“Generally, when we talk about the calm-abiding meditation in mahamudra, it means we should not look outside at others and external things, such as thinking about what are other people doing, the news and situation in the world and in society? One needs to look towards one’s own mind and thoughts, one’s own reality and situation. What does that mean, one’s situation? Is it the situation of one’s body and health? No, it is not that kind of talk at all. Mainly, we need to think about the situation and reality of the mind. Normally, we think about the body’s health and well-being, yet here it is about the mind’s health and well-being. This is a very important point.”—17th Karmapa on 8th Karmapa’s Instructions on Yangonpa’s Seven Points (January 2023)
It was with great delight, after what seemed an inordinately long wait for his followers, to hear and see the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa start the first day in a four-day teaching for the annual Karma Kagyu monastic debate/winter teachings (Kagyu Guncho). The teaching is from the 8th Karmapa’s Hundred Short Instructions (Gya-thung tsa Tri), which the 17th Karmapa has taught from several times before. The 17th Karmapa first explained how he thought it would have been good to continue to give the Mar-Ngog teachings on the Origin of Secret Mantra but as he had not had the opportunity to do so this year, some Khenpos and people had insistently asked him to give some Dharma teaching for the winter event (Guncho), he thought it would be beneficial to teach some more on the 8th Karmapa’s Hundred Short Instructions (which he had taught from before). This particular instruction by the 8th Karmapa (ངོ་སྤྲོད་བདུན་མའི་ཁྲིད་ཡིག ) is on a root text called The Seven Pointing Outs (Ngotro Dunma) [1] by the famous 13th century Drugpa Kagyu Tibetan yogi and master, Gyalwa Yangonpa (Yangönpa Gyaltsen Pal (ཡང་དགོན་པ་རྒྱལ་མཚན་དཔལ། 1213–1258). Yangonpa’s tulku was said to be Barawa Gyeltsen Pelzang (rje ‘ba’ ra ba rgyal mtshan dpal bzang, 1310-1391) who also wrote a commentary on the Seven Pointing Outs teaching, which the 17th Karmapa also refers to.
Before describing the origin and circumstances in which the ‘Seven Pointing Outs’ teaching arose, the 17th Karmapa gave a brief account of the origin and distinction between an oral or reading transmission (lung) and a guiding instruction (tri). He then gave a brief account of Yangonpa’s life story, in particular his prodigious and unusual abilities and events during his childhood (which, like those of the 1st Karmapa, are not mentioned in the online TOL biography).
I have typed up an edited transcript of the teaching from the Tibetan original (the English translation video was not available, and marked private due to ‘post-production’ delays, I was told). Below is my outline and summary of the first day’s teaching/transcript. I hope to combine the transcript of the whole teaching on the Seven Points into one document for download.
Music? For that endless search outside our minds for satisfaction, I Still Haven’t Found What Am Looking For by U2.
The distinctions/categories of lung (oral transmission) and tri (guiding instructions)
In his teaching from the Hundred Instructions (Tri) of the 8th Karmapa, the 17th Karmapa first gave an explanation of the differences between what are called lung and tri in Tibetan, detailing different types of lung (transmission) based on memorising, repetition and explanation, and tri (guiding instructions).
“There is lung phogpa, lab-lung, she-lung (oral/reading transmission) and tri-lung (guiding instructions transmission), there are many presentations about that kind of thing in Tibetan literature….
In brief, with the reading/oral transmission (lung), the main thing is saying and knowing the words, whereas the tri (guiding instructions) is mainly understanding their meaning.”
The 17th Karmapa explained that these distinctions cannot clearly be found in the Sutras or Tantras explicitly described like that but that they developed into that in Tibet based on the differences between conceptual/word understanding and meaning understanding based on experience, which are present in the Sutras and Tantras.
However, even though in Tibet scriptures had been written down, and there was no longer any real need to recite and memorise them orally as they had at the time of Buddha, there was a remnant of that tradition remaining, with monastics still being given the reading transmission, which they then recited and memorised.
The 17th Karmapa said that his teaching would be mainly an explanatory oral transmission and reading transmission on the 8th Karmapa’s Instructions on the Gyalwang Yanggonpa’s Seven Points , reciting it mainly but occasionally sharing some opinions or thoughts on it.
The great Drugpa Kagyu yogi Gyalwang Yangonpa, student of Gotsangpa
The 17th Karmapa then went onto to give a brief biographical account of the person who taught the ‘Seven Pointing Outs’, Yanggon Gyeltsen Pel. One of his main teachers was the Drugpa Kagyu master, Gotsangpa Gonpo Dorje (rgod tshang pa mgon po rdo rje, 1189-1258):
“Out of Gotsangpa’s four main students there was the one equal to him in realisations, Yangonpa, equal in terms of mind, Orgyenpa, equal in terms of knowledge, Chengara, equal in terms of devotion, Nyeringpa. The one who was equal in terms of realisation to him was Yangonpa.”
The 17th Karmapa explained how Yangonpa was born in Lato, probably in the South, probably at Lhadong monastery. He received instructions from his family line of Nyingma tantric practitioners. He was born around 1213. It is said that there were several signs he was a special child:
“When he was young, perhaps when his father passed away, whatever happened his mother became the main care-giver, he started to teach the Dharma. From the age of around 5 he sang/penned some short songs for the benefit of others that were very deep and profound. I saw these in the Collected Works of Gyalwang Yangonpa, there are many songs he started singing from age 5. Due to this and other extraordinary abilities and acts as a child, people started to think and say he must be like a nirmanakaya, incarnate lama (tulku) and he became very well-known. He was not like what we call a ‘tulku’ these days just a title. At that time, a tulku, it was a child who was totally unlike other children, who demonstrated extraordinary abilities from a very young age. To whom most people they had a connection with would then remark ‘wow, this must be a tulku) and is not some ordinary child!’
From the age of 6 years old, he met a guru called Phulmawa, and received many great teachings and empowerments from the Nyingma Tantras, Great Dzogchen, also Kadampa, Zhije and Essential Topics of Lam-Dre.
Then from the age of 9, he gave instructions to people/students. These days, ordinary children at the age of 9 do not even know how to behave well at all and are not giving lots of instructions, but he was totally unlike other children. He was able to care for many students and give instruction
Then from the age of 22, he took full ordination from a Khenpo Lhatsun Tsogpelwa (?), and the master of activities was Gyalwang Kodragpa Sonam Gyeltsan (1182-1261) and there was a sangha of 80 students. His full ordination name was Gyeltsen Pel Zangpo.
After that, he founded a monastery at Zhi Ri Namding, and later he stayed there for one-year in the vajra posture, is that unless one has to go to the toilet, one continues meditating without stopping. He stayed completely on his own and isolated and did not give students instructions. During that time he became very famous throughout Tibet, in particular Central Tibet, and many devotees and students came to meet him and get instructions. He had over 10 000 students. Due to his student’s requests, he wrote the Three Cycles of Mountain Dharma, and many different texts which have particular features of Yangonpa. I have also read many of these old instructions by Yangonpa and they are really remarkable and unique, incomparable and of great quality.
Then, in the end at the age of 46, in the year 1258,. He passed away. He had many students but the main ones were one he met was 5 years old and said he was a nirmanakaya, and one who had heard that he was and went to see him. So one student who had been studying with him from the age of 5, and that was Chengawa Rinchen Den (spyan snga ba rin chen ldan, b.1202), who was one of his main students. The other main student was Lorig Cho Kyongpa. The main student of Chengawa Rinchen Den was Tsurphuba, and he had a student named Barawa. There are the upper, middle and lower Drugpa Kagyu, and the Upper Drugpa Kagyu lineage was primarily spread by Barawa . In this way the history and activities of Yangonpa were very broad and vast.”
Outline and Introduction to the 8th Karmapa’s Instructions on the Seven Points teaching
The short life-story account of Yangonpa was followed by an explanation of the history and background on Yangonpa’s Seven Pointing Outs teaching:
“The instructions by the 8th Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje are on the root text by Yangonpa called the Seven Points/Introductions (Ngotro Dunma). How did Yangonpa compose this text? At the retreat place of Lhadong, he gave these instructions to twenty-five new lamas there. When he gave these instructions, five of them got realisations before he even taught it, and all the student teachers experienced realisations and improvement in their meditation after the teaching. For example, calm-abiding arose in their minds. Also, they remained inseparable in their minds.
So within these songs of the Seven Points, at the beginning there is the offering, and at the end there the way of teaching others. The 8th Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje does not present the two first and last parts of the text in that way. Yet, in the Collected Works of Yangonpa, and also in the commentary by his tulku, Barawa Gyalwang Gyeltsen Pasang called The Lamp of Precious Pith Instructions (Mengag Rinpoche Dronmai) the songs are presented that way. So these two sections are words of offerings and praise but 8th Karmapa does not teach about them.”
So one outline of the root words of the teaching Seven Points by Yangonpa is by the 8th Karmapa and another slightly different outline from a commentary by Yangonpa’s tulku, Gyalwang Barawa Gyeltsen, called the Lamp of Precious Pith Instructions (Mengag Rinpoche Dronmai) is the root words of the teaching by Yangonpa, I think.
In the outline of that text there are seven points/topics:
- Calm-abiding Instruction (Zhi-ney)
- Superior Seeing (Lhag-thong)
- Freedom from Concepts (Tro-Drel)
- Self-Liberation from (Gyu wa Rang drol)
- One Taste (Ro-chig)
- Meditation on the Surroundings (Gom Khor-Yug)
- Shunning/Taming the Practice
The 17th Karmapa explained that he thinks these came from the root words of the Seven Points teaching by Yangonpa.
The homage and requesting blessings sections in the root text
In Barawa Gyeltsen’s text, there are three main points in his outline of the root words of the Seven Pointing Outs:
- The offerings and praises
- Teaching on the Stages and Path: An Explanation that Expands the Meaning of the Text
- Conclusion: the way of teaching others
As I mentioned in Mikyo Dorje’s commentary, the beginning the homage and the final concluding advice to others are not included. He begins directly from the longer explanation of the text. The root text is found in Yangonpa’s Collected Songs and there is also the commentary by Barawa. These include the entire words so I will fill these in too.
So the actual text says:
“Namo Guru Ratnabhava, the Sambhogakaya who enjoys the pleasures of samsara with the clear awareness of no object and has gained mastery over appearing empty phenomena. I prostrate at the feet of your Sambhogakaya.”
From “Namo Ratna Guru to I prostrate”, this is the homage. Then there is the line: “Bless me with deep clear experience.” That is the request for blessings.
So this is basically the meaning of the homage, and do not need to explain this too much. Of course, there are very profound things one could say but am not sure I could say them. Next, if we look at the Hundred Instructions by 8th Karmapa.
The 17th Karmapa then read out the rest of the homage part of the text:
“I prostrate at the feet of the Lord of Yoga Nyenpa Drubpon, go for refuge. Please grant your blessings. There is no actual accomplishment of the Mahamudra of the Kagyu lineage passed down from the Dharmakaya Vajradhara to the previous guru great Naropa. Unless the analogous and true wisdom of the three supreme and higher empowerments has become manifest. But these days there are also the ways of teaching shamatha and insight that are common to the causal vehicle of Prajnaparamita. Instructions passed down from the Prajnaparamita teaching and its lamp on the path of enlightenment to the great Gampopa and Phagmo Drupa, known as the co-emergent union.
Gampopa and Pagmo Drupa gave these the name co-emergent union of Mahamudra for the sake of degenerate beings that alight on the highest vehicle. As the text says: ‘Appearance and emptiness are primordially co-emergent since the Instructions join them as one, they are known as the co-emergent union. Based on these words, lamas these days point out the very mere appearance, mere clarity, mere awareness and people decide that Shamatha, insight and the three kayas are all naturally complete and inherent in them. They can be nowhere else. In that their minds mislead them about the implicit and ulterior meanings of the words of the Kagyu gurus, particularly here in U-Tsang there is a great sectarian instruments in the words of Lord Drupba and the words of Gotsangpa and others are used for sources for people’s own mistaken fabrications, I cannot bear seeing this, so I shall give a textual explanation to the Lord of Dharma Yangponpa’s Seven Pointing Outs.”
The Three Sets of Four (Twelve Yogas) of Mahamudra and Stages and Paths in Yangonpa’s teaching and unique to Kagyu in general
The 17th Karmapa summarised that here the root teaching of the Seven Points is basically about the three sets of four (twelve) yogas of Mahamudra (Neljor Zhi Sum Chunyi). This teaching and practice is unique and particular to the Kagyu lineages:
“One text by Drigung Kagyu master, Gyalwang Kunga Rinchen is very similar to the words of Yangonpa here, maybe even exactly the same, which is pointing out the realisations and levels on the paths of Mahamudra. So in the stages and paths of Mahamudra there are the Three Sets of Four Yogas (Neljor Zhi Sum Chonyi). There are many different ways of labelling the paths and levels. We talk about the four yogas of three stages each, such as the’ simplicity of one taste’ and the different divisions of these three sets. This is how we talk about the progression of the paths and levels of Mahamudra. It is important we know them.
Once, the 14th Dalai Lama asked me what are these Kagyu instructions on simplicity and one taste, and at that time, I knew a little bit about the terms, but I did not really know how to identify each of these. So I was unable to give a direct answer. So when we talk about these terms, what are they? A presentation of this is something we need to consider. So Gyalwa Yangonpa gave an instruction on these. Je Tsongkhapa thought highly of that and took a great interest in the paths and levels according to Yangonpa. I will speak about that in the next few days. and which presentation Je Tsongkhapa liked the most.
So when we speak about this topic many people make objections to them that including within Kagyu itself. So probably these are instructions on the co-emergent Mahamudra from Atisha passed down to Gampopa. At that time, some students who were a bit degenerate but interested in the teachings, called them the co-emergent mahamudra. Generally, we talk about three types of Mahamudra, as ways of talking about the ways of teaching it, the Sutra and Tantra Mahamudra. Some people say there is no real difference between these two.”
The first point in the main part of the teaching of the ‘Seven Pointing Outs’: Calm-Abiding (Zhi-Ney) and what meditation is not
The 17th Karmapa explained that in this first section on calm-abiding of the main text there are three sections:
- Placing the mind
- Maintaining an uncontrived state
- Bringing thoughts onto the path
The 17th Karmapa sums up this part of the text, which says:
“Meditation is not found by looking at external objects, one should not look outside to meditate. It is within one’s own mind that one has to look and meditate. Looking outside and thinking, this is like that and describing and pointing at things, is not meditation. Meditation is going within one’s own mind and seeing how it is, what is it like? That is the main point. How do the conceptual thoughts arise and change in the mind? How is the situation and abiding reality of the mind? It is very important to think about one’s own mind in that way. The nature of the mind, the abiding reality of the mind. So, when looking at the mind in the Mahamudra Calm-Abiding (Zhi-ney).”
[The 17th Karmapa goes into more detail on these parts of the text in the following day’s teaching, see next post].
Instructions based on experience (nyam-nyong)
The 17th Karmapa then went on to discuss the instructions connected to ‘experience’ (nyam-nyong) and joked that as he does not have much experience himself it is difficult for him to speak about it, but he thought it would be of benefit if he did, even though:
“Generally, when speaking to lots of people who are watching and listening about ‘’my experience’ it is a bit weird and strange, I think, isn’t it?” Some people will like it and others won’t like it. Whether they do or not, if they do not like it then they will not develop faith, and if there is no faith, then there will not be any blessings and without blessings then giving rise to actual meditation in the mindstream will be very difficult. That is why I will not say much about that.”
The main point the Karmapa emphasised was that study was important but if we are always looking outside at the faults of others, and not trying to change our own minds, everything we do will be a ‘waste of time’:
“Generally, when we talk about the calm-abiding meditation in mahamudra, it means we should not look outside at others and external things. Thinking about what are other people doing, what is the news and situation in the world and in society? One needs to look towards one’s mind and thoughts, one’s own reality and situation. What does that mean, one’s situation? Is it how is the situation of one’s body and health? No, it is not that kind of talk at all. Mainly we need to think about the situation and reality of the mind. Normally we think about the body’s health and well-being, here it is about the mind’s health and well-being. This is a very important point.
For example, we can talk and look endlessly at the faults of others, right? We think ‘this is a mistake, this is not OK etc. We finely analyse the faults of others right? However, we rarely closely check our own faults. The main issue is that we rarely look at our own faults but only see the faults of others. Then one cannot improve oneself. In order to improve, we must check and look at our own faults. We have to ask ourselves, is my way of thinking and doing things good or not? That is how practitioners think, they need to think about their own minds and faults and ways of thinking etc. we have to look at our own minds as Dharma practitioners. This is a very important point. All the great beings who achieved siddhis looked at their own mind and turned their attention inwards.
If one cannot mold, re-shape and change our own minds then it is pointless to do lots of study and research. In great universities there are people doing really extensive and in-depth research on Buddhism. Some of them do turn their attention inwards and change but many do not. They are mainly doing it for knowledge, and to pass high-level exams for a certificate, and maybe that research is something we need to think about.
However, if it is only done for that, and the aim is not to change our minds and gain some inner realisations then it is not that useful or beneficial. If we don’t change our minds, then reading scriptures is a waste of time, going on a three year three month retreat is a waste of time, whatever you do will be a waste of time. That is a very important point to understand.”
The importance of doing fine and detailed research on Buddha Dharma but also in changing one’s own mind and not merely repeating the words of others in debates
The 17th Karmapa remarked that he would talk about Superior Seeing/Insight (Lhagthong) on the following day. He then ended with some advice about the different methods of studying Buddhist texts and philosophy and the importance of doing deep and original research on the Buddhist texts, such as the Kangyur, Tengyur and other Buddhist texts and so on. It was very important to do that and understand the meaning of the scriptures for the benefit of others:
“During the Kagyu Guncho we have continued with the competitive debates, following the same way we did it last year. So last year, many of the monks who participated thought it was good to continue in that way and so we are continuing like that and the competition has gone well and it has been very good. In any case, as I said on the first day of the Guncho, to improve ours studies and teaching, there are many different methods, there is using debate, to teach, write and explain. These days in the great universities people do research as a way to improve study and understanding and to gain greater understanding of the texts and write papers. And that is another method and that is an important point there.
The main point of the winter event (Guncho) is to improve our study and knowledge. Studying and researching texts in universities is very important and the Buddhist texts and teachings should be researched in fine and accurate detail and not just in an ordinary way and not just from one’s own tradition. By doing detailed research on all the texts, one will get the accomplishment and result of understanding the texts. That one can get to the point of having gained real understanding.
As I said before, Je Tsongkhapa himself studied and read lots of Sutras and Tantras, and with great scholars, and read many ancient Tibetan texts about how our ancestors meditated and practiced. That was why he was then able to write many difficult texts. For that to happen., Tsongkhapa by using his intellect and knowledge, listening, contemplating and meditating and ascertaining the meaning there was a particular, special result. There are those who say that the way he interpreted those texts is not quite correct and does not match those of the previous masters and so on. However, he used his intelligence to do it and spent a long time doing that and was able to produce a special result. That is what happens when you use your intelligence. If you are just following others and merely repeating what the masters said then really improving is very difficult.
In the future, during the Kagyu Guncho I have been thinking about how we can accumulate more writing. So that it is not just a few Khenpos writing papers, but also students (as many as possible) writing about the difficult points in the texts and the important topics. Sometimes we talk about the important points, but then forget about the so-called ‘smaller points’. Yet when we research them, we discover the finer points are actually very important too. So, if we develop more writing on the texts we can go deeper into the texts.”
The 17th Karmapa then ended by giving the example of the style and way monastics debate and if it is really to uncover faults in reasonings or views then it is beneficial. But if it is not and more a rote memory type competition, then it is just ‘ka-kha’ speaking mere words, and just finding a fault so that the other person cannot speak, and shouting to get one’s point across and not really listening to the other view, then it is not that beneficial and that debaters need to think about that. If the debate is really just about words, and then it is difficult to get deeply into the meaning of the texts.
The Karmapa ended by requesting that these methods be discussed at the conference and why he wanted to give this teaching at the event:
“So we need to use many different skilful means, to improve our studies, and this is something I think about. I think the teachers should think about it and if any of the monastics has an opinion on this, then we should talk about it freely during the conference. If people think it is better to have more people discussing it than just one.
So I haven’t given a teaching for a long time, and this teaching is at the end of the Guncho teachings. So people were saying what happened to the teachings for the Guncho? And there was no choice but to do it, but it was a question of having time for the teachings. So am giving it now mainly to make the connection.”
[1] Karma pa 08 mi bskyod rdo rje. “rGyal ba yang dgon paʼi ngo sprod bdun maʼi khrid yig.” dPal spungs dpe rnying gsar bskrun las khrid yig phyogs bsgrigs, vol. 2, dPal spungs gsung rab nyams gso khang, 2006, pp. 567–87. Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC), purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW1KG4336_3F7352. [BDRC bdr:MW1KG4336_3F7352]
Endnotes
[i] “Having heard that Gotsangpa was in the area, Gyeltsen Pel sought him out and requested teachings. Gotsangpa was at first reluctant, and replied “You are more of a scholar than I am, but if you wish, I will teach you.” After receiving full transmission of the Drukpa teachings from Gotsangpa, Yanggonpa – who was then in his mid-twenties – proceeded to meditate intensively in retreat under his guru’s supervision on Shri Mountain, in a retreat cave called Namding (gnam sdings), which would eventually become his favorite and principal retreat location.
It was during this period of intensive, rigorous and solitary retreat that Yanggonpa first took up the practice of the Six Yogas of Nāropa, including somatic exercises and the subtle body visualizations. He recounts that, after meditating for eleven months without breaking his vajra posture, he experienced a breakthrough and his “energy became workable.” Some time after this intense retreat experience, Yanggonpa returned to his home monastery of Lhadong to practice the stages of vows (sdom rim). At that time, in his mid to late twenties, he reported having actual visionary experience of the subtle body, one that would become the basis for his influential work on tantric anatomy Description of the Hidden Vajra Body (rdo rje lus kyi sbas bshad).”
Yangonpa also studied Lam-Dre with the Sakya Pandita, Kunga Gyeltsen during his stay at Sakya. and the 4th abbott of the Drigung Kagyu, Drigung Chennga Drakpa Jungne (‘bri gung spyan snga grags pa ‘byung gnas, 1175-1255), During one intense year of study, Yanggonpa received the entire Drigung Kagyu transmission, with special emphasis on the physical yogic exercises, along with the accompanying oral instructions. He also received from Chung Dorje Drakpa (gcung rdo rje grags pa, 1210-1278), Drakpa Jungne’s abbatial successor, the entire teachings of Pamodrupa Dorje Gyelpo (phag mo gru pa rdo rje rgyal po, 1110-1170).”
[ii] The preliminary practices that are taught in the Mahamudra Ocean of Certainty are twelve: the first four are the four contemplations, the second four are purification and accumulation practices, called the four foundations, and the last four are the four conditions; four conditions because in order for your dharma practice to go well and to progress smoothly, effectively and deeply, you have to have all the conditions for it. So twelve foundations: four and four and four.
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