Next is the explanation of how one practices the Generation stage and the completion of HYT.

Tantric Grounds and Paths Khenrinpoche - Part 2 22 Oct 2010 ** For Highest Yoga Tantra Initiates Only One should set up a proper motivation that one must achieve the precious supreme state of enlightenment for the sake of all beings who have been kind to oneself and for that purpose, I am going to listen to the Mahayana teachings and put them into practice as much as possible. We will continue from where we stopped. By following the path of the 3 lower tantras or the Perfection vehicle, one can progress up to the 10 th ground but from there, one has to engage in the practice of the HYT to achieve the full enlightenment state. Does it mean that one cannot achieve the enlightenment state by following the Perfection vehicle or 3 lower tantra? There is no fault in asserting that one can still achieve the enlightenment state by following the Perfection Vehicle and the 3 lower tantras. However, it is said that although one can only reach the 10 th ground through following the Perfection Vehicle or 3 lower tantra, eventually one needs to augment one s practice by pursuing the HYT in order to achieve the enlightenment state. Therefore, if one pursues HYT one can attain enlightenment but it does not mean that one discards the practice of the Perfection Vehicle. Also in the 3 lower tantras, it is claimed that the individual practitioners can achieve full enlightenment within one lifetime. However, the one lifetime there is different from that explained in the HYT. The difference between the HYT and 3 lower tantras in terms of the individual attainment of enlightenment in one lifetime is a practitioner of the lower tantras of great intelligence can achieve the attainment of longevity and then practice the yoga of the union of profundity and clarity to achieve the enlightenment state which may take a long time. However, in the HYT system, the individual who freshly enters into HYT and in that very short lifetime can achieve the full enlightenment state. There is a similarity between the HYT and the Perfection Vehicle and 3 lower tantras in terms of how one moves from one level to another and the kind of stages that one has to practice. However there is a difference in terms of the profundity and how long it takes for the practitioners to achieve full enlightenment. A practitioner of great intelligence can practice longevity and thus practice for a long time to achieve this. If one is practising Action tantra, one can achieve the siddhi of longevity, yet will be difficult to attain enlightenment while one is still in the Desire Realm. In sharp contrast to that, according to HYT, a individual practitioner who possesses the 6 constituents can achieve enlightenment in this world, in one short lifetime. Next is the explanation of how one practices the Generation stage and the completion of HYT. The generation stage is explained under 5 headings (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) definition its divisions its etymological explanation criteria of having completed the generation stage and the mode of transference from the generation stage to the completion stage. The definition of generation stage: It is a yoga or meditation which uses visualisation to accord with the aspects of death, the intermediate state and rebirth. It is a factor of ripening one s mental continuum through meditation on the resultant state (of Buddhahood) but does not involve the meditational practice of the winds entering the central channel (which is practiced in the completion stage). The generation stage is the practice where one brings the 3 bodies (Dharmakaya, sambogakaya and nirmanakaya) into the path. The generation stage is a yoga that meditates on death, the intermediate state and rebirth and transform each of them into the said 3 bodies. The generation stage is synonymous with contrived yoga, imputed yoga and yoga of the first stage. It is called the generation stage because one visualises the 3 stages of ordinary death, intermediate state and rebirth (which are the bases of purification) to be purified and bring about three resultant states of the dharmakaya, 1

the sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya. This is called the imputed states because the meditation is done on the level of visualisation and are not the actual states. Hence, the use of the term contrived. The generation stage is divided into the (i) coarse yoga of single mindfulness(or coarse yoga of the generation stage and the yoga involved in mantra) and (ii) the subtle conceptual yoga is synonymous (subtle yoga of the generation stage and the yoga involved within). (i) The coarse yoga eg. if one is doing Yamantaka practice, one visualises the entire residence of Yamantaka and arises into the body of the deity and one forgoes one s ordinary appearance and identity. Further, one visualises all the coarse aspects of the deities and the mandala. This is described as meditation on the coarse yoga of the single mindfulness. (ii) The subtle conceptual yoga (the yoga involved within) refers to the meditation where one visualises the deities and complete mandala within a very small space, such as on the spot the size of a mustard seed. One is able to visualise clearly, all the details of the mandala in this small space. If one can do this, one is then engaging in subtle conceptual yoga. When one is doing Yamantaka practice, starting from visualising the protection wheel and dissolving everything into purity through meditation on emptiness and finally arising in complete form of the deity, this whole process is called the Supreme Conqueror of the Mandala. The coarse yoga of the generation stage is called the coarse yoga of single mindfulness which is aware of the coarse aspects of the deities. This means that at this point, one visualises that one is in oneness with the deity. For the subtle yoga of the generation stage, it is so called because the yoga itself is based on the subtle aspects of the deities; it is a yoga meditating on an imputed objective basis. In the practice of the generation stage, the main meditation is how to transform ordinary death, intermediate state and birth (which are the bases of purification) and the paths/methods which purify these ordinary bases and transform them into the resultant states (3 bodies) i.e. taking death and transforming it to the resultant state of Dharmakaya; taking the intermediate state and transforming it to attain the sambogakaya; taking rebirth and transforming it to the nirmanakaya. As a result of this practice, what is obtained are the Dharmakaya (Truth Body), sambogakaya (Enjoyment Body) and nirmanakaya (Emanation Body) of the resultant state (of Buddhahood). How does one take the ordinary death as the path to attain the resultant Truth Body (Dharmakaya)? One begins by meditating on the process that occurs during death i.e. the various dissolutions that occur during death. These are the dissolution of the 4 elements of the body (earth, water, fire and wind) and then the dissolutions of the 4 levels of consciousness, all of which have internal and external signs as the mind becomes more and more subtle. When we talk about the mind, there is the gross, subtle and extremely subtle mind. Likewise with the inner winds. At the present moment, the consciousness that is manifest in us is the gross level of consciousness. Subtle and extremely subtle consciousness are not as yet manifest. During death, the consciousness progressively becomes more and more subtle and eventually, the most subtle mind called the innate mind of clear light then manifests. At the moment, we cannot utilise the subtle and extremely subtle mind and winds because of the gross mind and winds that are functioning at the gross level and overshadow the arising of the subtle mind and winds. A practitioner who meditates on the drops (father-essence and mother-essence), winds (on which one s consciousness rides) and channels (inner channels through which the inner wind carrying one s consciousness/mind travel), can penetrate the vital points along the central channel and can make the wind travel through the central channel with ease. At the moment, our central channel is being tied at various points 2

(knots called chakras) and hence the winds cannot flow through the central channel and can only flow through the right and left channels. Hence in generation stage, the practitioner also visualises the different appearances that occur after the 4 elements dissolve, where the mind becomes more and more subtle and the wind (which is the mount of the mind) become manifest. The dissolutions relating to one s consciousness begins with the appearance of the white appearance, the red appearance, the black appearance and the clear light vacuity where the most subtle mind becomes manifest. All these happen progressively and when the yogi is able to be aware of the most subtle mind, he uses that mind and the subtle wind as a means to loosen the different knots (chakras) at the crown, throat, heart etc are gradually loosened, allowing the winds to flow through the central channel and especially to the heart where the most subtle mind of clear light is manifested and used this unhindered clear light mind to achieve the Dharmakaya. In our daily practice, if one is doing the Yamantaka sadhana, it is good to meditate on and incorporate one s understanding of the dissolutions occurring at death. Visualise the blue HUM, starting from the squiggle at the bottom of the syllable dissolving upwards. Relate this to the death dissolutions. When the HUM melts into clear light, think that one s innate clear mind has manifested and what kind of appearance is there during that experience? One should be mindful of the vacuous state which arises through negating inherent existence; a state of emptiness because of the awareness that there is no truly existent phenomena. This state is the resultant Dharmakaya that one is going to achieve in the future. One will develop the divine identity/pride and divine appearance. The most important aspect is the complete vacuity and the state of mind itself having divine pride, which is the actual deity at the resultant state. One should develop the strong divine pride and think that this is the resultant Truth Body and the most subtle innate clear light mind is the state of this Truth Body, where one has completely overcome all the obscurations. There are 3 aspects to note at this stage (a) Vacuity (b) the awareness of the lack of inherent existence and (3) the mind experiencing great joy. One should think that one has overcome ordinary death, a basis of purification and that one has received a strong imprint that one has achieved the clear light and the resultant state of complete purity/dharmakaya. When one is doing meditation on taking death as a path to the Dharmakaya, one should think and practice in this manner. Once one has meditated in this way and has arisen in the resultant form of the Dharmakaya, if one remains in this form (Truth Body), it would be imperceptible to ordinary beings. Hence one generates the motivation to arise in the Enjoyment Body so that one can be of greater benefit to more beings. To do this, the dissolution process at is reversed (i.e. from clear light mind, into a form aspect), resulting in arising of the Enjoyment Body (Sambogakaya). In other words, one does the meditation in reverse order from the clear light mind, to the black near-attainment stage, to the red increase appearance, to the white light appearance, all the way to the beginning of the dissolution. Likewise if one is visualising the syllable HUM, from emptiness, the squiggle of the syllable appears to the crescent moon, etc. One can think of the syllable HUM as the form of the sambogakaya and has the nature of non-dual bliss and emptiness. The criteria of having completed the generation stage 1. The Beginner s Level 2. The Slight Dawning of Wisdom 3. Slight Control over Wisdom 4. Perfect control over wisdom The first 2 levels and part of level 3 (slight control over wisdom) = these 3 are part of the generation stage. During the attainment of the 2 nd level, the slight dawning of wisdom, one achieves stability of the coarse generation stage. 3

Another part of the 3 rd level (slight control over wisdom) and the 4 th level (perfect control over wisdom) are levels where one has perfected the generation stage and has progressed towards the completion stage. The 1 st level the Beginner s Level is the stage where it is extended from the beginning to the meditation of the generation stage up to where one has a clear vision of the coarse mandala and deities. However, when one visualises them all simultaneously, the image is not very clear. The 2 nd level of Slight Dawning of Wisdom extends from the point where one has stabilised clarity of the coarse (deities) even when viewing them simultaneously but is short of having a stabilised clarity of the subtle deities. The 3 rd level - Slight control over wisdom this extends from the point where one has stabilised clarity of all the subtle deities instantaneously, including those residing in the subtle parts of the body, as if one has seen them face to face but short of having perfect control over wisdom. Here one has gained stability of the coarse generation stage and some experience of the subtle conceptual yoga. The slight control over wisdom is said to have the factors of the generation and completion stage. During the 4 th level, Perfect Control Over Wisdom is where one has completed the generation stage, one is ready to fulfil the completion stage. Here practitioners have not only perfected the coarse and subtle yogas of the generation stage but also achieved any ability to fulfil the completion state. This 4 th level is part of the completion stage. The criteria for accomplishment of stability of the coarse and subtle levels of the generation stage While visualising the residents and mandalas, whenever the spontaneous divine pride of the deity together appear clearly and can be with a clear vision of the mandala arises according to the size of the vision that one intends, a realisation of the generation stage has arisen. If this clear vision of the coarse residence, resident mandalas with deities appear clearly with no confusions as to the coarse and subtle parts of the deities and if that clear appearance can be maintained for 1/6 of a day (at least 4 hours) free of laxity and excitement, at that point one has achieved stability in the coarse generation stage. And if this same thing can be done for as long as one wishes e.g. 1 month or 1 year, free of laxity/excitement with a complete clear appearance of residence and resident mandala, one has accomplished the coarse yoga of the generation stage. The accomplishment and stability of the generation stage therefore involves, taking 3 bodies into the path and then doing the detailed deity yoga meditation as just explained here. Criteria for acccomplishment of stability of the subtle generation stage If one can visualise the residence and resident mandala within a drop the size of a mustard seed without confusion of the coarse and subtle parts and can be maintained as before for 1/6 day (4 hours) without laxity/excitement, then one has achieved the subtle generation stage. If this can be done for as long as one wishes e.g. 1 month or 1 year, then one has achieved the subtle generation stage. Achieving the subtle generation stage results in one achieving union of calm abiding and insight When one achieves the subtle generation stage, one also achieves the fully characterised calm abiding state. Unlike in the Sutra system (in cultivating calm abiding with the 9 stages), in the mantric system the method for cultivating calm abiding is meditating on the deity itself, so in HYT, there is no explanation about the way to cultivate calm abiding apart from meditating on the deity itself. Based on this deity yoga, one also achieves special insight i.e. by meditating on deities and hand implements, emanating and absorbing the deities and their hand implements, one will achieve special insight. Due to this, one achieves union of calm abiding and special insight. For this reason, none of the 4 classes of tantra explain any other method apart from deity yoga. 4

Q: What is great bliss and how to use it to meditate on emptiness during the stages of dissolution? Ans: The great bliss is generated when one is able to force the inner winds to enter through the central channel and so on. Until then, when one visualises and practices the great bliss is on the level of imagination and one should think that this is the great joy and try to increase the great joy that one is experiencing. The mind of great joy should be taken as the means to ascertain emptiness and this blissful mind ascertaining emptiness can be brought about by doing the meditation by doing the dissolution process as explained earlier and during the levels of white, red etc, one should think that the nature of mind is great joy and when one reaches the level of clear light level, one should think that this is the actual Dharmakaya and one should have the feeling of great joy and that this mind is in fact the state of non dual bliss and voidness. We all have the white drop (bodhicitta residing at the crown). During HYT practices, one can visualise the white drop melts due to the inner heat and when the white bodhicitta descends from the crown to the throat, one experiences joy and when it descends to the heart, again joy is experienced up to the secret place. When one experiences the 4 kinds of joy and also experience the 4 emptiness, after the descent of the drop, the whole process is reversed upwards. One can do the visualisations which produce great joy in both directions. Q: When we meditate on the secret & suchness offering, do we include these 4 joys? Ans: When making such offerings of suchness and secret offering, one can use the 4 joys practice. Q: Since difficult to achieve generation stage, presently we can only do 3 kayas meditation. At time of death, will our present level of 3 kayas practice help us so that when the clear light state appears, can we use it to attain the illusory body? Ans: Even though one doesn t achieve realisation of the generation stage, if we do the practice of the 3 kayas and we familiarise ourselves with those practices, it will leave a strong imprint in us and at the moment of death, that imprint will benefit us. When we are doing the meditation, even though we have not developed realisations of the gen stage, we can still use our imagination and visualisation to do a certain level of the completion stage e.g. if one is following the Vajrayogini sadhana after doing the practice in relation to the generation stage, one can do the practice of the completion stage. Q: During the generation stage, we take death into the path and meditate on the dissolutions, as a rehearsal for actual death. This is OK if one is dying from illness slowly but what if one dies in an accident, how does one do the meditation? Ans: It depends on the level of familiarity of the person dying. If one is very familiar, even if death occurs suddenly, one can still carry out the meditation on the dissolutions etc. The main thing is how powerful/how intense is one s familiarity with the practice. Especially if one is practising tantra and suddenly death comes and one doesn t have time to go through all the meditations at that time, it is very beneficial to remember one s Guru; that would be equivalent to having done the meditation on the dissolution process. If one s reliance on the guru is very strong and familiarity with the practice is strong, even at sudden death, it is the same as one having completed the practice of transferring the consciousness (powa) and creating all the proper causes for the future. In the situation of instant death where there is no time to think of Guru, It still depends on the power of familiarity if there are strong imprints, they will arise quickly but otherwise it would be difficult to remember. So I feel the best thing to do is that whenever we board a plane, one can prepare by doing the recollection/meditation. Q: During Yamantaka sadhana, one generates oneself as the deity and recites the mantras. At the end of that one does the purification verse why is this nec is one is already generated as the deity? And does not doing so interrupt the holding of divine pride that one is required to do? Ans: Although one has generated oneself as deity with divine practice, in the course of meditation there are possibilities of losing divine pride and divine appearance, the purification verse is to purify that. 5

Q: When one calls the Guru during HYT practice, does one call in the aspect of the yidam? Ans: One can remember the guru in any aspect i.e. either in normal form or as yidam. But most impt practice is to regard the guru as inseparable from the deity. 6