The Three Appearances and the Intrinsic Natures 343 O f every intrinsic nature in the world o f living beings, this is the root.675 Here, the name consciousness is applied to all three appearances, but this could equally apply to m ind and mentality , and so each o f the three appear ances could be labeled with all three names Giving the three names to the three appearances individually is on the basis o f three sequential appearances from the one category o f mental consciousness The etymologies are as follows: “Because it gathers, it is mind Because it supports, it is mentality Because it is supported, it is consciousness.” All three etymologies are complete in the minds o f each o f the three appearances, and to no larger or smaller degree in each Therefore they cannot be individually designated by way o f these etymologies Five Stages states that appearance is other-powered, increase is totally con ceptualized, and close-to-attainment is thoroughly existent.m Apprehender and apprehended appear far from each other, and the basis o f that appear ance is other-powered phenomena Because o f this appearance, there arises a superimposition o f apprehender and apprehended as being substantially separate This is total conceptualization In the face o f the actualization of the unchanging thorough existence, there is no conceptualization or dualistic appearance Similarly, first there is appearance, which is the basis o f the first o f the empty states Dependent upon that, increase o f appearance arises During close-to-attainment these two are turned away, and method and wis dom function equally Maybe it can be explained this way, but it needs more investigation Calling appearance “anger,” increase o f appearance “desire,” and close-toattainment “ignorance” is on the basis o f litde, great, and medium degrees o f bliss The occurrence o f these on the path and in the basic state is as described above “Three natures” does not refer to the three characteristics of otherpowered, total conceptualization, and thorough existence because they have just been explained [2.15] Therefore these intrinsic natures are those of the sphere of emptiness, the sphere of appearance, and of both equally They can be applied as was done above In the Perfection Vehicle literature, the three appearances are not labeled with these names Therefore the names to be applied to the appearances are shared between the two vehicles, but those names applied in this way to the three appearances are exclusive 344 A Lamp to Illum inate the Five Stages Concerning synonyms o f the three consciousnesses as they are exclusively known in the Vajra Vehicle, the Compendium o f Practice says: Appearance, increase o f appearance, close-to-attainment o f appearance; empty state, very empty state, greatly empty state; mind, state arising from mind, ignorance; freedom from nonde sire, desire, and intermediate desire.677 Also: It is om , which is the seed that depends upon the gateway o f speech It is the cause o f stabilization Sentient beings o f little faith not understand what the Tathagata intended when he spoke, and so it is visualized in the form o f a moon disk It is a clear conventional form o f mind as a lotus, die female form, the left side, nighttime, and gentleness.678 Also: It is ah, which is the seed that depends upon the gateway o f speech It is the cause o f stabilization Sentient beings o f little faith not understand what the Tathagata intended when he spoke, and so it is visualized in the form o f a sun disk These are the conventional forms o f states o f mind as a five-pointed vajra, a jewel, daytime, the male form, the right side, and the coarse aspect.679 Also: The complete accomplishment o f the gateway o f speech that depends upon the seed o f speech: this is the close-to-attainment appearance.680 For the above citation, the Chak translation has “depends upon a> the seed o f speech.” The fact that from the perspective of their dissolution sequence, the three appearances are the three empty states, and having posited the three empty states as the reality o f the three appearances, it is incorrect not to assert them as being the three appearances This is because the Compendium o f Practice The Three Appearances and the Intrinsic Natures 34$ states that the three appearances themselves are the three empty states This point is also made clear in the Vajra Wisdom Compendium Therefore, of the three appearances, appearance is so called because of the moonlight-like appearance that arises from the dissolution of the mov ing winds of the conceptual minds Because that state is empty of the eighty conceptual minds and the accompanying winds, it is an empty state Increase o f appearance is so called because it is very bright like the sun Because it is empty of appearance and the accompanying winds, it is the very empty state Close-to-attainment o f appearance is so called because it is an appearance that is unclear like the period of night and because it is an appearance that is approaching clear light Because it is empty of increase and the accompany ing winds, it is tht great empty state Also, because it is unclear it is known as ignorance, which illustrates just one aspect of close-to-attainment The “gateway of speech” refers to the pathway by which speech arises The seeds that arise in dependence upon that are the three syllables [216] The “cause of stabilization” refers to these three in their conventional forms ascer taining the three exalted wisdoms Five Stages says: “Left” too is its name, a moon disk with lotus, the cause o f stabilization, the first syllable with a drop.681 Also: Also it is known as vajra, a part adorned with two drops.682 Here the appearances are illustrated by the names of the syllables The statement that those of lesser faith visualize by way of moon and sun disks refers to the generation-stage practitioner who, unlike the completionstage practitioner who has achieved mind isolation, is unable to produce the illusory body from the three wisdoms and uses moon and vajra, as well as the other implements, as substitutes for appearance and increase, and the amalgamation of mind and the states of mind, which illustrate appearance and increase, as a substitute for close-to-attainment They will then produce the form of the deity from the amalgamation of moon, vajra, and so on Five Stages says: 34 A Lamp to Illuminate the Five Stages This entity of wisdom, conceptualized as a moon disk, seen by the mind itself, itself as the form o f the moon Then focusing on the moon, visualize the vajra implements The vajra and so forth illustrate the methods of the yogi Moon, vajra, and so forth, amalgamated, mind and states of mind brought together, wisdom brought to method, will produce the form o f the deity.683 For the fifth line, the Chak translation has “having, completed the focusing on the moon,” which is better The first two appearances are expressed by the analogies of sun and moon, and day and night, because they are like sunlight and moonlight pervading the sky Lotus and vajra, female and male, and left and right illustrate their affiliation to method or wisdom “Gentle” and “coarse” refers to the qual ity of bliss or to the extent of the appearance “Conventional form” means that the moon and so on symbolizing the two exalted wisdoms are deliber ate contrivances Close-to-attainment of appearance is symbolized by analogies such as neuter, the time between day and night, the center between left and right, the medium between gentle and coarse, the fusion of method and wisdom, the coming together of moon, day, and night, and so on Definitions o f each ofthe appearances The Compendium o f Practice says that the definitions of the three appear ances are taught in brief in Vajra Wisdom Compendium and that they are to be explained by the teachings of the gurus.684The text continues: W hat is the definition of appearance? It has a nature of being without aspect, without body or speech [217] Just as the pure skies of autumn are pervaded by the appearance of light from the moon, likewise it focuses on all phenomena without exception in an aspect of natural clarity Therefore it is the appearance of wis dom, the ultimate bodhicitta, and the first empty state.685 The Three Appearances and the Intrinsic Natures 347 Also: What is the definition o f the increase o f appearance? It has the form o f being without apprehender and apprehended, without body or speech Just as the autumn skies are pervaded by the rays o f the sun, likewise in its entity o f being very clear and free from taint, it focuses upon all phenomena without exception It is the second Samantabhadra bodhicitta and the second level— the very empty state.686 Also: What is the close-to-attainment o f appearance} It similarly has the characteristics o f the sky; it has the form o f a non-phenomenon, without body or speech Just like the descent into the darkness o f the juncture, it is pervasive It is subtle, without self; with no prânâyàma flowing, it is without flow; it is without mind and without movement.687 In this tradition, determining and ascertaining the four empty states is crucial In the Root Tantra and four other explanatory tantras, their names occur many times, but their identification is not made clear The Vajra Wis dom Compendium only speaks o f ignorance appearing like darkness, states o f mind like sunlight, and mind like moonlight but makes no further identifi cation Identification in the works o f the master and the other three disciples is vèry limited We can only understand them by relying upon the Compen dium o f Practice The Vajra Wisdom Compendium explains the three empty states as they arise in reverse order from the clear light o f death The Compendium o f Prac tice explains them in keeping with the empty states arising on the path In this work, the four empty states are explained using the analogy o f a clear sky There are many times in the autumn when the dust in the air has been settled by the summer rains and the skies are free o f clouds The autumn skies are used as an analogy for this reason In these pure and clear skies, there are four situations: daytime, when the sky is pervaded by sunlight; the period from the onset o f night until its darkness is dispelled, when the sky is per vaded by thick darkness; the period from the time that darkness is cleared as the moon rises until dawn, when the sky is pervaded by moonlight; and the period o f dawn when the three conditions are lacking These three are: ... close -to- attainment They will then produce the form of the deity from the amalgamation of moon, vajra, and so on Five Stages says: 34 A Lamp to Illuminate the Five Stages This entity of wisdom, conceptualized... moon and vajra, as well as the other implements, as substitutes for appearance and increase, and the amalgamation of mind and the states of mind, which illustrate appearance and increase, as a substitute... of the appearance “Conventional form” means that the moon and so on symbolizing the two exalted wisdoms are deliber ate contrivances Close -to- attainment of appearance is symbolized by analogies