12. Luminous Clarity and the Completion Phase of Union
bb. The Ultimate: The Great-Seal Completion Phase of Luminous
Clarity [II .B.2.d.iii.bb]
1' The Preamble
2' The Detailed Exposition
a' The Meanings of Luminous Clarity
b' Meditation on Luminous Clarity
i' Meditation Methods
ii' The Contemplations of the Eight Freedoms
cc. The Inseparability [of the Relative and Ultimate]: The Completion
Phase of Union
1' Distinctions Within Union
2' The Method of Meditation on Union
[This chapter concludes the description of the three key elements of the completion phase. Presented now are part two: the ultimate, the completion phase of the great seal of luminous clarity; and part three, the inseparability of the relative and ultimate, the completion phase of union.] Part two, the ultimate, the completion phase of the great seal of luminous clarity, begins with a preamble followed by a detailed exposition.
The Preamble [1']
The ultimate, the great-seal completion phase of luminous clarity, is as follows:
[Here] is presented the completion phase of the great seal of luminous clarity, which strikes the crucial point with respect to the ultimate nature [of things].
The Detailed Exposition [2']
This section has two parts: a general elucidation of the essential meanings [of luminous clarity] to be understood; and a discussion specifically on the subject of meditation [on luminous clarity].
The Meanings of Luminous Clarity [a']
- The true nature and what manifests during sleep and at death are
- the ground.
- At the time of the path, the view of emptiness, the true nature, is
- the general sense.
- the general sense.
- The unceasing clarity of that emptiness’s own luminosity is the
- literal sense.
- The innate joy from the winds dissolving in the central channel is
- the hidden sense;
- the hidden sense;
- Accompanied by duality, it is the example luminous clarity;
- without duality, the true.
- without duality, the true.
- Nonconceptual pristine awareness brings about realization and
- the ultimate result.
- the ultimate result.
[Maitreya’s] Jewel Affinity states:1
- Mind nature is luminous clarity.
- It is changeless, just as space is.
The luminous clarity of the ground, as spoken of in that [citation], is the
luminous clarity of the true nature, the primordially pure, naturally clear and luminous basis of phenomena. It is, moreover, the luminous clarity
during sleep and luminous clarity at death since those definitely manifest
for everyone—meditators on the path and non-practitioners alike—
regardless of whether they are recognized or not.
During the time of the path, that [luminous clarity of the ground] is understood—through analyses based on reasonings and scriptural sources and through the strength of experience—as unborn emptiness, the true nature of all phenomena. This view represents luminous clarity in the general sense [from a perspective] shared by [the way of ] the perfections. All phenomena made to enter luminous clarity by way of either [the contemplation of] total apprehension or that of successive destruction2 is luminous clarity in its general sense [from a perspective] unique to the indestructible way.
The unceasing clarity of that emptiness’s self-luminosity is luminous clarity in its literal sense. This is essentially identical to what was discussed [above], the luminous clarity at the time of the ground.
Through cultivation of and familiarity with those [various types of] luminous clarity, the winds dissolve in the central channel, and the luminous clarity of the fourth empty, or the innate [joy], the fourth joy, is recognized as a direct experience. This is the actualization of luminous clarity in its hidden sense. The innate [joy] or fourth empty accompanied by the duality of subject and object is the luminous clarity that is an example. The innate [joy] or fourth empty free from the duality of subject and object is the true luminous clarity. Those [types of luminous clarity] form a link with the direct realization of emptiness through the nonconceptual pristine awareness that is the true nature of things. That direct realization is [luminous clarity] at the stage of training.
[Luminous clarity] at the stage of no more training is [reached when] all phenomena manifest fully as pristine awareness, and through the merging of mother–luminous clarity and son–luminous clarity,3 arise as the infinite expanse of the dimension of reality. That is said to be luminous clarity as the ultimate result.
Meditation on Luminous Clarity [b']
This section has two parts: the actual meditation methods; and a supplementary discussion on the contemplations of the eight freedoms.
Meditation Methods [i']
- In the many meditation methods such as total apprehension and
- successive destruction,
- To elicit correctly the luminous clarity in its hidden sense
- requires giving rise
- To the experience of winds having entered, abided, and dissolved
- in the central channel.
[Next are explained] the methods of meditation on luminous clarity. In general, the luminous clarity that is the goal of practice is luminous clarity in its hidden sense. However, prior to that, one must have a definite understanding of luminous clarity in its general sense. The Abhidhana Tantra states:4
- Being selfless in nature, all phenomena
- Are without stain, just as space is.
- Always meditate on their emptiness
- With the emptiness pristine-awareness vajra.
The actual method of meditation consists in dissolving the environment and inhabitants by means of one or the other of two contemplations, whereupon everything enters luminous clarity. This very method is found in every one of the works [composed] by the great adepts. [Nāgārjuna’s] Five Stages states:5
- Students who have received esoteric instructions6
- Train themselves next in the two types of yoga.
- One is the sequence of total apprehension;
- The other, that of successive destruction.
Thus, there are said to be the two contemplations, total apprehension and successive destruction. Concerning those, the same text says:7
- From the head down to the feet
- Until [the light] reaches the heart,
- The yogin enters the true limit:
- This is known as total apprehension.8
- First, the animate and the inanimate
- Are transformed into luminous clarity.
- Afterwards, one does the same with oneself.
- These are the steps in successive destruction.9
- Just as the breath’s vapor vanishes
- From the surface of a mirror,
- Again and again, the yogin enters
- The true limit [of luminous clarity].10
The proper cultivation of those two contemplations is an extremely profound key factor in bringing about the gathering of winds and vital essences in the heart [channel-wheel]. As a consequence, there arise five signs indicative of the sequential dissolutions of earth, water, fire, wind, and consciousness. The Continuation of the Guhyasamaja Tantra explains:11
- The first resembles a mirage.
- The second is like smoke.
- The third resembles fireflies.
- The fourth glows like an oil lamp.
- The fifth is a lasting light
- Like a sky free of clouds.12
Thereafter, the four empties manifest in succession. In the cloudless sky [of the fifth sign] manifests the light of the empty, which is like moonlight. Then the increase of light of the [further] empty manifests, which is like sunlight. Thereafter the full culmination of the great empty, which is like the pervasive darkness of night, manifests. Then luminous clarity, or the all-empty, manifests, which is like a [perfectly clear] sky at dawn, not vitiated by the influences of moonlight, sunlight, or darkness. The manifesting of those [four] is described in [Nagarjuna’s] Five Stages.
On this subject, the earlier masters have asserted that when the winds dissolve at the heart through practice of the outer and inner methods, one can give rise to the special fourth empty, the true luminous clarity. That is the real luminous clarity. Through the winds simply dissolving on their own, [there arises] the fourth empty, the luminous clarity that is an example. That is a similitude of [the real] luminous clarity.
Those two contemplations, as well as the mother-tantra yogas of the channels, winds, and vital essences, are said to elicit the four joys and the four empties and cause the environment and its inhabitants to be absorbed into luminous clarity. There are many such specific details concerning the methods of practice. However, to elicit correctly the true luminous clarity in its hidden sense definitely requires giving rise to the experience that comes from the winds having entered, abided, and dissolved in the central channel. Furthermore, Nagarjuna and Aryadeva state that to meditate on luminous clarity requires the attainment of the real illusory body.
The Contemplations of the Eight Freedoms [ii']
- The eight freedoms are based on steps in the way to enter
- luminous clarity.
- Although the name used is the same, the meanings are unique to
- this way.
