“Ati-yoga is like the pinnacle of the path and highest of the paths. So it is the ultimate of all vehicles, the final destination of all results, the fastest, greatest, and best of all paths. The profound dharma that can bestow liberation in an instance.”
“There are these and many other elaborations but explaining the naked, profound meaning at its best, without hiding anything, is not pleasant to the ears of intellectuals. and so the profound intent of mantra is sounded secretly. So, I am only giving brief illustrations of it.”
—Khenpo Gangshar’s Magic Key commentary on Atiyoga
“The essence of atiyoga is direct liberation in the state of primordial enlightenment
Without renunciation or acceptance, hope or fear.
The view asserts that everything is the total sphere of the dimension of reality,
Naturally present pristine awareness, effortless primordial enlightenment.
–Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Systems of Buddhist Tantra, Treasury of Knowledge
For Dakini Day today, here is an overview and transcript of the last session ten of 9th Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche’s teaching on the Magic Key commentary by Khenpo Gangshar, in which he explains the text in relation to the supreme inner yoga of atiyoga, which is where there is no duality or distinction between the creation and completion stages. Atiyoga (ཤིན་ཏུ་རྣལ་འབྱོར་, Shintu Neljor) is the highest yana within the classification of nine yanas of the Nyingma school and is synonymous with Dzogchen/the Great Perfection.
In Systems of Buddhist Tantra of the Treasury of Knowledge, the First Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche describes the meaning of “[The Sanskrit] atiyoga is [rendered in Tibetan as] shin tu naljor (supreme training), [so called] because it represents the final level of perfection of both the generation and completion [phases], and because it stands at the summit of all ways.”
According to Sam van Schaik, in the 8th-century tantra Sarvabuddhasamāyoga, the term refers to “a realization of the nature of reality” which arises through the practice of tantric anuyoga practices which produce bliss. In the 10th and 11th century, when Dzogchen emerged as a separate vehicle to liberation in the Nyingma tradition the term was used synonymously with the Sanskrit term ati yoga (primordial yoga).
In 9th Thrangu Rinpoche’s teaching he explains the differences in the paths of means and liberation, in both Mahamudra and Dzogchen. In Mahamudra, the path of liberation is focusing on full knowing/prajna and the path of means are the six yogas of Naropa or Kalacakra. In Dzogchen, the path of means is Togal (Leaping Over) and Thregcho (Cutting Through). He then discusses the view of atiyoga and how it is different from the previous inner yogas of anuyoga and mahayoga in that there is no duality between creation and completion stages.
Rinpoche ended the teaching by mentioning several important texts on the topic one should read as a way of understanding the empty-of-self, and empty-of other middle way views and the Buddha Nature. First one should read about the Ngondro, the preliminary practices such as ‘The Torch of Certainty’ by First Jamgon Kongtrul, then a general book is the ‘Words of My Perfect Teacher’ by Patrul Rinpoche. In terms of philosophy, he advised students to read the Ornament of the Middle Way (Skt. Madhyamakālaṃkāra; Tib. དབུ་མ་རྒྱན་, Uma Gyen) by Shantarakshita, the great Indian scholar who assisted Guru Padmasambhava in introducing Buddhism to Tibet and founding the famous monastery of Samyé. Shantarakshitas’s text is considered to be the quintessential exposition or root text of the school of Buddhist philosophical thought known in Tibet as Yogachara-Svatantrika-Madhyamaka. There is a famous commentary on it by Mipham Rinpoche, his most comprehensive work on Madhyamika, ‘Words to Delight My Teacher Manjughosha’ (དབུ་མ་རྒྱན་གྱི་རྣམ་བཤད་འཇམ་དབྱངས་བླ་མ་དགྱེས་པའི་ཞལ་ལུང་, uma gyen gyi namshé jamyang lama gyepé shyallung) written in 1876 when he was just 30 years old, which brilliantly sets out the unique Nyingma view bringing together themes from the Middle Way and the Mind Only schools. It was translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan by Yeshe De under the guidance of acharya Shilendrabodhi.
He also recommended reading the ninth Karmapa Wangchug Dorje’s commentary on Entering the Middle Way’, which is called ‘Karmapa’s Middle Way’ or ‘Feast for the Fortunate’ (published by Snow Lion). For the empty-of-other middle way, the Supreme Continuum (Uttaratantrashastra) commentary called Buddha Nature and also the treatise by the Third Karmapa ‘Distinguishing Consciousnesses from Wisdom’.
It is wonderful to have these recorded teachings on a text from not only a great Karma Kagyu master but a Dzogchen and Mahamudra master, Thrangu Rinpoche. His recent passing was a great loss for Tibetan Buddhism. May he return swiftly and may we all reach the peak of great perfection!
Music? UnMind: Meditative Sitar Music by Niladri Kumar, All is Full of Love by Bjork,
Written and compiled by Adele Tomlin, 9th September 2023.
Magic Key commentary teachings by 9th Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche
Transcript
I have spoken about the secret mantra of Vajrayana and the three outer classes of tantra, the three inner classes of tantra. We covered the three outer classes of tantra, rather briefly. Then for the inner classes of tantra there is the visualization stage of the Mahāyoga and the anuyoga of meditating on winds. There are the creation phase meditations, the maha yoga which primarily emphasizes the creation phase. The completion phase is primarily emphasized in the second and third of the three inner tantras, the anu and ati yoga and channels, winds and essences.
With the completion phase there are two different parts: the completion phase with reference points and that without and so the completion phase with reference points is the meditation upon the channels, winds, and essences. Then the second, the completion phase without reference is the unelaborate activity of the yoga. Of these two, the completion phase with references is meditating upon the channels, winds and drops and emphasizing those working with those drops, working with the winds and this is primarily taught in the inner tantra called anuyoga. We have come now to the ati yoga which as it says here on the last paragraph of this page.
“Ati-yoga, is without duality of creation and completion.”
So ati-yoga here is the yoga that transcends the creation phase and the completion phase it is the union of these, the ati or supreme yoga. As the third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje said in his aspiration prayer for mahamudra:
“ Free from mental engagement it is the great seal or mahamudra.
Free from extremes it is the great middle way.
The perfection of everything is the great perfection, so
may I realize the one thing that is the meaning of all.”
Here, it is free of all mental engagement and because it is free of any mental engagement it is free of any extremes, it is the union of clarity and emptiness, it is mahamudra. Then the nature of that is free of any extremes, or elaborations, so that is the great middle way. Not only is it the great middle way but all of the qualities are perfect within it, so it is the great perfection, Dzogchen.
By knowing these instructions, we can realize the nature of how things are. So, this is a way of teaching the essence of Mahamudra and Dzogchen together, explaining them as being the same. It is a method of recognizing the nature of the mind, of looking at the nature of the mind and practicing and meditating upon that, which is the great perfection the ati yoga.
The path of means and liberation in Mahamudra
So, whether we are talking about mahamudra, or talking about Dzogchen, in general we have the path of means, which primarily emphasizes methods. Then there is the path of liberation which primarily emphasizes the full knowing, or intelligence, the prajñā. So, in terms of mahamudra the path of means is the profound path of Naropa’s six yogas. the completion phase of Kalachakra, the six applications. So, these are all the path of means and so these are not taught here there is some mention of the channels and winds but they are not tall in detail here.
Then the aspect of the full knowing (prajñā) is the path of liberation which is mahamudra. As I explained yesterday, in root this is really the union of the expanse and wisdom. The way that actually is and so realizing it developing certainty in what that is like, and then on the basis of that gaining experience and then through meditating upon that experience and proceeding down that path properly. Through doing this we can subdue all of our afflictions and all of the wrong thoughts that we have. Through that we can gain again a taste of what is like again some realization. That is the path of liberation of mahamudra.
The path of means and liberation in Dzogchen – Togal and Tregchod
In terms of the Dzogchen tradition the path of means is the path of Togal (ཐོད་རྒལ་) [1] or the’ sudden leap’. So again, it is not clearly taught here but these are different methods of realizing things but it is the same sort of method. So, its primary teaching method is the practices of Togal or the sudden leap.
Then emphasizing the full knowing/prajñā that is the primordially pure view of Trekchod, the cutting through. So, when we say the primordially pure this means that it has been there from the very beginning and has been pure. It is the dharma nature, it is the expanse of the dharma nature, the way it is. The way the union of expanse and wisdom is and practicing that directly. So that is the primarily pure view of cutting through.
So here this primordially pure view of cutting through and mahamudra are the same, the essence of these two it is the same. When we talk about the path of means the two are different, they have different means but here in this text the path of means is not taught. Whether we are talking about the path of means for mahamudra, or the path of Dzogchen it is not here taught but what is taught here is the view of the primordially pure cutting through.
The view of atiyoga
So, the main aspect of this is that:
“In the atiyoga it asserts that all phenomena of existence and appearance, samsara and nirvana are complete in the expanse of awareness wisdom.”
So, all the things that appear and exist, the world, environment of the world, all the sentient beings within it everything in samsara, all of nirvana, all of these are complete within the expanse of the awareness wisdom. This is according to the lower philosophical schools.
As we talk about all that appears, it is just the appearing aspect of the mind. That is the nature of that mind, the awareness wisdom. In this way, everything is within the expanse of this awareness wisdom it is present within, it is complete and perfect within the expanse of this awareness wisdom. In this way, everything is contained within it. Because everything is contained within the expanse of awareness wisdom, if we recognize the nature of the mind and then through that we can gain a direct experience of what the dharma nature is like. Then once we have that experience, we can then meditate upon that experience. Then through meditation in both the equipoise and the post-meditation, we can follow this as a fast path, and as a superior path because everything is complete within the expanse of awareness wisdom.
So, the ultimate Dharma nature, when we look at the essence of it, it is not that there are things that are good or things are bad. So, as it says in the text:
“Everything that appears that is fixated upon as an appearance that is empty and so forth wells up out of the dharmakaya.”
So, we cannot say it is good we cannot say it is bad it all wells up out of the dharmakaya that means that it is like the magical play of the dharmakaya, magical emanation, or wondrous emanation of the dharmakaya. So, it is within the expanse of this. There is nothing that we can really say is an appearance, that is empty, or that is attached to It all just wells up out of the dharmakaya. The root of all of this is that it is within the expanse of the dharmakaya, within the expanse of the wisdom. So, it continues:
“In dependence on the creative energy of the path it is not neccessary to be newly established. It is like the heat/root of fire, the ultimate of all the vehicles.
It is not like something that is not there and then we meditate upon the path and then it is there. It has always been there from the very beginning.
“One gains the realization that it has always been awakened.”
So, through studying and contemplating this we can develop the real certainty, the wonderful certainty of this. Through experiencing it in meditation we can develop wonderful meditation of it.
Ati-Yoga as pinnacle of the path: unpleasant to the ears of intellectuals the intent of mantra is proclaimed secretly
Thus:
“Ati-yoga is like the pinnacle of the path and highest of the paths. So it is the ultimate of all vehicles, the final destination of all results, the fastest, greatest, and best of all paths. The profound dharma that can bestow liberation in an instance.”
Here this is really presenting it very much as the view of this primordially purity of cutting through. So, it should be understood as coming to realize what the essence of the nature of the mind is like. So, this is really wonderful, it is superior and because of this if we believe in this and then we can be excited about the fact that we have had the opportunity to find such dharma and with such excitement we will be able to practice. If we practice, we will really be able to come to a wonderful result.
So, the text continues:
“The mental succession of phenomena posits that the play that appears outside is the ornament of the dharma nature and so forth.”
In the Dzogchen there are different sections of the Dzogchen teaching there is the mind section, there is the expanse section, and there is the section of the inseparable instructions. These are three sections and uh here they are presented in brief as it says later on in the paragraph:
“There are these and many other elaborations but explaining the naked, profound meaning at its best, without hiding anything, is not pleasant to the ears of intellectuals. and so the profound intent of mantra is sounded secretly. So, I am only giving brief illustrations of it.”
So, it is teaching it very concisely.
Importance of the stable view and the confidence of not being ‘easily swayed’ by wrong views/doubts
That basically completes these instructions of Khenpo Gangshar. As I explained yesterday, it is really important for us to study these philosophical schools, to study the philosophical texts. So when we study these texts it is not just for the purpose of becoming learned and scholarly. That is not the only point of doing it. It is something that we also need to do it because it is helpful for our practice. So, when we read them then we can develop a real belief. When we have that belief then we have that certainty. When we have that it is really helpful for us. So, we need this sort of certainty but how do we develop certainty? well we develop certainty through reasoning, through using inference and reasoning because of that we develop. When we have this this reasoning should not be something that is just it should not be reasoning that is just following, blowing with the wind to say it is you are not blown there with when you are not blown away with the wind. It means you are not brought there by someone else. It is not like when the llama is talking and you are reading, you are saying “hey yeah that’s great that’s right it is.” but when the llama is finished and you are not reading anymore it is like what was that I do not remember how did that go? I do not think that really is I i do not think I am not sure about that. Then the llama speaks goodness oh yeah that is right well that is when you are just blown there by the wind when someone guides you there else and then when you are blown away by the wind, when you can be easily distracted by someone else.
For example, someone says “you know that Buddhist view that’s not really how it is.” these are the reasons why it’s not like this this is why it is wrong and all this and so when someone says you said oh maybe it isn’t like that it shouldn’t be like that you should be able to say no this is how it is I’ve really thought it through so thoroughly this really is what it’s like this is the experience that I have from my uh practice and so uh we have this this is like the root of all the dharmas having this so that we aren’t uh like like a leaf in the wind blown hither uh and thither. So, we need to have that good studying and that is really beneficial to do that.
Then, in addition to that we need to have practice and of course there’s really no need for me to say how beneficial practice is to all of you all have really understood uh the main points you’ve gotten the main uh point of that but when you um practice you know and you study about this it’s not like it should just be something that it’s sort of just there it’s again something you have to really do it and so if you can study and do it well then it will be very beneficial. So, I ask that you please do your study and your practice. Now over the past couple of days I have recommended that you read a few books and you study a few books and some people have asked “what books should we read?”
Recommended books on the topic – Middle Way philosophy
In terms of the books that we should read about the subject of Ngondro, the preliminary practices. You should read of course The Torch of Certainty by Jamgon Kongtrul, then a general book is the Words of My Perfect teacher by Patrul Rinpoche. In terms of philosophy, you should read the Ornament of the Middle Way by Śāntarakṣita with the commentary by Mipham Rinpoche.
There is also the new translation of the ninth Karmapa Wangchug Dorje’s commentary on Entering the Middle Way, which is called a Feast for the Fortunate[1] (published by Snow Lion). So, this is also available, these are wonderful instructions, a great book. When you read the Ornament of the Middle Way in particular this is not just the middle way. In the beginning it is joined with the view of the Dzogchen and mahamudra. In the end it is joined with the teachings on validity or Pramana and then throughout it there is a lot of logic that proves such things as past and future lives, there are discussion of how appearances happen, how all appearances are mind. There are discussions of how everything is emptiness, there is a good presentation of proving the selflessness of the individual. So, if you study this in the future when you read the instructions on mahamudra and Dzogchen it will be very helpful and very easy for you to uh realize that. So, those two texts the Ornament of the Middle Way and the Karmapa’s Middle Way: Feast for the Fortunate. They present the self-empty view of the autonomous and the consequentialist view.
For the empty-of-other middle way, there are many texts. In particular there is the Supreme Continuum (Uttaratantrahastra) commentary is translated under the title, Buddha Nature, there are several versions of it. Then there are also the treatises by the Third Karmapa’s Distinguishing Consciousnesses from Wisdom. There is a commentary by Rinpoche on this called Distinguishing Everyday Consciousness from Primordial Wisdom. Then also his teachings on the buddha nature. There is also a version of Rinpoche’s commentary in English on that one. These are really wonderful books they teach you what the dharma nature is like how they are. So, if you read them and you study them it is really wonderful.
Books on Mahamudra
Then in terms of the instructions on mahamudra, there are the instructions such as the Ocean of Certainty (Ngedon Gyatso) and so forth. They are wonderful instructions. Sometimes we want short and easy instructions, so these are in the Ninth Karmapa’s Pointing out the Dharmakaya or putting a finger on the dharmakaya. Another wonderful one is Dagpo Tashi Namgyel’s Clarifying the Natural State. This is a really wonderful it teaches the path very clearly. So, you read these then if you read them, it is just a question of whether you are diligent about the path you get this feeling it is only a question of whether you do it or not. If you do not do it, then of course there is no hope but you get the feeling reading like this that if you actually do this you will come to a good result. So, it is really helpful to follow these instructions.
So, if you study these and then practice them and meditate, if you can have hundred percent diligence and are extremely diligent about it that is absolutely great. Even if you cannot be that diligent about it, at least you have the good imprints that you are making on yourself and at least you are giving yourself these good imprints to have faith and devotion in the future there is no way that this is not going to produce a wonderful result. So, it is really important to read these and study them.
You all have come here and you have come to these dharma teachings and you have a lot of faith and devotion. This is wonderful you have come here to practice the dharma. It is wonderful that you have come here because we are in a developed country and in developed countries there are lots of distracting things. There are many wonderful things that can distract you. It is not like we are in some poor undeveloped country where there is nothing to distract you from practice. We are in a very developed country and here there are lots of nice shows amusement parks things to go things to see movies, restaurants, everything to go and get distracted with, but you have put them all aside and you have come to what really can give uh true lasting meaning to life the genuine dharma. This is also really a sign that you are intelligent it is a sign of your faith in the dharma. Not only that, in developed countries such as this we have a lot of work and that is important work that has real benefits it is important you can and often it really depends upon you it is hard to put aside but you have said that it is not as important. You have come here to practice the dharma to study the dharma you have made that most important. This is a sign of your real faith and devotion. So, I would like to thank you very much.
[1] Vimalamitra’s Great Commentary, defines tögal as “the practice of the direct perception of pristine consciousness” which is for “the diligent who gradually attain buddhahood through meditation.” Jigme Lingpa follows Longchenpa in seeing the visionary practice of tögal as the highest level of meditation practice. Tögal is also called “the practice of vision”, or “the practice of the Clear Light (od-gsal)”.
[2] Marked by eloquent poetry, vigorous and extensive analysis, and heart instructions on breaking through the veils of confusion to independently experience the true nature of things, The Karmapa’s Middle Way contains the Ninth Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje’s comprehensive commentary on the Indian master Chandrakirti’s seminal text, the Madhyamakāvatāra, or Entrance to the Middle Way. This commentary, Feast for the Fortunate, is the Ninth Karmapa’s abridgement of the Eighth Karmapa Mikyö Dorje’s masterpiece, the Chariot of the Takpo Kagyü Siddhas. In it, readers will find previously unavailable material on the Karmapas’ Middle Way view and a rare window into a philosophically charged era of Middle Way exposition in Tibetan Buddhism. It includes Chandrakīrti’s root text to the Entrance to the Middle Way and its commentary by the Ninth Karmapa; an introduction detailing the history of the Middle Way, key Middle Way philosophical principles, and the main points of each chapter of the text; an annotated translation of a famous excerpt of Chandrakīrti’s Lucid Words; and other useful appendices and reference materials.
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