The Collected Works of Chogyam Trungpa: Volume One (61 page)

And not by words alone.

Nevertheless I have written this

For the benefit of great meditators

Who are dedicated to the highest teaching.

This teaching was taken from the treasury of dharmadhatu
³

And is not created out of attachment

To theories and philosophical abstractions.

First the pupil must find an accomplished guru with whom he has a good karmic link. The teacher must be a holder of the thought lineage transmission. The pupil must have single-minded devotion and faith, which makes possible the transmission of the teacher’s understanding.

The maha ati is of the greatest simplicity. It is what
is
. It cannot be shown by analogy; nothing can obstruct it. It is without limitation and transcends all extremes. It is clear-cut nowness, which can never change its shape or color. When you become one with this state the desire to meditate itself dissolves; you are freed from the chain of meditation and philosophy, and conviction is born within you. The thinker has deserted. There is no longer any benefit to be gained from “good” thoughts and no harm is to be suffered from “bad” thoughts. Neutral thoughts can no longer deceive. You become one with transcendental insight and boundless space. Then you will find signs of progress on the path. There is no longer any question of rampant confusions and misunderstandings.

Although this teaching is the king of the yanas, meditators are divided into those who are highly receptive to it, those who are less receptive, and those who are quite unreceptive. The most highly receptive pupils are hard to find, and it sometimes happens that teacher and pupil are unable to find a true meeting point. In such a case nothing is gained and misconceptions may arise concerning the nature of maha ati.

Those who are less receptive begin by studying the theory and gradually develop the feeling and true understanding. Nowadays many people regard the theory as being the meditation. Their meditation may be clear and devoid of thoughts and it may be relaxing and enjoyable, but this is merely the temporary experiencing of bliss. They think this is meditation and that no one knows any better than them. They think, “I have attained this understanding” and they are proud of themselves. Then, if there is no competent teacher, their experience is only theoretical. As it is said in the scriptures of maha ati: “Theory is like a patch on a coat—one day it will come apart.” People often try to discriminate between “good” thoughts and “bad” thoughts, like trying to separate milk from water. It is easy enough to accept the negative experiences in life but much harder to see the positive experiences as part of the path. Even those who claim to have reached the highest stage of realization are completely involved with worldly concerns and fame. They are attracted by devaputra.
⁴
This means they have not realized the self-liberation of the six senses. Such people regard fame as extraordinary and miraculous. This is like claiming that a raven is white. But those who are completely dedicated to the practice of dharma without being concerned about worldly fame and glory should not become too self-satisfied on account of their higher developments of meditation. They must practice the guru yoga throughout the four periods of the day in order to receive the blessings of the guru and to merge their minds with his and open the eye of insight. Once this experience is attained it should not be disregarded. The yogi should thenceforth dedicate himself to this practice with unremitting perseverance. Subsequently his experience of the void will become more peaceful, or he will experience greater clarity and insight. Or again, he may begin to realize the shortcomings of discursive thoughts and thereby develop discriminating wisdom. Some individuals will be able to use both thoughts and the absence of thoughts as meditation, but it should be borne in mind that that which notes what is happening is the tight grip of ego.

Look out for the subtle hindrance of trying to analyze experiences. This is a great danger. It is too early to label all thoughts as dharmakaya. The remedy is the wisdom of nowness, changeless and unfailing. Once freed from the bondage of philosophical speculation, the meditator develops penetrating awareness in his practice. If he analyzes his meditation and postmeditation experiences he will be led astray and make many mistakes. If he fails to understand his shortcomings he will never gain the free-flowing insight of nowness, beyond all concepts. He will have only a conceptual and nihilistic view of the void, which is characteristic of the lesser yanas.

It is also a mistake to regard the void as a mirage as though it were merely a combination of vivid perceptions and nothingness. This is the experience of the lower tantras, which might be induced by practice of the svabhava mantra. It is likewise a mistake, when discursive thoughts are pacified, to overlook the clarity and regard the mind as merely blank. The experience of true insight is the simultaneous awareness of both stillness and active thoughts. According to the maha ati teaching, meditation consists of seeing whatever arises in the mind and simply remaining in the state of nowness. Continuing in this state after meditation is known as “the postmeditation experience.”

It is a mistake to try to
concentrate
on emptiness and, after meditation, intellectually to regard everything as a mirage. Primordial insight is the state which is not influenced by the undergrowth of thoughts. It is a mistake to be on guard against the wandering mind or to try and imprison the mind in the ascetic practice of suppressing thoughts.

Some people may misunderstand the term
nowness
and take it to refer to whatever thoughts happen to be in their mind at the moment.
Nowness
should be understood as being the primeval insight already described.

The state of nonmeditation is born in the heart when one no longer discriminates between meditation and nonmeditation and one is no longer tempted to change or prolong the state of meditation. There is all-pervading joy, free from all doubts. This is different from the enjoyment of sensual pleasure or from mere happiness.

When we speak of “clarity” we are referring to that state which is free from sloth and dullness. This clarity, inseparable from pure energy, shines forth unobstructed. It is a mistake to equate clarity with awareness of thoughts and the colors and shapes of external phenomena.

When thoughts are absent the meditator is completely immersed in the space on nonthought. The “absence of thoughts” does not mean unconsciousness or sleep or withdrawal from the senses, but simply being unmoved by conflict. The three signs of meditation—clarity, joy, and absence of thoughts—may occur naturally when a person meditates, but if an effort is made to create them the meditator still remains in the circle of samsara.

There are four mistaken views of the void. It is a mistake to imagine that the void is merely empty without seeing the wild space of nowness. It is a mistake to seek the buddha nature (dharmakaya) in external sources without realizing that nowness knows no path or goal. It is a mistake to try to introduce some remedy for thought without realizing that thoughts are by nature void and that one can free oneself like a snake unwinding. It is also a mistake to hold a nihilistic view that there is nothing but the void, no cause and effect of karma and no meditator nor meditation, failing to experience the void which is beyond conceptions. Those who have had glimpses of realization must know these dangers and study them thoroughly. It is easy to theorize and talk eloquently about the void, but the meditator may still be unable to deal with certain situations. In a maha ati text it is said:

Temporary realization is like a mist which will surely disappear.

Meditators who have not studied these dangers will never derive any benefit from being in strict retreat or forcibly restraining the mind, nor from visualizing, reciting mantras, or practicing hatha yoga. As is said in the
Phakpa Düpa Sutra
,

A bodhisattva who does not know the real meaning of solitude,

Even if he meditates for many years in a remote valley full of poisonous snakes

Five hundred miles from the nearest habitation,

Would develop overweening pride.

If the meditator is able to use whatever occurs in his life as the path, his body becomes a retreat hut. He does not need to add up the number of years he has been meditating and does not panic when “shocking” thoughts arise. His awareness remains unbroken like that of an old man watching a child at play. As is said in a maha ati text:

Complete realization is like unchanging space.

The yogi of maha ati may look like an ordinary person but his awareness is completely absorbed in nowness. He has no need of books because he sees apparent phenomena and the whole of existence as the mandala of the guru. For him there is no speculation about the stages on the path. His actions are spontaneous and therefore benefit all sentient beings. When he leaves the physical body his consciousness becomes one with the dharmakaya, just as the air in a vase merges with the surrounding space when the vase is broken.

1
. Paltrül Rinpoche himself is both Yogi Tri-me Lodrö and Abushri; he is quite frankly talking to himself in this poem.—Ed.

2
. The nine vehicles are shravakayana, pratyekabuddhayana, mahayana, kriyayana, upayana, yogayana, mahayogayana, anuyana, and atiyana.

3
. The dharmadhatu is all-encompassing space.

4
. Devaputra personifies the evil force which causes attraction to sense objects.

The Song of Separation

The one who makes known the Buddha not imagined by the mind,

The one who possesses the hidden teaching not shown forth in books,

The one whose form is all wisdom, a true holder of the vajra,

Gangshar Wangpo, whose kindness can never be repaid,

I can take refuge in no one but you.

Yet you remain always within me:

You are my refuge, then, until enlightenment.

Act according to the dharma, and transgress it;

Keep to the straight path, and fall into sin.

Since I never found anyone I could rely upon,

Sever me from the barbarous and the degenerate.

In the kingdom of no two things,

Who are the rulers and the servants?

And since that is the land I’m traveling to,

Sever me from servants and attendants.

The senses weave their nets to entrap

Those riches that are theirs already;

Since unattachment is the path I follow

Sever me from the treasurer of attachment.

The ownerless estate of meditation

Is built according to a perfect equanimity;

Since love and hate shall find no place therein,

Sever me from the monastery of possessiveness.

The yogin who lives only in the hour

Is the favored one of all kingdoms;

And since there is no need to reckon gifts and honor,

Sever me from the appearance of devotees.

Knowledge of being is the perfect teacher

And he is with me everywhere I go;

Since he it is I am relying on,

Sever me from those who speak for sect or party.

Ever present in the womb of joy

Remains the mandala of the five wisdoms;

And since that is the only thing that’s real,

Sever me from the gods of mankind’s making.

Samsara and nirvana do not stand opposed:

There’s one that rituals will never reach;

Since I can overcome the mind’s duplicity,

Sever me from the mind-made guardian deities.

The fatherland is with you everywhere,

Awareness will maintain its own defense;

Since there’s no need to build up your self-centeredness,

Sever me from samsara’s local gods.

Armed with the sword of faith in contemplation,

One stroke will free one’s powers to realize all things;

Since this is the weapon that my teacher gave me,

Sever me from the hatred roused by patriotic war.

Nothing is dependable, nothing is fruitful;

The sun shines cheerfully, and yet

The darkness thickens and a reddening sky surrounds us.

What is there left that I can do?

I want to leave everything behind me,