The treasury of knowledge, books 9 and 10 journey and goa (118)

NOTES - sI 4· 6ox Those born of mantra, those born in pure realms, and those who are innatdy present They are discussed bdow · sIS· During Vajrayana empowerment rituals, each student casts a flower on a depiction of the ma!).Q.ala The location on which it falls is taken as indication of the particular family of deities in the ma!).Q.ala with which one has the strongest karmic connection and the specific deity on which one should meditate sI Source not identified sI 7· This is a reference to the aforementioned typology of consorts found in Vajrayiina literature 5I These are a traditional set of five ornaments made of bone-tiara, necklace, earrings, bracdets and ankles (counted as one), and bands crossed over the torso sI 9· Traditionally goddesses are visualized bearing eight different offerings-drinking water, washing water, flowers, incense, lamps, perfumes, food, and musical instruments s2.0, A term employed in the Sarma schools ofthe Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist tradition The term mudra (literally, "stamp, seal") signifies the most sublime spiritual attainment, in which one does not waver from the ultimate fruition state of unchanging bliss imbued with emptiness that entails all possibilities-the fundamental nature of everything that abides just as it is, timelessly, without any fluctuation The term maha (supreme) signifies that this fruition state embodies the most supreme state of elimination of the negative, of realization, and of omniscient awareness s2 I That is, ofonesdf and one's consort as the masculine and feminine deities in union, the sexual organs as vajra and lotus, and all sexual activity as spiritual practice s2.2 These are three moods related tci body (allure, courage, and repulsion), three to speech (ferocity, mirth, and terror), and three to mind (compassion, awe, and tranquillity) s2 3· That is, ofaugmenting what is positive in one's makeup and bringing an end to what is negative The foregoing practices are designed to increase merit in those who lack it, so that they may participate in the gatherings of the heralds s2.4 These are methods whereby various plants, minerals, and other substances are processed to promote longevity and physical stamina · 52.5 That is; the practice of karmamudrii, involving sexual union with a physical consort s2.6 The actual source is :Oombi Heruka, Advice to Yogis and Yoginis on Extraordinary Topics, (Toh I 2.30), Dg T., rGyud, vol Nya, p 82., lines s-7 52 7· Abhayiikaragupta, Frond ofPith Instructions, (Toh I I 98 ), Dg T., rGyud, vol Cha, p 6o6, lines 4- s The blockprint of the Treasury ofKnowledge reads "heroines' banquet," but the text here has been changed to match the source, which reads "heroes' banquet." 52.8 A consort visualized as an expression of the profound' lucidity of nondual timeless awareness 52.9 Padmakara, Five Samaya Commitments, (Toh I 2.2.4), Dg T., rGyud, vol Nya, p 53· s3o Ibid., p 54, lines 5-6 The lines in the source text are somewhat different: an Eliminate concern for any of these that one cannot find, or anyone for whom they may not be suitable, 602 - THE TREASURY OF KNOWLEDGE for the five kinds of meat, the five kinds of nectar, and so forth can be conceptualized intently through meditative stability s31 Tib dge slong rdo rje 'dzin pa (also termed sum /dan rdo rje 'dzin pa) A model emphasized by the Indian master Atisa when he came to Tibet in the eleventh century C.E In Atisa's presentation, the ideal for Vajrayana practice is one who upholds full monastic ordination on the Hinayana level, the bodhisattva vow on the Mahayana level, and the samaya commitments of a tantric practitioner on the Vajrayana level 532 There are four ways in which one can be considered an "elder"; other than the obvious factor of age, the other factors are one's level of ordination, degree of training and erudition, and realization (with its attendant experience of timeless awareness) s3 3· Strictly speaking, monastics should not attend gat)acakra rituals that are made up entirely oflay practitioners; they should be sent away to another location and their share of the feast delivered to them afterward 34· First Section (that is, Vajra ofDelight), (Toh 417), Dg K., rGyud 'bum, vol.Nga, p 16, I 35· Well-Sealed Locket, (Toh 381), Dg K., rGyud 'bum, vol Ga, p 303, lines s-6 53 Again, the actual source is I;>ombi Heruka, Advice to Yogis and Yoginis on Extraordinary Topics, (Toh 12.30), Dg T., rGyud, vol Nya, p 82., I through p 83, I s37· That is, one given in detail, with full explanation and imparting some degree of experiential insight, as distinct from a more formal and cursory version, such as is often performed in public as a blessing s38 See Book 10, Part for discussion of the fruition state ofKhecara 53 9· That is, the unelaborate and extremely unelaborate modes 540 Gathering ofSecrets, (Toh 442.), Dg K., rGyud 'bum, vol Ca, p 2.75,! 541 The text reads subha, but the more likely etymology is from the Sanskrit supta(m) (sleep) 542 The related Sanskrit verb roots are bhuj ('to eat'), svap ('to sleep'), and (possibly) kuth ('to stink, reek') 543 In this context, "expedient cause" is a euphemism for conduct involving a physical consort (tl1at is, karmamudra) S44· In Part above, "The Levels and Paths in the Vajrayana; the consummate stage of the isolation of mind is equated with the greatest degree of meditative warmth on the path oflinkage It is at this point that authentic practice with a physical consort, or karmamudra, becomes a possibility S4S· During the third empowerment, known as the empowerment into sublime intelligence and timeless awareness, the common practice is for the master to display a small card depicting the form of a consort, while the student is led through a guided meditation simulating consort practice In the true spirit of such empowerments, however, the student would in ideal cases engage in sexual union with an actual consort in order to be exposed to this level of practice 546 This recalls the situation in which the words spoken by someone who was blessed by Sakyarnuni (for example, the Heart Siitra, spoken by Avalokitdvara without the Buddha actually speaking any of the teaching) constitute the "word of the Buddha." S47· In the most elaborate forms of empowerment found in the Anuttarayoga class of NOTES - 603 the Sarma schools, there are four levels of empowerment The empowerments of the water and the crown belong to the first stage, the vase empowerment The secret empowerment is the second of the four; the third is called the "empowerment into sublime intelligence and timeless awareness"; the fourth is simply called the "fourth empowerment" (occasionally the "precious word empowerment" since its transmission is based on a few words of profound instructions uttered by the master) 548 GatheringofSecrets, (Toh 442), Dg K., rGyud 'burn, vol Ca, p 250,! 5· 549· Of all the sections contained in the most extensive version of the Kalacakra tantra, in twelve thousand verses, only that concerning empowerment (A Concise Presentation ofEmpowerment) was translated into Tibetan The more concise version of the tantra is the Wheel ofTime The most concise version is the Heart Essence ofthe Glorious Wheel ofTime 550 That is, Wheel ofTime, (Toh 362), Dg K., rGyud 'burn, vol Ka, p 19o,lines 5-6 55 I That is, the Buddha Sakyarnuni "Victorious One" is an epithet for a buddha 55 Ibid., p 134,lines 2-4 53 This terminology is ofi:en used, especially in the Kalacakra cycle, to emphasize the dynamic quality of emptiness, as opposed to the blank void state that the word might otherwise suggest 554· This is a reference to the practices of jfianarnudra (With an imagined consort) and karmamudra (with a physical partner), and part of the implication of"not shifting" is developing the ability to retain the energy of the hindu that is usually expended in orgasm See also note 56 555 That is, the seventh through tenth transcendent perfections-skillful means, aspi· ration, spiritual power, and timeless awareness 556 Ibid., p I 8o,lines 6-7· 557· The terms in the following paragraph derive from the Six Branches of Union in the Kalacakra cycle 55 These attainments are discussed in detail in Part of Book I o 55 9· Not identified 56o That is, actions that result in harm and suffering for oneself and others 56r The Nyingrna model ofMaha, Anu, and Ati is functionally equivalent to the classification in the Sarma schools into father tantra, mother tantra, and nondual tantra and bears many resemblances to it In the Mahayoga model, the view emphasizes the "supreme unity of innate purity and equalness," the emphasis ln medication is on the stage of development, and the path leads to the ·results of the four levels of a master of awareness In the Anuyoga model, the view employs the imagery of the "child" ofbodhicitta born of the unity of basic space and timeless awareness, while the emphasis in meditation is less on the stage of development and more on the thematic phase of the stage of completion (the yogas focusing on sub de channels, energies, and hindu) In the Ati (or Dzogchen) model, the view is that of the world of all appearances and possibilities-of srup.sara and nirviil).a-constituting the display of naturally occurring timeless awareness, and meditation consists of two approaches, those of trekchO and toga/ In the Nyingrna model of nine spiritual approaches, or yanas, it is only the ninth, or pinnacle, approach of Atiyoga that is based on timeless awareness (Tib ye shes lam du byed pa); all the eight "lower" approaches are based to some extent on an aspect of ordinary mind (Tib sems lam du byedpa) 604 - THE TREASURY OF KNOWLEDGE 562 These are the two secondary,subcle channels that run parallel to the central channel, down the right and left sides of the body Generally speaking, the rasana is visualized as red in color and is on the right side for women, the left for men; the lalana is white and on the left for women, the right for men The exact configuration, however, depends largely on the particular system of practice being followed 56 That is, the sixth principle that embraces and unites those of the five buddha families 564 Source not identified 565 That is, Longchen Rabjam (kLongchen rab 'byams, I3o8-1364) 566 Principally in his Seven Treasuries (mDzod bdun), especially the Precious Treasury ofWords and Their Meanings (Tshig don rin po che'i mdzod) and the Precious Trea- sury ofthe Sublime Spiritual Approach (Theg mchog rin po che'i mdzod) 567 There are several different enumerations of these eighteen texts According to the writings of the fourth Zhechen Gyaltsap, Perna Namgyal (Zhe chen rgyal tshab Padma rnam rgyal, I87I-I926), they are: A) The five fundamental so~rces: I) the tantra of enlightened form, Union ofAll Buddhas in Equalness (dPal sangs rgyas thams cad dang mnyam par sbyor ba zhes bya ba'i rgyud kyi rgyal po ); 2) the tantra.of enlightened speech, Sphere ofthe Secret Moon (Zla gsang thig le); 3) the tantra of enlightened mind, Gathering ofSecrets (dPal gsang ba 'dus pa rgyud kyi rgyal po ); 4) the tantra of the qualities of enlightenment, Foremost Glorious and Sublime One (dPalmchogdangpo); and 5) the tancra of enlightened activity, Garland ofActivity (rGyud kyi rgyalpo chen po las kyi 'phreng ba) B) The five tantras utilized in sadhana practice: 6) Display ofthe Heruka (Kro dha khrag 'thung rol pa'i rgyud chen po); 7) Display ofHayagriva (De bzhin gshegs pa thams cad kyi dgongs pa bla named pa'i gsang ba dpal rta mchog rol pa'i rgyud chen po); 8) Display ofCompassion (dPal snying rje rol pa'i rgyud Jig rten las 'das pa gsang ba'i mdo); 9) Display ofNectar (rGyud kyi rgyal po chen po dpal bdud rtsi rol pa ); and Io) Twelvefold Kilaya Dagger (Phur pa ki La ya bcu gnyis kyi rgyud ces bya ba'i mdo) C) The five tantras associated with conduct: I I) Amassing ofMountains (Sangs rgyas kun gyi dgongs pa'i bcud bsdus ri bo brtsegs pa'irgyud); I 2) Fierce Lightning ofTimeless fltwareness (Ye shes rngam glog); I 3) Array ofSamaya (Dam tshig bkod pa); I 4) One-Pointed Meditative Absorption ofAvalokiteivara ( 'Phags pa spyan ras gzigs ting nge 'dzin rtse gcig gi rgyud); and I 5) Berserk Elephant (gLang po che rab 'bog gi rgyud) D) Two appended tantras: I 6) Magical Web of Vajrasattva (rDo rje sems dpa'i sgyu 'phrul drva ba gsang ba thams cad kyi me long zhes bya ba'i rgyud; and I 7) Lasso of Skillful Means ( 'Phags pa thabs kyi zhags pa padma 'phreng gi don bsdus pa) NOTES - 605 E) The single source tanrra that epitomizes them all: 8) Heart Essence ofSecrets (gSang ba'i snyingpo de kho na nyid nges pa) 568 The source reads "four aspects ofbodhicitta " 569 Anonymous, Three Stages, lines 79-80; P 4742., bsTan 'gyur dpe bsdur rna, vol 43, p II75· The Three Stages is a short work in verse that is subtitled Pith Instructions concerning the Web ofMagical Display It is based on the tantra the Heart Essence ofSecrets from the Mahayoga class ofNyingma tantras Although not found in the sDe dge edition of the bsTan 'gyur, it is contained in the Narthang (sNar thang) and Beijing ("Peking") editions The authorship is not attested to in the text 570 This is a reference to the principle of inseparability underlying the view of the Mahayoga approach-that is, the inseparability of manifestation and emptiness as the supreme unity of innate purity and equalness 571 That is, the two extremes of conditioned existence (as a state of confusion) and mere personal salvation (as the end of personal suffering that ignores the welfare of others) 572 This is the first of three stages of meditative absorption tl1at constitute the framework of the practice of deity yoga in the Mahayoga approach The three stages are: 1) the "meditative absorption of suchness," which is an awareness of the ultimate nature of everything, embodied in a sense of everything dissolving into emptiness; 2.) the "meditative absorption of universal manifestation," which is an awareness of the innate quality of compassion that imbues emptiness, embodied in a sense of the stirring of thought in the mind as an expressioil of that compassion; and 3) the "causal meditative absorption." which is an awareness of the unity of the two foregoing stages, embodied in the visualization of a seed syllable from which the complete form of the deity emerges 573· That is, still entailing affiictive states or the potential for their occurrence, due to the fact that the path of seeing has not yet been attained 574· That is, the meditative absorption of suchness itself the illusoriness of things, the single form of the deity, and the elaborate version of the mal).