Aaa
Systems of Buddhist Tantra
The Indestructible Way of Secret Mantra
under the direction of Venerable Bokar Rinpoché
translated by Elio Guarisco and Ingrid McLeod, introduced and annotated by Elio Guarisco, and edited by Ingrid McLeod
[ões bya mtha yas pai rgya mtsho. English. Selections] The treasury of knowledge : book six, part four: Systems of Buddhist Tantra / Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé ; translated by Elio Guarisco and Ingrid McLeod ; edited by Ingrid McLeod.
11 ROOT T EXT : SYSTEMS OF BUDDHIST TANTRA: THE INDESTRUCTIBLE WAY OF SECRET MANTRA
1 THE NATURE OF TANTRA 71
FOREWORD
T he translation group Dragyur D zamling Kunkhyab founded by Venerable Kalu Rinpoché has recently completed the translation into English of the fourth chapter of Book Six of the Encompassment of All Knowledge (Shes bya kun khyab), a major treatise authored by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé. T his particular chapter presents the complete system of the indestructible way (vajrayåna) of secret mantra. T he publication of this work is greatly needed and will be very helpful to all who are currently studying or doing research in the Tibetan traditions of Buddhism.
Buddha, the teacher, taught innumerable spiritual methods to guide sentient beings on the path to freedom. Fortunate ones with acute intelligence practice the heart of these teachings, the indestructible way of secret mantra. T his way has many special qualities. It is superior to the path of the sutras, includes many methods of practice, does not involve hardships, and is clear, direct, and enjoyable.
T his book brings together, in their depth and breadth, the essential points of the four sets of tantra comprised by the indestructible way of secret mantra. It describes the classification of practices, the initiations that provide entry, the vows and commitments, the two phases of practice, the forms of conduct, and the standard and special attainments.
First, by appreciating and understanding just what is contained here, you will, so to speak, have an eye that sees the profound significance of the tantras of secret mantra. T hen, you will be inspired by faith and appreciation for the indestructible way. T hrough study you come to understand the nature of being. T hrough reflection you find conviction in that understanding. T hrough meditation, you initially cultivate a similitude of that understanding, and finally, by joining direct understanding and cultivation, you have actual experience of how things are. You then traverse the paths and levels to attain the awakened state of Vajradhara.
This is why this translation is both necessary and worthwhile. Everyone interested in these matters should study and practice what is in it. Through the virtuous activities of those who translated the text and those who provided financial support, may all beings together attain the awakened state of Vajradhara.
Bokar Trulku Rinpoché Bokar Ngedhon C hoekhor Ling Mirik, India 15 July 2002
INTRODUCTION
KONGTRUL LODRÖ TAYÉ AND T HE INFINITE OCEAN OF KNOWLEDGE
Systems of Buddhist Tantra: The Indestructible Way of Secret Mantra is a section of The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge (Shes bya mtha’ yas pa’i rgya mtsho) and its root verses, The Encompassment of All Knowledge (Shes bya kun khyab).
T he author of this treatise is Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé (Kong sprul Blo gros mtha’ yas, 1813–1899), an outstanding teacher and scholar who played a vital role in the revitalization and preservation of the Buddhist teachings in eastern Tibet in the nineteenth century. T he major works of Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé comprise massive collections of the practices, principles, empowerments, and so forth, of the different Tibetan traditions, as well as his own writings. T hese are referred to as the Five Great Treasuries (mDzod chen lnga). T he first to be produced was The Encompassment of All Knowledge, which was followed by The Treasury of Mantra of the Kagyu School, The Treasury of Key Instructions, The Treasury of Precious Treasure Teachings, and The Treasury of Vast Teachings. Because of the unequalled scholarship shown in these works, Kongtrul came to be called Jamgön (’Jam mgon), Gentle Protector, which is an epithet of Manjushri, the bodhisattva who symbolizes higher wisdom.
Kongtrul’s huge literary output gives the impression that his primary focus was compilation and writing. T his was not the case; most of his life was spent meditating and teaching. H e composed the verses of The Encompassment of All Knowledge, for instance, between periods of meditation while he was living in seclusion at his hermitage, Kunzang D echen Ösel Ling, in eastern Tibet. Kongtrul wrote this work in response to a request by Ngedön Tenpa Rabgyé, the first D azang incarnation, who asked that he produce a treatise on the three systems of Buddhist ethics: the vows of personal liberation in the individual way (h¦nay›na), the commitments of the bodhisattva in the universal way (mah›y›na), and the pledges (samaya) of the awareness-holder in the indestructible way (vajray›na). Kongtrul decided to write a book that not only set out the three ethics but also contained a full presentation of all aspects of the Buddhist path from the perspectives of these three systems. Indeed, The Encompassment of All Knowledge touches on all fields of spiritual knowledge as well as the related secular sciences known at the time of its composition.
Kongtrul presented the finished manuscript of Encompassment to Jamyang Kyentsé Wangpo (1820–1892), another outstanding figure in the revival of the teachings in eastern Tibet, who, highly impressed, declared the work to be “a treasury of knowledge . . . the first of your five treasuries.” Kyentsé urged him to write a commentary on it. In 1863, Kongtrul composed a three-volume commentary on these root verses, entitled The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge, completing it in less than four months. T he work was revised a year later with the help of Trashi Özer, the abbot of Palpung Monastery.
The Encompassment of All Knowledge, together with its commentary The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge, has come to be known as The Treasury of Knowledge. In Tibetan religious literature, the work stands out as a unique masterpiece embodying the entirety of the theories and methods of implementation of the Buddhist doctrine as it was preserved in Tibet. It comprises ten books: the first book concerns the sphere of activity of the Buddha; the second, Buddha, the Teacher; the third, the nature of his teachings; the fourth, the spread of the teachings; the fifth, training in ethics; the sixth, study of tenets; the seventh, training in wisdom; the eighth, training in meditation; the ninth, the stages and paths of spiritual development; and the tenth, the result. Each book contains four chapters in order to treat all aspects of the subjects from the perspectives of the different traditions. The encyclopedic presentation of this Treasury, summarizing a broad range of history, views, traditions, and practices in an orderly and insightful fashion, reveals an author with an exceptionally broad intellect and deep experiential understanding.
Book Six of The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge presents the theoretical bases of practice. Systems of Buddhist Tantra: The Indestructible Way of Secret Mantra is the translation of the fourth chapter, which concerns the tradition of the indestructible way. As this single chapter is of considerable length, the translation has been divided into twenty short chapters, with chapter titles given by the translators.
The indestructible way of secret mantra (gsang sngags rdo rje theg pa) refers to the tantric path, the essence of which is the indestructible union of wisdom (understanding of emptiness) and method (immutable great bliss). T he distinctive feature of this path lies in the special skill in method and wisdom used to manifest innate pristine awareness, the primordial ground of being. In this work, the author sets forth the various systems that constitute this way, those of both the ancient tantra tradition and the new tradition. Kongtrul begins with an overview of tantra, its placement in the Buddhist collections of teachings, and reasons for its superiority over other paths. H e then presents the four sets of tantra of the new tradition—action tantra, conduct tantra, yoga tantra, and highest yoga tantra—differentiating them in terms of their natures, views, ways of entry, methods of meditation, forms of conduct, and results. T he work concludes with an exposition of the ninefold way of the ancient tradition, culminating in atiyoga: knowing all things to be the pristine awareness of pure and total presence.
While Systems of Buddhist Tantra presents in detail the underlying principles of the various systems of tantra, with particular emphasis on the highest yoga tantra of the new schools, it does not reveal esoteric instructions for practice, which are the domain of oral transmissions and specialized manuals. Moreover, it does not include the historical origins and developments of the tantric systems, which Kongtrul treats in depth in other parts of his treasury. What follows now is an introduction to the nature of the tantric path, touching on some of the major themes treated in this important section of The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge.
THE MEANING OF TANTRA
To those who would embark on a quest for awakening, the Tibetan traditions of Buddhism offer three markedly different and seemingly incompatible sequences of practices: the individual way (h¦nay›na); the universal way (mah›y›na); and the tantric way or secret mantra way (mantray›na).
While finding its foundation in the idealism (vijì›nav›da) and centrism (m›dhyamika) trends of thought, the tantric way undoubtedly sprang from the irresistible drive to know the nature of experience directly, unmediated by cognitive interpretation or emotional confusion. Consequently, it relies on an awareness that is an expression of the inner clarity present in our very being and not on knowledge derived from rational, philosophical, or conceptual processes.
Tantra consists of a skillful blending of three different types of practice: power methods, energy transformation methods, and intrinsic awareness methods. T hese methods came from a variety of sources and gradually formed into identifiable esoteric transmissions. Some practices were designed to break down social and cultural conditioning and others were developed to utilize basic energies in the body (including sexual energy) to enhance practice. Etymologically, the word tantra is derived from the term for woof or weft, the thread that runs continuously through the fabric in traditional weaving methods. In Tibetan, the word means “continuum.” Both these meanings refer to the fundamental tantric perspective that the awareness that is the essence of being is always present, because it is not a thing, is not created, destroyed or subject to variation. Although the terms tantra and mantra are often used interchangeably, they do have distinct meanings. Mantra denotes the pristine awareness of reality, the essence of which is emptiness and bliss, while tantra refers to the systems of implementation of such awareness for the sake of performing rituals and specific activities. T he term mantra also serves as an abbreviation for “secret mantra” (guhyamantra), where mantra signifies “that which protects the mind” from dissipation due to ordinary perceptions and attachment to them. Mantras are commonly understood as incantations comprising series of syllables or words to be recited or visualized. Although this meaning may well have been the origin of the expression “secret mantra,” this represents only one of its minor aspects. Even the lower tantras, which stress the need for ritual activity, clearly state that, as means to gain realization, mantra recitation is secondary to formless contemplation. Mantra is called “secret” not to suggest the secretiveness of cults but because the path of mantra must be practiced in secret in order to be successful and withheld from unfit receptacles who could misuse it. T he term tantra is also used to refer to the essential meaning of mantra, as well as the entirety of the way of secret mantra. T he first distinction to be made with respect to tantra is between tantra as the meaning, or content itself, and tantra as words or scriptures, the means for its transmission. T he Continuation of the Guhyasamaja provides an encapsulation of tantra in terms of the meaning and its different aspects:
Tantra denotes continuousness.
It is composed of three aspects:
Ground, nature, and inalienableness.
When distinguished in this way,
The nature aspect is the cause;
The ground aspect refers to the method; And inalienableness, the result.
These three contain tantra’s meaning.
Tantra as continuousness, or continuum (rgyud ), refers to the uninterrupted presence of the original nature, or state of being, of each individual. In Buddhist scriptures, this original nature is principally referred to as “mind” (sems), as in “ever-perfect mind” (kun tu bzang po’i sems) or “mind nature” (sems nyid ). In this context, “mind” does not mean object-bound experience but instead the ever-perfect and intrinsic awareness that has no beginning or end. Since it is free from the dichotomy of knower and known, this mind is no different from the reality it perceives. Reality is a “continuum” in the sense that its nature does not change into something else and cannot be fragmented into parts. Regardless of the degree of evolution or debasement of an individual, that reality or ever-perfect mind remains unaltered as the very essence or nucleus of one’s being. From the state of an ordinary individual, the beginning, so to speak, up to the end of awakening, such reality is unceasingly present. H ence, there is no ultimate distinction between an ordinary being and an awakened one. Tantra, or continuum, although not subject to modification or partition, may be considered from the perspectives of non-recognition (conditioned existence), semi-recognition (the path), and total recognition (awakening) of original being. Based on these three phases, tantra is set forth in terms of its three aspects: actuality, process, and result.
C ontinuum as actuality (rang bzhin), though deemed causal (rgyu), does not mean the presence of the original state of being as a mere potential to be actualized in the future. Actuality points to the full presence of original being, even when it is not recognized. Lack of recognition is like a veil or cloud of unawareness which, however thick, does not pollute the very nature of one’s original state. As explained by the T hird Karmapa Rangjung Dorjé, actuality means “an awakened being attended by stains.” Although accompanied by impurity, the being remains the same, just as a gold statue wrapped in rags is still a gold statue. “C ausal” indicates that it is the fundamental element which when recognized is reaffirmed in its nature of enlightenment. Actuality is not defined as an absolute and static emptiness. Its power of manifestation or “radiance” (mdangs), owing to unawareness of its nature and to emotional patterns related to unawareness, becomes the basis for the particular appearances or visions that seem to bind one. When the veils of unawareness and emotional patterns lessen to some extent, there arise pure visions and contemplative experiences reflecting the essential purity of the actuality. When unawareness and emotional patterns are fully recognized as the mere play of the manifesting power of reality, the entire breadth of the potential of one’s being unfolds.
C ontinuum as process, or method (thabs), refers to all of the various means by which one may recognize one’s original nature or being. T hese means are not restricted to those found in Buddhist traditions. In the highest forms of tantra, continuum as a process is primarily represented in the phase of generation (bskyed rim, utpatti krama) and phase of completion (rdzogs rim, niøpanna krama) and their ancillary aspects. T his process, in being the cooperative condition for coming to know one’s original state of being, is likened to manure spread over a field in order to nurture the growth of seeds. H owever, unlike the example, the very essence of the process does not involve external intervention but is simply original being recognizing itself. T his process in tantra reflects, and is the exercise of, freedom and awakening, not in the sense of a goal attained but as a way of existing that manifests directly in every situation of life. T he continuum aspect of the method or process exists in the relationship between the process and the original state of being, in the interdependent connections between the various aspects of the process, in the uninterrupted lineage of transmission of esoteric instructions, and in the contemplations and ensuing experiences.
In the ultimate sense, the actuality continuum, or causal continuum, does not denote a cause or seed that produces an effect since it already represents the fullest result. T he process continuum does not refer to an outer agent but instead to an unfolding of what is already present. Likewise, the continuum as result, that of “inalienableness” (mi ’phrogs pa), does not mean the result of a pursuit or the attainment of a goal but the primordial condition itself. It is inalienable in that it has always been the authentic mode of being, never alienated by the split that occurs when one’s true nature is not recognized. It remains unmodified by the duality of conditioned existence and perfect peace, even when one is immersed in the seemingly real troubles of life. T he reality represented by tantra is known as the “authentic condition” (gnas lugs), which comprises that of both the inner and the outer, one’s mind and body and the totality of one’s world. H owever, this authentic condition primarily refers to the luminous clarity (’od gsal ) of one’s mind, or pristine awareness, which all of the various tantric systems seek to manifest by way of their different methods.
THE DOCTRINAL BASIS OF TANTRA
T he tantric systems incorporate all aspects of the Buddhist teachings, which, over the course of time, have served as their doctrinal bases. In particular, one central theory, which underlies every Buddhist approach, seems to be reflected in all the essential principles constituting the views and practices of tantra: that there exists an “element” (khams, dh›tu) that enables an ordinary person to become a sublime being. T hat element is not the illusory and unreal self, the existence of which is negated on all levels of Buddhist philosophy. H ow then is it posited? T he idea of such an “element” can be found in the more ancient form of Buddhism. In that context, as expressed by the analysts (vaibh›øikas), and reflecting the character of a personal pursuit of liberation, it is known as “exalted affinity” (’phags pa’i rigs, ›rya gotra). It is defined as detachment from conditioned existence and worldly possessions and characterized as a state of contentment and having few desires.
From this basic formulation, the theory regarding this element has undergone a process of modification and refinement. For example, in the traditionalist (sautr›ntika) view, which represents a slightly more sophisticated philosophical trend than that of the analysts, the element is understood as not simply detachment but as a “seed,” an aspect of the mind capable of growing into supreme wisdom.
Around the time of the T hird Buddhist Council, which took place two hundred and thirty-six years after the demise of the Buddha, the majority of the monastic community was turning attention to the needs and interests of the laity and trying to increase the chances for ordinary people to enter the path to freedom. T his movement was accompanied by doctrinal transformations as a result of which the arhat or “saint” as the model for followers lost its pre-eminence. A new model emerged, that of the bodhisattva, who is willing to mingle with ordinary beings while working for their welfare and who, at the end of his or her spiritual career, achieves the goal of full awakening. Since the path of the bodhisattva leads the practitioner to the state of a buddha, or a “transcendent one” (tath›gata), the element capable of turning into that state came to be known in the universal way tradition as the “essence of the transcendent ones” (tath›gatagarbha) or “essence of enlightenment,” also referred to simply as buddha nature.
T he two main philosophical trends within the universal way, that of the experientialists (yog›c›ra) and that of the centrists (m›dhyamika), view such an element in ways that accord with their own basic tenets. T he former asserts the element to be a potential present in the continuum of mind since time without beginning, capable of developing into the entire range of qualities of an awakened being. T he latter asserts that it is the very nature of the mind (and of all phenomena) at the stage when mind is still attended by the stains of emotional patterns and limitations with regard to knowledge. However defined, the essence of enlightenment corresponds to what in tantra is called “actuality” or the “causal continuum” (rgyu’i rgyud, hetu tantra), the original ground of being to be recognized as enlightenment itself. T hus, when we consider the above three aspects of tantra, it becomes apparent that tantra is based primarily on the theory of the essence of enlightenment or tath›gatagarbha. Although ancient practices of pre-Buddhist origin were absorbed into the Buddhist tantric systems, it is this theory of Buddhist origin—the essence of enlightenment—that may be said to be the fundamental basis, or core teaching, from which tantra developed.
THE ESSENCE OF ENLIGHTENMENT
T he essence of enlightenment (bde bar gshegs pa’i snying po, tath›gatagarbha) is taught in the Shrimala and a number of other universal way sutras, yet scholars seem to have struggled to define precisely its real nature. Some consider the essence to be an actual buddha, while others conceive of it as a potential that can evolve into the awakened state. T his essence has been the subject of extensive philosophical speculation in ancient Tibet, the effect of which is still felt in present-day Tibetan schools.
In his commentary on Maitreya’s Jewel Affinity (Ratnagotravibh›ga),
Kongtrul defines the element or essence, also known as affinity (rigs, gotra), as an unpolluted factor on the basis of which an individual can rediscover the ground of being. Referred to in the scriptures by various terms, such as ineffable emptiness, mind nature of luminous clarity, and ground-of-all consciousness, “element” does not carry the meaning of “cause” but instead denotes a “nucleus” that is hidden by obscurations. Kongtrul points out that the Tibetan term snying po (essence) is used to translate a number of Sanskrit terms, such as garbha, in which case the term indicates that the element is like a kernel inside a husk; hridaya, meaning essence in the sense of supreme, indicating that the element is the supreme phenomenon, the very reality of all phenomena; and sara, robust or firm, pointing to the unchangeable and indivisible nature of such reality. The essence of enlightenment is thus equated with the very reality that pervades both the animate and inanimate world. H ow such an essence is understood would obviously depend on how reality is defined in a particular system. Within the different philosophical trends of Tibetan Buddhism (all of which claim to represent the centrist view), we can distinguish two main approaches: one considers reality to be emptiness as an absolute negation; the other, emptiness as an affirmative negation, that is to say, an emptiness that is not simply emptiness but luminosity or potency as well. It is this second view that most accords with how the essence of enlightenment is understood in the tantras.
Luminosity, which is of the same nature as emptiness, means the luminous clarity of the mind of every sentient being. Each being thus embodies the reality of the totality of the universe and stands at the center of the universe as its nature or “creator.” Luminous clarity is the principal feature of the essence of enlightenment and in the tantras is spoken of as actuality or the causal continuum characterized by bliss. The uninterrupted presence of the causal continuum encompasses the three dimensions of awakening: empty like the sky, it is the reality dimension (dharmak›ya); luminous like the sun and moon, it is the enjoyment dimension (sambhogak›ya); and manifesting unimpededly in every form, it is the manifest dimension of awakening (nirm›òak›ya). In this way, the essence of enlightenment is not simply a seed or potential that can develop into the state of awakening but is the state of awakeni ng itself. T his is taught in all tantras with definitiveness. T he chapter called “Pristine Awareness” in the Kalachakra Tantra, for instance, states: All beings are buddhas. Another supreme buddha does not exist in this universe. And the Hevajra states: Sentient beings are actually buddhas But are obscured by adventitious stains.
When these are cleared away, they awaken.
If beings are already enlightened, why do they still suffer the misery of conditioned existence? Saraha’s Doha states:
T he natural condition is not seen by the childish.
Due to deception, the childish are swindled.
T he point of tantric practice is to overcome habitual emotional patterns and, in particular, coemergent unawareness of the essence of enlightenment. When the adventitious stains that cloud one’s nature are removed by means of the path, the essence reveals itself as the real buddha, and one reawakens into one’s state of primordial enlightenment.
As long as the state of enlightenment is not recognized, beings continue to experience illusory birth and death, along with the happiness and suffering inherent in conditioned existence. H owever, whatever the experience, the essence of enlightenment remains unpolluted, unobscured, and unmodified, just as sunlight maintains its nature of light regardless of the type of object it strikes. T he essence is not conditioned by any form of embodied life, whether fortunate or miserable, nor is it conditioned by any act, good or evil, or by knowledge or lack of knowledge. Although the essence is attended by impurity, its nature, like gold embedded in ore, remains always pure, untouched by emotional afflictions and conceptions. THE ESSENCE OF ENLIGHTENMENT AND THE GROUND OF ALL In the writings of ancient masters of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, with which Kongtrul was affiliated, certain technical terms with very different meanings were often used interchangeably. For example, the word mind (sems), normally denoting object-bound dualistic experience, is also used to refer to mind nature (sems nyid ), or mind’s real condition. Likewise, in this section of The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge the essence of enlightenment (or causal continuum) is called the “ground-of-all consciousness” (kun gzhi rnam shes, ›layavijì›na). T his seemingly free use of terms is not an indication of scholastic laxity but actually reflects the characteristic views of this school . An apparent equation of the essence of enlightenment with the groundof-all consciousness is found in sutras such as the Descent to Lanka (Laºk›vat›ra) and the Gandavyuhasutra, as well as in Ashvaghosha’s Awakening of Faith and other commentaries. In the Infinite Ocean, Kongtrul notes that the ground-of-all consciousness is known in the individualist system by particular terms such as “substratum consciousness” (rtsa ba’i rnam shes, málavijì›na), “the aggregate that lasts as long as cyclic existence” (’khor ba ji srid pa’i phung po), and “branch of existence” (srid pa’i yan lag). Both centrist and idealist philosophies speak of the “eightfold group of consciousnesses” (rnam shes tshogs brgyad ), which, as stated in the Gandavyuhasutra, comprises the mind or ground-of-all consciousness, the subjective mind of an afflicted nature, and the six consciousnesses that apprehend objects. T he subjective mind (yid ) is an ever-present conceited mental state that carries the sense of “I” and is therefore known as afflicted mind (nyon mongs can gyi yid ). T he six sense consciousnesses (including consciousness of mind) are aspects of the mind that focus on details of objects and are therefore known as “six active consciousnesses” (’jug pa’i rnam shes tshogs drug).
T he ground-of-all consciousness (kun gzhi rnam shes) is a mind, amounting to an accumulation of karmic traces, that leads to embodied existence. It focuses on a variety of objects but cognizes only their presence, not the details. Although itself neutral, the ground-of-all consciousness is capable of storing all of the traces or habitual tendencies of virtuous and nonvirtuous actions. Unlike other aspects of the mind, the ground-of-all consciousness is steady and persists throughout all mental states, even deep sleep. At death, it is projected by the force of its inherent karmic traces into a new existence. Two aspects of the ground-of-all consciousness are distinguished: the potential and the fruitional. T he potential aspect consists in karmic traces. The fruitional aspect consists in the ground-of-all consciousness that is the result of karmic traces. According to the universalists, after the “diamondlike meditative absorption” which leads directly into awakening, the groundof-all consciousness in its fruitional aspect transforms into mirror-like pristine awareness (me long ye shes, ›darŸajì›na). T he ground-of-all consciousness is so named because it serves as the ground for both cyclic existence (saôs›ra) and perfect peace (nirv›òa). H owever, as explained by Kongtrul, it does not denote a single, permanent creator of the universe as postulated by the H indus. Instead, the ground-of-all consciousness is said to be intrinsic to every sentient being and of a momentary nature.
Asanga, the fourth-century Indian scholar considered by many to be the pioneer of experientialist philosophy (in which the ground-of-all consciousness constitutes a central tenet), equates this consciousness with mind (citta) and includes it in the impermanent aggregate of consciousness (vijì›na-skandha).1 Does this implicitly negate the ground-of-all consciousness as the essence of enlightenment and the ground of all? Indeed, this would seem to be the case. H owever, in The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge, Kongtrul cites a verse from the Phenomenology Scripture (Abhidharmasátra, mNgon pa’i mdo), a text no longer extant, when discussing the ground-ofall consciousness as commonly understood in experientialist philosophy and when defining the essence of enlightenment (chapter eight of this book). T his verse, found in the Discourse That Teaches the Essence of Enlightenment (sNying po bstan pa’i mdo) and cited in Asanga’s commentary on it, states:
T he dimension with no beginning in time Is the abode of all phenomena. Owing to its being, cyclic life And perfect peace are experienced. Since this verse is cited in both contexts, one must assume that Kongtrul somehow equates the essence of enlightenment with the ground-of-all consciousness. Given the contradictory definitions of these two, what are the reasons for taking them to be synonymous?
T he T hird K armapa, Rangjung D orjé, considered to be the source of the view underlying the Kagyu style of presentation of tantra, states that the root of all types of pristine awareness is the ground-of-all pristine awareness; and the root of all types of consciousness, the ground-of-all consciousness. T he inseparability of these two is called “ordinary awareness” (tha mal gyi shes pa). Because ordinary awareness serves as the fundamental element for awakening, it is referred to as the “essence of enlightenment.” H ere, the expression “ordinary awareness” denotes the ordinary state of consciousness, a blend of two aspects: the primordial aspect called pristine awareness (ye shes, jì›na); and the aspect of objectbound experience called consciousness (rnam shes, vijì›na), in this case, the ground-of-all consciousness, the “mother” of all object-bound experiences. Recognized for what it is, ordinary awareness is the pristine awareness of intrinsic awareness, a state that is known in and by itself. Unrecognized, it is unawareness. T he “distance” between recognition and non-recognition is inconceivably minute, with only a hair’s breadth of space separating them.
T hus, the essence of enlightenment, or causal continuum, exists as inseparable from the ground-of-all consciousness, like water mixed with milk. In this sense, the two are equated, but are not considered identical. T his paradox highlights the character of the original ground of being as open to two different possibilities: when unrecognized, it possesses the faults of conditioned existence; once recognized, it reveals the qualities of the fruition. T he character of the original ground of being is endowed with the potential for all manifestation. All manifestation has the character of the ground. It can only be recognized as it manifests embodied in the individual, whose principal modes of existence are body, speech, and mind. Unrecognized, or unpurified, body, speech, and mind are reflections of illusion; recognized, they are the three dimensions of awakening.
METHOD AND WISDOM
Method (thabs, up›ya) and wisdom (shes rab, prajìa), key principles in both sutra and tantra, have particular meanings depending on the system. T he immediate sense conveyed by “method” is the way to carry out an action, and by “wisdom,” the intelligence to recognize the appropriateness of the action in any given situation. Related to those meanings, method denotes activation of one’s energy, and wisdom, the knowledge of reality gained from that activation of energy. In most systems of sutra and tantra, wisdom can arise only when sufficient energy of merit has made one’s mind receptive to such wisdom and capable of sustaining it.
In the universal way, the two principles are contained in the six “means of transcendence” (p›ramit›), namely, generosity, ethics, patience, effort, meditation, and wisdom. Method comprises the first four, and wisdom, the last two. Without wisdom, the other means of transcendence are “blind,” said Shantideva, meaning that they cannot lead to awakening. Why? Because wisdom provides the understanding that phenomena have no intrinsic nature and exist only as illusions. When permeated by this knowledge, generosity and the other means are free of adherence to the reality of their referents. Without wisdom, generosity, ethics, and so forth would fetter rather than liberate the individual. Wisdom alone would also fetter a person because he or she would not have the impetus to work for others’ freedom and would therefore lack the basis for the attainment of awakening. Accordingly, Atisha said: Method divorced from wisdom Or wisdom without method
Is bondage: this has been taught . Thus, their union should not be neglected.
Moreover, both method and wisdom are necessary because, reflecting the psychophysical make-up of the person, awakening exists on two planes, that of the body, called the physical dimension (rápak›ya) and that of the mind, the reality dimension (dharmak›ya). T he concordant causes for the achievement of the two planes are, respectively, the merit accrued by the first four means of transcendence, and wisdom accrued by the last two. Method in the context of the universal way is primarily the mind of awakening (bodhicitta), and wisdom, the understanding of emptiness (Ÿunyat›). On a relative level, the mind of awakening means the desire to awaken for the sake of others. On an ultimate level, the mind of awakening is the concept-free knowing of reality or emptiness, endowed with the essence of compassion. T his is the point in the bodhisattva’s path where method and wisdom begin to merge. Although method and wisdom are often described as two wings needed on the course to freedom, the notion of two different elements implies a duality. Every path to realization, even the fundamental one, tries to overcome such duality by explaining ways to unify these two principles into a single reality. It might well be said that the higher the system, the more refined is its application of method and wisdom in a unified way.
All of these points concerning method and wisdom in the universal way apply to tantra as well. Furthermore, as shown in the rich imagery of the tantras, these two principles, while still retaining their meanings as understood in the lower ways, take on a variety of special meanings.
From the common perspectives of the lower and highest tantras, method generally stands for relative truth (kun rdzob bden pa, saôv¸t¦ satya), and wisdom, ultimate truth (don dam bden pa, param›rtha satya). In contrast to non-tantric systems, where relative truth is taken to mean the worlds of suffering produced by negative emotions and the actions motivated by them, in the context of tantra, relative truth means all appearances imagined as a divine world with divine residents. To imagine the world in that way through symbolic creation of deities and mandalas activates the practitioner’s innate pure energy. In order not to attribute inherent existence to that pure vision requires the wisdom of recognizing this vision as fundamentally unreal. T his wisdom can be gained by applying a subtle “deconstructive” analysis but in the uncommon way of the tantras is more often achieved by entering the nonconceptual or natural state, which is devoid of the constructs of imagination. In this way, the practitioner realizes the simultaneity of appearances (snang ba) and emptiness (stong pa). T he two yogic applications of the method of creation and wisdom of deconstruction in the lower tantras are called yoga with signs (nimitta yoga) and yoga without signs (animitta yoga), respectively, and in highest yoga tantra, phase of generation (utpatti krama) and phase of completion (niøpanna krama).
Highest yoga tantra, as its name yoga, or union (rnal ’byor, yoga), denotes, is characterized by the application of method and wisdom as an inseparable union. T his is symbolized by tantric deities of this system depicted in sexual union. In this imagery, the male is method; the female, wisdom. In addition to their general meanings as explained above, in this context, the meaning of method is bliss (bde ba, sukha) produced by way of special meditations or union with a qualified consort; and that of wisdom, the understanding of innate reality, distinguished as being the very consciousness of that bliss. For the sake of training, method and wisdom are applied, in a sense, distinctly: first, bliss is generated and then united with the understanding of the innate. In fact, wisdom is already inherent in the nature of method since knowledge of the innate is of the nature of bliss. Moreover, in the phase of completion, the realization of luminous clarity (’od gsal, prabh›svara) is wisdom, and the ensuing illusory body (sgyu lus, m›y›deha) of the deity actually manifesting is method.
Thus, it is evident that the dual principles of method and wisdom are represented in different pairs of attributes—male and female, relative and ultimate truth, yoga with signs and without signs, phase of generation and phase of completion, appearance and emptiness, bliss and emptiness, and illusory body and luminous clarity. In fact, all aspects comprised by tantra can be distinguished according to these principles. From this, one understands that the meaning of method and wisdom cannot be restricted to simply the literal meaning of the two words.
In the inner tantras of the ancient tradition, particularly anuyoga and atiyoga, we find a progressively finer gap between method and wisdom, but it is in atiyoga, or the “great perfection” (rdzogs chen), that the duality of method and wisdom that characterizes the lower paths is totally transcended. Practice of atiyoga does not involve distinctions in method and wisdom or levels of application since, according to the view of atiyoga, all that exists is simply a single reality, one’s own authentic condition, primordial awakening, with no differentiation between relative and ultimate truths. T his point is made clear in the Total Space of Vajrasattva (rDo rje sems dpa’ nam mkha’ che), a text of the mind division of atiyoga:
A path to purity that proceeds from level to level Does not agree with the teaching of no action.
If there were truly paths to travel, one would never Reach one’s goal, just as there is no limit to space. and:
The bliss of the intrinsically perfect state Is found only in instantaneous presence
Illuminated by the power of matchless wisdom. Reality does not come from anything else.
Samsara, or cyclic existence (’khor ba), and nirvana, or perfect peace (myang ’das), have gradually taken on the superficial meanings of “place of problems” and “place of ecstasy.” What is defined as samsara in fundamental Buddhism is not a physical place, but the state of the body and mind of a person conditioned by habitual tendencies. T his conditioned state entails being subject to suffering such as that of birth, sickness, old age, and death. The illusory environment where this suffering is experienced is the outcome of the shared habitual tendencies and karmic traces of its inhabitants. Nirvana is the transcendence of such suffering, attained by applying a path that overcomes the emotions and purifies their habitual patterns. T his perspective on samsara and nirvana is in contrast to that of certain Hindu schools that consider samsara and nirvana as opposite poles, where samsara ceases only with nirvana’s negation of it; in that view, the two cannot exist together, as one is effectively the negation of the other.
In the universal way, beings and their worlds are seen in the light of their absence of true existence, or emptiness. T his emptiness is not an entity to be found outside phenomena themselves. For this reason, the famous sutra The Heart of Wisdom states:
Form is empty; emptiness is also form. Emptiness is no other than form; form is no other than emptiness.
In this view, it is not difficult to see a shift, though only theoretical, from the basic understanding of samsara and nirvana. H ere, form, or samsara, and emptiness, nirvana, are not mutually exclusive but complementary. Nirvana is achieved not by negating samsara but by understanding its real nature. For that reason, in the literature of transcendent wisdom (shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa, prajì›p›ramit›), emptiness is also called “natural nirvana” (rang bzhin gyis myang ’das). A nirvana that is something other than the ultimate nature of samsara does not exist. H owever, at the stage of treading the path to awakening, nirvana and samsara remain for the bodhisattva very different.
It is only in tantra that the theoretical assertion that samsara and nirvana are an essential identity bears important practical implications. T he person and the environment are already nirvana. H owever, they appear as samsara because one’s own true condition is not recognized. To rediscover the awakened condition of one’s inner and outer dimensions, one familiarizes with the identity of samsara and nirvana, not only in their natures but also in their aspects. The practitioner actualizes the identity of samsara and nirvana by realizing that the aggregates (of forms, feelings, discriminations, compositional factors, and consciousnesses) are the buddhas of the five families (Vairochana, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, Amoghasiddhi, and Akshobhya) and the elemental properties (earth, water, fire, wind, and space) are their consorts (Lochana, Mamaki, Pandara, Tara, and Dhatvishvari). T he sense consciousnesses, sense powers, and all other faculties and their activities, and so forth, are understood to be the natures of enlightened deities. Body, speech, and mind are seen as the great mandala of divine energy, the very nature that pervades all existence.
THE INNATE AS GREAT BLISS
As pointed out in Kongtrul’s Topical Commentary on the Hevajra Tantra, the word “innate” (lhan skyes, sahaja) has different meanings when distinguished in terms of the ground, path, and result. At the time of the ground, the innate refers to original pure and perfect mind (bodhicitta) which is beyond the grasp of the conceptual mind, the “lord” pervading the totality of cyclic existence and perfect peace, the ground or essence of all. T his meaning is indicated in the following words from the tantras:
From “me,” all beings arise. and:
T hat is the life-force of all creatures.
At the time of the path, from a general perspective, the innate refers to the view that understands the absence of intrinsic nature of phenomena, which are beyond arising, abiding, and cessation, to be the inseparability of emptiness and luminous clarity. In this specific tantric context, the innate denotes the experience of bliss that occurs when winds dissolve in the central channel brought about by such practices as inner heat or union with a consort.
At the time of the result, the innate is that very innate of the ground, which, through the strength of being contemplated on the path, becomes the great innate free from obscurations and endowed with the two purities (dag pa gnyis ldan), intrinsic purity and purity from adventitious stains. From another perspective, but still pointing to the same reality, the innate means both the natural condition (rang bzhin lhan skyes) of everything and the innate as bliss from the melting of vital essence (zhu bde lhan skyes). Both of these types of innate are known as bliss (bde ba, sukha). The natural condition of everything encompasses the innate of the ground, path, and result. It is the very nature of the animate and inanimate. T he innate as bliss arising from the melting of vital essence relates specifically to the path.
How is the innate as bliss manifested in the path? D uring ordinary sexual union, the male and female experience physical and mental pleasure produced by the melting and release of vital essence. T his is common sexual bliss. In tantra, this experience of bliss itself is used as the basis of a special technique: the practitioner causes the melted vital essence to flow throughout all channels of the body, producing physical and mental bliss. With bliss serving as the secondary condition and the practitioner’s familiarity with the innate pristine awareness nature of the mind as the primary cause, winds and mind dissolve in the central channel. T hus stimulated, the vital essence present in the central channel melts and conceptions cease, allowing to manifest limpid, nonconceptual, pristine awareness, accompanied by the experience of the indivisibility of bliss and emptiness.
When innate bliss is still attended by the dualistic impression of emptiness as the object and bliss as the subject, it is known as example innate bliss (dpe’i lhan skyes kyi bde ba). When it is nonconceptual pristine awareness of the very nature of reality, resembling a clear sky, free from even the most subtle subject-object duality, it is known as real or actual innate bliss (don gyi lhan skyes kyi bde ba). T he same kind of distinction is drawn between actual luminous clarity (don gyi ’od gsal ) and example luminous clarity (dpe’i ’od gsal). In the experiential process, and according to the phases in which the innate is manifested through tantric methods, the innate as bliss is understood as the pristine awareness of the four joys. Being emptiness beyond any definition, how can the innate natural condition of everything be called bliss? It is known as bliss for a number of reasons: the innate is free from the concepts of arising, abiding, and ceasing; it does not abide in either cyclic existence or perfect peace; it is free from adherence to self and others; it is the pristine awareness of one’s intrinsic awareness, an awareness that cognizes its own nature; it pervades everything; and it is always of the nature of bliss, whatever the circumstances. Furthermore, the innate reality that derives from the melting of vital essence is spoken of as “great bliss” because it is totally free from all suffering and adherence to subject-object duality (gzung ’dzin). It is not the tainted pleasure experienced by ordinary persons but is manifested by “striking the crucial points of the body” (lus kyi gnad du bsnun pa) through the method of inner heat (gtum mo, caòç›l¦) or in union with a consort. This indicates that this reality is found within the “temple” of one’s body. Accordingly, the tantras state: T his is the great pristine awareness Which abides in the bodies of all.
All highest yoga tantras, with different degrees of emphasis, teach that reliance on the method of union with a qualified consort is an indispensable step in the path to realization. In systems that present instructions not dependent on the tantric way of transformation, such as Gampopa’s great seal (phyag rgya chen po, mah›mudr›) approach and the great perfection (rdzogs chen), that method (which certainly involves risks) is considered helpful but not absolutely necessary or superior to other methods since the reality of the innate is penetrated directly without the preliminary step of experience of the example bliss.
BODHICHITTA AND THE FOUR JOYS
