind Any other mind has a nature that is not clear light.a Sublime Continuum of the Great Vehicle says:120 The clear light nature of the mind

a Minds that are other than the noumenal mind are not the clear light that is the fruit of having practiced, but are expressed as having a nature of emptiness.

Is immutable, like space.a The matrix-of-one-gone-to-bliss also refers to this mind of clear light. The Tantra Containing the Definitive Meaning of the Great Completeness says:121 Because mistaken mind involves the three times [[[Wikipedia:past|past]], present, and future], There comes to be earlier, later, and present in

Because the mind has mutability, the body has birth and death. Because the varieties of sickness, pleasure, and pain It ripens as cyclic existence. Therefore mind is not buddha. and: Because the causes [of mind] are compounded and impermanent, They can be destroyed by antidotes, and hence [[[mind]]] proceeds according to causation. Therefore the immutable self-arisen body of attributes That is not produced by conditions Is the matrix of all phenomena.

a Ornament for the Great Vehicle SÒtras speaks of these mistaken minds that is, minds other than the noumenal mind as not being the clear light of truth, his Sublime Continuum of the Great Vehicle says that the mistaken mind transforms into the manifested state of the nature of the mind. His descriptions appear to be contradictory but are not: the first emphasizes the empty nature of the mind, while the second emphasizes the clear light nature of the mind, which is manifested as a fruit of the path.

and: The self-arisen matrix which is the body of attributes Is the self-arisen body not arisen from causes; Fruit not appropriated by conditions; Empty basic knowledge, not produced by causes; Self-luminous, not produced by causes. Pristine wisdom with unhindered vividness, not produced by causes. Hence the noumenon, the permanent body, Self-arisen pristine wisdom, is not produced by causes. Conditionless, it is uninterruptedly self-luminous, Not affected

by conditions that are antidotes. and so forth, and: Because the matrix of phenomena, the self-arisen body, Is the root of cyclic existence and of nirvåòa,a Buddhas and sentient beings arise from it. Therefore, it is the self-arisen basis-of-all. and: This body of attributes that is the self-arisen

basic knowledge Has no production or cessation in the three times. Without going and coming it abides primordially. A concordant example is great uncompounded space. and: The factuality of the basis-of-all is compounded.

a If one does not understand it, one is sunk in cyclic existence, and if one understands it, one gains nirvåòa. It is not without an antidote.a The self-arisen pristine wisdom that is special insight Destroys the basis-of-all from the root. and: Beclouded persons lacking realization Say that even the body

of attributes itself is mind. Therefore, they do not understand the meaning from the words.b It is rare to understand the definitive meaning just from [[[thinking]] about] words. From this the mind does not become buddhafied.c This indicates that without understanding the mode of subsistence, self-arisen

pristine wisdom, one does not become buddhafied through mind. Then, is it that all paths of the nine vehicles at the end of which one is to become enlightened upon having performed hearing, thinking, and meditating with the mind are senseless? To indicate that this is not so, it says: Through searching for imprints an elephant is found. When you search for the fact from the direction of the mind, you will find royal self-knowing pristine wisdom.d

a It is not something that cannot become non-existent due to an antidote. b Even though they hear the words in their ears, they do not understand their meaning. c Because the mind is mistaken, it is not enlightened. d If you search for that from which mistaken mind arises, you will likely find its reality.

When you find it, you separate from apprehending it as mind. Having become separated from [such] apprehension, you will attain self-arisen mindless body, Buddha that is not arisen from mind.a This indicates that at the end of the practices of taking the mind as the path in the eight vehicles,b you take pristine wisdom as the path and, realizing the meaning of the Great Completeness, become fully buddhafied, and until you have realized self-arisen pristine wisdom the basic knowledge of the Great Completeness you are not buddhafied. The Tantra of the Expanse of the All-Good Pristine Wisdom: Refined Gold of Great Value says:122 This uncompounded nature body, Nature of the body of attributes, Unpolluted basic knowledge, not produced By causes and conditions, immutable, is like space. The Tantra of the Great Completeness Equal to Space says:123 Just as lotuses [grow from mud, but] are not polluted by mud, So the entity of the mind of enlightenment, the basis,

a Since mind is mistaken, what you are to attain is not arisen from mind; rather, what you will attain is a state of Buddhahood that is not arisen from mind. b Being unable to abandon mistaken conventional mind, one uses that mind itself as the path. The nine vehicles are the three external vehicles (Hearer, Solitary Realizer, and Bodhisattva vehicles), the three internal vehicles (Action, Performance which is ehicles (Mahåyoga, Anuyoga, and Atiyoga vehicles), the Great Completeness being the same as the last.

Is without the stains of apprehended-object and apprehending-subject. Therefore, this self-arisen pristine matrix Is not made by anyone and is not fabricated. It is royal self-arisen basic knowledge. Hence, this uncompounded exalted mind Is not destroyed by any antidote. It cannot be left aside or taken up. A yogi realizing this meaning has buddha-mind while in a human body. In the self-arisen body [the yogi] has pure speech And immediately [at

death] is the all-good Samantabhadra itself. and: The Buddhas of the three times are devoid of mind. Since they are without the eight consciousnesses, they are mindless. The self-arisen matrix, the body of attributes, Is pristine wisdom not arisen from mind. Pristine wisdom is not arisen from mind, but is the

mode of subsistence of the mind, the clear light nature. This is to be understood as similar to how the emptiness that is the noumenon of all things is the

mode of subsistence of all things, but is not arisen from those things.a The Tantra of the View of the Great Completeness: The Complete Depth of Pristine Wisdom says:124 Since this self-arisen matrix that has subsisted primordially

a The emptiness that is the mode of subsistence of phenomeependence, but emptiness does not arise from those things. Is not arisen from causes and is not produced from conditions, There is also conviction that the body of attributes Not made by any exertion is self-arisen pristine wisdom. and the Tantra of

the Great Self-Dawning Basic Knowledge says:125 This great body of attributes devoid of possibilities of predication Dwells in all but none realize it. In it there is no sentience, no mind, and none of the mistakenness of ignorance. and: In basic knowledge devoid of mind, The appearances of various

[[[phenomena]]] are completed instantaneously.a and: If you know immutable basic knowledge, that is the fruit of all doctrines.126 If you know mindless basic knowledge, that is the stainlessness of all doctrines. If you know what ties upb basic knowledge, that is what is to be abandoned through all doctrines. If you know insentientc basic knowledge, that is the baselessness of all doctrines. and:

a This is like all phenomena melting into space. b Like the rope that the Tibetan nomads use to tie up the feet of their animals so that they cannot move.

c That is, without the mental consciousness and so forth.

How could there be any mistake in the immutable mind of enlightenment? The unmistaken mind of enlightenment pervades all transmigrating beings. This matrix of enlightenment pervading all sentient beings is equal to [that pervading] all Buddhas. This self-knowing lamp, self-illuminating object of light, Dwells

in all but is self-secret, revealed by methods. It is the supreme meaning of the thought of all Buddhas of the three times, Abiding equally without fluctuation in all Buddhas.a While fundamental knowledge abiding as the basis, selfarisen pristine wisdom, does not fluctuate from the noumenon that is without any apprehensions, its selfeffulgence self-dawning spontaneous appearances and luminous appearances of marks manifests from techniques.b At that time it is the practice of leap-over to recognize these as the effulgence of the noumenon through self-arisen wisdom lamps without the apprehended-objects

a There are two kinds of secrecy. In the first kind you know something and keep it hidden from others, but in the other if, for instance, somebody in a past generation put a treasure under this house, it would be secret to us, hidden from us, and would not help us at all. Similar to this latter type, this

self-knowing lamp, this self-illuminating object of light, is with us at all times, but is secret from us, though right within us now. If someone identifies it, it is the same as the supreme meaning of the thought of the Buddhas of the three times. b The techniques are ways of sitting, ways of gazing, and so forth that cause these to appear.

and apprehending-subjects of object and subject. Their basis of dawning is the fundamental mind abiding as the basis.a That previous tantra says: The cause of realization is basic knowledge. The means of realization is wisdom. and: Mind and predispositions are not the actual buddha.

a When these appearances occur, you are on the level of -arisen king as your objects the external objects of the five senses, you are beyond that level. Not involved in apprehended-objects and apprehending-subjects, these being the sphere of the five senses and mind, there are appearances of self-arisen

lamps, dawning as the effulgence, color, or complexion of the noumenon. -over thod rgal) comes from within the context of breakthrough and leap-over gnition of the essential purity that is the nature of phenomena, and is posited from the viewpoint of emptiness, whereas leapover is posited from the

viewpoint of spontaneity. The word leap-over asionally in the sÒtra system, and in general it means that instead of proceeding according to the stages of the path, one jumps over certain levels. Just as breakthrough is associated with the essential purity which is the emptiness of phenomena, so leap-over is associated with the spontaneous lamps that are beyond object and subject these appearances being understood as the effulgence, complexion, or color of the

noumenon. The basis of the dawning of these leap-over factors, the spontaneous leap-over appearances of the self-arisen lamps, is the fundamental mind abiding as the basis inner channels and so forth, this inner reality lets forth an effulgence that appears out through the eyes, whereby these appearances appear to the eyes.

Pristine wisdom, basic knowledge, is devoid of mind and predispositions. and: In self-arisen pristine wisdom there are no words, no letters, no grounds and paths, no mentality, no mind, no ignorance, no adventitious arisings, no rising up [of conceptuality], no dormancies, no aspects, no visionary experience.a

Therefore, this [[[inconceivable]] reality without any proliferations] is called the view not limited in its extent and not fallen to any quarter.b It is thus: pristine wisdom not over-extended such that it has become ruptured; view not fallen into any quarter; noumenon pervading all [from sentient beings up through Buddhas]; unimpeded wisdom;c self-release127 without apprehension; nonconceptual self-effulgence; pristine wisdom without having to cease

anything;d fivefold light without attachment; noumenon in which there is release on that spot itself; spontaneously established buddha; basic knowledge devoid of mind; buddha devoid of breath; vivid non-conceptual meditation; lifestyle without grasping and attachment; view without assertions [of hopes and fears]; fruit of seeing suchness; [natural, spontaneous] activities not achievable [through exertion];

a There are no various types of visions appearing to the mind. b It is not permanent, impermanent, and so forth. c Though it is self-arisen basic knowledge, in the sÒtra system it is identified as wisdom from among the six perfections, unimpeded wisdom. d When this non-conceptual self-effulgence occurs, it is not necessary to stop anything. 

pristine wisdom of great self-purification [in which defilements are purified of their own accord]. and: Furthermore, mentality does not perceive pristine wisdom, nor make it clearer. In pristine wisdom there is no conceptuality. Because mentality involves the coming and going [of conceptuality], it obstructs

the path of Buddhahood. and: Whoever has apprehension Does not have self-arisen pristine wisdom. When one comes under the influence of meditatively cultivating Self-arisen pristine wisdom, [All] theses are contradicted from the start. and: If in that way you realize self-arisen pristine wisdom, you are

primordially released; it is not necessary [to be released] again. Being self-releasing, there is no [need for] antidotes [to cause release]. Regarding this statement of the mode of arising of the four releases,a these do not occur from being introduced to and identifying the minds of the eight collections of

a Primordial release and self-release are the first two of four releases. The third is naked release; when conceptuality appears, if you just watch its entity, it is nakedly released. The fourth is dawning release; just as in writing on water, whatever you write immediately disappears, so as conceptuality dawns, it immediately disappears and immediately is released.

consciousness.a The Mirror of the All-Good Exalted Mind Tantra says:128 If you assert that the basis-of-all is the body of attributes, you have deviated from me. If you assert that Buddhahood is [[[attained]]] from the mind, you have deviated from me. If you assert meditation that has an object, you have

deviated from me. If you adhere to an empty object, you have deviated from me. If you meditate on something other-arisen having marks, you have deviated from me. and so forth. In brief, in all of the divisions of the Great Completeness mind-class, expanse-class, and quintessentialinstruction-class a self-luminous factuality, pristine wisdom beyond mind, is delineated. The fundamental selfarisen clear light is introduced and identified upon differentiating basis-of-all and body of attributes, mind and pristine wisdom, mentality and wisdom; hence, no more than a small number of scriptural passages are cited here. Because [such differentiation] is vastly well renowned in the great omniscient [Íong-chen-rap- asuries and so forth, the assertion that the Great Completeness is compounded and is consciousness is very deviant. The former scripture says: Whereas all phenomena have the nature of basic knowledge, Those

who see phenomena as mind have deviated from you.

a The minds of the eight collections of consciousness are mistaken minds perceiving something that does not exist as existing and therefore cannot be a source of release.

The Great Completeness Lion of the Culmination of Artifice Tantra says:129 The self-voice of the Great Completeness, Is beyond the objects of appearance and emptiness, Beyond mind, mentality, and phenomena. and the Inlaid Jewels Tantra says:130 Mind is the root of all predispositions. It is indicated as

the initial defilement of all sentient beings. Mentality, like wind, gathers together the predispositions. It is described as the second defilement of sentient beings. Breath, like water, is the abode of all predispositions. It is the third defilement of all sentient beings. The five poisons, like fire, increase appearances with respect to objects. It is the fourth defilement of all sentient beings. These four thoroughly abide in all transmigrating beings.

In the body of attributes pure of defilements, how could there be any mental defilements or marks! The pristine wisdom body pure of defilements Is the mind of enlightenment devoid of actualities of marks; Hence the pristine wisdom of basic knowledge is not anything.a and the Monarch of Multitudinous Expanse Tantra says:131

a The pristine wisdom of basic knowledge does not have any of the defilements that were explained above.

Those who view the unproduced noumenon within the dualism of causes and conditions Have turned away from the uncompounded, Making superimpositionsa and deprecations regarding the meaning of reality. They are deceiving themselves how pathetic it is! and: Through being set in its own place just as it is, The meaning of immutability appears in basic knowledge, like space. Hence in that there is no distraction or nondistraction. No matter what one does, one is within that state.b and the Foremost Powerful Excellent Great Completeness Tantra says:132 Its entity is undemonstrable, uncompounded,

a Superimpositions are to consider what does not exist to exist, and deprecations are to consider qualities, for instance, that do exist not to exist. The Tibetan word for superimposition (sgro btags without any feathers on it will not go very far; however, if you put four sets of feathers on it, it will go

extremely far. Similarly, with superimposition once you start adding on to what actually exists, it just increases greatly. b Because the meaning of immutability appears in basic knowledge which is like space due to allowing it to be set in its own place just as it is, in that there is no distraction

nor nondistraction. For a beginner, there can be distraction, but once the basic mind has manifested itself in fullness, there is no distraction or non-distraction. No matter what one does, one remains within that state. No matter what appears, no matter what one does, it is like the movement of basic reality that is like space.

Beyond words, the matrix, the mind of enlightenment. and the All-Creating Monarch says:133 Self-arisen, it arises without causes and conditions, Pristine wisdom unimpededly luminous. and: When my nature is known, All phenomena are known, Whereby one is beyond actions and agents, and achievement through exertion. [[[Buddha]] qualities] are established without exertion.a and: In this mind of enlightenment, the matrix of all phenomena, There is no need to seek and accomplish it with the ten natures.b As an example of my entire nature it is like space. In pure space no exertion is to be made. and:

a You might think that if it is beyond all action, agent, and exertion, and beyond all expression and so forth, then it would be like nothing, like just space itself, but it is not; it is replete with good qualities. b The ten natures are factors such as the five paths and ten grounds. Because this mind of enlightenment is the fruit state of pristine wisdom, the qualities of Buddhahood and so forth are spontaneously established within it; there is no need to seek them through techniques of paths.

Because I am primordially devoid of apprehendedobject and apprehending-subject, I am not a I am primordial self-arisen pristine wisdom. I am not to be ascertained by another [practice].b and: The scriptures of monkey-like teachers who are not valid Are beset by conceptuality of mistaken teachings and paths. Therefore since masters using a black mineral on gold Are invaluably precious treasures teaching reality, they are suitable to be bought.c and:

a Because there is no basis of designation in this body of attributes of basic knowledge, there is nothing to be imputed as being subtle. b Since I am the pristine wisdom that is the fundamental reality, when this is manifested, it does not need to be delineated by any other path. c Proper teachers are like

persons who use a black mineral (nag mtshur) that causes the color of gold to come forth in great brilliance even if it has become befouled and so forth. They are like precious treasures who teach correctly. Just as when one puts this black mineral on gold, it makes the gold look even worse but when one then puts it in fire its color comes out in its full brilliance, so when such a teacher teaches about the Great Completeness, at first the student does not understand much of anything at all, but when implemented in the fire of practice, it flames forth with all of its brilliance. Since the gold has become purified, it is of tremendous value, and hence is suitable to be bought.

Those propounding that there is cause and effect In the Great Completeness, the highest of all yogas, Are not imbued with the meaning of having realized the Great Completeness. When the conventional and the ultimate are propounded as dual, These are words of superimposition and deprecation. Realization of them as non-dual is lacking. Realization of the Buddhas of the three times Is not seen dualistically, but is asserted as just natural placement. And it

says that in comparison with the path of the Great Completeness, in which basic knowledge is directly perceived without exertion, there is little progress through cultivating the stage of completion involving marks of mental apprehension: If one analyzes those seeking the path of mental isolation Imputed with the name of a subtle approach And keeping solitude in an isolated place, They are cultivating conceptuality.a

a In Highest Yoga Tantra, the stage of generation is associated with method and is cultivation of oneself as a deity, whereas the stage of completion is associated with wisdom and is meditation on emptiness. The stages of generation and completion are below the level of Great Completeness of Atiyoga. Thus through cultivating certain levels of the stage of completion that involve marks of holding the mind, or mental apprehension, there is little progress compared to that of the Great Completeness. When you look into these levels of the stage of completion, it really seems that they involve cultivating conceptuality.

and: Because the mind of enlightenment is without causes and conditions, It cannot be measured within the scope of worldly practices that are produced and cease. Because the [[[Wikipedia:Absolute (philosophy)|ultimate]]] mind of enlightenment is not produced by conditions, It cannot be exemplified with worldly phenomena involving production. In

that way, in the tantras of the Great Completeness mind-class, expanse-class, and quintessential-instructionclass mind and basic knowledge are differentiated,a whereupon uncompounded pristine wisdom is taken as the path, and factors of compounded consciousness are not taken as the path. Taking the

fruit as the self-arisen path without any exertion is the path of Atiyoga. Aside from just these scriptures [cited above], I will not write down more since it would take too many words, but through merely these it can be understood. Not only is such in the tantras of the Great Completeness, but also the

Compendium of the Thought of the SÒtras in the doctrinal class of scriptural Anuyoga speaks extensively about the suchness of the mind: With respect to delineating the luminous mode of subsistence that is the nature of the mind, the noumenon of the mind is the self-arisen pristine wisdom of Vajrasattva. That pristine wisdom has the nature of space since it is without inherent existence.

a Just as a swan can take a mixture of milk and water and drink out just the milk, without drinking any of the water, so one is to differentiate between mind and basic knowledge.

and: Lord of Laºkå,a that which is the suchness of [your] mind and that which is the suchness of Vajrasattva are non-dual and not to be taken dualistically. and: The suchness of Vajrasattva is unfabricated, unpolluted, unmade, unanalyzed, and just as it is. The suchness of the minds of all sentient beings also is unmade, unpolluted, and so on and primordially just as it is.b O Lord of Laºkå, those

a Between the last Buddha, D¦paôkara, and the present Buddha, Shåkyamuni, there was an intervening period during which the Mantra teaching started, both the old and the new tantras. During this time lived the Lord of Laºkå, a winged monster who took over the whole world system. Eventually a certain deity entered his body and grew up within his body, causing him excruciating pain. From within this excruciating pain, the monster asked for help from the

Buddhas, saying that he had done many terrible things, and now [in this quotation] a Buddha is speaking to him, causing him to identify his own mind. b The nature of the mind is unfabricated (ma bcos pa), which means that it is pure and clear. In a small pool of clear water, you could see down to all the small

stones on the bottom. You might think that you could see more clearly by stirring it with a stick, but that would only stir up all the befoulment so that you could not see anything. Similarly, with the nature of the mind, when you get some sense of its clarity, and then you think with conceptuality cannot see anything. Between the Old Translation School and the New Translation Schools there are many controversies, one of which concerns just this unfabricatedness. Those who refute that we should seek merely to manifest unfabricated mind are thinking in terms of

who wish to gain ascertainment of Secret Mantra should recognize the suchness of the mind. and: The suchness of the mind is the door of purification. It is the door of perceiving the doctrine. It is mistaken mind that if you leave mistaken mind just as it is without fabricating anything, without making

anything new, that would be a great fault. But that is not the unfabricatedness we are talking about here. What we are saying is that you are to leave the nature of the mind, the noumenon of the mind, as it is, unfabricated, and once you have differentiated between mistaken mind and unmistaken mind, you need

to leave it unfabricated. Since the not differentiating mistaken mind and non-mistaken mind, the refutation does not hit its mark at all. If the noumenon of the mind, basic knowledge, is exemplified with clear wa establishment of your own position would be like putting the stick of conceptuality in that

water, stirring it up, just making a mess. They will not let you get down to the fact. When the selfentity, the own-face, of the Great Completeness is introduced to a student, a quintessential instruction is to not invite thoughts about the past or thoughts about the future; rather, set the mind just in

its own nature right in the present. Thus, it is not something to be analyzed by the level of the mistaken mind. It is unpolluted, unmade. In the first instant, the mind appears as it is, and you are to leave it as it is, without letting conceptuality get started. If conceptuality gets started, the nature of the mind does not remain, except for that one moment. It is entirely lost. The minds of all sentient beings are on the level of superficial mistaken mind that becomes happy so easily, sad so easily, and the like. But there is a nature of that mind, an unmoving nature of the mind, and except for the fact that you have not identified it, this nature of the mind is with you at all times.

the sphere of reality. and: The secret sphere is self-knowing.a Hence, it is called self-arisen pristine wisdom. and so forth. The root of all phenomena is the mind of enlightenment. The excellent quintessential instruction, the great method with little difficulty, Of immeasurable meaning, easy to do,

difficult to fathom, and: Therefore, the thought of the excellent ones Is contained in that ultimate, unfabricated basic mind. The nature of the mind is unmade and self-arisen. Hence it is meditative stabilization devoid of all objects of observation. In that mind of enlightenment ascertained thus There are no places to be progressed tob and no object to be viewed.

a dbyings), there are the external sphere, the internal sphere, and the secret sphere. Some identify the external sphere as space, which lacks obstructive contact, but I think that the meaning should be associated with practice, and thus I take it to be a sphere appearing to a meditator in which there are

various appearances, like honeycombs or little boxes. The internal sphere is that very same ground of appearance in which various things like vajra chains and so forth appear. The secret sphere is self-knowing basic knowledge, which, when manifested, makes one a Buddha. b There is no sense of a traveler and

something traveled, or someone making progress and that over which progress is made.

Hence, it is devoid of all marks, and disadvantage and advantage are primordially absent.a It is the completion of the two great collections; all doubts are annihilated, Conclusively decided in unsurpassed Great Completeness.b and: When the all-containing profound secret perspective Self-arisen, self-

knowing basic knowledge appears vividly in direct perception, This is called self-arisen pristine wisdom seeing suchness. When in that way the excellent perspective is seen, The darkness of ignorance of the collections of conceptuality is cleared away, being beyond objects seen, Set [in inconceivable

reality] with nothing to be done, no perception, no seeking. and: The factuality of all phenomena, illuminating selfarisen self-knowing pristine wisdom, Is unarisen, not produced, and will not be produced, Primordially devoid of anything to be designated as cause and effect. Those who know it in this way complete the two collections of merit and wisdom.

a There is no place for hope and no place for fear. b Everything is decided, come to completion in the Great Completeness than which there is none higher. In the three top vehicles Mahåyoga, Anuyoga, and Atiyoga it is Atiyoga.

And the General Tantra of the Great Lotus Sovereign Gone to Bliss says:134 When the phenomena of cyclic existence of thorough affliction Are purified, there is nirvåòa. The root is contained in the noumenon of the mind. Through abiding well in great enlightenment, The unmade, unfabricated, spontaneous

Clear light nature of the mind, One becomes devoid of all activities involving exertion. Just as basic mind having clear light as its nature Is naturally unfabricated, In this all-encompassing great clear light Basic mind wish-granting jewel Abides without exception in all sentient beings Of the three realms, but is not seen, Like butter within milk. Those skilled in these two draws out the butter.a The Miraculous Secret Essence135 also similarly delineates the and so forth, and the Miraculous Transcendence Great Tantra says:136 The nature of immutable great bliss Is not a thing nor a non-thing. Nor is it observed even as the mere middle.

a When you look at milk, you do not see any butter at all, but the butter is there pervading it. When the milk is churned, the butter manifests. Just as someone who churns butter can get butter out of milk, so one who is skilled in these two, that is to say, method and wisdom, is able to draw out the butter of manifesting the mind of clear light.

Great bliss is described as the great seal.137 and the Guhyasamåja says:138 The non-existence of a self of phenomena Is equal with regard to cognitions of self and aggregates; produced And has the character of emptiness. and the Hevajra says:139 This meditative stabilization is very subtle Like the center of

vajra space.a and: In this there is no beginning, middle, or end. There is no cyclic existence and no nirvåòa There is nothing other than the selfless. This is the supreme great bliss. In brief, the Mad Elephant Tantra says:140 Obeisance forever to the equal mind of enlightenment The nature of the mind

being the great sky of the sphere of reality, Phenomena being pure primordially clear light The sphere embedded in natural meaning beyond proposition and thought.b

a Like a vajra, it is unbreakable and cannot be overcome. Like the sphere of space, it cannot be said to be this or that. b What is the nature of the mind like? It is unidentifiable. It is the sphere of reality, like great space. Phenomena from forms through to omniscient consciousnesses are naturally pure, and hence are primordially clear light. Yoga realizing this is the sphere of that which has arrived at this natural meaning and is When such is ascertained, that is the unmistaken, the correct path of the Great Completeness