The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

this context the channels are the channels in our body that are containers for the white and red drops, and the moving winds upon which the minds are mounted. There are three main channels – the central channel and the right and left channels. The central channel is also called ‘dhuti’ and is the principal channel of the body.

      We contemplate as follows:

      The central channel, which is the width of only a drinking straw, is located exactly midway between the right and left halves of the body, but is slightly closer to the back than the front. It runs straight from the crown of the head to the tip of the sex organ, like the pillar of the body.

      It possesses the following characteristics. It is pale blue on the outside and an oily red on the inside; it is straight, soft and flexible; and it is clear and transparent.

      To the right of the central channel is the right channel, which is red in colour and runs straight from the crown of the head to the tip of the sex organ.

      To the left of the central channel is the left channel, which is white in colour and runs straight from the crown of the head to the tip of the sex organ.

      For our present purposes we do not need to contemplate the four channel wheels, six channels wheels and so forth. Mainly, we need to contemplate again and again the characteristics of the central channel explained above, and train to perceive a clear generic image of the central channel.

      THE DROPS

      The drops abide inside the channels, are wet and fluid by nature, and function to generate bliss when they melt. There are two types – white drops and red drops.

      When the white drops (which are the pure essence of sperm) melt, they function to generate bliss in males; and when the red drops (which are the pure essence of blood) melt, they function to generate bliss in females. Through the force of the union of male and female, the inner fire, or tummo (which which is the essence of blood and the nature of fire, or heat), located at each of their navels enters the channels, causing the white drops in the channels to melt and generate bliss in the male and the red drops in the channels to melt and generate bliss in the female.

      For those who have attained completion stage realizations, through the force of meditation the winds of the right and left channels enter, abide and dissolve into the central channel, causing the inner fire at the navel to blaze inside the central channel, thereby causing the drops inside the central channel to melt and generate bliss. This bliss is called ‘great bliss’. This is the bliss of the union of bliss and emptiness in Mahamudra. Referring to such great bliss, the root text of the Mahamudra says that it is the very essence of Highest Yoga Tantra.

      There are three types of drop – gross, subtle and very subtle. The first are the drops inside the right and left channels, the second are the general drops inside the central channel, and the third is the particular drop inside the centre of the central channel at the heart, which is called the ‘indestructible drop’.

      The drops are also called ‘bodhichittas’. In this context, bodhichitta is great bliss because great bliss is the main cause of bodhi, or enlightenment. Regarding the drops, the name of its effect, great bliss, is given to the cause, the drops melting.

      Vajradhara Trijang Rinpoche

      THE WINDS

      In this context the winds abide inside the channels, are light and moving by nature, and function as mounts for the minds. There are ten inner winds – five root winds and five branch winds. These should be understood from the book Clear Light of Bliss.

      The winds inside the channels are subtle winds and without them minds would not be able to function. The function of these winds is to move the mind to its object. For example, if our mind thinks of the moon in the sky, that mind reaches the moon through the force of the wind upon which it is mounted. Our mind itself is like a person who has eyes but no legs, and our inner winds are like blind people with legs.

      By depending on the yoga of wind, when our inner winds inside our channels become pure our mind becomes pure, and when our mind becomes completely pure we become enlightened. If we practise Tantra purely it is not difficult to attain enlightenment. This is proved by the true stories of Gyalwa Ensapa and many of his disciples attaining the state of the Union of Buddhahood easily within one short life.

      The channels, drops and inner winds are called the ‘vajra body’. Although they are not our actual body they are parts of our body, and so they are called ‘body’. Here, ‘vajra’ means ‘great bliss’. Because the channels, drops and winds are the causes whereby great bliss is generated, in calling them ‘vajra’ the name of the effect is given to the cause.

      Because the inner winds that flow in the right and left channels are mounts for the mind of self-grasping they are objects to be abandoned. The way to abandon them is to dissolve them into the central channel through meditation until they cease. The inner winds of the central channel are called ‘wisdom winds’ because they act as mounts for the wisdom of great bliss.

      This concludes a brief introduction to the channels, drops and winds.

      How do we penetrate the channels, drops and winds – the vajra body? Here, this means meditating on the central channel, the indestructible drop and the indestructible wind.

      This is explained in three parts:

      1. Meditating on the central channel, the yoga of the central channel

      2. Meditating on the indestructible drop, the yoga of the drop

      3. Meditating on the indestructible wind, the yoga of wind

MEDITATING ON THE CENTRAL CHANNEL, THE YOGA OF THE CENTRAL CHANNEL

      The way to practise this is first to contemplate in detail the nature, characteristics and so forth of the central channel as explained above. This does not mean just contemplating once or twice, but contemplating every day again and again until through the force of this contemplation we perceive clearly a generic image of the central channel. Then, believing that our mind is abiding inside the central channel at our heart, we focus on the central channel at the level of our heart and meditate on it single-pointedly without forgetting it.

      Through meditating like this again and again every day, when we achieve some familiarity with this meditation we attain the first mental abiding observing the central channel at the heart. Then we need to apply continuous effort to improve our familiarity with this meditation and achieve the second mental abiding, then the third, until we attain the concentration of the fourth mental abiding observing the central channel at the heart.

      When we attain the concentration of the fourth mental abiding observing the central channel at our heart we will perceive the signs of the winds of the right and left channels entering, abiding and dissolving into the central channel, from the mirage-like appearance up to the appearance of clear light, and the drops inside the central channel will melt and generate great bliss. This great bliss is the first realization of completion stage.

      We might wonder then if it is sufficient just to meditate on the central channel. The answer is no, it is not. There are three levels to the winds of the right and left channels dissolving into the central channel through the force of meditation:

      1. A few winds dissolve there

      2. Many winds dissolve there

      3. All winds dissolve there

      We can accomplish the first level through meditation on the central channel just explained, the second level through meditation on the indestructible drop, and the third level through meditation on the indestructible wind and mind.

      Through the force of meditating on the indestructible wind and mind, if all the inner winds inside the right and left channels dissolve into our central channel and are permanently purified, then all our impure minds are purified and our mind becomes completely pure. Thus we become a Buddha, an enlightened being. The reason for this is that the winds in the right and left channels are mounts