Copyright © 2000 Merrill Peterson and Kennard Lipman.
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 1-55939-140-5
Contents
Preface.............................................................xi
Textual Introduction.................................................1
The kun byed rgyal po............................................1
Sutra, Tantra, and Agama.........................................2
Longchenpa's Guide...............................................7
Introduction........................................................11
The Spiritual Quest.............................................11
Overview of the Text............................................13
How to Read the Text............................................16
The Jewel Ship......................................................17
Anthem..........................................................19
Preface.........................................................19
Introduction....................................................20
List of Subjects................................................23
I. The Spiritual Advisor....................................24
II. The Student.............................................25
III. The Teaching...........................................26
A. The Spiritual Heritage...................................27
B. The Main Subject Matter..................................29
1. Guruyoga.................................................29
The Visualization and Guruyoga..............................29
2. The Real Subject Matter..................................31
a. Becoming Certain through the Perspective.................32
i. The Play of Experience...................................32
ii. Experience is Open-Dimensional..........................34
b. Accustoming Yourself to the Perspective..................35
c. The Way of Life..........................................40
i. The Intrinsic Freedom of the Passions....................40
ii. The Way of Living which Masters Appearances.............42
iii. Making Your Free Behavior the Path.....................44
d. The Result: Abandonment of Hope and Fear.................47
3. How to Integrate Experiences after Meditation............50
C. Reserving the Teaching by Not Broadcasting It............53
Epilogue........................................................53
Postscript......................................................54
Concluding Thoughts.............................................54
Colophon........................................................55
Commentary..........................................................57
Self-knowledge..................................................57
Being True to Yourself..........................................62
Different Paths.................................................65
Renunciation and Transformation.............................66
Intrinsic Freedom...........................................69
Appendices..........................................................79
A. The History and Structure of the kun byed rgyal po...........79
B. Quotations from the Root Text................................89
Glossary............................................................91
Further Readings....................................................95
Index...............................................................99
Chapter One
The Jewel Ship
The Anthem
Naturally serene, seamless like space,
Embodying wholeness, the unity of ever-flesh awareness and
its field,
Unchanging, impartial, not biased toward being or nonbeing,
I salute the supreme universal creativity.
Preface
Here I have elucidated for the sake of future generations the
meaning of the supreme way of life.
This approach to life, which comes from the spontaneously
perfect universal creativity,
Is the way to directly experience the pure fact of awareness that
is at the very heart of all experiences.
This approach is not a gradual process of self-development;
with it, you actually wake up to what is, right now.
Introduction
Out of compassion, the truly and completely Awakened One, with his skillful knowledge, enunciated a myriad of lifestyles and approaches to the teachings. In these cases he taught according to the inclinations and abilities of those to be trained. What he taught to the majority of people had only indirect, provisional significance. He did not speak even once about the direct, real meaning.
Although the teacher, through the three dimensions of his existence,
taught about reality in various ways,
Those teachings were indirect and provisional.
And,
To lead beings to a path that was pleasing to them,
During the first revolution the teacher, through the three
dimensions of his existence,
Taught the existence of separate, graduated paths.
As a way of leading narrow minded people to the real meaning,
I have been understood in the limited terms of provisional
scriptures.
And,
... although the teacher contrived
The teaching in this way and taught validly,
Those scriptures are just provisional, not direct.
Therefore the approaches—ranging from those who are content with listening and preaching to those who practice the supreme method of transformation—are merely a means for approaching the gateway to self-refreshing awareness, the pure fact of being aware. Aside from that they do not, in fact, thoroughly comprehend that awareness because they do not transcend the fundamental pitfalls and obstacles.
Oh listen Great Being!
The three revolutions announced by the three teachers
Of the three times have pitfalls and obstacles.
You may wonder how that could be?
The six approaches which lead to definite attainments
Are pitfalls to the state of total completeness.
Even though you may familiarize yourself with the point of the lower approaches in this life, you will not see the reality of that which fashions everything, the pure fact of awareness, which those approaches contradict.
Listen! Those who do not thoroughly understand me—
universal creativity—
Are attracted to the diverse teachings,
And involve themselves in what the teacher, through the three
dimensions, intended.
They very much contradict what I, universal creativity, intend.
Therefore the scriptures of the real teacher, a direct teaching which was not taught by the buddhas of the three times during the three times, have been spoken by the teacher, universal creativity.
Listen! I am the teacher, universal creativity.
These scriptures, which are the heart of the teaching and the
root of spiritual pursuits,
Were not talked about very much by the teachers of the three
times.
This unborn primordial state of the teacher
Was not spoken of previously by the buddhas of the three
times,
It was not spoken of later, and is not spoken of now.
The unchanging creativity of the universe
Communicated it previously, will speak of it in the future,
And speaks of it now.
The creativity of the universe teaches you fortunate ones
This direct teaching, this scripture about the freedom that you
do not need to strive for,
This oral transmission of the elevated teaching
Which gets at the core of reality, neither exaggerating nor
understating.
This universal creativity sums up the unique reality which is the core of all spiritual pursuits and teachings
Listen! The teacher of the teacher, the creativity of the
universe,
In the midst of his uncontrived audience,
According to this inner source of all uncontrived, quintessential
teachings,
Describes how everything appears.
When you have understood the unified frame of reference of
this core teaching,
All other frames of reference will be reflected within this
creativity that makes everything else possible.
Thus, if you know me—the intelligence of the universe—
You will know the inconceivable truth.
If you know me—the majestic creativity within everything—
You will know and be at peace with the reality of everything else.
It is the source in which the inner truth of all approaches to the teachings are united.
I, the creativity of the universe, pure and total presence,
Am the real heart of all spiritual pursuits.
The three approaches with their three teachers
Do not exist apart from this one definitive approach.
This is the level of the creative energy of the universe, pure and
total presence.
It is the source of all spiritual pursuits.
List of Subjects
This quintessential instruction in the primordial approach to the teaching, concerning the creative energy of the universe—the ongoing absolute perfection which is at the very summit of the eight vehicles—has three main parts: the spiritual advisor who teaches it, the student who follows the teaching, and the teaching to be learned.
The Spiritual Advisor
Having himself mastered the true import of the state of total completeness and knowing the philosophical tenets and spiritual teachings of both the non-buddhists and the buddhists, the teacher can generate a direct understanding of the heart of the matter in the student's mind. He knows how to show the sublime path which leads the student to realize that quintessence. The student should rely on a person who is not tainted by the distractions of worldly concerns or mere semantic distinctions. Such a worthy mentor is to be pleased by all sorts of gifts.
This precious treasury, the authentic master
Who paints black alum on gold to purify it,
Entices because of his limitless value
Contrasted to such a true mentor is one who is confused about the meaning of the spiritual teachings and philosophical tenets of the buddhists and non-buddhists. Craving goods and semantic distinctions, delighting in distractions and entertainments, he breaks his vows and commitments. One who leads people who are faithful yet lack guidance down a dead-end path and who pursues material gain through religion moves outside of the true meaning of the primordial reality. Thus he teaches to others mere words, as if they were somehow spiritual. He even lacks the fortune to understand for himself. It stands to reason that this monkey show should be abandoned.
Innocents, through deception, are seduced to a path that is just
an idea,
With neither time for setting out nor time for realization—
How will they be able to seek reality on its own terms?
When following the teachings of a monkey-like master which
have no logical basis,
You end up believing in a false path.
The Student
In general, the aspirant must have commitment, an enduring self-confidence, a strong love for all life, steadfast trust, and a great capacity for generosity.
This message, which really opens up one's primordial
condition,
Is beyond all foundations or bases; it is the core reality of pure
and total presence.
It should be transmitted by those who have fathomed it,
To those who are very trusting, vigorous, and committed;
Who are sympathetically compassionate and do not change
their minds;
And who would offer their body, offspring, spouse, and wealth
Trustingly and joyfully, yet without desire.
Such students are characterized by their trust and commitment.
Students who wish to understand this teaching revere the master without pride or self-importance and act without deviating from the oral explanation. Able to serve without holding back either body or life, having forsaken preoccupation with this life, they can accomplish their intention. While alive, students will accomplish their aims according to the mentor's instructions and will be able to persevere in their commitment.
One who abandons fame, who is free from pride,
And who acts for the sake of the inner meaning without
concern for body or life,
Is marked as one who does not transgress the word of the
mentor.
Such students are given the teaching of the unborn, the
innermost truth.
When you have obtained the essential teachings,
How can worldly distractions affect you?
When the teachings have been obtained, such a student is
called one who has achieved according to the word of
the guide.
With commitments properly maintained, such students are
given this oral explanation.
After swearing an oath to proceed following the spiritual
advisor's word
As long as student and teacher are alive,
The student is given the epitome of the teachings: the creativity
of the universe.
Thus, being mentally unattached, all wealth should be offered to the Teacher. The teacher, to complete the accumulation of merit, accepts without desire what was offered and offers it to the three jewels.
... in short, even body and life should be offered,
All the more so food, objects, and animals.
Even if they are not needed,
A worthy person will accept them, offering them to the three
jewels.
The Teaching
The teaching has three phases: the spiritual heritage, which establishes this teaching as believable and trustworthy; the main subject matter, which arises from that transmission; and the proscription to preserve the teaching by not broadcasting it
The Spiritual Heritage
Listen Great Being!
The history of the teaching is given
Because initial confidence arises from it.
The historical unfolding of the teaching reveals three ways by which its meaning is transmitted:
• Through natural self-authentication,
• Through the medium being the message and the form being the content,
• Through literary composition.
The meaning of this is as follows: (1) out of the total field of experience, the non-localizable realm of genuine reality that is a vast expansiveness free from all fabrications, the supreme ordering principal of the universe, manifests reflecting the deep structure of what is. In this realm which is an immense palace terraced with light be communicates by activating an indestructible cognitive responsiveness out of the ever-fresh awareness which is his own primordial state and that of the five buddhas. This process then proceeds into the dimension of the full richness of being which communicates its message through its own medium (2) to dGa-rab rdo-rje, in the material dimension. He spoke correctly and grammatically (via language) (3) to the great master Mañjusrimitra. He nondually communicated the dynamic meaning to the great master Sri Simha. He communicated the very secret heart of the matter to the miraculous translator Vairocana. He communicated the great nondual pristine awareness to the prince g•Yu-gra snying-po. He communicated the effortless field of reality to lCog-ro skyes-bzang legs-stain. He communicated the unchanging ground to rBa rgyal-ba'i dbang-po. He communicated the sky simile to mTshur-mchog-gi bla-ma. He communicated the great settling into the natural condition to Drung ye-shes dbang-po. He communicated the nondual nature to Zur-ston rin-chen grags-pa. He communicated the primordially pure fact of being to lCe dga'-ba'i dbang-po. He communicated the unique fact of awareness that is without affirmation or negation to sNyan rin-chen rtsemo. He communicated the actual state of things that is totally beyond the intellect to Chos-rje kun-dga' don-grub. He communicated what is uncontrived, unstained, and self-arising to sLob-dpon gzhon-nu don-grub. He communicated the primordial freedom beyond cause and effect to Klong-chen rab-'byams-pa, the practitioner of the natural state of total completeness. He communicated this to `Jam-dbyangs kun-dga' rgyal-mtshan. He communicated this to mTshugs-med chos-rje rin-po-che raja.
The Main Subject Matter
The second phase, the actual teaching transmitted by the foregoing lineage, has three parts: the foundation, guruyoga; the real subject matter, setting forth the teaching; and how to integrate experiences after meditation.
Guruyoga
The necessary foundation for recognizing for oneself the reality of pristine awareness, which is what mind is all about, is the phase of yogic meditation on the guru.
Swiftly moving pristine awareness, free of all mentation,
Is like a precious jewel which comes from all spiritual friends.
Not objectifiable, not dependent on transformation,
It naturally satisfies all wishes.
While if analyzed it doesn't exist, when you find yourself in that
state it really does arise.
Concretely it isn't apparent, yet in its aspect of arising it can be
shown to all.
The precious treasury, the wise sage who is free of bias toward
self or other,
Teaches by means of selflessness and compassion, and is called
`That which accomplishes everything.'
The Visualization and Guruyoga
Now sit down on a comfortable seat. After taking refuge, generating compassion which is not limited to any specific object, and recalling the ultimate content of what you are, which is atemporal and does not come into being, you should visualize a deep blue Hum emanating light rays. These symbolize the non-duality of the nature of one's own mind and body. This light, through its vast matrix of rays, purifies all that presents itself internally or externally within the subject-object dichotomy. Thereby all that presents itself is seen as the gods and goddesses in the highest realm.
In that realm visualize yourself as a deep blue Vajra-being with one mouth and two hands, bedecked with silks and jewels, and seated in the heroic posture of such a being. In your right hand is a vajra held against the heart; your left hand is at your side, holding a bell. Imagine a matrix of light rays spreading like rainbows from your heart to the ten directions. On the crown of your head visualize a lotus stalk where a jewel-encrusted lion sits. Seated on this lion is the master who gives you your basic inspiration as the embodiment of the creativity of the universe. His body is blue, he has one mouth, and his two hands form the gesture of meditative equanimity. He is the dimension of totality, ornamented by the symbol of freedom from any fabrications and thus appearing without clothes, seated in the vajra posture, entirely essenceless.
Now imagine the masters of the lineage appearing as a mass of light in the forms of the countless buddhas of the five families, each one fully ornamented in their own fashion, and entirely essenceless. On the tips of light rays spreading from those buddha bodies to the ten directions of the world imagine the dimension of the full richness of being and the forms of the six sages, who are the magical dimension appearing for the benefit of the world. While vajra breathing recite the mantra Om Ah Hum for as long as you are able. Then everything vanishes into the supreme ordering principle of the universe; while residing in the realm that is essenceless, recite Ah countless times. After that, having said "May all the phenomena of samsara and nirvana be liberated into the primordial sphere," you may rise. This is a highly esoteric and most excellent exercise.
By training in this visualization for a fortnight, from the realm which realizes random appearances to be like a dream or a mirage, there emerges the self-arising compassion which focuses on sentient beings as well as the realization that all phenomena lack identity.
Thereafter, no mental state will arise which is caught up in the distractions of this life or the eight worldly concerns. Firm disgust for samsara and the determination to get out of it arise as well. These all emerge as the self-manifestation of the primordial state of creativity.
The Real Subject Matter
The real subject matter, the way the teaching is set forth, has four parts: (1) becoming certain through the perspective of the teaching; (2) transcending limitations through accustoming yourself to this perspective; (3) overcoming obstacles through the way you conduct your life; (4) abandoning hope and fear—the result.
Becoming Certain through
the Perspective
Becoming certain has two parts: (1) certainty that what appears is the play of experience itself; (2) determining that experience itself is open.
The Play of Experience
All experiences and life-forms cannot be proven to exist independently of their being a presence before your mind, just like a lucid dream.
All that is has me—universal creativity, pure and total
presence—as its root.
How things appear is my being.
How things arise is my manifestation.
Sounds and words heard are my messages expressed in sounds
and words.
All the capacities, forms, and pristine awarenesses of the
buddhas;
The bodies of sentient beings, their habituations, and so forth;
All environments and their inhabitants, life forms, and
experiences;
Are the primordial state of pure and total presence.
Not realizing that everything is nothing other than the manifestation of one's mind is called samsara.
Without understanding me, the creativity of the universe,
But investigating the phenomena that I manifest,
You perceive everything dualistically due to your attachment
and longing.
Impermanent, apparitional things will fade away.
They are aimless, like a blind man.
Accustom yourself to this nondual reality where the duality of mind and that which appears before mind are like a dream.
All that is experienced and
Your own mind are the unique primary reality.
They cannot be conceptualized according to the cause and
effect systems of thought.
Investigate your mind's real nature
So that your pure and total presence will actually shine forth.
The concrete states of matter—solids, liquids, and so forth—should be examined in this way. Remaining for ten days where no otherness can be found, you will realize that not even an atom's worth of anything exists that is separate from pure and total presence. Realizing that, you will certainly be free from all fabricated obsession with the otherness of objects. Moreover, the very being of what is experienced externally, in being an essenceless, open dimension, is shown to be the state of pure and total presence. In being the variety of unceasing experience, it is shown to be the play of pure and total presence. This is not the same as claiming that whatever you experience is mental because what you experience is not a mental event but arises as the play of the state of pure and total presence. That claim does not distinguish between mind and the state of pure and total presence. The state of pure and total presence is the clear light, the pure fact of awareness, non-conceptual ever-fresh awareness; whereas mind is the motivating factor of samsara: pervasive conceptualization. As The Two Truths says:
Mind and mental events are concepts, mere postulations within the three realms of samsara.
Whenever the state of pure and total presence is recognized, mind and mental events cease. Mind is objectification; pure and total presence does not objectify. Therefore, even the subject which is held to be mental is also seen to be the originally pure state of being.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from You Are the Eyes of the World by . Copyright © 2000 by Merrill Peterson and Kennard Lipman. Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.