by Donald Lopez
‘Father-mother-in-union, both of them, are the All-Good expanse of awareness. All-Good Female, who shows darkness to be appearance, decisively cuts the cord of the mind of action-acting. She doesn’t stay in the object of grasping but rather shines forth as self-appearance with ease. With no desire she cuts straight through appearance. Since All-Good Female is the lamp itself, you don’t have to search for Self-Appearing All-Good Female anywhere else.
‘In All-Good father-mother-in-union, for whom theory and analysis are not two, the fruit – the blissful point-sphere – spreads in ten directions. With no object of activity, there is no grasping conceptualizing about manifestation. There is no externally produced, while the internally produced is spontaneous. It is neither, and only the particular meaning is engaged. Not made, it is produced spontaneously.
‘Father All-Good Male is primordial gnosis, displayed as whatever. Mother All-Good Female collects everything into the state. Lacking a mark-name, it is the body of All-Good mind. Lacking grasping mind, self-appearance skilfully cuts through. Unborn realization appears as its own object.
‘I, non-conceptualizing dharma-body All-Good Male, look yonder at the object that is reality, awareness manifested, and thereby see awareness within, apart from the variety. By looking yonder at the many objects that are self-awareness, I find the great non-conceptualizing dharma-body within.
‘The primordial gnosis of the buddhas has no partiality from the beginning. Play in the vast primordial gnosis of the enjoyment body. This is the spontaneity that has no action or acting.
‘Realization self-appearing is reality, the lord of all. It is a reality which is like a sky which was polluted but is now unpolluted. It is like a crystal ball which was unpure but was washed and is now clear. This is the dharma-body’s non-conceptualizing self-awakened meditation. When you realize the own-truth that has no perceivable objects, it will be the great meditative concentration which has neither coming together nor parting.
‘That is the teaching of the great fruit of self-appearance.’
From the fourth chapter of The Great Tantra of the Lion’s Perfected Display-Energy, displaying the understanding of the two lions in union.
Translated by Janet Gyatso from the fourth chapter of The Great Tantra on the Lion’s Perfected Display-Energy (Senge rtsal rdzogs chen po’i rgyud), in the rNying ma rGyud ’bum, vols. 54–63 of The Tibetan Tripitaka: Taipei Edition (Taipei: SMC Publishing Inc., 1991), vol. 56, pp. 197–219. This selection from chapter four is drawn from folios 593–602 (pp. 202–3).
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BUDDHAHOOD IN THIS LIFETIME
The various texts and ritual techniques encompassed by the term ‘Buddhist tantra’ became established in East Asia (China, Korea and Japan) from the eighth century. The various claims of supernormal power and the images of sovereignty that commonly occur in tantric texts first created great interest in the courts of East Asian kings. But it was the sublime speech of the mantra, the sublime form of the maṇḍala, and the sublime mental states of divine possession that are central to tantric practice that were to gain wide influence in the Buddhist traditions of East Asia.
The most important figure in the dissemination of Buddhist tantra in Japan was Kūkai (774–835). It is important to note, however, that Kūkai and his Chinese teachers did not refer to their tradition with the term ‘tantra’, but rather as ‘esoteric Buddhism’ (mikkyō). Kūkai was not the first exponent of esoteric Buddhism in Japan, but he was certainly the most famous. Born into an aristocratic family, he was selected by the Japanese court to go to China for an extended period of study. He sailed for China in 804 and proceeded to the Tang capital, where he met the esoteric master Huiguo, from whom he received a series of initiations. Kūkai returned to Japan after thirty months in China, carrying with him a collection of texts and ritual objects. He eventually received the permission of the emperor to establish a new sect, which he called Shingon (‘true word’), on Mount Kōya. After an active career as one of the most important cultural figures of his age (he is reverentially referred to as Kōbō Daishi, ‘Great Teacher Who Spread the Dharma’) he ‘entered samādhi’ on Mount Kōya in 835. Although memorial services were performed each week for seven weeks after his death, no funeral was performed. Kūkai appeared to be alive, and his hair and beard continued to grow. He was sealed inside a mausoleum, where priests continue to change his clothes. His followers believe that he is not dead, but in a state of deep meditation, from which he will rise when the next buddha, Maitreya, appears.
Kūkai was the author of a number of influential treatises in which he set out the theory and practice of esoteric Buddhism. Like other East Asian masters, he regarded esoteric Buddhism as the fulfilment of the Mahāyāna, offering a special path to the most highly qualified disciples (he set forth a ten-stage hierarchy of disciples, beginning with the ‘goat-like’ and ending with the proper disciples of Shingon). He also clearly distinguished between the exoteric teachings and the esoteric teachings. The exoteric required lifetimes of practice on the bodhisattva path, while the esoteric teachings provided the means for achieving buddhahood in this lifetime. In the exoteric teachings, the true nature of enlightenment could not be expressed because it was beyond ordinary language. However, the esoteric teachings had their own language, the ‘true words’ of mantras which could express the ultimate reality. These teachings were also received from a different buddha.
One of Kūkai’s innovations appears to be his reinterpretation of the term dharmakāya. As we have seen, Indian Mahāyāna texts had described three bodies of the Buddha. The nirmāṇakāya or ‘emanation body’ was the form of a buddha that appears in the world. The saṃbhogakāya or ‘enjoyment body’ was the form of a buddha that appears in pure lands. The dharmakāya, literally ‘body of qualities’, was not a physical body but a corpus of transcendent qualities shared by all buddhas. In some texts, it is represented as a cosmic principle. Kūkai claimed that whereas the exoteric teachings had been preached by the nirmāṇakāya Śākyamuni, the esoteric teachings had been preached by the dharmakāya, which he identified as Mahāvairocana, as a direct and unmediated expression of his enlightenment. Esoteric practice is designed to unite the disciple with the dharmakāya, through the transformation of body (through mudrā or gesture), speech (through mantra) and mind (through samādhi).
The selection below is taken from a work entitled Transforming One’s Body into the Realm of Enlightenment (Sokushin Jobutsugi). Although the exact date of composition is unknown, many scholars believe that this work was written in the final years of the reign of Emperor Saga (r. 809–823), when Kūkai – having gained the acceptance of his innovative teaching by the Buddhist establishment of his day – began his work of initiating many eminent priests into the esoteric Buddhist discipline. In 822, for example, Kūkai’s alliance with Tōdaiji, the largest temple complex in the ancient capital, Nara, enabled him to build in that temple Kanjōdō, Abhiṣeka Hall, the first Japanese Buddhist structure erected exclusively for performing esoteric Buddhist rituals and ceremonies.
In his earlier writings, Kūkai worked to demonstrate the utility of studying esoteric Buddhism for deeper understanding of the exoteric schools. In contrast, his focus in Transforming One’s Body is to provide the theoretical underpinning to his claim that all sentient beings are endowed with the psychosomatic qualities that enable them to transform their bodies into the bodies of buddhas. Thus, through the mastery of the esoteric meditative-ritual system, practitioners are empowered to convert instantaneously their ‘body-mind’ into the realm of enlightenment. It appears therefore that the work is aimed at those advanced scholar-monks who rapidly formed themselves into the first generation of Japanese esoteric Buddhist initiates.
According to the Shingon tradition, Transforming One’s Body was written in conjunction with Shōji jissōgi (Voice, Letter, Reality,) and Unjiki (On the Sanskrit Letter Hūṃ). Transforming One’s Body, together with these two works, was thus prepared as part of the trilogy – on bod
y, speech and mind – that represents the core of Kūkai’s philosophy.
I have awakened myself to the originally non-arising,
Leaped far beyond the path of languages,
And attained deliverance from all suffering.
Extricating myself from the chain of causes and conditions,
I have understood the emptiness that is just like empty space.
The Body as the Six Great Elements, the Four Maṇḍalas, and the World
This is a verse uttered [by Mahāvairocana Tathāgata] in the Mahāvairocana Sūtra, the text that gives as one of the Tathāgata’s seed mantras, ‘a vi ra hūṃ kham’. The letter a corresponds to the ‘originally non-arising’ [in the verse], which is none other than earth [the first of the six great elements]. The letter va [the Sanskrit character that has to be written first to yield the Sanskrit character vi] indicates leaping ‘far beyond the path of languages’, the function of element water. Purity and freedom from suffering is the work of the letter ra, fire; and not to be captured by karmic causation is the letter ha [the character that serves as the basis for drawing the letter hūṃ], wind. ‘Just like empty space’ is the letter kha, space. Finally, ‘I have awakened’ is consciousness [the sixth element].
In another verse Lord Mahāvairocana proclaims:
Taking forms analogous to living beings
I skilfully manifest the dharma-ness
Of all phenomenal existence
Thus established, one after another
Are all the world-saving buddhas, śrāvakas
Pratyekabuddhas, heroic bodhisattvas
All human teachers, then finally the worlds
Of all sentient and non-sentient beings
What sort of picture does this verse attempt to present? It demonstrates how the six great elements [which are the constituents of Mahāvairocana’s body] give rise to the four forms of the dharmakāya’s maṇḍalas [of worldly appearance, symbols, words and actions] and the three kinds of world [of enlightened beings, living beings and material existence]. What is called ‘all phenomenal existence’ [in the verse] signifies mind; ‘dharma-ness’ points to forms. That is to say, ‘all phenomenal existence’ concerns names commonly shared by diverse things, while ‘dharma-ness’ indicates differences among things. Therefore the verse says: ‘Thus established, one after another / Are all the world-saving buddhas, śrāvakas/ Pratyekabuddhas, heroic bodhisattvas / All human teachers, then finally the world / Of all sentient and non-sentient beings’. ‘All phenomenal things’ means the maṇḍala of words; ‘dharma-ness’, the [maṇḍalas made of the dhamrakāya’s] symbolic bodies. The beings listed as buddhas, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, teachers and sentient beings are the bodies making up the maṇḍalas of worldly appearance. ‘The world of non-sentient beings’ provides the ground on which the lives of these beings unfold. ‘The world of non-sentient beings’ is a general term to refer to the maṇḍala made of symbols.
The buddhas, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas in the verse correspond to the world of enlightened beings; the sentient beings, the world of living beings; and non-sentient beings, the world of material existence. The one that ‘skilfully manifest[s]’ these beings of the verse is none other than the six great elements, and those manifested are ‘those analogous to living beings’. Namely, they are the four forms of the dharmakāya and the three kinds of world.
In the same scripture, it is also stated [by Mahāvairocana]: ‘ “O Lord of Secrecy [Vajrasattva], there is a method of building maṇḍalas with all sorts of divinities rightly distributed and positioned, complete with their seed mantras and attributes. Listen clearly, now I explain this to you.” He then expounded the following verse: “Practitioner of mantra, [by means of your visualizing exercise] place circular altars in your body / Generate the great vajra disk in the area between your feet and navel / Then between navel and chest visualize the water disc / Above the water disc is the fire disc, and on top of it locate the wind disc.” ’ The ‘vajra disc’ is formed of the letter a, which is the earth. As for the meaning of the discs of water, fire and wind, the line already clearly expresses it. The circular altars indicate emptiness. ‘Practitioner of mantra’ means consciousness [the sixth element]. The ‘divinities’ described in the prose are the dharmakāya’s bodies in their worldly manifestations; their ‘seed mantras’ are the dharmakāya’s bodies made of words; and their ‘attributes’, its bodies made of symbols. The dharmakāya’s bodies made of action are already ingrained in these three bodies.
Body, Language and Non-duality
According to the exoteric teaching, the four great elements [earth, water, fire and wind] are non-sentient existence; however, according to the esoteric teaching, they are none other than tathāgatas’ symbolic bodies. The four great elements do not exist separately from mind [the sixth element]. Although mind is distinguished from form, they share the same nature. Form is mind, mind is forms. They interfuse with one another without difficulty. Therefore, knowing is the objects of knowledge, and the objects, knowing. Knowing is reality, reality knowing. Although there seems to be a distinction between creating and the created, they freely intertwine. Because ultimately all things transcend the division between creating and the created, how is it possible for naturally existing reality to be created? All names such as ‘creating’ and the ‘created’ are the secret names [of esoteric Buddhist divinities]. Do not indulge yourself in all sorts of sophistry by attaching yourself to conventional and shallow usage of these terms. All things [consisting of the four great elements] invariably make up tathāgatas’ bodies, the bodies made up of the six great elements, the essentials of the universe of the dharma. These bodies constantly interpenetrate with one another; yet grounded firmly in reality, they remain eternally unchanged.
Making Your Body Enlightened – A Speedy Process
It is said in another scripture: ‘Each letter of Mahāvairocana Buddha’s three-letter mantra [oṃ bhūh kham] is boundless. When you empower your heart by [concentrating there] the power of this mantra and the mudrā attached to it, the mirror wisdom is formed there [in your heart] and you will obtain the adamantine vajra body, which is bodhicitta. When you empower your forehead in the same manner, the wisdom of equality is formed there, and you will obtain the body adorned by all sorts of fortune, the body of a bodhisattva designated to be the crown prince of dharma. When you empower your mouth, the wisdom of subtle observation is formed there, and you will obtain the body of the buddhas’ wisdom, the body capable of turning the wheel of dharma. When you empower the crown of your head, the wisdom of action is formed there and you will obtain the body of buddhas’ miraculous transformation that conquers [those evil beings] hardest to conquer. Finally, when you empower yourself by means of these mudrā and mantra, you will obtain Mahāvairocana Buddha’s body as boundless as the entire universe and as empty space, the body which is none other than the wisdom of the essential nature of the universe.’
According to another scripture, ‘When you immerse yourself in the meditation on the dharmakāya’s reality, each and every karmic relation becomes equal to all other karmic relations, and each and every form is equal to all other forms. Just like a space within empty space, they become indistinguishable from each other. When you concentrate yourself in this meditation and practise it incessantly, you will directly enter the first stage of enlightenment in this very life and instantly accumulate within yourself merit and wisdom that can normally be collected by a bodhisattva only at the end of his or her countless transmigratory lives, across an immeasurably extensive aeon. Because multitudes of tathāgatas will shower you with their empowering blessings, you will pass through the final stages of bodhisattvas’ enlightenment and attain transcendental wisdom. Now you will see no difference between yourself and others because both you and others equally are bodies of dharmakāya. With unconditioned great compassion you will accomplish great works of buddhas by providing benefit to countless living beings.’
I
n yet another scripture, it is said, ‘Ground your practice on ritual meditation on the innately awakened wisdom expounded by Vairocana Buddha, a self-transformation of the dharmakāya. Base your knowledge on the wisdom embodied in Vajrasattva, the great universally good, another self-transformation of the dharmakāya. Then, in this life of yours, you will be able to meet a maṇḍala-master and have him guide you into the maṇḍala, the realm of enlightenment. Having completed the rite of upholding the esoteric precepts, you will dwell in the samādhi of [the bodhisattva] Samantabhadra, the universally good. Then draw Vajrasattva into your body, the body that is also Samantabhadra’s body. Because of the miraculous power of the Buddha’s blessings protecting you, in an instant you will acquire countless methods of practising meditation and chanting dhāraṇī. With a power beyond measure, you will even be able to transfigure the karmic seed of selfish attachment planted deep in the minds of your disciples. By that time you will have accumulated in your body merit and wisdom that can normally be collected by a bodhisattva only at the end of his or her countless transmigratory lives, across an immeasurably extensive aeon. This will mark your rebirth in the family of buddhas. You will become one who is born from the mind of all tathāgatas, born from buddhas’ mouths, born from buddhas’ dharma, born from the teaching of the dharma. You will become the one who inherits the wealth of dharma – which is none other than the teaching of manifesting your enlightened mind by means of practice of the three mysteries [body, speech, mind; mudrā, mantra and maṇḍala].’ This line explains the merit you will acquire from your master’s ritual empowerment when you receive for the first time the precepts of the enlightened mind from the master.
‘As soon as you take even a glimpse of the maṇḍala, you will instantly generate pure faith. Because you will gaze at the divinities in the maṇḍalas with a mind filled with joy, you will plant the seed of Vajradhātu [the enlightened realm inhabited by vajra-holding divinities] in the ālaya, the deepest region of your consciousness.’ This line describes the merit you will acquire when you observe for the first time the divinities in the maṇḍala, an assembly vast as an ocean.