The Tantric Path of Indestructible Wakefulness

by Chogyam Trungpa

  Old Translation school (Tib.: nga-gyur; snga ’gyur). The Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, whose teaching tradition is based on the first texts translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan in the eighth century.

  one-and-a-half-fold egolessness (Tib.: dagme che tang nyi; bdag med phyed dang gnyis). The egolessness of self and a partial realization of the egolessness of phenomena.

  oryoki (Jpn.). “Just enough.” From Zen Buddhism, a formal meal ritual that utilizes a set of nesting bowls, and is practiced during extended group meditation sessions.

  ösel (Tib.: ’od gsal). See luminosity.

  ösel dorje thekpa (Tib.: ’od gsal rdo rje theg pa). The luminous, indestructible vehicle; another term for vajrayana.

  padma (Skt.). Lotus. In the five-buddha-family mandala, the buddha-family associated with the West, the buddha Amitabha, the klesha of passion, and discriminating-awareness wisdom. See also appendix 5, under The Five Buddha-Families (chapter 26).

  Padmasambhava (Skt.; Tib.: Pema Jungne; pad ma ’byung gnas; “Lotus Born”). Known as the second buddha, Padmasambhava was an Indian mahasiddha and great teacher who helped bring Buddhism to Tibet in the eighth century, founding the Nyingma lineage. Also referred to as Guru Rinpoche.

  pagyang (Tib.: bag yangs; “carefree”). Natural relaxation.

  pal (Tib.: dpal). Glory; splendor.

  paramita (Skt.; Tib.: pharöl tu chinpa; pha rol tu phyin pa; “gone to the far shore”). Transcendent perfection of the mahayana. The six paramitas are generosity, discipline, patience, exertion, meditation, and prajna.

  peyi yeshe (Tib.: dpe yi ye shes). Example wisdom. In the third abhisheka of anuttarayoga, the after-experience of the joy of union.

  pha-gyü (Tib.: pha rgyud). Father tantra; one of the four divisions of anuttarayoga. See also appendix 5, under The Four Divisions of Anuttarayoga (chapter 54).

  phowa (Tib.: ’pho ba; “transference”). The practice of transferring one’s consciousness to a pure realm, such as Sukhavati, at the time of death; one of the six dharmas of Naropa.

  phowe pakchak (Tib.: ’pho ba’i bag chags). The habitual pattern of transmigration. In terms of thought patterns, the process of the cessation of one thought followed by the arising of the next thought.

  Phullahari (Skt.). Kagyü monastery near Kathmandu, Nepal.

  postmeditation (Tib.: jethop; rjes thob). Follow-up to a formal meditation session. Carrying the awareness cultivated in meditation into all activities of one’s daily life.

  prabhasvara (Skt.). See luminosity.

  prajna (Skt.; Tib.: sherap; shes rab). Perfect knowledge, meaning wisdom, understanding, or discrimination. The natural sharpness of awareness that sees, discriminates, and also sees through conceptual discrimination. In vajrayana, prajna corresponds to the feminine principle of space, the mother of wisdom, which is united with the masculine principle of upaya, or skillful means.

  prajnaparamita (Skt.; Tib.: sherap kyi pharöltu chinpa; shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa). Knowledge gone beyond; transcendent knowledge. The sixth paramita of the bodhisattva path; also, the Prajnaparamita Sutras are a series of mahayana sutras on emptiness. The insight that discovers that both the self and the world are illusory constructions. The mother of all the buddhas and of all knowledge.

  prana (Skt.; Tib.: lung; rlung). Wind, breath, or energy. Prana is the energy, or “wind,” that circulates through the nadis, or subtle channels, of the body.

  pranayama (Skt.). Breath control. A form of yoga practiced in the vajrayana, which involves working with the illusory body of nadi, prana, and bindu.

  pratyekabuddha (Skt.; Tib.: rang sang-gye; rang sangs rgyas). Solitary realizer. In the hinayana, one who attains liberation from samsara without the benefit of a teacher and who does not teach others.

  pratyekabuddhayana (Skt.; Tib.: rang sang-gye thokpa; rang sangs rgyas thog pa). The hinayana path of the “solitary realizer.” The second yana in the nine-yana system. See also appendix 5, under The Nine Yanas (chapter 40).

  rakta (Skt.). Blood; one of the five ingredients that are transformed from poison into amrita. See also appendix 5, Five Ingredients Used to Create Amrita (chapter 61).

  rangdröl (Tib.: rang grol). Self-liberated. A commonly used image for self-liberation is a snake that unravels itself.

  Rangjung Dorje (Tib.: rang ’byung rdo rje; 1284–1339 CE). The third Karmapa. A noted scholar born into a Nyingma family, he received both the full Nyingma and Kagyü transmissions.

  rangjung gi yeshe (Tib.: rang byung gi ye shes). Self-born or self-existing wisdom.

  rangnang ri-me (Tib.: rang snang ris med). Experience without any bias. The anuyoga experience of unbiased passion, characterized by prajna, indivisibility, and completeness.

  rangshin gyi kyilkhor (Tib.: rang bzhin gyi dkyil ’khor). Mandala of self-existence; one of eight types of mandala in mahayoga tantra. See also appendix 5, under The Eight Mandalas of Mahayoga (chapter 60).

  rangshin nerik (Tib.: rang bzhin gnas rigs). Naturally abiding potential; the way things are as they are.

  rangtong (Tib.: rang stong; “empty of self”). The madhyamaka view that maintains that each phenomenon is empty of itself—i.e., what it seems to be—and denies that anything further can be said. Usually contrasted with the view of shentong. See also shentong.

  ratna (Skt.; “jewel”). In the mandala of the five buddha-families, the buddha-family associated with the South, the buddha Ratnasambhava, the klesha of pride, and the wisdom of equanimity. See also appendix 5, under The Five Buddha-Families (chapter 26).

  refuge vow. The vow marking one’s formal entry onto the Buddhist path, in which one commits to respect and follow the Buddha as teacher, the dharma as instruction, and the sangha as companions.

  rigdzin (Tib.: rig ’dzin). See vidyadhara.

  rigdzin thekpa (Tib.: rig ’dzin theg pa). See vidyadharayana.

  rig-ngak (Tib.: rig sngags). See vidyamantra.

  rikpa (Tib.: rig pa; Skt.: vidya). Insight, awareness, knowing. Clearly seeing things as they are. In the teachings of maha ati, rikpa is the pristine nature of mind that transcends ordinary dualistic mind.

  rikpa küntu sangpo (Tib.: rig pa kun tu bzang po). All-good insight. One of the five types of Samantabhadra. See also appendix 5, under Five Types of Samantabhadra.

  Rikpa Rangshar Chenpö Gyü (Tib.: rig pa rang shar chen po’i rgyud). The Tantra of Great Self-Arising Awareness; a maha ati tantra.

  rikpa tsephep (Tib.: rig pa tshad phebs). Awareness reaching its full measure; the third of the four visions, or stages, of maha ati practice.

  rinpoche (Tib.: rin po che; “precious”). An honorific title for a teacher, particularly an incarnate lama, or tülku.

  rishi (Skt.; Tib.: trangsong; drang srong). An Indian saint or sage; advanced practitioner.

  rochik (Tib.: ro gcig). One taste; the third of the four yogas of mahamudra. See also appendix 5, under The Four Yogas of Mahamudra / Naljor Shirim (chapter 57).

  rölpa (Tib.: rol pa). Display, expression; one of the characteristics of mind.

  Rudra (Skt.). A personification of the destructive principle of ultimate ego, which is the complete opposite of buddhahood. According to a traditional story, Rudra was a student who killed his teacher because the teacher contradicted and criticized him.

  rupa (Skt.; Tib.: suk; gzugs). Body; form.

  sacred outlook (Tib.: tagnang; dag snang; “pure appearance”). Pure perception. The awareness that all phenomena are sacred. The perception of self-existing sacredness, which leads to the experience of unconditional freedom.

  sadhaka (Tib.: druppapo; sgrub pa po). Vajrayana practitioner; one who practices a sadhana.

  sadhana (Skt.). Practice. A vajrayana liturgy incorporating visualization practice, formless meditation, mantras, and mudras. Sadhana can refer to a particular text, such as a Vajrayogini sadhana or Chakrasamvara sadhana, or to the practice itself.

  Sadhana of Mahamudra. Also called the Sadhana of the Embodiment of All the Siddhas. A sadhana w
ritten by Chögyam Trungpa during his retreat at Taktsang, or Tiger’s Nest cave, in Bhutan, the site where the great Indian saint, Padmasambhava, meditated and manifested as Dorje Trolö, his crazy-wisdom form. This sadhana joins together the figures of Dorje Trölo and the second Karmapa, Karma Pakshi, symbolizing the union of mahamudra and maha ati.

  sadhu (Skt.). A renunciate who has left behind all material attachments, living in caves, forests, and temples.

  Sakya (Tib.: sa skya; “gray earth”). One of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism, named after the Sakya Monastery in southern Tibet. Founded in 1083 CE and known for creating a systematic order for the tantric writings and for examination of problems of Buddhist logic, the Sakya tradition had great political influence in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

  samadhi (Skt.; Tib.: tingdzin; ting ’dzin). Meditative absorption. A state of total involvement in which the mind rests without distraction, and the content of the meditation and the meditator’s mind are one.

  samadhisattva (Skt.: tingdzin sempa; ting ’dzin sems dpa’; “samadhi being”). The samadhi principle, often represented by a Sanskrit syllable in the heart center of a visualized deity.

  Samantabhadra (Skt.; Tib.: Küntu Sangpo; kun tu bzang po; “all good”). In the Nyingma tradition, Samantabhadra is the dharmakaya, or primordial, buddha. He is depicted as naked and blue in color. As one of the seven aspects of vajrayana, “marked with Samantabhadra” refers to a quality of totality and basic goodness. See also appendix 5, under Seven Aspects of Vajrayana (chapter 6).

  Samantabhadri (Skt.; Tib.: Küntu Sangmo; kun tu bzang mo; “all-good lady”). In the Nyingma lineage, the female primordial buddha and consort of Samantabhadra.

  samaya (Skt.; Tib.: tamtsik; dam tshigs). Binding vow, commitment, sacred word. The samaya vow, usually taken in the context of an empowerment ceremony, marks a student’s binding commitment to the vajrayana path. It is taken only after taking the hinayana refuge vow and the mahayana bodhisattva vow. Never violating samaya is the sixth of the seven aspects of vajrayana, and always restoring samaya is the seventh of the seven aspects of the vajrayana. See also appendix 5, under Seven Aspects of Vajrayana (chapter 6).

  samayasattva (Skt.; Tib.: yeshe sempa; ye shes sems dpa’; “samaya being”). In vajrayana practice, the deity that one creates through visualization; contrasted with jnanasattva. See also jnanasattva.

  samayashila (Skt.). The vajrayana discipline of maintaining one’s samaya. See also samaya.

  sambhogakaya (Skt.; Tib.: longku; longs sku; “enjoyment body”). One of the three kayas, or bodies, of a buddha; in particular, a buddha’s speech or manifestation, which is an environment of compassion and communication. See also trikaya.

  sampannakrama (Skt.; Tib.: dzogrim; rdzogs rim). The completion stage of vajrayana practice, which emphasizes formless meditation.

  samsara (Skt.; Tib.: khorwa; ’khor ba; “circling”). Cyclic existence; the repetitive cycle of births and deaths that arises from ignorance and is characterized by suffering. Samsara is contrasted with nirvana, which is the liberation from suffering. However, from the higher perspective of vajrayana, samsara and nirvana are understood to be inseparable.

  samskara (Skt.; Tib.: du-je; ’du byed). Formation or concept; the fourth of the five skandhas; also, the second of the twelve nidanas, or links of interdependent origination.

  Samye (Tib.: bsam yas). Temple complex built by King Trisong Detsen (790–844 CE) and consecrated by Padmasambhava. A major center of the Nyingma lineage, it is situated in Central Tibet close to Lhasa.

  sang-gye (Tib.: sangs rgyas). See buddha.

  sang-gye lakchang (Tib.: sangs rgyas lag bcang). Holding buddha in your hand; an experience connected with the first of the eight logos (Yangdak). See also appendix 5, under The Eight Logos / Druppa Kagye (chapter 61).

  sangha (Skt.; Tib.: gendün; dge ’dun). The community of practitioners, companions on the path of dharma; the third of the three jewels.

  sang-ngak (Tib.: gsang sngags). See guhyamantra.

  sangwa (Tib.: gsang ba; Skt.: guhya). Secret, hidden.

  sang-we thekpa (Tib.: gsang ba’i theg pa). Secret vehicle; a term for vajrayana.

  sattva (Skt.; Tib.: sems dpa’). A being.

  sella tokpa me-pe gompa (Tib.: sel la rtog pa med pa’i sgom pa). “Meditation without thought but luminous”; third of five vajrayana sayings regarding transcending habitual patterns. See also appendix 5, under Five Vajrayana Sayings (chapter 16).

  sem (Tib.: sems). Ordinary dualistic mind, characterized by discursive thoughts. It is formally defined as “that which apprehends an object” (Tib.: yul la sempa; yul la sems pa).

  sem tang tral-we rikpa (Tib.: sems dang bral ba’i rig pa). “Rikpa free from sem”; the first of five vajrayana sayings regarding transcending habitual patterns. See also appendix 5, under Five Vajrayana Sayings (chapter 16).

  semchok yintu mawa (Tib.: sems phyogs yin tu smra ba). Proclaiming that mind is in a certain direction; the seventh category of sem-de.

  sem-de (Tib.: sems sde). Category of mind; one of the three principal divisions of maha ati teachings, which itself has seven further categories.

  sending and taking. See tonglen.

  Senge Dradrok (Tib.: seng ge sgra grogs). A wrathful aspect of Padmasambhava, said to have destroyed five hundred heretics by means of a ritual ceremony using a teakwood kila (dagger).

  sepa (Tib.: zad pa). Run out, used up, exhausted.

  setting sun. Any attitude, thought, or action that leads one to degraded behavior. An expression coined by Chögyam Trungpa and used in the Shambhala teachings.

  shamatha (Skt.; Tib.: shi-ne; zhi gnas; “peaceful abiding”). Mindfulness practice; the practice of taming and stabilizing the mind. The central practice of the hinayana path and an essential component of practice throughout all the yanas.

  shamatha-vipashyana (Skt.). The union of the mindfulness of shamatha and the awareness of vipashyana.

  Shambhala (Skt.). Mythical Central Asian kingdom, said to be a society where all the inhabitants are enlightened. Shambhala is closely associated with the Kalachakra Tantra, which Shakyamuni Buddha is said to have taught to the Shambhala king Dawa Sangpo.

  Shambhala vision. A reference to Trungpa Rinpoche’s teachings on the sacred path of the warrior and the creation of enlightened society. Shambhala teachings are closely connected with the Buddhist meditative tradition, but have a more secular and societal focus. (For more on this tradition, see Chögyam Trungpa, Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior [Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2007].)

  Shantarakshita (Tib.: shiwa tso; zhi ba ’tsho). The Indian teacher invited to Tibet in the eighth century by King Trisong Detsen. With the help of Padmasambhava, he built Samye Monastery and became its abbot, ordaining the first Buddhist monks in Tibet.

  shedö me-pe tawa (Tib.: shes sdod med pa’i lta ba). “View without desire”; the fifth of the five vajrayana sayings regarding transcending habitual patterns. See also appendix 5, under Five Vajrayana Sayings (chapter 16).

  shentong (Tib.: gzhan stong). The “empty of other” school of Tibetan philosophy, which adheres to the view that the nature of mind is empty of all that is false, but not empty of its own inherent buddha nature. Often contrasted with the rangtong view that everything is unequivocally empty of self-nature. See also rangtong.

  shepa (Tib.: shes pa). Mind, or consciousness, which is the capacity for knowing.

  shi lamdu chepa (Tib.: gzhi lam du byed pa). Using the ground as the path; an approach associated with lower tantra.

  shi-je (Tib.: zhi byed). Pacification. One of the contemplative schools of Tibetan Buddhism associated with the teachings of chö. See chö.

  shila (Skt.; Tib.: tsültrim; tshul khrims). Discipline; one of the three principal aspects of the Buddhist path, the other two being samadhi and prajna; one of the six paramitas.

  shinjang (Tib.: shin sbyang; Skt.: prashrabdhi). Thoroughly processed or trained through meditation practice.


  shravaka (Skt.; Tib.: nyenthö; nyan thos). Hearer. Originally, a disciple who heard teachings directly from the Buddha; more generally, a practitioner of the shravakayana.

  shravakayana (Skt.; Tib.: nyenthö thokpa; nyen thos theg pa). The hinayana path of the “hearer.” The first yana of the nine-yana system, in which the practitioner concentrates on meditation practice and understanding fundamental Buddhist doctrines, such as the four noble truths. See also appendix 5, under The Nine Yanas (chapter 40).

  Shri Heruka (Skt.). Glorious Heruka. In the context of the eight logos, a reference to fundamental thatness, or living enlightenment, expressed as eight deities arranged in a mandala. See also appendix 5, The Eight Logos / Druppa Kagye (chapter 61).

  Shri Simha (Skt.; Tib.: shri singha; shri sing ha). An early master of the Nyingma lineage, known for dwelling in charnel grounds and for being one of Padmasambhava’s teachers.

  shunyata (Skt.; Tib.: tongpanyi; stong pa nyid). Emptiness. A completely open and unbounded clarity of mind characterized by groundlessness and freedom from all conceptual frameworks. Emptiness does not mean voidness or blankness; rather, it is an openness inseparable from compassion and all other awakened qualities.

  siddha (Skt.; Tib.: drupthop; grub thob). One who is spiritually accomplished or has magical powers over the phenomenal world. Best known are the group of eighty-four mahasiddhas, said to have lived in India from the eighth to the twelfth century.

  siddhi (Skt.; Tib.: ngödrup; dngos grub). Yogic accomplishment, of which there are two types: lesser siddhi, or mastery over the phenomenal world, and greater siddhi, which is enlightenment itself. Acquiring siddhis is one of the seven aspects of the vajrayana. See also appendix 5, under Seven Aspects of Vajrayana (chapter 6).

  six dharmas of Naropa (Tib.: Naro chödruk; na ro chos drug). A set of six yogic practices received by Naropa from Tilopa; one of the chief practices of the Kagyü lineage. They include the yogas of chandali (tummo), illusory body (gyulü), dream (milam), luminosity (ösel), transference (phowa), and bardo.

  six realms (Tib.: drowa rigdruk; ’gro ba rigs drug). All beings of samsara belong to one of the six realms. The three higher realms include the gods, or devas; the jealous gods, or asuras; and humans. The three lower realms include animals; hungry ghosts, or pretas; and hell beings.