Читать книгу The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra - Geshe Kelsang Gyatso - Страница 16

Je Phabongkhapa

Because we may previously have had great interest in emptiness, read many books, asked many questions and received many answers, if someone now asks us what emptiness is we do not need to give it much thought, we naturally reply, ‘It is empty of inherent existence’, as if we have realized emptiness ourselves.

In truth, we are not like someone who has eaten their fill and is satisfied. The reason for this is that we are unable to negate the phenomena that we normally see or perceive. Normally, we point to an emptiness that negates a fabricated object of negation and say, ‘This is emptiness’. We should know that no matter how much we analyze this we will never move away from an incorrect view. No matter how much we meditate on such an emptiness, this will not help to solve the problems of the delusions.

The actual object of negation of emptiness is the phenomena that we normally see or perceive. We should know this through our own experience by applying great effort. In general ‘emptiness’ means the non-existence of something. For example, when we say, ‘My purse is empty’, here ‘empty’ is the non-existence of money in our purse. Similarly, when we say ‘emptiness’, this ‘empty’ is merely the non-existence of the phenomena that we normally see or perceive.

In the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras it directly says that all phenomena do not exist. It says, ‘There is no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no tactile object, no phenomenon’, and we have no disagreement with Buddha. In the same way, I directly say that all the phenomena that we normally see or perceive do not exist, so why would you disagree with me?

I am not saying that all phenomena do not exist. All phenomena do exist. The way they exist is as mere name. Anything other than mere name does not exist. But all the phenomena that we normally see or perceive do not exist even as mere name because they are all mistaken appearance. This is a conclusive reason because if something actually exists there would be no reason it would be mistaken appearance, and no reason it would be false.

In the context of Mahamudra, following Nagarjuna’s intention, first the instruction is given to realize the emptiness that is selflessness of persons, and then the instruction is given to realize the emptiness that is selflessness of phenomena.

HOW TO REALIZE THE EMPTINESS THAT IS SELFLESSNESS OF PERSONS

We should know that if our self that we normally see exists, it must exist in our body, in our mind, as the collection of our body and mind, or somewhere other than these. There is no other way it can exist. In the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra Buddha said: ‘If you search for your body with wisdom you will find nothing.’ This implies that if we search for our self or I with wisdom we will find nothing.

How do we put this instruction into practice? We contemplate and think:

If my body is my self or I then it follows that after death because my body becomes non-existent my self also will become non-existent, and so there are no future lives. Since this is impossible it is clear that my body is not my self or I.

If my mind is my self or I, then it is nonsense to think and say as we normally do, ‘My mind, my mind’, because my mind is the possession and my self is the possessor, and possession and possessor cannot be one. Therefore, it is certain that my mind is not my self or I.

Since my body and mind individually are not my self or I, it is impossible for the collection of these two to be my self or I. For example, because a goat and a cow individually are not sheep, it is impossible for the collection of the two to be sheep. Since this is true, the collection of my body and mind is not my self or I.

It is impossible for my self or I to be separate from the body, the mind and the collection of the body and mind. If it were possible it would follow that if, for example, the body, mind and collection of body and mind of a person called John were to disappear, it would still be possible to see John. This should be applied to my self or I. Therefore, it is certain that my self or I is not something other than the body, the mind and the collection of body and mind.

We repeat this contemplation mentally from our heart while concentrating on its meaning. Then we think, ‘If I search for my self or I like this with the eye of wisdom I will find nothing. It will disappear and become non-existent.’

This clearly proves that my self or I that I normally see does not exist at all. We meditate on this profound knowledge for a short time.

HOW TO REALIZE THE EMPTINESS THAT IS SELFLESSNESS OF PHENOMENA

We contemplate and think:

Since my self or I that I normally see does not exist its sickness, death, rebirth and suffering do not exist. There is nothing seen and nothing heard, nothing remembered, nothing touched, no activities, nothing that is done, no joy, no sorrow, nothing to be praised, nothing to be blamed, nothing to gain, nothing to lose, nothing to be desired, nothing not to be desired, nothing to appear and nothing to grasp that is experienced by my self that I normally see. This clearly proves that all phenomena that I normally see or perceive do not exist at all.

We meditate on this profound knowledge single-pointedly for as long as possible. We should practise this contemplation and meditation every day continually until we realize directly that all the phenomena that we normally see or perceive do not exist. We can accomplish this aim through applying effort to becoming greatly familiar with this contemplation and meditation. The sickness, death, rebirth and suffering of the son of a childless woman do not exist because the son himself does not exist. In the same way the sickness, death, rebirth and suffering of our self or I that we normally see do not exist because our self or I that we normally see does not exist.

However, we should know that in general all phenomena exist as mere name. Through being satisfied with their mere name we can say, ‘I am happy or not happy’ or ‘He or she is happy or not happy’ and so forth, as worldly people do. Buddha is not contradicting the views of worldly people.

THE PRACTICE OF SUBSEQUENT ATTAINMENT

After we rise from meditative equipoise on emptiness and engage in daily activity, everything that appears to us, whether good, bad or neutral, we should realize and believe that although it does not exist it appears, like an illusion. This way of believing and thinking is the practice of illusion-like appearance.

And, everything that appears to us, whether good, bad or neutral, we realize and believe that although it appears it does not exist, like an illusion. This way of believing and thinking is the practice of illusion-like emptiness. As Buddha said in the Sutras, all phenomena that we normally see or perceive are like an illusion. This means that although they appear they do not exist, like an illusion. They are just mistaken appearance. We should develop and hold this profound knowledge day and night, never allowing ourself to forget it.

It is extremely important to gain deep familiarity with these practices in our daily activities. Through these we can solve all our daily problems.

We should learn to stop grasping at our self that we normally see by remembering that our self that we normally see does not exist. If this works practically then there is no basis for experiencing problems and suffering. Eventually, we will attain permanent liberation from all the sufferings of this life and countless future lives. How wonderful!

However, if we fail to stop grasping at our self that we normally see, this is a clear indication that our understanding of the emptiness of selflessness of persons is not qualified.

We should know that although we understand that our self that we normally see does not exist through understanding the valid reasons to prove this as explained above, which means that we understand the emptiness of our self, nevertheless we still continually grasp at our self that we normally see day and night, even during sleep. As a result, we have no opportunity to experience the mental peace that develops from our wisdom. Only mental peace that develops from wisdom is happiness. The mental peace that develops from worldly enjoyment is not real happiness but changing suffering.

So why do we develop this problem of grasping at our self that we normally see even though we understand emptiness? It is either because we are not practising alertness and mindfulness, or because our practice of these is too weak. How do we practise alertness and mindfulness? Through sincerely relying upon alertness, which is a part of wisdom, we should immediately recognize whenever we are grasping at our self that we normally see. Then we should apply effort to stop grasping at our self that we normally see by remembering that our self that we normally see does not exist. Through practising alertness in this way, we should generate on our consciousness the cessation of grasping at our self that we normally see.

Then through sincerely relying upon mindfulness we strongly hold the true cessation that we have generated on our consciousness and never allow ourself to forget it, day and night, even during sleep. Through sincerely practising alertness and mindfulness in this way we will eventually attain the permanent cessation of self-grasping ignorance, the root of all suffering.

In Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life Shantideva says:

With my palms pressed together,

I beseech those who wish to guard their minds:

Always put effort into guarding

Both mindfulness and alertness.

Please keep this advice in your heart.

HOW TO MEDITATE ON SUPERIOR SEEING

Actual superior seeing is a special wisdom generated through the force of tranquil abiding meditation. Here, we need to meditate on superior seeing observing emptiness. We can do this once we have attained the concentration of the fourth mental abiding observing emptiness. At this stage we do not have actual superior seeing but a similitude of superior seeing. Having generated this similitude of superior seeing, when we meditate on it we are meditating on superior seeing.

The concentration of the fourth mental abiding is like clear still water that is not stirred by the wind, and the similitude of superior seeing is like a small fish swimming in that water without disturbing the surface. The similitude of superior seeing is a part of wisdom within the concentration, which investigates the object without disturbing the concentration.

Meditating on a similitude of superior seeing observing emptiness is the principal cause of attaining actual superior seeing observing emptiness, and meditating on actual superior seeing observing emptiness is the principal cause of attaining the path of seeing that realizes emptiness directly.

However, we should know that there is a big difference between the path of seeing explained in Highest Yoga Tantra and the path of seeing explained in Sutra. The first is the mind of spontaneous great bliss realizing emptiness directly. This is an actual Mahamudra realization. The second is a realization that realizes emptiness directly with a gross mind. This path of seeing is not an actual realization of Mahamudra. Realizing emptiness with a gross mind is not an actual direct realization of emptiness. The actual direct realization of emptiness necessarily realizes emptiness with a very subtle mind. Thus, the path of seeing explained in Sutra is not the actual path of seeing and the Superior beings explained in Sutra are not real Superior beings. To attain the actual path of seeing we need to attain the mind of spontaneous great bliss, which depends upon the yogas of the channels, drops and winds to penetrate the vajra body.

How to meditate on the yogas of the channels, drops and winds has three parts:

1. Meditation on the yoga of the central channel

2. Meditation on the yoga of the drop

3. Meditation on the yoga of wind

First, there is a brief introduction to the channels, drops and winds.

THE CHANNELS

In this context the channels are the channels in our body that are containers for the white and red drops, and the moving winds upon which the minds are mounted. There are three main channels – the central channel and the right and left channels. The central channel is also called ‘dhuti’ and is the principal channel of the body.

We contemplate as follows:

The central channel, which is the width of only a drinking straw, is located exactly midway between the right and left halves of the body, but is slightly closer to the back than the front. It runs straight from the crown of the head to the tip of the sex organ, like the pillar of the body.

It possesses the following characteristics. It is pale blue on the outside and an oily red on the inside; it is straight, soft and flexible; and it is clear and transparent.

To the right of the central channel is the right channel, which is red in colour and runs straight from the crown of the head to the tip of the sex organ.

To the left of the central channel is the left channel, which is white in colour and runs straight from the crown of the head to the tip of the sex organ.

For our present purposes we do not need to contemplate the four channel wheels, six channels wheels and so forth. Mainly, we need to contemplate again and again the characteristics of the central channel explained above, and train to perceive a clear generic image of the central channel.

THE DROPS

The drops abide inside the channels, are wet and fluid by nature, and function to generate bliss when they melt. There are two types – white drops and red drops.

When the white drops (which are the pure essence of sperm) melt, they function to generate bliss in males; and when the red drops (which are the pure essence of blood) melt, they function to generate bliss in females. Through the force of the union of male and female, the inner fire, or tummo (which which is the essence of blood and the nature of fire, or heat), located at each of their navels enters the channels, causing the white drops in the channels to melt and generate bliss in the male and the red drops in the channels to melt and generate bliss in the female.

For those who have attained completion stage realizations, through the force of meditation the winds of the right and left channels enter, abide and dissolve into the central channel, causing the inner fire at the navel to blaze inside the central channel, thereby causing the drops inside the central channel to melt and generate bliss. This bliss is called ‘great bliss’. This is the bliss of the union of bliss and emptiness in Mahamudra. Referring to such great bliss, the root text of the Mahamudra says that it is the very essence of Highest Yoga Tantra.

There are three types of drop – gross, subtle and very subtle. The first are the drops inside the right and left channels, the second are the general drops inside the central channel, and the third is the particular drop inside the centre of the central channel at the heart, which is called the ‘indestructible drop’.

The drops are also called ‘bodhichittas’. In this context, bodhichitta is great bliss because great bliss is the main cause of bodhi, or enlightenment. Regarding the drops, the name of its effect, great bliss, is given to the cause, the drops melting.