by Longchenpa
109. See part 2, “The Omniscient Longchenpa Speaks about His Realization,” pp. 265–267.
110. The words in italics are a literal translation of Longchenpa’s name, Dri med ’od zer.
111. “Because their appearance and their emptiness are inseparable, phenomena transcend the concepts of one and many and thus are unconfined. This is what is meant when it is said that they are like space. As it is said in The All-Creating King,
All things have a space-like nature.
Space has no intrinsic being.
Space is unexampled.
Space is measureless.
Understand that such is the reality
Of everything without exception.
“Just as phenomena are equal in that they are all like space, they are equal in the way that they appear, like reflections in a mirror. They are equal in their emptiness and are like reflections devoid of independent concrete existence. But since they are causally efficient, they are equal in being true from the point of view of the deluded mind. They are like form and its reflection, which are both able to generate the cognitive function of the visual consciousness. They are also equal in their falsity, for they are baseless hallucinations like the experiences of those who have consumed the datura plant. They are equal in their presence, for from the point of view of mere appearance, they are like the oxen that appear in a magical display. They are also equal in their absence, for they lack intrinsic being like water seen in a mirage. They are equal in transcending all limitation, for they are like the infinity of space. Phenomena are equal from the very first. Their ultimate nature is a sphere that transcends all division and defies all description. They are primordially empty.” [AC 904: 2–905: 1]
112. “The theory of the skandhas, dhātus, and so on is but a mental imputation, and mental imputations do not occur in the way that things do. They are intrinsically empty. Nominal ascriptions cannot be located either inside or outside their corresponding objects. They are adventitious and do not exist [as concrete entities]. Although specific characteristics are ascribed to objects, the latter are simply names, mere configurations of thought. Although it is said that the objects labeled are like fire arising from its fuel, they are but the forms perceived through deluded habit, like a fire seen in a dream. They have no existence in any fundamental sense. It is thus that phenomena and beings that seem to exist to the deluded mind are but appearances onto which [the idea of] existence has been superimposed. All sense objects, however they appear, are equal in their deceptive character. It is not that things fall into two categories: true and false. If one examines appearing objects and the cognitions that apprehend them, they are unconnected, for they do not impinge upon each other. When subject and object are examined, they are like space, for they are not [intrinsically] related either as a subject relating to its object or as an object to which a subject relates. Their relationship in fact has no reality. Moreover, not only does this relationship not exist, but neither do the mental categories of “universal ideas” and “particular instances” exist in the sense of concrete, specifically characterized entities. For whether one classifies them as universals or particulars, these designations are on a level in that they produce no discernible change in phenomena themselves. When one examines the matter in this way, the folly of grouping unrelated items in terms of apprehender and apprehended becomes evident. It demonstrates that all grasping that arises from ignorance is mistaken.” [AC 906: 1–907: 2]
113. “Let me explain this in the well-known manner that is easy to understand: When the reflection of a face appears in a mirror, it is perceived without the [actual] face and the reflected face becoming two different things. Neither does the reflection arise through the transference of the image from the face into the mirror. In the same way, when the manifold objects of the senses appear to their respective sense consciousnesses, it is not the mind that goes to the outer object. Rather it is the aspect of the object that appears in the sense consciousness. And this should be understood in a way similar to the appearance of reflections in a mirror. Although a face appears in the mirror, it is not the actual face that is transferred therein. It is the reflection, or the aspect, of the face that appears in it. When an aspect arises in consciousness, it is through the mind’s clinging to it [as the actual, really existing, thing] that one is deluded in saṃsāra.
“When, however, this matter is properly examined, even the claim that the mind does not go out to its object but that it is the aspect of the object that arises in the mind is not substantiated. Since the mind that arises [as the object] does not exist inside or outside the body or somewhere in between, there is nothing that apprehends the aspect. Moreover, if this aspect is examined, it has no intrinsic being, with the result that the aspect arising in the mind is not established either. Therefore neither subject nor object is logically established. As it is said in the Root Stanzas on the Middle Way,
What arises in dependence on another
Is not at all that thing itself.
But neither is it something else—
There is no annihilation, there’s no permanence.” [18: 10]
[AC 907: 6–908: 5]
114. “Śamatha (calm abiding) and vipaśyanā (profound insight) are considered either to share the same nature or to be different. In the first case, śamatha is considered to be the stillness aspect, while vipaśyanā is the clarity aspect, of the mind. And it is through the union of śamatha and vipaśyanā, whereby the [union of] emptiness and luminosity is understood as the absence of conceptual extremes, that one is liberated from samsaric existence. It is said in the Suhṛllekha:
Lacking wisdom, concentration fails.
And without concentration, wisdom too.
For someone who has both, saṃsāra’s sea
Fills no more than the print left by a hoof.
“In the second case, śamatha and vipaśyanā are considered to be different in two ways: according to the letter of the teachings and according to their sense. On the one hand, the one-pointed mind that rests in the meaning of what has been learned is śamatha, while the understanding of this meaning is vipaśyanā. On the other hand, to concentrate one’s mind by means of meditation is śamatha, whereas to realize subsequently that the mind has no intrinsic existence is vipaśyanā.” [AC 920: 3–920: 6]
115. This is a reference to the five kinds of vision and the six kinds of preternatural knowledge that are numbered among a buddha’s qualities of realization. See TPQ, Book 1, p. 387.
116. “The path is said to traverse the stages of four primordial wisdoms….As The Ocean of Jewels tells us,
In terms of luminosity, when the four aspects are complete,
This is the ground of great primordial wisdom.
“Light” is the absence of discursive thought.
Its “increase” is illusory primordial wisdom.
Its “culmination” is the supreme noble path.
Its “utter culmination” is the path’s completion.”
[AC 935: 2–4]
117. “On the path of meditation, in its lesser, medium, and greater stages, practitioners grow used to the primordial wisdom they have beheld [on the path of seeing]. They acquire innumerable qualities on each of the grounds and bring benefit to beings by means of their emanations. On the first seven grounds, the states of meditation and postmeditation are distinct because discursiveness persists in the postmeditation period. On the three pure grounds, however, manifest thoughts no longer occur, and therefore the stages of meditation and postmeditation mingle in a single taste within the state of primordial wisdom.” [AC 940: 3–4]
118. See TPQ, Book 2, pp. 155–57.
119. “It is through mental stillness, namely, the emptiness aspect free of thoughts, that calm abiding, the perfection stage, and the accumulation of wisdom (the cause of the dharmakāya) are spontaneously accomplished. On the other hand, it is through the mind’s luminosity, the appearance aspect, that deep insight, the generation stage, and the accumulati
on of merit (the cause of the rūpakāya) are also spontaneously accomplished. At that moment, the six ultimate transcendent virtues, free from conceptual focus, are brought to perfection. As the Question of Brahmaviśeṣacinti Sūtra says, ‘The absence of clinging is generosity. Nonobservance is discipline. Nonabiding [in the extremes] is patience. The absence of effort is diligence. The absence of one-pointedness is meditative concentration. The absence of concepts is wisdom.’
“Regarding generosity and the other five practices, if one simply abides by them, they do not in themselves become transcendent virtues, If, however, one does go beyond all such attitudes, they become transcendent. And at that point, true discipline is perfected. As it is said in the Question of Susthitamatidevaputra Sūtra: ‘When there is no concept of discipline or indiscipline, this is transcendent discipline.’ Furthermore, the two accumulations are perfected. As it is said in the Ten Wheels of Kṣitigarbha Sūtra, ‘It is the absence of conceptual focus in their regard that constitutes the accumulations of merit and wisdom.’ And in the Sacred Primordial Wisdom Sūtra, we find,
The bodhisattva Jñānaketu asked, ‘What accumulations are gathered by a monk who engages in the practice?’
The Buddha answered, ‘Merit and wisdom are accumulated and their gathering is very great.’
The bodhisattva asked, ‘What is the accumulation of merit?’
The Buddha answered, ‘Merits are positive, wholesome phenomena endowed with characteristics such as generosity.’
The bodhisattva asked, ‘What then is the accumulation of wisdom?’
The Buddha answered, ‘It consists in the absence of characteristics, transcendent wisdom, and so on.’
The bodhisattva asked, ‘What are these two accumulations like?’
The Buddha answered, ‘The accumulation of merit is referred to as a samsaric accumulation. It can be likened to the water contained in a cow’s hoofprint. How so? It is because it is soon destroyed and exhausted. It leads the childish astray. For after experiencing the bliss of the divine and human states, they must wander in the lower realms. The accumulation of wisdom, however, is referred to as a nirvanic accumulation; it is like the water of a vast ocean. How so? Because it is indestructible, inexhaustible, and undeceiving and brings one to the attainment of nirvāṇa. O Jñānaketu, you should gather only the accumulation of wisdom.’
“When the Buddha said this, he was thinking of the fact that positive actions leading to happiness are transformed [when they are associated with wisdom] into actions leading to liberation, and that therefore practitioners should meditate principally [on wisdom].” [AC 965: 6–967: 4]
120. “As it is said in The Way of the Bodhisattva,
When something and its nonexistence
Both are absent from before the mind,
No other option does the latter have:
It comes to perfect rest, from concepts free.” [6: 34]
[AC 968: 3]
121. As explained in stanzas 41 and 42, the nine absorptions are the four samādhis of form, the four absorptions of no-form, and the absorption of cessation.
122. For the four samādhis, see TPQ, Book 1, pp. 329–31.
123. For the four absorptions, see ibid., pp. 331–32.
124. “The perfect understanding of the words and meanings of the Dharma, gained through all-discerning profound insight, is held one-pointedly in the mind by means of calm abiding. This being so, it follows that profound insight consists in dhāraṇī, while calm abiding is concentration. As it is said in the Expanded Primordial Wisdom: ‘Profound insight is dhāraṇī—the power of retaining the Dharma teachings. Calm abiding is concentration.’ And concerning dhāraṇī, it is said in the Excellent Accomplishment Tantra, ‘Dhāraṇī is of three kinds. It is the perfect power of retaining the words, the meanings, and the words and meanings together. And since it protects or retains these from decline, one speaks of the dhāraṇī or power of retaining.’” [AC 976: 1–3]
125. For an explanation of practice on the path of accumulation, see TPQ, Book 1, pp. 391–92. Regarding the four bases of miraculous ability, Yönten Gyamtso cites endeavor (brtson ’grus) instead of mindfulness (dran pa) (YG II, p. 978).
126. For the four stages of the path of joining, see TPQ, Book 1, pp. 392–93.
127. For the seven elements leading to enlightenment on the path of seeing, see ibid., p. 393. Yontan Gyatso cites evenness (btang snyoms) instead of confidence (dad pa). Longchenpa’s autocommentary also cites evenness instead of confidence (AC 991: 3 and 992: 4).
128. See TPQ, Book 1, pp. 227–29.
129. For the Eightfold Noble Path, see ibid., p. 394.
130. “Just like waves falling back into the water, when thoughts arise, they subside in the instant that they occur. Their arising and subsiding occur simultaneously. At that time, their arising and subsiding corresponds to profound insight and to the gathering of the conceptual merit (snang bcas bsod nams) naturally present as the generation stage. To dwell in the limpid clarity of self-cognizing awareness, which is peaceful by its nature, corresponds to calm abiding and to the gathering of nonconceptual (snang med) wisdom, which is present as the stage of perfection. So it is that śamatha and vipaśyanā are naturally united and dwell spontaneously within the mind from the very beginning.” [AC 1023: 6–1024: 2]
131. “Through watching the sky of the outer world, which is taken as a symbol of awareness, the awareness thereby symbolized will arise. The secret [sky] will subsequently manifest, that is, the realization of primordial wisdom. This is the ultimate instruction in which all other teachings are set forth….Just as the symbol, the [outer] sky, is empty, luminous, and unceasing, so too the mind cognizing it is unceasing primordial wisdom, which is luminous and empty. This is the inner sky or space. Thence there arises primordial wisdom, empty, luminous, and free from conceptual construction, accompanied by the experiences of bliss, luminosity, and no-thought. All phenomena sink back into the nature of space. This is a freedom from the apprehension of things and their characteristics and is the secret sky of luminosity. It is at that time that the ten signs—smoke and so forth—manifest. And as the wind-mind enters the central channel, the five lights illuminate the entire abyss of space.” [AC 1025: 2–1026: 2]
132. “This is ultimate purity. The luminosity of the ground has been attained. Within the sky of the ultimate expanse, primordial wisdom of inner luminosity dwells in the manner of the new moon. It is the support or ground of manifestation of the qualities of omniscience. There is no outwardly appearing saṃbhogakāya that, from the very beginning, is perceptible to beings to be trained. For at this point, there is but the sole dharmakāya, beyond all stains of the four extremes. At the time of the new moon, although the moon is in the sky, it does not radiate light whereby it could be observed. Likewise, the primordial wisdom of the dharmakāya, gathered into the ultimate expanse, is extremely subtle and profound. As we find in The Light of Primal Wisdom, ‘Since it is gathered into the ultimate expanse, it is invisible. Since it is extremely subtle, it is not nonexistent. Like the new moon, it is deep, peaceful, and extremely subtle.’” [AC 1045: 2–1045: 5]
It should be understood that the phases of the moon are not understood in terms of the moon’s position in relationship to the sun (as in the heliocentric solar system). According to the cosmology of ancient India, the moon, composed of water crystal, produces its own light, projecting and withdrawing it in phases in the course of the month.
133. See also TPQ, Book 2, pp. 278–79.
134. This refers to the dualistic way of knowing in terms of the apprehended object and the apprehending mind.
135. “Just as at the time of the new moon [when all one sees is the sky alone], when primordial wisdom is blended with the ultimate expanse (the space of the mind’s nature), all mental elaborations subside, whereas wisdom-knowledge remains unceasing. This [wisdom] is therefore said to be ‘gathered within and yet not dulled’ (thim la ma rmugs). The primordial wisdom of inner luminosity, in a
state of perfect equipoise, constitutes the core from which the outwardly radiating luminosity is diffused and spread. This does not apprehend the duality of subject and object. It is the extraordinary nonconceptual primordial wisdom: the peaceful dharmakāya, the body of ultimate reality.” [AC 1048: 2–4]
136. “The three bodies mentioned here—subsisting as the inner luminosity of the ultimate expanse—are the actual support for the arising of the outwardly radiating luminosity. They are not permanent because they are beyond all reference and conceptual focus. Neither are they discontinuous, for they are self-cognizing primordial wisdom (so so rang rig pa’i ye shes). Neither are they both or neither. Since they are not established as either permanent or discontinuous, this second pair of alternatives is also excluded.
“Since the three bodies of inner luminosity are the ground of manifestation, they provide—for bodhisattvas dwelling on the grounds, as well as for ordinary beings—the cause for seeing the form bodies (of the outwardly radiating luminosity), for hearing their teachings, for smelling the perfume of their sublime discipline, for savoring the taste of Dharma, for feeling the blissful touch of concentration, and for comprehending the Dharma with reasoning and intelligence. All these things arise from the wisdom of inner luminosity, which dwells in the ultimate expanse—like the light of the new moon gathered in the sky—and which can be experienced by none but the buddhas alone.” [AC 1049: 2–6]