Beru Khyentse Rinpoche Commentary An Aspitation Prayer For The Definitive Meaning of Mahamudra by III Karmapa Rangjung Dorjey

tary on An Aspiration Prayer for the Definitive Meaning of Ma
Commentary on An Aspiration Prayer for the Definitive Meaning of Mahamudra
Table of Contents
Commentary on An Aspiration Prayer for the Definitive Meaning of Mahamudra..........1 1 Obtaining the Necessities for Practice..........................................................................1 Homage ......................................................................................................................1 General Prayer that Encompasses All the Specific Prayers......................................1 General Prayer of Dedication....................................................................................2 Prayer to Obtain the General Circumstances Conducive for Practice.......................4 Prayer to Obtain the Special Circumstances Conducive for Practice ........................5 Prayer to Develop Discriminating Awareness ...........................................................6 Prayer to Meet Pure Teachings on the Basis, Path, and Result.................................8 2 Eliminating Confusion about the Practice of the Path ................................................12 Prayer Not To Be Confused about the Words Concerning Meditation...................12 Prayer Not To Be Confused about the View, Meditation, and Behavior................15 Prayer to Eliminate Interpolation in Terms of the View: Brief Explanation ...........18 Prayer to Gain Certainty that the Source of Appearances is Mind ..........................19 Prayer to Stop Interpolating the Four Extreme Modes of Existence.......................24 Prayer to Avoid the Extremes of Affirmation and Negation...................................26 Prayer to Realize There Is No Contradiction between Voidness and Dependent Arising..............................................................................................................27 Prayer to Cut All Doubts in order to Realize the Nature of Mind...........................29 3 Meditation Practice.....................................................................................................30 Prayer to Practice Mahamudra Meditation Properly...............................................30 Prayer to Achieve Shamatha ....................................................................................32 Prayer to Achieve Vipashyana................................................................................34 Prayer to Eliminate Any Basis for Confusion.........................................................35 Prayer to Realize that the Joined Pair of Shamatha and Vipashyana Is the Same in Various Traditions..............................................................................37 4 Boon Experiences, Stable Realizations and Final Attainments ..................................41 Prayer to Cultivate Boon Experiences Properly......................................................41 Prayer to Cultivate Stable Realizations...................................................................44 Prayer to Develop Compassion by Recognizing that All Beings Have Buddha-Nature ..................................................................................................45 Prayer to Practice the Unified Pair of Compassion and Voidness..........................48 Prayer to Manifest the Result..................................................................................50 Final Prayer of Dedication .......................................................................................53 Links..............................................................................................................................53

This is the printer-friendly version of: http: / / www.berzinarchives.com / web / x / nav / group.html_1870679839.html (Nges-don phyag-rgya chen-po'i smon-lam) of the Third Karmapa Rangjung-dorjey (Kar-ma Rang-byung rdo-rje) (1284 - 1340) by Beru Khyentse Rinpoche translated by Alexander Berzin, January 1978 revised August 2003 and June 2006
1 Obtaining the Necessities for Practice

[With Beru Khyentse Rinpoche's commentary in black script and supplements to that by Alexander Berzin in violet between square brackets.]
Homage
Homage to my Gurus. The author, the Third Karmapa, was an extremely learned master who wrote many profound texts that became the core of the Karma Kagyu teachings. Rangjung-dorjey (Self-arisen Vajra) was his given monastic name because of the lines of a naturally formed dorjey on each of his palms. He starts by paying homage to his Gurus. It is important to begin this way because Gurus are the essential sources of all realizations. Their qualities are equal to those of the Buddha. We could even say that they are kinder than all the Buddhas are, because they teach us in person. Moreover, their bodies embody the three sources of safe direction (the three refuges). Their physical bodies are the Sangha; their speech is the Dharma; and their minds are the Buddha. The literal meaning of the word Lama is "someone who cannot be surpassed." The text is divided into two sections: 1. general prayers, 2. specific prayers. The general prayers are divided into two sections: 1. general prayer that encompasses all the specific prayers, 2. general prayer of dedication.
General Prayer that Encompasses All the Specific Prayers

Verse 1 is a general prayer that encompasses all the specific prayers made in the rest of the text.
Commentary on An Aspiration Prayer for the Definitive Meaning of Mahamudra 1
(1) Gurus, yidams, and mandala figures, Triumphant Ones in the ten directions and three times, With your spiritual offspring, please regard me with affection. Inspire me that my prayers come true just as I've made them. "Yidams" are Buddha-figures used in meditation. They are emanations of a Buddha's Dharmakaya (Wisdom Body) - the omniscient mind of a Buddha - and may be in peaceful or forceful (wrathful) forms. Without leaving the state of voidness (emptiness), which is to say the Dharmakaya as omniscient awareness of the inseparable two truths, Buddhas manifest as yidams to benefit beings with limited minds (limited beings, sentient beings). Thus, in their essential natures (ngo-bo), yidams are Buddhas. [Yidams live in mandalas, palaces that contain other secondary figures that are also emanations of a Buddha's Dharmakaya. The "spiritual offspring" of the Triumphant Buddhas are the bodhisattvas.]
General Prayer of Dedication

Verse 2 is a general dedication prayer made with bodhichitta. (2) May the stream of water from the mass of constructive actions, Not muddied with respect to the three circles, Born from the snow mountain of pure thoughts and actions of myself and all countless beings, Flow into the four Bodies of a Triumphant One. Pure thoughts and actions of myself and all countless beings refer to the thoughts and actions of ourselves and others, as well as concerning ourselves and others. "Pure thoughts" are those with a pure motivation or intention, not mixed with any of the three poisonous emotions: longing desire (attachment), anger, or naivety. "Pure actions" characterize enlightenment-building actions (bodhisattva conduct), which are not muddied with respect to the three circles. "The three circles" are an agent, an action, and an object toward whom or toward which an action is done. [None of the three has true existence, non-true existence, both or neither. They are naturally not muddied by any of these four impossible extreme modes of existence. In other words,] their mode of existence is a [nondenumerable (rnam-grangs ma-yin-pa)] voidness that is beyond all words and concepts [of the impossible four modes]. [See: Affirmations, Negations, and Denumerable and Nondenumerable Ultimate Phenomena. {1}] Pure action is done with the realization of the voidness of the three circles [and thus is not muddied by unawareness regarding how the three circles exist]. This also means with the realization that [actions nevertheless occur and produce results based on] all three circles existing like an illusion. Implicitly, the verse indicates that the snow mountain itself is not muddied with respect to the three circles. [We can understand the snow mountain as a metaphor for mind-itself
General Prayer that Encompasses All the Specific Prayers 2
(sems-nyid), which is a synonym for the clear light subtlest level of awareness, also called "normal awareness" (tha-mal-gyi shes-pa, normal mind, ordinary mind) in the Karma Kagyu tradition. It is naturally pure, like a snow mountain.] It [the mind-itself, by nature,] is not muddied or defiled by impure or false conceptual cognitions concerning the three circles [or by impure thoughts of desire, anger, or naivety. Mind-itself is not muddied even by correct conceptual cognitions. To understand this, we need to understand the difference between false and correct conceptual cognition. False conceptual cognitions fabricate and project appearances of true existence (bden-snang). Simultaneously, they grasp for true existence (bden-'dzin), which means they incorrectly take these false appearances to be true. In simple words, they believe that the impossible way of existing that they make appear is how things actually exist. According to the assertion shared in common by the Kagyu, Nyingma, and Sakya schools, nonconceptual cognition does not make appearances of or grasp for true existence. This applies to sensory cognition, an arya's yogic cognition of voidness, mind-itself, and the omniscient mind of a Buddha (Dharmakaya). According to the uncommon Karma Kagyu assertion not shared by the other schools, the first moment of conceptual cognition also does not make appearances of true existence or grasp at them. Only from the second moment onward, is conceptual cognition false and impure. This is one of the reasons that Karma Kagyu asserts that conceptual thought is, in essential nature, Dharmakaya. This statement is in reference to the first moment of conceptual cognition. According to the Kagyu, Nyingma, and Sakya schools, sensory nonconceptual cognition cognizes only moments of sensibilia, such as moments of colored shapes. Conceptual cognition imputes on them conventional objects of experience (tha-snyad spyod-yul), in other words commonsense objects ('jig-rten-la grags-pa) such as "an orange," which endure over time and extend over the sensibilia of several senses - sights, smells, tastes, and physical sensations. In differentiating the first moment of conceptual cognition from the subsequent moments, and in ascribing appearance-making and grasping for the true existence of commonsense objects - independent of mental labeling or imputation - only to subsequent moments, Karma Kagyu avoids the danger of what the Gelug tradition calls "over-refuting the object to be refuted." It avoids the danger of denying the conventional existence of commonsense objects, which are like an illusion. This unique Karma Kagyu assertion, unshared with other traditions, applies not only to commonsense objects such as an orange, but also to the commonsense objects known as the three circles of an action. For example, although sensory nonconceptual cognition can only perceive one moment of an action at a time and only the sensibilia of it through one sense; nevertheless, there is a conventionally existent action as a commonsense object, imputed by the first moment of conceptual cognition. That first moment is accurate or correct conceptual cognition. Only the subsequent moments of conceptual cognition are false cognitions. In short, the snow mountain of mind-itself, Dharmakaya, is not muddied either by first-moment correct conceptual cognitions of commonsense objects such as agents, actions, and objects, or by subsequent-moment false conceptual cognitions of these three circles as truly existent.] [See: Fine Analysis of Objects of Cognition: Non-Gelug Presentation {2} {5}.]
General Prayer of Dedication
Because the snow mountain itself is naturally not muddied by false conceptual cognition, the stream of water born from the snow mountain - in other words, the stream that naturally flows from mind-itself - is also naturally not muddied. The stream of clear water refers to constructive actions. ["Thoughts" are actions of mind; "actions" refer to the actions of body and speech.] We need to stop muddying them with [the three poisonous emotions or] false conceptual cognitions of the three circles. The mass of constructive actions refers to the network of positive force (collection of merit) that builds up from constructive actions. May the unmuddied stream of them flow into (the ocean of) the four Bodies of a Triumphant One is a prayer for our network of positive force to act as a cause for achieving enlightenment. Thus, the second verse is a dedication prayer of bodhichitta. It is a dedication of all positive force (merit) to our attainment of enlightenment to benefit everyone. [There are many presentations of the four Enlightening Bodies of a Buddha. The most general one is that a Nirmanakaya (Emanation Body) is a network of physical bodies that teach ordinary beings, while a Sambhogakaya (Body of Full Use) is a network of subtle physical bodies that teach highly realized arya bodhisattvas. A Dharmakaya or Jnana-dharmakaya (Deep Awareness Body Encompassing Everything, Wisdom Body) is the omniscient mind of a Buddha, and a Svabhavakaya (Nature Body) is the inseparability of the other Three Bodies. In other words, a Svabhavakaya is the inseparable two truths (conventional appearances and their voidness) omnisciently known by a Dharmakaya.] Next are specific prayers, divided into five sections: prayers to 1. obtain a proper basis for practice, 2. develop discriminating awareness, 3. meet pure teachings on the basis, path, and result, 4. not be confused about the practice of the path, 5. manifest the result. Prayers to obtain a proper basis for practice are divided into two sections: prayers to 1. obtain the general circumstances conducive for practice, 2. obtain the special circumstances conducive for practice.
Prayer to Obtain the General Circumstances Conducive for Practice

Verse 3 is a prayer to obtain the general circumstances that constitute a proper basis conducive for Dharma practice. (3) In each and every lifetime until I attain that, May even the sound of (the words) negativity and suffering Never resound and may I come to enjoy The glories of an ocean of bliss and virtue. This is a prayer that in all our rebirths, until we achieve enlightenment, may we act only constructively, so that we continually strengthen and expand our networks of positive force. To do that, we need to curb our three poisonous emotions, as well as jealousy and pride. By stopping their influence on our behavior, we will naturally refrain from committing the ten
Prayer to Obtain the General Circumstances Conducive for Practice 4
destructive actions of body, speech, and mind that build up "negativity," meaning negative force (sdig-pa, negative potential, "sin"), and which result in "suffering." [The three destructive actions of body are killing, stealing, and indulging in inappropriate sexual behavior. The four destructive actions of speech are lying, speaking divisively, using harsh language, and idly chattering. The three destructive actions of mind are thinking with covetous thoughts, thinking with malice, and distorted antagonistic thinking.] Through refraining from destructive actions, we attain better rebirths, specifically precious human ones. With them as our basis, we can come to enjoy the glories of an ocean of bliss and virtue, namely with our attainments of liberation and enlightenment.
Prayer to Obtain the Special Circumstances Conducive for Practice

Verse 4 is a prayer to obtain the special circumstances conducive for practice. (4) Having obtained a supreme (human life) with respites and enrichments, Endowed with belief in facts, joyful perseverance, and discrimination, May I rely on an excellent spiritual master And receive the essence of his guideline instructions. Practicing accordingly, without interference, May I enjoy the pure Dharma in all my lives. The most favorable or supreme rebirth state is with a precious human life endowed with respites and enrichments. "Respites" are from the eight nonhuman and human situations with no leisure to practice the Dharma; "enrichments" are with the ten personal and social situations that enable Dharma practice. [From among the eight situations with no leisure to practice the Dharma, from which we have a temporary respite (the eight freedoms or liberties), the four nonhuman situations are rebirth as (1) a trapped being in a joyless realm (hell-creature), (2) a desperately clutching ghost (hungry ghost), (3) a creeping creature (animal), or (4) a long-lived divine being (god). The four human situations of no leisure are rebirth as (5) a barbarian in a savage border region, (6) in a land where the Dharma is unavailable, (7) with severe learning disabilities, or (8) instinctively holding a distorted outlook on life, denying what is true. From among the ten enriching situations that enable Dharma practice (the ten endowments), the five personal situations are rebirth as (1) a human, (2) in a central Buddhist region, (3) with complete faculties, (4) not still experiencing the repercussions from having committed the most extreme destructive actions, and (5) with instinctive belief in what is true. The five social situations that enable Dharma practice are rebirth (6) where and when a Buddha has come, (7) has taught the Dharma, and (8) the Dharma is still maintained, (9) with a monastic community following the Buddha's example, and (10) with others compassionately supporting the monastic community.] Moreover, to practice fully, we need a precious human life endowed with qualities that are even more special: belief in facts (dad-pa, faith), joyful perseverance, and discrimination (shes-rab, discriminating awareness, wisdom).
Prayer to Obtain the Special Circumstances Conducive for Practice 5
There are three types of belief in facts. First comes belief in a fact based on reason (yid-ches-kyi dad-pa), for example belief in the fact of having Buddha-nature. From that, comes clearheaded belief in a fact ( dang-ba'i dad-pa ). [It clears the mind of disturbing emotions and attitudes about what is true. Once our minds are cleared of doubts and so on,] we can then develop belief in a fact with an aspiration (mngon-'dod-kyi dad-pa) - namely, belief in our ability to realize our Buddha-natures and that we shall realize them. Another way of enumerating the three is first comes belief in a fact with an aspiration - for example, with bodhichitta, the belief that we can and we will become Buddhas. Based on that, comes clearheaded belief in a fact, namely that the practice of Dharma will bring us to that state. [The more we practice, the more we clear our minds of disturbing emotions and attitudes. With our minds more clear,] we gain belief in facts based on reason, for example in the truth of the laws of behavioral cause and effect. That brings us to the development of joyful perseverance and discriminating awareness. Based on reason, we are confident that developing and practicing them will bring us enlightenment. Having attained these four qualities [a precious human rebirth, belief in fact, joyful perseverance, and discriminating awareness], we need to rely on an excellent spiritual master. Such a spiritual master is one who is properly qualified and whom we choose and rely on in a healthy manner according to the criteria established in Ashvaghosha's Fifty Stanzas on the Guru (Bla-ma lnga-bcu-pa, Skt. Gurupanchashika). Then, we need to receive the essence of our Guru's guideline instructions (gdams-ngag), given in conformity with the capacity and level of each disciple. Having received them, we need to practice accordingly , by following the instructions. This is essential. Moreover, we need to be able to practice without interference. Two types of interference can hinder our practice. One is external, coming from the four elements, for example floods, droughts, and famines. The second is internal, coming, for instance, from sickness or disturbing emotions and attitudes. To avoid all interference, we meditate on yidams, recite mantras, perform protector practices, and do meditation retreats. The prayer ends with the aspiration to enjoy the pure Dharma in all our lives. This means to be able to practice the pure Dharma, in the manner outlined by the previous lines of the verse, in all our lifetimes until our attainment of enlightenment.
Prayer to Develop Discriminating Awareness

Of the various qualities of a precious human rebirth, discriminating awareness is the factor that brings us directly to the realization of mahamudra. Therefore, verse 5 is a prayer to develop discriminating awareness: (5) Listening to scriptures and reasoning frees us from the obscurations of not knowing. Thinking about the quintessence teachings destroys the darkness of doubts. The light arising from meditation makes clear the abiding nature of reality, just as it is. May the illumination of my three wisdoms ever expand. In Jewel Ornament of Liberation (Thar-pa rin-po-che'i rgyan), Gampopa outlined two types of discriminating awareness or wisdom: the ordinary discriminating awareness that
Prayer to Develop Discriminating Awareness 6
comprehends worldly topics - such as medicine and the arts and sciences - and the extraordinary discriminating awareness that comprehends Dharma topics. Dharma topics refer to the teachings gathered in The Three Baskets , The Tripitaka - namely, the teachings of vinaya (rules of discipline), sutra (themes of practice), and abhidharma (special topics of knowledge). Discriminating awareness of the Dharma may be at the lesser level of the shravakas (listeners) or pratyekabuddhas (self-realizers), or at the greater level of the bodhisattvas. In either case, the discriminating awareness of the Dharma is divided into that which arises 1. from listening to the teachings, 2. from pondering or thinking about their meaning, 3. from meditating on them. Here, the verse refers to these three types of discriminating awareness in the case of a bodhisattva. Listening to scriptures and reasoning refers to listening to or reading and studying (a) teachings from the Buddhist scriptures and (b) teachings on lines of reasoning or logic. Examples of scriptures are the abhidharma texts, the texts of the great mahasiddhas, and the commentaries written by the great Indian and Tibetan learned masters. An example of a line of reasoning is "a vase is a nonstatic (impermanent) phenomenon because it is affected by causes and conditions." To gain the discriminating awareness that ascertains the actual nature of phenomena we must rely on logical reasoning, particularly as outlined by the great Indian masters Dignaga and Dharmakirti. Listening also refers to listening to teachings from our personal Gurus. The discriminating awareness that arises from listening frees us from the obscurations of not knowing (mi-shes sgrib). "The obscurations of not knowing" may refer to not knowing the Dharma in general or specifically to not knowing the two sets of obscurations. The two sets are the emotional obscurations (nyon-sgrib) and the cognitive obscurations (shes-sgrib). The former set are the disturbing emotions and attitudes, plus their tendencies. These obscurations prevent liberation. The latter set are obscurations regarding all knowables and which prevent omniscience. If we have not listened to teachings about what the two sets of obscurations are and about the methods for overcoming them, we will be unable to free ourselves from them. The two sets of obscurations themselves are also "obscurations of not knowing." [The former set is the obscurations of not knowing or unawareness (ma-rig-pa, ignorance) of how we exist, while the latter is unawareness of how all phenomena exist.] The discriminating awareness that arises from listening is not enough. We also need the discriminating awareness that comes from thinking about the quintessence teachings ( man-ngag ), from the great masters of the past and the present, about their meaning. Qunitessence teachings reveal the pith or deep meanings of the scriptures. Thinking about or pondering these ieachings destroys the darkness of doubts we may have about what the teachings actually mean. For example, certain [sutra] texts are of definitive meaning (nges-don): they can be taken literally. Others are of interpretable meaning (drang-don): they are not to be taken literally, but need interpretation. [In anuttarayoga tantra texts, specific words or phrases have both interpretable and definitive meanings.] For instance, The Guhyasamaja Tantra (gSang-ba 'dus-pa) states, "You must take life." According to the quintessence teachings, this line is not to be taken literally to mean we must kill other limited beings. It needs interpretation: we need
Prayer to Develop Discriminating Awareness 7
to take the life of the darkness of ignorance [and the subtle energy-winds that it rides on.] In addition, if we try to meditate to gain shamatha (zhi-gnas, a stilled and settle state of mind, calm abiding), we will never make progress if we have doubts about how to meditate. [We also need to clear away doubts about the item on which we are supposed to focus or the state of mind in which we are supposed to rest.] We need to think about the meanings of the quintessence teachings on shamatha meditation until we understand them correctly and are free of doubts. The discriminating awareness that arises from thinking is also not enough. We need the discriminating awareness that arises from meditating. Through meditating, we integrate the teachings so that we realize them fully. For example, from meditating on and achieving shamatha, the light arising from meditation makes clear the abiding nature of reality, just as it is. This means that, with the attainment of shamatha, our single-pointed concentration with and on the clarity of this state reveals and illuminates mahamudra, the actual abiding nature of reality. [In other words, with shamatha, we gain an exceptionally clear mind that is both the object of focus in mahamudra meditation and the mind that does the focusing.] Thus, since all three types of discriminating awareness are necessary in order for the realization of mahamudra, the abiding nature of reality, to dawn, we pray here that the illumination of my three wisdoms ever expand.
Prayer to Meet Pure Teachings on the Basis, Path, and Result

With the three types of discriminating awareness, we can realize the basis, pathway, and resultant mahamudras. Thus, verse 6 is a prayer to meet with pure, correct teachings on the three: (6) May I meet the unmistaken, undeviating Dharma, which Takes the two truths as the main points of the basis; parted from the extremes of eternalism and nihilism, Takes the two networks as the supreme path, parted from interpolating or repudiating anything; And fulfills the two aims as the attainment of the result, parted from the extremes of compulsive samsara and tranquil nirvana. May I meet with the unmistaken, undeviating Dharma with respect to the basis, pathway and resultant mahamudras is a prayer to listen to, think about, and meditate on the correct teachings that do not deviate to either of two extremes with respect to each of the three. First, we need to identify correctly the basis, path, and result. There are two types of basis mahamudras: natural and causal. The natural basis mahamudra refers to the abiding nature of reality as our Buddha-nature. It is our mind-itself, normal awareness, which pervades all appearances that manifest in all rebirth states. [Normal awareness is inseparable voidness and appearance, with the voidness that is inseparable from appearance being itself inseparable voidness and awareness.] The natural basis is what allows us to practice the path. If Buddha-nature were not within each of us, practicing the path and attaining enlightenment as its result would be impossible. It is a primordial state (gnyug-ma), meaning that it has no beginning and that is the ultimate phenomenon (don-dam), meaning that it is the deepest level. If we do not realize that this innate state within each of us is our
Prayer to Meet Pure Teachings on the Basis, Path, and Result 8
basis to practice the path, we cannot use it to realize voidness. Mind and body are inseparable. ["Inseparable" (dbyer-med) means that if one is the case or is present, so is the other.] Normal awareness abides in the body [and specifically in the subtlest body, meaning the subtlest energy-wind, like a supported limited being ( brten ) in the environment that supports it ( rten )]. The subtlest body gives rise to the subtle energy-channels, subtle energy-winds, and subtle creative energy-drops (rtsa-rlung-thig-le). Yoga practice [on the complete stage (rdzogs-rim) of anuttarayoga tantra] is based on this subtle energy-system as the causal basis. Through realization of the causal basis mahamudra, we realize inseparable voidness and bliss. If we do not realize our natural and causal basis mahamudras, it does not mean that we do not have them, for in fact these bases abide in each of us. When we fully realize these bases, we realize the abiding state that has double purity (dag-pa gnyis-ldan): the natural purity that was always the case and the purity attained from parting the bases from the two sets of obscurations that prevented us from realizing them. The two truths as the main points of the basis refer to the two basis mahamudras. Normal awareness, as the natural basis, is deepest truth (don-dam bden-pa, ultimate truth) [inseparable voidness and appearance]. The subtle body, as the causal basis, is superficial truth (kun-rdzob bden-pa, conventional truth, relative truth, apparent truth) [appearances themselves, apparent truth]. The teachings on these two truths need to be parted from the extremes of eternalism and nihilism. The extreme of eternalism is the error of taking appearances and grasping at them as being eternal. "Eternal," here, means appearances [of the subtle and gross bodies and of all appearances in general] truly existing under their own power, independently of mind. Understanding deepest truth keeps us from falling to this extreme. The extreme of nihilism is the error of taking deepest truth voidness as an absolute nullification that nullifies everything. Understanding superficial truth keeps us from falling to this extreme. [Normal awareness is a voidness in the sense that it is an "other-voidness" (gzhan-stong), devoid of grosser levels of mind, and in the sense that it and its manner of existence are beyond all words and concepts. It is not an absolute nullification (med-dgag, nonimplicative negation phenomenon, nonaffirming negation); it is not merely an absence. Deepest truth normal awareness is inseparable from the appearances that it continually and automatically gives rise to.] This is Madhyamaka, the Middle Way. When we understand the two truths properly, we realize the unified pair (zung-'jug, Skt. yuganaddha, "unity"): voidness and appearance. [See: Relationships between Two Objects in Anuttarayoga Tantra {3}.] This enables us to understand correctly the main points or meaning of the two basis mahamudras. Cultivation of the path and attainment of the result follow from the three types of discriminating awareness that arise from listening to, thinking about, and meditating on this "unmistaken, undeviating Dharma." We need great care here. Conventional appearances such as those of the preta (clutching ghost, hungry ghost) realm exist conventionally. From the viewpoint of deepest truth, they are "mind-only." This statement is not the same as the assertion of the Chittamatra (Mind-Only)
School. [According to the Chittamatra theories, a consciousness and the appearances of phenomena that that consciousness cognizes come from the same karmic tendency (sa-bon, seed) on the all-encompassing foundation consciousness (kun-gzhi rnam-shes, Skt. alayavijnana). It is not that consciousness comes from some internal source and that appearances are external and come from some separate external source. In this sense, consciousness and the objects it cognizes are nondual ( gnyis-med ). There are no such things as external phenomena (phyi-don). In contrast to this, when Madhyamaka asserts no external phenomena and that everything is mind-only, the meaning is that there are no phenomena created by an external omnipotent creator. Madhyamaka, however, does not refute that material phenomena come from their material causes. Dualistic consciousness and the objects it cognizes are known in Chittamatra as "totally conceptional phenomena" ( kun-brtags ): they are completely imaginary and have no true existence. The minds that cognize or experience these dualistic appearances are known as "dependent phenomena" (gzhan-dbang, other-powered phenomena). They project and cognize these false appearances dependent on the power of karmic tendencies and unawareness, and thus are known as "unpurified (ma-dag) dependent phenomena." They are not yet purified of karmic tendencies and the unawareness that both plants and activates these tendencies. In essence, however, these unpurified minds are minds that are devoid of projecting and cognizing these totally conceptional phenomena. These voidnesses - the essence of unpurified minds - are thoroughly established phenomena (yongs-grub). They are "other-voidnesses" in that they are dependent phenomena's being devoid of something other than themselves namely, they are devoid of totally conceptional phenomena. These thoroughly established other-voidnesses are truly existent levels of mind. When all unawareness has been removed from unpurified dependent minds, the unpurified minds become "purified dependent phenomena." Purified dependent minds, then, are equivalent to thoroughly established phenomena and they too have true existence. This is the coarse presentation of the Chittamatra tenet system. According to the subtle level of Chittamatra theories, the totally conceptional phenomena are conceptual minds, from their second moment onwards, and the appearances of truly existent external conventional commonsense objects that they cognize. The appearances that these conceptual minds cognize are universals or categories ( spyi ) - such as the universal or category "table" - that they impute or project onto moments of sensibilia. Such minds and their objects are not truly existent. Unpurified dependent phenomena are nonconceptual sensory and mental consciousnesses and the first moment of conceptual minds, as well as the appearances of external sensibilia and commonsense objects - but not ones that are truly existent as "this" or "that" - that they project and cognize dependent on the power of karmic tendencies and unawareness. Purified dependent phenomena are the nonconceptual sensory and mental consciousnesses and the first moment of conceptual minds, as well as the appearances of nonexternal sensibilia and commonsense objects that they project and cognize when they are no longer dependent on the power of karmic tendencies and unawareness. These are the pure appearances of Buddha-lands. Purified dependent phenomena are dependent on the power of networks of positive force and deep awareness.
The thoroughly established phenomena are alayavijnanas themselves, as subtle continuities of consciousness that are devoid of all dependent phenomena. In this subtle presentation as well, the thoroughly established phenomena are other-voidnesses, and, as with the coarse Chittamatra presentation, they too have true existence. In the Chittamatra system, then, superficial truths refers to totally conceptional and dependent phenomena, which lack true existence, while deepest truths are the thoroughly established phenomena, which have true existence. In Madhyamaka, normal mind is beyond all extremes of true existence, non-true existence, both, or neither.] We need great intelligence to understand properly the meaning of the affirmation that everything is mind-only. [Everything is mind-only in the sense that deepest truth voidness is normal awareness - inseparable voidness and appearances, with voidness itself being inseparable voidness and awareness. This is not an affirmation phenomenon (sgrub-pa), as in the dichotomy affirmation phenomena and negation phenomena (dgag-pa). Voidness, here, is beyond such words and concepts as affirmation phenomena, such as true existence (it is "this"), and negation phenomena, such as non-true existence (it is "not this"). Superficial truths are mind's appearances themselves, in all realms of existence and rebirth states, based on subtlest body inseparable from normal awareness (normal mind). ] Thus, to be capable of correctly understanding the meaning of the two truths, we need to develop the discriminating awareness that arises from listening to, thinking about, and meditating on pathway mahamudra. Pathway mahamudra takes the two networks as the supreme path, parted from (the two extremes) of interpolating or repudiating anything. In other words, building up and strengthening our two enlightenment-building networks (collections) of positive force (bsod-nams, merit) and deep awareness (ye-shes, wisdom), dedicated with bodhichitta, is the pathway of practice that enables us to realize basis and resultant mahamudras. This is the path of method and wisdom. The extreme of interpolation (sgro-'dogs) refers to adding or projecting something that is not present. An example would be taking a scarecrow in a field to be a man, or a striped rope to be a snake. [Here, interpolation adds to deepest truth what is not the case - namely any of the four impossible extreme modes of existence: true existence, non-true existence, both, or neither. Deepest truth is beyond all words and concepts of these four extremes.] Building up and strengthening our networks of deep awareness [as the wisdom side] enables us to avoid the extreme of such interpolation. The extreme of repudiation (skur-'debs) refers to taking away or denying what is present [Here, repudiation denies the superficial truth of appearances.] Acting constructively toward and with appearances, to build up and strengthen our networks of positive force, enables us to avoid the extreme of such repudiation. Thus, the two extremes of interpolation or repudiation are eliminated by "the supreme path," which is a combination of method and wisdom. In short, we need to develop the discriminating awareness that arises from listening to, thinking about, and meditating on the supreme pathway mahamudra that avoids the extremes of projecting and denying. As the enlightenment-building networks of our positive force and deep awareness, built up and strengthened with this discriminating awareness, grow in scope and strength, the clarity of our minds grows in intensity. In other words, positive force, deep awareness, and the discriminating awareness to avoid projecting or denying intensify the clarity of our minds.
The more intense the clarity of our minds, the more efficient consciousness we have for realizing mahamudra and the more prominent object we have on which to realize it. Resultant mahamudra is the attainment of enlightenment, with the three Buddha-bodies [Nirmanakaya, Sambhogakaya, and Dharmakaya (which also includes Svabhavakaya).] This attainment fulfills the two aims, parted from the extremes of compulsive samsara and tranquil nirvana. The attainment of a Dharmakaya, a Buddha's omniscient awareness of the inseparable two truths, avoids the extreme of compulsive samsara (srid-mtha') - rebirth in any of the three realms of samsara. The three samsaric realms are the realms of desirable objects (desire realm), ethereal forms (form realm), and formless beings (formless realm). Rebirth in any of the three entails only suffering. With the attainment of a Dharmakaya, our omniscient awareness of the inseparable two truths parts us from this extreme and thus we fulfill our own aims. The attainment of a Nirmanakaya and a Sambhogakaya, with which we appear throughout the expanse of space, avoids the extreme of remaining in the tranquil peace of nirvana (zhi-mtha'). Helping others with these appearances fulfills the aims of others. Thus, with the attainment of the three Buddha-bodies, we fulfill the two aims - those of ourselves and those of others.
2 Eliminating Confusion about the Practice of the Path

[With Beru Khyentse Rinpoche's commentary in black script and supplements to that by Alexander Berzin in violet between square brackets.]
The next set of prayers are prayers not to be confused about the practice of the path. This is divided into two sections: 1. prayers to not be confused about the words concerning meditation, 2. prayers to not be confused about the meaning of the words.
Prayer Not To Be Confused about the Words Concerning Meditation

Verse 7 is a prayer to understand the words concerning meditation, namely the words involved in understanding the purification process. We need to understand the basis to be purified [basis mahamudra], the purifying action [pathway mahamudra], what is purified away, and the result of the purification [resultant mahamudra. They are all different forms of the word purify.] (7) The basis for purification is mind-itself, a unified pair of clarity and voidness. The purifying action is the vajra yoga of mahamudra. What is purified away are the stains of fleeting, deceptive confusion. May I manifest the result of the purification, a stainless Dharmakaya.
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The basis for purification is mind-itself. [The previous verse differentiated as the two truths normal awareness and the subtle body on which it relies, and took the unified pair of them as basis mahamudra. However,] mind-itself can also be presented as the unified pair of the two truths. Thus, as Buddha-nature, mind-itself is a unified pair of clarity and voidness . "Clarity" (gsal) is the mental activity of making appearances arise. [Sometimes, clarity is also explained as inseparable clarity and appearance - in other words, inseparable appearance-making and the appearances made.] The stains of unawareness and hallucinations may prevent us from recognizing mind-itself as this unified pair. In other words, they obscure the basis for purification. [Unawareness obscures inseparable awareness and voidness; hallucinations imagined as truly existent obscure clarity - appearance-making by the mind.] Nevertheless, its being obscured does not alter the fact that mind-itself has this abiding nature of clarity and voidness. Unawareness and hallucinations can never affect the basis. Basis mahamudra, then, mind-itself, is the basis for purification of the stains. The purifying action that purifies the basis is the vajra yoga of mahamudra. The highest class of tantra, anuttarayoga, has many yidam systems of practice, for example that of Vajravarahi ( rDo-rje phag-mo , Vajrayogini). Anuttarayoga practice has two stages: the generation stage (bskyed-rim) and complete stage (rdzogs-rim). During the generation stage, we meditate with visualized Buddha-figures as a cause to reach the complete stage. During the complete stage, we practice the six dharma teachings of Naropa (na-ro chos-drug, six yogas of Naropa) and work with the subtle energy-system of chakras, channels, winds, and creative energy-drops. The complete stage has two parts: with signs (mtshan-bcas) and without signs (mtshan-med). On the former, we achieve an illusory body ( sgyu-lus ) [in the form of the Buddha-figure previously visualized] and are able to accomplish phowa ( 'pho-ba , transference of consciousness) to a pure-land Buddha-field. On the complete stage without signs, we actually realize mahamudra [mind-itself, the subtlest mind of clear light]. These two stages of anuttarayoga tantra practice - the generation stage and the complete stage with and without signs - constitute the path of the vajra yoga of mahamudra. Following this path, we pass through and penetrate deeper than the level of mind of the five types of sensory consciousness and of conceptual thought. We purify the basis mind-itself of the fleeting stains of these levels. This enables us to realize mind-itself, the unified pair of clarity and voidness. [The Kagyu tradition transmits three mahamudra lineages and teachings, all of which are consistent with each other and lead to the same goal: 1. Sutra mahamudra (mdo'i phyag-chen) emphasizes resting in the nonconceptual deep awareness of the sphere of reality ( chos-dbyings , Skt. dharmadhatu ) parted from mental fabrication ( spros-bral ). The deep awareness of the sphere of reality is a synonym for the unified pair of clarity and voidness, and thus sutra mahamudra accords with the anuttarayoga tantra teachings on mind-itself. The sutra mahamudra lineage is based on Maitreya's Furthest Everlasting Continuum (rGyud bla-ma, Skt. Uttaratantra ). Its teachings were first revealed and expounded by Maitripa in Teachings on Not Taking to Mind (Yid-la mi-byed-pa ston-pa, Skt. Amanasikaroddesha). Since this method of mahamudra practice is hidden in the sutra teachings, it is also known as the hidden path of sutra (mdo'i gsang-lam). Its lineage passed from Maitripa to Marpa to Milarepa to Gampopa. The four syllables tradition (yi-ge bzhi) common to all Dagpo Kagyu schools - the twelve Kagyu lineages that
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derive from Gampopa, including Karma Kagyu - transmit these sutra mahamudra teachings.] [See: The Gelug-Kagyu Tradition of Mahamudra, Part IV, Session Five {4}.] 2. [Mantra mahamudra (sngags-kyi phyag-chen, tantra mahamudra) is the vajra yoga of anuttarayoga tantra specifically mentioned in the verse. It is also known as the path of method (thabs-lam). Through the third of the four anuttarayoga empowerments, the discriminating deep awareness empowerment ( shes-rab ye-shes-kyi dbang ), practitioners are introduced to mahamudra through the deep awareness arising through the four joys (dga'-ba bzhi). Thus, mantra mahamudra emphasizes mind-itself as the unified pair of blissful awareness and voidness. 3. Essence mahamudra (snying-po'i phyag-chen) derives from both sutra and mantra mahamudras and can be included within the two. The Kagyu lineages traditionally list it as a separate division, however, which emphasizes receiving inspiration (byin-rlabs, "blessings") from one's Guru. In this sense, essence mahamudra is sometimes considered beyond both sutra and tantra. On its path, specially qualified disciples receive the inspiration of the realizations of all the lineage masters through receiving a vajra deep awareness empowerment (rdo-rje ye-shes-kyi dbang) conferred by a specially qualified Guru. As a result, the disciples achieve simultaneous realization and liberation (rtogs-grol dus-mnyam). In other words, from the empowerment, the disciples achieve realization of mind-itself, equivalent to a seeing pathway mind (mthong-lam, path of seeing). At the same time, without passing, one by one, through the ten levels of bhumi-mind (sa-bcu) of arya bodhisattvas, they become rid of all obscurations, both the emotional and the cognitive ones. Able to remain in mind-itself without ever leaving its realization again, they achieve enlightenment on the spot. Such practitioners are called "those for whom it happens all at once" (cig-car-ba). Others, who proceed to develop the pathway minds and levels of bhumi-mind progressively, one by one, either through the sutra or tantra methods, are called "those who progress through stages" (lam-rim-pa). Because the path of essence mahamudra rids practitioners of the emotional and cognitive obscurations all at once, it is known as "the singular sufficient white panacea" (dkar-po chig-thub, all-curing single white panacea, single white remedy, self-sufficient white remedy).] What are purified away are the stains of fleeting, deceptive confusion. Mind-itself has no stains. However, the stains of confusion and deception - unawareness and hallucinations obscure it. The stains are fleeting, however, like clouds in the sky or like mist on a mirror. Thus, they can be purified away. The result of the purification is a stainless Dharmakaya . "Dharmakaya," a Buddha's omniscient awareness of the inseparable two truths, is a synonym here for mind-itself when it is fully realized. The result attained by the purification, by the removal forever of the fleeting stains, is the uncovering or unveiling of a Dharmakaya. Consider, for example, the stains on mind-itself concerning cognition. When we cognize things incorrectly, due to deceptive confusion, we perceive the clarity side [appearance, superficial truth] as truly existent objects of cognition and the voidness side [consciousness, deepest truth] as a truly existing "me." When we remove the stains of unawareness and hallucination from the basis for purification - mind-itself as a unified pair of the two truths, clarity and voidness - we uncover a Dharmakaya free of these fleeting stains. The result of the purification, then, is to reveal a Dharmakaya with double purity: natural purity and attained purity. The natural purity of mind is the natural state of mind-itself, which
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pervades all beings as the naturally abiding Buddha-nature (rang-bzhin gnas-pa'i rigs). By nature, mind-itself is free of all stains. The attained purity is the purity attained as the result of removing forever the obscurations of the fleeting stains. This requires the full realization of voidness as taught by Buddha. Double purity, then, is the unified pair of the beginningless primordial purity of deepest truth [inseparable awareness and voidness] and of the purity attained by purifying the superficial truth [appearances] that deepest truth makes appear. This is Buddhahood, Dharmakaya. In short, this prayer is to purify mind-itself with the vajra yoga [anuttarayoga] methods of mahamudra, in order to remove forever the fleeting stains of confusion and to reveal a Dharmakaya, free of all stains, and thus doubly pure. This is the prayer not to be confused about the meaning of the word purify. The prayers not to be confused about the meaning of the words are divided into two sections: 1. a brief explanation of their meaning, 2. a detailed explanation.
Prayer Not To Be Confused about the View, Meditation, and Behavior

Verse 8, the brief explanation of not being confused about the meaning of the words, concerns not being confused about the mahamudra view, meditation, and behavior: (8) Self-confidence in the view is to cut off interpolations from the basis. The essential point of meditation is to safeguard against wavering from that. The supreme behavior is to cultivate meditation's (essential) point displaying as everything. May I gain self-confidence in the view, meditation, and behavior. This verse speaks of mahamudra meditation in terms of three aspects: the view on which to meditate, the meditation itself, and the behavior that enhances the meditation. Self-confidence in the view is to cut off interpolations from the basis. A correct mahamudra view is stable when it has the certitude that cuts off all interpolations from the basis mahamudra. The specific interpolation here is that of false conceptual cognitions, which simultaneously make appearances of true existence and grasp for true existence. Interpolation adds these false conceptual cognitions to the pure basis, mind-itself. [It does this in two senses of the word interpolation: it adds false conception-making on top of the basis and adds there as well what this false conception-making interpolates. In other words, the false conceptual cognitions themselves are interpolations and they themselves interpolate.] They obscure the unified pair of clarity and voidness [the unified pair of (1) inseparable appearance-making and appearances and (2) inseparable awareness and voidness. The false conceptual cognitions of true existence may aim at the appearances that the clarity side of mind-itself naturally produces or at mind-itself.] The example given in the commentary, however, is that of an extreme outlook (mthar-lta, extreme view) [a disturbing attitude that regards the appearances that mind produces from the point of view of an extreme
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outlook. It regards the appearances of the five aggregates and the self (the "me") with either the interpolation of the extreme of eternalism or the repudiation that is the extreme of nihilism. The five aggregates are the nonstatic factors that comprise each moment of our experience - (1) forms of physical phenomena, (2) feelings of some level of happiness, (3) distinguishing (recognition), (4) other affecting variables, and (5) types of primary consciousness. Here, the commentary mentions only the interpolation of eternalism. It interpolates that in any moment of experience, the objects of cognition that appear are truly existent objects and the consciousness of them that appears is a truly existent "me."] When we achieve self-confidence in the view, we cut off the interpolations projected by the false conceptual cognitions and we cut off the interpolating conceptual cognitions themselves. Both come with our realization of the unified pair of basis mahamudra, which is naturally free or purified of these interpolations. [Mind-itself is naturally free or purified of both (1) the true existence interpolated by false conceptual cognitions and (2) the false conceptual cognitions that interpolate it. In other words, it is naturally free or purified both of (1) true existence itself and (2) the appearance-making and grasping for true existence. Mind-itself is also naturally free or purified of non-true existence, both true and non-true existence, and neither true nor non-true existence, as well as any false conceptual cognitions that may interpolate them. Mind-itself is a nondenumerable ultimate phenomenon (rnam-grangs ma-yin-pa'i don-dam), a voidness beyond all words and concepts of the four impossible extremes.] As the basis, mind-itself, is naturally pure of interpolations, the essential point of mahamudra meditation is to safeguard against wavering from that. This means to safeguard and maintain the natural purity of mind-itself without mental wavering or wandering from it. Mahamudra meditation is the joined pair (zung-'brel) of shamatha (zhi-gnas, a stilled and settled state of mind) and vipashyana (lhag-mthong, an exceptionally perceptive state of mind). It is single-pointed concentration on the abiding nature of reality (basis mahamudra), without such faults in the concentration as flightiness of mind, mental dullness, foggy-mindedness, sleepiness, or staleness. The faults may be summarized as "wavering". The description here of joined shamatha and vipashyana as being free of mental wavering from basis mahamudra conforms perfectly to the Prasangika-Madhyamaka view as expressed by Nagarjuna in Root Verses on Madhyamaka, Called "Discriminating Awareness" (rTsa-ba shes-rab, Skt. Prajna-nama-mulamadhyamaka-karika). [As the opening homage verse, Nagarjuna wrote, "I prostrate to the fully enlightened Buddha, the holiest philosopher, who taught dependent arising] without cessation, without arising, [without nihilism, without eternalism,] without coming, without going,[without multiplicity, without oneness, without pluralism, stilled of mental fabrication, a peaceful end." Mental wavering entails the arising and ceasing of false conceptual thoughts - mental fabrication (spros-pa) - with our attention going after them and coming back. The shamatha aspect of correct mahamudra meditation, stilled of mental fabrication, protects against such mental wavering. It safeguards and maintains the basis that is naturally free of such interpolating thoughts. Further, false conceptual cognitions interpolate appearances of true existence. True existence, however, does not exist at all. It does not actually arise or cease, come or go. Moreover, although appearance-making of true existence occurs, the appearances of true existence
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themselves do not have a truly existent arising or ceasing, a truly existent coming or going. With realization of this, the vipashyana aspect of correct mahamudra meditation safeguards against the mental wavering of grasping for true existence. It safeguards and maintains the basis that is naturally free of interpolations of true existence - the "peaceful end."] Thus, with self-confidence in the correct mahamudra view of the basis, meditation is like an eagle flying high in the sky. It becomes easier and easier. [The more confident we are (1) in mind-itself being free of false conceptual cognitions that interpolate and which are themselves interpolations, and (2) in mind-itself being free of the true existence that the false conceptual cognitions interpolate, the easier it is to maintain joined shamatha and vipashyana on mind-itself, naturally free from interpolations. Just as an eagle soars high in the sky without flapping its wings, likewise our meditation proceeds easily, without any wavering.] The supreme behavior is to cultivate meditation's (essential) point displaying as everything. Mind-itself pervades everything: all the appearances we cognize are its natural display (rtsal), like the glitter of a precious gem. The essential point of meditation is to maintain focus on mind-itself, free from interpolations of false conceptual cognition. No matter what we do, we need to use our activity to cultivate, enhance, or strengthen our meditation. Thus, in all our behavior, the supreme way of acting is without a duality between total absorption (mnyam-bzhag, "meditative equipoise") on mind-itself and subsequent attainment (rjes-thob, "post-meditation") realization of everything existing and functioning like an illusion. [The first moment of conceptual cognition makes appearances of commonsense objects without interpolating anything. The appearances are like an illusion. They are the display of mind-itself.] While acting, we must be sure not to fall to samsara [by interpolating with subsequent moments of false conceptual cognition. If we apply the essential point of mahamudra meditation in all our activity, we do not interpolate false conceptual cognition or true existence on to the illusion-like appearances. We maintain focus on mind-itself as inseparable clarity (unified appearance-making and appearances) and voidness (unified awareness and voidness). Clarity and voidness, as the two truths, are inseparable. Yet, before enlightenment, voidness is more prominent during the total absorption phase and clarity is more prominent during the subsequent attainment phase. Thus, there is no duality between the two phases. The more we are able to maintain correct meditation on the correct view during our activity, the more it enhances our meditation itself. In other words, safeguarding against interpolation with false conceptual cognition while acting during the subsequent attainment phase reinforces safeguarding against it in meditation during the total absorption phase.] May I gain self-confidence in the view, meditation, and behavior. The prayer is to gain self-confidence and stability in the view, meditation, and behavior by harmonizing and integrating the three in this way. The detailed explanation of not being confused about the meaning of the words is divided into three sections: 1. eliminating interpolation in terms of the view, 2. meditation practice, 3. attaining perfection in behavior.
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Eliminating interpolation in terms of the view is divided into two sections: 1. brief explanation, 2. detailed explanation.
Prayer to Eliminate Interpolation in Terms of the View: Brief Explanation

Verse 9 is a brief explanation of eliminating interpolation in terms of the correct view of mahamudra: (9) All phenomena are miraculous emanations of the mind. Mind is no mind: it is devoid of an essential nature as mind. Void and so, without obstruction, it makes anything appear. Having examined this well, may I cut out the root from the basis. All phenomena are miraculous emanations (rnam-'phrul) of the mind. All phenomena that we cognize are the play of the mind. They are cognitive appearances that are emanations of the mind. [We cognize only one moment at a time. One moment of external sensibilia, for example a collection of patches of colored shapes, acts as the focal condition (dmigs-rkyen, objective condition) and direct cause (dngos-rgyu) of the visual nonconceptual cognition of the patches that occurs the next moment. This is not the Chittamatra (mind-only) position that external phenomena do not exist at all. At the time of the visual cognition, the moment of the external patches of colored shapes that directly caused it no longer exists. It is hidden (lkog na-mo) to that cognition and is only cognized indirectly by it (shugs-la shes-pa). What the visual nonconceptual cognition directly cognizes ( dngos-su shes-pa ) is a mental derivative ( gzugs-brnyan , mental reflection), an opaque mental aspect (rnam-pa) that represents the external patches of colored shapes. Only the mental representation of the patches is the appearing object ( snang-yul ) of the visual nonconceptual cognition. In the first moment of conceptual cognition, the appearing object is an opaque mental aspect that represents a conventional commonsense object, such as an orange. An " orange" does not exist as an external object that extends over time and over the sensibilia of all the senses: sight, smell, taste, and physical sensation. An external "orange" is not cognized even indirectly by the conceptual cognition of an orange imputed on the mental reflection of external patches of colored shapes. It is in this sense that the static category of a truly existent " orange," imputed on the appearing object from the second moment of conceptual cognition onward, is devoid of an actual basis on which the word is affixed (an external "orange" as a commonsense object extending over time and the sensibilia of all senses).] [See: Fine Analysis of Objects of Cognition: Non-Gelug Presentation {2} {5}.] All phenomena that appear to our sensory or mental consciousness are miraculous emanations of the mind, like in a dream. [Thus, whether sensory nonconceptual cognition or mental conceptual or mental nonconceptual cognition, everything that we directly cognize is a mental appearance. It is the clarity aspect of both mind-itself and the consciousness that cognizes it.]
Prayer to Eliminate Interpolation in Terms of the View: Brief Explanation 18
The appearances have no true existence independent of being appearances of the mind. They have no real base of existence [that establishes their true existence, non-true existence, both, or neither by its own power from the side of the appearance.] They are but the projections of our consciousness. We might imagine [like the Chittamatra assertion] that the mind, which makes and projects cognitive appearances, itself has true independent existence. This is not the case either.Mind is no mind: it is devoid of an essential nature as mind. Mind is no mind in the sense that [its manner of existence is beyond being a truly existent mind, a non-truly existent mind, both, or neither.] Its nature is voidness, beyond all extremes. It has no concrete existence [with any of the impossible extreme modes of existence that correspond to words and concepts]. Conventionally, mind is a nonstatic (impermanent) affected phenomenon; [although mind's abiding nature as clarity and awareness-voidness is always the case, unaffected by anything. Each moment of] mind is affected by and thus depends on causes and conditions, on subject and object, and so on. If one pole of a duality is devoid of true existence, so is the other pole. [If a result (a projected cognitive appearance) lacks true independent existence, it cannot be produced by a truly and independently existing cause (mind-itself or the consciousness that projects it). Just as a result depends on other factors, its cause must also depend on other factors - such as on other conditions and on the result itself - in order to exist and function as a cause. The same is true for the external sensibilia that are the direct causes for sensory nonconceptual cognition. They too lack true independent existence.] Void and so, without obstruction, it makes anything appear. Although mind is devoid of the four impossible extreme modes of existence, its voidness does not obstruct its clarity, which means it does not obstruct its appearance-making or the appearances it produces. Inseparable awareness and voidness is deepest truth. Its inseparable appearance-making and the appearances it produces is superficial, conventional truth. Deepest truth does not obstruct, block, or refute superficial truth. Voidness does not obstruct or refute appearances. The two truths are an inseparable unified pair. In short, mind experiences what happens around us even though the mind is devoid of true existence, and so on. Having examined this well, may I cut out the root from the basis. The prayer is to be able to examine, analyze, and realize these points completely and thus to be able to cut out confusion and interpolation, the root of our suffering, from the basis, mind-itself. The detailed explanation of eliminating interpolation in terms of the view is divided into four points: 1. gaining certainty that the source of appearances is mind, 2. the four (impossible) extreme modes of existence of mind, 3. showing that there is no contradiction between voidness and dependent arising, 4. cutting all doubts in order to realize the nature of mind.
Prayer to Gain Certainty that the Source of Appearances is Mind

Verse 10 is a prayer to gain certainty that both appearances and awareness of them are reflexive aspects of mind-itself.
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(10) Reflexive appearances, never experienced as real, are deceptively confused into objects. Reflexive awareness, by the power of unawareness, is deceptively confused into a self. By the power of this dualistic grasping, we roam throughout the expanse of compulsive existence. May I once and for all cut out the root of deceptive confusion, my unawareness. The root of deceptive confusion ( 'khrul-ba ) is the unawareness ( ma-rig-pa ) of how phenomena and the self ("me") exist. Because of this unawareness, we grasp at phenomena and the self as having true existence. This unawareness and grasping are with respect to two aspects of mind-itself: 1. the affected phenomena that are the innate, automatic, reflexive appearances (rang-snang) or play (rol-pa) of mind-itself and 2. the nature of mind as the affected phenomenon that is the innate, automatic, reflexive awareness (rang-rig) of its own play. Neither of these has true existence. We can never experience mind-itself as having true existence [or as having non-true existence, both, or neither. Its mode of existence, voidness, is beyond all four impossible extremes, beyond all words and concepts.] To borrow the dzogchen manner of describing it, Buddha-nature [pure awareness (rig-pa), the equivalent of mind-itself in its fully purified state] has neither confusion nor the pacification of confusion. It is perfect in its own nature. [The pure, perfect nature of mind-itself has never been stained by the confusion of any of the four impossible extreme modes of existence. If it has never been stained by confusion, there can be no such thing as the pacification of confusion, a cessation of something that has never existed. If there is no such thing as the biological child of a sterile woman, there can be no such thing as the death of the biological child of a sterile woman. In this sense, mind-itself is beyond not only true existence, but also beyond non-true existence (the voidness or total absence of true existence). True existence and non-true existence are objects only of conceptual cognition. They are the nonexistent references conceptually implied by concepts and words. Thus, mind-itself is beyond all words and concepts.] Although mind-itself, in its own perfectly pure nature, has neither a truly existing aspect nor a deceptive aspect, nevertheless it gives rise to deceptively confusing appearances of seemingly true existence. The traditional analogy for the deceptively confusing appearances is the black tarnish (g.ya') on rubbed gold (brdar-ba'i gser). [Gold is an inert metal that does not oxidize or tarnish when it is a hundred percent pure. If gold has black tarnish, its purity needs to be tested by scorching to examine the exterior, cutting to test the interior, and rubbing it against a black touchstone to see if it leaves an unbroken gold streak. If the gold sample fails the test, this indicates that the gold is an alloy. The pure gold has been adulterated with impurities, namely other metals. It is the adulterating other metals that tarnish, not the gold itself.] The tarnish arises simultaneously with the existence of the gold alloy; it was not created at some point later. Although the nature of gold itself is pure and untarnished; the nature of gold
Prayer to Gain Certainty that the Source of Appearances is Mind 20
alloy is to have black tarnish. The tarnish is not exterior to the gold [alloy], yet it is not the [pure] gold itself. Another example is that of an injection by a needle. [A needle is pure, by nature. Yet, when we use it to give an injection, it is never a hundred percent pure.] It needs to be sterilized. If not, infection arises because of numerous impurities surrounding the act of giving an injection. [Because of impurities always present with the needle, then when it performs its function, it gives rise to an infection. The needle itself, by its own nature, is not impure. Yet, for it to give an infection-free injection, it needs to be sterilized of the impurities that would otherwise always come with it when giving an injection.] Mind-itself, as Buddha-nature, is also known as deep-awareness alaya (kun-gzhi ye-shes) literally, deep awareness that is an all-encompassing foundation or basis. Although, by nature, it is totally pure, deep-awareness alaya has always been mixed, like milk with water, with alayavijnana (kun-gzhi rnam-shes, specific-awareness alaya), specific awareness that is an all-encompassing foundation or basis. [Alayavijnana is like a supporting environment (rten) in which deep-awareness alaya (pure Buddha-nature) is supported (brten). As in the example of a gold alloy, deep-awareness alaya is the pure gold and alayavijnana is the other metals that adulterate it. Note that the alayavijnana discussed in this context is not at all the same as the truly existent alayavijnana asserted by Chittamatra. Although mind-itself and alayavijnana are mixed together like a gold alloy or like milk and water, with no beginning, the habits of unawareness and karma are imputed only on alayavijnana. These habits give rise to the deceptively confusing appearances of samsara, uncontrollably recurring rebirth, pervaded with suffering and problems.] By the force of unawareness, Buddha-nature mind, as an all-encompassing foundation, gives rise to deceptively confusing appearances and disturbing emotions and attitudes. [The deceptively confusing appearances are like the tarnish of a gold alloy. Just as (1) mind-itself as what is supported is mixed with (2) alayavijnana as what supports it; similarly, (1) natural basis mahamudra (mind-itself) as what is supported is mixed with (2) causal basis mahamudra (the subtle energy-system) as what supports it. Both mixtures are like a gold alloy or milk mixed with water. The impurities in a gold alloy are directly responsible for all the tarnish that appears. Yet, because the impurities support the pure gold, we can say that the gold alloy is the basis for all the tarnish that appears. In this sense, the gold alloy is the all-encompassing foundation or basis for the tarnish. Similarly, the subtle energy-system is directly responsible for the deceptively confusing appearances and disturbing emotions that we experience with our samsaric gross minds and bodies. Yet, because the subtle energy-system, as causal basis mahamudra, supports mind-itself as natural basis mahamudra, we can say that basis mahamudra (as the unified pair of a body and a mind) is the basis for the deceptively confusing appearances and disturbing emotions. In this sense, Buddha-nature mind (basis mahamudra as a unified pair of natural and causal bases) is the all-encompassing foundation or basis for the confusing appearances and disturbing emotions.] [See: Alaya and Impure Appearance-Making {6}.] Mind and body [in the sense of natural basis mahamudra and the causal basis mahamudra of a specific rebirth] arise simultaneously as a unified pair. Yet, the union is not forever. The union degenerates or slowly falls apart from moment to moment. It is a nonstatic phenomenon.
Thus, from this point of view, Buddha-nature [as the unified pair of natural and causal basis mahamudras] is nonstatic and not eternal. We can understand this by meditating on the twelve links of dependent arising [which outline the process of uncontrollably recurring rebirth (samsara), arising from unawareness.] [See: The Twelve Links of Dependent Arising {7}.] Simultaneous with the deceptively confusing appearances comes grasping for true existence and the disturbing emotions and attitudes. Just as the tarnish that appears on gold alloy is not external to the gold but arises simultaneously with the gold alloy, the same is true with the deceptively confusing appearances. They are not external to mind-itself as an all-encompassing foundation or basis, but arise simultaneously with it. [Thus, samsaric rebirths, filled with deceptively confusing appearances, uncontrollably recur through the mechanism of the twelve links of dependent arising. They continue to arise because of the unawareness that accompanies deceptive appearance-making, grasping for true existence, and the disturbing emotions and attitudes. Pure gold and impurities alloyed together, and similarly milk and water mixed together, will not naturally separate out from each other. Likewise, alayavijnana with its habits of karma and habits of unawareness will not naturally separate out from mind-itself. Only the subtle energy-systems and gross bodies of specific rebirth states separate out from mind-itself at the time of each death. For alayavijnana and the habits of karma and of unawareness to separate out, mind-itself (natural and causal basis mahamudra) needs to be purified of them through methods such as pathway mahamudra. Moreover, both gold alloy and pure gold shine with luster, because of the intrinsic quality of gold. Similarly both basis (unpurified) mind-itself and resultant (purified) mind-itself automatically give rise to appearances as their reflexive play or luster (gdangs), because of the intrinsic nature of mind-itself as a unified pair of clarity (appearance-making) and awareness. Thus, appearance-making is always the reflexive play of mind-itself. The appearances are deceptively confusing due to the habits of unawareness imputed on the alayavijnana.] Reflexive appearances, never experienced as real, are deceptively confused into objects. Cognitive appearances can never be experienced as real (yod), which means they can never be experienced as having true existence independent of mind. They are the reflexive appearances (rang-snang) of mind-itself. The clarity nature of mind-itself [reflexive appearance-making] gives rise to them. We must not be confused about the conventional nature of the mind [the unified pair of clarity (appearance-making) and appearances ( gsal-snang )]. We need extreme care not to be deceived and to confuse the appearances to be concrete external objects, as if they existed independently of the clarity aspect of the mind that makes them appear. [We need to realize that cognitive appearances are "reflexive" in that they come from mind-itself.] They do not have a nature of existing "outside." The deepest truth (ultimate truth) is the unified pair of clarity and voidness [with voidness as the unified pair of awareness and voidness. Appearance-making and appearances are inseparable from awareness (the cognitive aspect of mind) and voidness]. For example, our conceptual cognition makes us experience the cognitive appearance of someone as a friend or as an enemy. This cognitive appearance then triggers our minds to give rise to various other types of conceptual cognition or thought, such as attachment or hatred.
[The first moment of conceptual cognition does not give rise to appearances of true existence and does not grasp for true existence. These occur only during subsequent moments of conceptual cognition. During those moments,] we transform these thoughts [the cognitive appearances of an enemy and hatred, for example,] into concrete objects [truly existing independently of the mind that gives rise to them]. As soon as we do this, a further degeneration occurs. Our conceptual cognition [that grasps for true existence] gives rise to a different quality of disturbing emotion and, based on its compelling force, we commit various karmic actions. For example, we think of a person, think of something he has done, such as cheat us, and instantly experience a moment of anger arising. If we are capable of recognizing the clarity nature of the mind [that reflexively gives rise to these cognitive appearances], there is no reason to develop compelling disturbing emotions based on this nature [that mind can give rise to anything]. It is the act of transforming cognitive appearances into seemingly concrete objects that brings about all our suffering. If, on the contrary, we stop the clarity aspect of our minds from giving rise to such appearances [of truly existing objects], we will experience the bliss [of being free from grasping for true existence and from the suffering that it engenders. This is the natural or reflexive bliss of mind-itself, which has always been free of grasping and suffering.] We need to rid ourselves of deceptive confusion about the reflexive appearances our minds produce and thus stop our conceptual minds from producing appearances of them as truly existent objects and grasping for their true existence. Reflexive awareness, by the power of unawareness, is deceptively confused into a self. Mind-itself is inseparable clarity and voidness. Voidness itself is inseparable awareness and voidness. When we are unaware of this nature of mind-itself, we become deceptively confused and misconceive that mind is a truly existent "me." The mind, however, has no true existence. [Beyond all words and concepts of the four impossible extreme modes of existence,] it cannot be found. Yet, there is awareness of the cognitive appearances that mind gives rise to simultaneously with the appearance-making of them. This is reflexive awareness (rang-rig), [in the sense of simultaneous awareness of what mind gives rise to from itself,] and it exists as a feature of its basis - mind as inseparable awareness and voidness. By the force of unawareness, we incorrectly take it to be a truly existent "me." Thus, we experience dualistic grasping (gnyis-'dzin). Deceived about what we experience and confused because of our unawareness, we misconceive that the clarity-appearance side of mind-itself is truly existent objects and that the awareness-voidness side is a truly existent "me." By the power of this dualistic grasping, we roam throughout the expanse of compulsive existence. We wander from one samsaric rebirth to the next, through the twelve links of dependent arising. If we rid ourselves of our unawareness of the actual nature of mind-itself, we will stop the dualistic grasping of its clarity-appearance as truly existent objects and its awareness-voidness as a truly existent "me." This will bring to an end our disturbing emotions and attitudes, which derive from dualistic grasping. That will bring to an end our production of karma, which derives from our disturbing emotions. That will bring to an end [the twelve links of dependent arising and] our wandering in samsara. Thus, the prayer, May I once and for all cut out the root of deceptive confusion, my unawareness.
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Prayer to Stop Interpolating the Four Extreme Modes of Existence

Verse 11 is a prayer to eliminate interpolation of the four impossible extreme modes of existence with respect to the mind: (11) Not existent: not even the Triumphant have seen it. Not nonexistent: the foundation of everything of samsara and beyond. Not a dichotomy nor a juxtaposition, but a unified pair: the Madhyamaka middle way. May I realize the actual nature of the mind, free from extremes. The actual mode of existence of mind-itself is [nondenumerable] voidness, beyond all four impossible extremes: true existence, nonexistence, both true existence and nonexistence, or neither true existence nor nonexistence. If mind were truly existent, it must be findable upon investigation [by valid cognition of the deepest truth]. However, it cannot be found. Thus, mind is not truly existent: not even the Triumphant Buddhas have seen it. [The fact that mind is not truly existent, however, does not establish that mind is totally nonexistent.] Mind is not totally nonexistent. It is not a total nothingness, because it functions as the foundation of everything of samsara and beyond . "Beyond" refers to the pure appearances of nirvana. The superficial truth of mind, its aspect of appearance-making (clarity), gives rise to all the impure appearances of samsara and all the pure appearances of nirvana. [The first two points, mind is not truly existent and mind is not totally nonexistent, when taken together are equivalent to the assertion that mind is neither truly existent nor totally nonexistent. That, however, cannot be the case if true existence and total nonexistence are contradictory ('gal-ba) in the sense of constituting a dichotomy (dngos-'gal). Two categories are contradictory if they mutually exclude each other; they constitute a dichotomy if everything that exists must belong to either one or the other. In other words, if two categories are contradictory, nothing can belong to both; if they constitute a dichotomy, nothing can belong to neither.] If mind were neither truly existent nor totally nonexistent, and the two alternatives constituted a dichotomy; then, conventionally, mind would be impossible. As that is not the case, the two are not a dichotomy. [Suppose we assert that mind is both truly existent and totally nonexistent. This also cannot be the case if the two were a dichotomy. If they were a dichotomy, then since mind is not truly existent, it would have to be totally nonexistent. And since it is not totally nonexistent, it would have to be truly existent. But it is impossible for mind to be either truly existent or totally nonexistent. We have refuted both alternatives. Thus, since each alternative is impossible, then] if mind were both alternatives, mind would be like a juxtaposition of two impossible things. It would be like the juxtaposition of a sterile biological mother and the biological child of a sterile mother. Nor is mind a juxtaposition ('du) of two impossible modes of existence. [Thus, mind does not exist in any of the four impossible modes of existence,] but rather, it is a unified pair of two contradictory truths.
Prayer to Stop Interpolating the Four Extreme Modes of Existence 24
[In general, it is possible for one item to belong to two contradictory categories. Consider the example of the categories "father" and "son." No member of either pair of categories can be both the father and the son of the same member in the other category. For example, I cannot be both the father and the son of my son. However,] someone can be both the father [of someone] and the son [of someone else,] without any contradiction. [For example, I am a father from the viewpoint of my son and a son from the viewpoint of my father. Being a father from the viewpoint of my son does not refute being a son from the viewpoint of my father, and vice versa. Both truths - being a father and being a son - are true, although the two truths are contradictory in the sense that father and son are two poles of an inseparable pair. Similarly, from the viewpoint of superficial truth, mind is not totally nonexistent; and, from the viewpoint of deepest truth, mind is not truly existent.] Thus, the superficial truth of mind refutes its total nonexistence and the deepest truth of mind refutes its true existence. In other words, the superficial truth of mind is that it is not totally nonexistent and the deepest truth of mind is that it is not truly existent. [Both truths - not being totally nonexistent and not being truly existent - are true, although] the two truths are contradictory in that they are two poles of an inseparable pair. [Father and son are two poles of an inseparable pair because a father is a father in relation to his son and a son is a son in relation to his father. Similarly superficial (conventional) truth is superficial in relation to deepest truth and deepest truth is deepest in relation to superficial truth.] In this sense, mind is a unified pair of the two contradictory truths. This is the Madhyamaka middle way. It is a middle way because it does not assert any of the four impossible extremes: true existence, total nonexistence, both, or neither, and because it is a unified pair of two truths. Whether we speak of Madhyamaka, mahamudra (the great seal), or dzogchen (the great completeness), they all come to this same point, the actual nature (chos-nyid) of the mind, free from extremes. The prayer is to realize this middle way. In summary, we must not let the appearances that mind makes arise mislead us into believing that the "I" and phenomena have true existence. This is because if we are confused and deceived like that, disturbing emotions and attitudes will arise incessantly and we will suffer without end in uncontrollably recurring samsara. Mind is a unified pair of clarity and voidness. [It is totally pure, like pure gold.] Degradation, however, comes from the beginningless confusion that accompanies it. Because of confusion, fleeting stains arise, but they are of the same nature as the mind, like tarnish on gold alloy. [By nature, the fleeting stains of disturbing emotions and attitudes are also a unified pair of clarity and voidness.] If we are capable of seeing through all this, we will no longer be misled to the point that our minds giving rise to grasping for true existence. We will attain pure mind. We must remove the fleeting stains [like refining gold] and thus attain enlightenment. [By knowing these points through hearing about them and by understanding them through thinking about them through lines of reasoning] like these, discriminating awareness (shes-rab) will come to accompany the way in which we pay attention to and consider (yid-la byed-pa) our minds. [However, this will only be the discriminating awareness that arises from hearing and that arises from thinking.] That is not enough for realization (rtogs-pa). We need to gain the discriminating awareness that arises from meditation [with the joined pair of shamatha and vipashyana]. This is the significance of the prayer being May I realize the actual nature of the mind.
Prayer to Stop Interpolating the Four Extreme Modes of Existence
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Prayer to Avoid the Extremes of Affirmation and Negation

Verse 12 is a prayer to eliminate interpolation of the extremes of affirmation and negation with respect to the mind. These are the interpolations that mind is "this" or "not this." (12) Nothing that can be pointed to, saying "it is this." Nothing that can be negated, saying "it is not this." The actual nature, beyond intellect, is an unaffected phenomenon. May I gain certainty about the utmost point that is totally perfect. Although we can experience the nature of mind, we cannot indicate or point to it with words. In this respect, we are like mutes who experience dreams, but cannot put them into words. [Words are conceptual constructs, either affirmations (sgrub-pa) that something is "this" or negations ( dgag-pa , nullifications, refutations) that something is "not this." As mental constructs, they conceptually imply (zhen-pa) that there are truly existent categories, such as "this" and "not this," corresponding to the words, and they cling to such categories. Since there is no such thing as true existence, and since the nature of the mind is devoid of true existence, the nature of the mind is beyond words. Thus, although we can say that the nature of mind is inseparable clarity and awareness, and inseparable awareness and voidness, this does not mean that this actual nature corresponds to the truly existent categories that those words conceptually imply. The nature of mind is not a truly existent clarity, awareness, or voidness. The nature of mind is beyond words also in another sense.] There is nothing that can be pointed to as the nature of the mind, saying "it is this." [We cannot limit mind to its being just one item or to its including just one item, which would be the case if the nature of mind could be put into one word, " it is this."] Further, we cannot indicate the nature of the mind by conceptually negating or rejecting what it is not. There is nothing that can be negated, saying "it is not this," because mind excludes nothing. [Mind-itself is the all-encompassing alaya foundation of everything of samsara and nirvana, excluding nothing.] The actual nature of the mind is not something that can be discovered by a mind investigating superficial truth with intellect (blo). [Superficial truth deals with conventions, indicated by words and concepts; and words and concepts define or specify things as "this" through the exclusion (sel-ba) of everything that is "not this." In specifying something as "this," words imply conceptually isolated items (ldog-pa, distinguishers, isolates). The conceptually isolated this is that which is left when everything "not this" is excluded. The nature of mind, however, cannot be limited to one item at the exclusion of anything else, because there is nothing that can be excluded from it. Therefore, the nature of mind cannot be defined or conceptually isolated and specified as "this" through the exclusion of everything "not this."] Thus, any choice made to define the mind in words, with the intellect, as "this" or "not this" will always be false. A specific identification of mind's nature is impossible; it cannot be conceptually defined. The actual nature, beyond intellect, is an unaffected phenomenon. The actual nature of mind [as inseparable clarity and awareness, and inseparable awareness and voidness] is
Prayer to Avoid the Extremes of Affirmation and Negation 26
permanent [in the sense that it is always the case.] It is unaffected by causes and conditions. [The nature of mind was never newly created from causes and conditions: it is not like a sprout that is newly created from a seed. Nor can it ever perish due to causes and conditions: it is not like a flower withering with age.] Although the nature of the mind cannot be put into words and be realized through an intellectual process, we must nevertheless begin by studying with our Gurus. Then, through meditation [combining shamatha and vipashyana, the inspiration and special methods used by] our Gurus will enable us to distinguish and recognize the nature of our minds. Thus, the prayer is May I become certain about the utmost point that is totally perfect. [The utmost point ( don-gyi mtha' ) is a fully realized mind-itself, which is totally perfect (yang-dag) in that it has never been stained with any extremes.] Thus, Naropa told Marpa, " You cannot realize the nature of mind through books; you must examine your own mind." The perfect nature of the mind is beyond all extremes.
Prayer to Realize There Is No Contradiction between Voidness and Dependent Arising

Verse 13 is a prayer to realize that voidness and dependent arising are not contradictory in the sense that mind-itself - as inseparable awareness and voidness, and inseparable clarity and awareness - is not contradictory with the appearances that arise dependently from unawareness. (13) Not realizing the actual nature, we circle in the ocean of samsara. Realizing the actual nature, Buddha is not something other. Everything that is this and not this, nothing excluded. May I become aware of the faults regarding the actual nature, the alaya foundation of all. Although the actual nature of mind is void, everything appears without obstruction. Not realizing the actual nature, however, we circle in the ocean of samsara. The actual nature of mind is that it is devoid of all extremes. It is parted from (bral) or beyond all extremes of true existence, total nonexistence, both, or neither, and all extremes of "it is this" and "it is not this." In general, "the actual nature of mind is void and yet everything appears without obstruction" means that the nature of mind is inseparable clarity (appearance-making) and awareness-voidness. When we do not realize this actual nature, the pure nature of mind is mixed with confusion [like pure gold adulterated with base metals to form a gold alloy]. When this is the case, mind gives rise to appearances of samsara [like gold alloy giving rise to tarnish] and we circle repeatedly through uncontrollable rebirth in samsara. The appearances of samsara arise through the twelve links of dependent arising: 1. unawareness - not realizing the actual nature of mind, 2. affecting impulses - karmic impulses to act based on unawareness, 3. loaded consciousness - the alayavijnana loaded with karmic aftermath from such actions, 4. namable mental faculties with or without gross form - specific consciousness (rnam-shes) not yet differentiated into the six types of primary consciousness [eye, ear,
Prayer to Realize There Is No Contradiction between Voidness and Dependent Arising 27
nose, tongue, body, and mind], 5. stimulators of cognition - the physical and mental sensors ( dbang-po ) of the six cognitive faculties now differentiated from each other, and the six cognitive sense fields now differentiated from each other, but not yet distinguishing (recognizing) anything, 6. contacting awareness - of the sensors, consciousness, and objects of the six cognitive faculties, distinguished as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, 7. feeling a level of happiness - either happy, unhappy, or neutral in response to contacting awareness, 8. craving - to continue experiencing happiness or to be parted from unhappiness, 9. an obtainer - a disturbing emotion or attitude that will obtain for us another samsaric rebirth, 10. further existence impulses - activated karmic aftermath that function as throwing karmas to " throw" the mind into its next samsaric rebirth and to produce more samsaric appearances, 11. conception, 12. aging and dying of a samsaric rebirth and its appearances. In this way, the twelve links of dependent arising describe the process of generation [of samsaric rebirth and samsaric appearances], all coming from unawareness of the actual nature of the mind. If we rid the basis, mind-itself, of unawareness, the whole process is reversed, starting from the last link. Thus, we stop any further production of the twelve links; we stop any further production of samsaric rebirth and samsaric appearances. [Mind-itself is beyond dependent arising in the sense that it is beyond the twelve links of dependent arising. We can understand this statement in two ways. Firstly, unlike the appearances of samsara, which arise from unawareness, the first link of dependent arising, mind-itself does not arise from unawareness. Secondly, mind-itself is pure by nature, never stained by unawareness and the samsaric appearances such unawareness produces. Because of its natural purity, mind-itself can be purified of dependently arising samsara and its impure appearances. Nevertheless, (1) because the clarity aspect of mind gives rise to samsaric appearances, when influenced by unawareness, and (2) because the nature of mind is inseparable clarity and awareness-voidness, the voidness of the mind is not contradictory with dependent arising, although the voidness of the mind is beyond dependent arising. They are noncontradictory because the voidness of the mind does not obstruct the appearance-making and dependently arising appearances of samsara. In fact, it is only because of the void nature of the mind that samsaric appearances dependently arise due to unawareness.] Realizing the actual nature, Buddha is not something other. When we realize the actual nature of the mind, Buddhahood does not come from something other than mind-itself. Buddhahood [and its pure appearance-making and appearances] are not separate from the nature of the mind; they are not external. They also arise in terms of the nature of mind as inseparable clarity and awareness-voidness. Everything that is this and not this, nothing excluded. Thus, the nature of mind inseparable appearance-making, appearances, awareness, and voidness - pervades and gives rise to everything, both what is "this" and what is "not this," both affirmation phenomena and negation phenomena. Nothing is excluded. Thus, from another point of view, everything that appears [both the impure appearances of samsara and the pure appearances of nirvana or Buddhahood] dependently arises from mind-itself. In this sense as well, the void nature of the mind is not contradictory to any appearance. It is only contradictory to the arising of
Prayer to Realize There Is No Contradiction between Voidness and Dependent Arising 28
appearances independently of the mind (non-dependent arising). In short, appearance-making and appearances are reasonable because of dependent arising. May I become aware of the faults regarding the actual nature, the alaya foundation of all. Because mind-itself gives rise to all cognitive appearances, mind-itself is an alaya (kun-gzhi), an all-encompassing foundation, a foundation of all. Because of its void nature, however, its manner of existence is beyond all words and concepts, beyond all four impossible extreme modes of existence - true existence and so on. This is the Prasangika-Madhyamaka view. Thus, although the Chittamatra (Mind-Only) tenet system also uses the term alaya, as in "alayavijnana" (all-encompassing foundation consciousness), we need great care not to commit the same mistake regarding alaya that the Chittamatra system makes. According to the Chittamatra system, [although the alaya does not truly exist as a self (as "me"),] still it attributes true existence to the alaya. According to the Prasangika-Madhyamaka view, this is a fault regarding the actual nature of mind-itself. [Moreover, we need to avoid the mistake of imagining that since the nature of mind includes everything, everything is mind in the sense that everything is a way of being aware of objects (shes-pa). Mind includes everything in the sense that everything is either a knowable object or also a way of knowing something.]
Prayer to Cut All Doubts in order to Realize the Nature of Mind

Verse 14 is a prayer to cut any remaining doubts or indecision concerning the actual nature of mind as inseparable clarity (appearance-making) and awareness-voidness (14) Whether appearance, it's the mind; whether voidness, it's the mind. Whether realization, it's the mind; whether confusion, it's my own mind. Whether an arising, it's the mind; whether a ceasing, it's the mind. May I cut off all interpolations on the mind. Whether appearance, it's the mind; whether voidness, it's the mind. Everything that appears is of the nature of the mind, which is inseparable awareness and voidness as a unified pair. Appearances [and appearance-making as an inseparable unified pair] are the superficial truth of the mind. Voidness [and awareness as an inseparable unified pair] are the deepest truth of the mind. Thus, appearances and voidness are both the actual nature of mind [superficial and deepest truth as an inseparable unified pair]. Whether realization, it's the mind; whether confusion, it's my own mind. Whether mind is together with realization of its actual nature or together with unawareness and confusion about it, the nature of mind remains the same. Whether an arising, it's the mind; whether a ceasing, it's the mind. When together with unawareness and confusion, the mind gives rise to samsaric appearances through the twelve links of dependent arising. When together with realization of its own nature, the mind ceases or stops giving rise to such appearances. In either case, the nature of mind remains the same. Both samsara and nirvana are nothing but the mind.
Prayer to Cut All Doubts in order to Realize the Nature of Mind
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May I cut off all interpolations on the mind. The prayer is to cut off interpolations both about the mind and on the mind. [In other words, may I cut off both (1) interpolations that anything exists other than in the nature of mind and (2) the false conceptual cognitions that interpolate this impossible manner of existence.]
3 Meditation Practice
[With Beru Khyentse Rinpoche's commentary in black script and supplements to that by Alexander Berzin in violet between square brackets.] Meditation practice is divided into two sections: 1. brief explanation, 2. detailed explanation.
Prayer to Practice Mahamudra Meditation Properly

Verse 15 gives a brief explanation of mahamudra meditation practice with a prayer to be able to practice mahamudra meditation properly. (15) Without adulterating with meditation that strives with (thoughts) intellectually derived, Not being blown by the winds of ordinary commotion, But knowing how to set my mind in the uncontrived, primordial state that it naturally falls to, May I become skilled and cultivate the practice of mind's deepest point. The commentaries discuss the second line of this verse before the first line. Not blown off course by the winds of ordinary commotion. Ordinary commotion (tha-mal 'du-'dzi) refers to the eight transitory things in life ('jig-rten chos-brgyad, eight worldly dharmas): [praise or criticism, good or bad news, gains or losses, things going well or poorly. These transitory things come and go.] When they come to us, it is important not to let them disturb us or blow us about like the flame of a butter lamp in the wind. [That happens when we feel overly excited when experiencing the first of the pair and overly depressed when experiencing the second]. If we let that happen, we will not only be unable to attain enlightenment; we will also not even be able to attain one of the better rebirths. Therefore, for meditation, it is important to retire to a quiet place to meditate, cut off from ordinary worldly commotion. [See: Dispelling Discomfort at the Eight Transitory Things in Life {8}.] The basic structure of mahamudra meditation is according to the four themes of Gampopa (dvags-po chos-bzhi): 1. having the mind go toward the Dharma (blo chos-su 'gro-ba) - through the common preliminaries of meditating on the four thoughts that turn the mind toward the Dharma ( blo-ldog rnam-bzhi ): the precious human life, death and nonstaticness (impermanence), karma, and the shortcomings of samsara. Included also is putting a safe direction in life (taking refuge); 2. having the Dharma function as a pathway mind (chos lam-du 'gro-ba) - through the
3 Meditation Practice 30
uncommon preliminaries of prostration, Vajrasattva purification, mandala offering, and guru-yoga; 3. having the pathway minds eliminate confusion ( lam 'khrul-ba sel-ba ) - through meditating on love and great compassion; 4. purifying confusion into deep awareness ( 'khrul-ba ye-shes-su dag-pa ) - through meditating on the actual nature of the mind. The Sakya tradition divides the same method into "parting from the four types of clinging" (zhen-pa bzhi-bral) - namely, parting from clinging to: 1. this life, 2. samsaric rebirth in any of the three realms, 3. one's own selfish purposes, 4. true existence. In Jewel Ornament of Liberation, Gampopa similarly divided the meditation into removing the four hindrances to the attainment of Buddhahood (sangs-rgyas mi-thob-pa'i gegs-bzhi sel-ba). The four hindrances are: 1. attachment to objects of enjoyment of this life, 2. attachment to the pleasures of compulsive existence, 3. attachment to the bliss of peaceful (nirvana), 4. not knowing the methods for attaining Buddhahood. The four hindrances are removed, respectively, by meditating on: 1. nonstaticness, 2. the shortcomings of samsara, and behavioral cause and effect (karma), 3. love and compassion, 4. relative bodhichitta and deepest bodhichitta (the actual nature of the mind). Regardless of how we divide and classify the meditation path, it all comes down to the same path. Now we return to the first line of the verse, Without adulterating with meditation that strives with (thoughts) intellectually derived. Although in the beginning, meditation is necessarily conceptual, later we must pass beyond conceptualization with anything intellectually derived ( blos-byas ). Mahamudra meditation is nonconceptual, free of the obstacle of contrived ( bcos-bcas ) meditation that strives with thoughts derived from the intellect. If, while meditating, we say to ourselves, "I must meditate on the unified pair of clarity and voidness," we will never experience true meditation. But knowing how to set my mind in the uncontrived, primordial state that it naturally falls to. For proper mahamudra meditation, we need to remain in a natural state of mind, free of conceptual thoughts about the past or future, or about what we are doing at present in meditation. Now, our minds are like muddy water. If we let the silt sink to the bottom, the water becomes pure. The state that mind naturally falls to ( rang-babs ) is its primordial (gnyug-ma) state, like an unclouded sky. ["Primordial" does not mean that originally, at some point in time, our minds were pure and that later unawareness, confusion, and conceptual thought muddied it. Neither mind nor its accompanying unawareness has a beginning. "Primordial" implies mind's "deepest point" (sems-don), its actual nature at its core.]
Prayer to Practice Mahamudra Meditation Properly 31
May I become skilled and cultivate the practice of mind's deepest point. uncontrived (bcos-med), unlabored (rtsol-med) meditation is an extremely advanced level of practice. People have different capacities and, at the beginning, contrived meditation is unavoidable and necessary. To become skilled in it, the usual practice is to sit in the vajra posture (rdo-rje skyil-krung) [the full lotus posture according to hatha yoga] and, without thinking of the past, present, or future, to apply the methods for achieving a stilled and settled mind of shamatha. There are three ways to practice shamatha: with an object, with no object, and entirely without an object. We can achieve absorbed concentration (ting-nge-'dzin, Skt. samadhi) through any of them. With such concentration as a basis, we then cultivate it further by practicing to achieve an exceptionally perceptive mind of vipashyana, and mounting the vipashyana state on the absorbed concentration of shamatha. From there, we can realize the unified pair of bliss and voidness and the unified pair of clarity and voidness as the two truths - "mind's deepest point." As these are very high levels of meditation, this verse refers to very advanced meditators. The ability to meditate in an unforced manner without mental constructs varies with different persons. The length of time it takes to reach this level depends on the positive force (merit) built up in past lives and in the present one. Some people progress in stages (lam-rim-pa), like climbing a staircase. For others with an enormous amount of previously built-up positive force it happens all at once (cig-car-ba). Mahamudra practitioners can be of either variety, but in either case, the realization is the same. The detailed explanation of the meditation practice is divided into three sections: 1. the yoga of shamatha-vipashyana meditation 2. the methods for cultivating boon experiences and stable realizations, 3. the unified pair of compassion and voidness. The yoga of shamatha-vipashyana meditation is divided into three sections: 1. shamatha, 2. vipashyana, 3. the joined pair of shamatha and vipashyana.
Prayer to Achieve Shamatha

Verse 16 is a prayer to achieve a stilled and settled state of mind of shamatha. (16) The waves of subtle and coarse conceptual thought still in their place. Without movement, the undercurrents of the mind naturally settle. The pollution of the silt of dullness and bewilderment separates out. May I stabilize a stilled and settled, unmoving ocean of shamatha. Here, the author uses as an analogy for our untamed minds the ocean, turbulent with waves and undercurrents, and polluted with silt. Once the ocean becomes still and settled, it becomes clear and stable.
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The waves of subtle and coarse conceptual thought still in their place. Gross and subtle conceptual thoughts (rtog-pa) are like waves, rising and falling back into the ocean of the mind. [Without needing to strive with effort,] they naturally still in their own place (rang-sar zhi). [There is no other place for them to go.] At present, we are not even conscious of subtle thoughts; we are not even aware of the fact that our minds have wandered at all. Therefore, we need first to identify our coarse conceptual thoughts [with which our minds wander on and on]. When they become still, we can then begin to recognize the ripples of our subtle thoughts. Without movement, the undercurrents of the mind naturally settle. When our minds are no longer moving with coarse or subtle conceptual thoughts, we still need to quiet down further. We need to let the undercurrents of mind also settle into their own state. [In other words, when our attention no longer leaves our object of focus with gross flightiness of mind (rgod-pa), we need to let the undercurrents of subtle flightiness also naturally settle down (ngang-gis gnas).] The pollution of the silt of dullness and bewilderment separates out. As our minds become peaceful and more concentrated, the pollution of mental dullness (bying-ba) and "spaced-out" bewilderment (rmongs-pa), which silt the mind and make it unclear, also naturally separate out. In this way, we attain stable absorbed concentration and the stilled and settled state of shamatha. Thus, the prayer, May I stabilize a stilled and settled, unmoving ocean of shamatha. There are five obstacles ( sgrib-pa lnga , five obscurations) preventing the attainment of absorbed concentration: 1. flightiness of mind [to objects of desire] and regret ('gyod-pa) at not having practiced well; 2. malice (gnod-sems), the mental factor of wishing to hurt someone or cause damage this prevents the realization of a blissful state of mind; 3. foggymindedness (rmugs-pa) [a heaviness of body and mind] and sleepiness (gnyid) [an uncontrollable withdrawal of attention] - they prevent clarity (appearance-making); 4. intentions toward objects of desire ( 'dod-pa-la 'dun-pa ), when our attention is elsewhere, thinking of schemes to obtain what we find desirable - this prevents mental placement; 5. indecisive wavering (the-tshoms, doubt), for example over whether or not we have achieved a proper state of meditation - this prevents stability in meditation. We can summarize these five obstacles in flightiness of mind and mental dullness. There are many methods for developing absorbed concentration. Certain methods use an object of focus, such as a Buddha statue or the breath. Others use no object, which means remaining in the natural state of the mind, as inseparable clarity and awareness-voidness. All these methods, when followed properly, lead to the attainment of shamatha. Vipashyana meditation is divided into two sections: 1. the state of mind itself, 2. eliminating any basis for confusion.
Prayer to Achieve Shamatha
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Prayer to Achieve Vipashyana

Verse 17 is a prayer to achieve the exceptionally perceptive state of mind of vipashyana. (17) Having looked over and again at the mind that cannot be looked at, And distinctly seen, just as it is, the deepest point that cannot be seen, In a state cut off from wavering whether the deepest point is "this" and "not that," May (my mind) reflexively know its own face, without confusion. Having looked over and again at the mind that cannot be looked at. When we seek over and again to find the mind, we cannot find it. ["To look at or for the mind" means to examine the deepest actual nature of the mind to determine if it exists with any of the four extreme modes of existence. When we consider each of the extreme modes, we find that each is false. None of the extreme modes can withstand the analysis: we cannot find a mind that exists in any of the four impossible ways. "The mind that cannot be looked at," then, means a mind existing in one of the extreme modes. When looked at, such a mind can never be found to exist in that impossible way. In other words, we can never see a mind that exists in that way because that way of existing is impossible.] So long as we are still wavering about whether or not we can find the mind existing in any of the impossible modes, we will be unable to see the deepest nature of the mind. [So long as we still have doubts that maybe the mind exists in one of the impossible modes of existence, we cannot cognize the deepest nature of mind. We need to cut off all doubts and decisively ascertain that the mind does not exist in such impossible ways. The impossible modes of existence do not exist at all. If we are still indecisively wavering whether the impossible mode is "this" or "not that," we will be unable to behold the deepest nature of the mind. Something impossible that doesn't exist cannot be identified as a "this" and "not a that." The biological child of a sterile woman cannot be identified as a boy and not a girl. Therefore, to behold the deepest nature of the mind, we need to go beyond conceptual wavering about the impossible modes.] And distinctly seen, just as it is, the deepest point that cannot be seen. When we have successfully completed our investigation [and are free of all doubts and indecisiveness], we vividly and distinctly (lhag-ge) see, just as it is, the deepest point. In other words, we cognize with certainty the deepest nature of mind-itself. The deepest nature of mind-itself "cannot be seen" in the sense that it cannot be isolated. [Since mind-itself, as the foundation of all, does not exclude anything, the nature of mind cannot be specified as a conceptually isolated this - in other words, as what is left over when everything "not-mind" has been excluded.] The mind itself is beyond all physical objects. [The deepest nature of the mind is beyond not only words and concepts that it is "this" and "not that"; it is also beyond being a physical object that can be seen as a "this" and "not that."] When we consider a physical object, from the viewpoint of its deepest truth, ultimately we cannot find it, but we can find it conventionally [as "this" and "not that."] However, when we search for the mind, which is not
Prayer to Achieve Vipashyana 34
a physical object, we can only see its deepest truth - voidness, which cannot be seen. It is void of any possibility of being found, since it is free of all impossible modes of existence, such as true existence. [Mind is not a visible physical object that can be conventionally found and seen like our misplaced keys can. The understanding that mind is devoid of existing as a physical object that can be seen, however, is not an understanding of the void nature of the mind. Nor is the understanding that a truly existent mind is devoid of existing as a physical object that can be seen. There is no such thing as a truly existent mind and so whether or not such a mind is physical and visible is not the issue. Understanding voidness is not like understanding that the biological child of a sterile mother does not have blue eyes. The understanding of the void nature of mind is that it is devoid of any impossible mode of existence, such as true existence. Its deepest mode of existence is beyond all such impossible modes. Moreover, although we can conventionally find and see the biological child of a fertile mother, we cannot conventionally find and see the biological child of a sterile mother. Similarly, we cannot conventionally find and see a truly existent deepest nature of mind.] In a state cut off from wavering whether the deepest point is "this" and "not that." The deepest nature of mind is beyond all conceptual categories of "this" and "not that," beyond all conceptual categories of "being" and "nonbeing." To ascertain the deepest nature of mind, we need to go beyond wavering about such conceptual categories. Many passages in Saraha's Treasure House of Songs (Do-ha mdzod, Skt. Dohakosha) stress this point. [The impossible modes of existence of the mind are beyond existing as a "this" and "not that," because they do not exist at all. Thus, the impossible modes of existence cannot be known by valid cognition. The deepest nature of the mind is also beyond existing as a "this" and "not that." The reason for this, however, is different from that concerning impossible modes of existence. The reason here is that the deepest nature of the mind cannot be validly known as a "this" and "not that" because such conceptual categories conceptually imply ( zhen-pa , conceptualize) truly existent "this"s and "not that"s. The deepest nature of the mind is not a truly existent anything. Nevertheless, the deepest nature of the mind can be known by valid cognition.] May (my mind) reflexively know its own face, without confusion. [The deepest nature of mind can be validly known by nonconceptual reflexive deep awareness (rang-rig ye-shes). Mind's "own face" (rang-ngo) is mind's deepest nature. Reflexive deep awareness is an aspect of the deepest nature of mind-itself. It reflexively ( rang-gis ) knows itself because it is "self-aware."] To remove confusion and reach the stage at which mind reflexively knows its own face, we need to pass through the stage of understanding what can be found and what cannot be found. [We need to avoid the extremes of nihilism and eternalism.] For this, we need to unify the force of the Gurus' teachings and the power of the discriminating awareness that arises from our own efforts.
Prayer to Eliminate Any Basis for Confusion

Verse 18 is a prayer to eliminate any remaining confusion so that our attainment of vipashyana on the deepest nature of mind will remain stable:
Prayer to Eliminate Any Basis for Confusion
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(18) Having looked at objects, there are no objects one sees them as mind. Having looked at the mind, there is no mind; it is void by essential nature. Having looked at the two, dualistic grasping releases itself into its own place. May I realize the abiding nature of the mind as clear light. Having looked at objects, there are no objects - one sees them as mind. [To stabilize our state of vipashyana, we need to reaffirm our realization.] When we look at and for objects, we do not find or see truly existent objects, existing independently of mind. What we see are the appearances of objects. Whether objects of the five types of sensory consciousness or objects of mental consciousness, what we cognize are the cognitive appearances of objects that mind produces in being aware of them. Having looked at the mind, there is no mind; it is void by essential nature. When we look at and for the mind, we cannot find or see a truly existent mind. As its essential nature (ngo-bo), mind is a voidness [the unified pair awareness-voidness] beyond all words and concepts, beyond all four impossible extreme modes of existence. Having looked at the two, dualistic grasping releases itself into its own place. When we look at and for the two of them - both mind and its objects - we cannot find or see the two of them arising independently of each other, as truly existent "things." When we realize this, our grasping for mind and appearances to exist dualistically (gnyis-'dzin), as two independent truly existent entities, releases itself in its own place (rang-sar grol, "liberates" itself in its own place). A snake coiled into a knot must unwind. [When it "releases itself," there is just the snake itself. There is nowhere for the knot to go. Both the coiled and uncoiled snake were nothing more than the snake itself.] In the same way, the mind that is tied into a knot of dualistic grasping must uncoil or release itself into its own place. "Into its own place" means into its own deepest nature as voidness. [The mind tied into a knot of dualistic grasping is still the unified pair awareness-voidness, just as the coiled snake is still a snake. When the mind uncoils, it is still the unified pair awareness-voidness.] Mind and the appearance of objects have the same taste of voidness and cannot be found. [Mind and the appearances of objects that it produces are both, by essential nature, equally a unified pair awareness-voidness. They cannot be found as anything else.] We need to understand the voidness of both self and phenomena. [With dualistic grasping, we misconceive consciousness of objects (mind) as a truly existent self or "me" and we misconceive the cognitive appearances of objects as truly existent phenomena.] There is no basis for grasping either as having true existence. Both are devoid of true existence. [Thus, unlike the Chittamatra and Svatantrika-Madhyamaka views that assert a different voidness for the self and phenomena, mahamudra accepts the Prasangika-Madhyamaka position that both are void in the same way.] The mind that cognizes appearances is cognizing superficial, conventional truth. [The deepest truth is either the unified pair awareness-voidness or the unified pair clarity-voidness, in which clarity is the unified pair appearance-making and appearances, and voidness is the
Prayer to Eliminate Any Basis for Confusion 36
unified pair awareness and voidness.] If we separate deepest and superficial truths [and grasp to them as truly existing independently of each other], we have dualistic grasping. We can gain realization of the unified pair of superficial and deepest truths only by realizing their common basis, which is voidness [mind-itself as awareness-voidness and clarity-voidness, the all-encompassing alaya foundation for everything]. When we realize this, dualistic grasping releases itself into its own place, which is voidness. We need to remind ourselves that this is a teaching in words and that an actual understanding of it requires deep realization. The power of understanding comes from the teachings and from the power of correct meditation on them. Thus, it is essential to listen to the teachings, think about their meaning, and then, through correct meditation on them, to attain a stable state of vipashyana so that we experience everything described in the teachings ourselves. May I realize the abiding nature of the mind as clear light. The deepest abiding nature (gnas-lugs) of the mind is clear light ('od-gsal). This is extremely difficult to understand and actually to achieve. When we read or hear about enlightenment in an instant (skad-cig gcig-gis rdzogs-sangs-rgyas), it refers to enlightenment gained in the instant when we attain the full realization of all we have been discussing. ["Full realization" means that we are able to maintain our realization and attainment of mind-itself without leaving that state ever again.] So long as we have not fully attained this realization, we are not enlightened. Enlightenment in an instant happens only after long practice. [There are two types of instants: an instant that is the smallest unit of time ( dus-mtha'i skad-cig-ma) and an instant that is the final moment or phase when an action is completed (bya-rdzogs-kyi skad-cig-ma). With essence mahamudra, those for whom it happens all at once remove all emotional and cognitive obscurations at once, and achieve seeing pathway minds (path of seeing), accustoming pathway minds (path of meditation), and pathway minds needing no further training (enlightenment) all simultaneously. In the context of essence mahamudra, "enlightenment in an instant" uses the term instant in both meanings: the final moment that completes the path. The term enlightenment in an instant also occurs in reference to those who progress in stages, as in Maitreya's Filigree of Realizations ( mNgon-rtogs rgyan, Skt. Abhisamayalamkara ). It uses "instant" only in the second sense. The seventh of the eight sets of realizations presented in this text is the realizations applied at the last phase (skad-cig-ma'i sbyor-ba). The term for "last phase" means literally "the instant," and refers to the final phase of practice that completes the path and thus immediately precedes and brings on the attainment of full enlightenment. This set of realizations encompasses the final realizations gained with the last phase of the tenth-level bhumi stage of a bodhisattva's accustoming pathway mind. [See: Overview of the Eight Sets of Realizations in Abhisamayalamkara {9}.] In either case, both practitioners for whom it happens all at once and those who progress through stages need an enormous amount of practice and huge enlightenment-building networks of positive force and deep awareness in order to achieve enlightenment in an instant.]
Prayer to Realize that the Joined Pair of Shamatha and Vipashyana Is the Same in Various Traditions
Prayer to Realize that the Joined Pair of Shamatha and Vipashyana Is the Same in Various37 Traditions
Verse 19 is a prayer to realize that the attainment of the joined pair (zung-'brel) of shamatha and vipashyana is the aim shared by mahamudra, Madhyamaka, and dzogchen. (19) It is the state parted from taking to mind according to the great seal, mahamudra. According to Madhyamaka, the middle way, it is the state parted from extremes. Dzogchen, the great completeness, calls it also the state incorporating everything. May I gain the self-confidence that knowing one is the realization of the point of all. The state of the joined pair of shamatha and vipashyana is called by various names, according to different lineages - mahamudra, Madhyamaka, and dzogchen. It is the state parted from taking to mind according to the great seal, mahamudra. According to the [sutra] system of mahamudra [expounded by Maitripa in Teachings on Not Taking to Mind, with combined shamatha and vipashyana,] we rest in a state parted from all mental fabrication (spros-bral). This is the meaning of the state parted from taking to mind (yid-byed bral-ba). ["Taking to mind" or "paying attention" is one of the five ever-functioning subsidiary awarenesses (mental factors) (kun-'gro lnga). It engages the mind with its object in a certain manner. That manner may be either concordant (tshul-bcas yid-byed) or discordant (tshul-min yid-byed) with the manner in which things actually exist. The four major forms of taking to mind discordantly are to consider the aggregate factors of our experience as static rather than nonstatic, happiness rather than problematic (suffering), clean rather than unclean, and having a truly existent self rather than lacking such a self.] Joined shamatha and vipashyana is a meditation state parted from any taking to mind in a dualistic manner. Thus, it is parted from any incorrect consideration of the person meditating to be a truly existent self or a truly existent mind and the meditation state or meditation itself to be a truly existent object. When the mind is separated from grasping for any mentally constructed conceptual categories, it is in its natural, spontaneous, uncontrived state. In short, mahamudra meditation is free from taking to mind any mental constructs. [Here, the Third Karmapa echoes the great Sakya master Togmey-zangpo ( Thogs-med bzang-po ), forty years his elder, who wrote in his Thirty-seven Bodhisattva Practices (rGyal-sras lag-len so-bdun-ma), verse 22: "A bodhisattva's practice is not to take to mind inherent features (mtshan-ma) of objects taken and minds that take them (gzung-'dzin), by realizing just how things are (de-nyid, thusness). No matter how things appear, they are from our own minds; and mind-itself is, from the beginning, parted from the extremes of mental fabrication."] According to Madhyamaka, the middle way, it is the state parted from extremes. In accordance with the Madhyamaka texts of Nagarjuna, joined shamatha and vipashyana is a state parted from grasping for any of the impossible extreme modes of existence: true existence, total nonexistence, both, or neither. It is stilled or parted from any mental fabrications of eternalist extremes such as truly existent arising, ceasing, coming, or going, or grasping for things to exist as one or many truly existent things. Dzogchen, the great completeness, calls it also the state incorporating everything. The dzogchen system describes joined shamatha and vipashyana as a primally pure state (ka-dag)
that spontaneously establishes all appearances (lhun-grub). In this sense, pure awareness (rig-pa) incorporates everything. It is complete with all good qualities, especially the five types of deep awareness ( ye-shes lnga ): mirror-like, equalizing, individualizing, accomplishing, and sphere of reality (Skt. dharmadhatu) deep awareness. [See: The Five Buddha-Family Traits in Daily Life: Gelug Anuttarayoga Tantra and Karma Kagyu Mahamudra Presentations {10}.] On the resultant level of a Buddha, pure awareness is complete with the five Corpuses of a Buddha (Buddha-Bodies). In addition to a Nirmanakaya (Corpus of Emanations), Sambhogakaya (Corpus of Full Use), Dharmakaya or Jnana-dharmakaya (Corpus of Deep Awareness Encompassing Everything), and Svabhavakaya (Corpus of Essential Nature), the fifth Corpus of a Buddha is a Vajra Corpus( rdo-rje-i sku ) or Immutable Vajra Corpus (mi-'gyur rdo-rje'i sku). A Vajra Corpus is the immutable or unchanging nature of the other four Corpuses of a Buddha. [In some other dzogchen presentations, the fifth Corpus of a Buddha is a Corpus of Great Bliss (bde-ba chen-po'i sku). This is reminiscent of the Gelug Kalachakra system in which Svabhavakaya is the great blissful awareness of the omniscient mind of a Buddha. In all other Gelug systems, Svabhavakaya is the voidness of a Buddha's omniscient mind and its state of being parted (bral-ba) from the two sets of obscurations. This is equivalent to the double purity of a Buddha's omniscient mind: its natural purity and its attained purity. In yet other dzogchen presentations, the fifth Buddha-Corpus is the Corpus of Deep Awareness' Enlightening Influence (ye-shes 'phrin-las sku, Wisdom Activity Body). In still other dzogchen presentations, in addition to the Nirmanakaya, Sambhogakaya, Dharmakaya, and Vajrakaya, there is the Abhisambodhikaya (mngon-byang-gi sku, Corpus of Manifest Enlightenment). In those presentations, the Abhisambodhikaya is the appearance-making factor of the deep awareness of a Buddha's pure awareness (a Buddha's omniscient mind). Because all Corpuses of a Buddha are complete in a Buddha's pure awareness, the Abhisambodhikaya makes Buddha-Corpuses appear in various forms suitable for benefiting others, but without ever moving from Dharmakaya. The Vajra Corpus in these presentations is the voidness factor of the deep awareness of a Buddha's pure awareness, the single taste and inseparability of all the Corpuses of a Buddha in the sphere of reality.] May I gain the self-confidence that knowing one is the realization of the point of all. The pure state of full enlightenment achieved through the mahamudra, Madhyamaka, or dzogchen paths is the same. In this sense, if we attain the realization of the point of one system, we attain the point realized through all of them. This does not mean that the paths of each system are identical. To follow a path to enlightenment requires discriminating awareness of the specific features of that path. The specific feature of mahamudra is parting our minds from mental fabrications. That of Madhyamaka is parting our minds from grasping for any impossible extreme modes of existence. The specific feature of dzogchen is parting our minds from the unawareness that does not recognize the natural purity and completeness of pure awareness. [Practice of mahamudra, Madhyamaka, and dzogchen are not mutually exclusive, however. To go beyond all mental fabrications through mahamudra and gain the joined shamatha and vipashyana of nonconceptual reflexive deep awareness (rang-rig ye-shes) of voidness beyond all words and concepts requires gaining first a conceptual realization of the voidness of true
existence through Madhyamaka logic. Moreover, there are methods for combining the mahamudra and dzogchen paths into a unified pair of mahamudra and dzogchen ( phyag-rdzogs zung-'jug ). Karma Chagmey ( Kar-ma Chags-med), for example, wrote A Unified Pair of Mahamudra and Dzogchen, Meaningful to Hear (Phyag-rdzogs zung-'jug thos-pa don-ldan), based on a pure vision of Avalokiteshvara. With the unified pair, practitioners achieve shamatha and vipashyana, and progress up to just before achieving a seeing pathway mind through the mahamudra methods. They then achieve a seeing pathway mind and proceed from that point to enlightenment through the dzogchen methods of break-through (khregs-chod) and leap-ahead (thod-rgal).] [See: The Major Facets of Dzogchen {11}.] One of Gampopa's disciples said, "Discipline means taming the mind." Discipline ('dul-ba) is the Tibetan word that also translates the Sanskrit word vinaya (methods for becoming tamed). Vinaya is a topic that deals with the various sets of vows we need to take in order to reach enlightenment: pratimoksha, bodhisattva, and tantric vows. Buddha taught vinaya to help disciples to discipline their minds so that they could eliminate their disturbing emotions and attitudes and have their minds remain in its natural unchanging pristine state. We can understand the ten levels of bhumi-minds as stages of realization [that arya bodhisattvas progressively attain from their first experience of nonconceptual cognition of voidness up to enlightenment]. The levels of bhumi-minds are stages of realization with which we become increasingly more capable of realizing thoughts to be Dharmakaya and of manifesting Dharmakaya through thoughts. Thoughts are the play (rol-pa) of Dharmakaya, the pure void nature of mind. [With nonconceptual cognition of voidness, we gain realization of the two truths - inseparable voidness and awareness and inseparable clarity (appearance-making) and appearance. On the resultant level, the level of Buddahood, inseparable voidness and awareness is Dharmakaya. Thoughts, as the play of Dharmakaya, and thus as inseparable clarity and appearance, are Rupakaya (Form Body, Corpus of Forms). During total absorption, Dharmakaya is more prominent. During subsequent attainment periods, the play of Dharmakaya is more prominent. Through the ten levels of bhumi-minds, we progress to enlightenment, at which point Dharmakaya and Rupakaya are equally prominent at all times and forever.] The process of progressing through the ten levels of bhumi-minds is one of discipline, namely taming the mind to recognize and realize the three Buddha-bodies in each thought. [Rupakaya consists of Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya. Thus, the three Buddha-bodies are Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, and Nirmanakaya.] Within the inseparability of everything in primordial voidness, [mind-itself as Svabhavakaya, the inseparability of the two truths], is the alaya all-encompassing foundation of everything. In terms of that, Dharmakaya arises as deepest level mind or awareness. Sambhogakaya arises as clarity (appearance-making), which enables superficial, conventional truth (appearance) and valid cognition of superficial truth. Nirmanakaya arises as well, as manifest appearances. Through the levels of the bhumi-minds, arya bodhisattvas recognize and realize the three Buddha-bodies as the inseparable facets of every thought. Gampopa described the methods for cutting false conceptual cognitions about the "I" as "that which uproots." To reach the essential nature of mind, we need to cut all false conceptual cognitions that interpolate or repudiate. We need to cut off and root out all false conceptual
cognitions of impossible extreme modes of existence. Vinaya, as the methods for becoming tamed, is the mind. Cutting or eliminating is also the mind. All is encompassed by the mind. The pacifier (zhi-byed) tradition, which traces from the Indian master Padampa Sanggyay (Pha-dam-pa Sangs-rgyas), teaches the pacification of confused ideas that misconceive and distort the nature of reality. These misconceptions release themselves into their own place and thus we are left with mind-itself. All these traditions [mahamudra, Madhyamaka, dzogchen, and pacifier] merely use different terms to describe the same realization. The methods taught by each of these traditions enable the identical attainment.
4 Boon Experiences, Stable Realizations and Final Attainments

[With Beru Khyentse Rinpoche's commentary in black script and supplements to that by Alexander Berzin in violet between square brackets.] The methods for cultivating boon experiences and stable realizations is divided into two sections: 1. the methods for cultivating boon experiences, 2. the methods for cultivating stable realizations.
Prayer to Cultivate Boon Experiences Properly

Verse 20 is a prayer to be able to cultivate properly the boon experiences ( nyams ), also translated simply as "boons," that we gain with mahamudra practice. (20) Great bliss, without clinging, has unbroken continuity. Clear light, without grasping for defining characteristic marks, is parted from the veil of obscuration. Nonconceptuality, beyond all intellect, spontaneously accomplishes. May my experiencing of boon experiences, without striving, have unbroken continuity. Boon experiences begin to occur [when we gain a stilled and settled state of nonconceptual shamatha. Here, they are presented] when we first gain the joined pair of shamatha and vipashyana, [at which stage they are even more prominent.] The boons are experiences of blissful awareness (bde-ba), clarity (gsal-ba), and nonconceptuality (mi-rtog) or bareness (stong-pa) that arise temporarily, but do not remain stable. Buddhahood is not made from these boon experiences; Buddhahood is made only from stable realizations (rtogs-pa). [With a boon experience, the meditator still has a dualistic sense of there being the meditator on the one side and, on the other, blissful awareness, clarity, nonconceptuality, and bareness as things to be meditated on or experienced. The meditator has this dualistic sense even if he or she has a presumptive conceptual understanding that there is no dualism here. Even though, at an advanced stage, boon experiences may occur continuously, they are temporary and unstable in the sense that they must be surpassed in order to progress to enlightenment. With a
4 Boon Experiences, Stable Realizations and Final Attainments 41
stable realization, the meditator has nonconceptual bare cognition of there being no dualism of meditator and meditation. Such realization continues with stability up to Buddhahood.] Great bliss, without clinging, is unbroken in continuity. It is essential not to cling to conceptually (zhen-pa), grasp at, or become obsessed with boon experiences, otherwise we may be reborn in one of the divine (god) realms. Rebirth as a divine being (god) on the plane of sensory desires (Desire Realm) results from clinging to the boon experience of bliss. Clinging to clarity results in rebirth on the plane of ethereal forms (Form Realm). Clinging to the bareness of nonconceptuality results in rebirth on the plane of formless beings (Formless Realm). [With the attainment of shamatha, we gain a sense of fitness (shin-sbyangs) - the fitness of being able to concentrate perfectly on anything we wish, for as long as we wish. This sense of fitness induces a nondisturbing exhilarating feeling of physical and mental bliss. With the attainment of the joined pair of shamatha and vipashyana, we gain an additional sense of fitness - the fitness of being able to perceive and understand deeply anything we wish. The resulting exhilarating feeling of physical and mental bliss is even more intense.] Although we need to cultivate the blissful awarenesses [of shamatha and] of joined shamatha and vipashyana for a long time, we must avoid becoming attached to them. Otherwise, infatuated by desire for bliss, we are reborn as a divine being on the plane of sensory desires. If we cultivate the boon experience of bliss while understanding its voidness, we will not cling to it conceptually. Only by not clinging to it will the boon experience become a stable realization or attainment. Clear light, without grasping for defining characteristic marks, is parted from the veils of obscuration. [Clear light ('od-gsal) here is a synonym for clarity.] clarity.] When we are attached to clarity [(the appearance-making aspect of shamatha and of joined shamatha and vipashyana), we grasp to it as if it had defining characteristic marks (mtshan-'dzin). This means grasping for defining characteristic marks, findable on the side of clarity, that established it as a truly existent "thing" that is giving rise to truly existent objects taken and truly existent minds that take them. "Grasping" ( 'dzin-pa ) means cognitively taking a knowable phenomenon, in this case clarity, in a manner that is discordant with the way it actually exists or with what it actually is. Consequently,] we are reborn in the realm of ethereal forms [in which the clarity of our minds gives rise to seemingly truly existent ethereal forms and seemingly truly existent cognitions of them. To avoid this,] we need to realize the unified pair of clarity and voidness. This realization eliminates the veils of the obscurations. [It eliminates both the emotional obscurations that are disturbing emotions and which prevent liberation, and the cognitive obscurations regarding all knowables and which prevent omniscience.] Then the boon experience of clarity becomes stable. [It can give rise to all appearances without also giving rise to disturbing emotions and attitudes accompanying them.] The accomplishment of the unified pair of clarity and voidness enables us to practice in the dream state. [Dream yoga is only possible when we can recognize that the dream-appearances are merely the appearances in a dream and "not real." In other words, we need to recognize that the appearance-making in a dream is not producing truly existent appearances. This requires realization of the unified pair of clarity and voidness.]
Prayer to Cultivate Boon Experiences Properly
42
Nonconceptuality, beyond all intellect, spontaneously accomplishes. It is also essential not to cling to the boon experience of the bareness of nonconceptuality, which occurs when we attain the nonconceptual absorbed concentration [of shamatha or joined shamatha and vipashyana] of mahamudra. The intellect (blo) fabricates impossible extreme manners of existence, such as total nonexistence. We must not grasp to the bareness of nonconceptuality and mistake it to be a total nothingness. Otherwise, we will be reborn in a realm of formless beings [in which there are neither gross nor subtle forms of physical phenomena, although we are still in samsara.] Therefore, we need to realize the unified pair of [bare] awareness and voidness and cultivate it so as to render the boon experience of nonconceptuality stable and pure. [Then, we realize that the bareness of nonconceptuality always remains spontaneously accomplishing all (lhun-grub), which means always allowing for appearance-making and appearances spontaneously to arise.] May my experiencing of boon experiences, without striving, have unbroken continuity. When meditating, we need to avoid any hopes or expectations of gaining the boon experiences. We need also to avoid any fears or worries that we will not attain them or disappointments that we have not yet experienced them. These are major obstacles. Only when we meditate in a natural, relaxed, unlabored state, without striving for anything special to happen, do the boon experiences occur. They occur simply because bliss, clarity, and nonconceptuality are parts of the nature of the mind. We cannot force the experiences of them to come; they must arise in a uncontrived manner. Then, the continuity of their experience can remain unbroken. This is a prayer to be able to meditate without striving, so that all this will happen. Saraha said, "When we have understood the mind, we have understood the winds." In other words, when we calm our minds [to a stilled and settled state of shamatha], we also calm our subtle energy-winds (rlung phra-mo). This is because mind and the subtle energy-winds that are its mount are inseparable. It is very important to calm and tame our energy-winds because, under our control, we can harness and use them for various ends. For example, we can use our tamed energy-winds in anuttarayoga tantra complete stage practice such as tummo (gtum-mo, inner heat), to achieve a special state of blissful awareness. This attainment brings extraordinary extrasensory and extraphysical abilities, such as the advanced awareness (mngon-shes) to see and hear things at a great distance, to cognize the others' thoughts, and the extraphysical power to travel great distances very quickly. Extrasensory abilities follow also from the attainment, through sutra methods, of merely shamatha and the blissful awareness that comes with its sense of fitness. [More technically, the actual states of advanced awareness arise as a byproduct of the attainment of an actual state of the first level of mental stability (bsam-gtan dang-po'i dngos-gzhi, an actual state of the first dhyana), which is attained on the basis of shamatha. As Atisha emphasized in A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment (Lam-sgron, Skt. Bodhipathapradipa), advanced awareness is extremely important for being able to benefit others more fully. If we are able to detect, far away, dangerous situations that others are facing and are able to reach them quickly, we can help others more easily. If we can know others' thoughts and disturbing emotions, we can begin to know the most appropriate way to teach them. As in the case of the boon experiences,] it is essential not to be attracted to or obsessed with extrasensory abilities. As soon as we think, "What a marvelous power I have!" we meet great
Prayer to Cultivate Boon Experiences Properly 43
obstacles. Moreover, even after we have developed these extraordinary powers, we need to continue our practice and attain a unified pair of blissful awareness and voidness in order to attain enlightenment. This is a very difficult topic. Without an actual experience of these states, they are hard even to imagine. Now we can only understand at our own levels. Also, we may have the additional difficulty of needing to rely on translations and on our own abilities to take notes. To gain realization, we need to rely on the indispensable aid of fully qualified spiritual masters. We need to receive several oral explanations from our gurus, think about them, and then practice intensely.
Prayer to Cultivate Stable Realizations

Verse 21 is a prayer to be able to cultivate stable realizations (rtogs-pa) once we have attained boon experiences. (21) Grasping at the boon experiences, clung to as good, releases itself into its own place. Deceptive confusion, conceived of as bad, in its self-nature, is pure in the sphere (of voidness). Normal awareness is without ridding or adopting, parting or attaining. May I gain stable realization of the (deepest) truth, the actual nature, parted from mental fabrication. Grasping at the boon experiences, clung to as good, releases itself into its own place. We need to recognize the boon experiences for what they are. Using discriminating awareness, we need to avoid conceptually clinging to them as good. Nevertheless, we need to cultivate these boon experiences in mediation for they are true experiences. The important thing is not to grasp at them [as truly existent]. Buddhahood does not come from the boon experiences of boons. It comes from stable realizations, which arise from deep inner attainment [of the exceptionally perceptive state of mind of vipashyana joined with shamatha. With the continuing practice of vipashyana,] we slowly stop grasping at the boon experiences. On the other hand, [if we do not join vipashyana in a stable manner with our attainment of shamatha,] obsession with the boon experiences we gain forms a great obstacle to further progress. If we simply observe or look at the boon experiences when they occur, both they and our grasping at them dissolve into their own place (rang-sar grol) [the unified pair of awareness and voidness]. The boon experiences come from the mind and return to the mind. If, however, we grasp at them [as truly existent], our mind's way of taking them (' dzin-stangs) makes a great obstacle. Our grasping at them also arises and ceases by itself. We must merely observe it, without even starting to think that these experiences are " good.f" Deceptive confusion, conceived of as bad, in its self-nature, is pure in the sphere (of voidness). Deceptive confusion ('khrul-ba) [that grasps for true existence], conceived of as bad, and even "bad" conceptual thoughts that conceive of phenomena in a distorted manner, are naturally pure in the sphere (dbyings) of their void self-nature (rang-bzhin, functional nature). When we concentrate on the voidness of our deceptive thoughts, we see right through
Prayer to Cultivate Stable Realizations 44
them to their void nature. [Then, we are not deceived by them and do not follow them out and engage in destructive behavior.] If we do not see through to their void nature, we experience many obstacles. Normal awareness is without ridding or adopting, parting or attaining. Normal awareness, our naturally abiding Buddha-nature, has nothing to get rid of and nothing to adopt. As the unified pair of awareness and voidness, it is naturally free of all extremes of rejecting or accepting. [Encompassing all appearances,] there is nothing to part from it and nothing to attain or to add to it. May I gain stable realization of the (deepest) truth, the actual nature, parted from mental fabrication. As we have already discussed, Buddhahood has double purity: the natural purity of the abiding nature and the attained purity that comes from ridding ourselves of the two sets of obscuration - the disturbing emotions and their habits. Normal awareness as deepest truth has the natural purity of our abiding nature or actual nature ( chos-nyid ) of inseparable awareness and voidness. Thus, it is our naturally abiding Buddha-nature. It is naturally pure: it has always been and will always be parted from all mental fabrication of impossible extreme modes of existence and disturbing emotions and thoughts. This means there is nothing to abandon, because nothing can act on or change this abiding pure nature. The boon boon experiences naturally return to their place or origin, voidness, and the mind experiencing them automatically returns to its natural state. Both release themselves and settle into normal awareness. This is a prayer to gain stable realization of normal awareness by realizing all this. The unified pair of compassion and voidness is divided into two sections: 1. compassion based on recognizing (that all beings have Buddha-nature), 2. the actual unified pair of compassion and voidness.
Prayer to Develop Compassion by Recognizing that All Beings Have Buddha-Nature

When we reach enlightenment, we do not remain in an inactive state. Because of the unified pair of compassion and voidness, we naturally work for the benefit of all beings, automatically manifesting ourselves in innumerable forms. Verse 22 is a prayer to develop compassion by recognizing that all beings have Buddha-nature. (22) The self-nature of wandering beings is always that of a Buddha. Yet, by the power of not realizing this, they endlessly roam in samsara. May I develop unbearable compassion on my continuum For limited beings with boundless suffering. The self-nature of wandering beings is always that of a Buddha. All limited beings (sentient beings) wandering uncontrollably from rebirth to rebirth have Buddha-nature, with no beginning and no end. In The Furthest Everlasting Continuum, Maitreya gave three reasons establishing this fact. (1) Dharmakaya, a Buddha's omniscient awareness of the inseparable two truths, pervades all beings and all phenomena. (2) The void nature of all beings and that of the Buddhas is the same. (3) No matter what caste one belongs to, one can attain
Prayer to Develop Compassion by Recognizing that All Beings Have Buddha-Nature 45
enlightenment. We can find detailed explanations of these three points in this text. Maitreya used the word caste (rigs, Skt. kula) here, sometimes translated as "family" [as in "the five Buddha-families"]. As a Buddhist technical term, it refers to the class or type of practitioner, defined according to his or her instinctive state of mind. There are several listings of classes of practitioners, with some texts specifying as many as a hundred different types. The lowest are rough persons without belief in what is fact, hard to tame in their behavior, and with minds difficult to calm. Then, come those who are uncertain. When such persons meet with Hinayana teachings, they will be satisfied with them. On the other hand, they will also find Mahayana teachings excellent if they meet with them. Having weak discrimination, they change their minds easily and frequently. Next, come the shravakas (listeners), who work for their own liberation through the Hinayana teachings. After them, come the pratyekabuddhas (self-realizers), who live during the dark ages when the Buddhas' teachings are unavailable. They do not rely on a guru for their final accomplishment. Then come the bodhisattvas, those who work toward full enlightenment to be able to benefit others as much as is possible. Unable to bear the suffering of limited beings, they have unbearable compassion for everyone. Having developed great compassion (snying-rje chen-po), they wish to aid all beings, to support them in their troubles, and to help them to gain liberation from suffering. Regardless of which caste people belong to - no matter what type of practitioner they are - all beings have inseparable awareness and voidness as their self-natures. This means that everyone has Buddha-nature, which is a womb containing a Thusly Gone Buddha (de-gshegs snying-po, Skt. tathagatagarbha). [This means that for everyone, the mind is like a womb and its self-nature of inseparable awareness and voidness, as the essential factor enabling him or her to be a Buddha, is like a Thusly Gone Buddha inside that womb.] Yet, by the power of not realizing this, they endlessly roam in samsara. All beings have inseparable awareness and voidness as their self-nature. Yet, because of their unawareness (ignorance) of not knowing this, they are confused about their naturally abiding pure natures. Due to this, they have distorted ideas, which bring about grasping for true existence. From this, come disturbing emotions and attitudes, which motivate impulsive karmic behavior. Consequently, they wander uncontrollably from one rebirth to the next, experiencing only suffering. May I develop unbearable compassion on my continuum for limited beings with boundless suffering. In general, there are three types of suffering: (1) the suffering of suffering [the suffering of pain and unhappiness], (2) the suffering of change [the suffering of ordinary, ephemeral happiness, which never satisfies], and (3) all-pervasive affecting suffering. All-pervasive affecting suffering refers to the five aggregate factors of our experience. The five aggregates are affected phenomena ('dus-byas, conditioned phenomena), affected by causes and conditions, and thus are nonstatic. They change from moment to moment, affected by our constant unawareness, and therefore attract the first two types of suffering like a magnet. [In Supplement to (Nagarjuna's "Root Verses on) the Middle Way" (dBu-ma-la ' jug-pa, Skt. Madhyamakavatara ), Chandrakirti explained] there are three types of compassion: (1) compassion regarding limited beings, (2) compassion regarding phenomena, and (3) compassion regarding no object.
The first is compassion for limited beings simply because they are suffering. As the wish that all limited beings be free from suffering, this type of compassion is common to all religions. The second is compassion for limited beings because they are confused about the actual nature of phenomena. [The actual nature of phenomena here refers to nonstaticness (impermanence). The aggregate factors of their experience are affected phenomena and thus, whatever they experience constantly changes due to the action of cause and effect.] They do not understand karma and thus are unable to discriminate between constructive and destructive behavior. Consequently, they create their own suffering through acting, speaking, and thinking destructively. [Compassion regarding phenomena, then, is the wish for limited beings to be free from suffering and from unawareness of behavioral cause and effect, which is the cause of their suffering.] The third is compassion for limited beings because they are unaware of voidness, their actual deepest nature, which is beyond all objects, beyond all words and concepts. As their deepest truth, it is completely pure and naturally parted from all suffering. People, however, are confused about this. Unaware of their deepest natures, they distort reality, grasp for true existence, and thus suffer from the illusion of true existence. [Compassion regarding no object (dmigs-med snying-rje), then, is the wish for limited beings to be free from suffering and from unawareness of voidness, which is the cause of their suffering.] The second and third sorts of compassion concern only Buddhists. Gampopa has said that when we realize voidness, we actualize compassion simultaneously. Because we realize the true nature of behavioral cause and effect, and thus realize how the laws of karma work and that they in fact do work, we automatically act in ways that will benefit others. The purification necessary to attain this realization implies ridding ourselves of all destructive behaviors. The power to help others comes from that purification. Compassion arises automatically and becomes effective because we realize the nature of suffering. We know how to benefit others since, having realized voidness, we have left all illusions behind. Intellectual understanding, however, is not realization. Practitioners who sit back and claim that they have realized voidness have already engaged themselves in destructive behavior [through their proud speech]. If anything, they have merely an intellectual understanding of voidness and, through arrogance, grasp at that understanding and take it to be sufficient. Having not yet gained realization that would enable and empower them automatically to act with compassion, their intellectual arrogance brings them to act only in destructive manners. Because they have not dried up the source of their disturbing emotions and attitudes, they fall once more. The Buddhas have fully realized their Buddha-natures. With the full realization of voidness, they have left behind all disturbing emotions and attitudes. Beings with limited awareness (sentient beings), on the other hand, are totally immersed in suffering. They do not realize their Buddha-natures or voidness. Thus, Buddhas compassionately manifest themselves in various Rupakaya (Form Bodies), both Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya. The latter include emanations as great beings, as artisans, and as supreme Buddhas enacting twelve enlightening deeds (mdzad-pa bcu-gnyid). With a vast corpus of these enlightening forms, Buddhas shows limited beings how to follow the path leading to enlightenment. [The twelve enlightening deeds of a supreme Nirmanakaya are (1) descending from a Tushita pure land after having transferred his throne to the next Buddha for this eon, (2) entering his mother's womb, (3) taking birth, (4) becoming skilled and learned in the worldly arts and
sciences, (5) delighting in the company of his wife. (6) taking the robes of a spiritual seeker who has renounced family life, (7) undergoing difficult ascetic practices, (8) proceeding to a bodhi tree, (9) overcoming all demonic forces (Skt. mara), (10) manifesting the full enlightenment, (11) setting flow rounds of transmission of the Dharma (turning the wheel of Dharma), and (12) demonstrating a final release from all troubles (Skt. parinirvana) by passing away. In The Furthest Everlasting Continuum, Maitreya mentioned an additional enlightening deed of taking birth in a Tushita pure land. If this is counted as the first of the twelve deeds, then entering his mother's womb and taking birth are counted together as one.] "Lotuses arise in the mud, but are not stained by the mud." Similarly, Buddhas manifest themselves in samsara, but have no samsaric stains, imprints, or instincts. They manifest in samsara because they see that limited beings suffer in samsara due to their unawareness of voidness. Unawareness disables beings from acting constructively. If beings suffer, it is the very proof of their state of unawareness [because suffering comes from destructive behavior based on unawareness]. Buddhas, on the other hand, never leave their state of full awareness of voidness, which automatically gives rise to compassion and to their manifesting in forms to benefit others. The enlightening activity of the Buddhas, in fact, flows as a unified pair of compassion (their manifestations in enlightening forms) and their void natures. Thus, compassion and voidness are a unified pair in the manifestation of a Buddha's emanations. [Dzogchen describes the unified pair of compassion and voidness in a slightly different manner, but it comes to the same intended point as the mahamudra discussion. Rigpa (pure awareness) has three naturally inseparable aspects. (1) It is a primally pure awareness (ka-dag), which refers to its aspect as what mahamudra calls "the unified pair voidness and awareness." (2) It is an awareness that spontaneously establishes appearances (lhun-grub). This refers to its aspect as what mahamudra calls "the unified pair of appearance-making and appearances." (3) It is a responsive awareness (thugs-rje, compassionate awareness), in that its appearance-making aspect compassionately responds to and communicates with suffering beings - what mahamudra calls " the unified pair of compassion and voidness."] [See: Fundamentals of Dzogchen Meditation: 1 Recognizing Different Levels of Mental Activity and Appearance-Making {12}.]
Prayer to Practice the Unified Pair of Compassion and Voidness

Verse 23 is a prayer to be able always to meditate with the unified pair of compassion and voidness. It also indicates the way of attaining perfection in behavior. (23) While showing affection with a display of unbearable compassion not at all impeded, The essential nature - the (deepest) meaning of voidness nakedly dawns. May I always meditate day and night, without separation From this supreme path of the unified pair, parted from points of deviation. While showing affection with a display of unbearable compassion not at all impeded. Because compassion and voidness constitute a unified pair, the display of compassion [in the various forms in which we help others] neither is impeded nor remains static.
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We can compare voidness to a mirror. The images on a mirror are not blocked or prevented by the nature of the mirror, which is clarity or reflection (appearance-making). [The clear nature of the mirror is itself naturally free of any stains. That is its voidness.] Reflections of images are prevented only by fleeting stains (dirt) on the mirror, but those stains are not the abiding nature of the mirror. In the same way, [voidness is the natural purity of mind-itself, never stained by disturbing emotions or attitudes or by impossible extreme ways of existing.] Voidness does not prevent the affectionate display of compassion from taking place. In fact, that display can only occur within the context of voidness. [In other words, displays of compassion arise only because the essential nature of the mind is voidness.] The essential nature - the (deepest) meaning of voidness - nakedly dawns. Voidness and compassion support each other. When we display affectionate compassion [in other words, when the display of affectionate compassion arises], it is the void nature of the mind-itself that is nakedly dawning or appearing. That is to say, the essential nature of compassion is voidness. When we act with compassion, if we realize that its display is occurring based on its voidness, we are following a supreme path of the unified pair of compassion and voidness. May I always meditate day and night, without separation from this supreme path of the unified pair, parted from points of deviation. Correct meditation on the unified pair of compassion and voidness is free from all points of deviation (gol-sa). Points of deviation are extreme positions. If we fall to them, we lose the correct path. If we are only emotionally compassionate, we have fallen to the extreme of compulsive samsara. If we remain only absorbed in voidness, we have fallen to the extreme of tranquil nirvana. The supreme path is to realize that voidness does not prevent compassion and compassion operates because of voidness. This verse also describes mahamudra behavior. [In verse 8, the brief explanation of mahamudra behavior concerned regarding all we encounter during our daily activity to be like an illusion. All appearances are the display of voidness, the display of mind-itself. Thus, mahamudra behavior is to act without a duality of total absorption and subsequent attainment. Here, in the detailed explanation, mahamudra behavior entails acting with the unified pair of compassion and voidness.] In addition to compassion, three further components must also accompany mahamudra meditation and behavior. They are often described with the analogy of a human body. The meditation and behavior are like a body. 1. Firm conviction (mos-pa) in the fact of our gurus' good qualities and appreciation (gus-pa) of our gurus' kindness are like the head. Conviction and appreciation of our gurus are like the head, because our gurus direct our practice. 2. Being parted from grasping and clinging is like the arms and legs. [They must not grasp or cling to the boon boon experiences or to the agent, object, or action involved in any behavior.] 3. Being parted from indecisive wavering and mental wandering is like the trunk of the body. [The meditation and behavior need to be decisive and stable.] Only by having all these components complete can we progress on the mahamudra path.
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Prayer to Manifest the Result

Verse 24 is a prayer to manifest Buddhahood as the result of mahamudra practice. (24) (Having attained) the extrasensory eyes and advanced awarenesses arisen from the power of meditation, Having ripened limited beings, having cleansed everything into Buddha-fields, And having fulfilled Buddha-Dharma practitioners' prayers for actualizations, May I reach the endpoint of fulfilling, ripening, and cleansing, and become a Buddha. Reaching the resultant stage of enlightenment through mahamudra practice entails passing through numerous stages. 1. The common and uncommon preliminary practices ( sngon-'gro , "ngondro"), undertaken with the good qualities of belief in fact (dad-pa, "faith"), compassion, and so on. 2. Shamatha practice, followed by vipashyana practice. 3. Practice of the joined pair of shamatha and vipashyana. 4. Gaining the boon boon experiences based on absorbed concentration on the clear nature of the mind. 5. With increasing familiarity with voidness, gradually seeing through the boon experiences and attaining stable realization. 6. Through the unified pair of compassion and voidness, progressing through the four yogas ( rnal-'byor bzhi ) until reaching the highest attainment of Vajradharahood (Buddhahood). The four yogas [into which the five bodhisattva pathway minds (lam-lnga, five paths) are divided] in mahamudra are: 1. single-pointedness ( rtse-gcig ) [corresponding to a building-up pathway mind (tshogs-lam, path of accumulation) and an applying pathway mind (sbyor-lam, path of preparation)], 2. parted from mental fabrications (spros-bral) [co rresponding to a seeing pathway mind (mthong-lam, path of seeing)], 3. single taste (ro-gcig) [corresponding to an accustoming pathway mind (sgom-lam, path of meditation)], 4. no further meditation ( sgom-med ) [corresponding to a pathway mind needing no further training (mi-slob lam, path of no further learning, Buddhahood)]. The different Indian Buddhist tenet systems and the different Tibetan lineages formulate the stages of pathway minds leading to enlightenment in varying manners. Sutra and tantra also differ in their manner of explaining progress through the pathway minds. Sutra calls enlightenment the state of a Buddha. Anuttarayoga tantra in the new translation period (Sarma) schools (Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug) calls it the state of Vajradhara, while dzogchen in the old translation period school of Nyingma calls it the state of Samantabhadra.
Prayer to Manifest the Result 50
Tantra speaks of progressing through the generation stage and the complete stage and passing through the stages with a sign and without a sign. Nyingma presents nine vehicles to enlightenment, six of which are tantra, while Sarma presents four tantra classes. We must avoid the error of imagining that the different names and presentations of the path refer to the attainment of different states. Although the methods may differ, the final realization is the same. It is important to practice like Milarepa, with firm conviction and appreciation of our gurus, intense work to achieve absorbed concentration, and so on. The mahamudra path is sometimes called the direct path. The Mahayana path in general is a more rapid path to enlightenment [if followed from the start]. However, the Hinayana path of the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas is not an erroneous path or a dead-end. After completing the Hinayana path, practitioners can further practice the Mahayana path. It is important to discern in each of our practices, which paths we ourselves are following. Verse 24 mentions some of the outstanding qualities and abilities that result from having followed the path and having reached enlightenment. (Having attained) the eyes and advanced awarenesses arisen from the power of meditation. [While still on the path, we may attain a certain degree of three of the five eyes (spyan-lnga) and the six types of advanced awareness (mngon-shes drug). These are types of nonconceptual cognition that enable us to benefit beings to a certain extent before reaching enlightenment. As a Buddha, we possess all five eyes and all six types of advanced awareness to their full degree.] The five extrasensory eyes are: 1. The extrasensory flesh eye (sha'i spyan) - cognition that is able to see great distances without obstruction, to see through solid objects such as walls, to see in all directions at the same time, and so on. If we think this is impossible or ridiculous, we need to consider the case of vultures and eagles. Their vision is far superior to ours. They can see exceptionally far. 2. The extrasensory divine eye (lha'i spyan) - cognition that is able to "see" (in the sense of know) future rebirths. This name comes from the fact that divine beings (gods) are able to see the form they will take in their next rebirths. 3. The extrasensory eye of discriminating awareness (shes-rab-kyi spyan) - cognition that is able to "see" voidness, nonconeptually. Bodhisattvas [with an actual state of the first level of mental stability] attain these first three types of eyes to a certain degree. Only Buddhas, however, possess the next two types of eyes. 4. The extrasensory eye of the Dharma (chos-kyi spyan) - cognition that is able to put into effect the ten forces of a Thusly Gone (Skt. Tathagata) Buddha (de-bzhin gshegs-pa'i stobs-bcu), which enable a Buddha to lead all beings to enlightenment. [This is the ability to see (a) the appropriate and inappropriate relations between various types of karmic behavior and their results, (b) the ripened results of all karmic impulses, (c) the various aspirations of all limited beings, (d) the various sources of everyone's ideas and misunderstandings and the various sources that will bring each being to enlightenment, (e) the superior and inferior levels of everyone's powers and abilities, (f) the paths of the mind that lead to every type of spiritual goal, (g) the various states of deep meditative absorption so that a Buddha can lead beings lost in them to progress beyond them, (h) all one's own and others' previous rebirth situations, (i) the death, transference and future rebirth of everyone up to his or her enlightenment and then where each will manifest subsequently, (j) the degree of depletion of the various tainted factors (zag-pa zad-pa) on each being's mental continuum.]
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5. The extrasensory eye of deep awareness ( ye-shes-kyi spyan ), also known as the extrasensory eye of a Buddha (sangs-rgyas-kyi spyan) - omniscient awareness to "see" the two truths about all phenomena - their present appearance and their natural purity. The six types of advanced awareness are: 1. The advanced awareness for extraphysical emanation (rdzu-'phrul-gyi mngon-shes) cognition that is able to produce many different simultaneous emanations that are any one of three types: (a) physical emanations made of the five elements of earth, water, fire, wind, and space, (b) verbal emanations -- speaking in such a way that various people can understand the words in their own languages and at their own levels of understanding, or (c) mental emanations of thoughts and levels of mind, such as awareness of many levels of meaning of a Dharma passage. 2. The advanced awareness of the divine eye (lha'i mig-gi mngon-shes) - cognition that is able to see the different effects of karma on different beings [such as their future rebirths]. 3. The advanced awareness of the divine ear (rna-ba'i mngon-shes) - cognition that is able to hear sounds at any distance and to understand them, regardless of language. 4. The advanced awareness of recollection of past situations (sngon-gnas rjes-dran-gyi mngon-shes) - cognition that is able to know past lives. 5. The advanced awareness of knowing others' minds (gzhan-sems shes-pa'i mngon-shes) - cognition that is able to cognize others' thoughts and states of mind. 6. The advanced awareness of the depletion of tainted factors ( zag-pa zad-pa'i mngon-shes ). Cognition of one's own state of being rid forever of the emotional obscurations (nyon-sgrib) preventing liberation from samsara. Having ripened limited beings, having cleansed everything into Buddha-fields, and having fulfilled Buddha-Dharma practitioners' prayers for actualizations. [When we attain the yoga free from mental fabrication (a seeing pathway mind), we begin to progress through the ten levels of bhumi-minds, culminating in the attainment of Buddhahood. During our progress, we begin to attain more aspects that we will have in full when we reach enlightenment.] The text mentions three of the aspects of the resultant stage: 1. The ability to know the needs of all beings and thus to ripen their mental continuums for spiritual attainments. 2. The ability to purify everything into Buddha-fields ( sangs-rgyas zhing ). When a Buddha speaks, the entire environment is transformed into a Buddha-field. [A Buddha-field is a pure environment (pure land) in which all conditions are conducive for making spiritual progress.] When we visualize yidams (Buddha-figures) during tantra meditation, we do the same thing analogously. We purify the place in which we are meditating by recreating it as a pure land in our imaginations. Only after this purification do we visualize the yidam. 3. [By teaching the Dharma with skillful methods,] the ability to fulfill the prayers offered by aspiring practitioners of Buddha-Dharma to actualize the teachings. May I reach the endpoint of fulfilling, ripening, and cleansing, and become a Buddha. This is a prayer to manifest the result and thus to achieve all these abilities in full with the attainment of enlightenment.
Prayer to Manifest the Result
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Final Prayer of Dedication

Verse 25 is the final dedication of the positive force built up by these prayers. (25) By the force of the compassion of the Triumphant Ones in the ten directions and their spiritual offspring, And of as much ennobling constructive force as there be, May the pure aspiration prayers of myself and all limited beings Come true in this way, just as we've made them. This verse underlines the power of aspiration prayers and the power of the dedication of positive force for bringing about the realization of Buddhahood. Listening to or reading an explanation of mahamudra is not sufficient. It is utterly necessary to practice. This teaching gives us just an initial idea of the approach to mahamudra. Words are not enough. We must strive toward stable realizations. Even if this teaching has helped merely to produce some belief in what is true and an aspiration to achieve it, that will be progress. This will certainly help us to take full advantage of our precious human lives and to reach enlightenment one day.
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Final Prayer of Dedication
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Beru Khyentse Rinpoche Commentary An Aspitation Prayer For The Definitive Meaning of Mahamudra by III Karmapa Rangjung Dorjey

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Beru Khyentse Rinpoche Commentary An Aspitation Prayer For The Definitive Meaning of Mahamudra by III Karmapa Rangjung Dorjey

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tary on An Aspiration Prayer for the Definitive Meaning of Ma

Commentary on An Aspiration Prayer for the Definitive Meaning of Mahamudra

Commentary on An Aspiration Prayer for the Definitive Meaning of Mahamudra

1 Obtaining the Necessities for Practice

General Prayer that Encompasses All the Specific Prayers

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General Prayer of Dedication

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General Prayer of Dedication

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Prayer to Obtain the General Circumstances Conducive for Practice

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Prayer to Obtain the Special Circumstances Conducive for Practice

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Prayer to Develop Discriminating Awareness

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Prayer to Meet Pure Teachings on the Basis, Path, and Result

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2 Eliminating Confusion about the Practice of the Path

Prayer Not To Be Confused about the Words Concerning Meditation

2 Eliminating Confusion about the Practice of the Path

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Prayer Not To Be Confused about the View, Meditation, and Behavior

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Prayer Not To Be Confused about the View, Meditation, and Behavior

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Prayer to Eliminate Interpolation in Terms of the View: Brief Explanation

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Prayer to Gain Certainty that the Source of Appearances is Mind

Prayer to Gain Certainty that the Source of Appearances is Mind

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Prayer to Gain Certainty that the Source of Appearances is Mind

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Prayer to Stop Interpolating the Four Extreme Modes of Existence

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Prayer to Stop Interpolating the Four Extreme Modes of Existence

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Prayer to Avoid the Extremes of Affirmation and Negation

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Prayer to Realize There Is No Contradiction between Voidness and Dependent Arising

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Prayer to Cut All Doubts in order to Realize the Nature of Mind

Prayer to Cut All Doubts in order to Realize the Nature of Mind

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Prayer to Practice Mahamudra Meditation Properly

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Prayer to Achieve Shamatha

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Prayer to Achieve Shamatha

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Prayer to Achieve Vipashyana