The fourth supplemental text deals with the question of the Fruit or final result of the practices of the Path, that is to say, the realization of the Trikaya, or Three Bodies of the Buddha. Again, there are three sections:
1. The direct introduction by way of linking together examples with
the real meaning,
2. The direct introduction to Energy being self-manifested, and 3. The direct introduction to the Trikaya as being the Fruit.
In the first section, six examples are given to illustrate the qualities of the Nature of Mind with their various meanings being explained, namely, the butter lamp, the lotus, the sun, the mirror, the crystal ball, and the empty sky. Some of these objects would be held up or pointed out by the Lama during the direct introduction. Here the direct introduction is considered in terms of the example (dpe), the actual meaning (don), and what is indicated (rtags). Sometimes this process is known as a Rigpai Tsalwang (rig-pa'i rtsal dbang), "the empowerment which directly introduces the energy of awareness."
According to the second section, the energy (rtsal), of the Nature of Mind being spontaneous and self-arising, there are various self manifestations of this. It may be illustrated by way of four examples: the water, the crystal, the sun, and the butter lamp. Moreover, one is directly introduced by way of the inherent lights (rang 'od) emanating from the Nature of Mind, which has its own inner light of awareness. Thodgal visions may be illustrated by rainbows, reflected images in a mirror, and reflections on water. As an exercise, one is advised to press gently on the closed lids of the eyeballs with one's fingers. One will see lights that do not originate from outside. The second exercise entails holding the breath and the third exercise is the practice of sky meditation as described above.
As for the direct introduction by way of inherent sounds (rang sgra), as an exercise, one goes into a cave or a steep ravine and shouts loudly. Thus, one hears the echoes. In the second exercise, one plays cymbals loudly for a few moments, then dropping them, one puts one's fingers in one's ears and hears sounds that do not come from
sal
The Practice of in the Zhang-Zr1ung Tradition of Tibetoutside. As a third exercise, one puts a conch shell to one's ear and hears the distant sounds of the winds and the sea.
The third section is concerned with the direct introduction to the Trikaya. The Dzogchen tradition distinguishes among three meanings to the term Trikaya. The first is the Trikaya of the Base, which is inherent in every sentient being, but which goes unrecognized because in each lifetime in Samsara, it is covered up by obscurations that are both emotional and intellectual. This Base Trikaya consists of the Essence (otherwise known as the Mother Kunzhi and the state of Shunyata), which is the Dharmakaya, the Nature, (otherwise known as the Son Rigpa or luminous clarity), which is the Sambhogakaya, and Energy, the visible manifestations of which are unceasing, which is the Nirmanakaya. This Base Trikaya is the potential for Buddhahood latent within each sentient being, but at this time is it not manifest. With the Trikaya of the Path, gradually by way of purification practices, the Trikaya is revealed within one's immediate experience in life, like the clear blue sky and the face of the sun being revealed when the clouds part. The Trikaya of the Fruit is the attainment of the manifest enlightenment of a Buddha.
T he Dharmakaya is inherent in the core of every sentient being like a spark of celestial light, but it has gone unrecognized for countless lifetimes in Samsara. Moreover, according to the special teaching of Thodgal, this divine spark of light, which is Rigpa, or intrinsic awareness, is principally located in the hollow space in the heart (tsita) as an immeasurable celestial palace that abides in the highest plane of existence, Akanishtha. At the time of death, when awareness is freed from the limiting restraints of the material body, its inherent energy manifests as sounds, lights, and rays, Whereupon everything found in Samsara and Nirvana derives from this single source, which is the Sambhogakaya. However, because of ignorance and delusion, and because one does not recognize these visions as self-manifestations, the five lights evolve into the physical elements and into the destinies of rebirth.
In the heart while one is alive, the Dharmakaya abides in its own form as light, but in the practice of Thodgal, the inherent energy of Rigpa overflows and moves along the pathway of the translucent Kati channel that links the heart and the eyeballs. This is the Sambhogakaya. Arriving at the doorway of the eyes, this light projects visible appearances into the space in front of the eyes. These phenomena
of the Conter,ts of the Texts
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represent the Nirmanakaya, appearing as various Kulas, or families of divine forms, in mandala patterns. This process occurs not only in Thodgasl vision practice, but also after death in what is known as the Bardo of the Clear Light of Reality.
According to the traditions of the Bonpo Books of the Dead (zhi khro skor), the five Dhyani Buddhas (de-gshegs lnga), or the Lords of the Five Families (rgyal-ba rigs lnga), arise successively to the consciousness of the deceased on the first five days of the experience of the Bardo of the Clear Light of Reality.
On the first day, from the clear yellow light arising in the eastern direction, appears the Buddha Salwa Rangjyung (gsal-ba rang-byung), the Deity of the Body , whose body colour is yellow and who is seated on the elephant throne, holding the swastika scepter (chags-shing). He is the progenitor of the Swastika Family and his pure dimension is the Swastika Realm . He embodies the Mirror-like Gnosis (me-long ye-shes) and thereby he purifies the negative defiling emotion of confusion. By his power of great intelligence (ye-shes chen-po), he closes the door to rebirth in the animal world. He confers empowerment in the vast expanse of the earth element and his consort is the earth goddess, Sayi Lhamo (yum sa yi lha-mo). He governs the internal organ of the spleen. He and his consort abide in the navel chakra as the two yellow syllables OM KHAM on a yellow lotus of four petals. His wrathful aspect is Yungdrung Throsay (g.yung-drung khro-gsas).
On the second day, from the clear green light arising in the northern direction, appears the Buddha Gewa Garchyug (dge-ba gar phyug), the Deity of Quality, whose body colour is green and who is seated on the horse throne, holding the wheel ('khor-lo). He is the progenitor of the Chakra Family and his pure dimension is the Chakra Realm. He embodies the Gnosis of Sameness (mnyam-nyid ye-shes) and thereby he purifies the negative defiling emotion of pride. By his power, he closes the door to rebirth in the Asura world. He confers empowerment in the vast expanse of the air element and his consort is the air goddess, Lunggi Lhamo (yum rlung gi lha-mo). He governs the internal organ of the lungs. He and his consort abide in the throat chakra as the two green syllables DZA YAM on a green wheel of four spokes. His wrathful aspect is Throwo Ngamsay (khro-bo rngam gsas).
On the third day, from the red light arising in the western direction (nub phyogs), appears the Buddha Jyedrag Ngomed (bye-brag dngos-
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The Practice of Dzogchen 1n the Zr1ang-Zhung Tradition of T1betmed), the Deity of Speech (gsung gi lha), whose body colour is red and who is seated on the dragon throne ('brug gi khri), holding the lotus (padma). He is the progenitor of the Padma Family (pad-ma'i rigs) and his pure dimension is the Padma Realm (pad-rna zhing-khams). He embodies the Gnosis of Discrimination (sor-rtog ye-shes) and thereby he purifies the negative defiling emotion (klesha) of desire ('dod-chags). By his power, he closes the door to rebirth in the Preta world (yi-dwags). He confers empowerment in the vast expanse of the fire element ('byung me'i klong) and his consort is the fire goddess, Meyi Lhamo (yum me yi lha-mo). He governs the internal organ of the liver. He and his consort abide in the heart chakra as the two red syllables OM RAM on a red lotus of four petals. His wrathful aspect is Throwo Walsay.
On the fourth day, from the clear blue light arising in the southern direction, appears the Buddha Gawa Dondrub (dga' -ba don drub), the Deity of Action, whose body colour is blue and who is seated on the garuda throne, holding the precious jewel (rin-chen). He is the progenitor of the Ratna Family and his pure dimension is the Ratna Realm. He embodies the Gnosis that is All-Accomplishing (bya drub ye-shes) and thereby he purifies the negative defiling emotion of jealousy. By his power, he closes the door to rebirth in the human world among the T irthikas. He confers empowerment in the vast expanse of the water element and his consort is the water goddess, Chuyi Lhamo (yum chu yi lha-mo). He governs the internal organ of the kidneys. He and his consort abide in the secret place (genitals) as the two blue syllables HUM MAM on a blue lotus of three petals.
On the fifth day, from the clear white light arising in the central direction, appears the Buddha Kunnang Khyabpa (kun-snang khyab pa), the Deity of Mind, whose body colour is white and who is seated on the lion throne, holding the auspicious knot (dpal gyi be'u), or in some texts a wheel. He is the progenitor of the Tathagata Family and his pure dimension is the Tathagata Realm. He embodies the Gnosis of Emptiness (stong-nyid ye-shes) and thereby he purifies the negative defiling emotion of anger. By his power of great love (byams-pa chen po), he closes the door to rebirth in the hot and cold hells. He confers empowerment in the vast expanse of the space element and his consort is the space goddess Namkhai Lhamo (yum nam-mkha'i lha-mo). He governs the internal organ of the heart. He and his consort abide in the crown chakra as the two dark blue syllables E A on a white lotus of
ut tr1c of the Texts
four petals. His wrathful aspect is T hrogyal Tsochog Khagying (khro rgyal gtso-mchog mkha'-'gying).
These divine figures represent the inner aspect (nang ltar) where the Five Dhyani Buddhas signify the five skandhas, the Five Gnoses or Wisdoms, and so. T he five outer aspects (phyi ltar) are Godse (rgod gsas), Carse (gar-gsas), Seje (gsas-rje), Namse (gnam-gsas), and (shen lha). Finally, there appears the secret aspect (gsang-ba ltar), namely the wrathful deities Trose (khro-gsas), Ngamse (rngam-gsas), Walse (dbal gsas), Tumse (gtum-gsas) and Tsochok (gtso-mchog). T hese groups represent different aspects of the same deities. There also appear the mandalas of the eight male Bodhisattvas (ye-gshen brgyad) and the eight female Bodhisattvas ye-sangs brgyad) who represnt the eight aggregates of consciosness and the eight objects of consciousness.
T here also appear the six Dulshen ('dul gshen drug) are the six sages, emanations of Tonpa Shenrab, who appear in the six realms, or destinies of rebirth, to counteract the respective causes for rebirth in these realms and to lead beings to liberation. Sangwa Ngagring (gsang ba ngang-ring) purifies anger and liberates beings from the hot and cold hells. Mucho Demdruk (mu-cho Idem-drug) who purifies desire and liberates beings from the Preta realm. In some lists, these two are reversed. Tisang Rangzhi (ti-sangs rang-zhi) purifies confusion and liberates beings from animal existence. Sangwa Dupa (gsang-ba 'dus pa) purifies jealousy and liberates beings from human rebirth among the Tirthikas, or non-religious nations. Chegyal Parti (che-rgyal par-ri) purifies pride and liberates beings from rebirth in the Asura realm. And finally, Yeshen Tsugphud (ye-gshen gtsug-phud) purifies sloth and all the passions together and liberates beings from rebirth in the Deva realms. These six correspond to the six Munis in the Buddhist system.
T his makes a total of forty-five Peaceful Deities and eighty-six Wrathful Deities. In addition there is an outer aspect consisting of one hundred and eight Prosperity Deities. In total, they all represent an interlaced network of illusions (sgyu-'phrul drwa-ba) and their iconography is drawn from the Tantra known as the Khro-bo dbang chen. Thus, these Zhi-khro lha tshogs, or hosts of Peaceful and Wrathful Deities, are similar to the Nyingmapa system found in the Guhyagarbha Tantra. T he yab-yum images represent the unity of skilful means and discriminating wisdom, as well as clarity and emptiness.
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The Practice of Dzogchen in the Zhang Zrlung Trad1t1on of T1bet It is a single non-dual self-originated primordial awareness (rang byung ye-shes) that gives rise to the five primal cognitions, that of Shunyata (stong-nyid ye-shes), equality (mnyam-nyid ye-shes), all accomplishing (bya-grub ye-shes), discriminating (sor-rtog ye-shes), and mirror like (me-long I tar ye-shes). T his single primordial awareness represents the Ultimate Truth and the Knowledge of Quality and the five primal cognitions represent the Relative Truth and the Knowledge of Quantity, and in tern, they give birth to eighty-four thousand primal cognitions, which is how enlightened beings know things.Having attained enlightenment, then the individual engages in enlightened activities in order to liberate sentient beings from their suffering in Samsara, and these represent skilful means, great compassion, and omniscience. One employs many different methods in order to subdue sentient beings who are difficult to subdue, and thereby lead them on to the path to liberation and enlightenment. These methods are in accordance with the intelligence, temperament, and level of development of each sentient being.
Finally, there are considered what are the qualities of the disciple and to whom to grant the precepts of Dzogchen. Also considered are the non-virtuous qualities of those individuals to whom one should not grant the teachings.