The Eleventh Chapter of
the commentary on
The Great Perfection:
The Nature Of Mind, The Easer Of Weariness
called the Great Chariot

 

"It is through being neither [mentally distracted] nor inclined towards enjoyment [of meditative experiences]
that one should perfect dhyaana paaramitaa."
-- From Nagarjuna's Treatise on The Great Perfection of Wisdom (Mahaapraj~naapaaramitaa Upadesha) --

 

Chapter XI. Meditation, the chapter of spotless samádhi

The method based on dependent origination, causality:
Antidotes:
The wisdom realizing the real nature of the mind and of everything:
Perfecting - combining both method and wisdom together, gathering the two accumulations:
Progressive path on the edge between extremes:

Ĝ A. Having, resolved the view, the teaching of meditation

Ĝ B. The teaching of the gradations of powers by which one meditates

Chapter Of The Path, Spotless Dhyana, The Union Of Shamatha And Vipashyana

Now that we have gained confidence in the view of the great freedom from extremes, the nature of all dharmas, there is

A. Having resolved the view, one should meditate

Having explained the view of the great freedom from extremes, the natural state like the sky, in which all dharmas are by nature unborn; now there is the teaching of meditation, self-arising wisdom luminous like the sun and moon.

As just explained:

And so when we have seen the equality of all dharmas,
It is important to rest with the natural state.

(i.e. The perfection of meditation: meditating while knowing the emptiness of the three, of all dharmas. Combining method and wisdom. Without controlling the mind, without letting it go wild. This is automatic when one has first seen the equality of all dharmas as explained in the previous chapter. So after hearing, contemplate and meditate.)
 

After first cutting through extremes with the view,

By meditation rest with that.

Otherwise we will not be liberated from the host of kleshas or perfect the virtues of the path.

Therefore we really ought to meditate.

Rest in the sky- like purity of the natural state. Cutting through complexities of hope and fear.

The All-creating King says:

Kye Ho vajra being! Now meditate on the meaning.
In dharmata enlightenment without any meditation, (i.e. dharmin, the realm of dharmas, and dharmata, their real nature)
There are neither meditation or its object,
To rest in the nature without meditation is meditation.
The meaning is the unborn, which is the meaning of all.
When the marks of discursive thought are apprehended as such-ness,
None of the motions of memory, discursive thoughts, and mind,
Can cause the least distraction from the unborn state.
When it is known that thinking like that is meditation,
Resting in non-meditation will never be distracted.

Also:

Kye Ho vajra being! Now you should meditate well!
Whatever appears, all the dharmas of sight and sound,
To one who well knows the meaning, are only that single meaning.
When the nature has manifested, that which has been shown,
Is realized to be the nature of the unborn itself.
Hopeless fearless non-distraction is meditation.

 

After hearing,

Contemplate and meditate on the meaning.

This is so that the essence may arise in our being.

The Sutra of Ascertaining the Truth of Such-ness says:

Shariputra, if someone listens to the Dharma for ten kalpas, and someone else meditates for merely the time of a finger-snap in the samadhi of such-ness, the merit of the second will be increased much more than that of the first.

B. The gradation of powers of those who meditate into high, middle, and low

Ĝ 1. Those of the highest powers

Ĝ 2. How those of average powers should meditate

Ĝ 3. How those of lesser powers, by becoming gradually accustomed to the means of resting, can also accomplish the state of a vidyadhara

1. Those of the highest powers,

Ĝ a. How the very highest will be liberated

Ĝ b. Becoming Space free from meditation and meditator

Ĝ c. The instruction of how intermediate and lesser ones should meditate

Ĝ d. The suitability of meditation

Ĝ e. The need to unite shamatha and vipashyana

Ĝ f. The explanation of the reason

a. How the very highest will be liberated:

Meditator’s:

There are levels of this teaching for those of different capacities.
Those of the highest powers will be liberated
By their realization of the natural state.

Meditation and its object are seen to be non-dual.
The phenomenal world is liberated as the ground.
Unbounded insight flows along like the stream of a river.

Having the good fortune of formerly accumulated merit, those of the highest powers, with the condition of the holy guru,

Are liberated just by realizing that they are already liberated.

This brings them into the natural state beyond meditation and meditator, like the sky. Without needing to work at meditation, their constant yogic union with the nature of mind is like the stream of a river.

The All-creating King says:

Kye! What is taught by me the teacher the doer of all,
Is the all-inclusive unborn, completely pure samádhi.
Not depending on coarse conditions of meditating or not,
The object of meditation is whatever dharmas appear.
There is no particular way of where and how to rest.

This is liberation of things as they are without seeking is meditation.

Kye! Within these oral instructions of non-meditation,
Since this is the meaning that goes beyond words and speech,
No former generations taught the doer of all.
Later ones will never teach the doer of all.
Even now the doer of all is not being taught.

Kye! By the teacher of teachers, the doer of all, the King,
The meaning is being displayed of unerring realization,
The essence beyond all glorification and denigration,
Like meditation and non-meditation disputing space.

b. Becoming Space free from meditation and meditator.

When such meditation becomes Space, as for the meaning or object:

We cannot delineate sessions with a definite, "this is it."
All is self-liberated as the field of Samantabhadra. 
This self-arising vastness, which is the space of the ground, 
Is such-ness which has been like that from all eternity. 
There is no straying, and also, there is no place we could stray. 
It takes no special skill. We get no profit from it. 
Convinced that there is no attainment nor non-attainment, 
We are Buddhas right now, without even having to ask. 
Yogins like this are universal like the sky.

When we have been liberated from attachment to true existence, there is no meditation on antidotes. For that matter, there is no meditation at all. There no breaks between sessions. We continually abide in non-attachment to true existence. This play without fixation, self-liberation beyond partiality, is experience of the field of Samantabhadra.

The All-Creating King says:

Kye! if we have attained the empowerment of the King,
Insight does not fabricate, such-ness always rises.
Absence of cause and conditions is the path of excellent peace.
What rests in the ground is resting in itself.

The great upaya of the King, the doer of all,
Is the empowerment of ultimate realization.
If we enter into all objects exactly as they are,
We know both faults and virtues as equality.

Then we go beyond both entering and non-entering.
The changeless self-existence of the field of the King
Is the self-perfected nature--No progress, no renouncing.

As when we meditate on things and characteristics, there are no identifying signs and criteria.

The same text says:

Like the dharmas of grasping at things and characteristics,
Criteria and signs are non-existent, like space.

With nothing we are supposed to reach, there is nowhere to go astray. With nothing in particular we are supposed to look at, the seer can have no obscuration.

The same text says:

As for this itself, the nature of bodhicitta,
It is the essence of all the dharmas without remainder.
The unborn is completely pure and un-obscured.
Without a path to tread, there is no such thing as straying.

Because of straying, obscuration, purification, improvement, view, and meditation, we look right at the nature of mind without seeing it, and obscuration arises. Trying to progress where there is no such thing is already straying.

The same text says:

Within bodhicitta, the single nature of all dharmas,
Counting the one with numbers is straying and obscuration.
Progressing where there is no progress, straying rises.
By having a view about how things are without conception,
The nature is not seen and there will be obscurations.

From the time we become convinced that our own mind is really the primordial self-existence of Buddhahood, we know enough not to aspire to any Buddhahood other than that. From that very moment we abide on the level of Buddhahood.

The same text says:

Since the nature of mind is primordial enlightenment,
We cannot succeed or fail, and there is no hope and fear.

Also:

Since I, the doer of all, am that which is all-inclusive,
Therefore I am explained to be complete perfection.
From the triple nature of me, the doer of all,
Teacher, teaching, and retinue all arise into being.
With those the label "doer of all" has also arisen."

First, as for nature of the perfect teacher,
From the self-arising wisdom of me, the doer of all,
The triple nature of the three kayas has arisen.
Trikaya is taught to be the three-fold perfect teacher.

Regarding such a mantra-yogin the same text says:

The individual body of a god or human being
Is realization, dharmata, and Buddhahood. (i.e. dharmin, the realm of dharmas, and dharmata, their real nature)

c. The instruction of how intermediate and lesser ones should meditate

Those of average and low capacities

Have to make an effort to be familiar with this.
Until fixations of ego have subsided into space,
They must use various skillful means of meditation

Because they are not free of ego grasping, the cause of samsara, those of average and lesser powers have to work hard at meditation. Here there are distinctions between meditation and non-meditation and the grasping and fixation of mind subsiding or not subsiding into space.

The All-Creating King says:

As for duality and pure non-dual wisdom
They are labeled as meditation and non-meditation.

d. The suitability of meditation

Those who have not reached self-arising and self-liberation, have the usual ordinary thoughts:

Evil discursive thoughts have led them into samsara.
To be free from these they use the means of meditation.
Later vast prajna rises, free from all extremes.

By conceptions one falls into samsara, Dharmakirti's Praise to Manjushri says:

Conceptions are great ignorance.
It is these that make us sink
In the ocean of samsara.
If we are without conceptions,
We will pass beyond the sufferings of conceptions.

The Edifice of the Three Jewels says:

By constant conception we wander
In the wilderness of samsara.
Because of constant formation
Of karma and the kleshas,
Hundreds of sufferings
Are made to manifest.

Since these are pacified by meditating, by doing so the prajña in which all dharmas are perfectly liberated is sure to arise.

e. The need to unite shamatha and vipashyana

Kleshas are first suppressed by one-pointed shamatha.
Then, by vipashyana, they are eradicated.

(i.e. Shamatha --> Vipashyana,
First calming the mind enough to be able to develop wisdom and have insights.)

· Shamatha equals the wisdom, prajña, the non-thought emptiness of resting, Dharmakaya

· Vipashyana equals merit, upaya, appearance because of luminosity, Rupakaya

One alone is not enough.
We have to use both together as method and wisdom, and this is in accord with the real nature of everything.
For those of the highest power they are already united.
For those of average and low capacity: they are developed as a duality: sometimes shamatha first, sometimes vipashyana first. But at they end they are united.)

· (S) Within this peaceful resting, or being, of shamatha, A being which is the emptiness of Dharmakaya,

· (V) Vipashyana is appearance of luminous Rupakaya. 

· (U) These are upaya and prajña and the two accumulations. Both developing and perfection are established.

· (U) Here within the natural purity of samádhi Shamatha and vipashyana are unified.

· (S) When we rest within the unborn, that is shamatha.

· (V) Vipashyana is simple, luminous emptiness.

· (U) They are united by having an essence inseparably one.

With neither grasping nor fixation, there is naturally pure samádhi. This is how to unify shamatha and vipashyana. 

· (S) Resting in being is shamatha. 

· (V) The luminosity of that time is vipashyana.

· (U) Although this is said, these are inseparable, and from the time they are labeled as "unity," they are indivisible. 

· (S) In shamatha, "resting in peace," any perception of resting in peace is pacified.

· (V) In vipashyana, "clear seeing," conceptualization of clear seeing does not occur. Therefore they are inseparably one in the natural state.

· Vipashyana --> Shamatha

Ĝ (V) Arousing this prajña that realizes vipashyana, 

Ĝ (S) We can remain within it because of shamatha.

Ĝ (V) The words and sense of the dharma, which have been well realized by discriminating vipashyana, 

Ĝ (S) Are therefore one-pointedly grasped and kept in ones being by shamatha. 

Ĝ (V) When one meditates in the genuine meaning, realization that grasping and fixation of things and non-things are nature-less is the vipashyana that is "first to be done." 

Ĝ (S) Abiding within the state thus realized, without arising of the phenomena of mind is the shamatha, "to be done later"

Ĝ (V) Vipashyana is the meaning of total realization,

Ĝ (S) And proper shamatha will grasp this one-pointedly.

· Shamatha --> Vipashyana

Ĝ (V) Our previously becoming acquainted with the meaning of realizing vipashyana,

Ĝ (S) Depended on shamatha. 

Ĝ (S) Kleshas are first suppressed by one-pointed shamatha.

Ĝ (V) Then, by vipashyana, they are eradicated.

· Shamatha Vipashyana; we need both together

Ĝ (U) These are upaya and prajña and the two accumulations. Both developing and perfection are established.

Ĝ (U) Therefore we should certainly try to unify the two.. 

Ĝ (U) Although this is said, these are inseparable, and from the time they are labeled as "unity," they are indivisible. 

Ĝ (U) So retention and samádhi are in spontaneous union

Ĝ (U) If space and wisdom are non-dual, union of shamatha and vipashyana as the fruition is established. Then these two should be known as inseparable.

Ĝ (U) The above-described union of shamatha and vipashyana is the wisdom of complete non-thought.

When we no longer dwell in the mental phenomena
Of grasping and fixation of either things or non-things,
That is the non-duality of space and wisdom.
Mind and its objects are not perceived, and are pacified.

· (V) When one meditates in the genuine meaning, realization that grasping and fixation of things and non-things are nature-less is the vipashyana that is "first to be done." 

· (S) Abiding within the state thus realized, without arising of the phenomena of mind is the shamatha, "to be done later"

· (U) If space and wisdom are non-dual, union of shamatha and vipashyana as the fruition is established. Then these two should be known as inseparable.

Here for mind with the wish for cessation, there are the four Dhyanas, and the five formless attainments. These nine samádhis are the nine ultimate absorptions. Here, the mind of desire becomes one-pointed. 

· (U) The above-described union of shamatha and vipashyana is the wisdom of complete non-thought.

· (V) Vipashyana is the meaning of total realization,

· (S) And proper shamatha will grasp this one-pointedly.

· (U) So retention and samádhi are in spontaneous union

(i.e. The fruit is the Union of the two.)

· The non-thought emptiness of resting is shamatha. 

Ĝ Its cause is Dharmakaya, 

Ĝ Completing the accumulation of wisdom and prajña.

· Appearance because of luminosity is vipashyana.

Ĝ Its cause is Rupakaya, 

Ĝ Self-accomplishing the accumulation of merit and upaya. 

· At that time, the ultimate six conception-less perfections are perfected.

The All-Supreme Clouds says:

By shamatha the kleshas are suppressed.
By vipashyana they turn into perfect enjoyment.1

The Bodhicaryavatara says:

Having learned the kleshas will be overcome
By vipashyana possessing excellent shamatha;
First of all one should search for shamatha,
Established by genuine joy, without any worldly desire.

Regarding the single essence and the dualistic individual, resting or being in the first is shamatha. Luminosity or clarity of the second is vipashyana. Shamatha and vipashyana are unified by realizing luminosity/emptiness free from extremes. This is liberation from samsara.

The Spiritual Letter says:

Without any prajña Dhyana will not exist.
Without any Dhyana, also there is no prajña.
Where these exist as two, there is samsara.
Get rid of it like a trace of polluted seas.

Difference has two divisions. There is difference according to words and difference according to the meaning.

· As for the first,

Ĝ Hearing about one pointed mind, is shamatha.

Ĝ Realizing the meaning of this is vipashyana.

· As for the second,

Ĝ By meditating, first, establishing one pointed-ness is shamatha.

Ĝ Later, realizing that as nature-less is vipashyana.

The Clouds of the Three Jewels says:

Shamatha is one-pointed of mind.
Vipashyana distinguishes dharmas as they really are.

The Commentary of Ascertaining the Intention says:

There are two kinds of shamatha and vipashyana, according respectively to prajña and the oral instructions. As for those arising from prajña, mental comprehension of the words of the twelve aspects of sutra is shamatha. Realization of the meaning is vipashyana. As for that arising from the oral instructions, producing motionless mind by the oral instructions is shamatha. Realization of the meaning of that is vipashyana.

f. The explanation of the reason

The reason:

For the highest, evil thoughts dissolve in Dharmakaya
With neither good nor evil, we need no antidote.

Average ones meditate on unity with clear brilliance.
Thoughts of good and evil vanish into space.
Then there is realization of unity like the sky.

Lower ones first must search for the peace of shamatha.
Attaining a steady ease, whatever may be perceived.
Then, by vipashyana's discriminating awareness,
Everything is liberated as the ground:
Inner as well as outer, appearance as well as mind.

Thus, it is important to know the gradation of powers.

Those who come to an island of gold, will not find ordinary rocks and stones, even if they look for them. So, for those of supreme powers, whatever arises is liberated as Dharmakaya. When the antidotes are liberated into space, meditation with sessions and breaks is unnecessary.

The All-Creating King says:

In uncreated such-ness, the Buddha's realization,
How can conceptions of mind and mental events arise?
By knowing how to rest in unborn such-ness itself,
One is free from characteristics of doing and seeking.

Average ones, by realizing the view, rest within the unborn, clarity free from drowsiness and discursiveness, like a motionless undisturbed pond. By that they unify shamatha and vipashyana. After discursive thoughts subside into space, sky-like realization arises.

The Basket of Holy Samadhi says:

If we rest the mind
Exactly as it is,
In the dharmata of such-ness, (i.e. dharmin, the realm of dharmas, and dharmata, their real nature)

Experience unobstructed
By any names arises.
This is called samádhi.

Lesser ones are stirred up like unruly monkeys and can hardly rest at all. They moisten the mind with one- pointed shamatha, then as a further antidote, by meditating on vipashyana they discriminate all dharmas as nature-less emptiness and all appearances as illusion and so forth. By that they realize the unborn.

The Sutra Requested by Maitreya says:

Having established shamatha, train in vipashyana.

From the three sections on

2. How those of average powers should meditate,

Ĝ a. The instruction to rest in non-thought

Ĝ b. The extensive teaching of how to meditate

Ĝ c. The extensive teaching of the eight means of resting

Ĝ d. Treading the Path / the four wisdom

First there is:

a. The instruction to rest in non-thought

Those who have average powers in their ways of meditation also are of three kinds:

Now meditation for those of average powers is taught.

Just as when troubled water is being tossed by waves,
Reflections of bright stars are unsteady and unclear,
The undisciplined mind is lured into unsteadiness,
When it becomes preoccupied with complexities.
The luminous nature of mind and the clarity of wisdom,
The stars of the eyes and higher perceptions, do not arise.
Unwavering one-pointed meditation is important.

When water is agitated by waves, reflections that may arise are not grasped. Though the mind has self-existing virtues of the higher perceptions and so forth, because of disturbing waves of false conceptions, these virtues do not manifest. Therefore meditating in unity is important.

The Dohakosha says:

By waves of prana included in the mind
Moving and stirring, the mind becomes unruly.
If the co-emergent nature is realized,
By that one's nature will be stabilized.

Rest like that, with no disturbance by the waves of thoughts. The water of mind will rest motionless, self- illuminated by the luminous lamp of the nature of mind.

The same text says:

The excellent lord who is without any waves,
Samadhi without disturbance, will occur.
Rest in the water and the self-luminous lamp.
Not coming and going or accepting and rejecting.

b. The extensive teaching of how to meditate

Ĝ 1) The points of posture and means of resting

Ĝ 2) How virtues arise

Ĝ 3) How to realize dharmata

Ĝ 4) The main cause of the wisdom of the noble ones

1) The points of posture and means of resting

Free from the three extremes, rest in the nature of the three motionlessness.

The body is like Mount Meru, with the seven points of posture,
Because the senses are free from the limits of extremes,
Sensation is like the stars reflected in a pond.
The empty, luminous mind is as clear as the shining sky.
Neither drowsy or discursive, rest in simplicity.

As for the seven points of motionless body, as one meditates:

· 1 the legs are crossed

· 2 the hands are in the meditation mudra

· 3 the back is straight

· 4 the tongue touches the palate

· 5 the breath is slow

· 6 the eyes are focused on the tip of the nose

· 7 the neck is slightly bent forward.

As for motionlessness of the senses, the eyes do not fidget. The ears, nose, tongue, and body are not hindered. Whatever forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touch, and thoughts may arise, their sense doors are not hindered, but neither do we pursue them. The five eyes, the divine eye and so forth, and the six higher perceptions, are virtues of resting the mind. If the doors of perception are hindered, clarity will not be attained. If we follow after thoughts, their continuity will not be cut. We will be no different from ordinary people. Therefore, within the motionless pond of sense-awareness, meditate by letting objects of individual appearance arise without obstruction, like reflected stars and planets. If that discrimination of objects is not grasped, in addition to no harm being done, individual virtues will arise. This non-conceptualization of phenomenal appearance is the wisdom of non-conception or non-thought.

If there are no phenomena, the mind perceiving these will also be absent. With apprehension neither of thought nor non-thought, the wisdom of complete non-thought will be absent. Therefore, when objects appear in the senses, rest in non-thought. By the guru of individual and personal awareness, there will be a gap in the coming and going of thoughts. This is the cessation of prana, and at that time realization will manifest. Though the prana of breathing moves in the nose and mouth, thoughts will not move. In this gap in complexities, the time of simplicity where thoughts are pacified, there is no need to meditate on the antidote. Why talk about needing an antidote for complexity, in the presence of the yogini of simplicity, prajña?

Saying that is it not necessary, the Dohakosha says:

The eyes are not closed, and mind too is unhindered.
As for cessation of prana, the glorious guru is realized.
At that time the cause of prana does not move,
Let alone with the yogini at the time of death.

That pith-resolution is called naturalness or non-fabrication of the six senses. Though objects appear within the senses, sense awareness does not conceptualize them. They rest naturally. Realization of luminous ultimate samádhi in addition to that is not only not harmful, but facilitates the blossoming of enlightenment.

The same text says:

As great an assembly of sense objects as may befall,
These without selfhood and karma completely blossom.

Motionless mind resting without the extremes of complexity will arise within the motionlessness of the body and senses.

As for resting in that clear mind without complexities, not moving from luminosity, the same text says:

Things and non-things both are bonds of the Sugata.
Do not distinguish samsara from equality.
The yogin and the oneness of the natural state
Should be known to be like water poured into water.

At that time, objects appearing as external things, and the non-thing mind of inner awareness, preoccupied with thoughts within, bind co-emergent sugatagarbha. Because of that obscuration there are samsara and nirvana and good and bad. Even our own samádhi, because of attachment and grasping, will not be produced at all. By not conceptualizing things and non-things, when the time arises of not wishing for anything else, all the entities of false conception without remainder dissolve into the ground, the nature of mind. When mind becomes motionless and stable, we are liberated from samsara. Without dualistic grasping and attachment to self and other, we attain the body of Dharmakaya, the great transcendence of thought and expression.

The same text says:

When we completely analyze things as well as non-things,
There all beings without remainder are dissolved.
Then mind is motionless, becoming totally stable,
It is self-liberated from the things of samsara.
When both self and other are completely unknown,
Then the unsurpassable body will be attained.

The All-Creating King says:

Kye! Within the realm of such-ness of mahasukha
Do not exert the three gates; do not produce fabrications.
Do not engage the mind or follow after marks.
Rest in the meaning of bliss, which is self-arising wisdom.
This is realization of self-rising luminosity.
This is the actualization of Buddha activity.
This is the realization of the doer of all the King.

2) How virtues arise

When one meditates like that in complete simplicity:

This is the single nature of the primordial state,
Dharmakaya with no perception of grasped and grasper.
In the spotless luminosity of the heart of the sun,
There arise bliss, luminosity, and complete non-thought,
And there is neither any center or any limit.

By passing beyond conception and thought into dharmata, discursive thoughts dissolve into space.

Then there arises realization of the equal taste of Dharmakaya, the luminous great perfection together with the nyam, the experiences of bliss, luminosity, and non-thought. This is the great symbol beyond example and meaning.

The All-Creating King says:

The three times are a single one without distinction.
Arising is primordial, with neither before nor after.
Because Dharmakaya is one and completely all-pervading,
One rests within the nature of the greatest of the great.

Also:

This wondrously arisen play is free from karma like space.
From thoughtless ignorance that immediately arises.

The Dohakosha says:

If we try hard, holding the guru's instruction,
Co-emergence will doubtlessly arise.
Its colors and qualities, unexampled by letters,
Are ineffable and pointless to describe.
Like attachment to the heart's bliss of a princess,
Who can teach that ultimate lord of Being?

The Sutra of the Ultimate Samadhi says:

In the state of dharmata, (i.e. dharmin, the realm of dharmas, and dharmata, their real nature)
Inconceivable by thought,
As mind rests without thought,
Experience without bias
Will certainly arise.
This is called samádhi.

3) How to realize dharmata

When this co-emergent self-arising wisdom arises, from the viewpoint of the mind of the yogin:

Appearance and emptiness are an all-pervading unity,
Transcending all the extremes of existence and non-existence.
Samsara and nirvana are not conceived as two.
Knowing and its objects are of a single essence.
See these as neither equal or not with dharmata.

The inner and outer dharmin, the eight examples of illusion, and dharmata, the essence by nature unborn, are not different. This is seeing the overall unity of appearance and emptiness. (i.e. dharmin, the realm of dharmas, and dharmata, their nature)

The All-Creating King says:

Whatever appears is one in the state of such-ness.
As for this un-fabricated king of equality,
Realization of Dharmakaya, arises from within.

The nature of mind beyond the extremes of existence and non-existence, the pure motionless luminosity of wisdom, arises as the non-dual play of samsara and nirvana.

The same text says:

Pacifying beginning, middle, and end,
Pacifying samsara and nirvana,
With the spontaneous presence of great bliss,
By matchless wisdom aware of autonomy,
Dharmas will not arise as something other.

At that time, knowable objects and the knower, mind, arise as the equality of non-dual wisdom.

The same text says:

Both inner and outer are subsequently inner.
This profound aspect has no conceptual objects.

4) The main cause of the wisdom of the noble ones

This is the cause of wisdom that sees the noble truths
Then the eye of mind, which is the seer of such-ness,
Will perfectly establish the Buddha Dharmakaya.
May the fortunate rest in this equality.

From becoming increasingly familiar with wisdom without complexity, the path of seeing and the others above are self-established.

As to how this occurs, the Namnge says:

This what is real and what is not
Having become completely familiar with these,
If that familiarity is perfected,
The fruition is bliss, luminosity, and non-thought.

c. The extensive teaching of the eight means of resting

Ĝ 1) Resting undistracted in simplicity

Ĝ 2) Resting in clear luminosity without disturbance

Ĝ 3) Resting free from partiality like the sky

Ĝ 4) Resting in spontaneous action-less-ness

Ĝ 5) Resting in apparent objects as unobstructed

Ĝ 6) Resting in the clear luminosity of primordial liberation

Ĝ 7) Resting one-pointedly like an archer

Ĝ 8) Resting without action in spontaneous presence

Ĝ 9) Summarizing the meaning of the eight means of resting

1) Resting undistracted in simplicity

As for resting without many distractions of emanation and gathering,

In the unborn nature of mind, which is purity like the sky,
Events within the mind are not solidified.
But left to fade and vanish like a heap of clouds.
Rest in what is and what eternally has been so,
The undisturbed awareness of simplicity

Rest thoughts and mental contents as they are in the sky-like nature of mind, watching them fade away like clouds.

As for meditating in that undisturbed state, the nature which is exemplified, the All Creating King says:

Kye Ho vajra being, meditate in such-ness.
By realizing liberation a it is,
Undistracted resting in the nature is effortless.
All is self-arising and also self liberated.

Also:

This unborn nature of mind that is like the sky
Is unborn and ceaseless. Rest within that nature.

2) Resting in clear luminosity without disturbance

While resting in clear luminosity without disturbance:

We should let ourselves be like a clear and vacant ocean,
Free from the turbulent waves of grasping and fixation.

Clear because mind does not arise, smooth because it is not discursive, be like an ocean resting where it is, clear and pure of conceptual disturbances and defiling thoughts.

The All-Creating King says:

The samádhi of a clear and peaceful ocean
Is not produced by word-dependent mind.
It is such-ness pure of all disturbance.

Also:

When this is known, by resting within it undisturbed,
Not engaging in effort, the mind does not train in antidotes.
Objects are not abandoned, and mindfulness is not gathered.
Since anything that arises is itself the meaning,
Enter into the meaning of me the doer of all.

3) Resting free from partiality like the sky

Resting free from partiality like the sky:

We should let ourselves be like an empty, luminous sky,
Impartial and free from any clouds of discursive thought.

Rest in the primordially empty sky-like nature of mind, without emanating and gathering discursive thoughts.

The All-Creating King says:

Kye great vajra being, now you should meditate.
Within the enlightened nature that does not accept or reject,
Rest like space, without fabrications of body and mind.
Not meditating, because of being completely without
The attachment and fixation involved with attaining perfection,
Completely peaceful like space, free from all disturbance,
Have nothing to do with objects or notions of realization.

4) Resting in spontaneous action-less-ness

As for resting free from assertion and denial, hope and fear:

Let us be firm and steady like the King of Mountains.
Free from hope and fear, let us neither affirm nor deny.

With the mind motionless like the king of mountains, rest without discursive thoughts of denial and assertion.

The All-Creating King says:

Kye! the teacher of teachers, the doer of all, the king,
Cuts the bonds of duality by realization,
By simply resting in un-contradicted equality,
Realization of me, the doer of all, is established.

That which binds, discursive thought has been cut through.
Not working on liberation, never gaining nirvana,
The essential meaning does not fixate biased conceptions.
Do not meditate on the goal, nor objects of compassion.

5) Resting in apparent objects as unobstructed

Resting the five gates in their intrinsic luminosity:

We should let ourselves be a clear and luminous mirror,
Within which apparent objects are like ceaseless reflections.

In the openness of clear and luminous mind, rest undistracted as the variegated apparent objects of the senses vanish like mist.

The All-Creating King says:

Kye, therefore vajra being now you should meditate.
Though our natural wisdom lies beyond conceptions.
In realizing it conceptual meaning need not be abandoned.
Just go beyond objects and do not guard consciousness.

As things are clearly the essence, do not meditate.
With phenomena clearly the essence, neither hope not fear.

6) Resting in the clear luminosity of primordial liberation

Resting in clear luminosity, undefiled by antidotes:

Like a rainbow, eternally liberated as it is,
Let us shine purely, neither drowsy nor discursive.

As for resting without drowsiness or discursiveness in the clear luminous openness of mind, the All-Creating King says:

Kye Ho vajra being, now you should meditate well.
By appearance of the goal as the pure space of the unborn,
Apparent things are not seen, and fear is not produced.
Appearance is self-liberation into the unborn.
Liberation realizes empty such-ness in non-meditation.

Rest like that. Knowing appearance as emptiness is knowing that it is like a rainbow.

7) Resting one-pointedly like an archer

Resting with one-pointed attention:

We should let ourselves be undistracted like an archer,
In natural wisdom that neither gathers nor emanates.

Resting with mind undistracted from dharmata (i.e. dharmin, the realm of dharmas, and dharmata, their real nature), precisely and directly focus the eyes like an archer aiming an arrow, the All-Creating King says:

The oral instruction is that this essence of non-meditation
Ought to be grasped with undistracted mindfulness.

8) Resting without action in spontaneous presence

Having put ourselves at ease, as for resting there:

Let us be like those who are sure their work is done,
And rest in spontaneous presence with neither hope nor fear.

To rest mind as it is, resolving it into the spontaneous resting of Dharmakaya, relax naturally into absence of hope and fear. Then stay there.

The All-Creating King says:

Kye, the yogin who enters and meditates on this path
Dwells from now on the level of the Victorious One.
Not fixating realization, not grasping with partial bias,
Go into the essence beyond success and failure.

Having relaxed the three gates naturally, rest in mere non-distractedness with no need for concentrated mindfulness. Even if we let ourselves be distracted and fall into ordinariness, our ordinary awareness rests in spontaneous non-distraction.

The same text says:

Kye, for the teacher of teachers, the doer of all, the king
In dharmata without meditation, thought, or concept
To rest while thoughts subside, is falling into samsara.
Seeking and meditating is the path of conceptualization.
 (i.e. dharmin, the realm of dharmas, and dharmata, their real nature)

How so? The same text says:

Kye O vajra being, now meditate in such-ness.
Let the body be, and do not blunt the senses.
Do not try to discipline speech in any way.
Let the mind rest where it is. There is no need to move it.
By meditating in this action-less Buddha activity,
Doing nothing at all the goal will be perfected.

Also:

Kye, to yogins having the fortune of entering all at once,
When realization of the doer of all is taught,
Not intimate mindfulness of the Space of realization,
But no meditation or entering is what they should be taught.

9. Summarizing the meaning of the eight means of resting

Of these eight means of resting:

Here within the natural purity of samádhi
Shamatha and vipashyana are unified.

When we rest within the unborn, that is shamatha.
Vipashyana is simple, luminous emptiness.

They are united by having an essence inseparably one.

With neither grasping nor fixation, there is naturally pure samádhi. This is how to unify shamatha and vipashyana. Resting in being is shamatha. The luminosity of that time is vipashyana. Although this is said, these are inseparable, and from the time they are labeled as "unity," they are indivisible. In shamatha, "resting in peace," any perception of resting in peace is pacified. In vipashyana, "clear seeing," conceptualization of clear seeing does not occur. Therefore they are inseparably one in the natural state.

The Bodhisattva Pitaka Sutra says:

The bodhisattva's shamatha is contemplation of reality. Not even perception of peace exists.
Vipashyana sees the view, but never looks back even at the view. Therefore, what is seen is genuinely seen.

d. Treading the Path

Ĝ 1) The wisdom of appearance

Ĝ 2) The wisdom of luminosity

Ĝ 3) The wisdom of proliferation

Ĝ 4) The sign of attaining heat

Ĝ 5) The wisdom of the noble ones which is attained

Ĝ 6) The first attainment of the wisdom of the noble ones

Ĝ 7) How the noble ones are perfected by full attainment

Having learned how to see the inexpressible by the eight means of resting, now, as we rest like that, there is
the explanation of how to tread the path by means of four kinds of wisdom.

Of these four, as for the teaching of

1) The wisdom of appearance

As by the eight means of resting the mind rests in the natural state:

Now this profound and peaceful simplicity of mind
Sees the truth that is inexpressible by speech,
The wisdom of appearance, utterly without concept,
The luminosity known as Prajñápáramitá.

The first arising of clear, luminous, motionless wisdom is the wisdom of appearance. This is the peace of mind's entering into the nature of mind beyond speech, thought, and expression. Its luminosity is the meaning of perfect knowledge, the Prajñápáramitá.

The Precious Ocean says:

There are four kinds of luminosity.
After them is the level of the great wisdom.
Appearance is completely without conception.
The wisdom of increase comprehends illusion.
Final attainment, the path of the noble ones.
Complete attainment, finished with that path.

Nyime Namgyal connects these with the four situations of the Bardo. They are explained as ways of liberation. Those who attain recognition that things are like that right now are liberated. Though at this point realization is not complete, by the wisdom of appearance first arising, one recognizes the nature of mind, the wisdom of the natural state.

By the path of liberation being already accomplished, one has planted the seed of enlightenment.

2) The wisdom of luminosity:

By seeing this the mind is totally in peace.
There is little attachment to affirmation and negation,
Regarding the various dharmas, external and internal.
Impartial compassion arises out of this emptiness.
Inspiring us to virtuous actions for self and others.
At this time we have an enjoyment of solitude,
Feeling a need for few distractions and entertainments.
Even in dreams our behavior will be wholesome and proper.
Now we are taking command of the path to liberation.

When wisdom recognizes the luminous nature of mind as the ground, incidental false conceptions are liberated as they are, and the mother and son luminosities mix. By only virtuous behavior, there is the outer variety of the five-dharma objects.

The mind of inner cognition complete with its assertions and denials, is free from all attachment. From the self luminous emptiness of mind, by the arising of impartial compassion for sentient beings near and far, one also benefits oneself. One encourages only virtue. One delights in isolated mountain valleys, forests, and so on, abandoning distractions and occupations. With this absence of un-virtuous thoughts, finally, even in dreams, only white and virtuous appearances rise. With body, speech and mind completely trained, "shinjang," the virtues of the path of accumulation are in one's being. In the meditation hall one sees various manifestations of luminosity.

The Lankavatara Sutra says:

Without any thoughts, having straightened the body,
To the Buddha and also to enlightenment
Having done prostrations again and again,
We should meditate on selflessness.

If having yoga we meditate on that,
We will have the lotus life empowerment.
We will be protectors for all beings.

If those possessing yoga make an effort,
Like the space of the sun and of the moon,
Mind is radiant and lotus-like,
Depicting truth like fire in the sky

Then:

At that time the godlike hand of Buddhahood
By having arisen from all the Buddha fields,
Anoints their heads with blessing and empowerment.
This is a sign of engagement with the real.

3) The wisdom of proliferation

With these:

Then by greater and greater familiarity,
Clarity and wisdom are more than they were before.
Appearance is realized to be like dreams and illusions.
When born and unborn alike are seen to be non-existent,
Dharmas are of one taste in non-duality.
This proliferating wisdom becomes complete non-thought.
We attain meditation that is adorned with joy.

By becoming more and more familiar with these former realities, obscurations to the empty luminous mind of self-arising wisdom diminish. There are great waves of prajña, samádhi, and enlightened experience. External appearances are naturally seen as dream and illusion. The many natures of dharmas arise as realization of one taste.

Resting in this space-like state is the wisdom of proliferation.

The Stages of the Path of Miracle says:

Even in dreams illusion will be seen.
It proliferates and increases.

4) The sign of attaining heat

At this time:

Now both body and mind are purer than before.
There is spotless realization of prajña and upaya.
Through the higher perceptions, compassion accomplishes benefits.
Saddened with samsara, we thoroughly renounce it.
Even in our dreams, all dharmas are realized thus.
Our bodies will have no lice or nits, or any worms.
We will be free from drowsiness and discursiveness,
Established in the state of samádhi day and night.
Such people will quickly see the path of the noble ones.

By spotless realization, there is the special sign of body and mind being shinjanged. By resting day and night in the samádhi of special union, we become inseparable from it. By compassion, activity to benefit beings, sadness and extraordinary renunciation for samsara arise. Even in dreams, all dharmas are seen as dreams, illusions, and so forth.

There will be no worms within the body and no lice and other parasites on its surface. One will attain the signs of the path of preparation and quickly come in contact with the path of seeing.

The former text says:

By its increase, it is not difficult
To attain fully the path of the noble ones.

5) The wisdom of the noble ones which is attained

Through greater familiarity this will be more intense.
The sun of wisdom that is realized through samádhi,
Arises now although it never rose before.
Now that we have seen the meaning of its being said
That there exists a single equality of all dharmas,
Possessing the eyes and higher perceptions un-obscured,
We see limitless hundreds, thousands, and millions of Buddha fields.
This is the spotless wisdom of the noble ones.
This is the manifestation of what we call "attainment."

First, by having seen the spotless wisdom of the luminous nature of mind, what is called the wisdom of "attainment" is gained.

Internally the hundred and one pranas of the nadis of the heart center are purified. The wisdom of the red and white essence elements becomes increasingly luminous, and also by illuminating the other chakras, the 1200 special prana minds are supported, and by the 1200 pranas of the kleshas ceasing, according to mantra-yana the inner elements appear as the primordial Buddha fields.

According to the vehicle of characteristics, seeing the faces of a hundred Buddhas and so forth is explained as external appearance manifesting as the Buddha fields. According to the level of the Bhumis, there are the eyes, and higher perceptions of an individual being, and obscurations and obstructions are greatly purified, so that one attains non- obscuration. Seeing false conceptions for what they are, one is completely liberated from the kleshas that are to be abandoned. Realization of luminous wisdom manifests.

The Avatamsaka Sutra says:

Oppressions cease and indignities of the lower realms.
One is free from fear of samsara, unharmed by anxiety.

We are liberated from fear. By becoming familiar with this seeing which has been attained, the dharani-cloud of wisdom arises.

6) The first attainment of the wisdom of the noble ones:

By letting this increase, grow ever greater and greater still,
The samádhi of realization has countless qualities.
Dharmata is the same whether concepts are there or not.
(i.e. dharmin, the realm of dharmas, and dharmata, their real nature)
The nourishing clouds of spotless wisdom still increase.
Meditation and non-meditation are not two.
Resting in meditation then becomes eternal.
Emanations beyond the compass of thoughts will be displayed.
We enter limitless Buddha realms and visions of wisdom.

Becoming familiar with what has been seen is the path of meditation. By lesser, middle, and greater attainments, the previously explained countless virtues of each of the Bhumis are attained. By emanations, one benefits sentient beings. From the first to the seventh Bhumis, conceptions in post meditation, separate meditation and post- meditation. By the manifestation of the three pure Bhumis, one is without these conceptions. Meditation and post- meditation are mixed because they have the single taste of wisdom.

The Uttaratantra says:

The mind that always acts and accomplishes
Blazes like a fire.

There and so forth it has previously been explained.

7) How the noble ones are perfected by full attainment

With these special qualities of the vajra body:

With nadis and elements pure, prana as well as mind
Are supreme in great and spotless qualities,
Then there are what are called the wisdoms of full attainment.
Here the path of the noble ones will be completed,
and then enlightenment will quickly be attained.
This is the yana of the heart of luminosity,
Whose fruition liberates fortunate ones within this life.

The wisdom of the path of meditation is called the wisdom of full attainment. By meditating on the eight-fold noble path, there is co-emergence, and many stains are cleared away. In general, the virtues of the paths and Bhumis appear from the workability of nadi, prana, and bindu. They also become workable through the accumulations of merit and wisdom and through efforts of purification as required.

There are twenty-one knots in the central channel. By releasing the first two, there is the first bhumi, and so on, until by releasing the nineteenth and twentieth the virtues of the tenth bhumi arise. The purified is the petals of the nadis.

The purifier is that by wisdom proliferating in the nadi petals, confused appearance attending on prana dries up and is emptied. By the purifier, the wisdom essence in the wisdom nadis, prana enters into the complete motionlessness of non- thought. Realization of the paths and Bhumis arises.

Moreover, by the workability of the navel emanation chakra, the virtues of union with the accumulations arise.

One sees the face of the Nirmanakaya Buddha. By the throat enjoyment chakra becoming workable, the fields of Sambhogakaya appear. By the heart chakra becoming workable, there is the path of seeing. By the throat, the Sambhogakaya qualities of the Bhumis from the first to seventh appear. By the crown center becoming workable, the virtues of the three pure Bhumis arise. When the twenty-first knot of the central channel is released, all the surrounding nadis are completely purified, so that the kayas and wisdoms appear.

The Vajra Miracle says:

As for the Bhumis and the virtues of the Bhumis
From growing and diminishing in the nadis
There is the action of prana and great bliss.
The purifier and ground of purification
Reciprocally wax as the other wanes.
Samsara and nirvana wax and wane.
The chakras, counted as three or four or five
Two times two times that are not perfected,
As the last tenth bhumi, the bhumi of wisdom.
By milking it is said to go up and down.

As explained above, the three chakras correlate with the three kayas. The four accord with those, with the mahasukhakaya as the fourth. The five are completed by those with the great wisdom as fifth. The twentieth knot of the chakras is that of the tenth bhumi. The twenty-first is that of perfect Buddhahood. When these are released one after another, we enter into luminosity. How the natural knots in the nadis are released will be additionally explained in connection with the Bardo.

In the situation where the arising of the four luminosities is recognized, as previously taught, the wisdom is in the middle of the central channel luminosity nadi. In the center of the heart the nature of the great essence arises at the time of arising and dissolving.

As for the way it dissolves, The Subsequent Tantra of the Manifestation of Wisdom says:

At the time of death of sentient beings,
Form dissolves and passes into sound.
Sound and smell, and taste dissolve in touch.
Touch dissolves in the space of Dharmadhatu.

At that time the Play of Wisdom says:

First earth dissolves in water.
Then water into fire.
Then fire into air.
Then air into consciousness.
The grasping and fixation
Comprising consciousness,
Now enter luminosity.

By form dissolving into sound, form becomes unclear. By earth dissolving into water, bodily strength diminishes. By sound dissolving into smell, the ear no longer hears sound. By the dissolving of water into fire, the moist aspect dries up. The blood essences are forced into the nadis and collect in the roma and kyangma nadis. By smell dissolving into taste, the nose no longer smells odors. By the dissolving of fire into air, heat is gathered in from the extremities and enters into the essences in the petals of the four chakras. By smell dissolving into touch, the tongue no longer experiences taste. By prana dissolving into consciousness, breathing ceases. All the essences of roma and kyangma go upwards to the tip of the nose.

When touch dissolves into dharmas, the body no longer experiences touchables, and its luster fades.

Consciousness enters into luminosity. The HAM at the top of the central channel dissolves into the white essence of roma. The red A at the nose dissolves into the red essence of kyangma. By the wisdom of the heart center dissolving into the great essence of luminosity, after subtle and coarse thoughts have ceased, luminous wisdom arises. The Buddhahood that intrinsically exists within mind appears. From the empty nature of mind the four luminosities of Dharmakaya arise, and from the aspect of appearance, the five luminosities of the spontaneous presence of Rupakaya arise.

First are the wisdoms of appearance, proliferation, attainment and complete attainment. As for the first, at the instant when consciousness dissolves into luminosity, the external sign or appearance is light rays of the five colors, having merely the aspect of a mirage. This arises when the five essences of the elements dissolve into the center of the heart. The inner sign or essence is that the wisdoms of bliss, luminosity, and non-thought arise like a mirror.

The Commentary on Non-duality says:

First that mirage is seen,
With light rays of the five colors.

Also:

Appearance of knowables is complete non-thought.
Within that luminosity, abandoning grasping thoughts
Arising does not arise, and neither does the prana.
As they rest quietly, that is the first situation.

By that wisdom, the thirty-three thoughts arising from aggression cease.

The Embodiment of Action of Aryadeva says:

What are the names of the thirty-three thoughts? Non-passion, intermediate non-passion, extreme non-passion, mental going, coming, suffering, intermediate suffering, extreme suffering, peace, discursive thoughts, fear, intermediate fear, extreme fear, craving, intermediate craving, extreme craving, clinging, non-virtue, hunger, thirst, feeling, intermediate feeling, extreme feeling, the apprehender, apprehended, discrimination, shame, kindness, intermediate kindness, extreme kindness, fear, hoarding, and envy. Those are the thirty-three naturally existing thoughts.

Second, at the time of the wisdom of the dissolving of the proliferations of appearance, there is a paleness like that of the rising moon. By the mind entering into alaya, the white radiance of the nadi of arising shines. The inner sign is that more luminous than before, that is not fixated.

The Namgyal says:

The second is like the moon.

Also:

Proliferating aspects are complete non-thought.
Greater luminosity does not fixate thoughts.
Subtle wisdom is non-thought that is free from prana,
In the second situation of resting quietly.

By that wisdom, the thirty-three thoughts arising from passion cease.

The Embodiment of Action Chödü2says:

What are the forty thoughts arising from passion?

· 1 desire, chags pa

· 2 intermediate desire, chags pa bar ma

· 3 extreme desire, kun tu chags pa

· 4 joy, dga' ba

· 5 intermediate joy, dga' ba bar ma

· 6 extreme joy, shin tu dga' ba

· 7 rejoicing, rangs pa

· 8 extreme gladness, rab tu mgu ba

· 9 wonder, ngo mtshar

· 10 laughing, bgod pa

· 11 satisfaction, tshim pa

· 12 embracing, 'khyud pa

· 13 kissing, 'o byed pa

· 14 sucking, 'jib pa

· 15 stable confidence brtan pa

· 16 play rtsen pa

· 17 pride, nga rgyal

· 18 action, bya ba

· 19 association, 'grogs pa

· 20 power, stobs pa

· 21 forgetfulness, dbrog pa

· 22 delight, spro ba

· 23 the union of co-emergent joy, lhan cig byed pa'i dga' ba la sbyor ba

· 24 union with supreme joy, shin tu dga' ba la sbyor ba

· 25 grace/ playfulness/ flirtatiousness, sgeg ma

· 26 complete grace , rnam par sgeg ma

· 27 the fruition of moods zhe 'bras,

· 28 virtue, dge ba

· 29 clear words, tshig gsal

· 30 truth, bden pa

· 31 untruth, mi bden pa

· 32 certainty, nges pa

· 33 clinging, nye bar len pa

· 34 the giver sbyin pa po

· 35 criticizing others, gzhan skur pa

· 36 bravery, dpa' bo

· 37 shamelessness, ngo tsha med pa

· 38 deceptiveness, gyo sgyu

· 39 attractiveness sdug pa

· 40 wildness, mi srun pa

· 41 great dishonesty. gya gyu che ba. [3]

These are the forty thoughts arising from passion.

Third, as for the wisdom of dissolving of proliferation into attainment, the external sign is like the rising of the sun or brilliance of fire. It appears to be orange. As the klesha mind dissolves into alaya, it is the radiance of the nadi of discriminating wisdom. As the internal sign, wisdom that does not grasp bliss/luminosity arises even more than before.

The All-Victorious says:

The third is like the sun.

Also:

The wisdom of attainment is complete non-thought.
Not even luminosity, it is very subtle.
Complete luminosity of prana and mind arises
This is the third situation of resting quietly.

By this wisdom the seven thoughts arising from ignorance cease.

The Embodiment of Action says:

What are the seven thoughts arising from ignorance? Dullness, true forgetting, confusion, having nothing to say, sadness, laziness, doubt. All these seven thoughts arising from ignorance cease.

Fourth, the wisdom of attainment dissolving into complete attainment is like dark blue or green twilight. It is the radiance of the central nadi as the ignorance of alaya dissolves into Dharmadhatu. The inner sign is that even more than before all stains of attachment to clarity and luminosity are purified.

The All-Victorious says:

The fourth is like darkness

Also:

Complete attainment is spotlessness without conception.
It is self-arising and self-luminous.
Supreme samádhi has no coarse or subtle natures.
This is the fourth situation, changeless and all pervading.

At that time, the blood and breath essences in the red and white cord-like veins of the heart completely dissolve into the bindus of A and HAM and the wisdom of ultimate simplicity manifests. This is the Buddha Dharmakaya. By the successive arising of these four stages of luminosity, A and HAM are gathered into the nadi petals of the heart, gradually dissolving into the great essence in the nadis, which they become.

At the time of the first three luminosities, coarse obscurations dissolve into space. At the time of the fourth, by the dissolving of subtle ones, this moment without all obscuration arises, revealing the first primordial liberation. This is the time when Buddhahood manifests. This renunciation of the Buddhas is irreversible. As for its being reversed, though there is such renunciation in the path of the Buddhas, if it is not recognized for what it is, this is reversible in those without such renunciation.
As for its being irreversible if it is recognized, when we are liberated at the time of recognition, the higher perceptions and so forth are attained without defilement, and there is no place to turn back to from the luminosity of Dharmakaya.

The self-existing luminosity of Rupakaya arises after the four moments.

The All-Victorious says:

Fifth, within that cloudless sky,
Non-thought without center or limit arises.

First, from that dark blue radiance, like a cloudless autumn sky, there rises the mandala cluster of Vairochana.

Here within the luminosity of his heart center is the pith of the bodies and Buddha fields of the five families. Then the mandala clusters with Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, and Amoghasiddhi as the principal deities, along with their retinues, arise. Self-arising from the radiance in their hearts, at that time the mandala of the vajra space of Akanishta also arises. Those who have formerly encountered and stabilized this will be liberated at that time.

Moreover since the moments of luminosity are days of samádhi, by having now meditated in samádhi, discursive thoughts will then not be emanated, and the former clear luminosity of the space of cessation will exist, just so, for a long time. Since the instants of the Bardo are the stages of samádhi, from now on it is very important to stabilize them. If these are not recognized, the dream-like Bardo of becoming will instantly appear, half of former appearances, and half of those of our later existence and place. When these arise, the best reversing the fearsomeness of the Bardo by its lack of true existence, the middle like the illusions of the developing and fulfillment stage, and the lowest by going to refuge and so forth. It is taught that they are born in the celestial realms and liberated there.

That completes the exposition of how to tread the path of the four luminosities, together with the subsidiary points.
 

3. How those of lesser powers, by becoming gradually accustomed to the means of resting, can also accomplish the state of a vidyadhara.

There are three sections, the brief teaching, shamatha, and vipashyana.

· a. The brief teaching

· b. Shamatha

· c. Vipashyana

a. The brief teaching: 

In the stages of meditation for those of lesser powers,

At first there is a separate training in the skills

· First of shamatha 

· and then of vipashyana.

· After both are stable, these meditations are unified.

Training in this involves innumerable techniques.

b. Shamatha,

Ĝ 1) Taming discursive thoughts

Ĝ 2) Holding the object one-pointedly

Ĝ 3) The actual samádhi of shamatha

1) Taming discursive thoughts

How is it done?

First, regarding the stages of practicing shamatha,

We should stay seated within a solitary place.
In- and out-breaths are counted and colors visualized
Remain for several days to tame discursive thoughts.

(i.e. In order to suppress coarse discursive thoughts, to calm the body and mind,
to prepare for holy objects contemplation and meditation.
Starting first with external objects, and inner objects, like basic breath meditation.

Note: Here we develop the skill by forcing the mind into concentration, in opposition to letting it go calm by itself after realizing the real nature of everything as with the other approach. Ultimately, the result is the same: bliss and insight into the real nature of the mind. At the end the two approaches joined together.)

At the time of meditating, stay in a place free from disturbances of people and occupations, danger, and so forth, among things which the mind naturally grasps as pleasant. Sitting cross-legged, rest the hands on the knees.

· Of the three luminous nadis, as from white roma one exhales the breath from the right nostril, all sickness, döns, evil deeds, and obscurations are purified, like smoke escaping from a cook-house.

· When it enters in, the samádhis of the Buddhas and so forth becoming light, enter from the left nostril into the red kyangma.

· Visualize that they dissolve in the central channel, and that for a little while the pranas above and below the hearth of the Sage are grasped and united. Also in gradually sending as before, hold the rest a little while.

· As for the colors of pranas, if the three places of the prana of spring are thickened by phlegm, the antidote is the green air prana. To clear away the heat of fire from the three of summer, there is the white water prana. For the three of autumn, to clear away the motility of bile, there is the yellow earth prana. For the three of winter, as an antidote to cold and dampness, meditate on the red fire prana.

· As for their shapes, meditate on the essences of prana and mind in the heart center as like a bow, triangular, round, and square. Those are their corresponding touchables.

· As for counting, breaths up to seven are mentally counted.

· Beginners should visualize the exhalation of that prana going four cubits and so forth from the nostrils, then more and farther until it fills the whole of the three realms. Make the mind completely undistracted.

Ĝ At the time of drowsiness, [4] not keeping it inside, eliminate it by forcefully expelling outward.

Ĝ At the time of arousing virtue, faith, and so forth, hold them inside.

After training prana for some days, completely non-conceptual shamatha of the clear and luminous mind arises. At that time, because the coarse pranas are motionless, mind is without thoughts, and the white and red essences of roma and kyangma are the motionless sun and moon. Within, as that motionless prana remains in non-thought within the central channel, co-emergent wisdom is recognized. (i.e. It is not like killing the mind, but like knowing it real nature at the same time as using it. The union of the relative and absolute, of emptiness and dependent origination. Ultimately, when the mind is completely calm, it recognize its real nature, it original awareness.)

The Dohakosha says:

In those whose prana and mind are without wandering,
The sun and moon are inactive and unengaged.
Those who do not know, exhale their minds at this time.

(i.e. The goal is not to reject or kill the mind. The Middle Way: not accepting as it seems to be, not rejecting it as completely non existent either.)

2) Holding the object one-pointedly

Then coarse discursive thoughts are suppressed, and after meditating in that way:

Practice the four immeasurables and the two bodhicitta's.
Then, within the practice of the developing stage,
Meditate in one-pointed attention without distraction
On whatever spiritual object may be appropriate,
Such as a picture or a book of the holy texts.

(i.e. Good concentration helps to understand the Dharma.
Using holy objects brings even more peace, concentration, equanimity and joy.
And these new concepts are burned into the mind.
And there is all the various advantages of the generation stage of Vajrayana.
All along development of concentration continue.
Meditation with, then without objects (seeing their emptiness).
Have to combine both method and wisdom.)

Then train in the four immeasurables, kindness and so forth or in the bodhicitta's of aspiring and entering.

The Bodhicaryavatara says:

Pacify thoughts and meditate on bodhicitta.

Do that or the developing stage.

The Dohakosha says:

Grasp with the mind the form of the deity, painted etc.

The Samadhiraja Sutra says:

With a statue that is gold in color,
Entirely beautiful, of the Lord of the World,
The mind of one into whom this image enters
Meditates in the way of a bodhisattva.

Do that briefly. Alternately, those unfamiliar with the former objectless meditation can take some appropriate good object and meditate on it without being distracted to anything else.

The Mahayanasutralankara says:

Having focused the mind on the object of meditation,
Never let yourself be distracted away from it.

3) The actual samádhi of shamatha (i.e. Single-pointed concentration, having bliss as a fruit)

Resting in this way, the mind becomes workable.
It keeps to its object and does not go anywhere else.
It will stay as long as we rest in meditation.

When body speech and mind are pervaded with spiritual joy.
One pointed unwavering shamatha has been established.

(i.e. The sign of success of this skill development, at this point: bliss. 
The intended result: samádhi, one-pointed concentration and bliss; great calm of the body and mind, great concentration, the capacity to directly see the objects of the mind in action in the present, the capacity to directly see their real nature.

Samadhi: single-pointed concentration: A state of deep meditative absorption; single-pointed concentration on the actual nature of things, free from discursive thought and dualistic conceptions.
Samadhi (Tib. tin ne zin) Also called meditative absorption or one-pointed meditation, this is the highest form of meditation.
Jhana, a meditative state of deep sensitivity and stillness of mind, sometimes translated as "absorption," forms the cornerstone in the development of Right Concentration.
Right Concentration is the last of the eight path factors in the Noble Eightfold Path, and belongs to the concentration division of the path.

Note: Dhyanas are merely conditioned states, temporary, impermanent states. They are not enough to produce liberation. Only insight will completely eradicate the ignorance.)

The mind stays on its objects until we leave off meditation and does not emanate concepts. Mind and body are blissful. In speech one says little and the words are smooth and soft. This is the time when one pointed shamatha is established.

The Sutras say:

O monks, the body and mind of me the yoga practitioner are workable. Preoccupation with food is small. There is little speech and words are soft. The skin is supple and smooth.

From the two sections on

c. Vipashyana

Ĝ 1) The way of training

Ĝ 2) How to establish samádhi by becoming familiar with this

1) The way of training.

Ĝ a) The way they arise

Ĝ b) The thirteen means of resting

When shamatha has become workable, as for training in vipashyana:

 

Then we learn the meaning of vipashyana.

All the external appearances of the phenomenal world,
All these various dharmas of samsara and nirvana,
Are like the appearances of a dream [1] or an illusion [2].
They are like a reflection [3], an emanation [4], or echo [5],
A castle of the gandharvas [6], an illusion or mirage [7],
Or heat ripples in the air [8], totally insubstantial. [5]

They appear, but within the nature of emptiness.

(i.e. First with external objects. Realizing their emptiness will permit to let them go and to turn inward and do the same with the inner dharmas and the mind itself. But this letting go will not be a total rejection as if they were completely non-existent, meaningless, a-causal or from the mind-only, non-functional. It is a letting go that understand their real nature: empty but still functional. The Middle Way: not accepting, not rejecting.

Meditating on appearances as being like the eight examples of illusions.
Everything is like illusions, but not completely non-existent either).
All merely imputed by the mind; relative; dependent on past karma.
In dependence of the mind; but not from the mind only.
All dharmas are empty, but still dependently arisen and functional.
Not existent, not non-existent, not both, not neither.
No real cause, effect, causality;
but still no effect without a cause, no cause without an effect.
A ocean of conditionality without any entities in it.

Note: Here the goal is to induce a similar samádhi as with shamatha, but, instead of forcing the mind into concentration by applying artificial antidotes, we analyze the real of external and internal dharmas until there is a general insight about the emptiness of them all and an automatic letting go of all conceptualization, fears and hopes. Thus the mind also become very calm and blissful. So the mind is not controlled, not let go wild either. There is no forced meditation, no non-meditation. Ultimately the same great samádhi combining the two is realized.

Note: Insight alone is not enough. Intellectual understanding of the real nature of everything is not enough. One has to directly see this real nature by observing his own mind with great concentration. And one has to maintain this insight all the time with concentration, or the mind will go wild again. The intellectual understanding just help in the legging go, and in attaining this great calm and concentration.)

Appearing while they are primordially non-existent,

Meditate on appearances as being like the eight examples of illusions.

The Shri Samadhiraja says:

These dharmas are hollow like a plantain tree.
They are ephemeral like lightning in the sky.
They are illusory, like the moon in water.

Also:

Like a castle of the gandharvas or a mirage,
They are like an illusion or like a dream.
All dharmas should be known to be like that.
Meditation on marks is empty of an essence.

The Sky Treasury Sutra says:

By the single Dharma all dharmas are illusion,
Like a mirage they are hollow and un-graspable.
It should be concluded that they are false and impermanent.
Those not kept from this go to the heart of enlightenment.

All the vessel and essence of the phenomenal world as it appears from the viewpoint of confused mind and all dream-like pure appearances of the three jewels are not really established. By not collecting habitual patterns of the viewpoint of confusion, they are purified. These appearances arise as if they were pure, but since they arise from the viewpoint of dualistic appearance, they are false.

The sutras say:

Nirvana too is like a dream, like illusion.

The Buddhas appearing from the viewpoint of confusion have the false nature of an emanation, in Sanskrit nirmana, like the moon in water. Appearing while in fact they do not emanate from the space of the dhatu, Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya; the pure nature of the Buddhas dwelling in Akanishta is not false and non-existent. By confused conceptions, samsara and its joys and sorrows follow continuously one on the other, like a series of generations. Yet from that very time depending on the unborn nature of mind, there is neither samsara nor no samsara. Samsara is like a dream. From the time they arise within the confused sleep of habitual patterns, confused experiences do not exist at all.

The Noble Sutra Requested by the Close Retinue says:

Minds terrified of hell thus have been taught by me:
Though many thousands of sentient beings have been saddened,
By death and transmigration going to the lower realms,
Those beings in actuality never really existed.

Whatever swords, great arrows, and weapons have come forth,
Even if they did harm, they have never existed.
Even as these weapons descend they do not exist.

A variety of pleasant flowers all in bloom
Elegant golden houses, with a pleasant glow,
None of these have ever been produced at all.
These are established in the power of conception
In the power of conception, the world has been imputed.
By fixating their perceptions fools have done that work.
Neither fixation nor non-fixation ever arise.
They are illusory thoughts, no more than a mirage.

In brief, meditate on these dharmas of imputed appearances of what does not exist as tenuous and ephemeral like the eight examples of illusion.

a) The way they arise

As for not fixating these illusions at all and meditating on them as being like the sky, dharmas:

Since all is non-entity like the selfless space of the sky
Meditate in this simplicity, the state of the unborn.
Realize external dharmas to be non-entity.
Realize grasping and its objects as nature-less.

(i.e. Meditating on appearances as being like space (unreal, mere imputations, without essence).
Eliminate fixated thoughts of external objects, either as truly existent or truly non-existent.
Until all attachments are automatically dropped.
Realize and meditate on this as dharmata beyond perception and conception.
-- Space: like a negation, but still supporting everything else.

By understanding the real nature of everything, there is a general letting go of obsessions, attachments, conceptualization, fears, hopes. The only mental image left is the one of space like luminous emptiness. That is similar to the samádhi of shamatha. It becomes a self-amplifying process: the more insights leads to the more calm and concentration, the more calm and concentration which leads to the more insights...Both are supporting each other until they completely become inseparable. This is in accord with the goal, with the real nature of everything.

So this space-emptiness is not complete nothingness. It is space and wisdom combined; like emptiness and dependent origination combined, like the Union of the Two Truths. The details of this non-dual reality are given in the following sections.)

Those appearances without true existence, except as mere imputations, are really intrinsically non-existent, and are not complex objects. Meditate within that. Eliminate fixated thoughts of external objects, either as truly existent or truly non-existent. When it is realized that the grasped object is unperceived and inconceivable, [6] attachment to that, the mind with thoughts of grasping it, does not exist. Then the subsequent fixation too cannot exist. Because none of these objects have an essence, realize and meditate on this as dharmata beyond perception and conception. (i.e. dharmin, the realm of dharmas, and dharmata, their real nature)

The Shri Samadhiraja Sutra says:

In limitless kalpas that are already past,
The principal ones of men were led by me.
The great Sage served them as a sturdy ship.
Names arose in the manner of non-things.
From the time they arose, they supremely existed as space.
All dharmas are taught to be in truth like space.

Then in accord with imputed characteristics,
Sounds resounded in all the various worlds.
All the gods emitted excellent sounds.
Unreality was the alleged Victorious One.

As soon as he was born, he took seven steps,
The Buddha all dharmas were taught as unreal.
The Sage who is the teacher of all dharmas
When the Buddha was victorious over all dharmas,
Like Grass, and toilet sticks, and medicinal rocks,
"Dharmas are unreal," the sound arose.

As many as the worlds, that many sounds: "All unreal, entirely unreal."
Like that, the melodious sound phenomena
Of the leader of the world supremely rose.

b) The thirteen means of resting

Ĝ i) Examining the mind

Ĝ ii) Resting naturally relaxed

Ĝ iii) How realization arises

Ĝ iv) How to attain stability

Ĝ v) How it is non-dual

Ĝ vi) How the middle way free from extremes is realized

Ĝ vii) Free from anything to meditate on or a meditator, this is Buddhahood

Ĝ viii) The way of realizing dharmata

Ĝ ix) The way of the ultimate view

Ĝ x) Identifying the defining characteristics of shamatha and vipashyana

Ĝ xi) The functions or actions of shamatha and vipashyana

Ĝ xii) The time of realizing non-conception by becoming familiar with this

i) Examining the mind

After meditating like that:

Then examine inner mind in the following way:

There is no essence in separating conceptions of mind.
Affirmations, negations, truth and falsity,
Joy as well as sorrow, and also indifference,
Project their different objects, yet we cannot grasp them.

Consider where we come from, and where is this we are now?
Where do we finally go, and what is our color or shape?

(i.e. Turn inward, examine the mind itself, the inner objects; all the same as any dharma.
The four inner objects are, from the five aggregates of clinging/sustenance : feelings, perceptions, fabrications, consciousness.

All judgments are relative, there is no absolute characteristics,
no absolute impartial basis for discrimination, for objects.
No real origination, duration, and cessation. All empty characteristics.
All characteristics are like illusions, without any essence, merely imputed by the mind. 
All not existent, not non-existent, not both, not neither.
All dharmas are empty, but still dependently arisen and functional.

Without any absolute individual characteristics all dharmas are not different or separate.
They cannot be found, analyze. They are like space, the sky.
But with conventional characteristics they are not the same.

The mind is like that too, like space. That is the realization of the Dharmakaya.)

Examining this in our thoughts, this is what we shall see:

Various objects are defined as pleasant and unpleasant, existent and non-existent, true and false, joyful and sorrowful, and so forth. In reality, without any essence at all, at first they are without any cause of arising. Where nothing arises, nothing can endure. Therefore their endurance is essence-less. In what does not endure there can be no cause of cessation.

These objects are empty of individuating characteristics. They have no color, no shape, no manifestation. They will not be found externally, internally, or in between, even if we look for them. The example of this un-findable state is the sky (i.e. space). There is nothing to grasp or analyze. Objects are elusive, insubstantial, and completely pure. They arise in freedom from action and actor. This is realizing the natural state, Dharmakaya.

The Universal Bliss says:

As for the rootless nature of the mind,
Emptiness and such-ness eternally so,
Inexpressible wisdom, naturally so,
Ungraspable, it is not found when looked for.

ii) Resting naturally relaxed

At that time:

At this time, thinking no thoughts within our minds,
Relax like someone who suffers fatigue to the point of exhaustion.
Do not think about anything. Forsake intellectualizations.
Let everything rest in non-dual equanimity.

(i.e. After analyzing or directly observing the outer and inner appearances / objects:

Once we have realized that there is no real basis for any judgment,
for any feeling, for any actions, for intellectualization, 
that there is no real objects...
once we have directly seen the emptiness of the inner objects, of the mind,
then rest in this insight, in this non-dual equanimity.

It is automatic, once we have seen the real nature of our mind and of everything,
then we automatically let go of all intellectualization, all karma formation,
and can rest in this pure peace.
It is just a matter of perfecting this insight, prolonging its duration until it is permanent.

This is where we could use shamatha to meditate one-pointedly on this insight,
to stay with this natural state, Dharmakaya.)

Letting go of the previous repetitious steps of conceptual analysis is like relieving someone exhausted by a burden. We reach the end of our struggle. It is gone. Relaxing into the natural state, without thoughts or mindfulness of anything at all, rest in the blissful brilliance of insight. Let ceaseless appearance go free and disperse like vanishing mist.

The Dohakosha says:

That mind which has been bound in entanglements
Will doubtlessly be freed when these are relaxed.
The very things that are the bonds of fools,
Completely liberate those who are capable.

In general, meditate on the mind. When it is grasped one-pointedly, let its intrinsic emanations go as they like. That is relaxing in the natural freshness of dharmata. (i.e. Observing the thoughts arising, letting them go without grasping or rejecting. Just observing their real nature. It is this realization of the real nature of our own mind that is Liberating. -- Dharmin, the realm of dharmas, and dharmata, their real nature) Discursive thoughts are like growing a tail. (i.e. All thoughts are dependently arisen, impermanent; dependent on past karma, and building new karma. Like self-amplifying bad habits.)

The same text says:

Bonds are our undertakings that go in the ten directions.
If these are abandoned, we rest stable and motionless.
Wrong understanding is realized to be like a tail.
Even children like you can directly perceive yourselves.

Like a raven on a ship, the mind emanates outward, saying, "I won't come back." Having apparently gone out to external objects, then it returns inside. There it dwells in self-existing realization of emptiness as before.

The same text says:

Objects are pure. There are none to manifest.
One is coursing in emptiness alone.
Like a raven who flies up from a ship,
Having circled and circled, it must return.

When objects of form and so forth are emanated from the mind, they have no true existence. The mind is never dependent on them for an instant. Self-eliminated, they rest in emptiness with nothing to analyze; for example, as the raven, flying outward from a ship over the ocean, cannot depend on external objects, but returns to the ship.

iii) How realization arises

The way of meditating:

We realize that the individual grasped as "I"
Does not exist as an independent, controlling ego.
The mind that fixates one also is without a nature.

(i.e. By directly observing the inner objects of our own mind this way,
we come to directly see the real nature of our own mind: 
inseparability of emptiness and clarity / cognitive lucidity;
not existent, not non-existent, not both, not neither.
We come to see that the "I" is also merely imputed, the chief of all illusion-like appearances.
All appearances are nature-less, without essence.
And once we are absolutely sure of this, then automatically we are free from any attachment, and everything is seen as pure, equal.)

By eradicating thoughts attached to self and ego and becoming accustomed to the reality that they are not to be found, the individual who fixates is ego-less. Therefore fixation is nature-less. Since former objects of grasping are essence-less, grasping too is realized to be essence-less. By the two kinds of self7 being realized as empty, neither objects or the one who makes them arise within samsara are established. Samsara is liberated into nature-less-ness, the liberation of nirvana. This is because samsara is not other than mind.

The Dohakosha says:

The nature of samsara is the essence of mind.
Directly know that fools are skewered by an arrow. [8]

With such realization, even if there is no liberation during this life, there will be in the next.

The Four Hundred on the Middle Way says:

For anyone who knows this,
If nirvana is not attained,
Within a later life,
It will be without effort.

For example, even if experiencing great waves of happiness and unhappiness is impossible, there is the karma of experiencing nirvana later.

iv) How to attain stability

After shamatha and vipashyana are individually stabilized:

Then they are unified as wisdom, the natural state.

Appearance and mind are non-dual, like the moon reflected in water.

(i.e. Inseparability / non-duality of appearances and mind. One cannot exist without the other. They are interdependent. They are not separate or different, not the same.

A mind with or without thoughts is the same: inseparability of emptiness and clarity / cognitive lucidity. There is no difference between meditation and non-meditation.

When shamatha or vipashyana are perfected they include the other one. Discernment of the real nature of the mind and everything generates letting go and calm. And deep concentration permits direct insights into the real nature of the mind. In the great resulting samádhi they are united. Everything is seen as both empty of inherent existence like space, and still dependently arisen and functional. It is not letting the mind go wild (non-meditation) and not artificially controlling the mind (meditation). So it is not a complete killing of the mind, but a great non-conceptual wisdom. This is in accord with the goal, with the real nature of everything.)

When the moon arises in the water of a pond, there is no difference between the water and the moon. So at the time of appearance and the fixation of appearance, the mind that fixates is non-dual with appearance. Such false appearance is grasping. Grasping should not be understood as the apparent object. The apparent object and its emptiness are non-dual, like the water and the moon in water.

v) How it is non-dual

Though it is like that, by not understanding this:

Grasping duality is the confusion of samsara.
Awareness of non-duality goes to the peace of nirvana.
Therefore, let us train in this non-duality.
Dharmas are of the essence of mind, and thus unborn.
The nature of the mind is pure and undefiled.
Rest in this spotless simplicity, emptiness/luminosity.

(i.e. Explaining the inseparability of appearances and mind, 
both being unborn, non-dual, not one not two, empty but functional.

The real mind is always pure: Buddha-nature.)

By grasping what does not exist as selfhood, independent reality, the confusion of samsara, already grasped as terrifying, like water in a dream, becomes even more terrifying. Habitual patterns of confused appearance are stabilized when they are not established as anything other than confused appearances of mind. The mind that is the basis of arising of these confused appearances is also pure of nature. It too is essence-less-ness. Therefore there is no obscured by kleshas.

The Uttaratantra says:

Since the nature of that mind is luminosity, the kleshas are seen to be essence-less.

Rest in immaculate wisdom, the essence un-obscured by extremes and the essence of simplicity like the sky. Do not struggle with conceptual analysis. This obscures the nature of mind. Proliferating false conceptions are like a poisonous snake in a basket. Left alone, it does no harm; but it will if teased. Mind too should be left alone without effort and establishing or accepting and rejecting.

The Song of the Oral Instructions of the Inexhaustible Treasury says:

As for the nature of mind, which is the natural state,
It is hard for anyone to realize.
As for the spotless essence undefiled by extremes,
No one should analyze primordial purity.
If it is analyzed, it is like what happens
To a person who teases a dangerous, poisonous snake.

The All-Creating King says:

Just as appearances are one in such-ness,
Within this do not fabricate anything.
Rest in the uncreated king of equality,
The ultimate state, the non-thought of Dharmakaya.

vi) How the middle way free from extremes is realized:

The way of meditating:

By that the disturbances of kleshas are pacified.
We rest within the great wisdom, completely without conceptions.
Insight, samádhi, and higher perceptions are established.
We realize there are neither grasping or fixation,
As well as the middle way, which is freedom from all extremes.

(i.e. Once we have directly seen the real non-dual unborn nature or our own mind,
then we understand the meaning of the path, the Middle Way: away from the four extremes.
Because everything is not existent, not non-existent, not both , not neither.
There is nothing to get or accept, nothing to drop or reject.
All views, all conceptualization are flawed.)

Disturbances of the kleshas are pacified. By wisdom with neither grasping or fixation, the samádhi of complete non-thought, enlightened insight, the Buddha qualities of liberation, the five eyes, and the higher perceptions are established.

The Prajñápáramitá-samgátha says:

Dhyana eliminates baser qualities of desire.
Insight, higher perceptions, and samádhi are gained.

vii) Free from anything to meditate on or a meditator, this is Buddhahood

At the time of meditating:

At this time the mind is like the space of the sky.
In this space of simplicity no objects are perceived.
Within this dharmata there is no meditation,
Nor is there any object upon which to meditate.
There is no agent of action, and nothing to act upon.
This is the spotless purity of Buddhahood.

(i.e. The perfection of meditation: meditating while knowing the emptiness of the three.
Shamatha and vipashyana supporting each other.
Knowing the real nature of appearances: empty but functional.
Knowing the real nature of the mind: inseparability of emptiness and clarity / cognitive lucidity
Knowing the relation: inseparability of appearances and mind.)

At the time of that meditation, from the mind's sky-like freedom from emanation and gathering, apparent objects still appear; but since there is no conceptual grasping, these appearances are non-dual wisdom that does perceive dualistic natures. Since there are neither meditation or meditator, causes of action and their producer are liberated as they are.

Dissolving mind and mental contents into space, we reach the space of the primordial nature. This is the goal, the nature of mind. This is abiding in self-existing realization, Dharmakaya, Buddhahood.

The Dohakosha says:

Continuous Buddhahood has no exclusions.
Since mind itself is essentially purity,
This itself is the spotless, ultimate level.

As mind and mental contents dissolving into the natural purity of the nature of mind, there is no motion of thoughts. They are like salt dissolved in water.

The same text says:

Mind is motionless and stably resting.
As salt dissolves and disappears in water,
So the mind dissolves into its nature.
Self and other are seen as equality.

viii) The way of realizing dharmata

At this time:

There is no grasping of objects by any perception/conception.
Any more than with a mirage, or the moon reflected in water.
Perceiving no fixation, impartial and undisturbed,
When appearance and mind are non-dual, the perfections will be there.
Let us appreciate the amrita of dharmata.
Deep and peaceful simplicity, uncompounded and luminous.

(i.e. Once we have directly seen the real nature of our own mind, and thus the real nature of everything, we are automatically free from any attachment to those illusion-like dharmas. There is no absolute characteristics to hold onto, to analyze; no basis for grasping or fears or conceptualization. There is no basis for any dharma with their own essence. And with no attachment, no fears, no obsessions, no conceptualization, it is total bliss and equanimity. Everything is directly seen as unborn, non-dual, pure; not existent, not non-existent, not both, not neither. And the result is the Middle Way: not accepting, not rejecting.

The perfection of wisdom: seeing the emptiness of all dharmas, and not grasping at emptiness either. Emptiness is also empty of inherent existence. The real nature of everything is not "emptiness", not more than "dependent origination". It is the Union of the two, of the Two Truths. We may call this the luminous space.)

Externally, we realize that the five kinds of grasped object are like a mirage, or the moon reflected in water. Therefore, conception/perception attached to grasping thoughts9 as truly existent does not occur.
Internally, we realize that fixating awareness is part-less like space, and that fixation is essence-less. Awareness with neither grasping or fixation, fresh reality, without intermediate processing by emanation or gathering, is the perfection of prajña. It is profound, peaceful, simple, naturally luminous, individual and personal wisdom. This is like amrita:

Profound and peaceful, simple and luminous, uncompounded
I have found a dharma that is like amrita.

This side is samsara. The other is nirvana. Perceiving neither, the three paths of learning between the two are the perfection of prajña.

The Abhisamayalankara says:

It is not the extremes of this side or the other.
Nor is it a matter of dwelling between the two.
Knowing the three times to be equality,
This is maintained to be the Prajñápáramitá.

ix) The way of the ultimate view

As for abiding within this, by the vast, great samádhi without fixation:

Let us cross the ocean of these three worlds of samsara
Within the vast ship of samádhi where grasping is never found,
Arriving at last in the nature of the great perfection.
Along with the bliss of the ground there is a constant well-being. [10]

(i.e. So this samádhi combines both one-pointed concentration of shamatha (space) and the insights about the real nature of reality gained with of vipashyana (wisdom). It is like the perfect Union of The Two Truths, which is the Middle Way: not accepting, not rejecting. it is beyond meditation and non-meditation. It is in accord with the goal, with the real nature of everything: not existence, not non-existence, not both, not neither; inseparability of appearances and emptiness.)

When we have crossed the ocean of samsaric complexities, abiding, as if in a ship, in realization of the view of the great vastness, the ground is primordial simplicity. The mind at that time is mixed with simplicity. This non-dual space and wisdom is called "the great perfection," so that is we have reached. Self-arising, un-produced realization perfects all goals.

The All-Creating King says:

Kye, therefore as prophesied by me the doer of all,
Make unerringly stable the meaning of what you heard.
Arising from Buddha activity free from action and seeking,
Un-made realization will complete all goals.

x) Identifying the defining characteristics of shamatha and vipashyana.

At the time of meditating, as the mind is quiet, without emanation and gathering:

Within this peaceful resting, or being, of shamatha,
A being which is the emptiness of Dharmakaya,

Vipashyana is appearance of luminous Rupakaya.

These are upaya and prajña and the two accumulations.
Both developing and perfection are established.

[Perfection Of The Six Paramitas and The Two Accumulations]

Ĝ The non-thought emptiness of resting is shamatha. 

§ Its cause is Dharmakaya, 

§ completing the accumulation of wisdom and prajña.

Ĝ Appearance because of luminosity is vipashyana.

§ Its cause is Rupakaya, 

§ Self-accomplishing the accumulation of merit and upaya. 

Ĝ At that time, the ultimate six conception-less perfections [paramitas] are perfected.

(i.e. The six paramitas are perfected by practicing them while remembering the emptiness of the three. Meditation / concentration is perfected by being in samádhi while knowing the emptiness of all dharmas. Prajna is perfected by the perfect Union of the Two.)

The Brahma Special Mind Requesting Sutra says:

No fixation is generosity.
No guarding is discipline.
No dwelling is called patience.
No effort is exertion.
No wishing is known as Dhyana.
No conception is prajña.

As for practice of these six, generosity and so forth, they are perfected not by dwelling on them, but by going beyond any thought of them. At this time true discipline is also perfected.

The Sutra Requested by the Sthavira Devaputramati

When discipline and transgression are not perceived, this is called perfection of discipline.

The two accumulations are also perfected.

The Ten Wheels of Perfecting the Bhumis says:

That non-conceptualizing is the accumulations of merit and wisdom.

The Ultimate Wisdom Sutra says:

The bodhisattva Pinnacle of Wisdom asked, "How should yogacharin monks gather the accumulations?"
The Buddha spoke, saying, What is accumulated is merit and wisdom. Accumulation is their manifold increase.

· How is the accumulation of wisdom gathered?

Ĝ It is generosity and so forth, white dharmas, which possess characteristics.

· How is wisdom accumulated?

Ĝ It is prajña and so forth, which possess no characteristics

How are these two gathered?

· The accumulation of merit is called the accumulation of samsara. It is like, for example, the water in an ox's track. Why so? It is quickly lost and exhausted. It beguiles fools. Having experienced the happiness of gods and human beings, they whirl about once more in the lower realms.

· The accumulation of wisdom is called the accumulation of nirvana. It is like the water in a great ocean. It is not lost. It is not exhausted. It is not deceptive. It produces attainment of nirvana.

· O Pinnacle of Wisdom, the accumulation of wisdom alone should be gathered.

The intention is that things belonging to merit are transformed into wisdom by Dhyana, and that wisdom in that sense should be emphasized.

xi) The functions or actions of shamatha and vipashyana

Arousing this prajña that realizes vipashyana,
We can remain within it because of shamatha.

Our previously becoming acquainted with the meaning of realizing vipashyana, depended on shamatha.
Therefore we should certainly try to unify the two.

(i.e. Vipashyana --> Shamatha
Shamatha --> Vipashyana
Shamatha <--> Vipashyana

Even though there are many various path, ultimately we need both. One alone is not enough. This is in accord with the goal and with the real nature of everything.)

xii) The time of realizing non-conception by becoming familiar with this

At this time of resting any attachment in equality:

When we no longer dwell in the mental phenomena
Of grasping and fixation of either things or non-things,
That is the non-duality of space and wisdom.
Mind and its objects are not perceived, and are pacified.

· When one meditates in the genuine meaning, realization that grasping and fixation of things and non-things are nature-less is the vipashyana that is "first to be done."

· Abiding within the state thus realized, without arising of the phenomena of mind is the shamatha, "to be done later"

· If space and wisdom are non-dual, union of shamatha and vipashyana as the fruition is established. Then these two should be known as inseparable.

The Bodhicaryavatara says:

Neither things nor non-things exist before the mind;
Other will be absent, in the peace of non-conception.

The six sections on:

2) How to establish samádhi by becoming familiar with this.

Ĝ a) The virtues of samádhi

Ĝ b) Explanation of the nine Dhyanas

Ĝ c) The time of attaining the three samádhis

Ĝ d) Briefly the relationship of vipashyana and shamatha to samádhi

a. The virtues of samádhi

How, by becoming familiar with this, are the virtues of samádhi established?

Though the mind possesses these virtues primordially, when they are obscured by defilements, they do not appear. Meditating in shamatha and vipashyana, we have an opportunity to purify all these obscurations.

When the false conceptions of mind dissolve into space:

Whenever the nature of mind, in primordial purity,
Is free from temporary, incidental false conceptions,

Then the nine Dhyanas and miraculous experience,
As well is the various higher perception will be there.
Countless clouds of samádhi are spontaneously present.

(i.e. The progression into the various samádhi stages with their qualities / advantages.
A progressive purification of the defilements, obscurations.)

When the incidental false conceptions of mind are purified, a host of good qualities are established, such as the nine Dhyanas.

b. Explanation of the nine Dhyanas

Ĝ i) What are they?

Ĝ ii) How the mind attains formless Dhyana

Ĝ iii) The way of practicing the nine Dhyanas

i) What are they?

When the mind, with desire to be in its natural place,
Meditates one-pointedly on anything,
With discursive thought and analytic discernment,
With bliss, and well-being, the first Dhyana [1] has arisen.

When meditation so analyzes without fixation,
That luminous mind of bliss and well being is the second Dhyana [2].

When meditation neither conceives or analyzes,
Steeped in bliss and well-being, the third Dhyana [3] has arisen.

Then when meditation has gathered in its bliss,
There is the fourth 4 with all the benefits of well being.

Here for mind with the wish for cessation [9], there are the four Dhyanas [1-4], and the five formless attainments [5-8]. These nine samádhis are the nine ultimate absorptions. Here, the mind of desire becomes one-pointed.

The above-described:
 

union of shamatha and vipashyana
is
the wisdom of complete non-thought.

By meditating within it, the mind of bliss, luminosity, and complete non-thought of wisdom are attained from the desirable support of being a human being. The support is attaining human birth with the freedoms and favors.

From access and the main meditation of the mind of Dhyana, access is the preparatory stage. [11] It is said that some do just the main meditation. Also each Dhyana is said to be the access to the next.

· 1) When the mind rests one-pointedly, there is access to the first Dhyana, which can handle anything. It has the discursive thought that one should meditate. By joining this to resting in complete non-thought, together with analytic discernment of the peak of mindfulness, there is the real object of meditation, the wisdom of non-thought. It examines thoughts and the boundary of meditation and post-meditation.

· 2) As for the second Dhyana, from the access of the first, one joins non-thought only to analytic discernment without examination by discursive conceptual thoughts. The main object is luminosity and non-thought.

· 3) As for the third, from the access of the second, transferring by being without either examination of discursive thought or analytic discernment, the special main object non-thought arises.

· 4) As for the fourth, from the access of the third, together with joy and bliss attained by samádhi, the special object arises.

The Middle Length Prajñápáramitá says:

The first Dhyana has conception and discrimination.
The second discriminates without conception
The third's attention neither conceives or discriminates
Bliss-gathering attention is the fourth.

ii) How the mind attains formless Dhyana

The mind of Dhyana:

Then the mind is pure translucency like space.
This attains the ayatana [12] of limitless space [5].

Then there is mind, without the complexities of all dharmas,
Attainment of the realm of limitless consciousness [6].

Then there is simplicity with neither mind nor appearance,
Attainment of the realm of nothing whatever [7].

Mind freed from complexities of existence and non-existence,
Is within the realm of neither existence nor non-existence [13] [8].

Then there is cessation of the nature of mind [9],
Composed of all the different complexities of the kleshas.
This is when the peace of nirvana is attained.

· 5) From the support of Dhyana arise the special formless minds. First there is realm of limitless space. As all dharmas are pure like space, there is steady attention to the undefiled essence.

· 6) Limitless consciousness is mind-only. There is attention on limitless mind, without beginning and end.

· 7) As for nothing whatsoever, because of non-conception or non-thought, the mind sees nothing at all.

· 8) The peak of samsara is attention to mind beyond all extremes of existence and non-existence.

· 9) In cessation 9, all the complexities of mind cease.

The Commentary on the Madhyamakavatara says:

Cessation 9 occurs because all complexities of the mind cease.

· To classify, after the mind examines and analyzes there is discriminating cessation.

· Not examining, resting in dharmata is non-discriminating cessation. (i.e. dharmin, the realm of dharmas, and dharmata, their real nature)

· Moreover, the cessation of bodhisattva, because of compassion, still looks after sentient beings.

The Madhyamakavatara says:

Though this is indeed samádhi of all-inclusive cessation,
Compassion remains, arising for helpless sentient beings.

If it is asked, but then complexities do not cease, do they?

In the compassion of the wisdom of complete non-thought, complexities do not exist.

The Middle Length Prajñápáramitá says:

Within the nine ultimate absorptions, there is the goal, "I should produce absorption." In general in the Dhyanas of ordinary beings and noble ones, aside from attaining the great fruition of the mind of equal space, there is the bliss of shamatha. Having thought, "all dharmas are like space," within that state, from the subsiding of the engagements of mind, one is impelled into the formless states of mind up to the peak of samsara.

Noble ones, in particular, by the wisdom of vipashyana, attain the unified nature that does not grasp dharmas as "me" and "mine." Having attained the mind of a great being, by attaining the supreme wisdom whose meditation sees as far as Akanishta, they pass beyond suffering to nirvana.

Within this mind are all the virtues of the formless Dhyanas. Though these samádhis are included within it, the mind does not have the individuating characteristics of those realms. Therefore, noble ones of the great vehicle do not fixate the arising of these realms.

iii) The way of practicing the nine Dhyanas.

As just explained:

Then at the end we practice the skills of these nine Dhyanas
Either in order, or out of order on the spot.

We shall have the knowledge, both for ourselves and others,
Of all the actions done in former and later lives.
We shall know the places where their minds will go.

Having completely eliminated the obscurations,
We shall see their deaths and births and transmigrations.
We shall manifest one and many emanations.

Because there are no kleshas, we shall have the wisdoms
That know the nature of dharmas and also their extent.
We shall see Buddha fields filled with Buddha-sons.

By meditating on the ultimate samádhis the formerly unknown eyes and higher perceptions become un-obscured.

There are miraculous displays, and the virtues of leaping up from bhumi to bhumi. Having seen the Buddha fields, we listen to the dharma there, perfect the accumulations, and so forth. Finally, from the three ways of meditating on these objects, as for the yawning lion, having meditated upward by stages in the four Dhyanas and four formless attainments, also meditate by stages downward as if one were climbing up and down a nine-runged ladder.

The Middle Length Prajñápáramitá says:

If it is asked, "what is the samádhi of the yawning lion of a bodhisattva Mahasattva?" it is like this. One fully attains the first Dhyana. After saying, "I am resting there," after ceasing with that it is taught that after that one goes on up to the peak of samsara, and then back down to the first Dhyana.

As for the lesser sudden approach, after having meditated upward on the Dhyanas, formless attainments, and cessation, one should jump back down to the first and meditate there.

From the two sections of the greater sudden approach, going up to cessation in a similar way, meditate on the first Dhyana. Having meditated on cessation, do likewise in each to cessation. Having entered into each, meditate on them by turns. As for entering into non-meditating mind, having arisen from cessation, produce the mind of non-meditation. So gradually meditate down until the first Dhyana.

Similarly the way is taught that without the first Dhyana, entering into the second, one should go upward to cessation, and meditate downward on each one. Then leave out the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, all eight, up to the eighth. Then meditate downward on each one.

The Abhisamayalankara says:

In the nine Dhyanas including the stage of cessation,
Both having gone and come in a twofold way,
Desire that realizes consciousness
Will grasp the border of non-meditation. [14]

As for the sudden approach, among the Dhyanas
Having skipped the first and second and third,
The fourth and fifth and sixth and seventh and eighth,
Go up to cessation in different ways.
The eyes and higher perceptions have been discussed.

c. The time of attaining the three samádhis

At the time of attaining the special samádhis:

Fully realizing appearance as illusion,
We shall have attained the illusion-like samádhi.

Since disturbance is pacified, the mind is free from torment.
Then there is the samádhi like a spotless moon.

In a single equality no dharmas are perceived.
There is the samádhi like a cloudless sky.

There will be countless hundreds and thousands of such samádhis.

· The single disk of the sun, by dispelling darkness is called the "light-maker". By radiating light rays, it is the "one with a thousand lights." By making lotus blossom, it is called "the friend of the lotus." It has many such different names. Similarly, when appearance is realized as illusion, one-pointed-ness on that is called the illusion-like samádhi.

· Pacifying the darkness and torment of the kleshas is the spotless moon samádhi.

· Realizing that all dharmas are like space is the cloudless sky samádhi.

· By the manifold increase of the virtues of these and other samádhis, within a single mind, hundreds, thousands, and countless others are attained.

· The illusion-like samádhi and so forth are taught in the sutras.

d. Briefly the relationship of vipashyana and shamatha to samádhi

Vipashyana is the meaning of total realization,
And proper shamatha will grasp this one-pointedly.
So retention and samádhi are in spontaneous union

(i.e. The one-pointed concentration (shamatha) and the seeing of the real nature of everything (vipashyana) are supporting each other. And this is in accord with the non-dual unborn goal, with the real nature of everything beyond the four extremes. This is "going back home".)

· The words and sense of the dharma, which have been well realized by discriminating vipashyana,

· are therefore one-pointedly grasped and kept in ones being by shamatha.

· As for vipashyana, within that retention, shamatha is resting in samádhi.

The Blossoming Wisdom says:

Vipashyana is the keeper
Of the gate of Dharma.
Shamatha is samádhi.

Regarding that grasper, the Tantra of Well-establishing says:

As to the why of "keeper,"
There are three kinds of keeping.
Both words and meaning are kept,
And good karma kept from damage.
Because of keeping these,
It is called their keeper.

By that the details of the subject are completed.

C. The stages of the paths of meditation on this

There are explanations of the purposes of the paths of accumulation, preparation, seeing, meditation, and no more learning. With the final summary, there are six sections.

Ĝ 1. The path of accumulation

§ a. The lesser path of accumulation

§ b. The middle path of accumulation

§ c. The greater path of accumulation

Ĝ 2. The path of preparation

Ĝ 3. The path of seeing

Ĝ 4. The path of meditation

Ĝ 5. The path of no more learning

Ĝ 6. The final summary expressing the purpose of the paths and Bhumis

1. The path of accumulation

Ĝ a. The lesser path of accumulation

Ĝ b. The middle path of accumulation

Ĝ c. The greater path of accumulation

a. The lesser path of accumulation:

Now as for the particular paths and their divisions, which should be known:

We are liberated by treading the five paths.

On the lower level of the path of accumulation
We should meditate on the four objects of mindfulness.
These four objects are body, feeling, mind, and dharmas. [15]

Since all the Buddhas attained enlightenment after having traveled over the five paths, their details are described here.

The first, the path of accumulation,

· Starts from the time of first meditating on producing the mind of supreme enlightenment.

· Until heat arises in one's being, the realizations of hearing, contemplating, and meditating along with the virtuous accumulations of samádhi are the path of crossing to the land of liberation.

· The cause of this path is awakening the gotra, the enlightened family. This is dependent on the newly aroused bodhicitta of the Mahayana.

· The fruition is the four subsequent paths.

· Semantically, it is called the path of accumulation because it chiefly "accumulates" hearing, contemplating, and merit.

· Of the three divisions, in the lesser chiefly meditate on the four objects of mindfulness, body, feeling, mind, and dharmas, both in meditation and post-meditation.

1. Here in meditation meditate on the bodies of oneself and others as being like space. Post-meditation is like illusion. Also, as an antidote to desire, meditate on perceptions of impurity.

2. Feelings too in meditation are not conceptualized, and in post-meditation are meditated on as being hollow and insubstantial like a plantain tree. Turn the attention to suffering.

3. Meditate on mind as unborn and impermanent.

4. Meditate on dharmas as only names and merely illusory.

The Sutra Teaching the Topic of Enlightenment says:

Whoever sees body as being like space, has the object of mindfulness of looking at the body with the body. Feelings are not conceived as internal, external, both, or neither. This is the object of mindfulness that looks at feelings. Mind is merely a name. By its nature it is unborn. Whoever sees this has the object of mindfulness of mind. Whoever sees all dharmas as non-dual has the object of mindfulness of dharmas.

b. The middle path of accumulation

After developing the former path from becoming familiar with it, meditate on the four means of true abandoning:

On the middle level of the path of accumulation
We truly abandon the four attachments to good and evil.
By yearning, effort, diligence, and exertion. [16]

So that non-arising of non-virtue will be produced, yearning is produced, and effort. One tries diligently and exerts oneself to abandon persons and so forth that produce the non-arising of virtue; and in order that its arising may increase, one produces effort and so forth, those four.

The Middle Length Prajñápáramitá says:

Subhuti, what are these four true ways of abandoning. They are like this. In order that non-arising of the non-virtuous may be produced,

Ĝ One produces yearning.

Ĝ One makes an effort.

Ĝ One is diligent.

Ĝ One undertakes to exert oneself supremely.

c. The greater path of accumulation

On the greater meditate on the four legs of miracle.
yearning, investigation, contemplation and mindfulness. [17]

Meditate on the four legs of samádhi-miracle, yearning, investigation, contemplation, and mindfulness.

The Mother says:

The yearning samádhi leg of miracle and these others, four altogether are taught.

On the greater path of accumulation, discipline is directed at enlightenment and we make an effort at yoga

· By binding the gates of the senses, understanding the proper measure of food and not sleeping in the first and last quarters of the night.

· By remaining conscientiously in non-accepting and non-rejecting there are delight, un-reproaching happiness, joy, faith, devotion and other such virtues that are causes of liberation.

· By making an effort in hearing, contemplating, and meditating, we are joined to the path of preparation.

· Also from the lesser path of accumulation one starts gathering the accumulations for three countless kalpas.

The Summary of the Vehicles says:

Those with the powers of fortune and ripening,
Becoming specially supported minds
As bodhisattvas over three countless kalpas,
They will make an effort it is taught.

At the time of meditating on the four objects of mindfulness, the time of arising of the path of preparation is uncertain.

· As for the particular antidotes of this path, when we have conceptually seen how formations do damage, the antidotes completely eliminate them.

· As for what is abandoned, when we have seen the faults of defiled dharmas, the corresponding attachments that make them manifest are cut off and abandoned.

· As for what is realized, mostly the two ego-less-nesses are realized in a general way through hearing and contemplating. There is also the arising of realization from meditation.

The General Compendium says:

Prajna arising from meditation is also relevant.

As for qualities, there are the eyes, higher perceptions, and all kinds of others.

The Mahayanasutralankara says:

At that time from out of the stream of Dharma
From the Buddhas there are shamatha and vast wisdom,
Extensive oral instructions will be attained.

Also:

Dwelling completely within the gates of Dharma,
One is instructed by seeing Tathágatas,
As if led away from strife and contention,
One is led from the manifold thickets of faults
To be established in true enlightenment.

At the time of attaining the greater path of accumulation one is mindful of the three prajña of hearing, contemplating, and meditating, the three jewels, and the three characteristics of all compounded things as impermanent defiled and painful. All dharmas are empty, selfless, nirvana and peace. These are the four Mudras of Dharma. Also faith, exertion, mindfulness, samádhi, and prajña are the five according with liberation, not arising within the essence of the senses. One meditates on discipline and generosity, the free and well favored body and birth, and the inhaling and exhaling of the breath. If the practice is completely performed, one should meditate on impure perceptions and the eight thoughts of a great being.

In preparation, first meditate on taking refuge and arousing bodhicitta. To accomplish the final purification, meditate on the nine impure perceptions. These are that the dead body of oneself and others become:

1). Rotten
2). Worm-eaten
3). Bloody red
4). Green
5). Black
6). Devoured
7). Scattered
8). Burned
9). Decomposed.

· For desire meditate on impurity,

· For hatred kindness,

· And for ignorance interdependent arising.

The Sutra Requested by Pungzang says:

Desire is mostly eliminated by one's having viewed
Impure flesh and fat, and skin and skeletons.
Aggression by the stream of kindness and compassion,
And ignorance by the path of interdependent arising.

As for the Eight thoughts of a great being, the Commentary on the Twenty-thousand says:

One thinks the thought,

Ĝ 1) "I am always able to remove suffering from sentient beings," and the thought,

Ĝ 2) "I am always able to establish beings who are afflicted by poverty in great wealth," and the thought,

Ĝ 3) "A body of flesh and blood can always be of use to sentient beings," and the thought,

Ĝ 4) "I could always benefit sentient beings by staying in hell for a long time," and,

Ĝ 5) "By worldly and world-transcending great wealth, I can always fulfill the hopes of sentient beings," and,

Ĝ 6) "Having become enlightened, I could always eliminate the sufferings of sentient beings," and the thought,

Ĝ 7) "The arising of what does not benefit sentient beings, the taste of the absolute being analyzed away as unity, words that do not make all beings think, livelihood that does not benefit others, and likewise body and prajña and wealth and power, and rejoicing in doing harm to sentient beings--in all generations may these never occur," and the thought,

Ĝ 8) "Because the fruition of the evil deeds of sentient beings always ripens in myself and the fruition of my virtue always arises in them, may they be happy."

Meditate on these together with taking refuge and arousing bodhicitta. Moreover, as taught before, meditate in the realm of complete purity.

2. The path of preparation

Then there is the explanation of the path of preparation:

There are four divisions of the path of preparation.
In the stages of heat and peak we meditate on the five powers [18]

Faith and energy, awareness samádhi and prajña.

In patience and highest dharma these five are the five supreme forces.

The support of the path of preparation is beings of any of the six realms in whom the greater path of accumulation has arisen and been finished. Countless gods, nagas, asuras, and so forth for whom it arose are described in the sutras. The support of thought is any of the six desire or samádhi levels. The cause is finishing the greater path of accumulation.

The Small Commentary says:

According with liberation, for delighted sentient beings there are therefore the aids to liberation.

· The essence is the worldly wisdom arisen from meditation.

· The four divisions are heat, peak experience, patience, and highest dharma.

· There is meditation in the stages of heat and peak experience on faith, exertion, mindfulness, samádhi, and prajña. They are called powers because they actually produce the power of arousing bodhicitta.

The Middle Length Prajñápáramitá says:

Faith and these others are explained as powers.

Moreover there are the four wisdoms of the four paths of preparation.

· First, as for the heat of the Mahayana, in attaining the wisdom of appearance, all dharmas are seen merely as mental appearances. By non-attainment the arising of worldly meditation, the antidote to grasping the true existence of objects is produced.

The Mahayanasutralankara says:

Like that for bodhisattvas,
Within their meditation,
Except as expressions of mind,
All objects are unseen.

As for such appearances, certainty in the dharma produces mental patience.

The Sutra of Possessing the River Gate says:

As for patience with the appearance of knowables, the thought of certainty in the dharma is the designation of the word.

That is also presented in the Mahayanasutralankara commentary.

· Peak experience is the wisdom of intensified appearance. Because the appearance of dharmas is intensified, by making an effort to meditate on ego-less-ness, meditation on appearance arising as the middle way is attained.


The Sutra of Possessing the River Gate says:

In order to intensify
The appearances of dharmas,
One should make a total
And persevering effort.

· Patience is an aspect of the wisdom of such-ness. Meditation-arisen appearance is grasped as consisting of mind-only. Supreme attainment of that produces an antidote for attachment to external objects.

The same text says:

As for having intensified
The appearance of all the dharmas,
One should dwell in mind only.
Then all appearances,
Will truly appear as mind.
At this time distraction
Of grasping will be abandoned.
The distraction of fixation
Then will remain alone.

· As for the highest or supreme dharma, the immediately preceding wisdom undistracted grasping of the meaning arising in meditation on mere appearance is completely perfected. There is nothing between this and attainment of the path of seeing of the Mahayana.

The same text says:

At that time unobstructed
Samadhi is quickly reached.

· The four aspects of ascertainment are each divided into three as

Ĝ Lesser,

Ĝ Middle,

Ĝ And greater,

Making twelve altogether.


The Mahayanasutralankara says:

Thus in terms of the aspects of ascertainment,
There are lesser and middle, and the great.

As for the particular antidotes, suppression is the antidote of abandoning. In general the four kinds of antidote are:

· 1). Antidote of eliminating,

· 2). Antidote of abandoning,

· 3). Supporting antidote,

· 4). Antidote of keeping one's distance. [19]

Of the two kinds of abandoning antidote, suppressing abandons by keeping down manifestations. In abandoning from the root the seeds are also cleared away, as with an unobstructed path. As for the special characteristics of abandoning, the seeds of obscuration and their manifestations are kept down, and one is liberated from the poverty and degeneration of individual beings. As for the special characteristics of its realization, by the wisdom arising in worldly meditation, the two ego-less-nesses are realized in an abstract way. As for the virtues, it is taught that from clouds of the three jewels there are many samádhis, dharanis, higher perceptions, and so forth.

As for what makes the path of preparation higher than the path of accumulation, though it is without distinction from the greater path of accumulation in meditation arising, in terms the wisdom of complete non-thought not being very clear, the two are distinguished as relatively near and far from the path of seeing.

The Great Commentary on the Eight Thousand says:

If there are no obstacles, this "very nearly arising of the path of seeing," should be known as especially according with the aspect of liberation.

3. The path of seeing

Then as for first seeing the wisdom of the noble ones:

The path of seeing occurs at the first bhumi called "supreme joy."
Here we meditate well on the seven limbs of enlightenment.
Joy and shinjang here are added to the five powers.

On completing the great supreme dharma, there is the arising of the wisdom of the path of seeing. It has the nature of sixteen moments.

For each of the four noble truths:

Ĝ 1) Suffering

Ĝ 2) The cause of suffering

Ĝ 3) The cessation of suffering

Ĝ 4) The path leading to cessation

There are:
 

Ĝ 1). Acceptance of knowing dharmas

Ĝ 2). Knowing dharmas

Ĝ 3). Acceptance of subsequent cognition

Ĝ 4). Subsequent cognition

As for these sixteen natures, The Abhisamayalankara says:

According with the four truths of suffering and so forth
There are dharma knowledge, and subsequent cognition,
With the acceptance of each, the instants of these natures,
And the way of knowing all these, is called the path of seeing.

The commentary says:

Of the individual truths, acceptance of knowing dharmas, knowing dharmas, acceptance of subsequent cognition, and subsequent cognition, as for the natures of these sixteen moments, on the occasion of knowing all these, there is the path of seeing.

The body of a being that is the support of this wisdom is one with the greater supreme dharma. It may be that of any of the beings of the six realms. It is not the seeing of the view of the shravakas. The support of thought is the four Dhyanas. The main cause is finishing the level of supreme dharma. Accumulation and preparation are the external causal factors. The fruition is production of the subsequent two paths. In the essence, by dividing the four noble truths, depending on defilements of the dhatus being abandoned, there are the sixteen moments. From the defilements and antidotes, as for the first, there are five kinds of defiling views. These are:

· 1). Views of a transitory collection,

· 2). Views that fixate extremes,

· 3). Wrong views,

· 4). Fixating a view as supreme, and

· 5). Fixating discipline and asceticism as supreme.

Also there are the five defiling non-views of doubt about these. By the ten kleshas of these ten defiling views arise in the desire realm; there is a wrong way of entering each of the four noble truths. There are forty wrong ways altogether.

For the two above, defiling views and non-views, for each of the four truths, there are also nine times four times two wrong enterings due to the nine bases of enmity, or seventy-two. Thus, all the kleshas abandoned by seeing, are 72 plus 30 or 112.

The Universal Compendium says:

As for the hundred and twelve kleshas, those are the kinds of kleshas to be abandoned by seeing.

As for enmity not entering into the four levels of Dhyana and the four formless attainments, since one's being has been moistened with shamatha, the nine tormented states of mind which are the bases of enmity are absent. Within these nine are

The three thoughts regarding oneself

· 1). This has harmed me before.

· 2). It will do so now.

· 3). In the future too, it will do so.

The three analogous thoughts about harm to friends
The three analogous thoughts about benefit to enemies

As for the ways of wrong entering by these kleshas, taking the truth of suffering as an example:

· 1) By the view of a transitory collection, within the truth of suffering one fixates me and mine.

· 2) By the view that grasps extremes, within the truth of suffering one fixates the extremes of existence, non-existence, Eternalism, and nihilism.

· 3) By wrong view, one grasps the truth of suffering as non-existent.

· 4) By ignorance, one enters not knowing the characteristics of the truth of suffering.

· 5) By doubt, one enters doubting whether the five skandhas do or do not suffer.

Within these five ways of entering,

· 1) Because of attachment to desire, desire is produced.

· 2) By pride, haughtiness and arrogance are produced.

· 3) By fixating the view as supreme, the supreme ultimate is fixated.

· 4) By fixating discipline and asceticism as supreme, one fixates the path to purification and liberation.

· 5) The way of entering with enmity toward what does not accord with these five, produces aggressive thoughts.

Entering the other three truths should be similarly understood. Moreover, the name of the truth of cessation is conceptualized, and one does not perceive the real entering of it.

As for the divisions of the antidotes, by seeing the kleshas of the three realms, the kleshas, which are to be abandoned, are abandoned. Here for the truths of suffering, its cause, cessation, and the path, there are the four acceptances of knowing the dharmas.

These characteristics cannot be within in one mental substance within one instant of arising time, since there are four aspects individually regarding the four truths, seeds of being seen and abandoned, and since the completely abandoning antidote is not without obstruction. They are abandoned by a hundred and twelve separate instants of seeing and abandoning.

Moreover, the direct cause of acceptance of knowing the dharmas of the individual four truths, and the corresponding things to be abandoned are encountered as two potencies. At a second time, the main cause and its corresponding to-be-abandoned are encountered as two non-potencies. At a third time, the arising of the four dharma acceptances and all their corresponding to-be-abandoned subtle seeds are abandoned in the manner of being simultaneously made to cease.

The Uttaratantra says:

As the sprout and so forth gradually arise,
As the husk of the seed is cut and split apart,
So by having seen the ultimate nature of such-ness
What is abandoned by seeing is driven out.

In the one mind-substance, the individual dharmas of the four truths are an antidote that is a path of complete liberation from the kleshas, which are aspects of those four truths about the three realms. Similarly with the four acceptances and the four subsequent knowledges, this is the path of the special antidotes of keeping one's distance. These abandonments also deal with the two obscurations. They liberate from these two.

The Center and Limit says:

The two-fold obscurations
Of kleshas and of knowables,
As for those obscurations
When they have been exhausted,
That is called liberation.

As for the distinctions of these two, The Uttaratantra says:

Where there are thoughts of avarice and so forth,
These are called the obscuration of kleshas.
Where discursive thoughts of the three realms,
These are called the obscuration of knowables

The obscuration of kleshas is the avarice and so forth of an un-pacified mind, whose essence is likely to be obscured by unhappiness.
The obscuration of knowables it thoughts of grasping and fixation, the object and perceiver without freedom from attachment to the true existence of the three realms, where the essence is likely to be defiled or obscured by unhappiness.

False conceptions of the obscuration of the kleshas are abandoned by seeing. The co-emergent kleshas are abandoned by meditation.

As for the obscuration of knowables, coarse thoughts of grasping and fixation are abandoned by seeing. Subtle ones are abandoned by meditation.

As for the distinctions of realization: By world-transcending prajña, the two ego-less-ness are realized in perception. The qualities are the previously mentioned hundred and twelve of the first bhumi.

As for the distinction of time, first by the revelation of the four truths there is the one time of the four acceptances. After that, there arises the one time of the four knowledges. After that arises the one time of the four acceptances of subsequent cognition. After that, by the arising of the single time of the four subsequent cognitions, in the four moments of completing the action, the essence of four kinds and sixteen aspects arises. There is simultaneous realization of the four truths, and so the four acceptances gradually arise.

Those things abandoned by seeing are instantly abandoned by acceptance of the Dharma. This happens in stages over the four aspects of the path of seeing.

Moreover, at the time of the first bhumi, one meditates on the seven limbs of enlightenment. What are they?

The Spiritual Letter says:

Mindfulness, investigating dharmas, and exertion
Joy, shinjang, samádhi, and equanimity;
These are the seven limbs of enlightenment.
This assembly of virtues makes one attain nirvana.

How so? The Sutra Teaching the Side of Enlightenment says:

· 1) Manjushri, for whomever there is no mindfulness and therefore no attention, seeing all dharmas as unreal is the limb of enlightenment of true mindfulness.

· 2) Manjushri, for whomever, because of completely not practicing virtue, non-virtue, or what is neutral, all dharmas are eliminated and unperceived, there is the limb of enlightenment of true investigation of dharmas.

· 3) Manjushri, for whomever, because of having destroyed perception of a body, there is neither accepting or rejecting of the three worlds, there is the limb of enlightenment of true exertion.

· 4) Manjushri, for whomever because they have destroyed joy and non-joy, all formations do not produce joy, there is the limb of enlightenment of true joy.

· 5) Manjushri, for whomever, because conceptual things are not conceived, the mind has become completely trained for all dharmas, there is the limb of enlightenment of shinjang.

· 6) Manjushri, for whomever, because they think of all dharmas as destroyed, mind is not conceived, there is the limb of enlightenment of true samádhi.

· 7) Manjushri, for whomever, because they do not dwell on anything, depend on anything, produce passion, or produce bondage, there is equanimity whose sight does not follow after dharmas, this attainment of joy is the limb of enlightenment of true equanimity.

4. The path of meditation

Because of becoming familiar with what has been seen:

There are lesser, middle, and greater paths of meditation.
Each of these again has been divided in three.
From lesser lesser to greater greater there are nine.
These are stainless, light-producer, and brilliant shining;
Difficult to conquer, presence, and far-going,
Immovable, good understanding, and finally cloud of dharma.
On these we travel over the noble eight-fold path,
Right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood,
Right effort, right mindfulness, and last right meditation.

The path of meditation accords with the true meaning seen on the path of seeing, producing ever-higher familiarity with this.

The Abhisamayalankara says:

With the path of seeing
Ascertain the limbs.
With the path of meditation,
Contemplate over and over.
Encounter and true perception
Are the path of meditation.

Within the path of meditation there are lesser, middle, and greater, again divided into three, so that there are nine in all. What are they?

The lesser lesser is the second bhumi, the spotless one.

The middle lesser is the third bhumi, the light producer.

The greater lesser is the fourth bhumi, the brilliantly shining.

The lesser middle is the fifth bhumi, the one difficult to conquer. The middle is the sixth bhumi, presence.

The greater middle is the seventh bhumi, the far-going one.

The lesser greater is the eighth bhumi, the immovable one.

The middle greater is the ninth bhumi, good intellect.

The greater greater is the tenth bhumi, the clouds of Dharma.

Regarding these nine levels, the same text says:

As for these nine Bhumis, the greater greater and so on
They are antidotes to defilements, lesser of lesser and so forth,
On these paths those defilements will be purified.

What is abandoned by meditation also has greater, middle, and lesser, and they are similarly divided into nine as greater greater, middle greater, lesser greater, greater middle, middle middle, lesser middle, greater lesser, middle lesser, and lesser lesser. On the nine levels of the stainless one and so forth they are gradually abandoned.

Moreover, these go from the lesser lesser, the second bhumi, the stainless one, on which the greater greater defilement is abandoned by meditation, up to abandoning the lesser lesser defilement to be abandonment by meditation on the greater greater path of meditation, the tenth bhumi.

These terms have the approach that coarser defilements are called greater and subtle ones lesser. The bodily support arising on these paths of meditation is the same as for the path of seeing. For the most part they are men and women of the three continents and gods of the desire and form realms. Other births are possible, and so the bodily support that has achieved birth can be any.

The same text says:

The fields and the practice exist like an illusion,
Samsara is received according to one's thoughts.

The support of mind is said to be mostly the four Dhyanas and whatever others there may be. The cause is the first three paths. The fruition is the path of no more learning. The essence, is that depending on the antidote for abandoning particular defilements on the nine Bhumis there are

· 1) Union,

· 2) The path of non-obstruction

· 3) The path of complete liberation

· 4) The special path.

These also abandon the obscurations of those Bhumis. Union and the path of non-obstruction are the antidote of abandoning. The path of complete liberation is the antidote to the support. The special path is the antidote of keeping one's distance .

For example, at the instant of the arising of the wisdom of the second bhumi, by the finish of the previous one of the first, manifestations of suppressing kleshas that obscure the second are abandoned.

While the wisdom of the second arises unobstructed, the corresponding apparent seeds of mischievous discipline, intrinsic but uncertain in their manifestation, are completely abandoned.

In the second instant, there is the main object. By the path of complete liberation, the antidote to the support is produced.
At the end of the bhumi, the level of the special path is the antidote of keeping one's distance.

From the first instant of these Bhumis until they are finished, their individual obscurations are abandoned in this way. These defilements are completely exhausted and abandoned at the same time the bhumi ceases.

Here these days some coarse describers of the perfections say that all abandonings by seeing are abandonment on arising. They maintain that all that is abandoned by meditation is abandoned by the path of cessation. By this stupid kind of antidote guarding and dharmas are seen as being the same thing.

The Edifice of the Three Jewels says:

Here by bodhisattvas, at the time when this spotless one has completely arisen, the defilements of mischievous discipline are completely abandoned.

From that, up to the tenth aspect of defilements that do not accord with the tenth bhumi, at the time when these Bhumis arise, having been abandoned on the path of non-obstruction, by the path of complete liberation the antidote to the support is produced, until by the special antidote, the obstruction of keeping one's distance is abandoned.

Moreover, if all that is abandoned on seeing is abandoned by meditation on things as they are, how can these things be abandoned at all?

The quality was already explained in the case of the previous bhumi. As for how the nine defilements of the nine Bhumis are abandoned, there are six co-emergent stains:

· 1) Desire,

· 2) Enmity,

· 3) Pride,

· 4) Ignorance,

· 5) The view of a transitory collection,

· 6) The view that fixates extremes.

By divisions of the realms, in the desire realm there are all 6. Within the Dhyanas and formless attainments, enmity is absent, so there are five and five there, 16 altogether.
By the levels, in desire there are 6. There are 4 Dhyanas + 4 formless attainments. With those 8, counting 5, there are 26.
Divided by greater and middle, the 6, plus greater and middle [and another?] desire = 9. In the other 5 are also 9 each, equals 54.
In the 4 levels of Dhyana, since enmity is discarded, the greater middle 5 kleshas are 9 and 9 of 45.
Similarly in the formless realm, there are 45 in 5 sets. By combining them, those things abandoned by meditation are 440.
The way of abandoning is that by union they are suppressed. By having no obstacles they are really abandoned.
By complete liberation, the antidote to the support is produced. By the special path by the means of producing the antidote of keeping one's distance, within the nine Bhumis the manifestations and seeds are abandoned.
Within these Bhumis one completely meditates on the eight-fold noble path.

The Spiritual Letter says:

Right view, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness
With right samádhi are limits placed on speech and action.
Right thought is concerned with the eight limbs of the path.
Meditate on these for the sake of producing peace.

The Sutra Teaching the Side of Enlightenment says:

Manjushri, wherever someone sees all dharmas as without inequality and non-dual, this is right view.
Manjushri, wherever someone sees all dharmas as unseen, seeing them as without thought, without conception, completely without discursive thought, this is right thought.
Manjushri, wherever someone sees all dharmas as inexpressible, this is right speech.
Manjushri, completely establishing all dharmas in a manner without effort and without establishing is right effort.
Manjushri, seeing all dharmas without engaged attention and mindfulness is right mindfulness.
Manjushri, since all dharmas are not conceptualized, they are naturally at rest in meditative equality/equanimity. Seeing them in the non-disturbance of non-conception is right samádhi.

If one looks at the intrinsic essence of these Bhumis, it is beyond conceptual thought.

The Avatamsaka Sutra says:

As for these Bhumis of the Buddha-sons, their appearance is utterly and completely pure, like the track of a bird in the sky.

By clearing away the details obscuring the dhatus, they are transformed into the ultimate dhatu, and one looks with the vision of Buddhahood. This is differently presented. At the time of the final purification of individual defilements, the primordial space of the dhatu or luminous Buddhahood is seen in its intrinsic luminosity, like the moon appearing by the power of the time of the month.

The Praise of Dharmadhatu says:

Just as in the cycle of the moon,
It is seen to grow from moment to moment,
So the ones who dwell upon the Bhumis,
Are gradually seen to be increasing.

Just as on the fifteenth day of waxing,
The circle of the moon is round and full,
So at the completion of the Bhumis,
Dharmakaya is said to be complete.

5. The path of no more learning:

Reaching the end of practice on these four paths of learning,
Involved with the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment,
Then we reach the final path of no more learning.
Here in non-dwelling nirvana we pass beyond suffering.

When accumulation of the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment on the paths of learning is finally complete, the level of no more learning, the enlightenment of Buddhahood manifests. Here the bodily support, according to the ordinary vehicles, is of the Brahmin or kshatriya castes of Jambuling. According to the Mahayana, it is maintained that by attaining the Sambhogakaya realm of Akanishta, the Buddha is born with that as a support. It is the same as the support of a bodhisattva of the tenth bhumi.

The support of thought is the four Dhyanas. The cause is the four paths of learning of the Mahayana. The fruition is establishing limitless beings in enlightenment by the great Buddha activity. As for the essence, the inexhaustible body, speech, mind, quality, and action of the level of Buddhahood is the sphere of the ornament. As for abandoning, the two obscurations together with their habitual patterns are abandoned.

The Vajra Peak says:

The kleshas and likewise birth,
And likewise the obscurations
Of kleshas and knowables,
Completely incompatible,
These classes are overcome.
That is the explanation
Of ultimate Buddhahood.

As for the distinguishing characteristics of the realization, one realizes complete perception of Dharmakaya. The commentary to the Uttaratantra says:

Bhagavan you have limitless comprehension of Dharmakaya
Limitless knowables pervading the space of the dhatu are seen.

As for the qualities, all the limitless world-transcending qualities are perfected.

The Precious Mala of the Middle Way says:

By the Buddhas, other than that,
In the palace of omniscience,
That vastness is expressed
By saying they have the ten powers.
As for each of these powers
The alaya of beings is already immeasurable.
The immeasurableness of the Buddhas
Is said to be comparable
To the space of all the directions
With its earth, water, air, and fire.
It is said to be just that.

6. The final summary expressing the purpose of the paths and Bhumis

Now the final summary tells the purpose of these paths and Bhumis.

No Buddhas have ever arisen anywhere at all
Without having first gone through these ten Bhumis and five paths.

Liberated through many lives in many kalpas,
This is the path where all of them have placed their trust.

Those on the vehicles of either cause or fruition,
Must learn these paths and Bhumis and travel over them.

It is impossible that unsurpassable enlightenment should arise without fully completing the paths and Bhumis.

The Sutra of Buddhas and Beings says:

Those who attained the kalpa's Buddhahood
Who became its lord steersmen, all of these
Arose by having traversed the paths and Bhumis.
Therefore desiring the treasury of the Buddha,
Supported by ultimate Buddhahood, strive on these.
Aside from this path, it will not rise from another.

Whether Buddhahood is attained over many kalpas, in ten lives, six, and so forth, or very quickly in one life, one must travel according to the paths and the Bhumis. That is because the obscurations of these must be purified and their good qualities perfected.

These days, when people try to attain Buddhahood without depending on the paths and Bhumis, the accumulations are not perfected. The obscurations are not purified. Exponents of this manner of maintaining say that without completing the paths and Bhumis enlightenment is attained, and that the same blessings manifest in another way. But this would contradict the great learned and accomplished ones of the sutras and tantras, and the great treatises.

Therefore, try to train in the genuine paths and Bhumis.

D. The dedication of merit

Now as for the dedication of the merit to perfect enlightenment, this true way:

When all beings by this essence, profound and luminous,
Have thoroughly pacified disturbances of mind,
Exhausted by long belief in complexity here in samsara,
May the mind today relieve its weariness.

Cooled by the appearance of the rain of this good presentation of this true, great path, by the quietly falling water of merit flowing into the filled ocean, when the disturbance of the kleshas of beings have been completely pacified, may this nature of mind exhausted by the beginning-less complexities of samsara ease its weariness in the hermitage of the natural purity of Dharmakaya mahasukha.

May the mirror-like wisdom, the great full lake of dharmata, (i.e. dharmin, the realm of dharmas, and dharmata, their real nature)
In equality of non-thought, free from the stains of extremes,
Reaching the goal of renunciation/realization,
Fulfill without remainder all the hopes of beings.

Those who wander alone in the darkness of ignorance,
Oppressed by suffering in the torments of the three fires
Sightless and separate from the path of liberation,
Not remaining here, may they soon attain nirvana.

Though they have the freedoms and favors without exception,
They are impermanent and essence-less.
Having abandoned all unwholesome evil deeds,
Without exception may they attain enlightenment.