r38 Powa,Niguma, and TheTibetanBook of theDead

'W'estern The understanding of the Tibetan doctrines The introductory verses to this famous classic state: concerning death and the afterlife, as well as of It is said rhat those ofsuperior capacity. and the Pure Lands, largely comes from the arnazing The great and , popularity achieved by the Tbdol (The Tibetan Should be able to attain liberation during this uery Booh of the Dead). Originally translated by LamaKazi lifetime Dawa-Samdup and edited by Evans-Wentz, the ry27 By relying on the stagesofThntric yoga application. edition from Oxford University Pressquickly became If they do not succeedin this, then they should apply an international successand received renderings into a The methods of consciousnesstransference at the time of dozen \Testern languages.' death. Half a dozen subsequent translations of this extraordinaryTibetan work have appeared since that Euen mediocre yogis can gain liberation through this time, and the original byKazi Dawa-Samdup and transference. Evans-\Ventz remains in print. Perhaps the most acces- Howeuer, f they do not succeedin the ffirt, sible ofthese alternative renditions is that by Francesca Then they should turn to a reading of thisBardoTodol, Fremantle and Chogyam Tlungpa." a text For achieuing liberation through hearing in the bardn.

In other words, the best Thntric practitioner can achieve enlightenment during his or her very lifetime. The next best should apply the yogas of transference at the time of death. The Tibetan word for this transference is powa

Figure65 (consciousnesstransference), and includes both trans- Mandafa Used in The Tibetan Book ofthe Dead ference to the dharmakaya, which means the attain- ;r8th century ment of enlightenment through immersion with the Pigmenton cloth clear light consciousness at the time of death and, for z8 x t8.25 in. (7't.'rx 46.4 cm) RubinMuseum of Art those unable to perform this yoga, the transference Ft99738.t (HAR 557) directly to rebirth in a Pure Land. Finally, those who are unable to succeed in the TheTiberanBook ofthe Dead speaksofhow a personcan achieve transferenceyogas by means ofpersonal application anyofthe threeBuddhist goals, both duringlife and followingthe momentof death.The three goals are full enlightenment,libera- and proficiency should rely upon a reading of The tion, and rebirthin a PureLand. In additionto thesethree, an Tibetan Booh of the Deadt and either achieve liberation accomplishedyogini can take conscious rebirth in samsara,in in the bard.o(the state benveen death and rebirth), or order to fulfill the bodhisattvavow in more worldlyways. else find guidance for rebirth in a Pure Land. The early This mandalaofthe too oeacefuland wrathfuldeities that symbolizethe deathand rebirthprocess is a map to accomplish- secdons of The Tibetan Booh of the Deadtherefore con- ing those three ways, both in life and in death.The five Tathagata centrate upon teaching the deceasedhow to achieve and consorts,adorn families,with their associatedbodhisattvas liberation in the bardo; the later sections teach how to the cornersofthe canvas.The fivewrathful families are ar find the path to an auspicious rebirth in a Pure Land. the center.The six buddhaswho work in the six realmsof the world can be seenalong the sides. Concerning this latter method The Tibetan Book 'As of the Deadstates, for how to choosethe placeof and clear light yoga, are rhe means where- rebirth, there are rwo methods.The first is the method by the three bardobodies are purified." The three " for taking rebirth in one of the buddhafields.The sec- bardobodies" that he is referring ro are rhe senseof ond is the method for taking rebirth in the impure physicality (or that of having a body) that we experi- world in an ordinary womb in order to conrinue ence on three occasions: (r) the bardo of the waking study,practice, and work in the human realm." state (i.e., the state berween waking and sleeping); (z) The TibetanBooh of the Deadis basedon a tradi- the bardo of dreams (i.e., the state tierween going to tion of the mandalaof roo peacefuland wrathful sleep and waking up); and the bardo of the afterlife deities(see figure 6y).That is to say,the peacefuland (i.e., the state berween death and rebirth). wrathful buddhaformsthat are experiencedin the The idea of the six yogas is that one uses rhe firsr bardnvisions that ariseduring the first fwo weeks three of them-inner fire, illusory body, and clear following death are all drawn from this . light-as direct methods for achieving enlightenment According to The Tibaan Boob of the Dead, those who during onet life and the amainment of releasefrom the daily recite the (method of practice)of this round of compulsive birth, death, and rebirth basedon mandaladuring their lifetime will recognizethe bardo suflering. However, if one does nor ger all the way to experiencesin terms and forms expressedin the man- that destination, rhen one uses the auxiliary methods dala and its inner meanings. for achieving an auspicious rebirth. Two of the auxil- However,this Thntric sysremand its mandalaare iary methods are bardo yoga and powa.The sixth, or but one of many that are practicedby the various sects dream yoga, is connected with both the illusory body ofTibetan . EveryThntric systemhas its own yoga and the bardo yoga, and so it can be viewed either "enlightenment methodsof using the experiencesof dying and the as an in this lifetim e ' or a yoga bardo. for training in the methods to be applied at the time of An important alternatetradition is The Six Yogas death for achieving enlightenment, liberation, or high of Niguma. Brought to Tibet by the eleventh-century rebirth at rhat rime. yogi Khyungpo Naljor, it was formulated by the great The Six Yogas of provides an approach Indian femalemystic Niguma as a synrhesisof numer- to the death and bardo experiences that is somewhat ous Buddhist Thntric systemsprevalent in eleventh- similar to thar ofThe Six Yogas of Niguma. Brought century . The Niguma sysremof bardoyoga is a to Tibet by Marpa Lorsawa in the eleventh century, centralpillar ofthe ShangpaKargyu School (not one of The Six Yogas of Naropa became the basis of all twelve the twelve Kargp Schools,as the name would suggest, Kargyupa sub-sects.6Thissystem also does not rely but a separateschool altogether).The Shangpadoes upon the mandala of roo peaceful and wrathfui deities, not exist as a separateschool today,but its lineages nor upon the associated Tibetan Boob of the Dead. "three from Niguma can be found in most of the major Instead it relies upon root yogas" for achieving schools,having been absorbedand integratedmany enlightenment in this lifetime; and, if this effort does "three centuriesago. not take the practitioner all the way, then The Niguma sysremuses dream yoga as a platform branch yogas" can be applied ar rhe time of death. for experimentingwith rhe bardoyogas. This is made Again, one of the six is powa. possiblebecause of the similaritiesbetween the dream In both the Niguma and Naropa systemsthe body body and the bardobody. In his commentaryto rhis is prepared for powawhen the person is still strong. "They yoga systemthe SecondDalai writes,a The practitioner usually undertakes a meditation (dream and bardobodies) are both made of light, and retreat of severalweeks or months, until signs of suc- formed from five purified essences."He then goeson cessbecome manifest. The method opens the auspi- to explain how dream yoga is pracricedas an introduc- cious death channel, which is the crown aperture ar rhe tion to bard.oyoga. top ofthe head. "The KhyungpoNaljor himselfsaid,t generation In his Niguma commentary the Second Dalai stageand completion stageyogas, and in particular Lama writes:7 Oneshould mabe the obseruationsfor the signsof death dharmahaya;transference by the guru'sblessings; trans- and, tuhen they occur,should apply the longeuitymethods. ferenceof divine great union; and transferencemerhod Whenthese dn not worh and the signsof deathare not of the unfailing dahini. turned awal, the time ltas cometo a??b the actual trans- The Niguma systemuses rhe fourth of these.It ferenceyogas. givestwo options:red and white.The red is symbol- izedby a red flying through the heavensand the He goeson to say: white by a white dabini offeringher yoni (vagina)as the path ofrebirth. \7e seeboth ofthese in the tangka h is bestto appb the training techniquesbefore becoming shownhere (see figure 66). too weak with illness.Once seuere illness has set in, one The SecondDalai Lamaexplains the associated will not beable to matterthe trainings,no matterhow meditationtechnique :e strongone's wish may be. Begin byperforming a guru loga meditationas explained The Niguma systemspeaks of how the Tanrric yogas earlier. Offer strong?ralers to be able to accomplishthe for thepoua application are applied by meansof a transferenceyoga to wy'tateuerPure Land is desired.Sining kundalini application, forcing the subtle energiesup in the uajraposture with legscrossed, place the handson 'the and down the central enery channel running through thighs,and uisualizeyourself as Chahrasamuarain the chahras,from the main chakraat the sexualcenter sexualunion with .The centralenergy channel up to the crown cltahrain the upper regionsof the runs straightup the centerofyour body,jiom a point four brain. Energy is forced up and down this channel, f.nger widths below the nauel up to the brahma aperture, using physicalexercises and power breathing,unril a the thichnessof a wheat strazu. blister appearson the crown of the head. At the baseof the channel is the triangular dharmadayo, In old Tibet the stemof a particularherb would u,,hiteoutside and red inside, with nuo of its points then be insertedinto this blister, so as to keep it always toward the hidneysand the third toward the sexorgan. open.A practitionerwould keepthe herb protruding Inside the louteraperture ofthe central channelis one's out from his or her skull like this for severaldays after own mind in tbe of a white Sanshritsyllable AH. this sign of accomplishmenthad manifested.One can form It seemslight and delicate,as though it could be blown often seethe mark causedby scarrissue on the head of auay by the slightestbreeze. Fix your mind upon itfor a personwho has successfullycompleted this retreat. sometime. The monastictradition of shavingthe head rwice monthly rendersthe scarreadily obvious on monks Then uisualizeeither the white or the red dahini aboue and nuns. your head,her appearanceas desnibed in the standard "O The SecondDalai Lama explains:s manuals.. . . Offi, thefollowing prayer Mother ,please guide me to the Pure Land of Dabinis, the By meansof the uasebreathing techniqueand energltcon- Land of Blissand Void. Meditation deity Vajrayogini, trol application one cAusesthe uital energiesthat operate guidz me to the PureLand of Blissand Void.Holy guru in the doorsof the sensesto be withdraun, and to be Vajrayogini,guide me to the Pure Land of Blissand Void. directedinto the centralchannel. This must be accom- FemaleBuddha Vajrayogini,guide me to the dahini's Pure plished in ord.erto ffict the *ansferencecom?etentb. One Land of Blissand Void." cuts of eight of the nine paths of exh of consciousness, leauing openthe goldzn?assage, which is the brahma One now drau.,sin the subtleprana energiesfiom aboue a?ertareat tlte crown ofthe head. It is through this golden and below,and pressesthem into the syllableAH, while Passagethat one uill ffict the transferenceto rebirth in a pressingwith musclesof the abdomenand peluicfloor into PureLand or asa hnowledgehold.er uhen tlte time comes. theAH. Onef.xes the mind upon theAH in this way while directing the energiesand applying the uasebreath- He then points out the four main powa techniquesthat ing technique. were taught in Tibet: transferenceto the suchnessof

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In this rvay tl.rcSeconcl l)alai Lame lrrieHy ciescribesthe nreditrrtion and voga technicluc for dtc potr,,t training rrs t tar.rqht in thc Nigunra svstenr. After thc blister firrms, I 'N 7J/ h) Figure66 I Powa Yogasofthe ShangpaKargyu Tradition ['.,1:s Mongolia,date unknown F':' Pigmenton c oth :) ,{l t6.75x tz.z5in. (42.5 x 3r.rcm) Rubinl\,4useum of Art Czoo3.5o.rr(HAR rogo)

Chakrasamvarastands in sexualunion with Vajrayogini at thecen. terof the painting.The four of the mandaladance below. Thisis the T 1buLha Nga form ofChakrasamvara, or "Chantapada'sFive Dakini Mandala." BuddhaVajradhara sits at the uppercenter, with the white andred dakinis in circlesof lightto eitherside of him.These two dakinisare used for the "white andred powa" techniques, two *.{."f*'" methodsofconsciousness transference to a PureLand that are popuar in the ShangpaKargyu tradition. the death channelhas been cleared,and it becomes Houteuer, if thepowa technique doesnot zuorh, then the easyto die consciouslyand to leavethe body by this ritualist should sit near the body and clearly chant the most auspiciousaperture when the actual time of Bardo Todol. death arrives.

The practiceduring life is done as described Most Tibetan manuals on rebirth managemenr suggesr "the above.At the time of death, one engagesin actual that if one should happen to meer with death before application," which meansthe real transferencefrom enlightenment is achieved, then one should artempr ro this world to rhe nexr.Consciousness is herepulled either sit in meditation or assumethe reclining lion up to the central channel, to the brahmaaperture (as posture. One should then observe the outer and inner before).But now it is held here,and is not brought signs ofdeath as rhey arise.Tladitional texts explain back down. Instead,it is projectedout ofthe body these as follows: the earth energies dissolve into the via the brahmaaperture, where the blister had formed water energies,and one losespower over onet limbs; many yearsearlier by meansof yogic training. Con- water energies dissolve into air, and the heartbeat slows sciousnessthen entersinto Yogini by meansof her drastically; air dissolves into fire, and the breath srops sexual passage.Ifone is doing the practicein connec- flowing; air dissolves into fire, and the body starts to tion with the Red Yogini, onet consciousnesstravels lose temperature. Fire then dissolvesinto space,which to her \White heart, and if with the Yogini it comesinro in this case is mind, and four types of radiances are her womb. experienced, leading up to and culminating in rhe The Yogini then flies away to a Pure Land, taking founh, which is the clear light of the moment of death. one'sconsciousness with her. One is then reborn there. Simultaneous to the four elemental energy dissolu- A-lternatively, one can make the determination to tions described above, and the manifestation of their remain inside of the Yogini until an appropriatetime outer signs, one experiencesaccording inner signs. comesfor rebirth in the ordinary world as a Tantric They arise as staresofconsciousness traditionally adept in order to conrinue onet practiceand work for described by the metaphors of a miragelike appearance, the benefit of the world. a wisp of smoke, flickering fireflies, and shimmering The Tibetan tradition placesgreat emphasisupon butterlamp light, respectively. Then the subtle male dying consciously. This is true in both sutra and energies of the mind dissolve, and one experiences a approaches. No Buddhistwould hope to die uncon- white moonlike flash. The female energies of the mind sciouslyin his or her sleep,nor in a druggedstupor, dissolve,and the mind experiencesa red sunsedike no matter how painlessthis would be. flash. Male and female energies of mind collapse To the contrary, rhe aspirarionis to die sitting up together, and one swoons into complete darkness. in meditation, or if one is too old or too weak from Consciousness prepares to leave the body, and the pri- illnessto accomplishthis, then one should amemprro mordial clear light mind arises. passaway while lying on onek side in the lion posture, The best pracririoner can then achieve enlighten- which is the position in which the Buddha passedaway ment by linking to and blending with this clear light in his (see old age figure16). dharmahaya. The intermediate will be able ro enrer the The TibetanBooh of the Dead states,o bardo conscrously and apply the Thntric yogas in the bardnin such a manner as ro use the bardo If theyogi aants to attemptpowa, or consciousnesstrans- body as a semblance of a samboghahayabody, thus reversing the ference,then he should obseruethe signsofthe death process and returning ro rhe clear light, where enlight- ?rocessas they arise, and looh at them as clearlyas taatch- enment is achieved. A reading of The Tibetan Book ing them manifestin a mirror. Then when the signsof the of the Deadcan help to facilitate this transition. fnal xage of death ltaue arisen, he should recollectand Finally, the pracritioner who lacks apply the powa methodof release.If this transference the confidence to attempt either of these approaches can apply powa at methodis successful,then there is no needfor a reading of this time. As is theBardoTodol text. said in the above passage,no bardo is then experienced.Consequendy rhere is then no pur- posein commissioninga readingof The TibetanBooh there is the lojong (mind-training) method of meditating of the Dead.One by-passesthe bardoaltogether and on tlte conuentional bodhichitta ofloue and compassionat takesimmediate rebirth in a Pure Land. the time of dcath, of which there are many uariations or Potuais taught within the larger conrexroftntric lineages.Then there is thefamous uniting both "Instruction Buddhism, which is a branch of the .Con- Sutra and Thntra jiom the lineage hnown as sequentlythe emphasisis on the bodhisatwaprecept on the Three EssentialMoments," uhicb is basedon the to alwaysbe of 'Abandon greatestbenefit ro orhers.This means instruction all anachments, and ffir your body using one'snatural lifespanto its fullest limits. The as a gifi to all sentient beings. Unite utith the seed of tight issuearises, because from the time one completesthe and transfer to the Tushita Pure Land." powatraining,one hasthe powerto projectconscious- As the exclusiuef methods, there are too nessout ofonet body directly to a Pure Land, thereby for many of theseto list here. To name but afew: The ending one'slife prematurely. Tiansference to the Three Kayas; the Aualokiteshuara Most poutamanuals speak of this issue,and point TransferenceInstruction; the *ansference methods out that making a premaruretransference is equivalent from the dakini (i.e., the ChakrasamvaraTantra, tlte to suicide,and thereforeis a contradictionofthe bod- "actual Vajradaka Tan va, th e Yajrayogini Thntra, th e Hevaj ra hisatwavow. One should only applypouta as Tantra, theSamputaTantra, etc); the exclusiueLamdrey application'whenthe full signsof the deathhave natu- "Path methods (i.e., and Fruit" a special name the rally manifested.Tsongkhapa quores the Buddha on for packaging ofthe Thntric tradition in the Sahya School); the point:" transferenceby means of the four Tantric initiations, such Perform tlansferencewhen the time cornes. as transforming appearances by means of the uase initia- 'To do so earlier is to assassinatea deity. . . . tion, etc; Thansferenceby means of Mantric S/hbles; and Thereforethe wise maheffirt to accomplishshill TTansferenceby means of the Orb of Light. One should In recognizingthe signsofdeath as thqt occur. train in whicheuer of theseis most a??ropriate with one's oun abilities, bachground, harmic propensities, and sub- He goeson to explain that the accomplishedpracti- consciousinclinations, as determined in consubation with tioner will developskills in readingsigns of death. one'sguru. Becomeprofcient in the practice when strong \(hen they occur, he or shewill first attempt the yogas and heahhy. Then when death occursyou will be able to for life extensionand for turning away untimely death. easily engage the method and make the transference. Only if thesedo not workis powa an oprion.Then when the actual moment of death arrives,he or she As mentioned above by the First , the powa observesthe energydissolutions as menrioned above, methods are diverse, and there are many from which to and makesthe transferenceafter the heart and breath choose. Most Tibetans use one of the Vajrayana tech- havestopped. niques, and the methods from the dahini tanrras is The First Dalai Lama wrote a rather charming lit- probably the most widespread. All of these methods are tle work on the threefold pracdceof observingfor the based on the principles outlined by the Second Dalai signsofdeath, the life-extensionyogas that can be used Lama in his discussion of the Niguma lineage. to turn backthe signsofdeath, and, ifthese yogasfail, Coing back rc The Tibetan Booh of the Dead, a then the methods of engagingthe powa techniques. Passagestates: He states:" It is best if the person has the ability to ffict the transfer- Variousmethods for prEaring the mind for deathhaue ence of consciousnessjust when the breath stops. Houteuer, beentaught in both the sutra and tantra paths. To lisr ifthere is no confdence that this can be done, then the but afeu of the Sutrayanamethods, there is one calhd ritualist should begin reading tlte instruction when signs "Ilansference by meansof the Instruction of the Thatness of imminent death arise, reciting repeatedly asfolhws into of Being" which is a uipassanatechnique that obseruesthe the ear ofthe dying person. profoundshurytata nature of the momentof death.Then posein commissioninga readingof The TibetanBooh there is the lojong (mind-training) method of meditating of the Dead.One by-passesthe bardoaltogether and on tlte conuentional bodhichitta ofloue and compassionat takesimmediate rebirth in a Pure Land. the time of death, of which there are many uariations or Poutais taught within the larger conrexrof Thntric lineages. Then there is the famous lineage uniting both "Instruction Buddhism, which is a branch of the Mahayana.Con- Sutra and Thntra jiom the lineage hnou.,n as sequentlythe emphasisis on the bodhisatwaprecept on the Three Essential Moments," u.,hichis basedon the 'Abandnn to alwaysbe of greatestbenefit to orhers.This means instruction all anachments, and offer your body using one'snatural lifespanto its fullest limits. The as a gijl to all sentient beings. Unite with the seed of light issuearises, because from the time one completesthe and transfer to the Tushita Pure Land." poutatraining,one hasthe powerto projectconscious- As the exclusiuely Vajrayana methods, there are too nessout of one'sbody directly ro a Pure Land, thereby for many of theseto list here. To name but afew: The ending onet life prematurely. Thansferenceto the Three Kayas; the Aualohiteshuara Most powa manualsspeak of this issue,and point Ty'ansferenceInstruction; the transference methodsjlom out that making a premarurerransference is equivalent the dakini tantras (i.e., theChal

This dramaticpainting of PadmaSambhava expresses the impor. tanceofcontrolled death as an importantkey to controlledrebirth. Thetheme is illustratedby the vignettealong the leftofthe paint- ing, in whichwe seea yogi passingaway while seated in medita- tion.A ritualistsits besidehim, readingThe Tibetan Book ofthe Deadaloud in orderto assistnrm. Dyingconsciously while seated upright in meditationis the idealBuddhist death. The dyingperson controls and followsthe dissolutionofthe elementsas the deathprocess sets in, ano wnen the clearlight of deatharises, he holdsto it. Althoughthe outersigns of deathare complete, the bodywill not decaynor entera rigormortis state for as long as the meditator remainsfocused in the clearlight of death.Creat yogis often sit in this state,known in Tibetanas tukdam,for daysor evenmonths. Thosewho havenot attainedenlightenment during their lifetime can achieveit at this time. Beingswho havenot achievedenlightenment can alsoleave the bodyin a controlledmanner, and directtheir consciousness to an appropriaterebirth in a PureLand. This is representedin the paintingby the imageof BuddhaAmitabha standing above the houseofthe dyingperson. Alternatively, one can attemptto direct the flow of the bardo,or after-deathexperience, in such a way that one achievesa rebirthin the humanrealm as a Tantricpractitioner. Other scenesat the uppersection ofthe paintingdepict additionaloptional departure routes and their accordingpure Lands.The top center,for example,is probablythe Akanisthapure Landof Mahavairochana,which is describedin theAvatamsaka Sutra.Euddhas and otheremanations come and go on rainbows, as theywork from thereto bring benefitto the world.

t+6 {+, il In other words,powa can be accomplishednot only by and consciousnesshas Iefi the body) is that a drop of yl- personalapplication but also by meansof the assistance lowish liquid will be releasedfom the a?erture of tlte sex- ofa skilledritualisr. ual organ. In general it is said that this clear light mind The Tibetan Booh of the Dead descibes how the manifestsfor only a few fnger snaps of time in someone ritualist should proceed.He should begin by sayingto u,,ho is pressed by s*ongly negaiue harma, wltereas it can the dying person: continue for a uery long time in more highly euoluedpeople. O child of noble character,wltose name is Such-and- Naturally it is best if the dying person is able to apply Such, the time has cometo choosea path. The breath has the yoga himself, without any assistance. The Tibetan ceased,and the clear light of death is about to become Booh of the Deadpoints out rhar this will not always manifest.This is bnown as the'frstbardo, the clearlight be possible, and ifthis is the case,rhen experience."' a guru, a uajra brother, or someone with whom the deceasedhad Preuiouslyyour teaclterhad induced a clear light mind a close spiritual relationship should sit to the side, experienceutithin you. Recollectthis clear light mind now: observethe signs of the dissolution of the subtle ele- em?ty like s?ace,the fnal uoid nature of all things, radi- mental energies,and point them out, saying: ant emPtinesswithout inner centeror outer boundary. Pay attention. It seemsthat nou the earth energies are dis- When this clear light consciousnessarises, recognize and soluing into the uater energies. You are losing the ability retain it, and rest within that sphere.Listen as I read this to mouelour limbs. Obseruethe inner signs. pointing out to !ou. Now the utater energiesare dissoluing into the fre energies. The text then goeson to explain that when the breath Your heartbeat is growingfaint. Obseruethe inner signs. stops,the ritualist should move rhe position of the Now the energies are dissoluing into the air energies. body into the lion posrure,placing it on its right side fre Your bodily temperature is dropping. Obseruethe inner with the right ring finger pressedagainst the right signs. nostril, just as is done in the training in the yogasof sleepand dream. Simultaneouslyhe should presson Nou the air energiesare dissoluing into the mind energies. the two energypathway points associatedwith sleep. Your breath is ceasing.Obserue the inner signs. This will encouragethe subtle energiesto remain in the central channel auadhutiand will also encourage In this way, the ritualist points out the outer signs and the consciousnessto eventuallyleave the bodv bv the prompts the dying person to remain aware of the inner crown aPerture. ones. He continues: It continues: Pay heed, one of noble cltaracter. The time of your death The actual reminder is then giuen,for this is the time that has come. Keepyour mind clear and alert. Pay heed..As all beingsexperience the frst l>ardo,called the' dharmata )/ou enter the death state, med;tate on loue, compassion "irreuersible ofclear light," and the experienceofdhar- and the enlightenment aspiration. Generatethe thought, "For mahayamind." How hng this state (of clear light dhar- the beneft of all liuing beings I uill achieue peerless mahayamind) will continue in a giuen indiuidual will enligbtenment." uary in dcpendenceupon conditionssuclt as tlte positiue or In particular, generate the snong resolue thatfor the bene- negatiuequality of the uessel,the pace at which tlte energlt of all beingsyou will recognize the clear light of death dissolutionsoccurred, the leuelofThntric training theper- ft as the dharmahaya, and will accomplish the siddhi of son achieuedduring his or her lifetime, the quality of the enlightenment in order to be of beneft to all p erson'sslt amata p outer (meditatiue concentration),and liuing beings. the condition of the subtle energy?athuqts. Moreouer, resolue that if is not gained when During thisperiod, thepointing out shouldbe repeatedly the clear light arisesand you must enter thebardo, then read. The sign (that the clear light experiencehas ended

r48 you will recognizethebardo as thebardo (and not be Thntric sysrems such as the Six Yogas of Niguma and drau.,ninto the illusory experiencesand appearances). the Six Yogas of Naro pa. The Tibetan Book of the Dead Resolueto transformthatbardo bodyinto a buddhaform teaches them as a reading or liturgy, to be spoken near u.,ith realization of mahamudra integration, and then the body ofthe deceased. Because the bardo body is manifest coantlessforms to beneft thoseto be trained, very supple and pliable, it easily can be transformed bringing beneft to liuing beingsds uastin number as the from one state into another. Hence liberation or even medsureof space. enlightenment is possible ar any moment. Moreovet rebirth in a Pure Land can also be attempted. Most Thesewords should be read clearlyand gently,with Tantric manuals recommend the former becauseof lips close'tothe earof the dying person. the great potenrial of the bardo state and suggest leav- ing the attempr for rebirth in a Pure Land for late in Pay heed, Oh child of noble characterwho is called the experience,to be engagedonly ifand when the Such-and-Such.Listen well. Thepure clear light of the attempts at liberation and enlightenment have failed. dharmata is noru arising. Pleaserecognize it. Oh child of The Tibetan Boob of the Dead follows this same noble character this pristine stateofconsciousness that approach. The pozuatechniques applied ar rhe rime )/ou noTDexperience has no limitingfactors sucltas parts, ofdeath were unsuccessful,and so the deceasedhas isolates,or color.h is in nature thepure uoid itself It is entered the bardo.There again the deceaseddid not the dharmata in tlte nature of the All GoodFemale gain successeither through personal effort of the bardo BuddhaSamanthabadri, the emptinessnature of )tour yogas, nor from the point,out instructions given by oun mind. But it is not an emptinessthat is a mere the ritualist in his chanting. It is now a late stage of the nothingness;rather it is the unobsnuctedradiance ofyour bardo evolution. The karmic forces sustaining the bardo own mind in the natureof theAll GoodMale Buddha body are waning, the soul Samantabhadra. of the deceasedhas grown weary from its wandering, and he or she is beginning It is the uoid that is the non-inherentnature ofyour own to seek a suitable place ofrebirth. mind, inseparablefom and non,dual u,,iththe primor- The Tibetan Booh of the Dead speaksof rwo meth- dial radiance of that samemind. Thut it is a Buddhals ods for choosing a place of rebirth. One is for taking i nd i uisi b le dharm ahaya. rebirth in a pure buddhafield, the other for taking rebirth in the impure world in an ordinary womb in Restutithin this great sphereof light that is the non- order to continue dharma study, practice, and work in duality of the radianceand uoid natare of )tour oxunspirit, the human realm. and becomea radiant Amitabha Buddha beyondbirth The ritualist instructs qenerare and death. the deceasedro the thought:

The TibetanBooh of the Deadpoints our that this initial How unfortunate I am. While countlessothers haue stageof the death experienceis the ideal time to apply achieuedfull buddhahood, or at least becomearyas or the powa methods for transference.Here the transfer- , I continue to u)ander lifetime upon lifetime since enceto clearlight dharmahayawasdescribed in brief beginninglessnessin the muddlt swamps of samsara. I am by the ritualist.Ifthe dying personsucceeds in it, then exhausted with samsara, and want no more of it. No more enlightenmentis instantly achieved. uill I be reborn in the ordinary utorld. Instead I uill rety Alternatively,any of the othet?owa methods upon Buddha Amitabha, uho uowed to bring all beings could be applied at this time. However,if the clear who call upon him to Suhhauati, the Pure Realm ofJoy. light dharmahayatransference is attempted but fails, No more birth fom wombs or eK for me! Instead I uill then the personenrers rhe bardo,and there is no rurn- tahe rebirth insidr a lotus in Sukhauati right now. ing back. He or shemusr rhen apply the bardoyogas from within that environment. The text states that by fixing this thought clearly in Again, thesebardoyogas are taught in detail in one's mind and holding firmly to it, one will instantly take rebirth in Sukhavati,Amitabhat pure paradisein Tb my lama, who is m1trefuge and spiritual fathea the west. The recollectionof whom dispek all sadness, It also statesthat there are numerousother bud- I turn for Eiritual inspiration; dhafieldsinto which one can take rebinh and men- Blessrny mind with your transformingpowers, tions Maitreya Buddhat Pure Land ofTirshita, aswell That the thought of death maJ/neuer euadr me, as many others,recommending that rhe deceasedbe That I maypractice the holy Dharma prrftttb. encouragedto recollectand aspireto whateverPure On thegoldrn mountains in the distance, Land was his or her ideal during life. far Rings of mist hang like behson the meadows. The SeventhDalai Lama oncewrote a beautiful "Meditation Nout seeminglysolid, so soonthey dissolue. little poem entitled on the \fays of My mind turns to thoughtsof my death. ."In it, he embodiesin a simple and down-to-earthmanner many of the ideasexpressed in In spring, tlte seasonof warmth and growth, the art and literature oflife, death, and the Buddhist The stalhsof the cropswere turquoise green. paradises.ri Now, autumn'send, thefelds lie nakedand parched. My mind turns to thoughtsof my death.

On eachbranch of the treesin my garden Hang clustersoffr"it, swelling and ripe. In the end, not onepiece will remain. My mind turns to thoughtsof my death.

Frorn behindthe peahs of Mount Potak The sun roselibe an umbrella in the shy. Now it ha,sgone, fallen behind the uestern ranges. My mind turns to thoughtsof m1'death.

Theydie old, they die young day upon day. I am askedto throw their soulsto a Pure Land Or to ?rophes! their conditionsof rebirth. My mind turns to thoughtsof my death

Gray cloudscouel the shy obscuringit; Thefrst dropsof rain are about to fall, Tb be scatteredeuerywltere by the darh, red wind. My mind turns to thoughtsof my death.

In the belly of the uax plateau below me, The campfresof uisiting tradersglow like stars; But tomorrow they depart, leauing only refuse. My mind turns to thoughtsof my death.

Varm summerdays, the earth thronging uith life; The minds of thepeople are lost in gaiety. Sudden$ the cold winter wind crashesthem doutn, My mind turns to thoughtsof my death. High aboue,turquoise dragons roared in harmony; I rememberthis body tuhen it wa: a child, Around rne, cuchoobird.s chaxered sweetly. And a: it gradually toob theform of a youth. But times hauechanged; wltere are they now? Now its euerylimb is twisted and worn. My mind turns to thoughtsof my death. h is my own body,yet it delightsnot euenm! own eles.

Dharma, theprecious teachings of the AwahenedOnes, The mind itself is impermanent, constantb oscillating Is a medicinesupleme, curing all the mind's ilk. Betweenfeelings of pleasure,pain and indffirence, Thesedays many saintsof old hoh downfom Pure Lands. Thefuits of positiue, negaiue and neutral harmas. My mind turns to thoughtsof my death' Looh whereyou wiil, at yourserfor otrters, Hard it is to leauethe mother who carried us, Life passeslihe a fash of lightning. And hard to part fom rehtiuesandfiends; When Yamalsagents surround you, intent on murd.er Yetas theyears ?dss, our linhs u.,ith them corrode. Vhat do you thinh u.,ill happento you? My ntind turns to thoughtsof my death' Relatiues,fiends, zueabhand property A young man, with teethfor thefuture, Shine with splendorin the eyesof worldly people; IVith pkns for monthsand yearsahead, died, Thus, they bind themseluesin shachlesof axachment. Leauingbut scantnaces. Vhere is he now?Gone! Thispathos; how will it end? My mind turns to thoughtsof my death' Body tyingflat on a rast bed; Buddha attained the ghrious, immortal uajra-body, Voiceuhispering a few last uord;; Yethe still enacteda dtath scene. Mind watching a f.nal memoryglifu past: This body off.esh, blood and bone,couered in shin, IYhen u.,ill that drama comefor yu? Lihe a bubbleof water' is boundto perish' Ifyou createnothing but negatiuekarma, From uery birth a child seeshis parents age, You will stand nahedofinstincts to beneft the hereafier. Seesthem eachday comecloser to the graue. Vhere will you go afier death? "But How canyou ta! to rne, I am still young?" The merethought of it mahesyou flinch. I warn \ou there is no hopeof hidingfrom d'eath' TbereforeI myserfand beingsrihe me Spirits werehigh with expectationsthis morning Should leauebehind meaninglessways As the men discussedsubduing enemiesand protecting And entrust ourseluesto the guras, and dahinis, the knd. Btgi"g them to prepare usfor drath'sroad. Now with night'scoming birds and d.ogscltew their In order to die uell, utitb the ioy and confidence corPse|. , ofA?t being within the white raysof spiritual awareness' who belieuedthat they themselueswould die today? It is essentialto begin readyingyourself now. Loohand askamong the people of your land Familiarizeyourself with theprofound sutras and tantras. For anyoneeaen a hundredyears old. By this songma)t thoselike me' You will be lucky to euenone! Jind Iryeligiouspeople littlz better than sauages' Do you not think your own dzath certain? Be caughtin thefames of renunciation. If you hoh chselyat and conterrlplatedcePb May they euoluein spirit Thepeople and things that appeararound you, And may they attain to liberation. Youcan seethat all are in constantf.ux. Euerything becomesthe teacherof impermanence. zz. \Tebsite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shambhala 5.This poem is known by heart to manyTibetan monks, because it became incorporated into the Monlam Chenmo (Great Prayer 23.This is the authort own translation ofthe Sixth Panchent Festival), a sacred music festival created byTsongkhapa in r4ro. text. It became an annual fifteen-day event celebrated in most monas- teries throughout Central Asia. It was held on a grand scaleat the in Lhasa, with more than zo,ooo monks attending. A Few More Buddhafields,Just for Fun Although created by Gongkhapa, founder of the Gelukpa "Sutra School, r. ofthe Medicine Buddha," translated and annotated it was quickly adopted by all schools. I included a trans- lation of it in SelectedWorhs of the Dalai Lama 1 (Ithaca: Snow under the guidance of Dharma Master Hsuan Jung by Minh Lion Publications, Thanh and P D. Leigh (North Hills, CA: Buddha Dharma r98r). Education Association, International Buddhist Monastic 6. \Testern literature today often refers to this lake simply as Institute, zoor) "The 18-19. Oracle Lake."

z. The passagesare from an oral teaching given by , 7. YesheTsemo had been an important disciple of the First Dalai available at http ://wwwdharma-haven.org/thrangu-medicine- Lama. He later became abbot ofThshi Lhunpo for a term. His buddha.htm. Erst-hand accounts of the creations of these two great works of art are important sourcesof knowledge 3.'Website: http ://www.lamayeshe.com/lamazopa/ in Tibetan art history. daily_prac.shtml. Unfortunately both were stolen and destroyed by the Chrnese Communists in the r96os. 4. Edited from the version on theZambalawebsite, 8. Lama Drom was the lay disciple of Atisha. It was Drom who http ://www.suiteror. com/discussion.cfm/buddh ism| 647 97. formulated Atisha's lineages into what became known as the School. The First Dalai Lama was informally thought of as being his reincarnation. This Tushita Revisted passagefrom the Secondt biogra- pher, written in ry3o, makes this obvious. r. As so often happens, a large number ofgreat beings inspired 9. This is the Panchen who died in 1989 under suspicious cir- this renaissance.One was Tsongkhapa, the master from the cumstances. He has two reincarnanons. Kokonor region of Amdo who came to Central Tibet and studied under many of the most illustrious masters of his day, fusing ro. See note 9 in the chapter tirled How the Pure Land; Are All together all of the srrongesrlineages from the Sarma (New around U. Schools), and then housing them in his newly establishedGanden ("TLshita" Monastery). Another was Longchen Rabjampa, the genius who gathered up the diverse threads ofthe doctrines of Powa,Niguma, and The TibetanBook of the Dead all the old lineages in Tiber exranr ar the time and fused them into a coherent whole. is really the founder of r. Lama Kazi Dawa-Samdup was a school teacher with a good "Old the School as we know it today. There was no command of the English language and a deep desire to make School" before him, just a hodge-podge ofpre-eleventh- century Tibetan literature available to an international audience. Evans- lineages.The great Buton Rinchen Druppa, working a genera- \Ventz happened to meer him while traveling in the Darjeeling tion earlier, had done much the same for the Sakya School. The and regions of India, and the two became friends. The list is long and impressive. lama translated, and the traveler translated. Dawa-Samdup died a Fewyears later, and Evans-\Ventz inherited his translations. z. The exact meaning of Dzingchi seemsunclear. Perhaps it is Evans-'i/entz published them in four volumes, all with Oxford simply an old place narne for the valley in which the temple University Press: Tbe Tibetan Book ofthe Dead; Tibetan Yogaand was originally built. I asked my old friend and world-renowned SecretDoctrines; The Tibetan Book ofthe Great Liberation; and Tibetan lexiconographerTsepak Rigzin to look into marrer. rhe The Life of MilarEa. These were the first authentic translarions "Dzing" "chi" He informed me that simply means pond, whereas ofTibetan classicsto appear in English. They remain relevanr could mean central, outer, or eyen lower. He felt it probably was reading today, three quarters ofa century later. a piace name from King Songtsen Gampot time (early seventh century), given in reference to the location ofthe valley in con- 2. The Tibetan Booh ofthe Dead, trans. and annot. Francesca text to Olkha Cholung. Fremantle and Chogyam tungpa (Boulder and Boston: ShambhalaPublications, 197y). 3. See figure 58.The frescoesunder discussion were those ofthe Thirty-five Buddhas of Purification. Tsongkhapa famously 3. In the Nyingma tradition a ritualist will generally chant this offered roo,ooo full-body prostitutions to each ofthese thirty- book aloud beside the corpse of the deceasedonce a day for a five during his 6ve-year retreat in Olkha Cholung. During rhis number ofdays, with each reading taking three or four hours. time, he fasted, eating only a handful ofjuniper berries each day. The corpse then will usually either be cremated or will be cut into pieces and offered to the birds. It is not unusual to have the From Tsongkhapa'scollection of mystical songs and 4. poems. ritualist continue doing one reading a day until forty-nine read- Author's translation. ings have been completed.

r64 4. The Second Dalai Lama's father was the head of the Shangpa Kargyu lineages in Tsang, and as a result the young lama received training in these traditions from a very young age. He wrote two texts on the SixYogas of Niguma, as well as numerous ffeatises on other Shangpa practices.

5. The Second Dalai Lama gives this quote in his Ti,i Yig or longer commentary The idea of purifring the physical body dur- ing these three states means understanding the illusory nature of all objects ofthe five senses,and thereby freeing the mind from the bondage of the dudity grasping syndrome.

6. The first English translation ofa text on these Six Yogas appeared in the Kazi Dawa-Samdup and Evan-'W'entz book Tibaan Yogasand SecretDoctrinr-s (Oxford: Oxford Universiry Press,1935). They translated the brief commentary by the great sixteenth-century Drukpa Kargyr master Pema Karpo.

7. This is also from the Second Dalai Lamat Ti,i Yig. Author's translation. 8.rbid. e.Ibid. ro. Author's translation. Gene Smith of www.tbrc.org kindly sent me a scannedTibetan version of the text from his private collection. rr. The Second Dalai lama quotes this passagein his Tii Yig on the Six Yogas of Naropa, stating the source as The Vajradaha Thntra.TsongJ

13. From the Seventh Dalai Lamat Nyam Gur (Songsof RealizatioA. Authori rranslation.

r6t Buddhain Paradise

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