The Great Bundle of Precepts on Severance Outline by Lord Rangjung Dorje

The Great Bundle of Precepts on Severance Outline by Lord Rangjung Dorje

Introduction

Introduction to Machik’s Great Bundle of Precepts

The Great Bundle of Precepts on Severance is considered a source text (gzhung) of the Severance tradition attributed to Machik Lapdrön (1055-1149), the founder of the lineage. According to The Religious History of Pacification and Severance by Khamnyön Dharma Senge (19th c.), it was taught in a single day to a large crowd, which included the three Indians who arrived instantly in Tibet by means of the practice called “swift foot” to investigate the authenticity of Machik and her increasingly popular teachings (30b). As a woman and the originator of a “new” teaching tradition, Machik Lapdrön was under considerable suspicion and often had to prove her worth. In Machik’s Complete Explanation, she explains the meaning of the name “bundle of precepts” as meaning that it is based on the long, middle length, and short precepts of the Buddha Shakyamuni, which she had studied previously (94). In other words, she maintained that the teachings contained herein are nothing other than the authentic words (bka’) of the Buddha.

The commentary and outline are by Rangjung Dorje (1284-1339), the Third Karmapa hierarch, who was an important figure in the Severance tradition. His many works on Chöd are considered authoritative in the Kagyu lineage. The text translated here as found in Kongtrul’s Treasury of Precious Instructions appears under the simple title “Outline”, although it also contains a commentary as a separate text, bearing the Sanskrit name ṭīkā, usually translated into Tibetan as rnam par bshad pa, “Complete Explanation”. It is unusual and quite edifying for a Tibetan author to actually separate out the outline from the commentary, although it does present a few extra problems of consistency. Nevertheless, Rangjung Dorje’s work exhibits his usual precision and brilliance. The text is also found in his Collected Works. The words in parentheses after the headings in the Outline were included by Rangjung Dorje to indicate the beginning word[s] of each verse, and they are repeated in the commentary. However, due to the differences in English grammar, it was not always possible to keep them at the very beginning of each verse in translation, but they will appear somewhere in the first line.

Translation

Homage to the Perfection of Wisdom {54}
There are three parts to this Great Bundle of Precepts on Severance of Evil:
I. Introduction

A. The Homage (beginning with “unspeakable”)

B. Presentation of the Name (Severance)

C. Brief Explanation (a few)

II. The Source Text

A. Brief Presentation (devils)

B. Extensive Explanation

1. The Particular Four Devils

a. Tangible Devil

i. Identifying that Devils Come from Oneself (tangible)

ii. Ascertaining their Essential Emptiness (form)

b. Intangible Devil

i. Identifying the Sensations (intangible)

ii. Natural Liberation as Realization Dawns (realm of phenomena)

c. Devil of Exaltation

i. Brief Presentation (exaltation)

ii. Extensive Explanation {55}

I) Common

A) If Attached to Qualities it is a Path Devil (haunted places, demons)

B) Taught to be Like a Dream (qualities)

II) Supreme

A) The Path as Devil if Not Understood

1) Identifying the Devil

a) Brief Presentation (supreme)

b) Extensive Explanation (free from elaboration)

2) Liberation if Understood as Symbolic

a) No View or Viewed in the Self-Arisen (view and meditation)

b) No Meditation or Meditator (everything)

c) If Spontaneous Occurrence is Held (zin) in One's View, and Held as Conduct, Conduct is One's Play (one's conduct)

d) Experience is Beyond Intellect (experience)

B) Intellectual Fabrication as Devil

1) Having Desire is the Devil of Result (supreme)

2) If Realized to be Oneself, Nothing to Accomplish. (body, speech, and mind)

d. Devil of Inflation

i. Brief Presentation (devils)

ii. Extensive Explanation {56}

I) The Tangible Devil is Included in Inflation

A) Things not Held in the View are Taught as the Devil (objective things)

B) Knowing [they] are Rootless, Everything is Liberated (objective things)

II) The Intangible Devil is Included in Inflation

A) Identifying Five Devils that come from the Root Devil of Inflation (intangible)

B) Realization of Five Primordial Awarenesses and Emancipation from Six Classes if Inflation is Liberated (aggression)

C) Example of Fearlessness (thus)

D) Even with Realization, it is Bondage if not Severed (even with realization)

E) Becoming Buddha Once inflation is Severed (emaho)

III) The Devil of Exaltation is Included in Inflation

A) Common

1) If Attached to Spiritual Powers it's a Devil (exaltation)

2) If not Attached, it's an Ornament (without attachment)

B) Supreme

1) Excitement as a Devil (three kāyas)

2) Not Inflation if Understood (samsara self-)

2. Ascertaining by Example

a. Explanation of Examples

i. Bondage if Not Carried into One's Being (through example)

ii. Benefiting Others if One Realizes it Oneself (fine cow)

b. View

i. Realizing that Devils are Rootless (great garuda)

ii. Cutting Through by Knowing That (rootless)

c. Meditation

i. Examples of Nonthought (method of resting)

ii. Resting Freely Uncontrived (contrive or adulterate)

iii. Transcending Misery Through Knowing Thoughts [and] Memories are not Validly Existent (intrinsic awareness)

d. Conduct

i. Yogic Discipline Free of Afflictive Emotion (conduct)

ii. Everything as an Ally through Mastering Conduct (by oneself)

e. Results

i. Realizing the Meaning, No [Result] to Establish (results) {57}

ii. Oneself is Buddha for Sure (inflation)

3. Presentation Without Example

a. Deluded Cognition

i. Naturally Deluded (noncognizant)

ii. Deluded Regarding Tenants (single inseparability)

b. Ignorance, Primordial Awareness

i. Stupidity Transformed into Primordial Awareness (therefore)

ii. Whatever Arises is Naturally Occurring (cognition)

c. Unmade Ground

i. Not Made by Buddha (genuine meaning)

ii. Not Realized by Fixation (unmade unconditioned)

d. The Path of no Making

i. Realizing the Four Perception Spheres are Invalid (unmade)

ii. Liberation from Samsara through Realizing the Meaning (form and feeling)

e. Unreal Results

i. The Expedient Method for the Small-Minded (unreal)

ii. Something Established as Real is Meaningless (if real)

iii. If Mind is not Liberated it is Meaningless (of dharma)

iv. Realizing Nonfixation Reveals Body, Speech, and Mind (on body)

III. Conclusion

A. The Meaning of the Name (emaho)

B. Experience

1. Experience Free of Intellect (earnestly)

2. Special Instructions (haunted places )

3. If the Load is Carried it is the View (conditions that appear)

4. The Importance of Wandering in Haunted Places (haunted place)

The condensed meaning of the Great Bundle is complete.

Bibliography

Bibliography for Katsom chenmo and Rangjung Dorje's commentary

THE PRESENT TEXTS

Machik Lapdrön. Great Bunch of Precepts on Severance/ Great Bunch of Precepts: the Source Text of Esoteric Instructions on Severance, the Profound Perfection of Wisdom. Shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa zab mo gcod kyi man ngag gi gzhung bka' tshoms chen mo. DNZ vol. 14, ff. 4a3-9a1.

_____(2nd Source) Machik's Bunch of Precepts. Ma gcig gi bka' tshoms in The Collected Works of Omniscient Longchen Rabjam (Kun mkhyen klong chen rab 'byams kyi gsung 'bum), vol. 26, pp. 291-300 (partial)

Rangjung Dorje, Karmapa III. The Great Bunch of Precepts on Severance Outline. (gCod bka' tshoms chen mo'i sa bcad) and Complete Explanation of Severance (gCod kyi tikka) DNZ, vol. 14, pp 53-79.

_____(2nd Source) gCod bka' tshoms chen mo'i sa bcad and gCod kyi tikka in Collected Works of Karmapa Rangjung Dorje (Karma pa rang byung rdo rje gsung 'bum) vol. 11 (a) pp. 265-298.

WORKS CITED IN THE TEXTS
Kangyur/Scriptures ?a sutra

?Noble [Perfection of Wisdom?]

Heart of Perfection of Wisdom (Heart Sutra). Bhagavatīprajñāpāramitāhṛdaya. bCom ldan ldas ma shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa'i snying po. Dg.K. shes phyin, ka (Toh. 21).

Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines, Aṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā. Shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa brgyad stong pa, Dg.K. shes phyin, ka (Toh. 12). English translation: Edward Conze, The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines and its Verse Summary (San Francisco: Four Seasons Foundation, 1973/1983)

Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines. (Extensive Sutra, rGyas pa) Śatasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitā. Shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa stong phrag brgya pa. Dg.K. shes phyin, ka-a. (Toh. 8)

Verse Summary on the Perfection of Wisdom. Prajñāpāramitāratnaguṇasañcayagāthā. 'Phags pa shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa sdud pa tshigs su bcad pa. Dg.K. shes phyin, ka (Tôh. 13). English translation: Edward Conze, The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines and its Verse Summary (San Francisco: Four Seasons Foundation, 1973/1983)

Tengyur/Treatises

Maitreya (Byams pa). Highest Continuum, Mahāyānottaratantraśāstra. Theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma'i bstan bcos. Dg.T. sems tsam, phi (Toh. 4024). English translations: E. Obermiller, “Sublime Science of the Great Vehicle to Salvation” (Acta Orientalia 9: 81–306, 1931), J. Takasaki, A Study on the Ratnagotravibhāga (Rome: Istituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente, 1966), Ken Holmes and Katia Holmes, The Changeless Nature (Eskdalemuir, Scotland: Karma Drubgyud Darjay Ling, 1985), Rosmary Fuchs, Buddha Nature: The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra with Commentary (Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications, 2000).

Nāgārjuna (or Rāhulabhadra). Eulogy to the Perfection of Wisdom, Prajñāpāramitāstotra. Sher phyin bstod pa. Dg.T. ?(Toh. 1127).

Telopa, Mahāmudra Esoteric Instructions, Mahāmudraopadeśa. Phyag rgya chen po'i man ngag (The Ganges Mahāmudra (Phyag chen ganga ma) Dg.T. ?(Toh. 2303)

also in Collected Works of Marpa vol. 1 p. 369. Also vol. 7 (pp. 33-36) of DNZ. Translations at: http://www.naturalawareness.net/ganges.html

Maitreya (Byams pa). Highest Continuum, Mahāyānottaratantraśāstra. Theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma'i bstan bcos. Dg.T. sems tsam, phi (Toh. 4024). English translations: E. Obermiller, “Sublime Science of the Great Vehicle to Salvation” (Acta Orientalia 9: 81–306, 1931), J. Takasaki, A Study on the Ratnagotravibhāga (Rome: Istituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente, 1966), Ken Holmes and Katia Holmes, The Changeless Nature (Eskdalemuir, Scotland: Karma Drubgyud Darjay Ling, 1985),

Rosie Fuchs, Buddha Nature: The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra with Commentary (Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications, 2000).

REFERENCE BIBLIOGRAPHY Tibetan Texts

Khamnyön Dharma Senge (Khams smyon Dharma seng ge, also known as 'Jig 'bral chos kyi seng ge). The Religious History of Pacification and Severance: A Precious Garland Ornament of Liberation (RHPS). Zhi byed dang gcod yul gyi chos 'byung rin po che'i phreng ba thar pa'i rgyan. In gCod kyi chos skor, pp. 411-597. Delhi: Tibet House (1974).

Other Works and Translations

Phuntsho, Karma. Mipham's Dialectics and Debates on Emptiness. London and New York: RoutledgeCurzon, 2005.

Conze, Edward. The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines and its Verse Summary. San Francisco: Four Seasons Foundation, 1973/1983.