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Another Bundle

Answers to Questions on the Esoteric Instructions

of the Perfection of Wisdom.

Emaho 
Homage to the nonhuman ḍākinī of primordial awareness
in the realm of immutability.

(1) How rare is it to get a human body?

When you see the bodies of other sentient beings, they just didn't get a human body. When you see the bodies of mere random beings, getting a human body is barely possible. When you compare it to other sentient beings, it is more rare than a wheel-wielding monarch.

(2) How rare is it to practice the holy dharma?

If ignoring dharma is the standard for all the people of peripheral lands, then people who do practice the holy dharma are more rare than the udumbara flower.

(3) What is sin like? 

People who engage in sin are like little kids clutching fire and idiots eating poison and psychotics jumping off walls and demonic suicides. It is to produce one's own sorrow. Happiness will not occur for eons. You remain perpetually bound to birth and death, engaged in actions of suffering and experiencing karma, revolving like a water wheel [perpetually] turning [itself]. Before the full ripening of the previous [action] runs out, the next negative action obscures you, and so on and on. Therefore it is taught that to do sin is exceedingly stupid.

(4) What are the qualities of faith like?

Faith is like fertile field. Faith is like a skilled physician. Faith is like a brave woman. Faith is like a fine yak cow. Faith is like an excellent sheep. Just as all people who have those things have everything they need and desire,  so it is with those who have faith.

(5) What's it like when faith is strong but diligence weak?

As for the faithful who have little diligence, it is like putting shackles on a Gyiling steed. It is like damaged crops in a good field. It is like forgetting to add the yeast to beer. Since the cause exists but not the conditions, even with great faith, there will be little purpose, and you cannot advance beyond the ordinary.

(6) What's it like when faith and diligence come together?

If you plant the crops of diligence in the fertile field of faith, you will attain supreme enlightenment. Human life will have purpose. You will have done yourself a great kindness.  You will reap the everlasting harvest. 

(7) What is the most sublime of all teachings?

This Great Mother Perfection of Wisdom, the spoken word of all perfect buddhas, is the most sublime of all teachings.

(8) What are the benefits of practicing that?

Whoever enters the nonreferential meaning without calculating grounds and paths will overwhelm all the devils.   If characteristics are not mentally engaged, even without processing the stages of grounds and paths, you will dwell in the space of the great mother. Once the meaning of that great mother is realized, the disease of striving will be quelled. Being free of striving, holding the pedigree of the buddhas of three times, you will dwell on the ground of the unborn.2 In the nonreferential, unthinkable, ineffable, uncontrived, unborn, unobstructed state, intrinsic nature is lucid clarity. The birth mother of the buddhas of the three times is just that and nothing else. Dwelling within that state is to dwell in the space of the great mother. [Not dwelling in the space of the great mother],3 although performing characterized virtuous acts, is to remain a long time in cyclic existence and not attain the ground of no birth and death.

(9) How does one rest in a nonreferential state? What is a so-called "devil"?4 

Being without any mental engagement at all is to rest within a nonreferential state.  If, in that sense of freedom from mental engagement, you do not contrive with reference to aggression and passion, it is definite nonreferential meditation.

In the presentations of the various devils there are the tangible devil, the intangible devil, the devil of exaltation and the devil of inflation. Coming from oneself, they harm oneself, like the saliva of a makara. 

(10) What is that tangible devil?

The eye organ is tangible5 in form. Pleasant or unpleasant forms by nature cause dualistic clinging of attachment and aggression: the devil. Since the very mind of dualistic fixation is not established with essential base or root, if you rest in the rootless state, the tangibility of form is overcome and again becomes primordial awareness itself. Form is neither binding nor liberating.6 Apply the above to the ears and the other organs. This is the teaching of the tangible devil. It should be known as an external devil.

Without an objective appearance of actual things, to be gripped by a malicious mood, a desirous mind without an object, the darkness devoid of instructions, a sense of one's own superiority,7 involvement in a jealous temperament, and the mental engagement of gods and demons— even though there is no actual tangible appearance, since it harms and interrupts the mind, it occurs as a devil without tangibility.

(11) How should one practice to overwhelm the devils?

Emaho!  In these vital points of my instruction, whatever movement occurs, whatever arises, if you do not do anything about it on purpose, all the intangible devils are overwhelmed. The occurrence of mental objects is a devil: to fixate on apprehending is to welcome them. Don't fixate on apprehension, noble child. Don't block sensations, noble child. Don't contrive body and mind, noble child.  Don't entertain speculation, noble child. If you maintain practice in that way, all the devils will be overwhelmed.

(12) How are thoughts of devils conquered? How is the thread of inflation severed?

To rejoice in something and become elated over it without maintaining the lack of reference is not the meaning of the perfections. You have gone over to the devil's power. Such is the devil that is each of us, abiding in a mere [belief in] intrinsic nature.8 [But] since intrinsic nature is not established in oneself, by the same token a devil will not be established. If your fixations are overwhelmed by the nature of phenomena without basis or root,  then all devils are overwhelmed and all misery will be transcended. Exultation is pure in its own ground of the unborn. Fixation on "I" is liberated in its own ground of no clinging.  Conceptual thought is empty of its own intrinsic nature. Consider it so, noble child. If you know that you yourself are dharmakāya,9 it is the vanquishing of the concept of devils. So-called inflation and inflated object— outer and inner—are all one's own inflation. The apparent existence of samsara and nirvana is one's mind. Even the gods and demons and so forth are also one's own inflation. If the apparition of inflation is just interrupted, it is unsurpassable enlightenment. It is not to block mindfulness,  [but] if you know everything is merely inflation, inflation itself10 is incapable of grasping the dharma. Merely resting in that incapability will overwhelm all devils. When mental concepts do not stir in regard to all worldly phenomena, it is the decisive resolution of mind. Noble child, when you consider that, all devils will be overwhelmed, every effort will be dropped, you will dwell in an effortless state and abide just so.

(13) How should one frequent haunted places?

Emaho! Adverse circumstances that occur directly are difficult to turn into dharma supports. First, with the pride of [having] the teachings, if you just frequent haunted places and such without falling under the influence of circumstances, the instructions have definitely become a support. When you fear losing your mind or body11 and the arising of obstacles to your life, [you will practice diligently].12 Practice will guard your awareness, and guarded awareness produces  meditative experience. When you have that kind of experience, even though circumstances are directly encountered, you will automatically be in control. Circumstances act as the inspiration for dharma.  Frequenting haunted places is even more valuable. Wander in haunted places, noble child. By taking on that kind of thinking, apprehensive thoughts of demons and devils arising will subside within themselves. Without any fuss, demons will not occur to that mind that is free of apprehension. That is how all thoughts are stopped and even if a hundred do arise, they will support practice.

(14) How should one look at the view?

Since there are no two [aspects] to mind, look in the way of no looking. Mind will not be seen by looking. Not seeing in itself is the nature of phenomena. By seeing, it is not the meaning of the nature of phenomena. Therefore what is called "looking" has not even an atom of existence.

(15) What is the method of resting in mind itself when one is frequenting haunted places?

Emaho! Noble child, rest the body in the way of a corpse. Rest in the way of being ownerless. Rest the mind in the way of the sky. As a candle unmoved by wind, rest in the way of clarity with no thought. As an ocean unmoved by wind,13 rest in a way serenely limpid.

Oh noble child, it is the resting of consciousness securely. It is the resting in one's own fashion without the busyness of effort. Since mind itself has no intrinsic nature, it is the resting without involvement in the fixation of meditating or not meditating. Since the unborn is free of action, it is the resting loosened by relaxation. It is the resting in deep release by releasing. Since the nature of phenomena is free of concept, it is the resting without engaging in any calculations whatsoever. Since the nature of phenomena is beyond both qualities and faults, it is resting without any thoughts of faults and qualities. Sometimes it is resting with the five sense organs hollow like a dried up human head. Or it is resting quietly somnolent like a baby just waking from sleep. Since the nature of phenomena is without attachment, it is resting focused on the consciousness flung out in the distance, as a shooting star or a person shooting an arrow. Since there is no other meaning of buddhahood than liberation from cyclic existence, it is a resting without flaws.14 It is a resting without purpose. It is a resting in the manner of a mendicant. It is a resting in the way of having no goals of likes or dislikes. It is resting dumbfounded. Without thoughts of purposefully resting again, if gripped by the vital points of the instructions, however you rest and whatever you do is it. Conversely, if you don't understand ultimate rootlessness, however you rest, it is not it. Nevertheless, train like that. Noble child, understand it in this way.15 

(16) How should one engage in the activity methods of the conduct?

In fact there is no conduct to reference. The appearance of circumstances is samsara's own conduct.16 Act like a pig without concepts or act like a crazy person without concern. If inflating concepts do occur,  like children butting heads,17 again discard them right on the spot. Whatever circumstances appear and manifest, recognizing their self-liberation captures them. Don't seek only this kind of conduct— [thinking] "this is it" is not the advice. But do not create an elaborate narrative about it. Without holding the ground of mind18 the devil of worldly exaltation will carry you off. Spread the news of dharma that arouses joy.  Sing little songs about experience. Melancholy arises thinking about what to do. Wherever you are is equable. Rest in mental nonengagement. Think like a gloomy person: "I can't do anything no matter what, no one gets anything from me." Once you abandon all purposeful effort, you will be liberated from all habitual patterns.

(17) What is so-called "severance"? 

Oh, noble child.  Everything is severed in mind. Mind is severed in inflation. There is nothing that is not included in inflation. If you just understand mere inflating, it is like the thief in an empty house: just recognizing him cannot capture him. Better than blindly acting on understanding, do not engage with purposeful meaning. Trampling upon the unbearable is taught as severance.19

(18) What is the meaning of "trampling upon the unbearable"?

Lack of happiness is unbearable.  Engaging sadness is unbearable. It is unbearable to see unbearable deities. Casting the body to demons is unbearable. Abandoning one's home is unbearable. Wandering in haunted places is unbearable. Disease and epidemics and so forth are unbearable. If you trample upon such things, it is the specially elevated conduct of equal taste. Everything becomes equal in qualities. Rejecting and accepting will lessen. When you realize the meaning of no rejecting or accepting, you rest within the great equanimity.

(19) How does one create blessing power for others?

First for the outer blessing power, singing songs of experience and little tunes  and maintaining solid behavior  arouses others' interest and blessings occur. For the inner blessing power, resting within the nondual unity of one's mind and demons and sickness brings about the blessing of pacifying suffering. In so-called secret blessing power, "blessing" (byin) means to be immutable and "power" (brlabs) arises from unimpeded force. When resting within great effortlessness in the nature of phenomena, once free of inflation, blessing occurs without exertion.  Blessing that is possessed of effort is not blessing (byin) and has little efficacy. Even if it benefits others, obscurations will occur.20

(20) What should one do when sick?

Chop up your body and offer it as feast. Hide concepts as treasure in the nature of phenomena. And moreover do it many times. Don't give rise to joy if you get better.  No matter what sickness occurs in the manifesting circumstances, know that each one is a training exercise. If you don't know occurring circumstances as supports, even with a lofty view, you will lose your way. That conceit of merely mental emptiness is the clutch of the secret devil.

(21) Will giving instructions just once work or not?

Once is good for fortunate ones with sharp minds. They possess the karma of previous training. Otherwise, it is crucial to persevere. It is crucial to pursue the continuance of the genuine. Bring the instructions inside you. Without gaining confidence in your understanding, just hearing the words won't cut it. Think about that, noble child.

(22) Nonhuman ḍākinī of primordial awareness! What is so-called "buddha"? How does one get there?

So-called "buddha" exists in this way: Once all fixation on concepts is eliminated,  there is unborn nature, the original buddha. The term "buddha" is applied to that. In the presentation of how to get there, the term "buddha" indicates the teaching on how to abolish cyclic existence. "Buddha" is a primitive word for the unborn. All those of bygone generations could not arrive at buddhahood except by liberating fixation on its own ground. All those who are alive now also have no cause for getting to buddhahood other than liberating fixation on its own ground. All those who will come hereafter   will not ponder getting to buddhahood. Do not pursue it for the sake of your childish mind. Do not do it to become buddha. Do not make the unborn a point of reference. Do not fear cyclic existence. Do not fixate on grasping thoughts. Do not meditate on nonthought.  Do not fear the unborn in the unborn primordial mind itself.  Do not hope for the unborn. Do not strive at the practice of nonactivity in the primordial nature of phenomena. Do not gather through references the infinite nature of phenomena. Do not hold thoughts of hope and fear for nondual samsara and nirvana. Samsara without fixation is nirvana. Desiring nirvana is samsara. Don't hope, don't fear, noble child. Don't meditate, don't fixate, noble child. Don't block, don't engage, noble child. It says in the sūtra: "Since there is no buddha, even the name 'buddha' does not exist. The name 'bodhisattva' also does not exist."21

(23) Queried again: "No looking, no meditating, no acting, no accomplishing?"

In fact there is nothing to see;

that person who is liberated from looking

is said to have unmistaken view.

In fact there is no object to meditate on;

that individual who is liberated from meditating

is said to have unmistaken meditation.

In fact there is no object of activity;

that one who is liberated from acting

is said to have unmistaken activity.

There is not even a speck of something to accomplish

in the fruition of the perfections;

the person who is liberated from accomplishing

is said to have the unmistaken fruition.

Once you discover meaning such as that,

you are not bound by the bonds of hope and fear;

no doubt about liberation from cyclic existence.

Like ice in the hot summer months,

though mentations are samsara's nature,

they will liberate in a mere instant.

(24) But don't altruism and good qualities arise in a buddha?

Conceptual altruism is said to be

the power of mental capability.

Buddha enacts the welfare of sentient beings

as in the example of the precious jewel:

through altruism that arises without concept.

There are unimaginable buddha qualities

in not fixating on one's own concepts.

The wellbeing and happiness of beings,

enjoyment of the sacred dharma,

spiritual powers of attainment,

the spiritual experiences of realized ones,

the timely falling of the rain for crops—

in short, all kinds of prosperity—

are the qualities of all buddhas.

(25) How should one bring about the Buddha's blessings in oneself?

Just as all the buddhas have said,

blessing will occur if you practice the meaning.

Don't think about the designations of words;

practice the real meaning, noble child.

If meaning can be gleaned from devoted interest

in the physical forms of the buddhas of the three times,

then what is there to say about actually practicing the meaning?

If realizations arise merely from the speech in the sūtras,

then practicing the meaning is equal to that.

[If signs arise from merely reciting the speech,

what to say of practicing the meaning?

Realize the actual meaning of the words;

don't cling to the words, noble child.]

Practice, noble child! 

To be wise in words is not to be wise;

to be wise in meaning is to be wise.

One's own awareness dawns while thinking of the meaning.

Meaning is the realm of unborn emptiness.

Words are a method to point to that itself.

Rest in the meaning, noble child.

Practice, noble child.

Since there is no path to traverse,

rest in the basic ground, noble child.

Since there is no result to obtain,

don't hold out hopes, noble child.

Since there is no fall into cyclic existence,

don't be needy, noble child.

Since there is no engaging in activity,

always stay relaxed in the three times.

The root of all phenomena will be cut

if you rest in that way without striving.

Afflictive emotions and thoughts will cease from within.

All devils will be liberated in their own unborn ground.

Samsara and nirvana are not two,

but become one in the realm of phenomena's nature.

When all the buddhas are pleased,

blessings will occur, noble child.

[Do not be riven by doubts, noble child.]

Uphold the lineage, noble child.

Nurture the fortunate, noble child.

(26) What is this "Severance of Evil Object"?

Since "devil" is the dharmakāya,

by recognizing that itself as mind

rest in an uncontrived state

without meddling with mind.

Then engage whatever devilish apparitions occur

while abiding in the state of the unborn.

What is taught as the severance of evil object

is this exact esoteric instruction of meaning.

(27) Will this Severance be disseminated to others or not?

It will not spread by you disseminating it.

If those who are faithful and fortunate

abide in faith, then do the teaching. 

Individuals with circumstantial faith

will gain the oral instructions with great persistence.

Since it is unpredictable that the illness will be cured,

they won't be given the various texts.

It is crucial to examine an individual's worthiness.

[Training] for the sake of wealth is suspicious,

nevertheless one can examine the wealth

and if one is unable lose it,

it is definitely [not] a fortunate, karmicly endowed person.

Examine carefully when making a dharma connection.

It is inappropriate to teach an unworthy student.

(28) Machik, when impermanence is upon you, where will intention take you?

There is no intention within the unborn. 

There is nowhere to go within the unceasing. 

Still, once naturally liberated without reference—

Just lhang nge lhan ne lham me (vivid, quiet, radiant). 

Another Bundle of Twenty-Five Instructions as Answers to Questions.

ithi

The Following Text is appended to "Another Bundle on Severance": Vajra Play: Questions and Answers on Severance

Translator's Note:

Another example of this is Vajra Play, appended to Another Bundle in the Treasury of Precious Instructions, but not indicated in the table of contents nor in its catalogue, An Ocean of Auspicious Renown. In fact I have not found reference to it in any source, nor any other edition. Vajra Play consists of eighteen questions, with their answers delivered in short and even cryptic prose. Only a few of the questions echo those in the other collections, and this set may have a different source. But we may never know. 

• Footnotes

2. DNZ: the three lines rtsol dang bral ba de yis ni/ dus gsum sangs rgyas gdung zin nas/ skye med sa la gnas par 'gyur in the Limi edition are just the one line: rtsol dang bral ba'i chos nyid de/ continuing directly into dmigs med ("nonreferential…").

 This line added from the Limi edition for clarity. In general, I have only added lines from the Limi edition, or mentioned variances in the endnotes, when the meaning would be enhanced or changed.

 In the Limi edition, this is counted as two questions, making the count of twenty-five even further from the actual count. 

 Literally "obstructed" (thogs).

 In DNZ, there is the added "according to precepts" (bka' dang mthun). Since this makes too many syllables for the DNZ verse, and is not included in the Limi edition, I have left it out. Note however that in the Limi edition from here through to the next paragraph, which is introduced as "internal devil", the verse lapses into prose as follows: "In this way apply the above teaching to the ear organs and so forth. You should understand that that tangible devil lacks intrinsic existence. Those are what is known as the external devils."

 zhar la rang re mthong ba dang, but translated according to Limi: zhe la rang re mtho ba dang (36).

 rang [b]zhin tsam na bdud kyang gnas. Limi: rang zhi tsam na bdud kyang zhi/ rang gnas tsam na bdud kyang gnas ("if oneself is just pacified, the devil is also pacified; if one is just abiding, the devil also abides"). (36)

 bdag nyid chos sku yin. Limi: bdud nyid chos sku yin ("the devil itself is dharmakāya").

 snyems chas. Limi: sems tsam ("mere mind").

 Sems dang lus la 'phongs pa. Limi: sems can lus la phang ba ("losing the body to beings"). (37)

 brtson pas nyams su len pa 'byung, added from the Limi edition (37).

 rlung gis. Limi: rdzi yis ("by a ship").

 g.yas med is being tentatively taken to be g.ya' med. The same word occurs repeatedly in these texts.

 Limi: rigs kyi bu de bzhin bzhag na sangs rgyas rnams kyi zhal mthong bar 'gyur ro ("Noble child, if you rest like that you will see the faces of the buddhas").

 Limi: rkyen snang 'phral gyi rang spyod ("The appearance of circumstances is its own spontaneous conduct").

 byis pa mgo thug byed pa bzhin. The Limi edition (rko dug byed pa) makes even less sense.

 sems la sa zin mi bdog pas. Limi: sems la ma zin mi dgos pas ("since there is no need to not grasp in mind"). (39) 

 This answer, which is obviously of importance as a definition of this practice, seems to be recorded in a variety of ways. In the Limi edition, every instance of the word "severance" (gcod) in this question is instead "conduct" or "action" (spyod). These are often said to be equivalents in the gcod tradition, but it does lend a slightly different sense. The metaphor of the thief is also absent. In The Religious History of Pacification and Severance, the passage is quoted very differently, and corresponds exactly to a text in the Limi edition called bKa' tshom but in fact is closer to this Yang tshom. In those two places, it translates as: "Trampling upon the unbearable is explained as severance. If you realize everything as mind, there is no other object to sever. If you realize mind itself as empty, there is no duality of severing and that which is severed. If you experience nonduality, there is no severance: all devils are already cut off, like, for example, a thief in an empty house." (f. 3b) Usually, the thief in an empty house refers to there being no harm to be done.

 In the Limi edition, the last three lines read instead, "Blessing that is possessed of a self is not blessing, and has little efficacy. Even if it benefits others, it has little power. There is no blessing in that which possesses desire and craving." 

 The first line (only) can be found in Chos thams cad rdzogs pa chen po byang chub kyi sems kun byed rgyal po, rKTs-K822 (Lhasa Kangyur), 43A.

 Four lines added from the Limi edition (42).

 Line added from Limi edition (42).

 rkyen gyis dad pa; Limi: rkyen gyis ded pa ("driven by circumstances").

 This difficult section is translated based on three very different versions: the DNZ, and the Limi editions of Yang tshom and bKa' tshom.

 Zhus lan gyi gdams pa yang tshom nyi shu rtsa lnga pa. This alternative title given in the colophon here and as the main title of the text in Practices of the Severance Collection, and So Forth (gCod tshogs kyi lag len sogs) from Limi monastery reveals a discrepancy in the counting.