The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra Second Edition Also by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche Meaningful to Behold Clear Light of Bliss Universal Compassion Joyful Path of Good Fortune The Bodhisattva Vow Heart Jewel Great Treasury of Merit Introduction to Buddhism Tantric Grounds and Paths Ocean of Nectar Essence of Vajrayana Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully Eight Steps to Happiness Transform Your Life The New Meditation Handbook How to Solve Our Human Problems Mahamudra Tantra Modern Buddhism The New Heart of Wisdom The New Guide to Dakini Land How to Understand the Mind This book is published under the auspices of the NKT-IKBU International Temples Project and the profit from its sale is designated for public benefit through this fund. [Reg. Charity number 1015054 (England)] Find out more: tharpa.com/benefit-all-world-peace Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra Second Edition THE VERY ESSENCE OF BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS OF SUTRA AND TANTRA THARPA PUBLICATIONS UK • US • CANADA AUSTRALIA • ASIA First published 2015 Second edition 2016 The right of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means except for the quotation of brief passages for the purpose of private study, research, or review. Tharpa Publications UK Tharpa Publications US Conishead Priory 47 Sweeney Road Ulverston, Cumbria Glen Spey, NY 12737 LA12 9QQ, England USA There are Tharpa Publications offices around the world, and Tharpa books are published in most major languages. See page 282 for contact details. © New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa Buddhist Union 2015, 2016 Cover image: Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka Library of Congress Control Number: 2015957817 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978-1-910368-36-7 – paperback ISBN 978-1-910368-24-4 – ePub ISBN 978-1-910368-25-1 – kindle Set in Palatino by Tharpa Publications Printed and bound in the United Kingdom by Bell and Bain Ltd. Paper supplied from well-managed forests and other controlled sources, and certified in accordance with the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council. Contents Illustrations ...........................................................................ix PART ONE: THE GENERAL EXPLANATION OF THIS PRACTICE .........................................................................1 Introduction ..........................................................................3 The Practice of the Preliminaries ......................................9 Training in Sincerely Going for Refuge, the Gateway to Entering Buddhism; and Training in the Compassionate Mind of Bodhichitta, the Gateway to Entering the Mahayana, the Main Path to the State of Enlightenment ..............................9 Training in Purification Practice, the Gateway to Purifying Non-virtuous Actions and Obstructions ..................................................................18 Training in the Practice of the Mandala Offering, the Gateway to Accumulating the Collection of Merit and Attaining an Enlightened Pure Land .....19 Training in Guru Yoga, the Gateway to Receiving Blessings ..........................................................................21 The Actual Practice of Mahamudra .................................27 Having Identified Our Own Mind, Meditating on Tranquil Abiding ..........................................................30 Having Realized Emptiness, Meditating on Superior Seeing .............................................................36 v Meditating on the Central Channel, the Yoga of the Central Channel ............................................................50 Meditating on the Indestructible Drop, the Yoga of the Drop .........................................................................51 Meditating on the Indestructible Wind, the Yoga of Wind .........................................................................53 PART TWO: THE HUNDREDS OF DEITIES OF THE JOYFUL LAND ACCORDING TO HIGHEST YOGA TANTRA: THE GURU YOGA OF JE TSONGKHAPA AS A PRELIMINARY PRACTICE FOR MAHAMUDRA ...............................................................63 Visualization .....................................................................65 Taking the Mahayana Refuge Vows ..............................66 Taking the Bodhisattva Vow According to Highest Yoga Tantra ....................................................................66 Inviting the Wisdom Beings ...........................................66 Requesting ........................................................................67 The Seven Limbs ..............................................................67 Reciting the Migtsema Request Prayer According to Highest Yoga Tantra .................................................72 Condensed Lamrim Practice ..........................................72 Transforming Our Own Mind into the Clear Light of Bliss of Heruka .........................................................79 PART THREE: THE NEW ESSENCE OF VAJRAYANA: HERUKA BODY MANDALA SELF-GENERATION PRACTICE, AN INSTRUCTION OF THE GANDEN ORAL LINEAGE ...........................................81 The Practice of the Preliminaries ....................................85 The Actual Practice of Self-Generation .........................94 Bringing Death into the Path to the Truth Body, Buddha’s Very Subtle Body ........................................94 vi Bringing the Intermediate State into the Path to the Enjoyment Body, Buddha’s Subtle Form Body ........97 Bringing Rebirth into the Path to the Emanation Body, Buddha’s Gross Form Body, by Accomplishing the Five Omniscient Wisdoms ........97 Checking Meditation on Basis Heruka Together with Consort ..................................................................98 Checking Meditation on the Body Mandala ................99 Meditation on the Generation Stage of Non-dual Appearance and Emptiness ......................................104 PART FOUR: ESSENCE OF THE FIVE STAGES OF COMPLETION STAGE OF HERUKA........................121 How to Meditate on the Stage of Blessing the Self With Seed .......................................................................124 How to Meditate on the Stage of Blessing the Self Without Seed .................................................................129 How to Meditate on the Stage of the Vajra of Various Qualities With Seed ......................................................135 How to Meditate on the Stage of the Vajra of Various Qualities Without Seed ................................................136 How to Meditate on Relying upon the Commitment Mudra .............................................................................138 How to Meditate on Relying upon the Action Mudra .............................................................................139 How to Meditate on Relying upon the Phenomenon Mudra .............................................................................139 How to Meditate on Relying upon the Mahamudra ...139 How to Meditate on the Stage of Dzöladhara ..............140 How to Meditate on the Stage of Inconceivability .......145 Appendix I – Guidelines for the Practice of the Four Great Preliminary Guides of Mahamudra ................149 vii Appendix II – Liberating Prayer .........................................159 Appendix III – Quick Path to Great Bliss, the Extensive Self-generation Sadhana of Vajrayogini ....................161 Appendix IV – An Essential Commentary to the Eleven Yogas of Vajrayogini ........................................213 Appendix V – The Blissful Path, the Condensed Self- generation Sadhana of Vajrayogini ............................223 Appendix VI – The Uncommon Yoga of Inconceivability ...233 Appendix VII – Keajra Heaven, the Essential Commentary to the Practice of The Uncommon Yoga of Inconceivability ...................................................241 Appendix VIII – Prayers of Request to the Mahamudra Lineage Gurus .................................................................249 Glossary ..............................................................................258 Bibliography ......................................................................272 Study Programmes of Kadampa Buddhism .................277 Tharpa Offices Worldwide ..............................................282 Index ...................................................................................284 viii Illustrations Vajradhara ..............................................................................2 Buddha Shakyamuni ............................................................8 Je Tsongkhapa and his two Sons descending from Tushita Pure Land ...................................................... 14 Manjushri .............................................................................28 Je Phabongkhapa ................................................................38 Vajradhara Trijang Rinpoche .............................................48 Dorjechang Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche (included at the request of faithful disciples) ........................................64 Practitioner’s table showing inner offering, vajra and bell, damaru, action vase and mala ...................82 Vajrasattva with consort .....................................................86 Twelve-armed Heruka .......................................................88