287 Chapter : The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum Nevertheless, it should be noted that Avalokite5vara is a deity that is nearly wholly absent in the Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum Segment DK.A.Nya.3 : The segment begins (DK.A.Nya 3b ) : !bla ma rin po che 'i zhal nasl dkar po 'i chos spyod thos bsam nyan bshad bsrung sdom pa bsags sbyang bsgom bsgrub la sags ci byed kyang chos las su ma song bar/ It ends (DK.A.Nya a3 ) : rig pa de ye shes su shar nas 'khrul pa ye shes su shar ba yin gsung/ The opening part of the third segment admonishes that the practitioner should ensure that the Dharma practice turns into Dharma (chos chos su 'gro ba) and not into karmic action (chos las su ma song ba) Thereupon, a detailed presentation of what is here called " the four Dharmas " (chos bzhi) is given These Dharmas are the four famous statements that later became known as " the four Dharmas of S gam po pa" (Dags po 'i chos bzhi) Just before this explanation commences (DK.A.Ja.3 3b ) , the segment again inserts the introductory phrase rin po che 'i zhal nas (i e , " the precious one s ays " ) , but given how the preceding part of the segment ends in an unfinished sentence and how the two parts are connected in terms of sharing a common theme, the two parts have here been counted as a single text segment The four Dharmas are: ( ) to turn a Dharma [practice] to the Dharma (chos chos su 'gro ba) , (2) to turn the Dharma into a path (chos lam du 'gro ba) , ( ) to make the path remove delusion ( lam 'khrul pa sel ba) , and (4) to make delusion arise as knowledge ( 'khrul pa ye shes su 'char ba) Turning a Dharma [practice] t o the Dharma (chos chos s u 'gro ba) i s here explained as involving two steps or perhaps two alternative forms (gnyis) The first is to turn to the worldly Dharma ( 'jig rten pa 'i chos su 'gro ba, *lokadharmagamana), meaning that the practitioner understands impermanence, develops faith in the doctrine of action and result, strives to avoid lower rebirths, and practices positive actions aimed at achieving higher rebirth in sm?1sara for the sake of personal peace and happiness (rang nyid gcig po zhi bde ) The second is to tum t o the Dharma of nirva7Ja (mya ngan las 'das pa 'i chos su 'gro ba, *nirvi17Jadharmagamana) Here the practitioner understands sa1?1sara to be suffering in nature and consequently strives to reach liberation (thar pa, *mok�a) from sm?1sara Nevertheless, the practitioner must also understand the limitations involved in the form of Awakening that is reached by fravakas (nyan thos kyi byang chub) Turning the Dharma into a path (chos lam du 'gro ba) i s likewise divided into two aspects (gnyis) The first aspect i s to tum to the basis of the path ( lam gyi gzhir 'gro ba), which consists in understanding the limitations of the lower vehicles ( theg pa dman pa, *hznayana), taking up the motivation (kun nas bslang ba, *samutthana) of kindness, 13 Avalokitesvara i s only mentioned elsewhere in passing m segments DK.A.Ki 27 and DK.A *Nyi B oth passages consist of laudatory verses expressing praise to S gam po pa 14 Correlated passage s : DK.a.Ka.33b 1-34b6, DK.B Nya 3b 3-5a3 , DK.D Nya 3b4- a4, DK.P.Nya 8 ar l 89b4, DK.Q.Nya 64b3- l 65h DK.R.Nya 5b -8a2, DK S Nya 5b - a2, DK T.Nya pp 222-32 A facsimile copy of DK.D.Nya.3 is found in Phyag chen mdzad vol Kha (TB RC W23447- 895) pp 44-35h 288 Chapter : The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum compassion, and the resolve for Awakening (bymns pa snying rje byang chub kyi sems), and thereby striving to achieve complete buddhahood The second aspect is to tum to the actual path (lam dngos su 'gro ba) , practicing the methods and insight in unison Making the path remove delusion ( lam 'khrul pa s e l b a ) is taught as repelling the delu sion of taking things as being real by meditating on them as hallucinatory and abandoning the delusion of the lower vehicles by cultivating kindness, compassion, and the resolve for Awakening Making delusion arise as knowledge ( 'khrul pa ye shes su 'cha r ba) is said to take two forms (gnyis) One form is the approach of dialectics and the practice of the perfections (mtshan nyid pha rol tu phyin pa 'i lugs), where the practitioner meditates on non-duality (gnyis su med pa, *advaya) of subj ect and object (bzung 'dzin, *griihyagriihaka) Realizing the state free from all extremes of conceptual entanglement (spros pa 'i mtha ' dang bra! ba) , the practitioner passes through four steps of purity (rnam par dag pa, *visuddhi) , disap pearance (mi snang ba, *adar§ana), non-perception (snang ba med pa, *apratibhiisa) , and utter pacification of subj ect-object (bzung 'dzin nye bar zhi ba, *griihyagriihakopasama) The other form is the Secret Mantra approach (gsang sngags kyi lugs), whose philosophical view is succinctly presented in the passage According to this view, any state of delusion ( 'khrul pa, *bhriinti) or non-delusion (ma 'khrul pa, *abhriinta) is equally one's own mind (rang gi sems, *svacitta), without involving any duality (gnyis su med, *advaya) They are indistinguishable within the nature of the mind and they are equally mental proj ections (sems kyi cha 'phrul, *cittapriitihiirya) The experiencer of delusion ( 'khrul mkhan) is self-evident or self-radiant ( rang la gsal, *svaprakiisa) and non-conceptual (rtog pa med pa, *nirvikalpa) The union of radiance and emptiness (gsal stong) is without identity (ngos bzung med pa), uninterrupted (rgyun chad med pa), and without middle or extreme (mtha ' dbus med pa) It is a state of naked awareness lacking any base (rig pa rten med pa gcer bu) Finally, it is said that there is co-emergence (lhan cig skyes pa, *sahaja) of the co-emergent mind as such (sems nyid lhan cig skyes pa) and co-emergent perceptions (snang ba lhan cig skyes pa) The former is identified as dharmakiiya (chos sku), while the latter is the light of dhannakiiya (chos sku 'i 'od) The segment has no colophon Segment DK.A.Nya.4: The segment begins (DK.A.Nya a3 ) : /bla ma rin po che 'i zhal nas/ bla ma 'i gdam ngag lhan cig skyes sbyor nil It ends (DK.A.Nya.4.6a7 ) : thams cad mnyam pa nyid du rtogs pa cig 'ong ba yin gsung ngo/ The fourth segment gives the teacher's instruction (bla ma 'i gdam ngag) on the practice of *Sahajayoga ( lhan cig skyes sbyor) with reference to two armors (go cha gnyis, *dvayasm?iniiha) The first armor is the outer armor of the view (phyi lta ba 'i go cha , *biihyadrHism_nniiha), which means to avoid harmful actions at all costs and constantly to engage in positive actions The second is the inner armor of insight (nang shes rab kyi go cha, *adhyiitmaprajfiiism?miiha) It is here s Correlated passages : DK.a.Ka a -36a4, DK.B Nya.4.5a3-6a1, DK.D.Nya.4 �-6b2 , DK.P.Nya.4 89b4- l a3 , DK.Q.Nya.4 66a - 67 a3, DK.R.Nya.4 a2- l Oas , DK S Nya.4 8ar I Oas, DK.T.Nya.4 pp 2s-43 A facsimile copy of DK.D.Nya.4 is found in Phyag chen mdzad vol (TBRC W23447- 895) pp 7d602 Kha Chapter : The Dags po 'i bka ' 'bum 289 taught in detail how insight may be applied to take eventual illnesses (nad, *vyiidhi) as part of the meditative path (lam du 'khyer ba) as well as how to incorporate thoughts (mam rtog, *vikalpa) into the path Segment DK.A.Nya.5 : The segment begins (DK.A.Nya 6a1) : /bla ma rje btsun rin po c he 'i zhal nas/ pha rol du phyin pa 'i lugs kyis dang po phyi bzung ba 'i yul rtsad gcod de/ It ends (Dk.A.Nya 7a1) : blo yar mar song na rnam pa thams cad du bsgom mi yang ste/ bdud du shes par bya gsung// Mentioning the well-known analogy of fire (me, *agni) and fire-wood (gtsubs shing, *ara�ii), the fifth segment begins by comparing how the in sight of emptiness is to be applied respectively in the Piiram itii and the Mah iimudrii approaches In the Piiramitii tradition (pha rol tu phyin pa 'i lugs, *piiramitiinaya) , on the one hand, the practitioner focuses first on the emptiness of external perceived objects (phyi bzung ba 'i yul, *biihyagriihyavi�aya), whereafter the experience thereof is applied to the inner perceiving mind ( *nang 'dzin pa 'i sems, *adhyiitmagriihakacitta) In the Mahiimudrii tradition (phyag rgya chen po 'i lugs, *mahiimudriinaya) , on the other hand, the procedure is the other way around, in that the practitioner begins by focusing on the emptines s of the inner perceiving mind, whereafter this experience is applied to outer perceived objects At this point, the segment commences explaining how to analyze the nature of the mind according to the Mahiimudrii method and this point in the text is marked by the phrase " the precious one say s " (rin po che 'i gsung) , although the phrase here does not not seem to indicate an actual segment break (cf the similar occurrence above in segment DK.A.Nya ) The Mahiimudrii analysis of the mind is taught through three aspects: the mind's character (mtshan nyid, *lak�a�a), appearance (ngo bo, *rupa), and nature (rang bzhin, *svabhiiva) The mind's character (mtshan nyid, *lak�a�w) refers to outer experiences and inner thoughts that all arise out of the mind as mental events (sems byung, *caitta), whereas the mind' s appearance or e ssence (ngo bo, *rupa) refers to the mind itself (sems, *citta) as an uninterrupted, empty, and present self-awareness (rang gi rig pa, *svasm71vedanii) that is mistaken for a static " I " (bdag, *iitman) This self-awareness is free of the two extremes (mtha ' gnyis dang 'bral ba) of existence and non-existence It is imperishable (mi shigs pa) and unobstructed (mi khegs pa) It is what in other contexts is referred to as great bliss (bde ba chen po, *mahiisukha), co-emergent knowledge (lhan cig skyes pa 'i ye shes, *sahaja jfiana), and non-duality (gnyis su med pa, *advaya) The inseparability of the mind's character and appearance is the underlying nature (rang bzhin, *svabhiiva) of the mind Through devotion (mos gus) and diligent application (brtson 'grus) , this understanding must undistractedly (ma yengs par) be put into meditative experience The segment here briefly mentions the well-known analogy of tethering the mind which is like an elephant (sems kyi glang po) A w arning is given at the end, saying that if the teacher's instruction is not applied directly (thad so) and the meditator instead lets his own intellect arise and subside Correlated passage s : DK.a.Ka.3 6as-37as, DK.B Nya 6ar7a1, DK.D.Nya 6br7h DK.P.Nya.5 l a3- l 92a6, DK Q Nya 67a3- l 68a3, DK.R.Nya.5 0as- l a3 , DK.S Nya.5 Oas- 2