Vimalamitra, Lozang Jamspal - The Stages of Meditation

The Stages of JMeditation by

Vimalamitra

·Introduction and Translation by Lozang Jamspal, PhD

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INCLUDING THE RIGHT OF REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN ANY FORM COPYRIGHT.© 2000, BY LOZANG JAMSPAL PUBLISHE.D BY LADAKHRATNASHRIDIPIKA LEH, LADAKH 194101, INDIA FIRST PRINTING

ISBN- 81-901230-0-9 The picture on the front cover is of the Mother of Perfection of Wisdom, Prajiiapiramiti from a mural i!l Alc~i Sumtsek (gSum-brtsegs) temple, more than nine hundred years old, photographed by the author in 1994. © Copy right by Likir Monastery, 2000 The photograph on the back cover is a scene of Likir Monastery photographed by the author in 2000. The drawing of Yimalamitra by Mr. dBang 'dus '01 thang pa

Printed at ARCHANA, Ph.: 431·1992

A.carya Vimalamitra

Dedicated to Alex and Hideko Wayman

Acknowledgments In 1983-84 when I was at Nechung Drayang Ling, in Hawaii, Daniel Laine, Arm Jones, and Judy Graham

worked on this text with me, Daniel editing the draft and Arm and Judy typing it up. Several years later Jan Pressman typed it into the computer. Then:, recently, .I went over the English translation comparing it with the original Tibetan text, reworking the translation of some lines, and making many corrections. I also typed the Tibetan onto the computer, editing it into book form. Natalie Hauptman, PhD and Norman Guberman helped to re-edit this text. I am very grateful to all the foresaid individuals. Witho•.1t their kind help I could not accomplish even a short text. I ask that Vrmalamitra may bless all the people who helped me to accomplish all our goals for themsel,ves and others. I have also been forhmate to work with many patient and diligent people on many different translations and reading of Tibetan Buddhist texts. The followmg list is not exhaustive: Doctors Philip and Natalie Hauptman, Norman Gubern1ai1, Scott Hoyt, Irene. Geary, PhD, David Kittay, Ron Bogdan, David Cordell, Elia Smaiko,PhD, Serenity Young, PhD, Nancy Haynes and Mich~el Metz who taugh: me how to use Quark"" Express, David Dell, PhD, J\1arie Friquegnon, PhD, Arthur Mandelbaum, Noe Dir:nerstein, David Mellins, Susan Altabel, Michele Becker, and all other members of the Tibetan Classics Translators Guild of New York too numerous to mention, as well as so many others, which in my haste I have not been able to mention here by name.

Introduction

Introduction Acarya Vimalamitra came to Tibet in the turmultuous and chaotic period of Buddhist: teaching following the departure of the great master Padmasambhava to Copper-Colored Mountain in the southwest and tragic deaths of the Venerable abbot Santarak~ita and then of his learned disciple Kamala:5ila. In accordance with an ordinary historical sense dt is stated in the most ancient book of records, the sBa bzhed zhabs btags ma, that Santara~ita arrived in Tibet and tried to teach Buddhism there, but people were superstitious and believed in the spirits and ghosts. King Khrisrong IDe btsan (according to Tun-huang documents he was born in C. E. 742 and passed away at age 69.) then offered gold to Santarak~ita and asked him to "please return to Nepal until I have s~cceeded in making people believe in the Buddha Dharma. When people have calmed down, then, would you please come back here to teach the Dharma." The King sent some people to Mang yul (Western Tibet bordering Nepal) to bring back Santarak~ita. Santarak~ita advised them to invite Padmasambhava. Pad1pasambhava came to Tibet and tamed the spirits and ghosts. He gave teachings to King Khrisrong .Jpe btsan bestowing upon him the Guhyasamaja initiation. Padmasambhava did not complete his teachings to the King, leaving that for Vimalamitra to do. Padmasambhava, Santarak~ita and King Khrisrong IDe btsan are known as Khan slob chos gsum, the Triad of Abbot, Teacher and Dharma King, respectively."

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Vimalamitra's Stages of Meditation

A.carya Santar~k!?ita was responsible for building the wonderful temples of bSam yas (Sam ye), encouraging young Tibetans to become monks, and promoting the study of Sanskrit and translation of Buddhist literature into Tibetan. However, older people had difficulty learning Sanskrit. Therefore, the A.carya himself studied Tibetan and taught Dharma in Tibetan. As a result, these people did not need to study Sanskrit. But not only that, he praised the Tibetan language, saying, "Tibetan is the emanation bodhisattva's langua~e. It, therefore, has the ability to hold Dharma." The A.carya invited twelve monks from India and encouraged them to study Tibetan. A.carya Santarak!?ita passed away in his nineties in an accident, having been kicked by a horse. According to his final request his disciple, the learned monk Kamalasila, was invited by King Khrisrong IDe btsan to defeat the Chinese meditation-master Hvashang in debate and eliminate his influence in Tibet. Hvashang emphasis was only on meditation, discouraging many people from studying Dharma. After Kamalasila defeated. the monk Hvashang in debate, the Chinese monk went back to China. King Khrisrong IDe btsan was delighted by this outcome. and told all his subjects to study and practice Dharma. The King treasured his first Tibetan monk saying, "You are my precious jewel." He appointed many Dharma teachers and arranged provisions for the Dharma studies.

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Important Questions The King- asked Kamalasila to put into writing the method by which the Dharma of selflessness is ascertained by studying, pondering;, and meditation. As a response to this request, Kamalasila composed the first Bhilvanakramas _and presented a copy to him. The King studied this text and was delig;hted with its meaning. If one wants to practice Dharr.:t.a in one single sitting session, how should one do it? ln response to this question, Kamalasila composed the second Bhilvanakramas. What is the z;esult of this kind of meditation? In response to this he composed the third Bhilvanakramas showing the result of meditation, while alSo refuting the philosophy of Hvashang. In order to respond to doubts and refutations concerning these three books, he composed Madhyamalok (Light of Central Philosophy) demdnstrating the bodhisattva view through reasoning and scriptures. Unfortunately, Kamala:5ila was assassinated by some disciples of the Hva8hang, and the important work of the study and translation ofthe Dharma fell into chaos. The King, mor~~over, was unsatisfied with the incomplete Dharma teachings he had received from Acarya Padma;:;ainbhava [sBa. p. 114], and desperately required an able Indian teacher to continue the important work started by the three Indian predecessors. He s~nt i:hree trusted, Tibetans Lotsabas (translators) with letters and lots of gold to the Indian king Dharma Candra, requesting him to send Acarya Vimalamitra to tibet to complete this work. [Khetsun Sangpo p. 539].

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Vimalamitra's Stages of Meditation

After Vimalamira arrived in Tibet the teachings and translations were resumed under his guidance. King Khri srong lDe btsan received from him the rest of Dharma teachings that were lacking from Acarya Padrhasambhava. He translated the rest of the thirteen texts of the Eighteen Esoteric Instructions of the Mental Class, with the help some Tibetan scholars. The first five texts had been previously translated by Vairocana. According to Dudjom Rinpoche's History (p. 555), Vimalamitra spent thirteen years in Tibet. He then went to the Five-Peaked Mountain in China. He is thought of as being an emanation of Maftjusrt. Vimalamitra wrote eight treatises, which are preserved in the Tangyur (bsTan 'gyur) collection. This present text is one of them and is found in the bsTan 'gyur, dbu rna section volume "A" folio 397a to 419a. It has only the Tibetan title, Rim gyis 'jug pa'i sgpm don. The Sanskrit title Kramapravesikabhavanartha seems to have been reconstructed by the cataloguer according the meaning of the Tibetan title. It can be rendered in English ·as the Stages of Meditation, written as a short form of the three Stages of Meditations of Kamalasila. Instead of three different texts, Vimalamitra condensed the meanings into one single text. In order to demonstrate their humbleness both authors said, "I am like a blind person who doesn't know a lot about the meditations of quiescence and insight, but relying upon perfect words of the Buddha I explain it." This and many other similar sentences are found in the texts of Kamalasila' s three Bhavanakramas and Vimalamitra's Stages of Meditation. Both

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authors demonstrate their statements through the citation ofscriptures. In Kamalasila's three Bhavanakramas forty-seven different texts are quoted or mentioned, and in Vimalamitra's Stages ofMeditation fortyone. Most of the texts cited have only one quotation, but some texts have several quotations. Some. quotations by both authors are identical, but many others are from different sources. Both authors cite quotations from Nagarjuna~s workE. only as an exegetical source. Kamalasila uses several quotations from Nagarjuna's Sutrasamuccaya. Vjmalamitra cites several quotations from Nagarjuna's Sixty Verses.

The-Stases of Meditation

Reverence to Manjusri the Youth One who wishes to dispel obscuration and quickly achieve omniscience should concentrate on achieving quiescence and insight, thereby generating the altruistic mind. I, like, a blind person,' cannot demonstrate this, but relying on the words of Buddha and other scriptures, I will explainit. By right cultivation of quiescence and insight, nonconceptual intuition arises. Through the arising of this [nonconceptuality], one can abandon all·obscurations and attain omniscience that is the result of the longtime practice of quiescence and insight. Therefore, one should strive for quiescence and insight. If there is no cause, there will be no result. For instance, if there is no seed, there will be no sprout. From an incorrect cause, a correct result cannot occur; for example, one cannot obtain milk from a cow's horn. Similarly, as a result of not practicing the CO!Ilplete practice of it, one will be unable to achieve the state of omniscience as its result. For example, with a seed, if there is anything lacking, the correct result cannot arise. It is stated in the Council of Doctrine (1): One who wants to train according to my teaching should strive t·o achieve quiescence and insight. Therefore, a practitioner should develop quiescence, insight, and a wish to aitain enlighterunent. For example, if one dwells in a house of precious crystal glass, one can clearly see all that is outside as well as

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inside the house. Similarly, if one dwells in the state of nonconceptualization, one can see the reality of all things. It is certain that the purification of all obscuration and the achievement of omniscience is dependent upon causes; therefore, one should contemplate nonconceptualization. As one who reaches the top of a lofty mountain can see almost all the surrounding places, similarly, one who dwells in the state of nonconceptualization can see,all things without obstacle or impediment. Therefore, one should contemplate on quiescence and insight. It is st~ted by the Noble Nagarjuna [in Sixty Verses](2): Those whose minds are beyond [clinging to] existence and nonexistence, thoroughly contemplate the profound meaning of the nonapprehending condition. [v. 2] It is also stated in King of Meditation (3):

Those who realize the selflessness of things, contemplate this realization. It is the only cause· whose result is liberation. Any cause other than this cannot bring peace. In Unraveling the Intention (4)] the Lord said: If one contemplates on quiescence and

insight, one will be liberated from the bondage qf affliction and the bondage of identity.

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Therefore, one who wishes to abandon all obscuration should meditate on quiescence and insight. Through the power of quiescence, one's mind will not stray from its object like a candle in a windless place. Through insight, as a rising sun dispels darkness, one can correctly realize the reality of things, achieving the correct realization of ultimate reality and eliminating all obscuration. Meditators who contemplate only quiescence can suppress defilement but cannot dispel obscuration. Without the rising light of wisdom [of selflessness], there is no possibility of thoroughly destroying these propensities. It is said in Unraveling the Intention:

Meditation suppresses defilement and wisdom completely destroys propensity. Also in King of Meditation: Although one may meditate in that way [without insight], one cannot destroy the perception of self which again, like the meditation ofUdraka, brings forth defilement and confusion. (ch. 9, v. 36) Only one who realizes and concentrates on the selflessness of things· will achieve the cause of liberation. Any cause other than thi:; cannot bring peace. [ch. 9,v. 37]

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It is also stated in Bodhisattva Precepts (5):

There are those who have not heard about the discourses of the Bodhisattva precepts or the holy Dharma precepts and are satisfied with meditation alone. Because of their conceit, they will descend in the cycle of lives and will not be liberated from birth, old age, disease, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, agony and agitation. Nor will they be liberated from the life cycle of the six migrations, nor the aggregate of suffering. In regard to this the Tathagata has declared, those who study in conformity with other [teachers] will be liberated from old age and death. [Cited also in 3rd BJuivaakrama]

Thus one who wishes to completely abandon all obscurations and achieve a pure knowledge of reality should first become absorbed in quiescence and then contemplate on wisdom. Also it is stated in Heap

of Jewels (6): Practicing morality, one can achieve meditation. Achieving meditation, one should concentrate on wisdom. Through wisdom one achieves the pure knowledge of reality. In this pure knowledge morality will be perfect. In Cultivating Faith in the Great Vehicle (7) it is declared:

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Youth of a good family, if one does not possess wisdom, I cannot say he or she has faith in or has in any way entered into the great vehicle. You of good family, one should realize that whatever familiarity and faith one has in the great vehicle is the effect of contemplation on reality with an undisiracted mind. Through mere insight without quiescence, the mind of the meditator is not steady, but is eailiy distracted by objects, like a burning candle flickering in the wind. The meditator will not have the clear light of real knowledge. Therefore, one shpuld practice equally both quiescence and insight. 'For this reason it is said in Great Nirvii1Ja (8): Although they have great [levels of ] meditation, the disciples do not see the clan of the Tathagata because they lack wisdom. The Bodhisattvas see it, but not clearly, because although they have great quantities of wisdom, they have small amounts of meditation. The Tathagata sees all, be.:ause he possesses equally both quiescence and insight. As a lit candle burns steadily where there is no wind, through the power of quiescence, the mind cannot be disturbed by the w:lnds of thought. Through insight, the meditator abandons the net of wrong view; therefore, his mind cannot be disturbed by others.

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Vimalamitra

As it is declared in the Moon.,;Lamp Scripture [different name ot the King of Meditation] (9): By the.strength of quiescence [the mind] will not be disturbed; by the strength of insight it will be like a mountain. A meditator wishing to know all sorts of defilements and to su.ppress them should strive for quiescence and insight. As it is declared in Teaching of the Two Truths (10): "Manjusrt, how does one realize and overcome defilements?" Manjusrt: "Devaputra, when one realizes through unobscured intuition of reality, [from the ultimate viewpoint] that the defilements are absolutely void, signless, nonexistent and intrinsically natureless, then, Devaputra, one actually realizes defilements. For instance, Devaputra, when one eliminates the cause--the vicious snake-the snake's poison no longer exists. Similarly, Devaputra, if one realizes the cause of defilements, one will thoroughly stop them." Devaputra: "Manjusrt, what is the cause of defilement?" Manjusri: "Although all things are actually unborn, unoriginated, nonexistent and noncharacterized, [an ordinary person] has conceptualization concerning them. This is the cause of defilements and so forth."

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Therefore, one who :is not deluded about things and has realized the state of reality can thereby conquer and dispel all obscuration. It is certain that this process can be successful through reliance ori. quiescence and insight. It is not possible by any other means. Therefore, a meditator should strive for both quiescence and insight. One should give rise to the spirit of enlightenment. There are two kind~: Q,f the spirit of enlightenment, the spirit of conventional reality and the spirit of ul~iJ::nate reality TheSpirit of Conventional Reality Since the conventional spirit of enlightenment is that of engendering compassion for all beings, one undertakes the Bodhisa·ttva vow to deliver all sentient beings from ~mffering, and achieves Buddhahood for their benefit. This is the first stage of the spirit of enlightenment. The Bodhisattva vow, according to the ritual demonstrated in the Teaching on Bodhisattva Ethic Chapter, should be taken from a person who already posse:5ses and is experienced in it. If one cannot find such a suitable person, one should visualize the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and conceive the spirit of enlightenment, as did the noble Manjusri when he was a king named Ambara. One should then strive for the realization of the spirit of ultimate reality. The Spirit of Ultimate Reallity The spirit of ultimate reality is supermundane, free from fabrication, lucid in 1he state ·of the absolutely

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real, as immaculate and immovable as a candle that burns continuously when set in a windless place. It is st_ated in the Vairocana Enlightening Tantra (11):

Having abandoned all conceptions, enlightenment has the characteristic of sky. Again, in the same text: Guhyapati, not even a subtle entity exists, nor is .it apprehended. Therefore, it is called the unsurpassed enlightenment. It is also described .in the Moon-Lamp:

The Lord has shown that within the essence of enlightenment, not even a subtle entity, nor even the name of a subtlety exists. Ultimate enlightenment is the Truth Body. The realization of this should be dependent upon careful practice of contemplation on quiescence and insight over a long period of time. It is taught in Unraveling the Intention: Maitreya, one should realize that virtuous things and all the mundane and supermundane blisses of the disciples, Bodhisattvas and Tathagatas are the result of quiescence and insight. All meditations are included in quiescence and insight; therefore, yogins must always cultivate them.

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It is said in the same text:

One should know thc:tt all of the many kinds of meditations done by the disciples, Bodhisattvas, and Tathagatas are included in quiescen this, one should cultivate awareness. But when dullness and restlessness have ceased a:ud the mind is in equipoise, and still further effort is made, then mind will become distracted. When dullness appears and no effort is made, then, because of the lack of insight, mind will be totally blinded. Therefore, one l:hould stop mental dulliless and restlessness and cultivate equipoised equanimity. Then, without any movement>. the meditator should sit concentrating on reality for as long as one wishes. If an occasional obstacle to the body and mind occurs, one should examine: all worldly things and realize that all of them are like an illusion, a d.ream, and a mirage, a reflection of the moon in water, and hallucination. As is explained in Entering Nonconceptuality (27):

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[In an equipoise state] through exalted knowledge uf reality, one sees all things are as the sphere of sky, and through the subsequent knowledge froin this equipoise, one sees all things are as an illusion, a mirage, or a reflection of the moon in water. [Quoted also iii the 3rd Bhlzvanakrama.]

Upon realizing that cyclic existence is like an illusion, one must develop great compassion for all sentient beings. One should think thus: "As sentient beings have childlike minds, they do not realize the profound na~re of things. They have assumed things to be really existent that have been peaceful from the outset. Having been deluded in this way, they have accumulated a great variety of deeds and defilements which result in their wandering in cyclic existence [and experiencing all of its sufferings]. Therefore, I must help these sentient beings to realize the profound nature of things." After this contemplation, one must rest. Then, in a similar way, one should enter into the meditation of the nonappearance of all things. If the mind becomes qiscouraged, one should relax and again resume the same meditation. [When one is in meditation retreat] such a process should be done for three hours, or one and half, or one hour, or as long as one can sit in meditation. Then one rna y rise from meditation, or, if one wishes, without disturbing the crossed legs of the lotus position, one may contemplate thus:

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"From the ultimate point of view, all things are unoriginated, but becam;e of a conglomeration of various causes, when they are not analyzed, they appear as pleasant objects. As a result [one's philosophy] will be neither repudiating nor reifying. 1VV'hen one analyzes things with wisdom, one cannot apprehend [things as intrinsically real] and thus [one':; practice] will not fall into the extreme of etemalism or reification. If it were not this wa.y, how could the relationship of caus~ and effect, and so forth, function? Also, if it were not this way, the Lord would not have said [in Visiting La7J1ka]: The arising of things occur conventionally; ultimately there is no intrinsic nature. [ch. 10, v. 429]

The Person of Small Capacity Those who lack the insight of wisdom have false knowledge. Attached to self, they commit many kinds of actions, and consequently wander in cyclic existence. The Person of Middle Capacity Those who are not attached to cyclic existence, but lack great compassion, do not practice the perfection of giving and so forth for the benefit o~ sentient beings. Lacking skillful· m~eans, they strive only for their own peace and fall into the path of the disciples and hermit sages.

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The Person of Great Capacity Bodhisattvas, with the strength of great compassion, have taken a vow to deliver sentient beings from suffering, even though they have realized the nature of the voidness pf sentient beings. They do not have erro.., neous knowledge, as a magician does not have erroneous knowledge about his performance, and they accomplish great accumulations of merit and wisdom. Consequently, having achieved the state of the Tathagata, they live to bring all kinds of benefit and happiness to all sentient beings. N onlocated Nirval).a They [TathagatS!.s] have abandoned all defilements through tl).e strength of their accumulation of wisdom. Therefore, they do not fall into cyclic existence. Being concerned about all sentient beings, they have accomplished a great quantity of merit. By the strength of this r[accumulation], they do not fall into nirval).a, and have become benefactors of all sentient beings. In this way, those who wish to benefit and make sentient beings happy, and to achieve nonlocated nirval).a, must strive to accumulate a great quantity of merit and wisdom. Thus, one should contemplate. Also in Secret of the Tathagata (28), it is said: Through the accumulation ofwisdom, [Buddhas] abandon all kinds of de!filement; through the accumulation of merit, they have become the benefactors of all sentient beings. Therefore, 0, Lord, a Bodhisattva Mahasattva must

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strive for the accumulation of merit and wisdom. [Quoted also-in the 3rd Bhiiuanakrama]

It is also said in Origin of th~. Birth ofTathagatas (28):

Tathagatas do not arise from only one cause. Why? 0 Youth of the Victor, Tathagatas are made of innumerable tens of, htu:)-clreds of, thousan