tenga rinpoche - transition and liberation.pdf

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Tenga Rinpoche in Pullahari Monastery, 1995

TENGA RINPOCHE

TRANSITION AND LIBERATION

ExPLANATIONS OF MEDITATION IN 1HE BARDO

ISBN 3-9805251-2-0

Ori'ginally published as: Obergang & Befreiung Copyrigl;lt © 1996 by Tenga Rinpoche and Susanne Schefczyk. English translation: Alex Wilding. All rights reserved.

Translated from Tibetan and edited by Susanne Schefczyk. Photographs of the bardo deities: Empowerment cards from the collection ofTenga Rinpoche. Photograph ofTenga Rinpoche: Peter van Deurzen. Tibetan Choegyal Font: Tony Duff.

Published by Khampa Buchverlag, Osterby, DE. Setting by IKP, Eckernforde, DE. Printed at: Platan, Krakow, PL. Cover Design: Wolfgang Nowacki. Cover picture: "Mandala of the 42 Peaceful Deities". The original painted mandala is taken from the Catalogue of the Art Exhibition Die Gotter des Himalaya (Gods of the Himalayas), © Prestel-Verlag, 1989, by kind permission of G.-W. Essen.

CONTENTS

FC)REWOitD ••••••••••.••••••••••••••.•••.•••••••••••••••••.•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••..• 1

INTRODUCfiON .................................................................................. 5 TilE CAUSAL VEIIICI.E OF CIIARACTEIUSTICS .......................... 5 THE FRUITION VEHICLE OF SECRET MANTRA ......................... 8

Tt-IE BARDO OF '11-IE NATUHAI. PlACE OF BIRnl ............................... 13 THE FORMATION OF THE HUMAN BODY .............................. 15

TI-lE B.ARDO OF DREAM .............••.•..•..••••.••..•..•....•.•.•.......•............••.•. 27

TI-IE BARDO OF SAMADI-11 AND MENTAL STABIUIY .............................. 34

THE B.ARDO OF THE TIME OF DEArn ................................................. 40

THE BARDO OF DIIARMATA ............................................................... 51

THE BARDO OF BECOMING ..........•..••......••...•••.•••.....•...................•.... 94

CONCLUDIN'G REMARKs .................................................................. 101

.APPENDIX ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 109

ll1"ERA1URE ON THE B.ARDO •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 116

FOREWORD Tenga Rinpoche is a teacher of the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He comes from the monastery of Benchen in East Tibet, and is one of the few teachers of Tibetan philosophy and meditation practice still alive who obtained tl'!eir education in the old Tibet.

This book is a reworked transcript of the lectures which were given orally by the Ven. Tenga Rinpoche at Kagyu Benchen Ling, Todtmoos-Au in the German Black Forest, in November 1994. The lectures were given at the invitation of the Ven. Chime Rinpoche, the Spiritual Director of Kagyu Benchen Ling.

Tenga Rinpoche dealt with the subject of the bardo in the course of a series of five lectures, concluding the series with a bardo empowerment. The Tibetan text on which Rinpoche largely based his teachings originated in the cycle of the Naraka deities {Tib.: na rag dong sprugs}.

In the context of those lectures Rinpoche repeatedly indicated that a publication of the transcript of the commentary would be of great value, in particular as far as the symbolism of the attributes in the hands of the wrathful deities is concerned - such as, for example, human corpses, intestines and skull cups filled with blood. Rinpoche remarked that as a result of ignorance of the meaning of these symbols the impression could arise that Tibetan Buddhism was a religion with cannibalistic leanings. In truth, however, the symbolism of these attributes gives expression to the central statement of Buddhist philosophy: the overcoming of the clinging to an 'I' or 'self, the cause of all suffering in the cycle of existences. It is therefore important to make the real meaning of these symbols understandable to a wider public.

2 TENGA RINPOCHE: TRANSITION AND LIBERATION

The questions which were directed to Rinpoche in the course of the lectures together with his respective answers are also reproduced in this book. They should go some way towards answering the similar questions of others.

In order to preserve something of Tenga Rinpoche's style of teaching within the form of a book, I have tried to provide the most literal translation possible. In pursuit of this goal I have used the tape recordings to re-translate all the lectures, and tried to correct unclear points and errors which occurred in the course of the oral translation of the lectures.

In the context of his teaching tour of Germany, Rinpoche gave two further lectures on the subject of the bardo at the Summer Camp in Oer-Erkenschwick and in the Kamalashila Institute at SchloB Wachendorf, lectures which contained some further details. In those cases where these represented additional explanations on the topic, I have integrated them into the book.

I made a catalogue of those questions which arose in the course of the new translation and submitted it to Rinpoche in May of 1995. I have integrated Rinpoche's retrospective explanations on these points into the book. My particular interest in this respect was the correct and complete translation of the Root Verses of the Six Bardos.

The six bardos embrace a wide spectrum of Tibetan philosophy and are therefore unavoidably connected with a large number of technical terms. Most of these terms are known to those readers who are familiar with this field. I have nevertheless endeavoured to use, as far as possible, German terms. An index of the Tibetan technical expressions

FOREWORD 3

and their German translations is to be found in the appendix1•

I have converted the names of those deities for whom I was unable to discover the corresponding Sanskrit names, on the basis of Tenga Rinpoche's pronunciation, into German phonetic equivalents2•

The number of chapters does not correspond to the number of lectures. I have organised these according to the divisions of the meaning, corresponding to the six bardos. The questions have likewise been allocated according to their relevance to the corresponding chapters.

The working of orally delivered talks into a linguistically satisfactory, easily readable book is an undertaking requiring a great deal of work. I only managed it thanks to the inestimable help of Rolf Remers, who untiringly used his precious time, on a number of occasions until the first light of morning, to polish the style of the translation. Further thanks are due to Mille Siebelts, my true proofreader, for her help in that respect. Thanks to the valuable help of Karl Brunnholzl with the translation of Tibetan technical terms and of the root verses, and to very helpful advice from Thomas Roth and Edward Henning, I was able to save the reader from several unclear points.

1 All Gennan tenns have, of course, been translated into English for this version, and the glossary correspondingly adapted. For completeness the English translator includes here a translation of the next two paragraphs of the original introduction, although they arc only of relevance to the German version:

Unlike the Gennan language, Tibetan grammar has neither a declension of nouns nor a grammatical gender cla.~sification. Since disunity rules even amongst Gennan Tibctologists ahout the grammatical usages of originally Tibetan tcnns I have treated those Tibetan nouns that I have used as neuter ~ Bardo. da.~ Tugdam). Sanskrit on the other hand uses fonns of declension and a classification of grammatical genders which are similar to those of Gem1an. I have left all the SanskrittemlS In their original gender (der Dhanna. die Dhannma. da.~ Pilak."l). Ne\·cnht:less, for the sake of simplicity, I have left the diacritical marks out of the Sanskrir.

' In some ca.~es it has been appropriate to slightly alter these In the pursuit of :tn understandable English version.


I hope that, in spite of any misunderstandings which may still be present, I have succeeded in presenting Tenga Rinpoche's precious teachings.

May this book be of value to many beings.

Susanne Schefczyk

Medelon, June 1996

The English translator wishes at this point to thank Lorenz Dobrot for the privilege of playing his own part in bringing this text to a wider audience, and Simon Romer for assistance with the text.

INTRODUCTION The motivation with which we begin an undertaking is an important factor. The highest attitude in the striving for enlightenment (Skt.: bodhicitta) should be the motivation in connection with all dharma activities. The intention here is to support all beings .in their attainment of the level of realisation of a buddha by putting the teachings of the dharma into practice. Rinpoche teaches about the bardo on the basis of such motivation. Readers are urged to study these teachings, to reflect upon them and to put them into practice with the same motivation. If bodhicitta is the basis of our thought, then the mind of enlightenment, the highest motivation of the great vehicle (Skt.: mahayana), is fully developed.

Buddha Shakyamuni himself also travelled the whole path to buddhahood. The beginning of his path was the development of the mind of enlightenment, after which he practised the six perfections (Skt.: paramita) for three immeasurable aeons, thereby collecting merit for the benefit of all beings, until in Bodhgaya, India, he finally realised the state of a buddha.

As the Buddha he then taught two kinds of vehicle:

- the causal vehicle of characteristics

- the fruition vehicle of secret mantra.

THE CAUSAL VEHICLE OF CHARACTERISTICS

It is called the causal vehicle because it teaches the cause of buddhahood, the thirty-seven factors of a bodhisattva. It is the vehicle in which these thirty-seven factors are practised and which eventually brings them to realisation.

6 TENGA RINI'OCHE: 'I'I{ANSITION AND LIBERATION

To summarise briefly, the causal vehicle of characteristics teaches principally the tripitaka, the three collections of the spoken teachings of the Buddha:

- vinayapitaka

- sutrapitaka

- abhidharmapitaka.

The first collection of the teachings, the vinayapitaka, teaches principally the overcoming of the affliction of desirous attachment through the corresponding antidote, namely the training in correct behaviour.

The second collection of the teachings, sutrapitaka, teaches principally the overcoming of the affliction of anger through the corresponding antidote, namely the training in samadhi.

The third ·collection of the teachings, abhidharmapitaka, teaches principally the overcoming of the affliction of dullness through the corresponding antidote, namely the training in highest understanding.

In the abhidharmapitaka the Buddha also taught on the bardo. The .Tibetan word 'bardo' {bar do} indicates an intermediate existence. Previous activities are now finished, future activities have not yet begun and everything which lies between is known as a bardo. In its most common usage, however, the word bardo refers to the existence in between death and renewed birth. Buddha describes the bardo existence, its forms of expression and manifestation in the abhidharmapitaka.

The body in the bardo is described there as follows:

His physical appearance corresponds to his previous existence.

All sense faculties are perfect. He moves freely. He possesses the power to perform karmic miracles.

INTRODUCTION 7

With the pure divine eye be sees those who correspond to his realm of existence.

His physical appearance corresponds to his previous existence.

The appearance of the body in the bardo is dependent upon karmic imprints. Here on earth we posses a body of flesh and blood and a specific appearance. Because of karmic imprints, our bardo body will take on the same appearance. However, this body is not made of flesh and blood, but rather is a mental body. So if in this 'life we appear in the form of a human being, because of karmic imprints our mental body after death in the bardo will also take on the form and appearance of a human.

All sense facu /ties are perfect.

Even if we arc blind ·or deaf in this life, if we have missing limbs, or some organs that do not work, all of these sense faculties, limbs and organs will be perfect in the bardo body.

He moves freely.

If we think, for example, about Kathmandu, a picture of the city immediately arises. The mental body of the bardo is capable of moving itself to any place, just by thought. It can not be obstructed by anything, whether cliffs, mountains or oceans. If we wanted to travel now in our material body to Kathmandu, we would have to undertake either an aeroplane flight or a long overland journey. However the bardo body moves freely and without hindrance.

He possesses the power to perform karmic miracles.

In the intermediate existence of the bardo, the body is capable of performing miracles. If we have this capability in this life, then the reason lies in the power of samadhi or of meditation. If we meditate well there is a possibility that we


develop extraordinary powers such as clairvoyance, the ability to walk on water or not to be burnt by fire. Miracles in the bardo are different from these. They are merely called 'miracles', but do not happen as a result of the force of meditation but rather through the power of karma.

For example, one miracle based on karma is the ability of the mental body of the bardo to see all the humans on the earth. With the eye of the bardo he can see what his parents and relatives are doing. He can clairvoyantly see every place. With the ears of the bardo he can hear the conversations of all the people of the earth.

With the pure divine eye be sees those who correspond to his realm of existence.

A being of the bardo who, on the basis of his karma takes on the body of a human can perceive other bardo beings having a similar karma. This also applies to beings with whom he has a karmic connection from an earlier life. In the bardo, the consciousness can also see those beings who correspond to the future realm of existence of his rebirth. ff, for instance, he is going to be reborn as an animal, he can see all animals.

THE FRUITION VEHICLE OF SECRET MANTRA

In addition to the bardo teachings which Buddha Shakyamuni gave in the abhidharma, he taught a variety of methods whereby a being in the bardo can be helped. He taught phowa, which is the practice of the ejection of consciousness3, and the rituals of the bardo. These methods are contained in the secret mantra vehicle.

This vehicle is also known as the secret-mantra-vajra vehicle, since, on the basis of this path which joins method and highest understanding, we can attain the vajra body with our

5 See pages 9, 43, and 49.

INTRODUCTION 9

body, the vajra speech with our speech and the vajra mind with our mind. This means that we will attain the three vajras4 with our body, speech and mind through this vehicle. Therefore it is called the 'vajra vehicle' (Skt.: vajrayana).

The Buddha taught the secret-mantra-vajra vehicle in a special way. When the dharma king Dawa Sangpo asked him for teaching, he taught the Kalacakratantra. He did not teach it in his normal form, but rather manifested himself as Kalacakra together with his complete entourage.

At the request of King Indrabodhi, Buddha Shakyamuni taught the Guhyasamajatantra in the manifestation of Guhyasamaja.

All the tantras taught by the Buddha were originally given on the basis of the request of a bodhisattva. The Buddha turned himself in each case into the divinity of the tantra concerned, teaching the tantra as a form or aspect of that divinity.

Another tantra was requested by Arya Samantabhadra and Arya Manjushri together. At this, the Buddha taught the Vajra Catuhpithatantra by taking on the form of Vajra Catuhpitha. In the Vajra Catuhpithatantra he gave the following teaching about how a being in the bardo can realise buddhahood in one moment with the help of the instructions on phowa:

They are in bondage to all faults. They become free by the practice of phowa being

carried out. Not in bondage to any kind of negativity They attain the highest liberation beyond samsara.

If someone who in his life had performed many negative actions, and who was not able to practise the dharma dies, then a master of phowa, who has himself perfectly realised phowa, can carry out the phowa ritual for the deceased

• The vajra is a symbol of indestructibility.

10 TliNGA RINI'OC.:IIIi: TI{ANSITION AND LIBEI{ATION

person. In this practice he visualises the body of the deceased in the form of Vajrayogini, visualises her central channel, and, within that, the essence of the mind as a white drop .. This is then ejected. It is said that under favourable circumstances the consciousness of the deceased can attain buddhahood in an instant. It can also take on a body in a pure land such as Sukhavati. Normally however, the consciousness will be reborn on earth, taking on a human body, with which it can practise the dharma. In this way the consciousness can remove and purify previously collected negativities with the help of dharma practice, and later, step by step, attain the level of realisation of a buddha.

If in this way a master carries out the practice of phowa for a deceased person, even if that person is a criminal who has committed the limitless acts, they will no longer be bound by those negativities and will realise buddhahood beyond samsara. The phowa ritual must however be properly, accurately and genuinely carried out. If these factors come together someone can also be saved from a descent into the hells.

At the request of Avalokiteshvara, · the bodhisattva of great compassion, Buddha, in the manifestation of Vajrasattva, taught the Tantra of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities.

A section of this tantra was the Liberation through Hearing in the Bardo, better known in its translation as the Tibetan Book of the Dead. If we are in the bardo, and this book is recited, then we can attain liberation purely through hearing the instructions. Therefore this teaching is called Liberation through Hearing in the Bardo.

The Buddha taught also a further special method of liberation in connection with the Tantra of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities, namely the Great Wheel of Liberation through Wearing. It concerns a text of the Dharmakaya

INTRODUCTION 11

Samantabhadra, which is written down in a circular pattern. If this text is attached to the body of the deceased and burnt together with it, then, according to this teaching, all negativities will be purified through this alone.

Tibetan lamas provide this Great Wheel of Liberation through Wearing at a cremation for a deceased person. The deceased wear it over the heart. Through this blessing the appearances in the bardo, which are based on delusion, do not arise. As a result it is easier to recognise the bardo as such. There are many reasons for the special importance of applying this method.

After the Buddha, manifesting in the form of Vajrasattva, had taught this tantra, it was transmitted through an unbroken line of many Indian mahasiddhas until it was brought to Tibet by Guru Rinpoche as the Tantra of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities and the Great Wheel of Liberation through Wearing.

When Guru Rinpoche came to Tibet it was above all three students who requested teachings for support in the bardo: the translator Langdro Lotsawa Konchog Gyatsen, the king Trisong Detsen, and the dakini Yeshe Tsogyal.

They prayed to him for teachings, saying: "We Tibetans are all incapable of practising with strength. Please give us instructions on how we can shield ourselves from the fears of the bardo, recognise the bardo, attain liberation through hearing and purify all our negativities through wearing." At this, Guru Rinpoche taught the Liberation through Hearing in the Bardo and the bardo rituals.

At the end of the teachings Guru Rinpoche said: "Langdro Lotsawa, you will be the future lord of these teachings. Say prayers and give your blessing, so that in the future they will be able to spread amongst all beings." The translator hid the profound teachings on the peaceful and wrathful deities in


the form of a treasure text (terma). In this way it came about that all these bardo rituals were hidden as a treasure text in a cliff on the mountain of Gonpo Targyi Ri in Tibet. Some time after the translator Langdro Lotsawa had died, the Siddha Karma Lingpa took birth as a discoverer of treasure texts (terton) and raised this treasure from the mountain of Gonpo Targyi Ri.

This treasure text rediscovered by Karma Lingpa was the teaching which is known in its translation under the name of The Tibetan Book of the Dead and in Tibetan as Liberation through Hearing in the Bardo. The book has been translated into a variety of Western languages.

The ritual connected with the bardo is known as the Ritual of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities. This refers to the 42 peaceful and the 58 wrathful deities of the bardo. This ritual is also known as the bardo ritual or as the bardo puja.

Part of the practice instructions for the bardo ritual are the Root Verses of the Six Bardos. 'rhey describe six kinds of bardo:

- the bardo of the natural place of birth

- the bardo of dream

- the bardo of samadhi and mental stability

- the bardo of the time of death

- the bardo of dharmata

- the bardo of becoming

All of these forms of bardo existence will be explained in the following.

THE BARDO OF THE NATURAL PlACE OF BIRTH

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Kyema!

Now, as the bardo of the place of birth appears,

I should not waste any time in this life, but by giving up laziness

Should walk the path of undistracted listening, reflecting and meditating, and

Carrying appearances and mind onto the path, reveal the three kayas.

Now, as I have on this one occasion obtained a human body,

Is not the time to dwell on the path of distractions.


The fJ.rSt bardo existence is the bardo of the natural place of birth. It is related to the body that we have taken on in this life. In whichever of the six realms of existence it may be that we lived, the body of the last life has been put aside. The future depends upon our present activity {karma) and upon our karmic imprints. When we have reached the level of realisation of a buddha we no longer need a body. If we do not reach this goal, then in our next life we will have to take on a body which we do not yet possess. In between having the bodies of the previous and forthcoming lives we have the body of this life, the bardo of the natural place of birth.

There are two different ways of taking birth:

The first is the birth of buddhas and bodhisattvas. They manifest themselves bodily for the benefit of all other beings out of great compassion. In this case one speaks of 'taking birth according to intention'. Bodhisattvas can consciously determine their birth in accordance with their intentions. They think: "I will be reborn in this or that land, and lead its inhabitants and all those to be tamed onto the path of dharma." - "I will have precisely those parents, since they are in harmony with the dharma." - "If I take that birth I will be able to meet my lama and spiritual friend." Bodhisattvas control their thoughts ~d in this way determine their birth.

The second way of taking birth is the ordinary way. In this case one speaks of 'taking birth on the basis of karma and of karmic imprints'. How does it come about that we collect karma? We have certain ideas in our mind, the afflictions, such as desirous attachment, ·anger, ignorance, pride or jealousy. These ideas manifest themselves, we give way to them, and commit unvirtuous acts with body and speech. This is the way in which we collect our karma.

What are karmic imprints? From the absolute point of view, no so-called 'self exists, no so-called 'I' exists. But we don't

THE BARDO OF THJi NATURAl. PI.AUi 01' lliRTH 15

recognise this. Instead, we assume an I in the absence of an I and take the absence of a self for the self. Those are the karmic imprints, on the basis of which we move incessantly in the cycle of samsara.

Once karma and karmic imprints have got a hold in our mind, then after we have been through the bardo we will enter a womb and take on a body.

The way in which we enter the womb depends on the aversion and clinging that we experience during the union of our future parents. If, for example, we are going to be born in a male body on the basis of our karma we will develop a clinging to our mother and in regard to the father a tendency to aversion or the manifestation of anger. This clinging and aversion towards the mother and father come together when the red and white elements of the parents mix with the bardo consciousness. At this moment the entry to the womb occurs.

If we are to take up a female body, clinging to the father and a tendency for aversion toward the mother manifest.

THE FORMATION OF THE HUMAN BODY

The first bardo existence, the bardo of the natural place of birth, is our body. Therefore the way in which the formation of our body becoines completed will first be presented here5•

The bardo consciousness driven by karma and karmic imprints, the white aspect of the father and the red aspect of the mother have mixed together after the union. The 'great life-force wind' then pulls these two aspects a little apart for the first 29 days. It pushes the white aspect of the father a little upwards and the red aspect of the mother a little

' For this, Rinpoche bases his explanation on the text 1be Profound Inner Meaning, by Rangjung Dorje, the third Kannapa.


downwards. The central channel forms between the white and red aspects of the parents.

Generally speaking the life-force wind refers to the true nature of the mind, which can be described from three different standpoints:

-In an explanation of the winds (Skt.: prana) the true nature of the mind is called the 'life-force wind'.

- In an explanation of the channels (Skt.: nadi) the true nature of the mind is called the 'central channel'.

- In an explanation of the drops (Skt.: bindu) the nature of the mind is called the 'bindu free from mental projections'.

The white bindu of the father stays at the upper end of the central channel in the human body, while the red bindu of the mother stays at the lower end. If we practise tummo in this body we develop a great heat, which arises on the basis of the red element of the mother as its cause. Fundamentally, our bodily warmth is based on the red element of the mother. If at one time or another one experiences bodily or mental bliss, it derives from the white element of the father.

In the course of the second month. the 'downwards eliminating wind' arises from the nature of the mind, in other words from the life-force or life-force wind. Based on this wind, the energy centre (Skt.: cakra) of the heart with its eight nadi branches, the navel cakra with its sixty-four nadi branches and the secret cakra with its thirty-two nadi branches develop.

In the third month a new wind, the 'upwards flowing wind' arises from the great life-force wind. The function of this wind is to form the limbs of the body. It determines the visible form of the body, forming head, arms and legs.

THE BARDO OF THE NATURAL PLACE OF BIRTH 17

In the fourth month a further wind, the 'penetrating wind' arises from the great life-force wind. This wind forms the right side-channel (Skt.: ida) and the left side-channel (Skt.: pingala). With this, the three most important channels in the body have been formed. The penetrating wind has the effect of causing all the sub-channels in the body, head, arms and legs to spread out. In addition it creates the crown cakra with its thirty-two nadis and the throat cakra with its sixteen nadis.

It is in general said that in the human body, both in women and in men, there are three main nadis and six cakras. It should however be noted that in Wrious tantras the branching of the cakras is counted differently. In the Kalacakratantra, for instance, the counting differs from that in the Vajra Catuhpithatantra explained above.

The 'fire like wind' arises from our life-force wind during the flfth month. In the womb it develops our inner organs such as lungs, heart and intestines. It also builds the joints of our bones, both in the upper half as well as in the lower half of the body.

In the sixth month the great life-force wind develops the 'naga wind' which allows the channels of the two eyes to develop, and thereby the faculty of seeing.

In the seventh month the 'turde wind' develops out of the life-force wind. This allows the channels in both the ears to arise, and thereby the faculty of sight.

In the eighth month the 'lizard wind' develops out of the lifeforce wind, which allows the channels in both the nostrils to arise, and thereby the faculty of sm~ll.

In the ninth month the 'wind of divine giving' develops out of the life-force wind. This develops all the channels of the

18 TENGA RINPOCHE: TUANSITION AND LIBERATION

tongue, and thereby the faculty of taste and all corresponding functions.

At the end of the ninth month the body is fully formed and ready for birth. The time at which the child is born depends now upon the nadis and winds of the mother, in particular upon her downwards eliminating wind. For this reason children are sometimes born before the end of the ninth month. Then again, others are not yet born in spite of the nine months. Whether the birth takes place earlier or later depends on the constitution, the nadis and the winds of the mother.

Although a body, which in the ninth month is capable of being born, can already experience feeling of joy and suffering, it is only in the tenth month that the great life-force wind develops the 'wind victorious over possession' which intensifies and completes bodily feeling.

After the passing of ten months we are born with fully developed channels. There are now in our body 24,000 subchannels developed from each of the central channel, right side-channel and left side-channel, in other words a total of 72,000 channels. In this connection it is taught that in the course of a day and a night we draw breath 21,000 times.

With this process the body is fully developed. It is the body with which we have taken on a new birth. As long as we possess this body, we remain until our death in the intermediate existence that was first described, the bardo of the natural place of birth.

With this body of the natural place of birth we can experience joy or happiness, but also suffering or fear. Sometimes we meet pleasant outer objects of this relative world, and thus experience happiness. Sometimes we meet unpleasant, frightening or painful objects in this relative


world, and therefore develop great fear or mental suffering. If we analyse and investigate all these outer objects and the feelings to which they give rise we establish that, on an absolute level, none of these outer objects truly exists. But if none of the outer objects from the absolute point of view truly exists, then also the feelings arising from them -suffering, fear, happiness and joy - can not, absolutely speaking, truly exist.

If we think that, since we experience them as real, happiness, joy and suffering really do exist in our mind, this is only relatively true. All feelings· are merely appearances in our mind based on delusion, but in the absolute sense they do not exist. If in this moment we experience suffering and fear, this feeling can within a few moments transform into joy and complete happiness. If we suffer today, it can already be over tomorrow. If we are perfectly happy today, great suffering can appear tomorrow. All of these experiences are constantly changing. That is an indication that, in the absolute sense, they do not truly exist.

Although the mental feelings of happiness and suffering do not, in the absolute sense, truly exist, they, as objects of the relative world, possess nevertheless a relative reality. On a relative level they possess an existence in that they appear to our deluded mind. A large mountain, for instance, exists as substance, it fulfils a function. Human beings all perceive it. It is an object of experience for their eyes. It seems to us that these objects exist absolutely, and for this reason we also take them inwardly for absolutely true. As long as this mental taking-for-real of objects remains unresolved, they appear to us as truly existent and become essential components of our thinking.

One of the Six Yogas of Naropa is the practice of the illusory body. It is practised in the daytime, and has as its goal the

20 TENGA RINPOCHE: 1'1{ANSI1'10N AND LIBERATION

recognition of all appearances, including all conditions of happiness and of suffering, as illusions. We recognise that all sensations are similar to sensations in a dream, being not truly existent and merely appearances of our deluded mind. With the help of the practice of the illusory body we can give up the mental taking-for-real of the objects of the relative world. We recognise directly that they possess no real existence. All lamas who have attained siddhi, that is yogic abilities, on the basis of the practice of the illusory body are capable of turning fire into water or water into fire or of performing other extraordinary deeds. That is an indication that in the absolute sense things are not, from the point of view of their inner being, truly existent.

In the abhidharma the Buddha taught the structure of the world as follows: Mount Meru constitutes the centre of the world, and is surrounded in the four cardinal directions by the four continents. Our continent, Jambudvipa, lies to the south of Mount Meru. The foundation of this mountain consists of four platform steps. Mount Meru has a quadratic shape. The eastern side is entirely made of white crystal, the southern side of dark blue lapis lazuli, the west side of red ruby and the north side of gold. The Buddha could teach these things in the abhidharma since this world picture does not truly exist. He taught this structure as a form in which relative phenomena appear.

On the other hand he taught in the Kalacakratantra that Mount Meru and the four platforms are round.

Scientists teach that our world is a ball, and therefore turns. The degree of truth is the same.

The Buddha taught the forms of appearance of the world on the basis of his clairvoyance. We on the other hand are these days able to directly observe the form of appearance of the world with the help of powerful machines, telescopes,


measuring instruments and numerous other aids. The scientists' discovery that the earth, described by the Buddha as a great mountain, is a ball, is also a matter of relative truth.

This is all a description of the manner in which phenomena appear, but not of how they really are. Therefore what the Buddha taught and what we observe are both matters of relative truth, since relative phenomena possess no true existence on the absolute level. A sign of this is that they are perceived differently by different individuals. In this way all phenomena of the relative world, which do not truly exist, give rise in us simultaneously to various individual feelings -sometimes happiness, sometimes suffering, sometimes joy, sometimes fear. These experiences are based on the body, so we speak in this connection of the body as the natural place of birth.

The Root Verses of the Six Bardos from the treasure text of the peaceful and wrathful deities rediscovered by Karma Lingpa contain instructions on how one meditates in the bardo of the natural state of birth:

Kyemal Now, as the bardo of the place of birth appears, I should not waste any time in this life, but by giving up

laziness Should walk the path of undistracted listening,

reflecting and meditating, and Carrying appearances and mind onto the path, reveal

the three kayas. Now, as I have on this one occasion obtained a human

body, Is not the time to dwell on the path of distractions.


Now, as the bardo of the place of birth appears

The. basis of the bardo of the natural place of birth is the body, which has originated from the force of karma, of the afflictions and of karmic imprints. This bardo begins at the time of birth and ends with death. It is the bardo of this life.

I should not waste any time in this life, but by giving up laziness

This life has only a short duration, and is therefore not to be wasted. We cannot rely on a long life since it has no permanence, no continuation. Come what may, therefore, we should completely abandon laziness in the practice of dharma.

Should walk the path of undistracted listening, reflecting and meditating, and

Once laziness has been abandoned one should step out on the path of undistracted listening, reflecting and meditating. This means dedicating oneself to the dharma, uninfluenced by worldly activities, by undistractedly listening, reflecting and meditating.

Carrying appearances and mind onto the path, reveal the three kayas.

Appearances and mind are carried onto the path by mixing appearances and mind into one. If this is completely done, the three bodies (Skt.: kaya) of a buddha are revealed:

- dharmakaya, emptiness as the essential being of all appearances

- sambhogakaya, clarity as the specific nature of all appearances

- nirmanakaya, the emanation of appearances in various expressive forms


These three bodies are present in our mind and are revealed through the unification of appearances and mind.

Now, as I have on this one occasion obtained a human body

Our human body as such does not remain available to us for long. What is more, we do not often attain a perfect human body. Now is the time that we have uniquely obtained one.

Is not the time to dwell on the path of distractions.

Since the body is unique, we have no time in the bardo of the natural place of birth for acts based upon laziness, diversion or distraction.

Questions and Answers

QUESTION: Is it useful to recite the Tibetan Book of the Dead for a deceased person who had no contact with the dharma, or would it rather be confusing for him or her?

ANSWER: It is said that the bardo of dharmata, in which the peaceful and wrathful deities appear, appears to anyone who had a human body. Every human body is endowed with nadis, prana and hindus. In their pure aspect they represent the peaceful and wrathful deities. They are contained within our mind since the primordial beginning and can therefore appear to every human in the bardo, regardless of whether or not the person had contact with the dharma in that particular life. If you read the Tibetan Book of the Dead while these appearances are manifesting to the deceased in the bardo, you point out their meaning in detail. In that way it has great value, even when previously there was no connection with the dharma.

QUESTION: Must the book of the dead be recited in Tibetan?

24 TENGA RINPOCHE: TnANSITION AND LIBEAATION

ANSWER: When somebody has died, and you read the Tibetan Book of the Dead for him, it is by no means necessary to read it in Tibetan. It is best to read it in your own language, since that is the one with which you are most closely connected. If you read it in German or English, the deceased will understand it.

QUESTION: Exactly when is the book of the dead recited? As the person lies dying, or when he or she is already dead? Someone who is dying and who has had no connection with the dharma might be frightened if it was recited.

ANSWER: If the dying person had contact with the dharma and wishes that it be recited to them, and if they had trust in the dharma, then you can recite the book of the dead to them before death. But in general all the bardo rituals, including the reading of the book of the dead, are intended to be carried out after death has definitively come, after the outer breath has ceased. It is from this moment that the appearances of the bardo begin. So therefore one should also begin from this moment with the recitation of the descriptions of the appearances from the book of the dead.

QUESTION: Is it necessary to read the book of the dead near to the deceased, or can it also be done at some other place? In hospitals it is often not possible, since the body is removed immediately after death. So you cannot stay sitting there reading for hours out of the book.

ANSWER: If somebody has died and you recite the book at home, that is all right. The consciousness can hear it all the same, regardless of where you are reading it.

QUESTION: How do animals experience the bardo? How can we help them?

ANSWER: The Buddha gave these bardo teachings of the book of the dead on the basis of the human body, since the

THE BARDO 01: THE NATURAL PLACE 01: BIRTH 25

human body possesses the three main nadis and the six cakras. Prana, which carries the white and red elements of the father and of the mother, flows in the nadis. All the nadi regions of the body are penetrated by prana, and through that by the white and red elements. That is why the appearances arise in the bardo. However the Buddha gave no teaching about animals, not even whether they experience a bardo existence or not.

Generally the phowa ritual can be carried out for an animal that has died just as for a person. That is of great value.

QUESTION: What happens with children who are the result of extra-uterine fertilization? Isn't that in contradiction to what has been explained?

ANSWER: There is no contradiction. If the energy of the white and red elements of the father and mother meet together, the entrance of consciousness is possible. Some consciousnesses can also take a body even though the energies of the white and red elements of the father and mother are not present.

If the consciousness has takeri birth through the energy of warmth it is called 'birth through warmth'.

Taking on a body is also possible although no basis for it is present. That is called 'birth through spontaneous arising'. All hell beings are born in this way.

Some consciousnesses form a body in an egg before their birth. The birth which follo:ws is 'birth from an egg'.

Some consciousnesses form a body in a womb and are then born. This is 'birth from a womb'.

These are four examples of the many possibilities for a birth.

QUESTION: Science has established that chromosomes are the determining factor for gender. Isn't that a contradiction?

26 TENGA RINPOCHE: TRANSITION AND LIBEllATION

ANSWER: It's not a contradiction. It goes without saying that the father and the mother play their part in whether the child will be a boy or a girl. From the point of view of Buddhism, the karma of the bardo consciousness also comes into play. If, because of one's karma, one is to be born as a boy, one will be born as a boy. Male and female beings also emerge in the case of births which are independent of parents, such as birth through spontaneous arising or birth through warmth.

QUESTION: Many old people are already mentally confused shortly before death. Is that the first dawning of the bardo?

ANSWER: It is not a sign that the bardo will soon begin. If we are mentally confused, that is, in general, the result of our karma. For some people the nadis and the wind are somewhat constricted, so that the wind cannot flow in harmony. Confusions can result if the elements of the body are blocked. It is only in our present situation, based on this body, that we have 'craziness', since the body has a connection with the mind. When we are finally dead, there is no more craziness.

THE BARDO OF DREAM

..... Za\1~

ql~·~·~·~a\f·q~·tf~a;~·~~r~~~~

~~·~~·=:~~·q~·~,·~~~rs~r~~~

s~·q·ciJ~~·~,·~~~·~~~·~"~·~~~~

~·~a\f·q~"~~·~~·q~~·~,·~~~·s~~~

~1·~~q~~·~·~~·q~·a\T·s1·%~~ c-.. ._., ..... c-.. ..... .....

~~1.1"a\T~~·~a\T·~s~·q"'·~a\1~·~~·~~~ ~

Kyema! Now, as the bardo of dream appears,

I should, by giving up the dullness of unconscious corpse like sleep,

With awareness and without distraction enter the true nature And, recognising dream, transform its manifestations and

practise the clear light. Do not sleep like an animal!

Practice which unifies sleep and the direct state is important.

28 TENGA RlNPOCHE: TRANSITION AND LIBERATION

What is to be understood by the bardo or intermediate existence of dream?

Now, in the daytime, the phenomena of relative truth appear to us. They are the appearances based upon delusion. Tomorrow we will again meet phenomena of relative truth. Our sleep lies in between. It sometimes happens in sleep that we dream. The dream scenes that appear to us are also based upon delusion. Since they appear between the phenomena of yesterday and those of today we speak of an intermediate existence, the bardo of dream.

Similarly our perceptions during dreams are not truly existent. If we dream for instance of a huge, blazing fire, what is the cause of the fire? Wood. This wood is, however, not present. But if the cause of the ftre, the wood, is not present, then how does the ftre come about? The dream fire has no true causes or conditions. It burns, nevertheless, in our dreams. It bums up all the wood, it burns me and everything else. It is a dream event without true existence.

Sometimes we dream about terrifying animals. We come across tigers, lions or poisonous snakes and develop great fear. In the meantime however, our body is in bed. There are not really any tigers or lions. Nevertheless in our minds there is fear and we experience the suffering as if we'd really come across tigers or lions. In the absolute sense, however, the tigers and lions do not exist.

For as long as we still have not destroyed our taking-for-real of the phenomena of relative truth, they will appear to us as truly existing. We hold them to be things which are really able to bring us harm or to help us. The same is true for a dream in which we come across frightening dream objects. For as long as we have not woken up from the dream, our experiences appear to us as reality, and we experience direct fear.

THE BARDO OF DREAM 29'

The line of transmission stemming from Jowo Atisha when he brought the teachings to Tibet was called the 'Kadampa' (Practice Instructions of the Buddlia's Word). The reason for this designation is that with a closer examination we find that the words of the Buddha represent genuine instructions for practice, and should therefore indeed be put into practice. The teachings described above are also instructions for practice. That means that the appearances of the bardo of the natural place of birth are the relative truth and from the absolute point of view are not truly existent. Our dreams, the appearances of the bardo of dream, are also not truly existent. In the sense of the Kadampas, the point is to put these teachings into practice.

How can we put the bardo of dream into practice? The appropriate instructions are contained in the teachings of the transmission lineage that begins with the Mahasiddha Tilopa. They are known as 'The Profound Path of the Six Yogas of Naropa'. The instructions of dream yoga are contained within them.

In general four situations through which a human can go in the course of a day are described:

The condition of being awake is the present situation with all its appearances. The instruction to use the waking condition on the path is contained in the yoga of the illusory body. It teaches the method of meditating that all appearances of this life are like illusions or dreams.

The second situation is that of deep sleep, a phase of sleep in which we have no dreams. The instructions for using deep sleep on the path encompass the meditation on clear light.

In addition to deep sleep there is, within sleep, the phase of dream. This phase is known as the dreaming condition. The yoga of dream is the method for bringing dream onto the

30 TENGA RINPOCHE: TnANSITION AND LIBEIMTION

path. The dream appearances, based upon delusion, are brought into the meditation here.

The fourth situation is the union of man and woman. The instructions of tummo, the inner heat, and certain subdivisions of this practice, are in order to bring that situation onto the path of practice.

Dream yoga is the method of recognising dream as such whilst dreaming, in order then to alter the dream pictures which are based upon delusion. If we practise dream yoga successfully we become able to visit the pure lands of all the buddhas and bodhisattvas. There we can ask them for dharma teachings, for empowerments, and receive special instructions. We can also go to certain places, for example to India, to Bodhgaya or to the place where our lama is staying. It is similarly possible to visit the lower realms of existence such as the hells in order to understand the manner of such a birth and the suffering of the beings there. These abilities can be developed through the dream yoga.

Karma Lingpa, the discoverer of treasure texts who discovered the Tibetan Book of the Dead or Liberation through Hearing in the Bardo, also possessed the ability to practise dream yoga. He had a son who, at the young age of eleven went into retreat and performed meditation on the goddess Vajravarahi for seven days. He died at the age of about fifteen. With the aid of his yogic abilities, siddha Karma Lingpa visited the realms of the bardo in a dream, and found his son, who was at that time still in the bardo. "Tell me of your suffering in the bardo," Karma Lingpa asked him, "tell me of your fear". "Yes," replied the son, "I do indeed have a little fear and suffering. But since I had previously practised Vajravarahi for seven days, I am protected from great fear and from great suffering." Karma Lingpa gave him the following advice: "Look at the true nature of the mind, and enter into a pure realm." But his son

THE BARDO OF D.RF.AM 31

replied: "In my last life I died prematurely, so therefore, in keeping with the Buddha's teachings, I'd like to keep working and to be of use to all beings. So I'd like to be born either as a human again or in the realm of the gods." Karma Lingpa agreed. "If you want to work for the benefit of all beings and of the teachings, then make appropriate wishing prayers and through their strength take on a birth on earth." His son was later born as a great bodhisattva in human form, who made it his task to spread all the treasure texts rediscovered by Karma Lingpa.

Another discoverer of treasure texts, Urgyen Chogyur Lingpa, who wrote extensively on the Vajrakilaya dances, also had the capability to practise dream yoga. In his dreams he visited the pure land of Guru Rinpoche, the Copper Coloured Mountain. He stayed there during an offering feast of Vajrakilaya, where the Vajrakilaya dances were also performed. Later he was able to pass these on to his students.

These are examples of the great temporary uses to which a successful practice of dream yoga can be put. A further benefit is the ability to recognise the appearances of the bardo for what they are after ones own death.

The Root Verses of the Six Bardos:

Kyema! Now, as the bardo of dream appears, I should, by giving up the dullness of unconscious corpse

like sleep, With awareness and without distraction enter the true

nature And, recognising dream, transform its manifestations

and practise the clear light. Do not sleep like an animal!



Now, as the bardo of dream appears,

I should, by giving up the dullness of unconscious corpse like sleep

As the bardo of dream appears, we should neither fall under the influence of dull sleep nor into unconscious distraction. Whoever falls into dull sleep, sleeps unconsciously like a corpse, without tht: slightest· attentiveness. One should give up this kind of unconscious, corpse like sleep.

With awareness and without distraction enter the true nature

Instead one should put the instructions of dream yoga into practice, and with attention and without distraction one should remain in the true nature of the mind.

And, recognising dream, tran.~form its num~festalions and practise the clear light.

Recognising a dream as such and freeing oneself from the dream's delusions allows the dream appearances to be transformed. With this method one trains oneself within the state of dreaming in the yoga of clear light. The dream must first be recognised for what it is, then the transformation of the dream appearances becomes possible. In this way, for example, I can allow my body to give rise to a hundred further bodies. If I am a lion in my dream, I can transform myself into a tiger. These are all the activities of the clear light of dream.

Do not sleep like an animal!

An animal does not possess the capacity to practise dream yoga. Whoever constantly sleeps unconsciously behaves in sleep like an animal.

THE BARDO OF DREAM 33


In this line 'sleep' refers to the condition of sleep and 'direct state' to immediate presence, the truth of dharmata, in other words the meditation. of the true nature of the mind. The unification of sleep and the direct state is the meditation of the true nature of the mind in immediate presence. One should be able to maintain this meditation in sleep.

THE BARDO OF SAMADHI AND MENTAL STABILI1Y

~~~ q,~-~-q~~-~?~"q:l\·~~a;:I\·~~-~~:1\J

~~-~~c:..~·~ij~-~~-~~-~~~r~c:..~rs~r~~~

~c:..~·~,-~~~-~,·~.sa~·SJ~·c:..c;:~·~l'~J

qi1f~-~~~-~-q~~·~·~q·~:I\"S,J

s,-q·~c:..~-~~-t~%~·qif~·~~-~~Z..J

r~·&rc:..~·~ij~-~~·,qc;:~·~·q?c;:~~~

Kyema! Now, as the bardo of mental stability appears,

I should, by giving up the numerous distractions and delusions,

Remain in a state free from distraction, without grasping and free from extremes

And attain stability in generation and completion. Now, having abandoned activity, in one-pointed meditation Do not fall under the power of the afflictions and delusion.

THE BARDO OF SAMADHI AND MENTAL STADILI1Y 35

The third intermediate existence is the bardo of samadhi and mental stability. It is described as an intermediate existence because through the practice of calm abiding (Skt. shamatha) and the attainment of stability in· this practice within this human life we go beyond the existence of a normal being. We have nevertheless not yet reached the first bodhisattva stage, the stage of 'highest joy' on the path of seeing, since we do not yet have a direct insight into the truth of this path. So we find ourselves in between the stage of a normal being and the first bodhisattva level. This intermediate existence is therefore called the bardo of samadhi and mental stability.

The path of seeing, and thereby the first bodhisattva stage, is immediately attained by direct realisation of the truth of dharmata. In such cases 'directly attaining the path of seeing' is spoken of. If we now practise · shamatha meditation, developing a stable mental composure, without however having yet directly reached the path of seeing, the meditation on the true nature of the mind is, because of its similarity with directly attaining the path of seeing, called 'almost identically attaining the path of seeing'.

What is the relation between directly seeing and almost identically seeing? Before the sun has risen in the morning we cannot directly see it. But we deduce from the dawning light and the first rays of sunshine that it is there. This is similar to almost identically attaining the path of seeing. When the sun has risen, we can see it directly. That corresponds to directly attaining the path of seeing. In this sense the bardo of samadhi and mental stability is almost identically attaining the path of seeing.

To apply the bardo of samadhi and mental stability as a method, we use first of all the three seclusions. These are:

- seclusion of the body


- seclusion of speech

- seclusion of the mind

These three seclusions should be included in our shamatha meditation. Seclusion of the body implies the avoidance of senseless activity. Seclusion of speech implies freedom from useless talk. Seclusion of the mind implies interruption of the flow of thought about worldly activities. In this way shamatha meditation is supported by the seclusion of body, speech and mind.

The seven point bodily posture of Vairocana can be taken as the physical position for this meditation.

There exists a variety of types of shamatha meditation, some with an object of concentration and some without. The practice of mahamudra comprises differing types of both shamatha meditation and of vipashyana meditation (meditation of deep insight). Regardless of which type of meditation is applied in connection with the three seclusions, we reach the three different stages of pacification known as the 'three stages of mental stability':

Through the seclusion of the body we reach a stability of the mind that is not distracted by senseless activity.

Through the seclusion of speech we reach a stability of the mind that is not distracted by useless talk.

Through the seclusion of the mind we reach a stability of the mind that does not get lost under the influence of day-to-day thoughts.

Through these three seclusions we reach a stage of mental stability. It follows from this that the stability of our samadhi and of our mental composure is based primarily on shamatha meditation.

Tt-IE BAtmo OF SAMADHI AND MENTAL STABILilY 37

The Root Verses of the Six Bardos describe the practice of the bardo of sarnadhi and mental stability as follows:

Kyema! Now, as the bardo of mental stability appears, I should, by giving up the numerous distractions and

delusions, Remain in a state free from distraction, without

grasping and free from extremes And attain stability in generation and completion. Now, having abandoned activity, in one-pointed

meditation Do not fall under the power of the afflictions and

delusion.

Now, as the bardo of mental stability appears

The bardo of samadhi and mental stability is our meditation, for instance our sharnatha practice.

I should, by giving up the numerous distractions and delusions

Distractions and delusions should be given up in sharnatha meditation. We will not make any progress if we are constantly distracted by worldly activities and deluded by our own thoughts. So we should not give in to the distractions and delusions, but rather overcome them.

Remain in a state free from distraction, without grasping and free from extremes

Remaining free from distraction means maintaining exclusively a mere recpgnition. Remaining without grasping means not having any attachment to meditation. One should not, in other words, overestimate it by thinking: "I must now meditate really well!". One should never let this kind of thought arise, as they lead to an overestimation of the

38 THNGA RINI'OCIIE: TltANSITION AND LIBERATION

meditation. Remain without distraction and without overestimation of the medita=:ion in a condition of freedom from extremes. Let the mind rest within itself.

And attain stability in generation and completion.

From time to time the generation phase meditation should be practised, that is the visualisation of the deity and the recitation of its mantra. The completion phase meditation should also be practised from time to time. If we remain in a state of undistracted samadhi, free from extremes, stability in both the generation phase as well as in the completion phase will be reached.

Now, having abandoned activity, in one-pointed meditation

Do not fall under the power of the afflictions and delusion.

If all worldly activities are given up one can remain onepointedly in the bardo of samadhi and mental stability. In this meditation one should not fall under the influence of afflictions and delusions.


QUESTION: Rinpoche says that dream appearances should be recognised as not really existing. But if we meet our lama in a dream, isn't that extraordinarily important?

ANSWER: If you dream about your lama, the lama's appearance doesn't really exist. Milarepa says: "The lama too is no more than a dream or illusion".

QUESTION: How does space behave in the various bardos? We don't normally take on two forms of existence in the bardo simultaneously, but one after another. But we share the place with other beings. Do all the bardos exist in a common space?

THE BARDO 011 SAMADHI AND MENTAL STABIU'IY 39

ANSWER: The place of all the six bardos is the same. It is the aspect of the mind of appearances based on delusion. Because our mind deceives itself about appearances, the places seem different to us although they are the same. We are currently in the bardo of the natural place of birth, our place is on earth. The places in the bardo of dream are the places of which we dream. During the meditation of the bardo of samadhi and mental stability the place is the attainment of stability in samadhi itself. So the places of the bardos appear to be different, although from the point of view of their inner being they are nevertheless identical. They are the appearing aspect of the mind.

QUESTION: Prematurely born children will not complete for instance the eighth or ninth stages in which the channels of the nose and of the sense of taste develop. What happens?

ANSWER: It is normally the case that a new wind arises each month until the tenth. In the tenth month the body is fully constructed and can leave the womb. If the baby is born in the seventh month, it already carries within it the life-force wind which allows the other winds to develop. So these winds then arise outside the womb. The development continues outside of the womb, and by the tenth month the child is fully developed.

THE BARDO OF THE TIME OF DEATH

za:.t~ C'\ ...,., ~

l'l~~·ar"'a;·~·l'l~·~·"'a;~·~~·"'~~~

"" "" " ~~·~·a;~~·~a:.t~·c;~·"'l'~·~~~·s~·~~~

C'\ "" ~~a:.t~·~~·~~~·l'l"'·~r;:~~·a:.t·~~~·"'~~~

~ "" "" C'\ ~~ ...,., ~r;:~~·a·a:.t~·~a:.t·a:.t~"'·~~~~·~·"''"4~

"'~~·s~~(.'rrs~·~~·~r;:s~·~·~~~

£)·~~·~·01·&li!i·q:r.. ¥1-l\l'l;l:r.. "SJ

Kyemal Now, as the bardo of the time of death appears,

I should, by giving up all tendencies towards clinging, grasping and holding,

Pass over from a clear understanding of the instructions into undistractedness

And eject the unborn self-awareness into the vastness of space.

At the time of separating from my body of flesh and blood I should know that it is an impermanent illusion.

THE BARDO OF THE TIME OF DEATH 41

The fourth intermediate existence is called the bardo of the time of death. It describes the intermediate existence that begins with the dissolution of the appearances of this life in the process of dying. The eyes recognise no more forms, the ears no sounds, the nose no smells, the tongue no tastes and the body is no longer sensitive. In this way the appearances of this life dissolve. The bardo of the time of death lies between their dissolution and the arising of the appearances of the following bardo of dharmata.

The bardo of the time of death will arise for all of us. When we leave the womb our life lies in front of us. The length of a human life differs according to individual karma. There is not one single being that does not have to die. The life of all beings ends with death. We can not avoid death. We can however tum away the fear and suffering that are bound up with death. We should think about the fact that we are not the only ones who must die. All beings die. It is something quite normal. So developing fear and suffering is useless. It would be much better to rely on the special instructions of the teacher and practise them.

The Root Verses of the Six Bardos have this to say:

Kyema/ Now, as the bardo of the time of death appears, I should, by giving up all tendencies towards clinging,

grasping and holding, Pass over from a clear understanding of the instructions

into undistractedness And eject the unborn self-awareness into the vastness of

space. At the time of separating from my body of flesh and

blood I should know that it is an impermanent illusion.

42 TENGA RINPOCI-IE: TRANSITION AND l.IUI:KA'I'ION

Now, as the bardo of the time of death appears, I should, by giving up all tendencies towards clinging,

grasping and holding

.When we are dying and the bardo of the time of death appears we should give up all our clinging: clinging to food, wealth, friends, sons, daughters, in short to everything we own and know. It is precisely this clinging that is the cause of our wandering in the cycle of existences. It binds us to samsara. Therefore the necessity of abandoning all clinging and grasping is emphasised here.

If we happen to be wealthy as the time of death draws near, the following thoughts help: "Now it is time to die. After my death I leave my wealth to my children." - "I will support hospitals with it." - "I'd like it to be distributed amongst beggars and the poor."- "I make all of it into an offering to the three jewels, the buddha, dharma and sangha." This is also the meaning of the mandala practice: giving up clinging to possessions. When, in the course of the mandala practice, we recite: "Through my sprinkling of this base with perfumed water and the scattering of it with flowers, may ... " we thereby mentally offer all our property, friends, food, and houses in order to abandon our clinging. Generally speaking, we should offer all our possessions in the form of a mandala to the lama and the three jewels.

Pass over from a clear understanding of the instructions into undistractedness

In order to be able to use death on the path to buddhahood we must apply at the time of death the practice that we have mainly practised during our lifetime.

A special teaching. for the process of dying is the development of great compassion for all beings by meditating as follows: "It's not just me, but all beings have to experience the suffering of death. Therefore may all suffering

1HE lJAtWO Ul" 1 HE l'IMH OF DEATH 43

of death be overcome by my present suffering." - "May the suffering of all beings ripen in myself. May my perfect happiness and my joy, the merit and the virtue that I have collected penetrate to all beings." This method is called 'tonglen' (sending and taking). We visualise that as we breathe out all our positive qualities stream out as white light and reach all beings. As we breathe in we take into ourselves all the suffering and negativity of all beings as a blac~ light. This is an exceptional instruction, in accordance with which we can practise during the dying process.

Someone who in life has primarily practised the generation phase and mantra recitation of a yidam deity clearly visualises the body of his yidam while dying. He imagines that his yidam deity is actually present above the crown of his head. It is also possible to visualise your own root lama above the crown of your head, or as a third possibility to visualise yidam and root lama as inseparably connected, since yidam and lama are one in their inner being.

Someone who has primarily practised mahamudra, that is shamatha or vipashyana goes at the time of death into a condition of undistractedness by letting his mind rest in itself uninfluenced by the arising of thoughts. He liberates thoughts into their own nature by recognising them as thoughts. Then he remainS in the true nature of the mind.

And eject the unborn self-awareness into the vastness of space.

Someone who in this life has primarily practised phowa can, at the time of his death, visualise Buddha Amitabha over the crown of his head and repeatedly send his own consciousness into Amitabha's heart.

At the time of separating from my body of flesh and blood

I should know that it is an impermanent illusion.


The form skandha, which is the compounded body of flesh and blood, and my consciousness will separate at the time of death. There are therefore no grounds for the development of fear of suffering at the time of this separation. As the Buddha taught, everything compounded is by its very nature subject to impermanence. This reveals itself now for me too. Everything compounded has the same nature. We should develop courage from this knowledge.

The body is composed of the following four elements on which consciousness is based:

- The earth element corresponds to the flesh of the body.

- The water element corresponds to the blood.

- The fire element corresponds to bodily warmth.

- The air element corresponds to the breath.

At the time of death the elements separate from each other step by step.

First the earth element dissolves into the water element. Our body changes at this stage. A feeling of heaviness arises, as if our body could no longer be lifted. This feeling comes at the beginning of the process of dying, as illness brings death nearer. The illness of those who are sick intensifies. The body becomes so heavy that one cannot move any more. One can only still move the eyes. As a sign that the earth element is dissolving into the water element appearances arise to our inner consciousness like mirages, similar to the perception of water or other sensory illusions which result from summer heat on a wide plain.

After this the water element dissolves into the fire clement. A sign of this is the drying out of the mouth and nose. We experience unquenchable thirst. At that moment our inner consciousness perceives everything as if through a veil of smoke. The consciousness loses its clarity and seems to be

T1 m BAlm<> OJI Tl m TIME 01: DEATH 45

darkened. It is taught that at this moment the thirty-three thoughts of anger dissolve.

Fading of the bodily warmth is· a sign that the fire element is dissolving into the element of air. The feet, hands and head become cold. Regardless of how hard we try to warm them, they become cold all the same. At this moment the consciousness perceives appearances that are like glowing sparks or glow worms. There are altogether forty thoughts of desirous attachment which also dissolve as the fire element dissolves into the air element.

The movement of the breath corresponds to the air element which subsequently dissolves into the element of consciousness. With this dissolution breathing ceases and death arrives. Once the last breath has been exhaled, there may perhaps follow a single small inhalation which cannot however be followed by a further exhalation. At this moment the air element dissolves into consciousness. The inner consciousness experiences a special clarity like the flame of a butter lamp not flickering in the wind. At this stage the seven thoughts of dullness dissolve.

The thoughts which dissolve simultaneously with the elements are known as the .eighty natural thoughts. They are:

- the thirty three thoughts connected to anger

- the forty thoughts connected to desirous attachment

- the seven thoughts connected to dullness.

This is the description of the coarse dissolution of the four elements. A distinction is made between two kinds of dissolution, namely coarse and subtle dissolution.

The subtle dissolution proceeds in three stages: appearance, increase and attainment.

46 TENGA RINJ>OCHE: TtL\NSITION ANI> LtnERATION

The element of consciousness dissolves first into appearance. During this phase the hindu received from the father falls naturally downwards from the crown, where it was during life. At the same time all outer appearances are perceived in a white colour. This phase is also called the 'white path'.

After this, appearance dissolves into increase. During this phase the hindu received from the mother rises naturally upwards from under the navel, where it was during life. All outer appearances are perceived in a red colour. This phase is also called the 'red path'.

After this, increase dissolves into attainment. In this phase the white hindu of the father sinking from the crown meets the red hindu of the mother rising from underneath the navel and they merge in the centre of the heart. At this moment we lose consciousness and cease to perceive external appearances. This phase is also called the 'black path'.

Subsequent to this unconscious condition the true nature of the mind free from all projections appears to us. It is the clear light, mahamudra; This condition of the true nature of the mind is also known as the 'ground clear light' or the 'mother clear light'.

The mahamudra practice of our present life, which we exercise as long as we are on the path, is called the 'path clear light' or the 'child clear light'.

On the basis of the mahamudra practice of this life we can, in that moment after the condition of unconsciousness as the ground clear light appears, unify this with the path clear light. This happens by recognising the ground clear light as the true nature of the mind and remaining within it. This meditation is called 'tugdam'. Whoever has practised mahamudra in this life, be it a lama, a spiritual friend or someone else, can enter the tugdam at this moment.

Ttm BAtmo oF Tl m TIM I: oF DllATII 47

Some people sit up to die, adopting the seven point bodily posture of Vairocana and die in this position. They perform clear light meditation and as the ground clear light appears transfer into tugdam meditation. There are many people who die in this way. Even if you cannot die in the seven point bodily posture but have to lie down, it is possible to go into tugdam in this way.

Normally, when death has arrived, the nostrils close, the walls of the nose pull together, blood drains from the face and beauty disappears. But this is not the case if the mind of the deceased transfers into tugdam meditation. The nose retains its form, the nostrils remain open and colour stays in the face. Here in the west bodies are often kept in refrigerated mortuaries. That was not the case in Tibet in the past. When somebody died the smell of decomposition would begin within two or three hours. But if the deceased entered tugdam meditation, the smell of decomposition would remain absent for as long as the consciousness remained in the tugdam meditation.

After a normal death the skin loses its elasticity. If you press it, a dent remains. But the skin keeps the elaSticity of life during the tugdam meditation. This is another sign that the consciousness of the deceased has entered tugdam.

The entire body becomes cold after a normal death. Warmth however continues to radiate from the hearts of those whose consciousnesses remain in tugdam after death.

The consciousness remains in mahamudra for the entire duration of the tugdam meditation. In this time all the stages which are still ahead on the path to buddhahood are passed through, and in this way the end of the path is reached. This is called the 'attainment of buddhahood in the condition of mahamudra'.

48 TllNGA RINPOCHE: THANSITION AND liBEIMTION

If we practise in this life our first realisation will be the 'lesser path of accumulation'. If we continue the practice we proceed step by step through the 'middle path of accumulation', the 'greater path of accumulation' and all the further stages to buddhahood. If however at the hour of our death we remain within the clear light of tugdam, we are able immediately to attain the tenth bodhisattva level from the lesser path of accumulation.

If one reaches buddhahood in the tugdam meditation, no bardo appears. There are three names for this kind of realisation:

- Highest capacity of buddhahood in the dharmakaya

- Using death as dharmakaya on the path

- Highest capacity of dharmakaya phowa

I constantly remind my students to meditate on shamatha and the true nature of the mind. Five minutes of daily practice brings within ten days the benefit of fifty minutes practice. Every one of us will meet death one day, maybe even tomorrow. Meditation in this life will then be of great value to us.

Some people remain in tugdam for seven days, some for three days, some one. day, one hour, two hours - it's not significant. The reason is connected to the composition of the nadis and winds. As the tugdam is left one goes into the pure lands of the buddhas. As a sign that the tugdam meditation is over, the colour of the face changes, while the smell and other signs of bodily decomposition begin.

Someone who has never in his life practised will not be able to recognise the ground clear light that appears to him. The ground clear light appears for a certain time following on the unconsciousness to everyone. If one does not recognise it the ftfth bardo, the b~do of dharmata, appears.

Ttm BARDO OF THE TIME OF DEATH 49


QUESTION: In the bardo of the time of death, the thirtythree, forty and the seven thoughts dissolve during the second, third and fourth dissolutions. Doesn't anything dissolve as the earth element dissolves into that of water?

ANSWER: No, earth is coarse. During life the element of earth, the element of the body is quite dominant. The composition of thoughts is considerably finer, so no thoughts dissolve as the element of earth dissolves into the element of water.

QUESTION: If the ground clear light is not ·recognised, appearance, increase and attainment arise in reverse order. Does that mean that a white, red and black path also appear again?

ANSWER: It is not taught whether a white, a red and a black path appear. But if one does not recognise the clear light and then loses consciousness, that is attainment. In~rease arises out of attainment, and appearance arises out of increase. This is how the mental body of the bardo consciousness comes step by step into being.

QUESTION: How important is the part of the body from which the consciousness leaves? It's supposed to be important that consciousness comes out of the crown of the head. If it leaves from the lower doors one goes directly to the lower realms of existence.

ANSWER: Those are the teachings about phowa, in which one speaks of the various bodily openings: nostrils, eyes, ears, mouth, navel, the lower orifices and the Brahma opening at the crown. At death, consciousness can leave through any of these openings. It is taught that if the consciousness leaves through the nostrils, one will take rebirth in a different realm from that reached if it leaves


through the navel. If it leaves through the Brahma opening at the crown, that is the path that leads to the pure lands of the buddhas. ·

Therefore in the phowa practice consciousness is emitted through the Brahma opening, so that it melts directly into the heart of Buddha Amitabha who is visualised over the crown. The bardo does not appear if one uses the phowa practice in this way according to its teachings. As has already been explained, one does not go into the bardo through the dharmakaya phowa.

THE BARDO OF DHARMATA

""" C\. ~ ""' q;~·~·a;~f'91·q~· ,·~a;~·~~·;~~

~~·~·~r;~·m~·~~~~·~r:.:t~r;~·s~·~~ ~

~r;~~·~r:.:~r:.:~~·l;f·~~~·~~~~

q~·~·~r:.:~~·~~·l;f~~~·l;f~·s~

~~·~~·~~~~·~·&~.l;f~·~~·~%~·a;'r;~~

~r::.:~r::.:~·~·~~·~·~·~~~~~~~

Kyema! Now, as the bardo of dharmata appears, I should, by giving up all fright and fear,

Recognise all manifestations as self-appearance and· awareness

And know that they are the way in which the bardo appears. The moment of a meaningful turning has come.

Do not be frightened by .the self-appearances, the assemblies of the Peaceful and Wrathful!


The fifth intermediate existence is the bardo of dharmata, which follows after the bardo of the moment of death. It contains all that aspect of appearances based upon delusion which are yet to manifest before we go over to the bardo of becoming. The process of dying is completed, the ground clear light has appeared, but we have not recognised it. Pulling ourselves out of this condition we are at first surprised, thinking: ''What's going on? What's happening to me? Have I died, or what?"

Simultaneously many lights, light rays and droplets of light appear as a kind of ·preparation for the appearances of the bardo. Our ears perceive loud roarings and reverberating sounds. ·

The light, the light rays, and all the phenomena that are later to appear in the bardo of dharmata, such as the various forms of the peaceful and wrathful aspects of the lords of the five buddha families, are the self-expression of dharmata. The loud penetrating noises are the self-sound of dharmata. It is not as if these appearances arise newly and appear at this stage: rather they are always present in our mind as its aspect of purity. The pure aspect of our mind is dharmata, and is present since the primordial beginning. Since the various appearances are forms of expression of dharmata, the intermediate existence in which they now again manifest is called the bardo of dharmata.

Kyema! Now, as the bardo of dharmata appears, I should, by giving up all fright and fear, Recognise all manifestations as self-appearance and

awareness And know that they are the way in which the bardo

appears. Tbe moment of a meaningful turning bas come.

TilE BARDO OF DHARMATA

Do not be frightened by the self-appearances, the assemblies of the Peaceful and Wrathful!

Now, as the bardo of dharmata appears, I should, by giving up all fright and fear

53

When the bardo of dharmata appears to us, we perceive a variety of appearances such as coloured light, clear light, light rays and light clusters. Nevertheless there is not the least reason to be afraid.

Recognise all manifestations as self-appearance and awareness

All appearances are exclusively the self-expression of the mind. They are a self-expression through which awareness represents itself. At the time of their appearance it is important to recognise the awareness in the bardo appearances.

And know that they are the way in which the bardo appears.

Regardless of what appears, be it coloured lights, clear light, or the peaceful or wrathful aspects of the lords of the five buddha families, one must recognise that all appearances are the manner in which the awareness presents itself in the bardo.

The moment of a meaningful turning has come.

With this phase in which the forms of expression of the bardo of dharmata appear, an extraordinarily meaningful time has begun. Since when the pea~eful and wrathful aspects of the lords of the five buddha families appear, if I recognise them as yidam deities I can melt into their mind and so 'attain buddhahood as the sambhogakaya in the bardo'. If I don't recognise them I will steadily continue


through the bardo of becoming and be further trapped in samsara. This is why it is emphasised here that this moment is very important.

Do not be frightened by the self-appearances, the assemblies of the Peaceful and Wrathful!

The human body is composed of nadis, prana, hindus and cakras. It is taught that during our lifetime the peaceful and wrathful aspects of the lords of the buddha families stay within the energy centres of the body. The winds carry the white and red drops through the energy channels. The channels which branch off from the energy centres thus contain a collection of white and red drops. Their forms of expression are the peaceful and wrathful deities. The pure aspect of the white and red drops is the peaceful and wrathful deities.

The energy centre in the heart is the dharmacakra. The white and red drops which are contained within the nadis branching off from this cakra manifest in their pure aspect as the forty-two peaceful deities. Thus the peaceful deities reside in the heart cakra.

The energy centre at the throat is the sambhogacakra. The white and red drops which are contained within the nadis branching off from this cakra manifest in their pure aspect as the ten awareness holders (Skt.: vidyadhara). The deities are in union, which means the five male awareness holders with their respective consorts. The awareness holders therefore reside in the throat cakra.

The energy centre at the crown of the head is the mahasukhacakra. The white and red drops which are contained within the nadis branching off from this cakra manifest in their pure aspect as the fifty-eight blood drinkers, the wrathful deities. In this way the wrathful deities reside in the crown cakra.

THE BARDO OF DHARMATA 55

As a sign of the presence of the peaceful and wrathful deities and of the awareness holders in our body as the selfexpression of the dharmata, we can, while alive, perceive the light and the light rays of the bodies of these deities. If we close both eyes we · nevertheless see appearances of light similar to extremely fine hairs. These are a perception of the deities inherent within our bodies in the form of light. They are the manifestation of the clear light. of dharmata. They do not originate in outer influences such as, for instance, the rays of the sun, but are a normal expression of our inner body. They are the self-expression of dharmata. Also, if we hold both ears closed we hear continuous sound. That is the self-sound of dharmata.

During our life all the peaceful and wrathful deities already reside in our bodies. They are the self-appearances, the clear light of dharmata, which then manifest themselves again in the bardo of dharmata in the form· of these peaceful and wrathful deities.

Existence in the bardo of dharmata begins, after we have not recognised the ground clear light, with the appearances of dharmata in the form of light and light rays and the selfsound of dharmata in the form of loud, penetrating sounds.

The First Day

On the first day of the bardo of dharmata a dazzling deep blue6 light appears in the middle of these lights and light rays. Simultaneously with this deep blue light a muted white light appears, which is die light of the path that leads to existence in the realms of the gods (Skt.: devaloka).

Buddha Vairocana appe~ in the middle of the dazzling deep blue light. He is seated upon a throne supported by eight .lions. The colour of his body is white. He has one face

6 Some commentaries speak of white light, others of blue.


and two arms. In his right hand he holds an eight spoked wheel, and in his left a bell whose handle is marked with an eight spoked wheel. He is in union with his consort Dhatvishvari. Her body is red. Dhatvishvari holds the same attributes in her hands as Vairocana.

At the time of Vairocana's manifestation we should recognise him as a yidam deity and pray to him. Through this recognition we enter into the heart of Vairocana and so attain buddhahood in Vairocana's pure realm, the realm of the centre called 'Akanishta, Pure Realm of Dense Arrangement'.

This way of attaining buddhahood is called 'attaining buddhahood in the bardo as a sambhogakaya'. If during our life we practise a yidam deity such as, for example, Vajrasattva, visualising the generation phase and reciting the mantra, such a practice prepares us for precisely this situation of the appearance of deities in the bardo. It will be easy for us to recognise the deity as such in this situation. The necessity of yidam practice becomes obvious here.

I urge every one of my students again and again to train themselves in yidam practice. If your time for the extensive practice of the generation phase is too short, you can perform 'generation in one moment through awareness' and recite the mantra for a while. It is absolutely necessary to meditate on the generation phase of a yidam, since this practice will be of great value in the situation of the bardo of dharmata.

We get into a panic when the dazzling deep blue light of Vairocana appears. We feel drawn on the other hand to the mild white light of the gods which we find comfortable. If we follow the muted white light we will be reborn in the realm of the gods.


The Second Day

If during the first day we have neither attained buddhahood in Vairocana's pure land by ·recognising him, nor passed into the realm of the gods, then on the second day a dazzling white light, the light of Buddha Vajrasattva Akshobhya, and simultaneously a muted, comfortable grey light, the light of the hell realms (Skt.: narakaloka) appears.

Vajrasattva Akshobhya appears with the dazzling white light. He is seated upon a throne borne by eight elephants. The colour of his body is dark blue. In his right hand he holds a five-pronged vajra and in his left a bell whose handle is marked with a five-pronged vajra. He is in union with his consort Buddha Locana. The colour of her body is of a somewhat lighter blue than that of Vajrasattva. Locana holds the same attributes in her hands: in the right hand a fivepronged vajra and in the left hand a bell which again is marked with a five-pronged vajra.

The Bodhisattva Kshitigarbha appears to the right hand side of Vajrasattva Akshobhya. The colour of his body is white. In his right hand he holds a rice shoot and in his left hand a bell.

On the left side of Vajrasattva Akshobhya the Bodhisattva Maitreya appears. His body is also white in colour. In his right hand he holds a branch of the naga tree and in his left hand a bell.

In front of Vajrasattva Akshobhya the female Bodhisattva Lasya (Dancer) appears. The colour of her body is white. In her right hand she holds a mirror and in her left a bell.

Behind Vajrasattva Akshobhya the female Bodhisattva Pushpa (Flower Girl). Her body is also white. In the right hand she holds a white lotus and in the left a bell.

58 TliNGA niNI'<>CIIIi: TllANSITION ANI> l.mmtATION

This is the manifestation of Buddha Vajrasattva Akshobhya in his entourage of six.

If at the moment of their appearance we recognise them as the yidam deity Vajrasattva Akshobhya with his retinue and pray to them, we will reach buddhahood in the eastern pure land, the 'Realm of Real Joy'.

If however we fear the light of Vajrasattva and his retinue, preferring the comfortable grey light of the hells and following it, then we will take a birth in the realms of the hells.

The Third Day

If we have neither achieved buddhahood in Vajrasattva's pure land nor passed into the hell realms, then on the third day a dazzling yellow light appears simultaneously with a muted blueish light that leads to the realms of humans (Skt.: naraloka).

Buddha Ratnasambhava appears with the dazzling yellow light. He is seated on a horse throne. His body is yellow. In his right hand he holds a jewel and in his left a bell marked with a jewel.

He is in union with his consort Mamaki. Her body is of a yellow somewhat lighter than that of Ratnasambhava. Mamaki holds the same attributes as Ratnasambhava in her hands.

The Bodhisattva Akashagarbha is to the right of Ratnasambhava. His body is yellow. He holds a sword on the right and a bell on the left. ·

Left of Ratnasambhava is the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra. His body is blue. On the right he holds an ear of rice and on the left a bell.

TilE BARDO OF DIIAitMATA

The lords of the five buddha families appearing on days 1 - 5

59


The consorts of the lords of the five buddha families Days 1-5


The eight bodhisattvas Days 2-5

61


The eight female bodhisattvas Days 2-5


Oham1akaya Samantabhadra in union here with a blue body, day 6

63

64 TF.NGA RINPOCHE: THANSITION AND LIBEHATION

Chemchog Heruka in union wrathful manifestation of the Adi-buddha Samantabhadra

(He is not mentioned in Karma Lingpa's book of the dead, but does appear on most representations of the bardo deities.)


The munis of the six realms Day6

65

66 TENGA RINPOCHE: TRANSITION ANO LJUERATION

The four male door keepers Day6

TtiE BARDO OF DliARMATA

The four female door keepers · Day6

67


The five herukas D~ys 8-12

THE BARDO OF 0HARMATA

The five khrodeshvaris Days 8-12

69

70 TENGA RINPOCHF.: TltANSITION AND LIREI{ATION

The eight kaurimas Day13


The eight phramenmas Day13

71


The 28 ishvaris Day 14


In front of Ratnasambhava is the female Bodhisattva Mala (Garland Girl). Her body is yellow. On the right she holds a garland of flowers and on the left a bell.

Behind Ratnasambhava is the female Bodhisattva Dhupa (Incense Girl). Her body is yellow. She holds a censer in both hands.

The recognition of these appearances as yidam deities leads to buddhahood in Ratnasambhava's southern pure land, the 'Realm Filled with Splendour'. If one follows the muted blue light one will be reborn as a human.

The Fourth Day

If we have neither attained buddhahood in Ratnasambhava's realm nor passed into the realms of human beings, a dazzling red light appears on the fourth day, simultaneously with a muted yellow light leading to rebirth in the realms of the hungry ghosts (Skt.: pretaloka).

In the middle of the dazzling red light the Buddha Amitabha appears on a peacock throne. His body is coloured red. In his right hand he holds a lotus and in his left a bell marked with a lotus.

He is in union with his consort Pandara (White clad). Her body is bright red. Pandara holds the same attributes as Amitabha in her hands.

To Amitabha's right is the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. His body is red. On the right he holds a lotus and on the left a bell.

To Amitabha's left is the Bodhisattva Manjushri. His body is orange .. He holds on the right an utpala blossom and on the left a bell.

The female Bodhisattva Gita (Singer) is in front of Amitabha. Her body is red. She holds a lute with her two hands.


The female Bodhisattva Atoka (Light Girl) is behind Amitabha. Her body is also red. She holds a butter lamp.

The recognition of these deities leads to buddhahood in the pure land of Amitabha in the west, the 'Realm Filled with Joy'. If we follow the muted yellow light we will be reborn in the realms of the hungry ghosts.

The Fifth Day

If we neither pass into the pure land of Amitabha nor into the realms of the hungry ghosts, a dazzling green light will appear on the fifth day, and simultaneously a muted red light which leads to the realms of the demigods (Skt.: asuraloka).

In the middle of the dazzling green light appears the Buddha Amoghasiddhi on a throne which is carried by alternating male and female harpies. Amoghasiddhi's body is green. He holds a double vajra and a bell marked with a double vajra.

He is in union with his consort Samayatara. Her body is a green somewhat lighter than that of Amoghasiddhi. Samayatara holds the same attributes as Amoghasiddhi in her hands.

Bodhisattva Vajrapani is to Amoghasiddhi's right. His body is green. He holds a vajra and a bell.

To Amoghasiddhi's left is the Bodhisattva Dipana. His body is white. He holds a volume of text and a bell.

The female Bodhisattva Gandha (Perfume Girl) is in front of Amoghasiddhi. Her body is green. She holds a conch shell containing good smelling essences.

The female Bodhisattva Nritya (Food Girl) is behind Amoghasiddhi. Her body is also green. She holds an offering cake (torma) representing food.


If one recognises these deities as such, this leads to buddhahood in Amoghasiddhi's northern pure land, the 'Realm of Highest Perfect Deeds'.

The Sixth Day

On the sixth day all the forty-two peaceful deities, which during life were in the nadi branches of the heart cakra, appear together. They appear out of a dazzling five-coloured light. A muted six-coloured light also appears, leading to a birth in one of the six realms of existence.

In the centre appears Vairocana with his consort Dhatvishvari, appearing in the same form as on the f.trSt day.

The Adibuddha Samantabhadra appears above Vairocana's head as a manifestation of the dharmakaya in addition to the forty-two peaceful deities. His body is white. He holds his hands in the meditation position. He is in union with his consort Samantabhadri. Her body is also white.

In the east is Vajyasattva Akshobhya in his entourage of six as on the second d~.

In the south is Ratnasambhava in his entourage of six as on the third day.

In the west is Amitabha in his entourage of six as on the fourth day.

In the north is Amoghasiddhi in his entourage of six as on the fifth day.

Outside of these appear simultaneously the munis of the six realms of existence:

The muni of the realm of the gods: Shatakratu (Of Highest Power) having a white body. He holds a lute.


The muni of the demigods: Viracara (Of Good Make Up), having a green body. He holds a sword and suit of armour with a helmet.

The muni of humans: Shakyamuni (Muni of the Shakyas), having a yellow body. He holds a monk's staff and a begging bowl ·

The muni of the realm of the animals: Sengerabten (Unshakeable Lion), having a dark blue body. He holds a volume of text in his right hand and his left is in the gesture of giving protection. ·

The muni of the hungry ghosts: Kalameshar (With Burning Mouth), having a red body. He holds a preCious vessel in his right hand, and his left is in the gesture of giving protection.

The muni of the hells: Dharmaraja {King of the Teaching), having a body of black colour. He tiolds a ball of fire and a conch shell filled with saffron water.

Outside of these, the four male door keepers appear at the same time:

In the east: Vijaya (Completely Victorious), with a white body. He holds a staff with a death's head and a bell.

In the south: Yamantaka (Destroyer of Yama), of yellow body. He carries a staff with a death's head and bell.

In the west: Hayagriva (Horse-Necked King), with a red body. He holds an iron shackle and a bell.

In the north: Amritakundali (Stirrer of Nectar), of green body. He holds a double vajra and a bell marked with a double vajra.

The four female door keepers:

In the east: Tagdongma (Horse Face), with a white body. She holds an iron hook and a skull cup filled with blood.


In the south: Pagdongma (Pig Face), with a ydlow body. She holds a noose and a skull cup filled with blood.

In the west: Sengdongma (Lion Face), with a red body. She holds an iron shackle and a skull cup filled with blood.

In the north: Druldongma: (Snake face), with a green body. She holds a bell and a skull cup filled with blood.

All of these together are the forty-two peaceful deities which during life are in the heart cakra. They all appear simultaneously on the sixth day.

If we recognise these forty-two peaceful deities at the time of their appearance, knowing that they are yidam deities, then, through the blessing of the lords of the five buddha families and through our respect for and trust in them, we will attain buddhahood in the pure land of the dharmakaya Samantabhadra. If we do not recognise them we can be reborn in one of the six realms within the cycle of existence. Through clinging and fondness for one of the individual paths to the six realms we will be drawn to it, taking birth in the corresponding realm.

But if on the sixth day we have neither attained buddhahood nor passed into one of the six realms of existence, then the ten awareness holders and their consorts, which during life were in the nadi branches of the sambhogacakra in the throat, will appear on the seventh day.

The Seventh Day

The ten awareness holders appear from out of a dazzling five-colour~d light. At the same time a muted green light leading to rebirth in the realm of the ailimals (Skt.: trisanloka) appears. · · . · ·

In the centre appears the 'Great Awareness Holder of Perfect Maturation', also known as the 'Powerful One of the Lotus


Dance'. His body is five-coloured. He is in union with his consort White Dakini, with a white body. Both the awareness holder and the dakini each hold a flaying knife in the right hand and a skull cup full of blood in the left.

In the east is the 'Awareness Holder Dwelling on Earth'. His body is white. He is in union with his consort Buddhadakini. She has a white body. Both hold a flaying knife and a skull cup full of blood.

In the south is the 'Awareness Holder with Power over Life'. His body is yellow. He is iri union with his consort Ratnadakini. She has a yellow body. Both hold a flaying knife and a skull cup full of blood.

In the west is the 'Awareness Holder of the Great Seal'. His body is red. He is in union with his consort Padmadakini. She has a red body: Both hold a flaying knife and a skull cup full of blood.

In the north is the 'Awareness Holder of Spontaneous Arising'. His body is green. He is in union with his consort Karmadakini. She has a green body. Both hold a flaying knife and a skull cup full of blood.

If we recognise these bardo appearances of the ten awareness holders, who dwell in the throat cakra during life, as being yidam deities, we will attain buddhahood in their pure realm~

If the forty-two peaceful deities and the ten awareness holders have appeared and we have not recognised them, the fifty-eight blood drinking wrathful deities subsequently appear. They are the lords of the five buddha families: Vairocana, Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha and Amoghasiddhi, who first appeared in their peaceful manifestation. Now, however, they appear in their wrathful aspect.

THE llARDO OJl DHARMATA 79

Many of the fifty-eight wrathful aspects have three faces, six arms, four legs, numerous varied head ornaments and hold a variety of attributes in their hands. I will explain these in detail as I believe that this will be useful in the future.

The Eighth Day

On the eighth day the Buddha Vairocana appears to us in his wrathful form as the Buddha Heruka. His body is dark brown. He has three faces. The right hand face is white, the left one is red and the one in the middle, looking towards the front, is dark brown. He has six arms, and holds in his upper right hand a wheel, in the middle right hand an axe and in the lower right a sabre. In his upper left hand he holds a bell, in the middle left a plough and in the lower left a skull cup. He has four legs.

He is in union wit!vhis consort Buddha Krodheshvari. Her body is red. She has two arms and holds a wheel in her right hand and a skull cup in her left.

The wrathful aspects of the lords of the five families who now appear all have three faces, six arms and four legs.

The three faces are a sign that they appear for the benefit of beings with the help of the three buddha bodies (Skt.: kaya): dharmakaya, sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya. The right face of all the deities symbolises the nirmanakaya, the face on the left the sambhogakaya, and the central face the dharmakaya.

The six arms symbolise that they wish to bring all beings of the six realms of existence to the level of realisation of a buddha.

Let us take the Buddha Heruka as an example:

He holds a wheel in his upper right hand. As we move on through the three realms of the cycle of existence we go continuously through the twelve links of dependent

80 TENGA RINPOCI-IIi: TltANSITION AND LIBERATION

origination. The wheel is a sign that the heruka cuts the flow of the twelve links of dependent origination.

He holds an axe in his middle right hand. All beings think: "that's me", and cling to an I where no I exists. The axe stands for cutting through all clinging to an I.

He holds a sabre in his lower right hand. That is a sign that he ruthlessly cuts away the three afflictions of desirous attachment, anger and dullness which all beings carry in their minds.

In the upper left hand he holds a bell. The bell is a sign for the openness of dharmata, the emptiness, the freedom from all the faults of the cycle of existences.

The plough in his middle right hand is a sign that he utterly overcomes not only all karma but also all the afflictions and karmic imprints of all beings.

In his lower left hand he holds a skull cup filled with blood. That is a sign that he has realised dharmata and dwells on the level of buddhahood, . but( nevertheless remains in samsara because of his great compassion, in order extensively to benefit all beings.

The union with his consort Buddha Krodheshvari is a sign for the union of method and wisdom. Method is great joy and wisd:9~ is emptiness. The two are in union.

The four legs represent the fact that the heruka works for the benefit of beings by means of the four immeasurables -immeasurable love, immeasurable compassion, immeasurable joy and immeasurable equanimity.

The following herukas all hold similar objects in their hands, which all have a similar meaning. However not every meaning can be explained in detail at this point.

Tim BARDO OF DHARMATA 81

The Ninth Day

The wrathful appearance of the Buddha Vajrasattva Akshobhya is Vajra Heruka. His body is blue. He has three faces, the right one is white, the left red and the middle face is dark blue. He has six arms and holds in the upper right hand a vajra, in the middle a skull cup and in the lower an axe. In his upper left hand he holds a bell, in the middle a skull cup and in the lower left a plough. He also has four legs.

He is in union with his·consort Vajra Krodheshvari. Her body is light blue. She has two arms and holds a vajra in her right hand and a skull cup in her left.

The Tenth Day

The wrathful appearance of Buddha Ratnasambhava is Ratna Heruka. His body is yellow. He has three faces: the one on the right is white, the left one is red and the middle yellow. He has six arms and holds a jewel in his upper right hand, in the middle right a katvanga staff and in the lower a club. In his upper left hand he holds a bell, in the middle left a skull cup and in the lower left a trident. He has four legs.

He is in union with his consort Ratna Krodheshvari. The colour of her body is light yellow. She has two arms and holds a jewel in her right hand and a skull cup in her left.

The Eleventh Day

The wrathful appearance of Buddha Amitabha is Padma Heruka. His body is red. He has three faces, the one on the right being white, the left one blue and the middle one red. He has six arms, holding a lotus in his upper right hand, a katvanga staff in the middle and in the lower a death's head staff. In the upper left hand he holds a bell, in the middle a

82 TENGA R1NPOCHE: TRANSITION AND LIBERATION

skull cup and in the lower a small drum with a wooden handle. He has four legs.

He is in union with his consort Padma Krodheshvari. She has a light red body. She has two arms and holds a lotus in her right hand and a skull cup in her left.

The Twelfth Day

The wrathful appearance of the Buddha Amoghasiddhi is Karma Heruka. His body is dark green. He has three faces: that on the right is white, that on the left red and the middle one is dark green. He has six arms and holds a sabre in the upper right hand, a katvanga staff in the middle and a skull club in the lower. In his upper left hand he holds a bell, in the middle a skull cup and in the lower hand a plough. He has four legs.

He is in union with his consort Karma Krodheshvari. She has a light green body. She has two arms and holds a sabre and a skull cup.

That was the appearance of the ten wrathful aspects of the lords of the five buddha families, the five herukas in union with their consorts the five krodheshvaris.

The Thirteenth Day

On the thirteenth day the wrathful manifestations of the eight female bodhisattvas appear, the eight wrathful kaurimas:

Gauri has a white body. She holds a flayed human skin in her right hand and a skull cup in her left.

Cauri has a yellow body. She holds a drawn bow and arrow.

Pramoha has a red body. She holds a crocodile banner in her right hand.

THE BAIWO OF DHARMATA 83

Vaitali has a black body. She holds a vajra in her right hand and a skull cup in her left.

Pukkasi has an orange body. She holds intestines in her right hand, lifting them to her mouth with her left hand in order to devour them.

Ghasmari has a green body. In her right hand she holds a vajra with which she stirs the content of the skull cup held in her left.

Candali has a yellow body. She holds a heart in her right hand and in her left a corpse which she is devouring.

Shmashani has a dark blue body. She is tearing the head off a corpse.

Later on the thirteenth day the eight phramenmas appear. They are the wrathful manifestations of the offering goddesses.

Simhamukha (Lion Headed) has a black body and devours a corpse.

Vyaghramukha (Tiger Headed) has a red body and holds her hands crossed downwards.

Srigalamukha (Vixen Headed), who has a black body, holds a sabre in her right hand, lifting intestines to her mouth with her left hand in order to devour them.

Shvamukha (Wolf Headed) has a dark blue body. She rips a corpse apart to devour it.

Gridhramukha (Vulture Headed) has a yellow body. She is carrying a corpse over her shoulder and a skeleton in her hands.

Kankamukha (Cemetery Bird Headed') has a dark red body and holds a corpse in her hands.

7 Similar 10 a vul1un:.


Kakamukha (Crow Headed) has. a black body and holds a skull cup in her left hand.

Ulukamukha (Owl Headed) has a light blue body and holds a vajra and a sabre.

Also on . the thirteenth day the four female doorkeepers appear:

In the east: Tagdongma (Horse Face), having a white body. She holds an iron hook and a skull cup filled with blood.

In the south: Pagdongma (Sow Face), having a yellow body. She holds a snake and a skull cup filled with blood.

In the west: Sengdongma (Lion Face), having a red body. She holds an iron fetter and a skull cup filled with blood.

In the north: Druldongma (Snake Face), having a green body. She holds a bell and a skull cup filled with blood.

The attributes of the eight kaurimas and the eight phramenmas are primarily that they carry human corpses whose intestines or hearts they devour and whose blood they drink. This symbolises that they overcome the clinging to an I within all beings.

How can one recognise the clingin~to an I or a self? In spite of the fact that in reality there sit{nply is no self, we think: "That's me". We are continuoU;sly having thoughts like: "That's me", "I want to be happy", "I'd like to be famous", "I'd like to own things", "Maybe I'll get ill" or: "Maybe I'll suffer". Such ideas, focused on an I, are called 'clinging to a self or 'grasping at a self.

It is taught that the attitude "that's me" is the cause and root of our remaining in samsara. ·

In what way is the clinging to a self the root or our remaining in samsara? We are always thinking: "I'd like to be happy", "I should be all right" or: "I want to be famous". This thinking


of ourselves allows our desirous attachment and our pride to flourish. Because of such conceptual tendencies we hurt others, steal their possessions and fight with them. These acts collect karma.

If we think: "The others are hurting me" or: "Others are keeping me from fame and wealth", then we develop a very strong thought of anger and jealousy towards others and hurt them.

The cause of such behaviour is the assumption of an I although no I exists. When, in the absence of an I, we cling to an I, this is the aspect of ignorance. In this way the clinging to an I is the basis for the arising of the five afflictions.

Let us observe the concept of an I a little closer. We think that our body is our 'I'. If we build a house we think: "That is where I live" or: "It's my body that lives in that house". Looking at our bed, we think: "That's my bed" or: "It's my body that lies in this bed". With this form of !-thinking we identify our I with the skandha of form, our body.

Once our thoughts are directed in this way towards our body they constitute the foundation for the skandha of feelings. With our body we can experience soft, gentle, pleasant feelings. We find ourselves drawn towards positive feelings, we like and accept them. If we burn or freeze ourselves we experience this with our body as unpleasant. In general we reject these feelings. In this way the skandha of feelings arises on the basis of the skandha of form.

Based on the skandha of feelings, the skandha of discrimination arises. We discriminate by means of this skandha, thinking: "With this object I'll become happy" or: "This object will make me unhappy''.

On the basis of the skandha of discrimination, the skandha of mental functions arises. Having made the discrimination that

86 TENGA RINI'OCIIE: TRANSITION AND I.JUEJtATION

an object will make us happy, the thought follows: "I need this thing". We will do everything with body, speech and mind to get it.

If we have made the discrimination that this thing will bring us suffering, we think: "I must do everything to keep this thing away from me". We behave in this way with our body, speech and mind. These operations of thought have the name of the skandha of mental functions.

At death our consciousness is separated from our body which becomes a corpse. As a corpse, our body can no longer think: "That's my house" or: "That's my place". So it is not our body that has these thoughts, but our mental consciousness. The skandha of consciousness consists of the supervising mind, upon which all mental activity such as making discriminations like: "That's good" or: "That's bad" and instituting corresponding deeds is based.

Summarising, that object which we consider to be the I, our self, is compounded of the five skandhas.

Four of the five skandhas, the skandhas of feelings, discrimination, mental functions and consciousness have various names but are all functions of the mind. They have no form.

Only the skandha of form, our body, has form. It is composed of flesh, blood, organs, intestines and much more. As a symbol that the eight kaurimas and the eight phramenmas overcome the five skandhas, as the basis for all beings' clinging to an I, they carry human corpses on their backs, devour intestines or drink blood.

It is very important to understand this symbolism precisely, otherwise one could assume that these deities really eat human intestines, human flesh, and drink human blood.

T1 m BA~tl>o or: urrAnMATA 87

The Fourteenth Day

On the fourteenth day the twenty-eight powerful goddesses, the twenty-eight ishvaris, appear. They have various animal heads and hold a variety of symbols in their hands. These correspond to the various afflictions. There are altogether twenty-eight afflictions. They appear in their perfectly pure form as the twenty-eight ishvaris.

There are seven ishvaris in each cardinal direction.

The seven ishvaris in the east:

Rakshasi (Demoness) has the head of a yak. Her body is black. She holds a vajra in her right hand.

Brahmani (Brahma) has a snake's head. Her body is orange. She holds a lotus.

Mahadevi (Great Goddess) has a leopard's head. Her body is dark green. She holds a trident.

Togdo has the head of a lynx. Her body is blue. She holds a wheel.

Kumari (Youthful) has the head of a Tremun~. Her body is red. She holds a short spear.

Indrani (Indra) has a bear's head. Her body is white. She holds a noose of entrails.

Vajri, the protectress of the eastern gate, has a cuckoo's head. Her body is black. She holds an iron hook.

The seven ishvaris of the south:

Vajri (Vajra) has a bat's head. Her body is yellow. She holds a sword.

Shanti (Peaceful) has a crocodile's head. Her body is red. She holds a vase.

8 Similar to a bear.


Arnrita (Nectar) has a scoq)ion's head. Her body is red. She holds a lotus.

Candra (Moon) has a falcon's head. Her body is white. She holds a vajra.

Danda (Club) has a vixen's head. Her body is dark green. She holds a death's head staff.

Rakshasi (Demoness) has the head of a tiger. Her body is dark yellow. She holds a skull cup full of blood.

Drinchu, protectress of the southern gate, has the head of a goat. Her body is yellow. She holds a noose.

The seven ishvaris of the west:

Sawa (Food) has a vulture's head. Her body is dark green. She holds a lance.

Rati Goy) has a horse's head. Her body is red. She carries a corpse.

Mahabali (Great Strength) has the head of a garuda. Her body is white. She holds a death's head staff.

Rakshasi (Demoness) has a dog's head. Her body is red. She holds a sword with a vajra handle.

Abhilashi (Desire) has the head of a hoopoe. She holds a bow and arrow drawn to shoot.

Norsung (Guardian of Possessions) has a doe's head. Her body is dark green. She holds a vase.

Pumna, the protectress of the western gate, has a lion's head. Her body is red. She holds an iron shackle.

The seven ishvaris of the north:

Vayudevi (Wind Goddess) has a wolf's head. Her body is blue. She holds a pennant.


Nari (Woman) has the head of an ibex. Her body is red. She holds a wooden sword.

Varahi (Sow) has a sow's head. Her body is black. She holds a snake.

Vajri (Vajra) has a craw's head. Her body is red. She is eating a child's corpse.

Nachen (Long Nose) has the head of an elephant. Her body is green. She carries a human corpse and drinks blood:

Chulha (Water Goddess) has a snake's head. Her body is blue. She holds a snake noose.

Namto, protectress of the northern gate, has a magpie's head. Her body is dark green. She holds a bell.

All twenty-eight ishvaris appear on the fourteenth day of the bardo of dharmata.

The fifty-eight wrathful deities are, in order of their app~arance: the five blood drinking herukas (Buddha, Vajra, Ratria, Padma and Karma) in union with the five krodheshvaris; the eight kaurimas and the eight phramenmas; the four protectresses of the gates; the twentyeight ishvaris.

If, when the wrathful deities appear, we recognise them as yidam deities, develop trust in them, believe in and pray to them, then we will dissolve in the heart of the corresponding deity and attain buddhahood. If, however we fail to recognise any of the manifestations of the blood drinkers, the bardo of becoming will begin.


QUESTION: How long does the condition of unconsciousness of the bardo of dharm.ata last? How long is the period of the manifestation of each individual buddha?


ANSWER: The duration of the individual phases of appearance depend on the constitution of our nadis, prana and hindus. This is especially true if we don't go into tugdam and don't recognise the ground clear light.

When in connection with the bardo we say, "the first day, the second day, the third day", it is a question of human, worldly days. But if we have taken a birth in the realms of the hells or of the hungry ghosts, the corresponding days and years belong to these realms of existence. The years in the hell realms or the realms of hungry ghosts are not equal to our worldly years. They can correspond to ten, a hundred or a thousand worldly years.

QUESTION: If we decide between the dazzling light and the muted light, how much does the principle of karma count?

ANSWER: Freedom to decide arises on the basis of the special methods of the secret vajrayana.

If it is our karma to be reborn in hell, the path to hell appears to us with particular strength, and we feel specially drawn to it. But through the blessing of the secret mantrayana, and through the blessing and compassion of the deity, the yidam deity appears at the same time. If we recognise it, then in spite of our karma to be reborn in hell, we will not be born there but instead we will melt into the heart of the deity and attain enlightenment. The blessing of the secret mantrayana is described as being very great, since there are instructions for how one can attain enlightenment in one lifetime with one body.

We have for instance today received instructions on Liberation through Hearing in the Bardo, and for this reason, when we see the two lights in the bardo, we will immediately understand their meaning and know that the muted light is the way to a birth in one of the six realms of existence. Therefore we won't pursue them.


If the Tibetan Book of the Dead is recited before a deceased person, the consciousness will understand it all, and will be able to adopt the instructions. Since one achieves liberation in this way by hearing, the book is called Liberation throughl Hearing in the Bardo.

QUESTION: What sort of character do the awareness holders I have? To judge from their description, they seem to be semiwrathful. Are they, like the herukas, also appearances of the I buddhas? ·

ANSWER: In essep.ce the awareness holders are also the buddhas of the five families. During life they remain as the pure aspect of the white and red elements in the throat cakra. The wrathful deities are situated in the crown cakra, the peaceful in the heart cakra. The throat cakra lies in between, so they are neither wrathful nor peaceful, but appear in both aspects.

QUESTION: Do the attributes and the various signs actually appear just as they are described? Or are they merely symbols for innate qualities? Do they appear differently in other cultures?

ANSWER: In the Liberation through Hearing in the Bardo the Buddha taught that everyone who possesses a human body perceives the buddha aspects in the bardo as described.

However, there are two exceptions: those who, in a positive sense, don't go through the bardo, and those who, in a negative sense, don't go through the bardo.

The first group unify the mother clear light with the child clear light the moment the ground clear light appears and attain buddhahood. They don't go through the bardo. The peaceful and wrathful deities will not appear.

The second group go immediately after death to the hell realms as a result of dreadful evil deeds and incomparable

92 TENGA RINI'OCIIE: THANSITION AND LIUEIL\TION

negativity collected in this life. For them too the peaceful and wrathful deities don't appear. Neither group goes through the bardo.

QUESTION: What role is played by the colours in which the various deities manifest?

ANSWER: The colours are connected to the five afflictions. The five afflictions are the impure aspect of the five pure primordial awarenesses.

In its pure transformed aspect the impure affliction of dullness is the primordial awareness of the dharmadhatu. The lord of the primordial awareness of the dharmadhatu is Vairocana. His body is white, so the colour of the primordial awareness of the dharmadhatu is white.

The transformed affliction of anger is the mirror-like primordial awareness. The self-appearance which arises out of the mirror-like primordial awareness is the Buddha Akshobhya. His body is coloured blue, so the colour of the mirror-like primordial awareness is blue.

The affliction of pride is transformed into the primordial awareness of equality. The deity which appears out of the self-play of this primordial awareness is the Buddha Ratnasambhava. His body is coloured yellow, so the colour of the primordial awareness of equality is yellow.

The affliction of desirous attachment is transformed into the discriminating primordial awareness. The deity who appears out of the self-play of the discriminating primordial awareness is the Buddha Amitabha. Amitabha has a red body, so the colour of the discriminating primordial awareness is red.

The affliction of jealousy transforms into the truly accomplishing primordial awareness. The buddha who appears out of the self-play of this primordial awareness is

TilE BARDO OF DIIARMATA 93

Amoghasiddhi. His body is coloured green, so the colour of the truly accomplishing primordial awareness is green.

Since every deity is a self-expression of one of the primordial awarenesses, they appear with various body colours.

QUESTION: If the exact time at which someone deceased has left this life is not known, how and when is it best to recite the book of the dead? What else can be done for the departed?

ANSWER: If you don't know exacdy when someone has died, the best thing is to read the entire book on one day and again on the second day. That should be repeated for. several days.

It's also a help to do Avalokiteshvara meditation, and to recite his mantra OM MANI PEME HUNG, or the mantra of Amitabha or the hundred syllable mantra of Vajrasattva. That is all very helpful for the bardo consciousness.

THE BARDO OF BECOMING

~~~

q;~·~·~;·.e~rq~·~"'m~·~~·"'~~ 1

"'~~·rri-~%~·~~~·~·q~~~~·~~~

qs~q.~~·~"'~~·~~·®,~·~~i 1

~~~·fq~~~·~~·~·ar~·s~·~~·~~

~~~~·;~·~~;~~·~~·~~·~%~·~~~ ~~·~~·~~~·~·a~·~·t\fq·~~·~~~~

Kyema! Now, as the bardo of becoming appears,

I should, by striving with one-pointed mind, Urgendy continue the progress of good karma

And remember to tum away fr.om entering the womb, shutting its door.

This is a time calling for strength of mind and pure vision. Abandon jealousy and meditate on the lama in union.

THE BARDO OF BECOMING 95

Now, as the bardo of becoming appears, I should, by striving with one-pointed mind

If the bardo of becoming appears, we should strive onepointedly and develop strong trust. We have at last understood that we have died. We think: "I have arrived in the bardo of becoming". As we grasp this fact, we strive for a new birth. One-pointed striving means that we must now direct our mind entirely towards taking a birth with good parents having the possibility to practise the dharma. Such a birth would open the possibility for us to meet a lama and spiritual friend. With this thought we direct our striving towards a new birth.

Urgently continue the progress of good karma

In our present life we possess a body with which we have experienced the buddha, dharma and sangha. In the bardo of becoming we should develop the following thought: "Previously I had such a body, now I should take on a body again that can experience the dharma." In this way we make a connection to our good karma.

And remember to turn away from entering the womb, shutting its door.

If we see a couple in union, but these potential parents are parents through whom we could not attain a birth corresponding to our wishes, we must close the entrance to the womb. For this purpose we should visualise the couple as the lama in union. In this way we develop, with regard to the potential parents, neither clinging nor rejection, on the : basis of which we would fall unconsciously into the gate of this womb. So the door to the womb is closed, and entry into I it is turned away.

This is a time calling for strength of mind and pure v~on. ·

96 TliNGA RINI'OCIIE: TI{ANSITION AND LIBEHATION

To avoid an unfavourable rebirth we must develop the pure vision with which we recognise that all appearances are in essence pure. It is now important to take birth consciously.

Abandon jealousy and meditate on the lama in union.

Jealousy here means the clinging and aversion with regard to the father and mother. If we can stop these from arising in our minds, then even in this situation we can prevent ourselves from taking a rebirth in the lower realms. Giving up jealousy can bring us back to the bardo, so that we can take birth consciously. If we recognise that the time to enter a womb has come, it is best to do so consciously. One visualises the parents as the lama in union and the womb as a buddha's pure land. If we can hold on to this meditation during the entry, we can consciously take the desired kind of birth in accordance with our wishes.

Most people go through the bardo of becoming from the fifteenth day after death up until the forty-ninth. There are some beings who take birth even before the forty-ninth day.

As was explained at the beginning, in the bardo of becoming we possess a mental body. Because of our karma, it corresponds during the first · half of this bardo to the appearance of our previous human body. During the second half it assumes the appearance of the next birth. If, for example, someone has to remain one month in the bardo, he will maintain the appearance of a human body for fifteen days. If he has the karma to take the body of a fish in the next life, then after fifteen days he will take on the appearance of a fish. If, because of one's karma, one must remain two months in the bardo, then for the first month one possesses the bodily basis of a human, according to the previous karmic imprints. In the second month, because of the karma associated with the coming life and the karmic imprints, a body arises which corresponds to the realm of ~xistence into

TJIIi BAIU>O 011 BliCOMING 97

which one is going. From this point on the bardo being perceives the corresponding beings in the corresponding realm of existence.

The mental body which we possess as a result of our previous human life, is complete. All the organs and sense faculties arc perfectly formed, even if this was not previously the case. There are no obstacles to our movement, which means we can travel to Mount Meru, pass through cliffs and much more.

In this phase we have the capacity to work karmic miracles. We can visit our parents, children, friends and all our acquaintances, go to them and hear all their conversations, although our friends cannot hear our own speech. They don't understand us any more, and we recognise that we have died and are now in the bardo. This recognition causes great fear and suffering.

When we were still alive we could use our material possessions ourselves. Now our relatives and acquaintances use our estate. If we go to them and say: "That's mine, it's my money, it's wrong what you're doing with my possessions", they don't understand. We, however, understand everything that our relations say. So we realise that we have died, and we experience fear and fright.

Sometimes in this situation a bardo ritual is asked for on behalf of the deceased. If a qualified lama or spiritual friend carries out such a ritual, the bardo consciousness perceives this and recognises: "This lama is doing that ritual for me. My friends and relations have asked him to do it. He is giving me guidance. He is a lama with great qualities, he has compassion, strength and experience. That is very good." The bardo being is given strength and develops great trust and respect for this lama. It can even in some cases happen that, because of the force of especially strong trust and


respect, the bardo being reaches in one moment the level of realisation of a buddha.

The bardo body· cannot stay, it cannot remain in one spot. It is rather as if it is constantly blown around in all directions by the wind. It does not perceive any difference between day and night. Even though here in the world the sun shines during the day and the night is dark, the perception of a bardo being cannot distinguish between these two appearances.

In this phase we do not have anyone whom we could call a friend. We are dreadfully lonely. Deep sadness and great fear arise from this.

Before we go into a new womb we are badly troubled by fears, sometimes by tremendous fires, sometimes by mighty mountains that are put in our way, sometimes by surging rivers or powerful storms that pull us with them. This kind of illusory appearance is continuously arising as a result of our fears. We perceive appearances based on the element of wind as ghosts and demons. Through the appearances based on the element of ftre we have perceptions of burning. Through the appearances based on the water element we have feelings of drowning.

All these appearances are based on our delusions and arise because of our karma wind. In this way we are sometimes driven forwards by strong winds. Frightening forms appear to us on all sides, some holding weapons in their hands. Terrifying animals such as tigers and lions approach us from all sides.

We are driven on and on by great fear, until deep abysses open up before us. A white, a red and a black abyss are the illusory forms of appearance of desirous attachment, anger and dullness in our mind. We have no further possibility of

THE BARDO OF BECOMING 99

avoiding these abysses. Our fear increases. The only thing that can help us in this phase is the experience of the dharma practice in the previous life.

We develop the strong need to take on a new body. Our thoughts and hopes circle round and round the longing for a new body. We see couples in union more and more often. The mental body of the bardo draws near to them and recognises their qualities as potential parents. It recognises whether they practise dharma or continuously perform negative actions. This is an example of the capacity to be able to perform karmic miracles.

In this situation it is important to maintain one-pointed striving by making it clear to ourselves: "Now that I've got to the bardo, I have to take a birth. I'd like to have parents who possess the dharma. In my later life it should be possible to meet a lama or a spiritual friend. Later it should be possible for me to effect extensive benefit for all beings in this body. I must take such a body." We should strongly develop our thoughts in this direction.

If the mental body in the bardo sees a couple through the power of its clairvoyance, and thinks: "It would not be good to take a birth with these parents", then we have to abandon the feelings of clinging and aversion with regard to these parents, by visualising them as the form of appearance of the lama in union and praying to him with trust and devotion. Then we will not have to enter into the womb.

If on the other hand the bardo being thinks: "These two parents are in agreement with the dharma, I will take birth there", it can enter into the womb. Having taken on a new body the cycle of existence is continued on this basis. We will experience once more the conditions of suffering and the fears of a new existence.

100 TENGA RINI'OCHE: TRANSITION AND LIIJEitATION

If with one-pointed striving we have chosen the door to a womb and are born into a family of good parents, then in the next life it will be possible for us to come into contact with the dharma, to practise it, and to create extensive benefits for all beings.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

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Without thought for approaching death I plan for the distant future.

If I were to relentlessly busy myself with the senseless activities of this life

And now return empty handed, this would be completely deluded.

Recognising the essential is truly sublime dharma.

Should I not practise this sublime dharma precisely now?

This is how the great siddhas themselves taught it.

If I did not treasure the instructions of my lama in my mind

Would I not be deceiving myself?

102 TENGA RINPOCI-IE: TRANSITION AND LIBERATION

The closing lines of Karma Lingpa's text, the Root Verses of the Six Bardos, give us the following teaching for our lives now:

Without thought for approaching death I plan for the distant future.

Death is certain, but we don't think about it. The bardo of dhannata and the bardo of becoming will certainly appear to us, but we are not in the slightest prepared to deal with them.

Because we don't continuously bring the approach of death to mind, we think: "I've still got years of time to practise", and fall continuously into laziness. If one is lazy in one's practice it is a sign that one is not conscious of the nearness of death.

But how can we think about death? It is not complicated, if we remind ourselves again and again that we will certainly die. Only the time of death is uncertain. If we hear about the death of someone else, we should give thought to death: "This person has died, and one day I will die."

Before we go to visit some other place, and for that matter on the way there too, we should think: "I'm now going to that place. Everything has the nature of transience, so I don't know if I'll ever return."

If. there is a fight in the family, with parents, children or friends, we should think: "Now a fight has started up, but I won't get involved, since we are all subject to transience. It is uncertain which of us will die first." So we should avoid fights, since we do not know the time of our own death. Death can arrive very suddenly.

Geshe Karag Gomchung, a yogi who lived a long time ago in Tibet, gives us an example for meditation on transience. Karag Gomchung was doing a meditation retreat in a cave in

CONCLUDING REMARKS 103

the mountains. He had akeady been meditating there for a long time. A thorn bush was growing at the entrance to the cave. Every time he had to leave the cave his clothing got caught in the thorn bush. Before he stepped out of the cave he would think: "Actually I ought to cut this thorn bush back, but when I leave the cave it's not certain if I'll return. Everything is transient, including my life. So it's better to use the time to meditate than to cut the thorn bush away."

When Karag Gomchung entered the cave he would get caught up again with his clothing on the thorns and thought: "I should cut the thorn bush out, but everything is transient. If I go into the cave now I don't know if I'll ever leave it again. Therefore it's better to use the time to meditate instead of wasting it cutting away undergrowth."

In this way Karag Gomchung meditated on impermanence every time he left or entered the cave. Through this kind of intensive meditation and his preference for meditation he attained siddhi. The thorny undergrowth was never cut away.

Another story about Karag Gomchung shows how important it is to maintain samadhi. It is not in general the material value of daily offerings that matters, but the visualisation during the offering.

An influential lama lived near Karag Gomchung. In the mornings he would offer an offering cake, as is the Tibetan custom. Normally, when such a cake is offered, great swarms of hungry ghosts, beings without bodies, collect to enjoy it. But since Karag Gomchung's offering cakes were very popular amongst the hungry ghosts, they thought: "We prefer to go to Karag Gomchung and eat his cakes. They are extremely tasty, and we prefer this delicious dainty." So they always came to Karag Gomchung. ·


The influential lama thought to himself: "It's funny, what's so special about Karag Gomchung's offering cakes. He must have a terrific offering cake container, better than mine. Probably it's made of gold or silver." So one day he sent a monk over, telling him: "Watch exactly how Karag Gomchung offers his cake." However, Karag Gomchung just used a tin can. He just put a bit of water in, then added the offering cake. That ·was all. However, before making the offering of the cake he would remain for a long time in onepointed samadhi. He did not own any beautiful or precious containers, but because of the strength of his samadhi all the hungry ghosts experienced the highest sensory enjoyment.

So we should always remain, with unbroken attentiveness, conscious of the certainty of our death even though we do not know its time. In that way we will develop fear and fright about our death. If we also know that at the time of our death only the dharma will be able to help us, then we will automatically and naturally develop diligence, without having to set up rules about our practice.

My students often say: "I do practise, but although I practise I don't get any fruit. There's not a single good result to be seen." Many students have the same experience. Then I always think of the example of the bird. If a bird flies in the sky, it undoubtedly casts a shadow. But because of its height it cannot see the shadow on the ground. When the bird comes down to earth again, it sees the shadow clearly and meets up with it.

Just as a bird cannot see its shadow during flight, so we cannot recognise the result of our practice at the moment, although we have certainly earned one. But at the moment of our death the fruit of our practice will appear.

Nevertheless it is often the case that we don't make ourselves aware of the coming of death. We push the thought of it

CoNCLUDING REMARKS 105

away from us. In this way many years, twenty, thirty or more go by without us making any preparation for death.

If I were to relentlessly busy myself with the senseless activities of this life

We give ourselves up to meaningless things that don't have the slightest use at the time of death or in the bardo. All we do is repeat the senseless activities of this life again and again.

And now return empty banded, this would be completely deluded.

Now we have uniquely got a human body as the precious basis. A sign of how precious this basis is, is that it makes the practice of shamatha possible. With this body we are able to take up the vajra posture and adopt the most important points of body posture, place our hands in the meditation position, and, with this foundation, meditate well. If the body remains like this, we are able to observe the mental points for meditation. For this reason the human body is compared to a wish fulfilling jewel.

If now, with this uniquely obtained body which is like a wish fulfilling jewel, we are not able to meditate even a bit, then this propitious opportunity would be wasted. It would be the same as arriving at a jewel island and then not taking a single precious stone with us but leaving it again empty handed. A jewel island consists of the most varied jewels. All the stones are precious and the earth is made of gold and silver. If someone came to such a place he would have to be completely blind not to take any jewels with him but to return empty handed.

The same is true if now, with our human body as a basis, we were not to practise the dharma at all but to go into the bardo empty handed. That is also a sign of complete delusion.

106 TENGA RINPOCHE: TRANSITION AND LILUmATION

Recognising the essential is truly sublime dharma.

The dharma is what we really need. Recognising the necessity and importance of the dharma is truly sublime dharma.

Should I not practise this sublime dharma precisely now?

Now, in this life, · with this unique human body as foundation, I have the chance to practise the sublime dharma.

This is bow the great siddbas themselves taught it.

The great siddhas are an example of how we can attain realisation through practising the dharma. They have taught us how to practise.

If I did not treasure the instructions of my lama in my mind

Would I not be deceiving myself?

Not to follow the lama's instructions nor put them into practice is the same as self-deception.

The quintessence of this teaching is to practise as much as possible in this life, and in doing so it is our motivation that is the most important thing. Therefore we should accompany our practice with wishing prayers for the benefit of all beings, and pray with trust and pure vision to our lama and spiritual friend. That is all that has to be done, without getting into cJeliberations about whether certain lamas are good or not. If we practise in this way, it is a practise in which e-Verything is contained.


QUESTION: What happens to people who have committed suicide? ·

CONCLUDING REMARKS 107

ANSWER: The result is the same as that of killing another person. The deed possesses the same negativity as the killing of another person. It has the same consequences whether I take my own life or that of someone else. I carry the negativity of having killed a human.

QUESTION: We can't remember the bardo. Why is that?

ANSWER: There is a quite clear reason why we no longer remember. It is a similar case to that of buddha nature, the element or potential for buddhahood, which is present in our mind and which possesses all positive qualities, such as omniscience and the power to work miracles. All beings possess this potential. But because of afflictions, because of negative actions it is temporarily veiled. Therefore one can't remember. None of the experiences of the bardo or the events of our previous lives are present to us now. We don't know our next birth. All such memories are screened by a temporary obscuration.

QUESTION: What are the consequences of an abortion for the aborted being? To which bardo existence does it return? What are the consequences according to Buddhist thought for the mother who has had the abortion done?

ANSWER: If the nadi branches of the cakras at the crown, throat and heart have been formed and the winds and drops arc naturally moving in them, then all the conditions are present for all the bardos to take their natural course. Because of the movement of the winds and drops, the appearances of the forms of expression of the wrathful and peaceful deities and of the awareness holders are naturally present. Therefore the consciousness will go step by step from the first day on through the bardo.

The mother has collected as much negativity as a person who has killed someone. To purify this sort of karma and the result of such a negative deed, the Buddha taught that in .the


first place there must be remorse. Remorse, by which one recognises: "I've really done ·something eXtremely negative".

Then one must make the promise: "In the future I'll never do such a thing again". One strengthens such a promise with vows.

If one has felt true remorse and made a vow, one imagines that Lama Vajrasattva is present over the crown of the head and recites his mantra 'OM BENDZA SATO HUNG' one hundred thousand times. In this way, all the negativity, regardless of how great it is, is purified through and through. Its karmic fruit will not ripen.

QUESTION: Suppose that the consciousness manages to attain buddhahood in the tugdam meditation or in the subsequent days by following the correct light. What happens then when one has reached buddhahood? Since we are, after all, keeping the bodhisattva vows, we want another human birth. What is the next step?

ANSWER: If, for example, you have achieved buddhahood in the pure land of Vajrasattva, you arc a perfect buddha free from suffering. But because of your previous bodhisattva vow and the strength of your great compassion you will again develop an emanation. This emanation is capable of manifesting exactly where it is needed, where it can work for the benefit of beings and teach them. One could for instance emanate in the form of a lama or of a spiritual friend. Whatever is needed by beings, one will manifest in this form and possess the power to be of use to those beings.

APPENDIX

List of translations of Tibetan technical terms in the sequence of their first appearance.

Introduction:

Mind of enlightenment, bodhicitta {byang chub sems}

Perfections, paramita {pha rot tu phyin pa drug}, the six:

generosity, correct behaviour, patience, joyful effort, mental stability and highest understanding.

Causal vehicle of characteristics {r.gyu 'i mthsan nyid kyi theg pa}

Fruition vehicle of secret mantra {'bras bu gsang sngags kyi thegpa}

Thirty-seven factors of a bodhisattva {byang chub sems dpa'i cbos sum cu so bdun}

Tripitaka {sde snod gsum} (lit. three baskets), the three collections of the Buddha's discourses

Vinayapitaka { 'dul ba 'i sde snod}

Sutrapitaka {mdo'i sde snod}

Abhidharmapitaka {mngon pa'i sde snod}

Afflictions, kleshas {nyon mongs}

Training in correct behaviour {bslab pa tshul khrims kyi bslabpa}

Training in samadhi {bslab pa ting nge 'dzingyi bslab pa}

Training in highest understanding {bslab pa shes rab kyi bslabpa}

Karmic imprints {bag chags}

Secret mantra vehicle {gsang sngags gi theg pa}


Secret mantra vajra vehicle {gsang sngags rdo rje theg pa}

Kalacakra {dus kyi 'khor lo} (Wheel of Time)

Guhyasamaja {gsang ba 'dus pa}

Vajra Catuhpitha {rdo rje gdan bzhi}

Sukhavati {bde ba can}, Realm Filled with Joy, Amitabha's pure land in the west.

Five limitless deeds {mtshams med lnga}: 1) patricide 2) matricide 3) killing an arhat 4) drawing blood from a buddha's body with evil intention 5) causing a schism in the sangha.

Liberation through Hearing in the Bardo {bar do thos drol} Great Wheel of liberation through Wearing {btags grot gyi

'khor lo chen po}

Mahasiddha {grub thob chen po} Treasure text, terma {gter ma}

Practice instructions {khrid}

Bardo of the natural place of birth {rang bzhin skyes gnas bar do}

Bardo of dream {nni lam gyi bar do}

Bardo of samadhi and mental stability {ting 'dzin bsam gtan gyi bar do}

Bardo of the time of death {'chi kha'i bar do}

Bardo of dharmata {chos nyid kyi bar do}

Bardo of becoming {srld pa'i bar do}

Bardo of the Natural Place of Birth:

The six realms of existence {gnas ris drug}: realm ·of the gods, realm of the demigods,' realm of humans, realm of animals, realm of the hungry ghosts, realm of the hells

APPENDIX

Taking birth according to intention {bsam bzbin du skyes ba}

Taking birth on the basis of karma and of karmic imprints {las dang bag cbags kyi dbang gis skyes ba}

Great life-force wind {srog eben po'i rlung}

Channels, nadi {rtsa}

Winds, prana {rlung}

Drops, hindu {tbig le}

Central channel {rtsa dbu ma}

111

Bindu free from mental projections {spros bra/ gyi tbig le} Tummo, yoga of inner heat {gtum mo}

Downwards eliminating wind {tbur sel gyi rlung}

Cakra, energy centre { 'kbor lo}

Upwards flowing wind {rgyen rgyu}

Penetrating wind {kbyab byed}

Right side-channel, Ida {ro ma}

Left side-channel, Pingala {kyang ma}

Fire-like wind {me mnyam rlung}

Naga wind {klu rlung}

Turtle wind {rus sbal rlung}

Lizard wind {rtsangspa'i rlung}

Wind of divine giving {lba sbyin gyi rlung}

Wind victorious over possession {nor las rgyal}

Jambudvipa, southern continent { 'dzam bugling}

Bodies of a buddha, {kaya}, the three: dharmakaya, sambhogakaya,nirmanakaya

Birth through warmth {drod skyes}

Birth through spontaneous arising {rdzus skyes}


Birth from an egg {sgong skyes}

Birth from a womb {mngal skyes}

Bardo of Dream:

Appearances based on delusion {'khrul snang}

Practice Instructions of the Buddha's Word {bka' yi gdams ngag}

lliusory body {sgyu Ius}

Profound path of the six yogas of Naropa {zab lam na ro cbos drug}: yoga of the illusory body, yoga of clear light, dream yoga, tummo, phowa and bardo

Direct state {mngon sum}

Immediate presence {da Ita mngon sum}

Truth of dharmata {cbos nyid kyi bden pa}

Bardo of Samadhi and Mental Stability:

Samadhi, meditative concentration {ting nge 'dzin}

Shamatha, peaceful abiding (of the mind) {zhi gnas}

Bodhisattva level 'highest joy' {sa rab tu dga' ba}

Direct attainment of the path of seeing {dngos su mthong lam thobpa}

Nearly identical attainment of the path of seeing {rjes su mthun pa mtbong lam thob pa}

Nearly identical path of seeing {rjes su mthun pa'i mthong lam}

Seclusions {dben pa gsum}, the three: seclusion of the body, seclusion of speech, seclusion of the mind

APPENDIX

Vipashyana, deep insight {lhag mthong} Three stages of stability {gnas pa gsum} Thoughts, imaginations {rtog pa} Mere recognition {ngo shes tsam} Resting in itself {rang bah}

Appearing aspect of the mind {sems kyi snang cha}

113

Bardo of the Time of Death:

Instructions {gdams ngag} Self-awareness {rang rig} Tonglen, sending and taking {gtong len} Remaining in the condition of undistractedness {ma g.yengs

pa 'i ngang! ngor Ia zhag}

Thirty-three thoughts of anger {zhe sdang gi rtog pa gsum bcu sogsum}

Forty thoughts of desirous attachment {'dod chags kyi rtog pa bzhi bcu}

Seven thoughts of dullness {gti mug gi rtog pa bdun} Eighty natural thoughts {rang bzhingyi rtogpa brgyad bcu}

Coarse dissolution of the four elements {rags pa byung ba bzhi'i sdus tshul}

Subtle dissolution {phra ba'i sdus tshul}

Appearance, increase and attainment {snang ba, mched pa, thobpa}

Highest capability of buddhahood in the dharmakaya {rab chos sku ngang du sangs rgyas}

Using death on the path as the dharmakaya {'chi ba chos sku lamkhyer}

114 TEN<iA RINI'OCIIE: TnANSITION AND l.mmtATION

Highest capability of dharmakaya phowa {rab chos sku 'pho ba}

Bardo of Dhannata: Self-expression {rang tsal} Self-appearance {rang snang} Self-sound {rang dra} Aspect of purity {dag cha}

In the nadi branches {rtsa 'dabs kyi gnas su} Sambhogacakra, energy centre in the throat {longs spyod kyi

'khorlo} Awareness holder, vidyadhara {rig 'dzin} Mahasukhacakra, energy centre at the crown {bde chen gyi

'khor lo}

Blood drinker {khrag 'thung}

Akanishta, Pure Realm of Dense Arrangement { 'og min stug podkodpa}

Attaining buddhahood in the bardo as a sambhogakaya {bar do long spyod rdzogs pa'i sku ru sangs rgyas pa}

Generation in one moment through awareness {skad cig dran rdzogs par skyed pa}

R~alm of Real Joy {mngon dga' zhing khams}

Realm Filled with Splendour {dpal dang ldan pa}

Realm Filled with Joy {bde ba can}

Realm of Highest Perfect J;)eeds {las rab rdzogs pa 'i zhing}

Clinging to a self, holding to a self { bdag tu 'dzin pa}

Skandha, aggregate {phung po}, the five: skandhas of form, of feelings, of discriminations, of mental functions and of consciousness

Al'l'ENI>IX

Mental consciousness {sems kyi rnam par shes pa} llrimordial awareness {ye shes}, the five: primordial

awareness of the dharmadhatu, mirror like primordial

115

awareness, primordial awareness of equality, ' discriminating primordial awareness, truly accomplishing primordial awareness

Bardo of Becoming:

Mindfulness {dran pa}

Strength of mind {snying rus}

Jealousy {mug ser}

Concluding Remarks:

Delusion { 'khrul}

Vajra posture {rdo rje'i skyil krung}

Points of body posture {Ius gnad}

Mental points of the meditation {sems gnad}

Potential {rigs}

Element {khams}

Buddha nature, sugatagarbha {bde bar gshegs pa 'i snying po}

Obscuration {sgrib pa}

Remorse { 'gyod pa}

Promise {sdom pa}

LITERATURE ON THE BARDO

Bokar Rinpoche: Death and the Art of Dying, Clear Point Press, San Francisco.

Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche: The Bardo Guidebook, Rangjung Yeshe Publications, Kathmandu 1991.

Fremantlc, F., and Trungpa, Ch.: The Tibetan Book of the Dead, Shambala, Boston 1975.

Kazi Dawa Samdup and Evans-Wcnz, W. Y.: The Tibetan Book of the Dead, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1960.

Lati Rinpochc and Hopkins, J.: Death, Intermediate Stale and Rebirth in Tibetan Buddhism, Rider and Company, London 1979.

Lauf, D. 1.: Secret Doctrines of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, Shambala, Boston 1989.

Lodo, Lama: Bardo Teachings, Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca 1982.

Mullin, Glenn H.: Death and Dying, the Tibetan Tradition, Arkana 1986.

Sogyal Rinpoche: The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Harper, San Francisco 1992.

Tsele Natsok RangdrOl: The Mirror of Mindfulness, Shambala, Boston and Shaftesbury 1989.

Yeshe, Lama: Life, Death and After Death, Wisdom Publications 1984.

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