CyzRbComm

Forwards

COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU Introduction: At a certain point, I began to ask the Vidyaadhara questions like, “Aren't you teaching, and manifesting, that really everything is the purity of the absolute?” Once in particular I asked him whether Tibetans had anything to say similar to the “net of Indra” teaching of Hwa Yen and Zen. This symbolizes Ga.n.davyuuha, the vision of the relative as the sambhogakaaya realm of infinitely interpenetrating totality. I thought he would know, having both transmissions. He replied, “Longchenpa says a lot about that in the Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu.” I asked if it would be alright to look at it and he said, “Yes.” Actually “net” teachings are more explicitly treated in the Sangnying. (gsang snying = gsang ba'i snying po). So it seems that it was the primordial perfection of ati that he primarily wanted to communicate. My Tibetan is not good enough to read such a difficult text without actually translating it, so here is what happened. Later I told him I was translating this. He said it would be good if it were available to his students when they began to practice nyingma teachings. At the same time he was somewhat apprehensive that these teachings might be misunderstood and end up doing harm. “Don't do anything inappropriate,” he said. It would have been natural to ask for clarification, but I didn't. That seemed to happen a lot with him. However, there are various familiar instructions that he gave that seem relevant. First there are the teachings of transcending concept. It is not appropriate to intellectualize ati as a philosophical system. At the same time it is not an instruction to abandon study. One need only think of H. H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche in that regard. It is not appropriate to take the teachings of non-effort as an excuse to abandon the other practices we have been given, or not to relate to the sangha or the teaching ma.n.dala the Vidyaadhara created. Those situations were the very means by which he, as an ati master, hoped we would finally achieve this fruition. The buddhas are beyond conceptual good and evil because they are compassion and wisdom. The absolute teachings do not mean that we should not have compassion for those, including ourselves, who think they are sentient beings. Still less is ati meant as a license to ignore ordinary standards of considerate behavior and common sense. Even a cat can look at the King. Just so, ordinary people can get a glimpse of the vision of enlightened beings by associating with masters like the Vidyaadhara. But we should not think we have actually attained that level until we are capable of the achievements of individuals like Milarepa and Padmasambhava. Even then, “The sages dwell in complete humility.” If we take these cautions to heart any danger from these teachings will probably be minimized. At the same time we are really supposed to grasp this vision of absolute buddhahood insofar as we can. You would not think it was necessary to say this. But often we conceptualize the very means that are supposed to bring us to enlightenment in such a way that we conclude that enlightenment is almost inappropriate. Compassion can deteriorate into rigid morality. Emptiness can become nihilism. Non- dwelling can negate appreciation of the sacred. Ego can use fear of spiritual materialism as an excuse to avoid relating to spirituality altogether. This is actually rejection of the guru's vision, and hence of devotion and samaya. On that level neither oneself nor the guru exist as individuals. There is only enlightenment. So oneself and the guru are of equal fortune. Even the hinayaana says that conceptual Dharma is like a raft to be thrown away when one has reached the other shore of the river of sa.msaara. Ati exists largely to remove fixation that arises on the path. Non-attachment doesn't mean we should boycott enlightenment, or not care about it. It is definitely a case of “Take it easy, but take it.” In lectures 5 THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY he said things like, “At some point it becomes a question of will you accept siddhi? Don't you want to help sentient beings?” These are the highest teachings of the nine yaanas. They are meant for “those who have already done all the work.” The teaching of non-effort must be seen in that light. Ideally the reader should already be accomplished in the view of abhidharma, madhyamaka, and yogaachaara; the practices of shamatha, vipashyanaa, tonglen, the paaramitaas, saadhana practice, the six yogas and so on. These should have been mixed with one's being until they become spontaneous accomplishment. Then one can then let go of nirvaa.nic neurosis and attachments concerned with the antidotes of Dharma, and with the fruition. Obviously most of us are not in a position where we can literally apply this. The Vidyaadhara taught many times that the p roper way for persons like ourselves to relate to the teachings of transparency and luminosity was to acknowledge the spontaneous flashes of insight and blessings that occur while we do our assigned practices and live our daily lives. We should have confidence in them, but at the same time not try to cling to them. We should have confidence that obstacles and obscurations are merely incidental. They are not a good excuse to forsake an enlightened attitude. The point of “no gain” is that guru's vision is what is. We do not need to cultivate it, so much as to appreciate and acknowledge what we are, and what our situation is. In that way our vision and compassion will deepen. The space of ati provides a space in which our other practices will be greatly enhanced, and daily life can become the ornament of practice. The Vidyaadhara always meant us to see the hinayaana and mahaayaana teachings from the viewpoint of tantra, and tantra from the viewpoint of ati. Ugyen and I asked H. H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche to clarify what was “appropriate” to do with these teachings. In particular we asked whether Longchenpa's strongly worded injunctions to secrecy should be taken literally. We noted that some teachers are now giving ati teachings openly. His reply was very definite. It is his wish that this material only be made available to “senior students.” Ugyen and Larry Mermelstein, the head of the Naalandaa Translation Group both interpreted this as meaning saadhakas or the equivalent. Please keep these wishes of the gurus in mind. It cost a lot of time and money to make these teachings available. I would be very sad if the end result for anyone was harmful. Lama Ugyen patiently spent hundreds of hours going over this manuscript word by word. I could not have translated many passages without him, so it seems appropriate to list him as a co-author. I am very grateful Khenpo Sonam Thopgyal Rinpoche for answering numerous written and oral questions and tolerating my bad Tibetan with great bodhisattva patience. Thanks too to Khenpo Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche for making space in a crowded schedule to meet with me on this text. Erik Schmidt was very helpful, especially for making his unpublished dharma dictionary available. My informants were all very competent and my only fear is that I have undoubtedly misunderstood some of what they said. These teachings contain the very essence of enlightenment. Right up there with the fantasy of becoming a universal monarch is that of the book that cannot be read without getting enlightened. In truth it doesn't exist, but this text of Longchenpa is about as close as they come. “Inspiring to say the least,” as the Vidyaadhara said. I hope some shadow of the original splendor comes through in translation. The Wedding of the Sun and Moon says: Whoever has become familiar with this, By having let things rest without all seeking Will thus attain the meaning of these teachings. By non-meditation great bliss will increase. The nature of all things will manifest. Whatever persons have encountered this, Including those with inexpiable faults, Will then be liberated without a doubt 6 COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU By means of having become familiar with this. I swear upon the pain of hell itself There is no doubt that they will be liberated. Notes The following abbreviations are used: Blue Annals, Roerich, G., The Blue Annals, Delhi: Motilal, 1976. BPTP: Guenther, H. Buddhist Philosophy in Theory and Practice, Baltimore: Penguin, 1972. Chang: Teachings of Tibetan Yoga, New York: University, 1963. Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, Chögyam Trungpa, Berkeley: Shambhala, 1973 CYD: chos dbyings mdzod, The Precious Treasury of Dharmadhaatu. Dodrup Chen Rinpoche: Gangtok, Sikkim. DEGE: chos dbyings mdzod, volume II of the mdzod bdun, published Gyaltsen and Labrang, Palace Monastery, Gangtok, Sikkim from prints of the Dege blocks, printed Delhi: Lakshmi Press, 1983.. ES: Schmidt, E. Concise Dharma Dictionary, unpublished.. EW: Evans-Wentz, W., The Tibetan Book of the Dead, London: Oxford, 1949. Goldstein, M. Tibetan English Dictionary of Modern Tibetan, Kathmandu, Nepal: Ratna Pustak Bhandar, 1983. JOL: Guenther, H., The Jewel Ornament of Liberation, Berkeley: Shambhala, 1971. KPSR: Khenpo Palden Sherab, Rinpoche, and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal, Rinpoche. KSTR: Khenpo Sonam Thopgyal, Rinpoche. KTHR: Khenpo Thrangu Rinpoche. LM: Trungpa/Naalandaa, The Life of Marpa, Boulder: Prajñaa, 1982. LT: lung gi gter mdzod, Dodrup Chen Rinpoche: Gangtok, Sikkim. Longchenpa's autocommentary on CYD. This was Trungpa Rinpoche's personal copy. F130 is missing. LUS: Lama Ugyen Shenpen. MTC: Interlinear Commentary to the mu tig phreng ba, rnying ma rgyud 'bum, volume na, Royal Government of Bhutan, National Library Thimpu, printed Jayed: Dehli. The Myth of Freedom, Chögyam Trungpa, Berkeley: Shambhala, l976 NN: Norbu, Namkha'i: The Crystal and the Way of Light, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1986. PPA: Guenther, H., Philosophy and Psychology in the Abhidharma, Berkeley: Shambhala, 1974. SKK: Jamgön Kongtrul the Great, shes bya kun khyab, Peking: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 1982 SSN: Mipham Rinpoche, Shentong Sengé Ngaro, The Lion's Roar Proclaiming Shentong, Naalanda/Trungpa, unpublished. The Central Conception of Buddhism, Stcherbatsky, T, Delhi: Motilal, 1970. The Rain of Wisdom, Trungpa/Naalandaa, Boulder: Shambhala, 1980. TT: Thondup, Tulku, Rinpoche, Buddha Mind, an anthology of Longchen Rabjam's writings on Dzogpa Chenpo, Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1989. VCTR: Vidyaadhara the Venerable Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche. Tibetan has as many words for space as eskimos do for snow. Longchenpa makes a point of distinguishing dbyings and klong in the text, as discussed there and in the glossary. When not otherwise noted space is a translation of dbyings. When capitalized it is a translation of klong. When it occurs at the beginning of a line or sentence the first two letters are capitalized, ie. “SPace.” “Space of the sky” is typically mkha' or nam mkha'. Other terms are noted. When “Mind” is capitalized, it translates sems 7 THE SCRIPTURAL TREASURY nyid, elsewhere “mind itself” or “the nature of mind.” chos is always translated “dharma” but capitalized when it means “the teachings” rather than elements of existence etc. In the “trade language” of the Vidyaadhara's students and other serious vajrayaana practitioners many Tibetan and Sanskrit terms are treated as English loan words, and used with English inflections, endings, and capitalizations. Our practice texts and everyday communications have fallen into the perhaps inconsistent practice of retaining sanskrit diacritics when we do this. “Vidyaadhara's” above is of course an example. “Karmic,” “.daakin11s,” “kaaya's” and other examples lie in wait to offend the purist. I do have sympathy, as I do for those who decry the split infinitives that have recently overwhelmed the media. But the people have spoken. I also think it is sometimes clearer to begin sentences with “but.” The reader is perfectly welcome to edit, where this is intolerable. I have even toyed with the idea of electronic copies where one cold substitute one's favorite translations for any given term. There are some lists and so forth whose significance I have so far been unable to resolve. I still have hopes of doing so, but there is no telling how long it may take. Therefore it seemed best to proceed. If translators generally do this, the resulting pool of knowledge is likely to go far toward alleviating the problem. Longchenpa is presupposing familiarity with all the ground path and fruition of the nine yaanas. Advanced students of the Vidyaadhara will be familiar with the requisite material from seminary and Ngetön school. There are a number of good books on ati topics, but TT may be especially helpful. It gives a good introduction to Longchenpa's life and work, and has hundreds of pages of his other writings on ati. In addition the translation system is close enough to this to make the two readily comparable. There is also much helpful background material on ati texts etc. I am happy these sources are available. I feel relieved of the almost impossible task of putting together an introduction that summarizes this vast expanse of presupposed knowledge. The intended readers will already know the basic story of which this is the punch line. Most of the notes are concerned with additions and deletions made for metrical reasons. For example, karma <and kleshas> indicates that “and kleshas” was added for metrical reasons. If the text reads karma is eliminated and the n ote “...karma and kleshas” that indicates that “and kleshas” was omitted for metrical reasons. It is worth noting that there is a lot of similar filling and omitting in the original Tibetan verse. Other than this notes have been kept minimal. Most discussion of terms and so forth is in the second glossary. There are two glossaries. The first contains English and transliterated terms that are used in the text. It gives Tibetan equivalents. The second contains transliterated Tibetan terms alphabetized in English order. To avoid duplication, only the second glossary contains explanations of the terms. This text presupposes knowledge of the whole corpus of Tibetan Buddhism. It would be impossible to give all the relevant background material. Nor would it be desirable, traditionally speaking. No one should be reading this who does not have the basic information already. At the same time I have tried to provide approximate working definitions of most of the technical terms. The purpose is to provide a starting point so that the reader can develop more precise notions from the text itself. For many readers most of the information in the glossary will be unnecessary. It is meant to be used only as needed. As this is not a work for general scholarly p ublication I have followed Tibetan practice overall in regard to not footnoting the sources of quotations. I could have spent several years checking and correcting all these quotes against the originals. Spot checking makes it plain that there are minor discrepancies. Mipham in editing Longchenpa's work also notes this and says that in any case the text should not be corrected. Longchenpa's work is of equal value with the original tantra. It is amazing that he was able to write this, working from memory as he did. Ugyen reports the traditional story that when works like these were composed the .daakiniis dictated, Samantabhadra had the light Mañjushrii held the paper, and Raahula managed the ink. He was a little impatient and miscopied some of the quotes, though not in a way that changed the basic meaning. Those familiar with 8 COMMENTARY ON THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF DHARMADHAATU the Vidyaadhara will know that the experience of an ati master can be quite visionary at times. This may well be a literal report of Longchenpa's experience. In any case Erik S chmidt and Ugyen both said it would be inappropriate to treat the quotes according to the usual way of western scholarship. Therefore, with reasons combining laziness and devotion I have not done so.