Property:Gloss-def
From Buddha-Nature
This is a property of type Text.
T
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. +
One of three types of mantra; knowledge mantras are used primarily to accomplish the enlightened activities of a deity and the aspect of knowledge, vajra mind. [TD 2681] +
One of the four knowledge holders, four levels of spiritual attainment that constitute the Nyingma School's approach of progressing through the paths and levels of Secret Mantra; this classification refers to the path beyond training and the attainment of the ultimate fruition, the spontaneous presence of the five kāyas - the state of a vajra holder. [TD 3107] +
The development stage and completion stage comprise the inner tantric path to liberation. Explaining the function of these two approaches, Lochen Dharmaśrī writes, "The development stage purifies [the idea that] the environment and its inhabitants are real entities with their own characteristics, while the completion stage purifies the subtle clinging that can occur while meditating that these are all illusory, as is the case in development stage practice." [SD 325] As Khenpo Ngaga points out, all the various categories of Tantra relate to this twofold approach. He explains, "In the Vajrayāna, there are three inner divisions - the three inner tantras. The Father Tantra emphasizes the skillful methods of the development stage and the completion stage of the subtle energies. In the Mother Tantra, the completion stage associated with the subtle essences is emphasized, in which case one relies either upon the body of another or one's own body. The Nondual Tantra stresses the view of the path of liberation alone. In actuality, however, all of these are included within the two stages of development and completion." [ST 6] +
The central channel is the main energetic channel in the body, running vertically through its center. Its upper end is located at the cranial aperture on the crown of the head, while its lower end is found in the secret place (the perineum). [TD 2212] +
Enlightened activity is one aspect of the fruitional state ofbuddhahood. The most common presentation of enlightened activity contains four divisions: pacifying, enriching, magnetizing, and wrathful activity. To these four, a fifth division is sometimes added, that of spontaneous activity. [TD 1771] According to Ju Mipham, enlightened activity can also be divided into supreme and mundane activities. The former, he writes, involves "planting the seed of liberation in the minds of others by granting empowerments, and through mantras, mudras, and so forth, while the latter functions to bring others more temporary forms of happiness." [ON 559] +
The single seal involves focusing on one principal deity. One focuses on the body of one deity that expresses the unfabricated union, and which arises together with the blissful melting of meditative absorption. Visualizing the body of the deity in this way, as nondual appearance-emptiness, is the practice of the single seal, the single mudrā. [JG 31] +
The nine vehicles comprise the path of the Nyingma School of the Early Translations. The first three vehicles are those of the Sūtra Vehicle, the exoteric Buddhist teachings: 1) the Vehicle of the Listeners, 2) the Vehicle of the Solitary Buddhas, and 3) the Vehicle of the Bodhisattvas. The next set comprises the three outer tantras: 4) the Vehicle of Kriyā, or Activity Tantra, 5) the Vehicle of Ubhaya, or Dual Tantra, and 6) the Vehicle of Yoga, or Union Tantra. The final set of three represents the inner tantric tradition: 7) the Vehicle of Mahāyoga, or Great Yoga, 8) the Vehicle of Anuyoga, or Concordant Yoga, and 9) the Vehicle of Atiyoga, or Supreme Yoga (also known as the Great Perfection). [NS 164] +
Knowledge is the factor that focuses on a specific entity, examines this object, and is then able to distinguish its essence and individual features, its general and specific characteristics, and whether it should be taken up or abandoned. Once perfected, it functions to dispel doubt. Knowledge is synonymous with the terms complete awareness, complete understanding, awakening, thorough analysis, thorough understanding, confidence, intelligence, mental functioning, and clear realization. [TD 2863] +
''See'' Anuttarayoga Tantra. +
The four joys are a common principle in the teachings on the conceptual completion stage. Though they are listed differently depending on the context, they are often presented as: 1) joy, 2) supreme joy, 3) freedom from joy (or special joy), and 4) coemergent joy. ''The Great Tibetan-Chinese Dictionary'' explains: "Four joys are produced when bodhicitta descends to each of the four cakras. [These four comprise] a realization associated with the yogic heat practice, which involves taking control of the subtle energies. When bodhicitta descends from the crown center, joy is produced; when it descends to the throat center, supreme joy; when it descends to the heart center, freedom from joy; and when it reaches the navel center, coemergent joy." [TD 2562] +
