The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

of the channel wheel at our heart there is a drop whose upper half is white and lower half is red. It is the size of a small pea and very clear and bright. It is called the ‘indestructible drop’. The two parts of this drop – the upper white half and the lower red half – are indestructible, which means they never separate except when we die. Hence it is called the ‘indestructible drop’.

      When we die, through the force of karma all the winds of our right and left channels dissolve into this indestructible drop at our heart, and as a result the white and red parts of this drop separate and our very subtle consciousness, which is inside this drop, leaves and goes to the next life.

      The actual way to meditate on the indestructible drop is as follows. The object of this meditation is the indestructible drop explained above. To find, or perceive clearly, this object of meditation we think as follows:

      What is the location of my indestructible drop? It is located inside the central channel of the channel wheel at my heart. What is its nature? The red part of this drop is the nature of pure blood and the white part is the nature of pure sperm. What is its size? It is the size of a small pea.

      Furthermore, it is like a guesthouse where my very subtle consciousness stays. It is very clear and bright. Its function is to cause the mind of clear light to become manifest if we meditate on it.

      We contemplate this again and again every day, and when through the force of familiarity we perceive clearly a generic image of the indestructible drop we have found the object of meditation.

      Then, believing that our mind is abiding in the central channel of the channel wheel at our heart, we strongly focus on the indestructible drop and meditate on it single-pointedly. If we forget the object of meditation we should recall it immediately and meditate on 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 indestructible drop. 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 indestructible drop.

      When we attain this concentration of the fourth mental abiding observing the indestructible drop we have a very firm concentration observing our indestructible drop and very strong mindfulness, so we are able to remain with this concentration observing our indestructible drop without ever forgetting the object for the entire session.

      Because of this, 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, that are clearer than our previous experience we achieved through the meditation on the central channel. However, to attain the fully qualified clear light by releasing the knots in the heart channel we need to engage in the meditation on the indestructible wind, the yoga of wind.

MEDITATING ON THE INDESTRUCTIBLE WIND, THE YOGA OF WIND

      How do we meditate on the indestructible wind? The indestructible wind is an inner wind that is the mount for the very subtle mind. This wind and the very subtle mind are never destroyed, which means they are never separated. For this reason it is called the ‘indestructible wind’. It is also the very subtle wind.

      The indestructible wind is also called the ‘continuously residing wind’ because it is continuously abiding, whereas all other winds flowing in the channels are temporary winds. For example, when we die all the other winds flowing in the channels cease and become non-existent. The indestructible wind, however, does not become non-existent but goes with us to our next life, and will remain in our continuum until we attain Buddhahood. When we become a Buddha, this wind becomes a Buddha’s Form Body. For this reason, this indestructible wind is our Buddha nature that is called our ‘increasing Buddha nature’.

      The indestructible wind and indestructible mind are one nature, which means the very subtle wind and very subtle mind are one nature. Thus the collection of these two is called the ‘indestructible wind and mind’.

      The indestructible mind is also called the ‘continuously residing mind’. When we die, all the other minds cease and become non-existent. The indestructible mind, however, does not become non-existent but goes with us to our next life, and will remain in our continuum until we attain Buddhahood. When we become a Buddha, this mind becomes a Buddha’s mind, the Truth Body. Thus, the indestructible mind is also our increasing Buddha nature.

      The emptiness of our indestructible wind and the emptiness of our indestructible mind are our actual naturally abiding Buddha nature. The real meaning of naturally abiding Buddha nature should be understood from Highest Yoga Tantra teachings.

      The indestructible wind is also called the ‘continuously residing body’. It is our actual body. Our present gross body is part of our parents’ bodies, so it is not our actual body. However, due to ignorance we believe this is our actual body.

      It is impossible for our continuously residing body ever to die, which is why it is called the ‘continuously residing body’. Our indestructible mind is our continuously residing mind.

      For living beings the indestructible wind acts as the substantial cause of the intermediate state body and dream body; for those who have attained completion stage realizations the indestructible wind acts as the substantial cause of the illusory body; and for enlightened beings the indestructible wind acts as the substantial cause of their Form Body.

      This concludes a brief explanation of how to identify the indestructible wind and mind.

      THE ACTUAL WAY TO MEDITATE ON THE INDESTRUCTIBLE WIND

      The object of this meditation is the indestructible wind and mind, which means the collection of the indestructible wind and indestructible mind as explained above. To find, or perceive clearly, this object of meditation, we contemplate as follows:

      What is the location of my indestructible wind and mind? It is located inside the indestructible drop in the central channel of the channel wheel at my heart. What is its nature? Its nature is the collection of my indestructible wind and indestructible mind. What is its function? It functions as the basis of both samsara and nirvana, and if we meditate on it, it functions to release the knots of the heart channel.

      We contemplate this again and again every day and when through the force of familiarity we perceive clearly the object of meditation, the collection of the indestructible wind and indestructible mind, we have found the object of meditation.