The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

and mind is not my self or I.

      It is impossible for my self or I to be separate from the body, the mind and the collection of the body and mind. If it were possible it would follow that if, for example, the body, mind and collection of body and mind of a person called John were to disappear, it would still be possible to see John. This should be applied to my self or I. Therefore, it is certain that my self or I is not something other than the body, the mind and the collection of body and mind.

      We repeat this contemplation mentally from our heart while concentrating on its meaning. Then we think, ‘If I search for my self or I like this with the eye of wisdom I will find nothing. It will disappear and become non-existent.’

      This clearly proves that my self or I that I normally see does not exist at all. We meditate on this profound knowledge for a short time.

      HOW TO REALIZE THE EMPTINESS THAT IS SELFLESSNESS OF PHENOMENA

      We contemplate and think:

      Since my self or I that I normally see does not exist its sickness, death, rebirth and suffering do not exist. There is nothing seen and nothing heard, nothing remembered, nothing touched, no activities, nothing that is done, no joy, no sorrow, nothing to be praised, nothing to be blamed, nothing to gain, nothing to lose, nothing to be desired, nothing not to be desired, nothing to appear and nothing to grasp that is experienced by my self that I normally see. This clearly proves that all phenomena that I normally see or perceive do not exist at all.

      We meditate on this profound knowledge single-pointedly for as long as possible. We should practise this contemplation and meditation every day continually until we realize directly that all the phenomena that we normally see or perceive do not exist. We can accomplish this aim through applying effort to becoming greatly familiar with this contemplation and meditation. The sickness, death, rebirth and suffering of the son of a childless woman do not exist because the son himself does not exist. In the same way the sickness, death, rebirth and suffering of our self or I that we normally see do not exist because our self or I that we normally see does not exist.

      However, we should know that in general all phenomena exist as mere name. Through being satisfied with their mere name we can say, ‘I am happy or not happy’ or ‘He or she is happy or not happy’ and so forth, as worldly people do. Buddha is not contradicting the views of worldly people.

      THE PRACTICE OF SUBSEQUENT ATTAINMENT

      After we rise from meditative equipoise on emptiness and engage in daily activity, everything that appears to us, whether good, bad or neutral, we should realize and believe that although it does not exist it appears, like an illusion. This way of believing and thinking is the practice of illusion-like appearance.

      And, everything that appears to us, whether good, bad or neutral, we realize and believe that although it appears it does not exist, like an illusion. This way of believing and thinking is the practice of illusion-like emptiness. As Buddha said in the Sutras, all phenomena that we normally see or perceive are like an illusion. This means that although they appear they do not exist, like an illusion. They are just mistaken appearance. We should develop and hold this profound knowledge day and night, never allowing ourself to forget it.

      It is extremely important to gain deep familiarity with these practices in our daily activities. Through these we can solve all our daily problems.

      We should learn to stop grasping at our self that we normally see by remembering that our self that we normally see does not exist. If this works practically then there is no basis for experiencing problems and suffering. Eventually, we will attain permanent liberation from all the sufferings of this life and countless future lives. How wonderful!

      However, if we fail to stop grasping at our self that we normally see, this is a clear indication that our understanding of the emptiness of selflessness of persons is not qualified.

      We should know that although we understand that our self that we normally see does not exist through understanding the valid reasons to prove this as explained above, which means that we understand the emptiness of our self, nevertheless we still continually grasp at our self that we normally see day and night, even during sleep. As a result, we have no opportunity to experience the mental peace that develops from our wisdom. Only mental peace that develops from wisdom is happiness. The mental peace that develops from worldly enjoyment is not real happiness but changing suffering.

      So why do we develop this problem of grasping at our self that we normally see even though we understand emptiness? It is either because we are not practising alertness and mindfulness, or because our practice of these is too weak. How do we practise alertness and mindfulness? Through sincerely relying upon alertness, which is a part of wisdom, we should immediately recognize whenever we are grasping at our self that we normally see. Then we should apply effort to stop grasping at our self that we normally see by remembering that our self that we normally see does not exist. Through practising alertness in this way, we should generate on our consciousness the cessation of grasping at our self that we normally see.

      Then through sincerely relying upon mindfulness we strongly hold the true cessation that we have generated on our consciousness and never allow ourself to forget it, day and night, even during sleep. Through sincerely practising alertness and mindfulness in this way we will eventually attain the permanent cessation of self-grasping ignorance, the root of all suffering.

      In Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life Shantideva says:

      With my palms pressed together,

      I beseech those who wish to guard their minds:

      Always put effort into guarding

      Both mindfulness and alertness.

      Please keep this advice in your heart.

      HOW TO MEDITATE ON SUPERIOR SEEING

      Actual superior seeing is a special wisdom generated through the force of tranquil abiding meditation. Here, we need to meditate on superior seeing observing emptiness. We can do this once we have attained the concentration of the fourth mental abiding observing emptiness. At this stage we do not have actual superior seeing but a similitude of superior seeing. Having generated this similitude of superior seeing, when we meditate on it we are meditating on superior seeing.

      The concentration of the fourth mental abiding is like clear still water that is not stirred by the wind, and the similitude of superior seeing is like a small fish swimming in that water without disturbing the surface. The similitude of superior seeing is a part of wisdom within the concentration, which investigates the object without disturbing the concentration.

      Meditating on a similitude of superior seeing observing emptiness is the principal cause of attaining actual superior seeing observing emptiness, and meditating on actual superior seeing observing emptiness is the principal cause of attaining the path of seeing that realizes emptiness directly.

      However, we should know that there is a big difference between the path of seeing explained in Highest Yoga Tantra and the path of seeing explained in Sutra. The first is the mind of spontaneous great bliss realizing emptiness directly. This is an actual Mahamudra realization. The second is a realization that realizes emptiness directly with a gross mind. This path of seeing is not an actual realization of Mahamudra. Realizing emptiness with a gross mind is not an actual direct realization of emptiness. The actual direct realization of emptiness necessarily realizes emptiness with a very subtle mind. Thus, the path of seeing explained in Sutra is not the actual path of seeing and the Superior beings explained in Sutra are not real Superior beings. To attain the actual path of seeing we need to attain the mind of spontaneous great bliss, which depends upon the yogas of the channels, drops and winds to penetrate the vajra body.

      How to meditate on the yogas of the channels, drops and winds has three parts:

      1. Meditation on the yoga of the central channel

      2. Meditation on the yoga of the drop

      3. Meditation on the yoga of wind

      First, there is a brief introduction to the channels, drops and winds.

      THE CHANNELS