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chapter 1

Introduction

$he %inea&e 'upplication

I)m deli&hted to see that all o* +ou ha,e come here to practice meditation and topractice dharma out o* +our enthusiasm and de,otion- and I .ould li/e to than/each and e,er+ one o* +ou *or doin& so0 Id li/e to 2e&in 2+ recitin& the linea&e

supplication0 $he particular linea&e supplication .e use is recited in all o* thema3or seats o* the #arma #a&+u linea&e- includin& $surphu and (alpun& 0 !ll#a&+u teachers and all practitioners recite it0 $he reason .e use this particularsupplication is that it has a special 2lessin& that is distinct *rom other similarsupplications0 It .as composed 2+ (en/ar 4ampal 5an&po .ho composed ita*ter spendin& ei&hteen +ears in meditation on mahamudra on an island in themiddle o* '/+ %a/e in the north o* $i2et0 $his supplication 2ears the 2lessin& o*his reali6ation o* mahamudra durin& his ei&hteen +ears o* practice and isconsidered ,er+ pro*ound0 7hen +ou chant the linea&e supplication- ima&inethat Va3radhara- $ilopa- aropa- and the rest o* the linea&e are actuall+ presentin the s/+ in *ront o* +ou- and .ith that con*idence- supplicate them *or the

2esto.al o* their 2lessin&s0

Mahamudra Meditation

In &eneral- mahamudra is an approach to meditation and attainment that doesnot re8uire a &reat deal o* ela2oration- either in practice or in the preparation *or

practice0 In the practice o* mahamudra- .e do not need an ela2orateen,ironment- such as utter dar/ness- nor do .e need ela2orate practices- such asph+sical postures0 $here*ore- I thin/ this practice is especiall+ appropriate and2ene*icial in this modern a&e0$he teachin&s o* the 9uddha ha,e 2een classi*ied as sutra and tantra teachin&s:mahamudra is primaril+ deri,ed *rom the tantra or Va3ra+ana teachin&0 Inparticular- the mahamudra teachin&s deri,e *rom such tantras as theMahamudra tilaka tantraand the Glorious Stainless Tantra.$histeachin& spread throu&hout India and .as initiall+ propa&ated 2+ themahasiddha 'araha- *rom .hom it has descended in se,eral linea&es0E,entuall+- ei&ht+ *our mahasiddhas arose in India .ho attained reali6ationthrou&h the maha mudra practice0

$he si&ni*icance o* the ei&ht+ *our mahasiddhas is not so much that there .ereonl+ ei&ht+ *our indi,iduals .ho .ere a2le to attain enli&htenment- as that these

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ei&ht+ *our indi,iduals .ere examples o* ,arious li*est+les .ithin .hich .e canpractice mahamudra success*ull+0 9ecause the ei&ht+ *our mahasiddhas had,er+ di**erent li*est+les- the common *actor 2et.een them .as that the+ allpracticed mahamudra meditation- throu&h .hich practice the+ all attained actualreali6ation0 $he point is that ones particular li*est+le is not that important0 ;or

example- one mahasiddha .as #in& Indra2huti- .ho- as a /in&- .as ,er+ richand ,er+ 2us+ and appeared to 2e attached to pleasure0 et- ha,in& recei,ed themahamudra instructions- #in& Indra2huti practiced accordin& to the instructions.hile still /in&- still rich and 2us+- still ha,in& a &ood time- and he attained thesupreme siddhi enli&htenment throu&h mahamudra practice and there2+2ecame a mahasiddha0 $he lesson .e can dra. *rom this is that e,en a person.ho is ,er+ rich and ,er+ 2us+ can still practice mahamudra properl+0!nother example o* the mahasiddhas is a&ar3una- .ho .as a &reat scholar0 ?e.as so 2rilliant- in *act- that no one could e,er success*ull+ ar&ue .ith him0 ?ecomposed a lar&e num2er o* commentaries on the 9uddhas teachin&s- and hehad an enormous num2er o* students he had to ta/e care o*0 7hile 2us+ .ith allo* these acti,ities- he practiced mahamudra- and throu&h doin& so he too

attained the supreme siddhi0! *urther example is $ilopa- .hose occupation .as principall+ poundin&sesame seeds to produce sesame oil0 ?e .as neither rich nor particularl+scholarl+0 7hile en&a&ed in this manual occupation and the e,en more menialoccupation o* 2ein& a ser,ant- li,in& in a simple 2ut some.hat austere manner-he practiced mahamudra- and he too attained the supreme siddhi0 $he lesson .edra. *rom his li*e is that .e can practice mahamudra success*ull+ and attain thesupreme siddhi e,en .hile ha,in& to do menial .or/0In the same .a+- some o* the mahasiddhas .ere street cleaners- some smiths-some .ea,ers- some shoema/ers- some tailors- and some .ere /in&s0 $he+ hada ,ariet+ o* li*est+les and a ,ariet+ o* occupations0 $he onl+ thin& the+ all had

in common .as that the+ all practiced mahamudra meditation and there2+ allattained the supreme siddhi0 $he lesson .e can dra. *rom all these examples isthat .hether or not .e ha,e &reat responsi2ilities to *ul*ill- .hether or not .eare ,er+ 2us+- .hether or not .e are rich- .hether or not .e are scholars-.hether or not .e do menial la2or- .hether .e are *emale or male@ none o*these thin&s has an+ 2earin& on the practice o* mahamudra0Under an+ circumstance- .e can al.a+s practice mahamudra- and .e can attainthe supreme siddhi07hen the mahamudra teachin&s .ere *irst 2rou&ht to $i2et- the+ .erepropa&ated initiall+ 2+ three indi,iduals .hom .e re&ard as the three &reatpro&enitors o* the #a&+u tradition@ arpa- ilarepa- and Aampopa0 arpa .asa householder .ith a .i*e- a num2er o* sons- a &reat deal o* propert+- and man+

disciples he had to teach and ta/e care o*0 et- in the midst o* all theseentan&lements and responsi2ilities- he .as a2le to &o to India under conditionso* the utmost hardship- meet man+ o* the &reat mahasiddhas- and recei,einstruction *rom them- particularl+ the mahamudra- .hich he practiced andthere2+ attained the supreme siddhi0 'o he .as a2le to practice success*ull+ andattain the result .hile 2ein& .ealth+ and surrounded 2+ his *amil+ andresponsi2ilities0$he second o* these three &reat teachers .as ilarepa- .hose li*est+le .asutterl+ di**erent *rom that o* his teacher- arpa0 ?is entire li*e .as de,oted topractice under conditions o* the utmost pri,ation and simplicit+0 ?e li,ed inca,es 2ecause the+ pro,ided shelter .ithout ha,in& to 2e 2uilt- and he practiced

meditation continuall+- .hether he had *ood or not0 ?is li*est+le o* completerenunciation led to his attainment o* the supreme siddhi- 3ust as arpasli*est+le had led to his attainment0 ;or some people- ilarepas li*est+le is an

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appropriate one in .hich to practice mahamudra and attain the supreme siddhi0$he third teacher .as ilarepas student Aampopa- .hose li*est+le .asdi**erent *rom either o* his predecessors0 Aampopa too/ the monastic ordiBnation- met his teacher ilarepa- *rom .hom he recei,ed the instructions o*mahamudra- and practiced these instructions .hile li,in& as a mon/0 %ater- in

accordance .ith ilarepas instructions- he esta2lished a monaster+- .hich heloo/ed a*ter as a22ot *or the rest o* his li*e0 ?e tau&ht and too/ care o* man+disciples- and .hile meditatin& under these circumstances- he too *ull+ reali6edmahamudra and attained the supreme siddhi0 ?a,in& done so- he tau&ht a ,astnum2er o* students0 ;rom Aampopas li*est+le- .e can o2ser,e that one canalso practice mahamudra as a monastic0%i/e li*est+le- it ma/es no di**erence .hether +ou are *emale or male0 !s the9uddha said in the Heart Sutra:! son or dau&hter o* no2le *amil+ .ho.ishes to meditate upon the (ra3naparamita 000 $hat statement o* the 9uddhahas the si&ni*icance o* pointin& out that it ma/es no di**erence .hether apractitioner is male or *emale0 7hat ma/es a di**erence in reachin& enli&htBenment is the de&ree to .hich one is moti,ated- the de&ree to .hich one .ishes

to reali6e mahamudra- the intensit+ o* ones *aith and dili&ence0In &eneral- the practice o* mahamudra is essential *or an+ practitioner o*dharma- 2ut in m+ experience and m+ 3ud&ment- mahamudra is especiall+appropriate *or 7esterners and other persons li,in& in modern societ+0 o.aBda+s man+ people .ish to practice- and their enthusiasm is &enuine0 $he+ .antto meditate- and +et the li*est+le o* a simple renunciant- .hich used to seem li/ethe most sensi2le li*est+le *or a practitioner- simpl+ does not *it in .ithcontemporar+ societ+0 ;or example- in earlier times- it .as possi2le *or apractitioner to sur,i,e 2+ 2e&&in& *or *ood0 o.ada+s 2e&&in& *or *ood isdi**icult: people ha,e to .or/ to ta/e care o* their li*e needs0 Dharma pracBtitioners *re8uentl+ thin/ that- 2+ ta/in& care o* the needs o* this li*e- the+ are

.astin& their li*e and- there*ore- *ailin& as a practitioner0 In *act- this sense o**ailure is unnecessar+0 ou need to ta/e care o* +oursel* in this li*e- 2ut .hile*ul*illin& +our responsi2ilities- +ou can still ta/e care o* +our mind- and +ou canstill practice meditation0 $his does not re8uire an+ dramatic chan&e in li*est+le-such as extreme external renunciation0o.- i* +ou choose &reat austerit+- +ou can de,ote +ears o* +our li*e to retreat-.hich is excellent0 9ut e,en i* +ou cant do that- +ou can still practicemahamudra ,er+ e**ecti,el+ 2+ de,otin& .hat time +ou can to it in the midst o*a li*e *illed .ith occupation and responsi2ilit+0 'o this is a path that is extremel+simple- meanin& that it does not re8uire a lot o* preparation or de,ices- and socan 2e practiced at an+ time or in an+ situation- pro,ided one possessesmind*ulness and alertness0 'o it is exactl+ this that needs to 2e practiced 2+

monastics: the+ can practice 3ust this mahamudra .ithout ha,in& to addan+thin& to it or search *or an+thin& more pro*ound- and the+ .ill accomplishli2eration0 !nd it is 3ust this that can 2e practiced 2+ male and *emalehouseholders: the+ need not add an+thin& else to this or loo/ *or an+thin& morepro*ound- in order to accomplish li2eration0$he root o* mahamudra practice is the maintenance o* mind*ulness andalertness in +our mind- .hich needs to 2e culti,ated- 2oth in *ormal meditationpractice and in post meditation0 $he post meditation discipline o* maintainin&mind*ulness and alertness in the midst o* ones acti,ities- such as .al/in&-sittin&- tal/in&- eatin&- and so on- is rather di**icult *or 2e&inners0 9ut i* +ou/eep on practicin& this discipline .ithout 2ecomin& discoura&ed- it 2ecomes not

too di**icult- and +ou can actuall+ accomplish li2eration o* +our mind- .hich is.h+ mahamudra is called the path o* li2eration- .hich is simple or *ree o*ela2oration0

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In addition to the path o* li2eration- there is .ithin the #a&+u tradition anotherpath or instruction *or practice- called the path o* method or upa+a- .hich re*ersto the Six Dharmas of Naropa. I* +ou practice the mahamudra path o*li2eration dili&entl+- then throu&h that +ou can accomplish the ultimate result0 I*+ou practice the path o* upa+a- the 'ix Dharmas o* aropa- .ith dili&ence-

throu&h that as .ell +ou can accomplish the ultimate result0 ?o.e,er- 2et.eenthese t.o aspects o* our tradition- that on .hich .e place primar+ emphasis ismahamudra- the path o* li2eration0 Essentiall+- there*ore- this path is su**icientin and o* itsel*0 On the other hand- it is appropriate to enhance ones trainin& o*the ,ie. and meditation o* mahamudra .ith such supplementar+ practices asthe creation sta&e o* +idam practice- the practice o* &uru +o&a- the practices o*the path o* upa+a- such as the 'ix Dharmas o* aropa- and other practices thatin,ol,e conceptual e**ort0 !ll o* these practices are help*ul to mahamudra andnot harm*ul to it0 $here*ore- it is the custom- .hen .e ha,e the time andopportunit+- to en&a&e in these ela2orate practices- e,en up to the preparation o*mandalas- the ma/in& and o**erin& o* tormas- and so on0 I* these practices aredone .ith a proper meditation- or samadhi- and clear ,isuali6ation- and so *orth-

then the+ can 2esto. &reat 2ene*it or enhancement upon ones *undamentalmahamudra practice0'ometimes the supplementar+ practices +ou do need not 2e too ela2orate0 $he+could 2e simpler practices- such as the meditations on Chenre6i&- !mita2ha-edicine 9uddha- and so *orth0 !ll o* these practices can 2e used as contexts*or the practice o* mahamudra and all o* them are help*ul0 ou should not thin/that in order to supplement +our mahamudra practice +ou need necessaril+ to do,er+ complicated and ela2orate practices0 7hate,er t+pe o* practice +ou do- i*+ou mix it .ith the mahamudra practice- it .ill *acilitate that practice0

Mahamudra and Dzogchen

$.o di**erent linea&es o* the meditation o* loo/in& directl+ at mind arose in theVa3ra+ana in $i2et0 One .as the mahamudra and the other .as the d6o&chenlinea&e0 Di**erent teachers ha,e made some.hat di**erent statements a2out therelationship 2et.een these t.o st+les o* practice and teachin&0 'ome ha,e saidthat d6o&chen is more pro*ound than mahamudra: others ha,e said thatmahamudra is more pro*ound than d6o&chen: 2ut most ha,e said that the+ arethe same thin&0 $he instructions in 2oth o* these traditions is simpl+ called&uidance on the mind 2ecause in 2oth s+stems e,er+thin& hin&es on thestudents reco&nition o* the nature o* mind0 9+ loo/in& at texts *rom 2oths+stems- one *inds that the+ point to the same thin&0 In *act- in man+ cases the+use the same .ords0 In his Aspiration ra!er for Mahamudra"the $hird#armapa- Ran&3un& Dor3e- sa+s@

$his *reedom *rom mental directedness is mahamudra:

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$his *reedom *rom extremes is the &reat middle .a+:!s it includes e,er+thin&- this is the &reat per*ection d6o&chen0a+ I ha,e the con*idence that reali6in& one is understandin& them all0

;urther in the text- he sa+s@

It does not exist and has not 2een seen 2+ an+ o* the ,ictorious ones0It does not not exist: it is the 2asis o* samsara and nir,ana0It is not a contradiction: it is the middle .a+ o* unit+0a+ I reco&ni6e this dharmata o* the mind0

;rom the d6o&chen tradition- a text *rom 4i&me %in&pa reads@

It does not exist and has not 2een seen 2+ an+ o* the ,ictorious ones0It does not not exist: it is the 2asis o* samsara and nir,ana0It is not a contradiction 2ut is 2e+ond expression0a+ I reali6e d6o&chen- the &round o* all thin&s0

Next point"

#angchuk Dor$e%s Text

In the times o* $ilopa- aropa- arpa- and ilarepa- the *ormat o* mahamudrainstructions .as primaril+ 2rie* spiritual son&s o* instruction called dohas that.ere 8uite spontaneous0 $hese .ere &i,en to a disciple .ho .ould meditateupon the instruction and then return to the teacher and descri2e his or her

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experience0 On the 2asis o* the students experiences- the teacher .ould &i,e*urther instruction as needed0 $hrou&h this process o* exchan&e and experientialoral instruction- the disciple or student .ould attain reali6ation and then .ouldtrain his o.n students in the same .a+0 In that .a+- the mahamudra linea&e .asinitiall+ one o* oral instruction- called an oral linea&e or heard linea&e0 $his

t+pe o* instruction is ,er+ pro*ound and e**ecti,e0 ?o.e,er- as time .ent on-there .ere more and more practitioners- more disciples- re8uirin& a mores+stemati6ed *ormat o* instruction0 !lso- as time .ent on- disciples 2ecame lessdili&ent in en&a&in& in this process- so it 2ecame necessar+ to .rite do.n theseinstructions that had 2een transmitted0 In the #a&+u tradition- the .ritin& do.no* the oral instructions happened primaril+ durin& the time o* the inth#armapa- 7an&chu/ Dor3e- .ho li,ed in the *i*teenth centur+0 ?e .rote threemain expositions o* mahamudra practice@ the lon&est o* these is called The&cean of Definiti'e Meaning" the medium len&th text is calledDispelling the Darkness of (gnorance"and the 2rie*est one- this text- isointing &ut the Dharmaka!a.7hile it is true that the lon&est o* the three texts- The &cean of Definiti'e

Meaning" is 8uite ,ast and that ointing &ut the Dharmaka!a is theshortest o* the three- this latter text still &i,es a *ull treatment o* mahamudrapractice0 $his 2oo/ has se,eral sections0 $he *irst part o* the text is de,oted tothe *our preliminaries o* mahamudra practice- and the 2ul/ o* the text descri2esthe actual practice- di,ided into the practice o* tran8uilit+ meditation and thepractice o* insi&ht meditation 0 In the section on tran8uilit+ meditation- a ,ariet+o* methods are outlined0 In the section on insi&ht- a ,ariet+ o* methods *orpracticin& the insi&ht aspect o* mahamudra are also &i,en0$he st+le o* the text is indicated 2+ its name- ointing &ut theDharmaka!a- descri2in& the .a+ the text is to 2e used0 9ecause o* its 2re,it+-the text is a con,enient practical manual *or mahamudra practitioners0 It is eas+

to use- and it is eas+ to /eep the instructions in mind0 $he instructions ena2lethe practitioner to &et directl+ at the nature o* his or her mind0

The (mportance of De'otion

$hrou&hout ointing &ut the Dharmaka!a" the point is made a&ain and

a&ain- and this is the same point that is made in one o* the stan6as o* the #a&+ulinea&e supplication0 In the linea&e supplication- .e recite- De,otion is thehead o* meditation- the point 2ein& that the most important element in thepractice o* mahamudra is +our *aith and commitment0 !s I said 2e*ore- thelinea&e supplication 2+ (en/ar 4ampal 5an&po is an expression o* hisreali6ation a*ter +ears o* mahamudra practice- and there*ore- e,er+thin& he.rote in that supplication has &reat meanin&0 De,otion is the head o*meditation is a metaphor on man+ le,els0 Aenerall+ spea/in&- +our head is a,er+ important part o* +our 2od+ 2ecause i* +ou ha,e a head- +ou can see- +oucan hear- +ou can tal/- +ou can eat0 It is the location o* most o* the senses0 E,enthou&h the head is not lar&e compared to the rest o* the 2od+- i* +ou dont ha,ea head- +our *unctions are useless0$he relationship o* de,otion to the rest o* meditation is ,er+ much li/e therelationship 2et.een +our head and the rest o* +our 2od+0 $he most important

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thin& that ma/es meditation .or/ and *ruit*ul is +our de,otion andcommitment07hat .e must direct our de,otion and commitment to.ard is the dharma0 Inthis context- .hen .e sa+ dharma- .e mean mahamudra0 De,otion andcommitment mean ha,in& the *eelin&@ I must meditate on this0 I* I meditate on

this- there .ill 2e 2ene*it0 $hese are the actual methods- and the+ .ill lead tothe &oal I .ish to achie,e0In short- it is con*idence in the ,alidit+ and e**icac+ o* the mahamudrateachin&s and practices0 It is a trust that- throu&h correctl+ implementin& theinstructions .e ha,e recei,ed *rom the root &uru throu&h the linea&e &urus- theattainment o* our &oal .ill actuall+ come a2out0 $he reason this is so importantis that- i* .e ha,e this commitment 2ased on con*idence- then .e .ill naturall+2e dili&ent- and i* .e are dili&ent- then .e .ill &et results0

Moti'ation for ractice

7hether one is practicin& dharma in the *orm o* meditation or one is listenin&to dharma- it is important that ones moti,ation *or doin& so 2e unlimited0 7hilepracticin& and stud+in& mahamudra- one is concerned .ith the practice o*meditation0 I* in this stud+ and practice ones concern is *or ones o.n 2ene*it

alone- the result .ill not 2e complete or per*ect- 2ecause the moti,ation isinsu**icient0 In order to stud+ and practice properl+ +ou need to ha,e as +ourmoti,ation the thou&ht that +ou are .or/in& to attain 9uddhahood in order to 2ea2le to li2erate all 2ein&s0 !ll 2ein&s means all 2ein&s- .ithout exception-.ho *ill space0 In order to attain 9uddhahood +ou must practice the path o*meditation0 I* .ith that moti,ation o* 2odhichitta +ou meditate or listen to thedharma- then &reat 2ene*it .ill ensue0 On the other hand- i* +ou practice orstud+ .ithout the altruistic moti,ation o* 2odhichitta- then 2ecause o* thelimited 8ualit+ or pettiness o* +our moti,ation- the practice .ill not *unctionproperl+0 $here*ore- .hen +ou set a2out practicin& or stud+in& an+ aspect o*Va3ra+ana- such as mahamudra- or d6o&chen- it is necessar+ that +ou &enerate in+our mind the moti,ation o* 2odhichitta0

7hile .e &enerall+ thin/ o* 2odhichitta as 2ein& an attitude o* lo,e orcompassion- in *act- to 2e authentic 2odhichitta- it must ha,e t.o aspects orcharacteristics0 $he *irst is the aspect o* compassion- .hich is altruism0 $hisaltruism- .hich is a deep concern *or the 2ene*it o* others- must 2e unlimited- inthat it must 2e directed to all 2ein&s e8uall+0 !*ter all- one has had intimate*amil+ connections as mother- *ather- and children throu&hout innumera2lepre,ious li,es .ith all 2ein&s0 $he 2asic attitude o* the compassion aspect o*2odhichitta is that- reco&ni6in& that all 2ein&s .ish to 2e *ree *rom thesu**erin&s o* samsara 2ut do not /no. ho. to *ree themsel,es *rom thesesu**erin&s- +ou must protect and *ree them +oursel*0$he second aspect or characteristic o* 2odhichitta is pra3na or /no.led&e that is

*ocused on per*ect a.a/enin&0 $his means that +our intention to *ree all 2ein&sis not limited to the idea o* *reein& them merel+ *rom their present su**erin&s2ut *rom all o* the su**erin&s o* samsara0 $here*ore- throu&h pra3na- +our .ish

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to 2ene*it 2ein&s is *ocused on 2rin&in& all 2ein&s to the completel+ a.a/enedstate o* 9uddhahood0 'o- .hene,er +ou practice or stud+ mahamudra- and.hen +ou recei,e teachin&s on it- please do so .ith this special intention0 (leasethin/- I am stud+in& and practicin& this in order to 2rin& all 2ein&s to a state o*complete *reedom *rom samsara0 (lease tr+ to remem2er this t.o*old

moti,ation o* 2odhichittaF in e,er+ session as .ell as .hen +ou practice-2ecause it .ill cause +our practice and stud+ to 2e o* much &reater 2ene*it0