Chapter : The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum 467 (DK.A.Ra 2ai) : 'chi ka 'i nyams Zen yin gsung ngo// zhes pa 'di nil rje nyid kyi dbon po spyan snga chos kyi sde/ bsod nams lh un grub zla 'od rgyal mtshan dpal bzang pas/ ri bo shan tir bka ' brgyud kyi bstan pa spel ba 'i slad du par du bgyis pa 'o// 067 The final segment narrates another saying, introduced by the phrase "Again the precious bla ma say s " (yang bla ma rin po che 'i zhal nas) The saying opens with a question, " Is there any contradiction between meditation on a deity and [meditating on] emptines s ? " The answer given is that if the yogf becomes proficient in meditating on a deity during this life time, then the nature of the mind will automatically appear at the time of death in the form of the deity To prevent conceptual clinging to the visualization which reifies it, it is necessary to seal the deity practice with emptiness (stong nyid du rgyas gdab) The visualization should be viewed as empty yet radiant When there is no tendency to take the fe atures of the visualization as being real, the visualization emerges as emptiness with a nature of compassion (stong nyid snying rje 'i bdag nyid can) The stream of such meditative experience is unbinding bliss, the dhannakaya The saying finally declares that this is the practice to be employed at the time of death ( 'chi ka 'i nyams Zen) The segment ends with the brief printer's colophon (cited in Tibetan above) related to the 520 xylograph publication of the corpus made by Sgam po B sod nams lhun grub 5.2 DK.A.La: Sayings of the Dharma Master, the Doctor from Dags po: Pointing Out the Ultimate [Nature of] Thought (Chos rje dags po lha rje 'i gsung/ rnam rtog don dam gyi ngo sprod bzhugs) 1 folios, segments, l colophon Text DK.A.La is an amalgam of Common Mahayana , Vajrayana, and Mahiimudra teachings A considerable portion o f the text deals with dis cussing differences between the Bka ' gdams pa tradition, the Vajrayana approach repre sented especially by the teachings of Mi la ras pa, and B sod nams rin chen's Mahamudra doctrine In the course of these discussions, the segment also imparts instructions pertinent to each of these traditions The text, moreover, includes two segments dealing with the Stages of the Path (lam rim) The first of these is entitled "A Summary of the Stages of the Path" (Lam rim mdor bsdus) , which relies loosely on Ati fa's text Bodhipath ap radfpa (Byang chub lam gyi sgron ma) in explaining the spiritual approaches to be used by the so called three types of persons (skyes bu gsum) The other lam rim segment is entitled " The Essence of the S tages of the Path" (Lam rim snying po) The text further contains segments dealing purely with Mahamudra and Vajrayana practices The Tibetan text has been edited and translated into English in the unpublished doctoral dissertation by Gyaltrul Rinpoche Trungram SHERPA (Harvard University, 2004, pp 87-293) Segment DK.A.La : The segment begins (DK.A.La b ) : Ina mo gu ru ratna bhya/ rje btsun rin po che 'i zhal nas/ yar sangs rgyas la re ba med de/ It ends (DK.A.La 3b ) : 067 DK.B Ra 2a 1_3 , Correlated passages: DK.a.Kha.45b4_6, DK.D Ra 2a3_ , DK.Q.Ra 379a2-4, DK.R.Ra 20a2 6, DK S Ra 20a1-s, DK.T.Ra 2n , Phyag chen mdzad vol Ka (TBRC W23447- 894) pp 2962-s 468 Chapter 5: The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum rgyu lam 'bras gsum du 'byongs pa bya ba yin gsung ngo/! 068 The first segment displays several parallels with segments DK.A.A and DK A Ki , some of which are noted below and some of which have been noted below in the summary of segment DK.A.A The arrangement of the materials, however, differs considerably between the three segments The first segment opens with a twofold instruction said to have come from the teacher of Dge bshes Lcags ri ba (dge bshes lcags ri ba 'i bla ma) 069 The instruction is: " Have no hope for buddhahood above, for it is found in your own body, speech, and mind Have no fear for sa-rr1 s iira below, for - without there being any need to abandon it - it is the fuel for insight " Having presented this saying, the segment goes on by stating that when a great meditator (sgom chen pa) meditates on this teaching, concepts or thoughts ( rnam par rtog pa, *vikalpa) will arise and there are three ways of dealing with them S ome thoughts are quelled as soon as they are encountered (phrad 'jams pa) by understanding that they are unborn in nature Other thoughts must subsequently be pursued (phyi bsnyag) in order to dissolve them by analyzing their source, namely by seeing that they have arisen from the mind, that they disappear back into the mind, and that they really are no different from the mind Finally, some thoughts have to be entertained in spite of being non-exi stent, for example the serious concern that a monk should uphold to observe his four root vow s ; nevertheles s , the meditator should still regard those thoughts as being mind and the mind a s being unborn Having explained these three approaches to handling thoughts in the meditation, the segment uses three similes to illustrate how thoughts are useful to the meditator in that they constitute the fuel for insight One simile is how the wood of a forest fuel s a bush fire The second simile is how snow fa lling on a lake immediately dissolves and is absorbed into the water with no difference in nature Finally, when the adept meditator has thoroughly learned to recognize the nature of thought, this is compared to meeting an old acquaince who requires no introduction It is said that this was an explanation given by Dge bshes Lcags ri ba Next, the segment presents an explanation on thoughts given by Bla ma Mi la He said that thoughts are necessary, full of kindness, and that the yogf cannot be without them In fact, all positive qualities are intrinsically found right within them After having practiced 06 Correl ated passage s : DK a.Kha.26a -27b 6, DK.B La l l b -3bs, DK.D.La l l b -3bs, DK.Q.La 7914-3 a , DK.R.La b -Sa3, DK.S La b -5as, DK.T.La lb-3b, Phyag chen mdzod vol Ka (TBRC W23447 - 94) pp 296 -302 06 Dge bshes Lcags ri ba (eleventh-twelfth centuries) was one of B sod nam rin chen's Bka ' gdams pa teachers The bla ma of Dge bshes Lcags ri ba was Spyan snga ba Tshul khrims 'bar ( 03 8- 1 03 ) ; see fn 9 It should be noted that the Tibetan sentence might instead be read as an apposition, " the twofold instruction, [which was] the bla ma of Dge bshes Lcags ri ba" ( dge bshes lcags ri ba 'i bla ma rnam gnyis kyi gdam ngag yin te) If read in this fashion, it would mean that Dge bshes Lcags ri ba metaphorically regarded this particular instruction to be his guru and in that case there would be no indication that the instruction specifically stemmed from Spyan snga ba Tshul 'khrims 'bar However, the latter reading does not seem as natural and straightforward as taking the phrase as referring to Spyan snga ba Tshul khrims 'bar Chapter : The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum 469 the four levels of meditative absorption in the manner done by Mahayana bodhisattvas , the meditator further needs to gain skill (rtsal sbyangs pa) in the radiance ( 'od gsal) of the mind" In the Secret Mantra vehicle, such skill is achieved even without relying on particular ascetic practices but simply by using the practices of the Generation S tage (bskyed pa 'i rim pa, *utpattikrama) o Instead of regarding thoughts as flaw s , the meditator here achieves control over thoughts" A practitioner who has attained such control might still be exposed to illnesses and discomforts, and he is also going to die some day, but the yogi sees whatever arises as thought, he perceives thoughts as mind, and he realizes the mind as being unborn " Even if all the hell realms were to appear to him in a terrifying vision, he would just perceive them in this manner, as quickly as a silk ball bounces back up when tossed downo The s aying also gives several synonyms for this nature of the mind and conceptuality, including the natural mind (tha mal gyi shes pa, "'priikrtajfiiina) and the inborn (gnyug ma, *nija) o Thereupon, the segment moves into narrating a longer story concerned with the Indian Yagin! Gangadhara (rnal 'byor ma ga[i?I] ga dha ra) o 070 The narrative is significant, because early Tibetan medieval sources providing information on Gangadhara seem very rare and she is not a master who is often referred to in Bka ' brgyud sources, aside from later texts of the Shang pa Bka ' brgyud tradition" 07 The story contains a dialogue between an unnamed meditator and Gangadhara concerning meditative experience and how not to conceptualize it A quotation from one Yagin! Karkadoha (rnal 'byor ma kar ka ha) is also given here " The segment then returns to Dge bshes Lcags ri ba with a story about how B sod nams rin chen requested an instruction from him on how to utilize thoughts as the path ( rtog pa lam du khyer ba) o 1072 Lcags ri ba first tells the background for this transmis sion, tracing it back to Rin chen bzang po (958- 055), one *Pu9yajfiabodhi (sgom chen pa p 'u(iye jnya bo dhi), Dge bshes Phu chung ba ( 03 - 1 06), and Dge bshes Glang ri thang pa ( 054- 1 23 ) " The instruction consists o f nine teachings (chos tshan p a dgu)o The points o f the teaching are laid out in brief, essentially explaining that thought is without c ause and does not exist from any basis or root Yet, thought served in the meditative practice as the fuel for the fire of insight Finally, the segment returns to the view of the b la ma, i o e o , Bla ma Mi lao It is again emphasized that Mi la regarded thoughts as being necessary and full of kindness " It is then explained that the reason for seeing them so is that thoughts arise from the mind, the mind The Indian Yoginf Gailgadhara is reported by l ater Tibetan sources to have been the female partner of the Indian Tantric master Maitrfpa and she is also said to have been guru for the Tibetan master Khyung po Rnal 'byor (ca" 978- 1 27), who went on to found the Tibetan Shang pa bka ' brgyud lineage" For further details on Gai'lgadhara, see TATZ ( 987 :709-7 0) and S HAW ( 994:79, 37- 8) It should be added that a short quotation from the Gailgadhara di alog found in the present segment is quoted in segment DKA Cha.200 1 b4_5 This p art of the segment is identical to the first half of segment DKAA 3br4a40 470 Chapter 5: The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum is dharmakaya, and thoughts are consequently natural expressions of the mind's true nature It is through utilizing thoughts as the path that non-conceptuality (rtog med, *nirvikalpa) appears Thoughts thus constitute the cause, the path, and the result They are the c ause for all good qualities They may be utilized as the path to Awakening without any need for removing them, and the realization of the four kiiyas lies within them Without hoping for the result, the practitioner should train in all three aspects, viz the cause, the path, and the result The segment has no colophon Segment DK.A.La.2: The segment begins (DK.A.La b ) : lchos rje dags po lha rje 'i gsung/ bskyed rdzogs zung 'jug gi zhal gdams bzhugs sol/ /Ina mo gu ru/ rin po che 'i zhal nas/ yi dam lha 'i bskyed rim rdzogs par yang skad cig ma re sgom dgos gsung/ It ends (DK.A.La.2.6a6 ) : /bzod phugs dgos pa yin gsung skad/! 073 The second segment starts with the title (cited in Tibetan above) : " Here is the Oral Instruction on the Union of the Generation and Completion Stages , a S aying by the Dharma master, the Doctor from Dags po " As suggested by the title, the segment teaches the topic of the Generation Stage (bskyed rim, *utpattikrama) and Completion Stage (rdzogs rim, *sarJ1pannakrama or *ni�pannakrama) of Tantric deity practice The first part of the segment (DK.A.La.2.3b 4b ) is a copy with only minor variants of the second half of segment DK.A.Nga.4 4b -5b and the whole of segment DK.A.Nga a6 -5b It is said that the practitioner should start by generating the visualization of the ma(1r/,ala and its central deity in the manner known as " instant and total recollection" (skad cig dran rdzogs) , i e , by visualizing the deity as appearing instantly without any gradual build up 07 This is a meditation purely on radiance ( 'od gsal, *prabhasvara) and it involves a meditative experience of utter clarity (gsal sing nge ba) while the meditator rests with undistracted focus on the visualization The visualization must then be combined with the insight of understanding that the mm;,rj,ala and the deity are not established with any real, independent nature The student suited for such practice must be ritually matured by receiving empowerment from a bla ma who possesses realization First then should the student employ the liberating methods of the practice The Generation Stage here refers to meditating on the illusion-like body of the deity and is said to include the part of the Completion S tage known as "the Completion Stage involving Elaborations " (spros pa dang bcas pa 'i rdzogs rim) 075 The Completion S tage proper is the direct perception of radiance and the empty aspect of the mind ( 'od gsal sems kyi stong nyid) 73 Correlated passage s : DK.a.Kha.27b 6-30a6 , DK.B La.2 3bs-6a6, DK.D.La 3bs-6a6, DK.Q.La l a,-3 84a6, DK.R.La a3- 9b2, DK.S La a5 - 0a2, DK.T.La.2 3b-6n, Phyag chen mdzad vol Ka (TBRC W23447 - 94) pp 302 -3 06 074 For the various w ays of generating the visualization of the deity, see fn 1 075 The Completion Stage involving Elaborations refe rs to the various yogic practices done within the framework of the Completion S tage, namely the yo gas of Inner Heat (gtum mo) , Radiance ( 'od gsal), Dream (rmi lam), Illusory Body (sgyu !us), Transference ( 'pho ba) , and the u r n-J H J l v U J U < V Stage (bar do), as well as Completion Stage practices of sexual union (las rgya) In short, these the inner practices associated with the second and third empowerment cycles of the Chapter : The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum 47 When the meditator practices the Generation and Completion Stages successfully in this manner, results will arise, particular when the practices are performed in the solitude (dben pa) of a prolonged meditation retreat Primarily, the experiences are bodily bliss (lus bde ba) and mental bliss (sems bde ba) Inwardly, the five signs (rtags rnam Inga) appear, while externally the eight benefits (phan yon brgyad) manifest 076 The segment then provides a short explanation on the meditative experiences that are associated with each of the five signs When the first sign called " smoke-like " (du ba lta bu) has appeared, the vital energies or 'winds' (rlung) are arrested and enter into the central channel With the second sign, there is an experience of light or splendor (snang ba, *aloka) With the third sign, the experiences of presence and non-thought (gsal la mi rtog) arise This level is the culmination of meditation, at which points the winds have entered the mind (rlung sems su tshud pa) With the fourth sign, the meaning of the view is realized and the four types of Awakened activity ( 'phrin las) are accomplished Finally, the sign of knowledge (ye shes kyi rtags) appears when the winds have entered radiance (rlung 'od gsa l du tshud pa) At this most advanced stage, the body appears like a rainbow or a sphere of light Thereupon, the segment turns to discussing various troublemakers (bdud, *mara) that may appear to the practitioner externally in human or non-human form or internally in the form of thoughts It teaches three methods for dispelling these The methods include meditating on kindness and compassion, meditating on the empty nature of the obstacles, and seeing them as manifestations of delusion, i.e., projections of the practitioner's own mind It is here also discussed whether or not wealth and followers constitute spiritual ob stacles At this point, the parallel passage shared with segments DK.A.Nga.4 and DK.A.Nga.5 end s The segment then enters into a short explanation of three triads of Mahiimudra terms, namely the three aspects of being " natural" (so ma) , " innately happy " (rang dga ') , and " at ease" (lhug pa) The same three triads are explained elsewhere in the corpus in nearly the same words ; 77 in some of those passages, the middle term " innately happy" (rang dga ') is replaced with the terms " uncontrived" (ma bcos pa) or " unfe igned" (rang thang) The remainder of the segment is concerned with presenting the Secret Mantra path (gsang sngags, *guhyamantra) according to the Bka ' gdams pa tradition First, it is stated that the Bka ' gdams pas are not in the habit of teaching the Secret Mantra path in its entirety from the outset but that they employ a gradual approach A series of s ayings by Bka ' gdams pa teachers dealing with Secret Mantra teachings are then given The first Bka ' gdams pa teacher cited i s Dge bshes Lcags ri ba, whose statement makes references to Naropa and the Bia ma [Mi la ras pa?] His opinion is followed by the views of Dge bshes Rgya Yon bdag and the precious one (rin po che) (possibly denoting B sod nams rin chen) , tantras The Completion Stage without Elaboration is the Mahamudrii practice, which in the Tantric system is associated with the fourth empowerment For the five signs, see GRAY (2007 : 220-22 ) and MULLIN (2005 : 57- 8) 77 See segments DK.A.Cha , DK.A.Dza , DK.A.Dza , DK.A.Za l , and DK.A.Wa.4 ... explanation of three triads of Mahiimudra terms, namely the three aspects of being " natural" (so ma) , " innately happy " (rang dga ') , and " at ease" (lhug pa) The same three triads are explained... segment teaches the topic of the Generation Stage (bskyed rim, *utpattikrama) and Completion Stage (rdzogs rim, *sarJ1pannakrama or *ni�pannakrama) of Tantric deity practice The first part of the segment... generating the visualization of the ma(1r/,ala and its central deity in the manner known as " instant and total recollection" (skad cig dran rdzogs) , i e , by visualizing the deity as appearing