Discovering Our Real Nature Through Experience

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

From the Song of the Vajra Retreat, Hong Kong 2012, May 17, day 2, part 3.

Regarding direct introduction Guru Garab Dorje explained that by receiving oral transmission we can discover our real nature using different kinds of experience. As I explained yesterday, even though we can have infinite experiences, there are three main experiences because we have three gates, three existences: body and speech and mind. For us everything is related to them, including experiences. For instance, the experience of sensation is related to our physical body.

In Vajrayana teaching this is given a lot of importance and in Vajrayana higher tantras manifestations such as Chakrasambhava, Guhyasamaja, Hevajra and Kalachakra are all manifestations in joyful forms in yab and yum union. What do yaband yumrepresent? Theyrepresent the famous word mahasukha, maha meaning total, sukha meaning bliss, and when we know and are in a state of contemplation then it becomes bliss.

In our dualistic vision it is a sensation of pleasure. For example, when males and females have sexual contact they feel a sensation of pleasure. That is true not only for human beings but also for cats and dogs and other animals. It means that this experience is very important and notable. Mahasukhadescribes enlightened beings totally in that kind of bliss, which is considered to be one of the most important experiences in Vajrayana.

How can we understand that it is considered to be more important? We have three root emotions – ignorance, attachment and anger – and in order to transform them according to the method of Vajrayana transformation there are three kinds of manifestations: peaceful manifestations for transforming ignorance into clarity, joyful manifestations for transforming attachment and wrathful manifestations for transforming anger. These forms are very important for transforming emotions and each manifestation makes use of different kinds of experiences. A wrathful manifestation such as Vajrakilaya and many like Hayagriva appear in yab and yum form, which is related to their joyful aspect, which is bliss. There are also many peaceful sambhogakaya manifestations such as the five Dhyani Buddhas that manifest as yab and yumso we can understand how important the mahasukha experience is.

It is also important in Dzogchen teaching. However, in an ordinary way, when we are receiving an introduction to discover our real nature, it is not very easy. When Vajrayana practitioners first start to do the visualization for a practice such as Vajrasattva, they transform into Vajrasattva, which is a peaceful manifestation. After transforming they have an experience of clarity of that transformation of Vajrasattva, no other particular experience. If they do the visualization in a different way, as Vajrasattva yab and yum, they transform into Vajrasattva non-dual yab yum, and at that moment will have not only an experience of clarity, but also the presence of sensation: two experiences, of sensation and clarity.

When many Vajra practitioners, particularly monks and nuns, do practices like Kalachakra, Hevajra, or Chakrasambhava, they do them mentally through transformation and, of course, then they can realize that high level. But if we have no basic capacity, when we have such a strong sensation we fall immediately into dualistic vision. During our lives we may experience some special feelings or we see something special and immediately we feel very happy and we like it. We like it because we are falling into dualistic vision; it is a strong feeling, I want it and I want to develop it. When we fall into dualistic vision we cannot develop it but at times we may block our potentiality for developing. For that reason the method of sensation is not so easy to use in practice. Sensation is something very concrete that we can feel, but even though it is concrete, that is the very problem that causes us to fall into dualistic vision easily. In this case we need to learn and train and know how to govern that sensation so that we can go ahead concretely. For that reason in Dzogchen teaching when we give the introduction we do not use the experience of sensation very much.

At times some people who are really interested in Dzogchen teaching never succeed in discovering their real nature, even though they may have received many methods. This is because they have a lower capacity. In this case there is a particular way to experience sensation and a particular method, but it is not like direct introduction.

For the direct introduction (ngo sprod gdams) what we do most of the time is the experience of clarity and the experience of emptiness. We can do both of these. For instance, when we do visualization with lights and other things, we can have that clarity. In general I often use this introduction which is called yeshe sangthal. With the experience of emptiness you feel it less than [the experience of] clarity and sensation but even though you feel it less, you can discover and understand it.

In the Dzogchen teaching we have three series, Dzogchen Semde, Longde and Upadesha, which are always connected with the Three Statements of Garab Dorje, and there are many different explanations about the way of introducing and working with the capacity of the individual. Sometimes we go further using not only the Dzogchen way but even combining it with the Anuyoga system. In the introduction we may visualize our teacher in a pure dimension, like Guru Padmasambhava. However, that is for us not having impure vision even though we are applying that method in a dualistic way. This is not really the Dzogchen way but we can apply the Anuyoga system like that.

How should we do Guruyoga according to the Dzogchen teaching? The white A in a thigle is a symbol of our primordial state. And how do we make use of the yeshe sangthalmethod? We shouldn’t limit ourselves thinking that it must be done in a particular way. We never can limit methods. Methods should work according to circumstances, so whichever way we can discover, we work with that. In the path of Dzogchen, we sound A and visualize a white A in a thigle at the center of our body. Then we relax in the state of Guruyoga. After a little we work with the direct introduction, using our mind because we need experiences.

Then again we think about the white A in a thigleand we sound A spreading infinite lights from the white A in the thigle in whichthere are all five colors, the essence of the five elements. When we imagine spreading these lights, all thoughts of our dualistic vision, such as the universe, everything is related with the five elements. So we are spreading light in that dimension. This is the visualization with the first A after the Guruyoga.

Now we sound another A and in that moment we imagine that everything in our existence, our dualistic vision, dissolves into its nature. Everything that is produced from the five elements dissolves into its real nature and becomes five colors which then come back and dissolve in our white A in the thigle. Then we relax again. Each time we do this, we do the visualization first and then we relax in the state of contemplation, which means that each time we are empowering the practice.

Then we sound A again and in that moment we imagine spreading those five colors in our vajra body. Our physical body is also produced by the five elements and now they all dissolve in the nature of the five elements and then into the white A in the thigle.

What remains now? We are in immense emptiness; there is nothing in that dimension. We have our physical body with the white A in a thigle and we notice that. This is called the experience of emptiness. When we relax in that state it is no longer an experience but we are in our real nature.

After a little while we sound A again and imagine spreading that light so that our physical body dissolves in the white A in the thigle. Our physical body no longer exists but our being is that white A in the thigle. Where is this white A? In the dimension of infinite emptiness. It is our dimension, it is our being, we are not seeing it somewhere in a thigle. We are in that experience of emptiness and now we relax a little while there.

Again we sound A and in that moment the white A in the thiglegradually becomes a very tiny white A in a thigle. This is our being now, in the dimension of immense emptiness. Now we observe the experience of emptiness and then we relax in that state. Now we are arriving at the end. In this moment we sound A and this tiny white A in a thigle dissolves into emptiness. We no longer have anything concrete in our existence. But we do not become emptiness because emptiness is an experience. We notice there is our presence, who is being in that now? We are not becoming emptiness. We discover that this is called instant presence.

When we dissolve that tiny white A in the thigle, immediately we notice that and discover that instant presence. It represents our state and is called the state of rigpa in Tibetan. Rigpa doesn’t mean the primordial state. The primordial state is a general name which we also use for the nature of mind or, in Sanskrit, dharmata. It is our real nature but this is not rigpa. When we discover that with experience and we are in that presence, this is called the state of rigpa. When we discover that, it is called direct introduction.

If you are not sure that you really discovered it, you shouldn’t worry. You simply recall how we did this practice and you repeat it many times. Sometimes you might be worried about how many A’s we repeated. You shouldn’t be concerned about that and sometimes you can do fewer. At times, for example, we say spreading lights and dissolving everything with these lights after which they return and integrate with the A. At times the lights enter and all purify everything and our existence manifests as the nature of the five elements.

It is not necessary to limit yourselves. You should do what you feel and the best way for your practice. It is important that you remember that when we are doing this practice together, “doing it together” means we are in the same moment, the same state, which is why you can also have more possibility to discover your real nature.

Now I’ll briefly repeat this visualization. First we do Guruyoga practice with visualization of the white A and we relax a little. Then we sound A again and we imagine infinite lights spreading from the white A in the thigle. When we sound the third A all existence dissolves in the nature of the five elements and becomes five kinds of lights which dissolve in our white A in the thigle. What remains outside? Emptiness, but we observe and we are in that state. Then we sound A again and spread light inside our physical body which dissolves in the white A in the thigle. We can also dissolve our physical body at that moment if we do the practice in a shorter way. If we do a longer practice then we also do another A for dissolving the physical body. Then we visualize the white A in the thigleandour existence becomes smaller and smaller until it is tiny. Again we observe and relax and then at the end it also dissolves in emptiness.

When we sound A and dissolve [into emptiness], at that moment we are in instant presence but we do not become like a stone. We notice that dissolution and we are in that presence. This is called instant presence and is what we should discover. At any moment when we are doing Guruyoga, doing visualization of the white A in a thigle, when we relax in that instant presence, if we have that experience it is called “son wisdom.” When we are dying in the bardo of dharmata the “son wisdom” and “mother wisdom” meet. The “son wisdom” is what we have experienced in our lifetime and now in the bardo of dharmataour sound and light and rays manifest nakedly and we can recognize them. When we have that recognition, we are enlightened instantly.

Edited by L. Granger
Final edit by S. Schwarz