THE VERY ESSENCE OF MIND, MAHAMUDRA, THE ONE SUFFICIENT PATH ...

by GAMPOPA

Homage to the genuine gurus.

The Mahamudra of Gampopa, the One Sufficient Path, has three sections: 1) To Have a Decisive Understanding About the True Nature, 2) The Introduction to the Fundamental Character, and 3) Training on the Path of Suchness. To Have a Decisive Understanding About the True Nature Mahamudra has no causes. Mahamudra has no conditions. Mahamudra has no methods.

Mahamudra has no path. Mahamudra has no result. The Introduction to the Fundamental Character Mahamudra has no causes, and yet faith and devotion are the causes of mahamudra. Mahamudra has no conditions, and yet genuine gurus are the conditions for mahamudra. Mahamudra has no methods, and yet uncontrived mind is the method of mahamudra. Mahamudra has no path, and yet un-distracted mind is the path of mahamudra. Mahamudra has no result, and yet the mind liberated into dharmata is the result of mahamudra.

Training on the Path of Suchness As the preliminary practice, meditate on guru yoga with faith, devotion, and respect, three times during the day and three times at night. As the main practice, rest within the state of uncontrived mind with un-distracted recognition. As the conclusion, recognize whatever appears as your own mind and train your awareness with skill. Relying upon the sequential arising of experiences, exert yourself in meditation until conceptual mind is exhausted.

There are two ways in which experiences arise: as unfavourable experiences and as favourable experiences. As for the first: All unfavourable experienceswhatever they are, such as dullness, agitation, illness, fear, fright, or doubtarise from your meditation. Therefore, recognize them to be experiences. Without abandoning them, meditate, taking those very things as the object of your view and meditation. As for favourable experiences: First, the experience of the minds abiding arises. Based on that, the experience of the essence, emptiness, arises. Based upon that, the experience of attaining realization arises. Based upon that, the experience of turning away from attachment arises.

With that sequential arising of experiences, you should exert yourself in practice without any complacency.

The minds merely abiding at first is not sufficientyou must meditate in order to see the essence. Merely seeing the essence is not sufficientyou must meditate in order to attain realization. Merely attaining realization is not sufficientyou must meditate in order to turn away from attachment. Merely turning away from attachment is not sufficientyou must meditate so that, through the liberation of conceptual mind into dharmata, conceptual mind is exhausted, phenomena are exhausted, and you awaken.

This completes The Very Essence of Mind, Mahamudra, the One Sufficient Path.

(Translated into English orally and later revised by Elizabeth Callahan.)

The Venerable Tenga Rinpoches Commentary on The Mahamudra of the Venerable Gampopa, the One Sufficient Path ... part 1/6

(The following is an edited transcript of a commentary given by the Very Venerable Tenga Rinpoche at the Kalachakra for World Peace program at Madison Square Garden in 1991, translated by Elizabeth Callahan.) I would like to extend my welcome to all of you who have gathered here today. My greetings to all the gurus, scholars, teachers, and dharma practitioners who have come because of a shared connection with the dharma. We are extremely fortunate to have gathered here at this very special time, which is unlike any other time. We are very fortunate because His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the master of all the traditions of the Buddhas teachings found in Tibet, is here. His Holiness is considered to be an emanation of Chenrezig [Sanskrit: Avalokiteshvara], the Bodhisattva of Compassion, emanated in human form as a vajra master residing on a very high level of spiritual attainment. Chenrezig is the embodiment of the compassion of all buddhas and bodhisattvas. Thus, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the actual embodiment of compassion, and as such works for the benefit of all

beings throughout this world to pacify their sufferings, both on a temporal level and on an ultimate level. Through his great compassion he is able to bring this about. In particular, His Holiness is the leader of the people of Tibet and is able through his great compassion to bring benefit to them on both a temporal and an ultimate level. So, even in a very specific sense, he is able to be of great benefit to beings. In these next few days His Holiness will continue in his effort to bring peace and benefit to all beings in the world by bestowing the empowerment of Kalachakraby manifesting the form, [speech, and mind] of Kalachakra in order to grant us this empowerment. We are very fortunate to have this opportunity to receive such an empowerment. The empowerment and the teachings of the Kalachakra Tantra were first requested of the Buddha Shakyamuni by the dharma king Dawa Zangpo at the place called the Drepung Stupa. In response, the Buddha Shakyamuni bestowed both the tantra and the oral instructions of Kalachakra. In general there are said to be four classes or divisions of tantra, of which the fourth is called anuttara tantra. Anuttara tantras are divided into father tantras and mother tantras. The Kalachakra Tantra is considered to be a mother tantra, and within these mother tantras the Kalachakra Tantra is considered to be like the monarch. It is also considered to be the pinnacle of all the vehicles or yanas. Thus, there are no higher or greater empowerments or special instructions than those connected with the Kalachakra Tantra. For that reason it is said to be like the monarch of all tantras. For these reasons we are extremely fortunate to be able at this time to receive from such a great vajra master such an empowerment with these teachings, which are like the monarch or pinnacle of all teachings. So, from my heart, I would like to extend my thanks to all the patrons who have made this event possible and to all those who have helped bring this event about in any way. While I am explaining a bit about the teachings of mahamudra, I request all of you to give rise to a very special attitude and aspiration while you are listening. You should think that it is in order to bring about the peace and happiness of all beings that you are now listening to these instructions on the path of mahamudra. And what type of aspiration or aspirational prayer should you make in this connection? You should wish that all the roots of virtue that are accumulated due to having received these instructions on mahamudra will bring about the peace and happiness of all beings. In general, peace and happiness depend upon ones mind. Whether one attains happiness or does not attain happiness is entirely dependent upon ones own mind. All beings have mental afflictionsthe six poisons, which are anger, attachment, ignorance, pride, greed, and jealousy. Based upon thoughts that arise out of these poisonous mental afflictions, one performs actions with ones body, speech, and mind. Based upon such actions, one accumulates karma, and if these actions harm other beings, they are considered to be negative or non-virtuous actions accumulating negative karma. Such negative actions give rise to suffering both temporarily and in the long term. As long as one has negative states of mind that give rise to negative actions, one will not experience peace, but will only experience suffering. The different types of suffering that we experience in this lifetime are called

temporary suffering. The suffering which arises in future lives, such as being born in any one of the lower statesthe hell realms, the hungry ghost realms, or the animal realmsare considered to be more long-term suffering. The cause of both of these types of suffering is the mental afflictions. Both types of suffering arise for oneself and for other beings. In general, the appearances of a hell realm with all of its very fearful attributeswith all the great suffering that appears to exist within that realmare actually not truly existent. They are merely the confused appearances of a mind that has accumulated evil actions. It is the negative mind that produces these confused appearances and creates a hell realm for itself. For an individual without these negative states of mind, who has only a virtuous mind, there will never appear any such hellish appearances. So, since a hell realm appears only as the confused appearances of a negative mindof a mind that has engaged in negative actionsone should not [allow oneself to be impelled by the mental afflictions to] engage in negative actions of body or speech. Instead, one should engage as much as one can in developing compassion, loving kindness, and diligence, in being generous to all beings, in maintaining discipline, in practicing patience with others anger, and so forth. One should engage in virtue and follow in virtuous ways as much as one can. By practicing virtue, one will be of benefit to others. And if one acts in ways beneficial to others, one will also attain happiness for oneself in this lifetime, in the next, and in all future lives, and eventually one will attain enlightenment. One will be able to bring about both the temporary and long-term happiness of others. This is what is called happiness and peace. In addition to these types of methods that need to be taught, the Buddha Shakyamuni also taught many other methods for disciplining and training ones mind. These methods are included in such teachings as mahamudra, dzogchen, madhyamaka, prajnaparamita, and so forth. All of the profound teachings given by the Buddha were taught in order that one be able to discipline and train ones own mind. There are many methods taught for the practice of mahamudra meditation, but in brief, all of these methods can be included under two types: those connected with the sutra path, and those connected with the secret mantra or vajrayana path. Referring to the teachings connected with the sutra tradition, Nagarjuna wrote, There is one path to liberation taught by the buddhas, pratyekabuddhas, and shravakas. It is definite that there are no others. No other means there is no other way to attain liberation than that one path. At the place in India called Vulture Peak, the perfect Buddha Shakyamunia supreme nirmanakayaturned the wheel of the dharma a second time, teaching the vehicle without characteristics, and explained the meaning of emptiness in the extensive, middle length and concise presentations of the Prajnaparamita. This is something all of us should meditate upon using our intelligence. If one were to wonder, Since the Buddha Shakyamuni taught this middle turning of the wheel of the dharma, then is it not sufficient for us just to meditate upon these teachings under our own power or volition, not relying upon another teacher? No, it is not sufficient. Jowo Palden Atisha said, If one asks, Who realizes emptiness, it is

Nagarjuna and his student Chandrakirti, who were prophesied by the Tathagata and who saw the truth of dharmata. Through the instructions of their lineage, buddhahood is attained, not through any other means. In this quote Atisha mentions Nagarjuna and Chandrakirti, but there were also countless other Indian mahasiddhas who realized the truth of dharmata or the true nature of reality, and by relying upon their instructions, their teachings on the Prajnaparamita, and so forth, and by putting such teachings into practice, one will be able to attain enlightenment. If one were to wonder, How is this term, mahamudra, explained in the sutras, there is a quote from the Samadhiraja Sutra which says, The nature of all phenomena is mahamudra. This means that the nature of all phenomena is emptiness. Mahamudra in Tibetan is chakgya chenpo. Chak refers to emptiness, and it means then that the nature of all phenomena is emptiness. Realizing the meaning of emptiness, one is liberated from samsara, which is expressed by the word gya. This is how the term chakja chenpo or mahamudra is explained in the sutras. The way one achieves mahamudra realization through the path of the secret mantra which is the second method of realizing mahamudrais explained through the following quote: Through engaging in skilful means, such as penetrating the vital points of the subsequent vajra body, there is luminosity, great bliss. This is mahamudra, the quintessential essence of the highest section of tantras, which is taught through the cycles of the essence of accomplishment by Saraha, Nagarjuna, Naropa, and Maitripa. In the beginning, in order to practice secret mantra or vajrayana, one must rely upon a genuine guru who is trained in the tantras, and one begins by requesting from him or her the four empowerments of the secret mantra tradition. To receive a complete empowerment in the secret mantra tradition from a genuine guru is something we all have the opportunity to do during the next few days, since His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be bestowing the Kalachakra empowerment. While one is receiving this empowerment, one should think that the guru bestowing the empowerment is in actuality Kalachakra, and that the place where the empowerment is being given is in actuality the palace of Kalachakra. One should think that the entire environment surrounding one, the whole world, is the pure land of Kalachakra. And one should have the attitude that these ways of regarding the guru, the structure or building, the environment, and the world are really the way they are in actuality.

The Venerable Tenga Rinpoches Commentary on The Mahamudra of the Venerable Gampopa, the One Sufficient Path ... part 2/6

When one is receiving an empowerment, whatever sounds one hearsall the words expressed in the empowerment, all the instructions givenone should listen to and hear un-distractedly. One should be focused one-pointedly on the meaning of these words. If one is not focused one-pointedly, if one becomes distracted while one is

listening to the empowerment being given, although one will receive the blessings of the empowerment, one will not be able to understand or receive the meaning of it. Having received empowermentfor example, the Kalachakra empowermentone then engages in the practice of the sadhana associated with it. One begins with the generation stage, with the visualizations and the mantra recitations, and then one engages in the completion stage practiceswhich, in the case of Kalachakra, would be the six stages of union. If one practices meditation in this way, then one will be able to penetrate the vital points of the vajra body. Based upon penetrating the vital points of the vajra body, the karmic prana or winds enter into, abide and dissolve within the avadhuti or central channel. Through the force of that, ones karmic prana is purified and co-emergent wisdom, great bliss, arises as what is called a mental image or a mental approximation of wisdom, which is known as the luminosity of example or the mahamudra of example. Through meditating repeatedly upon the luminosity of example mahamudra one will be able to realize the actual luminosity or ultimate luminosity-mahamudra. There are many terms that can be applied to such a realization, such as mahamudra, the indestructible bindu, or the innate natural mind. In the path of secret mantra the term mahamudra is explained in the text, The Bindu of Mahamudra, by breaking the Tibetan term down, as before, into three parts. Chak means the wisdom of emptiness. Gya means liberation from the phenomena of samsara. Chenpo, which translates as great or maha, means integration or union. Chak gya chenpo or mahamudra. So the first part of this word refers to the fact that the essence of the mind is the integration or union of emptiness and wisdom. The second part, gya, means that once one has realized the essence of the mind, the integration of emptiness and wisdom, one is not obscured by the adventitious stains of samsaric phenomena. And the third part of the word, chenpo, meaning great, means that the essence which is emptiness and the nature which is clarity are primordially integrated or are primordially in union. How were these teachings of mahamudra transmitted? The teachings were first given by the Buddha Shakyamuni, who appeared in the form of Vajradhara and spoke The Flawless Tantra and many other tantras that express the mahamudra teachings. These teachings then came down to such masters as Lodro Rinchen, Saraha, Nagarjuna, and so forth - all of whom, through practicing them, attained siddhi and became great siddhas. The same teachings were further transmitted to the mahasiddha Tilopa, who received all the tantras and special instructions. Tilopa held four transmissions, teachings which came from four lineages of teachers, and although there were many teachers within these lineages, they can be abbreviated into four: the mahasiddhas Nagarjuna, Nakpopa, and Lawapa, and the dakini mahasiddha Kalpa Zangmo. Theessence of all of the teachings that he received from these four lineages were summarized in the teachings which are known as the Six Doctrines of Naropa. The main student of the mahasiddha Tilopa was Naropa, who underwent twelve

austerities in order to receive the teachings from Tilopa. At the end of all of his training, he attained a realization equal to his teacher Tilopas. Naropas main student was Marpa, who visited India from Tibet three times and spent altogether sixteen years and seven years with Naropa, receiving all of his teachings and special instructions. Then Marpa Lotsawa returned to Tibet, where he had many students. Of these the best were four main students, the supreme of which was Milarepa, who received the transmission of practice. Milarepa also had many students, the supreme among them were called the two sons who were like the sun and the moon. His sunlike disciple was Gampopa; his moon-like disciple was Rechungpa. The Kagyu teachings have since come through the master Gampopa, and from his many different students there have come many other divisions of the Kagyu tradition. There are the Karma Kamtsang, the Baram Kagyu, Tsalpa Kagyu, Padrup Kagyu, Drikung Kagyu, Drukpa Kagyu, Taklung Kagyu and others, many different sections. These traditions are different in name only. Their teachings are the same as lineages of teachings they have all come from the same teacher. And so in order to explain the teachings of mahamudra I will explain a text by the master Gampopa called The Very Essence of Mind, Mahamudra, the One Sufficient Path. If one wonders what does this mean to say The One Sufficient Path, it means that by practicing these instructions of the master Gampopa, one will be able to attain all the levels and paths which lead to enlightenment. The text, which begins by saying, Homage to the genuine gurus, goes on to say: The Mahamudra of Gampopa, the One Sufficient Path, has three sections: 1) To Have a Decisive Understanding About the True Nature, 2) The Introduction to the Fundamental Character, and 3) Training on the Path of Suchness. The first section, which is called, To Have A Decisive Understanding About the True Nature, explains ground mahamudra. There are three ways to speak of mahamudra: ground mahamudra, path mahamudra, and fruition mahamudra. This first section explains the true nature of ground mahamudra. The first section, To Have a Decisive Understanding About the True Nature, has five parts. The first says, Mahamudra has no causes. In general all relative or apparent phenomena arise from causes. They first arise, then they abide, and then they cease. This is the nature of relative phenomena. However, mahamudra is non-compounded. It is not composite, and so therefore it is beyond arising, abiding, and ceasing. For that reason it is said that mahamudra has no causes. The next point says, Mahamudra has no conditions. In general all things have conditions or contributing factors. These conditions are sometimes explained as being four in number, and they contribute to things changing. The essence of mahamudra is unchanging, and therefore it is said to have no conditions. The next point says, Mahamudra has no methods.

This means that mahamudra from the [beginning-less] beginning or primordially is present within ones own mind. It is not newly attained. So there are no methods for giving rise to the new attainment of mahamudra. The next point says, Mahamudra has no path. This means that when one is practicing mahamudra, one investigates ones own mind by oneself. One does not look for the path anywhere else. And so for that reason it is said mahamudra has no path. The next point says, Mahamudra has no result. A result in this case would be the attainment of enlightenment, but when one has attained enlightenment, one merely has purified the adventitious or temporary stains obscuring the mind. The true nature of the mind has not changed. When it is said that mahamudra has no causes, no conditions, no methods, no path, and no fruit or result, one is speaking from the point of view of the essence of the mind. This essence of the mind is beyond being an object which can be expressed through speech. It is beyond being an object which can be experienced by the conceptual mind of ordinary beings. The essence of the mind does not have a shape, does not have a colour; its nature is beyond arising, abiding, and cessation. This first section has expressed that meaning. When it is said that mahamudra has no causes and no conditions, one might wonder, Well is this then like empty space? No it is not. The essence of the mind is emptiness, free from mental elaborations, but its nature is luminosity. And within [this luminous emptiness or empty luminosity, which is] the nature of the mind, there is naturally present all the kayasall the dimensions or bodiesof the buddha, all the excellent qualities of a buddha, all of a buddhas activity.

The Venerable Tenga Rinpoches Commentary on The Mahamudra of the Venerable Gampopa, the One Sufficient Path ... part 3/6

The second section of the text is The Introduction to the Fundamental Character. In this section one is introduced to the practice of path mahamudra, again in five parts. With reference to the practice of meditation on the path of mahamudra, the first part says, Mahamudra has no causes, and yet faith and devotion are the causes of mahamudra. Faith and devotion are the causes that give rise to mahamudra. To illustrate this point there is a quote from the Sutra of the Ten Noble Dharmas which says, The virtuous dharma does not arise for people with no faith, just as a sprout will not arise from a seed burnt by fire. Those who have no faith will not be able to give rise to the

perfect dharma. The example used to illustrate this is a seed, such as a rice seed or a wheat seed that has been burnt by fire, which will never give rise to a sprout even though one may bury it in the ground, and so forth. In the Buddha Avatamsaka Sutra it says, Those with little faith, who abide within cyclic existence, cannot understand bodhicitta and buddhahood. Those beings whose minds have only a little bit of faith, nothing more than that, are unable to attain the level of a buddha and are unable to give rise to the two types of bodhicitta. Therefore, when one is practicing mahamudra meditation, one should begin by giving rise again and again to faith. In general there are said to be three types of faith. The first is called the faith of confidence. When one has given rise to great confidence or trust in karmain the infallibility of the law of cause and result in action then one has the faith of confidence. The second is the faith of longing. When ones mind has become determined to attain the level of a buddha, then one is said to have the faith of longing. The third is called inspired faith. When one has developed great faith and devotion in a one-pointed manner in the buddha, dharma, and sangha, and has given rise to the aspiration always to follow them, then one has what is called inspired faith.

The second cause of mahamudra is said to be devotion. What type of object of devotion does one need? One needs to give rise to devotion towards a spiritual teacher who shows the perfect path, who is able to bestow empowerments and perfect oral instructions. What is the reason that one needs to give rise to devotion to ones teacher? It is that, although the Buddha Shakyamuni appeared in this world, and after him there were many scholars and siddhas who appeared in India, we did not actually have the good fortune to meet them. But we have had the good fortune to meet the gurus and teachers we have met. And therefore, we should recognize that these teachers who bestow upon us the oral instructions which were taught by the Buddha are very kind to us. Recognizing their great kindness, one develops devotion towards them. How does one meditate upon or give rise to devotion? This can be illustrated by quoting Jetsun Milarepa when he was speaking to his disciple Gampopa. He says, Gampopa, when you are going to central Tibet, sometimes the memory of the guru will arise. When the memory of the guru arises, supplicate him as being inseparable on the top of your head. Meditate upon him as being in the centre of your heart without forgetting him. Jetsun Milarepa is saying to Gampopa that when the memory of me, Milarepa, arises, then how should you meditate? You should meditate upon me, your guru, as being on top of your head, inseparable from yourself. You should meditate upon your guru as being in the centre of your heart, never forgetting him. What is the result of meditating with devotion in the way just described? This can be illustrated through another quote: If the sun of devotion does not shine on the snow mountain of the gurus four kayas, the stream of blessings will not flow. Therefore, exert your mind in devotion.

In this verse the four kayas of the guru are being expressed using the metaphor of the snow mountain. For streams of water to flow from a snow mountain the sun must shine on it. And in order for the stream of blessings to flow from the snow mountain of the guru, the sun of ones own devotion must rise. Having received the blessings of the guru, one will be able to realize ones own mind as mahamudra. The true nature of the mind is beyond being an object of speech or conceptuality, yet through receiving the blessings of ones guru one is able to realize the nature of mahamudra [non-conceptually and nonverbally]. Therefore, it is said that faith and devotion are the causes of mahamudra. The second point says, Mahamudra has no conditions, and yet genuine gurus are the conditions for mahamudra. Genuine or perfect spiritual teachers are the conditions for mahamudra. One must first attend upon spiritual teachers, receive the oral instructions from them, and then put these instructions into practice. By doing so one will be able to realize mahamudra; for that reason it is said that gurus or spiritual teachers are the conditions for realizing mahamudra. To illustrate this there is a quote from the Noble Compendium which says, Excellent students endowed with respect for their gurus or teachers should attend continuously upon learned gurus. Why is that? Because the excellent qualities of learning arise from them. Excellent students should study with excellent gurus, because through relying upon excellent gurus we are able to give rise to all the virtuous qualities within our own minds. Spiritual teachers are the ones who show us the path. Without spiritual teachers we do not know the path on which we are going or wish to go. We are like the blind or like someone who is going to a new place who doesnt know how to get there. If one wants to get there, one needs to have a friend who knows the road and the way to go. In the same way, we do not really know at this point the way to achieve the level of a buddha, so we need a guide, someone who can show us how to get there. That guide is the guru. In the same way, if we are in a very dangerous place where there are lots of very scary things, scary noises, and so forth, then we need a guide and escort who can lead us out of that place. Our minds are like that place. Our minds are filled with the mental afflictions, the six poisons, and the guru is the guide and escort who leads us from that dangerous place into the level of enlightenment. Similarly, if one wishes to cross the ocean one needs to have a boat and one needs to have a captain of the boat. Sometimes boats are rowed, and then one needs to have an oarsman. Without a boat and an oarsman or captain, one wouldnt be able to get to the other side. Similarly, in order to cross over the ocean of samsara, one needs to have the oarsman of the teacher. For these reasons, in order to attain the realization of mahamudra, one should always rely upon spiritual teachers. Therefore, it is said that gurus or spiritual teachers are the conditions for mahamudra.

The next point in this section says, Mahamudra has no methods, and yet uncontrived mind is the method of mahamudra. When one is actually engaged in the practice of meditation upon mahamudra, the method for doing so is to rest within the uncontrived mind. In order to understand this notion, we must explain what is meant by saying uncontrived mind. In general, when one is speaking about the true nature of the mind, one says that its essence is emptiness. Because the essence or true nature of the mind is empty, it does not have a colour, a shape, or any defining characteristic. Because it is empty, this true nature of the mind is beyond being an object of speech or an object of conceptuality, and therefore is inaccessible for untrained ordinary beings. Though the essence of the mind is emptiness, the reflexive expression of this emptiness is the aspect of clarity, which gives rise to all the appearances of the phenomena of samsara and nirvana. For that reason all the appearances of suffering, which are connected with the samsaric state, and all the pure appearances, which are present during the enlightened state, are the reflexive expression or display of mind itself. How does one come to realize the essence of mind, which is the union of luminosity and emptiness? It is through supplicating ones guru, ones spiritual teacher, and through gathering the accumulations of merit that one will come to recognize the true nature of ones mind.

The Venerable Tenga Rinpoches Commentary on The Mahamudra of the Venerable Gampopa, the One Sufficient Path ... part 4/6

Realizing the true nature of the mind, the union of luminosity and emptiness, is called ground mahamudra or view mahamudra. If one realizes view mahamudra but does not meditate upon path mahamudra, upon mahamudra as the path, then, although one has had a realization of mahamudra one will not be able to give rise to all the excellent qualities of relinquishment and realization. Having realized view mahamudra one needs to sustain or maintain this realization in a non-distracted way, and this is what is called mahamudra meditation. When one is meditating upon mahamudra, one should do so in a way in which the mind is uncontrived. When one is meditating, if one thinks, Oh, maybe my meditation will be very good, and clings to that type of an attitude, or if one gives rise to fear or concern, thinking, Oh, my meditation isnt going very well, and clings to that type of an attitude, then one is engaging in hopes and fears. This is a

contrived type of meditation and will not bring about the perfect practice of mahamudra. When one is meditating on mahamudra one should not be performing any type of contrived meditation. For example, when one is meditating upon a deity, then one is meditating upon the aspects of that deitythat its colour is white, it has one face, it has four arms, and so forth. That is a type of contrived meditation, and mahamudra meditation is not like that; it is an uncontrived meditation. What is meant by resting in uncontrived mind means that ones past thoughts have ceased and future thoughts have not yet come. So one rests in the uncontrived state, which is between these two. One rests in the true nature of the mind or rests in seeing the essence of the mind. It is difficult to rest in meditation like that for a long time. So after some time thoughts will arise. If one does not recognize the very essence of these thoughts but follows after them, then thoughts will continue to arise in an uninterrupted stream. However, if one recognizes the essence of these thoughts, they will be naturally liberated and one will not be bound by thoughts. The uncontrived mind is beyond being an object of speech. Therefore, it is difficult for me actually to express this to you in words. For those of you who have received the blessings of a guru and who have experienced the uncontrived mind, then you know what I am talking about. But for those of you who have not had such an experience, then it is difficult for me to actually explain it to you or to show it to you, and therefore, you might have some doubts about this. However, if you engage in practice and give rise to devotion to your guru and gather the accumulations of merit, then you will be able to recognize this uncontrived mind and you will no longer have any doubts about it. Saraha said If one rests within non-contrivance and freshness, realization will arise. If one maintains this like a rivers flow, realization will arise again. Yogis and yoginis, completely abandon all reference points and characteristics; rest continually within equipoise. If one rests naturally settled without any contrivance in the true nature of the mind, then one will actualize or actually bring forth the realization of this true nature. The mahasiddha Saraha also states, If one tightens, this will cause thoughts to go in the ten directions. If one abandons this one can rest unmoving and still. When one is meditating, if one thinks that one needs to be free of all thoughts and conceptuality, and one clings to that attitude, then more thoughts will come. However, if one abandons that type of thinking and just says, Well, whether there are thoughts or no thoughts, thats fine, and if one remains free of hopes and fears, then one will be able to rest the mind without many thoughts in the mind. To quote Padampa Sanjay: The gurus teachings reside in ones heart. This is like seeing a hidden treasure sitting in the palm of ones hand. It is through receiving the pointing-out instructions on the true nature of mind and through receiving the gurus blessing that one is able to recognize the true nature of the mind. It is these instructions that one receives from ones guru, then, that are like having a jewel in the palm of ones hand. If one has a jewel in the palm of ones hand, one is able to see the shape and characteristics of the jewel clearly. And it is through the

blessings and pointing out instructions of ones guru that one is able to see the true nature of ones mind. The fourth point says, Mahamudra has no path, and yet undistracted mind is the path of mahamudra. To practice mahamudra one needs first to have received the pointing-out instructions and to be able to rest [the mind] without any contrivance, and then one needs to practice these instructions as ones path in an undistracted way. Maitreya says, Plant the watchman of undistracted mindfulness, which is not simply blocking mental activity like being unconsciousness or asleep. When one is unconscious, the five sense consciousnesses have ceased and one has no conceptuality. When one goes to sleep, the five sense consciousnesses dissolve into the all-basis consciousness. But the undistracted awareness which one should have is not merely the ceasing of the five sense consciousnesses nor their dissolving into the all-basis consciousness. It is rather an awareness with which one constantly observes ones mind. One looks to see whether ones mind is abiding, whether ones mind is engaged in thinking, to see whatever [it is doing or whatever state it is in]. One maintains ones awareness like a watchman. To plant the watchman of undistracted mindfulness means that no matter what activities one is engaged inwhether one is walking, sitting, eating or talkingone should maintain mindfulness as much as one can. Gyalwa Yangnpa says, Do not regard thoughts in the mind as faults. Not meditating intentionally upon non-conceptuality, rest the mind in its own fundamental state and plant the watchman. Within shamatha meditation stability will arise. Not to regard the thoughts of the mind as faults means that one should not think that it is very bad if one has lots of thoughts while one is meditating. One shouldnt think that one is trying to free oneself from thoughts, because thoughts are the reflexive expression of the mind. Therefore there is no necessity to think, Oh, I definitely have to free myself of thoughts while I am meditating. One should abandon all hopes and fears in regards to this, which is what is meant by saying, not meditating intentionally upon non-conceptuality. Instead, one should rest the mind in its own fundamental state and plant the watchman of undistracted mindfulness. Through practicing in this way, then, within the practice of shamatha stability of mind will arise. At this point the explanations concerning uncontrived mind and not abandoning thoughts are mostly concerned with the practice of vipashyana. If one is only practicing shamatha, then one does need to bring the mind to rest or to be able to cause the mind to abide, and so at that point one does need to have thoughts cease. The fifth point is, Mahamudra has no result, and yet the mind liberated into dharmata is the result of mahamudra.

Through practicing mahamudra meditation one purifies all the adventitious obscurations of the mind which are explained sometimes as being of two types: the obscuration of mental afflictions and the obscurations to objects of knowledge. When these obscurations have been purified, then one has attained the result of mahamudra. That is the result of mahamudra. When one has become free of all obscurations, then the habitual patterns of clinging to true existence are also purified and one is able to truly recognize that external appearances are an aspect of mind an appearing aspect of mindand one will have reached a level where appearances and ones own mind have mixed. When one has become free of clinging to true existence free of the apprehension of true existence together with the habitual patterns for such clinging or apprehension, then it is said that ones own mind and appearances are mixed. At that point then one is able to perform miracles, as were performed by the siddhas of both India and Tibet. They were able to touch fire but not be burned by it. They were able to walk on water and not sink in it. They were able to walk through the walls of buildings, and so forth. These miracles arise naturally at that level. At that point one has also purified the four elements of ones physical body and is able to transform ones body into such things as a large mass of fire or a large body of water. One is able to perform many different types of miracles and practice many different types of samadhi. At that level one has also purified the nadi, prana, and bindu* of ones own physical form and because of that one is able to arise in or manifest the form of many different yidams or deities, and one is also able to meet with these many various yidams. At that point it sometimes also occurs that ones students are able to see ones form as being that of the yidam.

The Venerable Tenga Rinpoches Commentary on The Mahamudra of the Venerable Gampopa, the One Sufficient Path ... part 5/6 Then as is said, Just like fire and firewood, the remedy and what is to be abandoned are exhausted together. Whoever has perfected all qualities in the expanse is a yogin or yogini of non-meditation. What is to be abandoned are the obscurations of mental afflictions and the obscurations to objects of knowledge, and when these have been exhausted, then the path which is the means to abandon them is also exhausted. The illustration of this is the exhaustion of firewood and fire. When one has a lot of firewood, then one will have a big fire. When all the firewood is burned up, the fire will also go out. At that point one is liberated from all hopes and fears. One is liberated from the fear of wandering in samsara and one is liberated from the hope of attaining liberation. How is one liberated from hopes and fears? Through achieving the level of a buddha.

Once one has achieved that levelthe level of the dharmakayathen one is naturally and automatically liberated from samsara, and there is no need for hopes or fears. At that point one is able to accomplish benefit for both oneself and others. One accomplishes ones own benefit because one has completely abandoned all obscurations and has actualized the dharmakaya. Attaining the dharmakaya is achieving benefit for oneself. Based on the blessings of the dharmakaya one manifests the sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya in whatever way is needed for students who are to be trained, thereby accomplishing benefit for others. Within path mahamudra we speak of four levels of yoga: one-pointedness, simplicity or freedom from elaborations, one taste and non-meditation. When one has achieved the level just described, then one has achieved the level of non-meditation. The fruit of mahamudra meditation is called non-meditation. That completes the second section, "The Introduction To The Fundamental Character".

Now we come to the third section, "Training On The Path Of Suchness", which explains in four main points how beginners can practice the path of mahamudra meditation. The first point says, As the preliminary practice, meditate on guru yoga with faith, devotion, and respect, three times during the day and three times at night. One begins the preliminary practice by going for refuge to the three jewels, giving rise to bodhicitta, meditating upon loving-kindness and compassion, and practicing the six paramitas, and having done that, then one can practice the guru yoga. After one has practiced the guru yoga, the text says in the next point, As the main practice, rest within the state of uncontrived mind with undistracted recognition. The main practice is to rest within uncontrived mind as has already been explained. As the conclusion, recognize whatever appears as your own mind and train your awareness with skill. The practice of meditative equipoise is to rest without contrivance, and in the postmeditation one should merely recognize all appearances as being ones own mind and in that way train with awareness. The fourth point says, Relying upon the sequential arising of experiences, exert yourself in meditation until conceptual mind is exhausted. During ones formal practice, from the beginning to the end, one gives rise to many different types of experiences. Some people give rise to the experiences associated with shamatha practice. Some give rise to the experiences associated with vipashyana practice. But regardless of the nature of ones experience, one must

continue to practice until one reaches the level of non-meditation where conceptual mind is exhausted, where phenomena are exhausted. Each time one gives rise to certain experiences in meditation, one should not think, Oh these experiences are fine. This is enough. I dont need to do anymore. Instead one must practice until one attains this level of stability or fruitionthe exhaustion of conceptual mindbecause if one doesnt, if one just thinks that whatever level of practice one has achieved or whatever type of experience comes up is enough, one will not reach the final level of fruition and there will be no benefit. There are many different types of experiences that can arise in meditation, but in general, as it reads in the text, There are two ways in which experiences arise: as unfavourable experiences and as favourable experiences. As for the first: All unfavourable experiences whatever they are, such as dullness, agitation, illness, fear, fright, or doubt arise from your meditation. Therefore, recognize them to be experiences. Without abandoning them, meditate, taking those very things as the object of your view and meditation. Sometimes, when one is meditating upon the true nature of ones mind, ones mind is very dark or sunken, or one falls asleep. This is known as dullness. Sometimes, when one is resting within uncontrived mind, practicing mahamudra, many different thoughts or concepts arise. This is the experience of agitation. Sometimes people practicing mahamudra become physically sick, or have a lot of mental suffering. Sometimes, seemingly for no reason at all, fear arises, as it were, naturally, and sometimes one has doubts about the dharma or about ones teachers. All of these things can arise within ones practice. If one has attained some stability in the practice of mahamudra meditation and were to become sick, for example, then one would be able to mix this physical feeling or sensation of being sick with ones own realization or experiences of the true nature of ones mind. In this way one would be liberated from the sickness through the practice of mahamudra, or one would at least be able to bring the illness onto the path of mahamudra. In like manner, whatever arises be it fear or doubts towards ones teachers or the dharmaone should not rely upon other remedies, but should bring all of these experiences onto the path of the practice of mahamudra. If one practices in this way, favourable experiences will arise naturally. The text continues, As for favourable experiences: First, the experience of the mind abiding arises. This is an experience of the practice of shamatha. Based on that, the experience of the essence, emptiness, arises. Based upon that, the experience of attaining realization arises.

One has a true realization of the true nature of the mind. Based upon that, the experience of turning away from attachment arises. All of these experiences are considered to be good or favourable. But when these good experiences arise, if one clings to them, if one thinks that one always needs to give rise to such good experiences, then this clinging to positive experiences binds one. With that type of sequential arising of experiences, you should exert yourself in practice without any complacency. There are many types of experiences which can arise, but no matter what arises, you should practice without any complacency. Once you have begun meditating upon the true nature of the mind, you should continue to do so as much as you are able to for as long as you live. You should never become satisfied with your meditation, thinking, Oh, now Ive done enough; I dont need to do anymore. You should meditate again and again.

The Venerable Tenga Rinpoches Commentary on The Mahamudra of the Venerable Gampopa, the One Sufficient Path ... part 6/6 "The minds merely abiding is not sufficientyou must meditate in order to see the essence." When you begin practicing meditation, you may achieve stability in the practice of shamatha, but you should not think, Oh this is fine, this is enough that I have achieved this stability. You must continue to practice with diligence until you come to the realization of emptiness, associated with the practice of vipashyana. "Merely seeing the essence is not sufficientyou must meditate in order to attain realization." Although you may have truly realized vipashyana, you should not think, Oh, now Ive realized this, this is enough, I dont need to do anymore. You should continue to practice until you attain stability in that realization. "Merely attaining realization is not sufficient you must meditate in order to turn away from attachment." It is not enough merely to have attained a stable realization; you must continue to meditate until you have turned away from your attachment to samsara. "Merely turning away from attachment is not sufficientyou must meditate so that, through the liberation of conceptual mind into dharmata, conceptual mind is exhausted, phenomena are exhausted, and you awaken."

It is not enough merely to turn away from attachment to samsara; that alone is of no benefit. You must meditate until conceptual mind is exhausted, phenomena are exhausted, and you attain the level of nonmeditation. This completes The Very Essence of Mind, Mahamudra, the One Sufficient Path.

Saying the very essence of mind and what is meant by that means that the instructions contained within this text are the very essence of all the instructions of the master Gampopa. We have now come to the conclusion of this text. I received what is called in Tibetan the trilungthe oral transmissionfor this text in the form of a commentary from the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, when he gave me the transmission for the collected works of Dagpo Rinpoche, which is another name for Gampopa. [Rinpoche chants, giving the oral transmission for this text.] That completes the explanation of mahamudra. Although one could explain what is necessary for the practice of mahamudra in a very extensive way, to put it very briefly, one should give rise to faith and confidence in whatever guru one regards as ones root guru and meditate upon the guru yoga, supplicating the guru, and then imagine that the guru dissolves into light and that this light is absorbed into ones own mind, ones own heart centre. In this way, ones own mind and ones gurus mind are mixed together. Then rest ones mind in this state of the inseparability of ones own mind and the gurus mind. If one practices in this way one will naturally give rise to the realization of mahamudra. One should meditate in that way not just once, but again and again. Again and again, one should supplicate ones guru and then practice mahamudra meditation, resting the mind in the uncontrived state. If one does that, then one will be able to achieve the same level of actualization or realization of mahamudra that was achieved by all the mahasiddhas of India and Tibet, because this is a path without faults. It is a perfect path, and you now have this path with its opportunity in your own hands. If you practice meditation in this way, you will be able in the future to attain the fruits of this practice, all the excellent qualities of relinquishment and realization. Whoever practices meditation in this waywhether or not one is ordained, whether one is male or female, whether one is old or young, it makes no difference[can attain this result.] There is no difference in terms of the realization of mahamudra that one can achieve, because everyones mind has what is called tathagatagharba or buddha nature. Therefore, the excellent qualities of the dharmakaya can be achieved by everyone. Whoever meditates upon this path will be able to achieve the same excellent qualities of relinquishment and realization. It is through the great kindness of His Holiness the Dalai Lama that I was able to come here and give you these instructions on mahamudra. It is through his great kindness that we have been able to come together, that you have been able to listen to these teachings, and that I have been able to give them. And so we now have a very special dharma connection. I make the aspiration prayer that all of you will be able to practice the meditation on mahamudra and attain the result, and that, having

attained the result, you will be able to attain the siddhi of flying in space, so you will be able to fly here and fly there. Now I would like to conclude with the aspirational prayer that, on the basis of all the roots of virtue which have been accumulated here today through this dharma teaching, the master of all the Buddhas teachings who appears now in this world, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, may live long, and that all his aspirations and all his intentions for beings may be quickly and perfectly fulfilled. I also make the aspiration that through the accomplishment of all his intentions and wishes, this world may become peaceful. THE END

The Venerable Tenga Rinpoches Commentary on The Mahamudra of the Venerable Gampopa, the One Sufficient Path ... at the Kalachakra for World Peace program at Madison Square Garden in 1991, translated by Elizabeth Callahan.

*Editors note: The concepts of nadi, prana, and bindu [Tibetan: rtsa, rlung, thigle] are further explained in a note from The Life of Marpa the Translator, by Tsang Nyn Heruka, Shambhala, Boston and London, page 235: According to the yogic teachings of the path of skillful means [Sanskrit: upayamarga; Tibetan: thabs-lam], realization is attained through the synchronization of body and mind. This may be achieved through meditating on nadi, prana, and binduthe psychic components in the illusory body. Prana is the energy, or wind, moving through the nadis, the channels. Bindu is the quintessence secreted within the body. As is said, Mind consciousness rides the horse of prana on the pathways of the nadis. The bindu is mindsnourishment. Because of dualistic thinking, prana enters the lalana [Tibetan: rkyang-ma] and rasana [Tibetan: ro-ma], the left and right channels. This divergence of energy in the illusory body corresponds to the mental activity that falsely distinguishes between subject and object and leads to karmically determined activity. Through yogic practice, the pranas can be brought into the central channel [Sanskrit: avadhuti; Tibetan: dbu-ma], and therefore transformed into wisdom-prana. Then the mind can recognize its fundamental nature, realizing all dharmas as unborn. This belongs to advanced practice and can only be learned through direct oral transmission from an accomplished guru. Once the meditator is well established in the experience of the fundamental nature of mind, he or she can meditate on it directly, dissolving the nadi, prana, and bindu visualization. Meditation using the concept of psychic channels belongs to the category of sampannakrama [Sanskrit for the completion stage] with signs. The formless practice, which contemplates the nature of mind directly, is sampannakrama without signs.

Dedication: SONAM DI YI THAM CHED ZIG PA NYI THOB NEY NYEY PAI DRA NAM PHAM JYEY SHING KYE GA NA CHI BA LONG TRUG PA YI SID PAI TSO LEY DRO WA DROL WAR SHOG