Property:Gloss-def
From Buddha-Nature
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The three beings are the samaya being, wisdom being, and absorption being. These three embody the various aspects of the deity principle in development stage practice and are visualized successively. +
Along with the path of liberation, this is one of two approaches to practice found in the Anuttarayoga Tantras. Ju Mipham explains, "In this phase of practice, one relies primarily upon certain activities to force the arising of one's innate wisdom. This results in the swift attainment of the fruition. To be more specific, one practices by relying upon the six cakras to enact a process of blazing and melting. This, in turn, generates the wisdom of bliss." [ON 419]<br> The various practices associated with this path are found in the tantras of both the Nyingma School and the New Schools. Listing the practices found in the tantras of the New Schools, Jamgön Kongtrül writes, "The various classifications of subtle energies and the instructions on illusory body and luminosity are treated extensively and clearly in the ''Guhyasamaja Tantra'' and other Father Tantras. The classifications of energetic channels and essences, on the other hand, as well as the practices of yogic heat and karma mudra training, are treated clearly in Mother Tantras, cycles such as those of Hevajra and Cakrasaṃvara. The ''Vajrayoginī'' and ''Saṃvarodaya Tantras'' teach the trainings of dream practice and intermediate state, while transference is taught in the ''Samatā'' and ''Caturpīṭhamahāyoginī Tantras''. In particular, the classifications of the channels, energies, and essences and the various practices, including those of yogic heat and karma mudrā, are taught in great detail and very clearly in the nondual ''Kalacakra Root Tantra'' and its three main commentaries [including the famed ''Vimalaprabhā'']." [TK 4, 29] Patrul Rinpoche singles out the ''Tantra of the Perfect Secret'' and the ''Heruka Galpo Tantra'' as sources for these practices in the Nyingma School. [LT 472] +
'See' Great Perfection. +
There are four factors that subsume all aspects of development stage practice. Jamgon Kongtrul explains, "To engage in development stage practice, one needs to have at least some understanding of four factors: the basis, object, process, and result of purification. The basis of purification is the permanent, stable, and unconditioned basic space of phenomena - the buddha nature that thoroughly pervades all beings. This includes all the marks, signs, and other qualities of the dharmakāya, which are integral aspects of wisdom." [ND 13-14] +
An alternate term for the Vajra Vehicle; Ju Mipham explains, "This system is 'secret' insofar as the profound maṇḍala of the victorious ones' enlightened body, speech, and mind is present as the innate nature of all phenomena. Nevertheless, this is inherently hidden from those who are confused and must be revealed skillfully. It is not revealed explicitly to the inferior practitioners of the lower approaches, bur is transmitted secretly. Hence, it is not part of the range of experience of ordinary disciples. The term 'mantra' indicates that, in order to practice the maṇḍala of these three secrets, this nature is presented as it actually is; it is not hidden or kept secret." [KG 38] +
Secret Mantra is the wisdom of great bliss, which protects the mind from subtle concepts through the union of empty knowledge and compassionate skillful means. It is referred to as such because it is practiced in secret and not divulged to those who are not suitable recipients of these teachings. [TD 3002] ''See also'' Secret Mantra Vehicle. +
This is one method of developing the visualization of a deity. First, a seat is visualized, comprising a lotus, sun disc, and so forth. Upon this seat appears the seed syllable of the deity, from which the symbolic implement arises, marked with the seed syllable. Finally, this transforms into the complete form of the deity. [TD 822] According to Jamgön Kongtrül, this is one of the three most important forms of visualization, along with the five manifestations of enlightenment and the four vajras. [TK 3, 208] +
''See'' four divisions of approach and accomplishment. +
An extensive approach to development stage practice found in the Mother Tantras. According to Jamgön Kongtrül, the five manifestations of enlightenment are presented differently in the various tantric lineages. There are, however, certain elements common to these different approaches. The following presentation from the ''Hevajra Tantra'' mirrors Jigme Lingpa's description translated in this book. Kongtrül writes, "Developing the five manifestations of enlightenment involves the following. On top of the lotus and other elements that make up the throne, visualize that a moon disc comes out of ''ali'' and a sun disc out of ''kali''. Resting on the center of these is a symbolic implement marked by a seed syllable. Light radiates out from this implement. Gathering back in, it coalesces into the complete form of the deity. This is what is referred to as 'the five manifestations of enlightenment.' From the moon comes mirrorlike wisdom; from the sun, the wisdom of equality; from the seed and implement, discerning wisdom; from the coalescing of all these factors, all-accomplishing wisdom; and from the complete form of the deity, the wisdom of the basic space of phenomena. This is based on the explanation of the ''Hevajra Tantra''." [TK 3, 208] +
According to tantric theory, all forms of birth fall into one of four categories: miraculous birth, heat-moisture birth, egg birth, and womb birth. Relating these four to the various forms of existence, Kangyur Rinpoche writes, "For animals and humans, anyone of the four types of birth is possible, while bodhisattvas, deities, hell beings, and beings in the intermediate state are born miraculously. Spirits can take birth via the womb or miraculously." [TS 257] These four, in turn, are purified via the various types of development stage practice. Tenpe Nyima explains, "Of the four types of development stage practice, those that purify egg and womb birth accord with Mahāyoga, that which purifies heat-moisture birth accords with Anuyoga, and that which purifies miraculous birth accords primarily with Atiyoga." [KR 24] In the commentaries of Jigme Lingpa and Patrul Chökyi Wangpo, these four approaches are listed as, respectively, the very extensive, very elaborate and extensive, elaborate approaches of the Mahāyoga system, the intermediate, simple approach of Anuyoga, and the concise, completely simple approach of the Atiyoga tradition. [JL 218-229] +
1) A yoginī who has attained the unique spiritual accomplishments; 2) a female divinity who has taken birth in a pure realm or other similar location. [TD 298] +
One of the four stakes that bind the life-force; Tenpe Nyima explains, "As for the stake of unchanging realization, whether in terms of deity or mantra, you should be present to the nature of the practice, which transcends the intellect. This refers to reality itself, in which all forms of dualistic fixation are inherently enlightened as the maṇḍala of vajra space - pure equality." This stake is the essence of the other three. "For this reason," he writes, "binding its essence is of the utmost importance." [KR 57-59] +
The first of the five paths; this stage forms the basis for the progression to nirvāṇa, in which one gathers a vast amount of merit (that accords with liberation) and realizes selflessness through study and contemplation, albeit this realization occurs only in an abstract, conceptual sense. [TD 2293] +
A class of malevolent spirits and ghosts. [TD 467] +
The dissolution stage is the part of the development stage in which the entire visualization successively dissolves, to the point where nothing remains and the practitioner rests in a state of empty awareness for as long as possible. The primary function of this phase is to purify clinging to confused perceptions as being real. [LW 135] +
Quoting the ''Sūtra of the Levels of Buddhahood'', Jigme Lingpa explains, "With the wisdom of equality, one internalizes the fact that all phenomena are equal, in the sense that they are all devoid of characteristics." [YT 431] +
There are four factors that subsume all aspects of development stage practice. Jamgön Kongtrül explains, "To engage in development stage practice, one needs to have at least some understanding of four factors: the basis, object, and process and result of purification ... The object of purification is constituted by the various factors that obscure our buddha nature. In other words, this refers to the impurities associated with the ignorance that have been incidentally confusing us from time immemorial. Just like the sun's innate capacity to give off light and the clouds that obscure it, incidental impurities temporarily obscure the innate enlightened qualities we all possess. These impurities, the afflictive, cognitive, and meditative obscurations, are the object of purification." [ND 13-14] +
three appearances +
The death process is considered to be of vital importance in the Buddhist tradition, primarily because it affords a uniquely powerful opportunity to attain liberation. In terms of tantric practice, this process is purified by the completion stage. According to Tsele Natsok Rangdröl, there are outer, inner, and secret signs that mark this process. The outer signs relate primarily to the steady decrease of the body's ability to function correctly and the experiences that ensue from this decay. The inner signs have to do with the various mental states that accompany this process. The secret signs, such as the perception of smoke and mist, are associated with the mind's luminous nature. [MM 29-30] ''See also'' three appearances. +
The fifth of the five paths; the perfection of the various qualities of abandonment and realization as they pertain to the specific context of each of the three vehicles - the attainment of the level of a foe destroyer, solitary buddha, or buddha. +
