COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU
Introduction: At a certain point, I began to ask the Vidyaadhara questions like, “Aren't you teaching, and manifesting, that really everything is the purity of the absolute?” Once in particular I asked him whether Tibetans had anything to say similar to the “net of Indra” teaching of Hwa Yen and Zen. This symbolizes Ga.n.davyuuha, the vision of the relative as the sambhogakaaya realm of infinitely interpenetrating totality. I thought he would know, having both transmissions. He replied, “Longchenpa says a lot about that in the Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu.” I asked if it would be alright to look at it and he said, “Yes.” Actually “net” teachings are more explicitly treated in the Sangnying. (gsang snying = gsang ba'i snying po). So it seems that it was the primordial perfection of ati that he primarily wanted to communicate. My Tibetan is not good enough to read such a difficult text without actually translating it, so here is what happened. Later I told him I was translating this. He said it would be good if it were available to his students when they began to practice nyingma teachings. At the same time he was somewhat apprehensive that these teachings might be misunderstood and end up doing harm. “Don't do anything inappropriate,” he said. It would have been natural to ask for clarification, but I didn't. That seemed to happen a lot with him. However, there are various familiar instructions that he gave that seem relevant. First there are the teachings of transcending concept. It is not appropriate to intellectualize ati as a philosophical system. At the same time it is not an instruction to abandon study. One need only think of H. H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche in that regard. It is not appropriate to take the teachings of non-effort as an excuse to abandon the other practices we have been given, or not to relate to the sangha or the teaching ma.n.dala the Vidyaadhara created. Those situations were the very means by which he, as an ati master, hoped we would finally achieve this fruition. The buddhas are beyond conceptual good and evil because they are compassion and wisdom. The absolute teachings do not mean that we should not have compassion for those, including ourselves, who think they are sentient beings. Still less is ati meant as a license to ignore ordinary standards of considerate behavior and common sense. Even a cat can look at the King. Just so, ordinary people can get a glimpse of the vision of enlightened beings by associating with masters like the Vidyaadhara. But we should not think we have actually attained that level until we are capable of the achievements of individuals like Milarepa and Padmasambhava. Even then, “The sages dwell in complete humility.” If we take these cautions to heart any danger from these teachings will probably be minimized. At the same time we are really supposed to grasp this vision of absolute buddhahood insofar as we can. You would not think it was necessary to say this. But often we conceptualize the very means that are supposed to bring us to enlightenment in such a way that we conclude that enlightenment is almost inappropriate. Compassion can deteriorate into rigid morality. Emptiness can become nihilism. Nondwelling can negate appreciation of the sacred. Ego can use fear of spiritual materialism as an excuse to avoid relating to spirituality altogether. This is actually rejection of the guru's vision, and hence of devotion and samaya. On that level neither oneself nor the guru exist as individuals. There is only enlightenment. So oneself and the guru are of equal fortune. Even the hinayaana says that conceptual Dharma is like a raft to be thrown away when one has reached the other shore of the river of sa.msaara. Ati exists largely to remove fixation that arises on the path. Non-attachment doesn't mean we should boycott enlightenment, or not care about it. It is definitely a case of “Take it easy, but take it.” In lectures 5
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY he said things like, “At some point it becomes a question of will you accept siddhi? Don't you want to help sentient beings?” These are the highest teachings of the nine yaanas. They are meant for “those who have already done all the work.” The teaching of non-effort must be seen in that light. Ideally the reader should already be accomplished in the view of abhidharma, madhyamaka, and yogaachaara; the practices of shamatha, vipashyanaa, tonglen, the paaramitaas, saadhana practice, the six yogas and so on. These should have been mixed with one's being until they become spontaneous accomplishment. Then one can then let go of nirvaa.nic neurosis and attachments concerned with the antidotes of Dharma, and with the fruition. Obviously most of us are not in a position where we can literally apply this. The Vidyaadhara taught many times that the proper way for persons like ourselves to relate to the teachings of transparency and luminosity was to acknowledge the spontaneous flashes of insight and blessings that occur while we do our assigned practices and live our daily lives. We should have confidence in them, but at the same time not try to cling to them. We should have confidence that obstacles and obscurations are merely incidental. They are not a good excuse to forsake an enlightened attitude. The point of “no gain” is that guru's vision is what is. We do not need to cultivate it, so much as to appreciate and acknowledge what we are, and what our situation is. In that way our vision and compassion will deepen. The space of ati provides a space in which our other practices will be greatly enhanced, and daily life can become the ornament of practice. The Vidyaadhara always meant us to see the hinayaana and mahaayaana teachings from the viewpoint of tantra, and tantra from the viewpoint of ati. Ugyen and I asked H. H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche to clarify what was “appropriate” to do with these teachings. In particular we asked whether Longchenpa's strongly worded injunctions to secrecy should be taken literally. We noted that some teachers are now giving ati teachings openly. His reply was very definite. It is his wish that this material only be made available to “senior students.” Ugyen and Larry Mermelstein, the head of the Naalandaa Translation Group both interpreted this as meaning saadhakas or the equivalent. Please keep these wishes of the gurus in mind. It cost a lot of time and money to make these teachings available. I would be very sad if the end result for anyone was harmful. Lama Ugyen patiently spent hundreds of hours going over this manuscript word by word. I could not have translated many passages without him, so it seems appropriate to list him as a co-author. I am very grateful Khenpo Sonam Thopgyal Rinpoche for answering numerous written and oral questions and tolerating my bad Tibetan with great bodhisattva patience. Thanks too to Khenpo Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche for making space in a crowded schedule to meet with me on this text. Erik Schmidt was very helpful, especially for making his unpublished dharma dictionary available. My informants were all very competent and my only fear is that I have undoubtedly misunderstood some of what they said. These teachings contain the very essence of enlightenment. Right up there with the fantasy of becoming a universal monarch is that of the book that cannot be read without getting enlightened. In truth it doesn't exist, but this text of Longchenpa is about as close as they come. “Inspiring to say the least,” as the Vidyaadhara said. I hope some shadow of the original splendor comes through in translation. The Wedding of the Sun and Moon says: Whoever has become familiar with this, By having let things rest without all seeking Will thus attain the meaning of these teachings. By non-meditation great bliss will increase. The nature of all things will manifest. Whatever persons have encountered this, Including those with inexpiable faults, Will then be liberated without a doubt 6
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU By means of having become familiar with this. I swear upon the pain of hell itself There is no doubt that they will be liberated. Notes The following abbreviations are used: Blue Annals, Roerich, G., The Blue Annals, Delhi: Motilal, 1976. BPTP: Guenther, H. Buddhist Philosophy in Theory and Practice, Baltimore: Penguin, 1972. Chang: Teachings of Tibetan Yoga, New York: University, 1963. Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, Chögyam Trungpa, Berkeley: Shambhala, 1973 CYD: chos dbyings mdzod, The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu. Dodrup Chen Rinpoche: Gangtok, Sikkim. DEGE: chos dbyings mdzod, volume II of the mdzod bdun, published Gyaltsen and Labrang, Palace Monastery, Gangtok, Sikkim from prints of the Dege blocks, printed Delhi: Lakshmi Press, 1983.. ES: Schmidt, E. Concise Dharma Dictionary, unpublished.. EW: Evans-Wentz, W., The Tibetan Book of the Dead, London: Oxford, 1949. Goldstein, M. Tibetan English Dictionary of Modern Tibetan, Kathmandu, Nepal: Ratna Pustak Bhandar, 1983. JOL: Guenther, H., The Jewel Ornament of Liberation, Berkeley: Shambhala, 1971. KPSR: Khenpo Palden Sherab, Rinpoche, and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal, Rinpoche. KSTR: Khenpo Sonam Thopgyal, Rinpoche. KTHR: Khenpo Thrangu Rinpoche. LM: Trungpa/Naalandaa, The Life of Marpa, Boulder: Prajñaa, 1982. LT: lung gi gter mdzod, Dodrup Chen Rinpoche: Gangtok, Sikkim. Longchenpa's autocommentary on CYD. This was Trungpa Rinpoche's personal copy. F130 is missing. LUS: Lama Ugyen Shenpen. MTC: Interlinear Commentary to the mu tig phreng ba, rnying ma rgyud 'bum, volume na, Royal Government of Bhutan, National Library Thimpu, printed Jayed: Dehli. The Myth of Freedom, Chögyam Trungpa, Berkeley: Shambhala, l976 NN: Norbu, Namkha'i: The Crystal and the Way of Light, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1986. PPA: Guenther, H., Philosophy and Psychology in the Abhidharma, Berkeley: Shambhala, 1974. SKK: Jamgön Kongtrul the Great, shes bya kun khyab, Peking: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 1982 SSN: Mipham Rinpoche, Shentong Sengé Ngaro, The Lion's Roar Proclaiming Shentong, Naalanda/Trungpa, unpublished. The Central Conception of Buddhism, Stcherbatsky, T, Delhi: Motilal, 1970. The Rain of Wisdom, Trungpa/Naalandaa, Boulder: Shambhala, 1980. TT: Thondup, Tulku, Rinpoche, Buddha Mind, an anthology of Longchen Rabjam's writings on Dzogpa Chenpo, Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1989. VCTR: Vidyaadhara the Venerable Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche. Tibetan has as many words for space as eskimos do for snow. Longchenpa makes a point of distinguishing dbyings and klong in the text, as discussed there and in the glossary. When not otherwise noted space is a translation of dbyings. When capitalized it is a translation of klong. When it occurs at the beginning of a line or sentence the first two letters are capitalized, ie. “SPace.” “Space of the sky” is typically mkha' or nam mkha'. Other terms are noted. When “Mind” is capitalized, it translates sems 7
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY nyid, elsewhere “mind itself” or “the nature of mind.” chos is always translated “dharma” but capitalized when it means “the teachings” rather than elements of existence etc. In the “trade language” of the Vidyaadhara's students and other serious vajrayaana practitioners many Tibetan and Sanskrit terms are treated as English loan words, and used with English inflections, endings, and capitalizations. Our practice texts and everyday communications have fallen into the perhaps inconsistent practice of retaining sanskrit diacritics when we do this. “Vidyaadhara's” above is of course an example. “Karmic,” “.daakin11s,” “kaaya's” and other examples lie in wait to offend the purist. I do have sympathy, as I do for those who decry the split infinitives that have recently overwhelmed the media. But the people have spoken. I also think it is sometimes clearer to begin sentences with “but.” The reader is perfectly welcome to edit, where this is intolerable. I have even toyed with the idea of electronic copies where one cold substitute one's favorite translations for any given term. There are some lists and so forth whose significance I have so far been unable to resolve. I still have hopes of doing so, but there is no telling how long it may take. Therefore it seemed best to proceed. If translators generally do this, the resulting pool of knowledge is likely to go far toward alleviating the problem. Longchenpa is presupposing familiarity with all the ground path and fruition of the nine yaanas. Advanced students of the Vidyaadhara will be familiar with the requisite material from seminary and Ngetön school. There are a number of good books on ati topics, but TT may be especially helpful. It gives a good introduction to Longchenpa's life and work, and has hundreds of pages of his other writings on ati. In addition the translation system is close enough to this to make the two readily comparable. There is also much helpful background material on ati texts etc. I am happy these sources are available. I feel relieved of the almost impossible task of putting together an introduction that summarizes this vast expanse of presupposed knowledge. The intended readers will already know the basic story of which this is the punch line. Most of the notes are concerned with additions and deletions made for metrical reasons. For example, karma
indicates that “and kleshas” was added for metrical reasons. If the text reads karma is eliminated and the note “...karma and kleshas” that indicates that “and kleshas” was omitted for metrical reasons. It is worth noting that there is a lot of similar filling and omitting in the original Tibetan verse. Other than this notes have been kept minimal. Most discussion of terms and so forth is in the second glossary. There are two glossaries. The first contains English and transliterated terms that are used in the text. It gives Tibetan equivalents. The second contains transliterated Tibetan terms alphabetized in English order. To avoid duplication, only the second glossary contains explanations of the terms. This text presupposes knowledge of the whole corpus of Tibetan Buddhism. It would be impossible to give all the relevant background material. Nor would it be desirable, traditionally speaking. No one should be reading this who does not have the basic information already. At the same time I have tried to provide approximate working definitions of most of the technical terms. The purpose is to provide a starting point so that the reader can develop more precise notions from the text itself. For many readers most of the information in the glossary will be unnecessary. It is meant to be used only as needed. As this is not a work for general scholarly publication I have followed Tibetan practice overall in regard to not footnoting the sources of quotations. I could have spent several years checking and correcting all these quotes against the originals. Spot checking makes it plain that there are minor discrepancies. Mipham in editing Longchenpa's work also notes this and says that in any case the text should not be corrected. Longchenpa's work is of equal value with the original tantra. It is amazing that he was able to write this, working from memory as he did. Ugyen reports the traditional story that when works like these were composed the .daakiniis dictated, Samantabhadra had the light Mañjushrii held the paper, and Raahula managed the ink. He was a little impatient and miscopied some of the quotes, though not in a way that changed the basic meaning. Those familiar with 8
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU the Vidyaadhara will know that the experience of an ati master can be quite visionary at times. This may well be a literal report of Longchenpa's experience. In any case Erik Schmidt and Ugyen both said it would be inappropriate to treat the quotes according to the usual way of western scholarship. Therefore, with reasons combining laziness and devotion I have not done so.
9
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY In Sanskrit the title is Dharmadhaaturatnakoshavritti in Tibetan chos dbyings rin po che'i mdzod ces bya ba'i 'grel pa lung gi gter mdzod1
This is the commentary on first chapter of The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu “THE NATURE OF SA.MSAARA AND NIRVAA.NA DOES NOT GO BEYOND SPACE”
I prostrate to the ocean of all the victorious ones. Samantabhadra, he who is the primordial Lord, Immaculate,2 like the space of the sky, is utterly pure. He is the kaayas and wisdoms. He is divinity. 3 Within that nothing is added and nothing is taken away. I prostrate to him, the one who became the glory Of the state of sa.msaara and also that of nirvaa.na. There are no beings. Sa.msaara's appearance is like an illusion. Though here, as if in a dream, are those who are bound by fixation, Their nature is total freedom. 4 That is the meaning of ati. My subject is that great, self-existing, vast equanimity. 5 When, in primordial space,6 enlightenment is attained—kaaya and wisdom, where nothing ever needs to be added or taken away—it consists of 7 the self-existing ornament of dharmadhaatu. This is the ga.n.davyuuha realm, which is Akani.sh.tha. The inexhaustible body, speech, mind, qualities, and activity of buddhahood emanate from the nature of the wheel8 of the ornament. It is like light rays emanating from the disk of the sun in a clear sky. In the boundlessness of the ten directions are limitless buddha fields. They are as extensive as dharmadhaatu and the endless ocean of the sky. By the ever increasing causes of spontaneous compassion and of the white virtue of those who will be tamed, there was the “full display of the lamp9” of teachings of the Bhagavat Shaakyamuni. Thus, he had the power10 of taming whatever needs to be tamed. The completely perfected meaning, the pure fruition, of the turnings of the wheel of dharma at that time is this nature of the great perfection. 11 It is the vehicle of the unsurpassable secret. The 12 The Seed of Secret Action Tantra, says: 10
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU This is the single dot of the fundamental state.13 As for the seeds that grow into the meaning of this, They too are the ultimate garbha,14 which is truth itself. So it was spoken; so it was taught, and so explained. As for the speech that is the ocean of all the teachings, Some is for benefit in present situations; Some for attaining benefit in time to come; Some is for different purposes of taming beings. But except for a very few words of the heart of hearts, All of it is unestablished in reality. There are two stages of realizing these points of truth, tregchö and thögel. The one which produces effortless liberation within a short time, for those whose powers are of the highest excellence, is tregchö. It means “cutting through solidifications of the ground.” Its extremely numerous details, as described in the tantras and oral instructions, are here gathered into the single nature of those vajra points of truth. A supremely clear explanation of this is given at length in this treatise, The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu. Whoever wishes to compose a treatise must first delineate the subject on which it is to be composed, briefly stating it in a title. Those with sharp powers of mind will realize the meaning merely by seeing the name. The vajra body of the text will thus be briefly taught. It is arranged so as to be knowable in that way. Here designation of the meaning by the name arises from appropriate interaction of words in an example, a meaning, and their association. The title is put together by connecting example and meaning. “Dharmadhaatu,” is the meaning. “Precious Treasury,” is the example. Dharmadhaatu is our natural15 wisdom, whose nature is completely pure. It is mind itself,16 absolute truth. By the power of insight and ignorance,17 all the dharmas of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na without exception arise from it. Because of that, it is like a wish-fulfilling treasury within which arises whatever is desired. 18 Accordingly, example and meaning are connected. The primordial space of sugatagarbha, is called the spontaneously-arising nature of buddhahood. Aside from realization and non-realization of this, there are no sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. Previous to this, what are conventionally called buddhas and sentient beings could not exist at all. If there were no insight, by what would sa.msaara and nirvaa.na be ascertained? There would be nothing whatsoever to classify as liberation or confusion. These words are explained by the 19 Rangshar, the Tantra of Intrinsic Insight, which says: Within some former state where I was not20 No Buddhas and no sentient beings would be, Still less a path, and its accomplishment.21 Not even one thing does not rise from me, For what I am is the great emptiness.22 By me the five-fold elements are made. I am the master23 of the elements. I am the ancestor of all the buddhas. Within some former state where I was not 11
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The very name of “Buddha” would not be. I am perfection of all skillful means.24 I do not have any characterizing dharmas, And so my mind itself 25 is motionless. I am the charnel ground of all the buddhas.26 I constitute for them a changeless tomb. 27 I am the true state of each sentient being28 Whose vaasanaas appear to be a body. I am prajñaa, having no distinctions.29 I am external, internal, and secret perfection. I am kaaya,30 which is the vajra essence. It is from me that buddhas are produced. I am what is meant by unborn insight. I am free from dharmas of a thing. 31 Because I am without all qualities, I rise from within the grave of sentient beings. Because compassion rises as myself, I go beyond the label “emptiness.” Because from me comes luminosity, I make the darkness shine with brilliance. Dharmadhaatu is insight, the naturally arising wisdom described here. The dharmas of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na without exception arise from this source. Therefore, it is called by the name “treasure house.” An enumeration of the ways of explaining this is limitless. Here it is explained in terms of the three vajra points of ground, path, and fruition. The naturally pure ground is the element, sugatagarbha. It is mind itself, whose nature is luminosity. This is dharmadhaatu, which means “the space, element, or source of dharmas.”32 This is because the dhaatu exists as a precious treasury of the self-existing buddha qualities. It has them from all eternity. On the path, the abhi.shekas that produce ripening are dharmadhaatu. This is true of those involving detailed stages, as well as the abhi.sheka of the power of self-existing insight. This is because they are the source of arising of all excellent dharmas. The guru's liberating oral instructions are said to be like precious jewels.33 The same is true of the wondrously arisen dharmas of the view, meditation, and action of practice. The experiences of realization, samaadhi, and so forth, as well as the limitless34 arising of the power of realization, should be known as a treasury of all good qualities. The fruition is one's intrinsic insight,35 holy dharmakaaya. It has undefiled two-fold purity. This is dharmadhaatu, the ground of the arising36 of the buddha qualities. It is things as they are37 without defilement. Sambhogakaaya, because it is spontaneously existing, perfect sovereignty, is like a jewel. Nirmaa.nakaaya, along with its buddha activity, is taught to be like a good treasure house. It perfects and fulfills the hopes of those who are to be tamed. By these comments the explanation of the meaning of the title is completed. Now there are two expressions of homage. Here is the explanation of the abbreviated one: 12
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU I prostrate to glorious Samantabhadra. As for “glorious,” when the benefit for oneself, holy dharmakaaya, has been attained, it is like not going beyond space. The benefit for others, the holy ruupakaayas, produces benefits for sentient beings as long as sa.msaara lasts. The enlightened qualities of renunciation and realization are the ultimate benefit. If you ask who has these benefits, it is Samantabhadra. He is the primordial lord who has gained sovereignty over38 all of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. As for his spontaneous, excellent buddha activity, as the holy guide he is the one who shows the path. His is a perfect display of eternal mastery. To him, the author, as a manifestation of faith, says, “I prostrate.” The three gates are offered with supreme, great devotion. If you ask whether the prostration is to Samantabhadra alone, that is not the case. All buddhas become buddhas by being of the essence of Samantabhadra. Therefore prostration is made to them all and to all the dharmas of the ground, path, and fruition. These are said to be the five-fold existence of Samantabhadra as the limbs of realization. 1) The teacher Samantabhadra, apparently dwells as the sambhogakaaya and dharmakaaya of all the buddhas in Akani.sh.tha. He produces benefit by sending forth emanations wherever there are those who are to be tamed. The 39 The Complete Commentary on Pramaa.na by Dharmakiirti says:40 The net of conceptualizations is completely loosened. profundity are mastered.
The kaayas of vastness and
The pure radiance of Samantabhadra emanates from everything. To that I prostrate. It is like that. 2) The ground Samantabhadra is the dharmataa of all dharmas, also called the nature Samantabhadra. 3) Ornament Samantabhadra is the appearance of all dharmas, the self-arising play of the dharmin. It is completely pure in its illusory nature. 4) Insight Samantabhadra is natural wisdom, sugatagarbha. The Uttaratantra says: Because the perfect buddha kaaya radiates, And because of being inseparable from suchness, And because they have the gotra, all embodied beings Always have the essence of buddhahood. This is exactly what is being talked about. 5) Realization Samantabhadra is the natural state of things as they are. By realizing it well one attains the eye of liberation. This is called path Samantabhadra. Regarding these the 41 The Mirror-Mind of Samantabhadra says: All dharmas should be known as the five natures of Samantabhadra: 1) nature Samantabhadra 13
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 2) ornament Samantabhadra 3) teacher Samantabhadra 4) insight Samantabhadra 5) realization Samantabhadra42 Here is the explanation of the extended homage. It is a praise of bodhicitta, as extensive as space: Primordial self-existence, wondrous, marvelous Dharma; Self-arisen wisdom, luminous bodhicitta; Treasury, source of the rising of all the phenomenal world; The vessel as well as the essence, sa.msaara as well as nirvaa.na; I prostrate to that motionless simplicity. That was an explanation of the overall subject of this shaastra. It is mind itself, whose nature is completely pure. From the beginning, it was not made by anyone. This is the naturally-existing43 ground of buddhahood, dharmakaaya. It is self-existing, changeless44 suchness. The buddha qualities of this space, the kaayas and wisdoms, have existed from all eternity without gathering or separation. They are the wondrous, marvelous Dharma, the eternal, unchanging, natural luminosity of wisdom. Its real state 45 is that of bodhicitta. Conditioned by realization and non-realization, it arises as sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. But its essence is dharmataa without any change whatsoever. The holy master dwells as the nature of the great perfection. To awareness of the natural state I prostrate. That is what is being expressed. The Rangshar says: In the true essence of reality46 There are no buddhas and no sentient beings. Insight that does not fixate 47 is emptiness. If then one does not dwell on emptiness, The level where one dwells at such a time Will be the level of great bliss experience.48 As for all the powerful lord buddhas, As one's own insight49 they all should be known. Insight is the appearance of 50 the King Who dwells unrealized in everyone. Next there is the promise to compose the text: Peak of the yaanas,51 Mount Meru; Space of the sun and moon; Naturally radiant Space; Space of the vajra heart; Natural state of Space existing as it is;52 Without any effort; without any act of being established; Listen while I explain the space of dharmadhaatu, Wondrous in its rising, eternal, and universal.53 That was the promise. The nature of mind, self-arising wisdom, has only a single meaning. But there are different ways of resolving it in detail. These depend on differences in students' powers of 14
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU understanding. The stages of the vehicles are explained in many ways, but they are gathered under nine headings. The 54 Great Display of Ati, says: As for the number of lesser stages, it is three. They are dharmas for lesser minds in accord with them. The shraavaka yaana exists for those who are steeped in concepts. The pratyekabuddha yaana for those who have perception. The bodhisattva yaana for those who enter by concepts. As for explaining the intermediate vehicles. For the lowest students there is the kriyaa yaana. For low ones, there is upa. Then for those Of dualistic consciousness, yoga has been taught. Regarding those of the last three stages that are great, The stage of development is for those beyond the mind; The stage of perfection for those who have mind's essence; But for excellent ones with the ultimate secret, there is ati. Thus when the peak of all the nine yaanas or vehicles is reached, there is ati yoga, essence of the vajra heart. In regard to the three collections of mind, space, and oral instructions this is the unsurpassable distillation,55 the highest peak, of the collection of oral instructions. Therefore, it is called the peak of Mount Meru, and the Space of the sun and moon.
The same text says: The collection of mind exists for those who have a mind. The collection of Space exists for those who have the sky. The oral instructions exist for those without effort or stages. In nature pure, luminosity transcends all establishing and clearing away. It is the Space of the vajra heart-essence. Transcending all effort and establishment, luminosity is the Space of the essence as it is.56 Since its essence is pure from all eternity, it is eternal, universal, wondrously arisen space. This explanation of the meaning of insight-bodhicitta, ati, the vajra heart-essence like the sky, will be composed for the benefit of later generations. That is the promise. Praising this space, this highest peak of all views,57 the Rangshar, The Tantra of Intrinsic Insight says: As the highest peak of all the views, Ati, the great perfection, is explained. When there is vastness, then it is revealed. It should be known as being like the sky, Wide, profound, and hard to comprehend, Like some tremendous ocean in its depth. 15
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY It is awareness of the solar disk, A gathering of luminous rays of light.58 Being free from concepts of extremes, It therefore has been said to be the King Of all the skilful means of secret mantra. By these verses, the first part is completed. It teaches the reason for composing the shaastra. Now the subject of the main body of the shaastra, will be explained at length. The topics of the King of Secrets are taught in thirteen chapters. The first chapter is, “The Nature of Sa.msaara and Nirvaa.na does not go Beyond Space.” It teaches that all dharmas do not change or depart from the great perfection, as limitless as space. Within insight, trikaaya, the great self-existence, sa.msaara and nirvaa.na arise as mere appearance.59 They are taught not to move from the self-existence of the dhaatu: Spontaneous Spaciousness, this is the ground of arising of everything; Empty in essence, yet unobstructed in its nature, It is nothing whatever, and yet it arises as everything. Since the dawn of both sa.msaara and nirvaa.na Rises out of the Space of trikaaya as itself, They do not depart from the space of the dhaatu, the realm of bliss.60 Thus emptiness, the essence of insight in its natural purity, is dharmakaaya. Its nature, luminosity, is sambhogakaaya. Its unobstructed61 arising as compassion is nirmaa.nakaaya. Their eternal selfexistence does not need to be sought.62 It is a great treasure that does not diminish. This is the ma.n.dala of luminosity, the fundamental state.63 From within this comes the experience of the pure buddhas. Whatever experiences of impure, sentient beings there may be, from the very time of arising, they are merely the play of the space of dharmataa. They do not arise as anything other than that. Just so, whatever good and bad dreams are dreamed are not something beyond the state of sleep. The Rangshar says: Rising within emptiness, the sun of insight Rises as the five-fold dawn of the changeless kaayas.64 This is the great undiminishing treasure ma.n.dala.65 This is the play of the non-duality of non-thought. On the level of truth the skandhas do not manifest; But all the miracles of appearance are displayed. The Künjé, The Doer of All, The King,66 says: Trikaaya is embodied by me, the doer of all. All apparent dharmas are the three non-creations.67 These three are my essence, nature, and compassion. I am trikaaya. These are taught as my own suchness. Therefore the phenomenal world, the appearances of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, is taught to be the miracles of the space of the dhaatu:
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Within the great space of Mind, the changeless state of the sky; Is play without limit,68 Space of the miracle s of compassion, All ornaments of the dhaatu; other than that there is nothing. To emanate and to gather69 are powers of bodhicitta. It is nothing whatever, because it arises as everything. O the wonderful miracle! Wondrous, marvelous Dharma! Within the state of our own insight70 is the play of various dharmas. just so, the vessel and essence, the environment and inhabitants of the phenomenal world, are within the space of the sky. 71 These miracles arise without obstruction from all eternity within the unborn state. This is taught as a wondrous, marvelous Dharma. The Rangshar says: Insight is difficult for anyone to know. Subtle and difficult to know—not seen by all. When there is no fixation, as equality,72 All is the Spaciousness of self-arising bliss. Within that unobstructed state of things arises The play that manifests sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. The Künjé says: All of the dharmas exist as examples of bodhicitta. All are examples of that essence like the sky. What is being described is the meaning of bodhicitta. Ether and air, along with water, fire and earth, Comprise the five elements, wondrously rising in bodhicitta. All of them rise as the manifestations of buddhahood. All the appearances of the three worlds, the five paths, and six lokas,73 Due to completely ripened karma, become immovable.74 All of them rise as the manifestation of buddhahood. The three worlds were always the body, speech, and mind of enlightenment. Therefore, the vessel and essence of all the phenomenal world Are not, like space, the non-existence of nothingness. For as the great objects of the great Space of bodhicitta, There are buddhas and sentient beings, having vessel and essence. Here is the extended teaching of how the play of manifestation arises from the Space of bodhicitta: All forms of the outer and inner appearance of sentient beings; Are ornaments of the space, that arise as the wheel of body. Whatever sounds and speech are heard without exception, Are ornaments of the space, that arise as the wheel of speech. The flickering discharge 75 of memory and understanding, 17
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY And also the state of non-thought transcending all reflection, Are ornaments of the space, that arising as wheel of mind. The vessel and essence are the environment and inhabitants of apparent existence. They are all that appears as sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. In this state of insight they spontaneously arise merely as one's own experience.76 They have the essence of a dream, or the nature of the moon in water. They are a mere reflection. All appearances of form are the ma.n.dala or play of the kaayas within self-arising wisdom. 77 All sounds and speech are the ma.n.dala of speech. Memory and understanding, as well as all the ocean of wisdom of complete non-thought, arise by themselves as merely the play of the great ma.n.dala of mind. This is the way they really are. The six senses and their objects, due to ego-fixation, appear as the assembly of the kleshas. Nevertheless, they have not gone beyond the single ma.n.dala of naturally-arising wisdom. Regarding this 78 the Yigé Mépa, The Tantra Without Letters says: Confused appearance, arising as everything, is my Mind. Confused appearance, existing as everything, is my heart.79 Confused appearance, appearing as everything, is my body. All the sounds of confused appearance are my speech. Also the Künjé says: Kye! the teacher of teachers! The doer of all, the King, Makes a display of the essence ma.n.dala of body. Thus all the dharmas of appearance and existence Have been displayed as the unborn state of dharmadhaatu. For the sake of their inmost meaning, “No accepting, no rejecting,” 80 This too is displayed by me, the doer of all, the King. Kye! the teacher of teachers! The doer of all, the King, Makes a display of the essence ma.n.dala of speech. Thus are all dharmas, resounding with the voice of meaning,81 Revealed to be 82 the spoken word of unborn space. They embody the inexpressible heart of speech.83 This too is my display, as the doer of all, the King. Kye! the teacher of teachers! The doer of all, the King, Makes a display of the essence ma.n.dala of insight.84 All concepts involved with knowing and remembering Are seen as myself, the unborn, the doer of everything. The body, speech, and mind of me, the doer of all, Are ma.n.dalas resting in uncreated naturalness.85 Having realized the meaning of this state Perfected in a moment, without any need for arrangement, One enters the essential heart of the self-existing. Now there is the teaching of how the miracles of space are included in and embody the one reality and of how this is realized: 86
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Inhabitants of the six lokas, having the four-fold manners of birth, Do not move even an atom apart from dharmadhaatu. Appearances of the six sense-objects as grasper and grasped Do not occur within the state of dharmadhaatu. There all appearance seems to be like an illusion. Tenuous and etherial, it is without support. This is the state of eternal emptiness of the great vastness, Self-luminous suchness, rising to ornament dharmadhaatu. The six lokas of sentient beings, the three worlds, and all the dharmas of the vessel and essence are merely an illusory display87 within insight. They are luminous appearances of what does not exist. As for appearing with a nature of their own, their appearance is like that of an illusory city appearing with great brilliance in the sky above. It is like the emanations of a supremely skilful magician. From the very time they appear, these appearances arise spontaneously as they are. They are mere subjectivelyapprehended forms 88 of things that are empty of any existence at all. 89 Within this state of insight, the apparent objects of the six senses arise spontaneously as the mere experience they are,90 as a dream, as a play of illusion. The Yigé Mépa says: Unobstructed sight appears as my own form. Unobstructed sound is heard as my own sound. Unobstructed odor is my own perfume. Unobstructed taste is my delicious taste. Experience within my mind seems very swift.91 All the secret kleshas are my miracles. I am the charnel ground of buddhas and sentient beings.92 When I, the doer of all, have come into appearance, I am the appearance of the great luminosity. In the beginning, before the dawning of appearance, By ceaseless swift examining of six-fold mind, Productions of memory, rose unceasingly into being As the abundant accumulations of the six senses. The Prajñaa-muula-maadhyamakakaarikaa93 says: Like a dream, like illusion, Like a city of the gandharvas, Such is birth; so too is existence; So too is destruction said to be. One's experience, has been falsely apprehended94 as internal and external appearances. But now all dharmas are gathered into natural wisdom. From that very time experience spontaneously arises as it is. It becomes the non-action of the all-pervading, all-encompassing, great equality: Thus, this glorious splendor, this great spaciousne ss, Exists as self-existing equanimity. 95 This is unmoving dharmakaaya, bodhicitta; 19
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Eternally just as it is,96 self-emptiness that is changeless. So all that appears is the natural wisdom of dharmataa, Undiminishing 97 space of bliss, without any action or effort. From the time that anything appears, it is none other than the state of insight. Just so, whatever dreams may appear, from the very98 time they appear, are not something other than the state of sleep. Insight is eternal emptiness without change or transition, like the sky. Appearances within this state are appearances of what does not exist, an empty play of manifestation. There are no individuating characteristics. Therefore, insight has arisen from all eternity as the pith which has no need of abandoning or receiving, hope or fear. Now, here is the instruction to rest in this once again. Without producing struggle, hope and fear, rest in self-subsidence or dissolution. This is the state of equality. This is the unity of the great, all-encompassing, uncreated, natural state. The 99 Sengé, The Lion of Perfect Power, says: All inclusive perfection,100 supreme essential meaning; Entering evenness,101 melting into the natural state; Coursing within the meaning of the limitless; That is great bliss, which is intrinsic to self-insight. Appearances and the essence merge 102 in the Space of the kaayas, Limitless appearance, whose pervading nature is space. Naturally undefiled; free from extremes of complexity; Luminous space of insight; all-encompassing nature.103 Having no dharmas of actor and act, transcending objects; The final experience is self-existence: All is play. The Künjé says: Kye, the teacher of teachers! The doer of all, the King, Within the uncreated circle gives instruction. 104 The uncreated essence, the root of all the dharmas Should be resolved to be whatever may appear. When the garbha's nature is understood as the single meaning, The nature of all is included within the doer of all. Dharmakaaya without accepting or rejecting is the ultimate essence beyond action and effort. It is also insight, naturally arising wisdom. The pure, self-luminous nature of this is taught as sambhogakaaya, undefiled by artificiality:
As for its self-luminosity, which does not depart from it; This is sambhogakaaya, enjoying the perfect expression. 105 This, from the time it appears, is the self-existing nature. Without fabrication or change, it is natural, total equality. 20
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Intrinsic luminosity is of the essence106 of insight. This is self-existing sambhogakaaya. Because its occurrence is intrinsic,107 this too is the uncreated, great equality. It is the changeless nature of emptiness/luminosity. Similarly, insight arises from all eternity as unobstructed nirmaa.nakaaya: The manifestation of play as variety without mixing, That is the wondrous, magical meaning of emanation. 108 It does not transcend the actionless state of Samantabhadra. The ceaseless luminous images that arise within 109 an untarnished mirror do not hide it. That is what the arising of insight is like. Without hiding its essence, ceaseless manifestations of its power arise. This is nirmaa.nakaaya. Trikaaya is the perfection of insight. The Künjé says: The nature of me, the doer of all, enlightenment, Need not be sought, because it is self-existing. This is trikaaya, heart-essence of all the victorious ones. My nature exists as uncreated dharmakaaya.110 Sambhogakaaya exists as my uncreated essence. My compassion manifest as nirmaa.nakaaya. No fruition established by seeking has been taught. Trikaaya is embodied by me, the doer of all. Thus all dharmas of appearance have been taught, To be the three non-creations, compassion, essence, and nature, To be the state of trikaaya, that which is my suchness. Also the Yigé Mépa says: I am experience of the five kaayas. As for these, They are the buddha fields, whose nature is perfection. 111 The kaaya and wisdom, and so forth, of the space of the dhaatu are self-existing perfection. Someone who hears this unintelligently and contemplates it impurely may say, “It would be wonderful112 if sentient beings had the kaaya and wisdom of a buddha right now, and were perfect because of that. But that cannot be!” Those who are not intelligent complain greatly like this. This is like people being convinced that there is no sun, when it is obscured by dark clouds. Do not dispute with such113 people. Instead say, “It is not something for you to be afraid of.” It has been said that in the dhaatu there are the self-existing qualities of buddhahood. If they did not exist, at the time of attaining buddhahood, from where would they newly arise? Maitreya has said:114 “The uncompounded is spontaneously existing.” 21
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The 115 Two Examinations, says: Though sentient beings, are buddhas actually, This is obscured, by incidental obscurations. If these are cleared away, then there is buddhahood. This is known from these and other scriptures. We do not say that these buddha qualities are completely pure of the incidental at the present time. But it is proper to turn one's mind solely toward the good qualities of the Dharma, whose nature is completely pure. This is like what the Bhagavat said at Vaishalii:116 “O monks, those who are not in accord with Dharma, should turn to the Dharma.” Now insight-bodhicitta is taught to be kaaya and wisdom where nothing needs to be added or taken away: In bodhicitta itself, there is no dangerous precipice. Effortlessness of trikaaya, spontaneous perfection, Does not depart from space, self-existing and uncompounded; Kaayas and wisdoms, self-perfected117 buddha activity, Eternally118 perfect assembly, eternally risen great Space. The essence of insight has been the self-perfection of the kaayas and wisdoms primordially and from all eternity. It is without transition and change, like the sun and its light. Naturally-arising wisdom is the perfect nature of the limitless119 wheels of ornament of body, speech, and mind. The Sengé says: Expressing the single meaning, which is the state of insight, Trikaaya appears as the essence of the victorious ones. From kaaya there rise the various miracles of wisdom. There are no dharmas, either apparent or non-apparent.120 Free from extremes of realization or its lack, The wisdom of appearance exists in the form of the essence. The emperor 121 has no clothes of conditioning by the elements. The wisdom of appearance is the play of everything. Without extremes, it is completely free of the path. Among the billion122 worlds that fill the universe, As many body ma.n.dalas as there may be Are brilliant, every one, as luminosity. Among the billion worlds that fill the universe, As many ma.n.dalas of speech as there may be Are every one of them the utterance of the teachings.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Among the billion worlds that fill the universe, As many ma.n.dalas of mind as there may be Are every one of them made pure123 in realization. Vajra body and speech, as well as vajra mind, All appear as that which is without appearance. The kaayas of a buddha and radiance of wisdom Are appearances that exist as our experience. This is our own insight,124 which is Samantabhadra. The kaayas and wisdoms are perfect in the buddha fields of the state of insight. Therefore, the realms of 125 the ocean of the victorious ones are also126 the Space of insight. These are taught to be the miracles of insight: The self-existing eternal fields are without change. In dharmadhaatu, dharmataa is what is seen. Knowledge without obstruction rises to ornament space; Not established by action, existing from all eternity; Just like the space of the sun;127 wondrous, marvelous Dharma. At the time of attaining enlightenment, possessed of the two purities, there is nothing but the wisdoms of dharmakaaya, sambhogakaaya, and nirmaa.nakaaya. All appearances have turned into buddhahood, the Space of experience of insight. This is because, at the time of one's experience128 of these appearances of kaaya and wisdom, there is nothing else than these manifestations. You may ask whether these do not arise from the accumulations of merit and wisdom. The two accumulations spoken of here129 have appeared from all eternity. As the established perfections of the buddha qualities of emptiness, they are called “self-existing.” Those temporary collections, the two accumulations, are classified as causes merely in the sense of conditions that clear away defilements. This is like a jewel covered with dirt being washed and rubbed with a cotton cloth. This is said to the cause of seeing the jewel. That is how trikaaya, the totality of the appearances of self-arising wisdom, exists as the ground of arising of the dharmas of naturally-arising wisdom. This is the teacher of the path. 130 The Künjé says: Natural wisdom, single teacher of all, Appears as the triple aspects of my nature. The classifications of the teacher are three. Thus all dharmas are united. They arise as they are, as experience of insight-bodhicitta. Because they do not exist as they appear, they are taught to be like a show of illusions:131 In this eternal spontaneous womb, the space of the dhaatu, Sa.msaara is total goodness; nirvaa.na is also good; And yet within total goodne ss, the Space of Samantabhadra, Sa.msaara as well as nirvaa.na never existed at all. Appearance is total goodness; emptiness also is good; And yet within total goodness, the Space of Samantabhadra, Neither appearance nor emptiness ever existed at all. 23
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Birth and death are good; sorrow and bliss are good; And yet within total goodness, the Space of Samantabhadra, There are no bliss and sorrow; there are no birth or death. Oneself is total goodness; the other is also good. Eternity and the void exist as total goodness; And yet within total goodness, the Space of Samantabhadra, There are no self and other, eternal existence or nothingness. Insight bodhicitta, with a essence like the sky, does not exist as anything anywhere. Therefore, here is what is said about sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, appearance and emptiness, birth and death, bliss and suffering, self and other: Whatever appearances of these there may be do not exist as anything anywhere either. They are only that state, its manifesting power, and its play of manifestation. Unobstructed experience of the appearance of these is like illusion, dream, the moon in water, spots in the eyes, a city of the gandharvas, and like a magical emanation. This is because such appearances are natureless. From their first appearance, all the dharmas of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na never existed. They never moved from the realization of groundless Samantabhadra and his consort. The Mirror-Mind of Samantabhadra says: Not even one thing does not rise from me myself; Thus I am the Samantabhadra of arising. I am Samantabhadra the teacher, displayer of all. There is nothing that is not displayed by me. It is from me that differences of nature rise; Thus I am Samantabhadra as the nature. I am free from all the dharmas of convention; Therefore I, Samantabhadra, am alone. I am the perfection of the five great lights; Thus I am Samantabhadra, the great King. By me there is liberation within the pure buddha fields; Therefore, I am Samantabhadra, the liberator. Whatever appears in my mind has already been perfected; Therefore, I am Samantabhadra, the realization.
Also it says there: Immense Samantabhadra is the play of everything, Samantabhadra in non-dual unity with his consort. The non-dual father and mother pervade all beings completely. Without fixation, or movement,132 he is bodhicitta. The face of Samantabhadra sees all the ten directions. 24
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU All that is seen is Samantabhadra, without front or back, Within the single Space of bliss of the mother's womb. 133 Not existing as anything, having no verbal marks.134 Samantabhadra's miracles rise as the absolute truth. All that arises is Samantabhadra's wish-granting treasure. Sambhogakaaya is Samantabhadrii's spotless space.135 Wisdom according with truth has the signs of supremacy. 136 This is the unmade ma.n.dala, luminous Space of bliss, Samantabhadra's ma.n.dala, pervading all beings completely. The Sengé says: Dharmadhaatu, Samantabhadrii, appears as objects, The objects enjoyed by completely pure Samantabhadra. Wisdom is play within the space137 of Samantabhadrii. Insight enters into the space of Samantabhadra. Neither eternal nor nothingness,138 father and mother are pure. Experience is the limitlessness139 of Samantabhadrii, Realization is Samantabhadra, united as one. The elements140 all appear as the mistress, Samantabhadrii. Prajñaa is the display of Samantabhadra's experience,141 The space of the dhaatu the motionless field, Samantabhadrii. Equality is Samantabhadra, as non-thought; Unity Samantabhadrii, all in one.142 Insight is Samantabhadra, who enters the ultimate; Prajñaa Samantabhadrii, unity of variety. 143 Supreme skillful means is Samantabhadra, appearing as insight;144 Luminous brilliance145 Samantabhadrii, without fixation. The bhagavan Samantabhadra instantly rises. Samantabhadrii, as she is, is non-fixation. Bindu is Samantabhadra, empty in essence; The source of dharmas146 Samantabhadrii, actionless. Non-thought is Samantabhadrii, undistracted; Samantabhadra relative truth, the real seed. 147 25
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The absolute is Samantabhadrii, shower of miracles. The beauty of ornament Samantabhadrii, appearing as objects.148 Insight-space is Samantabhadra, true dharmakaaya. The nature is Samantabhadrii, without obstruction. The essence is Samantabhadra, who does not change. Compassion is Samantabhadrii; all that appears. The teacher is Samantabhadra, who tames the kleshas. Samantabhadrii is emptiness, separate from convention. Samantabhadra is luminous freedom from reference point. Both Father and mother are insight-Space where all is good. Confused appearances are mere projections like those of a dream. For all beings, they are taught to arise from the state described there, as mere experience:149 By fixating what is non-existent as existing, Arises the state that is designated as confusion. Its nature is like a dream that is without support. That someone should be attached to Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na As independent realities150 is something very strange! One's own individual insight151 is the naturally existing essence of dharmakaaya, emptiness/luminosity like the sky. It has no things and characteristics. But co-emergent ignorance does not know that seemingly external appearances are its own essence. There is also the ignorance of false conceptions. This is not the same as the former but conceptual fixation of it. Both pass simultaneously into the confused aspects of grasped object and fixating mind.152 Then the various confused appearances of sa.msaara arise. This is like when appearances and objects in a dream are fixated as independent realities.153 Dharmas are the luminous appearance of what does not exist. But by attachment to confused manifestations of the vessel and essence they are fixated as real. This is like being attached to the appearance of an illusion as truly existing. This should be known to be, “very strange.” The 154 The Pearl Mala says: And so the appearance of variety Is like a rope regarded as a snake. By grasping it as something it is not, There is attachment to duality Of inner essence and external vessel. The Sangnying, The Secret Essence, says:
E ma ho! Out of sugatagarbha there comes forth 26
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The snake of karma, our projected conceptions.155 And also156 The Pranjñaapaaramitaa-sa.mcayagaatha Suutra, says: As many sentient beings, as there may be, Of lower, middle, and superior rank, All these arise from ignorance alone.157 That is what the Sugata has said. When illusory appearances appear as sa.msaara, in reality confusion has never existed. It is taught to have the nature of a dream: Samantabhadra is everything; He is the great self-existence. He was not and is not confused, and never will be so. Sa.msaara is only a name, for what in reality Goes beyond the extremes of existence or non-existence. Whoever was not confused about things at an earlier time, Will now be unstained by confusion and will not become confused. The intention of this is that the three worlds are alpha-pure.158 At the moment of falling asleep, we may dream that appearances of beings and the three worlds arise all at once. At this time, these appearances are fixated by mind. Mind is attached to them. Nevertheless, in reality they do not exist at all. We have never gone beyond sleep. The confused appearances of sa.msaara are whatever appears, whatever arises, and whatever is fixated. They too, from the very time they appear, have never moved from insight. They do not exist at all. What seems to be there is mere appearance of things that never existed from the start. They are mere luminous appearance of what does not exist. What does not exist cannot be confused. 159 So they have not been confused from the beginning. If they were not confused from the first, it is not possible that they are confused now, or that they will become confused later. This is the child of a barren woman, empty of birth. The child of a barren woman has never been born from the start. That now it exists as a young person is not possible. That finally it will become old and die is not possible either. Just so, the vessel and essence are mere appearance and cannot exist. For example, when a rope is confusedly taken to be a snake, the rope that produces fear really is a snake from the viewpoint of confusion. But, truly seen, it has the nature of the deceptive relative. When someone shows it to be a rope, the fixation on its being a snake is eliminated. It is truly seen as a rope.160 If this too is examined, the indivisible atoms of every strand are also empty. Similarly, the holy ones teach that the mind of confused fixation of confused appearance is empty from its arising. Realization that confusion is empty of nature is like the disappearance of the error of grasping a rope as a snake. The truth is revealed. If the dharmas that disappear and those that produce the disappearance161 are examined, they too are completely non-existent, just as the rope is non-existent. Disappearance of all dharmas is the ultimate exhaustion of the great namelessness. This is realization of the primordial alpha-purity of the three worlds. The Pearl Mala says: As a rope regarded as a snake Is taken for a thing that it is not, 27
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY So, for attachment to duality, The inner nectar and external pot; If these are well examined, then the rope, The vessel, and the contents, equally, Were emptiness from all eternity, The absolute yet relative in scope. When snakes are seen, though truly seen they be, To see the rope is authenticity. But if, for instance, like a bird in space, The two truths in their nature we should see The relative is only for this world 162 With no connection to reality. 163 But when emptiness has taken place, Within its essence everything is free. The 164 Heap of Precious Stones says: The root of ignorance has never been confused. It was completely severed from all eternity, Without any need for analysis or examination. Even for everyone who has yet to experience this, All of these coarse, external material elements, Have vanished away from the start, entirely by themselves. The non-existence of beings is purified by itself.165 Our bodies are without existence for eternity. Know they have no future and no history. Generally there are differences in the way the inner and outer dharmas of the various sense powers are grasped and understood by various Buddhist schools. Those of the shraavaka vaibhaa.shika school hold, as they do for the forms of the vessel and essence, that coarse, composite, divisible entities are relative. Indivisible entities are absolute. The mind-only school holds that defiled phenomena are in truth aspects of one's own mind. The svaatantrika maadhyamaka school holds that dependent origination by cause and effect in the external world is merely relative. This is for them mere appearance, like a reflection. The praasangika maadhyamaka school holds that luminous appearances are non-existent. They are like the moon reflected in water or an illusion of hairs in the eyes.166 The Semdé is the collection of mind of the great perfection. It holds that mind arises as the mere play of the power of manifestation of insight bodhicitta. The Longdé is the collection of Space. It holds that the display of the ornament of experience is within the Space of insight. Here the ornament does not arise as insight itself, but as mere experience.167 The Menngagdé is the collection of oral instructions. It says that experiences that obscure self-arising wisdom arise in primordial spontaneously as mere experience.168 They arise entirely without external, internal, or in between. Within insight, the phenomenal world is the self-existing luminosity of an illusion. It is appearance of what does not exist. Empty form is mere, bare arising. These appearances are mere confused projections. They do not exist as mind or any other reality at all. The three worlds do not exist at all, like a reflection. Their nature is 28
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU pure from all eternity. They are eternally liberated just as they are. After this nature has been realized, we become familiar with it. This occurs by being liberated in things as they were from the start. Confusion disappears169 we know not where. We dwells in insight. This is the single dot of self-arising wisdom, dharmakaaya, alpha-pure as it is. It is maintained that by the spontaneous arising of ruupakaaya, which does not go beyond space, benefits are produced. Similarly, it is taught that since not even the name of confusion exists, its opposite,170 non-confusion, does not exist either: With no confusion or any dharmas of non-confusion, There is natural, self-existing, eternal great insight. It never was or is or will be liberated. Nirvaa.na is only a name. No one is liberated; Nor will they be, already unbound for eternity; Completely pure like the sky, unlimited and impartial. The intention of this is the total freedom of alpha-purity. Since that which is dependent has been eliminated, the dharmas of that dependence are also eliminated. When one of a pair of mutually dependent, opposite dharmas is eliminated, the other is also eliminated. Here, confusion, the dharma opposite to non-confusion, has been eliminated. Therefore, nonconfusion does not exist either. That is why nirvaa.na is merely a name. As for the teaching that one should transcend bondage and liberation, sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, the Künjé says: The so-called absolute dharmas, described as supreme existence, also do not exist. There is neither enlightenment nor confusion, nor is realization attained. Naturally rising wisdom itself is utterly 171free from all the extremes of words. And the 172 Great Transformation, says: Without any buddhas, who will be bound within the net? 173 As there are no confused and ignorant sentient beings, Even the name of sa.msaara is without existence.174 Therefore, that which is eternally has not been liberated Will not be liberated at some later time. Who would maintain a fruition of such a groundless path? By that, the existence of liberation would be obscured. As for extremes, such as existence and non-existence, Or those like emptiness and luminosity, Eternal existence or nothingness, cause and its effect, And those which are known as the four extremes or the eight extremes, Free from them all, all things are like the space of the sky. Also the Sangnying says: Whoever was not bound and is not bound Never will be bound at a later time. But without bondage, there is no liberation. Self-existing perfection175 from all eternity, 29
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY That is the meaning of the buddhadharma. Because that is taught, the various joys are produced. Now in summary, sa.msaara and nirvaa.na do not exist at all. Therefore, they are included within the ultimate space of the great vastness, self-existing equanimity:176 In brief, from the vast and self-existing womb of space, Whatever rises is the skillful play of energy177 That is sa.msaara and nirvaa.na equally. Nevertheless, from the moment of their mere arising,178 Sa.msaara as well as nirvaa.na never existed at all. As from the power of sleep whatever dreams arise Have no reality, but are just one's own insight, Which naturally exists on the level of mahaasukha, 179 These are great vastness, self-existing equanimity, The total all-encompassing equality. The subjects of this preceding chapter are these: 1. The space of dharmadhaatu. 2. The arising from it of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na like a dream. 3. How the meaning of these is gathered into one by being encountered as the groundless, great equanimity. The dharmas of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are whatever arises as the phenomenal world and so forth. The manner of their arising from the state of insight is this: By the gate of spontaneity,180 the ceaselessly arising play of manifestation arises merely as it is. It is taught that in reality its dharmas do not exist at all. This is like saying that whatever good and bad dreams may arise are within one's own insight. They do not become something separate from sleep. Just so, with no falling into bias and partiality, one spontaneously experiences things as being without true existence. That is how they really are. Regarding this the Khyungchen, The Great Garu.da, says: Mind, though eternally never falling into bias, Appears within sa.msaara and the lower realms. But like a dream or illusion, or a city of the gandharvas, False appearance cannot have the power of truth. The Künjé says: There has never been a state of buddhahood. Even the name of buddhahood does not exist. Sa.msaara too is nothing but a name For what transcends all dharma-labeling.
30
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU
This is the commentary on the second chapter of The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu,
“THE ARISING OF THE PHENOMENAL WORLD AS THE BUDDHA FIELDS”
The nature of the space of the dhaatu has been resolved as the ground of arising. Now comes the extensive teaching of that space and the appearances of space181 as eternally self-arising buddha fields. At the beginning there is a description of the great all-encompassing space of the dhaatu. It is said to be like the sky. The nature of space, primordial in its self-existence, Having no inside or outside, pervades and encompasses all. It is unlimited by any kind of extremes, Unbounded above and below, as well in all directions. Without the duality of vastness and constraint, The purity of insight is like that of space; Space that is free from complexities of conceptual thought. The essence, bodhic itta, as limitless as space, is completely pure from all eternity. It has no external and internal, aspects of direction, vastness or constraint, essence, and reference points182 of dharmas. Its nature is as directionless as the sky. Joining it with that example, the Künjé says: Suchness is the essence of the mind; And suchness is the great non-dual bliss, Having all phenomena 183 and none. Eternal being,184 simple like the sky, Which is not the object of any concept,185 Is thus not counted as a unity. The space of the dhaatu is insight-emptiness. Now it is taught how our empty projections 186 arise from it as the mere forms of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na: From birthless space arise the miracles of birth. With nothing that is real,187 there also are no limits. This describes the signless, which has no marks of things. Filling the directions, with nature like the sky, 31
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY It is unborn self-existence, free from before and after. In it there is no beginning and no end. From primordially unborn insight comes the play of whatever appears as birth and so forth. Play is also unborn. 188 That is because it is beyond limitation and falling into partiality. The Sengé says: The great perfection is my bodhicitta, The essence of the insight of non-thought. It is nothing whatever, but rises as everything. The Künjé says: Dharmataa itself is spacious like the sky, So it is symbolized as being like the sky. Dharmataa is something inconceivable,189 So it is taught to have the mark of non-conception. And being inexpressible by any words, In words it has been called the inexpressible. This is to teach the essence which cannot be conceived. It is taught that what is intended is self-existent, beyond coming and going: The essence of everything, sa.msaara as well as nirvaa.na, Bodhicitta is self-existing and has no birth. It has no rising or birth, and is not something fixed. Coming from nowhere, it has no place where it can go. Unbounded by past and future, bodhicitta-Space, Without any coming and going pervades and encompasses all. The self-existing essence of insight transcends expression. It is taught to be the space of both sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. The Künjé says: Though the root of all dharmas is one as bodhicitta, Bodhi,190 the essence of buddhas and of sentient beings, Rising as vessel and essence of all the phenomenal world, Is neither one nor to be reckoned by a number. The body and speech of buddhas and beings is bodhicitta.191 It is eternally free of grasping and fixation. This is taught as the great nail of Space, as limitless as the sky: Beginningless, endless, and centerless suchness of dharmataa; All-pervading and all-encompassing nature of purity; It is just as limitless as the space of the sky. Without a beginning or end, beyond both past and future; 32
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Unborn and unceasing, with no solidified192 characteristics; Not coming and going, with no distinction of this and that;193 It is unestablished and effortless, empty of dharmas of action; Without directions, parts, or center; ground of suchness; Without any concept or discontinuity, equal space. Insight does not exist as anything at all. It transcends any mark, example, or nature, whereby it might be pointed out as “this or that.” Therefore, it is without what is expressed by such words as “beginning and end,” “arising and ceasing,” coming and going,” “established by effort,” and “center or boundary.” The 194 Longdruk, The Six Spaces, says: Free from the complications of many verbal marks; Not arising from mantra,195 perfect from all eternity; Totally free from any causes or conditions; Free from being defiled by view or meditation; Without any limit, there is no concept of a center. Without any consciousness,196 there can also be no objects. Without any deities, mantra too has no existence. Without any dharmas, all designations are transcended. Without any enemies, there can also be no friends. Without any body, nothing can appear to the senses. As for dharmas, by thinking they do not appear. Without them, there can also be no grasper of these. Without such a “me,” there is no retinue of the “mine.” Without the dhaatu, there also are no kaayas of insight.197 Without any virtue, evil deeds can never ripen. Without any life, there is no such thing as its being cut off.198 Without the accumulations, their objects do not exist. Without existence, emptiness too does not exist. Without skillful means, there is no listening retinue. Without any objects, the three times too do not exist. Even the unity of those three times does not exist. Such a nature is taught in order to convey the great purity and equality of the space of the dhaatu: Since everything is the equal nature of dharmataa, Not even one thing exists outside of the Space of equality. Equal as one and equal as all, since bodhicitta Is unborn in its vastness, limitless as space.199 Therefore the state of equality has no discontinuity. In insight-bodhicitta all is equally unborn, unenduring, and unceasing. There is not the least motion into anything other than realization. 200 There is no coming and going. The Künjé says: 33
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Non-thought, equality, suchness, shows itself to itself, without there being so much as an atom for it to show. The Longdruk says: I am appearance that never was nor will be divided. Myself as an object would be a thing beyond myself. Not separated by action or any sort of activities, I am equality of the three times as a single one. I am the ground without objects, free from every thought.201 The exalted, monolithic dignity202 of the great equality is the buddha field of vajradhaatu, vajra space, single changeless dharmataa. It is taught to be eternal insight, the fortress203 of the vajra heartessence: Since everything is the equal nature of dharmataa, Not even one thing exists outside of the Space of equality. Equal as one and equal as all, since bodhicitta Is unborn in its vastness, limitless as space, Therefore the state of equality has no discontinuity. This is the Space of eternity. This is the fortress of vastness. Boundless and birthless totality, 204 fortress of dharmakaaya, Unchanging self-existence, precious, secret fortress, Sa.msaara as well as nirvaa.na, all the phenomenal world, The primordial fortress is perfect, being all in one. Everything is the complete purity of insight, existing from all eternity as self-arising wisdom. There is not even an atom of dharmas that are something else. This transcends the confusion of otherness. It transcends the kleshas, the essence of all joy and sorrow. It transcends the enemy of karma and its ripening. Without the maaras and the objects of straying, all dharmas have existed as buddhahood for all eternity. They are the space of the great equality-equanimity, the fortress of vajra space. The Sengé says: The great vastness, which is insight-bodhicitta, Being unchangeable, having no thought or expression, Has built a vajra castle as its fortress, Faultless and utterly indestructible. Also it says there: Self-arising vajra insight blazes everywhere. Having no characteristics, vajra experience blazes. Great vajra emptiness blazes fearless and unconsumed. Unstained by the coarse or subtle, the vajra blazes fiercely. All pervading emptiness is the great vajra crown. 34
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The limitless unbestowed vajra is naturally perfected. The Künjé says: The cause itself, likewise the vajra conditions, Being unborn are also without destruction. This, the primordial essence of enlightenment, Is space unmoved by any thought of seeking out. Insight is a perfect King whose kingdom is in accord with him. Within the space of the ground, dharmataa, is the palace, the self-arising display of the heart-essence:
Within the boundless, all-pervading, encompassing ground, Without any bias toward sa.msaara or nirvaa.na, Is the fortified castle which is the seat of bodhicitta. The vastness of Space of dharmataa is a lofty peak. Unmade nature, vast circle of the four directions; Without any stages or effort this vastest of gates is entered. Within the essence of space, whose nature is pure, there is no establishing or clearing away. There is no defilement by artificiality. The space of the dhaatu supports everything like the earth. It never falls into the limitations and partialities of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. It is like a self-arising palace of freedom from extremes. Since the vast circle of dharmataa is without fixed criteria and reference points,205 it is merely said that it is a lofty height. It primordially transcends the four extremes with regard to act and effort, eternalism and nihilism, and so forth. Therefore, its nature is compared to the vast panorama of the four directions. It is a gate for those of supremely excellent mind, an eternally selfestablished gate beyond stages, effort, or cause and effect. It is called the palace of dharmataa bodhicitta. The Longdruk says about the nature of these206: Uncreated wisdom is completely pure. Uncreated color is luminous and unmixed. Uncreated non-duality is empty. Uncreated naturalness is insight-Space. Also the Künjé says: As for the gate, the gate is entered without seeking. As for the arrangement and ornaments of this palace: Ornamented by this self-existing rich display207 Natural wisdom, the King, is seated on his throne. Wisdom's energies gather and emanate appearance,208 So that all objects are empowered as ministers. Self-existing samaadhi is the holy Queen; And self-rising realization209 the Prince with his attendants; Contained210 in the Space of great bliss, as non-thought and its self-luminosity. 35
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Self arising, natural insight is the display of the palace. Nothing needs to be added to the kaayas and wisdoms. Nothing needs to be taken away. All dharmas are perfect. The Yigé Mépa says: Since I am without internal and external, The luminous dharmas are totally perfected. Since I am without either emptiness or solidity, Apparent dharmas are totally perfected. The essence of the self-existing heart of things is natural wisdom. This is like a king not moving from his throne. The essence of this is the samaadhi of the self-existing nature. Because it is never separate from insight, it is like a queen. When that has been realized, the intrinsic heat of attention211 is like a prince and his attendants. Awareness is the object first emanated from the state of insight by its intrinsic power of manifestation. It is like a minister who brings a country under his command, establishing what he desires. If one does not make such distinctions, it will be a means of madness making its appearance. This is because one will be without any speech or distinctions at all. Whenever there is natural wisdom, it is always two-fold: 1. The wisdom of the self-existing essence that does not depend on objects212 2. The wisdom of the power of discrimination that does depend on objects, and arises in relation to them. If one cannot let go, there will be an extremely great distinction between wisdom and ordinary conditioned thoughts. Therefore, when wisdom has naturally arisen within one, its power should be liberated into the ground. It should pass the pass into alpha-purity, the exhaustion of dharmas. Otherwise self-existence will come to nothing. 213 Rather, its power will enter into discriminating conceptual objects. Therefore, it is important to know one's own nature, with the continual realization that accompanies natural samaadhi. Distinguishing essential wisdom and this wisdom that depends on objects,214 the Künjé says: Kye! Listen to me now O Mahaasattva. What people are always calling “wisdom, wisdom” Is the wisdom that knows from all eternity. 215 Natural wisdom is wisdom from all eternity. The wisdom that conceptualizes objects Rises from objects and is not self-arising. Mere absence of objects does not produce luminosity. Therefore, in regard to natural wisdom, It is eternally knowing eternal wisdom. That is what it is that is known as “wisdom.” The wisdom of the display of the retinue Is wisdom that conceptualizes objects. Whatever objects it conceptualizes, It is the wisdom of acquired knowledge. 36
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU As for the objects of acquired knowledge, Since they all arise from bodhicitta, They are bodhicitta without objects. Since wisdom has its rising from itself, It does not meditate within samaadhi. Without such meditation in samaadhi, It has no vaasanaas of samaadhi. 216 This dharmataa that is without vaasanaas Is the vision of the buddhas of the three times.217 The vision of the buddhas of the three times Does not have conceptualization of objects. It exists as eternal equality. Natural wisdom does not conceptualize objects. It is unproduced, spontaneous, self-existing samaadhi. That is the samaadhi of a true yogin. Concentrating one-pointedly on an object in mind-produced shamatha and vipashyanaa is the samaadhi of the worldly and immature.218 The latter makes a distinction between collecting and not collecting vaasanaas. The self-existing essence of insight is bodhicitta. It is realization of dharmataa. Awareness of the arising of objects is known as sa.msaaric mind. It arises with grasping subject and fixated object. When this state has been recognized, and when one knows how to let go of it, the self-arising power of manifestation merges with the ground. 219 Then it arises as the realization of dharmataa. In explanation of the great difference between these two topics, the same text says: Kye! Listen to me now O Mahaasattva. This is the mind of naturally rising wisdom, The vision of all of the buddhas of the three times. Without conceptualization for eternity, The uncreated realization of buddhahood, Is free from objects of conceptualization. 220 Beings capable of the highest yoga Should rest themselves in lack of conceptualization. This is doing what the Buddha intended. Natural wisdom, not conceiving of objects, Is not obscured by the vaasanaas of concept. Thus, vision of the changeless space of the dhaatu is the true and constant object of insight: This motionless state, transcending all expression or thought,221 Rules over the vessel and essence of all the phenomenal world. This is the realm of dharmadhaatu, vast and wide.222 These verses are a summary. Self-existing natural wisdom and the consciousness of the five senses that arise from it become self-awakened and self-liberated. They do not go beyond dharmataa. Therefore, the phenomenal world arises as the buddha fields of dharmataa. The 223 Déjé, The Instruction after the Teacher's Passing Away, says: 37
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Because this insight, unestablished in existence, Arises as one's experience224 without the least obstruction, All the phenomenal world is the field of dharmakaaya. The rising of this is liberated from the start.225 Also the Künjé says: The nature of mind and the five sense-gates are explained As being the five innate wisdoms of non-thought.226 Natural wisdom is without all obstruction. Bodhicitta manifests as appearance. Each individual entity clearly appears227 As non-obstructed, self-arising wisdom. In general the self-nature of insight is not established as anything whatsoever. It is not conceptualized as anything whatsoever. It does not exist as anything whatsoever. It is called by many names, bodhicitta, absolute truth, natural wisdom, dharmakaaya, and so forth. Different aspects of it have been distinguished as luminosity, emptiness, and so forth. But, in reality, insight has neither establishing nor clearing away. The same tantra says: The single nature of myself, the doer of all, Is called by various names, as the retinue will have it.
Some call it by the name “the nature of bodhicitta.” Some call it by the name “the kingdom of the sky.” Some have called it by the name of “dharmakaaya.” Some have called it by the name “sambhogakaaya.” Some have called it by the name “nirmaa.nakaaya.” Some have called it by the name “omniscience.” Some have called it by the name of “all the aspects.” Some call it “the three wisdoms” or “the four.” Some have called it by the name of “five-fold wisdom.” Some call it by the name of “space and wisdom.” What is named, self-rising wisdom, is but one. As they saw my self-arising, so they spoke. The meaning of this is taught as dharmataa-bodhicitta, contained228 within a single space of bliss: When one dwells in this realm, then all is dharmakaaya. Not going beyond the unity of natural wisdom, It was never created. It was always complete. 38
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU It is the transcendence of effort and establishment. As if in a droplet229 of bindu without any angles or corners, One is contained within the realm of unfigured Space. The undefiled essence of insight has existed from all eternity as dharmakaaya, the single dot of bindu. Dharmataa transcends the objects of thoughts about action and effort.230 It is taught to be natural wisdom. The Pearl Mala says: Since aalaya rises by itself as dharmakaaya, The severed root of its lineage is eradicated. Since wish-fulfilling realization231 is eternal, Production of wandering thoughts232 is pacified by itself. Since the eternal flow of breath has been cut off, Birth and death primordially are non-existence. Since desirable qualities are eternally perfect, Extremes of attachment are therefore meditation itself. Since without motion the limbs eternally have arrived, The journey of all beings is eternally over.233 Since in terms of speech this is inexpressible, It is eternally out of the realm of speech and thought. Eternally empty of emanating and gathering thoughts,234 There is eternal resting within the great samaadhi. Since here all defilements are purified by themselves, There is resting within the spotless great transparency. Since no actions can arise within this state, It is free from act and actor from the start. Since no dharmas rise from the ground as something else, This is the self-arisen, single, primordial dot. Since the reckoning of one and two has been exhausted,235 This is the state of bindu in its matchlessness. Since primordially it is pure of any darkness, The appearance of insight is all-pervading and luminous. Since the changelessness of sa.msaara is utterly obstructed, Buddhahood is eternally perfect and self-existing. 39
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Empty and pure of all the characteristics of things, Ego-fixating mind has been forever exhausted. Now all dharmas are taught as having one taste, the essence of insight-bodhicitta: The six kinds of beings, as well as all the buddha fields, Are otherless dharmataa, the state of the sky itself. The single taste of self-luminous, insight-bodhicitta Encompasses and perfects sa.msaara as well as nirvaa.na. As a dream is one with sleep, all the individual dharmas are of one taste with insight. Teaching that they are included within their root, bodhicitta, the Künjé says:
All dharmas in reality are the root. They are bodhicitta, the doer of all. Just as236 they appear they are my essence. Just as they rise they are my miracles. All verbal sounds, just as they are heard, Are my meaning, being used as words.237 The qualities of the buddhas' kaayas and wisdoms, The vaasanaas and bodies of sentient beings, The vessel and essence of phenomena, Are the eternal essence of bodhicitta. All dharmas are perfect in the state described there. The dharmas of nirvaa.na are also present without needing to be sought. This is the great self-existing: Within this dharmadhaatu treasury, the source of all, Nirvaa.na has existed from all eternity. As it is self-existing, it does not need to be sought; So changeless, objectless 238 dharmakaaya is universal. The vessel and essence, all outer and inner appearance, Exist as the perfect enjoyment of sambhogakaaya. 239 Nirmaa.nakaaya, like a reflection, is self-arising.240 Trikaaya, the ornament, does not have imperfect dharmas; So all is 241 the play of the Buddha's body, speech, and mind. Though all the Sugata's buddha fields cannot be counted, The Space of trikaaya, from which they rise, is mind itself. All dharmas are the great eternal emptiness of dharmakaaya. One's experience is sambhogakaaya. The ceaseless arising of variety is nirmaa.nakaaya. In the pure fields the holy guides242 of sentient beings are of the nature of trikaaya. They are self-perfected insight-bodhicitta. The selfexisting essence need not be sought. The Künjé says: 40
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Kye! Listen to me now O mahaasattva. The nature of the doer of all, enlightenment, The self-existing nature that is not sought, Is trikaaya, the essence of the victorious ones. My nature is uncreated dharmakaaya; My essence uncreated sambhogakaaya. My compassion is nirmaa.nakaaya, Coming forth into actuality. There is no teaching of any kind of fruition That is established by means of being sought. As for trikaaya, it is personified As the doer of all, which is myself. Therefore, all of the dharmas of appearance Are the essence, nature, and compassion, Which were never created by anyone.243 Trikaaya serves as attendants to my suchness. Since they arise from me and from my suchness, The virtues of “buddhas” should not be overpraised. Nor should we deprecate “sentient beings” for their faults. Both are suchness, equal as non-thought. Nothing at all exists except for that. That, myself, is better than the buddhas. Therefore I, who am the doer of all, Have no regard for anything they teach. The apparent arising of the field of the beings of the six realms within the space of bodhicitta is the simplicity of a single drop of bindu: The nature of sa.msaara, the city of the six lokas, Rises from dharmadhaatu like a mere reflection. Apparent variety—joy and sorrow, birth and death— Is like a magic show within the space of mind itself. The groundless appearance of existence and non-existence Rises 244 from temporary conditions, like clouds in the sky. It is not existent; nor is it non-existent. And because its nature goes beyond extremes, By bindu, simplicity, it is encompassed and perfected. The dharmas of appearance and existence, and particularly confused appearances, the nature of the beings of the six lokas, are empty forms without nature. Like the illusory show seen in dreams, they 41
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY arise as delusive apparitions. These hallucinated fantasies seem real245 for those who do not realize this. However, for the yogin they arise as mere illusion. These confused appearances are like the visual illusions produced by eye-deceiving mantras. They arise from a slight condition, not realizing their temporary nature as luminous appearance of what does not exist. They are accepted at face value 246 only when they have not been examined. When they are examined, their essence does not exist. The Khyungchen says: Without any cause or conditions, experience is unobscured. Without any effort, the single dot not made by anyone Is spontaneous play of eternally perfect sugatagarbha.247 To examine and analyze this water of illusion And the hundred essences of the forms that rise within it Is a task beyond the capacity of the mind. The Künjé says: “Six lokas” is just a name. When examined they are empty. Sentient beings are karma and the kleshas. If these are examined, they are groundless. They are free from the extremes of one and many. They are bereft248 of essence. The Khyungchen says: In this mind for which desire is quite impossible, Because it depends on ripened vaasanaas that have no ground, Like a sky flower, beings have no support or existence. It is not possible that our bodies could depend Upon vaasanaas of mind, when mind does not exist. The Pearl Mala says: As for the five root kle shas of sentient beings,249 In reality they have no existence. They are merely like clouds within the sky, A combination of temporary conditions. Just as clouds arise within the sky, They likewise melt back into it and vanish. 250 By those who know that this is how things are This is called one undivided state. In a similar way the stains of the kleshas Rise by themselves and are pacified by themselves. When this situation is understood, How can we be in the bonds of a sentient being? Also The Complete Commentary on Pramaa.na by Dharmakiirti says: The nature of mind is to be luminous. 42
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Defilements are a temporary thing. That is how it is explained. Now there is the summary of these teachings as the great equality of vajra space: Mind itself, which is the nature of bodhicitta, Is pure like the sky with no joy and sorrow, birth or death. Free from the dharmas of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, It has no bias toward the solidity of things. As this is the markless, Space of the sky, supremely vast, It is motionless, changeless, uncompounded self-existence. Enlightened as the vajra essence,251 luminosity, Everything is the self-arising field of bliss. This self-existing equality is the supreme enlightenment. The essence of insight, like the sky, is without transition or change. It is the essence of suchness. Within it sa.msaara and nirvaa.na have been liberated from all eternity. They are buddhahood, the vajra essence. Their nature is taught to be the self-existing equality of supreme enlightenment. The Künjé says: However252 things appear, they are one in suchness. Within it do not produce any fabrications of anything. Non-thought, this unfabricated King of equality, Exists as spontaneous realization of dharmakaaya. So it is said, and also: As for one's own mind, the essence of that is suchness.253 And all of the dharmas are likewise established to be suchness. Do not attempt improvements254 on the state of suchness. Do not establish anything other than the essence. If they should seek for it, even victorious ones Will not find anything more than just the space of the dhaatu. It has been made already; one need not make it now. It is established already, one need not do so now. Now, without establishing anything at all, Rest within the equality of non-thought itself,255 Having no intention in particular. Natural wisdom is the nature of mind, free from the extremes of confusion. In this tantra, the Künjé, that wisdom is said to be bodhicitta. In the following verses, it is also explained as being mind: Except for mind, no other buddhahood 43
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Has ever been taught by me, the doer of all. However, the mind that emanates objects is not really bodhicitta. This is called the mind of acquired knowledge or the mind of the play of phenomena. Knowing the difference between these two is very important.256
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU
This is the commentary on third chapter of The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu
“THE EXAMPLE OF BODHICITTA.”
The nature of bodhicitta has been taught. Now it will be explained how that nature includes all dharmas within it as the great perfection: All is completely included, included in bodhicitta. Since apart from bodhicitta there are no dharmas, All of the dharmas are of the nature of bodhicitta. All dharmas arise within bodhicitta. They dawn within 257 it. It is like the vessel and essence of the phenomenal world being completely included within the sky. Within one taste of molasses the taste of all molasses is included. Just so bodhicitta is taught to include the essences of sa.msaara, nirvaa.na, and the realization of all the buddhas. The Künjé says: As for me, the doer of all, the King, Included in me is what has been realized By every one of the buddhas of the three times. Their bodies are included within my nature, Their speech is included, and all of their realization. Also it says there: The nature of the doer of all, the King, Is taught to be a nature without birth. Since all the buddhas likewise258 are unborn, It is taught that they have been included Within the unborn state of dharmataa. In the nature of the doer of all, the King, Just as dharmataa has no obstructions,259 All of the buddhas that were mentioned above Have no obstruction within dharmataa. Thus it is taught that they have been included Within that very state of dharmataa. 45
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Bodhicitta, as described here, should be understood by example, meaning, and reason. First, as for the example: The example of bodhicitta is being like the sky. Mind has no causes, having no objects that are born. “Space of the sky” is nothing but a symbolic example For expressionless, non-existence, transcending the objects of thought. If even the symbol is something that is unknowable, How could the meaning exemplified ever be thought or expressed? It should be known to exemplify purity of the nature. The nature of mind, self-arising wisdom, is without things or characteristics. It is the simplicity of emptiness/luminosity, with no conceptualization of this and that. If the conceptualizations involved in the example, “It is like the sky,” are analyzed, the example, the space of the sky, has no color or shape. There is nothing there to identify. No dharmas are designated as being exemplified. It should be understood that the meaning symbolized by this example is the nature of mind. This pure nature exists as nothing whatsoever. It should be understood that for this reason it is exemplified by something just more or less without conceptualizable characteristics. The Sengé says: Equality without solidity, this is the vision of buddhahood; Wisdom experience, dharmakaaya pure like space. Insight without complexity, limitless as the sky, The sphere that is empty of action; not grasping, is free in itself. The self-existing intention is chokshak ,260 the pure samaadhi In which all things are left to rest just as they are. Insubstantial experience is the only substance That ever will be found within the ma.n.dala. Changeless, self-purified dharmataa is the only object. Also the Künjé says: Kye! O mahaasattva, All dharmas have the nature of the sky. The sky itself is something natureless. There is no example of the sky. Furthermore, the sky is measureless. Without the least exception all the dharmas Should be known as really 261 being like this. As for what is symbolized by that example: That which is the meaning of this is our own insight. It is bodhicitta, as limitless as the sky. Not an object of thought, beyond expression or symbol, It is motionless self-luminosity, vast and radiant Space. Not having been created, it is self-existent. Vast circle of enlightened essence, dharmakaaya, 46
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU It has no vastness or constraint, no high or low. Self-arisen wisdom, the self-existing heart-essence of dharmakaaya, is free from complexities of thought or expression. The Rangshar says: Dharmakaaya, simplicity without thought, Is wisdom, which is the nature262 of buddhahood. This explains 263 non-thought, the essence of buddhahood. That the great self-purity has no grasping Explains the insight pertaining to Vajrasattva. That wisdom is pure and clear in its emptiness Explains the Markless, which is dharmataa. Also the Thaljur, The Penetration of Sound says:264 Since it is free from action, its perfection is perfect.265 Since it is free from limit, it does not have a center. Since it is quite perfect, it is free of goals. Since nothing is left out, it has no fragmentation. It is not one, and also exhausts the extremes of duality. Not appearing as many, it has transcended unity. Though it is inexpressible, it is the ground of words. Free from substance, this is the meaning of empty heart. This is the view that does not fall into partiality. Also the Künjé says: The view and action of the great perfection Are not like establishment by cause and effort. As for this view and action of bodhicitta, Their nature is a nature like the sky. The sky transcends conceptual analysis. Whoever does conceptual analysis Will not establish enlightenment like the sky. In view and action with nature like the sky, Whoever produces a grasper and fixation Will not establish enlightenment like the sky. The rising of dual grasping and fixation Rises as266 the strayings and obscurations. Non-duality is like the sky. Enlightenment is non-duality. Whoever is producing duality 47
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Will not establish enlightenment like the sky. When view and action arise in duality, This is the strayings and the obscurations. The sky is the nature of enlightenment. The sky has no accepting or rejecting. Whoever performs accepting and rejecting Will not establish enlightenment like the sky. Wherever there is 267 accepting and rejecting, There are the strayings and the obscurations. The sky is the nature of enlightenment, And the sky has no establishment by effort. Whoever performs establishment by effort Will not establish enlightenment like the sky. In regard to establishment and effort, They are the strayings and the obscurations. The sky is the nature of enlightenment. In the sky there are no cause and effect. Whoever has the view of cause and effect Will not establish enlightenment like the sky. Wherever there is the view of cause and effect, There are the strayings and the obscurations. Insight, the nature of bodhicitta, completely pure like the sky, does not fall into limitation and partiality. Regarding the certain reason for this: The reason is, for all that rises from its power, 268 When it arises, nothing rises anywhere.269 Rising is only a name, when analyzed like the sky, There is only the all-inclusive state of perfection, The great equality without partial limitations,270 All-pervading and all-encompassing Space itself, Without any fixated objects, without any grasping subject. The way things arise unobstructedly within insight is like the reflection of the sky in a clear ocean. A variety of things seem to be arising continually. In reality nothing arises, nor is there a place where anything arises. Everything subsides into emptiness, passing the pass into the impartiality of dharmakaaya. The great equality has no partial limitations. For that reason the nature of Mind can be established as being like the sky. The essence of insight is the subject. It is unborn like the sky, so in conventional expression it is properly said to be beyond thought and expression. This is of one nature with yourself. From within it mind rises as a manifestation of its power.271 But mind has no nature that can be grasped. It is eternally empty simplicity like the sky. The Rangshar says: Dharmataa which is without a grasper Is the self-illumined Space of blissfulness. 48
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU All-pervading space without conception, Dharmataa is the play of everything. Dharmataa which is without a grasper, Is pure in itself exactly as it is.272 Self-liberated non-thought, the power of bliss; All-pervading, undistracted experience, Genuine dharmataa, is mahaasukha. Also the Künjé says: The reason is that false conceptions are bodhicitta. These objects of insight are pure in its impartiality. 273 They are liberated from the beginning, as soon as they arise. Therefore, it is taught that they are included and perfected in the sky and ocean of dharmataa. The Sengé says: Within the sky of dharmataa that is free from names, Soars the garu.da experience, where marks are never fixed. 274 Unfabricated self-insight grasps itself as bliss. In the self-arising ocean, simplicity, dharmataa, Shimmers the golden fish of essences being unreal. Experience is engulfed275 in one taste, dharmakaaya. Within the totally pure simplicity of the sky, Soars the golden garu.da, simplicity, dharmakaaya, Enveloped within the luminous torch of an effortless mind. In limitless self-arising, the ocean of dharmakaaya Shimmers the golden fish, one's insight free from thoughts, Engulfed in luminous emptiness; free from sa.msaara/nirvaa.na. Within the luminous sky, free from fixated desire, Soars the golden garu.da of self-existing vision, Enveloped in dharmataa, the all-pervading vastness. In the pure, translucent sky of complexities as they are Soars the golden garu.da of actionless experience,276 Enveloped in dharmataa, free from the strife to establish.
In the unpolluted ocean of naturally perfect wisdom, Shimmers the golden fish of insight's luminous purity, Engulfed in natural freedom from any condition or ground. 49
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The meaning of these verses is inclusion in dharmataa without any center or limit: Self-rising wisdom, dharmataa, is free from borders.277 It is taught by example;278 joining example, meaning, and reason. In equal space the subject of this great threefold ennailment, All is included, without separation or clearing away. 279 In this, the great vastness,280 the all pervading womb of space, Everything is the state of equality for eternity. It has no before and after, nor any good and evil. This is the vision of Samantabhadra and Vajrasattva. Insight free from extremes, transcendence of thought and expression, does not depart281 from dharmataa. This is taught by the certain threefold ennailment of example, meaning, and reason The Künjé says: If you282 want to realize the meaning of this with certainty, Investigate the example, “it is like the sky.” The meaning of this example is unborn dharmataa. The reason is that dharmataa is unobstructed. The meaning, dharmataa, which in fact is like the sky,283 Is symbolized by the example “being like the sky.” Dharmataa, which is something inconceivable,284 Is taught conceptually as “inconceivable.” That which is inexpressible by any words Is known in verbal expression as “inexpressible.” Thus, in sum, the benefit of teaching this Is as a commentary on the ultimate essence. By this may the meaning of what I am be realized. If by this there is no realization of what I am, No matter what verbal teachings of the meaning are taught, You will be unable to encounter me. You will stray from me, and I shall be obscured. The essence of the Dharma will not be seen at all.285 Insight is symbolized by the example of the sky. Its essence is simplicity beyond thought and expression. This is the realization of Samantabhadra, Vajrasattva and so forth. The same tantra says: The embodiment of Samantabhadra's realization Is that all appearances, however they appear, With no good and evil, accepting or rejecting, Embody the doer of all, come forth into manifestation. 50
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The embodiment of the realization of Vajrasattva Embodies the realization of the unborn and unceasing. The seven generations of Buddhas to Shaakyamuni The thousand and two, and those who are as many as atoms,286 Those who did benefit by body, speech, and mind, Arose by rising up in body, speech, and mind. The way that dharmataa of body, speech, and mind Performed those benefits of body, speech, and mind Was as embodiments of the doer of all, myself.287 Within the palace which is the space of dharmadhaatu Not one thing is not the embodiment of myself. Within the palace of the space of sugatagarbha 288 Not one thing is not the embodiment of myself. Insight is taught to be like the heart of the sun: Bodhicitta is like the heart-essence of the sun, A luminous state, which is eternally uncompounded; Without obscuration of dharmas; self-existing transparency; Without complication by dharmas; non-thought of dharmataa. That was the brief teaching. Dharmakaaya, uncompounded and self-existing luminosity, is the great transparency of insight. The Rangshar says: As for great dharmakaaya, free from the four extremes It is clear and undefiled, just like the purest crystal. It is free from all the concepts of extremes.289 Dharmakaaya is kaaya, because it is cleansed of darkness. Being undefiled, it has therefore dispelled all darkness. It is like the ma.n.dala of the sun itself. It has dispelled the darkness of the four extremes. It is self-existing from all eternity. Here is the extended explanation: Because it is empty, therefore it is dharmakaaya. Because it is luminous, therefore it is sambhogakaaya. Because it radiates, therefore it is nirmaa.nakaaya. 290 This is trikaaya that is not gathered or separated. As its qualities are eternally self-existing, It has no obscuration by the darkness of faults and evils. 51
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY It is without the transition and changes of the three times. Being without any past and future, it is one. It is one, pervading all buddhas and sentient beings. This is known as naturally rising bodhicitta. The nature of Mind in its aspect of emptiness is called by the name “dharmakaaya.” In its aspect of luminosity it is called “sambhogakaaya.” In its aspect of arising it is called “nirmaa.nakaaya.” There are no fixed dharmas that can be established as its essence.291 That which is intended by this is selfexisting, without the transition or change of the three times. Sugatagarbha pervades all of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na as its heart-essence. Therefore it completely pervades all beings. So it has been said. Teaching that these kaayas292 are the emptiness/luminosity of self-existing wisdom, the Künjé says: As for me the doer of all, who is bodhicitta, Only as a name is trikaaya taught to arise. As for the three-fold uncreatedness of my nature, The nature of the three kaayas in reality Is without any motion away from suchness whatsoever. As for me, the doer of all who is bodhicitta, From the unborn, free from all grasping and fixation,293 Unborn dharmakaaya rises only in name. In reality dharmakaaya is nothing but a name, Without any motion away from suchness whatsoever. The essence of me, the doer of all, who is bodhicitta, Rises into manifestation only in name. Sambhogakaaya is only a verbal designation. That seemingly risen sambhogakaaya, in reality, Is without any motion away from suchness whatsoever. The essence of me, the doer of all, who is bodhicitta, Manifests its compassion in the form of nirmaa.nakaaya. As for the uncreated nature of compassion, In reality nirmaa.nakaaya rises only in name, Without any motion away from suchness whatsoever. From such a state the phenomenal world is taught to arise: Its manifested power is whatever rises; Both realization and the lack of realization. This is the vessel and essence of the phenomenal world, And whatever appearances there may be of sentient beings.294 Insight exists as the ground of all that rises like a reflection manifesting its intrinsic power.295 The various appearances of the vessel and essence arise within the nature of insight, as if within a mirror. They are without movement, without transition and change, from insight. Just so, a reflection does not
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU move away from a mirror, and is without any transition or change from it whatsoever. The Rangshar says: As for the constant296 great self-arising of appearance, As the miracles of the sun and moon arise in the sky, So ceaseless miracles rise from that which is unborn. Such great miracles are nothing difficult. Also the Künjé says: I am enlightenment, genuine essence of everything. I am the essence, the simple space of the dhaatu. I am the great secret of all the buddhas. The play of three worlds and six lokas rises from me. This is taught to be without nature from its very rising: Though all of these rise as the nature that is unobstructed; Like the water of a mirage, an echo, or a dream, An emanation, reflection, or a castle of the gandharvas; As with distorted vision, what seems to be there is not. It is mere temporary appearance, without any ground or support. Realize such interludes to be actually dharmakaaya. The appearances of dreams are non-existent, both before we have yet gone to sleep and after the time of our awakening. But while we are in the depths of sleep they appear. Just so the confused appearances of sa.msaara are non-existent. This is true both at the time of dharmataa, the original ground, and the time of nirvaa.na, the final fruition. These appearances appear to confused mind. But from the very time they appear, they are luminous appearance of what does not exist. Except as mere appearance, form that is empty of essence, they have no existence whatsoever. Because all dharmas are without nature, there are no arising, cessation, or duration. The Muulamaadhyamakakaarikaa says: Like a dream, like an illusion Like a city of the gandharvas, Like that is birth, and like that is duration. Like that also is cessation, it is said. Also the Samaadhiraaja Suutra says: The beings of sa.msaara are merely like a dream. They are unborn and deathless every one of them. Sentient beings, man or beast, will not be found. So accumulations and actions also do not occur. It is taught that these appearances do not move from dharmataa: 53
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Out of the self-existing, the nature of bodhicitta, Play arises ceaselessly and unobstructed, Here are the miracles of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. Enveloped in space and perfected, all of these miracles Should be known as never moving from the primordial state. Whatever appearances there may be of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, from the time they appear, they do not move from the essence of bodhicitta. The Künjé says: The root of all dharmas is bodhicitta, the doer of all. Therefore, whatever appears appears as my own essence. Therefore, whatever rises is my miracle. Because everything is perfect in the space of the dhaatu, it is taught to be the great perfection: Everything here is within the state of bodhicitta. In the unmade ultimate 297 one is perfect, and all is perfect. That self-perfected nature is self-arising wisdom. Within298 the essence of insight, all the dharmas of the phenomenal world of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are self-perfected. The Yigé Mépa says: Since I am unborn and have no death, Obstructing dharmas are utterly perfected. Since I have neither internal or external, The luminous dharmas are utterly perfected. Since I am both emptiness and solidity, Apparent dharmas are utterly perfected. Since I have no objects of conception, The sight of 299 dharmas is utterly perfected. Since I have no body and have no mind, Experienced dharmas are utterly perfected. Since I have no self and have no other, The dharmas of insight are utterly perfected. Since I have no cause of performing actions, The great samaadhi is utterly perfected. Since I have nowhere else that I could go,300 Experienced objects are utterly perfected.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Since I have no bias or partiality, Secret wisdom is utterly perfected. Since what appears to me has no obstruction, The three-fold dharmas of space have been perfected. 301 Since I have no unity or duality, The dharmas of bindu are utterly perfected. Since I have neither illumination and darkness, Manifest dharmas302 are utterly perfected. Without the dualistic conceptions of ego, Empty dharmas are utterly perfected. Since I do not have the two defilements, The five-fold luminous dharmas are perfected. 303 Since I have neither emanation or gathering, The meaning of letters is utterly perfected. 304 Ceaseless appearance is only incidentally superimposed305 on bodhicitta. It is taught that it is perfected as mere appearance. The Longdruk says: For the nature of mind existing in the form of birth, Appearances of the six lokas arise as self-appearance.306 As for grasping at forms as really different,307 It is perfected by ripening as apparent form. For the nature of mind existing as cessation, Since non-thought is causeless, but rather self-arising,308 Appearance that does not have a nature of its own Is perfected, for example, like a dream. For the nature of mind existing as complexity, Since apparent variety arises as self-appearance, Appearances in the five gates of individual things, Are perfected when grasped309 exactly as they are. For the nature of mind existing as the teachings, Since words and names arise as themselves, as words and names,310 Conventional minds are therefore purified by themselves. The guru's oral instructions are secretly perfected. For the nature of mind existing in the form of sight, The many conditions of rising rise as self-appearance.311 Thus when312 apparent objects appear in manifestation, They are perfected as self-luminosity without mixture. 55
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY For the nature of mind, existing as continuity, The skandhas of appearance individually rise.313 Since they are self-joined, existing as the great unity, They are perfection, and that is unforgettably grasped. For the nature of mind existing in the form of objects, Since appearances rise as being self-appearance,314 Dualistic fixations of ego are purified by themselves. The objects of the six senses are individually perfect.315 For the nature of mind existing as deception,316 Shamatha and vipashyanaa rise as intrinsic experience.317 Meditation as well as the post-meditational state Are perfected in the motionlessness of the state of samaadhi. For the nature of mind existing as a view,318 The phenomenal world arises as unified self-arising. 319 The three worlds are already liberated as they are. Ati yoga is perfect as the great self-establishment. For the nature of mind existing as accomplishment, Hoping for anything has been self-purified. Free from everything that is established by effort, Trikaaya returning to itself has been perfected. For the nature of mind which exists in the form of sequence, The individual yaanas arise as intrinsic experience.320 Desire is not overcome. There is no examination; Nevertheless the great secret essence is perfected. For the nature of mind existing in the form of conception, Apparent variety rises as one's own self-arising. 321 Individualities both of name and color Are perfected as the dual aspects of form. 322 For the nature of mind, existing as parameters,323 The objects of appearance arise as truly existing. 324 When objects of attention arise as they really are, They are perfected with all their dependence on conception. 325 For the nature of mind that exists in the form of proclamation, Wondrous words have arisen entirely by themselves.326 All of the meanings of that which is to be expressed,327 Together with the words of the teachings, are perfected. For the nature of mind that exists in the form of resting, 56
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Appearances rise already resting in the ground. 328 Chokshak, which is the view of the great universal resting,329 Is perfect in the sense of not needing to be sought. For the nature of mind that exists in the form of transformation, Since the kleshas arise as that which is self-arising,330 It is like poison being turned into medicine; The kleshas are completely perfected as kaaya and wisdom. For the nature of mind existing in the form of purity, The objects of the five gates have been self-purified. As water that is not muddied is naturally pure and clear, Appearances are perfected exactly as they are.331 For the nature of mind that exists in the form of liberation, The objects that appear to it are completely pure.332 Just as a knot in a snake is loosened by itself, Liberated just as they are, they are perfected. For the nature of mind that exists in the form of measure,333 All the pure measures of experience are perfected. As with dealing out measures of a quart or ounce,334 The value of experience mounts up higher and higher. Insight is not something empty in the sense of being nonexistent. It is perfected. It has the essence of the two truths of dharmataa and dharmin, and the essence of the threefold purity. That is why it is called the great perfection. The 335 The Secret Essence of Illusion, says: The single cause, as well as the manner of the letters, The blessing, as well as the manifestation of truth,336 By means of these, the four-fold ultimate realizations 337 Everything manifests as the King, the great perfection. Its essence is nothing whatever, but it arises as all phenomena. Thus, it is taught that there is unobstructed arising from the state of the unborn: Bodhicitta is what appears and what does not. It has no dharmas of sa.msaara or nirvaa.na, Nor does it have the dharmas of external and internal; Yet from its power, by its nature of movement,338 All the variety that exists in the world of phenomena, Sa.msaara as well as nirvaa.na, rises up as play. The spotlessly transparent substance339 of a natural quartz crystal is one without other. But when it meets the condition of the sun's rays, light-rays of the five colors naturally 340 arise from it. Just so, the essence of insight does not exist as any particular thing, but as emptiness/luminosity, the purity of dharmakaaya. Nevertheless, it arises as the play of the various manifestations of the phenomenal world. 57
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY It arises from the conditions of realization and non-realization, and from its power of manifesting as sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, The suchness of the nature of mind is the great, total purity. It is the nature of space without phenomena. Within it all the various phenomena of appearance are spontaneously perfect. This is called “the great emptiness possessing all the supreme aspects.” The appearance of this as the objects of the six senses produces karma, the vaasanaas, and the vessel and essence. These are the ego-created variety of the mind's joy, sorrow and so forth. However, this variety is naturally perfect. The Künjé says: Kye! O Mahaasattva, Suchness is the essence of the mind; And suchness is the great non-dual bliss, Having all phenomena and none. Eternal being341 simple like the sky, Which is not the object of any concept,342 Is thus not counted as a unity. In bodhicitta that has no marks or number, There arise accountable mind-made dharmas. If you ask what things are made by mind, There are the vessel and essence of the world. There are buddhas and there are sentient beings. The nature of mind has been produced from the essence. Having been so produced, it manifests. As for the way in which it displays itself, It appears as the five great families of wisdom, As well as the six that are in the sa.msaaric realm. The two ruupakaayas that benefit these beings 343 Are the reckoning of the pure nature of mind. The self nature of insight does not exist as anything whatsoever. It transcends appearance and emptiness. The point is made that it is not an object expressible in terms of characteristics. This teaches that the false appearances that arise within this state do not exist at all: From the time of their mere arising, they are form that is empty of nature. From the unborn come all the things that appear to be born. From the very time of appearing, they were not born at all. From the unceasing come all the things that appear to cease. Yet they are only ceaseless, illusory, empty form. From the time their duration begins, no dharmas are there to endure. What endures is groundless; there is nothing to come or go. Since what so appears is not the thing it seems to be, Natureless, it is nothing more than a designation. 344 “Because they are mere appearance, they have no nature, like an illusion,” as is said. That is resolved by the insight of dharmataa. From the time of their apparent birth they are unborn. From the 58
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU time their apparent duration begins they are unenduring. From the time of appearing to cease they are unceasing. From the very time of appearing to come and go it should be known that their nature is without coming and going. The 345 Suutra Epitomizing the Realization of All the Buddhas says: E Ma Ho! Wondrous marvelous dharma. This is the secret of all the perfected buddhas. From the unborn is born all that there is. Yet all this from its birth is birthlessness. E Ma Ho! Wondrous marvelous dharma. This is the secret of all the perfected buddhas. From the unceasing comes everything that ceases. Yet in cessation this is ceaselessness. E Ma Ho! Wondrous marvelous dharma. This is the secret of all the perfected buddhas. From the non-enduring comes everything that endures. Yet the time of enduring does not endure. E Ma Ho! Wondrous marvelous dharma. This is the secret of all the perfected buddhas. Though from what does not come or go there is coming and going, Coming and going is what does not come or go. The Rangshar says: Instantaneously all the dharmas rise. E Ma Ho the precious bodhicitta! Existing in all, it is not seen by all. Natural wisdom, this droplet of am.rita, Without any striving or anyone to strive, Arises naturally all by itself. As for the realization of buddhahood, It is the birthlessness of the great self-arising. It is the state that neither comes nor stays. Then as for the great self-liberation, Which is without the fixations of desire, It should be known as insight without mind. Whatever appears is thus included within in the meaning of the natureless essence: Though from its power appearances rise spontaneously, Dependent arising is said to be merely symbolic in nature. From the very time of apparent arising from its power There is no separation of aspects that rise and do not arise. Since the power too is merely symbolic, without any essence, 59
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Eternally all is the state without transition or change. Not even an atom has any motion from bodhicitta. To say, “From the manifesting power of insight sa.msaara and nirvaa.na arise,” is merely a conventionality. There is no essential difference between the essence within which sa.msaara and nirvaa.na arise and the different things that arise within it.346 Their not moving from the equality of dharmataa is like this: In a clear ocean reflections of planets and stars appear to arise, but really they do not. The place of their arising is merely clear water, the element of the ocean. The planets and stars do not really move from the sky. The whole assembly of dharmas that arises is non-existent. Its appearance is merely an empty reflection. Similarly, all dharmas are unborn and unceasing, neither coming nor going, neither nothingness nor eternal. Their reality is neither the same as or different from that of their appearance. Dependent arising should be known as mere illusion. The Muulamaadhyamakakaarikaa says:347: That which arises interdependently Is without cessation and has no birth. It is neither eternal or nothingness. It is without any coming and any going. It is not different, nor is it a unity. Pacifying complexity, it is taught as peace. To the perfected buddhas who have said this, To those holy ones I make prostration.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU
This is the commentary on fourth chapter of The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu
“THE NATURE OF BODHICITTA”
The example has been fully taught, for the purpose of understanding the meaning. Now the nature of insight bodhicitta is ascertained: The nature of bodhicitta is all-inclusive totality. 348 It does not appear, transcending the dharmas of appearance. It is not empty, transcending the dharmas of emptiness. Not existent, it does not have the marks of things; Yet not nonexistent, pervading sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, The self-existing equality of primordial space, Is neither something existent nor is it nonexistent. It has no parts or borders, ground or root, or solidity. The essence of insight is free from the complexities of the extremes of thought and expression. It does not exist within the sphere of existence and non-existence. It eternally pervades all of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. The Rangshar says: Having no birth, it is without cessation. Without a grasper, it is free as it is. With no conceptions, it is without complexity. Not rising by action, it exists as everything. Uncompounded, it is pure like 349 space. It is free from grasping conventional dharmas. Having no nature, it is inexpressible. Genuine dharmataa, this is insight-Space. Pervading everything, this is the state of the father. Producing everything, this is the space of the mother. In prajñaa that is unutterable by words Exists the great text that never yet was taught. Dharmakaaya free from losing or keeping, 61
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Clearly appears in samaadhi without conception. From the center of uncompounded Space The King of insight emanates his wisdom. From the center of Space that has no birth or cessation The luminous eye of self-arising prajñaa Is the single dot pervading everything. The perfect essence is all-encompassing dharmataa whose nature is purity: Having no gaps, this is the Space of enlightened insight. Changeless, this is eternal, encompassing space of the dhaatu. Self-arising wisdom is matchless without example; Unborn, unceasing, gathered into one drop of bindu; Indefinite,350 all-pervading, totally boundless and limitless. The space of the dhaatu, self-arising wisdom, is the great self-existing, encompassing, all-pervasiveness. It is the essence that includes everything without gaps. It is the eternal source of the ma.n.dala of wish-fulfilling treasure. The 351 Finely-Set Jewel says: The single kaaya appears as all sentient beings. The single kaaya is ultimate benefit. The single kaaya shows the whole of appearance. The single kaaya does not exist in extremes. The vajra heart-essence is that kaaya of wisdom, Beyond all words as the heart of meditation. Nevertheless it clearly appears as the kaayas, The manifestations of enlightenment.352 Wisdom is all of a piece in its unity. It is free from all dualistic appearance. The kaaya of vajra holders353 is unestablished. Not existing in dualistic extremes, It does exist as the great self-luminosity. It does exist as the changeless vajra seal. From this arises the motionlessness of the ma.n.dala . As for the main point of reality,354 It is this kaaya, the ultimate support. The various bindus are this kaaya's wealth. As for its authentic ma.n.dala, it is the three-fold perfection of trikaaya. The dhaatu is free from action or an actor.355 62
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Dharmakaaya does not move from unity. As for the objects of its experience, They do not exist dualistically. It is transcendence of the duality356 Of the relative and the absolute. Dualistic extremes of fixation357 are abandoned. This is the vajra, wish-granting treasure ma.n.dala. It does not move from equality into extremes. As for the strayings and the obscurations,358 Such dualistic conceptions have been purified. Dharmakaaya does not arise by production. It is not attained by its being grasped,359 Any more than the moon reflected in the water. Its intrinsic appearance360 as skillful means and compassion, Is like the sun along with its rays of light. Consecrated361 by the power of prajñaa, The ultimate ma.n.dala of reality362 Goes beyond extremes of appearances. Kaaya, Mind, is empty and egoless. The expanse363 of its wisdom has neither birth nor destruction. Dharmataa is the peace beyond understanding. Appearance is set free as the limitless fields. That self-arising kaaya is utterly pure. Samaya of emptiness, it is the appearance Of all phenomena as objects of insight. The space of the dhaatu described here exists in everyone. But it is taught to be the object of experience only of a few fortunate ones: Self-existing equanimity is the stuff364 Of the motionless essence which is the vajra heart. This supreme and universal state of space, Into which nothing is gathered, and from which nothing departs, Is not within the scope of what words can characterize.365 The Space of prajñaa comes forth within one's own experience.366 The yogin who has no complexities of expression or thought Is sure that marks and the lack of marks do not exist. 63
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Since meditation and its object are not found, There is no need of struggle to slay one's enemies, Discursiveness, drowsiness, and the thoughts of conceptualization. The self-nature of insight is beyond views and meditations established by effort. It is the stuff of the vajra heart-essence. The nature of space without gathering or elimination transcends expression by conceptual characteristics. It is the object of one's personal experience of wisdom. It is not the object of the complexities of thought and expression. The 367 Wondrously-arisen King says: Unthinkable 368 bodhicitta dharmataa Cannot be resolved by thought or by expression. The Diamond Sutra says: Dharmataa is not an object of knowledge. It is something that cannot be known. Dharmataa is the object of one's own insight:369 Prajñaapaaramitaa, inexpressible by speech or thought; Unborn, unceasing, with a nature like the sky Only experienced by discriminating awareness wisdom. I prostrate to the consort of the victorious ones of the three times. The pure teachers say that dharmataa transcends thought and expression. It is not a falsely conceived object of knowledge to be analyzed away. 370 It is properly said to be the object of those who see truly. Those who explain it as an analyzable object of knowledge are merely looking at the subject from outside. I do not see this as proper. Such words are those of people without experience of the meaning. In the thoughts of mind there are complexities, but dharmataa371 is not an object of thought or memory. It is incompatible with conceptualization and substantiality. When we rest without thought and expression by mind, we encounters the meaning itself as the object of our own insight. This is because the essence of insight, dharmataa, absolute existence, manifests at this time. Individuals who realize the meaning of this great self-existence that is just so,372 grasp the stuff of the vajra heart, supreme above all. Individuals so in accord with dharmataa have the qualities of being free from action and of having abolished effort. The Khyungchen says: The nature whose existence and whose non-existence Are hard to analyze has power to touch the mind. Unthinking, it is wisdom that destroys confusion. Possessing the effortless power of idiot-confidence,373 It is brought about374 by those with the mind of simple space. Also the Thaljur says: 64
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Strong, with an imperturbable 375 easy power, With natural freedom376 of idiot-relaxation, Possessing few thoughts and naturally at ease, And free from actions of body or of speech; Whoever holds prajñaa is a holder of this. From knowing the essence of insight, insight rests or arises as it is. Whatever drowsiness and discursiveness and such may arise are also merely the essence and play of manifestation of self-arising wisdom. There is no need to clear away straying or obscuration. Strayings and obscurations themselves are insight. Except for insight not even one other thing arises. Since they are insight, they are the great actionless self-existence of dharmakaaya. This is like having come to an island of precious gold. One does not find ordinary earth and rocks there, even if one looks for them. The Künjé says: Kye! Listen, Mahaasattva. Previously the buddhas dwelling in the past Did not seek the Dharma except in their own minds. They never tried to manufacture the state of suchness.377 They never tried to meditate in discursive samaadhi. Their own minds were already established as non-thought. The buddhas of the present, like those who are yet to come, Accomplish this through the equanimity of non-thought. Also it says there: Within the all-encompassing state of mahaasukha, Which is the center of the Space of dharmataa, Exists non-thought, The nature of the great equality. In dharmataa whose nature is without appearance, Do not conceptualize insight; do not produce samaadhi. Resting within this state is motionless naturalness. Its nature exists without being created by anyone. It exists as the suchness that does not need to be sought. One should perform that supreme activity without action. In self-existing samaadhi drowsiness and discursiveness are not possible. The Heap of Precious Stones says: In the nature of uninterrupted samaadhi There is no drowsiness or discursiveness. That is surely a thing provoking wonder.378 65
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY This continual flow of awareness is the river of non-meditation, samaadhi that is naturally just so. Whatever arises within it arises as dharmataa. Therefore, there are no strayings and obscurations, drowsiness and discursiveness, or wandering and non-wandering. That is because objects of wandering arise as the play of dharmataa. In meditational states other than this, even if we meditate in formless samaadhi with the one-pointed, unwandering insight of a great meditator, we shall be staked to the tether of sa.msaara. We shall not come one bit closer to being enlightened than we were before. Certain contemporary exponents of the Shijé school are examples. The Künjé says: 379
Having left behind one's ordinary state,380 Looking for something else existing at a distance, Putting one's faith in effort, rejecting the bliss of non-action. There is no cause of exhaustion that could be worse than that.381 Samaadhi that does not wander is staked to fixation's tether. Though non-wandering cannot be lost, as it is eternal, Those seduced by the hope of samaadhi that does not wander Are directly destined382 for the great yaana of cause and effect. But actionless transcendence of establishment and effort Exists eternally, never wandering, never lost. Now it is taught that, since the phenomenal world exists as the buddha fields, there are no accepting, rejecting, good, and evil: Dharmataa, the eternal coronation vase,383 Has no thought of itself and none of anything else. The three worlds are therefore nothing else but this itself, They are the field of equal nature with this itself. Insight, pure, equal, the great self-existence, pervades the buddha fields. The appearance of beings in the three worlds and six lokas is intrinsically their arising from all eternity within the buddha fields of self-arising wisdom. They are dharmataa, eternally enlightened within vajra space as the great perfection. The Thaljur says: And as for sentient beings, arising from conditions, Not even one has not attained enlightenment.
Experience is wisdom. It corresponds to the Dharma. Sa.msaara, then, has been eternally non-existent. Therefore, everyone has attained to enlightenment. Simply being born is attaining realization. To rest within the womb is to rest within dharmadhaatu. Union of body and mind is union of space and insight. 66
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Simply to have a body is to have trikaaya. Growing old is the wearing out of all the dharmas, As well as being cessation of confused appearance. In sickness the dharmas are spiritual experience. Death is emptiness without any reference points. Therefore in reality sentient beings are buddhas. Also the Pearl Mala says: From the union of prajñaa and upaaya, Pure causes of the father and the mother,384 The praa.na ejected undergoes vibration, And one's enlightened insight knows great bliss.385 The seeds, the causes of the five elements, Rise in appearance as the object emptiness.386 As for the absorption of the two blisses, From skillful means there comes the rising of prajñaa. As for going to gestation in the womb,387 One's own awareness rises into appearance. This is the appearance of the ground. The seven times seven are all there is to realize. The ten months of gestation are crossing over. Being born is the rising of the kaayas. Bodily growth is appearance of the ground. Embodied existence is the ground itself.388 In growing old confusion is cleansed by purity. From sickness comes confidence of realization. Death itself is the state of liberation Into the emptiness of dharmataa. All sentient beings, in their apparent form, Are eternal buddhas effortlessly perfected. 389 Since the existence of all sentient beings accords with the buddhadharma, they are called buddhas. Those who do not know that they are in accord with the dharma are like people who leap from defiles or precipices. They may say that their experience is eternal buddhahood. But this is no different than the speech of fools who say anything that comes into their minds, or the words of people talking in their sleep. The realm of sentient beings, appearing as the environment and inhabitants of the phenomenal world, should be realized as the ma.n.dala of buddhahood. This is because it accords with the dharma and is joined to purity. The Sangnying says: As for the five-fold limbs of the vajra skandhas, 67
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY They are known as the five perfected buddhas. The many dhaatus and aayatanas Are the various bodhisattvas appearing in person. 390 Earth and water are Lochanaa and Maamakii. Fire and air Paa.n.daravaasinii and Taaraa. The space of sky is the consort of the Lord. 391 Everything in the three realms is the Dharma. Without remainder this is the buddha field. Dharmas that are other than buddhahood Never will be found by buddhahood. 392 Also the Thaljur says: Confused appearance is wisdom yet unseen. Because confusion with concepts has no ground, One realizes aalaya as dharmakaaya,393 Which cuts off the stream of confused conceptions of selfhood. Thus appearances rise without confusion As the eternal pith of liberation. Though the skandhas of beings are the kaayas of buddhahood, They do not know that this is eternally so.
Also the Heap of Precious Stones says: As for ego and objects of fixated attachment,394 All of these from the very first are dharmataa.395 All of these are its own appearance to itself.396 But that eternal appearance is not yet understood. The five-fold kleshas, the conceptual bonds of ego, intrinsically rise397 in their nature as primordial insight; but these are not recognized co-emergence. When sa.msaara arises as eternal buddhahood, insight experiences itself.398 Likewise, nirvaa.na is also taught to be only the pure self-experience of buddhahood. Other than that nothing exists: The pure self-experience of the three times' victorious ones Does not accept or reject, for all is a single totality. 399 Not even an atom of this has been obtained from another. All dharmas are clearly great Space, the nature of the mind. Without the least movement from the ultimate state of equality. 68
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Insight is simply purity from temporary obscurations. Do not seek the essence of buddhahood in anything other than mind itself, anything established by effort through causes and conditions. Pure insight is buddhahood. There is no buddhahood other than this. There is no other appearance of buddhahood than the way things appear to insight. No other buddhahood to be found than this enlightened space of the dhaatu, bodhicitta. In regard to this the Sangnying says: Throughout the ten directions and four times,400 Perfected buddhas are nowhere to be found. Except for the perfect buddha, the nature of mind, You should not look for any other buddha. The victorious ones themselves, if they should search, Would never find it anywhere at all.
Also the Künjé says: Bodhicitta, without appearances And without the dharmas of the world, Is the suchness both of mind and of its contents.401 When this has not been realized as suchness, But seen as if it were individual objects, Even all the buddhas of the three times,402 If they should search outside the space of suchness, Would never find it anywhere at all. 403 Also it says there: The previous buddhas dwelling in the past Are the natural state 404 of one's own mind, One realizes this as already seen. If one realizes the self-nature of insight, the power of the strayings and obscurations is cut through: With nothing inside and also nothing that is external, Its clarity unclouded by any rising or setting, When the dark extremes are dispelled, the root is bodhicitta. Without abandoning, one cuts through the power of straying. The essence of insight is beyond effortful actions of abandoning and receiving. It has no view of progressing on a path toward anything else. Therefore, it does not have the strayings and obscurations. When insight, one's own essence, is left behind, then the strayings and obscurations arise. This occurs by meditating with effort with a view to become something else. The Künjé says: 69
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY By nature bodhicitta is the essence of dharmas. Unborn and completely pure, without the obscurations. Free from progress on the path, it does not stray. Eternally self-established, it does not need to be sought. All dharmas have the single essence, bodhicitta. By making a sequence of aspects out of that unity, The strayings and the obscurations will arise. By progress where there is no progress, strayings rise. Non-thought405 will not be seen, if looked at through a view. That is the way that obscurations will arise. It is taught that whatever appears in the state of insight does not move from the space of the dhaatu: The world, the appearance of things to various sentient beings, And the kaayas and wisdoms of pure enlightened ones, That rise from the powers of realization and its lack, As unobstructed play, are all the space of the dhaatu. All there is within the state of dharmadhaatu Is realization and the lack of realization. Realization is the sugatas' sacred outlook. With lack of realization, various things appear From the vaasanaas of ignorant grasping and fixation. 406 Nevertheless, they do not go beyond the dhaatu. By knowing the self-nature of space, naturally existing wisdom, one is a buddha. By not knowing it, things appear as they do to a sentient being. However, both of these have one taste in the state of insight. Here there are no fragmentation and falling into partiality. The Künjé says: All the vessel and essence of the phenomenal world, All the buddhas as well as all the sentient beings, Were made by me the doer of all, enlightenment; Therefore, none of them is apart from bodhicitta. Since the so-called other never existed at all, It is taught that everything is bodhicitta. It is taught that insight is the great non-obstruction, emptiness/luminosity: The actual ground407 of everything is bodhicitta. Its mark that whatever rises in unobstructed variety Is the clear self-apprehension of luminous dharmataa, 70
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Illuminating the purity of the space of the dhaatu. 408 Nothing needs to be separated or cleared away. Therefore, the style of insight is footloose and fancy-free.409 The birthless state does not exist as anything whatsoever. Its empty and luminous essence is like a spotless crystal of natural quartz. Within that, like a reflection,410 is the unobstructed play of whatever arises. The Rangshar says: Not fragmented,411 not falling into partiality, Having no outer and inner, this is the great vastness. Just like appearance in a pure and spotless crystal,412 What appears in it is said to have no nature. As for the extended explanation of this nature: The vast and natural Space of the wisdom of transparency, Having no inside and outside, is unobscured luminosity. The great light of one's own insight, this is the mirror of mind. It is dharmadhaatu, the precious wish-fulfilling gem. These are all self-arising, not needing to be sought. Wisdom arises in natural splendor as all one desires. The space of the dhaatu, self-arising wisdom, is a naturally existing jewel-peak. It is selfilluminated,413 emanating undefiled rays that completely pervade sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. These are called the great light of the mirror of bodhicitta. The vast essence of dharmataa transcends objects of thought. The Sengé says: The great perfection is my bodhicitta. The essence of insight with no conceptualization, Since it is nothing,414 arises as everything. Also the Rangshar says: The unobstructed nature415 of the play of phenomena Rises as the vastness of space, Samantabhadra. This is the great prajñaa, the vision of space itself. The dharmataa of grasping is without desire. Non-conception transcends the sphere of speech and thought, Like a miraculous emanation in the sky. Insight, the Space of bodhicitta, is taught as vastness: However great the extent of these, the buddha qualities, 71
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY They are the ceaseless arising of the supreme upaaya. They are the non-obstruction of space arising from space.416 Since all is the self-perfection of that unborn space, Things are overwhelmed by the emptiness of enlightenment,417 And emptiness by the enlightened Space of one's own insight. Completely liberated from the four extremes, insight is the state of the sky. All the dharmas arising from this are illusory like the moon in water, beyond existence and non-existence. Therefore, they are taught to have the pure nature of the great Space of dharmataa. The Rangshar says: Illusion, like the reflection of the moon in water, Is not something vacuous and non-existent.418 But as for its existence, likewise it has none. Since it is beyond both existence and non-existence, It is of the essence of insight to be unborn. Non-obstruction is the nature of appearance. The characteristic of insight is its non-solidity.419 The fruition of insight is not something fabricated. This is called the essence of the three kaayas of insight. Now the meaning of these is summed up as the Space of the great vastness: In bodhicitta appearance and emptiness never existed. Here unthinkable miracles rise, unattached and non-dual. The three times are timelessness, as unborn dharmadhaatu. They are unchanging, unaltered, uncompounded Space. As for all the buddhas dwelling throughout the three times, Their insight is nothing but that selfsame space of wisdom.420 In one's own insight, which is the Space of enlightened Mind, Fixation and grasping are overwhelmed by brilliant light. Nothing is within it and nothing is external. This is the self-existing vastness of dharmataa. In the essence of insight appearance, emptiness and so forth do not exist. This is the uncompounded space where the three times are equal. Since insight arises eternally as the buddhas of the three times, it is dharmakaaya without grasping and fixation. The Rangshar says: The characteristic of this is that it does not change. It is solitary and there is nothing different. I arose before the rising of the buddhas. 72
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Without any dharmas defiled by grasping and fixation. Also the Sengé says: Non-dual insight-experience is whatever rises. The secret of wisdom is dharmakaaya without solidity. Appearance exists as eternal and universal mind. 421 Whatever appears appears as inexhaustible insight.422 Whatever rises is insight's unobstructed play. The vision of the mind of non-thought is that of equality. As for all the buddhas dwelling throughout the three times, Their insight is separate from grasping and fixation.
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This is the commentary on fifth chapter of The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu
“TRANSCENDING ACTION, EFFORT, CAUSE, AND EFFECT”
It is taught that the nature is beyond action and effort and cause and effect:423 In the nature of mind, which is the essence of bodhicitta; There is no view, no meditation, nor any action; No fruition established, no traversing the paths and the bhuumis; No developing stage with its visualization of ma.n.dalas; No recitation of mantra, and also no stage of perfecting; Empowerment is not bestowed, nor is samaya guarded. Pure dharmataa, eternal in its self-existe nce, Is beyond the struggle of temporary stages Having to do with the dharmas of cause and its fruition. The absolute truth is insight like the sky. Speaking from that viewpoint, there is no existence of anything at all. Therefore, there are no view, meditation, action, fruition, developing stage and fulfillment stage of the ma.n.dala,424 samaya vows, and so forth. The essence of empty and egoless insight transcends all expression by characteristics. The Künjé says: As for bodhicitta, it is like the sky. The nature of mind, which is dharmataa that is like the sky,425 Has no view, no meditation, no guarding samaya. Wisdom is unobscured, buddha activity effortless. There is no training in the levels of the bhuumis, Nor is there any path upon which one might tread.
Without subtle teachings, duality, or unification; Without resolving the truth of teachings about the mind; When glorification and deprecation have been transcended, 74
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU There is no passing the pass of the various 426 oral instructions. The view of bodhicitta is the great perfection itself. Also the Rangshar says: As for the meaning, unborn bodhicitta, That is not destroyed by the antidotes. That is without any bias or partiality. That does not fixate itself as an I or an ego. With no conception of goodness or of evil, Beyond the extremes of existence and non-existence, Beyond the dharmas of thinking and not thinking,427 Free from eternalism or nihilism, There are neither realization or its lack,428 Beyond the extremes of impurity and the pure, Beyond mind and intellect, and beyond dharmas,429 Having neither knowledge nor lack of knowledge, Beyond the mind of confusion and ignorance, It is free from speech and conventional words. It has no defilement by the mind Of grasping subject and fixated object. The path-defiler, concept, is cleared away. Beyond the action of thinking various thoughts, It is free from the dharmas of fixated things.430 There is no training on the paths or the bhuumis. There is no need to offer things to deities. There is no protection by the ten virtues, Nor is there obscuration by evil deeds. Therefore, how can there be such a thing as sa.msaara?431 How can there be such a thing as the lower realms? As this transcends the dharmas of nirvaa.na, Without the view of either self or other, How can there be error or non-error? Beyond the extremes of existence and non-existence, This has no color and it has no shape. Also the Heap of Precious Stones says:432 Here there is no mantra, nor is there any mudraa. As for the deities, ma.n.dalas, and offerings, 75
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY There is no need for them, nor any benefit gained. Offering rites and substances are not required. There is no entering, nor any descent of wisdom. Also the Sengé says: In the special language of the great perfection, Insight transcends the objects of appearance and emptiness. Beyond thought and intellect, it is also beyond the dharmas. Insight goes beyond both existence and non-existence. Here there is no view of goodness and of evil. There is neither meditation nor non-meditation. Also it says there: Without the kaayas of insight, it is also without samaya. Without any guarding and also without anything to guard, Without the samayas of appearance and non-appearance, Within self-insight, the essence of the great perfection, There is no teaching of any precepts of samaya. As for the sphere of activity pertaining to the great prajñaa, In nothingness it has nothing with which to concern itself. For the solitary, there is but one concern. For that which has been evened out by evenness, Self-existence is self-existence of emptiness. Here is the example that delineates how bodhicitta is without any act and effort or accepting and rejecting whatsoever:433 All of these are of the essence of bodhicitta. The sun itself is not obscured by clouds and darkness. It is not made into a temporary thing, But by its very nature 434 it always shines in space. The essence of the sun is its natural luminosity within the space of the sky. That essence is not obscured by clouds. The sun's luminosity is not produced by incidental causes and effects. Just so, it is impossible that the self-nature of insight should have cause, effect, or obscurations. When the sun is viewed by the people of the four continents, it sometimes appears to be obscured and so forth. There are obscurations of the sun, and it has previously appeared to one's eyes to be obscured by clouds. But if one fixates the thought, “The sun is obscured,” this is called confusion. Similarly, insight does not have the strayings and obscurations of incidental kleshas and so forth. But when it appears to be obscured from the viewpoint of confused conceptualization, it is said from the viewpoint of pure perception,435 “Insight has obscurations.” Even so, to think, “The buddha qualities are produced,” is total confusion. The 436 Prajñaapaaramitaa in One Hundred Thousand Shlokas says: 76
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Mind does not exist as mind. But there is the nature of mind, which is luminosity. Also437 The Abhisamayaala_kaara, says: Here there is nothing at all that is to be cleared away. And nothing at all that is to be made into something else. Also the Rangshar says: The appearance of insight goes beyond extremes Of both eternalism and nihilism. It is inexpressible dharma, utterly pure, Beyond the extremes of existence and non-existence, With neither affirmation or negation, Beyond the extremes of grasping and desire, It is self-existent, spotless, and luminous. Although the essence of insight is like that, for 438 those of lesser powers the dharmas of the ten natures are taught. The yogin of ati should know them as strayings and obscurations: Ten dharmas of effort and establishing have been taught. These are taught for those439 with a viewpoint that is confused, Concerned with the incidental arisings from the power. They are means for the gradual entering of those Whose powers are only those involved with stages and effort.440 But ati is the meaning of the vajra heart. To those so joined to the natural state, those are not taught. The Künjé441 puts it this way: As for the triad of perfect yoga and so forth,442 They do not possess the great self-arising wisdom. Treading on the paths and training in the bhuumis, Meditating on the view and guarding samaya, Acting upon the view with forceful or gentle paces; There is no existence of anything like that. Therefore, regarding the view and action of highest yoga, These are done by the primal doer of all, oneself, There is no treading the path, or training in the bhuumis. 77
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY One does not keep samaya or meditate on the view. Since all arises from the path of great enlightenment, Enlightenment makes no progress toward enlightenment. Because it makes no progress toward enlightenment, Enlightenment does not train in gaining enlightenment. Since samaya in its nature is enlightened, Enlightenment does not guard enlightenment itself. Since the nature of meditation is enlightened, Enlightenment does not meditate on enlightenment. As the nature of the view is enlightenment, Enlightenment has no view of enlightenment itself. In the highest yoga whose view has nothing on which to act, In the forceful or gentle paces of natural wisdom, I, the doer of all, the King, am highly skilled. This is not within the domain of the causal vehicles.
As for the four yogas they are these: 1) the three sattva-yogas of outer mantra;443 2) the great yoga of visualization, the developing stage, mahaayoga; 3) the scriptural instructions 444 of perfecting union, anuyoga; 4) the oral instructions of the highest yoga, ati yoga. In particular, the same tantra says: The highest yoga and the perfect yoga With mahaayoga and sattva-yoga are four. In the actionless yoga of the ultimate essence, Within the sphere of seeing by means of views, There are these four aspects to be found. Sattva-yoga sees both objects and senses,445 The five enlightenments,446 and the four legs of miracle.447 It has the view that because of having been blessed, There are the deities known as the two sattvas. But here the meaning of the essential heart, Which is the natural state, remains unseen. 78
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Rest in the natural suchness of the sattvas. As for seeing the meaning of the essence, The actionless natural state, in mahaayoga; In the primordial purity of the ma.n.dala Of the continuum of one's experience When, by a fruition that comes from causes, One has perfected the limbs of propitiation,448 As the ma.n.dala of the deities. Mastery of emanating and gathering Is viewed as being accomplished spontaneously. But here the meaning of the essential heart, Which is the natural state, remains unseen. One should rest greatly 449 within that natural suchness. As for seeing the meaning of the essence, The actionless natural state, in anuyoga;450 One sees sugatagarbha, the space of the dhaatu,451 As the causal aspect of the natural state.452 One sees the great wisdom of that state as fruition. By seeing the one essence as dual cause and fruition, The yoga transcending cause and effect is unseen. Rest in perfecting yoga's natural suchness.453 As for seeing the meaning of the essence, The actionless natural state, in the highest yoga, Which is the yoga of the great perfection,454 Bodhicitta is seen as the nature of all. This is seeing the unmade natural state. Rest within the view of this itself, Upon which no one has ever meditated. Rest within the samaya of this state That for eternity no one will ever guard. Rest in eternal and effortless buddha activity. That resting is union455 with suchness, the natural state. Now there is the teaching of the distinctions of the nine vehicles, together with the manner of their realization. As for the first six vehicles: As individuals enter by stages involving effort, Guided into dharmataa, primordial space, 79
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The shraavaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattva yaanas Are known as the three lesser stages of the teachings.456 In the middle trio of kriyaa, upa, and yoga, The nature is established by its having descended. 457 The skillful means of entering the unsurpassable vehicle or the gradual, causal vehicles are vehicles taught for those of different powers of mind. The three external vehicles of characteristics, the shraavaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattva vehicles, are classified as lesser. The mantrayaana is explained as being greater. The criterion is whether or not they are the quick path458 that leads to enlightenment in this very lifetime. Within the mantrayaana, the three which are external by the distinction of whether their paths are slow rather than quick are classified as lesser. The great perfection is viewed as being without the view and meditation of them all. As they do not see the essence of insight, they are seen as vehicles for the immature. Whatever they do has gone astray. Explaining them as straying and obscuration, the Künjé says: In the single essence, dharmataa-bodhicitta There is suffering, and there is its cause of arising, And so on, there are all of the four-fold noble truths.459 To make the assertion, “suffering, and its cause of arising Are the cause of going to the lower realms,” Is to abandon bodhicitta and dharmataa. Therefore dharmataa is not seen, but is abandoned. 460 In the essence, bodhicitta dharmataa, By the two truths, the absolute and the relative truths, By the ten paaramitaas, such as generosity,461 By the progress of training on the path of the bhuumis,462 One remains in training,463 and dharmataa is not seen.
In the essence, bodhicitta dharmataa, By means of auspicious aspects of the planets and the stars. There are the five-fold manifestations of enlightenment, And also the four-fold legs of miracle occur. Thus it is that whatever dharmas may appear Are blessed as meditation on the deities. Nevertheless, if one does not meditate on this As being one's own mind, then it will not be seen. As for the three stages of inner mantra: 80
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The trio of mahaa, anu, and ati yoga, The three stages that are great, appear primordially. By the opening of the dharma-gates of the causal yaanas,464 Fortunate beings are conducted into these three enlightenments. The two of these which are other than the single dot of ati are not completely perfected. They are not the final attainment. They merely lead the minds of sentient beings by stages. The Künjé says: In the only dharma, the essence of bodhicitta, By the three samaadhis and the five aspects of saadhana,465 In the purified vajra skandhas of one's continuum, After performing meditation on the deities, By means of the four, propitiation and the rest, The naturelessness of appearance will come to be produced. By having sought for this and then establishing it, One's mind is reconstructed as the deity. It is not seen that nothing needs to be done to one's mind.
One's own nature466 is bodhicitta, enlightened mind. This is the teacher of teachers, the doer of all, the King; Rather than mind, eternal freedom of dharmataa. To meditate on the three yaanas' teachings will come to nothing. 467 If one seeks to establish the state of meditation, One is thereby trying to abandon one's own mind.
Kye, O Mahaasattva! If one wishes to establish one's own mind, Since it is established by being without desire, Do not rest in the state of equality without thoughts. Rest in the sphere of the nature that does not accept or reject. Allow the motionless state to rest within itself.468 As for one's own mind, the essence of that is suchness. And all of the dharmas are established to be suchness. Do not attempt improvements on the state of suchness. Do not establish anything other than the essence. If they should seek for it, even victorious ones Will not find anything more than just the space of the dhaatu. 81
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY It has been made already; one need not make it now. It is established already, one need not do so now. It is taught that all these vehicles are a gate for entering into the vajra heart-essence: Since all of these yaanas finally have to enter in At the gate of this ultimate meaning which is the vajra heart,469 Into this great and wondrously arisen secret; It is the peak of the m all; changeless, supreme, luminosity; Known as the vehicle manifesting the heart of enlightenment. These vehicles have to enter this ultimate vehicle of the vajra heart-essence. That is because, if this gate is not seen, it is impossible to attain buddhahood. The Seed of Secret Action Tantra says: Whoever attains the fruition of buddhahood This itself appears to such a one. As for buddhas who have never seen it, Not even one has arisen or ever will. Also it says there: What comes forth from the mind of innumerable Vajra holders Is the single meaning, the single dot of realization. The eight lower yaanas have been taught as antidotes for those who are small minded. Ati appears to those who have the most supreme good fortune. In the self-nature of insight, there are no vehicles. The individual vehicles have arisen merely as a means of bringing about the realization of insight. However, none but ati, the great vastness, displays insight straightforwardly. On this point the Sengé says: It is vast and great. It is the great dharma. It is an antidote for people of small mind. 470 Though both the lesser stages and stages that are great, On the level of truth are truly non-existent, In the minds of sentient beings both of them arise. This is what is taught regarding the stages that are established by dualistic effort: Dharmas with dual accepting, rejecting, act and effort, Are taught so that we might abandon vaasanaas of mind and its contents,471 Even though they arise as the nature's power of play. Thus, they would like to “purify” wisdom from the mind. The eight stages make mind into a path. They produce a path having accepting, rejecting, action and effort. They maintain that mind is separated from defilements is wisdom. They do not realize the 82
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU supreme, essential heart drop of ati. Accordingly, they are just collecting partialities. They construct their platform472 of enlightenment in terms of the ground, path, and fruition of isolated mind. The difference of this from ati may be known from other shaastras that I have written,473 The Precious Treasury of Doctrine, The Precious Treasury of the Supreme Vehicle, and The Precious Treasury of Luminosity. Also the Sengé says: Vaasanaas of mind and wisdom are not something real. Wisdom is something that is free from all vaasanaas;474 But mind collects a wide variety of them. 475 If we do not distinguish between the mind and wisdom, Appearance,476 the root of objects, will not be cut through. Because of that it will be hard to realize The pure and unconditioned state of dharmataa. If what is said here is reduced into few words, the point is that wisdom, the self-nature of insight, is at all times free from objects.477 It is free from all complexities of thought and expression. Mind is the awareness that is the grasper of objects.478 But the root of mind is the wisdom within it.479 Mind exists as the power of manifestation or radiance. It is a manifestation of wisdom. Therefore, depending on the proper time's having arrived,480 one cannot help but recognize wisdom as one's own nature. If that is not accomplished, it is called defilement. The essence of insight and its manifested power are different. Therefore, mind and wisdom should be distinguished. Here the three vehicles of cause and characteristics are treated as one, which with kriyaa, upa, and yoga makes four, and with mahaayoga and anu six. They are taught to be strayings from the great perfection. The Künjé says:481 The first six vehicles of attaining reality482 Are taught to be strayings from the great perfection. In the suutra collection of the bodhisattvas, One who desires the level known as total light,483 Having examined and analyzed by means of the two truths, Maintains that dharmataa is only empty space.484 But the great bliss of ati yoga is bodhicitta. It is beyond examining or analysis. Being beyond examining or analysis, It therefore has been obscured within the suutra collection. 485 By the great perfection being examined and analyzed, Those of the suutra yaana are said to have gone astray. 486 In kriyaa one who wants to be a vajra holder,487 Having entered by the gate of threefold purity, Rests in the sphere of purity of both grasper and grasped. 488 83
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY But the great bliss of ati yoga is bodhicitta, Beyond the grasping subject and objects that it grasps. It therefore is said to be obscured by kriyaa yoga. Having grasper and grasped within the great perfection, Those of kriyaa yoga are said to have gone astray. As for the view489 and action of upaaya yoga, There is conduct like kriyaa and practice like that of yoga. As getting connected with divine action is meaningless,490 One does not realize the meaning of non-duality. But the great bliss of ati yoga is bodhicitta, Whose non-duality is obscured by upa yoga. Having produced duality in the great perfection, The upaayayoga yaana 491 is said to have gone astray. Those who want the ga.n.davyuuha realm of yoga, Having entered the gates both with and without marks,492 Though they produce the mastery of the fourfold sealing,493 They cannot enter non-accepting and non-rejecting. But the great bliss of ati yoga is bodhicitta. Here there is no accepting and also no rejecting. Yoga obscures this non-accepting and non-rejecting. Because they accept and reject within the great perfection, Those of the yoga yaana are said to have gone astray. Those of mahaa desiring the state of Vajradhara,494 Having entered in at gate of upaaya and prajñaa, Within the pure ma.n.dala of their stream of experience Practice the four, propitiation and the rest. But the great bliss of ati yoga is bodhicitta. It is beyond all effort and establishing. Mahaa obscures transcendence of effort and establishing. With effort and establishing in the great perfection, Those of mahaayoga are said to have gone astray. Those who want the inseparability of anu,495 Having entered by the gate of space and wisdom, In regard to the various dharmas that appear, They view the cause as being the pure space of the dhaatu, The fruition as being the wisdoms of the ma.n.dala.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU But the great bliss of ati yoga is bodhicitta. This is beyond any cause or coming to fruition. Anu obscures transcendence of cause and its fruition. Because they have a view regarding the great perfection, As having duality of cause and its fruition, Those who practice anu are said to have gone astray. As for one's own nature, the realization of ati yoga: The greater dharma that does not have any action and effort, Neither accepting or rejecting anything, Is the essence, self-rising wisdom, bodhicitta. It does not go beyond the straightforwardness of that essence.496 Fully complete, it need not strive for anything else. Self-established, it seeks for nothing from another. This is our tradition of the self-established vajra heart-essence. It is the tradition of insight undefiled by artificiality, which does not move from dharmataa. If whoever desires buddhahood, the ground, dharmakaaya, seeks in something other than this for buddhahood, it will not be found. Insofar as Buddhahood is more than merely a name, its meaning is merely having gone into the Space of insight without transition or change. The Khyungchen says:
Uncaused, conditionless, unobscured experience, The effortless single dot, not produced by anyone, This is eternally perfect sugatagarbha. This is the play497 of the realm of spontaneity. Also the Pearl Mala says: Perfect buddhahood is only one's own insight.498
Also the Künjé says: Not having a view of buddhahood, realize your actionless mind. Though when it is analyzed, it has no existence,499 It is the eternal appearance of insight's self-luminosity.500 In the great vehicle, with cause and its fruition, There is the thought that says, “All this has no existence.” By means of various blessings that hinder, abandon, and purify, One will stray from dharmataa, this actionless mind.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Having left behind one's ordinary state,501 Looking for something else existing at a distance, Putting one's faith in effort, rejecting the bliss of non-action. There is no exhaustion that could be worse than that. Here is the teaching that distinguishes the two kinds of vehicles: This is the essence of the sun. This is the meaning. Luminous, Self-established, maintained to rest without moving. The others have taught the clearing away of clouds and darkness As something that is to be accomplished by means of effort. This is like trying to re -create the eternal sun. 502 The distinction between the two is like that between heaven and earth. This self-existing vajra heart-essence, the essence of insight, has existed from all eternity as buddhahood. In that way its existence like that of the actual sun. The others maintain that through causes and conditions established by effort, buddhahood will finally occur. Just so, by cause and conditions that clear away clouds and darkness, the primordial sun becomes visible. Dwelling in what contradicts with self-existence, the texts of these vehicles internally contradict themselves. Thus, these lower yaanas do not503 realize the meaning of the natural state. This is because of making a distinction between whether insight, naturally-arising wisdom, will or will not exist from now on as it is, as buddhahood. 504 Regarding this teaching, the Sengé says: A single ma.n.dala expresses the meaning. A single secret mantra has nine demeanors;505 But they are merely the aspects of that one.506 By the nine stages that which is the essence, Natural wisdom, is not realized. The nature of appearance, in appearing, As dual absolute and relative, Is not distinct, but is a single state. In the essence, eternal realization, Whatever discursive thoughts of marks arise Are merely the play of the manifestation of wisdom. A single insight expresses the meaning of all. 507 It appears as trikaaya, the essence of buddhahood. From kaaya there rise the miracles of wisdom. There are no dharmas, apparent or non-apparent. They are liberated from the extremes Of realization or the lack of it. The wisdom of manifestation508 exists as the essence. Vajra rising is the lord of conditions.509 86
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Now this is taught in order to change the ways 510 of deluded ones who make no distinction between self-arising wisdom and the assembly of conceptualizations arising as other: Nowadays the pompous elephants of ati Allege that the proliferating multitude Of discursive, flickering thoughts is really bodhicitta. All these deluded ones are in the Space of darkness. They are far from the nature of the great perfection. They do not even know the power of manifestation And the manifestation that rises from that power, 511 What need is there to speak of the essence, bodhicitta? Such persons as these merely have devotion for this vehicle. Those who have the good fortune to see it well are like not even the hundredth part of a thread out of a whole garment. With completely unexamined ignorance they carry their bodies haughtily. They ornament themselves with envious expressions and a golden net of erroneous conceptualizations. Some of these are pompous and bombastic about their knowledge. They have a haughty manner like that of an elephant.512 Not only do they themselves dwell in kleshas, ignorance, and wrong paths, but persons going in the direction of liberation who have little merit, when they meet with these evil ones, are all exhorted with such words as these: “Whatever arises is the nature of dharmakaaya.” “These very discursive thoughts, just so, are self-arising wisdom.” “The mind of ignorance is like samaadhi.” Saying this sort of thing, they make a display of artificialities that deceive beings. I have seen them myself explaining such things as profound dharmas that others do not have. Robbers and thieves of this vehicle have indeed arisen in these days! Thus they depart from the power of compassion of selfarising wisdom. “Awareness arising as objects is itself the arising of the pla y of the power of manifestation.” They explain it that way, but here are the reasons why this is not self-arising wisdom: 1. Object-awareness is a mere imitation of existent and non-existent objects. 2. This has not been accomplished513 in a manner in accord with skillful means, so that it produces the karma and kleshas of entering sa.msaara. 3. The nature of concept and conceptual examination does not go beyond the nature of sa.msaara. The Künjé says:
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Natural wisdom is wisdom from all eternity. The wisdom that conceptualizes objects Rises from objects and is not self-arising. The thün mong gyi theg pa, the Ordinary Vehicle says: Mind and mental contents are projections onto phenomena Of our conceptualizations concerning the three realms.514 They are so explained in terms of the two truths. Dignaaga also explains that conceptions are great ignorance. They make one fall in the ocean of sufferings of sa.msaara.515 Because they appear to contradict what is explained there, wrong conceptualizations are a great delusion. No one should even listen to those who maintain such things. What need is there even to speak of adopting a view in accord with their partialities? Here is the proper explanation of self-arising wisdom: This is primordial purity of bodhicitta, The space of the absolute, the truth of dharmataa, Prajñaapaaramitaa transcending speech and thought, Its state unmoving, its nature the field of luminosity. Eternally free from the flickering discharge 516 of complexity,
That which is called its essence is like the heart of the sun. By its power of manifestation there is unobstructed arising 517 Of transparent insight free from analysis and examining, Vividly luminous, yet without fixation or grasper. Naturally arising wisdom is the empty and luminous simplicity of insight. It is like a pure crystal. In the essence where objects are not analyzed, arising takes place. It is the ground and place of arising, but in its self-nature there are neither arising or non-arising. Therefore, it is supreme in its selfluminosity.518 It is unobstructed519 in its emptiness. It is etherial alpha-purity. From this state, there is the arising of variety, the complexities of fixated object and grasping subject. The naked, etherial self-nature of this arising is insight-wisdom. Since it is not conceived as an object, it is called naturally-arising wisdom. 520 The unbestowed transmission of this is above 521 all that arises. Letting go, look and you will recognize it.522 Projected conceptualization523 is a matter of not understanding the main point. Etherial, naked insight arises without a place or agent524 of arising. From the time it arises, while it arises ceaselessly as compassion, it exists as wisdom. The root, natural wisdom, remains nakedly as it is. When this has been recognized within arising, the essence and its intrinsic power of manifestation are non-dual. Therefore, they are called non-dual, naturally arising wisdom, the simplicity of the single dot of bindu. The Rangshar says: In insight that is separate from complexity How can there be confusion and ignorance? 88
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU In wisdom that is separate from the mind, How can there be vaasanaas and defilements? The Thaljur says: Insight, whose characteristic is luminous emptiness, Has a nature that is not mixed with anything else. The extremes of grasper and fixation are exhausted. Thus it is that one's nature and that of dharmas are pure.525 The Sengé says: Wisdom, essentially experiential,526 Has none of the discursiveness of mind. 527 The sphere of the past as well as the sphere of the future Are cut off by the directness of appearance. The Longdruk says: In the nature of mind, the all-encompassing great equality,528 There is the emanation of appearances, Primordially connected to it in non-duality.529 Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra. In the nature of mind with no such thing as characteristics, The dharmas that appear in their multiplicity Are said to be self-liberated and non-dual. Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra. In the inexpressible state of the nature of mind, The appearance of words without anything to talk about530 Goes beyond the sphere of expression by speech and thought. Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra. In the nature of mind, for which there is no need to seek, There is the self-experience of the great self-arising. 531 This is what is known as great self-arising wisdom. Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra. In the nature of mind, where there are no defiling stains,532 Appearance that is free from objects and conditions Is the realization533 of the great self-purity. 534 Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra In the nature of mind, where there is no conceptualization, 89
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Experience which is unobstructed and unfixated Is self-insight recognizing its luminous realm. 535 Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra. In the nature of mind, where there is no such thing as thought, The intrinsically self-existing profundity of appearance536 Is the realization that words return by themselves to the ground. Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra. In the nature of mind, with no such thing as mindfulness,537 Appearance is naturally pure of one who produces discursiveness,538 Within the samaadhi of self-liberation from the grasper. Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra.
In the nature of mind without perception of arising, Vipashyanaa, because it appears without thought or intention,539 Is vision that has exhausted any coming and going. Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra. In the nature of mind, where there are no fixated objects, There is sacred outlook, pure unobstructed appearance,540 Within the samaadhi of the great play of manifestation. Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra. In the nature of mind, with no such thing as a grasping subject, When vision of the great self-arising has appeared,541 That is the vision of non-obstruction of non-thought. Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra. In the state of the nature of mind, with no such thing as affliction,542 Appearance that is free from conceptualizations of ego543 Exists as the vision of the great self-establishment. Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra. In the nature of mind, which is neither eternal or nothingness, Appearance that is free from goodness as well as evil Is the vision of freedom from abandoning or attaining. Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra In the nature of mind, without accepting or rejecting, Impartial appearance,544 arising as self-liberation, Is a vision of the great, all-pervading, all-encompassing. Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU In the nature of mind, which is not drowsy or discursive,545 If there should be the great meditation of insight, That is the vision of natural freedom of the six senses.546 Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra In the nature of mind, where there is no such thing as fear,547 There is appearance free from either hope or fear. To have that vision is to possess primordial confidence. Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra In the nature of mind, without the aspect of appearance,548 There appears the subtle aspect, the single dot, Existing as the vision of the great simplicity. Such is my teaching, I who am Samantabhadra These manifestations 549 are also the simplicity of one's own nature. When they arise from its power of manifestation, do not analyze externally, examine internally, or make classifications in between. By simply recognizing them as the etherial purity550 of naked insight, they are stripped naked551 of fixation or conceptualization. They are realized as none other than the simplicity of that self-nature. This is nondual self-arising wisdom. It may be thought that this wisdom552 is two-fold, remaining as awareness and arising, as the essence and its power of manifestation. Then it may be said that one should rest in the essence as nonthought and guard the power of manifestation, maintaining553 it as the liberation of whatever arises. But in this case554 practice becomes dualistic. The main point has not been understood. One's own nature and its power are differently expressed. But they are not other than the one essence of the same naked insight. This is because transmission of this is not an occurrence that is bestowed,555 and because apparent objects arise in one's own nature as reflections arise within a mirror. At the very time one is guarding arising as liberation,556 it already exists nakedly by itself as the ground. Even as one is guarding it like that, insight is already manifesting unobstructedly as self-luminosity. Naked awareness of what arises is like a reflection. Awareness in itself 557 is like the surface of a mirror. These two aspects of 558 self-arising wisdom, are neither an individual thing nor a diversity of things. What is expressed by the name “self-arising wisdom” is the naked simplicity of the awakened state. This is the alpha-purity of one's own nature and the essence of the wearing out of dharmataa. This is what is designated by such names as, “luminous wisdom,” “absolute truth,” “eternally liberated dharmakaaya,” and “insight-bodhicitta.” This essence of alpha pure self-luminosity, naked, just so, should be recognized. Now the expressions of the essence of this great perfection will be enumerated. 559 The unobstructed natural state is called, “tregchö,” “nakedness,” “transparency,” “eternal liberation,” “alpha-purity,” and “selfexistence.” The meaning of all these individual names is this single drop of bindu, naked and unobstructed. Therefore, this main point is explained with the utmost clarity. The ultimate vision of the nyingthig is just this. When this main point is realized, there is no action or effort toward any purpose. Therefore it is called the Dharma by which those of supreme powers can become enlightened without meditating. Here there is no one to meditate and nothing on which there could be meditation. There is nothing to maintain 91
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY and no one to maintain it, and so forth. The meaning of this is higher than any inner dwelling on onepointed mind. It is higher than any views and meditations that work with the external emanations of the power of manifestation. That is because these are not liberated from fixated object and grasping subject. Regarding the simplicity of self-arising wisdom, the Khyungchen says: Because all dharmas are free from complexity, And unobscured by currents of turbidity,560 Supremely great is this actionless liberation. The pith is things exactly as they are. Likewise561 the Single Time says: Variety and the nature do not exist as two. Even the very parts are free from complexity. The meaning of that which is known as “suchness” is non-thought. That is Samantabhadra, as well as Vairochana. By accomplishing this the disease of effort is dispelled. And self-existence is established in that way. The Künjé says: Thus the whole of appearance has a single suchness, Which never was created by anyone at all. This, the uncreated king of equanimity, Dwells in dharmakaaya, the vision of non-thought. This is taught regarding the distinction between the power of the manifestations of compassion and the conceptualizations of fixated object and grasping subject: The insight that arises from the power of manifestation Is the insight of understanding,562 which is called the mind of complexity. It produces fixation and grasping, along with their various seeds. That which is objectless then is fixated as the five objects, That which is egoless ego grasps as the five-fold kleshas. No matter what confused appearances there may be, Of an outer vessel and inner essence of the world, 563 Though they appear as sa.msaara, still they rise from the power. They are appearances wrongly grasped by non-realization. Insight, the essence of compassion,564 transparent and naked in its self-luminosity, is like a mirror that is free of corrosion. When this and the unobstructed power of the ground of arising to manifest as compassion are not realized, the manifestations of the power pass into being objects. They arise as such manifestations, and a thinker of dualistic thoughts565 about them arises. One confuses luminosity and the subtle mind of ceaseless manifestation. 566 92
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU If the arising of insight is not fixated, that is wisdom. If it is, that is conceptualization. If one lets go of that arising, or does not view it conceptually,567 it is the great emptiness568 that does not see partiality. This is called “the trumpeting of the elephant.”569 Here is the distinction between those two. Apparent objects appear within insight, as reflections appear in a mirror. That pure, etherial, naked awareness that does not emanate conceptualizations is called the power. It is the ground of arising of compassion. When awareness is emanated from that original awareness,570 passing into external objects, this is called discursive thoughts of fixated objects and the grasping subject. This is object-grasping. 571 Then there is the arising of variety. This depends on the power of the confused appearance of external objects. From the inner grasping of mind there arise the five poisons, the root kleshas. Because of karma and the kleshas, there are individual entities, the confused appearances of sa.msaara. One should distinguish572 between self-luminous insight that does not move from its own place and arising that passes into objectivity. Otherwise there is the great straying of holding that these two are one and the same.573 The Sengé says: Experience, which is the king of skillful means, By the power of unobstructed insight574 Makes inquiries of the prajñaa that is its own. 575 Samaadhi that is without conceptualization Inquires into the actionless, effortless state. The beginningless mind of the sphere of luminosity. 576 Inquires into the space of pure phenomena. This is taught as the meaning of realization. To say aalaya, which is the root of mind577 And self-insight, which is the root of objects578 Are one and the same is taught as a great straying. To say that ignorance, appearing as mind, And insight, the appearance of non-thought, Are one and the same is taught as a great straying. Also the Longdruk says: As for self-insight which is free from thoughts, And the contents of mind, perceived as variety, To say they are one and the same is to make an error. As for the perfect natural power of prajñaa And mental memory, lost in the external, To say they are one and the same is to make an error. 93
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY This is a very important main point. These distinctions are only made by a few and fewer still experience this. Though this has been explained clearly, regarding those who do not understand it, or who depend on erroneous partialities, glorious Saraha said, “The understanding of people with this sort of worldliness should be dealt with like that of the animals.” That what he was talking about has come to pass is certain. Now there is the main point that the realized yogin is not obscured by the appearance of flickering emanations of discursiveness nor by the game of illusion of apparent objects:579 Not coming from anywhere, not going or abiding anywhere, The realization of the great space of dharmataa Is the vision of the three worlds as perfectly liberated. The teaching of ati, the self-existing vajra heart, Arises as the Space of great vastness, Samantabhadra. For the yogin who has naked realization of the meaning of this great perfection, insight has reached the nakedness of things just so. 580 Though from the viewpoint of insight objects appear within it,581 insight does not wander after apparent, external objects. Therefore, it is empty of fixated objects and grasping subject, the root of sa.msaara. Insight has awakened into nakedness, just so. It does not wander after objects because there is no attachment582 to appearance. There is no attempt to eliminate or establish583 anything. Sa.msaara is liberated as nirvaa.na. Therefore, it is said to arise transparently as dharmakaaya. The Heap of Precious Stones says: In fruition, the emptiness of dharmakaaya, The exhaustion of things 584 is truly a great wonder. In wisdom's transparent non-solidity The lack of fixation is truly a great wonder. At this time, the whole expanse of the phenomenal world is set free from the net. Therefore, whatever appears is liberated as realization. This is called the vision of perfect liberation of the three worlds. It is realized that sa.msaara does not exist at all. Therefore, it is called the vision of alpha-purity of all the three worlds. All appearances have been realized by examination as not truly existing at all. 585 This is called, “the view that cuts the support system586 of the city.” The same tantra says: Though we have been told that the vessel and essence exist, When the appearance of these is examined, they are natureless. By means of the view that cuts the support system of the city, What has been there from all eternity is not seen. The gates of the senses587 are obstructed are they not? That should be excellently seen and realized. The essence of insight beyond objects is taught to be like the sky: In the essence of bodhicitta, which is completely pure, There are no objects or dharmas about which to have a view. 94
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU There is not so much as an atom of a viewer, Nor is there anything there that might be something viewed. No mind to meditate nor any dharmas for meditation. Actor and action are non-dual and self-existent, Without so much as an atom of fruition to be established.
At the very time one depends on insight, insight is without essence. Therefore, its view, meditation, action, and fruition are actionless. As insight and action588 are mutually contradictory, actor and action do not exist for an instant. One's own insight already exists as dharmakaaya. Therefore, the three reasons,589 view, meditation, and action, are useless in the fruition. Insight is taught to transcend view, meditation, action, and fruition. The Sengé says: In insight, which is self-existing non-meditation, By performing meditation I shall not be found. In self-arising eternal uncreatedness, By performances of action I shall not be found.
If dharmakaaya, eternally free from all extremes, Is viewed as a view, then I shall not be seen. 590 Also the Longdruk says: I Samantabhadra am without a view. Because I have no view, appearances are exhausted. In that way meditation too is nonexistent. With no meditation, mindfulness will cease;591 And so-called action will be inexpressible. Without any action, the bodily elements are exhausted. 592 The Rangshar says: Within the great perfection, ati yoga, No view, meditation, or action will be found. So keep in mind what now I shall fully teach. The great perfection has never been established. It needs no power or strength of aspiration,593 For it is already unmade self-perfection. The meaning of it is expressed by that. How could it have production and a producer? This actionless self-existing dharmataa 95
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Like space, does not fall into partiality. Alone and empty it is not existent. Not non-existent, it is the kaaya of bliss. Non-thought is self-arising and unproduced. Within the great perfection of ati yoga, How could there be meditation on dharmataa? Without any dharmas of keeping or sending away, It is free from extremes of meditating or not. The grasping subject is without existence, How could there be defilements of mind? This insight, pure and true,594 is undefiled. In dharmakaaya, pure and undefiled, There is neither meditation nor its objects. By meditation truth will not be found, And if it were, it would not be self-insight. Regarding the reason why self-insight wisdom Is without wandering or non-wandering, Wherever there is existence of a grasper, No self-arising wisdom will be there. For if it were true that self-arising wisdom Occurred because of the power of meditation, Because of that there would be a contradiction With the very idea595 of what is meant by wisdom. Thus in the great perfection, ati yoga, The view itself has nothing to be viewed. Whatever is viewed is defilement of the mind. But pure and undefiled dharmataa Is free from either viewer or the viewed. The view has nothing in it to be viewed. For if there were something in it to be viewed, The lamp of insight would be nonexistent. Thus, in the great perfection, ati yoga, There is no nature596 of one who grasps the view. Within the great perfection, ati yoga, The fruition has been said to be unestablished. 96
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Fruition is self-arising without production, And so it goes at the level of non-thought.597 The great and sacred outlook which is wisdom Is self-radiant luminosity with no grasper, So if there were such a thing as a fruition, Then no such thing as Buddha could exist. Great dharmataa598 is self-arising and effortless. A dharmataa produced by a fruition, By being such and being produced as such, Would be a dharmataa that was destroyed. 599 Therefore, the fruition is unestablished. It should also be known that there is no training on the bhuumis and so forth: For a non-existent dharma, there is no progress of bhuumis; So the path by which these are reached is eternally non-existent. The luminosity of the great bindu already exists; So there are no discursive emanating and gathering, As in the visualized ma.n.dalas of the development stage; No mantras or recitations; no samayas or abhi.shekas; No concept of gradual union, no subsequent stage of perfecting.600 In kaaya and wisdom, which have existed from all eternity, There are no such things as causes and fruitions Arising from the conjunction of incidental conditions. There is no self-arising wisdom where these exist. As what is composite, because of that, will be destroyed, It is characterized as self-existing and uncompounded. It is said that there are no training on the bhuumis, levels of purification, progress on the path, visualization of ma.n.dalas, bestowing of abhi.shekas, meditating on the path, keeping samaya, accomplishment of buddha activity, and so forth. These are the reasons: 1. Because insight is without essence. 2. Because that is incompatible with its being a substantia l entity that is produced. 601 3. Because it has been self-existing from all eternity. Self-existent from all eternity, it does not need to be established again. If it did, the conventional designation, “uncompounded self-existence,” would not be appropriate. Dharmakaaya would undergo destruction. That is because it would be compounded. That in turn is because it would be made by cause and effect. The Sengé says: Within the unborn ultimate, which is not transcended, 97
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY By guarding samaya one will not become enlightened. In the ma.n.dala which is eternally self-existing, One does not see any deities because of painted ma.n.dalas. In eternally perfect mudraa that is not transformed, By mudraas made with effort siddhi will diminish. In the eternal self-luminosity of the essence, By reciting essence-mudraas, the seeds will surely rot.602 Within the palace that is eternally self-perfected, By visualizing palaces, one's experience will be lost. Within the self-arising state of radiance, The all-pervading glow of the light rays of compassion,603 By meditation on the traditional attributes,604 The benefit for oneself will only be diminished. In self-existing perfection that is not something visualized, The stage of visualizations 605 need not be performed. Exertion in performing various puujaas and praises Is not the kind of thing that will truly please the gods.606 In transparent dharmakaaya that is without fixation, By meditation on marks, the meaning is not attained. The Künjé says: It is taught that there are no view or meditation. It is taught that there is no guarding of samaya. It is taught that there is no striving for buddha activity. It is taught that there is no progress on the path. It is taught that there are no analyzable le vels.607 There is no action within the wisdom of non-thought. The suchness of dharmataa has never been created. Now there is the summary of the meaning of these passages,608 transcendence of cause and effect and establishment by effort:
Therefore, the essence of the absolute space of the dhaatu 98
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Transcending cause and effect, not having the ten natures, Is the nature of mind, without any effort or being established. This is the ultimate meaning of the natural state. All the complexities of existence and non-existence, Should be known to be pacified into emptiness.609 The nature,610 self-rising wisdom, does not exist as anything whatsoever. Therefore, there are no good actions of establishing by effort the causes and effects of the ten natures. Nor are there evil actions of the dharmas of sa.msaara. The space of the sky, whose essence has no complexities of existence or nonexistence, is the single dot of bindu. It is known by those of supreme powers. The Künjé says: During the course of previous kalpas without measure, By faith in me the doer of all, enlightenment, The yogins of ati,611 having good karma and good fortune, With no view or meditation or guarding samaya, With no effort in the performance of buddha activity, With no progress on the levels of the path, With no training on the stages of the bhuumis, With no cause and no fruition to be attained, With no duality of absolute and relative, Have seen this without meditating or practicing. They did not arouse bodhicitta. Antidotes were not seen. By those who saw the doer of all the essence of mind, For the sake of that same purpose these were taught.612 The Rangshar says: My body is the perfection of everything. My speech exists as the play of everything. My mind is the realization of everything. My qualities are whatever may appear. My activity is attained without being sought. My view is the body of the single bindu. My meditation is beyond the mind.
My action goes beyond the sphere of objects. My fruition is at the level of unity. My samaya is nothing that is kept. My abhi.sheka is nothing one attains. Thus I myself am the great charnel ground. And buddhas are the death of sentient beings. 99
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY From out of that great blessing, me myself, The buddhas of the three times all arise.
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This Is the Commentary on the Sixth Chapter of The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu,
“The Teaching that Everything is Included in Bodhicitta.” Now there is the teaching of how all dharmas are included in the purity of the essence of insight. Here is a brief presentation of the teaching of how all things are included in the suchness of dharmataa. This is the state where what accords with bias613 does not arise: As the solar rays are included in the essence of the sun, 614 So are all dharmas within their root, which is bodhicitta. When they are examined, both the impure, confusion, Which is the vessel and essence of the phenomenal world, And615 the space that exists supporting this, whatever rises, Are included in groundless, eternally liberated mind. Within the great vastness, primordial Space of dharmataa, Both confusion and non-confusion are included In a way beyond the realm of names and of their meanings. As the sun's rays of light are included within the sun,616 all the dharmas of the phenomenal world are included in its root, bodhicitta. If one examines them, sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are essentially a dream. When their place of arising, dwelling, and passing away are examined, sa.msaara and nirvaa.na do not exist. Therefore, neither do their arising, dwelling, and passing away. Similarly, since arising, dwelling, and passing away do not exist, neither do sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. The supporting ground or space of the dhaatu is called bodhicitta. When this too does not exist as a distinct reference point,617 then all is not other than dharmataa like the sky. This is called inclusion in dharmataa. If one examines conventionally, the dharmas included and that in which they are included should be known to be without ground and support. The Künjé says: All dharmas of whatever may appear, Included in that, are explained as being the essence. All dharmas of whatever may appear, By being born, are therefore also seeds. All dharmas of whatever may appear, By having risen, are therefore also causes. And thus, since all the dharmas of appearance Exist as the branches, they are the trunk as well. And thus, since all the dharmas of appearance Reside within the ground, they are the ground. And thus, since all the dharmas of appearance, Are me myself, they are explained as the root. Also it says there: 101
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY As for the vision of inclusion in the ultimate, It is like the nature of the doer of all, the King. This itself is taught as being the unborn. Since all the dharmas likewise are unborn from that, They are taught as included in birthless dharmataa. Also the Rangshar says: By having a nature free from conceptual objects, All dharmas of the world of phenomena, Without the mind of seeking anything, Are thus included in the space of wisdom. It is taught that just as a dream is included within the state of sleep, the dharmin, the way things appear, is included in the state of insight: Pure experience, the kaayas and buddha fields, And the miraculous play of wisdom and buddha activity Are included within the self-arising state Where nothing has been added and nothing taken away. Bodhicitta, including all the phenomenal world, Including the state of sa.msaara as well as the state of nirvaa.na, 618 Like the sun in the sky, is luminous, empty, and uncompounded. Primordial, self-arising, eternal Space is vast. The pure appearances of buddhahood and the impure, confused appearances of sentient beings are all included within one's own self-arising insight. No dharmas are unincluded in insight-bodhicitta. What is like the sun is the spontaneous luminosity of this state. What is like space is the emptiness of selflessness. This self-arising wisdom of primordial dharmakaaya is called suchness and buddhahood. The Künjé says: Dharmataa, transcending all, is bodhicitta Bodhicitta is the essence of all dharmas. Bodhicitta is the root of all the dharmas. Because it is the root, they are all included within it. Also it says there: I am the nature of all the various dharmas.619 Apart from my nature, there are no other dharmas. The teacher, who is trikaaya, is my nature. The buddhas of the three times are my nature. The bodhisattvas also are my nature, And likewise, the four yogas are my nature. The realms of desire, pure form, and formlessness, Are taught as the nature of me, the doer of all. The five great elements also are my nature. 102
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The six kinds of sentient beings are my nature. All different appearances are my nature.620 All the worlds of the universe are my nature.621 All their vessels and essences are my nature. Because there is no other nature than mine, All dharmas are included in me, the root. The nature of mind is taught to be the great Space: Nature of mind, great space, changeless state of the sky; Play without fixation622 of the power of bodhicitta; Sovereign over sa.msaara, nirvaa.na, and all the yaanas; By non-action alone they all are overpowered. Without passing into extreme separation of objects as other, They never are parted from bodhicitta dharmataa. The Space of the sky is the support and container623 of all the vessel and essence of the phenomenal world. By the same token,624 it is sovereign over them. Just so, since dharmataa bodhicitta is the womb of space of all sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, it is sovereign over them. Nothing goes anywhere beyond the Space of the great encompassment. Bodhicitta exists from all eternity as the vast space of dharmataa that existed before everything. The Rangshar says: In a former time with no such thing as space,625 The definition of space was eternally non-existent. In former time with no such thing as dharmataa, Even the names of “marks” and “dharmins” did not exist. In a former time with no such thing as a buddha, The mark of a “sentient being” was eternally non-existent. In a former time with no such thing as nirvaa.na, So-called “Sa.msaara” was also eternally non-existent. For that very reason over all of the buddhas, I myself am the powerful and holy lord. I myself am greater than the five ele ments are. I rose into being before the five elements did. I was enlightened even before the Buddha was. I myself am the genuine mahaasukhakaaya. And everything is perfect in this state of mine. Also the Künjé says: The vastness of the garbha, self-existing dharmataa, Has not moved, and does not move, and never shall. All the vessel and essence of the phenomenal world Has been contained within that Space of dharmataa. Self-existing, it is free from being produced. 626
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Here is the full presentation of the example of everything being included within this and not going beyond it: Since everything arises as Samantabhadra, Whose self-existing unity leaves nothing out,627 All is included within his matchless excellence,628 As all-good dharmadhaatu, greatest of the great. Just as a king includes629 all things within his power, There is nothing in all of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na That goes beyond the realm where he is sovereign. All of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are included within insight, and yet insight does not move from dharmataa. This is like a king who rules his country and subjects without moving from his palace. The Universal Knot of Perfection630 says: In bodhicitta, great Space as limitless as the sky, Without remainder all of the dharmas are included. Just as a king includes all things within his rule, Self-rising wisdom, Space of motionless equanimity, Has no transition or change from all eternity. All is made by bodhicitta. All arises from mind. But mind itself is not made by anyone at all. It transcends all performance of action. Therefore, it is taught that it has no need of action. The Künjé says: Bodhicitta does all, and does not do a thing. Everything that is done that enlightened nature does. Not having done a thing, it has no need of action. The nature of all dharmas is taught to be equanimity without good and evil or effort and establishment: All is total goodness, and nothing is not good. All is Samantabhadra, one without good or evil. All that exists or does not exist is a single space, All is one self-existing, motionless equanimity. All dharmas are the appearance of equality. As a play of forms whose nature is empty, they are one in being without good and evil or effort and establishment. Empty, equal, and groundless, pure Like the space of the sky, they are one in being without good or evil and accepting or rejecting. The equalityequanimity of self-arising wisdom is also one in being without good or evil and bias or partiality. The Prajñaapaaramitaa in 100,000 Shlokas says: Since all dharmas are equality, the prajñaapaaramitaa is equality. The Künjé says:
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU All of the dharmas have the mark of space. Space, in turn, possesses the mark of suchness.631 Trikaaya likewise has the mark of suchness. Everything that there is exists as suchness. All of the dharmas of whatever appears Are nothing artificial other than suchness. They have no good and also have no evil And likewise no accepting and no rejecting. Arising from space is taught to transcend establishing and effort: All arises from the single dharmadhaatu. 632 This unproduced state has no establishing and no effort. Nothing can be outside the dhaatu, one's source and essence.633 From where would an effort come? Where would establishment be? In a dream tiring oneself out by performances of effort and establishment by effort is useless. One does go beyond the single spot where one is. No action has been performed or accomplished at all. Effort and establishing involved in renunciation and antidotes are also like that. Except for bare insight, there is nothing else. Nothing at all is produced and accomplished. Nothing goes beyond bare insight. Except for the mere confusion of attachment to the luminous appearance of what does not exist as real, as with the hundred conceptualizations of Dawa Gyaltsen,634 dharmataa does not approach and come in contact with even a speck of dust. Therefore, in mind itself like the sky there is no production by effort and establishing. There is no transformation by cause and effect. Self-arising wisdom exists as the ground of everything. Therefore, all dharmas arise from it, and it transcends the extremes of vice and virtue.635 The Thaljur says: This is the way of being of the natural state. When it is explained, pratyekabuddhas and shraavakas Utterly terrified, are paralyzed with fear. Therefore, speak of this with the highest secrecy. Unlabeled dharmas have no place where they arise.636 Therefore, not having arisen, they are called the ground.637 Since these dharmas do not remain within existence,638 Nothing exists at all, either the real or empty. Here the dark and luminous realms do not arise. The realm of extremes of coming and going does not exist. Since there is nothing bound by striving or by effort, It rises unobstructed in transparency. 639 Since nothing has fallen into limit and partiality, Vice and virtue likewise are without existence; For here both vice and virtue have been cleared away. Since there is no such thing as sa.msaara or nirvaa.na, The emptiness of dharmataa is all pervading. Wisdom, whose existence is from its own perspective, Has no separation of its three-fold aspects. 105
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Also the Sengé says: Since self-arising insight is something eternally changeless, I am not obscured by good or evil deeds. Self-arising, with no causes or conditions, I have no need of the duties640 of compounded dharmas.641 Therefore, cause and effect, and effort and establishing are transcended: Without any objects to seek, unseen by meditation; Without established existence, not coming from somewhere else; Without any coming and going, equanimity, dharmakaaya Is included within the space of the great, self-perfected bindu. The essence of the nature of mind like the sky is the space of the dhaatu, the single dot of bindu. Since all dharmas are included within this, there is no need for seeking by means of the ten natures and so forth. This is dharmadhaatu separate from extremes.642 The Künjé says: As for the essence of everything, which is bodhicitta, Since its self-nature is self-existing for all eternity, It does not need to be sought and established by the ten natures. My nature, exemplified by all, is like the sky. Make no effort to move from the purity of the sky. Though all have strived to move from the purity of the sky, The sky is all, beyond all effort and establishing. Such is the doer of all, the essence, bodhicitta. As for me, since I transcend all spheres of apprehension,643 I have no view and eternally have not meditated. As for the ten natures, in a similar way, As I have transcended all of them, I have no production. Within those vehicles with causes and fruitions, If by the ten natures they make a search for me, For whoever wishes to see me and my nature, That is like someone falling down upon the earth, After having stepped forth into the space of the sky. Progressing by the ten natures one will surely fall. 644 My nature is taught to be the one true source of everything. I am beyond all the various spheres of apprehension, Thus, I am without either view or meditation. For that reason, these ten natures have no use. Do not think that these ten natures are of use! Since I am not an object seen by having a view, Not having a view of anything, I therefore rest in suchness. Now there is the teaching of how all the vehicles are included in insight-bodhicitta. Here is the teaching of how the lesser three are included: 106
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The teachings of shraavakas, pratyekabuddhas and bodhisattvas Having resolved the issue of ego and egolessness, Have one intended meaning, simplicity like the sky. The teaching of great ati yoga, the secret that is supreme, Is vastness of space, without separation of self and other. So resting in self-rising wisdom, the natural state as it is, This highest645 essence includes the intentions of them all. In the view of the shraavakas, an individual self of outer and inner dharmas is maintained to be non-existent, like space.646 According to the pratyekabuddhas, there is also half-selflessness of dharmas. They are maintained to be 647 free from the true existence of the fixated object but not that of the grasping subject.648 The bodhisattvas maintain that both the grasped object and the fixating subject, and both the selfhood of the individual and that of dharmas, have the non-existent nature of space.649 The Sutra of the Wheel of Non-returning650 says: As Ignorance is nothingness like space. All dharmas are without any characteristics. That realization is included within the great perfection, self-arising wisdom. This is because, self-arising wisdom, emptiness/luminosity, is included within the essence of space. Therefore, so is the suchness of all dharmas. The Künjé says: In the nature of the doer of all, which is bodhicitta, Without exception everything has been included, As freedom from complexity like that of space. The middle three vehicles are also included: The three classes kriyaa, upa, and yoga hold as one, That from oneself, and the deities, samaadhi and clouds of offerings, The three gates are purified, and siddhi is attained. 651 For the vajra peak as well, the secret king of teachings, The sights and sounds of insight, which are completely pure, Are deities that have existed from all eternity. The three gates' utter purity manifests as siddhi. This excellent essence includes the intentions of them all. Kriyaa tantra is the tantric tradition of bodily action. One thinks of oneself as a servant and the deity as a master. It is maintained that siddhi is attained through offerings, praise and so forth. Upa tantra is the tantra of practice.652 It is maintained that siddhi is attained by visualizing oneself as samayasattva and the deity in front of one as jñaanasattva. Yoga tantra is the continuity of union. It is maintained that siddhi is attained through offerings, praises and so forth, after the deity as jñaanasattva has entered and pervaded the ma.n.dala of oneself as samayasattva. These are one in the goals of purifying the defilements of the three gates and attaining siddhi. The intentions of these yaanas are included in that of ati. 653 In ati too all dharmas are the enlightened state of the ma.n.dala. This is because they are known as the purity and equanimity of bodhicitta. The Künjé says: From the self-arising heart-essence which is the ultimate ma.n.dala 107
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY If one should rest the three gates in the natural ease of suchness, The vision of me, the doer of all, will be spontaneous. The three yaanas that are great perfect this inclusion: In the three levels of mahaa, anu, and ati yoga All of the vessel and essence of the phenomenal world Exists in the form of gods and goddesses and their fields.654 Space and wisdom, inseparable and utterly pure, Are maintained to be natural wisdom, not going beyond dharmataa. Since, in the ultimate secret, all is completely pure; It is the palace that never needed to be built. This is the space of eternity; this is the field of bliss. Having no inside and outside, all-pervading, encompassing; Having no fixated dharmas 655 to seek, accept, or reject; The vast Space of dharmakaaya is eternal and universal. This great secret essence includes the intentions of them all. In mahaa yoga tantra, the great yoga of the father tantra, and anuyoga tantra, the mother yoginii tantra, the ground ma.n.dala is insight. The explanation of the path ma.n.dala is that the vessel and essence are the deities and their palaces. Space and wisdom, and upaaya and prajñaa are practiced as needing nothing added or taken away. By those practices it is maintained that the fruition, the ma.n.dala of supreme enlightenment, will be attained. Ati, the great perfection, also maintains that one reaches that ground of insight. This is because everything is primordially known as the eternal ma.n.dala of buddhahood. It is also true because the intended meaning, which is without corruption by artificialities of accepting or rejecting, does not go beyond dharmataa. Therefore, the essential meaning of these yaanas is included within it. Therefore, ati is the great secret, the ultimate vehicle. The Sengé says: Whatever the ma.n.dalas of body there may be, All are without remainder luminous brilliance.656 Whatever the ma.n.dalas of speech that there may be, All without remainder exist as the sound of the teachings. Whatever the ma.n.dalas of mind that there may be, All without remainder are purified of concept. Body and speech, as well as vajra mind, All appear from that which is without appearance. Also the Künjé says: There are three uncreated ma.n.dalas Involving resting in the natural state. By sudden realization of the meaning Of this, the state of unarranged perfection, One enters into the meaning of this state, The heart of things in its spontaneity. 657
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Now there is the summary of the meaning of everything being included and perfected in bodhicitta: One is perfection, all is perfection; Space that unites all dharmas. Self-luminosity, that is eternally just as it is, Is also included within that great, self-existing state. That all is perfection is the perfection of bodhicitta. That one is perfection is the perfection of the state of insight. That two is perfection is the perfection of the productions of mind. 658 It is perfection of all in that whatever appears is completely perfect. The Künjé says: This has nothing about it at all that is not perfect. Since one is perfect, two are perfect, and all are perfect, Action is performed in a way that is perfected. That one is perfect is the perfection of bodhicitta. That two is perfect is perfect action of the mind. That all is perfect is the completion of perfection. By this teaching that explains that one is perfect, Rest within this realization of buddhahood. By the meaning of this saying that, “all is perfect,” Everything is really made to be complete.659 Thus, as for the praise of the realized yogin, the Sengé says: Whoever sees the truth of buddhahood Is then the child of the Victorious One. If one has entered into realization, One always will abide in the state of bliss. Also the above text says: Whoever rests without action in this very state, Whether this body is one of a human or a god,660 Has the realization of dharmataa and of Buddhahood.
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This is the commentary on the seventh chapter of The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu
“EVERYTHING IS THE ETERNAL SELF-EXISTENCE OF BODHICITTA”
Here is the teaching that the inclusion of all dharmas in bodhicitta is self-existing: The self-existing nature of the teaching of bodhicitta, Is the uncreated attainment,661 the peak of the king of mountains. The supreme, great king of vehicles towers over all. The king of mountains, in the center of the four continents, is supremely exalted. Just so, ati, the vajra heart-essence, is explained to be the highest peak of vehicles, more exalted than all the others. The Rangshar says: As for the highest peak of views it is explained As ati yoga, teaching of the great perfection. Here is the example that teaches it is the peak of all: As on reaching the summit of the king of mountains, Though one sees the lower valleys all at once, The valleys do not see the nature of the peak; In that way, the vajra essence, which is ati, The peak of yaanas, sees clearly the meaning of them all; But the lower vehicles do not see the meaning of ati. From the peak of a mountain, the valleys below are seen all at once. But, from the valleys, the top of the mountain peak is not clearly seen as it is. Just so, when the self-existing peak occurs, the meanings of the lower vehicles are seen all together from the viewpoint of ati. But the lower vehicles do not see its meaning. For that reason they have reversed662 high and low. As663 the Secret Assembly says, “That is why the peak is the peak.” Now the way in which great yaana distinguished from the lower ones described above is explained further: As, if one supplicates a great, wish-fulfilling gem, All664 that is desired naturally rises from it, 110
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU In which it is unlike all ordinary things; So, trikaaya, the vajra essence, is self-existing. As space that is self-established, Buddha is self-achieved. This is greatness that has no effort and no establishment. When lower yaanas accept and reject and make an effort, There is no accomplishment for many kalpas; A path of that kind is exhausting in its futility. 665 When they supplicate a wish fulfilling gem, fortunate ones experience the arising of all that is desired. Just so, whoever has spontaneously realized the virtues of self-arising wisdom is placed in the supreme realm of effortless abundance.666 Supplicating that gem is the source of all benefits. But if someone supplicates the form of a wooden gem, no benefit is accomplished. Desiring to attain buddhahood from the effort and accomplishment of the lower vehicles is like that. Although they are worn out with fatigue because of this exercise in futility, those of the lower vehicles still teach that there is nothing other than that. The Künjé says: In general,667 if sentient beings, dwelling668 in the three worlds, See that everything is the suchness of their own minds, Buddhahood will not be something merely verbal. From that time on they will have attained the highest yoga. Those of inferior karma, who are of little fortune, Even if, unconcealed, it is manifestly shown, Will still be unable to gain the realization of this. Just as if someone desires to have a precious gem, This would not happen by polishing a piece of wood; For those who have the karma and fortune of highest yoga, View and samaya, ground and path, and buddha activity, Are not mental creations meant to serve as antidotes, By means of cause and fruition accomplished by meditation. Also it says there: Rejecting actionless bliss, accepting the struggle for purity, They are not exhausted by such futility. Now there is the teaching that insight without action and effort is trikaaya. Here is the teaching that realization of things just as they are is dharmakaaya: Primordial, monolithic 669 equality, bodhicitta; Vastness of dharmataa; suchness just as it is; Is the nature of dharmakaaya, primordial Space of equality; Existing in all, but the object of only a fortunate few. If one lets things rest as they are, then this will come to pass.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The essence of insight, the simplicity of emptiness/luminosity, is the meaning of dharmakaaya. Realization of the nature of mind as it is an object seen by few. Aside from those, it is not experienced by everyone. It is the essence of vajradhaatu, the great equanimity free from extremes. The Sengé says: It is by me, dharmakaaya, non-thought, Samantabhadrii, That luminous insight, dharmataa, is viewed as external. External objects are seen within insight free from variety. Though self-insight views them as many external objects, They are actually found within dharmakaaya, the great non-thought.670 Also the Rangshar says: As for the vajra ma.n.dala, emptiness/luminosity, This is dharmakaaya, the transparency of non-thought. It is free from the artificia l extremes of the grasper. Without such extremes there is no selfish craving671 for any dharmas.
As for realizing things just as they are as sambhogakaaya:672 All-pervading, all-encompassing self-luminosity, Is self-existing enjoyment/activity, sambhogakaaya. It exists in all, but is an object seen by few. It manifests when one accepts 673 whatever appears, Without any effort or any action of being sought. The self-luminosity of insight is the nature, sambhogakaaya. When apparent objects arise without obstruction,674 when vividness675 does not enter into ego-fixation, it appears very clearly. 676 The Sengé says: The wisdom of sambhogakaaya is the wide-ranging677 play678 of phenomena. Unproduced self-luminosity, it is self-existing. Then this is taught regarding the realization of nirmaa.nakaaya: That which is designated as being nirmaa.nakaaya, 679 Is the all-encompassing Space of unobstructed play. 680 Existing in all, at the time of rising it clearly appears. Wish-granting qualities and miraculous buddha activity Are only this otherless purity, this very self-insight Space. Like troubled water, left alone it will clear itself. Apparently ceaseless arising from within the unobstructed nakedness of self-existing681 insight is nirmaa.nakaaya. It has arisen primordially as buddha qualities and buddha activity. In this effortless state without accepting and rejecting, the reflections of the five eyes, the higher perceptions, and so forth arise like luminous reflections in clear water purified of turbidity. The Künjé says: 112
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Like an ocean that has existed from all eternity, Is the production and the arising of various dharmas. These buddha qualities are as limitless as the sky. The place where they are embodied is nowhere that can be fixed. Within that undetermined heart-essence of enlightenment, There occurs the arising of the great King of samaadhi. Appearance, which is like the immensity of the ocean, Is the vastness of non-thought, as limitless as the sky. It is taught that this realization of trikaaya is a single space beyond effort: As the dharmas are already pure primordially, This cannot be attained by means of its being sought. The luminous, self-existing Space of enlightened buddhahood Is accomplishe d already, and need not be accomplished now. This is the vision of greatness which is self-existing. This is the vision of the Space of dharmataa. Do not strive for what is unchanging and self-existing. What is being described is the nature of mind. An innate attribute of the essence of dharmakaaya, it needs no establishment by effort. As for the instruction regarding this, the Künjé says: Have confidence682 that everything is bodhicitta. By that eternal confidence in bodhicitta, In addition there will be the confidence That, without seeking, mind exists as dharmakaaya. By eternal confidence in effortless dharmakaaya, One rests without effort in the state of mahaasukha. Now there is the teaching that insight is single and self-existent: The eternal primordial ground, the ground of things as they are;683 The ground of the garbha, the heart-essence of enlightenment, Does not go beyond the realm of its own nature. Do not go beyond luminous Space, the meaning of insight. The self-nature of insight does not exist as anything whatsoever. Therefore, it is without emanating and gathering. If someone wants to realize and manifest the meaning of this, the following instructions 684 are very important: 1. Do not go beyond natural meditation, awareness of things as they are. 2. Do not go beyond transparent685 nakedness,
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Dharmataa is free from producing movement beyond itself. Motion beyond itself into discursive thoughts about objects is contradictory with it. The Sengé says: Dharmakaaya, that which is the source of everything, Is explained as being the essence, vast Space that has no objects. Supreme samaadhi neither takes it nor leaves it alone. Also the Künjé says: Resting in this is motionless and self-existing. The reasons that all is accomplished by being left as it is Are the changeless and omnipresent masters of everything, Five wisdoms, Five kaayas, five kinds of speech and mind, Five kinds of quality, five kinds of buddha activity. 686 Like 687 the first primordial buddha who spontaneously Was established in this Space without beginning and end, Do not look anywhere else. The nature always existed. Since the essence of insight is without transition or change, there are the five unchanging kaayas. These are the changeless vajra kaaya and so forth. Since the essence of insight is inexpressible, there are the five kinds of speech. These are those of enlightenment of dharmataa and so forth. Since the essence of insight is without complexity, there are the five kinds of mind. These are self-arising wisdom and so forth. Since in the essence of insight there is self-perfection and accomplishment of all that is desired, there are the five qualities. These are the all-perfecting ground and so forth. Since in the nature of insight the four buddha activities are established with the pure equality of wisdom, there are the five buddha activities. These are completely purifying dharmataa and so forth. The perfection of the twenty-five dharmas listed here is that of the enlightenment of the first buddha Samantabhadra. They have always existed within the essence of insight. It is not necessary to seek for them elsewhere. The Sangnying says: In the four times and in the ten directions, Perfect buddhahood will not be found. Mind itself is already the perfect buddha. Do not seek anywhere else for buddhahood. Even if the victorious ones should look, They would never find it anywhere. Also the Künjé says: My nature, enlightenment, which is the doer of all, The self-existing nature that does not need to be sought, Is trikaaya, which is the essence of all the victorious ones. My nature exists as uncreated dharmakaaya. My Essence exists as uncreated sambhogakaaya. My compassion manifests as nirmaa.nakaaya, 114
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU No fruition established by seeking has been taught. Spontaneous mahaasukha does not need to be sought. Also the Sengé says: In the Essence of insight of the great perfection The dharmas of buddhahood are perfected without seeking. Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na exist as insight. They are not other than dharmakaaya, mind itself. The dharmakaaya, of all the buddhas, enlightenment, is nothing but changeless equanimity. It is self-arising and self-existing. Therefore, neither seek or establish. Spontaneously leave behind hope and fear. What is attained in attaining buddhadharmakaaya is the essence of insight, undefiled by artificiality. Insight is not other than manifestation. Without transition and change, it exists as everything. The oral instruction is to rest in one's intrinsic insight as self-existing and not needing to be sought. The Pearl Mala says: Perfect buddhahood, is your own insight itself.688 Also the Künjé says: As for the doer of all, which is bodhicitta, It is unborn, free from grasper and grasped. Unborn dharmakaaya rises only in name. Since the nature of sa.msaaric mind exists as dharmakaaya, it is taught that there is no need for renunciation: The self-arising wisdom of all sentient beings Unmade and unsought, exists by itself as dharmakaaya. Do not fixate on renouncing or receiving, But rest instead within this state of dharmadhaatu. So-called sentient beings are not other than insight. Insight itself is the inseparability of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. For these reasons, it need not be established by effort from something else. The Sengé says: Regarding these two, sentient beings and buddhas, There is no difference in regard to insight. Also the Rangshar says: The insight of sentient beings is really buddhahood. As for the teaching that insight is beyond motion and effort: Unmoving, unthinking essence, like a mountain of equanimity, 689 Uncreated accomplishment,690 the Space of the ground is vast. 115
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The essence of insight exists as self-existing dharmakaaya. The existence of the essence as the uncreated accomplishment is wondrous, marvelous wisdom. Teaching that this is the limitless ground of dharmadhaatu the Thaljur says: The wondrous, marvelous wisdom is non-existent, Both early, and late, and also primordially. Beyond the sphere of these present, discursive thoughts, And free from extremes, its nature is emptiness. Transcending words and mind, essentially empty, Because it discloses no nature whatsoever, Compassion and actions do not make an appearance. The three-fold appearance of wisdom is fixation,691 Confusions of prajñaa, rising from the mind. When this is completely without conceptualization,692 As non-existent wondrously-risen play,693 The fruition of all the buddhas is attained. The Space of all the outer and inner dharmas, It does not appear as anything at all. It is taught that the river of spontaneous empowerment is perfect from all eternity within the state of insight: Unchanging, universal lord of kaaya and wisdom. 694 Vase of royal anointment, great self-arising empowerment. Since the vessel and essence of the phenomenal world Are eternal self-existence, this need not be sought or produced. The nature is self-existing. It does it all for you. 695 Everything blossoms as great, self-existing spontaneity. 696 The body and speech of insight, the self existing essence,697 are perfect from all eternity. They already exist as self-existing wisdom, the perfect empowerment. Therefore, there is no reliance on698 external empowerments now, involving effort and abhisheka-substances. The Sengé says: Wisdom, empowerment of the great self-experience,699 Dwells within the suchness of the ground. Also the Künjé says: Bestowing empowerment of the luminous King of insight, Does not depend on empowerments of characteristics or bliss.700 How could the meaning of non-thought be put in thoughts?701 If empowerment as the doer of all, the king is attained,
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Things always arise in insight as suchness without fabrication, Having no cause and condition, path of the ultimate peace; As one rests within the ground, that very resting Is the final702 empowerment of the doer of all, the King. 703 That itself is the great upaaya of the King. If one enters the sphere where everything is suchness, By knowing both faults and virtues as equality, One has completely transcended entering or non-entering. The realization of this great empowerment That of the doer of all, abiding as one's own insight, Transcending conceptual objects, cannot be spoken by speech. It pacifies memory and is without complexity. Quite impartial, all-pervading like the sky, By the realization of this empowerment The obstacle s of hope and fear will be cut through. 704 That by means of some yoga of actually entering this, This teaching705 of highest yoga, transcending cause and fruition, This uncreated wisdom of the doer of all, the King, One rests there in some certain way has not been taught. The essence of insight does not exist as anything anywhere. From the viewpoint of insight, there are no abhisheka, developing stage, perfecting stage, and so forth. If one has not become convinced of this, one has not fully resolved706 the view. So realize from now on that sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, accepting and rejecting, performing actions, the view and meditation and so forth are all non-existent707 like the sky. The Pearl Mala says: As for the second, distinguished from the single ground,708 Rest in the simple vision of the single dot, Possessing the nature of the bindu of great bliss. As for the single ma.n.dala of all the buddhas, Because of the alpha-purity of the essence of that, Its nature is also something that is self-existing. Transcending place, transcending direction, and boundaries, It does not appearing as something that exists, Nor can it be said that it does not exist.709 This is not within the sphere of word and measure, Nor those of unity, duality, or number. It is established by being710 the great emptiness. 117
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY It is not within the sphere of reason or scripture. It is not described in the tantras and oral instructions. By view, meditation, and action its meanings will not be known The meaning of this does not exist as the fruition. It is something that will only be obscured by the different conceptualizations of various Dharmas.711 It is not something that is established by means of thinking. 712 It is not something analyzed by means of prajñ aa. It is free from fruition, harmful or beneficial. By generosity, discipline, patience and the rest,713 By means of hearing, contemplating, and meditating, Though one examines supremely, this will not be seen. The ma.n.dala of this does not exist at all. Without any deities, or the seeds of their visualization, How could there be any such things as mantras and mudraas? One need not feel inclined toward performing puujaas and such. Then how can there be empowerment and guarding samaya? Nor are there propitiation and the rest. As for the bliss of the chakras, it is without existence. Without any guarding or any objects to be guarded, Transcending döns or any objects to be harmed, This is I, and it is also sentient beings. It is mind, and also the objects of the mind. It is the many, and it is also the single dot. Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are only I myself. It is I who enters the ma.n.dala by stages. I am dharmas and the appearance of all dharmas. I am what stays, and also I am that which goes. I am sitting, lying down, and walking about. I am life, and also I am its cutting off. All the three worlds are born and rise714 from me alone. It is I who have appeared as various deities, It is I who am the nature of mantra and mudraa.715 I arise as virtue and the fruition of it. I am the existence of the ten paaramitaas. 118
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU I am the bhuumis and I am also their various virtues.716 From this itself arises everything there is. The view, meditation, action, and such arise from this. The greater and lesser yaanas all arise from this.717 To make a brief summary of that which has been taught, All dharmas whatsoever, no matter how they appear, All arise from this and rise from this alone. Since no essence exists, one gains conviction that insight is primordially 718 empty like the sky. The manner of arising from insight is that what arises from it into appearance spontaneously passes the pass back into it. These two characteristics of insight are one. Therefore, insight is recognized as free from the extremes of existence and non-existence. Because the great perfection is like that, here appearance is not established as existing, and emptiness does not become non-existence. The great self-existence should be known to be non-dual.
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This is the commentary on eighth chapter of The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu
“THE NON-DUALITY OF BODHICITTA”
The pure, self-existing nature is also taught to have the characteristic of non-duality. What arises from the single space of the dhaatu is non-dual with the essence from which it arises: In the single space of everything, self-arising wisdom, Everything exists non-dually with the essence. Dualistic appearance arises ceaselessly As the play of manifestation of the power of insight. Dualistic appearance arises as the play That manifests the unobstructed power of insight. This is called bodhicitta's non-duality With the realm of mere appearance and that of projected conceptions. For these three reasons, we should definitely conclude that all dharmas are non-dual: 1. In the single surface of a mirror, whatever reflections arise appear non-dually with the mirror.719 Just so, all dharmas that arise within insight are non-dual with insight. 2. The arising of various dreams within a single period of sleep is not something other than sleep. Just so sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are not something other than the play of insight. 3. Because they arise in a single river, all the waves of that river, great and small, are not other than the river. Just so, all the dharmas that appear to arise from within nothing whatever, are non-dual with insight of the empty nature of dharmataa and insight of their own emptiness. This is true over and above their being merely the luminous appearance of what does not exist. All dharmas have the following equalities: 1) Equality of non-existence. 2) Equality of non-obstruction. 3) Equality of power to produce individual effects.720 120
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU These from the viewpoint of insight are mere appearance. 4) Equality of being appearance that has arisen merely from conditions of interdependent arising In regard to their having these four, they should be realized as the non-dual great equality. The Samaadhiraaja Suutra says: Whatever rises from conditions is unborn. Whatever rises in such a way does not exist. Whatever depends on conditions, that is said to be empty. Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are appearances of the power721 of insight. It is impossible that they could exist in duality from the essence of their arising. Appearances in a dream and the person who sees them appear to be two; but they are non-dual. They are the mere arising within one period of sleep, at one time, of the phenomena of a single, luminous appearance of what does not exist. They do not exist in reality. The Abhisamayaala.mkaara says: Just as a dream and the seeing of that very dream Are not something seen in a dualistic way, So it is with the non-duality of the dharmas. Instantaneously their suchness is realized as one. That is what it is like. Whatever appearances of dharmas there may be 722 are luminous appearances of what does not exist. However they may appear, one's own consciousness, insight, body, and so forth are also luminous appearances of what does not exist. They are without even a particle of individuating characteristics and dharmas of unity and difference. All the dharmas of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na constitute the phenomenal world. These dharmas appear non-dually from the point of view of insight. So it should be known. From the viewpoint of insight, the arising of dharmas is arising within the space of the dhaatu. This is conventionally called “the arising of the buddha fields from insight,” or “the mere miraculous apparitions of insight.” The Pearl Mala says: All earth and water, air and fire, and space, The elements, arise from this alone. The gods, asuras, and the human realm, The hell beings, animals, and hungry ghosts In truth arise from the greatness of that space. Aggression and passion, as well as ignorance, Along with pride and envy and the rest, Arise as the miracles of this itself. The basic and conceptual minds of ignorance,723 The skandhas, dhaatus, and aayatanas, The collections of the eight kinds of consciousness, 121
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The rising of the senses and so forth, The senses such as sound and smell and taste, All touchables and desirable qualities, Arise as ornaments of this itself. Regarding the hollow nature of this life,724 Arising without an essence and so forth, It is also the power and play of that. From skandhas, solidified725 by aalaya, Our bodies accumulate and rise into being, As blood726 and flesh, as skin and bone and hair.
The trinity of body, speech, and mind, As well as the various objects of the mind, Have risen one and all727 from my own essence. All men, and women, as well as horses, and cattle, In all their forms arise from out of this. The various actions, like eating, sleeping, and standing, Have all arisen from nowhere else than728 this. Also the Künjé says: Kye mahaasattva! realize this, my nature. I am the nature of the bodhicitta, The bodhicitta, doer of all, the King. The nature of the doer of all, the King Abides as the trio body, speech, and mind. Not even one thing has not been produced By this, the trio body, speech, and mind. They all were made by the body speech, and mind Which is that of all the buddhas of the three times.729 The three worlds, of desire, form, and the formless,730 And the body, speech, and mind of sentient beings,731 Were made by my own body, speech, and mind, By the King who is the maker of everything. The different732 kinds of collections that make up The environment and inhabitants of the world Were made, in unmade suchness, dharmataa, By the body, speech, and mind of me myself, 122
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The King who is the maker of everything. The contradictory conventionalities maintained and mixed together by fools should be abandoned. Some who are unadorned with true sacred learning,733 but just say whatever comes into their minds,734 say, “These appearances of external variety are bodhicitta. That is how it appears to one's mind.” So maintaining and what is taught here, that these appearances have a single essence with the Space of bodhicitta, are as different as heaven and earth. These fools maintain that bodhicitta and one's own mind are two different things. Here fixation of an ego within bodhicitta is maintained to arise from its own power. From the time it arises, it is just the play of that power. Aside from that, whatever outer and inner luminous appearances there may be are appearances of what does not exist at all. These dharmins exist neither as mind or as something other than mind. They are maintained to be conditioned appearance that appears only because of interdependent arising. The empty variety of external things is confused, groundless appearance of what does not exist anywhere. This and the empty nature of mind are said simply not to be two different things.735 We say that all736 external and internal dharmas are of one taste as bodhicitta. That says that dharmataa is without distinction or exclusion. 737 But it is not maintained that the conventional entities of mere appearance and one's own mind are the same thing. 738 A substance both “in here” and “out there” is contradictory. Moreover, self and other, going and staying, existent and non-existent, are mere imitations. They are not really produced, and can have no true connection to each other.739 These fools also make many inflexible distinctions 740 about dharmas. For example, they distinguish the appearing object and the aspect of oneself that is different from the appearance. It should be realized that ati is not the same as their partialities. Generally, if one is classifying conventionally, there are inside and outside, appearance and mind, confused and non-confused, sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, and so forth. This is the manner of all dharmas,741 the distinctions of relative truth. But if one speaks like these fools, “the dog jumped” and “the fox jumped” will be lumped together as one.742 In this way they will not be able to distinguish the conventional and the path, or pure and impure. The nature743 of the absolute does not exist as anything at all. Therefore, maintaining that all is mind is also the rigidity of confusion. Those who make such assertions, are fixating partialities. Examples are some of the true aspectarians of the mind only school, and some who accept the obscured partialities of the heretics. One simply should not rely on that approach. In the Semdé, all is explained as mind, but that is not the same as what they maintain. That all arises from bodhicitta as the play of its power of manifestation is what is said by the Semdé. Power, play, and bodhicitta are postulated, and dharmas are resolved into them. But bodhicitta itself does not exist as anything at all. It is the ultimate base of everything, like space. Its power, ceaselessly arising, is like the face of an untarnished mirror. Play, the dharmas that arise as variety, is like the eight examples of illusion. From the viewpoint of emptiness, these three are non-dual, because they do not exist anywhere.744 From the viewpoint of appearance they are like conventional insight,745 sleep,746 and dreaming. From the time they arise from each other, their nature is groundless. Likewise, bodhicitta, power, and play appear, but their essence transcends the dharmas of unity and difference. Nevertheless, in regard to the way they appear,747 they are said conventionally to be three. When, after speaking about the essence, one is making conventional classifications, play and bodhicitta are not properly treated as one. Then, in regard to these manifestations of play, appearance and the apparent object are distinguished. 748 But still, inner and outer do not exist at all. The reflections of appearance are known to be like the eight examples of illusion. There is imputed labeling of dharmas,
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY dharmin, and so forth. But they are all the great luminous appearance of what does not exist. That is what is maintained in this tradition of the great perfection. That is what should be realized. When one knows what is so explained, it is vast, peaceful, and unmixed. When others produce many classifications of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na and so forth, noble ones dwell separately from such doctrines.749 These days only our tradition knows how to explain things well. Now there is the praise of certainty that all dharmas arising from naturally-existing wisdom exist as the unbiased great equality. This is the time when realization arises within one's experience. This happens by the yogin's having seen dharmas as empty form, the luminous appearance of what does not exist:750
From enlightened insight that is without transition or change The phenomenal world, sa.msaara as well as nirvaa.na, rises. Here there is nothing to be abandoned or be attained. From the viewpoint of yoga without a grasper or fixated objects, This appearance of what is not there seems like a wondrous joke. Those who know the causes of a magic show, realize that it is appearance of what does not exist. They see it as humorous that it appears even though they have no attachment to it as truly existing. That unobstructed arising of appearance does not exist for them as something good or evil to be accepted or rejected. Here, similarly, all the dharmas of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are known as a play of appearance of what does not exist. Teaching that for yogins who realize the single, pure, and equal essence, the dharmas of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are non-existent, the Sengé says: Insight alone exhausts sa.msaara and nirvaa.na.751 Unfixated, one's experience752 is free from dharmas. Also the Finely Set Jewel says: There is no appearance or objects producing appearance. In purity from all dharmas, there is no non-appearance. When dharmakaaya appears, what is non-existent arises as non-existent from that time on. Such appearances of what does not exist are taught to be mere empty reflections: In what has no appearance, various appearances rise. In what has no emptiness, center and limit are fully encompassed. In what has no grasper and is without fixated objects, Still the I is attached to individual selfhood. 753 In what has no ground and root, successions of births appear. In what has no negation and no establishing, Accepting, rejecting, joy, and sorrow, are produced. If one contemplates dharmataa, the appearance of dharmins is the great wonder of mere arising. As to how the essence beyond existence or non-existence seemingly appears as a variety of things 124
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU existing from their own side: In a dream one dreams of self and other, joy and sorrow, wealth,754 good and evil, accepting and rejecting, earlier and later lives and so forth. Like appearances in dreams, appearances within insight are in reality non-existent. But at the time they are grasped as existing, and so the mind produces all the kleshas. Grasping appearances of what does not exist as real is also experience of confused appearance. The 755 Sutra on The Lantern of the Three Jewels says: As for all dharmas, they are like the Sugata.756 But having the mind of a child, those who grasp at marks In the worlds will experience non-existent dharmas. Now, there are the two aspects of becoming certain of the realization that outer and inner dharmas, being unborn, are purity as limitless as space. First appearance of external objects is resolved as the groundless illusion of empty form: When one looks outward, appearance of beings is very strange. By attachment to what is untrue as true, it seems to be true. By attachment to clarity as confused, it seems confused. By attachment to what is not fixed as fixed, it seems to be fixed. By attachment to what is not as existing, it seems to exist. By attachment to what is unpleasant as pleasant, it seems to please.757 The nature of outer appearance is empty of essence. It is the illusory form of mere experience.758 Those who are undeveloped759 do not know suchness. Attached to the characteristics of individual things as real, they fixate outer and inner dharmas:
What is untrue is then fixated as being true. What is unconfused is fixated as confused. What is uncertain is fixated then as being certain. What is beyond the scope of existence and non-existence Is then fixated as being existent or non-existent. What is unpleasant is then fixated as being pleasant. When the mind is beguiled by various superficial objects,760 The instant of insight lengthens into a meaningless chain. It goes beyond days and months; then years, and the lives of men. Beings grasp the non-dual as two and are deceived. When instantaneous awareness does not know its own nature, there is an accumulated succession of confused fixations, so that time passes. From many instants there is a second of confusion; from seconds, a day; from days, a month; from months a year of confusion. One becomes accustomed to that. Groundless insight still exists in itself as pure dharmakaaya like the sky. But not recognizing one's own essence becomes a situation of nothing but adventitious conditionality. The Pearl Mala says:
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY In dharmakaaya like the sky there is obscuration By the clouds of discursive, adventitious thoughts. Unconfused dharmataa appears as confusion of mind. And the instantaneous then possesses cause and effect. Also the Precious Mala 761 says: The three paths are without a beginning, middle, and end. The ma.n.dala of sa.msaara is like the fiery circle Made by whirling a torch, connecting successive causes. In such a way762 the whirl of sa.msaara comes to be. Sentient beings have become attached to the individuating characteristics of confused appearance. But this very appearance appears to a yogin merely as an illusory game. The main point is that confusion is without ground or root. Moreover, the self-nature of insight is primordial alpha-purity. It is beyond confusion and non-confusion like the sky. Experience of this is experience of the self-luminous, naked purity of dharmakaaya. This is called appearance of the groundless, great purity. In the essence of this insight and ignorance, sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, etc. do not exist at all. When unobstructed nowness has been realized by the yogin, it does not go beyond that state. The illusory empty form that is the confused appearance of external objects has been awakened. It is awakened as appearance of the ground within the Space of dharmataa. This non-existence of even the name of sa.msaara is called “pure yoga like the sky.” Regarding this, the Pearl Mala says: Though objects do in fact appear to be like that, Nevertheless within primordial alpha-purity, There is not so much as the expression “confusion.” Likewise that is how it is with non-confusion. Therefore, confusion is really purity from the beginning. Within this great appearance of the ground itself, Since that which is called “ignorance” does not exist at all, Neither is there any existence of confusion. Since mind is not falsely conceived763 in any way at all, There are not even the names “defilement” and “confusion.” Because there are no names, nor any collections of writings, The confusion of putting labels on things does not exist. Because there is no labeling, imputing names to dharmas, There is not even the name of “mind” to be imputed. Since basic mind and the mental sense do not exist,764 126
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The flickerings of confusion do not exist within it.765
Since there are no such things as coarse and subtle defilements, There is no confusion about conditioned arising. Since produced and producer are without existence, How will there be the kind of confusion that grasps at objects? Since both object and senses are without existence, There is also no confusion of grasper and fixation. Also the Thaljur says: Confusion, so-called, is actually alpha purity. 766 In non-confusion where nothing is artificial, Now seen as appearance of what does not exist, Dharmas are not conceived to rise by production. Such concepts have spontaneously ceased. Perceptions of confusion do not appear.767 Within the primordial radiance of the nature,768 All dharmas have the single taste of equality. They are free from conceptions of fixation.769 Since this is the state of eternal buddhahood, It should not be turned into artifice. Dharmataa without fixated objects is pure like the sky. It has been realized that there are no external objects. Now it is resolved how the inner grasper is without ground and support: When one looks within, at the purified mind of yoga, Insight, groundless and independent, is free from names. It is not seen as expressible by characteristics. One dispenses with organized view and meditation. 770 Natural,771 even and vast; pervasive and all-encompassing; Unpracticable, unbounded by sessions or retreats; It ranges freely, 772 completely and totally unrestricted. When one looks at one's own mind in this way, its essence is beyond the limits of recognition. Purified as the unsupported nature of the sky, dharmataa is self-purified of memory. This is called “dharmakaaya without the extremes of existence and non-existence.” The Thaljur says: 773
All dharmas are groundless, so how can any root exist? Free from sa.msaaric existence is the mind without desire.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Its uncreated nature is inexpressible. Confused ideas of producing something are exhausted. As there are no dharmas or buddhas, there are no sentient beings. There is no I, no self, no grasper, and no fixation. There is no expression of this in terms of words. Even so-called mind does not exist at all. Because it does not exist, empty appearances, The source of knowledge and memory, thereby are exhausted. In dharmataa with no production whatsoever,774 There is a great wonder known as non-arising. In dharmakaaya without any rising whatsoever, There is a great wonder, no coming and no going. Within this insight sa.msaara has no place at all. There is no place of arising for insight-dharmataa. Insight realizes that both grasped object and fixating subject are non-existent775 within the undivided great, self-existence: Not referred to body, object, or appearance, Vast as the Space of the sky, totally all-encompassing, “Inner dharmas,” grasped as a self, are non-existent. Insight realizes that there is no fixated object or grasping subject. Its essence is conventionally designated “self-arising wisdom.” But it is not maintained to be self-apprehending self-luminosity776 in the sense of yogaachaarins of the mind-only school. Since inner and outer do not exist, insight777 does not exist as the inner mind. Since there are no self and other, it does not exist even as self-insight.778 Since grasped object and fixating subject do not exist, being free from these two does not exist either. Since objects of experience or awareness779 do not exist, non-dual experience of them does not exist. Since mind and its contents do not exist, insight does not exist as one's own mind. 780 Since luminosity and non-luminosity do not exist, it does not exist as self-luminosity. Transcending insight and ignorance, insight cannot even be classified as insight.781 Free from extremes, it is called the complete, great perfection. Though, in the conventionalities of verbal characterization, it is called “self-arising wisdom,” “bodhicitta,” “dharmakaaya,” “the great self-existing space of the dhaatu,” and “naked, self-luminous insight,” these are mere designations so that it can be known by symbols.782 Aside from that, its self-nature should be realized as the great ineffable. If instead of realizing this, one is attached to the meanings of names as absolute realities,783 nothing will be found in these terms of ati784 that is different from the “self-luminous self-insight without duality of grasped object and fixating subject” of the mind-only school. 785 Those who are not trained in
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU intellect proclaim this kind of nonsense. They have fixated these two786 as one, which they know as “self-insight.” Such talk just manifests their own pride.787 In this tradition of the nature as the great perfection, the way of evaluating things as simplicity and so forth788 is for the most part like that of praasangika maadhyamaka. However, in maadhyamaka “empty” means that the ground of emptiness is empty in the sense789 of emptiness like space. Here the ground790 is insight, alpha-pure, and nakedly unobstructed. 791 It is non-existent merely in the sense of nonobstruction. 792 This and the dharmas arising within it are considered to be liberated from extremes. Here it is these extremes that are empty like space. The Thaljur says: Because it has abandoned manyness, It is free of the conventional. Because there is no establishment of oneness, The nature of this state is, therefore, pure. Because the nature of this state is pure, All benefits exist within that state.793 The nature of the pure and the ground itself, The ground of both sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, Have no essence and contain no objects. This essenceless794 state is inexpressible. And moreover it says there: Since it has no production, it is empty of marks. Since anything to speak about has been obstructed, It does not dwell within the extremes of conceptuality. As defilement is exhausted, it is not corporeal. 795 As the source of memory has been obstructed, Therefore the essence clearly appears as luminosity. 796 This luminous insight does not conceive of extremes of objects. Silent authenticity,797 since it is without words, It has exhausted any object of relativity. 798
Also the Finely Set Jewel says: Dharmadhaatu is neither realized nor is it not.799 With the characteristics of space, eternally alpha-pure, Dharmakaaya has no characteristics of things. With neither outer or inner, being the great vastness, Vast dharmataa is limitless, and there are no things. 129
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Though in the yaanas it is described in numerous ways, This view of the great perfection, the secret holy inclusion, In terms of its true, secret meaning, has no single nature. The circle of vastness, dharmataa, has no characteristics. At the time of realization with the nature of the sky, neither grasped object or fixating subject occur. All dharmas therefore arise for the yogin without reference point. This is perfect,800 great liberation. Now there is the teaching of the sign of awakening from the inner grasper. The sign is that fixating objects as external is universally liberated: One looks and all of the objects that seemed to be external, Are etherial, tenuous wraiths ; diaphanous, fluid transparency; Ungraspable, protean bubbles; hollow pretensions of substance.801 No dharmas are there to grasp as objective reference points.
Sound and appearance, understanding and memory, Experience and feeling are none of them as they were. “What is this? Is this the appearance of madness? Is it that I am dreaming? One asks oneself such questions. Here, by the certainty of one's own time of realization,802 the appearance of all yogins are also realizable.803 Just so, those skilled in magic 804 see the show of their own illusions as being without true existence. Thereafter, appearances produced by other magicians 805 are also seen806 in the same way. These appearances of external objects, were formerly seen as if they had their own individual characteristics. But at the very time of realization, the grasping subject who is attached to truly existent self-nature is eliminated. Therefore, all fixated objects have an etherial, elusive quality like that of a dream, the moon in water, or a mirage. This produces the thought that they are seen transparently. All that appears is “ungraspable, protean bubbles.” Without thoughts of existence or non-existence, experience without reference point arises. One thinks that the nature of one's experience of beings has also changed from what it was before. One wonders, “Does everyone realize that appearance has no reference points?” Experience, hearing, memory, and understanding, are not like they were before, since the reference point of objects has subsided into emptiness. Insight is all-pervading and encompassing. Conceptuality never arises. One wonders, “Where has it gone?” Whatever perceptions arise are self-guarded in purity. Thus, awareness is evenly even. 807 It is pure of objective arising, reactive feeling, or dualistic existence. Sometimes, when all action, behavior, sight, and sound arise without reference point, it makes one laugh. One wonders, “Am I mad? Are the others mad? Is this the bardo? Is it a dream?” One thinks, “This insight in which reference point has subsided is nakedly obvious.808 It exists in everyone. Why do they have such trouble realizing it?” When one has thought that, objectless compassion arises unobstructedly,809 and because of that, one teaches this to others. Vajra song, action without reference point, and insight without attachment are shown to them. All appearances arise on the spot as transparency. At this time, dharmakaaya in which
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU grasped object and fixating subject are self-eliminated arises from within. Therefore, the object to which ego-grasping is attached is said to have been purified. The Pearl Mala says: For the dharmas which are the appearances of the nature itself 810 Since they have no defilement, fine and coarse disappear. Since they have no subject or object, confusion disappears. Since they have no discursiveness, karmic energy disappears.811 Since they are transparent, solidity disappears. Since they are luminosity, emptiness disappears. Since they are always perfect, the perfecting stage disappears. Since they have no effort, the action disappears. Since they are unsought resting, meditation disappears. Since they are self-liberation, appearance disappears.812 Since they appear directly, the view has disappeared. Without any speech or words, the conventional disappears. Since they do not exist, attachment disappears.813 Since they are not non-existent, dependency disappears.814 Since they have no fixation, mental labeling disappears. Since this is the single dot, all numbering disappears.815 Also the Longdruk says: In the nature of mind, which appears to be the six collections, Conceptualized collections are pure just as they are.816 In the nature of mind, which has the appearance of sounds and words, Conventional names are pure exactly as they are. In the nature of mind, which has the appearance of the coarse, Conditions of the four elements are pure just as they are. In the nature of mind, which appears in the form of fixation and grasper, The bonds of ego grasping are pure just as they are. In the nature of mind, which has the appearance of existence, Solidified things817 are pure exactly as they are. In the nature of mind, which has the appearance of non-existence, Emptinesses are pure exactly as they are. In mind itself, which exists and yet does not exist, Traditions all are pure exactly as they are.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY In mind itself, which has the appearance of the dharmas, Individual characteristics are pure as they are In mind itself, which appears as if it had no dharmas, All confusions are pure exactly as they are. In mind itself, which has the appearance of the antidote, Defilements are pure exactly as they are. In mind itself, established by already being there,818 The great resting in the ground is pure just as it is. Thus, realization that arises from within as appearance without reference point is further taught: Free from perception819 of enemies as well as friends, Free from desire and hatred, near and far, With no bounded partialities of day and night, With neither distinction or preference, in total, single equality; One awakes from sa.msaara, fixation of reference points.820 Since self-arising wisdom is not realized as a “self,” It escapes 821 the cage of accepting, rejecting, renouncing and antidotes. If there is that realization, there is non-dual wisdom. The vision of self-arising Samantabhadra is gained. This is the ground of exhaustion with no place to fall back. At this time realization is still mixed with characteristics. But there is also the arising of the uncut cloth822 of the great totality. Since the displeasure of enemies is not fixated upon for long, prejudicial823 discursive thoughts are awakened as dharmataa. Since there is no joy and sorrow of passionate attachment to friends and relatives, one awakens into the daylight824 of realizing everything. Awakened from the day and night of the sa.msaaric whirl of grasped object and fixating subject, one abides within insight-dharmakaaya. By the supreme antidote, freedom from fixating mind, the defilement of knowable objects825 is liberated as it is. Without biased partialities of accepting and rejecting, friend and enemy, the obscuration of the kleshas is purified by self-liberation. Here one has reached the self-arising vision of Samantabhadra. This is called reaching the level of exhaustion of dharmas. Within the system of this great perfection, there are exhaustions according to both thögel and tregchö. These put an end to both appearance and emptiness.826 By practicing thögel, one first exhausts the appearances of luminosity. When these have become like the sky without clouds, the dharmataa of appearance is exhausted. At this time, inner kleshas and all material solidity have been exhausted. One has reached the signs of buddhahood within this life. To those who have the sudden realization of tregchö, alpha-pure insight is nakedly obvious. When, by the power of this, all conceptions attached to the good and evil of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na have been purified, that is contemplated. One has then awakened into the unborn, the ground liberated from kleshas and discursive conceptualization. This is called exhausting the emptiness of dharmataa. When the fully risen sun is shining, if you seek for darkness, you will not find it. Just so, when there is the awakening 132
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU of liberation into the ground and liberation from the net, one has reached the level of alpha purity. Here the dharmas of this life are exhausted. This is called liberation of the yogin from the net of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. The great lord of yogins Dhéké Vajra once said: The yogin liberated from the net Is one who is like the fully risen sun. Appearance of dharmakaaya, E ma ho! At this time one dwells in the realization of vast, all encompassing, all-pervading perfection. The liberation of all the kleshas as dharmataa becomes manifest. From she seeming appearance of other there are kleshas. When the mind's memory arises as speech, there are manifestations of coarse feelings. But they arise transparently for the yogin. Just as the sky will not retain substances, the yogin is not be obscured by faults and defilements. Since this transcends the extremes of virtuous and evil deeds, it is without bondage or liberation. The Pearl Mala says: By complete pervasion of all, it obstructs the arising of other. Since it is self-arising, it wakens from the darkness. Since it is the essence of everything there is, Therefore, dharmakaaya is utterly all-pervading. Since it appears with the nature of luminosity, It expands and blossoms into sambhogakaaya. Since mother and son have met, nirmaa.nakaaya rises. Existing as realization, it rises as upaaya. Since it is beyond thought, or any kind of conception, One awakens from the slumber of memory. 827 Since it is without eternalism and nihilism, The doctrine of the teachings is totally perfected. Since it exists as realization, skillful means arise. Since it is merged with the essence, it is luminous insight. Also the Longdruk says: In the nature of mind, which is big, and which drops on you suddenly,828 Exhaustion of appearance is pure just as it is.
In the nature of mind, appearing in the form of existence, False words are actually pure exactly as they are. 133
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY In the nature of mind, appearing in the form of nothingness, Taking what is not given is pure just as it is. In the nature of mind, which is and also which is not, Conduct that is impure is pure just as it is. In the nature of mind, which has no lack of discipline,829 Functional talking is pure exactly as it is.830 In the nature of mind, appearing in the form of objects, Hostile words are pure exactly as they are. In the nature of mind, appearing as discursive flickering, Wrong assertions are pure exactly as they are. In the nature of mind, which exists as alpha-purity, The cutting off of life is pure just as it is. In the nature of mind, appearing in the form of conditions, Covetous minds are pure exactly as they are. In the nature of mind, appearing in the form of the fruition, Thoughts of ill-will are pure exactly as they are. In the nature of mind, appearing in the form of sound, Whatever sounds occur are pure just as they are.831 In the nature of mind, appearing in the form of sight,832 The aspects of grasping are pure exactly as they are.
In the nature of mind, appearing in the form of odor, The aspects of awareness are pure just as they are. In the nature of mind, appearing in the form of taste, Experiencing awareness is pure just as it is. In the nature of mind, appearing in the form of touch, Awareness of touchables is pure just as it is. In the nature of mind, appearing in the form of dharmas, Fixation on any self is pure just as it is. In the nature of mind, appearing in the form of ego, 134
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Thoughts of attachment are pure exactly as they are. In the nature of mind, which has appeared as egolessness, Freedom from parts is pure exactly as it is. As for the abandonment of what seems to be appearances of artificiality: Not realizing equality, the self-arising state, Having become attached to words like “non-duality,” If one puts one's confidence in the conceptual notion833 That no one should have ideas about anything whatsoever, One's wrong conception is in the Space of ignorant darkness. Those who do this have not realized naked insight. They think, “The unborn, like the sky, is beyond the extremes of good and evil.” Then right away they start to pour out great waves of words about the absolute without any connection to their own experience. Those who thus arouse confidence in intellectualizations do what is called “fabricating a yoga of individual existence out of wrong views and artificialities.” For the most part this should be understood as the deceptions of Maara. Here, with many sa.msaaric collections and so forth, one is led along the wrong path. It is certain that, by having gone that way, one will not experience one's own nature. If those who have done this 834 wish to go on the true path, they should abandon such verbalizations about sa.msaara and so forth. Relying on an authentic guru, practicing “solitary dharmataa,” they will turn away from that path. 835 The Rangshar says: When this sort of thing arises in people who haven't really got it,836 it is a sign that they are merely investigating words. They have no realization of the depth837 of their meaning. If someone seems to become completely mad, hindrances of Maara have arisen. It is said that such a person should practice by making great feast offerings. These days there are a great many people like that. Now there is the instruction how those of good fortune should realize their own essence, the equal and perfect ground of vast Space: Therefore train in that which is self-arising and changeless In perfect contemplation of the non-dual King. The three worlds are already completely liberated. That is the meaning intended by its being said, 838 “Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na do not exist as two.” Coming forth from within the nature of itself, 839 The fortress of dharmakaaya spontaneously arises. Completely pure like space, its rising transcends example. One becomes familiar with one's own experience of the inseparable suchness of dharmataa and the nature of mind. Then, by the power of training in that, there is the self-arising from within of realization 135
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY like the sky. This is the building of Dorje Dzong, the vajra fortress of dharmakaaya. It is the spontaneous establishment the great perfection beyond extremes. Its essence, liberated from extremes, is dharmakaaya. It is the great continuity in which conceptualizations are self-liberated. The complete purity of the self-awakened840 fruition and its threefold arising becomes certain. As to the details 841 of this according to scripture, the Thaljur says: Since it has no production, it has no liberation. Since it has no arising, it also has no dwelling. Since it has no going, it exhausts the cycle of coming. It does not rise by production as either one or two; It has no confusion of the conventional. It is empty of entering into any karma Either of existence or of non-existence. Fruition for all eternity is freedom from the mind. Though it is talked about, it goes beyond all expression. Also the Pearl Mala says: Since it is self-arising, it is called liberation. 842 Since it is existence, it is known as the universal. Since it has no marks, it is known as emptiness. Since it does not set,843 it is known as rising. Since it is immaterial, it is known as transparency. Since it is liberation, it is called “elimination.”844 Since it appears as variety, it is luminous radiance.845 Since it is non-duality, it is solitary. Since it produces everything, it is called the cause. Since it totally perfect, it is called the fruition. Since it is pure of conception, it is called the path. Since it exhausts confusion, it is also scripture. Since it dwells in itself, it is known as continuity. Since it has characteristics, it is the oral instructions. Since it eliminates number, it is known as reckoning.
Also the Longdruk says: In the nature of mind, appearing as if it were conception, Conception-producing aspects are pure just as they are.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU In the nature of mind, appearing as if it were mental collections, Whatever feelings occur are are pure just as they are. In the nature of mind, appearing to be conceptual mind,846 Intellectualizations are pure just as they are. In the nature of mind, although it appears as if it were form, The collection of elements is pure just as it is. In the nature of mind, appearing as if it were consciousness, Cause and conditions are pure exactly as they are. In the nature of mind, although it appears as if it were feeling, Experiences are pure exactly as they are. In the nature of mind, appearing as if it were perception,847 Fixation and grasping are pure exactly as they are. In the nature of mind, appearing as if it were samskaaras, The array of kleshas is pure exactly as it is. In the nature of mind, appearing as if it were fixated concepts, The graspings of memory are pure exactly as they are. Now realization without fixation and attachment is summed up as the vast Space of the sky, the single ultimate heart-essence:
While one has attachment to the individuality Of “this and that,” because this is dualistic, One is caught in the cage of confusion of self and other. When, because “this” is unbounded by anything different, All is the all-encompassing equality, And there is nothing to serve as conceptual reference points, This is what is known as non-dual realization. So it has been said by Vajrasattva himself. Whoever realizes the meaning of insight, dharmakaaya, has realization. The sign of non-realization is attachment to fixation. The two are distinguished by the respective existence and non-existence of insight. Just so, pure space and impure clouds are distinguished by the existence and non-existence of particles of mist. Any yogins attached to their own view, meditation, and so forth, will certainly not have continuous realization of non-duality. This will be true as long as they fixate biases of abandoning, antidotes, accepting, and rejecting. This is because they are not free from attachment to
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY dualistic, particular characteristics of individual things. The glorious lord who attained the siddhi of suchness, my holy guru, the lord of dharma Kumaraja once said: Realization or non-realization of the natural state is known by whether or not one is free from attachment. Similarly, the Dohaako.sha says: Even affliction no more than the hull of a sesame seed Always produces nothing else but merely suffering. Do not fabricate extremes of attachment and fixation and accepting and rejecting that are completely harmful to the mind. Skillfully distinguish what is the Dharma and what is not. Do not have even an atom of fixation on your own tradition or that of others. Do not fixate the view meditation, action, and fruition. A person who does these things is said to be a yogin of the nature of the great perfection. That is what Vajrasattva has said. The Finely Set Jewel says: Dharmakaaya, known as the great emptiness, Has no characteristics of symbol and conception. It is self-insight, having no causes and conditions. This is beyond the extremes of empty and non-empty. Also the Thaljur says: Regarding what is known as absolute truth, When one has gone beyond conceptual mind, The senses are liberated instantly. Regarding the pith that is manifestly seen, When one's tradition has collapsed like that, Nothing is there to which one could be attached. Enjoy the authentic taste of dharmataa, Without the mutual dependency Existing in this realm,848 the three-fold world. Just like space dissolving into space, That is what the highest yoga is like.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU
This is the commentary on ninth chapter of The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu
“ALL DHARMAS PASS THE PASS INTO THE SPACE OF ENLIGHTENMENT”
Non-dual bodhicitta passes the pass into the Space of the sky beyond mind: In the single space which is the nature of the great vastness, Bodhicitta which is as limitless as the sky, Is the nail of space that holds everything together. 849 To bring out the pith of this and speak of just the essence: Greatest of the great, the vast mind of Samantabhadra, One's own essence, by its universal power, Knowing its own measure, knows the measure of all.850 The one great Space is the non-dual, great equality Of realization and the lack of realization, Of liberation and the lack of liberation. Here the root of all dharmas passes the pass into insight. The essence of insight passes the pass into the great vastness. As limitless as the sky, this is non-duality free from falling into extremes. Great Space, the nature of mind,851 the vast nail of space, is an unlimited expanse.852 It falls into no partialities at all. By direct penetration853 naked, transparent insight is recognized. It is unborn and unceasing. It is free from the conceptual mind of ego. The vision of naked dharmataa is unobscured by defiling intellectualizations of conceptual mind. This is the alpha-pure self-nature of the great perfection. It is the great transparency, dharmakaaya. From this pure mind there is no more passing the pass into anything else.854 The Mirror-essence of Vajrasattva855 says: Know that all the dharmas of insight are free from the mind of ego-conceptions. Thus have confidence856 that all dharmas are unobstructed. Have confidence that whatever is unobstructed appears. Have confidence that whatever appears is unborn. Have confidence that what is unborn is without coming and going. Have confidence that whatever is without coming and going is non-dual. Have confidence that whatever is non-dual is luminosity,
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY the great liberation from extremes. Have confidence that all dharmas are not concepts and thoughts.857 Have confidence that all dharmas have the essence of unwandering luminosity. By what is said here, one should know the ultimate object of confidence, passing the pass into the nakedness of dharmakaaya, the alpha-pure exhaustion of dharmas. If one does not know this, one will never know the nature of mind, one's own nature. This is like teaching the unborn in the perfecting stage by the one characteristic 858 “transcending thought and expression.” If one's thoughts fixate the one characteristic “transcending thought and expression, then the nameless becomes named. “Inexpressible by thought and expression” takes on a conceptual meaning. The Rangshar says: If, without knowing transparency and dharmakaaya, The perfecting stage has been proclaimed to be unborn, That is like jackals and monkeys pretending to be lions. Here there are two ways of directly penetrating into recognition of naked insight. First859 there is
THE TRANSMISSION THAT DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE MAIN POINT Do not busy 860 yourself externally, grasp inwardly, rest in between, or manufacture anything with the mind. Awareness should not flicker with movements of discursive thought. There should be such uninterrupted, unobstructed861 evenness at all times. Then, by the instantaneously transmitted blessing of the naked arising of this state, both master and students see nakedly and without obstruction. The main point is not to crank up862 some sort of meditation on this true awareness of dharmakaaya. Rather, guard unwavering faith in it. Second, there are
THE SIX TRANSMISSIONS OF THE MAIN POINT 1) THE TRANSMISSION OF HOW TO HOLD THE MIND863 The main point regarding the body is to sit cross-legged. The main point regarding praa.na is to be at ease. The eyes are open, looking straight ahead. 864 The mind rests in non-thought. At this time of pristine, etherial865 clarity, there are incidental experiences of luminosity and resting. Let go of these.866 That is the transmission of naked awareness as dharmakaaya. 2) THE TRANSMISSION OF RESTING THE MIND 868
go
The mind is not fixated as an object. It is gently left to rest as it is in its natural stillness.867 Let of that aspect of resting. That is the transmission of the vivid clarity of insight as dharmakaaya. 140
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 3) THE TRANSMISSION OF CUTTING OFF FROM THE ROOT When one looks into the mind, and examines its limits, where it arises, and where it dwells, it is not found at all. It goes into pristine, etherial nakedness. Let go of this etherial state of complete non-thought. That is the transmission of naked insight transcending names and meanings as dharmakaaya.
4) THE TRANSMISSION SUBSEQUENT TO FOLLOWING AFTER THINGS
When the mind is lost by being drawn into objects, the mind has broken up into pieces, fragments,869 and so forth. These are the objective partialities which it has followed. Nevertheless, both objects and mind are nonexistent. Rest in that awakened state of inexpressible emptiness. Let go of that aspect of resting without any emanating and gathering. This is the transmission of the etherial nakedness of insight as dharmakaaya.
5) THE TRANSMISSION BETWEEN OBJECT AND CONSCIOUSNESS When consciousness arises as objects, rest in the freshness of that.870 Do not think that the object is out there and the mind in here. They will go into the non-separation of unobstructed emptiness.871 Let go of resting in unobstructed emptiness. This is the transmission of the sharply vivid lucidity of unobstructed insight, just so, as dharmakaaya.
6) THE TRANSMISSION AFTER REJECTING WANDERING Stay a while in an ordinary state.872 While someone's awareness is wandering because of talking and so on, say, “Why the ha sa ra ki? 873 Tell me! Tell me!”874 A vacant875 wakefulness of partless awareness will arise, without the aspect that says why. Let go of resting in this vacancy. This is the transmission of the vivid clarity876 of insight which has gone into nakedness as dharmakaaya. Furthermore, when you are walking, someone may say, “stop!” When you are told “go!” and you have gone, you may be told “come back!” Let go of the vivid, non-discursive consciousness877 at the time of returning. This is the transmission of insight going into nakedness as dharmakaaya. In brief, by means of the yoga of naa.dii, praa.na and bindu, or whatever else it takes, and by whatever means of resting and so forth are performed, the mind gets bigger.878 Insight is revealed,879 like a pure and luminous crystal. This is nakedness beyond mind. This absence of view, meditation, and antidotes is the transmission of the great transparency, dharmakaaya. It is necessary to distinguish this from the incidental experience of luminosity, the nyam.880 These are the vividly luminous 881 aspects of resting. Dharmakaaya is free from separate 882 aspects of resting, luminosity, and insight. This is because it is naked insight unmixed with appearance and emptiness, bliss, luminosity, and non-thought, and so forth. Therefore, it is without the confusions 883 of those who make distinctions between transparency and non-transparency, or between insight and resting. Regarding these main points, the Thaljur says: As for the mind, there is holding and there is resting. 141
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY There is cutting the root, and following after things. There is looking between the object and consciousness, And also there is elimination of wandering. That into which one passes the pass is the transparent, naked insight of non-meditation. The essence of this is separate from birth, cessation, or dwelling. It is the great non-existence of speech, thought, and expression. It is the exhaustion of dharmas, the great namelessness. It transcends good and evil, faults and virtues. It is the recognition of the great, primordial, alpha-purity and so forth. Even so, it is not maintained to be nihilistic emptiness like space. In this it is not like the transmissions of other traditions. The single chief of dharmas, the peak of meditational objects,884 dharmataa, is not established by maadhyamaka and so forth. The collections of mind and space characterize 885 it as being without birth, cessation and such. But for the most part they say that this single totality886 of all apparent objects and awareness is not non-existent. By characterizing it as not existing at all and so forth, there is the fault and great straying that the universal nature is lost. By whatever means this is shown, naked revelation of the transparent essence brings everything together887 in the simplicity of the single dot. One has conviction without strayings and obscurations. There is no confusion about the essence. Therefore, one passes the pass into namelessness, the exhaustion of dharmas. It is taught that yogins with that kind of realization abide in the yoga of the continual river of realization. Therefore, they are awakened to the non-existence of even the name of sa.msaara:
Like the bird that comes out of the egg with feathers and wings full-grown, And, free from confinement, soars 888 within the Space of the sky, Overpowering naagas, and cutting through mighty chasms; So the peak of vehicles, the vajra heart, For those who are fortunate yogins of that realization, Conquers the lower yaanas, cutting through the abyss of sa.msaara. The mighty garu.da hatches from the egg with feathers and wings already fully developed. When the time has come, as soon as it is liberated from the eggshell, it soars in the midst of the sky. At the same time it overpowers the naagas and cuts through mighty chasms in its flight.889 Just so, the yogin of the nature of the great perfection realizes insight as dharmakaaya. It is realized within this very lifetime, just as the guru transmitted it. Without having purified the body, that yogin emerges from it. This is like the garu.da 890 coming forth from the egg with feathers and wings fully developed. Insight without vastness or constraint also soars in the sky, as soon as it is freed from its confining bodily shell. It overpowers the lower vehicles and the assembly of kleshas. At the same time, it cuts through the abyss of sa.msaara. The Künjé says:
Like a great garu.da, soaring in the sky, Having no emanation, also it has no gathering. Even though the three powers of realization891 are perfected right now, there is as yet no liberation from the confining egg of the illusory body. Later, when we emerge from obscuration, we shall be 142
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU instantly liberated into alpha purity. That is like being freed from the confining egg, and soaring in the sky. Soaring in the space of insight-dharmakaaya, the garu.da of ruupakaaya performs at this time the two benefits for those who are to be tamed. It prevails over the lower vehicles, and the abyss of sa.msaara is cut through. The Sengé says: The personal bodies of all sentient beings Exist as the purity of the essence of wisdom. But they cannot escape their confinement and appear; For example, confinement of a womb or an egg. Though obscured, not rising in manifestation, As soon as their native power has been developed, They will arise in such a way as that. As soon as this body, discursive thought, is abandoned, This realm is encountered within one's own experience, Self-insight, existing from all eternity. Then the essence of non-thought will be seen. The pure appearances that are seen by wisdom And the truth of buddhahood will then be seen. The essence of the experience of wisdom Will never have the discursive thoughts of mind. Appearance of all past and future objects Have vanished into directness of appearance. The essence of insight passes the pass into transcendence of cause and effect: The great equality is totally liberated. 892 It would be inconsistent for anything like that 893 To have cause and effect or effort and establishing. That the ultimate vehicle is entirely immovable Is what is consistent with the meaning of equality. Since the essence of insight does not exist as anything whatsoever, it is beyond accepting and rejecting faults and virtues. Therefore, it is beyond cause and effect or effort and establishing. It does not accord with arousing anxiety and fear, as is done in the lesser vehicles. But it does accord with yogins of the supreme meaning. The Künjé says: As for the vehicles with causes and effects They have not taught this doctrine of me, the doer of all. If this doctrine of mine is being truly taught, When anyone says that the karma of good and evil deeds 143
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Exists in the form of a cause that leads to a fruition, The truth about me is exaggerated and denigrated. For that reason, I, the truth, am not encountered. Also it says there: Because the non-existence of non-thought, Has no necessity to be anything, The realm of the equality of non-thought, Is one that by its nature is self-existing. As this has been produced primordially 894 The mind of effort has no rising there. Whoever rests within that mahaasukha Exists as the very essence of all dharmas. Abandon wrong conceptions due to contradictory examples. These bring about disputes over the meaning of this. It is said, “It is certain that there is establishment of buddhahood895 by cause and effect, for example, like the arising of the sprout from the seed,” Also it is said, “Mind itself is like the sky.” These two examples are contradictory. They say respectively that establishment of the essence of a single mind as buddhahood, is conditioned and unconditioned. In the ordinary vehicles there is no good fortune of quickly accomplishing buddhahood. The reason is confused appearance, not only of things, but of establishment by effort through cause and effect. The confused essence of confused thought contradicts the idea of an established substance. It is meaningless to say, “Confusion is one with the essence of mind itself like the sky. It accords with it in every way. This is exemplified by cause and effect” This is meaningless because the example contradicts the meaning. Therefore, it is logically unacceptable. When buddhahood896 is explained to be self-existing, that excludes its being produced by cause and conditions. Thus, when ordinary scriptures say that it is uncompounded and spontaneous, they contradict themselves. Exemplifying the nature of mind like the sky by establishment through worldly arising completely contradicts the meaning that is being asserted. That is not how it is. The Künjé says: The great perfection eternally goes beyond cause and fruition, Therefore, it is not something that is produced or established By any kind of seeking or establishing. 897 However, this is the doctrine that is taught by those Who are the teachers of the view of cause and fruition. What they say accords with the manner of production898 Of dharmas with the characteristics of the world: “When the cause has occurred, the fruition will be produced.” Mind is causeless, and forever without fruition. The reason is that bodhicitta is unborn. Therefore, when this kind of example has been accepted, 144
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Of dharmas that arise in the manner of the world, It will be no exaggeration to deduce That if it so arises, bodhicitta will be destroyed. For that reason, when those who do not realize That it is self-arising, transcending cause and fruition, Say according to the manner of production Of dharmas that have the characteristics of the world, “When the cause has occurred, the fruition will be produced,” They are actually teaching provisional causal vehicles. Matchless wisdom, since it does not rise from a cause, Though producing everything, does not arise from another dharma. In the style of production of dharmas of worldly cause and fruition, When the cause has not been found, the fruition will not arise. But bodhicitta rises with neither cause nor fruition. It does not have the form or manner of the dharmas That have a worldly rising and cease within the world. Therefore, bodhicitta is not produced by conditions. So dharmas that are produced by conditions in the world Are not acceptable as a proper example of it.899 Adding to that, the essence of bodhicitta is not produced by anything. It is self-arising and without transition or change. Here causes or conditions are nowhere to be found, as in the sky. Bodhicitta is the ground of the arising of dharmas. Therefore, it is not necessary for bodhicitta itself to be produced at all. That it has been produced by such an erroneous manner of production is not established. Rather, by abiding without action in this state, the luminosity that innately exists within one arises. It is established without needing to be sought. The same text also says: The state wherein one abides is unmoving and self-existing. The abiding of the nature is not created by anyone. Whoever abides in that suchness that does not need to be sought Is taught to have actionlessness, supremacy over karma. When the meaning of this is realized, karma is not produced. Not producing karma, one exists in suchness. All who abide in suchness, by their having done so, Will be established in naturalness that does not err. As for the certain signs 900 of fruition, the realization of insight, which transcends cause and effect and effort and establishing as described: All is mahaasukha, as limitless as the sky. Within that Spaciousness, the Space of dharmakaaya, 145
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Where there is nothing at all that is not liberated, The self-occurrence of dharmataa has come to pass, The kaaya of the essence, which is the vajra heart. Within the body which has arisen from the vaasanaas There is the perfect power which is the vajra essence. When the sa.msaaric body has been cast away, The body of birth and death, and the body of the bardo, Insight alone remains entirely inseparable. As it exists within the level of self-existence, The reign of the King has been established at that time. Then his limitless emanations will arise. As for the unobstructed entering of all,901 When in actionlessness we ride upon the praa.nas, That entering is the sphere of one's yogic activity. None of the lesser vehicles ever teach this properly; But by ati the pith of fruition is properly taught. Those with supreme exertion902 and good fortune will be liberated after the confinement of the body has dissipated by itself like a mist. The average ones will have liberation like that of the space in a jar when it is broken. The lesser ones will be liberated like the sun and the full moon on the fifteenth day of the lunar month. 903
THE LIBERATION OF SUPREME ONES 1) Supreme ones turn back understanding904 into the four appearances in the style of tregchö.905 Then they have reached the sign. 906 They have recognized their own nature, alpha-pure, naked insight as it was at the first. This is the appearance of the exhaustion of dharmataa. 2) They sustain 907 that realization of the King of dharmakaaya, without gathering or separation. While doing so, they reach the sign of being liberated from the extremes of one and many. This is reaching the sign of perfection of transparent insight. 3) They sustain the state where outer and inner conditioned appearances are liberated in dharmataa without going beyond it. In doing so, negating and establishing, kleshas, and conceptions become self-purified and self-exhausted. Then the experiences of the nyam arise by themselves. But there is no partiality toward them. At that time, liberation from the net has arisen as non-grasping without obstruction. 4) With the ultimate exhaustion of those experiences, they reach the first ground of insight. Dharmataa arises into manifestation as direct appearance. Primordial alpha-purity exists nakedly as it is. The elimination of dharmas at this time is called “the exhaustion of dharmas that goes beyond 146
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU dharmas.” Since there is no existence of anything at all, miracles and higher perceptions exist. They have power over the elements, and there arise The Ten Signs of Not Being harmed by the Elements: 1) They cannot be confined and crushed by earth. 2) They cannot be carried away by water. 3) They cannot be burned by fire. 4) They cannot be blasted by wind. 5) Their actions become like space. 6) They have the power to transform objects and to bring themselves to faraway lands, mountains of the palaces of the gods. 7) Since various auspicious coincidences arise, they can benefit beings. 8) They see the atoms of the body. 9) They attain the divine eye and the higher perceptions. 10 They attain the five eyes and perform miracles. The Heap of Precious Stones says: As the mind naturally rests in itself without reference point, Even if no one has taught this by means of a verbal description,908 The understanding of individuals' minds appears. This itself is understanding one's own mind. With no projected appearance and no projected concepts,909 All appearances become self-purified, Arising as the transparency of everything. In the family of the great luminous emptiness, Earth and water, fire and air, all the four elements, Do not appear by means of their individual powers; But like a mist they fade away into the sky. All the variety of the attachments of confusion, Contemplated in this way, do not arise. When grasping subject and fixated object have naturally ceased, Not appearing at all, they have exhausted themselves.910 By one's experience being made into luminosity, All beings that have a body are seen to be like that.
THE LIBERATION OF INTERMEDIATE ONES, 147
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY LIKE THE LIBERATION OF THE SPACE WITHIN A VASE WHEN THE VASE IS BROKEN911 The body is like a vase. Mind is like the space within it. For someone who has become well-trained in what is described here, at the time of death, the connection of body and mind912 is separated in an instant. Self-insight of dharmakaaya is mixed without difference with the great space of the ground of dharmakaaya. In other words, insight goes into solitary nakedness. Therefore, it becomes buddhahood that is inseparable from the whole of dharmataa. Just so, by breaking a vase, the space inside and outside of it 913 become inseparable. Dharmakaaya has been established as it is, as transparency of self-insight, in which before and after are inseparable. After that, ruupakaaya spontaneously arises, together with its buddha activity. This is like planets and stars rising by themselves in the sky. The Wedding of the Sun and Moon says: Non-appearance is like a solitary sky. The example of the sky symbolizes insight. It should not be thought that things just fade away into vacuity. 914 That example symbolizes just part of the meaning, since it cannot symbolize all of it. In the sky there is no separation of outer and inner. This symbolizes that insight has no boundary of before and after. One's own insight seems to dissolve into a universal space which is in accord with it. But really 915 it never existed. At this time, solitary insight is free from obscuration and nakedly obvious. When dharmakaaya has thus been established as it is, it is symbolized by the mere designation “without transition or change.”
THE LIBERATION OF LESSER ONES LIKE THE SUN AND MOON ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF THE LUNAR MONTH What is like the setting of the sun on the fifteenth day of the lunar month is the naked insight of the moment of death. This is the realization of equality. It causes the manifestation of 916 that which is like the rising of the moon. This is the wisdom of the bardo of dharmataa arising as one's own. If these two have been gathered together, nothing else comes between them to separate them. When naked insight of dharmakaaya is inseparable from the realizer of it, one has attained buddhahood. This is alpha-pure insight of dharmataa, the simplicity of luminosity. This arises when the internal breath has been cut off,917 at the instant when consciousness goes forth into space. Of the five praa.nas, the four praa.nas of earth, water, fire, and air dissolve. The praa.na of space enters into luminosity. When the departing of insight from the body is near, the yogin enters the space of alpha-purity. The attention focuses on consciousness as it rides the praa.na. It is transferred into space. One visualizes one's own root guru, the syllable HUM, a vajra, or the like, arising from the essence of insight, at the aperture of Bhramaa. Ejecting far outward the syllable HIK, one instantly passes into the transparency of dharmakaaya above. Alternately,918 in order to enter into the kaayas and wisdoms, put the body in the posture of a lion.919 Direct insight through the eyes. At this time, the realm of the space of the dhaatu will be appearing. If insight is transferred into it, one will instantly attain buddhahood without experiencing the bardo. This very important point is a special teaching of this great perfection. The Wedding of the Sun and Moon says: 148
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU When the four lesser praa.nas have gradually been mounted, And the one great praa.na undergoes vibration, Then one enters into the object and the place. This is the teaching of entering into the kaayas and wisdoms. As for how to enter the pure object and its place, These are the instructions concerning ejection and transference. The consciousness riding the praa.nas must have been trained in the praa.nas. It is important that this have been trained in previously. That insight is gathered and ejected is important. It is ejected by utterance of the syllable HIK! This very consciousness then will encounter the face of the guru. As for the manner of entering into kaaya and wisdom. After insight is stabilize in the way described, The body should be placed in the posture of a lion. Insight itself is then directed to the eyes. Mind alone920 is made into the path of space. Then if space and insight are without any change Persons in that way will be without the bardo. There is no doubt that they will thus become enlightened. Two methods of phowa921 are taught because there are two kinds of yogins,922 those of tregchö and those of thögel. When we are liberated on the level of alpha purity, what we really are will be established. This is the eternal reign923 of the King of dharmakaaya, the spontaneous, precious, secret nature.924 Then ruupakaaya arises from this state, without limitation or falling into partiality. In all worlds where there are those who are to be tamed, emanations are sent forth without obstruction. They spontaneously perform the two benefits. If this exists, as it does not in the lower vehicles, it is the vajra heart-essence. This is the greatness of the self-existing king of vehicles. The passages quoted here are taught with regard to the fruition. As for the teaching that insight transcends cause and conditions: As for the birthless rising of miracles of birth, Fixating marks of cause and effect is confusion of mind. As for the ati teaching, “No cause and no effect,” What is wrong for the lower yaanas is here the pith of reason. From the unborn essence there is the arising of the miracles of birth, the play and power. They ceaselessly arise from the unborn as the miracles of space. This is improper by the reasoning of the lower yaanas. Here it accords with reason. The Künjé says:
149
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY This bodhicitta is the heart-essence of all there is. It is self-existing by nature from all eternity. It does not need to seek and establish through the ten natures. All is exemplified by my nature, like the sky. There is no one in the pure sky to make an effort. Within the pure sky, whatever efforts may be made 925 Are this itself, the nature that is like the sky. It is beyond all effort and establishing. 926 Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na pass the pass within insight into the inseparable equality of the great perfection: Buddhas and beings are realized to be inseparable. Dualistic fixation of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na Here is realized as merely the mind of confusion. 927 When in ati these are taught to be non-dual, What is wrong for the lower yaanas is here the pith of reason. The sa.msaara and nirvaa.na within a dream are one within one's own mind. Just so, sa.msaara and nirvaa.na themselves are one within insight. They are beyond the extremes of accepting and rejecting, hope and fear. The Sengé says: Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are one's own insight.928 They are not individual, but non-dual. As for passing to the pass into being without either realization or non-realization: Liberation is neither realized nor otherwise. Desire for liberation after becoming realized Exists as an enemy of equality-equanimity. When ati teaches that equality is a unity, What is wrong for the lower yaanas is here the pith of reason. Since all dharmas have been liberated eternally, there is no production of liberation by realization at the present time. If dharmas were eternally non-liberated, they could not be liberated by the action of realization. If they are liberated already, they do not need to be liberated. Therefore, realization or nonrealization of the essence does not produce bondage or liberation. The thought that by transmission there is liberation is likewise a confused conceptualization. If something is essentially in bondage, an effort to liberate it will accomplish nothing. Because transparent insight is non-duality of both what is to be realized and the realizer of it, there is nothing to be liberated. Liberation does not lead to good, nor non-liberation to evil. They are equal. Thus, there is no need to realize them incidentally. Dharmataa, the absolute, transcends mind. It is not established by the action of realization. Such so-called relative realization is said to be merely conceptual confusion. Here realization has nothing to 150
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU realize.929 There is no transmission. There is no meditation on this state. Transcending930 view and meditation, this is said to be beyond realization and non-realization. The Khyungchen says: The essence exhausts analysis and analyzing mind. It is free from every kind of obscuration. It is chokshak , the undefiled path of resting. Because it has no seeing, and because it has no equal, Wisdom is the reality of everything. Also the Thaljur says: So-called liberation is just a conventionality. Those who have dharmas of realization and its lack, Those who have a conception of so-called liberation, Have entered the three worlds. They dwell within sa.msaara. But dharmataa is free from all the extremes of sa.msaara.931
As for passing the pass into non-dependence on the main points of prajñaa and upaaya: Not depending on any particular skillful means, By which there is the production of particular characteristics,932 Inexpressible mind of a fool who wants no liberation, When ati teaches inseparability from its meaning, What is wrong for the lower yaanas is here the pith of reason. The lower yaanas maintain that the nature of mind will not be seen without depending on their particular skillful means. These are means such as naa.dii, praa.na, and bindu; the two accumulations; merit and wisdom; and so on. Here there is no dependence on anything at all. The transparent, naked, directly penetrating, great realization proper to ati is not separated from the essence of insight for even an instant. Therefore, realization and seeing are only conventionalities. The Khyungchen says: By holding the breath and closing the eyes the mind is bound. Be groundless with no contrivance, not relying on anything. By adopting artificial postures of the body, And relaxing in luminosity, appearance will be bound. Therefore be impartial in your mindlessness. Therefore do not fall into any biased distinctions. By intellectualization the natural state is bound. There is no confidence in eternal liberation. Where things are left as they are, without the need of action, 151
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Realization is bound by the fault of selfish desire.
Without the main point, resting things as they are without seeking, Insight is bound by dependence on teachings of cause and effect. As for passing the pass into transcendence of thought, beyond the absence of extremes: The eternally topless, bottomless, limitless, great perfection933 Is said to be beyond reach by those with the mind of a fool. But ati teaching, without extremes is all-sufficient, What is wrong in the lower yaanas is here the pith of reason. The lower vehicles and the collections of mind and space sometimes say that the essential meaning of the great perfection is beyond the objects of insight.934 This is because it is without center, or limit, and is limitless in depth. But here, a single, universal, emptiness without extremes is not maintained. Rather, all-sufficient, transparent, naked insight is taught. It is without mind, intellect, and objects of conception. 935 Seeing the object of personal realization936 is realizing the pith of the distinction between mind and wisdom. The Mirror-Mind of Samantabhadra says: Uncontrived view is wisdom, in its transparency. Uncontrived meditation is ungrasped luminosity. 937 Uncontrived action is self-arising naturalness. Uncontrived fruition is experience of insight. Uncontrived samaya is unwandering dharmataa. Uncontrived abhisheka is that of the power of insight. Uncontrived faith is changeless Spaciousness of the sky. These supreme and excellent powers of realization Make their dwelling on the level of mahaasukha. They abide in the motionless state of equanimity. In regard to passing the pass into insight, the single dot of bindu, the nakedness of dharmakaaya: Within the single bindu there is the elimination Of all our understanding and every kind of reason. 938 All hope and fear about the fruition has been cut off. Therefore this state is said to be limitless like the sky. It is vast. It is great. It is limitless, like the sky itself. Its existence is that of the mind of all the victorious ones. There is nothing to gain and nothing to leave behind. 939 The Space of the single bindu is liberated eternally. It has neither realization, nor any lack of it. Bliss is the actionless path of this state of yogic union. 940 152
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Bliss is just as limitless as the space of the sky. 941 All the dharmas of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na arise within the root, insight, the single dot of bindu. The understanding disappears that these are interdependent arisings with the various styles of the environment and inhabitants of the phenomenal world. 942 Brought back to the pla ce where it first arose, insight is born in its true meaning. 943 When sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are realized as the miracles of insight, there is no hope of any higher buddhahood. There is conviction that there is no buddhahood over and above that which has arisen as insight itself. There is no fear of falling lower into sa.msaara. There is conviction that sa.msaara is not other than the unconfused appearance of insight, the root.944 The realization of insight itself is free from reference point,945 like the sky. It passes the pass into the selfexistence of the great vastness, the eternal liberation of the great namelessness. It takes one to the place where sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are exhausted. One reaches the realization of Samantabhadra. The Mind-Mirror of Samantabhadra says: Without any obscuration, this ultimate purity Is the all-encompassing space of enlightenment itself. Because such a thing as a buddha does not exist at all, Even the name of “Buddha” is without existence. Because such a thing as a grasper does not exist at all, Even the name of “sentient being” has no existence. Because such a thing as concept does not exist at all, Likewise there are no such things as confusion and ignorance. Because such a thing as attachment does not exist at all, Likewise there are no objects of discursive thought. Because such a thing as desire does not exist at all, There are also no such things as vaasanaas of mind. Because such a thing as the past does not exist at all, Even the name of a “future” is without existence. Because such a thing as the present does not exist at all, Even the name of the “kleshas” is without existence. Because such a thing as a teacher does not exist at all, Even the name of “the teachings” is without existence. This yoga of vastness that realizes the single bindu Abides in the level of non-returning, changeless certainty. The level of mahaasukha is changeless and self-existing. 153
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The level of non-thought is the unobscured fruition. 946 Confusion passes the pass into the great namelessness: This insight without objects, which is eternal buddhahood, Transcends all grounds of confusion, not wandering in sa.msaara. 947 There is no one to be confused and no confused existence. All is dharmadhaatu, a single luminous Space. There is no exclusion948 of anything earlier or later.
This is vastness. It is as limitless as the sky. It is self existent, eternally as it is.949 It is primordial in its purity from sa.msaara. A dream does not move from sleep. Sleep does not move from insight. Insight does not move from dharmataa. If one examines and analyzes with that in mind, no one falls into sa.msaara at all. The appearance of sa.msaara has no nature. It has the essence of a dream. It has been pure from all eternity. In nature it is luminous appearance of what does not exist. That empty form is also the purity of groundless, rootless dharmakaaya. Therefore, there are no cause of confusion, confusion, confused appearance, and no one who is confused. There was no confusion previously. There is none now. Confusion cannot arise later on. This is because the groundless essence of the sky is completely purified for all eternity. The Khyungchen says: Ignorance and confusion are impossible for anyone.950 Therefore appearance has been forever unliberated. Nor is it going to be set free at a later time. Also the Pearl Mala says: The ground without confusion, existing as described, Self-insight has been illuminated951 eternally. Trikaaya is perfect eternally, needing no improvements.952 The fruition is self-existent from all eternity. The Dharma has never been anything that is artificial. The doctrine eternally never had to be maintained. 953 The five poisons too are unobscured from all eternity. Where then are sa.msaaric confusions to be found? Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na pass the pass into non-duality: Liberation is not entered into; nirvaa.na is not received. 154
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Within this unchanging state, which is known as the great Space, Sa.msaara as well as nirvaa.na have never existed at all. Here there is no conception of either hope or fear. Or of anything being abandoned, or anything attained. “Primordial ground of enlightenment; Space that is great and vast.” These are only names. The meaning transcends all marks.954 Because nirvaa.na as well as sa.msaara passes the pass Into being neither liberated nor confused, No one should strive to produce artificial transformations. Self-insight, eternally empty and pure like the sky, has no bondage. Therefore, it is pure of sa.msaara. It has no liberation. Therefore, it is pure of nirvaa.na. It transcends the extremes of existence and non-existence. It has attained conviction without effort, establishing, hope, and fear. The Yigé Mépa says: The ultimate essence which is the suchness of insight Was never made, so how could it have a maker? It is not created by any self. It is neither sa.msaara nor nirvaa.na. It is neither bondage nor liberation. It has neither view nor dharmas of a viewer.955 It is not seen, totally pure of a seer. As for passing the pass into liberation from extremes, the space of the great vastness:
For insight having no wide and narrow, high or low, Never falling into bias or partiality, To have any kind of goal is something superfluous.956 For insight that has no act or actor, coming or going, With no time or antidotes, grasping and effort are forgotten. When there is conception of purpose, that is the cause of bondage. Do not create grasping because of reference points. Rather see all things in terms of totality. 957 The essence of insight has no boundaries and does not fall into partialities. It has no time, abandoning, or antidotes. It has no action, actor, coming, or going. It has no view, mediation, action, or fruition. It has no existence, nonexistence, effort, or establishing. It is beyond the effort and establishing of the ten natures. Liberated from all extremes, it does not exist as anything at all. It should be known as the all encompassing Space of the great vastness. The Künjé says: 155
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Now teaching truly in reference to my nature, Because I transcend all the spheres of activity,958 In suchness without a view or meditation, The ten natures therefore are meaningless to suchness.959 Do not conceive the ten natures as meaningful. I have no objects visible to a view. Produce no view, but rather rest in suchness. My freedom from complexity is unborn. Because that freedom is without a cause, Due to the garbha's eternal self-existence, We do not need to maintain it by keeping vows. We do not need to guard it by discipline.960 Regarding effort and establishing, There is no need for them to be performed. As self-arising wisdom is unobscured, One need not develop the luminous wisdom of insight. As everything exists upon my level, No bhuumis are traversed by abandonment. My being is all-pervading everywhere,961 For me there is no path to be traversed. Since I am eternally free from grasper and grasped, Their subtle details are assigned no names.962 Since everything is pervaded by my form, So-called duality has never existed. Since I am eternal self-arising wisdom, I cannot be resolved into something else. Since I am the heart of all, enlightenment, No other secret instructions will be found.963 Transcending glorification and denigration, I therefore have already passed the pass Of all the various 964 dharmas that there are. As there are no other objects without me, I therefore have already965 passed the pass To being without any view or meditation. As there is nothing other than me to guard, 156
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU I therefore have already passed the pass To being without the guarding of samaya. As there is nothing other than me to seek, I therefore have already passed the pass To being without any searching for buddha activity. As there is nothing other than me at all, I therefore have already passed the pass To being without all training on the bhuumis. I have no obscuration for all eternity. I therefore have already passed the pass To being self-arising wisdom itself.966 Since I am dharmataa that is unborn, The subtle details too are dharmataa. These too have passed the pass into dharmataa. I make no progress into something else. I therefore have already passed the pass To being without progression on the path. Since buddhas and the vessel and essence967 of beings, Arise from me the essence of enlightenment, I pass the pass to eternal non-duality. Since self-arising wisdom is resolved, I therefore have already passed the pass, As in the great primordial prophecy. Because all dharmas are nothing but myself, The doer of all has already passed all passes. Now vast realization, as limitless as the sky, passes the pass into the great actionlessness of dharmas. First there is the teaching of how968 the manifestation of the nature passes the pass into the exhaustion of dharmas, the great transcendence of mind:
Whether dharmas are liberated from all eternity, Or are not liberated, either way it is alright.969 Whether the natural state is by its nature pure, Or whether there is impurity, either way it is alright. 157
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Whether mind is simple or complex, it is alright. Whether things as they are are there or not, it is still alright. This is the essence of one's own insight. The groundless, unobstructed exhaustion of dharmas that has gone into nakedness. The Pearl Mala says: Because with limbs that are totally motionless970 We all have arrived from all eternity, The journey of beings is eternally over. Because this is inexpressible by speech, For all eternity we have transcended The objects of speech as well as those of thought. Because we are empty for all eternity Of emanating and gathering of thoughts, We rest eternally in the great samaadhi. Because defilements are self-purified, We rest in the great transparency, undefiled. Realization beyond the mind of hope and fear passes the pass into comforting confidence in vast mind. Whether nirvaa.na's and sa.msaara's natures exist as two, Or they exist non-dually, either way it is alright. Whether all limits of thought and expression have been transcended, Or they are not transcended, either way it is alright. Whether or not confused affirmation and negation Have been eliminated, either way it is alright. Whether there has been realization of the view, Or there is no realization, 971 either way it is alright. In insight such as this, no dharmas are produced by action. unobstructed, has none of the artificialities of such dharmas. Within the genuine essence that is insight, No insight of action and actor will be found. 972 The grasper is the cause of going astray. The path is without affirmation and negation. 158
Nakedness, unproduced and
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU So insight has nothing on which it can depend. It has no grasper of limits and partialities. Also the Pearl Mala says: Because it has no action or arising, It has no act and actor from the start. Realization of the great exhaustion of actionless mind from all eternity passes the pass into transcendence of emanating and gathering thoughts and conceptions of mind:973 Whether one meditates on the meaning of dharmataa, Or there is non-meditation, either way it is alright. Because there is no accepting and also no rejecting, Whether or not things are 974 analyzed, either way it is alright.
Whether fruition occurs, in the form of the natural state, Or there is no fruition, either way it is alright. Whether one progresses over the paths and the bhuumis, Or there is no progression, either way it is alright. The essence of insight, awakened to emptiness, is realized to be unobscured by dharmas. But do not make this itself into a reference point of fixated dharmas975 and then analyze them. The Yigé Mépa says: Free from the partialities of appearance, It is not the producer of appearance. Being beyond the dharmas of obscuration, It is not the producer of obscuration, Encompassing as it does the ten directions, Without obstruction, it does not diminish. It is non-effort, in that it is free From dharmas of effort and establishing. It is not “the one,” 976 and free from the dharmas of many. Also the Künjé says:
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The natural state of things, which has not been created, Is that which is the dharmataa of everything. There is no buddhahood apart from dharmataa. The name of "buddha" is only an abstract designation. 977
Dharmataa, not other than action, is one's mind. One's uncreated mind is explained as dharmakaaya. Since the unborn is uncreated from all eternity, The unborn ultimate is not something sought or established. Since it is not produced by being sought and established, Neither will it come to be established later. Realization that insight is unobscured and unobstructed passes the pass into transcendence of loss and gain: Whether there is liberation from obscuration, 978 Or there is no liberation, either way it is alright. Whether dharmataa is developed and perfected, Or the stages are not completed, either way it is alright. Whether the fruit of liberation has been attained, Or there is no attainment, either way it is alright. Whether the six kinds of beings wander within sa.msaara, Or whether there is no wandering, either way it is alright. In this essence of insight there are neither loss and gain nor confusion and liberation. There is no hope for any higher attainment of buddhahood. Therefore, this path does not meditate on the dharmas of the developing stage and stage of perfection. There is no fear of wandering lower into sa.msaara. Therefore, the causes of this, obscurations and evil deeds, are not considered something that needs to be abandoned. Without actions and dharmas, karma is exhausted. Without abandoning sa.msaara or attaining nirvaa.na, one's mind is relaxed and confident.979 The Pearl Mala says: Since no dharmas rise out of the ground as something else, This is the primal, self-arising single dot. Having exhausted enumeration of one and two, This is bindu itself in all its matchlessness.980
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Since primordially it is utterly pure of darkness, The appearance of insight is all-pervading luminosity. Since cessation of causeless sa.msaara has already been accomplished, This is the eternal level of self-existing buddhahood. 981 Since one awakes to the emptiness of the marks of things, The mind that grasps at selfhood is exhausted from all eternity. Realizing the exhaustion of dharmas is liberation from the net. It passes the pass into the freedom of naturalness.982 It does not have to keep track of anything at all. Whether the nature of things arises spontaneously, Or does not arise at all, either way it is alright.983 Whether or not one is bound by dualistic fixations Of eternity or of nothingness, either way it is alright. Whether one reaches the realization of dharmataa, Or whether there is no reaching, either way it is alright. Whether one follows the steps of the forefathers, Or whether there is no following, either way it is alright.
In insight there are no distinctions. There is no production of dharmas. Even if there were, there would still be no dharmas. Existence and non-existence are extremes. “Is” and “is not” are mind. 984 The view and meditation are hobbles. Dharmataa is straying. Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are insight. Insight is transparent. Transparency is naked. The even awareness of natural freedom passes into no-liberation from the net.985 Thinking is conception. Meditation is mind. Expression is words. Looking is grasper and grasped. Resting is dharmataa. Acting is sa.msaara. Rising is self-arising. The natural,986 ownerless awareness of the sky passes into the vast spaciousness of bliss and happiness. This is not accomplished by action. It is not seen by looking at it in terms of a view.987 It is not liberated by meditating on it. It is not accomplished by seeking. It is not liberated by letting go. 988 It is not attained through grasping. Awareness of the exhaustion of dharmas in namelessness passes into unobstructed nakedness. There is no gap between sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. Transparency leaves no footprints. Self-arising has no exclusions. Self-liberation has no dharmas. The exhaustion of dharmas has no names. The view and meditation are paid no heed. Self-insight has no mind. Evenness has no exclusions. Birth and cessation have no ground. The awareness of continual989 self-luminosity passes into direct penetration990 that excludes nothing. From the place of arising comes liberation. From the place of appearance comes emptiness. From the place of discursive vibration991 comes subsidence. From the place of existence comes nonexistence. From the place of being comes non-being. From the place of rest comes discursive vibration. From the place of discursive vibration comes rest. Continuous awareness of the nature passes into the continuous river of samaadhi. 161
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Though one meditates on existence, there is no possibility of eternalism. Though one meditates on non-existence, there is no possibility of nihilism. Though one views things in terms of existence and nonexistence, there is no falling into extremes. Though “is” and “is not” arise, there are no exclusive partialities. Though good and evil appear, one does not follow their footprints. Though there is awakening into dharmataa, the mind does not enter into it.992 Though liberation is continual, it is not guarded. Unbiased awareness free of partiality993 passes into giving things free rein. 994 Enter into existence. Enter into non-existence. Enter into appearance. Enter into emptiness. Enter into “is.” Enter into “is not.” Enter into good. Enter into evil. Enter into realization. Enter into non-realization. Self-awakened, naked awareness, subsiding into emptiness,995 passes into the fullness of vast and trackless evenness. There is non-liberation from all eternity because there is no ground. 996 Self nature is impossible because there is non-duality. There is no action involved with997 view and meditation, because they are inseparable. There is no guarding of the natural state, because it is natureless.998 There is no resting things as they are, because there is no dwelling. Things are not liberated as they are, because they have no support. Wakefulness from all eternity, having no dharmas, has no dharmadhaatu. This ultimate nonexclusiveness is beyond being seen and attained. Awareness without dharmas and free from action passes into nakedness. Do not be locked in the cage of view and meditation. Do not be corralled in the emptiness of dharmataa. Do not try to maintain the state of dharmataa. Do not let things become 999 nakedly transparent. Do not travel through the defile of liberating what arises. Do not transform things by universal self-subsidence. Do not practice self-liberation. Do not send yourself into the inexpressible nature. The all-pervading goallessness of insight without reference point is the great hobble 1000 that the state of clarity is rejected. 1001 Therefore, do not meditate on dharmas. Do not transform mind. Do not hoard the past. Do not pursue the future. Do not grasp at the present. Not maintaining the arising of transparency, insight lets go, free from care,1002 without checking up on itself.1003 It passes into the Space of the great vastness liberated from extremes. Regarding this present awakening into freedom from care, beyond keeping track of existence and non-existence, no matter what appears. The Pearl Mala says: Whatever is said and whatever may be done, Are empty insight in its luminous action. Whatever thoughts there are, both good and bad, They are great Space, the river of meditation.
Distorted views, where there is desire of perfection, Already are the unbiased view of yoga. All the various graspings of hope and fear Are the fruition, the rising of transparency. Now is the time when this will come to pass. As for the explanation of the luminous nature of these realizations: 162
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU With heaven and earth overthrown, 1004 whatever appearances rise Transparently hollow and groundless, are an even and stressless flow. 1005 Insubstantial and unconstrained by conceptual reference points, They ripple and billow obscurely, shifting and fading away. 1006 Like a madman, without the duality of hope and fear, Without any bias in terms of view or meditation, Destroy the mind of desire that has fixated goals. Not related to ego's desires,1007 this is not established by effort. “Why is that?” Realization does not move from dharmataa. It is therefore liberated in the namelessness of the exhaustion of dharmas. Whatever appears is seen as the play of self-arising wisdom. It is realized to be like the arising of a reflection in a mirror. Seeing external objects is the play of insight, merely unborn empty form. Objects are dharmataa, pure like the sky, seen to be non-dual with the dharmataa of one's own insight. Whatever appears is empty form, the play of insight. Whatever discursive flickerings there may be are the primordial purity of wakefulness.1008 They leave no trace behind. The dharmataa of the three times is liberated by equality into the great, uncreated transcendence of mind. This is called the time of exhausting the dharmas of accepting and rejecting.
The Thaljur says: There is no going beyond the single realization. Since appearance is clear as appearance within that one, It is like a face appearing in a mirror.1009 When the mirror is gone the face is also liberated. 1010 Since appearances rise as the empty objects of mere experience, Seeing and knowing them are not distinct from insight. Insight is liberated along with what is within it. Since all is liberated by knowing this as one, From two and three to the limits of number are exhausted. 1011 Conceptualized and fixated1012 objects do not appear. Discursiveness1013 and the grasper have been eternally emptied. The vision of emptiness has perfected luminosity, And so the extreme of counting the many has been exhausted. Now there is the teaching that what arises for the yogin who has entered into realization is choicelessly liberated as dharmataa: 163
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Let there be 1014 the rising of whatever may arise. Let there be appearance of whatever may appear. Let there be the dawning of whatever wants to dawn. Whatever may come into existence, let it be. Let there be whatever exists or does not exist. Here, there is nothing to be distinguished over and above insight. Things arise as1015 insight alone. Therefore, they are fundamentally 1016 without good and evil. All that arises is none other than the power of insight. Therefore, the essence of that power is without good and evil. By rising they have already been liberated. If they are not grasped, they subside by themselves. By this single understanding,1017 their essence is without good and evil. What arises and what appears is appearance within the ground of what does not exist. They are already empty. There is no doubt that this is established. They are like water in a mirage, luminous appearance of what does not exist. The mind has no need to grasp them. For the yogin there is no action of selectively rejecting and accepting particular appearances of objects and conceptualizations of mind. This is the groundless, single understanding of the exhaustion of dharmas in namelessness. It is conventionally called transcending extremes. The Tantra of Self-Liberated Insight says: Appearance is emptiness of all the dharmas of things. Emptiness goes beyond the dharmas of characteristics. As for transcendence itself, it is inexpressible. Without reference point, completely liberated, realized yogins have no certain mode of conduct. They act within the sphere of ordinary appearance as it is: With no certain conduct, insight is in the state of thögel. There is no way of distinguishing what is Dharma or not. Just so, without reference point, it slips the net of doctrine. Since it pervades and encompasses eating, as well as walking, Sleeping as well as waking, day as well as night, Equality-equanimity, nature of dharmataa, Has no gods to worship, no devils to exorcise, Without any dharma to contemplate, it is just ordinary. The uncreated King gathers all into one without arrogance. His solitary ease is the freedom of evenness. Without production, his task was complete from all eternity. Free from having to strive and establish, he is blissful. Someone may think, “Persons who dwell in the Dharma and the path occupy themselves day and night with a variety of Dharma activities. These are the opposite of ordinary activities. Then how could anything be accomplished by living like an ordinary person?” Those who think that such yogins are no different than worldly people should understand the matter like this: The minds of worldly people are not trained in Dharmas that are other than worldly. It is because 164
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU they do not have the Dharma in mind that they refrain from dharma activities. But yogins have confident realization that the Dharma need not be produced, because it is primordially accomplished already. When the Dharma has been accomplished, they leave it behind. They have gone beyond the Dharma. Then these yogins appear to be merely ordinary, because they are without Dharma activities.1018 When worldly people busy themselves in the world, their minds acquire karma. Yogins have no karma, so they are not the same as ordinary, worldly people. Otherwise, they would be the same.1019 Yogins have gone beyond confusion. Without actions of the three gates, they are do not have dharmas of confusion. They appear to be ordinary, but they have awakened into transparency without bondage. Here is an example of their liberation from karma and its ripening. If a rope of drema grass1020 is burned by fire, it still appears to be a rope; But it has no effective power1021 to bind anything. That arises from its being consumed by fire. Just so, for these yogins the awareness of apparent negation and affirmation arises. It appears as if they are grasping food, clothing, and wealth. But the minds of these yogins are transparent. They realize that these things that arise are groundless, like a dream. These yogins are not attached to such things. Things have no power to bind them. Worldly persons do not have such realization. Their minds are bound by attachment to individual characteristics. They are bound by ordinary affirmations and negations of internal mind and external appearance. They are like someone bound with a rope that has not been burned by fire. Therefore, the lord of yogins Tilopa once said:1022 Where there is attachment, you should let it go. When you have realization, all things will be so. There is nothing else that you will need to know. Also he gave this instruction to Naaropa: Appearance does not bind, attachment binds. Therefore, cut attachment, Naaropa. It is as he said. One should abandon the wrong conceptualization of ordinary persons. Those who have little merit and good fortune do not turn their minds to realization of the buddha fields and greatness of the dharma. Such people say that when one has realized the natural state, there are in fact action, dharmas of action, and performance of activities. They do not hold that the fruition is attained as mahaasukha. We reply, go ahead and intensify your dichotomizing of all dharmas as good and evil! Do it even though they arise as equality from the viewpoint of insight. As for us, not even one of the dharmas that appear as if in a dream is abandoned. Not even one is accepted. Abandoning, accepting, and establishing by effort are contradictory with being a yogin. Yogins of the nature of the great perfection have no hope for fruition. Such yogins are not vessels of hopes about effort, establishing, cause, and effect. Therefore, they are said to have abandoned the Dharmas of progress of the lower yaanas. The Künjé says: Thus, where there is the ignorance of actions established by effort, That contradicts the meaning of going beyond cause and effect. Therefore, one does not encounter great bliss that has no action. Wherever this disease of ignorance may be found, 165
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY There is involvement with effort and with establishing. 1023 Because this great perfection goes beyond cause and effect, Such unfortunate persons cannot realize it. They should be taught to analyze dharmas of cause and effect. That is what is said in the scriptures of our tradition. We do not say what contradicts our scriptures. Those of small fortune also say, “If it were true that all things are equally insight, there would be no need of action for the sake of producing it. Even so, what is not established by production is not established at all. Therefore, it must be produced.” If they say that, here is our reply: If it is not established, it will not become so by being established. If it is established, it does not need to be established. Mind itself, the absolute, cannot be produced by any relative effort and establishment. The nature of mind is already established as dharmakaaya. If it is established again, if its manifestation is produced, it will not be established. Just so, a reflection in clear water will not manifest if one disturbs it. The same tantra says: Buddhahood does not exist by being established. Its self-existent nature is one that need not be sought. Rest in non-thought. Abide within that unsought nature. Effort and establishing are hindrances to enlightenment. The necessity of eliminating these is of paramount importance.1024 When it is said that unproduced mind is to be sought and produced, there is the great fault that the ground and path will not be established. This is because they are in contradiction with cause and fruition. The Künjé says: From ignorance of its already having been produced, And thus transcending both effort and establishment, If one has the view that it is established by meditation, And thus established by effort, by means of performing actions, Having hindered enlightenment, one will become no greater. They may ask whether, even so, we still need to do these things, because we have not yet reached that level. This is our reply: Kye, unfortunate ones! Going from one place to another does not exist. Since there is no going, there is no reaching. What you are doing is ludicrous! It is like trying to go somewhere else than where you are in order to look for yourselves. According to our scriptures, people like you have only superficial understanding,1025 and the way you live is a disgrace! In that regard, the same tantra says: By desiring bliss, one turns one's back on bliss. Bliss is accomplished. Bliss is sought by bliss. Such a confusion about enlightenment, Consumes the eternal brilliance of the Dharma. Such perceivers have no vision of buddhahood. 166
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Later generations are instructed to keep this secret from people of that kind. The same tantra says: To those by whom my nature has not yet been seen The yaana of me, the doer of all, should not be taught. They do not have the good fortune of the ultimate, great perfection; So teach them1026 provisional yaanas that deal with cause and effect. From all eternity I have been beyond their ken. 1027 Those without good fortune, delighting in cause and effect, If this is taught, will exaggerate and denigrate it. If this is taught, they will surely slander their own minds. Being born in the six existences of the lokas, They will remain forever within the realm of sa.msaara. When production and producer have been eliminated from the Dharma, one apprehends 1028 the Dharma as the ordinary state of things as they are. But it is not only within the Dharma that the nature of productions through action and effort is primordially without distinction from that of the essence, insight. This is true of ordinary actions as well as the actions of Dharmic activities. All activities of the yogin have already arisen as the Dharma. Therefore, the play of dharmataa is self-existing. The Pearl Mala says: For those who desire the manifestation of mahaamudraa, Eating and drinking are the recitation of mantra. Sleeping and sitting are the practice of saadhana. Samskaaras are the palace where we bring down the deities.1029 Yawning and coughing are the practice of the ma.n.dala. All of the billion things are the ma.n.dala itself. Sprinkled by the falling rain and the dewy breezes, The path of our travels is what draws the eight great lines. Our footprints draw the boundaries of the colored-sand. Desiring to move is dancing and gazing at the ma.n.dala. The various motions of our limbs exist as mudraa.1030 Whatever may be said exists as words of mantra. Discursive thoughts are practice of the developing stage.1031 Discursive flickerings of mind are the offerings. Appearances of form are the bodies of the deities. Whatever sounds are produced1032 are offerings of music. 167
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The body itself exists as the abhisheka vase. The hair is its beautiful ornament of kusha grass. Blood and yellow pus are the waters of abhisheka. The organs that fill the body1033 are abhisheka substances. Our own experience performs the abhishekas. This is accomplished without their needing to be bestowed The desire for violation is itself samaya, Just as desire to keep samaya itself is bondage. The idea of wanting liberation is defilement. Wanting to be without it is ultimate buddhahood. 1034 As for those who see it, they have the sign of mudraa. The very desire for that is the actual experience.1035 Knowing it is the oral instruction of luminosity, The object that is revealed from union of object and mind. Birth and old age, sickness and death, are the pith of experience. The six collections are realizations of non-obstruction. 1036 Also the Künjé says: Desire and hatred, as well as ignorance, Arise from the path of great enlightenment. One enjoys the five enlightened attributes As ornaments of the space of dharmataa.1037 Now there is the teaching of the vast view and meditation without objects: Without the ground of a view, or the states of meditation Without any dharmas of action, or fruition to be accomplished, Since all is completely transcendent, as non-exclusive equality, One need not produce or go in search of anything. With neither vastness or constraint there is blissfulness. “Why is that?” Since the realization of transparent, naked insight is the exhaustion of dharmas, it transcends all fixation of dharmas. The Longdruk says: I Samantabhadra am without a view. Since I have no vie w, appearances are exhausted. 168
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Therefore, I am also without any meditation. Without any meditation, mindfulness1038 has ceased. As for the action, it is inexpressible. Without any action, bodily rising is exhausted. Here is the teaching of the great all-liberating vastness: Since there is nothing at all that one could try to gain, 1039 The dharmas of establishing mind have been exhausted. Since there is nothing at all that is to be abandoned, One transcends the bondage of being attached to antidotes. Since any and every thing, neither “is” nor “is not,” Whatever appears or arises is choicelessly liberated. The self-nature of wisdom has no rejecting and accepting, no “is” and “is not.” Therefore, appearance and awareness are totally liberated. This is accompanied by the four confidences of liberation. The Thaljur says: Because self-insight is free from all conceptualization, It has been liberated and has the four kinds of confidence. Having been liberated by these four piths of confidence, One does not dwell in either sa.msaara or nirvaa.na. There is no rising or action. There is no ground or root. Here in general, the self-nature of the four manners of liberation is taught. In particular, the liberation of confidence is explained. As for the four manners of liberation: 1) By the pith of liberation as naked insight, confidence is aroused in everything as self-arising wisdom. Awareness of appearance arises as transparency. 2) By the pith of sudden, partless arising that does not endure until any second time,1040 there is the self-arising of liberated dharmataa.
3) By the pith of chokshak , the actionlessness of letting everything be as it is, through awareness of appearance as empty form without ground, there is transcendence of attachment to the bondage of effort. 4) By the pith that all dharmas are empty of themselves, unproduced and unfindable, confidence is aroused that whatever happens subsides by itself into nakedness.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Here is the manner of arousing these confidences. The garu.da soars in the space of the sky, and cuts through the abyss at the same time. This is due to confidence that its wings and feathers are fully developed. Just so, yogins have confidence in their realization that all dharmas are eternally liberated. They know that these dharmas need not be liberated again with effort. Living without doing anything at all, they realize that all dharmas are self-liberated by themselves like a knot in a snake. They do not rely on other antidotes. Therefore yogins' minds are spacious.1041 They realize that all apparent dharmas are liberated directly, just as they are observed. 1042 What is seen subsides, leaving nothing to grasp. 1043 All dharmas have gone into the complete liberation of all-pervading evenness. They are realized as the great equality-equanimity without gaps. Therefore, confident well-being1044 is completely effortless. The pith is seen. The effort of antidotes is destroyed. Renunciation is transcended. There is no attachment to the bondage of memory and thought. The castle of negation and affirmation collapses. By passing the pass into the totality1045 of the great vastness, there is the Space of insight like the sky. Dharmas and mind are exhausted. There is the vast space of confident well-being. There is the all-inclusive1046 Space of bliss. Now one is called a yogin of the nature of the great perfection. At this time, without being abandoned, dharmas of rejecting and accepting and all graspings and fixations, pass into self-liberation. This is self-awakened purity that leaves no tracks. When the sun has completely risen, the darkness of the preceding night subsides by itself. It goes away without a trace. No one can say that it went here or there. Similarly, dharmas do not really exist anywhere. They are just made up by mind. Like that in particular are dharmas of accepting and rejecting. When the meaning of such arising has been realized, the mind of action and actor subsides. By that any dharmas that have been produced also subside. They were non-existent already, but awakening into that non-existence is expressed by the mere conventionality “self-liberation.” This is insight as it is, empty, luminous, groundless, and rootless. The Thaljur says: One's own mind is that which is known as “liberation.” There is no going from one situation to another. Mind has nothing about it that could be disentangled. Perfection has no coming and going from the ground. It is not found by examining, and it has no reason. It does not have a ground, and is without a root, Therefore it exists as emptiness/luminosity. As for this mind existing in its self-luminosity, Since it has been liberated by the pith, It does not have any sort of bias or partiality. Since it has been liberated out of time,1047 It does not have dependence on anything at all. Without any effort, it has no striving for liberation. Liberated by confidence, it therefore makes no effort. This is the explanation of liberation by confidence.1048 170
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Since all has been liberated from all eternity, There is no way1049 to liberate anything again. Since things are liberated entirely by themselves,1050 There are no antidotes that need to be applied. 1051 Since things are liberated directly in one step,1052 They subside directly as soon as they are seen. Because they are already completely liberated, There is no need of effort to accomplish this. Now, it is taught how one can come to the decisive conclusion1053 of the all-encompassing non-existence of dharmas, as limitless as space: With no liberation, self-liberation, eternally free, Because there are no dharmas of any kind whatsoever, Monolithic,1054 this is without any reference point. It has transcended even the dharma of passing the pass. All dharmas pass the pass into the eternal equality of the perfect great liberation. But there are no dharmas to pass the pass. There is no place for this passing to occur.1055 There is no one to bring it about.1056 Such words have no real referent. All this is just left hanging. 1057 It leads to no ultimate conclusion. 1058 The Tantra of Self-Liberated Insight says: The egocentric desire which fixates on a view Is free as it is,1059 without any dharmas of characteristics. The conventionality of self-arising sound, The partialities of existence and non-existence, All the dharmas of the duality of the conventional, Are free, in reality,1060 from any kind of view.1061 Also the Künjé says: For mind there is no result 1062 that comes from renunciation. Since mind transcends all exaggeration and denigration, There are no oral instructions for how to pass the pass. Here is the summary of realization of the unproduced accomplishment: Vast Space! Vast Space!1063 State of vastness! This is Longchen Rabjam, great, universal, Space; Space of luminosity; all-pervading space; One Space without duality, inclusive and blissful Space. 171
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Within that Space 1064 variety is self-liberated, Having reached the level of exhausting dharmataa. It is changeless self-existence, the peak of good aspirations. Externally the Space of appearance is the groundless vastness of the great, eternal emptiness. Internally the Space of flickering discursiveness is the self-awakened vastness of the great tracklessness. Secretly the Space of bodhicitta is the vastness of transparent nakedness. These three abide in unproduced self-existence. The yogin of the supreme vehicle Longchen Rabjam has realized naked self-luminosity. Sa.msaara is alpha-pure without needing to be abandoned. Nirvaa.na and universal, all-encompassing, self-existing Space arise without existing. This is the all-inclusive Space of bliss. It is realization of the non-dual essence of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, the single Space of insight. I, the yogin, have realized that variety is naturally liberated in the nature of dharmataa. I have reached dharmakaaya beyond mind. I have reached the level of exhausting dharmataa, the limit of realization. Within this present human life I have established the eternal realm of the King of dharmakaaya. This is called establishing the peak of aspirations. The Heap of Precious Stones says: All meanings of the nature of the great perfection Are included within the circle of the mind. There is no appearance, and there are no separate objects. These are not cut off by any conceptual means.1065 Rather they are already cut off as they are. The root of ignorance has never been confused. Though unexamined, it has eternally been cut through. Regarding the reason for that, the Longdruk says: Thus, regarding beings who have accomplished this, Though they have accomplished buddhahood, they were buddhas before. They become the principal ones of all vidyaa mantra. They are calle d the masters of the glorious assembly. In them the powers of the herukas have been perfected. They are called “special,” like a universal monarch. They are known as transcenders of the three lower realms. By all the buddhas who have existed in the past This particular teaching always has been taught.1066 Here is the instruction for fortunate followers who wish to be like me: You beings who wish to follow, and to be like me, Let us all unite 1067 within this one great Space, Which has pervaded everything from all eternity. 1068 172
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU This is establishment of the eternal kingdom, Existence on the level of Samantabhadra. My good fortune, the equal good fortune of the students who learn from that, and the good fortune of those who dwell on this path thereafter from generation to generation are all united within in the single Space of realization. Here all Dharmas are eternally accomplished without need of action. As a part of the general conditions of practice, read and assimilate the scriptures, the oral instructions, and my writings. When you accomplish the level of the kingdom of the King of dharmataa, you will find the enlightenment of the Buddha within you. 1069 The Künjé says: Kye! The yogin who enters and meditates on this path Will exist from this time on at the level of the King. Also the Longdruk says: Those who have the good fortune of proficiency in this, Grasp the state which is 1070 the kaaya of non-thought. If they have also grasped the light of my compassion, They have good fortune equal to that of me myself; For this is the center and limit of my ma.n.dala. This chapter deals with the practice of this great perfection, the treasury of its doctrines, and the pith. Those who dwell in bondage should study and contemplate it well. They should mix their being well with the oral instructions. That is my profound oral instruction for those who follow after me.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY This is the commentary on tenth chapter of The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu
“NOT MOVING FROM REALIZATION OF DHARMATAA” Insight has passed the pass into the natural state. Now there is the teaching of naturally occurring samaadhi, the practice of this state. Here is how to resolve the essence in general: Bodhicitta, with nature primordially pure , Is dharmataa without sending or taking,1071 coming or going. Not established by seeking; dharmataa, Space of the sky. By the practice of resting within the nature of that,1072 The sun and moon of luminosity will arise. By resting without sending or taking in the nakedness of unobstructed insight, one dwells in the luminosity which naturally accompanies it. That is a special teaching of ati. 1073 Connected with the present topic, there are the instruction to practice, the distinction between samaadhi and meditation, and how actually to practice.
1) THE INSTRUCTION TO PRACTICE It is necessary to practice, because at this time the boundaries of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na must be distinguished. If you practice hard, enlightenment will be attained within this very lifetime. If you do not practice, obtaining the transmission and paying heed to the dharma sometimes when you have time will be of no benefit when they are needed. If you do not meditate, you will wander forever in sa.msaara. The Thaljur says: As for the fault of not performing meditation, Appearance will manifest characteristics of sa.msaara. Objects will be known in the form of self and other. The view will be one that exists in a merely verbal form. Objects will be associated with conception. You will be bound in the state of ego of the kleshas. You will go astray and lose the path of the Buddha. You will not be aware of the nature of fruition. You will not have the ground wherein all dharmas are equal. Self-insight will be bound in the three realms of sa.msaara,1074 And by having conceptualization, you will fall. 174
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The ordinary vehicle also says this. The Avata.msaka Sutra says: Just as a musician who is deaf, Although he may make others to be joyful, Nevertheless, is not heard by himself; Just so is Dharma without meditation. Just as one who is a capable boatman Ferries many beings across the waves, But he himself remains there till he dies; Just so is Dharma without meditation. Just as those who have been tormented by thirst, By seeing water or by hearing it, Do not relieve the torment of their thirst; Just so is Dharma without meditation. Also the Abhidharmakosha says: Therefore, meditating on the meaning of separation is the chief thing. 2) THE DISTINCTION OF SAMAADHI AND MEDITATION A. Meditation The ordinary general vehicles have ideas of many stages of the means leading to their lesser good fortune. To sum up, all meditations can be summarized under two headings, those which depend on an apparent object and those which do not. THOSE WHICH DEPEND ON AN APPARENT OBJECT Those which have some object of outer appearance, form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and so forth are apprehended by mind that does not wander. The mind apprehends representations 1075 of deities with their accoutrements, pieces of wood, pebbles, and such. Those without an external support have an apparent mental object. In those, individual visualizations of the bindus of the yoga of naa.dii and praa.na are held in one's mind. One desires to attain non-thought. There are visualizations of syllables, lights,1076 the chakras of the naa.diis, the fire of heat yoga, and so forth. The mind grasps these mind-made details. THOSE WITHOUT AN APPARENT OBJECT The body is in cross legged posture. The mind is fixed without wandering in the vacancy1077 of complete non-thought. This is a state of pure1078 emptiness. Its meditational object is non-thought. 175
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY In general, meditational objects are explained as including these two kinds, those with objects and those without. In brief, all attempts to keep the mind focused on a single object are called meditation. Its essence is that the mind is rested on that object.1079 The purpose is that by stabilizing the mind, the meditator hopes for fruition. That is, there is a desire to produce cessation of fixation and the grasper. The Thaljur says: As for meditation, it is resting the mind. Outer and inner discursive flickerings are cut through. Fixated objects and grasping subject likewise cease. Also it says there: The trios comprised by Praa.na, naa.dii, and bindu; And posture,1080 visualization, and emptiness; Are that which is maintained to be meditation. These meditations desire the cessation of grasped object and fixating subject. But the object of meditation itself is a fixated object. The mind that grasps it is a grasping subject. Therefore, meditation is a means of entering the profound Dharma, but it is not the true, profound yoga. B. Samaadhi Samaadhi is a special dharma of this great perfection. Wherever there is fire, heat naturally accompanies it. Water is naturally moist. Just so, there is always natural samaadhi within insight. Wherever insight is encountered, samaadhi naturally exists. It is not purposely established in order to experience bliss, luminosity, and non-thought. In this it is like the samaadhi of the bardo. That samaadhi also arises as a natural accompaniment of insight. Whenever mind has been made into a path it exists. This is true whenever one performs the effortful practice of resting the mind in meditation. Whenever mind is let go,1081 it disappears. That is its nature. Whenever insight is made into the path of wisdom, one abides in the continuous river of naturally occurring samaadhi. The naturally arising buddha qualities here always exist inseparably with that samaadhi. The great meditator's attainment of the non-thought aspect of mind is like the yogin's recognition of the naked non-thought of insight in being non-conceptual. However, the non-thought of mind stops if one leaves a certain posture of the body and so forth. It is not the nakedly revealed insight of non-thought. It is also very different in other ways. By making mind into a path, through skill in the antidotes, one seems immediately to pass into being without a trace of conceptualization. By seeing insight, one passes into freedom from the trap of conceptualization. In both, attachment to memory and thought seem to subside into non-existence. But meditation has not cut the root of other. The self-nature of fixation and attachment will arise again. Then one's mind will think, “There is ceaseless arising from the unborn.” In samaadhi there is no place of arising or anything that produces arising. The root has been cut. Ceaseless radiant manifestations 1082 of the power of compassion manifest within it like reflections in a mirror. Things that arise externally to oneself are seen like rays emanating from the sun. Therefore, meditation and samaadhi are very different.1083 176
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The self-existent vividness of mind and that of insight are alike in being simple, luminous non-thought. But mind has the tether of fixation and grasper. Therefore, it has attachment. Since transparent insight is unbounded,1084 these two are very different. The appearance of objects in the clarity of insight is unobstructed luminosity. The objects of memory and thought, externally projected from mind, are objects of dualistic appearance. Insight does not follow after objects. Appearance of objects is internal appearance within transparent insight. The root of conceptualization is cut. When distinctions give rise to conceptualization, the root of emanating objects external to mind is not cut. The Longdruk says: One's mind, at times when it is without disturbance, And the self-insight of the state of non-thought1085 Are much alike, and so one could confuse them. 1086 Naked1087 appearance, luminous to the depths And constant attachment to the thoughts of beings Are much alike, and so one could confuse them. The meditation established without seeking And easing mental fatigue with naa.dii and praa.na Are much alike, and so one could confuse them. The appearance of objects in insight without memory And thought and memory of the six realms' confusion Are much alike, and so one could confuse them. In short, mind meditating on objects is the tether of grasper and fixation. The natural samaadhi of insight is the naturally existing sphere1088 of dharmataa. The one is a cause that produces the world of sa.msaara. It does this by establishing mind within the higher realms. The other leads to the liberation of genuine nirvaa.na It abides in realization of buddhahood as it is. They are different. In regard to this the Thaljur says: As rising by occurring naturally Pure samaadhi ought to be described. Also it says there:
The self-established, uncreated natural state, Does not ever change from being such a state. That is what is realized by all the buddhas. Here, compared to making a path out of ordinary meditation, this path of the nyingthig, the heart-essence drop, is nobler in five ways: 1.) In nakedly realizing insight, there is no such thing as relative sharpness or dulness of powers. 177
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 2.) Since transparency is presently and certainly realized by one's own senses,1089 it does not depend on the coarse prajñaa of conceptual examination. 3.) Since insight transcending words is realized as transparency, one has no hope of explaining its meaning by means of mental collections and verbal explanations. 4.) There is realization that what appears is not the confusion of good and evil, but the appearance of the path of trikaaya. Therefore, one does not produce confidence in fixated attachment to appearance. 5.) Since insight is nakedly transparent, view, meditation, action, and fruition are seen as obscurations of insight. Resting the mind in shamatha and vipashyanaa to ease weariness builds up hope and dependency. These are the ways in which samaadhi is higher than those. The Thaljur says: Inclusion in certainty of the heart-essence drop Has neither sharpness or dulness of the mind. Since it has exhausted extremes of verbal assumptions, It is not prajñaa, but rather is seen by the senses.1090 Since dharmataa cannot be seen by words, It is not established by ordinary yaanas. Because the path of trikaaya is appearance, This seeing is unopposed to the three worlds. Because all dharmas have the one taste of equality, Ground, path, and fruition are something we can see. A la la! This vehicle and others are more different than heaven and earth. Though this is shown, it is not realized. Though it is explained, it is not understood. Those with only a verbal grasp of dharma, continue to rely on previous accounts.1091 They have no karmic connection to the nature of the great perfection, the secret drop of heart-essence. Whatever they do, they get no closer to being enlightened than they were before. Inspiring sad laughter, this is very strange.
3) THE PARTICULAR MEANS OF PRACTICING THIS PATH If, neither repressing objects nor grasping them as mind One does not move from the nature, monolithic equality, One reaches Samantabhadra, vision of the great vastness. That was the general teaching. The Yigé Mépa says: In eternally uncontrived, self-arising chokshak , Not contrived by the mind that transforms appearance and thought, 178
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU If one rests within the space of dharmataa, It is taught that this itself is realization. Internally, one does not move from the essence of insight. This is emptiness-luminosity revealed in transparent nakedness. The objects of external appearance are not gathered inward. The inner mind of conceptualization is not projected outward. Insight is not bound by meditating on non-duality between the two. One rests in the transparency of things as they are. By the four means of resting and three samaadhis insight is led straight to the point. The four means of resting or chokshaks are these: 1) The chokshak 2) The chokshak 3) The chokshak 4) The chokshak
of a mountain. of an ocean. of insight. of appearance.1092
These three samaadhis arise one after another, when the four chokshak s are practiced: 1) The samaadhi of the great self-existence. 2) The samaadhi of the great sudden occurrence. 3) The samaadhi of the great sealing. 1093
THE FOUR MEANS OF RESTING1094
1) THE CHOKSHAK OF AN OCEAN: Neither emanating or gathering, awakened state of1095 self-clarity, This is the equal state of a clear and motionless ocean; Dharmataa clear to the depths, self-rising state of wisdom; Resting free from arising, entering, hope, and fear. In an ocean unrippled by wind, planets and stars arise. The appearance of planets and stars is not something beyond the water and does not hide it. Just so, objects ceaselessly appear in the transparent, awakened state. Undefiled by fixation,1096 they rest without moving from insight and the awakened state. The Yigé Mépa says: In the pure realization of the chokshak of an ocean, 179
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY There is no appearance; nor any maker of it. It is not empty; emptiness does not exist. It is not luminous, but the sphere of the great luminosity. It is not drowsy, and it has no discursiveness. It has not gone beyond itself; and never will. 1097 It was and is not disturbed, transcending all disturbance. It does not arise by having being produced. Take a look1098 at this, which is the great means of resting. Not performing any emanating or gathering, This the single state of resting known as chokshak . It is not existent, but not beyond existence. In the secret wisdom which is like an ocean, Rest in self-existent, universal space, Here disturbance has never never come to pass. That is the way it has been from all eternity. From the great ocean whose depth is difficult to measure The victory banner that does not diminish is viewed as the peak, Without empty mind, the kaaya of the great uncreated, The unproduced is victorious over all production. 1099 This is the uncreated resting known as chokshak . Eternally it has never risen into existence. Appearance is not transformed; mind is not created. This is what is realized by resting in dharmataa. Since the wisdom of the state of dharmakaaya Has completely abandoned any kind of thoughts, If there is no production of discursive flickering, By that the intention of meditation is fulfilled. If partial conceptions of objects have not been fixated, They rise like planets and stars within the depths of the ocean, Unfixated luminosity is unobstructed. The way of being of realization is like that. There are deluded ones unskilled in tantra who just say whatever comes out. Some of them, attached to texts which they only partially understand, think, “These four chokshak s are the means of resting of thögel.” This is incorrect1100 teaching that cannot be put into practice. The opening lotus without letters1101 has been joined to spurious words and one-sided partiality. This joins it to all partialities whatsoever. “The Precious Sign-Throne of Appearance is joined to all partialities,” as is said. 180
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU In both tregchö and thögel what needs to be known is the root of everything. This is transparent insight revealed in nakedness. If one does not know this, whatever else one joins to oneself 1102 will be of no use. The great meditators of tregchö will mix themselves with the path of all delusions. By going through the means of grasping the mind1103 they will not transcend sa.msaara. Thögel will stray into the realm of form by being attached to things and characteristics. Therefore, recognizing unobstructed, naked awareness is very important. It is not enough just to know this. One has to master and stabilize it. Not going beyond that state is very important. Therefore, among the many means of resting have been taught, one must first prepare one's place by realizing the chokshak of an ocean. Then one should diligently practice it. Also in regard to the details of cutting off the strayings, the Thaljur says: As for the meditation of resting without any straying, The gates of the senses dwell in a state of luminosity. 1104 Mind does not flicker with discursive conceptualizations. The mind that produces analysis within awareness, As one is not lost in externals, is without existence. With that whose exclusive bias is not luminosity, With that which is cut apart, not becoming empty, With that which is not the continual springing up of bliss, With that which is not the confidence of equanimity,1105 With that which is fixated on inner motions of bliss, With that which is partial fixation of luminosity, Luminosity, easing the weariness of memory, Becomes a path of being trained in what is wrong.
If those who transform themselves by means of colors and letters Do not fall into partialities of that kind,1106 That is the meditation of resting without straying. “Fixating luminosity in the style of partiality,” means habitually thinking that external appearances are this and that. “Those who transform themselves by means of colors and letters,” are those who fixate inner mind by conceptual examination. The rest is easy to understand. 1107
2) THE CHOKSHAK OF INSIGHT The chokshak of insight is not characterizable by words. It does not have the mind of worldly concerns. It is naturally occurring transcendence, undefiled by artificiality. It is Space where everything dissolves into dharmataa without characteristics. There is no meditation. There are no dharmas on which one might meditate. Rather self-arising realization is naturally free from drowsiness and discursiveness. The chokshak of insight in thögel is the luminous manifestation of insight as the “chain of lambs”.1108 But here1109 true insight is defined as resting in naked transparency, the supremely profound pith. When 181
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY clear awareness rests in the state of the ocean, awakened1110 insight exists nakedly. When this has been recognized, there is no going beyond it. Dharmataa rises as one. There is no border between what is inside or outside of it. The Yigé Mépa says: As for instruction in the chokshak of insight, This is what is known as the secret mind. Also it says there: In order to realize appearance completely and all at once, The resting of insight is the means that should be sought. This is what is called the great secret of all secrets. By the power of appearance one reaches the other shore. One's experience is without the bonds of desire.1111 This is called transparently naked revelation of the single drop of bindu. The same tantra says: The single drop of bindu without complexity Transcends particularizing through the expressions of mind.
3) THE DIRECT RESTING OF APPEARANCE: Not renounced by means of their having been abandoned, False conceptions here exist as the power of insight. Since dharmataa has no exclusion or clearing away, 1112 Without its having been established by means of practice, There is arising of the space of dharmataa. Though sa.msaara is not abandoned, self-rising wisdom Is seen by pure yogins to be the power of the great Space. Ceaseless appearances of objects arise in the clarity of insight, as if in a mirror. This is due to the ceaseless power of compassion. The vivid 1113 objects that encounter insight, or seem to do so, have the essence of non-thought. Discursive thoughts may appear as thoughts. Conceptualized phenomena may appear as they are conceptualized to be. When this happens, externally do not negate them. Internally do not dwell on them. Do not rest in between. Let them be as they are. Then you will not go beyond dharmataa into something else. The clarity of insight is the basis of arising of all appearances. If the objects of the five senses arise, that is the self-luminosity of the five buddhas. If the five elements arise, that is the nature of the five consorts. 182
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU If the five poisons arise, they arise as the great space of wisdom. Whatever arises is not other than one's own nature. It exists transparently as dharmakaaya. If one does not fixate this, it will be known without obscuration. This is called realization of Vajrasattva, the unobscured luminosity of dharmakaaya. The Yigé Mépa says: As for the direct resting of appearances, That which has been called the great skillful means of insight, That great appearance is the ground of everything. Here the five elements have appeared as the path of the Buddha. Appearance, as their five consorts, is luminosity. Therefore, rest without wandering in the great non-grasping. In the five great wisdoms of the great secret mantra, The five great deities rest in the motionlessness of space. Resting directly in the insight of Vajrasattva Shows everything to be the appearance of dharmakaaya. Because this is direct appearance of pure wisdom, Rest directly in this secret means of resting. Appearances of the body, and appearances of the five elements, Are not to be abandoned. Rest in what you are. This skillful means should not be obscured by conditional insight. The oral instruction is that conditioned appearance arises to reveal the luminosity of insight. For beginners, intermediate practitioners, and those whose attainment does not depend on anything at all, this is very important. For the first of these, the harm of conditions is transformed into the path. For the second, there is training in the skills of the path and arising within the mirror. For the third, without relying on anything, the means of bringing forth benefit arises by itself. When there is the arising of 1114 apparent objects of the five senses, mental negations and affirmations, attachments, fixations, and strong kleshas, they are dangers to insight. Be open to their clarity and luminosity. Naked revelation of their transparent essence will clearly appear. Explaining this point extensively, the Heap of Precious Stones says:
When there is appearance having the marks of dharmins, By their self-appearance as my buddha qualities There is no accepting and no rejecting of these. When the sufferings of sentient beings are experienced, Also along with that my bliss is self-arising. 1115 At that time, if bliss and sorrow are inseparable, My buddha qualities are perfected in that way. As for hell beings, animals, and hungry ghosts, 183
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY When their forms appear as objects, these are the play of my body. Persons without fear1116 by this will touch my body. If strong attachments of passion, aggression, and ignorance rise, That itself is my insight without conceptuality. That is self-liberated. 1117 That is seen by my eye. When, through mental memory, there is external appearance, This itself exists self-purified as my prajñaa. If one does not analyze, my sounds will be heard by this. When the concept-collections of thought are unified, There is the goodness of my samaadhi of non-thought. With no attachment1118 to this, my perfume is perceived. When there is dwelling within the mentality of coarse form, That is the rising of my own experience. If this exhausts one and two, my taste will be experienced. Thus, everything that appears, and everything that is heard, Arises as the play of myself, Samantabhadra. That unobstructed play arises as my qualities. By merely having being made to appear as buddha qualities, Things become inexhaustible and will not be exhausted. Therefore, they are trikaaya, which is the field of mudraa.
Here the one taste of non-dual appearance/awareness is experienced. It is important that this not be mixed with ordinary experience. Viewing what arises as bliss is a conceptualized fantasy. 1119 Relaxing into that, one meditates in darkness, not knowing one's own face. Lost in greater and greater experience, one cuts oneself off. Seeking the purity and clarity of the middle way1120 becomes one-sided accepting and rejecting. Those who do this do not have the pith of self-arising. This is like a dog not taking much notice of a place where someone is cutting felt.1121 Here is how to be certain of the secret self-existing pith of the nyingthig, the essential drop. When something appears or arises, recognize it as naked, unobstructed insight. It should not be looked upon as other at all. At that time, there will be self-arising realization of naked, unobstructed insight as it is. This is the bliss of dharmakaaya. By that, the rope of connections which is the mind of the three times will be cut through. There will be the spontaneous luminosity of the great equality. Here there is no conceptualization of what has arisen in the past. There is no thought of what will come later in the future. There is no examination of the present between them. One does not move from recognition of unobstructed nakedness. The Longdruk says:
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU When beings do not follow the past or anticipate the future, and present awareness rests as it is; when all awareness has been united as one, without before and after, this is called the all-inclusive single essence. This is the yoga of insight of the equality of the three times. By means of the self-exhaustion of memory, sa.msaara and nirva.na are non-dually united. Then, if characteristics of memories of the past are cut off, and one does not concern oneself with the future, and one lets mindfulness of the present subside by itself; this is the yoga of insight of equality of the three times.
Not making a reference point of the cave of the mind of the past, not making a reference point of relying on the future, not making a reference point of the mind of the present; this is the yoga of realizing the equality of the three times. Not continuing with the cage of past ignorance, not rejecting the father of future ignorance, if one does not receive present ignorance into one's lap; this is the yoga of realizing the equality of the three times. If one is not attached to past aggression, not impaled on the hook of future aggression, and the ego is not hardened like tempered steel by present aggression; this is the yoga of realizing the equality of the three times. If the clouds of past delusion are not collected, and future delusion is not cut off, if the rain of present delusion does not fall; this is the yoga of realizing the equality of the three times. Not receiving past buddhas, not sending off future buddhas, if one does not take refuge in the fruition of present buddhahood; this is the yoga of the equality of the three times. With no casting off of blame for past desire, and no cutting off of the disposition for future desire, if one does not cast out the objects of present desire; this is the yoga of the equality of the three times. Not tightly grasping past jealousy, not gathering the mind into future jealousy, if one does not interfere with the mind of present jealously; this is the yoga of realizing the unity of the three times.
The yoga of realizing the non-duality of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na is said to be like that. Buddhahood is insight, along with lack of artificiality. It occurs because of having cut the rope of the relationships of the three times. Here, one may think, “Is it not contradictory that what arises in awareness is explained as the qualities of its own power, but that this is classified as being conceptually unanalyzable” That is very relevant.1122 When apparent kleshas vividly arise, enter into their arising as it is. That is recognizing the revelation of naked insight. Without conceptual artificiality, cut the rope of relationships of the three times. Rest without moving. Realization, the samaadhi that does not move from dharmataa, then arises naturally.
4) THE CHOKSHAK OF A MOUNTAIN: The mind of appearance was always naturally1123 dharmataa. Unmoving samaadhi rises like the flow of a river. 185
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY This is the vajra peak, the mind of Samantabhadra, Vast, supreme dharma equal to the limits of space. It does not have even the least exclusion or clearing away. All that is there is supremely excellent meditation. The wondrously-risen, eternal1124 King is self-existing. From the perfection of the other three means of resting, there arises the resting of a mountain. Mount Meru, the king of mountains, is changeless. Just so, one attains confidence of not moving from realization-dharmataa. After the eternal essence of changeless insight has been realized, the yogin dwelling in that state will not be moved from it by any conditioned appearance at all. Conditioned appearance arises within realization. It is brought into the luminosity of insight. This is like feeding wood into a fire. The Yigé Mépa says: The resting of a mountain is the secret view. There is no doubt, and no discursive flickering.
As limbs of those four means of resting there are
THE THREE SAMAADHIS (1) THE SAMAADHI OF THE GREAT SEALING:1125 This is the eternal vase of coronation. 1126 This is the continuous river of luminosity, The self-existing state that has no sending or taking. Therefore, the nature of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na Exists as the highest realization of dharmadhaatu. Unmoving, beyond expression, limitless as the sky, This Space is eternally there within all sentient beings. Insight encompasses all of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. In insight there is all-pervading, natural samaadhi. The vision of this exists continually in all beings, even though they do not realize it. The Künjé says: As for the essence that is not conceptualized, That perfect continuity is without concealment. Those who enjoy enlightenment that has not been received Always abide within the nature of that state.1127 To meditate within this samaadhi, the body is seated cross-legged. The eyes are directed into space. Lucidly vivid1128 awareness without emanation or gathering rests in the essence of unobstructed self186
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU insight. All external appearances and inner, discursive flickerings have been self-sealed. Therefore, insight does not follow after the powers of sense or mind. The Longdruk says: As for the samaadhi known as the great sealing, Whoever has the desire to meditate in this way, In order to gain ennailment to the changeless pith, Based on having taken the proper bodily posture, Exalts awareness upward to the expanse of the sky. The eyes are thus on space, and one has the gaze of an elephant. Within this great sealing one should rest without mindfulness.
As for clearing away the difficulties connected with this:
Appearances other than oneself are confusion of mind. Desires to strive and meditate are confusion of mind. Confusion is dharmataa, self-established field of equality, Unmoving Space of the nature in all its primordial purity, With no action and seeking, no establishment or its lack. Here, insight is established as the great sealing. There are no actions of accepting and rejecting. Even if one grasps such things as existing, that same confused conceptualization goes into the self-established space of the vajra heart-essence. That space is free from benefit or harm. Therefore, meditation and non-meditation are not two. They are realized with certainty as one. Within the essence of the true awareness There is no insight of action or an actor To be the cause of straying through fixation.
2) THE SAMAADHI OF THE GREAT SELF-EXISTENCE The view, meditation, action, and fruition of the samaadhi of the great self-existence are characterized as transcending view, meditation, action, and fruition. 1) THE VIEW: In the unchanging self-existence of dharmataa, Without conceptual seeking, self-insight has no aggression. If one views it again and again, there is seen to be no view. Insight unviewed is the view of the coronation vase.
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Here the nakedly transparent essence of insight, the ultimate whose meaning transcends viewer and viewed, is unwaveringly viewed. The Künjé says: Kye teacher of teachers! The doer of all, the King, Unerringly prophesies who is going to have realization. 1129 In the essence with no exaggeration or denigration, Being concerned about meditation and non-meditation1130 Is like trying to wage a battle for the space of the sky. The meaning of realization is an unwandering vision. It is not a real thing, yet not without reality. 1131 It has no partiality, but it is not beyond it. For that reason one should make no attempt to1132 rest In one-sided meditation or one sided non-meditation. But if one should come to realize the meaning That neither has a view nor any meditation, One need not seek for the self-existing King of equality.
2) MEDITATION BEYOND MEDITATION AND NON-MEDITATION:
In non-meditation, insight free from sending and taking, Meditating again and again, one sees non-meditation. As for non-meditation, it is meditation Upon the coronation vase of insight itself. The essence is naked insight. The Thaljur says: As for the mark of the way things appear in meditation, The mark is that insight, which is empty and luminous, Is never mixed with any nature whatsoever. The extremes of grasper and fixation are exhausted.
This is the purity of the nature of dharmataa. The manner of its appearance is without confusion. The nature, which is pure of causes and conditions, Is self-purified of non-things, as of things. Pure of attachment to all objects of the five gates, 188
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Also it is pure of the coarseness of the elements. The exhaustion of such things as these is dharmataa. It displays the increase of appearances of pure wisdom. 1133 As for how to meditate, the Künjé says: Enlightenment, dharmataa, has no meditation. Meditation and meditator are not two. If one rests within the nature of non-meditation, That itself is what is meant by meditation. 3) THE ACTION1134 BEYOND ACTION AND ACTOR: This is the action of the great space of luminosity. Within the natural state which is without duality, And which has no accepting as well as no rejecting, By acting again and again, it is seen there is no action. Actionless insight acts as the coronation vase. The essence of insight is free from act and actor.1135 Therefore, whatever appearances arise in mind, the three gates rest naturally. 1136 The Künjé says: Kye! as for mind, the essence of it is suchness. Suchness is not a thing that ever was constructed. The self-arising state is free from cause and condition. One should rest the three gates in effortless naturalness. 4) THE FRUITION, THE EXISTENCE OF MEDITATION FROM ALL ETERNITY: It is accomplished already from all eternity, It is self-existence, free from hope and fear. After one has established this again and again, It is seen to need no establishment whatsoever. Insight, for which there is no such thing as being established, Is the fruition, which is the coronation vase. Unobstructed, nakedly floating,1137 insight is itself the spontaneous fruition of dharmakaaya. Rest motionlessly within this state. The Künjé says: Kye! Sattvas and excellent vajras,1138 meditate on me. By appearance of the unborn, completely pure in its meaning, Appearances, viewed as unreal, do not produce any fear. Since appearances, being unborn, are also self-liberated, 189
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Not by being meditated upon as emptiness, But realized as they are, they are liberated. Kye! By me the teacher of teachers, the doer of all, the King, All of the dharmas there are, just as they appear, Are taught to be unborn, and therefore completely pure. Thus, the essence of birth has come to be realized. Kye! The display of trikaaya rising out of me, Is unborn mind itself, so it is said by all. Though all have strived for the meaning that is without a nature, The unborn has yet to be realized by anyone. Therefore, this teaching of the doer of all, the King, Having been known, from motionless resting in its meaning,
Without any entering into this by means of effort, Without training the mind by means of antidotes, Without renouncing objects or training in mindfulness; Just as things arise, that itself is the meaning. So enter into that meaning, myself the doer of all. Kye! The teacher of teachers, the doer of all, the King, Penetrates into the natural retinue of mind. The yogin who realizes that everything is unborn, Should make no effort to try to perfect1139 the ten-fold natures. The nature of bodhic itta, which is the doer of all, Cannot have awareness of fixation and the grasper. Therefore, there is no need for these to be abandoned. 1140 By resting in that when realization transforms ones' powers, There is spontaneous realization of the King. This view, meditation, action, and fruition of the samaadhi of the great self-existence are included within the single, unobstructed, naked wakefulness1141 of insight: “Outwardly the mind does not project appearances.” Arising does not go beyond being one's own ornament. It is transparent awareness, self-subsiding without a trace. “Within, the flickering of mind is not intellectually conceptualized.” Ceaseless, radiant manifestation is known as the power of compassion. It is the clear ocean of the vast Space of self-clarity. 190
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU “In the middle there is no meditation on the state of non-dual equality.” When the samaadhi of existence as it is arises, it does not go beyond the King, unobstructed insight. In the natural state, the six collections are undefile d by the fixation and effort of antidotes. The Longdruk says:
Within the self-existing samaadhi which is chokshak , There is no obstruction of the gates of the senses. There is no particular1142 action for the body to perform. Even sleep itself is not to be given up. The mind does not dissect and make analyses.1143 Briefly, body and speech are left just as they are. Thus they are not disturbed by the risings of the mind. The six sense objects do not flicker discursively. When the mind does not flicker with introspective examining, From the great experience of non-thought itself Rises experience of non-thought as luminosity.
(3)THE SAMAADHI OF THE GREAT SUDDENNESS: Within the state of equality objects are not conceived. There is no fixation1144 of these within the mind. The rising of hope and fear, and entering into them, In that way have been completely pacified. 1145 As for that equal state of mind and of its objects,1146 It is dharmataa. It does not go beyond that Space. Without any objects that are objects of characteristics, This is existence of the vase of coronation. Eternal, non-dual insight, the vase of coronation Exists within the nature of the great perfection. Here sa.msaara is not separate from nirvaa.na. It pervades and encompasses all. It does not accept or reject. The meaning of the great suddenness is that objects are open to instantaneous penetration by insight. This includes
THE TWO RECOGNITIONS: 1) the recognition when abiding in the natural samaadhi of one's nature. 191
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 2) the recognition when appearances of the power arise from it as objects.
1) THE RECOGNITION WHEN ABIDING IN THE NATURAL SAMAADHI OF ONE'S NATURE The first is the recognition of 1147 naturalness. When you are resting in stillness1148 without the arising of hope and fear, or any entering into them, that is the samaadhi. Remain there. Such recognition directly penetrates the awakened state of insight.1149 In respect to guarding that state the Yigé Mépa says: Nothing is outside of this, and nothing is within. So it is explained as having neither outside or inside. It is not the producer of any sort of view. It is beyond both eternalism and nihilism. Since it has no view, there is nothing that is viewed. Though not beyond all meaning, it is without a view. Rest in the state where such a thing does not exist. Also the Künjé says: Kye! In suchness free from effort, which is the great bliss, Do not try to strive by means of the three gates. Do not produce artificialities and conceptions. Do not intellectualize 1150 or follow out characteristics. Rest in self-rising wisdom. This is the meaning of bliss. This, is the realization of self-rising luminosity. This is the state of self-arising buddha activity. This is the realization of the doer of all, the King.
2) THE RECOGNITION WHEN APPEARANCES OF THE POWER ARISE FROM IT AS OBJECTS From the limpid clarity1151 of insight, the objects of its power arise within it. Rather, they appear to do so. Nevertheless, when this occurs, these quasi-happenings 1152 of emanation are produced by the wind-horse1153 of conceptualization. Rest in that. Recognize by direct penetration that they are one with insight. Then let emanations go where they will. They will go into subsidence by themselves. The Künjé says: Not arranging one's body in artificial postures, Not trying to blunt the sharpness of the powers of sense, Not having sought to limit one's speech to functional talking,1154 192
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Let the mind go where it will and rest in the motionless state. Also it says there: As for the meaning, the meaning of everything is the unborn. When the marks of discursive thought have thus been understood, All the flickerings of memory, thought, and intellect1155 Will never wander from the state of the unborn. Whoever knows such contemplation and meditation, Will also rest in non-meditation without wandering. 1156 Having recognized the pith, having stripped bare the essence of naked insight, do not follow after flickering discursiveness or emanation. Do not pay any heed to them. 1157 The pith is to rest in things as they are. This natural pith of things as they are is self-existing. Nothing needs to be abandoned. 1158 That is very important. If one does not know this, there will be only 1159 ordinary abandoning and antidotes. This is conceptual fantasy. Fixation and the grasper will stay as they are.1160 Non-obstruction will become ordinary banality. Now there is the teaching that self-existence and self-arising, as recognized1161 above, are without good and evil: The real and unreality are equal in space.1162 Sentient beings as well as buddhas are equal in space. The relative and the absolute are equal in space. All the various 1163 faults and virtues are equal in space. Because the bounds 1164 of high and low are equal in space, Whatever play may dawn from the self-arising state, At the very time it arises, it will rise as equality. That it has arisen is neither good nor bad. 1165 Then what is the need for artificial antidotes? What need is there here for any accepting or rejecting?1166 Existence is equality, 1167 neither good nor bad. Let what 1168 rises in mind die away by itself. Liberation is equal, neither good nor bad. Having that in mind, one should not continue Any practice which tries to stop or establish anything. For example, it is neither good or bad whether water is unmoving or is moved by waves. In either case, it is equally the element1169 of water. Similarly, it is neither good or bad whether insight is in its own place1170 or arises. In either case, it remains insight. The mere appearance that anything is happening1171 does not go beyond insight to anything else. The Dorje Gur, The Vajra Tent,1172 says: As long as there is emanation from mind, So long will there also be the lord of the Self. Are these not other like water and its waves? 193
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Similarly, real and unreal, buddhas and sentient beings, the relative and the absolute, and faults and virtues are all have the following four equalities: 1. 2. 3. 4.
They are equally unborn in the space of insight. They are equally ceaseless as mere appearance. They are equally non-existent from the time of their appearance. They are equally empty forms of luminous appearance.
Distinctions of boundaries and of high and low, are equal like the sky. In the beginning, their arising is neither good or bad, so we should not accept or reject. In the middle their duration in existence is equality, so it will pass away of itself. At the end they are equal in the liberation of self-subsiding; so we should not follow the past or pursue the future.1173 Teaching that here there should be neither resting nor an object of meditation, the Künjé says: All-inclusive, unborn, completely pure samaadhi Has no conditions of meditation or non-meditation. Whatever dharmas appear as objects of meditation, Without a particular manner of where and how to rest, If they rest unsought as they are, that is meditation. Now, the meaning of these, is summarized as the great equality of dharmataa: Everything rises1174 from bodhicitta, the Space of the ground. But since there is no real1175 arising of its power and play, Its equal rising rises as primordial Space. Unequal rising also rises as equal space. Abiding within the state of that equality Is self-established resting within dharmataa.
But even if one abides in non-equality, One is still abiding within that state of equality. Equality is freedom, in the Space of natural wisdom; But what is non-equal is also free as equal space. Insight like the sky arises as one's mere experience1176 of all the variety of ceaseless play. This happens by means of the power of compassion. When things appear as the five poisons and so forth, these are the bad dharmas of sa.msaara. When things appear as wisdom and so forth, these are the good dharmas of nirvaa.na. All vehicles, appearing as higher and lower, are pure by having the essence of a dream. In reality they are without good and bad, or accepting and rejecting. They are included in the single perfection of unborn equality, the vast palace of dharmadhaatu. This is like the sun, moon, stars, and so forth being included within the sky. The Tantra of Self-Liberated Insight says: 194
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU For example, as within the empty sky, Both sun and moon have been completely included; Within the vast palace of dharmas is included The total variety of the play of wisdom. Within the vast Space that is the ultimate truth The wisdom of insight-emptiness is included. Sudden, instantly penetrating recognition of equality exists and arises by itself in that way. There is a brief summary of this in the Longdruk: Within the samaadhi of the great suddenness, The body is as it ordinarily is. One's speech is free from being expressed in words. The mind is not bound by being tightened up. 1177 Thus the teaching of the means of resting that go beyond meditation, along with the samaadhis associated with them, is completed. Now from the list of the twenty-two1178 self-existing certain piths that tell by being certain of the key connections,
HOW TO TIE THE ETERNAL KNOT OF THE SIX ULTIMATE MEANINGS1179 (1) TYING THE KNOT OF THE ULTIMATE MEANING OF THE SPACE OF THE DHAATU AS THE ETERNAL EQUALITY OF THE GREAT VASTNESS: All is eternally equal as self-arising insight. Rising and non-arising are space that never existed. Existence and non-existence are space that never existed. Liberation and non-liberation are space that never existed. Insight, its power, and all the play of appearance and mind never existed from all eternity. There was never a time when they did not exist. They have no appearance. They have no emptiness. They are not sa.msaara. They are not nirvaa.na. They are groundless and pure like the sky. Nor do what appears outwardly and what flickers inwardly 1180 exist. This ties the knot of the ultimate exhaustion of dharmas. Allowing them to go into all-pervading Space where nothing is made by mind, one binds them with the ties of the unborn. 1181 The Khyungchen says: Abandoning the harmfulness of dharmas Within the mind that desires happiness, Self-resting, one is free from all dependence On actions of sa.msaara or nirvaa.na. Though this is self, it likewise is the other, 195
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The miracles of appearance and awareness. By seeing them as discursive flickering One clears obstructing fixations and attachments. The resting of chokshak will have been accomplished,1182 And words that are emanated by mind will cease. All miracles of mind that may appear, The basic mind as well as intellect, Are this cessation in the ultimate meaning,1183 Bound in the endless knot1184 between freedom from dharmas And ultimate goals that are produced by mind.1185 (2) TYING THE KNOT OF ULTIMATE SELF-SUBSIDING, BY MEANS OF SELF-LIBERATION, LIKE THE SELF-LIBERATION OF A KNOT TIED IN A SNAKE: Insight, which is the great equality that is motionless, When it arises, is self-arising as it is,1186 When it endures is self-existing as it is, When liberated, is self-liberated as it is. Arising, existing, and liberation, are not other than insight. Therefore, unobstructed insight, the very stuff1187 of dharmakaaya, existing in naked alpha-purity, is said to be as it is, or in its own place. If one recognizes this, being in one's own place, being as one really is, has also been accomplished. When there is the self-arising of this, the place where it arises is the eternal knot of naked insight, the ultimate meaning of liberation. When there is the self-existence of this, the place where it exists is the ultimate point, naked insight. When this subsides in self-liberation, the place where it goes is the ultimate meaning, naked insight. The Khyungchen says: Causeless self-liberation does not depend on conditions, Self-pure without partiality, it cannot have a view. As for selfish desire, extremes, and the artificial; Those three obscurations have been cleared away. There is cessation of both appearance and awareness, As the ultimate point1188 of the sudden, great self arising. The knot of self arising is tied in the middle way Between conditions and causes and freedom from complexity. (3) TYING THE KNOT OF THE ULTIMATE MEANING OF ROOTLESSNESS, MEANING IS BEING LIBERATED FROM ALL ETERNITY: For insight, which is unchanging and free from all complexity, Arising is arising from all eternity, Existence is existence from all eternity, And Liberation is eternal like the sky. 196
WHOSE
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU When a mirage of water appears, that water is eternally non-existent. It is already liberated by not being water. Just so all dharmas are eternally empty and selfless by being without nature. They are eternally liberated from being dharmas of things and characteristics. However outer appearances and inner awareness may appear and arise; in the beginning, the first cause of arising of all of them is empty. One becomes convinced that even the appearance of their birth and arising does not exist at all. In the middle, their existence is empty of its own essence. This is true even from the viewpoint of this same awareness from which things appear as if they now exist. The dangerous defile of existence is cleared away as luminous appearance of what does not exist. At the end, the appearance of cessation is also empty of an essence of cessation. Since things are unborn, they are non-existent. Therefore, they have no cessation. No water appears in a mirage, nor does any cease. Mind is also like that. By merely eliminating fixation, without the cessation of things, one passes the pass into the non-establishment of cessation. Things never existed from all eternity. Their liberation is already accomplished. Whatever arises from the viewpoint of mind need not be liberated again by antidotes. The Pearl Mala says: There is no liberation by means of effort. There has been liberation eternally. Practicing this is what actually ties the knot of the ultimate meanings. When objects appear from the viewpoint of awareness, they are known to be groundless. They have no defilements of fabrication. Therefore, they can go into evenness. When, within encountering1189 awareness, encountering appearance arises, let it go into unobstructed groundlessness. This is encountering insight. Then awareness of appearance is not obstructed. It is not grasped. It is not analyzed. Naked insight which has awakened into evenness is guarded simply by unwandering recognition of this same naked insight. The Khyungchen says: The liberated ground whose mark is eternal purity,1190 Free from action and effortless, clears the obstructions of mind. Objects within the three encounters obstruct the play. 1191 Whatever may appear, bind it unwaveringly In between mind and objects, in the middle way. When awareness of appearance appears, the means of resting in the middle, the chokshak s, bring about recognition of unobstructed insight. Since this is the supreme main point, extensive explanation is appropriate.
(4) TYING THE KNOT OF THE ULTIMATE MEANING OF DIRECT LIBERATION, THE GREAT SUBSIDING OF WHATEVER IS SEEN: Arising, existing, and liberation, are liberated As soon as they arise,1192 without any sort of gap. 1193 Since they are continuous and have no gaps, Cause and effect cannot succeed in coming between them. 1194 197
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The absence of cause and effect cuts off the abyss of sa.msaara. With no abyss, how can one go astray in it? Since insight is continuous and without gaps, its power is continuous and unobstructed. 1195 When it appears to awareness as if objects are arising, whether they are arising, existing in duration, or being liberated in cessation, they do not go beyond the three subsidings. There is a continuity like the flow of a river. There are no separate 1196 instants that could have time to accumulate 1197 cause and effect. Arising and subsidence are simultaneous, like ripples on water. When existence, arising, and subsiding1198 are analyzed by the mind's understanding, that arising and liberation exist at certain times as cause and effect is impossible. When this is realized in the nakedness of nakedness, the cause of sa.msaara is exhausted. Then the effect, going into the sa.msaaric whirl of the three worlds and six lokas, is not possible. The mind is at ease.1199 There is no straying from the main point. There is no obscuration. Purified by liberation on arising, straying and obscuration are cut off in dharmataa. This is called cutting through the abyss of hope and fear. Tying the knot of the ultimate meaning comes from practicing this: If among objects mind appears, or within mind objects appear, or there is arising for whatever reason, rest your attention directly on the place of that arising. It is impossible not to awaken1200 at that very moment as what appears instantly selfsubsides without a trace. At this time, while resting in this state of subsiding, recognize that insight is luminous, pure, and unobstructed. The great excellence of the aspect of clarity will become still greater, as one meditates in the awakened state in which all that is other subsides. Even so, I think that whoever desires this aspect of insight for the sake of dwelling in the peace of shamatha is missing the point. Whatever there is must be recognized as the unobstructed transparency of naked insight. That must be explained as the special teaching of this great perfection. Now the ultimate meaning of direct liberation will be explained. It occurs when there is appearance of external objects and inner awareness arises as insight of their emptiness. Recognize insight as the middle way between the two. That is how one ties the knot in this case. The Khyungchen says: Directly liberated, free from all extremes, In their self-purity, things are already completely perfect. Free from what is extreme, what is dual self-clarified, Great space free from production is the unsought, great, ultimate point. The knot of this is tied between appearance and emptiness Where sa.msaaric body and speech are completely unproduced. 1201
(5) TYING THE KNOT OF THE ULTIMATE MEANING OF LIBERATION EXTREMES, BEYOND ALL THOUGHT AND EXPRESSION:
FROM
Space of Samantabhadra, changeless from all eternity, Since it is changeless, it is the Space of Vajrasattva. Within the self-nature of the natural state itself, Mere awareness is labeled with the name of buddhahood. Since the essence of insight does not exist at all, it is Samantabhadra. Since it is empty, luminous, and transparent, it is the Space of Vajrasattva. Recognizing this vastness is called attaining the buddhahood within one. If it is looked for anywhere else, it will not be found. 198
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Within the ten directions and four times, Perfection of buddhahood will not be found. Since mind itself is perfect buddhahood, Do not seek for any other buddha. The Transcendent Wisdom of the Noble Ones1202 also says: Since mind itself is perfect buddhahood, Do not seek for any other buddha. When this is practiced, whether there is arising or non-arising, do not think that external objects are “out there.” Do not conceptualize mind as being “in here.” Do not rest in the unborn in its own place between them. Instantaneous penetration into transparent insight will be recognized. Not abandoning anything that is in the mind, free from the extreme of non-existence, one exists1203 at that very instant in realization like the sky. This is beyond all complexity or expressibility in thought. Since there is no conceptualized emanating and gathering, this is called the non-existence of anything in the mind. Since the objects of appearance are not conceptualized, it is said to have no characteristics of things. There are neither things that appear as objects nor non-things emanated and gathered by awareness.1204 Therefore, the phenomena evaluated and fixated as sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are not other. This is personal experience of wisdom,1205 inexpressible by speech or thought. It is also called selfinsight. The Pearl Mala says: Since it is liberated from extremes, The four extremes have been eliminated. Also the Khyungchen says: Self-resting, one is free from all dependence On actions of sa.msaara or nirvaa.na. Though this is self, it likewise is the other, The miracles of appearance and awareness. By seeing them as discursive flickering One clears obstructing fixations and attachments. The resting of chokshak will have been accomplished, And words that are emanated by mind will cease. All miracles of mind that may appear, The basic mind as well as intellect, Are this cessation in the ultimate meaning,1206 Bound in the endless knot1207 between freedom from dharmas And ultimate goals that are produced by mind. This is the great, universal path which the noble ones have travelled and will travel:1208 199
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY “Prajñaapaaramitaa, inexpressible by speech or thought. Unborn, unceasing, with a nature like the sky. Only realized by discriminating awareness wisdom. 1209 I prostrate to the mother of the victorious ones of the three times.”
Also the Precious Treasury of the Unborn, says:1210 Not realizing1211 anything, also not thinking anything, Create nothing artificial; let the nature be. That is the precious treasury known as the unborn. All the victorious ones of the three times have gone there.1212 Also the Bodhicaryaavataara says: At any time when either things or non-things Are in the mind, they do not long remain. 1213 Since at that time phenomena are not other, Without conception they are pacified. 1214 It is as it is said there and elsewhere. Now there is the praise of liberation from extremes, the meaning of dharmataa: Since, after the time when this itself has been realized, There are no dharmas of accepting or rejecting, All is one all-pervading, encompassing dharmataa.
As in a land of gold, where everything is golden, Nothing is excluded, 1215 remaining untouched by extremes, Straying and obscurations have been refined away. Bodhicitta has no gap like a great abyss. Trikaaya is perfect spontaneously and effortlessly. “Beyond all thought and expression” is merely a figure of speech. It is exhausted merely by having been expressed. All dharmas are without ground like the sky. There are no dharmas to be made any better and worse or to be accepted and rejected. When this has been realized, all dharmas are seen as equality. In a land of gold, all things are equal in being made of gold. Ordinary rocks and stones are not found, because everything is made of gold. Just so, whatever forms appear, things are neither better and worse. All dharmas are pervaded and
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU encompassed by the great perfection free from extremes. Even the names of the strayings and obscurations and of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na do not exist. This is the great vastness. This is the all-pervading equality of dharmataa, the self-existence of trikaaya. These are merely names. But in the ultimate reality which transcends expression by characteristics extremes have been cut through. This is realization, the great spontaneous transcendence of mind. The Tantra of Self-Liberated Insight says: Beyond the dharmas of extremes and of defilements, Defilements of the four extremes are self-purified, In freedom from partialities of grasping.
(6) TYING THE KNOT OF UNOBSTRUCTED NAKEDNESS, THE ONE THAT LIBERATES ALL WITHOUT PASSING THE PASS: Appearance let loose1216 clearly appears as self-rising insight. Since its transparency is totally unobscured, And there is no division of external and internal, This is uncontrived resting within the natural state. Everything clearly appears as the space of dharmataa. 1217 Here both body and mind are naturally at rest,1218 Taking their rightful place on the seat of confidence.1219 Awareness is carefree1220 like that of a person with nothing to do. Neither too tight or loose,1221 leave body and mind at ease. If the insight of each individual person is without duality and so forth, this will liberate that person from bondage. One must conclude that this depends on solitary insight. Therefore, it is the one that liberates all. Solitary insight is dharmakaaya, the single dot of bindu. By realizing this all is liberated. Therefore, it is proper to call it the one that liberates all. When appearance let loose arises as transparent insight, do not contemplate it in terms of appearance and mind.1222 Recognize that solitary, unobstructed insight. The meaning of dharmataa will become clear. The spacious1223 confidence of being on one's own seat is the oral instruction for those who have already done all the work. 1224 Here is how to practice this. Unobstructed insight, awareness of its power, and the appearance of objects are unified. 1225 Awareness and the object that arises are not thought of as two. By recognizing that, single insight, object, and mind are liberated from the net. Just so, merely pulling out the pin of a pack harness causes the packs to be released. Pulling the central pin of a number of linked tethers causes them all to be released. 1226 The threefold production of object, awareness, and intellectualizations are conventionally called false conceptions. They are the dharmas of sa.msaara. By recognizing them as solitary insight, these three are liberated from the net, instantly awakened into freshness.1227 This is dharmataa, self-arising wisdom exhausting word and mind. That which is to be abandoned is sa.msaara. That which is to be gained is nirvaa.na. When they are fixated, there are those three, object, awareness and intellectualizations. The middle way between sa.msaara and nirvaa.na is free from antidotes of the mind of abandoning. This is called tying the knot of the ultimate point of insight arising without obstruction. 201
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY To sum up,1228 both outer appearance and inner awareness are released in total resting. In the middle way between them one ties the knot of the ultimate point of single, unobstructed awareness. The Khyungchen says: Wisdom is has no appearance and is free from emptiness. Not grasping, not sending away, it is uncorrupt in itself. Who will penetrate into this which is three in one?1229 The resplendent1230 means of resting, it is neither false nor true. Also it says there: Having exhausted karma, senses, word, and mind, Artificial corruptions have been cleared away That otherwise would be 1231 obstructions to both upaaya and prajñaa. Without the existence of dharmas, there is no need of fruition, Whose occurrence depends on dharmas becoming non-existent. The bondage of wishing for this again is cleared away. Relaxing within the freshness which is innate to that. The knot of the ultimate point of the heat of the natural state, Is tied in the middle between sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, When they have been released into being as they are. As for that in relation to which it is suitable 1232 to be the one thing that liberates all:
All that exists has its existence within oneself. However one rests,1233 one is resting within oneself. Wherever one goes, one is going within oneself. The space of enlightenment does not have any coming and going. The body of all the buddhas 1234 does not come and go. In a dream all the appearances of going, staying, and existence appear within one period of sleep. This happens even though sleep has no going, staying, and existing. Just so, all the dharmas of the phenomenal world of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, are appearances of the ground, luminous appearance of what does not exist. So are all appearances that in it many beings go, stay, and exist. They do not go beyond single insight. The essence, insight, is the master without coming and going. He does not move from his seat, the dharmakaaya of the victorious ones. The Künjé says: The environment and inhabitants of the phenomenal world, The suchness of sa.msaara as well as that of nirvaa.na, Do not go beyond the state of 1235 bodhicitta. When nothing goes beyond bodhicitta, that is peace.1236
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU It is taught that no expression by speech goes beyond the inexpressible state of insight. Insight's meaning is inexpressible: Whatever is spoken, it is spoken within oneself. Whatever may be expressed is expressed within oneself. Bodhicitta is not within what speech can express. That which is inexpressible by any speech Is the speech of all the victorious ones of all the three times. Speech in a dream does not go beyond sleep. Just so, no sounds are anything other than the state of insight. Insight is inexpressible purity as limitless as space. The Longdruk says: The words that say, “The two truths possess a common ground,” Are understood by the words, “Our minds are like a dream.” That is what it is like. Since memory and understanding do not go beyond bodhicitta, conceptualization and memory are actually groundless and rootless. Here is the teaching that the appearances of memory and understanding do not exist at all: Whatever is thought, that is thought within oneself. Whatever is examined, one examines oneself. Bodhicitta eternally has no thought or concept. That without any thought or any conceptualization Is the mind of all the victorious ones of all the three times. From the time that memory and understanding arise, they do not exist, like thoughts and memories in a dream. They grasp what does not exist as existing. This is called the activity of confused conceptualization by sentient beings. It does not go beyond insight. But insight is beyond the objects of memory and conceptualization. The wisdom of complete non-thought is the mind of the buddhas. It dwells free from the extremes of memory and conceptualization. The Finely-Set Jewel says: The mind of buddhahood is free from extreme conceptualizations of ego, and so it is called wisdom unencompassed by thought. When just this has been realized by the yogin, self-insight and the great transparency of the first buddha are attained within one. The confused appearance of sa.msaara is emptied. The Longdruk says: Arising from the wisdom of non-thought, By the oral instructions of resting without seeking, Eternal existence of the first buddha is gained. At that time confused appearance is purified. The sign of this is that dharmas are exhausted. By this very exhaustion sa.msaara is emptied.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY All appearances, sounds, and conceptualizations are nothing but solitary insight. Similarly, here is the teaching that trikaaya together with the buddha fields is solitary, self-arising insight: What arises is non-existent, and therefore nirmaa.nakaaya. This is realized1237 by itself, as being sambhogakaaya. As this has no real ground, it is therefore dharmakaaya. Trikaaya, the fruition, is self-existing space. The essence of insight transcends expression by characteristics. Things and characteristics have no ground. This is dharmakaaya. When transparency has been realized, insight into this state is the self-existing activity of realization of this very insight. Existing in its own place,1238 without being definitely fixated as anything,1239 the ground of self-luminosity is sambhogakaaya. The ceaseless arising of this luminous clarity as compassion is nirmaa.nakaaya. Thus, trikaaya is self-arising wisdom that is nothing other than insight itself. The Secret Illusion says: The wondrous kaayas and buddha fields are not something other. These themselves are the state of self-arising wisdom. Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na do not go beyond solitary insight. Therefore, this supremely profound main point is taught: If solitary insight is liberated, all sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are liberated in five ways . The essence of these, accompanied by examples, is taught in the Pearl Mala: As for insight, the state which is without obstruction, Since it has no cause by which it might grow confused, Therefore it is described as being irreversible. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Eternally liberated, it is above dependency. Self-liberated, it exhausts conditions of objects. Directly liberated, it is pure of appearance. Liberated from extremes, its four extremes have ceased. Single liberation, it is emptied of the many.
If conditions are liberated by conditions, I shall not depend upon conceptual dharmas. If objects are liberated by their being objects, I shall not depend on fixation and the grasper. If cause has been liberated by causes and conditions, I shall not depend on sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. If dharmas have been liberated by being dharmas, I shall not depend on words and conventionalities. If Mind itself is liberated by the mind, 204
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU I shall not depend on mark-creating mind.
As defilement is cleansed by defilement itself, Just so purity is liberated by purity. As poisons overcome poison, and iron is cut by iron, Stones are cut by stones, and wood is burned by wood, Liberation from one's enemy, oneself, is likewise liberation that is self-produced. 1240 Nothing is ever brought to the state of 1241 liberation By anything that is not of a kind in accord with it. With that, the discussion of the five manners of liberation and of the six kinds of binding1242 associated with them is completed. Now there are the detailed instructions for realizing the Space of dharmataa. From among them here are the teachings of
THE FIVE TIES THAT BIND LIBERATION FROM OBSTACLES OF DOUBTS AND CONCEPTUAL EXTREMES.1243 1) THE TIE THAT BINDS THE SPACE OF EQUALITYEQUANIMITY BEYOND THOUGHT AND EXPRESSION: From the state of the great Space which is bodhicitta itself, Discursive thoughts of memory do not arise at all.1244 The mind unmoved by the characteristics of awareness, Realizes the single dot of buddhahood.
In regard to the trio of essence, nature, and compassion, the true state of the essence is the nature of mind. It is the space of the dhaatu without memory and thought. It abides in all-pervading equality free from arising of hope and fear or entering into them. The Khyungchen says: Self-insight is above the level of non-meditation,1245 Free from sound and mind, field of perfection of all. What need has this itself for conceptualized contrivance? Also the Künjé says: 205
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Enlightenment, dharmataa, does not accept and reject. Since in its being it is like the space of the sky, It has no fabrications of body or of mind. It has no attachments and no fixations of perception. Therefore, it does not have any kind of meditation. Utterly peaceful, like space, it is free from all disturbance. It does not enter into objects in the least.1246 It is also free from entering concepts of intention. 2) THE TIE THAT BINDS THE GREAT EMPTINESS/LUMINOSITY OF INSIGHT: Enlightenment's nature is vast, like the circle of the sky. This is supreme meditation without any concept or memory. Not going beyond its own nature, it is never artificial.1247 Not thinking, it is free of intellectualization. Dharmataa as it is has none of the three times' changes.
If there are no false conceptions of emanating and gathering, That in itself is supremely excellent meditation. The nature of insight is luminosity. It is like the luminosity of the sun and moon shining without obscuration in the dome of the sky. Rest in the vivid self-luminosity of this nakedly revealed state without emanating and gathering discursive thoughts. Luminosity will be clear within the self-existing essence. The Khyungchen says: The pith is the wisdom of non-meditation, The naturalness with nothing artificial. Without any cause and free from all conditions, This is unobscured experience. It is the self-existing play of objects,1248 Of the single dot that is free from any effort, And never was produced by anyone, The essence that is perfect from all eternity. Discursive thought is opposite and contradictory to this self-existing clarity. But since there are no extremes, there is no place for discursiveness to be established. 1249 Therefore abide in the self-awakened nakedness of non-thought. This is the self-existing clarity of the nature. The Künjé says: This is beyond the scope 1250 of the marks of discursive thought.1251 Removing concepts by concepts, can never be completed, Like stirring up silt in water, when one is trying to remove it,1252 206
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Thinking that can be done 1253 is a childish misconception. 3) THE TIE THAT BINDS LIBERATION ON ARISING AS NAKEDNESS THAT EXCLUDES NOTHING:1254 Whoever rests in that suchness has the holy mind, The single dot of buddhahood, free from all characteristics. Motionless dharmadhaatu is all-pervading transcendence Of any kind of1255 fixation and concept whatsoever. The Space of the realization of the victorious ones Is the supremacy of the nature which is vast. Body and mind have abandoned the bondage of fabrications. All the discursive flickering of thought, desire, and memory Have been released1256 so that one is resting naturally. If one does not go beyond this resting in dharmataa, 1257 All is vast space, the realization of Samantabhadra. Ceaseless emanations arise from the clarity of insight as the flickering vibrations of discursiveness. Like waves on water, they are neither good nor bad. Recognize transparent insight as the great equality. When one examines1258 them, arising and liberation are simultaneous. The flickering of discursiveness is itself cessation. Recognizing the impossibility of birth, letting things arise as they will, is the great, main point. Do not think in terms of 1259 antidotes or pollute the place of arising with them. Then there will the accomplishment of liberation without abandoning and antidotes. The Khyungchen says: By existing, ceasing; by flickering, pure as they are. Seen to be non-existent, they need not be abandoned; They are as they are, one need not awaken in any way. There are no levels at all. Only this exists. There is nowhere1260 one could enter, nowhere to go beyond. Also the Künjé says: Do not examine what is beyond examination. Do not fabricate suchness transcending all fabrication Whatever is done, whatever appears is dharmataa. To Rest without thought in the nature is taught to be liberation. Here, the arising of flickering discursiveness is not viewed as a fault. It may be asked whether this does not contradict the explanation that insight is without discursive thought. That is a very strange question, but having been told only this many of the particulars, people still may not understand. If they are great fools and hear this without good fortune, they will burn. If I replied, “It is secret,” wouldn't that be so? Nevertheless, if one explains it clearly, flickering emanation arises from the power of compassion. It is mounted1261 on the wind-horse of discursive thought. Let this rest by chokshak . Do not follow after it, or 207
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY look into it. Recognize it as transparent, naked insight; unobstructed, naked, continuous wakefulness.1262 Then the great clarity of luminosity is guarded. That was a description of the means of resting in the essence, nature, and compassion. Now there are the teachings of clearing away of obstacles1263to realizing the vastness of dharmataa. Here is the teaching of clearing away of obstacles to the ceaseless arising of the power and play as pure and equal unity beyond mind: Not grasping, not sending away, with strings not too loose or tight,1264 Let self-accomplished suchness go free as it naturally is.1265 All-pervading and all-encompassing motionlessness, It is Space with neither vastness nor constraint. If1266 thoughts and memories rise and are pacified by themselves, The space of Vajrasattva has been realized. If one does not wander from the empty and luminous essence of insight, what arises freely from its power is taught to be without fault. If one does not let a crystal slip from one's hand, it will display the five lights, radiating in all directions. This is not contradictory with its nature. Though one should not try to hold freeranging awareness within any one state, do not wander from the transparency of its ground of arising, unobstructed insight. Someone may think, “But doesn't one wander by letting it radiate 1267 as it likes?” In fact, wandering is impossible. The wind of praa.na emanates and is gathered back into insight. The radiant manifestations return. The power dissolves back into the ground and is liberated. This is because it is not something separate from the unobstructed essence of the single bindu. It is included within that essence. The Künjé says: As dharmadhaatu is one, there is no crossing over. There is no such thing as wandering away From being associated with the essential heart. Outside of the all-inclusive state of the single bindu, There is nowhere for anything to be emanated. Dharmadhaatu is the nature of realization and non-realization, bondage and liberation. Now there is 4) THE TIE THAT BINDS FREEDOM FROM OBSTACLES If one does not wander from the Space of the uncreated, The realm of concept and memory1268 is also dharmataa. If one has fabricated entanglements of purpose, Even dharmataa, vast non-thought like the sky, Will be entangled within the net of characteristics. Transcendence gained by meditating day and night Will simply be attachment to the state of bondage. That is samaadhi like the experience of1269 the gods That is the teaching spoken by the Victorious One. 208
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Therefore, with the unwandering mind that annihilates effort, Letting things be as they are, beyond fixation and effort, Is an instruction taught to be of the greatest importance. If we do not realize the pith, it is difficult to travel on the path. One- pointed meditation on mind will be mixed with characteristics. There will be fixation and attachment to them, and desire the experiences of bliss, luminosity, and non-thought. Then our samaadhi will be the same as the meditation of the gods. Guided by this alone, one cannot raise oneself above sa.msaara. A chapter of the Holy Collection of Samaadhi says:1270
Regarding supreme steadfastness of samaadhi, If one becomes attached to such experience, Then this is considered childish behavior. It does not lead one to the state of nirvaa.na. When the yogin realizes unobstructed insight, awareness may enter into the objects of insight's power of manifestation. But even so, they do not go beyond the essence of dharmataa. Therefore, awareness too does not go beyond realization of self-existing dharmataa. The Künjé says: This is the view that liberates thoughts just as they are. By means of unseeking, unwandering resting within the nature, All is self-rising self-liberation as it is. Here, to sum up the main points, the deliberately fabricated view and meditation of the gods should be known as a dharma having characteristics. It is ordinary non-fabrication. It wanders away from non-conceptual awareness of unobstructed insight into awareness of objects. Therefore, it should be known as sa.msaaric conceptualization. Within transparent insight, do not dwell in the adulteration1271 of hope and fear. Do not wander from the realization of limitless non-obstruction. 1272 That should be known as the non-dual realization of the victorious ones. The same tantra says: Kye! The essence of teachers is the doer of all, the King. This is dharmataa without meditation and thought. To Rest unthinking within subsidence is sa.msaara. Seeking and meditating is the conceptual path. 1273 The doer of all does not teach that there will be liberation By resting in such a samaadhi that has both hope and fear.1274 When dualistic bonds are cut1275 by realization, That produces the resting of ultimate equality. As that is compatible with anything at all,1276 Realization of me, the doer of all, is spontaneous. Also it says there:
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Thus, regarding the essence of non-meditation, By mindfulness that does not give in to wandering It will come to be grasped. That is the oral instruction. Having cleared away the obstacles to the essence of realization beyond mind, now there is
5) THE TIE THAT BINDS TRANSCENDENCE OF EMANATING AND GATHERING MEMORY AND THOUGHT: Since self-rising wisdom has no bias or partiality, It cannot be indicated by saying, “This is it.” All complexities are at peace within this nature. Intellectualizations have therefore been abandoned. Train in the groundless ultimate, known as the great vastness. The essence of insight is free from the extremes of complexity. It is important for the yogin desiring enlightenment that the path too does not go beyond the essence. if ground and path are not in harmony, one will not attain the fruition. Realization of unobstructed insight is simply not going beyond the sphere of the pure nature, and not meditating on objects for some particular purpose. It is also realization of self-arising wisdom. Regarding the liberation of non-renunciation, the completion of the great perfection, the Khyungchen says: The ceaseless appearance of the objects of the nature, Exists as the footprints of the essential heart of things.1277 Therefore do not try to1278 examine these empty objects. Left exactly as they are, they are liberated. Free from all extremes, as they are in themselves, They are pure of the residue of former births. Also the Künjé says: Kye! Yogins having the fortune to enter all at once When1279 the doer of all, the King, has been displayed, Should be mindful of that Space of realization. By that they will get accustomed to their being there.1280 Not meditating on this, not entering into it: Are doctrines that should be taught to those who are like this. 6) THE TIE THAT BINDS FREEDOM FROM OBSTRUCTIONS OF LABELING WITHIN THE SINGLE DOT OF SIMPLE INSIGHT: Dharmataa, the single dot, is self-risen wisdom. 210
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The view of the single dot, is free from extremes of complexity. As for the meditation of the single dot, It is without any taking or leaving, going or coming. As for the state of the action of the single dot, It has no duality of accepting and rejecting. As for the fruition of the single dot, It is free from duality of abandoning and attaining. This is spontaneous, self-arising realization. These are the conventional classifications of the transparent essence of insight, the single dot of bindu. Because its essence is transparent, it is called the single dot of dharmakaaya. When this is seen from the viewpoint of freedom from extremes, it is the view of freedom from extremes of the great perfection. In realizing the self-nature of this, there is no awareness of taking and leaving, emanating and gathering, or coming and going. This clarity of non-thought is meditation on the single dot of luminosity. Within this there is no fabricated duality of accepting and rejecting. This self-awakening from accepting and rejecting is the single dot of non-dual action. In the essence of this there are neither sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. Therefore, without abandoning or attaining and hope and fear, it is the single dot of fruition. The Sengé says: The action transcends both fixation and desire. The meditation transcends both leaving and taking. The view transcends partiality and bias. The fruition is free from1281 abandoning and attaining. Because the obstacles to everything being self-arising wisdom have been cleared away, there is 7) THE TIE THAT BINDS THE EQUAL GROUND, THE GREAT VASTNESS: The vessel and the essence of the phenomenal world, Every dharma of1282 sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, Exists within the primordial state of dharmataa. There is no going beyond this self-arising wisdom, So it should be realized that everything rests in the ground. In a dream, a variety of things appear, and there is the apparent passing of months, years, and kalpas. But these do not go beyond self-insight. They have no existence aside from appearing as they do. Just so, all the appearances of the phenomenal world of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, and the appearance that a long time has passed, do not go beyond the essence, the space of the dhaatu. Therefore, the primordial state should be known to be changeless. The Instruction on the Perfect Buddha Qualities of the Great Power1283 says: All of the dharmas existing in the phenomenal world, 211
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY And within states of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, Are primordially the self-arising state of wisdom. The motionless power of that is spontaneously perfected. It is empty experience without reality. That completes the discussion of the five 1284 ties that bind that bring liberation from obstacles of doubt and conceptual extremes. Now, from the discussion of the
THE THREE TIES THAT BIND1285 BY WHICH ONE PASSES THE PASS INTO THE SELF-EXISTING, LUMINOUS CLARITY OF THE OCEAN 1) GRASPING THE MOTIONLESS GREAT EQUALITY AS IT IS: When dharmas appear to be a variety of objects, Not conceiving, “this is classified as that,” Letting them rest just as they are spontaneously, Without the addition or the removal of anything, They will naturally dwell in the equal Space of dharmataa. When there is the clear self-nature of insight, the ceaseless vividness of the way things appear rests in dharmataa. Self-insight does not emanate or gather anything. The Khyungchen says: Since all dharmas are unobscured1286 and free from complexity, This is the great main point that they are liberated Without any need for action exactly as they are. When causation has ceased, and conditions have subsided, And even the fruition is worn out and exhausted, When there is no reliance on anything at all, The point is, there is Space, the one that liberates everything. Also the Künjé says: What is without any manner of resting in this way Left resting unsought as it is, will be in meditation. 2) GRASPING THE LEVEL1287 OF SELF-LUMINOUS, TRANSPARENT NAKEDNESS: Regarding all the phenomena which have made an appearance As objects of the energies of white and red, 1288 Not collecting the senses, not moving the eyes about, Neither contemplating oneself, nor thinking about another, One should rest in self-existing luminosity, 212
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The all-pervading evenness of the great vastness itself. 1289
With body unmoving in the vajraasana, with unmoving eyes, rest directly in clarity. Let objects appear in the unhindered variety of luminosity, as reflections rise within a clear ocean. The mind is within non-thought, so emanating and gathering are cut off by themselves. Let insight rest within transparency. The Heap of Precious Stones says: Now this itself is called1290 the essence of insight, Abiding in unobstructed transparency. Just so, within a clear ocean, for example , The planets and stars appear, But never hide it. Variety too is the great transparency. 3) ALL-PERVADING AND ENCOMPASSING VASTNESS, LIBERATION FROM THE NET,1291 IS GLORIFIED:1292 Having aroused that vastness,1293 it should be glorified. The mind is entirely free from emanating and gathering. In the vision of self-rising wisdom, where everything is equal, Without any outside, inside, or anything in between, The experience will arise of being mixed with the sky. Then samaadhi, the luminous bliss of simplicity, rises. Just recognize this, without meditating on anything in particular. The upper body is straight. The gaze is even, and the eyes are directed into the distance, beyond the space of confused appearance of here and there. Let insight expand into vastness.1294 Leave the five gates free-floating. 1295 When all these things have been done, meditate by going into evenness without outer, inner, or anything in between. Then there will be the experience of mixing body and space. This is experience of the great transparency unhindered by conceptualization, experience of transparently naked insight. Regard all appearances as the brightly sparkling evanescence of transparency. 1296 Regard transparent, trackless awareness as complete evenness.1297 Everything is transparently liberated from the net. Emptiness has cut through extremes. Regard this as the state of nothing whatever from which everything arises. If we search for this conceptually, examining and thinking about it, we shall not find it. It will not be able to arise, even if it has arisen formerly. No conceptions should be present. Do not entertain many discursive thoughts, thinking, “what is this?” and so forth. Then experience of transparency will arise in a way beyond expression. The Sengé says: The self-existing samaadhi is realization Where everything rests within the state of chokshak . The experience of insubstantiality, Is the principal one of all the ma.n.dalas. Unchanging in its self-awakened state, The object of dharmataa is only this. 213
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The resplendent, single experience of non-thought Is free from concepts of examining mind. It is the great reason of the secret mantra. This is the end of the discussion of the three ties that bind, by which one passes the pass into the insight of non-meditation. Now there are the teachings of clearing away extreme conceptualizations of doubt by
THE ORNAMENTS1298 OF THE FIVE GREAT DISCRIMINATIONS. 1) THE DISCRIMINATION OF BEING PURE OF THE CONFUSED APPEARANCE OF SA.MSAARA BY RESTING WITHIN THE VISION OF SELF-ARISING:
Rest in the ground, the vision of motionless dharmataa; Simplicity without inner and outer, fixation and grasper. With no attachment of mind to so-called objects as other, No dharmas are grasped, and one is free from all attachment To appearances of the vessel and essence of the world. 1299 There is no birth of sa.msaaric objects. They are like space. The essence of self-insight is without grasping. Since the appearances of play have not been grasped as objects, insight is not obscured by external appearance. 2) THE DISCRIMINATION OF BEING WITHOUT THE BIRTH OF SA.MSAARIC OBJECTS: Since mind is not conceived as being an inner “self,” And dharmas of a grasper are totally1300 nonexistent, False concepts of the phenomenal world are pacified. The understanding of things that has given birth to sa.msaara Is completely cut through by that,1301 down to the very root. This is the time when confusions of outer and inner dharmas Are utterly nonexistent, like the space of the sky. 1302 Because they are not conceptualized in any way, They arrive at the state of1303 realization of dharmakaaya. On reaching 1304 the ground of exhaustion, there is no coming and going. That universal Space is 1305 the field of Samantabhadra. The highe st1306 palace of dharmakaaya is attained.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU By not grasping what arises from the power as inner mind, karma and the kleshas are emptied. The giver of birth to sa.msaara, the one who enters into confusion, does not exist. Therefore, the grasper of awareness and appearance is liberated. The castle of grasping and fixation collapses. When confused appearance and the fixator of confusion are emptied, transparent insight becomes manifest. One reaches the level of the exhaustion of dharmataa. One reaches the buddha field of Samantabhadra. This is called establishing the reign of the King of dharmataa. When insight is free from mind, it is free from the confused appearance and incidental aspects1307 of mind. Because it is free from producing obscurations, it does not move from the single dot of buddhahood. Therefore, it manifests1308 as the essence of buddhahood. When insight is associated with mind, one is called a “sentient being.” When insight is free from mind, one is called a buddha. The Pearl Mala says: The divisions of mind as well as all divisions of wisdom, Ought to be well known by those who are learned ones. As for mind, mind is the ground of all the vaasanaas. It is what is defiled in those who have a body. It is the grasping mind that is the fixator of objects. Therefore, it is the very nature1309 of sa.msaara. If one is free from mind, that is the level of buddhahood. Defilements of embodied beings have been exhausted. As for animate beings, they are animated by mind. They could never be animated without this. Therefore beings spin like a wheel in their confusion. When fixating mind has no fixated object, the five-fold luminous appearance of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch appear without the karma and ripened kleshas of the ego-fixating mind. Without objects and mind, the fixated objects and grasping mind of sentient beings in sa.msaara are like the apparent arising of experiences of fixation and a grasper in a dream. The Sengé says: Because of unawareness, which is a childish state, One persistently makes a knot in empty1310 space. The non-appearance of objects is fixated as appearance. Non-existence of oneself or any other Is fixated as the confusion of both self and other. Insight without mind makes the single dot of wisdom into the path. When there is dharmakaaya free from mind, the main point has been established. Other approaches make mind into the path. Therefore, they do not transcend the state of a sentient being. They never attain buddhahood. It may be asked whether the unobstructed arising of mind, and liberation of whatever arises, the aspect of compassion, are not made into a path by us. We reply as follows: The aspect of compassion does not go beyond its own place. That place is the ground of arising, unobstructed insight. Because we say that, the conceptual aspect, which has arisen as mind from the power, is never made into a path.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY When insight rests in the essence, mind is self-awakened whenever it arises. That has already been said. Mind has the root of confusion and of ignorant fixation of a self-nature of objects. If one stays in unity and does not follow after external objects, one will not be harmed1311 by them. One will not come in contact with such exaggerations. Then transparent wisdom of non-thought, free from the mind of ego-conception, will be made into the path. The Sengé says: The mind of sentient beings arises as duality. As for the appearance of mind and its ignorance, The grasper grasps as objects that which has no objects. But Insight whose appearance is the appearance of wisdom Is free from being defiled by any concepts of ego. It has no hope for existence of anything at all. 1312 It has awakened from any doubts about non-existence. The Noble Sutra on Heaping up the Three Jewels1313 says: Free from mind, and intellect and consciousness, But not eliminating resting in samaadhi, This what is said of the mind of the Tathaagatas. It cannot be encompassed by the mind of discursive thought. Also the Prasannapadaa says: There continuous complexities of mind and mental contents are cut off. The Madhaymakaavataara, says: The cessation of mind is manifested by the kaayas. The point made in these quotations, but not penetrated by the ordinary minds of today, is partlessness. The explanation of this, which is like opening one's eyes is the treasury of the king of vehicles. 3) DISCRIMINATION OF INSIGHT ON ITS OWN SEAT FROM ONE-POINTED SHAMATHA: If insight of the present does not move from the ground, By becoming familiar with this, sa.msaara will be emptied. 1314 It is free from karma and vaasanaas that take rebirth. When one has passed the pass of cause and its effect, Sa.msaara then is said to be equal to nirvaa.na. Dwelling neither within the world nor yet in peace, This is known as reaching the essence of enlightenment.1315 Distinguishing this from one -pointed shamatha is important. This is the vision of the nature of mahaasandhi. 216
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Insight resting on its own seat is transparent nakedness. This should be distinguished from one-pointed shamatha, resting without following after concepts. By becoming familiar with insight, the karma and vaasanaas which take rebirth are exhausted. This is the cessation of mind and the arising of the buddha qualities. By becoming familiar with the freedom from mind of insight, the freedom from mind which is ultimate dharmakaaya will manifest. All insight is one. It is free from mind and does not go beyond the ground. Through interdependent arising, by experiencing this time and time again,1316 the fruition will manifest. Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are the play of the power of manifestation. They are the appearances of the ground. When they arise they are equal as luminous appearances of what does not exist. When there is insight free from mind, they are also equal in that their natures are not established. Explaining that sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are equal because they are non-dual in insight, the Sengé says: As for Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, How can they be labeled as two? Also the Explanation of Bodhicitta 1317 says: Between sa.msaara and nirvaa.na There is not the least distinction. Also the Abhisamayaala.mkaara says: “Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are not two.”
4) DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN AALAYA AND DHARMAKAAYA: To go beyond this is sa.msaaric intellectualization. In that there is cause and effect. It does not pass the pass. Beings who are in error go ever lower and lower. Therefore, as for the ultimate, secret, great perfection It does not go beyond the state of spacious ness, And all its powers 1318 are included in the ground. Motionless realization abides in that equality.
The essence of insight is like a mirror. Its power is like the clarity of the mirror. From that the play of manifestation arises, like reflections in a mirror. When play arises, it does not move from the essence of insight, dharmakaaya. So this too is dharmakaaya. AAlaya is a neutral1319 kind of non-thought. It does not realize unobstructed insight. If one rests in aalaya, samaadhi is obscured by accumulations of the karma of the higher realms and so forth. From this 217
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY state the aalaya-consciousness (aalayavijñaana) and the consciousnesses of the objects of the six senses, including the mind-sense, arise. When this has occurred, the sense awarenesses reach out and touch their objects.1320 By that the unobstructed1321 karma of sa.msaara is accumulated. In brief, all the dharmas of sa.msaara, depend on aalaya. if the yogin does not distinguish dharmakaaya and aalaya, the root of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na will not be cut through. It has been said that, in this case, all Dharmas that are practiced merely add to sa.msaara by trying to eliminate it. Dharmakaaya is the revealed nakedness of unobstructed insight. It is the simplicity of emptiness/luminosity. It is not dependent on karma and vaasanaas. Its essence is emptiness, which is dharmakaaya. Its nature is luminosity, which is sambhogakaaya. The ceaseless arising of its compassion is nirmaa.nakaaya. The essence of aalaya is neutral non-thought, which is like formless awareness. It is at the level of ignorance. Its nature, aalayavijñaana, is the ground of arising of the sense consciousnesses. Instead1322 of compassion, there is awareness of objects of the six senses, and the subject that fixates them as objects. At the level of these much sa.msaaric karma is heaped up. If one is familiar with meditation on aalaya, it is mainly formless. If one is familiar with aalayavijñaana, there is form. The awarenesses of the six senses distinguish the confusions of desire. Thus there are these three:
1. aalaya, 2. the mere clarity and non-thought of the awareness of aalayavijñaana, 3. the arising of the conceptual awareness of the six senses Meditation on these and all guarding of these as liberation of what arises does not go beyond the three worlds. In ati yoga, the root, dharmakaaya, is attained. This is done by recognizing transparent insight. By not having hope of meditating in the non-thought of shamatha, aalaya is eliminated. By not making clarity and clarity meditation into a path, aalayavijñaana is eliminated. By not making the external arising of thoughts into a path, the awarenesses of the six senses are eliminated. One abides continually in the wisdom of trikaaya, dharmakaaya, sambhogakaaya, and nirmaa.nakaaya. Insight occurs as emptiness with no established essence at all. This is resting in the wisdom of dharmakaaya. Transparency and the luminosity accompanying it are the wisdom of sambhogakaaya. Realization of the ground of ceaseless arising as unobstructed insight is the wisdom of nirmaa.nakaaya. The main point is that insight must always be revealed in transparent nakedness. If it is not revealed unobstructedly, we shall not be liberated from awareness of the three worlds. We shall not be led from the sa.msaaric state to anything more illuminated or exalted than before. Therefore, aalaya and dharmakaaya must be distinguished. The essence of aalaya is being the receptacle of the vaasanaas. Its definition is that aalaya is the ground of all the dharmas of sa.msaara. Since it is the ground of these, it is known as aalaya, in Tibetan 1323 kün shii, the ground of all. There are three divisions:1324 1) aalaya of body is the beginningless vaasanaas that appear as a body and the arising from that basis of the collections of the individual body. 1325 2) The aalaya of ultimate joining is the ignorance that is the support of collecting the skandhas and so forth, all the karmas that join one to sa.msaara.1326 218
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 3) The ultimate eternal aalaya is the support of beginningless ignorance pervading all the dharmas of sa.msaara.1327
The essence of dharmakaaya is transparent insight without complexity. Its proper definition is being the ultimate essence of the true dharmas of the pure relative.1328 The support is called “kaaya.” Its three divisions, essence, nature, and compassion, exist as trikaaya. Therefore, it is three-fold. The Thaljur says: From the main points concerning dharmakaaya and aalaya This is the brief explanation of the ground of aalaya. It is the ground of all dharmas, as well as all non-dharmas. The defining feature of its essence is having division. Its essence is to be the receptacle of the vaasanaas. The divisions are body and joining, eternal ground and variety. 1329 As for the definition, “kun,” is collection of karma. “shi,” has the meaning of heaping up and accumulation. As for dharmakaaya it is simplicity, It does not have ordinary characteristics of grasping. Inseparable emptiness-luminosity is its essence. The divisions, are dharma- sambhoga- and nirmaa.na- kaaya. When it is divided, it has these three distinctions. The definition of “dharma,” is the path of purity. The meaning of “kaaya,” is what is established by this. Also the Pearl Mala says: AAlaya, has the function of accumulation. Dharmakaaya is the exhaustion of defilements, As Emptiness/luminosity and pervading luminosity, It is not stained by thought, and is awakened from memory; Likewise it is free from all1330 complexity. Like the sky, it is all-pervading and it is empty. Pure by itself, it is freedom from all characteristics. With cause and condition, aalaya, which is like a pond, Has for its function accumulation of vaasanaas, As for dharmakaaya, it is free from vaasanaas. From the collective karma of mind and intellect 219
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Many aalayas of body come forth into appearance. In dharmakaaya, which is free from mind and such, There is no appearance of many forms of body. It should be known that an extensive treatment of this is to be found in my1331 the Ösel Rinpoche Dzö, The Precious Treasury of Luminosity. Here are the main points about mind and wisdom. The essence of mind is confused conceptuality. The defining characteristic is that by thinking of objects there is mind. The divisions are pure, non-conceptual mind on the side of liberation and the impure mind of sa.msaaric conceptualization. The essence of wisdom is awareness of the aspect of dharmakaaya. This is the recognition of returning to insight. The defining characteristic is that it is awareness that dharmakaaya has existed like that eternally. Therefore, it is wisdom, literally in tibetan “eternal awareness.” The divisions are these: 1) The three wisdoms of abiding in the ground:1332 the essence, nature, and compassion. 2) The wisdoms grasping characteristics. These are the five wisdoms, the dharmadhaatu wisdom and the others. 3) The wisdoms pervading all objects are two, wisdom of nature and wisdom of extent.1333 The Thaljur says: As for the central points concerning mind and wisdom, Confused conceptualization is designated as mind. The essence of mind is that it enters and pervades. It is the ground of experience of memory and thought. The divisions are the pure and that which is impure. The definition: from thinking, the objects of memory rise. “Where” and “who” are mind. “What” and “why” are mind. That which is known as Wisdom is not a conceptual object. The essence, self-luminosity, is the heart of the meaning. The divisions of this have been maintained to be three-fold. The characteristic 1334 of wisdom is that it is eternal. Knowing in that way is what is meant by wisdom. Also the Pearl Mala says: As for mind it arises through gathering and collecting, By means of defilement and by purity being polluted. If mind and so forth are collected in the aalaya, Then there is the list of various defilements. The divisions of mind as well as all divisions of wisdom, 220
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Ought to be well known by those who are learned ones. As for mind, mind is the ground of all the vaasanaas. It is what is defiled in those who have a body. It is the grasping mind that is the fixator of objects. Therefore, it is the very nature of sa.msaara. If one is free from mind, that is the level of buddhahood. Defilements of embodied beings have been exhausted. As for animate beings, they are animated by mind. They could never be animated without this. Therefore beings spin like a wheel in their confusion. As for the mind itself,1335 since it is free of movement, Being so, it is not like material things. Awareness and insight shine, producing luminosity. All conceptualizations here are burned away. Wisdom consumes them, blazing like a raging1336 fire. Therefore, it is as limitless1337 as the sky itself. All is joined with the insight of emptiness-luminosity. Therefore, it is taught that wisdom is appearance. By means of its self-arising inseparable compassion All dharmas, pervaded and totally guided,1338 are perfected. As for memory, there is no such thing as memory. Wisdom is totally free from being grounded in memory. As for wisdom, this is how it is said to be: There is pure wisdom of abiding in the ground That which grasps characteristics, and those that are all pervading. 1339 The extensive explanation of the details should be realized in accord with the teachings of my1340 Thekchok Rinpoche Dzö, the Treasury of the Supreme Vehicle. Thus, the distinctions between aalaya and dharmakaaya, and mind and wisdom, have been ascertained. The main point of discriminating the essential heart-drop of the great perfection is very important. Therefore, it is important to distinguish it according to its divisions. Among these is ascertaining 5) THE DISTINCTION OF THE GREAT PERFECTION FROM CAUSE AND EFFECT: Within this there are no cause and effect, no making and seeking. It is without any view, meditation, and the rest. With neither center or limit, though it is called cessation, It is nonsense 1341 to say it comes from another or goes to one. 221
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY But since many phenomenal worlds arise from1342 its power of play, One should never say, “there is no cause and effect.” When one has looked upon absolute truth, by resting in the naked essence of dharmakaaya, the transparent essence of wisdom exists without the ten natures. It does not have cause and effect, accepting and rejecting, act and seeking, and so forth. 1343 But many consciousnesses arise from aalaya and its power. When this occurs, the dharmas of sa.msaara appear as variety, together with their associated false conceptions. To say that these are without cause, effect, and so on is like the nihilistic view of the lokaayatas.1344 The relative dharmas of sa.msaara arise interdependently. They appear from the illusion-like power of causes and conditions. If you ask how they appear, their interdependent arising from assembled conditions is beyond reckoning and thought. That the confused appearance of sa.msaara is also peace and bliss also transcends reckoning and thought. All this is the interdependent arising of assembled causes and conditions. The pure field and its bliss, as well as the impure field and its suffering, are as extensive as space. All appearances are like illusion. Each arises interdependently from its own cause and conditions. Without essence, they are empty. Apparent phenomena appear by the force of interdependent arising. Just so, horses and elephants appear from illusion-producing mantras and substances. The Noble Suutra of the Complete Collection of Precious Qualities1345 says: The nature of the realm of the sky, this too is limitless. Prajñaa that guides us in the world, this too is limitless. The nature of the realm of beings, this too is limitless. Also the Samaadhiraaja Suutra says: Accumulations produced by karma will never vanish. In sa.msaara, the white and black fruitions ripen. This particular pith is very important. The Sutra Heaping up the three jewels, says:
From virtuous karma blissful experience will arise. Many limitless buddha fields will thus be seen. From non-virtuous karma experience of suffering rises. Beings of the lower realms dwell within blazing fire. As for the distinction involved in thus passing the pass of cause and fruition:1346 Just as if one should ponder the nature 1347 of all things, It has no existence any way or anywhere, When making this into the path, one does not move from the nature. That vision without conceptions of anything sees1348 the essence. On reaching that final fruition, 1349 nothing is obscured. The vision of dharmakaaya is the wisdom of the absolute within itself. At the very time of realizing this, sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, cause and effect, and so forth do not exist at all. All complexities are completely 222
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU pacified. There is nothing to establish or clear away. Since this very nature is without karma, it is like annihilating sa.msaara. Never moving from this is passing the pass into the great exhaustion1350 of cause and effect. This is said to transcend virtue and evil deeds, and cause and effect. If there were still the confusions of otherness1351 of cause and effect, undesirable sa.msaaric consequences would arise. By the combination of warmth and moisture with a seed a sprout arises. Just so, the aspect of confusion comes forth as something external1352 from the nature. In that case, there cannot be the union of yoga. Until the stabilization of insight is completed, it is very important not to be deceived by evil conditions. Therefore, it is supremely important to train in the power of transparent insight. The Pearl Mala says: Regarding this state of things, the perfect buddhas Do not go anywhere beyond its essence. The Sengé says: Dharmakaaya, non-thought, is self-wakened meditation. Without the conceptual objects, one realizes what one is. Not adding or taking away, this is the great samaadhi. By these quotations, the discussion of the ties that bind, and the five great distinctions that clear away strayings, obscurations, and faults is completed. The four means of resting, three samaadhis, and twentytwo key points1353 constitute the twenty-nine dharmas of binding. 1354 These are truly important. They are taught to be the three certain ennailments that produce non-moving from the main point. Now as for the inclusion of the meaning of these in dharmataa, beyond cause and effect, production and seeking: This great Space of kleshas, karma, and vaasanaas, Without any kind of ground or1355 any kind of support, Is playing the game of the emanations of illusion. One should be liberated from this state of things,1356 Passing the pass away from cause and its effect. There is no way1357 to do so that is better than this. Therefore, not going beyond1358 dharmataa is most important. This itself is the Space of my profound heart message. It is everything, and it is nothing at all. Transcending “is” and “is not” is therefore most important. Sa.msaara is the dreamlike confusions of cause and effect from which we must now be liberated. Its cause is karma. Its conditions are the kleshas. If these pass the pass, there will not be the fruition, sa.msaara. Just so, if there is no seed, its fruition, the sprout, will not arise. The fruition is produced after the cause. This is like stopping the cause in order to eliminate the fruition,1359 sa.msaara: All dharmas have their rising from a cause. This cause was taught by the tathaagata, 223
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY And that which is the cessation of this cause As for erroneous means of stopping cause and effect, the profound nature of the great perfection does not have them. The proper way of doing this is not to move from dharmataa, the realization of self-arising wisdom. Here it is very important to transcend the fixated extremes of hope and fear. The Künjé says: To wish for bliss is the sickness of desire. By being without wanting, bliss will be received. And as for establishment of buddhahood, Nothing of the kind has been established. Abiding within the nature is self-existing. It is not something that one has to seek. Then do not try to conceptualize the existence Of this, the nature that does not need to be sought. So it has been said. This chapter teaches the topic of the true piths within the practice. The key points summarized1360 here are very important.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU
This is the commentary on the eleventh chapter of The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu
“CONDITIONED APPEARANCES ARE THE PURE EQUALITY OF SPACE.1361”
What follows is an accompaniment to the previous teachings about realization of the great resting.
THE GREAT NAILS OF SPACE Now there is the important instruction of the self-subsiding of conditioned appearances into purity. 1) THE GREAT NAIL OF SPACE1362 THAT LIBERATES WHATEVER IS ENCOUNTERED JUST AS IT IS: All is the limitless,1363 single space of bodhicitta. By grasping this as duality, it will be confused With the cause and effect that are found within the sa.msaaric realm. 1364 Confused, unsupported appearance is appearance of illusion. Whatever is encountered, guard it in tracklessness. Leave no peg on which to hang an account of it.1365 Objects that meet or encounter awareness, when they come together with it, are recognized as self-resting, unobstructed awareness. This has formerly been called chokshak , and direct resting. This is self-liberation in dharmakaaya nakedly as it is. It is accomplished by letting things go into self-resting. The Pearl Mala says: Ultimately steadfast, changeless dharmataa Is self-liberating self-experience.1366 Its nature, self-purified, manifests its own face.1367 225
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY It is chokshak , directly resting, and self-resting. 2) THE NAIL OF SPACE OF TRAINING IN UNFAVORABLE1368 CONDITIONS AS THE POWER OF INSIGHT: The mind that tries to get rid of sudden1369 unwished for events Unhappy and angry, burns with quarrelsome jealousy. If the mind1370 of sadness rises, the mind is hot1371 with suffering. With such results 1372 as the death and destruction of sentient beings. Recognize these when they arise from the power of play. Do not reject or accept. Do not discipline 1373 or transform. Do not have a view, and do not me ditate. Within the self-occurring, single totality1374 One should come spontaneously to a state of rest.1375 Free from the emanation and gathering of perception, 1376 The pure and trackless sky of the mind of self-subsiding Arises within in all its vigor and luminous clarity. 1377 When strong attachments such as anger, quarrelsomeness, and hatred arise in an unhappy mind, do not reject them like the shraavakas. Do not discipline them with antidotes like the bodhisattvas. Do not transform them into wisdom like those who have reached the mantrayaana. Do not accept them for the sake of such a transformation, like some who follow the Semdé.1378 Do not make the essence into a view, like some. Do not meditate on this state. Recognize the unobstructed insight of this time as naked and pure. Unhappiness will subside by itself and go away. Then the great clarity,1379 the unobstructed luminosity of insight, will arise. The Heap of Precious Stones says: When the suffering of beings has been experienced, My bliss is also self-arising at that time.1380 At that time, if there is inseparable joy and sorrow, That is how my buddha qualities are perfected. Since what appears is liberated on being encountered, there is 3) THE NAIL OF SPACE THAT CLEANSES THE GROUND OF REJECTING AND ANTIDOTES: The vacant quarters 1381 of insight have neither “is” or “is not.” By encountering appearance here without any reference point, It will settle itself1382 in this state without fixation. It will subside, without any need of liberation. It will be trackless, with nothing established or negated. There will be natural rising from within oneself1383 Of experience without fixation and attachment. This itself revealing itself1384 in just this way Is the Space of realization, the vas tness of eternity. 226
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Whatever objects appear, do not view them from the viewpoint of negation or establishment. Do not meditate on this state. Do not seek the middle way. By simply recognizing unobstructed insight, they will be liberated in dharmataa. This is being eternally without bondage. It is what is conventionally called liberation. By seeing the pith of non-obstruction,1385 there is liberation in non-obstruction. By seeing the eternal purity of the essence, there is eternal liberation. By the directness of self-resting, there is the liberation of things as they are. By the subsidence of appearances directly in the place where they arise, there is direct liberation. By realizing that they are groundless, there is nothing that is not liberated. This is the liberation of complete liberation. When they arise, their birth is already liberation. This is instantaneous liberation. Whatever conditioned appearances appear or arise are harmless for the yogin of the great perfection. By seeing the main point, one passes the pass into the irreversibility of dharmataa. The Thaljur says: Moreover, explaining the dharmataa of liberation, Since there is liberation by means of the main point, Establishing by effort is totally exhausted. 1386 Since there is liberation from all eternity, There is no need for it to be produced again. 1387 Since there is self-liberation, there are no antidotes.
Since there is liberation directly when things arise,1388 They subside on the very1389 level where they are seen. Since liberation is perfect, the nature is perfectly pure. Since time is liberated, this need not be cultivated. 1390 Since liberation is natural, it is not artificial. 4) THE SELF-LIBERATING NAIL OF SPACE OF THE GREAT JOY THAT BINDS THINGS AND MIND WITHIN TRANSPARENCY: Wanting things as they are, one has a joyful mind, Enjoying good companions and pleasant conversation. Living and all its aspects are pleasing to the mind. Because of that joyful nature, the mind of the ornament rises. Recognizing this, let everything rest as it is. There will be the spontaneous naturalness of primordial space. Take this as your support. Joyful subsidence1391 will be born. This is the luminous clarity1392 of insight. Rest without moving from that1393 recognition of unobstructedness. The Heap of Precious Stones says: When there is external appearance by the memory of mind,1394 At that time 1395 My prajñaa is self-purified. If this is not cut off, my sounds will be heard by that. 5) THE NAIL OF SPACE OF BEING LIBERATED ON ONE'S OWN SEAT1396 227
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY IN AWARENESS WITHOUT DUALITY OF EMANATING AND GATHERING: Here the nature exists within the middle way. 1397 Whether one goes or stays, whether agitated or resting, Happiness and unhappiness do not exist as two. Whatever rises is recognized, at the time it rises, So that nothing is either accepted or rejected. This dharmataa as it is, where nothing is excluded1398 Liberates ignorance within the great luminosity. All the objects of awareness of the sphere of subsiding will arise. They are other than the duality of happiness and unhappiness. When this occurs, have no view about the place of their arising. Recognize the unobstructed ground of their arising. Without outer appearances being abandoned, appearances will be liberated as the fruition. At the same time, without inner flickerings of discursiveness being abandoned, those flickerings are also liberated as the fruition. It is like when a pack saddle 1399 is untied. The packs and the harness1400 are liberated in two different directions at the same time. Liberation of awareness in the middle way is called liberation of ignorance as emptiness/luminosity. The self-nature of insight becomes naked. The power of this is that everything appears as the play of self-clarity. 1401 No aspect1402 is not liberated. Insight is groundless, with no possibility1403 of being thought about or conceptualized. Liberated in its own place, it exists eternally as dharmataa. In short, if mind is grasped, that is bondage. If it vanishes, that is liberation. Therefore, it is never liberated. Instead, it is said to be beyond the extremes of bondage and liberation. The Pearl Mala says: By the arising of things as unreality,1404 Mind itself, appearing as real, is liberated. As for all that appears to have a particular1405 form, It is liberated within the natureless state. Things, without form, are liberated from being things.1406 Dharmas are liberated from their being dharmas, The non-existent is liberated from non-existence. The one is liberated from its unity. Dualistic appearance is freed from duality. 6) THE NAIL OF SPACE OF DREAM IN WHICH IGNORANCE ARISES AS LUMINOSITY: In the night and so forth, even when one is asleep, By sleeping within the state of things as they really are,1407 There is no gathering, and there is no emanation. Since coarse appearance subsides, so does fixating it. By the subsiding of the subtle and the subtlest, Along with the fixations that accompany them, All-pervading, equal non-thought exists as the mind of insight.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Then one should rest within the nature of that state,1408 Free from arising and entering, free from hope and fear. Because this is the time when every1409 false conception Is liberated within the space of dharmadhaatu, It is known as liberation of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. In sleep the mind is involuntarily collected inward, entering the level of ignorance. It is shown here how the subtle karma of dreams, hidden experiences of sleep, and so forth are purified1410 by being brought to the path. The details 1411 of how dreams are recognized as such,1412 purified,1413 transformed, cut off, and so forth are taught elsewhere. Here, as regards their purification by the single pith of dharmataa, assume the sleeping posture of a lion.1414 Focus awareness on the unobstructed essence without wandering. Gather together thoughts of objects outside of sleep. Then, when they diminish,1415 and when the ceaseless radiance of luminosity1416 has been made unwandering, lead praa.na and mind into the central channel. Here there is complete nonthought, united with the transparency of recognizing it. Praa.na and mind are not emanated externally. Without dreaming, rest in the single dot of luminosity. When one becomes familiar with this, attendant1417 appearances that are seen and heard will be united with this as the luminosity of non-thought. With selfexisting bliss, that makes three things that arise in equality with it.1418 The Thaljur says: Properly 1419 bring together body, speech, and mind, Then mix sleep itself 1420 into the great luminosity. That is the meaning of it. The holy gurus have the highest regard for it. Here at first one has many dreams, but finally they will cease. For the highest they cease from having been forgotten. 1421 For intermediate ones they cease from supreme luminosity. For lesser ones they cease after auspicious dreams. For the supreme and intermediate ones, supreme, intermediate and lesser are said to be distinguished in regard to the degree in which they possess the 1422 genuine 1423 mind of luminosity during sleep. The same tantra says: These dreams at first are very numerous. The highest is that they are forgotten and cease. The Middle that they are supremely luminous. The lesser is to know them to be dreams.1424 Within the lesser they are not luminosity. That is the explanation of the stages.1425 Now there is the teaching of the self-arising wisdom of sleep: Sleep is also the great, self-arising, primordial Space. The powers dissolve in the ground, the essential space of the dhaatu. By grasping them as play, complexities are pacified. 1426 229
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY They are realized as actionless, self-arising wisdom. By day there is awareness of the play of the power of manifestation. This is the arising of selfarising wisdom as external luminosity. By night the power of attachment to the appearance of play dissolves. By the power's dissolving into the ground, we rest for a while in the luminosity of complete nonthought. This is the self-arising wisdom of sleep. It is called the time of liberation from sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. The Longdruk says: Sleep too should not be abandoned, and boycotted by the mind. To summarize briefly, body and speech are just as they are, And1427 what arises from mind is not projected externally. Likewise, the various spheres of the six sense powers, Do not have the flickering mind of introspection. 1428 Included1429 within the great experience1430 of non-thought, They are the experience1431 of non-thought and luminosity. The ignorance of this state is the purity of dharmataa. The Thaljur says: Whoever meditates within the yoga of sleep By so doing makes ignorance into the path. 7) THE NAIL OF SPACE THAT LIBERATES KLESHAS AS THEY ARE: Thus, the mind of desire, dislike, and neutrality, All play that arises by the power of the three poisons, Rises from space and rises within the state of space. It does not go beyond space, and it is nothing else. Not transforming it in any way at all Into the fragmentations of artificiality, 1432 As soon as one recognize s and rests with that space, It pacifies itself, subsiding by itself, Going into the pith, the state of self-liberation. Since sa.msaara and nirvaa.na do not go beyond space, form is only groundless, merely subjective 1433 empty form. The kleshas have no essence at all. They have no place of support. Their arising is rootless. Their nature goes into liberation from the net by resting them as they are in chokshak alone. When the transparent essence of insight is recognized, the kleshas are purified1434 as they are. They go into self-liberation. This is like removing the pin that secures packs to a pack saddle.1435 The packs are set free, just as they are. If one does not know this, purification will not purify the kleshas, any more than one can purify a body of its own shadow. Purification will not purify them, any more than a white crystal will be cleansed by purifying it. This is because there is no difference between the purified crystal and that which is yet to be purified. Transformation will not transform them. Just as turquoise does not change its color, mind is not transformed by mind. It cannot be pacified by applying self-pacification, for the applier is not other 230
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU than conceptual. It cannot be liberated by antidotes. That is like trying to clarify water1436 by stirring it with a stick. Purification by antidotes and what is to be purified by them are like that. They are kleshas, not dharmataa. They are no different from the foolishness of ordinary awareness, so one will not be able to go beyond1437 sa.msaara. The Wedding of the Sun and Moon says: Are the kleshas purified? Are they trained with, transformed, or sent into selfpacification? Is each of them tamed by its appropriate antidote. Does it rest as it is, ripen itself or become self-liberated by itself? Teacher please explain this. Then Vajradhara spoke: Kye Ma! Listen, great sages, listen to me now,1438 For these are the words that have been taught by me. The kleshas1439 exist within all sentient beings, And it is these that bind them in sa.msaara. If mahaasukha exists in a hidden way, These kleshas1440 will not then be purified. If there should be no realization of suchness, Then they will be joined1441 like a body and its shadow. That suchness will rise as it is out of this state 1442 By purifying it is not possible. By purification suchness is not made.1443 By transformations it is not transformed. Without realizing the essence1444 that is changeless, It can be transformed or purified, No more than a crystal or a turquoise stone.1445 But if the pure existence of the nature Should be examined by the possessor of yoga,1446 Then suchness is not the peace of shamatha,1447 Nor the manifestations of vipashyanaa. Like Sumeru, the king of all the mountains, It cannot be destroyed by anyone. It cannot be liberated by antidotes. It cannot be self-purified by non-seeking, For that is like trying to clear up troubled waters By means of having disturbed them yet again. External methods 1448 will not purify it; Nor yet is suchness-only dharmataa. If someone does not have an understanding Of how the natural state is experienced, Appearance is 1449 ordinary foolishness. Attachment will not be eliminated.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The kleshas1450 cannot be purified by the effort of the other vehicles. Here by the realization of the main point, transparent self-insight, they are not abandoned, but purified as the space of the dhaatu. They are also liberated with effort by the appearance of self-resting, through the meditation of thögel.1451 But here,1452 effortlessly self-liberated insight is liberated by realization of the unubstructedness1453 of tregchö. The kleshas, though, are not liberated by unobstructed insight. The kleshas are liberated by the kleshas themselves, like a knot in a snake. As for the pith that the kleshas are liberated as they arise,1454 insight appears to liberate the kleshas. This occurs by reaching the state of not forgetting the realization of unobstructed insight. However, in reality it is not so. The same tantra says: Kye ma! Listen further O you Sages, The two-fold stages of the mind1455 are these, The ones with effort and those that are without. In those with effort, things rest as they are.1456 The sign1457 of competence1458 with appearance Is appearance of the purity of wisdom. When this is self-arising inside and out, By that condition they will be unborn. Until that time they will be liberated Self-rested just exactly as they are. For then they are the appearances of yoga. The effortless ones, have been described like this: All things themselves self-liberate themselves. Thus, by their liberation of themselves, As iron things are destroyed by means of iron, And stones are broken by means of other1459 stones, The thing itself is its greatest1460 antidote. By seeing1461 the nature of the great perfection, Whoever has become familiar with this, By having let things rest without all seeking, Will thus attain the meaning of these teachings.1462 By non-meditation great bliss will increase. The nature of all things will manifest.1463 Whatever persons 1464 have encountered this, Including those with inexpiable faults, Will then be liberated without a doubt,1465 By means of having become familiar with this. I swear upon the pain of hell itself; There is no doubt that they will be liberated.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 8) THE NAIL OF SPACE WITHOUT GOOD AND EVIL AND WITHOUT ACCEPTING AND REJECTING: All the kleshas, all the karmas and vaasanaas, Have risen as the play of miracles of the power. Antidotes and good deeds,1466 and the path of freedom itself, Have risen as the play of miracles of the power. Since both have eternally risen as the play of the power, The main point is that by the recognition of this, One will rest within the state of the 1467 uncreated. To go, to fly, 1468 to gallop beyond the ground is equal. Because all composite entities come from cause and conditions, Beyond its temporal kingdom of1469 causes it cannot go. Self-resting, the resting of things in chokshak as they are, Eliminates cause and effect, and so it1470 is very important. That which is to be abandoned is false conceptions arising as variety. That which produces abandonment of them is all the good conceptions of the antidotes. These two are equal in arising as the play of the power of insight. Resting them as they are, without good and evil or accepting and rejecting, is important. Moreover, even when the conception of good and the conception of evil have arisen within insight, the conceptual speed of objects is also equality. 1471 Whether they appear to be ceasing or going into self-subsidence makes no difference. Whether both of them now seem to appear as they are within the state of insight, as appearance associated with it, makes no difference. This is because it makes no difference whether they have moved from their first ground, arising as external luminosity, appearing to be born. Good conceptions, the antidotes, and bad conceptions, what is to be abandoned, are both selfliberated by chokshak , the great resting of everything as it is. It is very important that insight passes the pass of cause and effect. Good thoughts are the antidotes of the path, the view, meditation, action, and fruition. Bad thoughts are confusion, all that is to be abandoned. They both are without ground and root from the first. Even if we look for them, they do not exist at all. Though they are non-existent even now, they still appear.1472 If we examine them, they do not exist. If we do not examine them, they transcend enumeration, thought, and expression. Ultimately without coming and going, their essence is free from the extreme of being attained. Without the extremes of cause and effect, they therefore do not reach the extremes. With the exception of resting everything as it is in chokshak and the great self-resting, there is never a time when extremes are cut through or when the fruition is accomplished. The Khyungchen says: Those who desire fruition of the groundless path Obscure by that desire the path of liberation. Existence and non-existence, and emptiness, clearer of darkness, Eternalism and nihilism, cause and its fruition, The four extremes and the eight do not exist, like space. Whoever seeks 1473 for these extremes will never find them, Any more than a blinded bird can find the end of the sky. Suchness, which is the meaning of their 1474 not being found, Cannot be manufactured by anyone at all. 233
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY That this, without the complexities of objects of knowledge, Could be limited by extremes is not a thing that is possible.
9) THE NAIL OF SPACE THAT THOSE WHO HOLD THE LINEAGE 1475 OF THE KING OF YAANAS SHOULD KEEP IT SECRET FROM THOSE WITH INFERIOR, FIXATED MINDS: This is the highest peak of the ultimate, secret vehicle. Do not speak of this to those of inferior mind. Rather than that you ought to keep it completely secret. By the force of exaggeration and denigration, This teaching of the essence will come to be misused. 1476 Dwelling within exaggeration and denigration, With wrong understanding, those who misuse the secret gate Will fall without any limit into the lower realms. Therefore the lineage of the secret1477 king of yaanas Should only be taught1478 to holy ones of excellent fortune. This miraculously arisen lineage of the king of yaanas should be kept secret from those of bad fortune, but taught to those who have good fortune. Those of good fortune are those who have the supreme reference point1479 of the vajra essence. Now there are the essence, the divisions, the way of keeping secret, the faults of not keeping secret, and the virtues of secrecy. The essence of being without good fortune is not to be a vessel of the profound dharma. This happens because one has no power to receive a share of the dharma. The divisions are these: 1. Ordinary beings who have no karmic connection with the dharma. 2. Those of small mind who will be terrified and angered by it. 3. Dwellers in the ordinary vehicles. 4. Beings who are not vessels of the secret or for whom it is not the right time. They would misuse the presentation of the secret teachings. The meaning of this great secret should be kept secret from those of the family who would misuse the secret gate. Those who are not perfect vessels, having small minds, slandering the Dharma because of that, will be joined to the karma of being born endlessly in the lower realms. This karma is extremely heavy, even more so than that of the five inexpiable transgressions. The Uttaratantra says: Those who again and again have recourse to evil counsel and have bad thoughts about the tathaagata; who kill their fathers, mothers, or an arhat; who do what should not be done by causing dissension among the sangha; even these, if they properly contemplate 234
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU dharmataa, will quickly be liberated. But how will someone who is always angry with the Dharma be liberated? Those who misuse the secret gate, as soon as they die, will be born as beings of the Aviici hell. Their punishment will be that their tongues become two hundred miles long. 1480 They will be plowed like a field by iron plowshares blazing with flames. The Sengé says: It is said that those who have misused the secret Will have the tongues that did so plowed up like a field. They will experience great sufferings. For that reason You should keep secret the actual meaning of these teachings.1481 The divisions of1482 the way of keeping the secret are these: 1. The general teaching of those from whom it should be kept1483 secret. 2. Expressing the secret meaning without fault. 3. The actual explanation of how to keep it secret. As for the first, the scope , the same tantra says: Regarding those on the side of non-realization From all of these you should keep it completely secret. In order to keep it secret in that way1484 The various oral instructions have been spoken. Some say that if this is told 1485 to those without understanding, without faith in the eternal, secret upaaya, that is not proclaiming the secret. If one tells this to fools who just say whatever comes into their minds, it is as if one had told the birds and so forth. 1486 That contradicts the scriptural precepts. Insight must be kept secret even from one of good fortune, if the time for teaching that Dharma has not yet come. This is like keeping secret the suutras and practice of the rituals of individual liberation from all getsüls who wish to be made fully ordained monks and so forth. 1487 One must keep this secret1488 from ordinary people, lest the greatness and blessing of the Dharma be harmed and retribution be incurred from the protectors.1489 As for expressing the secret meaning without fault, the Sengé says: The secret mantra is taught by skillful acts of upaaya. This is not because1490 there are faults within the secret mantra. But rather with great compassion, by sagacious means, From those who are not vessels and those who have dull minds It is kept secret, lest it bestow the karma of sickness. It is not kept secret because these are evil teachings. Rather it is so that the heaped up karma of others may be abandoned and in order to avoid harming the Dharma. Therefore, this teaching is without fault. Moreover, in another place it says: As for saying that secret mantra should be secret, This is not because the Dharma has any faults; But it is kept secret from those of small mind and inferior vehicles. 235
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Here is the actual manner of keeping it secret. Not even a corner of the terms, texts, main points, and tenets of this subject should be told to ordinary people, those of small mind, and those who will proclaim the secret. To those for whom the time has not yet come do not talk about the knowledge, existence, and requesting of this teaching. The same applies to those with no respect for the subject, such as the border tribes. If those who have travelled widely should ask, say that it is uncertain, because those who have not practiced it take no part in it. That is the instruction on keeping it secret. the Sengé says: Therefore this true meaning should be kept1491 a secret. Do not proclaim it even to the wind and directions. It has been taught again and again that this is to be kept secret. Keeping hidden the symbols of the nyingthig and main points of the piths of physical practice1492 is a major samaya. In particular, explaining this dharma to others who have not attained the command,1493 and so forth, is not appropriate even for one who has attained the vajra tongue.1494 The same tantra says: The meaning of ati, the great perfection of secret mantra Should not be spoken to those within the lower yaanas.1495 Until one has attained the warrior abhi.sheka 1496 By which one is empowered1497 as a vajra master, Even if one has the style of the vajra tongue, The secret is not to be taught to any others at all. 1498 To those of lower families or without abhi.sheka, Lest the karma of sickness be bestowed on them, The meaning of the great secret should not be explained. That concludes1499 the enumeration of the samaya. Here are the faults of non-secrecy: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
It will cause exaggeration and denigration. Oneself and others will go to the lower realms. The heart teaching will decline. One will incur the retribution of the command protectors.1500 Contemplation of this will not be established in the mind, and so forth. The Sengé says: This great secret, the great perfection of ati yoga, If it is proclaimed to those of lesser minds, As for example, when rubbing sticks are rubbed into flame, The rubbing sticks themselves are burned within the fire,1501 And others of similar characteristics are also burned, The true meaning of the secret mantra is like fire. Those who are of small fortune and inferior prajñaa, Fools with the cause and fruition of inferior mind, 236
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU By exaggerating and denigrating the 1502 great perfection, Will be cast into the three-fold lower realms. With the true meaning still1503 unrealized, they will experience suffering. The Künjé says: Though the heart meaning has no accepting and rejecting,1504 There will be obstructions of non-men and bhutas.1505 By .daakiniis and human masters1506 there will be bestowed Empowerments of destruction and untimely death. By the power of exaggeration and denigration, the vehicle of the essence will diminish and1507 decline. As for the nature of being without good fortune , the same tantra says: As for teaching distorted beings who are not vessels, Proud and unholy ones,1508 whose minds are small and hindered, Those who take joy in fame and the dharmas of the world, Those who are not uplifted, having no faith or substance, Those who desire powerful practice for personal reasons, Those who are not in accord with the flourishing1509 of the teachings, Who meditate on the harmful mind of self and other, Indulging in1510 exaggeration and denigration, Do not teach ati1511 to them. Keep it supremely secret. The Rangshar says: Not giving esteem and homage or respectful bows Is a kind of behavior that overthrows1512 the secret mantra. Without any lineage one will be without any breeding. 1513 Prajñaa will diminish and kindness1514 will be killed. Being boastful about one's personal lineage 1515 And attaching fine ornaments to one's body Is simply useless.1516 The teacher who does not examine his students is their enemy. 1517 To the sort of persons who will not practice it, Do not explain the meaning of the great perfection.
Here are the virtues of keeping this secret. 1. Good will be done for oneself and others. 2. The teachings will remain for a long time.
In regard to the fortunate ones to whom this should be taught, the divisions are these: 1. Their characteristics. 237
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 2. The signs by which they are to be recognized.1518 As for the characteristics of having good fortune, the Finely Set Jewel says: This great secret ma.n.dala of the teachings 1519 Is not meant to be taught to everyone. That contradicts the teaching of Shaakyamuni Who said these teachings should be kept a secret. These secret details of the secret mantra Should be taught to the family like this: When entrusted with secrets, they are able to keep them. They will strive to accomplish the secret goal. 1520 The mental power of their prajñaa is great, And they keep the vows of their samaya.1521 Also it says there: To those of royal family or of a family of bhramins, And likewise to those who are of a great and noble family, And in particular to persons who are great, It is said that one should teach the true meaning of secret mantra.1522 The Rangshar says: Great in the power of faith and energetic action;1523 Great in prajñaa and being without fixated desire; Great in reverence and the actions of secret mantra; Without the agitations of an unrealized mind; Keeping samaya and striving for accomplishment; Persisting in this with constant and repeated regard; Practicing meditation in brightness and in splendor; Practicing in accord with the teachings of the master; Never indifferently letting go of their samaya; Practicing behavior that is suitable for others; With a reverent manner in mind and externally;1524 When even a word is taught, taking it to heart;1525 They practice their own benefit in a way like that. When entrusted with a secret, they are able to keep it. They never go beyond the ultimate, vajra meaning. 1526 Relying in this on individuals great in learning, They never go beyond their personal benefit.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU With no proud or boastful words, they are gentle in their speech. Their action is in accord with the mind of the paaramitaas. They act in regard to the teacher as they would the Buddha. These are the characteristics of the suitable 1527 student Who is said to be a vessel of the great perfection. Also the Künjé says: Great in faith, samaya, and energetic action, With a mind of forbearing compassion, not turned back by faults; For body, children, consorts, servants, and possession of wealth They have no craving, offering them up with faith and joy. Since these are the sign of having the proper1528 faith and samaya, Those who have the heart meanings should give them to such persons.1529 Having abandoned arrogance, they are free from pride. They do not spare even body and life for the heart of the meaning. 1530 To those not going beyond the command, who have these signs, Those who have the essence should give 1531 the unborn state. As for the signs, those who request the dharma should be examined to see if they were formerly vessels of it or not. If karma difficult to perform has been laid upon them, if they disparage words that penetrate to the heart, or if they transgress decent behavior, that is a sign of lack of faith. Being able to resist and give up the desire for such and such wealth is a sign. If they are not vessels, or have bad faith, or spare their property, they should be turned away. No benefit will arise for people like that, and they will not be able to keep samaya. Therefore, it should be well known that they have no connection. If those who are not like that have faith and the ability to resist and give up, that is the sign of a karmic connection from former lives. They have no need for wealth and so forth, because they have already perfected the accumulations. This auspicious connection of teacher and student is unmistakable. The Künjé says: In order to examine whether students'1532 being is free from worldly attachment, their bodies and all their possessions 1533 should be accepted by the guru. The sign is whether they are able to do this or not. If they can, the one who has the essential heart meaning should bestow the King, the doer of all. Also it says there: Even if they do not need them for themselves, The holy ones should still accept these offerings,1534 Giving them in turn1535 as offerings to the three jewels. In regard to entrusting these teachings to those of good fortune , the divisions1536 are these: 1. The characteristics of teachers who bestow them. 2. The characteristics of students who receive them. 239
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The teachers should have learning, compassion, liberation, and blessings. They should be well acquainted with the subject and have all the signs of accomplishment.1537 All who are connected with such teachers find it meaningful, as they have undertaken the great burden of the teachings. The Rangshar says: Regarding the teachers who have the vajra meaning, Their being1538 is good and they are skilful teachers. They properly 1539 attain the abhi.shekas, And join themselves to the meaning of secret mantra. They know all proper inner and outer actions. They have inseparable union with their yidams. They do not wander from the state of samaadhi. They also are possessors of the meaning Of the oral instructions of the great perfection. Becoming learned in tantras1540 of secret mantra, They clarify all the inner and outer practices. They do not go beyond the sense of the view. Abandoning outer, inner, and secret actions, With virtues that are like a precious gem, Such teachers1541 enjoy the inexhaustible treasure. Also the Thaljur says: The details have been told by the great guru Vajradhara. As for the characteristics of the authentic 1542 guru. Such a one is like the source of all the virtues, Being the holder of the ground of perfect enlightenment. As for charlatans who artificially imitate being such a teacher, the Rangshar says: Unable to grasp the teachings of a skillful teacher, Those like this are great in the pride of their ignorance. In foolishness and stupidity they follow literal1543 words. They have not realized the meaning of secret mantra. They have mortifying and boastful words for others. They path on which they dwell becomes a perverted thing. They have never seen the face of the abhi.sheka ma.n.dala.1544 Misusing samaya, they do not properly answer questions.1545 They have heard little, and yet their pride is very great. They never were examined in the proper way. 1546 Teachers like this are like a Maara to their students. 240
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU They are not authentic masters who teach the secret mantra. They have no power to display the great perfection of ati. Do not associate with anyone like that. This is the instruction to abandon them. As for the characteristics of students who can receive this, they have the signs of being able to hold the teachings. When the highest peak of the essence has been entrusted to them, the teachings will endure for a long space of time. They will lead an immeasurable number of beings to the path in faultless style. The particular activity of such a person is established in accord with the merit of sentient beings in general. The Thaljur says: As for those who have grasped the view and the meditation, They have the uttermost faith and also great1547 diligence. With devotion to the guru, they can give things up. Having yogic discipline,1548 they avoid evil deeds. Their grasp of the teachings is changeless, supreme in its stability. Also they have a dignified forbearing power,1549 With the natural relaxation of an idiot.1550 Their conceptualization is small. They are naturally dignified. Their body and speech are free from any kind of 1551 action. Because they have prajñaa, they can be holders of the dharma. Also the Finely Set Jewel says: Their limbs are coarse, their color very dark. 1552 Their teeth are perfect, 1553and are very white.1554 The veins of their eyes are slightly shot with red. 1555 Their hair is characteristically long. It coils to the right,1556 and is dark brown in color. They do not pay much attention to their bodies. Their outer behavior is simply ordinary. Their words are spoken with the power of spontaneity,1557 And as if whatever can by said by words, Were being expressed by every utterance. To beings like this, whose speech is as described, Transmit 1558 the instructions of the great perfection. If these signs 1559 are complete in a single person, Even of the families1560 of whores and butchers, Or of a menial caste of cleaners and sweepers, Or whatever inferior station may be theirs, Entrust to them the essential, secret, heart-instructions. 241
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 10) THE NAIL OF SPACE OF ALL-INCLUSIVE, GREAT CHOKSHAK THAT RESTS IN DHARMATAa. This is the true meaning of the oral instructions: In brief, whatever appears conditioned by objects and mind, Do not use1561 antidotes, do not abandon it by effort. Self-resting and chokshak, resting everything as it is, Are the main points concerning insight as it is.1562 The liberation of conditioned appearance as it is,1563 resting everything as it is in chokshak , arises from the main point. The main point is naked insight. From this ground arises the special dharma for yogins, the path of liberation from the bondage of ordinary people. The Khyungchen says: Free from obscuration, the undefiled path, chokshak lets everything rest exactly 1564 as it is. The reality1565 of all wisdom, this is unseen and unequalled. Free from dependence on fixated objects of confusion, The nature's objects are the unceasing1566 tracks of the essence. Without any need to examine the emptiness of these objects, Resting as they are they will be liberated. Also it says there: That which is undefiled by anything at all, Self-insight is the very1567 pith of liberation. Karma, mind, and kleshas are therefore one's own dharmas.1568 Though these appear to ignorant children in the net, For self-arising resting, which is without contrivance, They are self-insight, and this is the natural state itself. No one can destroy their eternal self-liberation; Unliberated, liberated as they are. What need is there of effort to accomplish this? Eternal self-liberation, their liberation is causeless. Since evil conduct which ripens as unhappiness Is the major accompaniment of virtuous action, This, the spontaneous, unsought, effortless pith itself, Is free from any support, so who has a use for virtue? Without any buddhas, who will be bound within the net. As there are no confused and ignorant sentient beings, Even the name of sa.msaara is without existence. 242
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Therefore, that which eternally has not been liberated Will not be liberated at a later time. When one becomes familiar with this, the truth of dharmataa, it is called the great spectacle of mind.1569 The Longdruk says: The true meditator, the yogin who is fortunate, Attains the jewel that is not attained by anyone. The worth of that is limitless indeed. 1570 The one who encounters wealth that is limitless Will see appearances unseen by anyone. By this one is the great spectator 1571 of self-insight. So think1572 accordingly, “This is the great spectacle.” Then all1573 the fragments of dharmins,1574 are swept away. Those who have has cut off the fragments of dharmins hold self-arising insight in the palms of their hands :1575 Though they attain enlightenment, they were enlightened before. They were dwelling1576 within the ma.n.dala of bliss. As for those who have the power to view all1577 this They will be the principal ones of vidyaa mantra. The “fragments of dharmins” are the separate bits of how what arises appears to be. “Swept away” means that they are thought to be self-luminosity. 11) THE NAIL OF SPACE OF JOY AND SORROW BEING MIXED IN EQUAL TASTE: All joys and sorrows have the manner of rising as insight. By having fixated these in a dualistic way, Accepting and rejecting, one is bound in sa.msaara.1578 It would be senseless to develop a fixation about two waves that had arisen from a single body of water, accepting one and rejecting the other.1579 Just so, to fixate awarenesses that arise from single insight as wholesome ones to be accepted and painful ones to be rejected is senseless. What is desired and what is abhorred arise from the same sa.msaaric causes. The Completely Opened Powers1580 says: All joys and sorrows are the miracles of insight, It is confused to accept and reject, fixating them.
Also the Künjé says: Bliss should not be accepted; nor suffering rejected. You may ask why: 243
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Whatever objects may appear, they all are equal As the mere self-luminosity of the powers of sense. Whatever rises, it is equal in being mind, Mere tracklessness of understanding and memory. Both are equally superficial and temporary. 1581 They are merely the bondage of affirmation and negation. Groundless, mere appearance is the real, profound1582 equality. If Objects are analyzed as non-exclusive equality, 1583 Then they will be found to be 1584 mere tracklessness. If one analyzes the equal nature of minds, Then it will be found that they are merely space. Non-dual object and mind are merely space in its purity. Those who know this possess Samantabhadra's lineage.1585 They have become the children of the Victorious One. They abide 1586 on the ultimate level of a vidyaadhara. All arises from the power of single insight. Awareness of joy and sorrow, good and evil, realization, non-realization, and so forth all exist within the equality of insight-dharmataa. When this has arisen as objects, awareness and the senses are equal in being self-luminosity. In their arising, which is subsidence by arising, they are equal in being like ripples on water.1587 The mind that wanders by following after external objects is equally bound by any incidental attachment.1588 This is like one's being equally bound by a gold rope or a fiber1589 rope. In reality, because nothing is established, all is ultimately 1590 equal in being groundless and rootless. All is equal in the essence of self-liberation, by having gone into trackless self-subsidence. All things are of equal nature, since in reality they do not exist at all. 1591 Since their ground of arising is single insight, they are equally the play of self-arising wisdom. Object and mind without exclusion are equally luminous appearance of what does not exist. The object does not exist externally. The mind does not exist within. They are realized to have the nature of the sky. This is called existence of a fortunate one on the vidyaadhara's level of the essence. Here one holds the lineage of Samantabhadra. Having seen the main point, one courses in self-insight, the field of bliss. The Sangnying says: Those who hold the ultimate family 1592 in that way Are supremely holy beings, blessed by the holy ones, Who consider them as children, or as brothers and sisters. They are honored by worldly leaders and their retinues. They abide on the ultimate level of a vidyaadhara. Also the Longdruk says: As for one's own power, which is that of self-insight, Even if you search through all1593 of the billion worlds, There is no place anywhere where it will be found. 244
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU It is the sphere of activity of all the various 1594 worlds, The nature of appearance unseen by anyone. The blissful field of appearance is self-insight itself.1595 The yogin who has gained proficiency with this Is the body1596 of myself, Samantabhadra. This will be seen by those who are the fortunate ones. Those who are equal to me in the fortune of self-insight Are equal in the fortune of 1597 liberation in emptiness. Those of great fortune who have become familiar with this Become the holders of the kaayas of non-thought. When they have grasped the radiant light of my compassion, They and I myself become of equal fortune. They are the center and limit of my ma.n.dala.1598 This is a precious jewel, blazing with radiant light. The existence of this is the greatest secret of all1599 the buddhas. No one has ever seen it, and yet it is taught by me. Because within non-thought, which is Samantabhadra, Upaaya, appearance of compassion, never ceases,1600 It is in me that sentient beings may put their hope. Although the precious jewel of resting without seeking Is not within the sphere of realization of everyone, The yogin who realizes this, among the realizations, Attains the various 1601 kaayas of the victorious ones. Let us prostrate to such1602 a master with respect. Whoever has come to understand and realize The mind of Samantabhadra, which is my own mind, Has good fortune equal to that of a thousand buddhas. Those who are fortunate persons, having powerful minds,1603 Will be able to hold1604 unwandering meditation. They will be masters who are embodiments of the ma.n.dala. Anyone who has knowledge and understanding of this Encounters what is meant by resting that is unsought. 12) POUNDING THE NAIL OF SPACE1605 OF THE GREAT VASTNESS WHERE EVERYTHING IS EQUAL This is the pure dharmataa of things as they are:1606 All dharmas equally exist or have no existence.1607 245
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY They equally appear, or equally they are empty. They are equally true, or equally they are false. Give up1608 all attachment to the bondage of strife In abandoning anything 1609 or working on it with antidotes. Let great equality with no objects be all-pervading. Let the great insight without a mind be all-pervading. Let great equality, pure without faults, be all-pervading. Outer appearance and inner awareness and so forth, all the dharmas of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, appear to be unequal. But by their appearing as luminosity, non-attachment to the bondage of abandoning and antidotes is all-pervading and all-encompassing. They are pure in their equality to the emptiness of the ground. Therefore, objectlessness like the sky is all-pervading and all-encompassing. The exaggerations and denigrations of truth and falsity are equally mere experience.1610 Therefore, the vast Space of insight liberated from extremes is all-pervading and allencompassing. Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are of equal nature in being eternally empty and groundless. Therefore, the equality of faults and virtues in the great purity is all-pervading and all-encompassing. Thus, all-pervading and encompassing insight, the great king of yaanas, is self-existing. The Mirroressence of Vajrasattva1611 says: Great by being the emperor 1612 of all vehicles, Great by not wandering from the natural state, Great by being the peak of all the views, Great by being the peak of all realizations, Great by being the peak of all the actions, Great by being the peak of all fruitions, Great by being the ceaseless luminosity Of the state that is unchangeable, Great by being the luminous non-thought Of the state that is without fixation, Great by being the luminosity Of the state of non-attachment without desire, Great by being the luminosity Of the great bliss that is inexpressible,1613 Great as the all-encompassing essence,1614 enlightenment, Great as insight free from act and seeking, Great as equality not beyond the great bliss, Great without fixation as everything;1615 The great is not resolved by words and letters. fruition.
The essence of all-pervading all-encompassing insight transcends view, meditation, action, and It is the essence, the great knot1616 that ties together the string of beads of 1617 the view, 246
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU meditation, action, and fruition. Nevertheless, making a few distinctions in regard to it, the Longdruk says: The essential heart, the unsurpassable highest secret, Cannot be expressed by words that say, “It is like this.” Nevertheless, if one is going to characterize it By means of the mere partialities of expression by1618 words, It does not have so much as a particle of dust. If one is confident of what is in the depths Of the mind concerned with verbalities of words and names, That great, secret essence cuts through the cliff of hope and fear. That is the nature1619 of all the buddhas, the highest secret. When one has examined the aspects of that nature,1620 By the oral instructions about the meaning of realization, The essence of the view, is the wisdom-torch of self-insight. Its continuous shining1621 does not fall into partiality. Persons acquainted1622 with this are in the field of nirvaa.na. They go into the essential meanings of realization, Therefore, the meaning of this, which is extremely 1623 precious, Is inexpressible in terms of speech or thought. Because the secret essence of wisdom is the heart Of all1624 the various different kinds of meditation, Shamatha and vipashyanaa are eternally joined. Yogins who meditate on this, the great equality, Will be the leaders1625 of all the people in the world. Having thus become supremely excellent, They will dwell in the homage of gods and humankind. Having accomplished the three main points of meditation,1626 The bliss of such a one is the great self-arising bliss. When one exists within the state of 1627 blissfulness, Experience rises as the wisdom of non-thought. All appearances that arise in one's experience1628 Are the play of phenomena in the Space of mahaasukha. Therefore, regarding that which is meant by1629 the bliss of body, It is the bliss of having attained the pith of trikaaya. Therefore, regarding that which is meant by the bliss of speech, It is bliss that has realized all dharmas as inexpressible. Therefore, regarding that which is meant by the bliss of mind, Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are non-dually joined. 247
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY This essence1630 of bliss is also the essence of all the buddhas. By the uncontrived essence, all is brought to the natural state. Therefore one can produce the directness of cutting through1631 To the unobstructed1632 experience of the essence itself. The level of the essence of things, which is unborn, Makes one emerge from the depths of the pit which is called1633 sa.msaara. By the essence, which is naturally existing, All1634 the divisions of the yaanas are distinguished. By the great all-pervading and all-encompassing essence, All the various dharmadhaatus are collected. 1635 By the essence of the great eternal purity, All of the dharmas are continually subjugated. 1636 By the means of the essence of the great emptiness, The kleshas and solid things have been completely tamed. By means of the essence of the great self-luminosity, The host of the forces of darkness is repelled and neutralized. 1637 By the eternal essence of the great perfection, All that is high and low is brought to evenness.1638 By the means of the secret essence of non-thought, Sa.msaara vanishes, utterly eliminated. 1639 By the means of the essence the “ultimate drops” of the yangthig.1640 The existences of sentient beings are emptied out. As for the certain signs of attaining the view, meditation, and action, the Mirroressence of Vajrasattva says: By the irreversibility of having attained1641 trikaaya, One has thereby attained1642 the sign of the fruition. By not falling into bias and partiality, One has thereby attained the sign of having1643 the view. By resting within 1644 the luminosity of non-thought One has thereby attained the sign of meditation. By self-arising undefiled by fabrications One has thereby attained the sign of enlightened1645 action. Ordinarily the view is said to be the ground, the meditation is said to be the path, and finally the fruition associated with the action is said to arise. Because insight is beyond view, meditation, action, and fruition, it is beyond the ordinary style. The Khyungchen says: It is the ultimate meaning that is free from action, Pure of meditation, and without a view. 248
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Thus, when one is making distinctions, there are four aspects at one time to be distinguished within the self-nature of insight: 1) 2) 3) 4)
The essence of insight is the view. Its nature, is the meditation. Its compassion is the action. The inseparability of these is the self existing fruition.
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This is the commentary on the twelfth chapter of The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu
“THE ETERNAL LIBERATION OF ALL DHARMAS WITHIN THE SPACE OF BODHICITTA.”
In that way, conditioned appearances of the dharmas of action have been purified into the space of the dhaatu. That is because we have reached the fruition. This is eternal liberation, the self-existing pith. From this teaching, here is the teaching that the eternal liberation of space encompasses all dharmas: As in bodhicitta all dharmas are eternally liberated, Therefore, there are no dharmas that are not liberated. Arising interdependently from the power and substances of vidyaa mantra, appearances of men, women, horses, elephants,1646 and so forth are all eternally liberated in the state of illusion. They are just luminous appearances of what does not exist. They do not have the particular characteristics1647 of real horses, elephants, and so forth. Just so, all the dharmas of the phenomenal world of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are mere arising. They are the miracles of appearance of the ground, insight. They have no essence over and above that. Therefore, they are calle d the illusion of variety. Natureless appearances are eternally liberated in the state of insight. The Khyungchen says: Self-liberated from all eternity, They are without a cause of liberation. From the extended explanation of the way in which they are liberated, here is the teaching of their being liberated from all eternity because they are groundless and rootless: Sa.msaara is liberated for all eternity. It has been set free as primordial, absolute purity.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Nirvaa.na is liberated for all eternity. It has been set free as self-existing perfection. 1648 Appearance is liberated for all eternity. It has been set free without any ground or root. The phenomenal world has been liberated eternally. It has been set free as the heart-essence of enlightenment. Complexity has been liberated eternally. It has been set free as freedom from extremes.1649 Free from complexity, liberated eternally, It has been set free as the purity of the unborn. From the time 1650 these appear, they are established as emptiness. This nature1651 is conventionally called “eternal liberation.” The appearances of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are just the play of arising of the appearances of the ground. Appearances of good and appearances of evil are the ground of insight. Except as names of imputed things, their natures have no true existence. They are like good and evil in a dream. The appearance of sa.msaara, appearing as external objects, both the vessel and essence, is called the phenomenal world. The vessel appears as the reflections of the five elements. The essence appears as the following: 1) The various joys and sorrows of karma and the kleshas, proliferating as the nature of sa.msaara. 2) The complexities of the mind of desire, appearing as inner mind. 3) The phenomena of samaadhi, the mind of the simplicity and non-thought of the higher realms. All these appear as if in a dream. They do not really exist. Except as mere luminous appearance, they never existed from all eternity. Therefore, they are taught to be completely liberated, eternally empty of characteristics. The Tantra of Self-Liberated Insight says: Thus all dharmas of the reality of the mind Have been liberated within the state of 1652 the essence. The Khyungchen says: The six kinds of beings are empty, merely imputed names. Being empty, they are eternally liberated. The main point is non-action, which is suchness itself. Without any place for reaching anything at all, There is eternal freedom from artificiality. One's experience arises as the illusion of dream. Therefore, joy and sorrow are eternally liberated in pure and equal groundlessness: Bliss is liberated for all eternity. 251
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY It is set free as evenness 1653 of dharmataa. Sorrow is liberated for all eternity. It is set free as the vast equality of the ground. The neutral1654 is liberated for eternity, Set free as equality of the space 1655 of dharmakaaya. The pure is liberated for all eternity. It is set free in emptiness of anything pure.1656 What is impure is liberated eternally. It has been set free as complete, great liberation. The essence of these is that of a dream. Joy, sorrow, neutrality between the two, the pure buddha field, and the impure, confused appearances of sentient beings all exist without essence or ground. They are all empty of a first cause of arising. Therefore, they are liberated from all eternity. By ceaseless, mere appearance like a reflection, the nature arises as emptiness. It is empty of any presently existing essence. Therefore, it is liberated from duration in existence. Compassion, the mere appearance of the play of manifestation, is unceasing. It is liberated without any cause and1657 conditions of cessation. Therefore, it arises as the emanations of ordinary coming and going. Unceasingly pure like the eight examples of illusion, it is liberated from extremes. Regarding liberation as the play of appearance and emptiness, The Tantra of Self-Liberated Insight says: Thus it is that all the dharmas of characteristics Are liberated in the state with no characteristics. All of the dharmas of the things that are produced Are liberated in productionless emptiness. All dharmas of experience without a grasper Are liberated as purity within emptiness. Also the Khyungchen says: Space has no power to be the support of substances. Mind, though eternally never falling into bias, Appears within sa.msaara and the lower realms. But like a dream or illusion, or a city of the gandharvas, False appearance cannot have the power of truth. Similarly the Samaadhiraaja Suutra says: Within the middle of a crowd of 1658 many people By makers of illusion forms are emanated. But when they make various horses, elephants, and chariots, 252
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU If these should be examined, they are not really there.1659 All of the dharmas should be known in such a way. The Prajñaapaaramitaa in Eight Thousand Lines says:1660 Subhuti,1661 all dharmas are like a dream, like illusion. Nirvaa.na too is like a dream, like illusion. If there is a dharma greater and superior to nirvaa.na, it too is like a dream, like illusion. That which is superior to nirvaa.na is self-arising wisdom, the space of the dhaatu. It is superior because it is the ground of both sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, depending on whether it is realized or unrealized. The Dohaako.sha says: Mind itself alone is the seed of everything. From that there emanate sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. Bestower of the fruition, that which is desired, I prostrate to mind, which is like a wish-fulfilling gem. The Künjé says: Regarding this itself, the nature of bodhicitta, It is the essence1662 of all the dharmas without remainder. Unborn and completely pure, it has no obscuration. Since it is free from treading the path, it has no straying. Eternally self-existing, therefore, it is unsought. Here is the teaching that, since the path that is to be travelled is pure like the sky, it is liberated from all eternity, beyond action and seeking: The path and bhuumis are liberated for all eternity From either the stages of development or the stage of perfection. View and meditation are eternally liberated. They are set free without accepting and rejecting. The action is liberated for all eternity. It is set free for eternity as Samantabhadra. The fruition is liberated for all eternity. It has been set free with neither hope nor fear. Samaya is liberated for all eternity. It has been set free as the greatness of dharmataa. Recitation1663 is liberated for eternity. It has been set free from all descriptive expression. 1664 Samaadhi is liberated for all eternity. 253
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY It has been set free beyond the objects of thought. In the essence of insight none of these exist. Producer and produced are contradictory with insight. Therefore, the bhuumis, the path, view, meditation, and so forth should be realized as eternally liberated in the great actionlessness. The Pearl Mala says: Not transformed by action, appearance is liberated. Not sought by meditation, dharmins are liberated. Not having been examined and analyzed1665 by the view, Eternalism and nihilism are liberated. Not bound by fruition, one's mind is liberated. Thus comes forth the eternal sealing of appearance. The Khyungchen says: The pith of eternal liberation in emptiness Should be known as being1666 actionlessness itself. There is no such thing as a level of reaching this. It was never created from all eternity. Since the self-existing, universal essence1667 Has been appearing as objects for all eternity, By austerity, recitation of mantra, or meditation1668 The essence in itself will only be obscured. Study1669 of scriptures and texts and virtues of body and mind Only harm the main point, the self-existing purity, Total liberation from all eternity. The Künjé says: As for bodhicitta, it is like the sky. In mind itself like the sky, which is also dharmataa, There are no view, no meditation, no guarding samaya; No seeking for buddha activity; no obscuration of wisdom; No training on the bhuumis, nor any path to travel; No subtle dharmas, and no such thing as non-dual fruition; In the teachings of the true meaning, mind is not resolved. Since this transcends exaggeration and denigration, There are no oral instructions; there is no passing the pass. That is the view of the great perfection of bodhicitta.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU In this case, even the key points1670 of passing the pass and the piths of tying the knots are regarded as simply two more hindrances. Dharmakaaya exists within oneself. It is not sought or established from another. Transparent, naked insight is only obscured by the view, meditation, action, fruition, and so forth. It is resolved as self-insight beyond dharmas, like the sky. The Sengé says: E ma Ho! Within self-insight the buddhakaaya 1671 rises. Since it does not have the objects of perception, It is the state of peace which is known as dharmataa. Appearance is the transparency of our own1672 self-insight. Not falling into the partialities of conceptions, We are within our personal, luminous manifestation. This, which is separated from the mind of appearance, Is what is called the intrinsic action of dharmataa. Not emanating and gathering, consider the state of insight. That limitless depth of dharmataa is Samantabhadra. With nothing that “is” and also nothing that “is not,” Having completely cleared away the two extremes, In the state without birth and diminishing, concepts are cut through. Thus, the pass is passed into the Space of realization. This is the luminous, all-pervading space of the dhaatu. Whatever dharmas, appearances, and mind there may be, they arise from insight-awareness itself. They are not resolved as characteristics of real things. They exist as they are, as the actionless self-existence of the single dot. If dharmas were really transformed by artificiality and had characteristics, there would be the fault that dharmakaaya, the great perfection itself, would be non-existent. Therefore, there is the teaching of passing the pass of dharmas of action, seeking, and characteristics. The same tantra says:
By thinking one will not attain the meaning of wisdom. If by thinking, one could attain the meaning of wisdom, Self-arising wisdom would then be something false. By meditating one will not see dharmakaaya. If one could see dharmakaaya by means of meditation, Self-appearing dharmataa would then be false. One will not realize the meaning of insight by theory. 1673 If one could realize the meaning of insight by theory, Unobstructed dharmakaaya would be false. The root of ignorance cannot be cut by means of Dharmas.1674 If the root of ignorance could be cut by Dharmas, Alpha-pure wisdom itself would then be something false. By virtue one does not know the meaning of buddhahood. 255
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY If by virtue one could know the meaning of buddhahood, The natural state of the great perfection would be false.1675 There is no falling into sa.msaara by evil deeds. If there were falling into sa.msaara by evil deeds, The three instantaneous aspects would then be something false. The genuine meaning is not seen as emptiness. If the genuine meaning were seen as emptiness, The wisdom of luminosity would be something false. The meaning of Self-insight is not seen by marks. If the meaning of self-insight were seen by marks, Self-luminous dharmataa would then be something false. By action the meaning of self-perfection is not gained. If the meaning of self-perfection were gained by action, Then the changeless essence would have to be something false. By fixation appearances will not be seen. If by being fixated appearances could be seen, The unobstructed nature would have to be something false. One cannot liberate other beings by means of action. If one could liberate other beings 1676 by means of action, All pervading compassion would then be something false. That was about passing the pass of discrimination. Regarding passing the pass into the changeless essence the Rangshar says: E ma Ho! The ma.n.dala, totally pure, Is free from dharmas of cause and dharmas of conditions. Luminosity is the meaning of self-arising wisdom. All the objects and the conditions of the six senses Are empty of any kind of grasping whatsoever. When partiality is not grasped, then there is bliss. Liberation from ego-grasping is complete. The objects of ego grasping are then completely emptied. There is liberation from objects grasped as eternal. The ornament is seen, wisdom that has no marks, Liberated from dharmas of the path of dependence, This is the realization of what is meant by insight. By that the meaning of wisdom will also be encountered. Nothing else can be an example of seeing this. That without an example is self-arising wisdom. 256
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU It is unobscured1677 and free from partiality. Transcending and not transcending are the path of words. This path has no desire and nothing is created. What is meant by wisdom's being without desire Transcends the extremes of both desire and non-desire. It even transcends the words “transcendence” and “non-transcendence.” Regarding passing the pass into the great symbol1678 the Thaljur says: Moreover, as for the explanation of verbal views, If we do not kill them, buddhahood is not attained. If we do not open the windows,1679 darkness is not dispelled. 1680 Hell is the dharmaraaja who has taught the buddhas. By means of the Dharma beings are led to the lower realms.1681 By doing evil deeds, virtue will be obtained. A view about this is a view of the three realms of sa.msaara. Meditation gathers the karmas of all the kleshas. Performing the action produces the strayings and obscurations. Attaining1682 fruition is the cause of attaining sa.msaara. Though we present the symbols, explaining word by word, In the middle of the blaze 1683 of kalpa fire There is nothing at all that will be unconsumed. The action of teaching the pi.takas1684 cuts off the lives of others. Spreading the practice of virtue is acting very strangely. 1685 Within an iron house that is without a door, In the ma.n.dala of darkness, where light has never shone, No one has seen the shining of the sun and moon. That the luminous objects of one's very own senses Are not ever seen is something very strange. Moreover, to explain the view of fixation1686 on objects, If we empty the ground of the three worlds of sa.msaara, Nirvaa.na will be swept away simultaneously. 1687 By cutting off the root of the ignorance of sa.msaara The fruition of trikaaya will be eradicated. 1688 By wearing the armor of darkness, we make the sun to set. By the sight1689 of luminosity darkness is piled up. Applying something hard and sharp will cut off nothing. In the middle of empty vastness, not a thing will fit. By collecting a variety of different things We shall not attain so much as one of them. Clear away the extremes1690 of existence and non-existence. 257
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY To unravel the meaning of these vajra words a bit, what is being said is that passing the pass occurs by the view of space. Grasping and fixation are the life of sa.msaara. If we do not cut through these, enlightenment will not be attained. Therefore, cut through them into the eternal emptiness of the great rootlessness. If we do not open the windows of the view of appearance and awareness by means of chokshak , resting in the purity of things as they are, we shall not dispel the darkness of sa.msaara. Therefore, rest without wandering in the nakedness of natural simplicity. The teacher of the buddhas of the three times is the intense sufferings of sa.msaara. These are the dharma king of hell. Having seen these sufferings, the buddhas became saddened and sought liberation. Turning one's mind away from sa.msaara is very important at the beginning. By the dharma of the power of abandoning we shall not raise ourselves above sa.msaara and the lower realms. Liberating the antidotes as they are is very important in the middle. As for the arising of the kleshas from the power of play, although there are evil deeds, realize them as naked self-liberation. Then they will be purified in dharmataa. This is the true virtue of the natural state. Passing the pass of cause and effect is very important at the end. By the view of duality, we shall not be liberated from the three realms. By meditation with objects, we shall accumulate the karma of the higher realms. By action with accepting and rejecting, we shall not be delivered from the defile of the strayings and obscurations. The fruition of hope and fear leads to sa.msaara. The realization of insight, the exhaustion of dharmas, is important. It passes the pass into realization of the self-arising meaning. Persons who realize the transparency of insight are unharmed, even when sitting in the fires of sa.msaara, the power, their own energies.1691 They teach the dharma that appearance free from partiality1692 arises as insight unleashed. 1693 They are free from the root of the life of false conceptions. They have cut through that root. The increase in their experience of self-arising wisdom is wondrous and marvelous. The darkness of the karma and the kleshas is the iron house of sa.msaara. If this exists, all who exist as sentient beings cannot see by their own power the eternal, luminous bliss of the sun and moon of insight. At the time when sense-awareness arises as objects of the insight of memory and so forth, insight arises nakedly again and again. However it is not recognized, and so it is not seen. Dust in the eye of insight is important. The Heap of Precious Stones says: Regarding the objects of selfhood and fixation, Primordially they are in dharmataa. These are one's experience of oneself,1694 Eternal appearance not understood before. By the self-elimination of what is to be abandoned, its antidote is also eliminated. This is passing the pass into eternal liberation from abandoning and antidotes. The false conceptions of sa.msaara and the play of the intrinsic power of insight1695 are that which is to be abandoned. When these are emptied, the antidote, the aspect of recognizing insight, nirvaa.na, will also be non-existent. Therefore, it is “swept away.” The root of ignorance is cut through by insight. Then insight, trikaaya, becomes pure1696 by becoming eternally liberated non-fixation. The darkness of mind and its contents makes the sun of wisdom invisible. When this is parted, the vision of insight-wisdom is nakedly revealed. The darkness of mind and mental contents is purified. It is gathered1697 into the alpha-pure dharmataa of wisdom. 258
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Analysis and examination with hardened and sharpened false conceptions will not cut to the root, self-arising wisdom. Thoughts still come forth. But the extensive appearances of the objects of the six senses are without essence.1698 Since they do not truly exist, they have no center like a plantain tree.1699 By externally collecting a variety of appearances of external objects, self-arising wisdom, the single ultimate meaning,1700 will not be attained. Self-arising wisdom does not go beyond the inner space of luminosity. To see it, let go of 1701 externally emanating and gathering apparent objects of mind. Look into the unfabricated meaning of self-luminosity within. There you are sure to find it. The Künjé says: Free from every thought, wisdom is very swift. Like a precious gem, it rises from1702 spiritual friends. Without the reference points of objectivity,1703 It does not rely on existences1704 that are changeable. All hopes will be fulfilled through the goodness of one's nature. Though If it is examined, it does not exist, if we rest within it, great goodness will arise. Not moving from within it, seeking no object there, Having no desire for any external object, We should pay no heed to the objects of our wishes.1705 Not arising or entering, this egoless compassion, Is not a thing that exists as the wealth of another person. Eternally existing, it does not come to be. As for tying the knot of the main points1706 of this: Existence and non-existence are eternally liberated. They have been set free by going beyond extreme s. Eternalism and nihilism are liberated. 1707 They have been set free without any ground or root. True reality1708 is eternally liberated. It has been set free beyond conception and thought. What is false and unreal is eternally liberated. It is set free beyond thought and partiality. Karmas are liberated for all eternity. They have been set free by being without obscuration. 1709 Kleshas are liberated for all eternity. They are set free with neither bondage or liberation. Vaasanaas are liberated for all eternity. They have been set free with neither ground or support. 259
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Their ripening has been liberated eternally. It has been set free without a ground of experience.1710 The liberation of all things occurs by realizing that the single essence of insight is dharmataa. Here nothing exists at all. Realizing this aloneness is what leads to liberation. If we cannot fall, it is also impossible to be thrown over a cliff by the army of illusion. But by the same token, If that is not realized, we fall over the cliff. This once actually happened at a cliff near Vaishalii. 1711 An illusory army was emanated. Those who did not know that it was an illusion were terrified and fled. They fell over the cliff. Those who knew what was happening went slowly and peacefully. They suffered no mishaps. “Existence,” is the apparent dharmas of things. “ non-existence,” is the empty dharmas of nonthings. Both transcend the extremes of existence and non-existence. They are like appearance and emptiness in a dream. Eternally existing things are fixated by ego as continuous. Nihilistic, non-existing natures are fixated as not existing for even an instant. They are both non-existent. Since time and its essence1712 do not exist, continuity and the instant do not exist. The true 1713 virtue of the path of liberation and the non-true non-virtue of the path of sa.msaara both have the essence of a dream. Natureless, they do not really exist. Karma, the kleshas, their ripening, and the vaasanaas have the purity of the eight examples of illusion. They cannot exist in reality. If they are present in mind, examine for the three natures of arising, existing, and going away. The support, the mind, and the supported, the kleshas, will not be found. Therefore, they are certainly non-existent. If they exist in the body, analyze and examine their partless atoms. The support, the body, and the supported, ripening, are not to be found. There is no place where a sky-flower grows.1714 It has no self-nature. Just so, karma and so forth are non-existent. The Khyungchen says: Within the ground of this mind, desires cannot exist. Where will ripening and the vaasanaas have their support? With no place to grow, like a flower in the sky, Such is the nature of their interdependent arising. Since the body and mind are both without existence,1715 Therefore the vaasanaas can likewise have no support. As for transcending the bondage of attachment to antidotes and the path: Antidotes have been liberated eternally. They have been set free without any need for abandoning. Accepting and rejecting are a non-duality. They have been set free in a vast and equal sky. Liberation has been eternally liberated. Since bondage never existed, It has been set free. Non-liberation has been eternally liberated. It is set free as neither bondage nor liberation. Relaxation1716 has been eternally liberated. 260
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU It has been set free as causeless relaxation. Resting in chokshak has been eternally liberated. It has been set free by being without a cause. As for antidotes, ati transcends dharmas that depend on abandoning. Sa.msaara, that which it to be abandoned, does not exist. The path of antidotes for producing its abandonment does not exist either. Neither that which is to be abandoned nor the antidote are other than mind. But no essence of mind exists. Therefore, abandoning and antidotes are also non-existent. As for liberation, since non-bondage depends on bondage, there is no cause of liberation. So-called non-liberation exists only insofar as1717 dharmas exist. But all dharmas are without nature. So there are no bondage and liberation. Relaxation is eternally liberated, because it is without cause or ground. Resting things as they are is eternally liberated, because resting, the rester, and the cause of resting do not exist. Regarding this eternally non-dual suchness, the Sengé says: As for view that realizes the great perfection, Without partialities either of vice or virtue, It transcends the extremes of 1718 existence and non-existence. It has no duality of perfection and non-perfection. Within the great perfection, which is the essence of insight, There is no such thing as1719 confusion or non-confusion. Also the Rangshar says: This is completely beyond the objects of conception. This is completely 1720 liberated from extremes Of attachment to a grasper and the grasped. This is completely beyond the conceptual extremes Of any names and words that designate characteristics. Now the true pith of the main point is summarized: In brief, the dharmas of phenomenal existence, As well as the non-phenomena of non-existence, Are beyond being dharmas, every one of them. Being eternal space, they are already liberated. So no one has to strive to liberate them now. All things that are suitable to be objects of mind are dharmas of phenomenal existence.1721 The non-phenomena of non-existence are nirvaa.na. There things are seen as temporary and internal. They do not become objects of mind. Neither of these are realizations of the mind of absolute truth, according to what is being said. In brief, all the dharmas of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are eternally empty, transcending thought and expression. They have already been liberated in primordial space. Because they are without nature, we do not need to liberate them again by effort. They are already eternally liberated. The Thaljur says: 261
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY “Since they are eternally liberated, no repetition is required.” Here struggle and effort1722 are unsuitable and useless:1723 Efforts to produce this are actions of futility. Do not act! do not act1724 to establish goals. Do not view! Do not view the dharmas of mind. Do not meditate! Do not meditate on such dharmas. Do not cut through! Do not cut through objects and mind. Do not establish! Do not establish hope and fear. Do not abandon! Do not abandon karma and kleshas. Do not accept! Do not accept any dharmas as real.1725 Do not bind! Do not bind your stream of being.1726 The transparent essence of insight does not exist as anything at all. These words that negate dependency are said twice, to negate both grasped object and fixating subject. Any dharmas produced within the essence of insight are grasped objects. The dharmas of the producer are the fixating subject. These do not exist. Therefore, the following is emphatically said: Do not produce! Do not produce productions of effort. Do not produce the producer, the one who establishes them. 1727 The Precious Place of Arising of Composition 1728 says: For the truths that are of supreme importance The single words should be repeated twice. In the essence of insight there are neither one who views nor anything about which to have a view. Therefore, the one who views, mind, should not view insight in terms of objects. Since in insight there are neither meditation or a meditator, do not meditate. Similarly do not produce action, practice, renounce, or receive. Know them to be bondage and attachment. This is instructed because insight transcends both existence and non-existence of grasped objects and the fixating subject. The Rangshar says: Liberated from dharmas of existence and non-existence, It is undefiled by the mind of fixation and grasper. In the enumeration of the dharmas of the pith of insight, occurring together with their divisions, there are
THE SIXTEEN ESSENCES 1729
262
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU (1) The three heart-essences of the pith instructions concerning the essence of insight beyond confusion and non-confusion are these: 1. The essence. 2. The nature. 3. Compassion.
(2) The three means of resting of the view are these: 1. The chokshak of external appearance. 2. The chokshak of internal, flickering discursiveness. 3. The secret chokshak of insight.
(3) The three piths of the self-liberation of action without desire are these: 1. The direct liberation of appearance. 2. The self-liberation of flickering discursiveness. 3. The eternal liberation of insight.
(4) The four eternal, all-sufficient meditations, free from the support of memory and thought are those upon the following: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Outer appearance. Inner awareness. Secret insight. Natural state of suchness.
(5) The two secret, inner essences1730 of apprehending conceptualizations as self-luminosity
are these: 1. Though there are times when there is dwelling on existence1731 and times when discursiveness, they are recognized as the transparency of self-arising insight. 2. Insight of non-thought as it is has only one place to go. This is naked
there is flickering
alpha-purity.
Within the alpha-purity of essence the nature spontaneously exists. That two-fold heart-essence of spontaneous insight transcends eternalism and nihilism.
(6) The three oral instructions of the self-existing fruition are those of the following: 263
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 1. Emptiness. 2. Luminosity. 3. Non-obstruction. 1732 (7) The five encounters are the naked essences of the five poisons, the five root1733 kleshas. (8) The six clarities1734 of the vision of emptiness/luminosity are these: 1. 2. 3. 4. 6.
Since it is eternally empty, it has no emanating and gathering. Since it is emptiness of self-nature,1735 it rests in its own place. Since it is luminous emptiness,1736 appearance of objects is not obstructed. Since it is empty of essence, it does not go beyond that. Since it is empty of existence, it does not fixate things and characteristics. Since it is empty of non-existence, it rests in the unobstructed1737 clarity of
insight.
(9) The eight places to go are these: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Existence. Non-existence. Appearance. Emptiness. Sa.msaara. Nirvaa.na. Bondage. Liberation.
They are the possible places to go of nameless alpha-purity, the vast, great space of the exhaustion of dharmas. It is liberated from extremes and has no grasper.
(10) As for the three ma.n.dalas, there is no accepting and rejecting after realization of the following: 1. Appearances are the ma.n.dala of body. 2. Sounds are the ma.n.dala of speech. 3. Understanding and memory are the ma.n.dala of mind.
(11) The twenty one upaayas are the twenty-one transmissions of the twenty-one powers.1738 The Tantra on the details of Transmission says:1739 According to the twenty-one stages of mind, Regarding radiant light and wisdom itself, By the means of the seven transmissions of these, Those who are of the lesser1740 seven stages, Those who are of small mind, will be liberated. Likewise, in the case of the kaayas and bindus, 264
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Transmissions concerning them are seven-fold. They benefit those who are of the middle rank. 1741 The seven concerned with insight-space in its purity Are meant for the benefit of those who are great.
(12)
The three overcomings are these:
1. Overcoming appearance, like 1742 the eight examples of illusion. 2. Overcoming awareness, like the trackless self-subsidence of a breeze 1743 in space. 3. Overcoming insight in the transparency of emptiness like the sky.
(13)
The three heart-essences are these:
1. The naked, empty heart-essence of eternal liberation. 2. The naked, luminous heart-essence of self-liberation. 3) The naked, unobstructed1744 heart-essence of liberation from existence
(14)
The three kinds of appearance are these:
1. The appearance of lustrous manifestation, the five lights.1745 2. The appearance of insight, the clear purity1746 of luminosity. 3) The appearance of the nature,1747 the exhaustion of dharmas that transcends all grasping
About the meaning of these points, the Sengé says: The essence of insight of the great perfection Has neither confusion nor yet non-confusion. The thoughts within the minds of sentient beings Cannot be symbolized by thoughts and letters; But that which is the main point of all this 1748 Is the three heart-essences of the oral instructions. Self-insight is the appearance of dharmakaaya.1749 It is not seen by having a view of it; But that which is the main point of all this Is the three heart-essences of the means of resting. The great perfection's unobstructed action Does not arise by having been produced; But that which is the main point of all this Is the three-fold desirelessness of self-liberation. Familiarity with the great perfection Is eternal and does not rise from meditation; But that which is the main point of all this 265
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Is the ground that is free from thought and discursive flickering. The two-fold benefits of the great perfection,1750 Not gained through words,1751 are hard to realize; But that which is the main point of all this Is the two secret essences of the oral instructions. The great perfection's insight of non-thought Is not to be realized by meditation; But that which is the main point of all of this Is the only places that there are to go. The great perfection's self-arising wisdom Is not established by an establisher; But that which is the main point of all of this Is the two heart-essences of certainty. The great perfection's all-sufficient fruition Is not to be perfected by visualization. The main point is the three-fold oral instructions On how to be separated from desire. The encounter with the great perfection's appearance Will not be accomplished by means of fixation; But that which is the main point of all this Is the five heart-essences of purity. The great perfection's non-thought is luminous radiance.1752 That absolute truth is not realized by desire; But that which is the main point of all this Is said to be the six aspects of existence. Regarding the perfection as the ground Of the phenomena of the great perfection, It cannot be attained by examination. The point of this is the eight-fold non-fixations. The changeless five paths of the great perfection Are not to be attained by means of training; But that which is the main point of all this Is the three-fold nature of the ma.n.dala. The great perfection's self-awakened fruition Will not be attained by having being established; But that which is the main point of all this Is said to be the twenty-one upaayas. 266
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Accomplishing the siddhi of the essence Of this, the great perfection's secret mantra, Will not arise from making offerings. The main point is the three-fold overcomings. The wisdom of emptiness of the great perfection Is self-insight, which is not seen by thinking. But that which is the main point of all this Is the three heart-essences of the teaching. The self-luminosity1753 of the great perfection Will not be seen by having been bestowed; But that which is the point of all this Is the three-fold appearance of the meaning. By these the great perfection is completed The teaching of the nature is like that.
(15)
As for the five paths of the five wisdoms , there are these:
1. From the appearances of the signs 1754 of the five wisdoms, arises the path of the wisdom of dharmadhaatu, the essence of simplicity. This is the appearance of the exhaustion of dharmataa. 2. From this comes the path of the mirror-like wisdom.1755 This is the first, great, lustrous manifestation1756 of the luminosity of self-insight. It is continuous yoga day and night, free from falling into bias and partiality. This is the appearance of reaching the perfection of insight. 3) From that comes the path of the wisdom of equality. This is the appearance of increase of the virtues of the nyam. 4) Being free from extremes of fixation and attachment in regard to the nyam is experiencing the path of discriminating awareness wisdom. This is the appearance of the manifestation of dharmataa. It is taught not to go beyond the first ground of self-arising insight. 5) From that arises the path of the all-accomplishing wisdom. It is liberation of insight as alpha-purity. It is the transparency of naked dharmataa resting in its own nature. 16) The above is also a presentation of the stages of the four appearances according to tregchö. They are in reverse order1757 from that taught in thögel. Vimalamitra says: These, by means of their having been reversed, Go to the primal ground, which is self-insight.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Now, it is explained how dharmas are exhausted at the very time of realization. They are washed away by bathing1758 in the great namelessness: Since everything is totally eliminated, 1759 Without there being any objects whatsoever, There is no system of details,1760 nor are there any dharmas; Without any reference points, there is no recognition. The ground as well as the path have been eliminated. Also eliminated are dharmas of a fruition. Without perceiving even an atom of good and evil, Or any similar kind of1761 extreme and degenerate notion, There is complete and total all-encompassing nothingness.1762 The phenomenal world is nothing, nothing for all eternity. Sa.msaara as well as nirvaa.na are totally overthrown. There is not even such a thing as empty space.1763 Without the reference point of “what?” or “why?” or “this,” “Whatever have you done?” or even, “Where am I? One's former dwelling place has now become non-existent. Now who would do such a thing, and why would they ever do it?1764 Such a peculiar thing is very strange, HA HA! Realization of transparent insight is the great exhaustion of dharmas. The nature of one's own insight totally eliminates attachment to true existence of the dharmas of the phenomenal world, sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. From within the pith of realization arises objectlessness like the sky. It is pure, equal, and single. Details of rejecting and accepting and effort and accomplishing do not exist. Dharmas of selfish desire and recognition by reference points do not exist. They are eliminated by the rising of confidence1765 in the view that mind-made artificialities are groundless and limitless. Without reference point, free from partiality, insight transcends objects expressible by characteristics. Liberated from the grasping mind of shamatha and vipashyanaa, it is free from the path. Insight is self-resting and self-clarified. Things 1766 are overthrown by the freedom from partiality1767 of dharmataa. Self-existing realization of things as they are is continuous and uninterrupted. By eliminating the fruition of the dualistic grasping of hope and fear, alpha-pure naked insight is revealed. That is exhausting dharmataa. The ground where it is exhausted is self-arising wisdom. Abide there, just so, without any journey. Confidence1768 will arise within you. Dharmas of accepting and rejecting and1769 the grasper of good and evil vanish. 1770 The defile of extreme and degenerate conceptions is transcended. Totally universal, appearance and awareness pervade the whole of space.1771 This is etherial openness,1772 absolute lack1773 of true existence. Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are overthrown within insight. Insight, dharmadhaatu, occurs in the transparency of dharmataa, with neither conceptualization or conceptualizer. There is no reference point of “what is it?” and “how is it?” Therefore, insight transcends the partialities of recognition as “this.” It dispenses1774 with the mind that grasps external appearances. Why even speak of the great charade of empty forms that are the appearances of all you other people! As for fixation and attachment in regard to action and actor, there is nothing like that. By seeing things as the groundless appearance of a dream, experience is joyful. Freed from the tethering stake of the inner reference points of the grasper, mind, insight slips the rope of I and ego-fixation. The wild 268
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU stallion of transparent insight will not be found by seeking. I have never seen it anywhere I looked. I have not reached the place where it goes, where it is found, and where it really is. My former wonderful self-luminosity of1775 naked dharmakaaya has been let loose in the realm of no aspects.1776 Now that “is” and “is not” and the grasper of the natural state have vanished,1777 my former home, dharmataa in its own place, is gone. This being the case, why speak of the confusions of liberation and the fruition of dharmakaaya? Outer appearances are transparent and etherial. They subside into cessation. 1778 They are merely hollow pretensions.1779 There are no bias and partiality of “here” and “there,” “is” and “is not.” The inner awareness of self-insight is totally awake on its own seat. Emptiness subsides. Conceptualization has been purified. It is definitely gone.1780 Having been mixed with the trackless evenness of the empty nature of space,1781 I myself do not exist. So, where does that leave 1782 all of you, Ha Ha! Here thoughts are produced of the twelve subjects of vajra laughter, and they arise in one's being. Regarding the twelve laughters, the Heap of Precious Stones says: Then the teacher Samantabhadra, ornament of the heap of precious stones,1783 Saw the completely unobstructed manner of rising of all the various dharmas.1784 Wonder rose at himself, and so he laughed with the twelve great laughters at oneself. This laughing at oneself is self-arising from the organ of the tongue. 1) Kye! Vajra heart-essence of Speech of all the buddhas,1785 consider1786 the view of self-arising wisdom. Beyond joy and sorrow and view and meditation, it is wondrous. Whatever different acts of body and speech are performed, the motionless ground is free from benefit or harm. HA HA! 2) Kye! Vajra heart-essence of Speech, consider the nature of how things are. That the fur of the beast of appearance does not change its color is wondrous. Whatever good and evil we think about it, reality is changeless. HA HA! 3) Kye! Vajra heart-essence of Speech, consider the wisdom of the great emptiness, the source of everything. No matter what is produced by the action of memory and thought, its arising as play is wondrous. Whatever is produced is liberated without obstruction in the Space of the unborn. HA HA! 4) Kye! Vajra of Speech, consider the wisdom of the all-pervading emptiness of dharmataa. Its eternal co-emergence with the unborn is wondrous. Struck with a sharp weapon, all beings are killed at once;1787 and yet the being of these individuals is free from harm or benefit. HA HA! 5) Kye! Vajra of Speech, consider your own awareness, the wisdom of emptiness appearing as everything. That all appearances arise as one's companion is wondrous. Whatever appears does not go beyond the ground. That is oneself. Ha! Ha! 6) Kye! Vajra Heart-essence of Speech, consider empty insight. Its appearance liberates everything. Its self-existing
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY greatness in being its own antidote is wondrous. themselves. HA HA!
The kleshas are self-liberated by
7) Kye! Vajra of Speech, consider the essence of empty insight that purifies all. Its effortless, self-attained fruition is wondrous. By accomplishing this one thing, all of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are purified as non-duality. HA HA! 8) Kye! Vajra of Speech, consider the perfection1788 of the essence, the great emptiness in which everything rests. The appearance of the six kinds of beings as trikaaya is wondrous. Without even a particle of meditation, all beings becomes enlightened at once. HA HA! 9) Kye! Vajra of Speech, consider the great emptiness of trikaaya, the eternal perfection of the fruition. That the three times are without addition or taking away is wondrous. Without practicing the six paaramitaas, the accumulations are perfected all at once. HA HA! 10) Kye! Vajra of Speech, consider the direct resting of insight, the great emptiness, the equality of everything. The arising of all actions and actors as the ornament is wondrous. The liberation of the view from all accepting and rejecting is wondrous. HA HA! 11) Kye! Vajra of Speech, consider the emptiness of emptiness, the eternal, great emptiness. The great cliff where all the buddhas are is wondrous. By meditating on action and actor you will fall over it. HA HA! 12) Kye! Vajra of Speech, consider the reality of the emptiness of nonemptiness.1789 The vehicle of fixating non-existence as a self is indeed wondrous. By being born the unborn is attained. HA HA! The retinue, Vajra of Speech and the others, rejoiced supremely in those words of great wonder. By their being spoken, all appearances arose by themselves as the great wonder. They appeared as themselves. They liberated themselves. They attained themselves. They become non-dual with the vajra body.
That is the extensive teaching. At this time, by the arising of the liberation of conceptualizations from the net, there is the spontaneous play of experience of dharmataa: All The confusions of the environment and the inhabitants Of all the phenomenal world are completely overthrown. Day and night have been awakened for all eternity. They are self-awakened. They are awakened as space. The day, the day of the week, and the date are all awakened. The month and the year are awakened. The kalpa is awakened. Dharmas and non-dharmas, one and all, are awakened. Confusion, the ground of both sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, 270
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Is awakened at this time 1790 into primordial space. Since “space,” is also awakened, from being a conventional dharma, 1791 Why should one make provisions or try to accomplish anything? Exhausting all obscurations of the mind of desire, The space that is realized here is a very great wonder indeed. Without any dharmas, it has a nature like that of a beggar! Dharmas of attachment and fixation in regard to insight are exhausted. Confused fixations of the environment and inhabitants of the phenomenal world are ransacked or overturned. 1792 “This is confusion.” “This is non-confusion.” Such reference points of the grasper of true existence in the conventional are exhausted. Whatever appearances are seen are liberated from the net. They becomes a single, uninterrupted evenness. Former fixations of parts like a day, or long and short, all particular parts whatsoever,1793 have been awakened by appearing as groundless transparency. Evenness arises by itself. This is like happiness arising in the mind of a small child left to its own devices,1794 or like the confidence that seems to arise in the mind of a madman. The self-awakened appearance of the day is a path of clear and vivid rainbow colors.1795 The self-awakened appearance of the night is of shimmering colors.1796 The self-awakened appearance of day and night is the completely even ground. 1797 The awakened appearance of the date and month is allpervading awakening. The awakened appearances of the year and kalpa are sealed with continuously unobstructed brilliance.1798 The awakened dharmas of same and different are pure, naked reality. 1799 The awakened ground of confusion is primordial space awakened into emptiness. Apprehending1800 space as the ultimate place to go, we pass into transparency. Not accomplishing anything is the corral1801 of emptiness. Not making any effort is the valley of dharmataa.1802 This is the wish-fulfilling gem of exhausting goals 1803 and aspirations. Without the confusions 1804 of the mind of desire, there is the space of the exhaustion of dharmas. This all pervading, great vastness of equanimity is the evenness of transparency. The level of not falling into bias and partiality is all pervading and encompassing. Complexities of the four times have been spontaneously cut through into the field of dharmataa. Awareness is self-awakened. Memory is self-exhausted. Realization is eternal. Luminosity is continuous, all-pervading wakefulness. Everything arises as mere experience. Nothing else is seen. The thought is produced, “Realization of the self-arising action1805 has arisen within me.1806 Regarding why that is so, the Longdruk says: At that time, the action of buddhahood ripens, as if all the realm of the world were a pod of sesame seeds. The action of buddhahood arises by itself. It appears by itself. It is liberated by itself. It attains self-insight by itself. The awarenesses of gods, human beings, and so forth rest in the self-arising action of emptiness. They are self-purified in the Space of equality, suchness. They are self awakened. They are selfaroused. This is self-attained in them. The continuity of memory is cut through all at once. The nature of all thoughts is completely purified. Then there are realizations, all at once or gradually, of the ultimate,1808 thögel, eternal purity, eternal being, eternal perfection, eternal arising, eternal display,1809 and self-liberated, great, eternal liberation. One wonders at oneself. One has confidence1810 in oneself. One's intrinsic power arises within one. 1807
That was the extensive teaching. Now one exists in the fortress of realizing the exhaustion of dharmas. Within that there are none of the transition or change of the three times: 271
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY This is the precious ground, 1811 the fortress of the sky. 1812 Without support, it is eternally liberated. By the spontaneous realization of that space,1813 The vessel and essence, all the phenomena1814 of the three worlds, Become the liberation of the great objectlessness.
All is eternally and primordially unborn, non-dwelling, and unceasing. The environment is the apparent vessel of the world. The inhabitants are the essence, all sentient beings of the three worlds. Both are eternally non-existent. There are no objects. Without support, they are already pure. Whatever appears, whatever arises, builds 1815 the empty fortress of the sky. This is the ground, the great emptiness, the eternal essence. In this jewel1816 fortress of unobstructed luminosity are appearances of what does not exist, self-luminous, mere reflections of empty form. In this fortress all that arises is the ground, insight. It is a self-unified single space, without past and future. All dharmas are the exhaustion of dharmas. They are empty, equal, all-pervading, and self-existing. They pass the pass into vast, great Space. This is realization liberated from extremes, without bias or partiality. As the power of self-arising produces thoughts in one's being, there is experience of the seven-fold, wondrous, secret words . As to why that is so, the Heap of Precious Stones says: Then the teacher himself spontaneously 1817 spoke these kings of words of wondering at himself. 1) E Ma Ho! Listen, Vajra of Speech, you who are the essence.1818 Because one's own insight is the pith that is free from birth and death, there is not even an atom of distinction in seeing the essence of insight between someone who has killed a million sentient beings and an individual who always practices the ten paaramitaas. That is what is taught by me, Samantabhadra. 2) Kye! Vajra of the Speech of all the Buddhas, because the pith of dharmataa is simplicity, the person who has a constant acquaintance with emptiness and the individual who does not make his mind into emptiness for even in instant are made into buddhas1819 without even an atom of distinction. That is what is taught by me, Samantabhadra. 3) Kye! Vajra of Speech, a person who has faith that immeasurable conditioned1820 virtues are produced by the uncompounded pith of insight itself and one who is always striving to cut off lives are without an atom of difference in their opportunity1821 to perfect the accumula tions. That is what is taught by me, Samantabhadra. 4) Kye! Vajra of Speech, the person in whose body and speech the various signs of dharmataa arise by the pith of insight without coming or going and the being who does not train his mind in hearing and contemplating for even an instant are without even a particle of difference in seeing reality. 1822 That is what is taught by me, Samantabhadra. 272
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 5) Kye! Vajra of Speech, Because the pith of dharmataa is without birth and cessation, a person who experiences the hot or cold hells and one who experiences the blissful experiences of the buddhas are without even an atom of difference in obtaining the gate of realization. That is what is taught by me, Samantabhadra. 6) Kye! Vajra of Speech, Because the pith of insight is changeless, a person who cuts through the complexities of the dharmas of mind and one who always has the view of ego are without even an atom of difference in realizing the essence. That is what is taught by me, Samantabhadra. 7) Kye! Vajra of Speech, by the pith of the self-existence of dharmakaaya, a person who performs various external offerings, praises, and supplications and one who remains free from the performance of activities are without even an atom of distinction in attaining the fruition. That is what is taught by me, Samantabhadra. Kye! Vajra of Speech, Therefore, when the being who practices these great, self-arising words has attained the confidence of effortless practice, trikaaya and appearance become inseparable. That being has become a buddha. Now there is the instruction of eliminating what is contradictory to true realization: Those bound by fixing what is impartial as partiality They themselves, not knowing the nature, defile themselves. Confusion has surely confused1823 these self-deluded ones. They are confused by grasping the non-confused as a precipice. All dharmas are within the single state of bodhicitta. They are without bias or falling into partiality. Those who have devotion to the lesser path of merit and devotion of hinayaana, as well as foolish ordinary beings, have created fixated partialities. They distinguish1824 enemy and friend, self and other, doctrines, view, meditation, and so forth. By fixating the partialities of self and other, they have bound insight. Not knowing the nature free from partiality like the sky, they have defiled their own insight. Not knowing that their own insight1825 exists as dharmakaaya, they have deceived themselves. Those who course1826 in the dharmas of ordinary, confused appearance are in the play-house of a child's game. Imitating what they have been taught and heard,1827 they take it for the real thing. 1828 Like those who wrangle over1829 proofs and refutations, they are indeed confused. Grasping non-confusion as the selfhood of individual entities, how these confused individuals wear themselves out in games of egograsping! Fixating unreal appearances as having a selfhood of their own, they exhaust themselves. Saraha says: Those who are playing at the games of ego Are fools indeed who will only exhaust themselves.
Such confusion and wandering is the dream-like confusion of sa.msaara. The Sengé says: 273
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Sentient beings, who are not like that, wander, Collecting and being absorbed1830 in their own thoughts. Like children who have not grown up as yet, They wander because of performing many actions. Unrealized sentient beings are like that. They wander because of their many discursive thoughts, Which are the maaras of the state of sa.msaara. That is the view of this teaching of ati yoga.1831 Some of them wander because of external fixations. Some of them wander because of inner grasping. Some wander because of samaadhi and meditation. Some wander because of acts of performing deeds. Some of them wander because of sa.msaaric desire. All of the sentient beings who are like that Wander because of the bondage of the five kleshas. They do not see their own insight1832 as being wisdom. Having become attached to these appearances As truly existing things in their own right,1833 They will not see the face of sacred outlook. 1834 Sentient beings, men as well as women, Will not attain to freedom1835 by themselves. They will exist for a long time in sa.msaara. Even though such confusion is non-existent, it is fixated as selfhood. Here is the instruction of abandoning such attachment and fixation: Confusion and non-confusion are the Space of bodhicitta. In bodhicitta, confusion as well as liberation Have been without existence for all eternity. Fixation of the play of arising of this is bondage. In reality bondage and liberation are not two. Bodhicitta has no mind and it has no objects. Do not be confused by grasping names as if they existed. In the essence of insight, sa.msaara and nirvaa.na do not exist. Bondage, liberation, confusion, and sa.msaara are absent. However within this absence, the play of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na arises from the power of insight.1836 It appears like the eight examples of illusion. Prolonged grasping of these as real1837 is bondage. But even though play appears, its essence does not really exist. Neither its objects1838 or the mind that grasps them exist. The nature of bondage is eternally non-existent and empty. Do not be deceived about your own insight by grasping them as existing. What in reality is the essence, the nature of mind, has been fixated as dual appearance and mind. The dharmas that arise from this state of ignorance are the confusion of sa.msaara. The Künjé says: 274
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Not realizing the nature of me, the doer of all, By making examination to ascertain the nature1839 Of whatever dharmas are produced by me, Through craving1840 and desire, appearances exist. If someone destroys 1841 the impermanent nature of illusion, Then their nature will be nothing whatsoever.1842 They will be like the appearances of 1843 a man who is blind. In reaching the conclusion1844 that the root of confusion is grasping, what was sought is reached. This is the important pith of bringing sa.msaaric experience to the path. This encounter with tracklessness is that which is able to liberate. There are many ways of eliminating confusion, but here they are gathered into three:
1) ELIMINATING CONFUSION FROM THE GROUND By recognizing confusion as the ground, confusion is self-eliminated. This is like recognizing a thief within our household. The thief is turned out,1845 and we can be at ease in our own home. That is the way of the nature of the great perfection.
2) ELIMINATING CONFUSION FROM THE PATH When we are confused by kleshas, this confusion itself is made into a path. Those desiring liberation who are dwelling on a wrong path, remain on that same path. At the same time they reject it and enter the right one. They are the ordinary ones of the secret mantra.
3) ELIMINATING CONFUSION FROM THE FRUITION This is the way of 1846 the vehicle of cause and characteristics. When buddhahood has been attained, what is associated with confusion is maintained to be eliminated. This is like having attained a kingdom. Whoever does so also attains the power to subdue foreign countries. These approaches differ in power and loftiness of mind. Therefore they have a different style of doctrines and path. The higher ones realize the lower ones, but the lower ones do not realize the higher ones. Those who have ascertained the pith of the great perfection should keep if secret. Otherwise, the greatness of the dharma will diminish, since it cannot be contained1847 in inferior minds. It will become a condition for evil deeds of such inferior ones. Therefore, you are instructed to keep secret this treasury of the King. The Heap of Precious Stones says: Do not speak even an atom of these words among shraavakas, pratyekabuddhas, and so forth. By simply hearing these words they will all be shocked and terrified. They will faint! They have no respect for the mantrayaana. Their minds will become critical. 1848 By the ripening of this, sentient beings will experience the great hells. So why even speak of letting them hear the teachings? Do not tell them even to the air and directions! Vajra of Speech asked, “Kye! Bhagavan, for what reason did all the shraavakas and so forth arise like that? 275
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The Bhagavan said, “Shraavakas, pratyekabuddhas, and so forth do not have the good fortune to be vessels of secret mantra, because they are of small mind. For example, as is said, “A bolt of cloth1849 cannot go through the eye of a needle. There is no way it will fit.” If they are instructed to abandon fixation, they will say, “What is fixation? What sorts of things are fixated? How are fixation and such things abandoned?” Now this is extensively explained, for the sake of clearing away doubt from minds so inclined to minute examination: Insight is liberated by being the eternal Buddha. Therefore do not bind it in the cage of mind, The cage consisting of grasping at various reference points. Eternally without objects, this Space was always 1850 pure. This is the space of1851 great bliss, as limitless as the sky. The root of peace, this primordial1852 Space of enlightenment Cannot ever be within the state of sa.msaara.
The self-nature of insight is simplicity. That completely pure nature has existed as buddhahood from all eternity. Its opposite, sa.msaara, does not exist at all, like space. Do not bind insight in the cage of incidental, false conceptions. That is the instruction. The number of the great binders of insight is limitless. But, if they are summarized, there are these ten cages of Dharmas : 1) The cage of attachment to conventional words. 2) The cage of the pool of non-thought. 3) The cage of the grasper of action and effort. 4) The cage of the grasper of appearances as truly existing. 5) The cage of seeking the true meaning from another. 6) The cage of grasping the characteristics of empty form. 7) The cage of losing the nature by making a view of emptiness. 8) The cage of pointless, discursive chatter.1853 9) The cage of emptiness meditation, like pointing fingers in the dark. 10) The cage of senseless self-torture.1854
The Heap of Precious Stones says:
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU And then the teacher Samantabhadra1855 himself Proclaimed these words that told of his own greatness. These words he spoke were brilliantly proclaimed. 1856 Not knowing that all dharmas have one taste, Grasping conventional words as being true, Is like a burden the body cannot bear.1857 Not knowing that space and insight are non-dual, Whoever meditates in the pool of non-thought Might as well try to cut a mountain in two. 1858 Not knowing self-existence and spontaneity,1859 Whoever fixates on the effort of action Is like a painter desiring his own creation. 1860 Without the knowledge of self-arising non-obstruction, To pigeonhole 1861 appearance as truly existing Is like a tree that is bereft of life. Not knowing trikaaya to be eternally perfect, Whoever seeks the true teachings from another, Is fruitlessly following an ox's tracks. Without the knowledge of the heart-essence drop, Display of the lustrous manifestation of insight Is like a bird that is taken in a snare.1862 Not knowing self-liberation, resting in chokshak , Someone who claims to have realized the view Is like a bastard pretending to be a king. With body and speech unsealed by signs of heat, Proclaiming that one has realized the unborn Is like the sound of wind in an empty valley. If those unfamiliar with the chain of lambs Proclaim the cessation of confused appearance, They might as well point fingers in the dark. For one who does not know this highest of tantras, Conceiving of the desire to practice it Is like embarking on a difficult journey. Here is a brief explanation. All appearances and minds are of one taste as the groundless experience of the unborn. If we do not know this, we shall fixate the conventional meaning of the many stages of the vehicles and the many details 1863 of the view and meditation. This is true even though we 277
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY wish to realize the manifestation of the natural state of Mind. This bondage is like being a weary traveller worn out by a burden. By casting away conventional dharmas, there is bliss. The space of the dhaatu, alpha-pure insight free from complexity, is self-luminous, transparent, naked insight. It is emptiness/luminosity, non-dual from all eternity. If we do not know this, dharmataa will not be actualized. This is true even if we meditate on non-thought, the single root of mind. The essence of the natural state will not be seen. There will be no liberation from the defile of grasping and fixation. This is like someone hoping to cut Mount Meru in two. By throwing away the tether of grasping mind, there is bliss. The natural samaadhi of insight must be recognized. Otherwise hoping to rest in meditation on the pith of body and pith of praa.na-mind is like a painter who has desire for someone who exists only as the subject of 1864 his own painting. We shall never meet with realization of dharmataa. By abandoning the path of effortful means, there is bliss. The empty form that arises as play from the power of transparent insight is merely luminous appearance of what does not exist. If we do not know this, we shall fixate some of the play of what appears as mind. We shall fixate some more as real, external otherness. This is like a tree with a dried-out heart on which no leaves will grow. Fatiguing ourselves to gain the fruition is of no use. By getting rid of all fixated partialities, these appearances, there is bliss. In general, by purifying fixated appearances that arise as the play of the power of manifestation there are the pure appearances of sacred outlook. 1865 By not purifying them there are the impure appearances of confusion. From the time of their first appearing, there are no inner and outer at all, except as mere play. They have no existence whatsoever. They are only groundless, empty form, luminous appearance of what does not exist. This has already been explained. The essence, nature, and compassion of insight are the absolute truth of trikaaya. But someone who does not know this may maintain that the space of the dhaatu, the absolute truth, is empty in the sense of mere emptiness.1866 This is as if an ox has come into our house; but, not knowing this, we follow its tracks backwards to another place. Even if we search everywhere, no ox will be found! But if the mind that seeks the absolute is abandoned, there is bliss. Insight is pure, naked reality, where dharmas are exhausted in nonobstruction. But if we do not know this, insight grasps the empty form of external appearance as its own1867 radiant manifestation. Then we shall not be free from the hobbles of fixation and grasper. It is like a bird tied to a sting. Even if it wants to fly, it can go only a little way. By abandoning liberation in the pure radiance of appearance, there is bliss. Insight on the level of insight is the self-liberation of chokshak . If we do not know this, we shall be hindered by generalized understanding of the individual aspects of emptiness. These are bliss, luminosity, actionlessness, and so forth. We may think, “I have realized the view,” and claim that it is so. This is like a bastard child, with an improvised costume, but the same old face, saying, “I am a king!” and thinking he really is one. By abandoning intellectualized views, there is bliss. The Muulamaadhyamakakaarikaa says: In order that all views might be abandoned You, Gautama, said what you have said. 278
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Someone who intellectualizes with arrogant confidence may say, “I have realized the view,” or “I am actionless.” No one like that is united with the natural state. Such pretentious words are shameless. Only a stupid fool in darkness would proclaim such things. Those in whom the eye of intellect is closed maintain many partialities of wrong dwelling. Such errors contradict the teachings of holy Dharma. The sages1868 dwell in complete humility. If we actually realize the unborn, confused attachment to things will be destroyed. There will be no attachment to signs in body and speech of the heat of dharmataa. There will be no fear of death. We shall look young and healthy, without white hair and wrinkles. If someone without these signs 1869 says, “I have realized the unborn,” it is like wind blowing in an empty valley. But if we abandon intellectualizing, grasping empty words without realization, there is bliss. The self-nature of insight is unobstructed nakedness. It neither exists as things, nor is an extreme nothingness. This is emptiness/luminosity, transparency, the meaning of the vajra chain of lambs. Those who is not proficient in this may proclaim that they have eliminated the confused appearance of sa.msaara and the confused grasper of true existence. But this is like people pointing their fingers in the dark. Neither oneself nor anything else can be seen. Just so, such people will not be able to clear away1870 the accumulated1871 confusions of grasped object and fixating subject. But if we abandon the mind of meditation on fixed objects, there is bliss. Our essence, insight, is the nakedly self-existing pith. Here dharmas are exhausted in the unsurpassable continuity. 1872 If we do not know this, it may seem at the time that we have “got it.”1873 But whatever efforts and skillful means are practiced, we are not liberated from extremes. We are not fully purified. 1874 Therefore, many doubts and mistaken intellectualizations will carry us into the convoluted path of the strayings and obscurations. This is like wandering on an unfamilia r path full of sidetracks.1875 By abandoning the transmission of darkness, emptiness meditation, there is bliss. The great teacher Garab Dorje 1876 said: Intellectualized views will lead us to the kleshas.1877 Meditation on that will lead to unhappiness. The action that acts on that will lead us to exhaustion. Hope for fruition from that will only lead to confusion. 1878 Here are the instructions for conquering grasped objects and their fixating grasper, the maaras of sa.msaara: In the single drop of bindu without any angles and corners, The grasper of “same” and “different” is mind that is confused. In self-arising wisdom with neither cause and conditions, Grasping the path of sa.msaara hinders enlightenment. In self-existing impartiality, free from extremes, Attachment to partial extremes of view is the maara of arrogance.1879 In unobstructed emptiness without any things or marks, Existence and non-existence, appearance as well as emptiness, Are taught to be only the mind of mistaken labeling.1880
Therefore abandon the cage of biased and partial desire. Let awareness be self-existing and impartial. Let it be free from bias,1881 like the space of the sky itself. 279
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The simplicity of transparent insight, the single drop of bindu, is maintained to be the single essence of existence and non-existence, appearance and emptiness, view, meditation, and so forth. Maintaining that they are different and so forth is confused conceptualization. This is because self-arising wisdom does not exist as anything at all. Within that, sa.msaara and the appearances of sa.msaara are fixations.1882 They exist only in one's mind. They are obstacles to realizing dharmataa. Fixation thinks that there are things and characteristics. Maintaining existence and non-existence and “is” and “is not” arises within the essence of simplicity as incidental obscuration of mind. Such concepts are the net of variety and complexity. In brief, all fixated conceptions of thought and expression are errors of false conception. It should be known that they are darkness. They obscure realization of the transparent essence. They are the gateway to sa.msaara. Fixating characteristics is the teaching of the maara of bondage. The Khyungchen says: Artificial fixation of body and of speech, And of the various reference points of conceptual1883 mind, Produces obscurations of the truth of dharmataa. What sort of antidote is there that is more potent than these? It is important to know what liberates from the defile of Maara, what is to be abandoned in this case. Briefly, the essence of Maara is confused conceptualization. This is accompanied by the fixation and grasper of ignorance. The distinguishing characteristic is that the maaras are obstacles to liberation. If one sets out the divisions, the root division is the duality of fixation and the grasper. The branch divisions are the four maaras: 1) 2) 3) 4)
The skandha maara. The mrityu maara. The klesha maara. The deva putra maara.
The minor limbs are the twenty eight external maaras and so forth. The divisions of their emanations are beyond the compass of thought. They are as many as the extremes of conceptualization, particular karmas, and the assembly of kleshas. But they can all be summarized as conceptualization alone. By liberating conceptualization as insight, insight is transparently realized. Whoever does this is called a yogin completely victorious over the maaras. The Tantra of Self-Liberated Insight says: The maaras that bind by the characteristics of various concepts Are so many that they are beyond the compass of thought. As many characteristics of thought as may come forth Have, every one of them, the nature of the maaras. Here is an abbreviated teaching of these, Whose inexpressible vastness transcends all thought. If someone desires the objects of grasping and fixation, That is what is known as the external maara. 280
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Acting on thoughts that are confused is the inner maara. Boasting about one's fame is deception of the maaras. Good ornaments for the body are deceptions of Maara. The pleasant words of friends are just the deceptions of Maara. Hatred for one's enemies is the deception of Maara The concept of selfhood too is deception by the maaras. If desires should arise within one's body, Then it should be known that this is the work of Maara.1884 If someone desires grasped objects and the fixating grasper, That is what is known as the external maara. If someone should have desire for the play of samaadhi, That is what is known as the internal maara. If someone should have desire for objects of appearance, That is known as the maara of apparent objects. If there are consuming doubts of “it is” and “it is not,” That is known as the maara of conceptualization. If someone is carried away by the wandering of action, That is what is known as the maara of sa.msaara. If anyone should enter into conceptualization, That is what is known as the maara of the mind. If someone desires the objects of grasping and fixation, That is also known as the maara of the mind. Desiring sa.msaaric enjoyment is the maara of wandering. Desiring sa.msaaric dharmas is the skandha maara. If someone desires to wade in the mire of contention, That is what is known as being the klesha maara.1885 If someone should have a desire for happiness, bliss, or fame, That is what is known as the deva putra maara. When anyone is wrathful and overcome with anger, That is what is known as being the mrityu maara.1886 If someone should have desire for the deities of practice, Then it should be known that this is the maara of bondage. 281
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY If someone should have desire for the five desirables, That is called the maara of the lower realms. If someone desires the ten activities of the Dharma,1887 Then that is the maara of the place of birth. If someone feels desire for the pathway of sa.msaara, That is what is known as the maara of ignorance. If someone has produced avariciousness for objects, That is what is known as the maara of desire. If anyone should slander and renounce the Dharma, Then it should be known that this is the maara of jealousy. If someone disparages others, that is the maara of pride. If one abandons externals, that is the maara of faults. Such deceptions of maara cannot be compassed by thought. Although they are unspeakably many, beyond all number, If someone was already plundered by the four root maaras, None of the other maaras will have an opportunity. The distinctions of the maaras are said to be like that. Also it says: Therefore, conceptualization, the maara of sa.msaara, Is non-existent and empty, and so it cannot be grasped. As for the maaras, when we realize what we are, When we are within the appearance of the great wisdom, There are no maaras, and also there are no acts of maaras. Self-arising insight is something solitary. Aside from this itself, there are no other maaras. Having looked at Maara as being our own insight, Having realized this, all the various maaras Are states that do not exist, states that have been conquered. In a previous state of existence without me, Even the name of so-called maaras did not exist. Since the maaras are something that arose from me, There are no other so-called maaras anywhere. Those who fixate conceptualizations as an ego, 282
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Are the one great root of all the various maaras. If I have been realized, the maaras are cleared away. All of the various maaras of the fixation of concepts Are pacified within my state by skillful means. Therefore all of the maaras of discursive thought Are alpha-non-existent, and they are alpha-pure. The maaras are the play of the manifestation of wisdom. They arise from me, and from me arises confusion. Therefore, they should be known to be my miracles. My play is something that is not encompassed by thought. My miracles are not difficult, for everything is my play. Now, as for completing the space of dharmataa bodhicitta:
Whatever is seen and heard within the six collections Is self-luminous Space, without separation or clearing away. Therefore, pass the pass into the state of equality, Space that is liberated for all eternity. That was the instruction. None of the five spheres of external appearance, form and so on, go beyond the power and play of self-arising wisdom. Nor do whatever affirmations and negations arise in inner awareness. As empty form, appearance of what does not exist, they pass the pass into insight. Insight, self-arising wisdom, passes the pass into transparent namelessness, the exhaustion of dharmas. This is not the realm of the complexities of thought and expression. The Sengé says: I am separate from the word “emptiness.” Because I do not have any dharmas of darkness, I thus am the self appearing, great radiance. Because I have no conditions of appearance, I thus am the luminosity of the five kaayas. Because I am without the dharmas of action, I thus am birthless for all eternity. Because I have no entering of the maaras, I thus am free from variety of conditions. Because I have no extreme conceptualizations I thus am free from dharmas of “is” and “is not.” Because I have no words for characteristics, I thus am free from nihilistic conceptions.1888 283
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Because I have no objects that are real, I thus am free from eternalistic extremes.
Because I have no conceptions of fixation, I thus transcend extremes of nihilism. Because I have no productions of memory, The dharmas of sa.msaaric suffering are set free. Because I have no dualistic appearance, I thus am free from dualized joy and sorrow. Because I do not fall into partiality, I thus am free from all confusion of mind. Because I do not have any dharmas of action, I thus am self-arising spontaneity. Here is the general teaching of the distinguishing features of the space of ying,1889 the ground, and the Space of long,1890 the mind:1891 The single equality that is the source of whatever appears Is the space of the dhaatu that is known as ying. Everything is the Space that is designated as long. As the producer of qualities, it is the ground of all. It is self-rising, without separation or clearing away. The feature that distinguishes dharmataa bodhicitta Is its rising as the essence, the source of everything. Know it to be like space, primordially pure. Insight in its aspect of emptiness and equality, existing as the ground of everything, is called ying, the space of the dhaatu. Because of the spontaneously appearing display of its qualities, it is called the ground. Because it is the essence of everything, it is called bodhicitta. These are actually inseparable, like the space of the sky. This is the “I” of the Künjé.1892 The wisdom arising from this “I” is called the heart-essence of all dharmas. Regarding these distinguishing features the Künjé says: Now “I,” so-called, am the essential heart, And I am the essence of all the various dharmas.1893 Regarding what is known as “self-arising,” 284
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Because the essence has no cause or conditions, I thus transcend establishing and effort. Within that which is known as the state of “wisdom,” All dharmas are displayed without remainder, Because they are unobstructed and unobscured. I am that which is known as bodhicitta. Regarding the meaning of “from all eternity,” It is existence from the very beginning. Regarding what is known as “all the Dharmas,” All teachers are really the state of dharmataa, And likewise all of the teachings are dharmataa. The retinue and place are dharmataa. The time when they appear is dharmataa.1894 Not even one thing is not dharmataa. Regarding the meaning of what is called the essence, The essence is the source of everything. Within the nature of the bodhicitta, That which is called the three teachers has arisen. Their three-fold teachings also rise from this. The retinue, place, and time arise from this. The explanation of the essence is this. It is the source of everything there is. The three teachers are trikaaya. The three teachings are these: 1) The external teachings are the vehicles of causation, the vinaya, suutras, and abhidharma. These are the teachings of the nirmaa.nakaaya. 2) The inner teachings are kriyaa, upa, and yoga. These are the teachings sambhogakaaya. 3) The secret teachings are the developing stage, the perfecting stage, and perfection. These are the teachings of dharmakaaya.
The three retinues are these: 1) The retinue of the nirmaa.nakaaya, is the gelongs and gelongmas, and the male and female genyens.1895 285
of the
great
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 2) The retinue of sambhogakaaya is the bodhisattvas dwelling on the ten bhuumis. 3) The retinue of dharmakaaya is those for whom all dharmins arise as the play of dharmataa, the ocean of the assembly of the wise.
The three places are these: 1) The place of dharmakaaya is Akani.sh.tha, meaning dharmadhaatu beyond thought and expression. 2) The place of sambhogakaaya is the individual fields of the five buddha families, the mansions 1896 of Akani.sh.tha. 3) The place of nirmaa.nakaaya is various and uncertain. It is wherever students experience it, the vulture peak and so forth.
The three times are these: 1) The time of dharmakaaya is inexpressible. 2) The time of sambhogakaaya is the continuous wheel of purity and luminosity. 3) The time of nirmaa.nakaaya is the time when assembled conditions accord with the arising of the dharma. As for the distinguishing features of the syllables of bodhicitta, in Tibetan jang chuup sem:1897
The meaning of jang is that the vast Space which is the ground, Self-arising wisdom, eternally without stain, Does not have the obscurations of sa.msaara. Chuup means that its self-existing qualities Have been perfected in a way beyond cause and effect. What is meant by sem is pure luminosity. This is the essence of self-arising insight itself. They are united as bodhicitta, completely pure. The essence of insight is eternally without stain, because sa.msaara does not exist at all. Therefore, it is called purified, jang. Within this very essence, the self-existing qualities exist. The essence exists in a way suitable for the arising of anything whatsoever. Its compassion exists all-pervadingly, and so it pervades all of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. Therefore, it is perfected, chuup. Its luminosity arises as one's own insight. Therefore, it is called mind, sem. Collected conceptualizations of mind and mental contents, arise impurely from the power of play. These are not bodhicitta. They are the mind of sa.msaara. They are different from the mind of the power and the arising of play from the power. They have a nature contradictory to bodhicitta. The Künjé says: Now here is the meaning of what is meant by jang. 286
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Regarding the heart essence, bodhicitta, Because it has arisen by itself, And is completely pure from all eternity, The actions performed by the doer of all, the King, Are all completely pure as Samantabhadra. Thus, what is meant by jang has been explained. Now here is the meaning of what is meant by chuup: Within the essence, self-arising wisdom, Appearance and existence will be found. The vessel and the essence are included, And all the buddhas of the three times are there, As well as the sentient beings of the three worlds, And all the forms of beings of the six lokas. The suchness of them all is totally perfect. That suchness dwells pervading everything. By that what is meant by chuup has been explained. Regarding the meaning of sem, it is like this: The essence, which is self-arising wisdom Has entered into all of the vessel and essence. It cuts them through with luminosity. By that what is meant by sem has been explained. Here is the final summary of this certain reasoning: Within the self-nature of play arising from the power For realization, the incidental is also enlightened. But wherever non-realization may be found, 1898 Existing as the collection of all the confusions of ignorance, From aalaya rise the eight collections and their objects. They rise as the vessel and essence of phenomena. They do not go beyond the Space of bodhicitta. Within the equality of the motionless Space of mind, Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are included and perfected, Liberated as Space, the vastness of realization. The self-clarified power of bodhicitta is like a spotlessly transparent jewel. Within it is the appearance of buddhahood, free from stains of incidental conceptualizations. It goes nowhere beyond appearing as insight itself. By non-realization of that, it becomes the vessel and essence of ignorant and confused sentient beings with their eight consciousnesses. But these too do not go beyond insight. Whatever appears to someone does not move from that person's own insight. But that is not to say that everything is of one taste with some single state of ordinary understanding and does not move from that. That would be impossible. 287
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Aalaya is the neutral ignorance which is the root of mind. From aalaya arise the following eight consciousnesses: 1. Aalayavijñaana, the mere purity of non-thought. 2. The mind-consciousness that has the kleshas , existing as the arising of whichever of the three poisons arise. 3. the conceptual mind-consciousness, mere one-pointed dwelling without conceptualizations of fixated objects. 4-8. The self-luminous, non-thought consciousnesses of the five gates of sense. All of these arise within insight as the play of its power. They are merely luminous appearance of what does not exist. From that all the kleshas appear as dharmas of sa.msaara. Thus, the source and ground of arising of everything is insight. It is compared to the following: 1) A jewel. 2) A treasure-house. 3) A mirror. 4) A crystal. 5) A silk brocade. 6) A great garu.da. 7) A lion. 8) An ocean. 9) The sky. 10) The earth. The Pearl Mala says: Regarding the nature of mind, which is like that, By granting all that is needed and desired, The mind1899 is like a wish-fulfilling gem. In being full of everything that is needed, The mind is said to be like a treasury. Because my teaching has appeared within it, The mind is like the surface of a mirror. Because of its spotless luminosity, The mind is like a self-arisen crystal. Because of its appearing as variety, The mind is like a colorful brocade. 288
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU By being without collection of complexities, The mind is like a garu.da in the sky. Because of perfecting the power of the view, The mind is like a lion without fear. In being utterly perfect to the depths, The mind is like an ocean in its clarity. In being self-arising liberation, The mind is like the unobstructed sky. In being the support of everything, The mind is like the earth in its solidity. The mind is exalted over other objects. Though some of its features have been expressed in these examples, all of them cannot be expressed. Those of small prajñaa think it is literally like these symbols. They use them to symbolize conceptualizations or erroneous partialities. A jewel symbolizes the self-existing buddha qualities. But they fixate the meaning as being that insight is an inert, material thing so forth. Those who have not realized this should not contemplate such evil doubts as these. Those who symbolize the self-existing qualities within the essence of insight as a “jewel,” are not thinking of it as material. A treasury symbolizes the arising of whatever is needed. There is no thought that what is symbolized it in this way exists as a thing with particular characteristics and so forth. A mirror symbolizes the space that is the ground of unobstructed arising. What is symbolized it in this way is not the play of reflections that have already arisen and so forth. A crystal symbolizes the transparency of alpha-purity. What is symbolized in this way is not a one-sided purity, recognition of that, and so forth. A silk brocade symbolizes the mere unobstructedness of the way things appear. What is symbolized in this way is not truly existent color and shape. A garu.da symbolizes self-existence without emanation or gathering. What is symbolized in this way is not the existence of insight as emptiness and the space of emptiness is totally empty space. A lion symbolizes lack of anxiety, hope, and fear. What is symbolized in this way is not that something is overcome, and someone overcomes it. An ocean symbolizes clarity. What is symbolized in this way is not that a clear and profound state that is literally deep. The sky symbolizes emptiness of things and characteristics. What is symbolized in that way is not nihilistic non-existence. The earth symbolizes the root of arising, the supporting space of the qualities and so forth. What is symbolized in that way is not that anything exists dependently on insight as support and supported. The appearance of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na within insight is beyond the extremes of existence and non-existence. This is because insight is both the ground and the arising of appearance and so forth. Now there is the explanation of the nature of things as they are, the essence of the natural state: The non-existence of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na Exists within the nature, naturally as it is. 289
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The non-existence of either good and evil, Or accepting and rejecting, is naturally as it is. The non-existence of abandoning and attaining, Or grasping and fixation, is naturally as it is. The non-existence of the five kleshas and the five poisons, Existing from all eternity, is naturally as it is. The non-existence of any bias or partiality Exists within the nature, naturally as it is. The non-existence of the power of bodhicitta, Or anything rising from it, is naturally as it is. That ceaseless labeling is mere partiality And the labeled does not exist is naturally as it is. Variety has conventional labeling, but the existence of the absolute essence, unobstructed insight, as “this and that” transcends expression. Therefore, so-called sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, good and evil, accepting and rejecting, abandoning and attaining, the kleshas, bias and partiality, power and play, the place of arising, and arising itself do not exist at all. The Thaljur says: One's nature, which is the space of dharmataa, And all the discursive flickerings within it, Are emptied so that conceptions are exhausted. There is no ground, and there is no perfection. There is no path, and there is no fruition. This dharmataa was not produced by anyone. By being pure, the nature is free from complexity. Beyond all the objects of different conceptualizations, It cuts the constant confusion that rises from words. The Longdruk says: In freedom from complexities of many words Without any dharmas, and beyond all signs, There are no buddhas, and there are no sentient beings. It may be asked why a power and a ground of arising that are not refuted and do not cease are non-existent when examined. This is the explanation: In self-arising wisdom, the nameless exhaustion of dharmas, Whatever play and power rise are groundlessness. 290
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Without any bondage and also without any liberation, The natural state of things as they are is naturally there. The meaning of “liberation” is trackless self-subsiding. “It is everything” and “It is nothing at all.” Since neither is contradicted by examination, It is described by the words “eternal liberation.” This is so because the word “non-existence” has no connection to reality. Reality itself is without essence. Wherever we look for the name, it will not be found. How can a connection between such a name and such a meaning be conceived? Insight, its power and play, and self-liberation are understood from the viewpoint of non-examination as aspects of symbolic knowing. From merely examining what is meant by this, insight itself is without essence. Then how can what is meant by the so-called place of arising, arising, and the play of variety exist? Yet things appear ceaselessly from nothingness. Verbal examination of what happens at that time says that it is like the emanation of an illusion. If we do not examine the producer of illusion, the requisite vidyaa mantra, and the emanated play of that vidyaa mantra, the illusory horse or elephant etc. are mere appearances. One arises unobstructedly from another. The same is true of insight, from the viewpoint of non-analysis and non-examination. Insight, its power, and the play arising from its power, appearing as the phenomenal world of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, are mere appearance. If we analyze them, the horse and elephant are luminous appearance of what does not exist. Vidyaa mantra is trackless empty sound. The body of the illusionist is partless atoms. The illusionist's mind, free from one and many, does not exist. Just so, all the apparent play of the vessel and essence of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na is luminous appearance of what does not exist. The power is self-luminous and empty. Insight, the transparent exhaustion of dharmas, is free from extremes of one and many. Therefore, this is beyond the complex objects of thought and expression. Someone may think that when we do not analyze and examine, these appearances are awareness, since they arise from its power. We maintain that such thoughts are wrong conceptualizations. This is like saying that the illusory horse or elephant that arise as the play of the illusionist are not the illusionist himself. If the illusory horse and ox elephant were the illusionist, when the illusory appearances are dissolved, the illusionist too would pass into non-existence. Before those appearances could disappear, the illusionist would have to pass into non-existence. But the existence or non-existence of the illusionist, and the dissolution or non-dissolution, is not produced along with those of the illusion. Therefore, these two are not of one essence. Likewise appearance and one's own mind are not one in essence. Appearances do not come and go along with ego, and vice versa. Therefore, they are not of one essence. Someone may ask, “But, since appearances are the play of insight, isn't it reasonable to say that appearances come and go along with ego?” The vanishing1900 of public appearances is not produced along with those of particular egos. When there is no more ego, mountains and so forth still appear. The merely private play of appearances of mountains ceases when an individual dies. One's own play of oneself goes and returns along with oneself. The public play goes and returns with itself. There is no fault in answering that they are different. Someone may think, “When someone becomes non-existent in death, that person's experience of mountains does not become non-existent. The play is left behind.” 291
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The apparent objects left behind are public. Appearances are left behind, but not appearances to the dead! The cessation of public play is not proclaimed. Public and private appearances and their realms are different. There is no fault, and this is acceptable. Name and reality are without connection, because appearance has no nature. Examination and any benefit of examination do not exist. Whatever appears and whatever is examined should be known as merely empty conventionality. The Samaadhiraaja Suutra says: As when people have given birth to different children, Though they are given names conventionally, No matter where we look to find those names, We shall not find them anywhere at all. All dharmas should be known in such a way. The Mother, the Prajñaapaaramitaa, says: Subhuti, all dharmas are only symbol, only imputed designations, only names. If we looks for these incidental things everywhere, innerly they do not exist and are not perceived. Outside too they do not exist and are not perceived. Between these too also they do not exist and are not perceived. This is because they are empty of nature. Now from the extensive explanation of eternal liberation, here is the teaching of the eternal liberation of the essence, the ground of arising, and of the nature, its power: It has no separation and no clearing away. It is the freedom of1901 the Space of self-existence. It has no gathering. Nothing is separated. It is the freedom of Space of the single dot1902 of bindu. It is liberated space that never was solidified, 1903 Totally unobstructed, it rises as everything. The manner of liberation of the essence of insight is two-fold. There are liberation of one's own essence as alpha-purity and liberation of dharmas within this state. One's own essence does not exist at all. When it has been eliminated by being emptied of dharmas of things and characteristics, this is conventionally called liberation from the dharmas of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. Dharmas are liberated within the essence by realizing insight as unobstructed. Then dharmas are purified as objectle ssness. Insight itself becomes naked, mere manifestation. This is conventionally called its liberation in Space. It is not that things just go away, liberated in insight as things sink into a lake. They can no more do this than the son of a barren woman can drown in illusory water. This is because both objects and insight have no essence. So now transmission of this, guarding it, and training in the power of action should be done within the framework of unobstructed insight. By being transmitted without separation or clearing away, insight is liberated for all eternity in self-existing Space. By recognizing the supreme self, we enter into what we really are, reaching the alpha-purity of dharmataa. This is nakedness. There is no place to go higher than this. There is no stage more exalted. Therefore, this is called reaching the final goal.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU When that is realized, insight is clear, without gathering or separation. This is the Space of luminosity, the single dot of bindu. We are liberated from dharmas of fixated reference points. This is seen in the naked clarity of wakefulness. Meditation on the spontaneous nature becomes confident. That is reaching the final goal of realization. The arising of appearance and mind from the clarity of this is the power. The power is guarded as it is, as completely unobstructed liberation. It is like the appearance of reflections within a mirror. This too is Space without ground and without fixed reality. We become familiar with the pith of self-liberation where nothing needs to be abandoned. By that we gain conviction about trackless self-subsidence. We enter into confidence of the transparent wisdom of the natural state. By that there are the three ennailments of having accomplished the actionlessness, self-existence, and vastness of the great perfection. The Thaljur says: Moreover, as to the essence, dharmataa, Existing as the essence of the nature, The way appearance is unified is uncertain, So there are various different paths of entering. Though awareness and liberation are seen as companions, From entering, seeing, and being familiar with them, Their essence will be known to be our own, With confidence that we have reached the goal. Conviction is entering into confidence. By means of certainty about those three, The essence, dharmataa1904 will be perfected. When that occurs, causation will cease to be. Now appearances that arise as the play of the power become as they really are. Here is the teaching of their being liberated within the Space of naturelessness: Forms appear and are liberated as they are. Sounds are heard and are liberated as they are. Odors are smelled and are liberated as they are. Taste and touch are liberated as they are. Experiences of understanding and memory With no supporting ground or root are liberated. Appearances of the six sense-objects are empty form. They are luminous appearance of what does not exist. Natureless, they are eternally liberated. Each of the six sense organs, with their associated awarenesses, are empty of essence. Not existing at all, they are liberated as empty space. Appearance and mind are without support. They have the eternally liberated essence of the sky. There is not even an atom of true existence in dharmas, their essence, and the recognizer of it. Their essence is even more false than their mere appearance. They are liberated from extremes in the womb of space. These empty forms, luminous appearance of what does not exist, are like the moon in water. From the time they appear, their arising is natureless. There is no need for accepting and rejecting, hope and fear, or analyzing and examination. Shaantideva once said: Whatever appears does so because of the essence; 293
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY So do not get into analysis of this, Because for that reason it is unnecessary. Whatever appears is empty of nature. It is beyond truth and falsity. Since its variety is not real, it is emptiness.1905 From the power, without cause and conditions, the assembly of luminous appearances arises as mere interdependent arising. The background cause of this play of confused appearances is the beginningless existence of the vaasanaas in aalaya. The vaasanaas are activated by the conditions of karma and the kleshas. The direct cause is merely the incidental collections. As for the appearance of these divine gifts as enemies, the distant cause is karma and the vaasanaas. The direct cause is the karma of impulsive, inappropriate action. The appearance of virtue and vice in the vessel and essence is like the appearance of enemies. These arise incidentally from cause and conditions. Therefore, they are empty form without true existence. If they truly existed, they would have to arise independently of causes and conditions. Therefore, the appearance of variety is empty. The Thaljur says: Moreover, the nature of dharmataa is explained. It is not fixed as any one sort of thing. 1906 But as it is designated, so it appears. Regarding the various names, applied to it, From out of the ground of ascription, dharmataa, The many complexities of words appear. The variety of all these untruthful names Is emptied of meaning by merely being examined. Since emptiness has no existence at all, It therefore appears as purity of nature. Also noble Naagaarjuna once said in the Muulamaadhyamakakaarikaa:1907 Except for that of interdependent arising, The dharmas have no sort of existence at all. And therefore, except for that of emptiness, The dharmas have no sort of existence at all Someone may think, “By meditating on deities, siddhi will arise, and it will arise by meditating on non-thought.” Siddhi appears to be newly established, but that is not truly so. The appearance of its being established by the incidental is not true. By not meditating there is untruth, and by meditating and so forth truth will indeed arise. By the strong power of conceptions, whatever we examine will really seem to change temporarily. Nevertheless, there is actually no change of even the tip of a hair of the absolute truth, dharmataa, by such causes and conditions. The experience of children seems to change for a little while when they are playing games. Nevertheless, in reality it has not changed. Illusory appearance seems really to change for awhile, but this cannot go on forever, as beings do not really change. When confusion appears to be non-confusion, insight appears really to change for a while. This empty play of what appears arises. But in reality not even the tip of a hair has changed from being dharmataa. 294
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Someone may think, “Saying like that, "Seeing and hearing exist," won't accord with emptiness, will it?” Such emptiness is seen as nothing whatsoever. The mind that makes a reference point of this is called nihilistic. We do not argue with those who maintain this kind of emptiness. Arguing with lokaayatas one will only fatigue and exhaust oneself. The eight examples of illusion are used just to make it easy to understand the manifestation of empty forms as mere experie nce. Examples are sights and sounds that appear as the vessel and essence of the phenomenal world of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. They are maintained to be empty. Someone may think, “If phenomena do not appear, there will be no dharmas on which things depend. Then things must be said to depend on the nature of dharmataa!” But that nature does not exist, so emptiness will also be non-existent. The Muulamaadhyamakakaarikaa says: The four extremes, empty, non-empty, and such, How can they exist within this peace? Since dharmas do not exist at all, they arise as mere imputations. As for the pure self of the buddhas: They are completely egoless, so it has been taught. Although when this self is examined, “It is empty,” is said, “The pure self is not empty,” also has been said. These key points are, as it were, the bottom line of the doctrine. It is essential that they be understood. Now, the emptiness of one's essence when it is examined is taught as eternal liberation: Things are liberated as a unity. They are set free within the space of dharmataa. Things are liberated as non-duality. They are set free as equality of both objects and mind. Self-arising has been completely liberated. It has been set free within the Space of wisdom. Self-existence has been completely liberated. It has been set free in the pure space of the ground. Since all is unborn, all is liberated in the unity of emptiness. Also by not going beyond the single essence of insight, all is liberated there. Dualistic appearances of objects and the mind that fixates them do not move from single, non-dual insight. Therefore, they are liberated within it. Insight, self-arising wisdom, is without bias and partiality. Therefore, it is liberated in the wisdom of truth, the simplicity of the single dot. The single dot of self-existing bindu is liberated in the space of transparency beyond expression by characteristics. Liberation from extremes, the essence of great, vast space, does not exist as sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. It is purified, because its objects are not obscured. The realization that it is not obscured by anything is eternal, self-arising wisdom. To explain briefly, it should be realized as in this quotation from the Sengé: 295
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Reaching eternal sealing of the three-fold world, I am not obscured by temporary conditions. In dharmadhaatu, which is eternal in its vastness, Narrow chasms are no obstacle to me. In luminosity self-arising from all eternity, By sa.msaara's darkness I am not obscured. In the eternal deathlessness of the state of insight, I am not obscured by either birth or death. In the existence of trikaaya from all eternity, By five-fold desire and hatred I am not obscured. Since upaaya and prajñaa exist from all eternity, By joining and liberating I am not obscured. Since amrita cures sickness from all eternity, By its root, the five poisons, I am not obscured. Since insight eternally has no partiality, I am not obscured by strayings and obscurations. In the eternal egolessness of dharmakaaya, I am not obscured by either self and other. In the eternal self-luminosity of appearance, I am not obscured by the five great elements. In the eternal self-perfection of trikaaya, By developing and perfection I am not obscured. In luminosity free from things for all eternity, I am not obscured by dharmas of characteristics. Since self-arising insight is changeless for all eternity, I am not obscured by either joy or sorrow. Also it says there: Since all objects are the experience of non-thought, By the fixations of mind I am not obscured. Since wisdom has transcended any sort of dharmas, By the mind of variety I am not obscured. 296
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Since appearance and objects are not grasped as two, By the eight consciousnesses I am not obscured. Since buddhas and sentient beings are not distinguishable, By either good or evil I am not obscured. Since the empty and luminous are not distinguished as two, By drowsiness and wildness I am not obscured. Since action and the actor are not distinguished as two, By the effort of yaanas I am not obscured. Since realization and non-realization are not two, By either “is” or “is not” I am not obscured. Since knowing and not knowing are not a duality, By either mind or things I am not obscured. Because of not clinging to partiality and bias, By either friends or enemies I am not obscured. Because of not distinguishing any center or limit, By strayings and obscurations I am not obscured. Since secret and non- secret are not a duality, As a result of suffering I am not obscured. 1908 Since insight and ignorance are not a duality, By dual light and darkness I am not obscured. Since the five poisons are themselves non-dual wisdom, By dual fixation and concept I am not obscured. Since I do not have the view of inner and outer, By conditions of the elements I am not obscured. Since I do not distinguish many different things, By either one or many I am not obscured. Since transcendent and non-transcendent are not conceptualized, By sa.msaara and nirvaa.na I am not obscured. Since I do not fixate clear and obscured as two, By wandering and stupidity I am not obscured. Moreover, from reaching the eternal sealing of dharmataa, unobscured transparency nakedly arises. The Pearl Mala says: 297
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY One's own experience is the seal of emptiness. Universal emptiness seals the kaayas and wisdoms. The mind of variety too is the seal of eternal wisdom. Completely pure, vast Space is also the seal of wisdom. Pure things and characteristics are the self-rising seal of insight. Self-perfected appearance exists as the seal of space. The wondrously risen action is the seal of appearance. The wondrously risen meditation seals the mind. The wondrously risen view exists as the seal of space. The wondrously risen fruition is the instantaneous seal. The wondrously risen wisdom exists as the seal of emptiness. The wondrously risen dharmataa is the seal of emptiness The wondrously risen concept exists as the seal of play. The wondrously risen reality exists as the seal of insight. Teaching the meaning of this in the style of a detailed personal instruction,1909 The Tantra of the River of Perfect Self-Arising says: The greatness of the natural state, which is insight itself, Is the way to be accomplished, liberated, and realized. When there is the existence of the unborn realm, That is the way to look, to rest, and to accomplish.
The three ways are these: 1) The way to be accomplished is by accomplishment as it is. 2) The way to be liberated is by awakening into alpha-purity. 3) The way to be realized is by realizing transparency. These three arise at once. Within this state there are the three piths of producing acquaintance: 1. The view of transparency. 2. Instantaneous resting. 3. Going into the ground of exhaustion.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The details of these have already been taught. Here is the pith of truth of the liberation of play as dharmataa: Variety has been completely liberated. It is set free within the single dot of Space. Impartiality is completely liberated. It is set free within the Space of spontaneity. Everything has been completely liberated. It has been set free within the Space of the essence. Here all dharmas arise without the partialities of variety, existing without essence or ground. Therefore, they are liberated into emptiness as they really are. The yogin realizes them like that. That is liberation from the bondage of dharmas fixated by one's own mind. It is called the arising of realizing the empty nature of appearance and insight. Though the nature of dharmas is like that, if the mind does not realize it, it is of no use. If we do realize it, as is said: “It is pure without anything's needing to be abandoned. We arrive without ever having left.” That is dharmataa which accomplishes all benefits. The Pearl Mala says: Kye Kye! O vajra holder, who is the master of the secret. If we have realized the meaning of sa.msaara, What is called nirvaa.na is without existence. If we have realized the meaning of the kleshas, There is no other wisdom existing apart from that. If we have realization of what is meant by suffering, No such thing as mahaasukha need be sought. If we have realized the faults of the two extremes, We have no need to seek for the greatness of the virtues. If we have realized the meaning of confusion, We need not seek for insight that is without confusion. If we have seen the meaning of the five elements, There will also be the five great families. If we cut off the struggle coming from ignorance, The kaayas of insight too will be established by that; But though the kaayas of insight are established by that,1910 299
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY We do not establish anything at all. If we have realized the nature of sentient beings, We also gain buddhahood without having had to seek. If we realize the meaning of apparent variety, Illumination of ignorance is attained without being sought. If we have cut off the tracks of all conceptualizations, Confusion itself will be liberated as it is. If we realize the meaning of the appearance of emptiness, The body of wisdom also will be self-existing. If we see in reality what appears as things, Emptiness is perfected without its being established. If we have realized the meaning of dharmataa, That is the perfect dharmataa which is called the unborn. If we put the meaning of that in a detailed oral instruction, by the naturalness of chokshak, let whatever appears and arises be as it is. That is the practice of not going beyond self-awakened insight.1911 The Blazing Buddha-Relics says: When the empowerment that is not bestowed by anyone, The oral instructions of chokshak , have been taught, So that perfection within the ground has been attained, This is the means of resting everything as it is. Performing this practice that is not to be surpassed, Without any limits to be guarded from something else, Is realizing existence as one with self-existence. When anything appears in chokshak , it goes into self-liberation. At the time of self-liberation, it does not move from the awakened essence of naked insight. That essence arises nakedly in plain sight. This is the real subject of the detailed instruction. The Tantra of the River of Perfect Self-Arising says: When there are the four times of understanding, There is no movement from the self-liberation of chokshak . The four times of understanding those of the following: 1) Understanding that appearances have no ground. 2) Understanding that awareness has no objects. 3) Understanding that insight has no support. 4) Understanding the exhaustion of dharmas in namelessness. 300
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Now, from the teaching that the nature of everything is primordially liberated, here is the teaching of the purity of unmoving emptiness-luminosity: Luminosity is completely liberated. It has been set free in the Space of the sun and moon. Dharmataa has been completely liberated. It has been set free within the Space of the sky. Dharmins have been completely liberated. 1912 They have been set free within the Space of the ocean. Unchangingness has been completely liberated. It has been set free in the Space of the king of mountains. The luminous nature of mind is also primordially essenceless insight. When it has been liberated in the Space of the sun and moon, we realize self-arising wisdom as luminosity. By becoming familiar with that, there is the certain pith of liberation. When we examine the great emptiness of dharmataa, that too is the primordial transparency of insight. It has already been liberated in the Space of the sky. The unborn beyond thought and expression has been realized. From becoming familiar with that, there is the certain pith of liberation. Unobstructed play arises from the power of the unobstructed ground of arising. It has already been liberated in the Space of the ocean of the great clarity and purity. This occurs by having realized self-liberation and chokshak . By becoming familiar with them, there is the certain pith of liberation. The view has already been liberated in the space of the great king of mountains. This occurs by realizing that changes of establishing and clearing away do not go beyond primordial insight. Therefore, actionlessness beyond effort and establishing is also realized. By becoming familiar with resting in the equal, perfect, and all-pervading ground, there is the certain pith of liberation. Within the teachings that point out pure realization and the teachings of the true pith of how to practice, the teachings that point out pure realization have the four piths of certainty in dharmataa: 1) 2) 3) 4)
Certainty of the insight of dharmataa. Certainty of the transparency of insight. Certainty that its essence is non-dual. Certainty that its manner of arising is appearing as many.
By realizing the groundless, great exhaustion of dharmas, insight becomes as it really is. The Pearl Mala says: When absolute and relative do not exist as two, Our own personal realm is that of mahaasukha. The sign of dharmataa is non-duality; Therefore, do not follow after appearances. 301
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The actual existence of all appearances Is their existence in the state of non-duality Since the dharmas of act and actor do not exist, Therefore, the objects of our experience are non-dual. By not distinguishing the many and the one, At the time of realization, they will be non-dual. The measureless upaaya of the secret mantra, At the time of understanding, is non-duality. Likewise the objects of confusion in their variety, In the truth of the absolute, are neither one nor two. Whatever objects appear, they do not exist as unity; For at the time of awareness, they arise as variety. Attachment to variety is self-liberated. If dharmataa is understood, it is non-duality. Having cut the root of objects of dual appearance, The essence of self-arising insight is non-dual. The buddha fields are completely pure and self-existing. Next, there are the ground, path, and fruition of the true pith of practicing this: 1) The ground is guarded in itself by mere recognition of unobstructed insight. Then all appearance and mind are totally, completely liberated in self-existing purity. We have attained alpha-purity as it is. 2) The instantaneous path is guarded by merely recognizing the unobstructed clarity of the power and the essence. Then we go into self-existing purity. This is resting in the ground of what we really are. 3) The fruition is guarded as transparency. Then the play of the way things appear is realized as the miracles of insight. Everything is like an illusion without support, the pure insubstantiality of the awakened state. It therefore becomes eternal purity, eternal perfection, and eternal attainment. The 1913 Tantra of Perfect Empowerment in the Great Self-Arising, says: At the time of the four-fold manner of guarding the ground, These three are the characteristics that are found: The self-existing, complete, and alpha-purities. At the time of the four-fold practice of the path, 302
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU All things are viewed as self-existing purity, And there is the practice of resting within the ground. At the time of the four inclusions of the fruition, These three are the characteristics that are found: Eternal perfection, purity, and attainment. Now the meaning of eternal buddhahood is taught. This is the teaching that, within bodhicitta as extensive as space, everything is included within dharmataa: Everything is liberated primordially. It has been set free in Space that is unborn. Everything has been liberated all at once. It has been set free in eternal, awakened Space. Perfect liberation has been liberated. It has been set free in eternally blossoming Space. Insight-bodhicitta is eternal and primordial space, the single dot of unborn dharmakaaya. It is the essence of liberation. It is beyond establishing or eliminating dharmas of fixating anything as anything at all. This is the arising of the Space of eternal awakening. It was already the self-existing ground of arising of everything. Now it is also the eternal blossoming of perfect enlightenment. This is the one selfexisting nature, the great perfection of dharmas. It is called eternal buddhahood within vajra space. The 1914 The Self-arising Perfection says: The state of the emptiness of dharmataa Is self-arising wisdom, the space of non-thought. It has the empty and luminous essence of insight. This wisdom that is empty and egoless, As well as its self-existing perfection of dharmas, Are at the level of the great perfection. Insight is empty, luminous, self-arising wisdom. Its empty essence does not fall into the partialities of eternalism. Its luminous nature does not fall into the partialities of nihilism. The ground of arising of unobstructed compassion does not fall into the partialities of both or neither. Since it does not exist anywhere, it is beyond the objects of mind. Since it is suitably characterized as anything, it arises as the secret gate of mantra. It is transparently free from conceptions expressed by characteristics. If it is examined for existence, its essence does not exist. If it is said to be non-existent, its nature is unobstructed. Transcending view and meditation, it arises in transparency. The vast center of dharmataa, it is the great expanse of the body of self-arising wisdom. Self-arising insight transcending mind, It is luminous clarity without thought and expression. Eternally without separation, it does not appear as solidity. Though complete in itself, it is not realized by all. Though it arises forever naked, it is not seen by all. Liberated from extremes, transcending bias and partiality, it is the great purity. As for the yogin's realization of the manifested power of the great Space, by not looking for it, it is found. By not establishing it, it is established. By not having a view, it is seen. By not travelling, it is reached. By not abandoning, it is purified. By not studying, it is known. By not meditating, it is liberated. 303
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Not rejected, not accepted, not established, not negated, not thought, not expressed, things rest as they are in unmoving equality. There are no dharmas, no mind, no karma, no actions, no effort, no view, no meditation, no action, no fruition, no space, no wisdom, no sa.msaara, and no nirvaa.na. It is self-purified, self-exhausting, self-emptied, and self-purified. Having already annihilated itself, it is eternally exhausted, eternally perfect.1915 The transparent single dot without fixation is liberation from the net, transparent exhaustion of dharmas in nakedness. At this time, the thought is produced, “Realization of the great vastness of Samantabhadra has been reached.” If someone asks what this is like, the Longdruk says: Kye! O teacher Samantabhadra. When there is the actionlessness of buddhahood, and the teacher is dwelling like that, what is it like for students who are being tamed by the teachings? Then the teacher said these words: When the actions of all the buddhas do not appear, my kaaya is called the gathering of all the skandhas into one. After the arising of the phenomena of not appearing, not distinguishing, not receiving, not rejecting, not conceptualizing, not fixating, not existing, not changing, not manifesting, not illuminating, not acting, not spreading out, not scattering, not thinking, not contacting, not suffering, and not emptying, there is simplicity, the empty object. Beyond existing and not existing, luminosity Is remembered with confidence that we have not forgotten. The path of the manifestation of appearances Is free from many complex words and characteristics. Eternal perfection has not been produced by means of mantra. It is completely free from causes and conditions. It is free from pollutions of view and meditation. Without any limits, also no center will be perceived. Without any aspects, there will also be no objects. Without any deities, mantra too does not exist. Without any dharmas, this completely goes beyond Any kind of analysis and examination. 1916 Without any enemies, friends as well do not exist. Without any body, senses too do not appear. Dharmas do not appear by having been conceived. Without them there is nothing there to be fixated. Without the me, there is no retinue of the mine. Without any space, there is also no kaaya of insight. Without any virtue, evil deeds will never ripen. Without any life, no one perceives its cutting off 304
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Without any merit and wisdom, nothing accumulates. Without any buddhas, there are also no sentient beings. Without existence, emptiness too is non-existent. Without upaaya, no retinue is there to listen. Without any objects, the three times too are non-existent; So accumulations of the three times do not exist. Therefore, not existing as anything at all, My appearance is not revealed, and never was. My sphere is one transcending any sort of level. It makes no distinction of actions and activities. Not making distinctions of actions and activities,1917 It is the equality of the three divisions of time. Having no objects, my ground is free from conceptualizations. It is the essence, the infinitesimal single dot. The lustrous manifestation of the great emptiness, This has been as it is from all eternity. As for the aspect of that which is without appearance, It is insight itself, free from all defilement. It is the manifestation of truth that has no falsehood. Whoever has seen this, for that reason, is my child. If my appearance should be such as is described, All is the self-existing manifestation of insight. In the single Space where all appearances are included We should therefore practice this great and certain teaching. Realization of what has being taught is as vast as space, and one with Space. This is self-existing realization of the nature of the great perfection. This is the time when exhausted dharmas are included within the blissful Space of the great equality.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY
This is the commentary on the thirteenth chapter of
The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu
“ALL DHARMAS ARE ETERNAL BUDDHAHOOD WITHIN BODHICITTA”
Thus, when the end of the path has been reached, there is the fruition, dharmataa. The supreme nature of enlightenment manifests within appearance. Its nature is like that of a spotless, wish-fulfilling gem. All that is desired is spontaneously accomplished. When one has become fully and completely adept1918 in the great perfection, the spontaneously accomplished kaayas and wisdoms manifest. Within their essence there is neither gathering or separation. When the ground first arises into appearance of the ground, it is accompanied by confused appearance and the collections of the eight consciousnesses of mind and its objects. With these are the five solidifying skandhas,1919 like obscuring clouds. All this occurs in dependence on the vaasanaas of ego-fixation. When these are purified, self-arising wisdom, self-existing dharmakaaya, the self-existing, luminous ma.n.dala of the sun, arises without obscuration. Trikaaya is like the heart of the sun. From trikaaya buddha activity is emanated like the sun's1920 rays to the limits of the directions, and benefits are performed. That is the fruition. In the extensive explanation of this topic there are these explications: 1) The general teaching of the essence. 2) The teaching of the different suitabilities. 3) The extensive expression of the 1921 fruition.
1) THE GENERAL TEACHING OF THE ESSENCE The supreme essence of enlightenment is the ultimate manifestation of dharmakaaya, possessing the two purities: Dharmas are the self-existing essence, enlightenment. When one has become adept in the pith of effortlessness, Though buddhahood is eternal, buddhahood rises anyway. This is the peak of the vajra essence, having no mind; 306
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The essence of the nine yaanas, the great Space of bodhicitta. The buddha qualities are the kaayas and wisdoms. They have been self-existent in the essence of insight from all eternity. It is only because of incidental obscurations that they have not manifested. If obscurations are cleared away by reaching the ultimate accomplishment,1922 the effortless pith of self-resting, there is eternal buddhahood. Insight, whose nature is completely purified, exists as dharmakaaya. It has become the manifestation of buddhahood, completely pure of the incidental. It has completely perfected the goal of all the yaanas. Confused appearance and confused conceptualization are pacified in space. They become the one taste of dharmakaaya. They are inseparable from the space of dharmataa beyond the compass of thought. Therefore, the non-dual, great equality occurs. Regarding always abiding in this state without moving from it, the Blazing Buddha Relics says: After one has dissolved into one's own essence They are inseparable and never can be parted. This is just like water dissolving into water; Like butter dissolved in butter, or space dissolved in space; They become unrecognizably non-dual. Also1923 the Spring of Amrita, says: As water dissolves in water, and butter flows into butter, Suchness, free from complexities of the objects of knowledge, Is united with wisdom completely and inseparably. This very thing is known as the nature of all the buddhas. It is this that is called by the name of dharmakaaya At this time, in the inner space of dharmakaaya, the Space of alpha-purity, there is spontaneous realization of the five kaayas and five wisdoms. They abide within the subtle wisdom1924 of the self-perfected heart-essence. The Sengé says: In the Space of wisdom and emptiness there are the five buddhas, Uncharacterized,1925 clearly appearing as one's own essence. Unchanging realization is free from appearances Wrought by the magic wand1926 of Dharma and non-Dharma. It enters into the ultimate essence, the realm of buddhahood. Free from any dharmas thinkable by thought, Dissolving in the state that expression cannot express. The dissolution that occurs at this time is an entry into subtle wisdom without darkness. Dharmakaaya without wisdom would be nihilistic emptiness like space. In fact, it is self-luminous inner space whose luminosity is free from complexity. It exists merely as omniscience and the ground of omniscience.1927 From this come all the kaayas and wisdoms. This is the arising of luminosity. The Longdruk says:
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The ground is the great luminosity, luminous to the depths, Existing in emptiness of pervader and pervaded. Appearing, and not cut off as a nihilistic extreme, Illuminating appearance1928 is utterly unobstructed. Since everything has been included in the essence,1929 It is therefore pure and spotless as it is. This is the great secret known by all the buddhas. Therefore abide within this state of naturalness.1930 Also it says there: If one is without the two-fold wisdom of knowable objects,1931 What is the difference between oneself and material things? If all is cut off in nihilistic 1932 emptiness, What there is going to be is simply that alone. False conceptions, mind, its objects, and the eight consciousnesses of aalaya have ceased. The ground in which they have ceased is insight. Because of that, the kaaya of the great wisdom manifests. That is dharmakaaya. From that comes ruupakaaya appearing as external luminosity. It remains as long as sa.msaara and space. The Madhyamakaavataara says: When the dry firewood of knowable objects has been burned, Leaving no remainder, that is the state of peace. That is the dharmakaaya of the victorious ones. Then there is no birth and there is no cessation. It is by means of that cessation of the mind That the kaayas are made to come into manifestation.
Also it says there: The kaaya of peace is luminous like a wish fulfilling tree. Like a wish-fulfilling gem, it is inconceivable. Until beings are liberated, it is always there To benefit the world, appearing without complexity.
2) THE TEACHING OF THE DIFFERENT SUITABILITIES In the explanation of suitability, three particular kinds are pointed out: 308
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 1) The suitability1933 of self-arising wisdom to be obscured by the arising of play from its own energy, and its suitability to be purified. 1934 2) One's own suitability for attaining buddhahood by being liberated from the trap of materiality,1935 and by recognizing the arising of dharmataa as an intrinsic aspect1936 of oneself. 3) The suitability, after the attainment of buddhahood, for the arising of compassion to benefit sentient beings. 1) THE SUITABILITY1937 OF SELF-ARISING WISDOM TO BE OBSCURED BY THE ARISING OF PLAY FROM ITS OWN ENERGY, AND ITS SUITABILITY TO BE PURIFIED1938 Within the first, there are these: 1. The general teachings of how by our own power and play there is obscuration. 2. How obscuration is purified. 3. The explanation of the particular details of obscuration. From the three divisions within the topic of one's being suitable for purity, here is the teaching of how, although the pith is still pure, 1) OBSCURATION ARISES WITHIN US FROM THE PLAY OF OUR OWN POWER:
Even though there is the luminous ma.n.dala Of the sun and moon within the center of space, Because the heart-essence of things has been completely obscured, By the gathering of great clouds in the darkness1939 of non-realization, It does not appear. Enlightenment stays within itself. 1940 The luminous nature of buddhahood, the dhaatu,1941 sugatagarbha, mind itself, is like the ma.n.dala of the sun and moon. But non-realization arises from the power of insight as fixation and grasper. Because of that there arise the details of the vessel and essence. The vessel is the collection of the five objects, form and so forth. The essence is the play of mind and its contents, arising like clouds. The luminous nature is not actually 1942 obscured. But it appears obscured. This is like the sun being seemingly obscured by clouds. One's experience of dharmakaaya is made non-luminous by such incidental obscurations of the dhaatu. But Dharmakaaya still exists in itself as luminosity. Here is the teaching of how 2) IT IS MADE TO MANIFEST BY CLEARING AWAY THOSE OBSCURATIONS: Just as great clouds, by resting in space, go away by themselves, By being without effort, free from the clouds of cause and fruition, The center of space, the heart-essence of enlightenment, Will then be seen to rise from within the heart of oneself. 1943 309
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Because there are gradations of different peoples'1944 powers of understanding, there are different vehicles. Within these there are different methods of purifying1945 defilements. Here is what is said to those of the highest, wondrously arisen powers: The great wind of leaving things as they are is the pith of self-resting without any struggle and effort. The collections of clouds are the confused dharmas of sa.msaara, the aspect of cause and fruition, along with their vaasanaas. They are all these things that have been separated from space. As by the wind clouds are blown away and vanish, confused dharmas1946 should be self-purified without their being abandoned. The sun does not manifest when heaps of clouds have gathered. But the instant it is free from clouds it shines forth, self-illumined and unobscured in the center of space. Just so, self-existing, uncompounded dharmakaaya exists within us. When it is free from incidental obscurations, that itself is its instantly rising as it is. Then the kaayas and wisdoms appear. They rise as the self-luminous sun that does not set. This is self-rising, self-existing dharmakaaya. It is pure in nature and pure of incidental aspects.1947 The Sengé says: If the magic wand of appearance, is non-existent, Wisdom at that time is totally 1948 luminous. Self-existing dharmakaaya is no better or worse1949 in the beginning, at the time of existing as a sentient being; in the middle, at the time of practicing the path; and at the end, at the time of buddhahood. This is like the single sun's being no better or worse for being covered by clouds, partly free from them, or ultimately free from them. The Suutraala.mkaara says: Regarding suchness, everything there is Has no distinction of before and after. But nevertheless it is purified of all clouds. The Two Examinations says: Regarding sentient beings, they are buddhas; But they are obscured by incidental defilements. When these are cle ared away then they are buddhas.
Here is how the essence1950 is obscured by the arising of play from our own power: The essence like the sun is luminosity. It exists within the space of dharmadhaatu. The power, arises everywhere, like its impartial rays. If the earth and watery lakes are pervaded by its heat, A play of clouds arises from the resulting mists, As the solar1951 essence and power are thus obscured, 310
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU By means of an impure play that rises from1952 its own power, When play obscures the garbha of suchness, one's own nature, There are the vessel and essence of the phenomenal world. There is confused appearance beyond the compass of thought. The sun appears to be obscured by clouds, but still it always 1953 has the power of the sun. The power of the sun's rays penetrates the earth and lakes. Born of its heat, steamy mists rise and swirl. They accumulate in the sky until they are heaped together into clouds. By this the sun is obscured. Just so, the ground of our own power of insight moves into appearance. Having been fixated as self and other, it is not known as ourselves. Thus there rises the perspective of the apparent play of mind and its objects. This is the confused appearance of the vessel and essence of the phenomenal world. The body, speech, and mind of insight dwell eternally in buddhahood. But here they have been obscured by the body, speech, and mind of sentient beings. This non-appearance is explained as the appearance of confused mind within the confusion of the six realms. Regarding the impure power of insight and the obscuration of insight by its play, the Sengé says: Buddhahood is obscured by buddhahood itself. Wisdom is still clear in its own place as it is. There it exists as illuminator of the three eyes. Insight is obscured by its own power and play. Then insight itself clears these away. That is like the rising of the sun. Clouds scatter and vanish in the wind that arises from the power of sun's rays. Just so, from realizing our own nature, play arises as the ornament: Confusion is liberated for all eternity. It is liberated exactly as it is.1954 Confused appearances, as well as confused fixations, Are the purity of space and need not be abandoned. With nothing to go away, 1955 in the clarity of the sky, The self-existing sun of kaaya and wisdom rises. One's own sacred outlook, this comes from no one else. The luminous nature of the sun, unobscured in the center of the sky, is also part of the sun. 1956 By the emanation of solar rays, an all-purifying wind blows. Clouds rise and vanish into the space of the sky. The sun shines forth, Just so, its own unobstructed power arises from insight, the heart-essence of dharmakaaya. Then realization of one's own nature arises. The play of appearance and mind, groundless and rootless, is known to be the mere empty form of our own experience. Having seen that accepting and rejecting are useless, we let everything rest as it is in chokshak . Appearance and mind are self-liberated by themselves. They arise as ornaments of wisdom. Not abandoned, pure as they are, going, the goer, and any place for them to go, are eliminated. They are liberated in groundlessness. At the same time, they arise as the intrinsically self-existing nature. With a supreme effort,1957 this is purified of outer and inner materiality. Then the experience of trikaaya arises. The fruition is attained as alpha-pure space, the one all-inclusive ground. Then within one's own 311
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY nature, dharmakaaya, arise experience1958 of sambhogakaaya and nirmaa.nakaaya. The two benefits of beings spontaneously arise. These do not move from the space of the dhaatu, dharmakaaya, dharmataa. In this there are no distinctions, and there never will be. There are no things with partial boundaries to which so-called buddhahood could be ascribed. This is the ground of arising of all the kaayas of form. They appear instantly from the aspect of self-existence without before and after from the viewpoint of those who are to be tamed. Buddhahood appears as the tamer of sentient beings. Sentient beings appear as the objects of taming by buddhahood. Compassion and the object into which it enters have a connection established by the purity of auspicious coincidence.1959 The Thaljur says: Regarding the dharmataa of all1960 the buddhas, Within the essence of equality It has no distinctions and it never will. How can this be spoken or written down in words?1961 How can this have any names applied to it? 1962 It is completely pure of any and all confusion, The ground of dependency is self-purified. 1963 Regarding the names “Sa.msaara” and “nirvaa.na,” These names were never heard by anyone.1964 Though birthless, unceasing wisdom is the source of all, it nevertheless does not exist as anything. 1965 One does not go there, not is it received. Without any cause or conditions, in a moment, The ground of Buddhas and sentient beings appears, Free from all the aspects of the many. 2) THE SUITABILITY TO ATTAIN BUDDHAHOOD OF YOGINS WHO HAVE REALIZED THEIR OWN NATURE BY BEING FREE FROM THE CONFINING SHELL1966 OF THE MATERIAL BODY: Though within the egg of dualistic birth The garu.da's 1967 feathers have already grown to maturity, Since that maturity1968 seems to be covered over, By the confining egg, it does not appear to be so. Yet by breaking its shell, the garu.da soars in the sky. Confused conceptualizations of fixation and the grasper, Which are one's defilements, have already been exhausted. With them was the fruition, remaining when they were gone.1969 As soon as one breaks the shell of the egg, spontaneously, It rises within oneself, in the form of self-luminous insight. 312
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The appearance of kaayas and wisdoms pervades the space of the dhaatu. By knowing one's own nature, one will be liberated In the space of total goodness, the space of Samantabhadra. 1970 When the child of the garu.da emerges1971 from within the egg, its feathers and wings are fully mature. As soon as it is liberated from the eggshell, it is able to soar in the space of the sky. Just so, yogins of the nature of the great perfection, as soon as they emerge from the shell of the material body, have wings and feathers of perfect realization. They have already exhausted the impurities of ego-grasping, the confusions of fixation and the grasper, within this very lifetime. But they are not entirely free of that which is to be abandoned. They still have this body produced as the ripened fruition of material defilements. Their real qualities, the kaayas and wisdoms thus have no power to appear widely. When they are free from the material, in the bardo of pure dharmataa, the experiences of the kaayas and wisdoms appear. When these arise in their fullness, these yogins recognize what they are. Then they are liberated within the Space of Samantabhadra. Regarding this, the Sengé says: If clinging to the ego disappears We meet with our mother, who is dharmataa.
If the knot that joins the elements is untied, We cast away the tether of ego clinging. If there should be no covering1972 vaasanaas, Then we are part of the space of dharmataa. If we do not have the wand of illusion, appearance, Then wisdom is completely 1973 luminous.
Also it says there: For sentient beings remaining in their bodies, The pure appearances of wisdom exist As if within the womb or the shell of an egg. They do not manifest, and are obscured. But when their intrinsic powers have been perfected, Then they will arise as they really are.1974 As soon as one casts off this body of concepts, The object of such experience is encountered. Self-insight itself, existing from all eternity, The essence without conceptualizations, is seen. The pure appearance of the state of wisdom, 313
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY As well as the truth of buddhahood, will be seen. The bodies of such yogins appear to be those of human beings. But they are purified through realizing buddhahood. Therefore, they are called nirmaa.nakaayas of perfected action. Such yogins then do benefit for a handful of beings 1975 in sa.msaara. Later, having a body equal to the limits of the sky, they will perform benefits for all beings. The Künjé says: Though their bodies are those of beings, like gods and men, Their realization is dharmataa and buddhahood. Having thus produced benefit for all sentient beings, Effortless, without action, they will dwell in bliss. The Rangshar says: Regarding the nirmaa.nakaaya of perfect action, The total liberation of one's being1976 Is called1977 the manifestation of buddhahood. Then various 1978 emanations are sent forth. All outer and inner actions are thus perfected. So this is “nirmaa.nakaaya of perfect action.” As for the manner of producing benefits later: By the measureless play of compassion throughout the ten directions, By sending forth emanations, all benefits are performed. 1979 As long as sa.msaara lasts, these actions will be displayed. As for this, from the essence that is naturally there, Compassion arises impartially from its intrinsic 1980 power. Then its play perfects the benefit for others, Manifesting experience of enlightened bliss. After the appearances of the bardo of dharmataa have dissolved into the alpha-purity of dharmakaaya, they exist inseparably with it as the single dot of dharmakaaya. the Blazing Buddha Relics says: Then within the alpha-purity of the essence, Just as the rays are gathered into the heart of the sun, One's being is unified with that of one's emanations. Having dissolved one's being into one's own essence, One will be inseparable with no sending forth. 1981 While one does not move from the state of dharmataa, emanations beyond measure are produced. 1982 They are produced in part1983 by self-existing compassion. In part they are produced by the karma of the good aspirations of sentient beings 1984 who are to be tamed and who have produced the virtuous root of seeing a buddha. These emanations tame whatever beings need to be tamed in the world. 314
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU They are the play of compassion. They arise in all the limitless, endless, buddha fields of the ten directions. As long as sa.msaara is not emptied, continuous benefits for others arise. Moreover, they arise spontaneously without effort and exertion. The Longdruk says:
Regarding the power of compassion of the nature, Its action has been eternally effortless. Completely pure in its unproduced appearance, It appears to all forever without distinction. 1985 As the light of the sun is not produced for some purpose,1986 The appearance of one's own nature is like that.
3) THE SUITABILITY FOR THE ARISING OF COMPASSION TO BENEFIT SENTIENT BEINGS AFTER BUDDHAHOOD HAS BEEN ATTAINED: Though the impure portion of play, has now been pacified, Appearances still are emanated for impure beings. They rise by the power of compassion of the suchness of the teacher. And by the positive karma of purified aspirations, Dwelling within the minds of those who are to be tamed. 1987 As one dwells in the peace and unity of dharmakaaya, one's essence is beyond appearance, non-appearance, and performance of actions. The partialities of appearance are eliminated. They are abandoned along with confused appearance. Since they do not appear, the environment and inhabitants of confused appearance are not ascertained. Similarly, by eliminating disorder of the phlegm, blurring, spots in the eyes, and jaundice are eliminated. 1988 They no longer appear to one. The individual characteristics of the 1989 confused appearances of sa.msaara do not exist. But still one enters into the vision of compassion for sentient beings. Some would have it that, from the supplications of sentient beings and the blessings of the buddhas, ruupakaaya appears to others, but never to the buddhas themselves. Therefore, buddhas never see sentient beings. That is right insofar as it is saying that things like chörtens, statues, objects of worship, and wish-fulfilling trees floating in the sky, things whose nature is definitely 1990 confused, do not appear to them. But to say they have no knowledge of those who are to be tamed is completely wrong. It has the faults of contradicting omniscience and negating the wisdom of extent. Some would have it that the buddhas see the particular characteristics of confused appearance as real,1991 and then perform benefits. This is acceptable regarding their knowledge of the confused individual characteristics that appear as real for those who are to be tamed. However, to say that such objects are also real for them is completely wrong. It would follow that those connected with the pure field are not perfected. This is because impure, confused appearances would still appear to them. It would also follow that no special change was attained by becoming a buddha.1992 This is because the apparent objects of the five senses, and the grasper of these as well, would still be confused and impure. There would also be the fault that these obscured and impure buddhas would pass into sa.msaara. Even in the pure bhuumis, confused appearances are transformed. If the pure buddha fields of the mahaasattvas are explained that way, why even speak of the view of the buddhas. The Suutraala.mkaara says: 315
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The mind, fixation, and discursive thought, Have been transformed, and are complete non-thought. Within the buddha fields in the state of wisdom, Abide the four abhishekas, pure of karma. Therefore, there is transformation into the single dot of buddhahood, the single taste of dharmakaaya. Then, from the aspect of spontaneous wisdom and compassion, the two ruupakaayas appear, and the benefit of beings is performed. By one's own nature not being confused, confused appearance does not appear. When the mere-arising of luminous appearance without other has been seen, that is the display of the Dharma. If one looks with the pure divine eye, one is not confused about the self-nature of apparent form. 1993 The blurring, spots in the eyes, and jaundice of grasping things as other is seen to be like the arising of a dream within sleep. What appears to be there is merely luminous appearance of what does not really exist. That is how it is explained. 1994 Except as mere appearances, the confused appearances of sentie nt beings do not exist. If one goes far in the skill1995 of realizing that their nature does not exist, they will be like dreams that vanish when one awakes from sleep. They will be like hairs in the eyes and jaundice that vanish by correcting an imbalance of the phlegm. Just so, with nothing but the pure appearance of buddhahood, things will be as they are.1996 That is reaching the pith of eternal buddhahood. Someone may say: “If it is as you say, one's self-nature is without confused appearances, but those that arise for others are seen, and that is why benefits are performed. Moreover, by the existence in buddhahood of compassion, emanations rise from the power of the nature. These are suited to the sight of sentient beings, arisen from the pure karma of each one. But if sa.msaara is cut off below, as you say, wouldn't one be without compassion? If buddhahood is cut off above, how could benefits arise for anyone?”1997 It is not like that. As long as sa.msaara lasts, benefits are performed. The Thaljur says: From out of the empty nature of dharmakaaya, The perfect aspect who is the knower of wisdom, Arises by its power to benefit beings. Without that, both sa.msaara and nirvaa.na Would not be anything more than nothingness.1998 But the knower is insightful and luminous. The Longdruk says: And thus, omniscient wisdom makes its appearance As an aspect of the nature of 1999 compassion. Within this there is nothing fixated by memory And nothing that is other than the nature, Like coarse, solidified grasping and fixation. This subtle aspect, luminous to the depths, Appears as the path that is travelled by sentient beings. 316
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU What formerly was planted like a seed Has grown, appearing unobstructedly. Its power is like the power of suitable medicine. Because it appears as a suitable medicine, For sentient beings, dwelling in the six lokas, Compassion is the name by which it is known. Here is how play performs benefits without moving from space: Then in all the fields there is measureless emanation. The teacher leads endless beings to enlightenment, But the teacher's dharmakaaya does not move from space. Self-rising wisdom has no bias or partiality. As for the self-arising 2000 realm of ga.n.davyuuha, Such a display of sambhogakaaya transcending thought Appears from space to vidyaadharas and .daakiniis, And also to bodhisattvas who dwell within the pure bhuumis. Moreover, from space by means of the teacher's great compas sion, And by the devotion and virtue of those who are to be tamed, One's own nature thus appears spontaneously.
At that time, because the three gates are purified of defilements, one sees the ma.n.dala of trikaaya. Dharmakaaya is attained by mind, sambhogakaaya by speech, and nirmaa.nakaaya by body. This conventional expression is like saying that because of transmuting the five poisons, the five wisdoms are attained. The five wisdoms are conceptually contradictory with the five poisons. This is because the five wisdoms do not have the characteristics of producer and produced or of cause and fruition. But since they arise by the power of purity, they are explained as the pure effect of a pure cause. The intention of explaining the three gates and trikaaya as pure cause and pure effect is like that. The Thaljur says: Moreover, as for the stages of the fruition, By karma of the mind there is dharmakaaya. By that of speech sambhogakaaya is gained. By bodily karma there is nirmaa.nakaaya. When the kaayas are attained, if it is asked where they are, they are in the realm of Akani.sh.tha.2001 The Bindu of the Secret Moon, says: As for Akani.s.tha, within the experience of joy, That is where the actual buddha gets enlightened. The commentary to the Madhyamakaavataara says: 317
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY When there is buddhahood, unsurpassable enlightenment, There is only fruition, existence of Akani.s.tha. The level where all the buddhas attain the fruition of buddhahood, the highest of all dharmas, than which no other is higher, is called Akani.s.tha. But Akani.s.tha is not restric ted2002 to any one particular place,2003 since abiding in it is free from ego-grasping. The 2004 Embodiment of All the Vehicles, says: Since here there is no ego-grasping at all, It has no existence as a separate place.2005 It is usually said that human beings take birth in the human realm. But in fact they are not restricted to that one realm alone. Human beings are born2006 throughout the six lokas of beings, as limitless as space. So the human realm is likewise immeasurable. It is said that the buddhas are enlightened in Akani.s.tha. But that is not just a single place that can be pointed out2007 as such. Wherever space and wisdom become of one taste, that is called Akani.s.tha. Our 2008 teachers, Samantabhadra and Vajradhara, in showing the way of manifesting enlightenment, spoke about Akani.s.tha many times in the tantras.2009 They said that the peak of all existences is known as great Akani.s.tha. It is the field of the ornament, the buddha field of ga.n.davyuuha. This is the dwelling place2010 of bodhisattvas of the tenth bhuumi, and of .daakiniis and siddhas beyond counting. The introductory section2011 of the Avata.msaka Suutra says: The place of Akani.s.tha is without limit or center. It is without ground or measure. It is within the circle of wisdom The Ga.n.davyuuha Suutra says: Not perceiving the realms of desire, and of form, Nor the realm of the formless, that is how it is. Transcending existence, it dwells within the power of buddhahood. It dwells within the ma.n.dala of ga.n.davyuuha. Also it says there: The teacher is uncompounded ga.n.davyuuha, There the actual buddha has his enlightenment. 318
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The buddha here is the single emanation. 2012 Emanations from the field of Akani.s.tha produce benefit in the endless ten directions. These are appropriate for the different individual appearances of each of the six lokas. Among them, the emanation of Shaakyamuni came here to Jambuling, where human lives are about a hundred years. It is like that. The above text says: The purified existence, which has abandoned purity, Is the supreme and joyful existence of Akani.s.tha. There the actual buddha has his enlightenment. The buddha existing here is the single emanation. Dharmakaaya consists of the ground of arising of the nature,2013 self arising wisdom, and wisdom's essence, nature, and compassion. When the external luminosity of the two form kaayas is emanated, that is called the coming2014 of the ruupakaayas from dharmakaaya. THE FIVE PERFECTIONS OF DHARMAKAAYA: 1) The teacher is Samantabhadra, the teacher who is the perfect sovereign. 2) The Dharma is the nature of the great perfection, whose manifestation is uncompounded. 3) The place is dharmadhaatu unencompassed by thought. 4) The retinue is the assembly of the ocean of self-arising wisdom. 5) The time is the perfect four times without transition or change. In the 2015 Ocean of Illusion, the time is explained as, “an uncertain time.” THE FIVE PERFECTIONS OF SAMBHOGAKAAYA
1) The teacher is the Regent, the sambhogakaaya buddha Vairochana-Immense Ocean of the Five Families.2016 2) The place is that of the ornament, the ga.n.davyuuha realm, the self-luminous purity of Akani.s.tha. 3) The Dharma is the mahaayaana exclusively. 4) The retinue is not other than the teacher himself. They are self-appearing2017 buddhas, bodhisattvas, and so forth and also .daakiniis, vidyaadharas, and so forth. They have the same good fortune as the bodhisattvas of the tenth bhuumi. 5) The time is that of the circle of the ornament. The Ocean of Illusion says:
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY There are the self appearing victorious ones, There are the bodhisattvas and so forth, The mahaasattvas and the great conquerors Who have been victorious over the level Of the primeval victorious one. The Madhyamakaavataara says: The kaaya of peace is luminous like a wish-fulfilling tree. Like a wish-fulfilling gem, it is inconceivable. Until beings are liberated, it is always there To benefit the world, appearing without complexity. The Uttaratantra says: The Lord of Dharma conquers the Maara of Death. Since he is without any essence whatsoever, He is the lord of the world eternally. The Abhisamayaala.mkaara says: As for the major marks there are thirty two. The number of the minor marks is eighty. Because of enjoyment of the great vehicle, The possessor of these is the Sage's sambhogakaaya. The commentary of that text says: As for the essence of the thirty two good major marks and the eighty good minor marks, because of enjoying the supremely excellent2018 joy and bliss of the mahaayaana dharma, there is the sambhogakaaya of the Sage, the Buddha bhagavat. THE FIVE PERFECTIONS OF NIRMAA.NAKAAYA 1) Impure beings depend2019 on the teacher of nirmaa.nakaaya as their leader. Therefore, he is called the teacher who is the holy guide.2020 2) The place, is the variety of the worlds of those who are to be tamed, uncertainly many. 3) The retinue, is beyond measure, those who are to be tamed, gods, men etc. 4) The Dharma is a variety of vehicles related to the capacities of sentient beings. 5) The time is the past, present and future, whichever applies. In particular, any time when the other four perfections above are gathered is called the time of the arising of the Dharma in the present. As long as sa.msaara lasts, the teacher performs benefits. The Abhisamayaala.mkaara says: 320
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU When anyone performs, for as long as sa.msaara lasts, A variety of benefits for sentient beings, The body performing these impartial2021 benefits Is the uninterrupted nirmaa.nakaaya of the Sage. Since trikaaya is of one taste with dharmakaaya, it transcends appearing and not appearing. However, from this state there arises the play of the power of compassion as the two form-kaayas, sambhogakaaya and nirmaa.nakaaya. When the fruition is called the cause, that is like the sun's rays shining into a house. People 2022 say that the sun is shining inside it. At the time of dharmakaaya, true sambhogakaaya consists of the ground of arising of the nature of insight, the aspect of self-existing luminosity. True nirmaa.nakaaya is the aspect of compassion presenting itself as2023 wisdom. Therefore trikaaya is one and inseparable. The Rangshar says: From the single nature of trikaaya Many appearances are emanated. Dharmakaaya is free from objects of thought; Sambhogakaaya from maaras of discursiveness; Nirmaa.nakaaya from dharmas of characteristics. Moreover, dharmakaaya is the empty essence, transparent insight, the ocean of wisdom. Its play is the play of complete non-thought. Sambhogakaaya is the self-existing nature, luminosity. Its play is the play of the five families, ornamented by the major and minor marks. Nirmaa.nakaaya is the ground of arising of the wisdom of all-pervading compassion. Its play is the display2024 of appearances that tames whatever needs to be tamed. Distinguishing trikaaya and its play is important. If one does not distinguish them, since the essence of trikaaya is one, and since nirmaa.nakaaya and sambhogakaaya appear to students, dharmakaaya would be appearance. Or since dharmakaaya is non-apparent, and since trikaaya is of one essence, the fault would follow that the two form-kaayas would not be able to appear for students. The Namngé2025. says: Unity of nature is not appropriate here. The main point is explained in this way: It would follow that obscured and non-obscured aspects were non-dual and so forth. Thus, within dharmakaaya trikaaya exists, and the play of ruupakaaya is two-fold. This accords with the appearance of luminosity to students. Just so, the five lights appear within a crystal, when it meets with the condition of the sun's rays. The suitability for the arising of the external luminosity of the five lights is like that. The Longdruk says: For that reason, the way of being2026 of one's nature Has appearance of essence, nature, and compassion. They appear to all of 2027 those who have a mind. Since the essence has no existence anywhere, 321
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The apparent aspect, the nature, appears as luminosity. From the aspect of compassion, arises the two-fold wisdom. It arises without an actor and without action. Since the arising of appearance in the mind2028 Has a two-fold aspect,2029 so do the actions of wisdom. Their appearance is free from establishment and effort. As for the two aspects of mind mentioned here, from the viewpoint of the pure-minded students of sambhogakaaya, the play of sambhogakaaya, arising from the self-existing nature of wisdom, performs benefits. From the viewpoint of the impure minds of the students of nirmaa.nakaaya, the play of nirmaa.nakaaya, arising from the wisdom of all-encompassing compassion, performs benefits. Here the commentary on the suitabilities for the kaayas and wisdoms, along with the details of their limbs, is completed. Now there is the threefold extensive explanation of
THE CONNECTIONS OF THE KAAYAS AND WISDOMS. First there is the extensive teaching of HOW DHARMAKAAYA EXISTS TOGETHER WITH ITS WISDOMS: The essence of dharmakaaya is self-arising wisdom. Its play exists as the ocean2030 of the wisdom of omniscience, The single drop of bindu within the primordial space. The essence of insight is the heart-essence of dharmakaaya, pure from all eternity. Its manifestation is the alpha-pure, precious, secret sheath2031 of dharmakaaya. This consists of the kaayas and wisdoms. They are the simplicity of the single dot of bindu, without gathering or separation. This is the realm of realizing2032 the single dot of buddhahood beyond the objects of thought, expression, and conception. 2033 The kaayas and wisdoms are the individual aspects of the wisdom of the ground of arising, subtle, mere, fundamental luminosity. 2034 They are anything but non-existent. The essence, nature, and compassion, exist as svaabhaavikakaaya. From trikaaya, the ground of arising of individuality, come many partial2035 characteristics. From the ground of arising of luminosity, the nature, come many partialities of colors. The phenomena that come from the ground of arising of the wisdom of compassion do not enter into being objects. Thus the only objects are the individual kaayas and wisdoms. These constitute the individual aspects2036 of trikaaya's reality, the essence, nature, and compassion. The Thaljur says: Dharmakaaya, sambhogakaaya, and nirmaa.nakaaya Also exist in the form of svaabhaavikakaaya. So dharmakaaya, sambhogakaaya, and nirmaa.nakaaya 2037 322
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Are indistinguishable and have not been distinguished. The colors and such of the kaayas, existing as they are, Are not objects as they are found within the 2038 mind. The meaning of the nature is the nature of arising. Everything that arises rises as luminosity. Except for white and red, yellow, green and blue, It does not have the characteristics of partiality. 2039 It is natural existence of unbiased objects of knowledge. From the ground of arising of compassion comes variety. Though what is like that can not in truth be called a unity,2040 With variety merely apparent, it is called the ground. Moreover, the essence of the single dot of dharmakaaya does not exist at all. In dependence on that there is the final attainment, the ground of exhaustion. The same text says: Although in truth2041 the fruition is inexpressible, The dharmas have reached the level at which they are exhausted. There the limits of one's existence are destroyed. At this time the guru's instructions have subsided, Emptying the extremes of view, meditation, and action. Therefore, there is no such thing as appearance of dharmas. By cutting off the continuous stream of the kaayas and wisdoms, There are no buddhas, and also there are no sentient beings. Briefly, nothing exists. There is neither going nor coming. The Longdruk says:2042 The rising of the fruition of the three times, As taught by me, you should properly keep in mind. By having become accustomed to the experience2043 Of all-pervading, luminous emptiness, The lustrous manifestation of dharmakaaya, Which is one's body as it really is, Is liberated into unity. At this time, the single dot of dharmakaaya exists as the primordial2044 lord Samantabhadra. By the arising of the benefit for others from within this, one is called a vajra holder. 323
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY The same tantra says: The fruition of all the countless2045 buddhas of the three times, Is the self-existent nature of Samantabhadra. Whoever is well acquainted with this fruition of buddhahood Will be on the glorious level of a vajra holder.2046 As for the self-arising dawn of the first great Lord, Who is the spotless purity of the sheath of light, The master performing all the actions of the buddhas, He has attained the kaaya of the highest secret. The yogin whose knowledge of this is irreversible, Having the good fortune of skill and power of mind, Having reached all of the signs of perfecting2047 the fruition, Has good fortune equal to me, Samantabhadra. In the teaching of luminous dharmakaaya, there are the following divisions: 1) The extensive accounts of the support, dharmakaaya proper. 2) The supported, wisdom. Here is the explanation of the essence, characteristics, and divisions of the support, dharmakaaya. The essence of dharmakaaya is the pure space of the dhaatu, free from all the extremes of dualistic complexities, and wisdom luminous to the depths, the self-arising essence of changeless insight. The Rangshar says: It is unobstructed, changeless, and all-pervading, These three are the essence belonging to2048 dharmakaaya. As for the characteristics of dharmakaaya, it is the ultimate goal,2049 the empty, luminous, alpha-pure Dharma. Since it is the body2050 or source2051 which is the ground of arising of all the kaayas and wisdoms, it is called dharmakaaya. The same tantra says: It is indestructible, empty, and luminous. These are the characteristics defining dharmakaaya. Now the divisions of dharmakaaya are presented. Since the essence of dharmakaaya is beyond the extremes of complexity, it is inseparable. But the aspect of virtuous buddha qualities2052 depends on the elimination of some things. Therefore, separation is not contradictory with it. If one distinguishes the particular limbs of the divisions, there are these: 1) The general distinction of the nature of the five perfections, as above.2053 2) The particular distinctions of the five natures, body, speech, mind, quality, and action. 324
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU If one distinguishes its emanations according to the five perfections, the divisions are as follows: In the case of the dharmakaaya of dharmakaaya, 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)
The buddha field transcends thought. The place is dharmataa, beyond the viewpoint of thought. The samaadhi is the great motionlessness. The retinue is variety whose nature is non-dual with it. The teaching is inexpressible dharmataa. The time is that of dharmataa which is always changeless. In the case of the sambhogakaaya of dharmakaaya,
1) The buddha field has no existence of even an atom and no defilement. 2) The place is that of cutting through memory and conceptualizations of mind. 3) The samaadhi is being without craving2054 for mind and the objects of mind. 4) The retinue is those who have produced the experience of emptiness. 5) The teaching is being completely pure of conception. 6) The time is that of non-eternal2055 dharmataa. In the case of the nirmaa.nakaaya of dharmakaaya, 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)
The buddha field is emptiness without any gaps 2056 at all. The place is the ground of arising of all existences. The samaadhi is ceaseless self-luminosity. The retinue is the unbiased self-existence of trikaaya. The teaching is the unfabricated nature. The time is that of the appearance of the heart-essence in manifestation. The Rangshar says: Luminosity, lustrous radiance, and non-mixing: These are the objects that belong to dharmakaaya. There is no measure, there is no conception, or grasping, In the existence that belongs to dharmakaaya. Unobstructed, without attachment, without desire, Is the action that belongs to dharmakaaya. Fresh and relaxed,2057 and without any wandering, Is the meditation belonging to dharmakaaya.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY That and so forth is said in the extended explanation. As for the distinctions of dharmakaaya in terms of the five distinctions of body, speech, mind, quality, and action, the Thaljur says: As for dharmakaaya, there are body and speech, There are also quality, action, and buddha activity. As for its body, it is empty and luminous. It is the nature that has no characteristics at all. Its speech has been freed from written and spoken names.2058 It is unaccountable and indescribable. Its mind, without any thought or flickering discursiveness, Transcends emanation, and is beyond analysis. The qualities are without external coming and going. Space and wisdom are universal and all-pervading. The nature has no creation of artificiality. Buddha activity is not born and does not rise. Intrinsically existing,2059 it is also ceaseless. This is because it is not made and has no maker. The Rangshar says: One arises, two arise, and all arise. Such are the qualities pertaining to dharmakaaya. Without establishment, being already established, Such is the buddha activity pertaining to dharmakaaya. Without any outside or inside, without any space at all, Such is the body2060 that pertains to dharmakaaya. In the details of the supported, wisdom, there are these divisions: 1) The general teaching. 2) The particulars of the wisdoms of dharmakaaya. As for the general teaching, when there is liberation in the ultimate, alpha-pure, single dot of dharmakaaya,
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 1) By the three wisdoms abiding in the fundamental nature ,2061 the wisdoms of dharmakaaya, the basis of arising of the external luminosity of the kaayas and wisdoms is produced. 2) The appearances of the five wisdoms of grasping the nature of characteristics,2062 the wisdoms of sambhogakaaya, are displayed to pure ones who are to be tamed. 3) By the two wisdoms of knowables,2063 the wisdoms of nirmaa.nakaaya, the hopes of impure ones who are to be tamed are fulfilled. The Thaljur says: Though the nature of mind has thus been thus liberated, Its liberated state 2064 is not without compassion. By the wisdoms abiding in the fundamental nature The basis of arising is spontaneously produced.
When they are conditioned by wisdom that grasps the real nature, The ripening of those who are pure will be produced. 2065 By the wisdom of knowing and the objects of knowing, The siddhis are bestowed on those who have devotion.
1) THE THREE WISDOMS ABIDING IN THE FUNDAMENTAL NATURE: These are the wisdoms of dharmakaaya. In the explanation of these there are the brief teaching, and the extended teaching. As for the brief teaching, the same tantra says: Moreover, when the nature of mind is fully ripened, One will rest within the ground of dharmakaaya. Having exhausted defilement by being alpha-pure, Its essence has no confusion for all eternity. Because the producer of arising is unobstructed, The self-existing nature cannot be fixated. 2066 Because it exists in the form of all-pervading compassion, Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are not nothingness. The extended explanation is three-fold. 1) The wisdom of the alpha-pure essence is the simplicity of emptiness. This is the space of the dhaatu, the single dot of bindu.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 2) The wisdom of the spontaneous presence of the nature is luminosity. This is the basis of the buddha qualities. 3) The wisdom of all-pervading compas sion, existing by means of its unobstructed manner of arising, is clearly revealed2067 along with the clarity of the wisdom of ruupakaaya. The Thaljur says: In the wisdom of the alpha-purity of the essence, There is not even the name of the ignorance which is sa.msaara. There are no extremes of the numbers one and two. Examining does not establish existence and non-existence.
Except as dharmataa, which is not distinguished as anything, Wisdom does not exist in any way at all. Without any words, without the existence of expression, The purity of self-insight does not exist in extremes. Extremes of expression, words, and names have been exhausted. Causeless, and without the panoply 2068 of conditions, Without the perceiver and objects2069 of dualistic appearance, Without the distinction of any characteristics at all, Coarse conditions and objects have here been self-exhausted, It is pure in the sense of eternal non-existence. Since confused conceptions have entirely ceased, There is nothing whatsoever that is done. Since it is not born, it is empty of cessation. In regard to the wisdom of the spontaneous nature, As things are2070 unborn and unceasing, there is nothing to realize. Being without fixation,2071 it is pure of objects.2072 By its unobstructed power and qualities, It is the ground of exhaustion of variety. There appearances are merely those of play. Since it is non-existent, therefore it can appear. Since it is appearance, it is emptiness. Having these unified aspects, appearance and emptiness, It is the sphere that is pure of buddhas and sentient beings.2073 Thus the so-called ground exists in manifestation. Because the pure nature is free from existence of even an atom,2074 When examined in terms of its essence, it is emptiness. 328
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Yet because of its complex aspects, knowledge is perfected. Because it is self-existing and spontaneous,2075 It has no duality of accepting and rejecting.
Moreover, as for 2076 the wisdom of all-pervading compassion, This the source of arising of unproduced variety. 2077 Its seeming to be produced is exhausted as the essence. Rising from out of the empty nature of dharmakaaya, The aspect of perfect knowledge, also known as wisdom, Has arisen spontaneously for the sake of sentient beings. Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na otherwise would be nothingness. This knowledge is insight and it is also luminosity. From the Lord,2078 the luminosity of self-insight, The nature's intrinsic compassion arises spontaneously. Being unobstructed, it will never cease.2079 As for its pure arising in perfect bodiless unity, As the solar rays are intrinsically part of the sun itself,2080 What rises is not obscurations, but is one's own accoutrements. SAMBHOGAKAAYA AND ITS WISDOMS: Sambhogakaaya's essence is the self-existing nature, It is the five-fold play of the families and wisdoms. All the space of the sky appears to be filled with them. As for 2081 the self-existing nature of insight, the Lord of the perfect qualities is the real sambhogakaaya. It is inseparable from the nature of dharmakaaya. From that, as the external luminosity of play, manifestations of the individual bodies of the deities of the five families appear, pervading all the space of the sky. This is called the self-arising of the sovereign2082 of all ma.n.dalas, VairochanaImmense Ocean. He is the play of sambhogakaaya. Associated with the five wisdoms of grasping characteristics,2083 he is the master of all ma.n.dalas. Now from the extensive explanations of the nature of the support, kaaya, and the supported, wisdom, there are the essence, defining characteristics, and divisions of the support, sambhogakaaya. The essence of sambhogakaaya is the appearance of the body2084 of self-existing wisdom, which has natureless major and minor marks. The Rangshar says: Not mixing colors, grasping individual marks, The good marks, major and minor, emanate rays of light. In tradition the bodies of father and mother are in union. 329
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Those are the characteristics of sambhogakaaya. As for the defining characteristics of sambhogakaaya, in tibetan long chö dzok pè ku,2085 the same tantra says: Long is unmixed luminosity pervading everything. Chö is the five appearances without any characteristics.2086 Dzok is the instant appearance of reality without concept. Pè is illumination of individual things By means of the non-obstructed aspect of emptiness. Ku is grasping the individual marks of appearance. As for the divisions of sambhogakaaya, from the three sets of five, if one divides it in terms of the five perfections , from the existence of the fifteen dharmas,2087 arising by the power of miraculous emanation of trikaaya, the divisions are as follows: In the case of the dharmakaaya of sambhogakaaya, 1) the teacher is Vairochana-Immense Ocean, the manifester of apparent phenomena.2088 If one looks at him from outside, what is inside is clear, and if one looks from inside, what is outside is clear.2089 He has no front or back. He faces in all of the ten directions. 2) His buddha field is in the palm of one's hand. It produces mastery over the twenty-one realms.2090 3) The place is the completely pure ga.n.davyuuha realm. 4) As for his retinue, except for himself, there is no other. 5) The teaching is the experience of self-arising wisdom. 6) The time is that of the manifestation of realization. In the case of the sambhogakaaya of sambhogakaaya, 1) The teachers are the principal ones of the individual five families. They have different characteristics2091 but are one in nature. 2) The buddha fields are the countless individual ma.n.dalas of the different families.2092
3) 4) 5) 6)
The place is Akani.s.tha, ga.n.davyuuha. The retinue is the individuals of the five families. The teaching is knowledge of the five wisdoms. The time is that of the gathering and proliferation2093 of appearances. In the case of the nirmaa.nakaaya of sambhogakaaya,
1) The teachers are the individual buddhas who are the principal ones of the five families. 330
world
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 2) 3)
4) 6)
Their characteristic is that their appearance is without nature. It is the luminosity of non-thought. In their buddha fields a hundred thousand gods and goddesses have self-existing enjoyment beyond the compass of thought. The place is wherever the uncompounded nature manifests. It is the abodes of pure wisdom, such as Dewachen and Chang lochen. 2094 The retinue is the self-appearing buddhas and their individual ma.n.dalas. The time is the time of the experience of insight. As for the divisions of the five families, the Rangshar says: Moreover, as for the families, five of them appear. These are buddha and vajra, ratna, padma, and karma. Also it says there: There is Vairochana and also Vajrasattva Ratnasambhava, and Amitaabha, and Amoghasiddhi.
As for the five-fold division of body, speech mind, quality, and buddha activity as it applies to sambhogakaaya, the Thaljur says: In sambhogakaaya there are body, speech and mind, With quality, and buddha activity, there are five. As for body, appearances are natureless. Luminosity is completely all-pervading, The same is true of insight that is the producer of it. As for speech, it is self-arising experience, Gathering and expanding the wheel of phenomena. Mind is the vision of lack of continuity. It is realized along with the power of knowledge. The qualities are the perfect major and minor marks. Luminous realization perfects the higher perceptions. Coming forth from the dharmachakra of buddha activity, There are its outer, inner, and secret emanations. The buddhas of the individual families, And also the bodhisattvas which belong to them,
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Are emanated from its self-existing tongue. The retinue is taught by the teacher, one's own essence. From the two teachings 2095 concerning the nature of the supported, wisdom, in essence the inhabitants and contents of the ma.n.dala are wisdom. As for the brief teaching, the same tantra says: The sambhogakaaya wisdom is the grasper of characteristics. The mirror is the object, which is pure of solidity. 2096 Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are luminous reflections. They are equal, having no bias or partiality. Although the display of particular objects of the senses Is apprehended by means of discriminating awareness, Even so all2097 action is effortlessly established. Since they are not different, this is dharmadhaatu From the extensive explanations of the five wisdoms, first there is the dharmadhaatu wisdom: As for the characteristics of the wisdom of dharmadhaatu, It is empty, luminous insight which is the source of arising. The Rangshar says: In regard to the dharmadhaatu wisdom, Its threefold objects are the great emptiness, The shining light of luminosity, And the realization of insight-wisdom. These three in combination are called the space of the dhaatu. Regarding the essence and definition of dharmadhaatu wisdom, chö ying yé shé,2098 the Thaljur says: As for dharmadhaatu, it is the space of 2099 vastness. By not perceiving either a limit or a center, There is the ground of liberation, pure dharmataa. As for chö,” it is the producer of the action, Without the actions of nirvaa.na and the world. The nature is pure in the state of luminosity. When the space of ying has come to be revealed, There is the existence of the great self-arising. As for yé, the eternal master of perfection, 332
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU The master has no fabrication from the start. Shé is awareness that is liberated From both sa.msaara and nirvaa.na equally. 2100 This is realizing the experience of perfection. Regarding the mirror-like wisdom,2101 together with its characteristics and examples,2102 the Rangshar says: As for the characteristics of the mirror-like wisdom, As for example, in the surface of a mirror The condition, what is shown, seems to be within it,2103 Similarly within insight, though it is undefiled, There is the pure luminosity of the appearance of wisdom. The Thaljur says: In the many reflections of the mirror like wisdom Shapes as well as colors perfectly appear. It is white light because it is free of all defilement,2104 Self-appearance joining sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. By the appearance of the forms of all the dharmas, It is therefore called the wisdom of self-insight. It is luminosity, but also it is emptiness; Thus it has been liberated by emptiness. Thoughts of extremes that grasp liberation are exhausted. There is self-liberation without the need of resting. Thus it is that the ground becomes completely perfect. As for the wisdom of equality,2105 the Rangshar says: Within the equal essence of the dharmas Nothing falls into any partiality. The Thaljur says:
Regarding what is called “equality,” There are two things to be equalized By three conditions of equality, 333
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY And the time and limit of equality. It is non-dual and free from partiality. Its self-existence has not been distinguished. Nor will this occur at a later time. That designated as “equal” is dharmataa, Quite free from all the complexities of affliction.
“-ity” means “in itself,” unfabricated, Without any effort or establishing. Its nature and existence are empty of essence, As mind itself where conceptions are exhausted. And from the existence of this so-called wisdom, This is the characteristic realized: Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na are not two. The two things that are equalized by the wisdom of equality are sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. The three conditions of equality are appearance, emptiness, and their being conceptualized2106 as non-dual. The time of equality is the time when the ultimate fruition manifests. The limit of equality is when the ground of exhaustion is reached. As for discriminating awareness wisdom, so sor tak pè yé shé,2107 the Rangshar says: As for discriminating awareness wisdom, It is realization of insight free from action The Thaljur says: The family power of discriminating awareness Is that whatever appears, the dharmas of that Are clear in all2108 their individual details. After experience has been purified, Concept too becomes the object of insight.
“So sor” means the particular object of knowledge. Arising in the style of an antidote. “Tak pè,” means the seeing of characteristics And proliferation of experience.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU When wisdom first arises, by awareness, The faults of the kleshas will be purified. As for the all-accomplishing wisdom2109 the Rangshar says: As for the characteristics of all-accomplishing wisdom, Whatever appears is perfected within the state of insight. The Thaljur says: In what is called the all accomplishing wisdom,2110 After the self-cessation of any struggle and effort, All dharmas, self-resting, are self-liberated. Perfection of the appearance of the ground, The subtle aspect, free from even an atom, Attains self-liberated2111 spotlessness. This transcends the objects of analysis. No one can make distinctions in dharmataa. By means of the perfection of the nature, All2112 the extremes of appearance are exhausted. Action, jawa is sudden realization. Accomplishment, drupa, freedom from desire. One is does not have any more returning. Yé is existence for all eternity. Shé is manifestation of awareness, In which all dharmas have reached the ground of exhaustion. NIRMAA.NAKAAYA AND ITS WISDOMS: In essence nirmaa.nakaaya is compassion's ground of arising. In its play, whatever is needed for taming appears. By its great buddha activity, it is rich in mastery. Compassion itself, is one in essence with dharmakaaya. Compassion and its play, nirmaa.nakaaya, are displayed in different ways to different immature individuals. These are shraavakas, pratyekabuddhas, and other2113 impure individuals who are to be tamed. In the extensive resolution of this, within the discussion of the nature of the support, kaaya and the supported, wisdom, there are the essence, defining characteristics, and divisions of nirmaa.nakaaya. 335
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY As for the essence of nirmaa.nakaaya, there are appropriate appearance, uncertainty of time and place,2114 and the body emanated externally for a short space of time. The Rangshar says: Whatever is needed for taming, the teacher appears in that way. Appearing in accord with what is needed by2115 others. The teachers are not small-minded2116 in benefiting others. They can make changes whenever anything needs to be changed. As for the defining characteristics of nirmaa.nakaaya, the same tantra says: Kye secret master! As for the defining characteristics of nirmaa.nakaaya, you should know what they are. Because they appear in accord with the paths of all the sentient beings in the realm of the world, they are “bodies of emanation,” nirmaa.nakaayas. They are also nirmaa.nakaayas because they have the power of doing benefit. They are also nirmaa.nakaayas because they perform all actions. They are also nirmaa.nakaayas because they liberate sentient beings beyond reckoning. They are also nirmaa.nakaayas because of being in a single buddha field for a short time. They are also nirmaa.nakaayas because of the arising of impartial compassion. From the three divisions of nirmaa.nakaaya, if one distinguishes them in terms of action, there is this twofold classification: 1) Nirmaa.nakaayas of perfect action,2117 not liberated from the body, perform benefit after their minds are ripened in dharmakaaya. 2) Action performing nirmaa.nakaayas2118 arise from space into the play of phenomena. There are also the three classes of nirmaa.nakaayas. 1) Working nirmaa.nakaayas. 2) Born nirmaa.nakaayas. 3) Supreme nirmaa.nakaayas.2119 The Rangshar says:
Within the divisions of nirmaa.nakaaya, There are perfected and performing action, And both these kinds have been said to exist. Nirmaa.nakaayas of perfected action Have liberated their being without remainder,2120 Become the manifestation of buddhahood; And then they send forth limitless emanations. Regarding action-performing nirmaa.nakaayas, 336
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Displaying whatever may be needed for taming, They appear in accord with the needs of sentient beings. But this is as it already has been said. The Suutraala.mkaara says: There are working tülkus, and born and enlightened tülkus.2121 But the nirmaa.nakaaya of the supreme enlightenment Is the nirmaa.nakaaya of the Buddha himself. He has the great upaaya which is total liberation. If one distinguishes nirmaa.nakaaya according to2122 the dharmas of the five perfections , by the distinction of the emanated phenomena, the divisions are as follows: At the time of the dharmakaaya of nirmaa.nakaaya, 1) The teacher is great Vajradhara. His characteristic is that by appearing in the body of the four kinds of birth, the thirty-six actions of the life of a buddha established. 2123 2) His buddha field is the billion worlds of the universe.2124 There he masters the thousand million distinctions of the countless divisions of emptinesses. 3) The place is the thousand-petalled lotus flower. 4) The retinue, is a collection of beings of the four kinds of births. 5) The teaching is the words that are the roots of all the pi.takas, the Thaljur. 6) The time is when people can live a life of immeasurable years. At the time when there is the sambhogakaaya of nirmaa.nakaaya, 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)
The teacher is glorious Vajrasattva. His buddha field is the million realms of the three realms. The place is in accord with the viewpoint of those who are to be tamed. The retinue is the bodhisattvas of the eighth bhuumi and upward. The teaching is the vehicle of the true meaning. The time is uncertain. At the time of the nirmaa.nakaaya of nirmaa.nakaaya,
1) The teacher is Shaakyamuni. His nature is the glorious, self-arising, complete ordination. 2125 He performs actions that are in accord with that. 2) The buddha field is the human realm, the thousand million distinctions of the four continents and so forth. 3) The place is the Vulture Peak and so forth. 4) The retinue is a variety of gods and men and so forth. 5) The teaching is the various vehicles of cause and fruition. 6) The time is the time of the great certainty that cuts off doubt. 337
are hundred
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY As for the five-fold distinction of body, speech, mind, quality, and action, the Thaljur says: Nirmaa.nakaaya has body, speech and mind, With quality and action, there are five. The body has the major and minor marks. The body is emanated in order to tame Whatever students have a need of taming. The words of his speech are joined exquisitely With the sixty limbs of the melody of Bhramaa. His mind rests in the wisdom of knowables. By realization of the two benefits,
Perfected knowledge of the qualities, And the outer, inner, and secret activities, Are perfectly performed without remainder, Thus existing as the five perfections. From the two classifications of the supported, wisdom, as for the brief teaching, the same tantra says: As regards the objects of knowledge of nirmaa.nakaaya, By the knowledge of nature one knows the natural state, And thus the meaning of things is known as it really is.2126 The knowledge of extent knows the thoughts that exist, Just as they are, in all of those who are to be tamed. If one explains it extensively, there are the two wisdoms of nature and extent. By knowledge of the nature, ji ta yé shé,2127 the way things are is correctly known. By the knowledge of extent, ji nyé yé shé,2128 the way things appear, pure of the extremes of cause and effect, is known. As for the essence together with the defining characteristics, the Thaljur says: Regarding the wisdom of the collection of knowables, It is known in a manner that is two-fold. The first is explained as extent of knowables. Regarding this, it knows the thoughts of students. By understanding the benefit for others, 338
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU There is knowledge of the nature of all the 2129 dharmas. Ji is the natural state, just as it is.2130 Nyé its extent which is known to be perfected. Yé is eternal benefit for all beings. Shé knows how to benefit 2131 the three worlds.
The aspect of knowing of nirmaa.nakaaya Is experience which is essentially perfected. The knowledge of the nature is explained As appearance that is inexpressible. It is the reflections of pure experience, The luminosity of sacred outlook. 2132 By knowledge of the natural state of things The benefit for self is realized, Exhausting the continuity of confusion. Ji is the natural state of things as they are. Ta is reaching the view of things as they are, The ground of exhaustion that is without agitation. Since knowledge is unobstructed, it is perfected. Yé is the eternity of the path. Shé is reaching perfection2133 of awareness. If it is asked from what those manifestations of the fruition of kaaya and wisdom arise, it is explained: These are not established by efforts of cause and effect. They appear in chokshak, letting things be as they are, And the way they are is self-existing for all eternity. For the highest, the ultimate secret appears within this life. And even the others will not be deceived within the bardo. The distinction of the peak of yaanas, the vajra heart, Is that it is higher than all the yaanas of cause and fruition. The holy fruition, the kaayas and wisdoms, is self-existing within one, uncompounded from all eternity. It manifests as the pith of chokshak , when we let everything be as it is beyond cause and fruition. It is higher than all the lower vehicles. The Longdruk says: Arising from the wisdom of non-thought, By the oral instructions of resting without seeking, 339
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY One attains primordial buddhahood. 2134 Moreover, regarding its being uncompounded and self-existing, the Uttaratantra says: Being uncompounded and also self-existing, By conditions that are other it is not realized. This is the one who possesses knowledge, kindness, and power. This is the Buddha himself, the one who has the two benefits.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU This is the Fourteenth Chapter,
THE CONCLUDING SECTION of the commentary on The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu
Thus, having completed the extensive resolution of the subject of the body of the shaastra, now, from the seven subjects of the ultimate conclusion,
1) THE TEACHING OF THE PLACE WHERE ALL THIS WAS WELL ARRANGED: Thus, this song of the vajra heart-essence of dharmataa, The pure primordial nature, limitless as the sky, Is itself in that changeless place that has no ground or root. It arises as play which is changeless in its self-arising. The arising place of this great, secret song of the vajra heart-essence, the self existing, all-encompassing natural state, was the peak of the precious mountain of existence. It is the peak of blessings of the self-existing lotus King. It arises in a hundred appearances at once, easing the weariness of mind. On its highest peak I received this secret song from the .daakiniis and set it down in writing.2135
2) CHARACTERIZING THE REALIZATION EXPRESSED AS THE ETERNAL EQUALITY OF GREAT, VAST, ALL-PERVADING, ALL-ENCOMPASSING SPACE: Never reached anywhere, this, which is the primordial nature, Is the self-existing, motionless state of dharmataa. It has no gaps; and does not fall into partiality. By the arising of the phenomenal world as dharmataa, whatever appears is realized as self-arising wisdom. By realizing dharmataa without coming and going, one becomes free from all striving and effort. There are no gaps. There is no falling from the nature into partiality. By true realization of this, beings who enter into this shaastra will be blessed with the auspicious coincidence of realizing dharmataa. The song of the glorious bhramin Saraha on the natural state says: Whatever one sees, that is the state of suchness. Today, like a master, I have cut through confusion. Now, I have no defiled acts for anyone. By its manifesting like that, later generations will be liberated without effort. The master Sengé Zangpo once said: 341
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Kye ma! By the various textual traditions I was fatigued, but found my place of rest. How it is with the prajñaapaaramitaa I have seen since quite a long time ago.
3) THE NATURE The self-existing Space of the great vastness has been reached. Now there is the teaching of the nature. That teaching joins the words of the shaastra with mastery of their meaning: The intention of these words is the vast center of all suchness. This is just as limitless as the space of the sky. As for the King of great Space where all is self arisen, Variety has been motionless for all eternity. It is liberated in its own place as it is. This is reaching the markless womb of the vastness of space. 4) REQUIREMENTS2136 FOR ALL THOSE WHO COMPOSE A SHAaSTRA: They must correctly realize the meanings of the words of their topic, and know how to present them well to others in word by word commentary. Here, I correctly realized my vajra topic, the nature of the great perfection. Then I explained it skillfully so that others might receive the good fortune of the words and meaning. I ornamented this commentary on the secret mind of realization of the teacher, the bhagavat, with garlands of scriptural quotations. Until the composition was completed, I abandoned dealings with external phenomena. Reaching the Space of the King of dharmataa, I was joined to the one-pointed samaadhi of thinking of the dharma. Then by the power of arising of the prajñaa of the meaning, I arranged this. 5) THE INSTRUCTION TO RESPECT THESE TEACHINGS This is the eye of those who have the good fortune of devotion to this supreme vehicle. It should be regarded with respect. That is a good instruction. The Uttaratantra says: It is explained that if one is solely in accord With that which has been taught by the Victorious One, One will have a mind completely free from wandering. It will harmonize with the path of attaining liberation. Moreover, in accord with the words of the Sage himself, This should be received with respect upon the head.
6) THE MANNER OF COMPOSING THIS: At the very time when this realization occurred, I the yogin had experience like space.2137 342
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU It was unquestionably in agreement with the scriptures. This is arranged in accord with the twenty one texts of the Semdé, The three divisions of Space and, the four of the oral instructions.2138 I received on my head the dust of the feet of my glorious lord guru, the holy lord of Dharma, Kumaraja. Then that lord siddha kindly accepted me. By the power of his blessing, I was joined to the great perfection. I correctly realized the nature of mind, whose nature is luminosity. I made no mistakes about it. By the arising of the secret light rays of that lotus of intellect, the words became Space. Appearances, acts of expression, and the way of expressing expanded into an unobstructed ocean,
7) THE ARRIVAL OF THE TIME FOR BUDDHA ACTIVITY I the yogin who had established the yoga of the luminous vajra heart-essence was certain that it was the time for buddha activity to benefit others. The vastness of the opportunity was like the sky. I explained well in words what my realization was like for the following reasons: 2139 1) So that benefit would be established for later generations. 2) So that the doctrines of the matchless, supreme vajra, Kumaraaja, the second Samantabhadra, would not diminish. 3) So that his teachings and the experiences of the nyam would be gathered. 4) So that, the points of this, profound, but difficult to realize for ordinary people, would be taught in the most excellent way, unmixed with points of ordinary truths. 5) So that the peak of the king of yaanas, the teaching of the vajra heart essence, would exist for a long time in the world. 6) So that beings by seeing this, might realize all those points well and with ease. For those who do not know how to gather into one the many points of the tantras and oral instructions and have no power to assemble them, this shaastra explains how it should be done.2140 I put aside and abandoned my own ideas and had faith in the power of the teachings. This was arranged in accord with the three collections of mind, Space, and the oral instructions. Then I joined it with quotations from them. How can those who are not knowledgeable about the texts be authoritative about the vajra points? It is as useless a blind man trying to distinguish the aspects of forms. Moreover, the Suutraala.mkaara says: The spiritual friend is tamed and pacified—pacified well. He is very rich in virtue and in effort. With the highest realization, he has skillful speech. Personifying kindness, he abandons sorrow and weariness. Among the twenty one texts of the collection of mind, there are the five earlier ones:2141 343
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 1) Rikpa Khujuk; The Cuckoo of Insight. 2) Tsalchen Chagpa; The Snapping Banner of the Great Power. 3) Kyungchen Dingwa; The Great soaring Garu.da. 4) Dola Serzhun; The Gold Ore in the Stone. 5) Minupè Gyaltsen; The Undiminishing Victory Banner. Then there are the thirteen later ones,2142 making eighteen lesser texts of the collection of mind altogether. 6) Tsemo Junggyal; The Peak that Conquers the Elements. 7) Namkhe Gyalpo; The King of the Sky. 8) Dewa Trulkö; The Display of Miracles of Bliss. 9) Dzokpa Chiching; Binding the Ties of Perfection. 10) Jangchub Semthig; The Dot of Bodhicitta. 11) Dewa Rabjam; The Universal Bliss. 12) Sogi Khorlo; The Wheel of Life. 13) Thigle Drukpa; The Six Bindus. 14) Dzokpa Chichö; The Perfect Universal Cutting Off. 15) Yishin Norbu; The Wish-fulfilling Gem. 16) Kundü Rikpa; All-inclusive Insight. 17) Jetsün Dampa; The Holy Jetsün. 18) Gompa Döndrub; Accomplishing the Goal of Meditation. Then there are these, making twenty-one in all:2143 19) Künjé Gyalpo; The All-Creating King. 20) Méjung Gyalpo; The Wondrously-arisen King. 21) Do Chu. The Ten Key Points. In the collection of Space there are many kinds of Space. They are collected under the three kinds of Space, white, black, and variegated. Within the white Space there are these: 1) The Space of the sky. 2) The Space of the ocean. 3) The Space of a jewel. Within the black space there are these: 4) The collection of the black Space of compassion. 5) The collection of the black Space of action. 6) The collection of the black Space of emanation. In the variegated Space, there are these: 7) The variegated Space that accords with the mind that speaks of existence. 8) The variegated Space that accords with the self-existing pith that says there is non-existence. 9) The variegated Space that accords with the oral instructions of existence and 344
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU non-existence. Many kinds of Spaces are included. Universal Space is included within them, so it is not otherwise explained. In the collection of oral instructions, there are the external, internal, secret, cycles. Along with the unsurpassable secret cycle, there are four altogether. In these are topics of the tantra collection beyond the compass of thought. They are said to be summarized in the seventeen tantras2144 of the truth of the great secret. The Thaljur says: Rigpa Rangshar and Rangdröl, Rangjung and the Tsaldzok, and Dzédendak and Trakö, and Mutig Treng and Yigé Mé, Nyinggi Mé and Tukkyi Mé, Nyida Khajor, Ngotrö Tré, Kudung Barwa, Longchen Druk;2145 Those, the sixteen parts of it Emanate from the Thaljur. They appear to beings who are objects of taming. For the collections of mind, Space, and the oral instructions in general, the teacher appears as Samantabhadra or Vajradhara. The dharmas taught by them are counted as part of the great secret mantra. In regard to the stages of development and perfection, they are of the perfecting stage. In terms of great and small, they are great. In this there are one hundred thousand and sixty-four shlokas, thirty-five thousand chapters, twenty-one thousand sections, a hundred and eighty kinds of ennailment, twenty-five hundred kinds of cessation, three thousand collected piths. There are and forty thousand points summarizing the ultimate significance. They tell how to passing the pass of strayings and obscurations. Two thousand named tantras are within them. The root of all the pi.takas, the Thaljur says: From out of the nature of the great perfection Distinctions of words that have issued forth are many. Within the three collections there are nine Spaces. Within its collected words the number of shlokas In total is one hundred thousand and sixty-four. Within it there are thirty-five thousand chapters, And also twenty-one thousand different sections. The things expressed are as limitless as the sky. They cut conceptualizations in beings to be tamed. There follows a summary of the things expressed: A hundred and eighty different kinds of ennailment; And twenty-five hundred different sorts of cessation; Three thousand great piths have been collected there. The summarized points that allow one to pass the pass 345
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY Of strayings and obscurations are forty thousand. The names of tantras are two thousand altogether. The verbal details are clearly set in order. Here is the dedication of merit to enlightenment: By this merit, may all beings without remainder Reach the primordial level with seeming effortlessness. May they attain the changelessness of Samantabhadra, The level of a dharmaraaja for whom the two benefits Have been accomplished eternally by their self-existence. Great waves of assembled merit have been attained from this wondrously arisen Dharma's being well composed. By that cause may all beings, with no striving and effort at all, attain the manifestation of enlightenment. By the equal taste of unity with dharmakaaya, may they become inseparable with distinctionless Samantabhadra. May they attain the state of the Victorious One for whom the two benefits are self-existing, the dharmaraaja, the Buddha Bhagavat. This is dedicated to producing all auspiciousness for everyone, spreading great waves of auspiciousness: May all the directions be joined to glory and happiness. As in the pure fields, may all desires be self-accomplished. To the accompaniment of the sound of the Dharma drum May the victory banner of liberation be unfurled. May the holy dharma never diminish, but spread and flourish. May the hundred light rays of merit of composing this well, burning with the fiery splendor of brilliant goodness, be emanated through all the earth and the realm of the gods. By that may as many sentient beings as there are in the world have happiness, and be without suffering even in dreams. By the wondrously arisen Dharma joy of liberation, may they have all auspiciousness, both by day and night. May sa.msaara be like the purity of the buddha fields, like Sukhaavati, Abhirati, and Pemachen. 2146 May the self-existing action manifest, granting perfect accomplishment of all desires. May the three jewels be proclaimed for all without interruption. By raising the victory banner of the wishfulfilling tree and the wish-fulfilling gem of the unsurpassable teaching, may the teachings of holy Dharma spread and flourish. May they reach as far as the farthest limits of space, endless through all the limitlessness of the ten directions. By this ornament expressing auspiciousness, the union of extreme conceptions has been taught. “The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu, by the yogin of the supreme vehicle Longchen Rabjam. 2147 The excellent arrangement of this was completed at gangri tökar”2148 Now there is an account of the title of the work that has been finished, The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu. Dharmadhaatu is mind itself, by nature luminous. It is free from all extremes of complexities. Its self-existing nature is like a precious jewel. As the source of all the “dharmas” of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, it is called a “treasury.” It is the perfect subject of this shaastra. It is the essence of the, ground, path and fruition. 346
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU That topic is clearly presented in thirteen chapters, by an assembly of profound and vast scriptural quotations. Within the space of this shaastra numerous words and meanings arise. Their spontaneous good fortune or excellence is like a “precious” jewel. It will be the ground of accomplishing the two benefits wherever they are desired to manifest. As the source of this abundance of names, words, and letters this is also fittingly called a “treasury.” It is a treasury from which precious things arise, presenting well the vast and extensive 2149 ground, path, and fruition of dharmadhaatu. For these reasons this work is called The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu. As both the expressing text and the expressed meaning are perfect, this shaastra is perfect in nature. As for “yogin of the supreme vehicle,” the vajra vehicles of fruition are the peak of all vehicles. The very heart-essence and pinnacle of them all is this nature of the great perfection. Since this topic, the luminous vajra heart-essence, is supreme, it is called the supreme vehicle. Having well realized the meaning of this, one becomes proficient in it. This is called performing the yoga of the meaning. Having realized well the topics of the words and meaning, I performed the yoga of composing the text. This is the yoga of words. It is called the yoga of the continuity of dharma. “Longchen Rabjam,” is the name of the author. It means great, universal Space. If there is the “great Space” of realization as vast as the sky, then there is Longchen Rabjam. This is the circle of insight-dharmataa. It is universally free and distinct from the characteristics of drowsiness and discursiveness or hope and fear. This name points directly to the subject of this shaastra. In my previously composed shaastras a number of different names appear. These also directly point out their subjects. In works of poetry, grammar, and elegant diction, “composed by the person dwelling beyond thought, the lord of speech discipline intellect” appears. These conform to worldly knowledge, and chiefly teach the meanings of memory. In teachings of subjects that conform to the ordinary outer and inner secret mantra, “by Dorje Ziji,” 2150 appears, “by brilliant vajra confidence.” When profound topics are taught by the stages of the yaanas, and in writings chiefly concerned with meditation, “by Drimé Özer”2151 appears, “by rays of undefiled light.” In those that teach the natural state, the vast Space unencompassed by thought, “by Longchen Rabjam,” appears. In those which extensively treat the vehicles, doctrines, suchness and so forth, “by Kunkhyen Ngaggi Wangpo,” 2152 appears, “by the omniscient lord of speech.” This is called directly pointing out of the subject of a shaastra by the kind of name that is used. “The arrangement was completed,” means samaya. It teaches that the details of words and meaning have been completed. The teaching is finished. The composition is done. That is the meaning of “the excellent arrangement of this was completed.” And so the meaning that has been described Of this, the highest secret vajra essence Extensively Displays the final secret, Which is the nature of the true command. 2153 From out of the nyingthig, the essential drop, The deepest piths of all the many teachings Have been collected here into one place,2154 Within the ultimate path that leads to peace. Regarding this commentary, supreme among Dharmas, Upon the Treasury of Dharmadhaatu, Its teaching of “realization as appearance” Presents the ultimate meaning of realization. 347
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY This is the teaching of the highest peak Of the highest of the vehicles, For that reason it is called the “King” Of all the many different vehicles, Well-ornamented with scriptural quotations That offer explanations of the meanings, It therefore has been called the lung gi terdzö,2155 Whose meaning is The Precious Scriptural Treasury. I saw not just the words but the ultimate meaning, Which is the very essence of the heart. I saw the pith of proper meditation, And how that true experience ought to be. To join these ultimate profundities I brought my realization to appearance— It is for that reason I composed This commentary on the dharmadhaatu. Here is the meaning of the vajra heart! It brings enlightenment within this life. It is the highest peak of the range of teachings, Supreme, unchanging luminosity. Like Sumeru, the noble king of mountains, The peak at the center of the four continents, This commentary on the dharmadhaatu, Is like a King who rules the other yaanas. These deepest piths of all the many teachings 2156 Were first received in sacred vajra songs. The central teachings have been ornamented By garlands of fitting scriptural quotations, According with all the suutras and the tantras Wherein the essence of true meaning is taught. This commentary on the dharmadhaatu Has been called The Precious Scriptural Treasury. I trained and trained for many, many lives, Accepted over and over by holy ones, I realized the meaning, and realized it again, Reaching and reaching the other shore of the ocean. So now within the vast sky of intellect, Whose clouds of hearing and contemplating Are garlanded with the lightning of auspiciousness, From vast2157 samaadhi-clouds of realization, 348
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU There falls this rain of excellent explanation. Extensively hearing and contemplating this, The full analysis that I have given, Allows one to2158 enter into understanding Of all the yaanas' meanings without remainder. Becoming proficient in this excellent path That teaches the vajra heart-essence of the teachings, I made this profound and extensive commentary, Concerning the ultimate space of dharmadhaatu. Through the means of these yogas that are taught in this treatise of the King of Vehicles,2159 Whoever has perfect virtue and devotion Will have the excellent wealth of enlightened peace. This wealth, of the kind that is true and genuine, Emerges through the fullness of this treatise Explaining the Treasury of Dharmadhaatu; So therefore you should earnestly hold to it. From all the greatest secrets of the tantras And numerous writings of the oral instructions, I effortlessly collected in one place,2160 The highest certain piths of liberation; In my retreat among the lofty mountains Upon the snowy mountain known as thökar,2161 This treatise on dharmadhaatu was well composed. May it help the Sage's teaching to flourish. For holy ones who are branches of the teachings May life and buddha activity be limitless. May all the various regions of the world Experience limitless bliss and happiness. Completely emptying the lower realms, May beings all attain the higher realms. By practicing the dharma day and night, As is the custom in pure buddha lands, May all attain the highest enlightenment. Transported on the great ship of the merit Of this treatise on the dharmadhaatu. 2162 The excellent explanation of these teachings, May beings cross the ocean of sa.msaara. 349
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY When they have crossed to the good place of enlightenment, Then may that precious land be known to them In all the spontaneous presence of self-existence,2163 And may they be dharma Kings and Queens of trikaaya. This Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu And its commentary the Scriptural Treasury Completely teach the essence of the unborn, Presenting bodhicitta without error, Because of the merit of this explanation, May all sentient beings without remainder Gain the perfection of the two benefits, And may their virtue effortlessly increase. From now on, until the end of time 2164 For as long as sa.msaara may remain, May I accomplish the buddha activity Of the glorious guru, who is the great lord. Because of my accomplishing perfect action Creating great waves of benefit for others, For all who see, remember, or deal with me, May all the realm of sa.msaara be overthrown. Whatever beings have ever met with me No matter whether with anger, faith, or harm, Abiding in holy praise, or whatever they do, May all of them be swiftly guided by me. May Dharmadhaatu and all the space of the sky, And sentient beings as limitless as the sky, Become the field, of spontaneous action Pervaded by my buddha activity. Thus may I be the guide of all sentient beings. May this tradition of teachings of the Dharma, As long as the realm of sa.msaara may endure, Remain as an ornament upon the earth. 2165 May the life of the teachings, not diminish, But spread and flourish in the ten directions. May flowers of benefit for other beings Now blossom in a limitless fruition. May the victorious ones like the sun and moon, Or like a wish-fulfilling gem or tree, 350
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Like earth, the ocean or a great ship on it, Accomplish the fondest hopes of many beings,
Emanating a thousand lights of benefit, Pervading everywhere without obstruction,2166 May limitless benefits now come to others Arising out of spontaneous buddha activity. This Commentary on The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu, called Realization as Appearance, The King of Vehicles, and The Scriptural Treasury, reaches the further shore of all doctrines, one's own and those of others. The wondrously appearing supreme topic of the speech of the Sugata, the excellent blossoming of the appearance of intellect, the presentation by the yogin of the supreme vehicle, the omniscient lord of speech, Longchen Rabjam is completed. May it be auspicious. ge'o ge'o ge'o.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY GLOSSARY: ENGLISH AND SANSKRIT
Information about these terms will be found under the listed Tibetan equivalents in the Tibetan glossary, which is in English alphabetical order.
Abhirati: mngon par dga' ba abhi.sheka: dbang abhidharma: mngon chos absolute: don dam accept and reject: blang 'dor act and effort: bya rtsol action: spyod adding and taking away: 'du bral affirmation: sgrub affirmation and negation: dgag sgrub Akani.sh.tha: 'og min aalaya: kun gzhi aalayavijñaana: kun gzhi rnam par shes pa all at once: cig char all-pervading, all-encompassing: phyam gdal all-sufficient: gcig chod alpha-pure: ka dag am.rita: bdud rtsi analysis: dpyod pa antidotes: gnyen po anu: a nu appearance: snang ba artificial: bcos as it is: rang babs, rang sar, rang mal ati: a ti: rdzogs pa chen po authentic: yang dag avaricious: rngom Aviici Hell: mnyal ba mnar med pa awakened: sangs awareness: shes pa bardo: bar do bhagava[-t][-an]: bcom ldan 'das bhramin: bram ze bhuumi: sa bhuta: byung po bias: ris bindu: thig le bodhicitta: byang chub sems bodhisattva: byang chub sems dpa' body speech and mind: honorific: sku, gsung, thugs; non-honorific: lus, ngag, sems buddha qualities: yon tan buddha[hood]: sangs rgyas cage: gzeb caste: rigs cause and condition: rgyu rkyen
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU ceaseless: ma 'gags, 'gag med. certain: nges cha.n.dali: tsa .n.da li characteristics: mtshan chokshak : cog gshag chörten; mchod rten cliff: gyang sa clouds of offerings: mchod sprin co-emergent: lhan cig skyes pa coarse: rags collection of oral instructions: man ngag sde compassion: thugs rje complexity: spros pa concept: rtog pa conceptions: dmigs pa confusion: 'khrul pa consider: ltos contrived: bcos coronation vase: spyi blugs created: bcos crystal: shel [gong] cutting through: khregs gcod .daakinii: mkha' 'gro defilements: dri ma deity: lha detail: rim pa developing [stage]: bskyed [rim] dharmakaaya: chos sku dharmataa: chos nyid dharma[s]: chos Dharmdhaatu: chos dbyings dharmin: chos can dhaatu: dbyings dhyaana: bsam gtan direct liberation: cer grol discontinuity: rgyun chad discriminating awareness wisdom: so so rtags pa'i ye shes discriminating awareness: so so rang rig; so sor rtag pa discursive thought: rnam rtog display: bstan, bkod disturbed: rnyog doer of all: kun byed dön: gdon drowsiness and discursiveness [wildness]: bying rgod eggshell: rgya ego: bdag eight examples of illusion: sgyu ma dpe brgyad eight extremes: mtha' brgyad eighteen dhaatus: khams bco brgyad element: khams, rigs eliminate: log eliminate or establish: dgag sgrub emanation: sprul pa embodiment: 'du ba empowerment: lung, dbang
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY emptiness with all the supreme aspects: rnam mchog kun ldan stong nyid empty: stong pa enlightenment: byang chub ennailment: gzer [bu] environment and inhabitants: snod bcud, rten dang brten pa equality: mnyam nyid equanimity: mnyam nyid essence: ngo bo [snying po] establish: sgrub eternal: ye eternalism: rtag [lta] etherial: sang seng even: phyal ba examination: brtags pa examine: brtags pa examin[e][ation]: dpyod pa exhaustion: zad pa, rdzogs pa exist: yod pa experience: rang snang experiences: nyams extremes: [mu] mtha' fabrication: bcos false conception: kun btags family: rigs father tantra: pha rgyud fine and coarse: rags phra five aspects of saadhana: cho ga rnam pa lnga five buddha activities: phrin las lnga five buddhas: bcom ldan 'das lnga: five certainties: nges pa lnga five colors: kha dog lnga five elements: 'byung ba lnga five enlightenments [manifestations of...]: byang chub lnga five eyes: spyan lnga five families: rigs lnga five kaayas: sku lnga five kinds of mind: thugs lnga five kinds of speech: gsung lnga five paths: lam lnga five perfections: phun sum tshogs pa lnga five qualities: yon tan lnga five root kleshas: rtsa ba'i nyon mongs lnga five skandhas: phung po lnga five wisdoms: ye shes lnga fixation and grasping: gzung 'dzin fixation, fixated object: gzung ba. fixator, fixating subject: 'dzin fixed: nges flickering [emanation etc]: 'gyu ba four extremes: mtha' bzhi four kinds of birth: skye ba bzhi four legs of miracle: cho 'phrul rkang pa bzhi four manners of birth: skye tshul bzhi four maaras: bdud bzhi
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU four mudraas: phyag rgya bzhi four noble truths: 'phags pa bden bzhi four seals: phyag rgya bzhi four, the, propitiation and so on: bsnyen sgrub bzhi. four times: dus bzhi four ultimate realizations: rtogs pa bzhi four yogas [of ati][of mahaa] [of mahaamudraa: rnal 'byor bzhi freedom: grol ba fresh and relaxed: lhang nge lhan ne from all eternity: ye fruition: 'bras bu fundamental luminosity = gting gsal fundamental state: gzhi gnas [not = shamatha] Ga.n.davyuuha: stugs po bkod pa garbha: snying po garu.da: khyung gather: 'du ba. gelong: dge slong genuine: yang dag glorification [exaggeration] and deprecation: sgro ['dogs dang] skur ['debs] good and evil: bzang ngan grasper: 'dzin pa grasper & grasped: gzung 'dzin grasping [subject]: 'dzin pa great perfection: rdzogs pa chen po ground: gzhi groundless: gzhi med guard samaya: dam tshig srung ba guru: bla ma heart: snying po heart-[essence]: snying po higher perceptions: mngon shes highest yoga: shin tu rnal 'byor hinayaana: theg dman hungry ghosts: yi dwags ignorance: ma rig pa Immense ocean: gang chen tsho: AKA rnam snang gang chen mtsho incidental: glo bur included: 'du ba, 'dril ba, 'ub chub individual insight: so so rang rig individuating characteristics: rang mtshan insight: rig pa instantly: skad gcig par, cig car intellect: yid [special cases] intellect-consciousness: y id kyi rnam shes intention: dgongs pa interdependent arising: rten 'brel 'byung ba intrinsic-: rang-, rang bzhin gyis jang: byang jinyépé yé shé: ji snyed pa'i ye shes jitawè yé shé: ji lta ba'i ye shes jetsün: rje btsun jñaana: ye shes jñaanasattva: ye shes sems dpa'
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY kagyü: bka' brgyud kalpa: bskal pa karma: las kaaya: sku klesha: nyon mongs knowledge: shes pa kriyaa: kri ya, bya rgyud let loose: [rang][ kha] yan liberation: grol ba limit: rgya chad limitless as the sky: mkha' mnyam loka: sems can rigs drug lokaayata: rgyang phan long: klong Longchenpa: klong chen [rab 'byams] pa Longdé: klong sde lord: mgon pa, bdag po, mnga dbang, rje lower realms: ngan 'gro luminosity: ['od] gsal luminous: ['od] gsal luminous appearances of what does not exist: med pa gsal snang. maadhyamaka: dbu ma mahaamudraa: phyag rgya chen po mahaasandhi: rdzogs pa chen po mahaasattva: sems dpa' chen po mahaasukha: bde ba chen mahaasukhakaaya: bde ba chen po'i sku mahaayaana: theg chen maintain: skyong magic wand: sgrib shing major and minor marks: mtshan dpe ma.n.dala: dkyil 'khor manifest: mngon gsum mantra: sngags maara: bdud marks: mtshan measure: tshad meditation: bsgom pa, mnyam bshag, bsam gtan memory: dran pa mental contents: sems las 'byung ba middle: bar mind: sems, yid Mind: [itself][-nature of] sems nyid mind-only: sems tsam mindfulness dran pa Mipham: mi pham miracle: cho 'phrul mix: 'dre ba. mother tantra: ma rgyud Mount Meru: ri rgyal rab mudraa: phyag rgya Muni: thub pa naa.dii: rtsi naaga: klu
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU nail of space: gnam gzer natural freedom: rang yan natural state: gnas [lugs] [tshul natural state: gnas lugs, rnal ma natural: rang byung, rang bzhin gyis etc. nature: rang bzhin, gzhis negation: dgag neither established nor cleared away: sgrub bsal med net: rgya, dra ba neutral: lung ma bstan nihilism: chad [lta] nine yaanas: theg pa dgu nirmaa.nakaaya: sprul sku Nirvaa.na: mya ngan las 'das pa, zhi non-dual: gnyis med non-men: mi ma yin non-obstruction: 'gags med: zang ka non-thought: mi rtog pa not adding and subtracting (taking away): 'du bral med Nyingma: rnying ma nyingthig: snying thig object: yul obscuration: sgrib offering substance: rdzas omniscience: kun mkhyen, thams cad mkhyen pa['i ye shes] one taste: ro gcig one's own insight: rang gi rig pa one's own seat: rang mal opposite: ltos oral instructions: man ngag: ornament: rgyan overturned: ru log paaramitaa: pha rol tu phyin pa partiality: phyogs particularizing characteristics: rang mtshan pass the pass: la bzla ba path of splendor of vivid rainbow colors: khra lam lam path: lam perception: dmigs pa perfect[ing] yoga: yongs su rnal 'byor perfect: rdzogs perfecting stage: rdzogs rim phenomena: rnam pa phenomenal world: snang srid pith: gnad play: rol post-meditation: rjes thob power: rtsal powers [of mind]: dbang po prajñaa: shes rab Prajñaapaaramitaa in Eight Thousand Lines: yum bar ma prajñaapaaramitaa: shes rab pha rol tu phyin pa praa.na: rlung praasangika: thal 'gyur pa pratyekabuddha: rang rgyal
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY precipice: gyang sa primordial purity of wakefulness: ye sangs primordial space: gdod ma'i dbyings primordial: gdod nas, thog nas projection: [rang] snang, kun btags, rang gzugs puujaa: mchod pa, cho ga pure appearance: dag snang pure bhuumis: dag pa sa purified: dag, sangs, sbyangs qualities: mtshan, mtshon ruupakaaya: gzugs sku real: don du, dgnos realization: rtogs pa, dgongs pa recognize: ngos bzung reference point: gtad [so] relative: kun rdzob renunciation and realization: spangs rtogs. resolve: gtan la 'bebs pa rich display: 'byor ba'i bkod sacred outlook: dag snang saadhana: sgrub thabs, cho ga Sa.msaara: 'khor ba: srid pa samaadhi: ting nge 'dzin, Samantabhadra [ii]: kun tu bzang po [mo] samaapatti: snyoms 'jug samaya: dam tshig samayasattva: dam tshig sems dpa' sambhogakaaya: longs [spyod rdzogs pa'i] sku sampannakrama: rdzogs rim Saraha: Sa ra ha sattva-yoga: sem dpa'i rnal 'byor sautraantika: mdo sde pa sealing: rgyas thebs: phyag rgya Self existing equanimity: lhun [grub] mnyam [pa nyid] self-existing: lhun grub, rang gnas self-insight: rang rig self-liberation: rang grol self-luminosity: rang gsal: self-nature: rang ngo self-subsiding: rang yal Semdé: sems sde separation of clearing away: dbye bsal seventeen tantras: man ngag sde rgyud bcu bdun. Shaakyamuni: sha kya'i thub pa Shamatha: gzhi gnas Shaastra: bstan bcos shentong: gzhan stong Shijé: shi byed shloka: sho lo ka shuunyataa: stong nyid siddhi: dgnos grub sign: rtags: tshad simple: spros bral simplicity: spros bral
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU single dot: nyag gcig six senses: tshogs drug, dbang drug skandhas: phung po sky: nam mkha' solid: dgnos space of the dhaatu: dbyings space: dbyings, go, [nam] mkha', bar snang Space: [Spaciousness] klong spheres of activity: spyod yul spheres of apprehension: spyod yul spontaneous: lhun grub shraavaka: nyan thos stage: rim pa straying: gol [sa] Subhuti: rab 'byor subject: yul can substance: rdzas subtle: phra ba subtlest: shin tu phra ba suchness: [de][ji] bzhin nyid sugata: bde gshegs pa sugatagarbha: bde [bar] gshegs [pa'i] snying po support and supported: rten dang brten pa suutra: mdo svaatantrika: rang rgyud taking and leaving: btang bshag taming: 'dul ba tantra: rgyud tathaagata: de bzhin shegs pa ten bhuumis: sa bcu ten dharmic activities: chos spyod bcu ten directions: phyogs bcu ten natures: rang bzhin bcu ten virtues: yon tan bcu tenuous: sang seng thing: dgnos po things as they are: gnas lugs [tshul] thögel: thod rgal three collections [of ati]: sde gsum three gates: sgo gsum three jewels: dkon mchog gsum three poisons: dug gsum three purities: dag pa gsum three samaadhis: ting nge 'dzin gsum three times: dus gsum three worlds [realms]: srid gsum, khams gsum tie that binds: bcings su ching tie the knot: 'gag bsdams tonglen: gtong len total goodness: kun [tu] bzang [po] training on the bhuumis: sa sbyang transition or change: pho 'gyur transparent: zang thal transmission: ngo sprod traversing [treading] the path: lam bgrod
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY treasury: mdzod tregchö: khregs gcod trikaaya: sku gsum true meaning: nges don turbid: rnyog turning the wheel of dharma: chos kyi 'khor lo 'khor. twelve aayatanas: skye mched bcu gnyis two accumulations: tshogs gnyis two sattvas: sems dpa' gnyis twofold purity: dag pa gnyis ultimate point: 'gag bsdam unborn: skye ba med uncompounded: 'du ma byas universal: [rab] 'byams unmixed: ma 'dres unobstructed: 'gag med, thogs med, zang ka upa: u pa, spyod rgyud upaaya: thabs upaayayoga: = upa utpattikrama: bskyed rim vaibhaa.shika: bye brag pa vajra chain of lambs: rdo rje lu gyu rgyud vajra holder: rdo rje 'dzin pa vajra master: rdo rje slob dpon vajra: rdo rje Vajradhara: rdo rje chang vajradhaatu: rdo rje dbyings vajrakaaya: rdo rje sku Vajrasattva: rdo rje sems dpa' vaasanaa: bag chags vase of coronation: spyi blugs vast: yangs vessel and essence: snod bcud Victorious One: rgyal ba vidyaa mantra: rigs snang vipashyanaa: lhag mthong virtues: yon tan vision: dgongs pa visualize: bskyed vividness: sal le ba warrior abhi.sheka: dpa' bo dbang We: = one. There are actually no we's in the text. This was a way VCTR dealt with passages without pronouns that require some specific pronoun in English. wisdom of appearance: snang ba'i ye shes wisdom of equality: mnyam nyid ye shes wisdom of manifestation: snang ba'i ye shes wisdom of nature: ji lta ye shes wisdom: ye shes wish-fulfilling gem: yid bzhin nor bu without support: rten med without transition and change: pho 'gyur med. yaana: theg pa yaanas of cause and characteristics: rgyu mtshan theg pa yé shé: ye shes
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU yidam: yi dam yoga: yo ga: rnal 'byor [rgyud] yogaachaara: sems tsam, rnal 'byor spyod
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY TIBETAN GLOSSARY Entries are listed in English alphabetical order of their Wylie transliteration forms. E.g. sku, kaaya, will be found under S, and not under its main letter, K. a nu: Anu yoga, the eighth yaana. See theg pa dgu. a ti: Ati yoga, the great perfection, the ninth yaana. See theg pa dgu. ar sangs: LUS thought this was pretty much the same as sangs, with Ar being an intensifier, meaning more or less “complete wakefulness.” cf. ar la gtad: push to the limit, reduce to extremes, reduce to nothing. KSTR says it refers to the experience of realization, and is roughly equivalent to other terms for that like, rig pa rjen ne etc. KPSR: Effortless and instantaneous experience of the freshness of sudden enlightenment. bad kan: Phlegm. It is one of the humors that regulates bodily functioning in Tibetan medicine. Disorder of the phlegm is said in Tibetan medicine to produce various eye diseases, such as the appearance of hairs in the eyes. It is a common metaphor for the confused perception of sa.msaara. bag chags: Habitual tendency or pattern, karmic propensity or seed. In yogaachaara philosophy karma is stored as bag chags, in kun gzhi, aalaya, a formless and neutral basic consciousness. These mature into such manifestations as being born in a physical body, having particular mental propensities or character, seeing the world in terms of sa.msaaric confusion, experiencing the karmic result of previous good and evil deeds, etc. ban bun: Mist. Hazy, vague, insubstantial, evanescent, rippling and billowing, vacillating, vanishing like mist. KPSR: things come up one after another. They are not solid and not particularizable. It is like seeing someone working over a hill. Their head pops up randomly here and there. You can't make out exactly what is going on. bar: The middle, middle way between opposites, e.g. inner mind and external appearance. It may become an object of fixation, and it is said that the wise do not dwell in the middle either. bar do: Intermediate state in cyclical existence, especially those experienced between death and rebirth, according to texts like the bar do thos grol, the Tibetan Book of the Dead. These are the 'chi ka'i bardo, the bardo of the moment of death, where the radiance of dharmataa is exp erienced; the chos nyid bar do, bardo of dharmataa, where visions of peaceful and wrathful wisdom-deities etc. are experienced; and the srid pa bar do, the bardo of becoming or rebirth. bar snang: Space. (The literal words could mean appearance in the middle but seldom do.) bcing ba: see chings su bcing ba. bcom ldan 'das: bhagava[n][t], blessed one, the Buddha. bcom ldan 'das lnga: the five bhagavans, peaceful deities or sambhogakaaya buddhas, Ak.shobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitaabha, Amoghasiddhi, Vairochana. They are said to appear in the visions of the chos nyid bardo, and also figure in many tantric visualization practices. They represent the enlightened forms of the five skandhas, form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness and five kleshas anger, pride, desire, jealousy, and ignoring. They manifest as the five wisdoms, mirror-like, equality, discriminating, all-accomplishing, and dharmadhaatu wisdoms. Lochanaa, Maamakii, Paa.n.daravaasinii, Taaraa, and Aakaashadhaatvishvarii are their consorts, representing the pure form of water, earth, fire, air, and space. bcos ma (n) pa (v): Fabricated, artificial, created, cranked up, created purposely, fake, unnatural, pretended. bdag: Self, ego, atman (false and delusive) master, sovereign. —nyid = bdag or sometimes = essence, ngo bo or similar words. — pa chen po : great being, mahaatma, universal mind of enlightenment or buddhahood, as
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU symbolized by Samantabhadra etc. By becoming enlightened one attains this. There is no conflict with emptiness. This self is empty in essence like any other. bde ba chen [po'i sku]: Mahaasukha[kaaya], the body of great bliss, referring to the intrinsic and inseparable bliss of enlightenment, bde ba, which is closer to well-being and equanimity than physical pleasure. bde bar gshegs pa: Sugata, epithet of buddha, the blissfully gone one, due to experience of mahaasukha. bde gshegs snying po: Sugatagarbha, sugata essence, buddha nature, the ultimate, changeless reality from which temporary phenomena arise and to which they return. v. Uttaratantra etc. Because of its existence as our real nature we are of the “enlightened family” and can attain enlightenment. bdud: Maara, demonic or obstructing forces, either personified or seen as psychological or karmic propensities. Maara is the king of such demons or forces, as the Devil is in the west. There are many divisions (see text), especially the four maaras: The klesha and skandha maaras (personifications of those); mrityu maara, personifying death, rigidity, darkness, depression and such life-destroying forces; and the deva putra (son of deity) maara concerned with the seductions of pleasure, power, and various ego-building experiences. bdud rtsi: am.rita. The intoxicating nectar of the gods, which conveys long life, bliss, and spiritual accomplishment. The literal words mean "devil juice." bkod pa, (n or v): Arrange[ment], display, order, setup, array. bla ma: guru. Teacher who embodies, displays, and transmits the sacred reality of enlightenment, also teaching the path by which it may be obtained and so forth. In tantric teachings like ati it is generally held that even though enlightenment is our true nature, it would be extremely difficult to realize this without the guru. Therefore great respect is in order for those rare persons who can properly perform this function. At the same time one must transcend devotional conceptions about the guru as separate to attain realization. Over-conceptualized devotion can actually be a hindrance. blang 'dor: Accepting and rejecting, receiving and abandoning, taking and discarding. blo: (Conceptual) mind, intellect, cognition, awareness, plan; —zangs, good intelligence —'das, beyond conceptual or sa.msaaric mind, beyond thought or intellect. blo bde: Be relaxed and confident, comfortable, at ease, experience well-being. bram ze: brahmin, Hindu priestly caste. brtag pa: Vitarka. Investigate, inquire, examine; —s: Pf. of rtog: Think conceptualize. Applied and focused thought approaching and determining the nature of its object. Cf. dpyod pa. brtags pa gnyis pa: Condensed text from the cycle of the Hevajra Tantra. bsam gtan: Dhyaana, state of meditation. In particular, the nine dhyaanas, four with form and five formless concentrations. See snyom 'jug. bsgom pa: Meditate, action of meditation. See text for divisions. V. shamatha, vipashyanaa. bzhugs: That which has been entered into and within which one dwells. What presents itself. To consist of, constitute. bskal pa: In Hindu-Buddhist cosmology a great kalpa consists of 4 to 80 (depending on the source) small kalpas of about eight million years. During this period the world evolves, develops, deteriorates and finally is completely destroyed in fire. It is said we live in a sub-period called the good kalpa because many buddhas appear in it.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY bskyang: p. of skyong: Protect, guard, maintain, preserve, care for, nurture, govern, enjoy. Dharma protector deities are chos skyong. bskyed: Generate, cultivate, create, produce, vis ualize, develop. bskyed rim: Developing stage. One performs various liturgies involving visualization of deities, making praises and offerings to them, reciting their essence mantras, and so forth. The deities are more aspects of enlightened mind than disembodied, personal entities external to and more powerful than oneself. But they are sometimes experienced as person-like beings. Eventually one hopes to see the phenomenal world as embodying various aspects of the pure environment and inhabitants of the ma.n.dalas of deities. bsnyen sgrub bzhi: 1 bsnyen: Propitiate, approach. Ritual service involves reciting mantra and one pointed devotion to the deity. 2 nye bsnyen: Complete propitiation, close approach. One invokes the descent of the deities' blessing, e.g. transforming body, speech, and mind into the essence of the three vajra syllables. 3 sgrub pa: Practice, saadhana, accomplishment. One visualizes that accomplishment is absorbed from the sugatas into the deity and thence into oneself. 4 grub chen: great practice. (Sometimes las 'gyur: changing the karma.) One realizes primordial purity so that body speech and mind are one with the deity. Stages can vary for different saadhanas. Examples might be these: 1 Visualizing the deity and palace: shaastra, a treatise or discourse on any topic. A discourse delivered by the Buddha is a suutra. btang bshag med: Without taking or leaving: Intransitive or participle of 'bud, revealed, occurred. It just happens. bud pa, dispense with. 'bud, transitive: strip, lay bare, reveal, set free, expel, slander, blow (conch, on fire etc.), endeavor. bya rgyud: Kriyaa tantra. See theg pa dgu. bya ba grub pa'i ye shes: All-accomplishing wisdom, the karma family wisdom. The speed, struggle, and poverty mentality of jealousy is transmuted by realization that real achievement is effortless and self-existing. As with Vajrakiilaya (indestructible dagger) practice, the power of realization cuts through the confusion of obstacles. bya rtsol: Effort, action and effort. byang chub: Bodhi, enlightenment. byang: purified of obscurations and chub = perfected in enlightenment. byang chub lnga: The five manifestations of enlightenment are 1 Sitting on a sun and moon seat. 2 One's body completely manifests the body of the deity. 3 One's speech manifests the seed syllables. 4 Mind manifests the attributes of the deity's scepter, e.g. Vajrayoginii's trident and skull cup. 5 Jñaanasattvas descend. byang chub sems: Bodhicitta, enlightened mind. In the mahaayaana there are the bodhicitta of aspiring to enlightenment, and that of actually entering into it. There are relative bodhicitta, concerned with compassion and the details of practicing the paaramitaas etc. and absolute bodhicitta, the ultimate nature of things. Bodhicitta is presented in ati as the absolute mind of enlightenment. It is more or less equivalent to rig pa, insight, and sugatagarbha, when they are used to refer to the fruition. byang chub sems dpa': Bodhisattva. One who has reached at least the path of seeing of the five paths, but not yet attained complete buddhahood. With the buddhas they are called noble ones or aaryas, 'phags pa. There are usually said to be ten levels or bhuumis of the bodhisattva path, on each of which a certain perfection or paaramitaa is emphasized, though up to fifteen are sometimes mentioned. —theg pa: The bodhisattva yaana practices the paaramitaas in the context of the understanding, and later the vision, of emptiness. see theg pa dgu. bye brag pa: Either the vaishe.shikas among the six Hindu schools, or the vaibhaa.shikas among the shraavaka schools. The eighteen schools more or less followed these tenets. Stcherbatsky's The Central Conception of Buddhism is one of many sources. They define the relative as the composite, and hold that the absolute is physical atoms and the momentary dharmas of mind. They also hold that these absolutes are linked by various truly existing
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU causes and conditions. They hold that the three times, space, etc. are established as substances. They hold that partless atoms aggregate into gross objects, and that partless moments of consciousness directly perceive their objects. They hold that effects in some sense pre-exist in their causes bying rgod: Drowsiness and wildness, sinking into dullness and the arising of uncontrollable discursiveness, as obstacles experienced in meditation. They are said to be defenses of ego against fundamental space in which it does not exist. byis pa: 1 Immature persons, children. 2 Disparaging: childish fools. byung po: Ghost, generic name for 'dre, gdon (döns) and bgegs (geks) etc. Demon, evil spirit, esp. of the preta realm of the six lokas. car phog: Direct penetration, immediate, direct, strike suddenly. car = all together, continuously. cer grol: Direct liberation. According to Namkha'i Norbu this is the lowest of three stages of rang grol, the self-liberation of appearance that is a part of ati fruition experience. In the presence of the radiant energy of non-dual samaadhi, dualistic experiences vanish as dewdrops melt in the sun. It is the slowest-acting form and involves the most conscious effort. The middle form is shar grol, things being liberated as they arise, like snow falling into a lake. It is effortless, so one enjoys everything as the ornament of one's energy. The highest is self-liberation rang grol, like a snake-knot. Here the process of collapse is intrinsic to the object itself. It propagates quickly like a forest fire, destroying the karmic net. cha med: Nothing whatsoever, partless, without aspects. cha phra: Infinitesimal, subtle [parts]. chad lta: Nihilistic view. Those who hold that nothing truly exists or who are skeptics holding that we cannot know what exists are nihilists. But this fault is most often ascribed to those who hold that there is no moral order of karmic cause and effect, so that the various good and bad events in the world arise only by chance. Thus many scientists would be nihilists from the Buddhist viewpoint. chings su bcing ba: bcing ba: The ties that bind. Summing up, stabilizing, tying together, putting in order, presenting the main point, and so forth are all relevant. cf. 'gag bsdam. There is a sense of how to do things right practically so that all the loose ends are tied up and things are done properly. Then the main points are brought together and stabilized. bcing ba can mean bondage as opposed to liberation. chings, : Frame, outline, feature, main point, bond, fetter. Cf. 'gag bsdam, mdo chings. cho 'phrul rkang pa bzhi: 1 Contemplation, ting 'dzin. 2 Consecration or blessing, byin rlabs. 3 Empowerment, dbang bskur. 4 Offering, mchod pa. ES. cho ga rnam pa lnga: The five aspects of saadhana: Visualization, recitation, offering, praise, and blessing. cho 'phrul: Magical display, apparition, illusion, trick, creation, power, miracle, magical attack. chos: 1 dharma, phenomenon, thing, existent, ultimate constituent of existence, that which is suitable to be known by the mind, mental object. 2 Dharma (capitalized): The Buddhadharma, the teachings of Buddhism. 3 Religion in general. 4 quality, property. 5 Right, duty, moral law. 6 Scripture or doctrine. 7 Truth, order, law. 8 Principle, topic. 9 Meaning, value. 10 In ati the vision of realization is the end of the buddhadharma, and this is called “the Dharma.” If the guru transmits this vision to someone, it is called “giving the Dharma.” chos can: That which possesses the various qualities of individual dharmas as opposed to the single nature of dharmas, emptiness, dharmataa. The subject of a logical reasoning. Sometimes the phenomenal in general.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY chos kyi 'khor lo 'khor: The three turnings of the wheel of Dharma. The first was at the deer park in Varanasi with hinayaana teachings of truly existing dharmas, the four noble truths, and eight -fold path; the second at the vulture peak taught emptiness of true existence; the third in the indefinite realms taught the changeless, eternal, ultimate nature, absolute bodhicitta or sugatagarbha. chos nyid: Used in the Abhidharmakosha etc to mean absolute reality or realities, the real nature of something. It is sometimes used in this text in such a sense. The Tibetan schools all accept emptiness as the absolute reality, so the terms are more or less synonymous. In ati this is the great emptiness beyond emptiness and non-emptiness, things as they are beyond concept, their ultimate being or nature. chos sku: Dharmakaaya. See sku gsum. chos skyongs: Dharma protector, dharmapaalas, various generally wrathful deities, who protect the teachings, attack those who pervert them for reasons of ego etc. In general when basic sanity begins to slip, the phenomenal world gives gentle messages, like you can't find your car keys. If that fails, you might drive your car into a tree. That is called a manifestation of the protectors. Mahaakaala, Vaitaalii, Ekajatii etc, are examples. chos dbyings, : Dharmadhaatu. Space, source, or realm of phenomena. Absolute reality, the Dharma = enlightened mind, bodhicitta etc.. In the eighteen dhaatus of hinayaana, as presented by the Abhidharmakosha, dharmadhaatu is the object, vi.shaya, yul, of the mental sense. In this sense there are as many dharmadhaatus as there are sentient beings. cig char: It is said that here is no partial or gradual realization in ati. You get it or you don't. However a momentary glimpse due to a gap in the clouds of conceptualization is possible. From the ati viewpoint this is what makes it possible to progress through the yaanas to the point of being able to encompass that sudden realization. cog gzhag: gshag, is meditative resting. cog, is all, completely, non-adulterated. Chokshak means letting things be as they are, free-resting. It is sometimes said that whatever postures, gazes, experiences, and so forth arise are proper for cog gshag. There is extensive explanation in the text. col chung: One is gullible and childish, as easily swayed as paper in the wind by preposterous illusions. dag pa gnyis: rang bzhin dag, glo bur dag. Purity of nature and purity of pure experience from the incidental. The two purities result from removing the veils of conflicting emotions, the kleshas, and of primitive beliefs about reality that obscure omniscient wisdom. dag pa gsum: There are various lists of three purities. In the bodhisattva path there is threefold purity (=emptiness) of actor, action, and object. In mahaayoga there are purity of the outer world, inner contents, and the continuity of the mind stream snod, bcud, rgyud. The list referred to in the text, during a discussion of kriyaa is probably this: 1 lha dag dkyil 'khor, the ma.n.dala of the pure deity 2 rdzas dang longs spyod dag, pure substance = longs spyod, enjoyment or abundance 3 sangs rgyas don dag ting nge 'dzin the samaadhi of the pure meaning of buddhahood. [ES lists sngags dang ting nge 'dzin, purity of mantra and samaadhi for 3] It is worth noting that ES's source specifically refers to kriyaa and ours is more a mahaayoga feast commentary. dag pa sa: The three pure bodhisattva bhuumis, the eighth, ninth, and tenth. They are so called because only on these levels do luminosity, pure appearance, wisdom, the ornament, Ga.n.davyuuha, Akani.sh.tha, etc. manifest. Bodhisattvas of these levels are to some extent like the buddhas in seeing things as they are. Those on a lower level have direct cognition of emptiness in meditation. But they have not yet removed the obscurations of primitive beliefs about reality that veil pure appearance. dag snang: Pure appearance, sacred outlook (VCTR, who wanted to that here everything appears has a sense of overwhelming sacred value). Enlightened vision of the relative = luminosity possessing the two purities etc. Ultimately = the kaayas and wisdoms.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU dam tshig: In the lower vehicles vow. In tantra, samaya vow. There are many particular samayas such as performing certain practices, respecting and obeying the vajra master, and so forth. These will vary in detail with different practices. Samaya in general means maintaining sacred outlook, or enlightened vision. dam tshig sems dpa': Samayasattva. Of the two sattvas of visualization practice, samayasattva generally refers to one's visualization of the deity, or of oneself as the deity. One then visualizes that real wisdom descends as jñaanasattva, which generally has the same external form as samayasattva. dam tshig srung ba: To keep, guard, or maintain samaya. It is sometimes said that this is almost impossible for someone who is not enlightened. For buddhas it is self-existing and effortless. dam bca': Thesis, promise, oath, claim, idea. “Dam” here = firm, stable. dbang: 1 Empowerment (= dbang bskur, abhi.sheka) Typically a ceremony introducing students the ritual and ma.n.dala of a particular deity. One can also be empowered as a teacher or with a certain state of being. 2 Power. 3 Senses or their faculties (= dbang po, usually as conditioned experiences to be transcended. 4 Mental acuity or capacity. 5 Ruler. dbang drug: The six indriyas, or sense organs, the six senses, the five usual senses plus the mental sense; ES: six tantric empowerments of yoga, but he does not list them. dbang lgna: 1 The five senses. 2 The five powers: faith, perserverence, mindfulness, samaadhi, and prajñaa. dbu ma: 1 The middle way. 2 The central channel visualized in tantric yoga. 3 The maadhyamaka philosophy of emptiness established by Naagaarjuna. Naagaarjuna claimed to establish logically the teachings of the prajñaapaaramitaa suutras that absolute reality is empty of true existence of what conventional concepts impute to it, of any real nature and so forth. Interdependent arising of all conventional things is one way of establishing this. The praasangika school dbu ma thal 'gyur, emphasizes that reality transcends concepts, even that of emptiness. Therefore, insofar as possible, it makes no attempt to establish doctrines of its own, but limits itself to showing the inadequacies in the doctrines of others. Ati is highly influenced by the praasangika viewpoint, which it presupposes. Reasoned arguments do not appear in this text, because they have been resolved previously. Therefore, one who wishes to study ati should first have personally resolved the meaning of emptiness as presented by maadhyamaka. Then it is possible to go on to realize how emptiness manifests in experience as non-dual emptiness/luminosity. Ati to some degree also accepts the notion of svaatantrika maadhyamaka: without distinction, division, classification, or exclusion. dbyings: Field, dhaatu, realms, [basic] space, expanse, totality continuum, source. dbyings su, can mean spontaneously. dbyings su dag, can mean spontaneous or fundamental purity. Basic nature, e.g. wetness can be called the dbyings of water. dbyings las mi g.yo: Not departing from space, going beyond it in the sense of becoming something with a truly existent different nature, not of one taste with it, non-empty, something dual in relation to insight. dbyings kyi snying po: Garbha of space = sugatagarbha. Sometimes = dharmadhaatu, sometimes the seed, potentiality, or “genes” of dharmadhaatu, which makes it possible for sentient beings to attain it, as in the Uttaratantra. de bzhin nyid: Suchness, emptiness, things as they are = chos nyid. de bzhin gshegs pa['i snying po]: Tathaagata [garbha] [womb of the] thus-gone. tathaagata = buddha qua one who courses in suchness = emptiness = things as they are. Tathaagatagarbha: the buddha nature or essence. It is like sugatagarbha except the emphasis is on the emptiness rather than the bliss aspect. Sometimes it refers to the buddha nature as potential for enlightenment in all beings, as opposed to full blown enlightenment. Sometimes it means realization of absolute truth = absolute bodhicitta etc.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY ded dpon: Guide. Literally it means a ship captain, as a metaphor of one who can guide people safely on a long journey. dgag sgrub: Assert or deny; prove or refute in the verbal sphere; hinder or establish in the experiential sphere. dgnos po: Thing, conceptualized as something solid and real with a fixed, independent essence. That which has the power to produce an effect, don byed nus pa, is a thing. What does not, like space, is a non-thing. cf. dgnos su, in reality. dgnos grub: The relative thun mong or kun rdzob, siddhis are accomplishments such as the six higher perceptions, mgnon shes. Absolute siddhi, thun mong ma yin or don dam) = enlightenment. dgnos [por] 'dzin: To recognize, either things as they are or in terms of some conceptual reference point falsely fixated as invariant and objective; to grasp as solid or as things having fixated characteristics of essence and effectproducing power. The experiential quality of the world so grasped. dgongs pa: Literally intended meaning, and thence by extension vision or realization. KPSR. dkyil 'khor: Ma.n.dala. Literally, center and border. The ma.n.dala of a deity has that deity with customary accoutrements at the center. Around the central deity are the retinue and attendants of the four families other than that of the deity. Around that are the palace, vajra fence, charnel grounds, and other environmental symbols. Altogether they symbolize in detail the particular modes of being, action, and awareness symbolized by the particular deity. Ma.n.dala is also used to mean the experience of body, speech, and mind of primordial buddhahood. Such a ma.n.dala is not an artificial creation, but a self-existing display for whoever reaches this level. This display of the ma.n.dala of the king of dharmataa is not chaotic, but is experientially as organized as the experience of a real king's court. By extension almost any perspective or arrangement can be called a ma.n.dala. dmigs pa: Conception, image, object-focus, perceived object, visualization. —med: without any of the above, inconceivable, inexperiencable, unimaginable. —rkyen object condition of perception. —med pa'i snying rje: objectless (impartial, egoless) compassion. dmigs gtad: Subjects of attention or contemplation. A fixed reference point in respect to which other things take on meaning. don med: Meaningless, useless, futile, not corresponding to reality. don dam: True, real, absolute, ultimate. rnam grangs— the conceptually describable absolute vs. rnam grangs min pa'i —, which cannot be described but only experienced. don: 1 Meaning, sense, significance. 2 Object, thing. 3 Fact. 4 True, real, ultimate. 5 Topic, subject. 6 Purpose, benefit. 7 Result. 8 Nature. 9 Message. don byed nus pa: Ability to perform a function or produce a result. The defining characteristic of things. don grub: Attainment, accomplishment, success. = Siddhartha. KSTR. dpa' bo dbang: The warrior abhi.sheka, = vajra master abhi.sheka. dpyod pa: Vichaara. Sustained analytical thought on objects determined by vitarka, usually with the intent of resolving them in terms of practical judgement. Subconscious gossip on sense impressions, an ongoing indistinct murmur of conceptuality (manojalpa) underlying our experience. Vitarka searches to match sense experiences to conceptual reference points. Vichaara attempts to fix them there definitively. Thus, one might use them to decide respectively that sa.msaaric objects are impermanent and empty, and should not be relied on by one who hopes for liberation. In hinayaana brtags pa and dpyod pa, are considered desirable in building concentration that leads one to
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU a more direct cognition of reality in dhyaana, meditation. But they drop out in the second dhyaana leading to clear lucidity (samprasaada.) PPA, appropriate Sanskrit index headings. In the Tibetan schools also examination and analysis are considered as preludes to the clarity of direct comprehension. In CYD and LT analysis is almost invariably maadhyamaka analysis for the absolute: Memory and understanding, wakefulness. dran pa: Memory, mindfulness, a term for conditioned sa.msaaric consciousness altogether, as used e.g. by Saraha. dri ma gnyis: The two obscurations of kleshas and knowables. KSTR. dri med: Stainless, spotless, immaculate, undefiled. dril ba: Include, essentialize, wrap up, sum up. dug gsum: The three poisons; chags pa, zhe sdang, gti mug; passion, aggression, and ignorance. dug lnga: The five poisons = the five kleshas, anger, pride lust, jealousy, and ignoring. dug stangs gsum: ES: 3 postures of the thal 'gyur. The lion posture rests in dharmakaaya, frees one from all fears of bewilderment, and enables one to see with eyes of indestructible reality. The elephant posture rests in sambhogakaaya, brings the experience of reality, and enables one to see with lotus eyes. The crouching posture of a sage rests in nirmaa.nakaaya, emanates reality as appearances, and enables one to see with the eyes of reality. LUS differentiated this posture from the lion posture where one lies on the right side. One sits with the knees up and the hands on the ground between them. In the elephant posture one is in a crawling posture the knees and elbows on the ground and the head in the hands. In the .ri.shi posture the legs are loosely crossed with the arms folded above them. Cf. lta stangs gsum. dung ser: The vision of things as yellow resulting from jaundice. dus med: Timeless, constant. dus gsum: The three times, past present and future. dus bzhi: The four times: Past, present, future, and the all-inclusive fourth. gang chen tsho: great full ocean. AKA [rnam par snang mdzad] gang chen mtsho. The sambhogakaaya buddha Vairochana-Immense Ocean; Immense Ocean, the producer of phenomenal appearance. He is the base of arising of the manifestations of the lords of the five buddha families, rigs lnga, and their consorts. Also the buddha field of Vairochana. gcig chod: All-sufficient. gdod nas: Primordially. Sim. thog nas, ye nas. gdod ma'i dbyings: gdod= Primordial. dbyings = chos kyi dbyings = Space of dharmadhaatu, [= The dhaatu], as sphere, source, and element of all there is. gdon: Malevolent or demonic spirit, especially of the preta realm, said to bring about disease and accidents for those who lack mindfulness. glo bur: Temporary, incidental, transient, adventitious, not innate or intrinsic, sudden, abrupt. glod: Relax, rest, be natural, free, loose, release, let go, set free. gnad: Main, essential, vital or key point; pith, essence, secret. —kyis: due to. —'gag, put into a single point. lus kyi gnad: teachings of physical practice, hatha yoga etc.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY gnam gzer: Literally nail (gzer) of space, (gnam). Heart, pith, all-sufficient point of space. It is the one thing which is enough so that things will not move from the single state of insight-bodhicitta, which is enlightenment. Knowing that one thing is knowing all. The metaphor is that one is nailed to it irrevocably or that one has comp letely resolved the matter, nailing it down. KPSR. gnas: Place, basis, ground = gzhi, abide, exist, to live, lifetime, remain, endure, be stable, establish oneself, domain, realm. —skabs: Occasion. —'gyur: Transformation. —cha: Stability, section of a text, point, topic. —snang: The way things appear and the way things are. gnas lugs [tshul]: Natural: Antidote, remedy. E.g., the contemplation of disgusting aspects of the body is a hinayaana antidote for carnal lust. The path as a whole is the antidote for sa.msaara. Emptiness is the antidote for belief in self-nature. Tibetans often think of the bodhisattva yaana as the one that principally employs antidotes. Whereas the first two yaanas are said to find nothing good in negative thoughts and emotions and to recommend suppressing them, the bodhisattva yaana compares them to an unpleasant tasting medicine. They may be useful in building resolve for enlightenment, non-attachment, compassion, and other wholesome attitudes. From the viewpoint of ati, since buddhahood is self-existing, there is no need for antidotes. gnyis med: Non-duality, non-existence of either or both. E.g. gzung 'dzin gnyis med, may mean that grasping subject and grasped object are non-dual, not separate states, co-emergent, in union etc; or it may mean that neither of them exists. The former approach is characteristic of the mind-only school, where enlightenment is defined as realization of ultimate mind as one without subject/object duality. The latter is characteristic of maadhyamaka, which says that neither mind nor its objects truly exist as independent entities with a nature of their own and so forth. But the same arguments that refute them also refute any truly existing ground such as dharmadhaatu that would be beyond mind. So they cannot be said to exist non-dually as that or anything else. Ati ultimately accepts the maadhyamaka viewpoint: Straying, deviation, misunderstanding; place where these can occur —gsum: clinging to bliss, clarity, and non-thought. —bzhi: Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche in LM: “Misunderstanding the great primordial emptiness, one labels mind with conceptual negation. This is known as straying into the realm of conceptual shuunyataa (emptiness). Not having faith in the ground and fruition of ordinary mind within oneself, one hopes for a new acquisition of the fruition of dharmakaaya elsewhere. This is known as straying in regard to the path. Misunderstanding the way of self-liberation, one seeks antidotes elsewhere than in the kleshas themselves. This is known as straying in regard to the antidote. Thinking that all dharmas of apparent existence, sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, are merely shuunyataa, one is stuck in a fixation of nihilism. This is known as straying into labeling." goms: 1 Proficient, habituated, trained, skillful, adept, having mastered, accustomed, developed. 2 Paces, footsteps. grub thob: Siddhi, accomplishment; siddha, the one who has such accomplishment. Absolute siddhi is enlightenment. The relative siddhis involve miraculous displays of power over phenomena, the higher perceptions, mngon shes q.v., and the like. grol ba: Liberation, freedom, to liberate oneself or another, untying, releasing escaping from, recovering from illness, to end [a meeting]. to become non-existent [of things] = cease. —bzhi, the four kinds of liberation: shar grol, liberation on arising; gcer [cer] grol direct liberation; rang grol, self-liberation, and ye grol eternal liberation. gsal ba: Clear, clearly appearing, clearly exp lained, luminous. See 'od gsal. gzhi snang: Manifestation of the fundamental nature. Appearance of/as the ground. [ES] Cf. lhun grub kyi snang ba. gzhi gnas ye shes gsum: ngo bo ka dag gi ye shes, rang bzhin lhun grub kyi ye shes; thugs rje kun khyab kyi ye shes: The three wisdoms abiding in the fundamental nature, the wisdoms of the alpha-pure essence, spontaneously arising nature, and all pervading compassion. These are the wisdoms associated with dharmakaaya.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU gzhi med: Groundless. Things are mere appearance of what does not exist. Cf. med pa gsal snang, stong gzugs, rten med. KPSR. gtad med: Not solid, shifty, offering no fixed or steady reference point. KPSR. VCTR. gtan la 'bebs pa: Establish, resolve with certainty, determine, settle, clarify, put in order, usually of doctrines. gting gsal: Fundamental luminosity, total luminosity, luminous to the depths. gtong len: tonglen, sending and taking meditation. To reverse attachments one visualizes while one meditates that one is inhaling all the sufferings and undesirable experiences of sentient beings. One visualizes exhaling all that is pleasant and desirable for their benefit. From the ati viewpoint this meditation works because incidental sufferings dissolve in absolute bodhicitta, which then manifests expansively. VCTR. gzeb: Cage, trap, mire, = sbubs [as covering, in the negative sense]. g.yang sa: cliff, precipice. — med. as technical term: “there is no great gap,” as between sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. gzer: Nail, ennailment, penetration. A brief point that captures and stabilizes the essence, rendering one inseparable from it. KPSR: klong gzer = gnam gzer q.v. This term is comparable to 'gag bsdam and 'ching ba q.v., but refers to the particular space of the essence. 'gag bsdam is more a summary of key points of some teaching. 'ching ba is more tying up all the loose ends of how one should actually proceed in regard to some activity. gzhan stong: Empty of other. In shentong philosophy it is said: Foundation, ground, basis, object [-ive support] basic nature, = buddha nature (sugatagarbha, the Space of insight) , source, subject. — gzhi: the thing which is . (e.g. stong gzhi, the thing which is empty.) —grub, established foundation. —rten ground and support, foundation = gzhi. —lam 'bras: ground, path, and fruition: E.g. the ground, one's nature, sugatagarbha, emptiness possessing all the supreme characteristics, is the nature as cause and ground. Therefore, one can practice the path of the buddhadharma in the ways described in this text, and attain the fruition, enlightenment, the manifestation of the kaayas and wisdoms and so forth. This text is presented in that order. gzhi gnas: 1 Intrinsically present, abiding in the ground, gzhi gnas ye shes gsum q.v. 2 Shamatha meditation: Onepointed meditation on an object, most often the breath. It is a means of cutting through conceptualizations and attachments so that one can experience the basic self-existing nature. gzhi snang: Manifestation of the fundamental nature, appearance of/as the ground [sim. lhun grub snang ba] gzugs sku: Ruupakaaya. The two form kaayas sambhogakaaya and nirmaa.nakaaya, constituting the benefit for others. See trikaaya. gzugs brnyan: Reflection. Ordinarily we think of reflections as reflections of something that is not itself a reflection, such as the moon in water, or “reflected” in visual experience. But here all phenomena are “reflections” in that they arise interdependently. The external moon is a considered to be a projected, false conception, with even less reality than the experienced one, and so forth. Whatever arises is experienced as empty, in something like the way we experience the moon in water now, or like the way we experience a dream, when we know we are dreaming. gzung: V. gzung 'dzin. gzung 'dzin: Usu. Abbr. gzung ba'i yul dang 'dzin pa'i sems: Fixated or grasped object , gzung ba and fixating or grasping mind, 'dzin pa; illusory, sa.msaaric fixations of independent, truly existing subjects and objects. VCTR translated this “grasping and fixation,” rather than the more common “subject and object.” One reason is that enlightenment in ati is not envisioned, as sometimes in hinayaana, as nihilistic cessation of experience of subject and object; nor, as in mind-only, as their becoming one thing. The enlightened object is the kaayas, emptiness possessing all the supreme aspects. The enlightened subject is insight-wisdom. They can be said to be inseparable and non-dual, so that this perception is self-insight of itself. But for ati this state is also the great emptiness beyond
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY existence and non-existence, beyond mind and no-mind etc. Ati accepts the maadhyamaka claim that no predicates can adequately describe absolute reality. So it is beyond the absolute mind of mind-only. Thus, VCTR used “grasping and fixation” to indicate that enlightenment transcended confused conceptualizations of the perceiver and the perceived. Those who translate gzung 'dzin gnyis med, as “[with neither][without the duality of] subject and object” are in general aware of these considerations, so that in the end there need be no fundamental disagreement. VCTR sometimes used these terms so that they seemed to refer to a simultaneous co-dependence of subject and object, and sometimes spoke of a successive occurrence of the subject-object split, gzung ba, followed by mental grasping, 'dzin pa. Obviously one should not mix the two usages. It is traditionally said that the shraavakas realize the non-existence of gzung 'dzin, of the individual ego, and that pratyekabuddhas also realize half-egolessness of dharmas by realizing the non-existence of gzung but not of 'dzin. KPSR explains that this means that there is no individual ego ('dzin) and therefore no objects (gzung) that have a substantial, causal, or any other kind of dependence to it. Pratyekabuddhas are said to realize interdependent arising, according to the twelve links of interdependent arising and so forth. Therefore, they realize that dharmas of the external world do not exist with an independent nature of their own. They view them as aspects of the experience of a perceiver. However such a perceiver is not an individual ego. Such a view is very like mind-only, or perhaps some versions of Sautraantika Abhidharma that anticipate mind-only. cf. BPTP. Bodhisattvas have full realization of emptiness, and therefore do not accept the grasper of dharmas as truly existing any more than those dharmas themselves. ha re: Empty, vacant, unobstructed. ES. LUS. had de: Vacant, blank thoughtlessness, esp. arising from being startled, nonplussed, surprised, or astonished. A variety of non-thought mi rtog pa. 'al 'ol: Elusive, evanescent, only half-clear (of unreal phenomena). Goldstein: Confused. LUS: Elusive, evasive, baffling, ungraspable, obscure, enigmatic, shifty. It is like thunder you can hear but not see: having no real identity, cf. nges med, ngos 'dzin med. It is like a cloud of no fixed shape or a mutter in stadium that seems to be saying something, but it isn't quite clear what. Really it is not anything in particular. The situation is like a dream where one feels that something crucial is happening, and yet nothing really justifies such a feeling. 'bras bu: Effect, result, fruition (the kaayas and wisdoms etc.) —lam du byed pa: Making the fruition one's path. — theg: The last three of the nine yaanas in which the fruition itself becomes the working basis. Vs. rgyu mtshan theg pa in which the result is produced causally by purification, practice, etc. 'bud: See bud. 'byed pa med pa: Without distinction, of dualistic conceptions etc. —thugs rje, impartial, distinctionless compassion. It is there for all beings equally, regardless of their state of virtue, understanding etc, as rain falls on the just and unjust alike. 'byor ba'i bkod: Rich display. 'byung ba lnga: sa, chu, rlung, me, nam mkha'; earth, water, air, fire, and space. In their coarse form as substantial existents, they are obstacles to enlightenment. In their subtle form, they are phenomenal principles that respond to the will of the yogin. Thus they are known as the consorts of the five bhagavans. In their subtlest form, they are not different from insight-bodhicitta itself. 'char gzhi: Ground of arising, basis for manifestation, not usually that which arises, (Cf., stong gzhi = the thing which is empty of itself). The Thaljur uses 'char ba'i sgo, means of arising, as a synonym. This suggests that the meaning is basis of arising qua source. This is not in an ordinary causal sense, or implying that the ground itself is some unexperienced substratum. Rather it is in something like the sense in which the surface of a mirror is the ground of arising of reflections, and seeing the reflections is also seeing the mirror. Longchenpa says that the real form kaayas
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU are the basis of arising of their respective modes of appearance, rather than those appearances themselves. In this way he hopes to avoid objections that dharmakaaya which is formless and the appearances of nirmaa.nakaaya cannot possibly have the same essence etc. 'das rjes: Refers to a vision in which the teacher appears in a vision and gives instruction after the passing away of the physical body. 'dre ba: mix. E.g. things are seen clearly without being mixed up in ji snyed ye shes, q.v. 'dre log: Turned upside down like plowed earth, the usual order of things is overthrown or ransacked so that one becomes disoriented. It is like trying to find your way home drunk on a dark, foggy night. We can't get our bearings and nothing will stay put. 'du ba: gather, embody, include. 'du bral med: Without gathering or separation, without adding or taking away. 'du byed: the fourth skandha, formations, habitual tendencies, karmic formations. 'du ma byas: Uncompounded, unconditioned. Not produced by combining dharmas through cause and effect. 'du shes: Perception, [conception] discernment, ideation, inclination, the third skandha. 'du ba: 1 Gather, assemble, accumulate, collect, join, meet. (active sense). 2 Be united or included (of changeless entities). 3 To embody (of deities etc). 'dul ba: Vinaya, [monastic] discipline, conversion, cultivation, taming. 'dul byed, is the tamer or teacher and 'dul bya, the tamed or disciple. 'dus pa: See 'du ba. 'dzin: See gzung 'dzin. 'gag: 1 Pith, crucial or principle point. Cf. gnad. 2 To cease. 'gag med: 1 Unobstructed, unlimited by or free from..., able to manifest. 2 Unceasing. 'gag bsdam: Tie the knot (of the main point). bsdam: Bind, tie, put together, combine, summarize, bring or bind together as one. It means more or less the bottom line, main point, combination, goal result etc. It can refer either to a description or the thing itself. Cf. bcing ba, mdo cings. 'gag med: Ceaseless, unobstructed. 'gro ba'i lam: Path of one's travels, path of beings. 'gro ba: 1 Sentient being = sems can. 2 Animal. 3 To go. 'gyu ba: movement, moving thoughts, discursive [vibration], thinking. Has the connotation of unsteady flickering like lightning, tongues of flame, or reflections on water. All distracting mental activities including perceptions, feelings, and the undercurrent of subconscious gossip are included. —'phro: Flickering emanations of the moving, more or less equal to rnam rtog, discursive thoughts; erratic, mental activity. 'jog pa: 1 Put, place. 2 Leave, abandon. 3 Postulate, assert. 4 Classify, pigeonhole. 5 Rest the mind in meditation. khams bco brgyad: The six senses, their six objects, and the six consciousnesses of those objects. Here “dharma,” in a special sense, means intellectual object, and dharmadhaatu is the realm of such objects, analogous to the realm
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY of colors, sounds, etc. Obviously considerable evolution has occurred to give rise to the ati tradition of dharmadhaatu as we have it here. At the same time it is an evolution to be understood in the light of the earlier system. 'khor ba: Sa.msaara; confused, cyclic, transmigratory existence; to whirl or spin; rotate. 'khrul pa: Confusion, deception, mistake, frenzy, madness, bewilderment. 'khyil: KSTR and LUS: The usual sense is one of ongoing inclusion. e.g. sbrul 'khyil, usually means not the action of coiling in a snake, but being coiled and staying that way. It is less like rivers flowing together than the state of a lake into which they flow, etc. Not only is there no need of effort to gather together the Space of bliss; but, as VCTR put it, it does not require a maintenance and security staff. gcig tu —: Flock or whirl [together]. 'od gsal: Luminosity, luminous clarity. The glory of the vision of the pure bhuumis from the eighth upward, in which the two obscurations are removed. non-objectivized manifestation within the great emptiness. Its full blown form is the buddhas' vision of things as they are, corresponding to ji snyed ye shes or kun mkhyen ye shes. All schools of the mahaayaana accept its existence. Therefore, it is a mistake to understand emptiness in a way that excludes such vision. 'od: Light, radiance. 'og min: Akani.sh.tha, = Ga.n.davyuuha, the highest realm, pure land, or buddha field, that of the vision of enlightenment. It is on the level of sambhogakaaya, and said to be inhabited by mahaasattvas, (who alone can apprehend it.) It was at first the name for the highest of the realms of the gods. 'phags pa bden bzhi: Four noble truths. 1 All is suffering, sdug bsngal. 2 The origin, kun 'byung, of suffering, ego grasping etc. 3 'gag pa, Cessation of suffering. 4 The path, lam, leading to the end of suffering. 'phags pa: Aarya: Changeless, without transition or change. Cf. pho ba, the yoga of transference of consciousness. 'ub chub: 'ub, like 'dus, is gathering/including. chub as in byang chub, bodhi, enlightenment q.v., is perfection. Usually, since the great perfection is primordial, the sense is included and perfected. hrig ge: Sharp wakefulness; limpid, pellucid emptiness/luminosity without grasping. ES ji lta ba'i ye shes: Wisdom of the absolute nature of everything as it is, i.e. as the great emptiness. ji snyed pa'i ye shes: Wisdom of extent; ji snyed = as much as there is, whatever kinds, as suitable; omniscient qualitative wisdom of all phenomena as they are, discriminating all details without confusion. ka dag: Primordial purity, purity from the start. It is associated with the essence, emptiness, and the vision of tregchö, khregs gcod, in which nothing goes beyond the empty essence of the ground. It is however a sense of sacred purity, not simply of voidness. ka, is the first letter of the Tibetan alphabet. It is a little like saying pure from the latter A—except that this has none of the sacred overtones of the Tibetan letters, which also are viewed as mantric symbols having a real objective power. Here the usual translation is alpha-purity. There is still a certain awesome quality in “I am alpha and omega,” which is lacking in “I've got it from A to Z.” kha gsag: Das: = —bsag, talkative. Goldstein: [Obsequious] flattery. kha: talking. gsag: = bsag, hoard, heap up, accumulate. LUS thought “critical of others” might be a possibility. kha yan: Literally “free mouth.” Given free rein, unbridled, unleashed, let go, let be, let loose, set free. Usually refers to the fruition, but sometimes has a sense of being frivolous and abandoned. Cf. rgya yan, phyogs yan, blo bral, 'dzin med.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU kha ldog lnga: Blue, white, yellow, red, and green, the colors of the five families and elements. khams: 1 Element, dhaatu. 2 Disposition of individual personality; the nature of something, sim. rang bzhin; the elements. E.g. the khams of fire is heat. Such natures are partial vs. 3 the basic nature = rigs (gotra) = sugatagarbha, buddha nature. potential or seed; semen. khams gsum: Three worlds. 1 The desire realm, the realm of material form. 2 Pure non-material form, the realm of the impure visions of dreams, and those of the god realms; and the pure ones of meditation, such as visions of the sambhogakaaya deities. 3 The formless realm [objectless space, time, consciousness, neither perception nor nonperception.] khams bco brgyad: The eighteen khams, dhaatus, (classes of dharmas) are the six sense powers, dbang po, indriyas, including the mano-dhaatu or, yid kyi dbang po, the faculty of intellect; the six sense-objects, yul, vi.shaya, including the dharmadhaatu, here in its original sense = the realm of non-sensuous, intellectual objects; and the six consciousnesses including the manovijñaana or intellectual sense. The consciousness of touch is called the kaaya consciousness, meaning here “of solid bodies.” khang bu brtsegs pa: Literally a cottage or small building. Such buildings are depicted in the symbolic iconography of Akani.sh.tha. In fact they are not always small, and might include temples etc. Sometimes khang bu is translated as “mansions.” The meaning of that symbolism is the five buddha families. khong yangs pa: [Innerly] vast or wide open, open minded, to perceive or understand. khra lam: Vivid, clear, bright, splendid. khregs chod: Tregchö. khregs = Rigid, stiff, solid, resistance; chod = Cut. Cutting through. It emphasizes that because of emptiness, nothing needs to be abandoned or attained. —lam bskyed rim bzhi, the four creative stages of the path of cutting through are gnas, mi g.yo, mnyam nyid, and lhun grub; resting or abiding, not going beyond, equality-equanimity, and self-existence. With thod rgal one of the two main parts of rdzogs chen. It is the main subject of the Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu. By letting go of restrictive notions of samaadhi etc. in one's previous formal practice, it is unleashed as all-encompassing, universal naturalness. khrol khrol: Bright, sparkling (cf. khrol po) (loud or rumbling of musical instruments); insubstantial, unobstructed (cf. khral khrol); LUS: Continuously liberated (cf. bkrol ba). khyung: The garu.da, or a deity in the form of the garu.da. A bird of Indian mythology (e.g. the vehicle of Vi.sh.nu, the conqueror of the naagas, younger brother of the charioteer of the sun) that is said to hatch full-grown, so that it can fly as soon as it leaves the egg, effortlessly flying over mountains and chasms that are insurmountable obstacles for ordinary beings, going everywhere and seeing everything. Therefore, it symbolizes self-existing buddhahood. The garu.da's overcoming the naagas, poisonous serpent-beings dwelling in dark caverns, symbolizes overcoming the darkness, confinement, and poisonous nature of sa.msaara. Here the naagas are not conceived as guardians of wealth and the prajñaapaaramitaa. It is said that when garu.da first appeared the Hindu gods were frightened by his luster and thought he was Agni, the god of fire. Discovering who he was, they praised him, calling him fire and sun. Garu.da means devourer, either because of the all consuming nature of the solar rays, or for his eating poisonous serpents. It is said that he swallowed a certain jewel on mount Meru and vomited it up again. This jewel and the vomit are said to be remedies for all poisons. klong: Space (capitalized in text) expanse, sphere, realm of..., mass, immensity vastness, scope or boundaries. — gyur: attaining perfection or mastery. —chen, immense space or knowledge = dharmadhaatu —chen rab 'byams: realization of vast universal Space or knowledge = Longchenpa. —zer, : nail of space. See gzer. Longchenpa says in LT that klong can be differentiated from dbyings as the space of ultimate mind vs. that of the universal ground. VCTR differentiated them by comparing dbyings to the vastness of contemplating the horizon from the seashore. Klong is more like skydiving in the middle of the night. He was referring in particular to the black klong experience of the forty-nine day bardo retreat in darkness. Here Space is beyond reference points of vastness and constraint.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY klong sde: Longdé. The Collection of Space. See sde gsum. klu: Naaga, water spirit, serpent [deity]. Living in low watery places and caverns, they are often associated with the lower aspects of the human situation, either those which are necessary, but not exalted, or those which are dark, evil and poisonous. Thus they are associated with skin diseases such as leprosy. In this aspect, they are the enemy of garu.da. However, they are said to have great wealth, and to have received the wisdom of the prajñaapaaramitaa from the Buddha, guarding it until Naagaarjuna, klu grub, could receive them. Also the naagas protected Buddha from attacks of the maaras on the night before his enlightenment. kri ya [rgyud]: Kriyaa tantra, = bya rgyud, the fourth yaana. see theg pa dgu. kun mkhyen ye shes: The omniscient wisdom of enlightenment, which sees all phenomena without mixing them up. cf. ji snyed ye shes. kun rdzob: Relative, conventional, obscured (in the sense of disguised or costumed) truth, as opposed to don dam, absolute truth. Various systems have different views of what constitutes the relative. See bden gnyis. —gnyis, the two aspects of the relative are, [yang] dag pa'i kun rdzob and log pa'i kun rdzob. Sometimes these refer to ordinary right and wrong judgements within the everyday sphere. In this text they differentiate the confused perception of sa.msaara and the perception of enlightenment which sees things as they are. yang dag is sometimes called absolute truth, but the sense is different from, though not in conflict with the absolute truth of emptiness, which it presupposes. kun byed rgyal po: The all-creating (doing, accomplishing) King, title of the main scripture of the Semdé. The King = bodhicitta, personified as Samantabhadra q.v. His attributes are explained at length in the text. The King also is one's true enlightened nature. kun gzhi: Aalaya: Universal ground. See rnam shes brgyad. kun gzhi rnam par shes pa: Aalayavijñaana: Universal ground- consciousness. See rnam shes brgyad. kun btags: False conception, parikalpita, the merely imputed or illlusory nature of external reality projected onto mind-only, which has no true existence at all, like space. kun tu bzang po [mo]: Samantabhadra [-ii] literally means total or universal goodness. In mahaayaana Samantabhadra is one of the eight main bodhisattvas, an emanation of Vajrasattva. In saadhanas the environment is purified as pure appearance by the Samantabhadra offerings, in which offerings of desirable things of the five sense objects are visualized like clouds filling the whole of space. In ati Samantabhadra is the first, primordial buddha, who spontaneously achieved understanding of his own nature as universal enlightenment. His consort is Samantabhadrii. Usually he is blue, she is white, and they are naked. The text presents this in detail. When Samantabhadra is united with his consort Samantabhadrii, she symbolizes the primordial space of the empty essence, dharmadhaatu and prajñaapaaramitaa. He symbolizes pure arising in that space of entities that do not go beyond its nature. Samantabhadra does not exist as an ego or individual being, but = buddhahood, one's own true nature. Therefore, all who are enlightened are said to be equal to him. The “I” of the Künjé, who is the all-creating King, is Samantabhadra. He may be considered the essence of all that is sacred. Ati might say that this is the real concern of all religions and their deities. Some have wondered whether Samantabhadra as lha and bdag chen, big mind, the great self, was not like God in the western sense. I think this is true in a sense. Bdag pa chen po is the great mind beyond ego and non-ego, or self and other, and even God and atheism. In theory the via negativa of Dionysius and “God is not a what” of Aquinas are compatible with this. If there are theists who have no problem with God being emptiness and not something removed by a gap from what we really are, so be it. la bzla: Pass the pass. This ati phrase is not found in common speech. The literal meaning is more like avoiding or eliminating a pass than going over it in the usual fashion. The meaning is “pass into” “be resolved as” in an experiential rather than a conceptual sense. VCTR said that from the path point of view la bzla might be experienced
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU as a leap into space. But at the same time it involves realization that eternally there is nothing but space, so there is a sense of the leap having existed choicelessly from all eternity. The formerly-perceived obstacle never really existed at all. There is an extended discussion of la bzla in chapter nine of the text. lam lnga: The five paths. These will vary somewhat with different systems. 1) Accumulation, tshogs lam: One accumulates merit and wisdom and avoids confusion and evil deeds so that one will escape the lower realms and enlightenment will eventually manifest. The four foundations of mindfulness are practiced and developed in shamatha. This leads to the clear seeing of vipashyanaa. 2) Preparation (unification), sbyor lam, Developing vipashyanaa, one develops a deep understanding of the four noble truths, cutting the root of the desire realm. 3) Seeing, mthong.lam: The practitioner comes to understand the unsatisfactoriness of all the realms of form, including the god realm. Direct vision of emptiness is seen. This conveys the essence of liberation, and one enters the first bhuumi, supremely joyful. 4) Meditation, sgom lam: Practicing meditation and relating to the phenomenal world through the paaramitaas, pha rol tu phyin pa, one attains the second through tenth bhuumis. This culminates in the vision of luminosity and wisdom. 5) Fulfillment or no more learning, mthar phyin or mi slob, Attaining the vajra-like samaadhi the practitioner enters the eleventh bhuumi, prabhaasvara, kun tu 'od, the complete luminosity of buddhahood. See JOL. lam bgrod: Treading, traversing the path. lam: The practitioner's way to enlightenment as taught by the Buddha, the method of practice, “the path” = the buddhadharma altogether. —khyer, make something into the path, practice, bring something to the path. e.g. one can use kleshas as a means of practice in various ways. las: 1 From, as, which is, instead of, rather than. 2) Karma. las rlung: Karmic energy, karma praa.na, as opposed to ye shes rlung, the energy of wisdom. lha: Deities, the divine, the level of things that are exalted. Sometimes Buddhist scriptures accept the existence of the entire Hindu pantheon on deities as the highest sort of temporarily existing beings. The deities of saadhana, yidams, protectors, buddhas and bodhisattvas (such as Samantabhadra in this text) sometimes seem to be approached as beings having a personal existence, and sometimes as principles of the energies of one's mind and the phenomena of the world. In any case they are ultimately empty of essence. Buddhahood is eternal, but a certain being Samantabhadra was first to realize it. Doing so, he ceased to be merely personal. We too can become what he became. It is not the existence and nonexistence of deities that differentiates Buddhism from “theistic” religions. It is that the whole issue shifts elusively, leaving one nothing to rely on, so that one is just left hanging. The “theism” that Buddhism eschews has less to do with accepting and worshipping deities than trying to fix the reference points of one's universe through conceptual idolatry. This the great theistic religions also decry. Fixating emptiness and nihilism about any divine nature in any sense is part of that “theism.” It has sometimes been noted that Buddhism sometimes makes statements, e.g. about Chakrasa.mvara or Samantabhadra, that are indistinguishable from those theistic dogmatists make. But since these perspectives are not fixated, but seen in the context of the great emptiness, they become a commentary on the phenomenological possibilities of religion. Such openness is the very reverse of cultish dogmatism (or should be). Here one can compare what Longchenpa says about the difference between the use of sems tsam terminology to establish metaphysical and spiritual dogmas and the use in ati to go beyond them. lhag gnas: When a ma.n.dala is prepared, first everything has to be blessed and consecrated. Then it becomes a suitable receptacle for the deities. Thus, for example, one may visualize the vase as a palace, and, while one is doing that, the deities are visualized as existing apart [lhag gnas] in the space above. When everything is ready, they are brought down, and everything becomes of the nature of the deities. LUS. lhag mthong: Vipashyanaa, clear seeing. Having calmed the mind through shamatha, and in that stillness gained some sense of the self-existing basic nature, the meditator continues with mindfulness on the breath etc., but lets the boundary dissolve into all-inclusive, panoramic awareness in which all phenomena, not just those of mind, are included without accepting and rejecting. This occurs by seeing there is no real step between the two. The sense of boundary is an illusory fabrication that requires maintenance. As one explores the phenomenal world in this way, the
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY connections of interdependence that lead to sa.msaara and nirvaa.na become self-evident. This deepens into direct experience of emptiness as one enters the bodhisattva bhuumis. lhan ne: Quiet, gentle, still. ES: “Like a small, tired bird completely resting on a vast plain.” lhan [cig] skyes pa'i [ye shes]: Sa.msaara and nirvaa.na arise in one's situation simultaneously. Therefore, the solidity of each is annihilated, and the wisdom beyond both spontaneously appears. Very intense suffering naturally tends to self-liberate into co-emergence, and the attempt to stabilize a nirvaa.na free of sa.msaara tends naturally to evoke co-emergent, conceptualization, fixation, ignorance and so forth. —kun btags, co-emergent false conceptions, ; —ma rig pa, co-emergent ignorance. lhang nge lhan ne: Fresh and relaxed. lhug pa: Things as they are are at rest, without constraint or distinction, in the essence, free of cares and constraints, natural, relaxed, carefree, at ease. lhug par: With effortless abundance. lhun: 1 = lhun grub. 2 Monolithic, massive. 3 Dignity. lhun mnyam: = lhun grub mnyam pa nyid. [KSTR]. LUS was often inclined to view lhun as in lhun mtho = monolithic or massive height, in which case it has a sense of something vast and all-pervading. lhun grub: Self-existing, of the changeless essence. In particular, the self-existing, spontaneously present nature of dharmadhaatu, which, from the path viewpoint, arises effortlessly when pure perception is achieved. One of four states of meditation in Semdé according to NN. log: Eliminate, wrong, perverted: lta log, wrong view. longs spyod rdzogs pa'i sku: sambhogakaaya. KPSR presents longs spyod literally being activity = bya ba, which includes in particular the realization of extent ji snyed. longs spyod also means enjoyment and in fact, since nothing needs to be accomplished the realization of sambhogakaaya is appreciation, and the activity celebration. It is often so glossed. see sku gsum. lta stangs gsum: KPSR./ES Looking upward into the sky without obstruction or disturbance is the gaze or associated with perception of dharmakaaya by the dharma eye. Looking outward without analysis or duality is the gaze associated with perception of sambhogakaaya by the eye of wisdom. Looking downward at the tip of the nose, and focusing the mind of self-insight there is the gaze associated perception of nirmaa.nakaaya by the eye of discriminating awareness. Through this one arrives at wisdom. ltos [gzhi]: Ground of dependence, basis of relationship, things looked at, considered, beheld. —chos: Dharmas that are dependent or looked at. lu gu rgyud: See rdo rje lu gu rgyud. lung ma bstan: 1) It is not taught. (occurs frequently in the Künjé. 2) it comes to nothing. It is also used this way in the “Song of Lodrö Thaye” in The Rain of Wisdom. 3) Neutral, neither wholesome nor harmful, bad or good. E.g. kun gzhi lung ma bstan, the neutral aalaya. lung: 1 Scripture. 2 Passage or quotation from scripture (as in lung gi gter mdzod, The Scriptural Treasury, the name of Longchenpa's commentary on The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu. 3 Reading transmission of a text or practice. 4 Precept. 5 Teaching. lung bstan: Give instruction, teach, prophesy. lus ngag sems: Body, speech, and mind (non-honorific), vs. sku gsung thugs. These sets of terms can be used to differentiate the body, speech, and mind of the enlightened and unenlightened states.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU ma btsal: Literally, “not sought.” But things could be unsought for reasons of ignorance. Also, they are often missed just because they are sought too greedily. So the sense is more like not needing to be sought, because they are self-existing. ma 'gags: See 'gag med. ma 'dres: Unmixed, unconfused. E.g. in ji snyed ye shes all the different, individual things are clear and distinct. They do not get mixed up with each other or confused. Unadulterated: Wisdom is not mixed = adulterated with sa.msaaric fixation and grasping. ma rig pa: Ignorance, as opposed to rig pa, understanding, insight. ma rig pa occurs when rig pa is covered over by incidental defilements. ma bskyed: Not purposely produced, developed, or cranked up. Hence, self-existing, natural. Cf. ma bcos. man ngag sde: The Collection of Oral Instructions. See sde gsum. man ngag sde rgyud bcu bdun: The seventeen tantras are the main texts of the man ngag sde. They are the : 1 rdzogs pa rang 'byung. 2 yi ge med pa. 3 rig pa rang shar. 4 rig pa rang grol. 5 rin po che spungs pa. 6 sku gdung 'bar ba. 7 sgra thal 'gyur. 8 bkra shis mdzes ldan. 9 rdo rje sems dpa'i snying gi me long. 10 kun tu zang po'i thugs kyi me long. 11 ngo sprod spras [stras] pa. 12 mu tig rin po che'i phreng ba. 13 kun tu bzang po klong drug. 14 sgron ma 'bar ba. 15 nyi zla kha sbyor. 16 seng ge rtsal rdzogs. 17 nor bu phra bkod. mchod rten: stuupa. Originally a memorial mound containing relics of the Buddha. Later other relics and sacred objects were similarly contained. mdo 'gags: Condensed into one. mdo sde pa: Sautraantikas, an abhidharma school of the hinayaana. The Abhidharmakosha of Vasubandhu, dbyig gnyen, propounds this viewpoint. The logicians, such as Dignaaga and Dharmakiirti, hold that what has the power to produce an effect, is absolute truth, and that what does not is relative. They deny the, bye brag pa, vaibhaa.shika, assertions that space and cessation substantially exist, and that there are simultaneous cause and effect. They hold that consciousnesses do not nakedly see their objects but are themselves generated in the image [rang rig]. They deny the self of persons, but accept that there are other truly existing entities. Thus they accept the self of dharmas. mdo: Confluence, juncture, main point, suutra (a discourse of the Buddha) mdor na, : In summary. mdo cings: Literally means binding together, as of sticks, or junction, crossroads It has a sense of summary, bringing out the main points. med pa gsal snang: This could mean that the appearances themselves do not exist at all, which is the case from the maadhyamaka viewpoint. But all informants concur that the idea is that they are there but are empty of any truly existing object of which they are appearances. They do not exist with a nature of their own. mer mer: Of appearances: Shimmering (ES), vibrating, flashing. Also a stage of embryonic development. See notes. mgnon chos: Abhidharma, schools of philosophy such as the hinayaana, bye brag pas and mdo sde pas and the mahaayaana sems tsam pas who believe in various truly existing dharmas (as maadhyamaka and ati do not). These dharmas are grouped into classifications such as the 5 skandhas, 18 dhaatus, and 12 aayatanas. They are held to arise interdependently through various causes and conditions. To accept such doctrines is to deny the doctrine of emptiness, a key feature of maadhyamaka and tantric systems such as ati. VCTR said that abhidharma still has a place in tantric systems like ati in charting the geography and evolution of sa.msaara and enlightenment. When a kind of free floating panic causes the freezing of basic space and we divide it to try and check what went wrong, the seemingly solid, dualistic phenomena of abhidharma appear and proliferate. In
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY enlightenment the same phenomena become manifestations of the five wisdoms and so forth. In ati dharmas are not thought of as truly existing as in hinayaana. They are not even truly existing dharmas of mind as in mind-only. For example, this account is given of the evolution of the illusory experience of the five skandhas. The dualistic split and solidification manifest as form gzugs. Levels of basic accepting and rejecting, feeling , tshor ba, and instinctual patterns of meaning/response = perception 'du shes) appear. A whole repertory of conditioned attitudes and responses builds up to define the emotional and motivational fabric of the world = samskaaras, formations, 'du byed). The dis cursive thoughts and intellectualizations of consciousness, rnam shes) fill in every gap to create a seemingly solid situation of full blown egohood in an external world of fixed entities. Meditation reverses this evolution, returning phenomena to the state of basic space of dharmadhaatu, as described at length in the present text. mi rtog pa: Non-thought, non-conceptuality, non-discursiveness. Longchenpa distinguishes the following: 1 The artificial non-thought of one-pointed meditation which does not go beyond sa.msaara. 2 The nyams, nyam, of mi rtog which is a sign of some accomplishment, but is not ultimate realization and is a possible object of attachment and straying. 3 Non-thought = self-existing samaadhi or wisdom which is an aspect of realization. The essence of the latter is absence of grasping and fixation rather than a mind clear of phenomena. Thus it is possible for a teacher who has stabilized the mind of non-thought to give teachings etc. mi pham Rinpoche: Mipham, a nineteenth century Nyingma master and member of the nonsectarian ris med, rimê, school. He formulated Nyingma doctrines in such a way that it became possible to consider them in a detailed way in relation to the views of other schools.. E.g. SSN argues that there is no ultimate incompatibility between Nyingma and shentong doctrines and those of the Gelug school, or between the intentions of Naagaarjuna explaining the scriptures of the second turning and those of Asanga in explaining the scriptures of the third turning. Cf. chos kyi 'khor lo 'khor. mi ma yin: Literally non-men; pretas, such as graveyard ghosts, often malevolent. ming med: To say that x's are ming med is to say not only that x's do not exist, but that not even the name of x's truly exists. For maadhyamaka and ati that is true for all dharmas and objects of knowledge. This is equivalent to saying reality transcends conception. mkha' mnyam: The equality of space, as limitless as space. mkha' 'gro: One who goes in the sky. Usually = .daakinii. In one instance in this text = bird. Sometimes general for gods or those who have attained godlike powers. Usually female tantric deities of the five families who guard, serve, present, and embody the tantric teachings, and are the consorts of the Herukas, the male tantric deities. They seem to have evolved from a mischievous and sometimes malevolent class of forest spirits. On the whole they are wrathful or semi-wrathful, symbolizing compassion, emptiness, prajñaa, the basic fertile space from which everything arises, the unity of desire and space, and the tricky and playful aspect of phenomena. The higher ones give basic inspiration to seek enlightenment or cut through perversions of the teachings. Some of the lower ones are said to be on the level of local deities or spirits, ghosts, and demons. mnga' bdag: Master, sovereign, lord. mngon par dga' ba: Abhirati, the eastern buddha field of Ak.shobhya. mngon shes: abhijña. Relative siddhis. The five —, : 1 seeing at a distance. 2 Hearing at a distance. 3 Reading others' minds. 4 Remembering past lives. 5 Manifesting miracles. the six—, : Includes the ability to destroy defilements. This last is said to occur on attaining the state of an arhat. mnyam nyid: 1 Equality, (especially in terms of the essence, emptiness). 2 Equanimity, as the state of mind of someone realizing 1
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU mnyam bzhag: Meditation. (vs. rjes thob, post-meditation) In particular it often refers to the direct intuition of emptiness in the formless meditation of the noble ones, vs. their illusion-like apprehension of appearances in postmeditation. mnyam pa chen po: The great equality. mtha' bzhi med: Without the four extremes. A predicate does not apply, not apply, both, or neither. E.g. to say that for all dharmas true existence is empty is to say that in absolute truth all dharmas do not truly exist, not truly exist, both, or neither. According to maadhyamaka, if any of these assertions is maintained, a contradictory consequence can be derived. mtha': Extreme. A one-sided, rigidly conceptualized viewpoint that confuses features of concepts with those of reality. Concepts are useful in various kinds of practical situations, but to think they have an absolute validity independent of the situations in which they are used, invariably leads to mistakes, according to maadhyamaka. The four and eight extremes are kinds of extremes that should be avoided. Thus, if one understands the conventions and limits of words, one can use them to talk about the world and the teachings without falling into extremes. Mipham says SSN. “Not every assertion of existence asserts the extreme of existence. Not every assertion of non-existence asserts the extreme of non-existence.. etc.” mtha' brgyad: The Muulamaadhyamakakaarik aa says: That which arises interdependently Is without cessation and has no birth. It is neither eternal or nothingness. It is without any coming and any going. It is not different, nor is it a unity. Pacifying complexity, it is taught as peace. To the perfected buddhas who have said this, To those holy ones I make prostration. mtha' la = mtha gcig tu: Completely, without qualification [by its opposite]. mtshan ma'i yul (chos): Objects having fixated characteristics (dharmas). mtshan/mtshon med: Things like dharmadhaatu without fixed characteris tics. Such things can be talked about of course, but elude being successfully pigeonholed or exhaustively described by any particular description. mtshan dang dpe: The thirty-two major and 80 minor marks of a buddha. They are (sometimes fantastical) physical characteristics, wheels on the hands and feet, arms descending to the knees etc. mu stegs: Non-Buddhists, tiirthikas, especially Hindus, the variety most typically encountered within Buddhist tradition. The term has a sense of infidel or heretic. mya ngan las 'das pa: Nirvaa.na, enlightenment. It is said enlightenment in ati is beyond sa.msaara and nirvaa.na to differentiate it from partial notions of the lower yaanas which, from the viewpoint of ati, are not free from conceptualization and attachment. Such notions would be cessation, emptiness, knowledge, power, bliss, purity, morality, compassion, and social improvement, or their negations. Superficial imitation of the good qualities of former enlightened ones by turning them into preconceived programs is good at the beginning of the path. But in the end it is only creating more sa.msaaric obscuration of the naked, boundless relation with our situation that Longchenpa presents as true enlightenment. ngag 'khyal: Discipline of functional talking, restraining frivolous and unnecessary speech. ngang du [las]: Within that [state], as that [state]
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY nges med: 1 Uncertain. 2 Not ascertained as anything in particular. 3 Unfixed, unfixated, unpredictable. 4 Untrue, unreal. nges tshig: [defining] characteristic, definition. ngo sprod: Transmission, pointing out [instruction], showing, introduction, bring face to face with something. ngo bo: Essence. Being, principle, substance, identity. In general like rang bzhin, but when they are distinguished, of sugatagarbha, etc. ngo bo refers to the essence, emptiness, and rang bzhin to the nature, the spontaneous presence of luminosity. (The terminology of the kun byed reverses these two.) ngo bo rang bzhin thugs rje: see sku gsum. Cf. snying po, bdag nyid. me long gi —: Surface of a mirror. It can be said the essence of water is cohesion, the nature wetness, and the function cleansing or thirst- quenching. ngo bo should be distinguished from ngo = Face, viewpoint, side. ngos bzung: Recognizable or identifiable, fixated in terms of reference points. nyag gcig: Single dot or measure. The single measure is emptiness. It is like a dot, because it is undifferentiated and without reference point, hence, beyond vast and constrained. VCTR compared such space beyond extension to parachuting or swimming underwater on a dark night. rnal ma: The fundamental state before the various projections of subject and object occur. Cf. gnas lugs [tshul] nyams: Temporary experiences of meditation, which, however, are signs of a certain development in practice. (vs. sgyu ma, nying 'khrul, illusory and hallucinatory experiences.) The three usually mentioned are bliss, luminosity, and non-thought. nyan thos: shraavakas, the hearers or disciples of the hinayaana, the first of the nine yaanas. See theg pa dgu. nye lam: Quick path. The tantric yaanas are quick in relation to the first three. The inner tantras are quicker than the outer ones, and ati's instant realization is quickest of all. nye bar [nyer] len gyi phung po lnga: ES: Perpetuating, substantializing, bringing about, grasping, solidifying the skandhas; nye bar len lnga = phung po lnga. nying 'khrul: Extremely powerful illusion or delusion. Hallucinatory fixation. nyon mongs lgna; rtsa ba'i—: The five root kleshas are hatred, envy, desire, jealousy, and ignorance. nyon mongs gsum: = The three poisons, passion, aggression, and ignorance, chags, zhe sdang, gti mug. pha rol tu phyin pa: Paaramitaas or perfection practices of the bodhisattva path. All are practiced on every bhuumi, but on each of the ten bhuumis one is emphasized. 1 rab tu dga' ba, supreme joy: Generosity, sbyin pa. 2 dri ma med pa, stainless: Discipline, tshul khrims. 3 'od byed pa, illuminator: Patience, bzod pa. 4 'od phro ba, blazing light: Diligence, brtson 'grus. 5 shin tu sbyang dka', difficult to conquer: Meditation, bsam gtam. 6 mngon tu 'gyur ba, presence: Knowledge, prajñaa. 7 ring du song ba, far going: Skillful means, upaaya. 8 mi g.yo ba, motionless: Aspiration, smon lam. 9 legs pa'i blo gros, good intellect: Power, stobs. 10 chos kyi sprin, clouds of dharma: Wisdom, ye shes. They are perfect or transcendent in being practiced from the perspective of emptiness. For example, generosity is perfect when there is no thought of giver, gift, and receiver, any action of giving. Then the action is pure and spontaneous. See JOL pha rgyud: Father tantras of the anuttara tantras, emphasize form, upaaya, and working with aggression, vs. mother tantras emphasizing space, prajñaa, illusion, desire, and compassion. Mahaa is considered father tantra and anu mother tantra.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU pho 'gyur med: Without transition or transference and change, changeless. pho is the same word found in pho ba: Transference of consciousness (from the body into space or another body) phra: Subtle. Probably similar to description of Kagyü divisions in SKK 3,323: When the eighty kinds of innate thoughts of coarse mind, possessing the three appearances [of body, grasping subject, and grasped object are eliminated and cease, and everything abides merely in emptiness, that is subtle mind. Free from grasping the characteristic of the experience of emptiness, luminosity, absolute bodhicitta, which is called the manifestation of enlightenment, is the subtlest mind. Thus mind that is said to have defiled continuity is called subtle, and undefiled continuity is the subtlest. Similarly as for body, ...all the skandhas, dhaatus, and aayatanas, having the nature of the environment and its inhabitants, are resolved as the coarse circle of the deities. Naa.dii, praa.na, and pure bodhicitta are resolved as the subtle essence. The well established singularity of support and supported is taught as the very subtle, co-emergence. Thus in meditating in the developing stage, first all the skandhas, dhaatus, and aayatanas of the impure body which are to be purified as emptiness are the coarse body. Praa.na, naa.dii, and bindu, which are to be established as the body, speech, and mind ma.n.dalas of the deities are the subtle. At the time of fruition, the co-emergent three vajras, trikaaya, the inseparable body of the realities of the natural state, are the subtlest...Thus, the coarse is the designated ground of purification, the subtle the object of purification in process, and the subtlest the ultimate state of the object of purification. phrin las, : Enlightened activity, buddha activity, which is egoless, beyond conception, spontaneously arising, and spontaneously perfect and appropriate. In particular, the buddha activities of the five families, pacifying (suffering etc), enriching (accumulations of good qualities), magnetizing (students), destroying (whatever needs to be destroyed or those who cling to that), and self-existing, effortless accomplishment phu thag chod: In Tibetan, phu means a canyon. If you explore a canyon, you will be able to decide, chod, how long it is, thag. hence, fully evaluate, resolve, come to a decision about something. phun sum tshogs pa lnga: The five perfections, most often attributes of sambhogakaaya, but in this text applied to the three kaayas: excellent teacher, teaching, retinue, place, and time. phung po: Expanse [e.g. of wisdom] phung po lnga: the five skandhas or “heaps,” one of the systems of categories under which the dharmas are organized in the abhidharma: 1 Form, gzugs, including physical objects. 2 Feelings, tshor ba, positive, negative, or neutral. 3 Perception, 'du shes. 4 Formations, 'du byed. 5 Consciousness, rnam shes. In ati consciousness is understood in terms of the eight consciousnesses of yogaachaara. In hinayaana abhidharma, e.g. Abhidharmakosha, the skandhas are classes of truly existing dharmas. In ati they can also be thought of as an evolving series of non-existent confusions. Cf. mngon chos. In enlightenment these vanish and the skandhas manifest as the five wisdoms. Cf. mngon chos. phyag rgya: Mudraa, symbolic [hand gesture], seal, symbolic encounter, consort. phyag rgya chen po: Mahaamudraa, great seal. 1 Consort of empty form. 2 One of the four mudraas of mahaayoga. 3 Fruition teachings associated especially with the kagyü lineage as Dzogchen is primarily associated with the nyingma lineage. phyag rgya bzhi [of mahaayoga]: In particular: 1 thugs dam tshig gi phyag rgya (mind as samayamudraa). 2 gsung chos kyi phyag rgya (speech is dharmamudraa). 3 sku phyag rgya chen po (body is mahaamudraa). 4 phrin las las kyi phyag rgya (Buddha activity is karmamudraa). phyal ba: Even, level, uninterrupted, without any highlights. Things are all equally revelations of the essence of buddhahood, the goal, oneself, etc. KPSR phyam: Totally, all-pervading.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY phyam gcig: All at once, simultaneously, instantly, all-inclusively. phyam gdal: All pervading, continuous, open, in equanimity, even minded and all-encompassing, spread-out. phyam phyam: Complete, all-encompassing. phyang chad: 1 Total nothingness; it is gone. 2 Extreme and definite conceptualization of something, e.g. appearances as real. phyi nang gsang: Outer concerns the external world, inner the body, secret the inner life of feelings etc. phyi rgyud: The outer tantras which understand luminosity/emptiness beyond conception, but still believe that the fruition is established through stages and effort. phyogs: Direction, part, aspect, bias, partiality, side. phyogs med: Impartial, without conceptual partialities. When one is impartial =without accepting or rejecting, one is not attached to partialities of concept. Thus, the impartiality = non-bias, inseparability, of the two truths is transparently seen. phyogs bcu: The ten directions, the four cardinal directions, four intermediate, up and down. ra ri: Unrecognizable. LUS KPSR: Hollow, falsely pretentious. For example, a pile of cotton wool or a bubble may seem big and solid from a distance, but if we try to grasp it, it is not; the identity is lost. Having faults or defilements; cf. ra ma: Mixed up; ra med: Certain, infallible. ra [ma] ri: Confusedly drawn, a hodge-podge. probably related to rab rib, which can have the same pronunciation. rab 'byams: Infinite, vast, encompassing, universal, immense, boundless, the whole of..., widely and deeply learned. rab 'byor: Subhuti, a prominent and analytically inclined disciple of the Buddha. rab rib: Visual dimness, blurring, shimmering, fogginess, ambiguous, false vision due to defective eyes, esp. cataracts. rags: 1 Coarse. 2 Dependent. rang: Self, prefixing compounds: self-, one's own, spontaneously, intrinsically, natural, [only] as it is, merely within one's own experience (and hence unreal), acting on itself. This multiplicity cam make rang- compounds very difficult to evaluate. Often more than one sense is relevant. In such cases LUS was inclined to think that all the different aspects were part of the meaning. rang [bzhin] babs: “As it is” or occurring as it is, natural[ness], natural flow, natural state, spontaneous, naturally occurring. rang bshag: Let be as it is, rest as it is = cog gshag; self-absorbed, self-rested, self-established, established as merely one's own experience. rang byung: Natural; naturally occurring or arising; self-arising, spontaneous. E.g. hunger is rang byung when one does not eat. A shape like a face found on a rock is a rang byung sculpture. Impromptu verse is rang byung. rang bzhin: Nature, actuality, natural expression, natural, intrinsic, inherent. In relation to sugatagarbha etc it means the luminous manifestation, vs. the ngo bo emptiness. ngo bo/ rang bzhin/ thugs rje. See sku gsum
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU rang bzhin bcu: Unfortunately the exact categories and divisions are not quite clear to me. The passages Longchenpa quotes represent the classic sources for this distinction, so the reader is welcome to compile his or her own list. The candidates are these: view, meditation, action, fruition, treading the paths, training on the bhuumis , developing stage, visualizing ma.n.dalas, reciting mantras, perfecting stage, guarding samaya, empowerment. It seems some of these are combined with others rang bzhin rdzogs pa chen po: Nature of the great perfection or great naturally perfect nature, which is about the same. rdzogs: 1 Perfect, [Picnic at Hanging Rock, “Everything begins and ends at just the right time.” 2 Complete, [e.g. the task is done; “the ma.n.dala which is never arranged but is always complete.”] 3 Exhausted, Fixations, hopes, and fears are all used up. The senses are tied together because the exhaustion of confusion reveals the perfection of the awakened state. Complete exhaustion of obscurations completes the task of coming to see completeness = perfection. Moreover, the essence of the perfection is emptiness. Exhaustion of relative limitation is the freedom of liberation. “Completion” is closest but lacks the sense of sacredness and wonder. Therefore “perfect” was used, except where exhausted seems obviously closer to the primary meaning. rang dag: Intrinsically pure, self-purified. rang dbang: Freedom, independence, mastery vs. gzhan dbang, arising interdependently from others. The second of the three natures of mind-only. rang ga [ma]: Spontaneous, ordinary. rang gnas: ES: Self-existing, naturally in-dwelling ES. = lhun grub KPSR. rang grol: Self-liberating. The thing liberates itself, like a knot tied in a snake. rang gsal: Natural, clearly as it is; intrinsic clarity, radiance, brilliance, luminosity; naturally awake; self-cognizing. [esp. in mind-only] See rang rig rang gsal. rang gshag: Left to itself. Cf. rang bshag rang gzugs: 1) Similar to rang snang, mere forms of one's own experience, and having the same variations of meaning. 2) Natural form rang mal: Own place, original place. bu chung—: A child left to its own devices. 2) Own bed. (this makes an interesting overtone when, as frequently, rang mal occurs in discussions of dreaming.) I have figuratively said “one's own seat” in some places. When we say “keep your seat” = do not be distracted from the proper attitude of meditation, the ultimate meaning is much the same. rang ngo: [One's] own nature, original face, true nature, self-nature. rang mtshan: Own-, specific, or individuating characteristics that things would have if they were independent, individual entities existing in their own right. Ati accepts Maadhyamaka claims to establish the impossibility of rang mtshan. The real thing, intrinsically identifiable, independently existing. rang rgyal: Pratyekabuddha, the second of the nine yaanas. See theg pa dgu. rang rgyud: 1 One's own being or stream of consciousness. 2 Svaatantrika school of maadhyamaka. 3 Independent vs. gzhan rgyud. rang rig: 1 Intrinsic insight or awareness, = rang byung rig pa. 2 one's own insight or awareness, = rang gi rig pa. 3 self-cognizance, self-insight, self-knowledge, rang gis rang rig. KPSR seems to favor 2), as 1) seems prima facie to involve claims of a fixed nature or entity that would conflict with maadhyamaka, and 3 is specifically rejected in maadhyamaka critiques of mind only. 1) Self-arising = natural = intrinsic insight is favored by TT and LUS; rang gyis rang rig self-insight in the sense of non-duality, and non-other of insight and its objects. [KSTR, KTHR]. They all
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY agree that all these interpretations are relevant if understood in the right way. They also agree that any acceptable interpretation must be distinguished from the rang rig rang gsal of the mind only school, conceived to be a trulyexisting, self-intuiting substance. Ati accepts the maadhyamaka refutation of such a substance. Part of the apparent disagreement is because Tibetan does not require choosing among these various uses of rang. The demand to do so is somewhat artificial. Cf. rang shar. See the passage in the text where Longchenpa specifically addresses the difference between mind-only and ati use of mind-only terminology. The main point is that ati does not accept these terms as describing dharmas that truly or absolutely exist, and so does not fixate these conceptions. rang rig was introduced by the sautraantikas: The two terms are pretty well equivalent here. rang gsal in mindonly means more or less self-apprehended, i.e. self-illuminating or clarifying, appearing clearly to itself. In mind-only, sa.msaara has perception of duality of subject and object, and enlightenment involves seeing that in reality there are no external objects distinct from mind, but only various states of mind, which alone truly exists. All experience has to be the mind's experience of itself, because there is nothing else to be experienced. When one understands that this mind is changeless, eternal, and naturally blissful, letting go of attachments to the incidental waves on the great ocean of mind, one loses hope and fear about sa.msaara and becomes enlightened. In ati too, insight is rang rig rang gsal, self-apprehending insight, and the luminous manifestations of the nature are actually of the essence of insight and do not go beyond it. But where sems tsam presents this as absolute truth, ati presents it as having only provisional, conventional validity. It is more valid than ordinary perception for the same kinds of reason that, in the venerable example, seeing the rope is more valid than seeing the snake. From the absolute viewpoint, insight has no more true existence than external objects. If it did, it would be contradictory in maadhyamaka terms to say that insight, which does not appear with distinct qualities etc., is the same thing as appearances that have these qualities etc. Mind-only, in claiming absolute validity for its formulations, falls into such faults as this. Ati tries to avoid them by claiming that the true state of affairs transcends conceptualization. rang sar: Naturally, spontaneously, its own condition, in itself, as it is. rang shar: 1) = rang 'byung: Self-arising, naturally occurring. Mere spontaneous arising is not peculiar to enlightenment, since the kleshas and obscurations are also notorious for arising by themselves in the superficial sense that they are not willed or produced by a specific effort. 2) Longchenpa glosses at least one occurrence as = rang snang shar. In that passage rang shar is taken to entail rdzogs, exhausted of defilements and therefore perfected. Thus, by appearing as mere experience, an aspect of insight, and thus appearing as they really are, they are perfected/exhausted. rang snang: Personal experience. One's own experience. When delusive, it has a sense of snang = false appearance, one's own projection. When good, it can mean natural or self-appearance of things as they are, in particular of objects appearing merely as one's own experience, and not as solid external entities. Self appearing, [of sambhogakaaya deities etc]. Intrinsically appearing [as the rays of the sun]. Of the same nature with oneself. rang sor: 1 As it is, where it is. 2 The freshness of one's original, natural state. rang stong: Emptiness of its own nature or of itself. The typical sort of maadhyamaka system, vs. gzhan stong which claims the absolute nature exists, but is empty of any truly existing other. See SSN. for Mipam's view on this distinction. rang yal: Subside, disappear, fade away by itself. rang yan: 1 Rest freely, let be as it is, abandon, treat casually. 2 Free, wild, “ownerless, like deer in a meadow,” as Marpa says. 3 free from care. rang yan “is like a gypsy child, who never never has known the law,” as is said. rbad chod la chod: rbad = entirely. chod, cf. chig chod = sufficient. rdo rje: 1 Prince of stones, diamond. 2 Indestructible, adamantine. 3 The weapon of Indra, the thunderbolt. rdo rje dbyings: Vajradhaatu, indestructible space, the vajra-like aspect of ultimate space.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU rdo rje 'dzin: Level of a vajra holder, sometimes the thirteenth bhuumi. rdo rje sems dpa': Vajrasattva, a buddha of the vajra family, white and associated with purity. rdo rje chang: Vajradhara personifies the state of primordial buddhahood. His function in the kagyü teachings is rather like that of Samantabhadra in nyingma. rdo rje rkyen: Vajra conditions. The phenomenal world by means of which enlightenment is actualized. The “King has a kingdom in accord with him.” KSTR. rdo rje lu gu rgyud: Vajra chain of lambs, vajra chains. A thögel practice involving self-existing visions of chained ma.n.dala patterns from the intrinsic structure of one's visual perception system. It is related to phosphene visions under certain external light conditions. Thus one can see the indwelling nature of wisdom within one's own perception. For a general discussion, see the ati section of VCTR's Vajradhaatu Seminary Transcripts, 1973-4 The LT mentions twenty-one stages of realization within this. Usually one's teacher explains the details at the proper time. rdol thabs su smra: One just puts forward one's own ideas without due attention to traditional knowledge in a situation where it is not appropriate, as e.g. in arguing points of law or scientific theory. rdzogs rim: Tantric stage of completion or perfection, sampannakrama, as opposed to visualization practice of saadhana. Both formless meditation and yogic practices such as the six yogas of Naaropa are included. rdzogs pa: Perfection, exhaustion, completion, fulfillment. Sa.msaaric, impure aspects are exhausted, revealing things as the eternal perfection of the kaayas and wisdoms. VCTR once suggested using perfection for this, but changing one's understanding of what perfection is —neither an eternalistic fixation on an impossible standard, or a nihilistic rejection of everything there is in its name. In this tradition emptiness/luminosity IS perfection. rdzogs [pa] chen [po]: Ati, great perfection, mahaasandhi, the ninth yaana. rgya: 1 Net, cage 2 Expanse, vastness rgya ma chad: Limitless [expanse]. rgya yan: Range freely, carefree. Similar to rang yan, kha yan. rgya grol: Liberated in vastness, liberated from the net. rgyan: Ornament. Generally in this text to say that phenomena are ornaments of insight means 1 they are coessential and non-dual with insight. In this respect ornament is very like play. 2 They are incidental, rather than the main substance. 3 They have richness, value and splendor, like precious jewelry. The ornament is equated with the Ga.n.davyuuha realm, and as such is close to the meaning of the vision of the buddha qualities, the kaayas and wisdoms, as seen from the pure perspective of sambhogakaaya. 4 Negativity has been conquered. AS VCTR said, “Now pain and pleasure have become ornaments which it is a pleasure to wear.” See rtsal, rol. rgyu mtshan theg pa: Vehicles of cause and characteristics. In particular the first three yaanas which present enlightenment as a causal process. Sometimes = hinayaana, since it does not postulate emptiness. However all vehicles but ati have certain characteristics that are to be abandoned and attained by causal means. rgyud: Continuity, tantra. In the latter case the continuity is that of the basic nature, sugatagarbha etc. See rang rgyud. ri rgyal rab: Mount Meru, which in Indian cosmology is at the center of the world surrounded by four continents. Of these we inhabit the southern continent, Jambudvipa (Jambuling).
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY rig pa: 1 Insight, [intrinsic] awareness of the absolute, pretty much equivalent to wisdom. [KSTR] 2) Mind, knowledge, intelligence, understanding in the ordinary sense. —lnga: philosophy, reasoning, grammar, medicine, mechanical arts and crafts. However 1 is also the essence of 2, and in realization 2 does not go beyond 1 It was to bring out this dual aspect that VCTR preferred the translation “insight.” cf. rang rig. rigs: 1 Kinds, varieties, aspects 2 Family, lineage 3 Caste 4 Nature = snying po 5 Buddha nature 6 Realm = khams 7 Reasoning, logic, philosophy, ....rigs: It is logical, certain that .... rigs sngags: Vidyaa mantra. rigs = esoteric knowledge. Knowledge of magic and magical formulas. By means of these the magician is said to create illusions, destroy enemies, change the weather, and demonstrate power over phenomena in other ways. rigs lnga: The five divisions of the families of the ma.n.dala: Vajra, rdo rje; ratna, rin chen, jewel padma; lotus; karma; and sangs rgyas, buddha. They are associated respectively with sa.msaaric and enlightened forms of intellect and aggression; feeling, richness and territoriality; passion; artistic sense, discrimination; energy of activity and accomplishment; and spaciousness, the overall viewpoint, or neurotically just ignoring things. There are extensive descriptions in VCTR's Cutting through Spiritual Materialism and The Myth of Freedom. The five families are associated with the five colors, kleshas, skandhas, elements, bhagavans and their consorts, and wisdoms, q.v. They are also associated with the seasons, time of day etc. rigs drug: The six realms or lokas of sa.msaara in which beings take rebirth. They are those of gods, asuras (demigod enemies of the gods), humans, animals, hungry ghosts (pretas), and hell beings. rim pa: Stage, detail, aspect. ris med: Without limits, borders, bias, partiality, as between phenomena and dharmataa, sa.msaara and nirvaa.na etc. Non-sectarian school founded in the nineteenth century by Khyentse the great, Jamgön Kongtrul the great, and others. rje btsun: jetsün, [exalted] lord. rjes thob: Post-meditation as opposed to the meditative state, mnyam bshag. In particular the noble ones who have not attained the pure bhuumis are said to cognize emptiness directly in meditation. In post-meditation false appearance still appears to them, but they know it to be empty, so it has the aspect of a dream or illusion. In general, all Tibetan schools agree that buddhas have transcended this distinction. They know the appearances of all sentient beings, but directly perceive their emptiness at the same time. Controversial points are just how accurate the perception of the bodhisattvas of the pure bhuumis is, and the extent to which lesser beings are capable of flashes of pure perception that can be used on the path. Ati tradition holds that sa.msaara is self-liberating and enlightenment self-existing and self-actualizing. The guru points out that the nature of enlightenment is already within us, and that even ordinary persons can have brief flashes of experience of this. From that perspective, the path consists of acknowledging this and learning to let it be as it is. rlung: Praa.na. Part of the trio of praa.na, naa.dii, and bindu, rtsa, lung, thig le. rtsa: Naa.dii, root, vein, artery, psychic channel as visualized in yoga (such as gtum mo, tummo, (heat yoga)), any tubular organ. They are said in Tibetan medicine to occur throughout the body, and to cluster together like wheels, chakras, in various energy centers of the body, such as the heart, brain etc. rlung: Wind (vayu), breathing, vital energy. In Tibetan medicine the various vital energies move along the naa.diis. las — Karma praa.na, karmic energy. thig le: Bindu, 1 Dot, circle, ring, in particular colored dot on the forehead between the eyes, dot on letter or mantric syllable representing the anusvara, e.g. “M” in HAM. It is typically presented as a small flame. 2 The red and white thig les, the male and female vital essences as represented and embodied in semen and menstrual blood. When acted on by the praa.nas, these are refined, melting into a more subtle form that produces bliss etc. 3 = thig le nyag gcig: The single universal essence, the sole seed = byang chub sems, chos dbyings, ngo bo stong pa, etc.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU rnal 'byor bzhi: In this text this refers usually to the four yogas of mahaayoga as presented e.g. in the Künjé: 1 sems dpa': The yoga of the two sattvas, samayasattva and jñaanasattva, as practiced in the three lower tantras. 2 ma haa: Mahaayoga, which works especially with the developing stage. 3 yongs su: Perfecting yoga, anu, which works especially with the perfecting stage. 4 shin tu: supreme yoga or ati. rnal ma: The natural state = gnas lugs [tshul]. rnal 'byor [pa]: Yoga, yogin, literally meaning inseparable union with the absolute. rnal 'byor rgyud: Yoga tantra, the sixth yaana. See theg pa dgu. rnam pa: Aspect, phenomena, always. rnam rtog: Discursive thought, conceptualization, the conceptualized phenomena of sa.msaara. rnam kun mchog ldan stong nyid: Emptiness possessing all the supreme aspects, as described in the Uttaratantra. Emptiness as realized by the buddhas is not nihilistic nothingness. It is the great emptiness, the union of appearance and emptiness, possessing the kaayas, wisdoms, buddha qualities and activities, etc. The details are an important part of resolving the view of emptiness. rol pa: 1 Play (not a dramatic performance). 2 Display, as play of a fountain; sport, enjoyment. 3 Play like that of children, Sanskrit. Liilaa, probably the primary meaning, without the need of serious purpose, not a fixed activity, (as the play of children); communication as in playing music. 4 In a general sense, manifestation of phenomena altogether. 5 For realization, play = pure appearance or wisdom. Appearances are realized as merely empty manifestations of insight. This is related to the vision of sambhogakaaya. For non-realization, especially opposed to rtsal, power, the same play = dualistic appearance. This is related to nirmaa.nakaaya. Play is a technical term of the Semdé: Longchenpa says in the grub mtha' mdzod: 167A.6 TT46: “In the Semdé it is asserted that although various entities appear: “Dzogpa Chenpo asserts that all appearances are mind.” That is totally wrong. (If it is so: The eternalistic view as opposed to chad lta, the nihilistic view. In maadhyamaka existence is equated to intrinsic existence, and hence, eternalistic existence. Non-existence too is intrinsic, and, hence, equated to nihilism. This is part of the maadhyamaka view that must be resolved before coming to ati. rten dang brten pa: Environment and inhabitants. OR support and supported. For example it will be said in general that the physical environment is he support and mind the supported, cf. snod bcud. In particular, the environment of the ma.n.dala, the palace and surrounding features, and the deities inhabiting it are called rten dang brten pa. rten 'brel: 1 Interdependent arising, e.g. as a rainbow appears from interconnection of sunlight, rain, air, the eyes, and mind, as reflections appear in a mirror, or as appearances appear in the mind. The rainbow is not the appearance of any of these, or all of these, Yet it is not the appearance of something completely independent of the above either. In maadhyamaka rten 'brel is equated to emptiness. 2 Auspicious coincidence. rtog pa: Concept, or perceiving things in terms of concepts. rtogs su ma chod: Not cut off by concepts. rtogs pa bzhi: See appendix one. rtsa rlung thig le: Naa.dii, praa.na, and bindu. These are aspects of hatha yoga practices such as gtum mo that lead to awareness of insight. See for example Chang and others. See rlung. The direct insight of tregchö is not directly concerned with these practices. rtsal: in general power, energy, skill, dexterity. Sometimes = manifestation. Cf. from the present text:
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY LT12.2 “Arising interdependently from the power and substances of vidyaa mantra, appearances of men, women, horses, elephants, and so forth are all eternally liberated in the state of illusion.” LT12.4 “By the dharma of the power of abandoning, we shall not raise ourselves above sa.msaara and the lower realms.” Like play, power can be used generally to mean manifestation in general. In particular, as an ati technical term, power means insight's intrinsic power of luminous manifestation that does not depart from its essence. When contrasted with play in this text, power that produces the play of manifestation. But like play, the power may or may not be associated with the wisdom of realization. When it is not it manifests as the play of sa.msaara, which is like a rope is seen as a snake. Power is more the ground of arising of manifestations than those themselves in this text. Much of the difficulty with this term sems to come from its having a number of senses. See thugs rje. TT44, Jigme Lingpa says: “In Semdé phenomena have arisen as the play of the power (rol pa'i rtsal) of the mind.” LT10.41: “The essence of insight is like a mirror. Its power is like the clarity of the mirror. From that the play of manifestation arises like reflections in the mirror. At the time when it arises, it does not move from the essence of insight, dharmakaaya. So this too is dharmakaaya.” LT12.35: The self-clarified power of bodhicitta is like a spotlessly transparent jewel. Within it is the appearance of buddhahood, free from stains of incidental conceptualizations. It goes nowhere beyond appearing as insight itself. By non-realization of that it becomes the vessel and essence of ignorant and confused sentient beings with the eight consciousnesses. But these too do not go beyond the state of insight. rtsol sgrub: Effort and establishing, establish by means of effort, make an effort, exert oneself. Glossed as effort and the maker of effort in the text, chapter 12. ru log: Overthrown, overturned, ransacked, turned upside down. sa bon: 1 = bag chags. The seeds of good and bad karma. From the path viewpoint, transmission and practice are like planting and cultivating seeds that will ripen as the fruition. 2) But from the absolute viewpoint this is only uncovering the ultimate sugatagarbha that was there all along. So relative reality is itself a seed of buddhahood in that sense. Sa ra ha: Saraha, a mahaasiddha, grub thob chen po, who worked as an arrow-maker and had a consort of the same trade. He composed many songs or dohaas describing the enlightened state. sa bcu: The ten bhuumis or levels of the bodhisattva path, entered on attaining the path of seeing from the five paths, lam lnga, and perfected on the path of meditation. See pha rol tu phyin pa. sa sbyang: Training on the bhuumis. See JOL. sa 'og: Literally underground, hence of the naagas or klu, known for their wealth. A special kind of rich, multicolored brocade. sal le ba: Vividness. Ego fixation draws on the energy of the natural state to produce blockage and obscuration. So, by comparison, experience of things as they are is one of vivid splendor and immensity. sang nge [ba]: Pristine etherial; the spacious clarity and primordial purity of emptiness, like fresh mountain air. sang seng: sang: Insubstantial. seng: Pure, refreshing. Insubstantial and illusory, etherial, tenuous, diaphanous, evanescent; KPSR: Empty and full of gaps, like a net or screen. Appearance is dreamlike, obviously empty of being the appearance of anything real and solid. Thus the great emptiness is not conceptual, but a matter of direct experience. sangs: Purified, awakened.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU sangs rgyas: Buddha[hood], enlightenment. sbubs: 1) Covering, cocoon, shell, confinement, hollow, narrow space, sheath. 2) TT essence (cf. bcud), nature. 3) Field of.... sde gsum: The three scripture collections of ati. These are, the Semdé, sems sde; Longdé, klong sde; and Manngagdé, man ngag sde. The Semdé, The collection of mind, presents all phenomena as the play of the intrinsic power of mind. Hence its chief tantra refers to bodhicitta, the nature of mind, as The All-Creating King. But unlike mind-only mind is recognized as the emptiness of insight-wisdom. Phenomena are non-dual with mind, beyond duality of grasper and grasped, like reflections in a mirror. Their essence is that of the luminosity of mind, self-arising wisdom. Longchenpa notes, TT48, that they should be distinguished from mind itself, which is like the surface of the mirror, as opposed to the reflections. It is the source of arising which itself does not have the partialities of appearance. It is the essence of awareness beyond one and many, not the elaborations of the contents, the ornament. For other tantras see TT32-3. NN gives this account of meditation according to the Semdé: 1 gzhi gnas, shamatha: One cuts through thoughts, realizing one's own nature as the self-existing basic space of bodhicitta. 2 lhag mthong, vipashyanaa, mi g.yo: Not conceptualizing this space, one sees that all phenomena are included within primordial perfection. 3 gnyis med, ro mnyam): Non-duality or one taste. Both arise as one, as one overcomes the duality of fixated subject and object. The fear of other is overcome. One is confident of universal perfection as the all-accomplishing King. 4 lhun grub: Self-existing or spontaneous presence. With confidence of basic well-being, one can be natural. Having returned to naturalness, one can carry this vision of spontaneous perfection into every situation and activity. The basic vision does not change, but the scope and power increase until they are total and all inclusive. Longdé: klong sde: The collection of Space. There is a listing of major tantras TT 33-4 None are quoted in LT. Though sems sde realizes the emptiness of that which is to be abandoned, there may still be clinging to the luminosity and awareness of mind, which serves as the antidote. The klong sde dissolves this by presenting the ultimate nature as the universal space of dharmataa, which is the primordial purity of the great emptiness beyond existing and not existing. Therefore, whether phenomena appear as the luminous play of mind or not makes no difference. It can be said that this is a perspective derived from maadhyamaka as the Semdé is from mind-only. Four divisions are black space propounding absence of causes; variegated space propounding diversity; white space propounding mind; and universal space that has passed the pass of cause and effect. NN connects the klong sde with the yogic attainment of the four signs, rtags, which are the three nyam plus their inseparability: 1 gsal ba: With open eyes, all vision becomes the luminosity of samaadhi. 2 mi rtog: Open eyes fix on empty space without blinking. Things are left to arise as they will, but whatever rises, there is no wandering. 3 bde ba. In the beginning there is a particular position, yet the emphasis is that it is as if the body were not there. There is light tensing and relaxing of the sphincter muscles to stimulate the bliss of the lower gate (as in gtum mo). 4 dbyer med: uniting all carries one into experience of the great perfection; as symbol tongue touches neither top or bottom of mouth. man ngag sde: The collection of oral instructions emphasizes primordial self-existence and non-effort. Clinging to subtle bias of the views of both mind and its luminosity and Space and emptiness is dissolved in the realization of ultimate buddhahood as it is. It unites the essence emptiness, the nature, luminosity, and compassion as the ground of arising of dualistic manifestation. Again compassion and dualistic appearance are not directly equated, which would be saying that sa.msaara is absolute reality. The seventeen tantras, man ngag sde rgyud bcu bdun, from which most of the quotations in the LT are taken are associated with it. The nyingthig is the quintessence of its instruction. The instructions in grasping the mind, sems 'dzin, and chokshak are also part of it. The serial instructions of the four chokshaks can be taken as presenting a method of the path of meditation as practiced in the collection of oral instructions. In this work, however, they are presented from the viewpoint of tregchö. sems: 1 Dualistic mind. 2 = sems nyid or byang chub sems: The nature of mind, mind itself, bodhicitta (occurs in the titles of tantras 3) = Semdé in compounds like sems smad: The lesser texts of the Semdé. sems can: Sentient being = 'gro ba, unenlightened inhabitant of the six lokas having dualism of body and mind, vessel and essence, snod bcud, etc. sems dang yid dang chos: TT sems = Basic mind of duality, aalayavijñaana and klesha consciousness. yid = Intellectual consciousness, yid kyis rnam shes. chos = Perceptions of the sense consciousnesses.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY sems dpa' chen po: mahaasattva, a bodhisattva of the pure bhuumis from the eighth upward, who experiences the pure vision of luminosity. sems dpa'i rnal 'byor: Sattva yoga: See rnal 'byor bzhi. sems las 'byung ba: Mental contents, inner feelings and so forth, not counting external perceptions of the five senses. sems tsam: With maadhyamaka one of the two great philosophical systems of the mahaayaana. It is associated with Asanga and his brother Vasubandhu. It is also propounded in such sutras of the third turning (chos kyi 'khor lo 'khor) such as the Lakaavataara and Sandhinirmocana. It is said to record the realization experience of those who emphasized yoga more than the logical dialectics of maadhyamaka, and hence is also known as rnal 'byor spyod. It holds that luminous mind is the absolute reality, yongs grub, parinispanna. Experiences of mind, like waves in water, are relative, dependently arising reality, gzhan dbang, paratantra. Our beliefs concerning a world of external objects that are other than mind are confused, merely imputed, and false, kun btags, parikalpita. Therefore, the duality of perceiver and object is a feature of sa.msaaric confusion, and does not occur for enlightened mind. As there is nothing other than enlightened mind for it to perceive, it can be said to be intrinsically self-perceiving, rang rig rang gsal. Ati too accepts non-duality, the absolute nature of mind itself, rang rig rang gsal etc. But as Longchenpa notes in the text it sees this in the light of maadhyamaka emptiness. Therefore it is not accepted that any of this terminology describes anything that is truly existing or non-empty of the level of the absolute. The use is for practical benefit in the relative sphere, in the same way exponents of maadhyamaka speak practically of chairs and tables in everyday life, without believing that they have absolute existence. This kind of use all schools of maadhyamaka sanction. sgo gsum: The three gates, body, speech, and mind. grol ba'i sgo gsum: The three gates of liberation: the signless, markless, and wishless. sgra thal 'gyur: Main text of the seventeen tantras of the man ngag sde. ES: The Penetration of Sound. sgrib ma gnyis: nyon mongs and shes bya: Kleshas, knowables or primitive beliefs about reality. They are the obstacles to omniscience, and the pure vision of luminosity. sgrib shing: Invisibility stick. A magic wand that makes things invisible, and creates illusions that non-existent things exist. sgro bskur: Short for sgro btags dang skur 'debs, decorating with feathers and casting aspersions, [unjustified] glorification (exaggeration) and deprecation. Mind and mental contents are sgro btags of the three realms; Exaggeration; misconception; reification; superimposition, projections. Those who do not accept the third turning teachings as being of the true meaning say that those who do are unjustly glorifying or exaggerating their truth and importance. Those who accept the third turning as being scripture of the true meaning say that those who say only the second turning (prajñaapaaramitaa, the teachings of emptiness etc) is true meaning are slanderously deprecating the Buddha's teachings. sgron ma rnam par bkod pa: Complete display of the lamp of the teachings. The Buddha creates a situation in which the teachings are fully and completely embodied and transmitted. sgrub: Affirm, establish sgyu ma dpe brgyad: The eight examples of illusion: 1 Dream. 2 Echo. 3 City of the gandharvas (celestial musicians etc. who live on smells). 4 mig thor: A growth on the eyes, cataracts? 5 Mirage. 6 Illusion. 7 Reflection. 8 A magically emanated city. Sometimes the moon in water, lightning, a rainbow, and a bubble are added, making twelve].
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU shel [gong]: In many abhi.shekas of the ati tradition a crystal is shown to signify the transparent nature of mind. Typically a natural hexagonal quartz crystal, or a natural lump of quartz, is used, rather than an artifact such as a crystal ball. shes pa: Awareness, knowledge. shes rab: Literally, supreme knowledge, prajñaa. Intelligence, discriminating knowledge in general, and in particular knowledge of emptiness as presented in the prajñaapaaramitaa scriptures, the reasoning of maadhyamaka etc. shes rab pha rol tu phyin pa: Perfection of prajñaa, the sixth of the ten paaramitaas. Emptiness is directly realized in a way transcending concepts. In a strict sense this refers to realization in formless meditation. Shes rab and ye shes can be loosely used so that they are equivalent, referring to the transcendent knowledge of realization. ye shes involves the further realization of luminosity, pure appearance, omniscience, and the various other aspects of wisdom. It is the final paaramitaa, the culmination of their development. Prajñaa clearly sees the essence of things, but does not yet see things as they are as the buddhas do. shin tu rnal 'byor: Supreme yoga = ati. See rnal 'byor bzhi. shugs 'byung: Spontaneous, self-arising, suddenly-arising. skra shad: Seeing hairs or spots in the eyes, due to solidification and opacity of the vitreous humor. sku gsung thugs: Body, speech, and mind (honorific). When juxtaposed with lus ngag sems (non-honorific) it can mean enlightened vs. unenlightened body, speech, and mind. sku: sometimes = The kaaya of emptiness, dharmakaaya. sku gsum: Dharmakaaya, chos sku; sambhogakaaya, longs spyod rdzogs pa'i sku; and nirmaa.nakaaya, sprul sku. the first is the essence of buddhahood, the benefit for oneself, unborn primordial insight, awareness devoid of content, like space. It is called [buddha]dharmakaaya, because it embodies the essence and fruition of the teachings. Dharmakaaya is sometimes used in the sense of non-dual dharmakaaya. In that case it includes all the phenomena of trikaaya, in the aspect of inclusion within dharmakaaya and not going beyond its essence. In this sense it is similar to dharmadhaatu. Among the three kaayas dharmakaaya is associated particularly with the essence, emp tiness. Sambhogakaaya, and nirmaa.nakaaya are the two ruupakaayas or form bodies, which are the benefit for others. Sambhogakaaya is the realm of enjoyment/realization of pure form, contemplated aside from existence as external objects. This includes visions of the pure lands and teachers (e.g. of Samantabhadra, Akani.sh.tha etc.) and form altogether as seen from that perspective. It is associated with the vision of luminosity, the nature. Nirmaa.nakaaya is associated with the play of appearance of this dualistic, material world and so forth, which arise from the power of compassion to ripen beings for enlightenment. Longchenpa makes the remark that, strictly speaking, the two ruupakaayas should be regarded as the ground of arising of their respective form phenomena rather than as those phenomena themselves. Otherwise contradictions may arise from regarding dharmakaaya, which is essentially non-apparent and various apparent phenomena as having the same essence. This seems a little odd after all he has said about everything being included in the essence of insight-bodhicitta. But it does explain why he frequently uses formulas like thugs rje'i 'char gzhi, the ground of arising of compassion. sku lnga: There are various lists of the five kaayas. The most common is trikaaya (sku gsum) plus the mahaasukhakaaya, bde ba chen po'i sku, the body of great bliss, representing the inseparable bliss aspect, and the svaabhaavikakaaya, ngo bo nyid kyi sku, which represents the unity of the kaayas. Another list that is cited in the text is the changeless vajrakaaya, mi 'gyur rdo rje sku; the kaaya of full manifestation of enlightenment, mngon par byang chub pa'i sku; Peaceful dharmakaaya; sambhogakaaya; and the variously manifested nirmaa.nakaaya cir yang sprul pa'i sku. Cf. TT88. See appendix 2. sku gdung: The bodily remains of a teacher after death or the reliquary in which they are placed —'bar ba: A text, The Blazing Relics of the Buddha Body. skye ba bzhi: The four modes of birth: womb, egg, heat and moisture, and spontaneous.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY skye mched bcu gnyis: The twelve aayatanas. The six senses and their objects. Cf. khams bcu brgyad skye ba med: From the absolute viewpoint, unborn, non-arising, non-truly-existent, because things and arising are empty. Relatively enlightened reality is unborn because it is eternally self-existing, and never arises as a limited thing. Nevertheless, from unborn dharmakaaya, which is born as nothing at all, the pure appearance of ruupakaaya rises. Though born in that sense, it too is unborn in the sense of becoming truly existing things other than dharmakaaya. skyong: Guard, protect or maintain is the basic meaning. In ati the sense is remembering that we are always resting in the essence. In a negative sense, it means trying to maintain something self-existing that has no need of that and in fact will even be obscured by the attempt. snang ba: 1) Appearance 2) False appearance of truly existent other etc, e.g. perceptions of rocks and trees. 3) The objects of 2, the apparent rocks and trees themselves. E.g. med pa gsal snang means that the objects, not the appearances do not exist. snang ba bzhi: The four well-known stages of ati are usually presented as they are found in thod rgal. See TT. 1 chos nyid mngon par: Manifestation of dharmataa. 2 nyams snang gong phel: Increasing the experiences, the nyam. 3 rig pa rtse phebs: Reaching the peak of [perfecting] insight. 4 chos nyid zad pa: Exhaustion of dharmataa. As with the four chokshaks, Longchenpa says that they are presented in the reverse order in tregchö. snang ba'i ye shes: ES: Wisdom of manifestation, - of appearance. The intrinsic radiance of awareness appearing as luminosity. Within the clear luminosity of insight-dharmataa, rise the appearances of the wisdom of the fruition, without going beyond self-insight. Wisdom is not analytical knowledge. One directly perceives emptiness etc. Cf. SSN, “In our tradition when one actually sees the absolute, it is the kaayas and wisdoms.” sngags: Mantra, praise. snod bcud: The vessel and essence. (as metaphor). snod = The container as the external world. bcud = The experience of beings within it, here compared to the liquid in a bottle, the essential part of the situation. Sometimes rendered “the environment and inhabitants (of the phenomenal world). snying thig: The nyingthig, the innermost essence, “heart drops” the teaching tradition of the collection of oral instructions. The commentaries on the seventeen tantras and the e ka tsa ti nag mo khros ma were brought to Tibet by Vimalamitra and are called the, Vima-nyingthig. The commentaries on the klong gsal 'bar ma were brought by Padmasambhava and are known as the, mkha' 'gro snying thig, the Khandro-nyingthig. Longchenpa wrote four volumes of further verses and commentary on these collectively known as the snying thig ya bzhi. snying po: 1 Heart. 2 Heart-essence or essence. 3 Garbha, = sugatagarbha, bde bshegs snying po. snyom 'jug: Meditative absorption, samaapatti. One might use it to obtain bsam gtan, dhyaana. Samaadhi originally in the abhidharma is an omnipresent faculty of concentration on whatever objects are present. It came to mean absorption in various objects, and thus ting nge 'dzin tends to be differentiated by its objects. Longchenpa too differentiates purposefully attained bsam gtan from naturally existing ting nge 'dzin qua awareness of the absolute. so so rang rig [ye shes]: Since it discriminates mind and wisdom, it can be called discriminating-awareness wisdom. since wisdom is also self-awareness in the sense of being insight of otherlessness, it can be called discriminating self-awareness wisdom. Since it is a non-conceptual personal encounter with wisdom, it can be called individual and personal wisdom. So so can be interpreted to mean either the individual entities that are known or the individual knower. rang rig has the various interpretations of that term q.v. In any case it should not be confused with the padma family wisdom so sor rtags pa'i ye shes, discriminating wisdom [of individual things].
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU spangs rtogs: Simultaneous renunciation/ realization. This is an aspect of enlightenment, not experienced by ordinary beings. Because of realization, confused perceptions and desires naturally do not arise for them. Everything is enlightenment for them. This is very different from nges 'byung, which is a distaste for and rejection [zhen log] of sa.msaara in ordinary beings like ourselves who aspire to whatever we think we understand as enlightenment. [KTHR.] spros bral: Simplicity; unconditioned; free from conceptualization, complexity, elaboration, constructions. One of the four yogas of mahaamudraa. spros bral often refers to direct vs. conceptual realization of emptiness by wisdom. sprul sku: Nirmaa.nakaaya. See sku gsum. sprul sku gsum: bzo ba'i sprul sku, skye b'ai sprul sku, mchog gi sprul sku. OR skye ba'i sprul sku, mchog gi sprul sku OR sna tshogs sprul sku; 'gro 'dul sprul sku and rang bzhin sprul sku: The working or various tülkus are gifted individuals, artists, craftsmen, scientists etc who so benefit beings. The born or taming tülkus are the rinpoches usually called tülkus, who have taken human birth in order to tame beings by the dharma. The supreme tülku is the Buddha. spyan lnga: The five eyes. 1 The eye of flesh. 2 The divine eye (of relative siddhi). 3 The eye of prajñaa (emptiness). 4 The dharma eye of pure vision. 5 The buddha eye of omniscience. spyi blugs: Literally head-vase, a coronation vase, especially golden, used in crowning kings. Later similar vases were used in empowerments. To say wisdom is the coronation vase means that it confers empowerment as King of dharmataa. spyod: 1 Behavior. 2 Apprehension. 3 Action in the trio view, practice, and action spyod yul: Sphere of behavior, realization, instantiation. —med: It does not exist. skal med spyod yul ma yin: Not realized by those without good fortune. spyod rgyud: Upa yoga, the fifth yaana. See theg pa dgu. srid pa: The phenomenal world, sa.msaara. srid gsum: The three realms: The desire realm and its inhabitants, the realm of pure form (visions, the deities of pure form etc), and the formless realm (inhabited by formless deities). stobs kyi rigs pa: The power of direct experience of reality, the ultimate source of all reasoning. stong pa'i rang gzugs: rang gzugs, self-form, is like rang snang, self-appearance qua one's own appearance. Forms appear to one, but they are empty of any truly existing nature of their own. They are kun btags, dualis tic, false conceptions in the sense of yogaachaara and natureless in the sense of Naagaarjuna. stong pa [nyid]: Emptiness. It is established conceptually by showing that a concept cannot be instantiated, e.g. round square. It is directly intuited in the formless meditation of the aaryas. At the time of fruition it is realized as a direct vision of naturelessness as the nature of the absolute, “nothing whatever and so it arises as all there is.” stugs po bkod pa: Ga.n.davyuuha, the densely ornamented or densely structured realm, as described in the sutra of the same name. This is the form of the vision of the sambhogakaaya realm that realizes/enjoys the pure perceptions and energies of omniscient wisdom. This is also aesthetic perception of form etc. as the ornament. The array is dense not only because it is elaborate, but because of its multifarious connections of rten 'brel etc, which are such that everything is said to be contained within everything else. In this closed, endless web of pure vision, everything contains everything else and presupposes everything else, so ultimates of time, space, and meaning are nowhere to be found. Thus, according to the Avata.msaka Suutra, within every atom of the universe the whole universe is contained, and within every instant all of eternity is contained. This interpenetration is not discussed in this text, as it is more an aspect of the vision of mahaayoga. (e.g. the gsang snying). This aspect never seems to have the
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY emphasis in Tibet it does in certain Hwa Yen and Zen teachings. But it is there, and it is correct to think of ati notions of the form aspect of enlightenment in this way. [KPSR VCTR] thabs: Upaaya, skillful means, method, expediency. In the mahaayaana, the paaramitaas are called the path of means that ripens, and prajñaa is called the path that frees. In the tantra a similar distinction is often made between the practices having form as upaaya and the formless ones beyond distinction like mahaamudraa or ati as the path that frees. thag gcod: Settle, resolve, decide, have “got it.” thams cad mkhyen pa['i ye shes]: Omniscient [wisdom] which knows all phenomena without mixing, as the buddhas do. It is associated with the wisdom of extent, pure perception, and the vision of Ga.n.davyuuha. theg pa [dgu]: I. Hinayaana: 1 shraavaka yaana nyan thos, the hearers or disciples. This is the monastic Buddhism taught by the nirmaa.nakaaya. It emphasizes the four noble truths: Life is full of suffering, this arises from the causal setup of dharmas, skandhas etc, which are transient without any enduring self. But given this situation, suffering too depends on a transient setup and cessation is possible. This is achieved by means of the eightfold path, right view, speech, thought, action, livelihood, exertion, mindfulness and samaadhi. By learning to be there, doing everything properly and mindfully, one cuts off the suffering arising from the speed, clinging, and desire for self-aggrandizement of ego, and attains enlightenment. One relearns like a baby to sit, eat, and walk like a buddha. Practicing shamatha and vipashyanaa, zhi gnas and lhag mthong, one learns to have the buddha mind. And yet it is said, the fathers dwell in complete humility. 2 Pratyekabuddha yaana, rang rgyal: The basic physical setup has already been determined. Here solitary yogins traditionally unlock the development of mind in sa.msaara and nirvaa.na, seeing how the skandhas, phung po, develop. Contemplating a corpse, one reasons backward through birth and craving etc to ignorance, the ultimate cause of life's sufferings. Cutting craving and attachment to externals, the yogin realizes the self sufficiency of one's ultimate nature. Letting this be as buddhahood is maitri, the ultimate kindness to oneself. In ati tradition the account given sounds very like the view of mind-only. It is said that the yogin realizes the emptiness of individual ego and of objects other than mind, but not of mind itself. Pratyekabuddha solitariness betrays a subtle remainder of belief in the independence and separability of self and other, which is basic to ego. II. Mahaayaana, theg pa chen po: 3 Bodhisattvayaana, byang chub sems dpa'i theg pa: Here maadhyamaka emptiness is realized. In ati tradition the emphasis is not nihilistic. Rather the nature of enlightened mind glimpsed in mind-only is seen to have always been universal and unobstructed. The skandhas and so forth which cause suffering are seen to be like mere temporary clouds on the face of the basic nature, sugatagarbha. Therefore, with great joy one enters the path of the bhuumis that goes beyond sa.msaara. As self and other do not exist, there is no boundary between maitri and compassion for all sentient beings. Yet this path is not trod by turning away from the phenomenal world, but rather relating to all situations fully as expressions of the ultimate nature. This is like the mindfulness of the eightfold path, but now it is unleashed in emptiness. It manifests as the practice of the ten paaramitaas, by which finally the proper manifestation of the body, speech, and mind, buddhahood, trikaaya, is attained. However there can be a problem here. For example, the elder Vimalakiirti was totally devoted to virtue and saving others. He goes among sewer-like dens of thieves and whores and was not corrupted. But the whole human world still looked like a sewer inhabited by perverts and criminals. One may see the absolute and the natural world as pure, and still have no pure vision of the relative altogether and of human society. So even with the vision of sugatagarbha and the paaramitaas, relative existence is something of a crude joke, a pot of night-soil. Hence the need for vajrayaana. III. Vajrayaana, rdo rje theg pa: A. the outer tantras, phyi rgyud: 4 kriyaa yoga, kri ya, bya rgyud, the tantra of action): Here we find that within us there is also the sacredness of the vajra world, the sambhogakaaya world of pure perception inhabited by deities, who are like kings and queens with their palaces and retinues. Because they have become totally egoless, everything they do is pure, sacred, and immensely powerful. In fact we encounter this world by relating to the guru's world, which invokes this pure aspect
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU of ourselves. At first we may feel rather like stupid, filthy monkeys in relation to this world. We cannot participate as equals, but only as spectators. However, if we surrender ourselves to this as devoted servants, there is a possibility of becoming part of the vajra world. That is the logic of kriyaa. Meanwhile one can purify oneself and one's basic energies in hopes of becoming a decent vajra-citizen. In kriyaa this is very literal, with many baths and changes of clothes, white food, etc. 5 Upa, The most basic difference as we progress to upa through the outer tantras is that one begins the relate to the deity as a friend. Oneself is samayasattva, the deity is jñaanasattva, the real thing, who is sending his wisdom down on us, and the pretence of being of that nature seems less and less preposterous. 6 yoga: Finally we truly realize that the deity, who represents the nature of the guru's vajra world, also is our own true nature as well. So we can actually become mahaasukha princes and princesses of the five families. That is the fruition of the yoga yaana. The five skandhas etc. have been transmuted into the perfection of the five wisdoms. B. The inner tantras: But even here there is a subtle reference point of perfection, wisdom-message, divinity and so forth, vs. something imperfect, unwise and so forth that is co-emergently ignored. Hence the further journey of the inner tantras that transcend reference point altogether. 7 Mahaa: Here there is much more confidence in situations as embodying the continuity of the self-existing fruition ma.n.dala. For example, in the eight heruka ma.n.dala, bka' brgyad, the herukas are less embodiments of ideas, than means of cutting through such conceptualizations. Yangdag yang dag, the vajra heruka punctures concepts with a scepter like a pin, revealing naked space The ratna heruka is the King of Death , shi rje, with an owl. Hayagriiva and Vajrakiilaya, rta mgrin/ rdo rje phur ba, the padma and karma herukas, reveal naked passion and aggression. etc. This yaana emphasizes the visualizations of the developing stage, bsked rim. 8 In comparison to this complex network of divine forces:, a sort of Tibetan cabala, anu, is relatively simplified, in essence one sees every thing as the union of primordial space and wisdom, e.g. the bliss of union of Samantabhadra and Samantabhadrii in their cosmic dance. The complexities of the lower yaanas are largely removed. The means for doing this is the practice of the fulfillment stage, and in particular, the yoga of naadii, praa.na and bindu. 9 Ati is like the punch line, and doesn't make proper sense without the other yaanas. All remaining conceptualizations are stripped away so that the fruition becomes completely naked and self existing. As the text says, this is how it is for one who has done all the work. One can say to a superbly trained musician etc, “Just let go and do it,” and hope to hear beautiful music. If one gives the same advice to a person without musical training, this result is unlikely. Thus ati traditionally functions as the framework and culmination of the nine yaana training, as a means for removing nirvaa.nic neurosis and so on. It is not generally meant as a complete program in its own right. Most distortions of ati come from ignoring this. theg chen: Mahaayaana, the bodhisattva yaana. theg dman: Hinayaana, including the shraavaka yaana and pratyekabuddha yaana. thig le: Bindu. See rlung. thod rgal: thögel Literally crossing the forehead, to ford the skull. 1 Bypass, leap over, overpass, cross (over or above). 2 Instantaneous directness. 3 Crossing in one leap, in leaps and bounds, “to skip the grades.” 4 Evanescent realization. Thögel works with the “supreme luminosity” of things as they are, using various yogic techniques. By comparison with tregchö it involves effort. As tregchö mixes insight and emptiness, thod rgal mixes appearance and emptiness. This occurs gradually by arising of the snang ba bzhi. In thögel appearance is liberated into primordial lustrous manifestation as the bindus of the five lights. The vajra chain of lambs practice is part of this process. Thus one can attain a luminous body with power over rebirth. Internal dbyings is integrated with external one of dharmataa, so that one realizes their unity. Thus one goes beyond the illusory body which depends on relative praa.na. A sign of attaining the rainbow body is said to be that on death one's body becomes smaller and disappears, leaving only the hair and nails. thog babs chen po: The great suddenness. Sudden realization.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY thub pa: 1 Capable or mighty one: Reach, arrive, encounter. thugs rje: In ati is sometimes equivalent to the power of manifestation [rtsal] and like the latter = manifestation in general = ruupakaaya which produces benefit for others, bringing them to dharmakaaya, the benefit for oneself. But here there is the idea that all manifestations are either offerings for the enjoyment of enlightened beings, or presentations of the teachings to those who are not enlightened. In this case these sense of rtsal as skillful performance, articulation, etc is relevant. The individual receives teachings exactly suited to his needs and understanding, a personalized ma.n.dala as it were. So below comp assion is the power and ground of arising. Or, opposed to power, one can say that compassion is the manifested power of the ground. In the context of essence, nature, and compassion, ngo bo rang bzhin thugs rje it refers to the nirmaa.nakaaya level of dualistic manifestation in particular. ting nge 'dzin: Samaadhi. See snyom 'jug. ting 'dzin gsum: The three samaadhis: 1) de bzhin nyid, suchness. 2 kun tu snang ba, the nature appearing as everything. 3 rgyu: The single cause. tsa .n.da li: Cha.n.dali. gtum mo. Heat yoga practice involving praa.na, naa.dii, and bindu, rlung rtsa and thig le. tshi chad nad: tshi: Sticky, slimy, filth, glue. Medical: = bad kan gyi tshi, : tenacious slime. chad: From 'chad: cut off, decay, cease to flow. —nad: A disorder of the phlegm causing internal gumming up and stoppage. In the text it is a metaphor for fixation on effort. KPSR, the meaning in this text is "waste of time." tshad: Measure, scope, criteria. tshogs brgyad: The eight consciousnesses. They are the five senses, the conceptual mind, the mind of emotions and kleshas, aalayavijñaana, and aalaya. They are discussed in the text. tshogs gnyis: The two accumulations, merit and wisdom. tshogs drug: The six senses (including the mental sense). u pa: Upa yoga, upaayayoga, the fifth yaana. See theg pa dgu. yan: Wild, free from, with the connotation of the natural freedom of ownerless lands and wild animals. Cf. rang yan, kha yan, phyogs yan. yang dag: Real, true, actual, genuine, authentic, proper, perfect, very, completely. —kun rdzob, vs. log pa'i kun rdzob: True and false relative, in the conventional sense. dag vs. ma dag pa'i kun rdzob: The impure vision of ordinary beings vs. the pure vision of the noble ones, 'phags pa. Embodied as yang dag, the vajra heruka of the bka' brgyad, the ma.n.dala of eight heruka-principle of mahaayoga. ye nas: Like gdod nas, back-looking eternity, primordial, from the beginning; hence translated “from all eternity.” But it also keeps going limitlessly and hence is eternal. In some passages in the text this is essential to the argument. Usually translated in the text as, “eternal.” ye 'byams: Literally primordially universal or all-pervading. ye shes lgna: The mirror like wisdom, wis dom of equality, wisdom of individual discrimination, all-accomplishing wisdom, and dharmadhaatu wisdom. They are discussed in the text. ye shes: wisdom, literally primordial awareness or knowledge. Pristine cognition, direct intuition of absolute reality beyond conception. Sometimes the kaayas and wisdoms : kun mkhyen—, snang ba'i, lhan cig—, so rang rig—.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU ye shes sems dpa': One visualizes that jñaanasattva, of similar appearance to one's visualization of the deity of saadhana, samayasattva, embodying spontaneously existing wisdom, descends and transmutes one's visualization. Ideally an experience of this actually occurs. Usually the visualization has the same outer form as that of samayasattva. yi dwags: Preta, hungry ghost. Some have huge bellies and minute throats and suffer great torments of hunger and thirst. Some are rather like our conceptions of ghosts or malignant spirits yi dam: Short for yid kyi dam tshig, samaya of mind. Deity of tantric practice that one is performing, e.g. Chakrasa.mvara, Vajrayoginii, especially the deity of one's main practice. yid: Mind, intellect in general; = Yid kyi rnam shes. yid kyi rnam shes: Intellectual consciousness. See tshogs brgyad. yid dpyod: Intellectualization, conclusion reached merely conceptually. ES. yid bzhin nor bu: Wish-fulfilling gem, a mythical gem that makes things "as one desires," rather like Aladdin's lamp. yo ga: Yoga, the sixth yaana, see theg pa dgu. yod pa: Existence. In conventional truth it is said that there can be no existence without non-existence. They are complimentary. In maadhyamaka it is argued that if anything has the characteristic of existence it ought to be intrinsically existent and hence eternal. So existence is equated with eternalism, and nonexistence with nihilism. What exists should be changeless and incapable of interaction with anything else. Relying on this logic, the texts will sometimes draw conclusions about existence that seem less than obvious in ordinary English. Readers will have to resolve questions of the ultimate validity of these statements for themselves by studying the appropriate texts. yon tan bcu: Various lists will sometimes be so called. 1) The ten paaramitaas. 2) The stobs yon tan bcu, the ten powers of a buddha. 3) The ten abstentions from unwholesome karmic paths: 1 Not destroying life. 2 Not taking what is not given. 3 Refraining from improper sexual activities [together these are the three good actions of body.] 4 Not speaking falsely. 5 Not using abusive language. 6 Not slandering. 7 Not speaking frivolously or irrelevantly [together these are the four good actions of speech.] 8 Not being covetous. 9 Not being malicious. 10 Not having wrong view [these together are the three good actions of mind.] yon tan: 1 good quality, virtue, excellence 2 object, property 3 skill, learning, knowledge. 4 Buddha qualities, enlightened qualities, the qualities of the pure perception of enlightenment. They are said to be eternally existing but to manifest when one attains enlightenment, as does wisdom etc. Sometimes these are differentiated from qualities of enlightenment that can be said to be produced. In particular the ten powers, four fearlessnesses, eighteen distinct doctrines of the buddhas, and thirty-two major marks are called the sixty-four qualities of a buddha. They are described e.g., in the Uttaratantra. yon tan lnga: ES. KSTR. These are as follows: 1 rnam dag pa'i shing khams, completely pure buddha fields. 2 rgya tshad bral ba'i gzhal yas khang, immeasurable celestial palaces. 3 gsal zhing dag pa'i od zer, pure and radiant light rays. 4 khyad par 'phags pa'i gdan khri, highly exalted thrones. 5 dgyes rgur spyod pa'i longs spyod, rapturous enjoyment of doing what is desired. yongs su rnal 'byor: Perfect[ing] yoga = anu yoga. See theg pa dgu. yul dag: 1 Pure of [sa.msaaric, dualistic] objects. 2 Objects of pure appearance, free of objects of the preceding kind. 3 The pure sphere. za zi: Used in relation to mind. Thoughts arise but are seen as empty. It can also mean dark or obscure, hard to pin down, recognize, and identify. KPSR, Goldstein lists it as variant of zang zing. Cf. rab rib, ra ri
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY zab: Profound refers to the emptiness of dharmakaaya, =ji lta, Vast, rgyas) often refers to ruupakaaya = ji snyed q.v. zab zeb: Without objective focus or reference point. Similar to, gtad so. KPSR. zad pa: 1 Exhaust, wear out. 2 Complete. ma zad, nothing but, not only. occ. all-pervading. zang [ka] [ma]: Vacuous, unobstructed, as it is, just so, genuine, unadulterated, true, ordinary simplicity. zang [ma] thal: Transparent, completely penetrating, unobstructed, empty, not solid, nakedly empty. Sometimes = zang ka, rang ga ma. Abbr. zang ka thal ma 'byin, : Penetrating wakefulness. zang zing: 1 Worldly possessions or offerings. 2 Tumult, turbulence, disorder. Cf. za zi zhi: 1 Peace. 2 Pacifying (one of the phrin las lnga). 3 Nirvaa.na zhi byed: The pacifier, the system of Phadampa Sangs rgyas. It is discussed in The Blue Annals, p 867 ff. zhi gnas: Calm abiding, tranquility, serenity, quiescence [neither = nirvaa.na of the karma of pacifying] A basic meditation practice found in most schools of Buddhism. The mind is tamed and sharpened by being brought back again and again to the meditative object. In practice the breath is the most used object. Originally in hinayaana shamatha was practiced in order to attain the dhyaana states, bsam gtan) yogic trance states in which bliss, equanimity, and various higher perceptions were claimed to be experienced. However even hinayaana claims that such states do not constitute enlightenment and can easily lead to various spiritual attachments. In ati:, shamatha is practiced not to attain one-pointed trance-concentration on an object, but to cut off attachment to thoughts and perceptions, which then are left as they are. By doing this one can directly experience one's selfexisting, true nature, one and all sufficient, and rest in that. With repeated practice this resting becomes spontaneous, and one realizes the basic nature as unchangeable and self-existing, like a mountain. This is the same buddha nature that is realized as bodhicitta and so forth in ati. However, here it is realizes only as one's own true nature. Many subtle conceptualizations must be eliminated before it becomes known as the universal nature. In the Semdé shamatha is described as part of a fourfold process of realization, zhi gnas, lhag mthong, gnyis med, lhun grub. NN —steng po: inert shamatha. —ltengs po, the pool of shamatha = —steng po zhing or sangs rgyas zhing: Realms of particular buddhas where sentient beings attain enlightenment. E.g. this is Jambudvipa which is the buddha field of the buddha Shaakyamuni. The infinity of buddha fields is a major theme in such tathaagatagarbha suutras as the Ga.n.davyuuha and Avata.msaka. Pure land or realm. Each of the five bhagavans is associated with one. Akani.sh.tha and Ga.n.davyuuha are called buddha fields. Twenty-five [sometimes twenty-one] such fields are said to be on the hands of Vairochana, Yid bzhin mdzod 28ff. [v. ES] corresponding to the permutations of body, speech, mind, quality and action, as body of body, speech of body, etc.
Appendix 1:
THE REASON OF THE FOUR REALIZATIONS from Chöpel Gyamtso's commentary to the Sangnying, Here is the explanation of the one cause and so forth. From the wrong conceptions of the mind of ignorance, sa.msaara appears, and, from the ma.n.dala of kaaya and wisdom, nirvaa.na appears. The dharmas of appearance of and attachment to the duality of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na should be considered the reason of the one cause. The way of contemplating it is that by the reason of the succession of the previous contemplations, the later ones are produced. This contemplation is due to these four reasons together:
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 1. The purity of the single cause 2. Producing the manner of the letters 3. The purity of the blessing 4. The manifestation As to the details, the nature is unborn. Play is unceasing. The essence is inseparable. Also non-existence of object and subject are manifestly realized. This freedom from the mind of characteristics is the doctrine that is taught. The one cause is that all the collective dharmas of sa.ms aara and nirvaa.na are within the unborn space of the dhaatu, the nature of mind, self-arising wisdom. Realizing or not realizing that it is like that are the two appearances of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. For example, it may be said with exaggeration that a commoner who has typhus is a prince, and truthfully that a real prince is a prince. The essence of these two pramaa.nas is the prince. The Gyamtso says. Within the space of dharmataa, as unity, All dharmas without exception are one's experience, Without exception realized as Bodhicitta. The ceaseless play of the unborn radiance of the nature of mind is experience of divine body, speech, and mind. Since the symbolless letter A, appears as the producer of many symbolic letters, there is therefore the realization of symbol. It is like a finger pointing at the moon. The Gyamtso says: Because it has appeared as body, speech, and mind, All is realized as the ornament of speech. Everything there is is the lettering of speech. Because it has upaaya it will proliferate. By the power of realizing reality, the unborn nature and ceaseless play rise as the power of the blessing of realizing the inseparable essence. The essence-cause is self-existing. Therefore, this apparent aspect and apparent essence appear as experience of the ma.n.dala of the kaayas and wisdoms. This is like gold and the color of gold. The Gyamtso says: From this blessing inseparable from suchness, Which is the blessing of that suchness itself, That experience appears to one as non-duality Is a wondrous blessing beyond the scope of thought. That inseparability of the truths is beyond the scope of the mind. This is because the object to be viewed and the viewing awareness, non-dually manifested as self-insight, are realized as objectless self-clarity. That is the natural state of all dharmas as they are. The reason is that for those with pure streams of mind the way of seeing wisdom is like that. Just so, the color of a white conch shell seen by eyes without fault is called its natural state as it is. The Gyamtso says: These minds are self-arising as unborn, non-dual self-insight. This is clearly manifested without doubt That explains the highest of all realizations. The Mala of the View says: That all dharmas exist as eternal buddhahood does not contradict the scriptures and oral instructions. Not depending only on the mere words of the scriptures and oral instructions, it is personally experienced and manifestly realized with faith to the depths of the mind. Thus by reason of the four supreme realizations all dharmas are resolved. The natural state appears at it is. It manifests as one's own insight with perfect clarity. Therefore, all at once, without abandoning or receiving, it
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY becomes the abhi.sheka of the play of kaaya and wisdom. This is the King. No doctrine is greater than this. Former doctrines which are subsequently contemplated have a gradual manner of realization. This empowerment is made all at once: 1. Dualistic things, including all dharmas, become the inseparable truth of the one cause. 2. That way of gathering is symbolized as the letters A U M. 3. One becomes convinced of the power of blessing of that non-dual space of the dhaatu, eternally enlightened as the three vajras, body, speech, and mind. 4. This occurs by the manifestation of one's own insight. Therefore one is completely liberated from the sphere of mind. The rngoms glog says: 1. The cause is the two truths instantly united. 2. The unity has one symbol as its expression. 3. In the ma.n.dala of body, speech, and mind, The nature of all dharmas is realized By the blessing of non-dual space of the dhaatu All dharmas are known as being [mere] appearance. 4. When there is the occurrence of such a nature, And non-dependence not contradicting that Is decided by the manifesting of insight, One has reached the level of yogic union.
NOTES 1
. pron. chö ying rin po che'i dzö ché ja wé drel pa lung gi terdzö. . dri med. 3 . lha. 4 . rang bshin rnam grol. The true nature, rang bshin, of beings and sa.msaara, is the same state of complete liberation or freedom, rnam there are no limited beings, but only buddhas who do not know what they are. 5 . lhun mnyam = lhun grub mnyam pa nyid. KSTR. 6 . gdod ma'i dbyings . 7 . bzhugs. 8 . 'khor lo, wheel, circle here means realm and [self-existing] maala, dkyil 'khor. 9 . sgron ma rnam par bkod pa. 10 . Power, thub pa, also is a title of the Buddha, “The Muni” the Powerful One, the Sage. 11 . rang bshin rdzogs pa chen po. OR great natural perfection. 12 . gsang spyod pa sa bon gyi rgyud, pron. sang chö pa s a bön gyi gyü. 13 . nyag gcig rnal ma. 14 . snying po = bde gshegs snying po = sugatagarbha = dharmadhtu as space of bliss. 15 . rang byung. . 16 . sems nyid. OR the nature of mind. 17 . rig pa dang ma rig pa. Insight and ignorance [lit. non-insight] . 18 . The world is taken to arise in response to the pure aspirations of buddhas and the confused ones of beings. 19 . rgyud rig pa rang shar, pron. rgyü rig pa rng shar. 2
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 20
. “I” here is not an individual or the ego. KSTR The speaker is Samantabhadra, persinifying bodhicitta, the essence of primordial budd the doer of all. LUS. But he is our true nature, so this is also potentially ourselves. There is no time before eternal buddhahood, but evo this world with its distinctions of buddhas and beings and so forth is a common scriptural theme. 21 . ga la yod. Literally “so how could there be...” 22 . Great... , ...chen po, often = beyond ...and not.... 23 . bdag chen: also, “self,” “what they are.” ...great master. 24 . thabs kyi pha rol phyin, upyapramit. 25 . sems here = sems nyid = byang chub sems. 26 . dur: tomb or death. in the next dur sa = charnel ground. Dharmadhtu is traditionally called a charnel ground, because all complex fixations subside into it. This subsiding of the world of ego is sometimes called the “great death.” 27 . 'gyur med dur sa nga la btab. btab, p. 'debs: throw, hit, general verbifier. plant a seed, found a monastery, do accounts, pitch a tent somewhat obscure. Neither LUS nor KSTR thought it meant “I send/put/plant the buddhas in that charnel ground. LUS though something like, I made the charnel ground. KSTR said that the overall idea was that this egoless I is the charnel ground. 'debs verbif charnel ground-ize.” He is himself the establishment of it. He adminis trates it. He is the entombment of all incidental, conceptual, sasric in buddhahood. The charnel ground metaphor is a common one, explained, for example, in VCTR's Sdhana of all the Siddhas. 28 . gnas here is ambiguous. It could mean “existence,” “place,” or = gnas lugs, “state of things as they are.” KSTR favored the latter. 29 . Here prajñ = absolute, non-conceptual prajñ not relative. 30 . sku, here = dharmakya. 31 . KPSR says that in general in ati negation of characteristics. dharmas, thoughts, etc. does not mean emptiness like space, but lack of fixations. 32 . The last phrase does not occur as such in the text. It is the literal meaning of chos dbyings, dharmadhtu. It also has a sense of b stuff out of which dharmas are formed. 33 . Reading brjod do for ...de. KSTR. 34 . phyogs med. 35 . rang rig. 36 . 'char gshi. 37 . gnas = gnas lugs. 38 . bla mar byon. 39 . Pron. tse ma nam drel. 40 . rnam 'grel du, where las would be expected. It might conceivably mean “in comment” or “by supplicating.” However, it does hav strokes indicating verses, and is followed by zhes, indicating a quote. KSTR said it was a quote from the tshad ma rnam 'grel. 41 . kun tu bzang po thugs kyi me long, pron. kün to zang po tuk kyi me long. 42 . rang bshin, rgyan, ston pa, rig pa, rtogs pa. 43 . The passage mostly concerns the unchanging nature in itself, making it natural to translate rang 'byung, and lhun grub, from the viewpoint as “naturally arisen” and “self-existing.” But they can still have a sense of self-arising and spontaneous from the relative vi There is a certain double vision in this, but not a sense of contradictory paradox. 44 . pho 'gyur med. 45 . gnas pa nyid = gnas lugs. 46 . yang dag don gyi no bo nyid. 47 . 'dzin pa med pas. This could be read, because it has no [fixating sasric] subject, is empty. 48 . rang gi: one's own, natural, intrinsic great bliss. 49 . rang gi rig par. = rang rig. 50 . rang snang, OR as the King. 51 . yang rtse literally “highest peak,” as Meru is the highest central peak in the middle of the four continents in hindu cosmology.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 52
. rang bshin babs. . ye 'byams. 54 . a ti bkod pa chen po, pron. a ti kö pa chen po. 55 . thig le. 56 . rang bshin babs. 57 . rgyud rig pa rang shar. 58 . Two lines inverted. 59 . rang shar. 60 . ...Which is dharmat. 61 . ma 'gags. 53
62
. ma btsal. . gshi gnas, is sometimes shamatha, but this is full blown enlightenment. It can be interpreted as here = gshi gnas lugs, fundamenta things as they are or as dwelling within the ground. 64 . Probably the unchanging vajrakya etc. See “sku lnga.” 65 . The grammar of these lines in isolation makes it unclear whether the relationships involved are those of cause or identity. The comm context seems to require the latter. 66 . OR all-performing/creating King. kun byed rgyal po, pron. Künjé gyal po. 67 . ma bcos. 68 . nges med: it does not have fixed reference points. It is not true or real. 69 . ...Gather externally and internally. 70 . so so rang gi rig pa [KPSR]. 71 . This could also be saying within the sky-like state of our own insight there is the play of various dharmas existing as if they were th and essence... Such is poetry. 72 . kun las snyoms par. kun moved to next line. 73 . . 74 . What is immovable, strictly speaking, is the space of the dhtu. Phenomena do not move because they do not truly exist. 75 . 'gyu 'phro. 76 . rang snang: one's experience. rang shar, one's own experience. rang shar here = spontaneous and also “as just itself” this time n sense of the essence, but as just mere illusory experience, like a dream. 77 . ye shes kyi sku. Wisdom is the perceiver and kyas the object. Cf. SSN. 78 . yi ge med pa. 79 . This line has thugs, honorific for mind vs. sems non-honorific in the last. Sems as many times in ati presumably = byang chub bodhicitta. Otherwise it would be irrelevant. In such contexts the three gates, body, speech and mind, have the meaning of forms/thing ing/communication, awareness. 80 . snying po'i don la blang 'dor med pa'i phyir, could mean because within ultimate sugatagarbha there is nothing to accept or reject that seems less clear. 81 . grags shing gnas, OR exist and are known by talked about in sounds of speech. 82 . bkod, also as “display” just above. 83 . Ordinary meanings and communication seem to become a universal display of teachings. VCTR said that at a certain point on the may be intense enough to become a sense of being haunted. 63
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 84
. Here the essence of the concepts of ordinary understanding rig pa is transparently seen rig as rig pa in the ati sense, insight-wisdom concept. Longchenpa takes pains to point out that the difference between this and saying conceptual mind is Buddha is as great as that heaven and earth. This sort of passage is behind the VCTR translation of rig pa as insight—which is both ordinary and extraordinary. 85 . ...Three maalas. 86 . Reality: don. included: 'dus. 87 . cho 'phrul, elsewhere “miracle.” 88 . rang gzugs, which is similar to rang snang, here = one's own projection [onto appearance] of what does not exist. 89 . KSTR it is the illusory projected object that is empty and does not exist at all. . 90 . Spontaneous...mere experience they are = rang shar. 91 . LUS thought this was the sense of tshor byed ma 'gags nga yi yid ltar mgyogs. Ati masters can have an astonishing ability to dea instantly with complex situations because they are not hindered by having to think things out in terms of reference points. 92 . LUS read yi as yis. Otherwise it reads they are my charnel ground, which seems unusual. 93 . Longer title of Ngrjuna's Mlamadhyamakakrik . In Tibetan, rtsa ba'i shes rab [dbu ma'i sho lo ka dag]. 94 . btags here = kun btags. 95 . lhun mnyam. 96 . ye babs. 97 . gcig tu 'khyil. 98 . . 99 . sen ge rtsal rdzogs, pron. Sengé tsäl dzok. 100 . 'ub chub . 101 . Evenness, cha snyoms. 102 . no bo snang ba sku yi klong du thim. The words could be read as referring to withdrawal of phenomena into basic space. The implies merging as appearance\emptiness. 103 . dbyings, rig pa, and gsal ba are inseparably united in this one nature. Thus it is not rang bshin in the sense opposed to ngo bo. 104 . lung bstan. 105 . A gloss of longs spyod rdzogs. 106 . rang ngo. 107 . rang shar. 108 . sprul pa as in sprul pa'i sku = nirmakya. 109 . ngo bo las. 110 . The künjé reverses the meanings of ngo bo, and rang bshin, found elsewhere in this text. 111 . chos nyid. 112 . dang re legs. 113 . Such unintelligent people.... 114 . I don't know where. 115 . brtag pa gnyis pa, pron. takpa nyi pa. It is from the Hevajra cycle. 116 . KSTR: He is explaining the subjects of the vinaya. 117 . lhun rdzogs = lhun grub rdzogs KSTR TT. 118 . Great and eternally.... 119 . mi zad. 120 . Fixed conceptualizations do not correspond to reality, either on the level of appearance, or that of the ground.
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 121
. Literally, bdag, = here bdag chen, the great master or great self, mahtma= The King = the emperor of this “imperial yna.” [with som license.] 122 . Ugyen Rinpoche says that stong gsum, which usually means three thousand, here means a thousand cubed, or one billion. 123 . sangs, OR awakened. 124 . rang snang...rang rig. Our: See glossary, “we.” 125 . mkhyen pa'i spyod yul: the sphere of their knowledge, what they know, where their activity occurs. 126 . klong tu 'gyur, can mean they become, are within, or are the Space of insight. While all are appropriate, the second seems close sense of the verses. 127 . nyi mkha', just leaves the relationship of sun and space hanging. 128 . rang la yod. 129 . = The kyas and wisdoms. 130 . 'char gshi'am ston pa. The single teacher, insight-wisdom, which as such does not appear, is the ground of the many manifesta trikya. Thus it is the teacher or displayer of these, the producer of them all. 131 . This might be seen as saying that things do not appear as they are to insight-bodhicitta, but this is not the doctrine of ati. There passage has to mean that when there are individual dharmas things do not appear as they are, but when they are gathered into the single bodhicitta where there are no such dharmas, things do appear as they are. This is exactly the doctrine of ati. The prima facie paradox following root verses should be interpreted in the light of this. The following verses play on the meaning of kun [tu] bzang [po], as both “Samantabhadra” and “total goodness.” 132 . bgrod, OR progress. 133 . 'khyil. ...Included within. 134 . Marks, mtshon. = characterized. 135 . Manifestation is also known by the wisdom of prajñpramit = Samantabhadr as being of the essence of space. 136 . rtags mchog ldan. KSTR read this as “possesses the supreme signs [of complete realization.] He did not think it meant something l best of symbols/reasons.” 137 . mkha'. 138 . They are pure of fixations of extremes such as eternalism and nihilism. 139 . rgya ma chad. 140 . 'byung, could also be arising. 141 . On this level knowing = direct vision. 142 . gcig tu 'khyil . 143 . She is prajñpramit uniting all in the essence of emptiness. 144 . The phenomenal world is seen as the heruka principle. 145 . gsal 'tshor, can be perception of luminosity as perceived without the fixations of ego. 146 . chos 'byung. Here she is equated with the kin principle, involving not only space, but the energy of desire/compassion etc as m arising. cf. below Compassion.... 147 . sa bon dgnos. Here relative existence is compared to a seed which grows into buddhahood. 148 . In the next four shlokas the usual attributes are reversed which is like the Heart Sutra saying that which is appearance is emptiness which is emptiness is appearance. 149 . Like dreams in that they are not appearances of some truly existing entity external to experience = rang snang. Mere experience: 150 . rang mtshan. 151 . so so rang gi rig pa. 152 . Cf. TT54 which speaks of a basic level of duality and a purely conceptual one. The subject object split occurs at both levels. Note gzung and 'dzin arise simultaneously. The terms are not always so explained, even in this text.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 153
. bdag 'dzin. . mu tig phreng ba, pron. mutig treng wa. 155 . Our projected conceptions: rnam rtog. 156 . Sdud pa, pron. dü pa. 157 . . 158 . Ie. not a claim that the obscurations of confusion do not arise in any sense. 159 . What does not exist cannot have a truly existing nature. Eg. if a rope is taken for a snake, there is nothing with the nature of a snake not do to say that on the relative level there is no confusion. However, from the absolute viewpoint of there is neither rope nor snake, nirva, it is right to say that confusion never existed like the child of a barren woman. This, which is logically established by p mdhyamaka, is here directly experienced. 160 . Thus on the relative level one can distinguish what is true and false. The next is the absolute level, on which there are equally no rop snake. This is the level on which it is correct to say confusion never existed. 161 . The dharmas involved with the path, realizing nirva etc, the wisdom of the pure relative. 162 . 'jig rten: It is justified only in terms of the practical activities of the world, and it makes no sense to call it absolute. This is mdh doctrine. It is also like the account science typically gives of itself these days. 163 . yang dag. 164 . rin chen spungs pa, pron. rin chen pung pa. 165 . sangs, OR awakened. 166 . The sense in which med pa gsal snang, do not exist is the sense in which these examples do not. 167 . The Longdé says that in the sense it is correct to say that the absolute, emptiness truly exists, it is correct to say that appearance truly exist. This is very close to prsangika mdhyamaka. 168 . lhun grub sgo las rang shar bas. cf. TT51. Without the need for purification or analysis, appearance is primordially appea appearance/emptiness. 169 . . sangs. 170 . ltos here and . = opposite. KSTR. 171 . . 172 . gyur chen, pron. gyür chen. 173 . sangs rgyas med cing su yis bcings pa'i rgya. KSTR preferred this to, “ ...by whom has the net been tied, or “There is no buddh sealed as such.” He said that the basic idea is that there are neither buddhas nor sentient beings, so nobody is there to be bound in sasra 174 . 'khrul dang ma rig sems can su la srid ming med. KSTR . 175 . lhun rdzogs. KSTR. 176 . lhun mnyam. 'dus has a double meaning. 1) These are the summary verses of the chapter. 2) The meaning summarized is th dualities are gathered into one in the great perfection (or seen to be already included within its unity. mdor na, in the next line inclin interpret it as summary, but the commentary says sasra and nirva are gathered or united as one, 'dus. 177 . Energy: rtsal. Usually “power.” 178 . . shar tsam nyid nas. 179 . don la med de: Really non-existent, when they are non-existent, without them. The meaning seems to be not that dreams are blissfu are nightmares after all. However insight in itself on the level of pure luminosity is mahsukha. Eg. in the six yogas one experiences luminosity of sleep. 180 . lhun grub kyi sgo la. This vision of things is self existing, so it arises spontaneously when one lets go of illusory fixation. 181 . dbyings snang = gshi snang. 182 . ngos bzung gi chos. 183 . rnam pa. OR aspects. 184 . ye gnas. 154
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 185
. dmigs pa'i yul med OR does not have conceiv able\ perceivable objects. . stong pa'i rang gzugs. 187 . ma nges. 188 . Empty, not arising as existence = sa.msaara. 189 . dmigs med. 190 . byang chub, bodhi, here = bodhicitta. 191 . Literally, sku, [=kaaya] gsung (speech, hon.) “the body and speech of buddhas and lus/ngag, “the (ordinary) body and speec sentient beings.” 192 . dgnos po: OR of real things. 193 . This is distinction between things, not subject and object in particular. 194 . Pron. long druk pa. 195 . Primarily this is practice of mantrayaana in general. 196 . rnam pa, phenomena. here = sa.msaaric phenomena of consciousness, rnam par shes pa, and yul, objects = dgnos po. This line doe refer to formless experience, but to freedom from conceptual obscurations. 197 . These do not exist as conceptions. 198 . dmigs pa med. Nothing real corresponds to that conception. 199 . phyam gdal, “all-pervading and encomp assing,” omitted. 200 . dgongs pa. 201 . nga yi yul med gshi bsam bral. KSTR read this as saying, “I am the ground [the way things are] This ground is without object thoughts.” He did not think the primary sense was, “I exist, but not as an object,” although this is true in one sense. He did not think n yul, or that only I-objects and thoughts of the ground are negated. . 202 . lhun. 203 . bcas pa, here = brtsegs “which has been constructed.” 204 . phyogs med kun shong: impartial, ie. non-exclusive, all-inclusive totality. phyogs med = without directions and aspects is unlikely, all phenomena are included within this fortress. 205 . tshad dang ngos bzung. 206 . de dag, “these,” does not have an obvious referent. KSTR thought it referred to this as the essence of the various extremes. thought it might refer to the nature of those of excellent mind. Dharmataa and bodhicitta would also be conceivable. It might be a misprin something like de'i dag gi rang bshin, that pure nature. In any case the point is clearly that phenomena are of the pure nature of bodhicitt 207 . 'byor ba'i bkod. 208 . OR gathered and emanated appearances are all the rtsal, (powers/energy/ manifestations) of wisdom. 209 . dgongs pa. 210 . 'khyil. 211 . dgongs pa'i drod. 212 . yul la mi ltos. 213 . lung ma bstan. 214 . Essential and this wisdom . 215 . This passage has numerous plays on the literal meaning of ye shes, wisdom, “eternal awareness” or “eternal knowing.” Thes difficult to translate. 216 . ...Samaadhi and so forth. 217 . ...All the buddhas. 218 . 'jig rten byis pa. OR worldly fools. 186
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 219
. thim, here “merges, elsewhere “dissolve,” does not mean that one must dissolve all manifestations into nothingness, but refers to un . ...All the objects, 221 . . 222 . Literally, “this is the sphere of dharmadhaatu, the extensiveness of the khams = sugatagarbha.” 223 . 'das rjes. 224 . What in sa.msaara appears as the selfhood of mind and objects appear as unobstructed experience for insight. This experience from viewpoint of the pure relative is dharmakaaya, but from the absolute viewpoint it is empty and is not established as truly existing. 225 . rang gi thog, from its start = self-liberation. 226 . No 1 to 1 correlation. 227 . so sor gsal. 228 . 'khyil. 229 . zlum pa. 230 . bya rtsol bsam yul, “beyond act effort thought object,” could reasonably be read with various combinations of and's and of's. seemed most natural to KSTR. 231 . dgongs pa. 232 . 'gyu byed rnams. 233 . lam bgrod, the path has been travelled. 234 . Thoughts here are opposed to direct realization, not formless experience. 235 . Philosophical monism or mystical experience of all as one thing [mind etc] is no more ultimate for ati than philosophical or experie dualism. 236 . ji ltar. OR whatever appears is my essence. 237 . Words remain conceptual, but they are transparent. They clearly appear as the essence, embody the nature, and are part of the purp of compassion. KSTR. 238 . yul med, = empty. 239 . “perfect enjoyment of sambhogakaaya” = longs spyod rdzogs pa'i sku. 240 . rang shar: All the meanings seem relevant. 241 . All arises as.... 242 . ded dpon dam par byon pa rnams: On the most literal level ship captains who have come in a holy way. 243 . . 244 . Arises merely.... 245 . nying 'khrul du snang. 246 . nyams dga'. 247 . snying po. 248 . dben, literally, “isolated,” here = stong pa. KSTR. 249 . . 250 . . 251 . rdo rje snying po. 252 . ji ltar. OR whatever. 253 . , 254 . la 'chos byed: OR construct artificialities within. 255 . . 220
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 256
. In ati, sems sometimes = byang chub sems, bodhicitta, = sems nyid, the true nature of mind = buddhahood. Sometimes it means ' sems, confused mind. If one does not differentiate the two, one will not know the difference between confusion and realization. One even imagine that ati was saying that confusion itself was buddhahood. This is a great error. KSTR. 257 . Within: ngang las/ ngang du: OR as that state.
. . 260 . 261 . 262 . 263 . 264 . 258 259
. 'gag.
An extended explanation is found in chapter ten. The following line translates the literal meaning. .
262.22 chos nyid, here = nature . gsal, here = clarifies .
Pron. dra thal wahr jur tsa wè'i gyü. Translation ES. It looks like it might mean consequences of words, as in = consequential
praasangika .
. rdzogs. OR it is completely complete. . . 267 . . 268 . rtsal las . 269 . shar sa shar mkhan med: it is without place of arising and that which arises . 270 . ris med mnyam pa chen por 'ub chub bo. 271 . rtsal su shar. 272 . rang sar dag = all this line. 273 . ris med sangs. 274 . mtshan ma'i yul med. 275 . In a humorous vein VCTR would sometimes say “engolluped.”. 276 . bya byed med. 277 . phyogs yan. No partialities or divisions separate dharmataa from something else. 278 . nges pa'i: ...True example . 279 . rang bshin. It is the all inclusive nature.. 280 . mnyam. ..equal great vastness.. 281 . 'chugs. 282 . throughout this quote. 283 . . 284 . dmigs med. 285 . . 286 . These are respectively the buddhas just preceding Shaakyamuni, the buddhas of the good kalpa, all the buddhas of the various time buddha fields. 287 . . 288 . khams . 289 . . 290 . 'phro . 265 266
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU
. ngos bzung gi chos su grub. . . KSTR, since the preceding and following sections concern trikaaya. 293 . . 294 . . 295 . rtsal gzugs brnyed lta bar shar. 296 . dus med, “timeless,” i.e. there is no time when they did not occur. 297 . kun rdzogs, all is perfect/completely perfect is repeated. 298 . la, “within,” could also be “are the essence of insight.”. 299 . mthong ba'i, literally, “that are seen.”. 300 . phyin pa'i phyir: One's mind is goalless and everything is empty. 301 . dbyings kyi chos gsum. KSTR interpreted this as ngo bo, rang bshin, and thugs rje. . 302 . Without darkness mun, and brilliance, snang, dharmas that appear in manifestation mngon par snang ba'i chos, are utterly perfected 303 . KSTR: dri ma gnyis, = sgrib pa gnyis. The five-fold luminous dharmas = the five wisdoms . 304 . This refers to the practice of emanating and gathering, in this case of letters in visualization. Here the fruition beyond all dualities, 291 292
as gathering and emanating has been attained. This is the ultimate meaning of what the syllables represent, which therefore is perfe KSTR.
. go kha la yod: it is [only] on the face or surface of it. This explains Longchenpa's understanding of rang shar, as applied to sa.ms entities in the following passage as being roughly equivalent to rang snang, subjective experience or snang tsam, mere appearance [m one's own, merely as it is]. As such it is seen as it is, as an incidental reflection within one's own nature, bodhicitta. Therefore, it is exhausted/perfected: its illusory false nature is exhausted, and its true nature as trikaaya, the ornament, one's intrinsic, naturally ar wisdom is perfectly displayed. If rang shar, = here, as often with enlightened entities “self-arising, intrinsically existing” the connecti perfection would be obscure. The multi-faceted use of rang shar, (cf. rang rig, elsewhere) makes the following passage quite difficult. In case I have tried to bring out the most relevant sense, but often several possible meanings apply. I have noted occurrences of rang sh that the reader can keep this in mind. 305
. rang shar ba[s]. . . 308 . Here rang shar, refers to enlightenment, so “self-arising” is appropriate. 309 . gzung. Here it is positive. 310 . “Words and names” not repeated. ...As only themselves . 311 . rang shar. 312 . . 313 . so sor shar. 314 . rang shar. 315 . so sor rdzogs. Cf. so sor rtags pa'i ye shes . 316 . brngod. 317 . rang shar: In this tradition there is no true accomplishment as long as meditation is conceived of as an effort to produce some desi 306 307
state. Shamatha puts us in a position to see our own intrinsic nature. Vipashyanaa extends this insight to appearances, whose nature i same as our own. Therefore, these are not two, and finally they are realized as the primordial samaadhi which is an intrinsic part of one's insight.
. blta bar. OR having viewed things conceptually .
318
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY
. rang shar: as separate entities they have already arisen as they are as mere appearance, aspects of oneself. In their true nature the
319
one one's own insight, enlightened mind. Thus ati is self-established.
. . 322 . 323 . 324 . 325 . 326 . 327 . 320 321
rang shar. rang shar.
Name and form are revealed as the two kaayas of form. These are the self-luminosity of one's nature. KSTR. dpag, literally, “measures” seems to = “reference points” here . bden shar.
their limitations are transparently understood. . rang shar.
One has all the self-existing experiences of realization. These are what the teachings are about: brjod bya gshi mar. Moreove
enlightened teachers like the buddha or Longchenpa the words of the teachings arise perfectly without effort. KSTR.
. rang gshag gshir shar bas. OR as the self-resting ground. . . chog gshag chen po'i lta bar ni. . 330 . rang shar. 331 . rang sar. 332 . . dag. Even if this is a plural, the ultimate meaning is the same . 333 . gshal / tshad. This can be literal or figurative = reference point etc. 334 . bre srang. 335 . Pron. gyu trul sang nying. = gsang snying, Sangnying . 336 . . 337 . rtogs pa bzhi. 338 . gyos pa, more or less = phenomena. cf. 'gyu ba. 339 . ngo bo . 340 . lhug par. 341 . ye nas . 342 . dmigs pa'i yul med. OR does not have conceivable \ perceivable objects . 343 . . 344 . btags pa tsam zad. 345 . Pron. sang jé tam ché gong pa dü pè do. 346 . This is similar to the Hwa Yen statement that the dharmadhaatu of non-obstruction of dharma and dharma is the highest reality. 328 329
dharmadhaatu of non-obstruction of dharma and the principle [sugatagarbha etc.] is an approximation. The point in both cases is not to f sugatagarbha.
. This is the negation of the eight extremes .
347 348
. . . . 350 . sangs. 351 . Pron. norbu trakö.. 352 . See five kaayas, "sku lnga" in glossary. 353 . rdo rje 'dzin, is sometimes presented as the thirteenth bhuumi. 349
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 354
. Reading gzhung nyid, for gzhul nyid: KPSR, LUS. . As space is not a characteristic, this makes more sense if read = bya.ba.med.pa. 356 . gnyis las, OR beyond both relative.... 357 . 'dzin pa. 358 . gol ba and sgrib pa. 359 . It is not some external object that one does not have now but can attain. 360 . rang snang. 361 . rab gnas. 362 . . 363 . phung po, does not mean skandhas here: LUS. 364 . gdung. 365 . mtshan. 366 . so so rang rig. KPSR. 367 . Pron, méjung gyalpo.. 368 . bsam du med. 369 . so so rang rig. “discriminating awareness wisdom” below is so so rang rig ye shes. I have left the latter in the form familiar to stu VCTR from their practice texts. The two seem to be equated. 370 . DEGE. LT has [as CYD does not] circles under the two occurrences of gcod = “cut off,” ie. “removed.” KSTR said that someti indicates repetition. KPSR did not think they were significant in this case. “Analyze” = conceptually analyze for the absolute. Whateve so examined will be found to be empty, and hence removable from the absolute viewpoint. 371 . 'dir: From context.. 372 . rang 'babs. 373 . bya bral blun po'i shugs chang blo bde ba. The yogin is without effortful action. He holds what is metaphorically compared to the an idiot or fool. Without a reality check, the insane can be very quick, strong, and decisive, though the power is notoriously inappro application. Also, relaxed and flexible like a drunk person fulling down, they are often very hard to injure. The yogin is already in touch situation without having to pause to check up. Here the positive qualities have none of the disadvantages of madness or intoxication. Th the yogin's state is one of well-being or comfort, blo bde. 374 . byos, achieved. LUS thought "bestowed" might be the meaning. 375 . ngang ring literally something like “far-going.” 376 . lhug pa: free of cares and constraints, natural, relaxed, carefree. However where a real idiot gets bliss from ignorance, for the yogin from non-attachment that makes him much more open to phenomena than is the case for those who are primarily concerned with makin conform to preconceived goals and reference points. 377 . . 378 . . 379 . rang babs lhun grub. 380 . rang ga ma, here =tha mal gyi shes pa = ordinary/unfabricated mind.. 381 . tshi chad nad.. 382 . dri lung bstan. 383 . spyi blugs. 384 . MTC pp. 328-9 According to this tradition's teaching on the genesis of ego, the true nature of the body is eternally self-liberated as perfection. This is part of a section on self-liberation generally. According to Tibetan medicine the semen and blood of father and mo giving rise to the karmic energy that gives rise to the fetus. But they are in nature pure as upaaya and prajñaa = insight and emptine karmic energy ejected into the womb vibrates so that one's own insight is in the great bliss of union. The seeds are the semen and bloo are the collected essence of wisdom. From wisdom arises the manifest object, the body, but it is of the nature of the object, emptiness, 355
413
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY
start. The two blisses are the relative blisses of father and mother, which are able to unite because they are by nature non-dual samaad consists of the union of upaaya and prajñaa. 385 . . 386 . MTC: Wisdom and its objects are of the pure nature of emptiness, and therefore they can arise. according to maadhyamaka a f nature would be incapable of birth. 387 . MTC: The two blisses are those of the father and mother, which are of the essence of prajñaa and upaaya. Because the awarene bardo vibrates in the bliss of their union it does not give rise to the appearances of the lower realms. It arises as gzhi snang, appearan ground. The seven times seven are stages of development of the fetus in the womb: 1) 7 stages of nur nur = oblong. 2) 7 mer mer = ov gor gor circular 4 7 ltar = lumpy 5) 7 fish-like, nya lta bu 6) 7 rus sbal lta bu tortoise-like. 7) 7 sbal lta bu, frog-like. In JOL p. 64 mer mer i stage, corresponding to the first week, nur nur second, the second week, and ltar ltar the third. JOL cites the Abhidharmakosha for this If the same is true here, each sub-stage of these will last for one day. The seven times seven seems to correspond to the 49 days of th But obviously either some stages must be longer than a day, or else there must be other stages to fill out the period of gestation. Not the original source of this system, I cannot say exactly how it works. Tibetan accounts of the length of gestation vary but ten months is c They mean that birth occurs in the tenth month, ie. after nine have elapsed. MTC compares this to completing the path of the ten bhuu 388 . MTC: Because it is co-essential with and does not go beyond the ground. 389 . MTC: This is because they were always like that. The tantra says instead of “effortlessly perfected,” “primordially liberated withou . 390 . . See chos dpal rgya mtsho's commentary for details. . 391 . Lord of the ma.n.dala, Vairochana and his consort AAkaashadhaatviishvarii. 392 . . 393 . ...great dharmakaaya. 394 . 'dzin. pa'i shen yul. 395 . .. 396 . rang gis rang snang bar. KPSR. 397 . rang shar. 398 . de ltar, refers to rang snang, and back to rang gis rang snang, above.. 399 . thams cad phyam gcig. 400 . Among external phenomena. 401 . The primary meaning of 'byung, is sems 'byung, mental contents. KSTR. 402 . . 403 . . 404 . ma bcos, without artificialities, unfabricated. 405 . dmigs med, OR the non-conceptual. 406 . Condensed and shifted. 407 . dgnos gshi. 408 . rang gsal chos nyid dag pa'i dbyings gsal bas. The second gsal means clear appearance or apprehension. The first means self realization.. 409 . 'gros rgya yan. Literally, it has a “carefree gait,” one given free rein or wide range. Suggested by Merilyne Waldo. 410 . , but it does say this elsewhere. 411 . rgya ma chad, unlimited. 412 . shel gong, the same wording as above. 413 . rang gis 'od gsal. 414 . ...It is nothing at all.
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 415
. chos nyid. . ma 'gags, was translated twice as “ceaseless” and “non-obstruction.” A different sense seemed natural for upaaya and space (dbyin 417 . Space of the emptiness.... 418 . med pa zang ma. 419 . dgnos med. OR being without things.. 420 . . 421 . rang lugs, omitted = gnas lugs, the way it really is. 416
. Insight is the charnel ground where dharmas are exhausted; but it itself is not exhausted. . KPSR and KSTR both saw this as an enumeration of the ten natures as discussed in the following passages. 424 . dkyil 'khor bskyed rdzogs, could be three things not two, ma.n.dalas, developing stage, and fulfillment stage. Empowerment is certainly one of the omitted topics. If the paths and bhuumis are the others, that gives what KPSR thought was a very plausible list for the ten natures: view, meditation, action, fruition, paths, bhuumis, developing, fulfillment, empowerment, samaya. 425 . The nature of mind and the nature of dharmas, sems nyid/chos nyid, are equated. 426 . Various. 427 . Real non-thought, mi rtog, is beyond thinking and non-thinking in the sense of simply having no thoughts. It means lack of attachm conceptualized phenomena. 428 . Are neither = gnyis med. and ff. 429 . sems dang yid dang chos. TT in a similar context says sems = thought. Mind = intellectual consciousness = yid kyi rnam shes. dharmas. 430 . dgnos por 'dzin. OR grasping solidity VCTR. OR the experiential quality of the world so grasped. 431 . . 432 . The following concerns various aspects of bskyed rim. 433 . supplied from following verse. Delineates = dpe nges pa, example that ascertains, true example. 434 . ngang gis. 435 . Said from the viewpoint of pure perception: dag par bya'o. 436 . yum chen mo. 437 . Pron. ngön tok gyen. 438 . ngor: for their viewpoint. 439 . . 440 . rim rtsol dbang: powers of stages and effort. . 441 . The text has most of the full Tibetan title of the Künjé, “[chos thams cad rdzogs pa chen po] byang chub kyi sems kun byed rgyal po chö tam cé dzok pa chen po jang chub sem Künjé gyalpo. 442 . See rnal 'byor bshi. 443 . The deity is visualized in terms of the two sattvas, samayasattva and jñaanasattva. The three yogas are the kriyaa, upa, and yoga ve 444 . lung, vs. man ngag, for ati. 445 . . 446 . byang chub lnga. 447 . cho 'phrul rkang pa bshi. 448 . bsnyen sgrub bshi. 449 . One rests greatly in the same sense that mahaayoga is greater than yoga, great = beyond extremes etc. 450 . yongs su rnal 'byor. 451 . dbyings kyi snying po. 422 423
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THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 452
. . . yongs su rnal 'byor = anu. 454 . . 455 . de bshin nyid la rnal du 'byor. rnal 'byor, also = yoga. 456 . gsum la bstan: This could be read are stages of the teachings for the three lesser [levels of power of mind]. Likewise for the a passages ff. about the other trios. 457 . rang bshin babs kyis grub = naturally established is more characteristic of the last three fruition yaanas. In the middle ones one v the descent of wisdom. 458 . nye lam. 459 . . This verse concerns the first two vehicles of the hinayaana, the shraavaka and pratyekabuddha vehicles. 460 . Reading spangs pa yin, for ...yangs. KSTR. Hinayaana relies heavily on renunciation. Ati says it throws out the baby with the bath 461 . . This section concerns the bodhisattva yaana. 462 . ...Ten bhuumis. 463 . ...Remains on the levels of training. 464 . ...Gates of the yanas of cause and effect. 465 . ting 'dzin gsum; cho ga rnam pa lnga. 466 . chos nyid. 467 . lung ma bstan. OR is not taught. 468 . Second. ngang la ngang gis gnas: that state is rested OR one rests within that state] by that state [itself]. 469 . . Literally, “all have to enter this ultimate essential meaning.” The sense is that this occurs a in order to attain enlightenment. cf. TT 98. 470 . Literally, “who are small.” 471 . Two lines inverted. 472 . stegs 'cha'o. The meaning is analogous to “political platform.” That is their program or system. 473 . grub mtha' rin po che'i mdzod, theg mchog rin po che'i mdzod and 'od gsal rin po che'i mdzod. 474 . . 475 . . 476 . snang, here = false appearance. 477 . Here objects, mind, defilement, complexity etc. are more or less equated. 478 . yul la 'dzin pa'i shes pa. 479 . ye shes la thug cing gseb na. 480 . dus la ltos. 481 . Cf. TT9. 482 . Reality, nges pa. 483 . kun tu 'od, samantaprabhaa, sometimes presented in the sutras as the eleventh bhuumi.. 484 . Ie. it is nihilistically empty. 485 . . 486 . Cf. TT95. ni/ mdo sde dag tu: dag is a plural. LUS. 487 . rdo rje 'dzin. 488 . gzung 'dzin dag, usually means pure = empty of grasper and grasped; but this passage makes sense only if dag, means pure in the the pure relative.. 489 . DEGE, TT, and original tantra, lta spyod. LT, lha spyod. 453
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COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 490
. Insofar as there is divine action, one's connection to it is eternal and inseparable. . . 492 . mtshan yod [dang] med: Practice with and without a focused object. 493 . phyag rgya bshi. 494 . rdo rje chang, Vajradhara. 495 . Inseparability of wisdom and the space of the dhaatu, kaaya and wisdom, Samantabhadra and Samantabhadrii, as above. 496 . . 497 . OR enjoyment. 498 . rang rig. 499 . . 500 . Literally, “it is the clear primordial appearance of self-insight = luminosity. 501 . rang ga ma here = tha mal gyi shes pa, ordinary/unfabricated mind. LUS. 502 . Literally, “it is taught that this is like producing the primordially established sun. 503 . Literally: “as to whether...,” and the quote says they do not. 504 . rang babs sa. 505 . “Nine” = the nine yaanas. Insofar as ati is a stage, means, or vehicle to attain the fruition, it too is not ultimate. 506 . . 507 . . 508 . snang ba'i ye shes. exists in truth as... 509 . Vajra rising = rising as the indestructible nature. 510 . bzlog pa. 511 . Cf. TT175. rtsal dang rtsal las shar ba'ang mi shes. They do no understand either, and therefore, as TT says they cannot tell the di between them. 512 . Elephants are a traditional symbol of the dignified and mindful bearing of enlightenment, but also of haughtiness. Pompous: r haughty. Bombastic: kha gsag. KSTR thought that talkative, ie boastful was the most likely meaning. 513 . zin. A genuine master might say these same things in a special situation where the would produce genuine realization in some p student. 514 . Projections, sgro btags. Elsewhere “exaggerations. 515 . . 516 . 'gyu 'phro. 517 . Literally, “as for its power, the manner of arising is unobstructed. 518 . rang gsal du lhag ge. 519 . zang ngo = zang ka. 520 . An object as something external to one's nature would need to be acquired causally by establishing and effort. 521 . thog. 522 . . 523 . rtog pa nying 'khrul. 524 . shar mkhan. LUS did not think it meant that which arises. 525 . . rang ngo dang chos nyid. 526 . rang snang ngo bo. OR the essence of experience, the essence of one's projections. 527 . yid = conceptual consciousness. 528 . . 491
417
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 529
. Primordially: ye. . gleng gshi. 531 . rang byung chen po rang snang: Almost any sense rang can have seems relevant here. 532 . dri ma. 533 . dgongs pa. 534 . rang dag chen po. 535 . Realm ngo: Literally, “viewpoint.” 536 . rang gnas. 537 . dran pa, LUS. Often “memory.” 538 . 'gyu byed, producer of the flickering motions of discursive thought. Cf. _______, kun byed. LUS thought this verse concerned sh where by cutting discursive thought one finally sees through ego and the kleshas to their primo rdial ground. The next is about vipas Beginning with artificial approaches to emptiness and non-duality, one finally renders the selfhood of phenomena transparent by spon panoramic vision without accepting and rejecting. 539 . ma bsams: LUS thought the primary meaning was goallessness. 540 . One dag snang = both 1 (literally) pure [of the two obscurations] appearance and 2 sacred outlook. 541 . self-arising: rang shar chen po. 542 . zug ngu. 543 . bdag rtog. 544 . Impartial, phyogs med. 545 . Drowsy or discursive: bying rgod. 546 . Natural freedom: lhug pa. 547 . Fear: ya nga. 548 . Without the aspect of appearance: snang cha med. As Longchenpa says below freedom from false appearance, not nihilistic emptin 549 . . 550 . Etherial purity: sang se ba = sang seng. 551 . Stripped naked: rjen ne ba. 552 . . 553 . “Guard” and “maintain” are both one skyong: One has to make an effort to keep it in that form or it may become something else.. 554 . . 555 . ngo ma phrod pa'i rnam 'gyur. 556 . . 557 . rang mal. 558 . . 559 . ngo ti zang ma ni gnas lugs de yin pas: ti = te, it indicates that a list of one or more [expressions in this case] is to follow. zang m relative clause. ni, here doesn't mean much, but serves to emphasize non-obstruction as the point. KPSR. 560 . . 561 . Pron. dü chikpa. 562 . This phrase does not exist as such. It is to bring out that rig pa, which means insight in an ati context, means understanding in the sphere. 563 . . 564 . Compassion, thugs rje, here is more or less equal to rtsal. 530
418
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 565
. rtsal yul thog tu shar. thog literally means “toward.” “The power follows, is drawn, or passes into appearance of objects and do'i rto pair. The subjective aspect of rtsal becomes a conceptualized grasper of this. 566 . ; but that is the idea. 567 . Reading: glod pa'am ma lta ba. 568 . stong ldan chen po. 569 . Cf. the lion's roar = fearless presentation of the teachings. 570 . ngo ma shes = ye shes. KSTR. 571 . yul 'dzin. 572 . For khyad yod reading khyad med. 573 . 'dra gshi. 574 . [dgnos po] stobs kyi rig pa: The power of direct experience of how things are, the ultimate source of all reasoning. 575 . dris: OR gains experience in it. 576 . yul gsal thog pa med pa'i sems/ rnam pa dag pa'i dbyings la dris, could mean the mind that beginninglessly knows objects inquires in free from objects. But that would be conceptualized emptiness, the very fault in question. 577 . AAlaya is the ground of dualistic mind. Explanation below. 578 . Insight is the root of everything. 579 . 'gyu 'phro snang ba dang yul snang sgyu ma'i rtsed mo. 580 . zang ma. 581 . Internally = tshur, vs. externally = phar 'tshor, below. 582 . chags zhen. ES. 583 . dgag sgrub. 584 . dgnos po zad. 585 . shig = mod, emphatic word. 586 . rgyun chod: cuts the continuity. Sa.msaara is an interconnected system of man parts. Here its support system is cut off, or broken like turning off the water, sewers, electricity, traffic signals and such in a city. The metaphor has improved with time. 587 . dbang po. 588 . . 589 . gtan tshigs gsum: ES three axioms. They are axioms of doctrine that logically establish the ground and possibility of fruition, a practical causes showing how the fruition is established in reality. The four realizations, rtogs pa bshi, are also called reasons in this sens 590 . lta ba bltas: Seems to mean more viewing with a view than watching with a watcher in this case. 591 . dran pa: memory, checking up. 592 . One cuts the karmic chain of nidaanas that leads to rebirth etc. 593 . rtsal sprugs smon lam. 594 . Pure and true = yang dag, and “truth” below. 595 . dam bca. 596 . chos nyid. 597 . So it goes = de bshin gshegs. LUS thought it was not tathaagata here. 598 . . 599 . 'jig pa'i: Not just destructible by its conditioned nature, but incompatible with that and so never existing at all, or not existing as so characteristic was acquired. 600 . . 601 . bya byed.
419
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 602
. . . .
603
604
. These are the attributes of the deities, visualized in the developing stage. . bskyed rim spyan 'dran: visualizations of the developing stage. 606 . . 607 . gnas sa: the bhuumis. 608 . . 609 . , but that is the meaning of zhi bar. 610 . gshis. 611 . shin tu rnal 'byor. 612 . Ordinary teachings are taught so that one can see this. Those who have done so do not need them. 613 . ris mthun pas 605
614
. The general Tibetan conception is that the sun's rays are of the same essence as the sun.
615
. Commentary suggests reading yang as “and” here. above. That might not otherwise be the most natural reading. 616
. omitted.
617
. ngos gzung. One does not distinguish bodhicitta from what is not bodhicitta.
618
. all this = 'khor 'das.
619
. .
620
. .
621
. .
622
. nges med
623
. dbyings: the space where it is.
624
. go 'byed par
625
. nam mkha'
626
. bya byed
627
. .
420
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 628
. .
629
. .
630
. rdzogs pa spyi chings, pron. dzokpa chi ching. spyi ching = chings.
631
. .
632
. .
633
. .
634
. zla ba rgyal mtshan. A teacher of that name is mentioned in the Blue Annals. p. 472 “The bodhisattva zla ba rgyal mtshan” ordains a disciple of Gampopa (sgam po pa). p. 561 he instructs phag mo gru pa. p. 1024 ff. he studies with Marpa and others, in particular learning the teachings of mahaakaru.nika from rdo rje gdan pa. He seems to have been genuinely learned and accomplished, having had many visions and written many treatises. blo rgya: hundred minds or conceptualizations. Longchenpa probably thought he was too attached to the contents of these. 635
. vice and virtue = dge sdig.
636
. place where they arise = byung sa.
637
. .
638
. .
639
. transparency = zang ma nyid dang thal = zang thal. KSTR
640
. duties = spyod bya.
641
. .
642
. extremes = mu mtha'.
643
. spheres of apprehension = spyod yul, ...of realization, activity.
644
. .
645
. mchog: Supreme, excellent.
646
. There is no individual ego existing in relation to the skandhas etc. But they do think dharmas truly exist = have selfhood. This corresponds to abhidharma philosophy. 647
. .
421
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 648
. KPSR says this is the usual interpretation. It sounds like mind only. They accept a truly existing self, so they have not fully realized emptiness. 649
. This is the view of madhyamaka.
650
. phyir mi ldog 'khor lo'i mdo
651
. siddhi: dgnos grub.
652
. practice = spyod pa, OR action.
653
. . in this.
654
. Literally, “field of,” but as TT points out this is more correct.
655
. mtshan ma'i chos
656
. luminous brilliance = snang bar gsal.
657
. heart OR self-existing essence.
658
. rdzogs: They are perfected by their sa.msaaric aspects being exhausted.
659
. complete phun sum tshogs = perfect. .
660
. ...individual body
. Attainment: don grub. KSTR. . Reversed: 'dzol OR confused. 663 . gsang 'dus, pron. sangdü. 664 . All, dgu. Literally, “many.” 665 . tshi chad nad. 666 . Effortless abundance: lhug par. 667 . in general: dgos ni. 668 . . 669 . lhun mnyam. 670 . . 671 . Selfish desire: zhe 'dod. 672 . Just as they are: rang babs. 673 . rang bshag. 674 . Apparent objects rise without obstruction: snang yul ma 'gag par shar. If phenomena are like a rope mistaken for a snake, proj 661 662
external objects are like the snake, and the apparent object, snang yul, is like the rope.
422
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU
. Vividness: sal le ba. . Appears very clearly: legs par gsal. KSTR. 677 . Wide ranging: rgya che. Here it means immensity of the extensive array of phenomena, rather than that of vast space. 678 . Here play = mere play of phenomena that are not external = rang gsal. 679 . . 680 . Here play of the nirmaa.nakaaya level. 681 . Self-existing: rang gnas. 682 . Confidence: yid ches, OR faith, but not in something that is not experienced as present. 683 . All this = ye gshi babs gshi. 684 . . 685 . zang thal: not that things are transparent like glass, but that they are seen transparently, just so, as they are. The meaning is clo zang ka, unobstructed, just so. 686 . See appendix 2. 687 . . 688 . Above rang gi rig pa, usually one's own insight. In the verse rang rig. Longchenpa seems to equate them, which KPSR says is ofte 675 676
case. 689 . lhun mnyam.
. don grub, KSTR success. Accomplishing the goal or benefit. . This is paradoxical. The meaning, as it says just below, is that Compassion and trikaaya embodying the three natures become hindr if fixated. KSTR. 692 . . 693 . Non-existent = not conceptualized and fixated, as in maadhyamaka. The same is true of “not appearing as anything” just below. 694 . Lord, bdag = bdag pa chen po, like the Künjé. 695 . . It does though. Many, through supreme effort, have realized this. 696 . kun grub lhun grub chen por rgyas . 697 . Insight is the mind aspect. Body and speech correspond to the two ruupakaayas . 698 . Reliance: mi las. KSTR. 699 . rang snang chen po. 700 . The outer and inner, and the secret abhishekas reveal the outer world, inner feelings etc, and secret, non-dual bliss of union as aspec 690 691
the ultimate ma.n.dala of the essence. 701 . This could also mean [to get it] rest in the suchness of non-thought.
. . 704 . 705 . 706 . 707 . 708 . 709 . 710 . 702
.
703
. . Reading DEGE and CYD lung, instead of LT lhung, “fall.” phu thag mi chod. yul med.
The nature, vs. the essence. KSTR. . babs kyi grub.
423
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY . . 713 . 714 . 715 . 716 . 717 . 718 . 711
.
712
. And f. Ie. the paaramitaas: pha rol tu phyin pa. Born and arise = skyes. . Virtues = paaramitaas. KSTR. . Yaanas. Two shlokas condensed.
ye. . No separate parts constitute seeing the mirror and seeing the reflection.
719
720
. so so'i don byed nus pa.
721
. rtsal snang, cf. gshi snang.
722
. snang ngo cog.
723
. sems dang yid: here aalaya, aalayavijñaana, and klesha-mind as the basis and the conceptual mental consciousness yid kyi rnam shes. cf. TT. 724
. ya ma brla. OR vain. It has much the same meaning as snying po med, in the next line: essenceless, hollow, heartless, without a c724. No separate parts constitute seeing the mirror and seeing the reflection. ore [traditionally exemplified by a banana tree]. 725
. nyer len.
726
. ...Blood and pus.
727
. .
728
. .
729
. of .
730
. .
731
. Non-honorific.
732
. . All the collections....
733
. thos pa dam pa.
734
. rdol thabs su smra.
424
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 735
. Without maintaining that there is one actual thing that they both are, mthun gshi. This is denied..
736
. . 'dus pa, the collection of....
737
. dbye bsal med.
738
. Eg. men and mice are both mammals, but that does not entail that a man is a mouse.
739
. They can have no connection if they do not exist. If they do, actually exist, they are inherently separate. Mind, oneself, the unmoving, and truly existent, cannot be united with things that are other, moving, and non-truly-existent in the sense of being the same conventional entity. 740
. bye brag du mas khyad par nges pa'i phyir. In maadhyamaka it is equally improper to say conventional entities related in this way are truly one or truly many. Saying mind = external entities has the first fault. Distinguishing experience and the experiencer as really two has the second. These would primarily be faults of certain followers of the mind only school. In particular they would accrue to the true aspectarians who hold that phenomena really have the characteristics they are perceived to have in a sense that appears vulnerable to these criticisms. Ati was criticized by some maadhyamaka followers for having these same faults, and Longchenpa wants to clarify the difference between the two. 741
. Cf. SSN. Use of conventional language requires the use of distinctions like is/is not etc.
742
. phyam gcig: This is true and desirable in the absolute sphere, but wrong in the relative.
743
. gshis.
744
. Non-triple actually. They are all found to be empty by examination for the absolute.
745
. rig pa tha snyad, ordinary consciousness of the conventional.
746
. gnyid = the consciousness of sleep..
747
. snang tshul.
748
. snang and snang yul, here meaning the appearance of truly existing dharmas, and the experiential phenomenon. In the case of external appearance, phyi snang, this involves the conventional distinction of phyi snang gi chos and nang gi snang yul, the dharmas of outer appearance and the inner experience of them. But it is known by absolute analysis that these are empty, and in the great perfection one directly experiences the dharmas of external play as illusion. So mere appearance is not opposed to anything else. 749
. .
750
. Within one's experience: rang snang du, OR as one's experience.
751
. Alone: gcig =single. Exhausts: rdzogs OR perfects.
425
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 752
. 'dzin med rang snang: OR experience without an experiencer (qua ego, who fixates dharmas, vs. simply being without an individual ego) OR self-experience without fixation/experience, which = rang snang chen po. 753
. I, nga, = the King, insight bodhicitta. Selfhood, nga bdag so sor = primarily ego but also the independent self of objects.
754
. nor rdzas ..things of wealth.
755
. 'phags pa dkon mchog tal la la'i mdo, pron. pakpa könchok ta la la'i dõ.
756
. ...Because the Sugata, “the blissfully gone,” the Buddha, is also beyond marks, duality etc.
757
. 'thad, suitable, here “agreeable,” “pleasant.”.
758
. rang gzugs sgyu ma tsam.
759
. byis pa.
760
. col chung.
761
. rin chen phreng ba pron. rinchen drengwa..
762
. rgyu can, here is not cause..
763
. kun tu btags.
764
. sems dang yid.
765
. 'gyu byed 'khrul pa.
766
. .
767
. dmigs pa.
768
. ...Nature, not going beyond it.
769
. ...All conceptions.
770
. lta sgom khrigs chags bud. KSTR did not care for the reading, “[Insight] is banished by organized meditation on the view.”. 771
. lhug pa.
772
. rgya yan.
426
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 773
. sangs, equated to dang just below.
774
. It is not produced and does not produce anything else. Likewise, “arising” five lines below.
775
. gnyis med.
776
. rang rig rang gsal.
777
. .
778
. rang gi rig pa. cf. TT 103. Often = one's own insight. Here referring to yogaachaara doctrine of a real, substantial, selfapprehending self. 779
. tshor rig, TT in the sense in which mind-only claims that enlightenment is realization of subject and object as non-dual aspects of truly existing mind. 780
. rang gi sems.
781
. The reasoning that concludes that this passage rejects rang rig, altogether, will here reduce itself to absurdity by establishing the rejection of insight [= wisdom =bodhicitta] the main point of this treatise. 782
. brda shes. This is the same sense in which it can be pointed out by holding up a crystal etc.
783
. don du shen. As mind-only is said to do and maadhyamaka should not do.
784
. . But this is unquestionable from context.
785
. Ie. Similar terms are used, but in ati they are ultimately seen as empty.
786
. The two could conceivably be subject and object, in which case the whole passage concerns Yogaachaarins. But it seems more likely Longchenpa is addressing these polemics at Praasangika critics who said that ati was like sems tsam, Hindu theism, Pön and so forth, making just such criticisms as these. SSN deals with this extensively. 787
. smra bar zad. KSTR preferred this to “they wear thems elves out,” or “with that they exhaust what they have to say.”.
788
. Evaluating: 'jal tshul.
789
. rtsis and 'jal are pretty much the same: comprehend, account [as].
790
. gshi = stong gshi. cf. SSN.
791
. zang nge.
792
. mi 'gag.
427
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 793
. Benefits: In particular dharmakaaya as self-benefit, and ruupakaaya as benefit for others.
794
. ya ma brla.
795
. gdos bcas.
796
. ngo bo gsal, here is juxtaposed to gsal rig: luminous insight..
797
. sgra bral yang dag. OR the truth is inexpressible etc.
798
. ltos gshi: Relative reference points of causal or conceptual dependency.
799
. spyod.
800
. yongs.
801
. The two lines beginning “Are etherial...: thams cad sang seng 'al 'ol zang ma thal/ ra ri zab zeb gza' gtad chos dang bral. See glossary. KPSR. gza' gtad = gtad [so].. 802
. rang rtogs pa'i dus nges pas. KSTR said nges pa here = tan tan: certain, definite, and not "at that very time" or something similar. 803
. KSTR said that this meant both that they know the realization of other yogins from their own example and that they have actual experience of it through the higher perceptions and so forth. 804
. rgyus la mkhas.
805
. rgyus shes gshan: . ...Others who know those skills.
806
. rtogs bshin: realized like that.
807
. Evenly even = entirely without highlights: phyal phyal.
808
. rjen par bud.
809
. zang thal.
810
. .
811
. las rlung.
812
. sa.msaaric appearance.
813
. zhen pa log: cf. the meaning in the lower yaanas, revulsion with sa.msaara. “Revulsion is the foot of meditation, as is taught.”.
428
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 814
. non existent. True existence in maadhyamaka is taken to indicate a state of existence by nature that depends on nothing else. The basic nature of wisdom, insight-bodhicitta, is sometimes said from the viewpoint of the pure relative to exist in this way. 815
. grangs mtha': Extremes of enumeration.
816
. rang sar dag, and ff.
817
. dgnos po rnams.
818
. babs kyis grub. It does not mean that wisdom descends, as in the case of jñaanasattvas. It occurs naturally and primordially. 819
. 'du shes, the third skandha.
820
. ...Fixating characteristics as conceptual reference points.
821
. . 'das: goes beyond.
822
. yug chen: Whole bolt or roll of cloth.
823
. mtshan ma: Fixated characteristics, habitual stereotypes.
824
. Space of the daylight....
825
. The second of the two obscurations, selfhood of objects.
826
. KSTR: There are two styles. Both are beyond the conceptualizations of either appearance or emptiness. It can be said, though, that khregs chod, tregchö, is concerned more with emptiness and thod rgal, thögel with appearance. 827
. .
828
. thog babs chen po: The great sudden occurrence.
829
. 'chal med.
830
. ngag 'khyal.
831
. .
832
. gzugs, here = visual form.
833
. yid dpyod .
834
. .
429
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 835
. bzlog, OR eliminate.
836
. de yang med par.
837
. gting.
838
. . This whole line = don: The meaning.
839
. .
840
. rang sangs.
841
. rim bshin.
842
. Because it is independence of conditionality.
843
. nub, OR diminish..
844
. log.
845
. Luminous radiance = gdangs.
846
. yid.
847
. 'du shes. . .
848
849
. . 851 . 852 . 853 . 854 . 855 . 856 . 857 . 858 . 859 . 860 . 861 . 862 . 863 . 850
. The following explains the meaning of nail of space, gnam gzer. rang gi ngo bos spyi rgya rlabs kyis bcad. KPSR: rlabs kyis bcad = know the measure of. = Bodhicitta. rgya. ma chad. car phog. . rdo rje sems dpa'i snying gi me long, pron. dorje sem pè nying ki me long. skyol cig. mi rtog mi sems. OR are not thoughts and are not mind. . . and below . spros. zang ka ma. bskyed. sems bzung.
430
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 864
. har po. Such are all marks at this time. . Pristine etherial: sang nge. 866 . logs su bcad. . 867 . rang sa na lhan ne rang babs. 868 . bshag. cf. logs su bcad, above. 869 . tsal pa dum bu. 870 . Cf. Kagyü lineage chant: The nature of thoughts is dharmakaaya, as is taught. Whatever arises is fresh, the essence of realization. 871 . ha re: here not “sudden” but empty, vacant, unobstructed. 872 . Just ordinary. Not = tha mal gyi shes pa, as enlightened consciousness.. 873 . ha sa ra ki: All informants agree this is a nonsensical phrase spoken to confuse and stop the mind.. 874 . shod shod: Imperative of bshad. 875 . had de. 876 . sal le. 877 . shes pa sal le mi 'phro: KSTR read this as saying that awareness is vivid and does not emanate discursiveness. He did not think t was the emanations that were vivid. 878 . spro. It also means delight, which is likewise relevant. 879 . bud: revealed. No one is revealing it particularly. It just happens. 880 . nyams. 881 . sal le. 882 . . 883 . Confusions: dzol sa. 884 . Meditational objects, dmigs gtad: Subjects of attention or contemplation. 885 . Characterizing: 'jal. 886 . Single totality: thams cad phyam gcig. 887 . Bought together: kha 'dums. 888 . . gnas: dwells, abides. 889 . . 890 . . 891 . = Trikaaya. KSTR. 892 . Existence of the great.... 893 . .. 894 . ye. 895 . . 896 . . 897 . . 898 . . 899 . All this = dpe ma len. 900 . rtags tshad. 901 . An explicitly hwa yen like passage. 902 . brtson 'grus: They work hard to achieve actionlessness. 865
431
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 903
. See below. The teachings of the time of death are extensively presented in the bardo thödröl, The Tibetan Book of the Dead, acco of the six yogas like that of Garma Chang, etc. 904 . go bzlog. 905 . snang ba bshi. They are reversed in tregchö from the usual presentation of thögel. 906 . tshad la phebs = attain the measure of, perfect. Eg. the third (second in reverse order) of the snang ba gshi is rig pa tshad ph reaching the sign/measure of insight or perfecting insight. 907 . skyong. 908 . Two lines condensed. 909 . mi snang rtog med. 910 . The karma is worn out, worked through etc. 911 . . 912 . . 913 . . 914 . rgyun chad du dengs. 915 . . Ie. it did not exist as separate. 916 . des phyir phul. 917 . Cutting off the breath, dbugs chad: In death this is literal. In yoga it can be done temporarily. It can also be used figuratively to cessation of karmic energy. 918 . . 919 . The lion posture is one of a group of three associated with this practice. KSTR said this was the posture the Buddha assumed a time of his death, lying on the right side. I have also heard it suggested that a somewhat frog-like crouching posture is known as the posture. 920 . yid tsam. 921 . This is mentioned in the realization of lesser ones. 922 . rim bshin bstan pa'o: KSTR says that there are two distinct styles whose details are being explained. It is not a matter of doing one the other in stages. 923 . gtan srid. 924 . sbubs. 925 . nam mkha' dag la kun kyang rtsol mi byed/ nam mkha' dag la kun gyis btsal bya ru: KSTR reads rtsol byed, as the subject and rtsol by the object. Space like the sky is beyond both. 926 . . 927 . . 928 . rang rig. 929 . Nothing to realize = byar med. OR ...to accomplish.. 930 . Is taught to transcend.... 931 . . 932 . This line = mtshon byed. 933 . More literally perhaps: The eternal encompassing great perfection whose depth is limitless. 934 . It is neither understandable nor experiencable. 935 . dmigs yul. OR objects of perception, meditation. 936 . so so rang gi rig yul. 937 . 'dzin pa med. OR with no grasper, egoless.
432
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 938
. . . All this line = spangs thob med do. 940 . . 941 . . 942 . Understanding...disappears: go bzlog. 943 . phu thag 'khrus. 944 . OR there is really nothing other than..., as the snake is really only the rope. 945 . Free from reference point: ngos bzung med. 946 . gsal: explained as the unobscured fruition. 947 . Grounds, gshi: The primary meaning seems to be “things which are confused. But “reason for confusion” is also relevant accordi the commentary. Moreover dharmakaaya is itself essentially empty and groundless, so it cannot support confusion. So confusion h ground in any sense of the term. 948 . ris. 949 . This line = ye babs lhun grub. 950 . KSTR read this as a double meaning. The first is given in the text. The second is, “Ignorance and confusion, which are sa.msaara, d exist at all.” The ultimate meaning is the same. 951 . od re gsal: “luminosity-ized,” enlightened. 952 . ma bskyed. 953 . bskyang. 954 . ...Expression by marks. 955 . . view/ viewer: lta/lta byed. 956 . dmigs gtad gshol. 957 . Totality: phyam. 958 . spyod yul. 959 . don med. 960 . . 961 . . 962 . What has been called subtle mind and body does not truly exist. 963 . . ...Exist. 964 . . 965 . . And ff. 966 . . 967 . ...Of the phenomenal world of beings. 968 . . 969 . . And ff. Literally, “if dharmas are liberated that is alright/suitable; if they are not liberated that is alright.” And ff. 970 . . 971 . ...No realization of the view. 972 . . ...Exist. 973 . Reading with DEGE 'das pas, for LT94B6 'das nga ra [?] 974 . . 975 . Fixated dharmas = gtad so'i chos, OR reference points of dharmas. 976 . The one, gcig pu: single, alone. 939
433
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 977
. Only an abstract designation: ming du btags pa bla dags.. . ...All obscuration. 979 . blo bde = one's mind is relaxed and confident. 980 . . 981 . Self-existing buddhahood = rang sangs rgyas. 982 . The freedom of naturalness: rang yan. 983 . . 984 . LUS. It might also be saying “There are the extremes of existence and non-existence. There is the mind of is and is not. Ther proclamations [sgrog] of the view and meditation. There are the strayings from dharmataa. There is insight of sa.msaara and nirvaa.na. 985 . Because there is natural freedom, even the conceptions of a net and liberation from it are extremes. 986 . rang babs. 987 . bltas pas. 1 24. glod. 989 . bar med: also "direct." 990 . car phog. 991 . 'gyu ba. 992 . It is not grasped, fixated, followed after etc. 993 . phyogs yan. 994 . kha yan. 995 . stong yal: LUS read this as “subsiding into emptiness,” vs. emptiness subsides. KSTR said that it is nothing so partial as appear vanishing, being seen as empty, or the experience of emptiness subsiding. I think the meaning is that this is the great emptiness be empty and non-empty. Naked experience, the great emptiness, and the fullness of vast and trackless evenness are pretty much the same. 996 . So there is nothing to liberate. 997 . spyod: Ie. act of practicing them. 998 . ngang med. 999 . 'bud: Let occur. 1000 . sgrog. OR proclamation. 1001 . shol 'debs. OR dissuade. 1002 . rang yan. 1003 . Without checking up on itself = rtsis med. 1004 . 'dre ldog = ru log. 1005 . phyal ba lhug pa gshi med zang ka ma: they are seen transparently = unobstructedly as they are, as mere empty form etc. This is watching a movie. The good and bad situations are not real, so they do not truly engage us. 1006 . gtad med za zi ban bun phyal ma phyol, KPSR. 1007 . Ego's desires: she 'dod. 1 43. ye sangs. 1009 . This line = bshin dang me long. 1010 . . “no longer there” and “liberated:” grol. However neither insight or appearances within it literally vanish, but are se manifestly empty. Grasper and fixation etc. vanish. 1011 . Truly existing duality and multiplicity are empty and unreal. 1012 . 'dzin pa'i yul = gzung ba. 1013 . 'gyu ba. 978
434
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU 1014
. "Let there be, and ff. chug. . nas. . 1016 . Fundamentally: gshi la. 1017 . Single understanding = go gcig. It may also mean understanding as single [insight]. 1018 . Merely ordinary: rang babs tha mal. 1019 . ...Same as ordinary sa.msaaric people. 1020 . A fibrous herb with blue flowers and edible seeds.. 1021 . don byed nus pa. 1022 . This occurs in the Life of Naaropa. 1023 . . 1024 . Paramount importance = gzengs pa ltar. 1025 . Superficial: phyi rol du 'gyur. They are outside, in the exoteric husk. 1026 . gzud: put forward, present. 1027 . spyod yul 'das. 1028 . tha mal rang babs kyis ngang la spyod. OR the self-occurring state is the action. 1029 . lhag gnas. 1030 . . 1031 . . 1032 . sgra chen brjod pa: Literally, “expression of great sound.” 1033 . don snying la sogs. ...fill the body etc. 1034 . thub. 1035 . It is possible to want money without having any. One cannot even desire enlightenment except by having realized it to some extent 1036 . OR are ceaseless realization. 1037 . When the path is practiced with effort, the three poisons arise. When what is done is an expression of self-existence it expresse five enlightened attributes: yon tan lnga. 1038 . dran pa. OR memory. 1039 . smon: aspire to. 1040 . The liberation is eternal. It is its arising that is instantaneous. 1041 . khong yangs pa: Literally, “internally vast.” 1042 . cer grol. 1043 . gtad so med. 1044 . blo bde. 1045 . phyam phyam. 1046 . gcig tu 'khyil. 1047 . dus kyis grol. 1048 . gdeng gis grol. 1049 . gshi med. 1050 . . 1051 . . 1052 . Directly in one step: cer grol. 1053 . . Coming to a decisive conclusion: phu thag gcod. 1015
435
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY 1054
. phyam gcig. . bzla sa'i yul. 1056 . bzla ba'i mkhan. 1057 . 'dir 'dug. 1058 . mtha' skyel skyel so. 1059 . rang sar grol. 1060 . yang dag nyid. 1061 . . 1062 . gtan la 'bebs, LUS: nothing is resolved, nothing happens. 1063 . Great Space, vast Space.... 1064 . . 1065 . . 1066 . . 1067 . dril. 1068 . All this = ye 'byams.. 1069 . rang las rnyed. 1055
. .
1070
. . 1073 . 1074 . 1075 . 1076 . 1077 . 1078 . 1079 . 1080 . 1081 . 1082 . 1083 . 1084 . 1085 . 1086 . 1087 . 1088 . 1089 . 1090 . 1091 . 1071 1072
btang gshag = 'du bral. . .
.
sku, literally "bodies." But the meaning is ordinary statues, thangkas etc. 'od kyi gong bu: The source areas rather than the rays. har re .
sangs. OR awakening into.
. gnas: “rested.” OR dwells. Thus, purposeful meditation and no-dwelling, gnas/mi gnas, are inherently incompati lus gnad. bshag .
gdangs .
. bar mtshams med. . nor ra re .
. ...Unobscured.
'khor lo: Literally, "circle ." KSTR says that dbang po here means the six senses and not, as in some other passages, one's general powers of understanding dbang po. KSTR.
ngo sprod snga ma, means verbal accounts here, rather than that they conceptualize a genuine transmission. The latter is an
problem. .
436
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU . ri bo chog gshag, rgya mtsho chog gshag, rig pa chog gshag, snang ba cer [cog] gshag. One sees both forms. KSTR. pron.
1092
gyamtso... rikpa... nangwa chokshak.
. rang gnas chen po, thog babs chen po, rgya 'debs chen po; pron. rangné...thokpap...jédep chenpo. . This seems to be the reversal of the usual order, perhaps due to presentation in terms of experience and not of view or the approa tregchö vs thögel. Cf. the presentation of the snang ba bshi, in this text. Backwards presentation of lists is often found in ati. 1095 . sang[s] se. 1096 . Fixation: dzin pas.. 1097 . ...And will not go beyond. 1098 . ltos: Look. KSTR. 1099 . ...All production. 1100 . chos la 'brel ma chags. 1101 . KPSR did not think this referred to the text called Yigé Mépa and similarly snang ba phra khrid, below. 1102 . . 1103 . sems 'dzin . 1104 . . 1105 . song: which has not become . 1106 . . 1107 . In particular this sounds like tantric visualization practice. 1108 . lu gu rgyud, pron. lu gu gyü. 1109 . “But here” refers to tregchö, the main focus of this treatise. 1110 . sang nge . 1111 . OR Without the bonds of desire there is only mere experience, self-experience etc: rang snang. 1112 . Literally, “no exclusion of distinction or clearing away.” 1113 . Reading sa le la, for sa la la, “at some places.” 1114 . ...Arising of the. ...Apparent objects . 1115 . . 1116 . Without fear: ya nga med. 1117 . rang gis rang grol: self-liberated by itself. 1118 . shen pa'i blo: mind of attachment. 1119 . Conceptualized fantasy: nying 'khrul. 1120 . Middle way: bar du. 1121 . The dog would notice if it were meat. 1122 . Very relevant: shin tu 'brel. 1123 . Is always naturally: ye nas...rang babs. 1124 . ye byams: eternally universal, all pervading. 1125 . Because everything changelessly manifests as dharmataa, they seal the certainty of realization. 1126 . spyi blugs. 1127 . . 1128 . Lucidly vivid: sal le hrig ge. 1093 1094
437
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY
. dgongs pa'i don lung bstan. . . 1131 . OR Not a non-thing. 1132 . . 1133 . Two lines inverted.. 1134 . spyod . 1135 . bya byed. 1136 . lhug par. 1137 . KSTR preferred DEGE lding ba, soar, float to LT's lhing ba. VCTR was known to say things like, “Well mostly I just float.” Jäschke 1129 1130
lhing ba = lings pa: quite [round]. Goldstein lists lhing po: calm and tranquil. ES lists lhing lhing: gently. Das has lhing ba: strong, st There are a number of plausible readings here .
. rdo rje legs pa, but not the protector deity so named, = Vajrasadhu. . . 1140 . . 1141 . sang nge ba . 1142 . . 1143 . gud du dpyod . 1144 . 'dzin . 1145 . . 1146 . gnas pa, ...state of existence of [OR resting in] mind and its objects . 1147 . . 1148 . Stillness: lhan ne. 1149 . Awakened state of insight: rig ge sang nge ba. 1150 . Intellectualize: yid byed. 1151 . Limpid clarity: dwangs. 1152 . Quasi-happenings: gya ma gyu. 1153 . Wind horse: lung rta. T hey arise from its karmic energy. This is not the same as the wind horse or lungta of Shambhala tradition 1154 . Functional talking: ngag bsdam. 1155 . dran bsam yid 'gyu OR of the mind of memory and thought. 1156 . These are three progressively less conceptualized stages of meditative progress. 1157 . ngo la mi blta: OR do not be mindful of them. 1158 . mi 'jog. 1159 . . 1160 . rang bshag: Stay as they are . 1161 . . 1162 . dgnos, OR things and non-things. 1163 . . 1164 . phyogs mtshams: Partialities and limits . 1165 . . 1138 1139
438
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU
. . . gnas pa'i tshe na mnyam gnas: At the time of existence, existence is equal. Likewise ...Liberation below. 1168 . ...What now rises . 1169 . Element: dbyings. 1170 . Own place: rang mal. 1171 . Happens: bshengs. 1172 . rdo rje gur. 1173 . Follow the past and pursue the future: sdun bsu dang rjes bsnyags. 1174 . . 1175 . ma nges . 1176 . rang shar. 1177 . Bound by its being tightened up = dam du ma bcings. 1178 . The numbers in the text do not add up in any obvious way. Longchenpa claims there are six knots (associated with five libarati five ties plus three; and five ornaments, and that these total twenty-two. Yet that gives eighteen, or twenty-four if the liberations are cou There are twenty-nine verse sections in all. So the answer is not so simple as that there is one passage of verse for each sub Seven ties plus three seem to be explicitly identified as such. That gives twenty-one. One obvious possibility is that the tota miscopied. The subheading numbers do not occur in the original. Therefore, it is possible that some of the headings are meant sub-headings of others. 1179 . By being certain of the key connections, one ties the eternal knot of the ultimate meanings: mdo cings nges pas 'gag bsdams. Et 1166 1167
knot is not literal, but an attempt to convey the multiple implications through an image whose implication is somewhat similar. (see glos KPSR and LUS agree that on the most literal level this means something like “summary of the ultimate points.” But the following ma makes it clear that there is a also a connotation of binding everything together as the ma.n.dala of realization. Cf. klong gzer, etc.
. . 1182 . 1183 . 1184 . 1185 .
.
. . 1189 . 1190 . 1191 .
Very stuff: rang dbyings, OR its own element.
1180 1181
Bind with the ties of: chings su bcing. Whole line = cog gshag.
Two senses of 'gag: cessation which is the ultimate meaning. Bound in the endless knot: bsdam (in context).
. This is an attempt to render the double sense of 'gag: “Whatever miracles of mind and intellect appear are 'gag. bsdam, Bound between freedom from dharmas and intellectualizations of mind.” 1186 . rang shar rang sa zin: Or is already self-arisen in its own place etc. 1187 1188
'gag = cessation and ultimate point. Appearance and awareness are the 'gag which is bsdam. And ff. thug phrad.
OR Eternally pure of characteristics .
Obstruct = 'gegs. [Both texts] One might have expected 'gags from the corresponding passages. Then it would mean “play i
ultimate point/cessation of the objects of the three encounters,” The knot of this is tied unwaveringly....
. shar grol. . . 1194 . bar ma chod. 1192 1193
439
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY . Continuous and unobstructed: ma 'gags. . Separate: reng bu . 1197 . Time to accumulate: sog long. 1198 . Existence. ...And these two . 1199 . blo bde. 1200 . sangs se ba. 1201 . Sa.msaaric = lus, ngag (non-honorific.). byar med. ALSO "actionless." 1202 . 'phags pa 'da ka ye shes, pron. phagpa daka yéshé.. 1203 . Exists: gnas . 1204 . Thoughts, visualizations etc.. 1205 . so so rang rig pa'i ye shes . 1206 . Two senses of 'gag: cessation which is the ultimate meaning. . 1207 . bound in the endless knot: bsdam (in context). 1208 . Travel: gshegs. 1209 . Discriminating awareness wisdom: so so rang rig pa'i ye shes . 1210 . KPSR thought this was by one of the mahaasiddhas, but couldn't recall which. skye med rin po che'i mdzod, pron. kyémé rinpoche 1211 . Realizing: rtogs [both texts]. rtog: conceptualizing would seem more natural. 1212 . gshegs tshul. gshegs, = -gata in sugata, as in tathaagata, "thus gone," sugata, "blissfully gone." 1213 . gnas. OR Exist, have duration. . 1214 . rab tu shi: Supremely pacified = emptied. 1215 . With nothing excluded...untouched by extremes.... 1216 . rgya yan. 1217 . . 1218 . khong glod. 1219 . blo bde mal na. . 1220 . bag yangs . 1221 . Neither too tight or loose: sgrim glod med. 1222 . snang sems mi bsam par. KSTR. He preferred this to “thinking of appearance and mind.” 1223 . yangs: vast. 1224 . las zin . 1225 . ,dzom. 1226 . In Tibet it is common to tether a number of animals on a single tether or to suspend several pack from the central pin of a special 1195 1196
saddle. Sometimes a number of animals are tied together for restraint, milking etc. in such a way that a single tug will release all the knots.
. . 1229 . 1230 . 1231 . 1232 . 1227 1228
ar sangs, KPSR. 'ub kyis dril na. As trikaaya. lhang nge.
. 'thad pa dgod pa.
440
COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU
. gnas . . ...Victorious ones . 1235 . . 1236 . shi: Nirvana. 1237 . spyod . 1238 . mal. 1239 . Definitely fixated: phyang ma chad par. 1240 . This verse rather freely translated. 1241 . . 1242 . cings. 1243 . cings su bcing ba, or just bcing ba. 1244 . . 1245 . Resting in non-meditation. 1246 . . 1247 . Never artificial: bcos sa med. 1248 . This line actually comes at the end of the Tibetan. 1249 . Established bshag: to go, be put, rest. 1250 . Scope: grangs. 1251 . Marks of the objects.... 1252 . . 1253 . . 1254 . Excludes nothing: ris med. 1255 . . 1256 . Released: gyin 'da'. 1257 . ...I the ground of dharmataa. 1258 . Examine: gzheg. 1259 . Thinking in terms of: dngos 'dzin. Not making them into reference point, not fixating things in relation to them. 1260 . LT illegible: gang [nang?] 'ga'i yul. DEGE : gang dga'i yul. 1261 . literally, “has.” Its energy makes it move swiftly, like someone riding a horse. 1262 . Wakefulness: sang nge. 1263 . Clearing away of obstacles: 'phrang bsal. 1264 . A simile by the Buddha: Meditation requires a certain amount of effort an application, but not too much. In that way it is like tun stringed instrument. The strings must be neither too loose or too tight. 1265 . Reading rgya yan with DEGE. “Freely” and “free-ranging” below are also rgya yan. 1266 . All thoughts . 1267 . Radiate: shor ba, OR “be lost.” 1268 . The realm of concept and memory: dran rtog yul. OR possibly memory, concept, and object; objects of concept and memory . 1269 . . 1270 . A suutra. ting nge 'dzin tshogs dam pa, pron. tingne dzin tsok dampa. 1233 1234
441
THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY
. Adulteration: lhad ma . . Limitless non-obstruction: gra zang nge. DEGE: ...De. gra = grwa: Corner, fence, yard, school, section. zang nge = zan LUS thought this might = grwa bzang de: One's proper dwelling place. 1273 . , ...Path of concepts and characteristics . 1274 . This and above line inverted. 1275 . ...Supremely cut. 1276 . this whole line = mi 'gal, “not contradicted.” 1277 . The essential heart of things: snying po. 1278 . . 1279 . When realization of.... 1280 . This line = dris pa las . 1281 . Both abandoning.... 1282 . “Every dharma” next line. 1283 . rtsal chen yon tan rdzogs pa'i lung, pron. tsalche yön ten dzok pè lung.. 1284 . Why it says five I don't know. 1285 . “Three ties that bind,” does not occur here but does in the final summary of this section. 1286 . unobscured: rnyog med. 1287 . Grasping the level: sa gzung. LUS compared this to “taking the high ground.” 1288 . These colors in tantra, in the three naa.diis etc. symbolize basic duality, masculine/feminine, inner/outer, and so f No particular yogic practice is involved to here . 1289 . 
