|
Post by Owain on Jul 9, 2023 11:43:52 GMT
Dzogchen Heart Essence of the Great Perfection (Core Teachings of Dalai Lama) (Dalai Lama)
The Meaning of Empowerment
As for empowerment in general, what does the term wang, or
empowerment, signify? To begin with, our fundamental nature—what we
term “the buddha nature,” or tathāgatagarbha, the very nature of our mind,
is inherently present within us as a natural attribute. This mind of ours, the
subject at hand, has been going on throughout beginningless time, and so
has the more subtle nature of that mind. On the basis of the continuity of
that subtle nature of our mind rests the capacity we have to attain
enlightenment. This potential is what we call “the seed of buddhahood,”
“buddha nature,” “the fundamental nature,” or “tathāgatagarbha.” We all
have this buddha nature, each and every one of us. For example, this
beautiful statue of Lord Buddha here, in the presence of which we are now
sitting, is a representation that honors someone who attained buddhahood.
He awakened into that state of enlightenment because his nature was the
buddha nature. Ours is as well, and just as the Buddha attained
enlightenment in the past, so in the future we can become buddhas too.
When, at some future point, we do attain buddhahood, that subtle
continuum of our awareness will awaken to a state of omniscience called
dharmakāya. The nature of mind at that point is what we term
svābhāvikakāya. The fact that it is totally pure by its very nature is one
aspect of the svābhāvikakāya—that of total and natural purity. The fact that
adventitious obscurations have been removed and no longer obscure that
true nature of mind is another aspect of the svābhāvikakāya—that of being
purified of adventitious obscurations.9
In any case, there dwells within us all this potential which allows us to
awaken into buddhahood and attain omniscience. The empowerment
process draws that potential out and allows it to express itself more fully.
When an empowerment is conferred on you, it is the nature of your mind—
the buddha nature—that provides a basis upon which the empowerment can
ripen you. Through the empowerment, you are empowered into the essence
of the buddhas of the five families. In particular, you are “ripened” within
that particular family through which it is your personal predisposition to
attain buddhahood.
So, with these auspicious circumstances established in your mindstream,
and when you reflect on what is taking place and maintain the various
visualizations, the conditions are right for the essence of the empowerment
to awaken within you, as a state of wisdom which is blissful yet empty—a
very special state that is the inseparability of basic space and awareness. As
you focus your devotion in this way, it allows this special quality of mind,
this new capability, as it were, to awaken. There are three circumstantial
factors that support this—the ritual objects that are employed on the outer
level, the mantras that are repeated by the vajra master, and the vajra
master’s own samādhi, or meditative absorption. When these three factors
come together, they form a basis on which the mind can focus, and so
become ripened.
As these three factors are so important, we should examine them a little
more closely. The outer ritual objects, such as the vase and so forth, have
already been arranged on the shrine, and are all in place. As for the mantras,
while I cannot claim to have read them all in pure Sanskrit, I have done my
best while reading and reciting them. So what is most important during the
remainder of the empowerment is meditative absorption. For my part, I will
be doing what I can to maintain a state of samādhi, and so at the same time
each of you should focus your minds, step by step, on the explanations I
will give, and rest, as much as possible, in a similar state of samādhi
meditation.
The Ground, Path, and Fruition of Dzogchen
Let us now consider the teachings particular to the Secret Mantra Vehicle of
the early transmission school of the Nyingma tradition, and what these
teachings say about the three phases of ground, path, and fruition. The way
in which the ground of being abides, as this is definitively understood and
described in the Nyingma teachings, entails its essence, its nature, and its
energy, or responsiveness. In particular, the first two aspects define the
ground for the Nyingma school, its essence being primordial purity or
kadak, and its nature being spontaneous presence or lhundrup.
Nāgārjuna, in his Fundamental Treatise on the Middle Way, called
“Wisdom,”10 states:
The dharma that is taught by the buddhas,
Relies completely upon two levels of truth:
The worldly conventional level of truth,
And the ultimate level of truth.
All that is knowable—all phenomena and all that is comprised within an
individual’s mind and body—is contained within these two levels of truth,
conventional and ultimate. In the Dzogchen context, the explanation given
would be in terms of primordial purity and spontaneous presence, and this
is analogous to a passage in the scriptures:
It is mind itself that sets in place the myriad array
Of beings in the world, and the world that contains them.11
That is to say, if we consider the agent responsible for creating saṃsāra and
nirvāṇa, it comes down to mind. The Sutra on the Ten Grounds states,
“These three realms are mind only.” In his commentary to his own work,
Entering the Middle Way12 Candrakīrti elaborates on this quotation, stating
that there is no other creative agent apart from mind.
When mind is explained from the point of view of the Highest Yoga
Tantra teachings and the path of mantra, we find that many different levels
or aspects of mind are discussed, some coarser and some more subtle. But
at the very root, the most fundamental level embraced by these teachings is
mind as the fundamental, innate nature of mind. This is where we come to
the distinction between the word sem in Tibetan, meaning “ordinary mind,”
and the word rigpa, signifying “pure awareness.” Generally speaking, when
we use the word sem, we are referring to mind when it is temporarily
obscured and distorted by thoughts based upon the dualistic perceptions of
subject and object. When we are discussing pure awareness, genuine
consciousness or awareness free of such distorting thought patterns, then
the term rigpa is employed. The teaching known as the “Four Reliances”
states: “Do not rely upon ordinary consciousness, but rely upon wisdom.”13
Here the term namshé, or ordinary consciousness, refers to mind involved
with dualistic perceptions. Yeshé, or wisdom, refers to mind free from
dualistic perceptions. It is on this basis that the distinction can be made
between ordinary mind and pure awareness.
When we say that mind is the agent responsible for bringing the universe
into being, we are talking about mind in the sense of rigpa, and specifically
its quality of spontaneous presence. At the same time, the very essence of
that spontaneously present rigpa is timelessly empty, and primordially pure
—totally pure by its very nature—so there is a unity of primordial purity
and spontaneous presence. The Nyingma school distinguishes between the
ground itself and the ground manifesting as appearances through the “eight
doorways of spontaneous presence,” and this is how this school accounts
for all of the perceptions, whether pure or impure, that arise within the
mind. Without ever deviating from basic space, these manifestations and the
perceptions of them, pure or impure, arise in all their variety. That is the
situation concerning the ground, from the point of view of the Nyingma
school.
On the basis of that key point, when we talk about the path, and if we use
the special vocabulary of the Dzogchen tradition and refer to its own
extraordinary practices, the path is twofold, that of trekchö and tögal. The
trekchö approach is based upon the primordial purity of mind, kadak, while
the tögal approach is based upon its spontaneous presence, lhundrup. This
is the equivalent in the Dzogchen tradition of what is more commonly
referred to as the path that is the union of skillful means and wisdom.
When the fruition is attained through relying on this twofold path of
trekchö and tögal, the “inner lucidity” of primordial purity leads to
dharmakāya, while the “outer lucidity” of spontaneous presence leads to the
rūpakāya. This is the equivalent of the usual description of dharmakāya as
the benefit that accrues to oneself and the rūpakāya as the benefit that
comes to others. The terminology is different, but the understanding of what
the terms signify is parallel. When the latent, inner state of buddhahood
becomes fully evident for the practitioner him or herself, this is referred to
as inner lucidity and is the state of primordial purity, which is dharmakāya.
When the natural radiance of mind becomes manifest for the benefit of
others, its responsiveness accounts for the entire array of form
manifestations, whether pure or impure, and this is referred to as outer
lucidity, the state of spontaneous presence which comprises the rūpakāya.
In the context of the path, then, this explanation of primordial purity and
spontaneous presence, and what is discussed in the newer schools of
Highest Yoga Tantra both come down to the same ultimate point: the
fundamental innate mind of clear light.
What, then, is the profound and special feature of the Dzogchen
teachings? According to the more recent traditions of Tibetan Buddhism,
collectively known as the Sarma schools of the Secret Mantra Vehicle, in
order for this fundamental innate mind of clear light to become fully
evident, it is necessary first of all for the coarser levels of ordinary mind,
caught up with thoughts and concepts, to be harnessed by yogas, such as the
yoga of vital energies, prāṇayoga, or the yoga of inner heat, tummo. On the
basis of these yogic practices, and in the wake of those adventitious thought
patterns of ordinary mind being harnessed and purified, the fundamental
innate mind of clear light—“mind” in that sense—becomes fully evident.
From the point of view of Dzogchen, the understanding is that the
adventitious level of mind, which is caught up with concepts and thoughts,
is by its very nature permeated by pure awareness. In an experiential
manner, the student can be directly introduced by an authentic master to the
very nature of his or her mind as pure awareness. If the master is able to
effect this direct introduction, the student then experiences all of these
adventitious layers of conceptual thought as permeated by the pure
awareness which is their nature, so that these layers of ordinary thoughts
and concepts need not continue. Rather, the student experiences the nature
that permeates them as the fundamental innate mind of clear light,
expressing itself in all its nakedness. That is the principle by which practice
proceeds on the path of Dzogchen.
The Role of an Authentic Guru
So in Dzogchen, the direct introduction to rigpa requires that we rely upon
an authentic guru, who already has this experience. It is when the blessings
of the guru infuse our mindstream that this direct introduction is effected.
But it is not an easy process. In the early translation school of the Nyingma,
which is to say the Dzogchen teachings, the role of the master is therefore
|
|
|
Post by Owain on Jul 9, 2023 12:06:57 GMT
Padmasana 🇱🇺 🇰🇲 🇳🇵 🇾🇹 contains All other Asana Meditate Dhyana ☸ Aw 🇱🇨 Eee Hang 🦢 Hon Hung Aw Eee flying 🛸
|
|
|
Post by Owain on Jul 9, 2023 13:07:14 GMT
Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove. O no, it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the star to every wand’ring bark, Whose worth’s unknown although his height be taken.
|
|
|
Post by Owain on Jul 9, 2023 13:07:55 GMT
Thus, since its enlightened deeds are so vast, Buddhahood can definitely be described as pervasive; And since those deeds are not subject to degeneration, They can in fact be described as “permanent.”
|
|
|
Post by Owain on Jul 9, 2023 13:36:59 GMT
Dzogchen is Clearance in the Astral Essence 🍲 🍍 🥥 🦚
|
|
|
Post by Owain on Jul 9, 2023 16:24:28 GMT
For the View which has the three vital points, Meditation, the union of wisdom and love, Is accompanied by the Action common to all the bodhisattvas. Were all the buddhas to confer, No instruction would they find greater than this
|
|
|
Post by Owain on Jul 11, 2023 16:13:33 GMT
Whenever I associate with others, I will learn To think of myself as the lowest among all, And respectfully hold others to be supreme From the very depths of my heart.
|
|
|
Post by Owain on Jul 11, 2023 16:17:21 GMT
Thy 🇸🇿 🇮🇱 🇨🇾 🇵🇦 🇻🇦 Realization will blossom forth from Thy Soulful Study Parvati Hatha Yoga 🧘♂️ Kaivalya Kriya Yoga and अवधि Swadhiyaya Study 9f Scriptures are Equal in Bringing Super-Realization
|
|
|
Post by Owain on Jul 11, 2023 16:21:23 GMT
When we take refuge in the Three Jewels, it is important to be aware of the ultimate significance of refuge. Its ultimate meaning comes from understanding the potential or seed that we all possess within us, which is known as “the buddha nature.” This is a potential that allows us, through the process of spiritual training, to attain the state of complete enlightenment. Once we are able to activate this potential seed within, and explore it to its fullest, then ultimate refuge is achieved. This potential is something that is inherent within our mind stream, and it is sometimes called the Primordial Buddha Samantabhadra, in Tibetan Kuntuzangpo, meaning “all-good.” Every living being possesses this selfarising potential to attain, eventually, the state of the Primordial Buddha. So after taking refuge in the Three Jewels, we should cultivate the altruistic aspiration to be able to realize the highest enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, and so that we can lead them to the same perfect state of Samantabhadra, every single one.
|
|
|
Post by Owain on Jul 12, 2023 15:11:43 GMT
The Skillful Means of Bodhicitta Since there is no difference between the three vehicles with respect to wisdom, the difference must lie in the domain of method or skillful means. Thus it is that the generation of bodhicitta, the altruistic aspiration to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all, is said to be the gateway to the Mahāyāna path, and it is this which distinguishes whether a practitioner is Mahāyāna or not. When a practitioner is initially motivated by this kind of altruistic principle to work for the benefit of all sentient beings, and when he or she puts this ideal into action, then the practice of the six perfections comes into play. Bodhicitta can be defined as an expansive state of mind that is attained as a result of training in two kinds of aspiration. One is an altruistic aspiration to benefit all sentient beings, an attitude of deep compassion. The other is the conviction that comes from reflecting on the suffering of all sentient beings and realizing that for as long as we do not attain the highest enlightenment, we will be handicapped and limited in our ability to fulfill our aspiration to benefit others. The state of mind that is induced through these twin aspirations is called bodhicitta, or the mind of enlightenment. However, our direct understanding of emptiness might be motivated by the wish to attain liberation for ourselves alone. By cultivating that understanding of emptiness, we can free ourselves from emotional obscurations and delusions, and so attain the state of arhat. Yet this will not have the power to free us from the cognitive obscurations, the “obstructions to knowledge,” left behind in our minds by these delusions. If we follow what is said in The Sublime Continuum, these cognitive obscurations or obstructions to knowledge can only be overcome by cultivating a direct realization of emptiness, accompanied by the factor of skillful means, such as bodhicitta, compassion, and so on. By understanding this emptiness, called the “emptiness endowed with all the aspects of skillful means,” we will be able not only to release our minds from delusion, but also to overcome the cognitive obscurations, the latent potencies left behind by the delusions. How to Develop Bodhicitta The question then is “How do we cultivate and develop this bodhicitta, the mind of enlightenment?” The key, and the root, is great compassion. Compassion here refers to a state of mind that makes it utterly unbearable for us to see the suffering of other sentient beings. The way to develop this is through understanding how we feel about our own suffering. When we become conscious of our own suffering, we have a spontaneous wish to be free from it. If we are able to extend that feeling to all other beings, through realizing the common instinctive desire we all have to avoid and overcome suffering, then that state of mind is called “great compassion.” All of us have the potential to develop that kind of compassion, because whenever we see people who are suffering, especially those close to us, we immediately feel empathy toward them, and witness a spontaneous response within our minds. So all we have to do is to bring that potential out, and then to develop it to become so impartial that it can include all sentient beings within its embrace, whether friend or foe. To cultivate this great compassion within ourselves, first of all we need to develop what is called loving-kindness, a feeling of connectedness or closeness with all living creatures. This closeness and intimacy should not be confused with the kind of feeling we normally have toward our loved ones, which is tainted by attachment. This attachment, where we think: “These are my friends…they are my relatives…” is based on ego and on selfishness. When we develop loving-kindness, we are not prompted by such selfish reasoning. On the contrary, we are seeking to develop a feeling of closeness toward other sentient beings, and affection for them, by reflecting: on the fact that suffering is inherent in their very nature, on the helplessness of their situation, and on the instinctive desire they all have to overcome suffering. The greater the force of our loving-kindness toward other beings, the greater the force of our compassion. And the greater the force of our compassion, the easier it will be for us to develop a sense of responsibility for taking upon ourselves the task of working for others. The greater that sense of responsibility, the more successful we will be in generating bodhicitta, the genuine altruistic aspiration to attain buddhahood for the benefit of all. Secondly, an important factor in cultivating compassion is to develop a deep insight into how, in this cycle of existence as a whole, the very nature of life is unsatisfactory, or duḥkha. This is in fact the first noble truth—the truth of suffering. If our insight into this truth is not sufficiently deep, rather than generating compassion for sentient beings, we may feel envy toward those who would, by worldly standards, be regarded as successful, wealthy, or powerful. If we have emotions like these, it indicates that our insight into suffering is too shallow to allow us really to appreciate the pervasiveness of suffering in the lives of people caught up in this vicious circle of saṃsāra. However, if our understanding of suffering is deep enough, then we will develop a spontaneous sense of how unbearable life is in the cycle of existence as a whole. To have that feeling of unbearableness is what will enable us to appreciate the suffering of others more spontaneously. Otherwise, our cultivation of compassion will be somewhat hypocritical. As much as we may pretend to have compassion toward sentient beings, deep down we may remain envious and jealous of people who are seen as successful in the eyes of the world. In short then, genuine compassion is cultivated when we have two factors within our mind. The first is a deep insight into how suffering is the nature of life in the cycle of existence in general, along with a feeling of its unbearableness. The second is to realize the sameness of ourselves and others: we all have the natural tendency to seek happiness and to try to avoid suffering, just as we all have a natural right as well to enjoy happiness and be free from suffering. This is the realization that will lead us to exchange ourselves for others, for although we all share this common natural inclination and right, the difference lies in numbers. When we are talking about our own welfare, no matter how important we might be, it remains a question of one, single individual, whereas others are infinite in number. From that point of view, they are much more important than we are, on our own. These two factors of mind: a deep insight into suffering, coupled with a realization that others are more important than ourselves, will give rise to a sense of responsibility to work for the benefit of others. This will lead us to generate genuine compassion within ourselves. Taking the Bodhisattva Pledge In his Entering the Middle Way, Candrakīrti writes: Before all else I praise compassion: The seed of the abundant harvest of buddhahood, The water that makes it grow, And what ripens into the state of lasting enjoyment.26 Candrakīrti compares compassion, at the beginning of our practice, to a seed; during the path itself, it is like the moisture and the fertilizers that germinate and nourish the young plant as it grows; and in the resultant state of buddhahood, it is like a ripened fruit, which can be enjoyed by all sentient beings. So the importance of compassion spans not only the beginning stage of spiritual practice, but also the path, and the result as well. When we have cultivated a compassion such as this, it will become our inspiration for developing bodhicitta, the altruistic aspiration to attain full enlightenment. As for the method of generating bodhicitta, there emerged in India two techniques: the “seven point cause and effect method” of Atiśa, and “equalizing and exchanging oneself with others,” a method developed by the master Śāntideva. It is very effective and beneficial to follow a method which combines both of these two approaches. Training our mind through equalizing and exchanging ourselves with others is extremely powerful and is in fact designed for bodhisattvas who have higher mental faculties. Training the mind through this approach is particularly effective in these modern times, in that it suits the mental outlook of our present age. Now, once you have had a slight realization of bodhicitta through applying either of these two techniques, or combining the two, you can then reinforce your generation of this altruistic aspiration by going through the ceremony of generating what is called the “aspirational aspect” of bodhicitta. This ceremony makes your generation of the altruistic mind all the more firm and powerful. This we will do now, through your repeating after me the verse that I shall recite. As you are repeating it, say to yourself: “For the benefit of all sentient beings, I will aspire to attain complete enlightenment.” If you generate this attitude with that kind of motivation, it will have great effect. And in the future, when you engage in the task of working for others, this ceremony will always be a reminder of the pledge you made today. Those of you who have a keen interest in and respect for Buddhist practice, and who wish to pursue Buddhist meditation, especially according to the Mahāyāna, can reflect along these lines. Those who do not consider themselves Buddhist practitioners do not need to follow the visualization or contemplation explained at this point. Visualize that in front of you and above you in space are all the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Imagine yourself surrounded by all sentient beings, reflect on the suffering inherent in their lives, and think: “Just like me, they too have a natural desire to be happy and to overcome all of their suffering.” Now build up an attitude of courage, saying to yourself: “May I be able to take upon myself the responsibility for helping all these sentient beings get rid of their suffering and the experiences they do not desire.” Then, spurred on by such a sense of responsibility, you take the pledge that you will work to put this ideal into action. In the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, I take refuge until enlightenment is reached. Through the merit of my practice of generosity and the like, May I attain buddhahood, so as to benefit all beings! Having generated this altruistic state of mind, make a pledge from the depth of your heart that from now on, you will always be a good human being; whenever the occasion arises, you will help other sentient beings and, if not, at least restrain yourself from harming them. What is most important is really to make this pledge and commitment with all your heart, so that now that you have generated this spirit of altruism, you will allow it to infuse your whole life. But it is not enough to be content with this aspiration alone. Now that altruistic ideal should be put into action, through the practices of the six perfections. In brief, the bodhisattva’s way of life or practice is the union of method or skillful means and wisdom. “Method” here refers to practices like generating the altruistic mind of enlightenment, and allowing it to motivate you to engage in skillful means for helping others, such as: generosity, pure morality, patience, enthusiasm, and concentration. “Wisdom” here means to develop and reinforce your understanding of, and insight into, emptiness. The Union of Method and Wisdom Now in the Perfection Vehicle, the union of method and wisdom is understood only in terms of two factors that complement one another: method is complemented and supported by the wisdom that realizes emptiness, or wisdom is supported and complemented by method.27 So the unification of the two factors in the sūtra system is not ultimate and therefore not complete. However, in the tantric system there is a more refined and ultimate unification of method and wisdom. Here this union is brought to an extremely profound and subtle level, where both factors of method and wisdom are complete and present within the one entity of a single consciousness. Although there are many unique features that distinguish tantra from sūtra, this indivisible unification of method and wisdom is one of tantra’s primary distinguishing characteristics. The reason this union of method and wisdom can be achieved in such a subtle state and in such an indivisible manner is because in tantric meditation practice, especially in deity yoga meditation, one’s ordinary aggregates of body and mind are dissolved into emptiness. Practitioners begin by reflecting on the empty nature of the aggregates of body and mind. Then they dissolve into emptiness not only their identity—the mode of being superimposed on them by the ignorant mind—but also the very appearance of the ordinary aggregates of body and mind. Then, from within that emptiness, the practitioners arise as a pure, divine being. Taking that divine being as the focus of meditation, they then reflect again upon its empty nature. So here within one meditative state of mind you find meditation on the deity’s body, combined with the apprehension of its empty nature. Both deity yoga and understanding of emptiness are complete and present within a single cognitive event of the mind. This indivisible union, in which both of the factors of method and wisdom are present within a single moment of consciousness, is common to all the tantras including the three lower classes of tantra: Kriyā, Caryā, and Yoga tantra. There are, however, certain differences among these tantras, for example in subtle aspects of the yogas. In the case of Yoga tantra, for instance, one speaks of what are known as the “four seals.”28 Highest Yoga Tantra So far I have explained the approach to spiritual development from the point of view of the six yānas. In Dzogchen and Nyingma terminology, a sequence of nine vehicles is taught. The first three are the śrāvaka vehicle, pratyekabuddha vehicle, and bodhisattva vehicle, which are known collectively as “the vehicles from the direction of the origin of suffering.” They comprise the vehicles of the sūtra tradition, and form what is called the outer vehicle. The tantras are divided into two: outer tantras and inner tantras. The first three classes of tantra—Kriyā, Caryā, and Yoga tantras— are called the outer tantras, and are also known as “the vehicles of gaining awareness through austerities.”29 Apart from the presence or absence of deity yoga, the basic approach to meditation on emptiness is similar in all these first six vehicles. However, in Highest Yoga Tantra, although there is no difference in subtlety as far as the object, emptiness itself, is concerned, from the point of view of the subjective experience of emptiness, there certainly is a difference. So from the point of view of objective emptiness we can say that there is no difference between sūtra and tantra with regard to the view of emptiness. However, from the point of view of subjective experience there is a difference in the understanding or view of emptiness between sūtra and tantra. When we understand this, we can reconcile the two seemingly contradictory standpoints—that there is a difference in the view of emptiness between sūtra and tantra, and that there is no difference at all. Now the difference in the subjective experience of emptiness between the sūtra practice and the practice of Highest Yoga Tantra emerges from the fact that in Highest Yoga Tantra much emphasis is placed on dissolving conceptual thought processes—the coarse levels of mind—so bringing the mind down to such a depth that the fundamental innate mind of clear light becomes manifest and active, and then can focus on emptiness and perceive it. Once that is realized, then the subjective experience of emptiness becomes very powerful, and quite different from the kind of mind that is employed in understanding emptiness in the sūtra system. Now although the basic aim of utilizing the innate mind of clear light in realizing emptiness is the same in both the new translation schools of tantra and the Dzogchen system, the difference lies in the methodology. In the systems developed within the new translation schools of tantra, the emphasis is more on harnessing the coarse levels of mind and vital energy so that gradually these coarser states cease, and the fundamental innate mind of clear light becomes fully evident. But in Dzogchen, from the very beginning, you are not concerned with harnessing these coarse levels of mind and vital energy, but rather with making the fundamental innate mind of clear light evident from the very start. It is from this point of view that the last three yānas or vehicles are taught. They are: Mahāyoga, which refers to the generation stage; Anuyoga, which is the completion stage; and Atiyoga, which is the great completion stage, Dzogpachenpo. These three are known as “the vehicles of overpowering means.”30 According to the systems that evolved within the new translation schools of tantra, the division of Highest Yoga Tantra is made in terms of father tantra, mother tantra, and nondual tantra. These categories are determined on the basis of how particular tantras emphasize a certain subject matter. For instance, out of the four empowerments, the vase empowerment authorizes the practitioner to practice the generation stage. The remaining three empowerments are specifically connected to the practice of the completion stage. The secret empowerment authorizes the practitioner to engage in the illusory body practice. From this point of view, tantras that emphasize the practice of the illusory body as their subject matter are known as father tantra. Tantras that emphasize the practice of clear light, which relates to the third empowerment, the wisdom-knowledge empowerment, are categorized as mother tantra. Any tantra that emphasizes equally these two aspects of the completion stage—the illusory body and clear light—and which is associated with the fourth empowerment, the word empowerment, is classified as nondual tantra. Although all the tantras belonging to the Highest Yoga Tantra class deal with all four empowerments, there are different emphases on certain aspects of these empowerments, and the classification of father, mother, and nondual tantra is made on that basis.31 When we talk about Mahāmudrā, the Great Seal, it should be understood that there are different levels of Mahāmudrā. We can speak of Mahāmudrā that is common to both sūtra and tantra, and Mahāmudrā, which specifically refers to the practice of clear light associated with the third empowerment, the wisdom-knowledge empowerment. And there is yet another level of Mahāmudrā that refers to the union of the illusory body and clear light. Now, as I mentioned earlier, the significance of emphasizing the practice of clear light in Highest Yoga Tantra is to enable the practitioner to employ the fundamental innate mind of clear light for understanding and realizing emptiness, so that it can provide you with a unique wisdom—“the wisdom which realizes emptiness.” Here I think it is crucial to understand that there are different types of meditation, because this will help us appreciate what we mean when we talk of meditating on clear light. For instance, there is meditation on emptiness or selflessness, where that emptiness or selflessness is taken as the object of the meditation. First you reflect on them, and then you apprehend them. Then there are other types of meditation, like meditation on love or compassion, which belong to a totally different category. When we speak of meditation on love, this does not mean taking love as an object, but rather seeking to transform our whole state of mind into that state of love or compassion. Meditation on clear light is similar to the meditation on love, because we are not taking clear light as an object but rather generating our mind into that very state of clear light.v
|
|
|
Post by Owain on Jul 14, 2023 8:01:36 GMT
Taking the Bodhisattva Pledge In his Entering the Middle Way, Candrakīrti writes: Before all else I praise compassion: The seed of the abundant harvest of buddhahood, The water that makes it grow, And what ripens into the state of lasting enjoyment.26 Candrakīrti compares compassion, at the beginning of our practice, to a seed; during the path itself, it is like the moisture and the fertilizers that germinate and nourish the young plant as it grows; and in the resultant state of buddhahood, it is like a ripened fruit, which can be enjoyed by all sentient beings. So the importance of compassion spans not only the beginning stage of spiritual practice, but also the path, and the result as well. When we have cultivated a compassion such as this, it will become our inspiration for developing bodhicitta, the altruistic aspiration to attain full enlightenment. As for the method of generating bodhicitta, there emerged in India two techniques: the “seven point cause and effect method” of Atiśa, and “equalizing and exchanging oneself with others,” a method developed by the master Śāntideva. It is very effective and beneficial to follow a method which combines both of these two approaches. Training our mind through equalizing and exchanging ourselves with others is extremely powerful and is in fact designed for bodhisattvas who have higher mental faculties. Training the mind through this approach is particularly effective in these modern times, in that it suits the mental outlook of our present age. Now, once you have had a slight realization of bodhicitta through applying either of these two techniques, or combining the two, you can then reinforce your generation of this altruistic aspiration by going through the ceremony of generating what is called the “aspirational aspect” of bodhicitta. This ceremony makes your generation of the altruistic mind all the more firm and powerful. This we will do now, through your repeating after me the verse that I shall recite. As you are repeating it, say to yourself: “For the benefit of all sentient beings, I will aspire to attain complete enlightenment.” If you generate this attitude with that kind of motivation, it will have great effect. And in the future, when you engage in the task of working for others, this ceremony will always be a reminder of the pledge you made today. Those of you who have a keen interest in and respect for Buddhist practice, and who wish to pursue Buddhist meditation, especially according to the Mahāyāna, can reflect along these lines. Those who do not consider themselves Buddhist practitioners do not need to follow the visualization or contemplation explained at this point. Visualize that in front of you and above you in space are all the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Imagine yourself surrounded by all sentient beings, reflect on the suffering inherent in their lives, and think: “Just like me, they too have a natural desire to be happy and to overcome all of their suffering.” Now build up an attitude of courage, saying to yourself: “May I be able to take upon myself the responsibility for helping all these sentient beings get rid of their suffering and the experiences they do not desire.” Then, spurred on by such a sense of responsibility, you take the pledge that you will work to put this ideal into action. In the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, I take refuge until enlightenment is reached. Through the merit of my practice of generosity and the like, May I attain buddhahood, so as to benefit all beings! Having generated this altruistic state of mind, make a pledge from the depth of your heart that from now on, you will always be a good human being; whenever the occasion arises, you will help other sentient beings and, if not, at least restrain yourself from harming them. What is most important is really to make this pledge and commitment with all your heart, so that now that you have generated this spirit of altruism, you will allow it to infuse your whole life. But it is not enough to be content with this aspiration alone. Now that altruistic ideal should be put into action, through the practices of the six perfections. In brief, the bodhisattva’s way of life or practice is the union of method or skillful means and wisdom. “Method” here refers to practices like generating the altruistic mind of enlightenment, and allowing it to motivate you to engage in skillful means for helping others, such as: generosity, pure morality, patience, enthusiasm, and concentration. “Wisdom” here means to develop and reinforce your understanding of, and insight into, emptiness.
|
|
|
Post by Owain on Jul 14, 2023 8:04:03 GMT
Emptiness is 🇸🇬 Space Filled with Serenity 🧘♂️ Prem Безметежност
|
|
|
Post by Owain on Jul 14, 2023 8:35:55 GMT
The Union of Method and Wisdom
Now in the Perfection Vehicle, the union of method and wisdom is
understood only in terms of two factors that complement one another:
method is complemented and supported by the wisdom that realizes
emptiness, or wisdom is supported and complemented by method.27 So the
unification of the two factors in the sūtra system is not ultimate and
therefore not complete. However, in the tantric system there is a more
refined and ultimate unification of method and wisdom. Here this union is
brought to an extremely profound and subtle level, where both factors of
method and wisdom are complete and present within the one entity of a
single consciousness. Although there are many unique features that
distinguish tantra from sūtra, this indivisible unification of method and
wisdom is one of tantra’s primary distinguishing characteristics.
The reason this union of method and wisdom can be achieved in such a
subtle state and in such an indivisible manner is because in tantric
meditation practice, especially in deity yoga meditation, one’s ordinary
aggregates of body and mind are dissolved into emptiness. Practitioners
begin by reflecting on the empty nature of the aggregates of body and mind.
Then they dissolve into emptiness not only their identity—the mode of
being superimposed on them by the ignorant mind—but also the very
appearance of the ordinary aggregates of body and mind. Then, from within
that emptiness, the practitioners arise as a pure, divine being. Taking that
divine being as the focus of meditation, they then reflect again upon its
empty nature. So here within one meditative state of mind you find
meditation on the deity’s body, combined with the apprehension of its
empty nature. Both deity yoga and understanding of emptiness are complete
and present within a single cognitive event of the mind.
This indivisible union, in which both of the factors of method and
wisdom are present within a single moment of consciousness, is common to
all the tantras including the three lower classes of tantra: Kriyā, Caryā, and
Yoga tantra. There are, however, certain differences among these tantras,
for example in subtle aspects of the yogas. In the case of Yoga tantra, for
instance, one speaks of what are known as the “four seals.”28
Highest Yoga Tantra
So far I have explained the approach to spiritual development from the
point of view of the six yānas. In Dzogchen and Nyingma terminology, a
sequence of nine vehicles is taught. The first three are the śrāvaka vehicle,
pratyekabuddha vehicle, and bodhisattva vehicle, which are known
collectively as “the vehicles from the direction of the origin of suffering.”
They comprise the vehicles of the sūtra tradition, and form what is called
the outer vehicle. The tantras are divided into two: outer tantras and inner
tantras. The first three classes of tantra—Kriyā, Caryā, and Yoga tantras—
are called the outer tantras, and are also known as “the vehicles of gaining
awareness through austerities.”29
Apart from the presence or absence of deity yoga, the basic approach to
meditation on emptiness is similar in all these first six vehicles. However, in
Highest Yoga Tantra, although there is no difference in subtlety as far as the
object, emptiness itself, is concerned, from the point of view of the
subjective experience of emptiness, there certainly is a difference. So from
the point of view of objective emptiness we can say that there is no
difference between sūtra and tantra with regard to the view of emptiness.
However, from the point of view of subjective experience there is a
difference in the understanding or view of emptiness between sūtra and
tantra. When we understand this, we can reconcile the two seemingly
contradictory standpoints—that there is a difference in the view of
emptiness between sūtra and tantra, and that there is no difference at all.
Now the difference in the subjective experience of emptiness between the
sūtra practice and the practice of Highest Yoga Tantra emerges from the fact
that in Highest Yoga Tantra much emphasis is placed on dissolving
conceptual thought processes—the coarse levels of mind—so bringing the
mind down to such a depth that the fundamental innate mind of clear light
becomes manifest and active, and then can focus on emptiness and perceive
it. Once that is realized, then the subjective experience of emptiness
becomes very powerful, and quite different from the kind of mind that is
employed in understanding emptiness in the sūtra system.
Now although the basic aim of utilizing the innate mind of clear light in
realizing emptiness is the same in both the new translation schools of tantra
and the Dzogchen system, the difference lies in the methodology. In the
systems developed within the new translation schools of tantra, the
emphasis is more on harnessing the coarse levels of mind and vital energy
so that gradually these coarser states cease, and the fundamental innate
mind of clear light becomes fully evident. But in Dzogchen, from the very
beginning, you are not concerned with harnessing these coarse levels of
mind and vital energy, but rather with making the fundamental innate mind
of clear light evident from the very start.
It is from this point of view that the last three yānas or vehicles are
taught. They are: Mahāyoga, which refers to the generation stage; Anuyoga,
which is the completion stage; and Atiyoga, which is the great completion
stage, Dzogpachenpo. These three are known as “the vehicles of
overpowering means.”30
According to the systems that evolved within the new translation schools
of tantra, the division of Highest Yoga Tantra is made in terms of father
tantra, mother tantra, and nondual tantra. These categories are determined
on the basis of how particular tantras emphasize a certain subject matter.
For instance, out of the four empowerments, the vase empowerment
authorizes the practitioner to practice the generation stage. The remaining
three empowerments are specifically connected to the practice of the
completion stage. The secret empowerment authorizes the practitioner to
engage in the illusory body practice. From this point of view, tantras that
emphasize the practice of the illusory body as their subject matter are
known as father tantra. Tantras that emphasize the practice of clear light,
which relates to the third empowerment, the wisdom-knowledge
empowerment, are categorized as mother tantra. Any tantra that emphasizes
equally these two aspects of the completion stage—the illusory body and
clear light—and which is associated with the fourth empowerment, the
word empowerment, is classified as nondual tantra. Although all the tantras
belonging to the Highest Yoga Tantra class deal with all four
empowerments, there are different emphases on certain aspects of these
empowerments, and the classification of father, mother, and nondual tantra
is made on that basis.31
When we talk about Mahāmudrā, the Great Seal, it should be understood
that there are different levels of Mahāmudrā. We can speak of Mahāmudrā
that is common to both sūtra and tantra, and Mahāmudrā, which specifically
refers to the practice of clear light associated with the third empowerment,
the wisdom-knowledge empowerment. And there is yet another level of
Mahāmudrā that refers to the union of the illusory body and clear light.
Now, as I mentioned earlier, the significance of emphasizing the practice
of clear light in Highest Yoga Tantra is to enable the practitioner to employ
the fundamental innate mind of clear light for understanding and realizing
emptiness, so that it can provide you with a unique wisdom—“the wisdom
which realizes emptiness.”
Here I think it is crucial to understand that there are different types of
meditation, because this will help us appreciate what we mean when we talk
of meditating on clear light. For instance, there is meditation on emptiness
or selflessness, where that emptiness or selflessness is taken as the object of
the meditation. First you reflect on them, and then you apprehend them.
Then there are other types of meditation, like meditation on love or
compassion, which belong to a totally different category. When we speak of
meditation on love, this does not mean taking love as an object, but rather
seeking to transform our whole state of mind into that state of love or
compassion. Meditation on clear light is similar to the meditation on love,
because we are not taking clear light as an object but rather generating our
mind into that very state of clear light.
3. Questions and Answers
QUESTION: What is the difference between Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen?
Although ultimately the practice of Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen come down
to the same point, at the initial stages there do seem to be certain differences
in emphasis on particular aspects of the practice. The distinctiveness of the
practices of Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen principally has its origins in the
sources of the respective approaches. Mahāmudrā was transmitted mainly
through the new translation schools of tantra. And yet it is also possible for
Mahāmudrā teachers who have personal experience of Dzogchen in their
own meditation to integrate Dzogchen techniques into their practice of
Mahāmudrā. This is also true in the case of the practice of the Sakyapas
called “the union of emptiness and clarity.” A master who has a personal
experience of Dzogchen meditation can integrate certain elements of
Dzogchen techniques into their practice of the union of emptiness and
clarity. This question will be addressed in greater depth later on.
QUESTION: Can a student objectively evaluate his own progress?
Yes, this is definitely possible. As you progress in your practice, you can
always relate your new experiences to the teachings that you have received
so far, and also relate them to the text that you are reading and studying. For
instance, take the example of the great yogin Milarepa. In the latter part of
his life when he spent most of his time in solitary retreat in the mountains,
he did not have his teacher, Marpa, nearby where he could always refer to
him. He had to evaluate his own experiences and progress for himself.
This question brings up the whole basic approach, which is to emphasize
study and learning at the beginning, in order to develop a good
understanding of the entire scope of Buddhist teaching and practice. It is
like creating a proper blueprint, so to speak, or drawing a real plan for your
future development. When you have learned enough, you can evaluate your
progress and advance in your practice. This is why study and learning are
so important at the initial stages.
QUESTION: Can you please distinguish the terms rigpa, wisdom—yeshé, and
clear light? They are often used in similar ways.
According to my own observation, I think that when these terms are
employed in certain contexts, for example when referring to Dzogchen
practice, they have specific definitions and meanings, whereas in another
context or another text, the meaning will differ. So you might assume that
certain terms have a common meaning, whereas in fact they have different
levels of meaning, according to the particular context in which they are
found.
The term rigpa is employed in so many ways. If we talk about rigpa as it
is used in explaining Dzogchen, for example, we find: essential rigpa,
ngowöi rigpa; rigpa of the ground, shyii rigpa; effulgent rigpa, tsal gyi
rigpa,
32 and so on. Also, the term rigpa is used to denote the essential
aspect of the analysis of the mind. Then, rigpa also appears when a contrast
is drawn between rigpa and marigpa—awareness and ignorance; or
between sem and rigpa—the ordinary mind and the transcendent mind.
The term yeshé, often translated as “primordial wisdom,” has many
different connotations. One finds a reference, for example, to this term in
Maitreya’s Sublime Continuum where it says that this wisdom is something
that is very basic and inherent within all living creatures. So the
interpretation of wisdom also differs according to the context. Because of
this variety of meanings, or different levels of meaning, or contexts of
teaching and practice, it is all the more important to develop a good
understanding of the entire Buddhist framework as a whole.
Here I would like to tell you a short story. In Tibet there was a man who
was generally regarded as being rather stupid. He was due to visit a certain
family and was anxious to impress them and to make them understand that,
far from being stupid, he was a person of some intelligence. So his parents
gave him very clear instructions: “As you go into the house, you’ll see that
in the doorway is a wooden threshold. The wood that it is made from is
called oak. As soon as you see the threshold, point to it and say, ‘That’s
oak.’ ”
Their son went off to visit the family and everything seemed to go well.
He spotted the threshold and pointed to it and said, “This is oak!” At once
everyone began to think that after all he really was quite intelligent. It was
then that he started pointing at all the furniture, and every bit of wood he
could see in the house, announcing again and again: “This is oak. That is
oak…”
So even though the context may appear to be similar, we cannot assume
that a particular term will always retain the same meaning, wherever it
occurs. I have found it is essential to have a proper understanding of the
different shades of meaning of these terms and of the way in which they can
vary according to the context. I believe it is essential, in fact, for all serious
practitioners. In any case, it is beneficial, and important too, to have a good
knowledge of the different approaches of the various spiritual traditions
within Tibetan Buddhism, including all the aforementioned traditions. For
example, according to my own experience and observation, I have found
the different explanations given in Dzogchen about the pristine awareness
of rigpa to be extremely useful in understanding the deeper meaning, and
ultimate import, of the phrase “fundamental innate mind of clear light” used
in the new translation schools of tantra. I have also found the explanations
of the new translation schools of tantra helpful in understanding certain
terms that come up in Dzogchen practice, such as “inner radiance” and
“display”—tsal and rolpa. This kind of nonsectarian approach is one that I
have found very beneficial.
QUESTION: What is the best way to practice, or what technique or attitude
can be used, to deepen the heart connection with Padmasambhava?
Serious practice is the only way. For example, for a practitioner of
Dzogchen meditation, the best way to make that heart connection with
Padmasambhava is through meditation. But then the definition of
meditation is quite specific in the context of Dzogchen practice. It is unlike
other kinds of meditation where we use “the mind.” These types of
meditation involve using our faculty of mind to its fullest and with exertion.
In Dzogchen meditation, the practice is done in a nondualistic manner, in
the sense that there is no objectivity involved. Rather, the meditation is
undertaken at a level where the mind is returned to a primordial and natural
state. So in this kind of meditation there is no sense of subject and object,
there is nothing to hold on to, and it is not influenced by any sense of
grasping. Again, we find that the meaning of meditation will change
according to the context.
QUESTION: How does an understanding of emptiness help you to realize
compassion and loving-kindness?
Let alone a true knowledge of emptiness, even an intellectual understanding
of emptiness will enable you to perceive the possibility of the cessation of
suffering, along with the delusions which lie at its root. Then, once you
have realized this, and if your conviction is strong enough, your compassion
toward other sentient beings caught up in the confusion of this cycle of
existence will be all the greater and more powerful.
QUESTION: What if we feel an unbearable compassion for the suffering of
other beings—especially animals, because it is often more obvious—yet we
have not developed the wisdom to deal with it properly?
This is all the more reason why, now that you have developed that feeling
of “unbearable” compassion toward others, you should try to increase your
wisdom, and intelligence, in order to deal with the actual situation. This is
why practitioners on the bodhisattva path are encouraged not to be satisfied
with just an idealistic idea of compassion, but to put that ideal into practice
immediately. So I believe that when you follow the bodhisattva’s way of
life, it is possible to match your compassion, at whatever level it may be,
with an active kind of interaction with others.
QUESTION: How can Dzogchen help us in our daily jobs and careers?
In the first place, it is quite difficult to have an experience of Dzogchen. But
once you do have that experience, it can be extremely beneficial in dealing
with your day to day life, your job, and your career. This is because that
kind of experience will give you the ability to prevent yourself from being
overwhelmed by circumstances, good or bad. You will not fall into extreme
states of mind: you will not get overexcited or depressed. Your attitude
toward circumstances and events will be as if you were someone observing
the mind, without being drawn away by circumstances.
For example, when you see a reflection of a form in a mirror, the
reflection appears within the mirror, but it is not projected from within. In
the same way, when you confront the situations of life, or deal with others,
your attitude too will be mirrorlike.
Also, when a reflection appears in the mirror, the mirror does not have to
go after the object that is reflected: it simply reflects, spontaneously, on the
surface. The same with you: since there is no attachment or agitation at
having these “reflections” in your mind, you will feel tremendous ease and
relief. You are not preoccupied by what arises in the mind, nor does it cause
you any distress. You are free from conceptuality or any form of
objectifying. And so it really does help you, in allowing you to be free from
being caught up in the play of emotions like hatred, attachment, and the
like.
QUESTION: Is the fundamental innate mind of clear light dependent on
causes and conditions? If it is not dependent, how can it be empty of
independent existence?
This is a very good question. Often in the texts we find mention of the
fundamental innate mind of clear light being not produced by causes and
conditions. Now here it is important to understand that, in general, when we
use the term produced phenomena there are different connotations.
Something can be called “produced” because it is a production of delusions
and the actions they induce. Again, it may also refer to a production by
causes and conditions. And there is also a sense of “produced” as being
caused by conceptual thought processes.
Certain texts speak of the activities of the Buddha as permanent and nonproduced in the sense that they are continuous, and that as long as there are
sentient beings, the activities of the buddhas will remain without
interruption. So, from the point of view of their continuity, these activities
are sometimes called permanent.33
In the same manner, the fundamental innate mind of clear light, in terms
of its continuity, is beginningless, and also endless. This continuum will
always be there, and so from that specific point of view, it is also called
“non-produced.” Besides, the fundamental innate mind of clear light is not a
circumstantial or adventitious state of mind, for it does not come into being
as a result of the circumstantial interaction of causes and conditions. Rather,
it is an ever-abiding continuum of mind, which is inherent within us. So
from that viewpoint, it is called “non-produced.”
However, although this is the case, we still have to maintain that, because
it possesses this continuity, the present fundamental innate mind—this
present instant of consciousness—comes from its earlier moments. The
same holds true of the wisdom of Buddha—the omniscient mind of Buddha
—which perceives the two truths directly and simultaneously, and which is
also a state of awareness or consciousness. Since it is a state of awareness,
the factor which will eventually turn into that kind of wisdom, namely the
fundamental innate nature of clear light, will also have to be maintained to
be a state of awareness. For it is impossible for anything which is not by
nature awareness to turn into a state of awareness. So from this second
point of view, the fundamental innate mind of clear light is causally
produced.
QUESTION: The lojong Training the Mind in Seven Points teaches relative,
conventional bodhicitta and absolute, ultimate bodhicitta. How does
Samantabhadra, or primordial awareness, fit into this teaching?
Generally speaking, the practices explained in the type of training called
lojong—training the mind—are explained mainly from the point of view of
the common approach of the paths of sūtra and tantra. Therefore, the view
of emptiness taught in that text, Training the Mind in Seven Points,
34 is not
presented from a Dzogchen point of view. Yet a practitioner who has the
understanding and experience of Dzogchen meditation can definitely
integrate that into their practice of lojong if they are following this text.
Take the example of Patrul Rinpoche, one of the greatest masters of
Dzogchen. His whole life revolved around the Bodhicaryāvatāra, a text
which outlines the principal bodhisattva practices, and mainly the training
of the mind. I am quite certain that when he followed the practices of the
Bodhicaryāvatāra, Patrul Rinpoche must have been integrating them with
his experience of Dzogchen.
QUESTION: Why have you chosen to complete the Dzogchen teachings with
the empowerment of Padmasambhava?
Generally speaking, for a genuine practitioner of Dzogchen, there are
certain prerequisites that should be met prior to engaging intensively in
Dzogchen practice. These include having received complete empowerment
into any of the deities of Highest Yoga Tantra, and also having engaged in
both the common and uncommon preliminary practices of Dzogchen. This
must then be followed by receiving a direct transmission or blessing for the
practice of Dzogchen from a living master, through receiving instruction on
a text such as the Yeshé Lama.35
The empowerment being given tomorrow is based on Padmasambhava,
and this is in fact a practice similar to the Guru Yoga practice, of which
there are a number of different kinds. In order to practice Dzogchen, first of
all you need to receive the blessing of a transmission that comes down
through an uninterrupted lineage. The lineage here stems from the
primordial buddha Samantabhadra and has been passed down through a
succession of lineage masters, one of whom was Guru Padmasambhava.
This practice of Dzogchen is a practice specific to Guru Padmasambhava’s
lineage, and because of the significance of this, I am giving the
empowerment of Padmasambhava as a conclusion to the teaching on
Dzogchen.
|
|
|
Post by Pathfinder on Feb 8, 2024 16:39:08 GMT
Dzogchen is Supreme Completion Supreme Perfection Supreme Enclairance
|
|
|
Post by Pathfinder on Feb 8, 2024 17:20:10 GMT
Entering the Conduct of Bodhisattvas states:
Now that I have found this leisure,
If I do not familiarize myself with ennobling acts,
What greater deception is there?
What greater folly is there?
Complete Nyingmapa Tradition
|
|