Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Mahmudr Instructions
Author: Tilopa
Translator: Mar-pa Chos-kyi Blo-gros………………………………………………… 31
Summary of the View
Author: Naropa (Jñnasiddhi)
Translator: Mar-pa Chos-kyi Blo-gros………………………………………………… 40
Mahmudr in Brief
Author: Maitripa
Translator: Mar-pa Chos-kyi Blo-gros………………………………………………… 47
Introduction
The Doha
Poetry written in Sanskrit and related languages in India, employ various kinds of
verse and meter. Unlike Tibetan, which only counts the number of syllables per line,
Sanskrit uses a meter based on patterns of long and short syllables. The Doha verse is a
form, based on two lines, a couplet; its most famous example being the poetry of Kabir in
which each doha, or couplet, was an independent separate work. This is a form of verse
associated with the later centuries of the first millennium, and is used in the late middle
Indic and early late Indic languages that have Vedic Sanskrit as their ancestor. Do means
two and is derived from the Sanskrit dva. Tibetan pronunciation of Sanskrit reflects north
Indian dialects from the beginning of the second millennium. The word dva in a mantra
would be pronounced do. Indian languages were written in a form that reflected the
phonetics. In this case the Tibetan has left doha untranslated, as there is no Tibetan
equivalent for the word. However, the general word for a spiritual song in Tibetan is
mgur, and as these songs are generally referred to in Tibetan as being mgur, there has
been an inaccurate back translation of all instances of mgur as doha.
The text
This is a compilation of eight mahmudr songs that are to be found within the
bsTan-‘gyur, with a minimal commentary that divides some of the songs into themed
parts. This edition was made at Rumtek, during the sixties or seventies, under the
auspices of the sixteenth Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpay Dorje (1924-1981),whose seat in
exile it was. It is based on an earlier block, of un as yet unknown date. There are some
errors in this text, in the succession of subdivisions and possibly in the attribution of
authorship, which may not be in the original blockprint, which was carved by one
Lethang Tshedon; Lethang is surely synonymous with Lithang, the province within
Kham; this degree of variation in place-names is quite common as they were not as
standardised as they are at present. This was carved within the mobile tent monastery of a
Karmapa. This large nomadic monastery, complete with its own army was a distinctive
ii
feature of the Karmapas, and even gave rise to one of the principal traditions of Tibetan
painting Karma Gardri ‘Karma-camp art’. If he is an important figure in the Karma
Kagyu, it should be possible to identify him.
The TBRC has another edition of this text, which was published by the Kargyu
Sungrab Nyamso Khang in Darjeeling, either in the late seventies or early eighties. It is a
reproduction of the rTsib-ri edition, an important centre for publication in the first half of
the twentieth century, and its productions were usually of a higher quality. The rTsib-ri
block was carved between 1934 and 1958. Apparently its colophon identifies the original
compiler of this text as La-dwags Khrid-dpon ‘Khrul-zhig Padma Chos-rgyal.
I am awaiting critical editions of the dohas as they appear in the various editions
of the bstan-‘gyur. None f these works appear under these titles in the bsTan-‘gyur.
The Authors
Saraha
Virupa
Tilopa
Tilopa (also written as Telopa, Tailopa and Tillipa), whose formal name was
Prajñbhadra, is viewed as the initial source for the lineages of all the bKa’-brgyud
schools. He was from the Bengal region of India and lived during the tenth century. His
traditional dates as given in the Tibetan sixty-year cycle, are “earth-ox” to “earth-bird”,
which would have to be 928-1009. However, dates given for the earlier masters in the
bKa’-brgyud lineage are uncertain. Tilopa was an eclecticist who taught a number of
tantric traditions that had emerged in the latter centuries of the first millennium, such as
Cakrasavara and Hevajra. , traditionally, Tilopa is described as a solitary dark-skinned
wanderer with bulging eyes and long-matted hair, who frequented the charnel-grounds.
He is said to have been a monk who gave up the monastic life to live an overt tantric life
ii
during which he is said to have chained himself into the meditation posture for twelve
years. Iconographically, he is portrayed wearing the charnel ground costume of
“jewellery” made of human-bone, as do the deities in his practices. His songs are in an
early form of Bengali.
Kapa
Nropa/ Jñnasiddhi
Tilopa’s successor in the bKa’-brgyud lineage is said to be Nropa from Kamir,
who is the receppient and transmitter of of his dohas.. His traditional dates are given as
fire-dragon to iron dragon, which would be 956-1040. Atia arrived in Tibet in 1042,
bringing with him relics from the recent cremation of Nropa. The stpa containing these
relics still survives in Nethang Temple south of Lhasa. He is said to have undergone a
series of twelve gruelling hardships under Tilopa, such as jumping off a building, from
which he would have died if not for Tilopa’s miraculous healing powers. Fllowing this
period in his life, he became a great scholar and author at Nlnd monastery, before
eventually retiring to his hermitage of Pulahari to the north of Nlnd. Later versions of
his life, make him a scholar first and a pupil of Tilopa afterwards, reflecting a view that
maintains the supremacy of meditation over scholarship.
The colophon of the Nropa song calls it a summary of Naropa’s views, gives
Jñnasiddhi in transliteration as the name of the author and makes no attempt to make
clear that this is in fact Nropa’s Dharma name. There are songs attributed ti Mar-pa in
which he addresses Nropa solely by this name. There is no other Buddhist master who
could be identified as the author.
Matiripa
According to the tradition of his pupil Vajrapani, he was brn in the year of the
dog, while the tradition drevied from Vajrapani’s pupil Asu says that he was born in the
year of the sheep. Roerich in The Blue Annals, decided these years were 1107 or 1110,
iii
and these dates have been repeated in other works. However, these dates seem to be too
late. His most important pupil in the transmission of Mahmudr to Tibet was the above
mentioned Vajrapi, whose birth year is more specifically recorded as being the fire-
snake, which wuld have to be 1017. He was brought to Maitripa by his elder brother who
was already a pupil of Maitripa as an established master, and he already defeated antipa
in debate. The years of his birth may therefore be 1083 or 1086, 1071 or 1074. He is said
to have died in his seventy-eighth year. However, he outlived Nropa, who had died in
1040. Therefore we are looking at 1083-1060 or 1086-1063 (1071- 1048 and 1074-1051
are probably too early).
Maitripa holder of the lineage of avaripa; he was a great scholar and had many
important pupils and a wide range of mahmudr instructions. A number of lineages
derived from Maitripa’s pupils entered Tibet, particularly those of Vajrapi (born 1017)
Atia, Tipupa, Marpa, Vairocanarakita, Karopa (who was previously a pupil of antipa
and Kapa and had been a scholar monk at Vikramala, and was ).
The Translators
Vairocanarakita
He was a twelfth century Paita, originally from south India, who studied in
north India under a number of masters, the most famous being Abhayakaragupta the
greatest Buddhist master of his time.
His principal teacher for mahmudr wasthe great scholar and yogin Surapla at
Nland, who taught him ‘The Twenty-six teachings of Amanasi (no mental activity)”
[amanasi skor nyer-drug, all twenty-six texts are in the bstan-‘gyur), the mahamudra
dohas, four of which are compiled in this text as translated by him, and Maitripa’s
tradition of Mahamudr.
Vairocanarakita was a master of mahmudra as well as other tantras, and he
visited Tibet a number of times and died there. He made these translations on his own at a
place named rGyal in the Phen-yul district of central Tibet. There is a mahmudr text by
him in the bstan-‘gyur: Shes-rab Ye-shes gsal-ba Prajñ-jñana-prakaa.
iv
His pupils in Tibet are said to have included Bla-ma Zhang (1123-93) and Gyi-jo
Zla-ba’i ‘O-zer (1123-82), who was the son of Khon-pu-ba (1069-1144) and therefore a
nephew of Ma-cig Zhwa-ma.1
He also taught sKor-Nirupa in sNye-thang (the site of Atia’s temple and Nrpa’s
stpa just suth f lHa-sa) (see below), from whm comes the later traditin of mahamudra
1
The Blue Annals, trans. George Roerich; 844-7.
v
Vajrapani’s teaching also included a method which used a hundred and seventy-
five pebbles together with the three dohas of Saraha
Next Ras-chung-pa
Later period
Last Nag-po Sher-dad.
A pupil of Vajrapani in his old age in east India from whom he obtained the
dohakosa nma caryagti tg. 2224 and other texts. Which from the phyag rgya chen po’i
chos bcu. He was alsoa pupil of ’Gos lotsawa. He was poisoned. Both he and sKor taught
blama so
The lineage of grub-snying and the 26 amanasi and grub-snying nly existed as
lung by 15th century
2
This title (which needs to be checked in other editions) appears to be in a late middle
Indic language, often encountered in mantras, and in which the ubiquitous rules of
sandhi (euphonic combination) are not applied. Actually ganama, appears to mean
a collection rather than a treasure. One wuld expect Dvadha-koa-
mahmudropadea. I have to check the bstan-‘gyur. In the bstan’gyur the title is
Doha-koa-mahmudra-upadea . I just noticed that a mantra O padmoia-
vimale h pha, although wirttne I that way in the lentsa script, is transliterated
as padmo-uia, partially breaking up the sandhi. But this may reflect an Indian
language where sandhi was no lnger applied.
3
The homages at the beginning of the dohas, unlike other texts in the bsTan-‘gyur, are
probably a part of the original song and not necessarily an addition by the
translator
4
Left out of the Rumtek edition, it is in the bsTan-‘gyur.
5
The attempt to divide the text into categories ends in complete confusion, as we shall
see below. A third main part is never given. In the translation, for the sake of
clarity, the categories are arranged together as lists.
6
gNas-lugs.
2
The animate and the inanimate, the mobile and the immobile,
Things and nothing, appearance and emptiness,9
Everything, without exception, throughout all time,
Never deviate from the nature of space.
7
De-nyid, which was a literal translation into Tibetan from tattva.
8
Ri-khrod-pa (‘Mountain-man) is the Tibetan translation for avara. However that word
has no specific etymology; in India this term refers to tribal peoples. It means
those who live in the mountain forests outside of civilization. This self-reference
seems to identify the author as the siddha named avarapda [Tibetan: Sha-wa-ri-
pa]. The song was already a few centuries old when it was translated. See also the
doha attributed to Maitripa, which may be by Saraha.
9
The first two lines are in the reverse order in the bstan-‘gyur text.
10
Rumtek mtshon pa; bstan-gyur: mtshan pa. “It transcends being a conceptual object
that exists, does not exist/ neither exists nor not exists, or is something other than
that.”
3
11
Dharma-karaa; Chos kyi za-ma-tog.
12
Rumtek log-pa’i; bstan-‘gyur: log-pa’i. “It is not another mistaken Dharma”.
13
Rumtek: gdod nas; bstan-‘gyur: gzod nas. Same meaning, though Rumtek has adopted
the more common term; the bstan-‘gyur text is therefore the original, as changes
almost always go towards a more familiar term.
14
lHan-cig skyes-pa; sahaja (literally ‘born together’; the Tibetan is a literal translation)
15
Rumtek: ‘tshol-mkhan gang na’ang med; bstan-‘gyur: tshol-mkhan gong nas med.
‘tshol and tshol same meaning. The Rumtek version is the correct spelling.
Seeker has nit existed from before” The bstan-gyur version appears to be corrupt.
4
1.2. Beings are deluded because they have not realised the truth [of Mahmudr].
Alas!
Although the cloudless sun’s light rays are all pervading,
Darkness appears constantly18 to the blind.
Although the innate is all pervading,
The ignorant are very far from it.
There are some, ignorant, who bind [themselves] with intellectual classifications;
They leave the master at home and seek him elsewhere.22
16
The text has brtags, which I am assuming for the moment, until I check other editions,
is in error for btags. Yes, the bstan-gyur has btags. brTags would mean
‘examined’.
17
Bstan-‘gyur has ra in error for rwa.
18
Rumtek rtag tu; bstan-gyur: rnams la, which is clearly an error: ‘appear as the
darknessess to the blind’
19
Rumtek brtags; bstan-gyur: btags: ‘the nominal mind’
20
Rumtek du kha; bstan-gyur: sduug-bsngal: the frmer a transliteration, the latter a
translation.
21
Rumtek skye bos; bstan-gyur: skye bo: the latter is an error as it has dropped the
instrumental suffix.
5
Hey ho!
Even though these infants25 don’t know the truth
I understand that they are never apart26 from the truth.
22
Rumtek ‘tshol; bstan-gyur: tshol: the latter is in error.
23
Rumtek don; bstan-gyur: gdon: the latter is a mistake, it would mean ‘demons’!
24
Rumtek ji ltar byas; bstan-gyur: ji ltar bas: the latter appears to be a mistake, missing
the ya-btags.
25
Rumtek byis pa; bstan-gyur: bu-pa: the latter is a mistake, the ya-btags copied as a
zhabs-skyu.
26
Rumtek g.yo; bstan-gyur: g.yos: the latter is a mistake.
27
Rumtek yi; bstan-gyur: yir: the latter is a mistake.
28
Rumtek nga yis nga mthong nga nyid gcig pur lus; bstan-gyur: nga yis nga
mthong’ang nyid gcig pur lus: the latter is a mistake.
29
Rumtek gcig pu nyid; bstan-gyur: gcig po nyid: the latter is probably the changed
version, though it has the same meaning
30
Rumtek med pas; bstan-gyur: med pa: ‘who can understand the indescribable? The
Rumtek version is probably the original.
6
2. The second [of the three main parts of the doha]: the practice of Mahmudr
31
This appears to indicate that the author was avara; Saraha is usually renowned as ‘the
great brahmin’, as he was from India’s highest caste, the antithesis of a avara, but
this may be a deliberate, provocative reference to himself as tribal.
32
Rumtek pa ‘jug; bstan-gyur: par ‘jug: the latter is probably the correct form.
33
It was believed in India that lion’s milk would break a bowl if it was not made of a
precious material.
34
Rumtek rgyug; bstan-gyur: brgyug: the Rumtek present form is probably the original.
35
Rumtek yang; bstan-gyur: kyang: the latter is a mistake. Suffix r shuld be follwed by
yang and never kyang.
36
In the text this is introduced as a fourth part.
7
2.1. The first [part of attaining certainty through the view]: the nature of the view:
Hey ho!
With37 an undistracted mind, look at yourself
When you have realised your own truth
Even the distracted mind arises as mahmudr.
Concepts are spontaneously liberated; there is the state of great bliss,
37
Rumtek sems kyis; bstan-gyur: sems kyi: the latter is a mistake.
38
Rumtek du kha; bstan-gyur: sduug-bsngal: the former a transliteration, the latter a
translation.
39
Rumtek bsam pa; bstan-gyur: bsam pas: the latter is a mistake.
40
Rumtek mthong bas; bstan-gyur: mthong pas: the latter is a mistake.
41
Rumtek bsam pa; bstan-gyur: blo ni: ‘the mind/intellect’. This latter is probably the
original form.
8
2.1.2. The second [part of attaining certainty through the view]: the manner of
realisation
42
Rumtek sgyu ma; bstan-gyur: sbyu ma: the latter is a mistake.
43
Rumtek nam mkha; bstan-gyur: nam mkha’i: the latter is a mistake.
44
Rumtek dbus med; bstan-gyur: dbus mar: the latter is a mistake.
45
Rumtek shes par gyis; bstan-gyur: shes par byos: same meaning.
46
Rumtek gang ga; bstan-gyur: gang g.
47
Rumtek ba tshwa; bstan-gyur: ba tsha: the latter is a mistake.
48
Rumtek brtags; bstan-gyur: btags (the nominal mind): probably the latter is a mistake.
49
Chos-kyi dbyings. Can mean either ‘expanse of phenomena, as in the entire extent of
the universe, or as in this case ‘the primary substance” or ‘element’ of
phenomena.
50
Rumtek khams kun; bstan-gyur: khams ni.
51
Rumtek yang; bstan-gyur: kyang: the latter is a mistake.
9
2.1.3. The third [part of gaining certainty through the view]: it is unchanging.
2.2.1. The first [part of the meditation]: Mahmudr is not to be meditated on.
52
Rumtek bya rog gis; bstan-gyur: bya rog ni: the latter is a mistake.
53
Rumtek gzings nas; bstan-gyur: gbrings la: the latter is a mistake.
54
Rumtek ‘babs; bstan-gyur: ‘bab.
55
Rumtek rtog; bstan-gyur: bstan: the latter is a mistake.
56
Rumtek ‘babs; bstan-gyur: ‘bab.
57
Rumtek skungs sa zhig pa; bstan-gyur: skugs sa zhigs pas. ‘Through destroying the
gambling-place it is the vajra mind’.
58
Rumtek chad pas; bstan-gyur: chad pa. The latter is a mistake
59
The text says three parts follow.
60
Rumtek bsgom; bstan-gyur: sgom.
10
2.2.2. The second [part of the meditation]: the supreme meditation that is never
apart from non-meditation
61
Rumtek rang ga; bstan-gyur: rang dga’: ‘as it likes’.
62
Rumtek byar med mtha’ bral; bstan-gyur: bya ba med cing ma bral. The latter is a
mistake because there are two extra syllables.
63
Rumtek btags; bstan-gyur: gdags. The latter is a mistake (it is the future form)
11
2.2.3. The third [part of the meditation]: Examples that illustrate the Mahmudr
path: the unidentifiable ordinary mind that is completely free from triplism.
Hey ho!
What adoption or rejection would
A yogin of natural non-duality have?
64
R bsgom; T sgom.
65
R don dang ‘bral; T don pa ‘bral.
66
The text hasbzhi-pa “fourth” in error for gsum-pa “third”.
12
2.3.2. The second [part of the conduct]: This conduct prevents conditions from
staining
Wondrous!70
The mind is like a lotus that grows in mud;
There is no fault that can stain it.
67
T has omitted ma bzung ( not grasp/hold)
68
I don’t know what jewel is being referred to. It may be the nature of the mind as a
wish-fulfilling jewel.
69
K bya; T gnas ‘dwell’.
70
K e ma ho; T e ma.
13
2.3.3. The third [part of conduct]: the spontaneous arising of a compassion that is
free from attachment and benefits others
71
K ngang; T dang (which is a mistake).
72
K skyo med pas; T skyo med pa.
73
K sgyu ma khan pos; T sgyu ma mkhas pa..
74
The text has bzhi-pa “fourth” in error for gsum-pa “third”.
14
75
R ‘bras bu gang du ‘dor bar ma byed cig; T ‘bras bu gang du ‘ang re ba ma byed cig
(do not hope for any kind of result)
76
The four mudrs, as taught in the Yoga Tantras, are the dharmamudr (of the speech:
elimination of the delusions of the mental consciousness and the manifestation of
discriminating wisdom); samayamudr (of the mind: purification of the delusions
of the afflicted consciousness and the manifestation of equality wisdom),
karmamudr (of activity: purification of the delusions of the five sense
consciousnesses and the manifestation of accomplishing wisdom) and
mahmudr (of the body: purification of the delusions of the ground
consciousness and the manifestation of mirror wisdom).
Alternatively, the four mudras are “all composite phenomena are impermanent”; “all that
is polluted is suffering”; “all phenomena are selfless” and “nirva is peace”.
15
That completes The Mahamudr Instructions Entitled ‘The Doha Treasure, which came
from the mouth of avara Saraha.
77
Rtag-pa and chad-pa. As views they are the extremes of ‘eternalism’ and ‘nihilism’.
16
In Indian: Doha-koa-nma
78
In Indian texts, synonymous with Vajradhara, the essence or source of all deities.
79
‘Selflessness’, the consort of Hevajra.
17
80
Dhatmat; chos nyid.
18
81
The ‘channels’ and the ‘winds’
19
Wondrous!
In the care of a pure guru, realise the single knowledge in this way:
As everything is delusion, there is no true realisation;
As there is no realised or realiser, this is freedom from all extremes and bias;
As there is no freedom or non-freedom, it is a state of natural equality;
If one has that certain realisation, there will be stainlessness in all else.
If one realises the natural true state that has been taught by the guru,
All memories and thoughts85 are destroyed in the dharmadhtu.
Consciousness does not dwell on its objects and there is freedom from all
attachment,
Therefore, all phenomena are liberated within the uncontrived natural state.
82
sNa-tshogs is usually tranaslated as ‘variety’, but it is used to translate viva, which
though it does mean ‘variety’ is used in Indian languages to mean ‘all’ or
‘everything’.
83
Sems here is a literal translation of citta, which usually means thought or smething
similar in context.
84
lambana ‘dependence’, translated into Tibetan as the vague dmigs-pa.
85
Rig here is probably translating something like citti.
20
On the contrived path there will arise signs of great learning, contemplation and
realisation,
Good experiences, siddhis, blessing and power,
But as these are the stains of outer objects, the wise do not direct their minds
towards them.
If one fabricates the truth in the mind, one will fall into the two extremes
And circle in sasra, because that is the root of becoming.
Look at the root of everything: the essence of the mind, whatever it is.
If one looks, sees nothing and is freed from mental activity, one will definitely be
liberated.
In the expanse of the true nature of the mind, there is no “It is this!”
Therefore, within it, there isn’t the duality of meditation and an object of
meditation.
Rest undistractedly in a state where is no thought of any existence or non-
existence.
86
Chos-nyid; the nature or essence of phenomena.
87
Rab-rib is a translation of the prominent Indian term tamas.
21
If one knows the true nature of the truth and rests in that state,
Habituation to concepts of duality will be swiftly destroyed.
Although someone with loss of sight knows he has an illness of the eyes,
If there is no eye illness, the appearance of darkness is not be countered.
Even if samsaric beings have minds that are without worry and free from fear,
They should avoid even the slightest action that is bad karma.
88
rGyud. This could also mean ‘being’
23
Even if all phenomena are empty and free of extremes, like space,
Completely abandon all attachment and aversion, all grasping and clinging.
Even if you have realised the meaning of the true nature, the great immateriality
free from extremes,
Until you have attained stability in them, keep your experiences and realisations
secret from others.
Even if you have realised that, ultimately, yourself and others are non-dual,
Relatively, think of bringing a great benefit to beings.
Even if you have great confidence and don’t need to rely on anyone else as a
guide,
Place your kind guru upon the crown of your head.
2.2.4. The fourth [part of the undeluded ‘adoption as the path’] the result: the
complete accomplishment of mahmudr
Wondrous!
Whatever it is that is named by that great profound word
‘Mahmudr’, it is also merely named ‘empty’.
As there is natural emptiness with each instant, who realises selflessness?
As there is no realiser, ‘buddha’ is merely a designating name
That has no true reality: it is an appearance to disciples.
To the disciples also it is merely a selfless, illusory emanation.
‘Mahmudr’ is a name given by the intellect of infants;
‘Delusion’ and ‘non delusion’ are also just names;
What being knows and experiences delusion?
Not an atom of the result, nirva, exists, or can be seen,
‘Liberation’ and ‘non liberation’ are just incidental names,
Non-existence and ‘the path of liberation’ are bound in peaceful and pure space;
‘Relative’ and ‘ultimate’ are also [merely] persistent namings;
In the dharmadhtu, there are no two truths; there is no dharmadhatu.
That completes The Doha Treasure composed by the lord of yogins Birwpa (Virupa)
In Sanskrit: Doha-koa-nma
89
phung-po; khams; skye-mched; the five psycho-physical ‘aggregates’, the eighteen
‘elements’ of sensory perception and the twelve ‘bases’ of sensory perception.
26
The true nature is not created by the guru and not by the pupil;
Without realising it as mind or non-mind,
Know it to be the one that eliminates the many;
If there is attachment to the one, that alone will cause bondage.
2. The summary.
That completes The Doha Treasure composed by the lord of yogins Tailopa [Tilopa].
In Indian: Doha-koa-nma
90
I don’t know what this phrase refers to, and I do not understand the meaning of the
entire verse either!
30
To be a primordial buddha
And yet wish for buddhahood, is a delusion.
Wondrous!
An illusory being enters the middle way.
A mountain in the sky is adorned by a dream forest.
An illusion of an elephant follows a river in a mirage.
The son of a barren woman rules the kingdom of the gandharvas.92
If, without calculation, without error, you see the certain truth
There is no attachment to the duality of ‘empty’ and ‘not empty’;
By that, one arrives at the final limit of the cessation of phenomena, the cessation
of intellect.
91
‘Those who have passed on’. The text has pre ti. The Tibetan would be Yi-dwags. They
are spirits tormented by hunger and thirst and constantly searching for food and
drink.
92
The kingdom of the gandharvas is said to be the illusion of an unreal city that
occasionally appears in the sky.
31
93
The text is a bit unclear and this word is unidentifiable.Unlike the Tibetan Bhava
‘meditation’ (cf. Sanskrit: bhvana) come first in this list and ditti ‘view’ (cf.
Sanskrit: di) comes second.
33
Hey ho!
The self-originated yoga is wondrous!
The uncontrived natural mind is the dharmakya!
94
This self-reference appears to imply that the song is by Saraha, not Maitripa.
34
That completes The Doha Song of the View, Meditation Conduct and Result. It came
from the mouth of the Indian Paita, Master Maitripa, and was translated by the Tibetan
Locchva, the great scholar Martön Chökyi Lodrö.95
95
Mar-ston Chos-kyi Blo-gros.
36
Mahmudr Instructions
[by Tilopa]
96
The rule of sandhi (euphonic combination) has been ignored. This should be
Mahmudropadea..
37
If you are free from all desires and do not dwell in the extremes,
All the pitaka-dharmas, without exception, will be seen.
If you are dedicated to this meaning, you will be freed from the prison of
sasra.
If you rest in this meaning, all karma and obscurations will be incinerated.
This is taught to be ‘the lamp of the teachings’.
One who wishes for liberation from unendurable suffering should rely on a wise
guru,
The blessing will enter the heart and the mind will be liberated.
Hey Ho!
These phenomena of sasra, which are the cause of meaningless suffering,
Are created phenomena that have no essence, so look at the meaningful essence!
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If there is transcendence of the entirety of perceiver and percepts, that is the king
of views.
If there is no distraction, that is the king of meditation.
If there is no deliberate activity, that is the king of conduct.
If there is no hope or fear, the result will manifest.
When focussing upon an object is transcended, the nature of the mind becomes
clear;
When there is no path to be followed, the path of the buddhas has been attained,
When there is no object of habituation, unsurpassable enlightenment is attained.
Alas!
An excellent understanding of worldly phenomena
Cannot be permanent; it is like a dream or an illusion;
The objects in dreams and illusions do not exist;
Therefore, develop disillusionment and forsake worldly activity;
Sever all connection with sasra’s attachments and aversions;
Meditate alone in the forests, in a mountain hermitage;
Dwell in the state that is without meditation;
If you attain non-attainment, you attain the mahmudr.
Eliminates the ignorance, bad karma and obscurations that have been accumulated
for aeons.
Hey ho!
The phenomena of the intellect will not see the meaning that transcends the
intellect.
Created phenomena will not realise the meaning that is without action.
If one wishes to attain the meaning which transcends the intellect and is without
action,
Cut through the root of the mind and leave ones knowledge naked.
If there is no attachment to that, the wisdom of bliss and emptiness will arise.
There will be a long life without white hair, increasing like the waxing moon,
One will be bright, clear and glowing and as strong as a lion;
Ordinary siddhis will be quickly attained and one will be engaging with the
ultimate.
This came from the mouth of the great Tailopa, who had the spontaneous
accomplishment of mahmudr.
Tailopa taught this on the bank of the Ganges to the Kashmiri Paita, the scholar and
siddha Nropa, at the conclusion of his twelve hardships.
The Twenty-eight Vajra Verses of Mahmudr was dictated by the great Nropa and was
received translated and revised by the great Tibetan locchva, the king of translators,
Marpa Chökyi Lodrö at Pulahari to the north [of Nalanda].
97
Tentative translation for gcud du bor.
98
Tentative translation for bar du gcun.
99
This describes the movement and control of bodhicitta (here embodied as semen)
during sexual yoga, where the union of method (the male) and wisdom (the
female) takes place.
42
In Sanskrit: Abhisidhi-sam-nma
100
Assuming that this is rigs not rig pa.
43
Neither is it beings;
Neither is it not beings;
Therefore, it is beyond all conceptualisation.
Wondrous!
The six classes of beings and the other manifestations
Of that mind and its stains,
Extend beyond the limits of space
As the inconceivable suffering and delusion of sasra.
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Wondrous!
The stainless mind’s
Emanated rpakyas include
The completely pure realms
The emanated maalas, and so on:
The greatly wonderful emanations
That appear throughout and beyond the limits of space.
101
gTso-bo. This is according to the Sakhya tradition.
102
rNam-bden; rnam-rdzun. They are Cittamatrin traditions. Will have to find the
Sanskrit for them.
103
I don’t know why this image is used.
48
104
This is Nropa’s Dharma name. Mar-pa songs address him by this name,
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Mahmudr In Brief
[by Maitripa]
udhammastu sarva-jagata
[May all beings be purified!]
52
Colophon
Through this virtue, may the entire ocean of beings that pervades all space
Completely dispel the darkness of ignorance and dualistic appearances,
And may the joyous grove of the four kyas and liberation blossom!
This [edition was made] by the last in the line of those named Karmapa —I, the
sixteenth— in response to the encouragement of practitioners of good actions. In
accordance with this prayer, may it be the cause for entering the ocean of
Samantabhadras’s prayer.
Sarva-magala
[All good fortune!]
105
These lines are based n the image of the sun shining on blossoming lotuses.
106
I have not identified this word that references the sun.