Nying-ma order of Tibetan Buddhism has three transmissions
Nying-ma order of Tibetan Buddhism has three transmissions through the Conqueror’s thought, the symbols of Knowledge Bearers, and ears.
The transmission through the Conqueror’s thought passes directly from the Complete Enjoyment Body, the pure eternal manifestation of the truth, to the trainee. This is a case of mental transmission where one being transmits his thought to another directly without words and symbols.
The Complete Enjoyment Body, which in this case is Samantabhadra, transfers whatever he knows directly to the minds of his students. Disciples who appear directly to a Buddha can receive such instruction.
The second transmission is through the symbols of Knowledge Bearers. When thought cannot be directly transmitted, it is necessary to depend on symbols. For example, at a crossroad there are signs indicating directions; through seeing them you know where to go.
There are no words involved, you understand them through certain arrangements of colour and shape. Vajradhara himself transmitted understanding to his students by using signs and symbols. He originated this transmission, and five different types of beings - gods, dragons, demons, lichavis, and yakshas — passed on the transmission after receiving it from him.
Knowledge Bearers, those who bear knowledge of suchness in their minds, transmit this tradition. Knowledge of suchness, the immutable nature of all objects, is the means to escape from cyclic existence; without this knowledge you are trapped. For those who cannot understand the teaching transmitted through signs and symbols there is a transmission through ears. Here , the teacher’s thought is expressed in words which enter the ear. How is the teaching done? One way is through empowering blessings, another through hearing scriptures, and a third through initiation. In dependence on such transmission, one engages in practice and actualizes the truth.
Ba-drul Rin-bo-chay next bows down to Long-chen- rap-jam (kLong-chen-rab-’byams), a great Nying-ma master:
I bow down to the omniscient king of doctrine [Long-chen- rap-jam] who gained the thought of the Truth Body in the sphere of extinguishment of phenomena, who saw the pure land of the Enjoyment Body appear in the sphere of clear light, and who aids the welfare of living beings by showing Emanation Bodies to trainees.
Long-chen-rap-jam understood the Truth Body in the sphere of extinguishment which is the nature of phenomena. This refers to the gradual extinguishment of conceptuality within one’s own mind. Like a fire burning fuel, the mind consumes conception by working with it. Long- chen-rap-jam understood this sphere of extinguishment which is the final nature of objects.
The homage also refers to seeing the appearance of the pure land of the Enjoyment Body in the sphere of clear light. What is clear light? It is the substance of our dreams and visions. At first it is difficult to meditate on the clear light of sleep or dream because you find it hard to dream. But gradually you learn to increase dreaming.
When a yogi does this, he increases his dreams to the point where he has them even before falling asleep. Then his dreaming gradually decreases, and finally the whole process turns into an experience of something like empty space. At that time it is possible for a very special mind endowed with bliss, clarity and non-conceptuality to appear from within. If you are able to cause this clear light to shine, you can know the minds of others.
If such practices and attainments exist, then why are there not many clairvoyants and mind-readers? Too many people spend their time on worldly affairs and do not meditate enough. However, if the activities of this life are laid aside and effort is directed toward meditation, one can develop many wonderful qualities. Long-chen-rap-jam attained the clear light and in it was able to see the pure lands of the Enjoyment Bodies.
An Enjoyment Body has five definite features, those of teacher, retinue, doctrine, time and place. The explanation of these five features is very difficult to believe. The first definite quality is the teacher, who is the Enjoyment Body himself and who lasts forever.
The retinue consists only of tenth-ground Bodhisattvas. The doctrine is that of the wordless Mahayana, which is taught continuously by the Enjoyment Body that never needs to rest. The time indicates that the wheel of teaching never stops turning.
The place is the Highest Pure Land (Akanishtha). Ba-drul Rin-bo-chay makes a third obeisance:
I bow down to the Knowledge Bearer Jik-may-ling-ba [’Jigs— med-gling-pa] who sees with wisdom the suchness of all that can be known, whose rays of compassion shine for the glory of trainees, and who illumines the teaching of the highest vehicle, the profound path.
Jik-may-ling-ba sees with wisdom the suchness of all existents; he knows all objects of knowledge - all things, from forms through to omniscient consciousnesses. What does it mean to see their suchness? He sees the final nature - emptiness - of each and every one of these phenomena which remains such unchangeably whether or not it is taught and realized. His compassion is like the sun; its rays enter his disciples and help them. He also illumines the teaching of the highest vehicle, the practices of the profound path. According to the Nying-ma system there are nine vehicles.
A vehicle is a system of practice by which one progresses to a higher state. The nine vehicles are arranged into three groups of three. The three external ones leading away from the source of cyclic existence are those of Hearers, Solitary Realizers and Bodhisattvas. The three inner ones involving all types of asceticism are the three lower tantras: Action, Performance and Yoga (Kriya, Charya, Yoga).
The three secret vehicles serving as methods of empowerment are Mahayoga, Anuyoga, Atiyoga. Ba- drul Rin-bo-chay pays homage to Jik-may-ling-ba who illumined Atiyoga, the highest of all systems of practice for developing the mind. In a final obeisance he bows down to his own teacher, who was the incarnation of the deity Avalokiteshvara.
He says:
I bow down to my kind fundamental lama [[[Padma]] Gun-sang] the deity Avalokiteshvara who assumed the ways of a teacher and through the sport of his speech set on the path of liberation all who were related to him. His activities appropriate for all trainees are infinite.
Why did Ba-drul Rin-bo-chay pay homage to his lineage? He praises them in order to receive empowerment from the Buddhas in the form of blessings so that he will not be interrupted while writing his book. He shows that it is important to praise the Buddhas before engaging in virtuous activity.
After his obeisance, he promises to compose the book: In accordance with my ascertainment of the errorless word of my unparalleled Lama [Gun-sang], I will explain clearly in terms easy to understand the amazingly profound meaning, the complete teaching, the books of the omniscient transmission, the pith of quintessential instructions, the doctrine for complete enlightenment in one lifetime. I will explain the common external and uncommon internal preparations for the path....
May the lamas and gods empower me to do so.
Buddha’s teaching is of two types, verbal and realized. The former consists of words detailing excellent qualities of mind and practices for attaining them. The latter are realizations attained through following the verbal teaching just as it is. Therefore, the actual teaching of Buddha is identified as these two, whereas books and common teachers whom you can meet are just conventional instructors.
When Ba-drul Rin-bo-chay says that he will explain the complete teaching, he means that he will cover all nine vehicles. He will explain the books of the omniscient transmission, a lineage that includes all the famous lamas whom he has just mentioned. He will reveal the pith of quintessential instructions, doctrines by which a person in one lifetime, with his or her ordinary body, can attain complete Buddhahood.
The path to Buddhahood has two parts, preparatory and actual. There are two types of preparation: common external and special internal. These will be explained clearly and simply, and the meaning will be amazingly profound.
