And then, uh... If you use very great diligence in the practice, then you can have success indicated by the appearance of these different signs and sequence. But of course, if you don't use very great diligence, nothing's going to happen in practice. So it depends upon that. And if you practice with great energy and diligence, then there can be the various signs which appear during the night yoga, such as smoke and mirage and the fireflies and Lamp flames are doing the day yoga of fire or the moon, sun, vajra, lightning and drops.

[01:22]

If you wish to also, in the translated text, Ramichi is now using the shorter text by Janggung Kongchul to review these topics. So this section is like on... Page 33, about now, or 33, 34, somewhere in there. The night yoga we've just reviewed, so now the day yoga on page 34, the fourth paragraph down. When I was born, I was born.

[02:29]

I was born. [...] So now we should also, we're just reviewing in the sense of doing the meditation together and going through these meditations. The first was that of night yoga and now for day yoga, it's basically the same except for that one is meditating outside and using the sky instead of darkness to focus the eyes and blend the mind into and so as is described in this paragraph you begin first of all sitting in the shade and so forth facing facing west in the morning east in the afternoon avoiding these different specific conditions using the proper gaze staring at the the clear sky and resting the mind and then through this the various six these six signs and others may rise

[03:45]

That's why, sorry. We do this, oh, through that end. That's why, that's why. That's why. That's why. ... [...] So you get down to go.

[05:08]

So you get down to go. Go. [...] Now, as you do this meditation, these various, for instance, these six signs, these might arise as you're doing the practice, if you're doing it in this correct fashion. And the ten signs in total for individual withdrawal practice, that is the four that correspond to the night yoga practice, six that correspond to the day practice, are the certain signs.

[06:21]

Due to the various different faculties and abilities of individuals, there may be a wide variety of different signs that arise, but you should also realize that these are indicative of the same thing, and this is the seeing of empty forms. And so that is, when you are doing this practice, and these various signs appear, then you should not consider them as anything or analyze them, do anything like this. Whatever is seen, one continues with the exact same practice, the posture, the gaze, and so forth. This will be gone into more in the next stage, but not now, in the teaching on mental stability. but one just keeps the mind non-conceptually resting in space, that is, in the darkness or in the sky, just as described and doesn't do anything about whatever appears.

[07:31]

He said, he [...] said, These type of practices are also similar to some practices found within the Nirmapa tradition, where the indication of the nature, of the Buddha nature within, is made during the teaching called trakcha, or cutting through, and then the signs of this Buddha nature appearing through various different signs in various different forms is meditated upon in the Thilgal practices, but there are some variances, but there are some parallels also to these practices.

[08:35]

And so it's very important that we do these meditations briefly like this together, because in this way there is a blessing to doing it together, students and teachers together. This is the way that it's been transmitted, even though, of course, in this situation what we're doing is just using aspiration to do the meditation practice correctly as we do it. We're just sort of running through it together, but it's important and there's a blessing to this. And then Rinpoche himself hopes that you will then apply yourself to the meditation alone and actually do it correctly. But as such, in this way, there is a blessing and this can cause enhancement of your own meditation and make it more successful. And he hopes that people are successful in doing this meditation. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

[09:52]

We should begin by meditating that we are surrounded by a gigantic protection circle or chakra. And then within that, not ordinary appearances, but instead a beautiful celestial palace. And within that oneself appears in the form of kalachakra with one face and two hands in union with the consort. And marked at the forehead with om, at the throat with ah, at the heart, with home and at the navel with home.

[11:17]

So you should also imagine that the teacher is in the form of Kala Chakra, and so yourself then listen to the teaching which is given, oneself appearing as the deity. ... [...]

[12:21]

And so we should begin with the motivation to attain enlightenment for the sake of all living beings, and with this motive in mind, feel that we then listen to this teaching upon the Sixth Branch Yoga of Sri Kala Chakra, which is the pinnacle and most sublime of all of the teachings, which is the teaching followed by our followed by and practiced by all of the Buddhas of the past, present, and the future. I said to myself, [...]

[13:45]

So the teachings upon the preliminary sections have all been completed, that is, the teachings on the ordinary preliminaries, the five preliminaries of refuge, bodhicitta, vajrasattva, mandalas, and guru yoga, and also the extraordinary preliminaries of the creation stage. So following completion of the preliminaries, the actual teaching is begun, that is, the teaching upon the six-branch yoga which began yesterday. So we have to do this. We have to do it. [...] So now we're actually within the teachings on the Sixth Branch Yoga itself, these six branches being individual withdrawal, mental stability, activating vitality, retention, intense mindfulness, and meditative concentration.

[15:12]

Also this teaching can be broken into three pairs of teachings. That is, pairs which are beginning, virtuous in the beginning, virtuous in the middle, and virtuous at the end. The first two then being individual withdrawal and mental stability, the next pair being that of activating vitality and retention, and the third pair of intense mindfulness and meditative concentration. So from among the first two, which are virtuous in the beginning, the teaching on individual withdrawal was given yesterday. So now we come to the teaching on mental stability. He said to him, he [...] said to him,

[16:40]

So from among all of these branches of the teaching then, yesterday we completed the teachings upon individual withdrawal, and today then we begin that of mental stability. So within the teachings on mental stability then there's the same basic division in two sections. First of all, the essential points for practice, that is an explanation of essential points having to do with practice.

[17:48]

And then second, establishing the meaning of meditation itself in the mind, that is what one actually has to meditate on. So in the first section, that is essential points for practice, there are the teachings upon the actual meditative, actual mental stability, and then second, there are the teachings upon techniques for enhancement and variation. So first of all, there are the essential points, teachings on essential points for practice of mental stability itself. I was like, I don't know what to do. [...]

[18:52]

I don't know what to do. [...] So for this practice also, it is done both during the day and during the night, but the emphasis is upon the night practice, that's the primary practice, and as such you use the same settings and situation as explained before, that is the dark room or dark house or within a cave or whatever, depending upon what you can get as a setting in which to do the practice. When I was born, I was born. [...]

[19:56]

I was born. I had to say, [...] We have a lot of people who have [...] a lot

[21:00]

It's a very good image. Then, when I was born, I was born and born. [...] I was told that I had a lot of people, and [...] I had a lot of people.

[22:29]

So, when I was born, I was born. [...] So we don't have to worry about it. We [...] don't have to worry about it. So, we're going to be able to do it.

[23:34]

We're going to be able to do it. [...] It's important that the people who are living in the world and who are living in the world and who are living in the world and who are living in the world are living in the world. So we have to do this. We have to do this.

[24:35]

We have to do this. [...] For the practice then of mental stability, the basic physical position is the same, that is essential points of body and also of speech are the same as during practice of individual withdrawal. And the main point of the mental state is also the same, in the sense that all three have to be immobile. the immobile body in the sense of being in the sevenfold posture of Irochina, with the feet drawn up into the Vajra position, the hands in the lap or pushed straight at the hips, as was described yesterday with the thumbs held in the palm of the hands, the backbone straight, the chin tucked towards the Adam Apple, the eyes gazing upwards,

[25:56]

the tongue turned up to the palate, to the roof of the mouth, and so forth. This all is the same. But there is a slight difference, a significant difference, in the sense of during the practice of individual withdrawal, there was mention of the various forms which might appear, images, the empty forms which may appear. If one has not seen these empty forms, then this doesn't apply. But even during the time when you do see those, then you don't focus upon them with the mind, and you just rest the mind in emptiness, in the dark, during the night yoga, just in the darkness in space, or in the sky during the day yoga, just being during the time of the practice of individual withdrawal. If those signs arise, you don't pay any attention to them, the mind remains focused only as described before, that is, just resting it non-conceptually in space or in the sky.

[27:00]

However, in this practice now of mental stability, in place of the focus of the mind on space or in darkness, one focuses the mind directly upon the empty forms, that is, those signs which appear. One places the mind upon those and concentrates upon those. And so, at that very time when those appear, when you see that, then you focus the mind very strongly, aim it at those signs. Whatever is seen, one pins the mind directly to that. But without any analysis of them, without any thinking about them, any concepts, just the awareness, the clear awareness, and the observer, that is the mental observer, just being aware of the cognition, just the nature of the mind itself, the wisdom which is manifesting in this sense, and that's all. So since this is a point, this practice is done at the point when these empty forms have become clear, or stable rather, then it's actually a point where, in general, even when you are not doing the meditation, they don't fade away, they remain.

[28:17]

But it may be that they do pass at some times, and so if this happens, then there are other things to do. But for instance, one meditates, if these signs have appeared that is, and they begin to pass away or fade away, one meditates again in the same way as during individual withdrawal, that is just with the mind resting non-conceptually in space or in the darkness. And if The empty forms, if the silent move, if there's any movement or fluctuation to right or left, up or down, anything like this, one doesn't follow after them with the eyes. That is, you don't follow because you're keeping to the exact same gaze, the same physical position. Everything is very strict. And so you don't follow them with the eyes nor with the mind. So there's no wavering because you should keep the mind only fixed upon the one.

[29:18]

point of focus, as was described before, just directly in front and up, and not wavering at all, even if what you're perceiving itself is wavering. And so this is very important. If you keep the mind focused in that way along the path of the gaze, then the empty forms themselves will gradually gather at that point where you're holding the gaze, and they themselves will come back. At the point when there is any movement of whatever empty form you perceive, if you follow these with the mind, then this will disrupt everything, in the sense of you're keeping a very strict physical position, as was described with the various postures and exercises that were mentioned last night. And if you let the mind wander, then it's breaking the fixed position of the gaze and so forth. And so, in this way, then the empty forms will become unstable, and so you don't let your mind do this.

[30:21]

And in this way, then, the most important thing is to keep the mind focused very clearly, directly, and without any wavering from the point where you were concentrating, that is, up and directly into space. So I said, I'm going to take a look at this. [...] Then the next section is that of the essential points for variation and enhancement. And first of all, there is the teaching on variant techniques for improving the meditation.

[31:29]

And as is stated in the oral transmission of Kalachakrapada, one should meditate intensely upon empty form. And so for this purpose you use the physical yoga that was explained last night during individual withdrawal, that is the tensing of the limbs, the constricting of the stomach in or holding it out, the various different physical positions and postures that were described. And you use this in a very intense manner, and then also for the point of reference, you focus the mind intensely at whatever fine form is being perceived and do this very intensely to where it seems like the mind itself dissolves into that form. So you're like penetrating the form and pushing, sending the mind directly into it.

[32:34]

Then the second section is that of the enhancements. And within this there are further two parts, that of those in connection with the daytime yoga and those in connection with the clear light during sleep. What's meant by enhancement is to enhance the practice in the sense of if there is this fluctuation of the empty forms, the forms of clear light, then this type of technique will cause again the stabilizing of them. So first of all it's that in connection with the day yoga. When I was born, I was born and born. I was born and born and born.

[33:41]

I was born and born. [...] I was born and born and born. I was born and born. So, when I was born, I was born. [...] Then I had to take it. [...]

[34:45]

I had to take it. [...] He said to him, he said to him, he said to [...] him, he said to him, When I was born, I was born. [...]

[35:47]

I was born. I was born. I was born. They say, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, [...] no. So, when they say, [...] they say

[36:56]

You know, you [...] know, This is what we have to do. We have to do it. [...]

[37:58]

I'm going to say that [...] I'm going to say But I was able to do it. [...] So, we're going to go to the river.

[38:58]

We're going to go to the river. [...] That's why I didn't know how to do it. I didn't know how to do it. I didn't know [...] how to do it. I didn't know how to do it. So when I was young, I was young.

[40:00]

I was young. [...] When I was born, I was born. [...] So now for these

[41:21]

techniques for enhancement of the practice in connection with the day yoga. First of all, there are some special oral instructions given on the basis of a text called The Creation of the Eye of Primordial Wisdom, in connection with this tradition. And for this type of practice then, it's done when, as I said, it's during the day yoga, so ordinary appearances are present and clear. empty forms, that is the signs of clear light, are stabilized. This entire practice is concerned with, you know, the empty forms or the signs of clear light, and it assumes that this is present. And so, when this is the case, then one begins to vary the gaze. That is, one begins to move down the focus of the gaze. Before we are looking up, we begin to lower the focus of the gaze and do this for three or four days, perhaps, trying the gaze a bit lower.

[42:23]

And if the signs, as they call the karmically produced signs, meaning, sorry, in this case, no, not those. Instead, the signs of clear light or the empty forms, if these become somewhat, if it becomes unclear, then this means it's not time to be doing this practice yet. That is, not to be doing the a specific technique for enhancement. And so one again then places the gaze as before, that is looking up, and meditates very intensely with great diligence as before during individual withdrawal. Then again, after a bit of time has passed, you may try to lower the gaze again. And if the empty form that's being seen remains stable, then one meditates like that and gradually lowers the gaze. And if the empty form continues, the sign of clear light continues to remain clear, then you can gradually lower it until you are looking straight forward instead of up anymore.

[43:31]

You lowered the gaze down as long as the empty form remains stabilized. And in this manner, finally even you can get to where you can be looking down and still the form, whatever is being seen, remains clear. And so then, at that point, when you're able to do this, and still the sign of clear light or empty form remains clear in the path of vision, then you use a small object, such as a black stone, for instance, or something small like this, and you place that in front of you, and then you gaze at that very intensely. Some object that will not cause any harm to the eyes is the main point, something small like a black pebble, or something of this sort. then you, as you're gazing at that object, then the empty form is right there, it's in your path of vision, superimposed over the object. And so you're looking at it in that way. And as you see both of them together, then you intensely focus on that and meditate in that manner.

[44:37]

And if you're doing that, the two are like in balance, you see them simultaneously. sign of clear light and the form that you're focusing it upon, then this is considered the lesser stage or the lesser manner of appearance. However, even so, if you continue for some time, that will improve and it will become effective. Otherwise, it may be for some people that immediately, at the point when they do this, then the karmically produced object, meaning the ordinarily perceived object, for instance the black stone, that this is not seen anymore and all that one sees is the sign of clear light, that the ordinary object disappears and all that is present is that sign of clear light. And this is good, but it's still considered mediocre because one has not completely succeeded. Further, one may meditate

[45:39]

to where both of these things disappear. That is, to where one is staring at the small object with the sign of clear light there, and both disappear and there is nothing. Then there's only emptiness. And in this way, then very quickly there will be the recognition and apprehension of the signs of clear light in a very vast form. And this type of occurrence, this type of experience is very strong and will have very great effect for the meditation. So in this way then, if one practices and these things occur, if this last type of experience occurs, then this is the best. Now if the object that is the object of clear light or the empty form, if it fades away and

[46:40]

ordinary object becomes clear and remains, then this means again that it's not time to be doing this type of meditation, it's not working properly. And so once you go back to the basic practice before, that is individual withdrawal, and then that of just focusing upon the sign of clear light, not doing this one in which you're focusing upon an object. And then when you become however used to this type of meditation, you can when it's working properly, then you can gradually increase the object that you're using to place the focus of your concentration upon. You can increase the size of the object bigger and bigger to where finally you can even look straight at entire mountains and the mountains will not be visible and there will only be one of the signs of clear light or one of the empty form is all that will be perceived and then past that. emptiness will be perceived.

[47:40]

And so in this way, then one can use this practice to great effect. In addition to that, then there are various specific techniques for apprehending the signs of clear light within the central channel and also for apprehending them at the nostrils where the air passes. But these are in connection with instructions at the stage of activating vitality and They're only applicable if someone has perfected these first two stages. That is, the empty forms have to be totally stabilized. And for a beginner, it's something very difficult to do. So these aren't explained at this point. They'll be mentioned during that next stage. And then this is empty form then. That is, the seeing of certain objects focusing upon them, signs of clear light. Then again, it's the same in the sense of empty sound, empty taste, empty touch. and so forth, all of the senses. And that, again, for instance, for the sound of emptiness or empty sound, when this becomes stable, one again blends this with karmically produced sound, with ordinary sound.

[48:51]

Now, I tried to question Rinpoche further what was meant by empty sound, and he said it's something that you would only understand on the basis of meditative concentration. That is, when you're doing the practice, there will be the occurrence which then you will know is the empty sound or the sound of emptiness. And then you blend that together with ordinary sound. For instance, the sound of a waterfall. You're sitting by a waterfall, you blend that together with the sound of emptiness or empty sound to where you're perceiving both. And then finally, further concentrating the mind, then it becomes the sound of the waterfall ceases and there's only the sound of emptiness. And then you can extend that further in large groups of people, focusing upon the sound of people's voices and so forth, and train in this manner to where finally everything becomes empty sound. And you can do this in the same sense with odors, tastes, sensation, all of these.

[49:57]

There's the experiences of emptiness in relation to each one of these. It was a long time ago. [...] It was so hard to get out of it. It was so hard [...] to get out of it.

[50:58]

It's not that much. [...] So the main point in this practice of mental stability is the focus upon the empty forms, that is the signs of clear light which may appear during the practice and the stabilizing of these and then the training in the sense of using these techniques for enhancement or for these variant techniques for enhancement in the sense of coming to a realization of everything as emptiness.

[52:12]

In the sense of, first of all, with the use of the sign of clear light, a sign of clear light or an empty form, then you, as was mentioned, superimpose this on the object within your vision, a small pebble or whatever to start with, and then extending that to where you can look at a mountain and all that's seen is clear light and emptiness. And then finally training in that way to where when you look at any object, that's all it's seen, to where everything becomes perceptible as clear light and emptiness. And then the same thing with sound, same thing with taste, with odors, with touch, sensation, everything. can be perceived as emptiness. For instance, for a yogi who has attained meditative concentration with this practice, then practicing in this manner, for instance, with sensation, there's the ordinary physical sensation. For a practitioner then, during this meditative concentration, then there arises an experience, a very strange experience of sensation, physical sensation of emptiness.

[53:19]

And so actually this then transforms all sensation and touch. One realizes, experiences empty touch, empty sensation, empty taste, empty visual forms, empty sounds, and so forth, so that everything is transformed into clear light visually, the sound of emptiness, the taste of emptiness, the sensation of emptiness, the smell of emptiness, everything in this sense. So as a saying, for instance, if you're focusing on the points of clear light or the signs of clear light, then you use the object, you're gazing at that. At that point already, there's a stability achieved that you're using that in that sense. And then it becomes the case that wherever you're looking, anything you're seeing, that's what you're seeing.

[54:21]

It's the signs of clear light and emptiness. So that's for techniques for enhancing the practice. The basic meaning is these techniques, as just mentioned, you know, it presupposes now that you've stabilized the practice and that as such then you can use these techniques to enhance and improve the practice during the day. And so now, next, the second section is techniques for enhancements in connection with clear light during sleep. When I was born, [...]

[55:42]

Now for these techniques, to begin with, the basic technique is the same as was explained during individual withdrawal, that is for the practice of apprehending a clear light in that context. And then in addition to that, at the point in which one goes to sleep, then within the mind, you focus the mind on the empty form that is being perceived. And without the mind being interrupted by any type of thoughts or anything like that, any conceptions as you're going to sleep, then very quickly one can come to apprehend the clear light. And in this way, if you're able to, for instance, move the sign of clear light or empty form within the body to where you can perceive it inside of your body as you're going to sleep, then you draw it into

[56:43]

the heart, that is into the heart chakra, and you focus upon it there and go to sleep in that manner. And there's no doubt if you can do that that you will apprehend, you will seize the clear light during sleep. So first of all, there are these different techniques for enhancement of the practice during the day, and then this technique for enhancement during sleep. That is, to begin with, it was gaining the facility of focusing upon the signs of clear light, empty form, and so forth.

[57:49]

And then as a continuation of that, in the sense of as one goes to sleep, then one has no interruption with thoughts and concepts, but instead is focusing, as before, just upon empty form. And in that way, if you can draw this empty form within your body, you draw it into the heart center, and focus upon it there as you fall asleep. So this completes the section upon the essential points of practice, and now the next section is that of establishing the meaning that is actually the meditation upon this. So within this section there are six categories, the same as during the teaching of individual withdrawal, and actually it will be the same.

[59:09]

for each of the yogas, the same six categories. In this case, concern with mental stability. So first of all, there's definition of the term mental stability, then the timing of the meditation, then the branches of how to meditate, then the authentic signs of the meditation, distinguishing between what is to be purified and the process of purification, and finally the result which is achieved through such meditation. So, first of all, his definition of the term, mental stability. I was born in English. I was born in English.

[60:10]

I was born in English. [...] If you don't, you don't, you don't, you don't, [...] you don't, you don't, So this term in Sanskrit is dhyana. And the basic definition of dhyana is for the mind to be unswavering or immobile in regard to the point of reference or the visualization.

[61:21]

And so we can give an example of this. For instance, if you make a doorframe very well, then you're able to open and close the door without it wobbling and everything within the doorframe. You can do it at will, opening and closing it smoothly. And likewise, here the meaning is that one has attained complete control over the point of reference, that is, the signs of clear light or empty form, that one has total control, one can move the gaze, the signs of clear light move with the gaze, empty form is completely under one's control. And so, as such, in this way then one is able to place the mind single-pointedly upon the empty forms of clear light which contain all the sublime qualities. In this way then also one has attained the stability over movement of mind and so forth, that is causing the mind to remain or to move at will.

[62:28]

... [...] So the main point here that is attaining mental stability means that the mind becomes totally fixed and stable and under control in the sense of perfection of shamatha or calming the mind.

[63:37]

In ordinary sense you speak of shamatha as being the state in which one is sitting observing the mind that one observes and whenever a thought comes up at any point then that can be dissolved, it can be caused to disappear. And the mind remains fixed and one-pointed, non-conceptual, with the thoughts kept aside. That is, continually, whenever something occurs, then it's removed without using any conceptual process. And in the same manner here, then in relation to the signs of clear light or empty form, the mind is completely fixed upon those, or completely stabilized. So this term dhyana or mental stability, it means that

[64:51]

that stability and mental force and power of fixing the mind on the object without any wavering, totally immobile. Just as for instance in some practices you might use a blue flower and gaze at the blue flower and just in concentration upon that with the mind fixed and free from any wavering or any other concepts. you use the sign of clear light which has appeared to you the empty form and focus upon that intently and that's what's being used as the point of reference the mind doesn't go anywhere else you gain total control of that and you can remain there for very long periods of time and you can move it at will and so forth it goes with the gaze and so on you have complete control and stability So in that sense, the meaning is compatible or corresponds to that found within the ordinary vehicles or the ordinary teachings within Buddhism, that is a basic

[66:13]

mental stability and meditation, single-pointed focusing. Then the second part here is the timing of this meditation. Ideally, the best is to do this meditation when one has perfected the meditation of individual withdrawal. But even if you haven't perfected that, still one can meditate upon this at the point where the signs of clear light appear stable. And at that point, then one can do this. It was the first time I was born. [...]

[67:13]

The third section is that of the branches of the way to meditate. First of all, this is mentioned from the Sakha Desha Tikka or the brief presentation of initiations where it says that one will see forms as though in a dream and should meditate always upon those forms. And so the essence or the nature of mental stability is the meditative concentration in reference, one-pointed reference to the appearance of the signs of clear light, and then also that meaning the signs of empty form, but then also empty sound, empty taste, empty smell, empty sensation, and so forth. It was the first time that I was able to do it.

[68:16]

It was the first time I was able to do it. It was the first time I was able to do it. I was able to do it. Now also there are branches or limbs to this practice of mental stability and these are mentioned first of all in the condensed Kala Chakra Tantra where it says that for mental stability one should one pointedly focus upon understanding, upon knowledge, understanding, discernment, joy, and immobile joy or immobile bliss.

[69:26]

This is referring to the different branches or limbs of this practice. There was a lot of people who lived there and [...] lived there. So we had to go back to the church. We had to go back to the church. We had to go back to the church. We had to go back to the church.

[70:29]

We had to go back to the church. We had to go back to the church. So, we had a lot of people who [...] had a lot of people. So I'm going to talk to you later. I'm going to talk to you later. I'll talk to you later.

[71:33]

There's various different limbs or stages to this practice and they're mentioned in a similar sense clearly in the Abhidharma Kosha within the Abhidharma teachings where it speaks to the different levels of dhyana and the perceptions of divine beings that are within those levels. And also within non-Buddhist traditions, for instance, within the Hindu tradition as well, there is the basic state of mental stability attained, and then on the basis of that, then the gradual progression to higher and higher levels. There was a lot of people in the middle of [...] the middle

[72:59]

So, when I was born, I was born. [...] There was a lot of people who had [...] a lot of people. I think it's important to me.

[74:28]

This is the same thing that we have to do. We have to do the same thing. So, when I was born, I was born. [...] They don't know what to do.

[75:31]

They don't know what to do. [...] So for these branches then, first of all, the state of mind in which there is one point focusing upon the ten signs of clear light is referred to as knowledge. And in this case then, the second This is the first one. Then the second is that of understanding.

[76:31]

And usually it's said that understanding is apprehension of an object or an entity. And in this case, what is being referred to as the object or entity is the empty form of being the characteristic which is understood or perceived. Then this is perceived as being merely one's own mind, that is experienced as only one's own mind. This is the second one, understanding that. Then third is the branch of discernment. And at this point then, one experiences the arising of empty form as mind itself without any thoughts without any dichotomy of subject and object, or apprehending mind and apprehended entity and so forth, that is completely free from all conceptual elaborations.

[77:36]

And experiencing it in this way is referred to as the branch of discernment. And then the next stage is that there is a bliss or a joy which comes on the basis of meditative concentration. And this is divided into two categories, the bliss or joy which arises in reference to external phenomena and that arises in reference to internal experience. And so for the first one, it is the experience of satisfaction which is unprecedented that one has never experienced before. And this is a joy or experience of happiness and contentment. So this is called the the branch of joy or branch of happiness. Then the one in reference to inner experience is the arising of the experience of bliss in the sense of the meditative concentration itself being the bliss, that that is what is experienced as the bliss or the joy, and this then is referred to as the branch of immobile bliss or immobile joy.

[78:52]

These various experiences then bring certain benefits to the point where, for instance, when this special type of joy or contentment is experienced physically, then it permeates the entire being and one experiences this immobility or this unwavering, immobile joy that is constant. So the experiences are, first of all, that one experiences the limb or the branch of knowledge, then this will become combined with that of understanding, that is two together, then together with discernment which makes three, and then with joy which is four, and then with immobile joy, that is experiencing all five together. And if all of these arise in one's stream of being, in one's experience, then when it's said that all of the limbs of mental stability are complete, and then you sustain that meditation in that state, and then all of the qualities to come from this, all of the ultimate qualities, will quickly arise.

[80:05]

. It was a very difficult time, but it was a very difficult time. It was a very difficult time, but it was a difficult time. It was a [...] difficult time, but it was a difficult time. I'm going to talk to you later. I'm going to talk to you later. I'm going to talk to you later.

[81:10]

I'm going to talk to you later. I'll talk to you later. When I was there, I would say that [...] So, when I was born, I was born. I was born.

[82:20]

So, we have to take a look at this. We [...] have to look at this. When I was born, I was born. [...] Now, the next section is the fourth one, which is the authentic signs of meditation, of mental stability.

[83:29]

And this is first of all mentioned, that is, these special signs are mentioned from the Kala Chakra Tantra itself. Now, by the signs, remember that during the first branch, that of the practice of individual withdrawal, the various signs are the signs of clear light that arise during the day and the nighttime yogas, that is empty form of smoke, lightning, fireflies, drops, vajras, so forth, these different ones, there are ten of them all together. In addition to that, within the practice of mental stability then there are very special, extraordinary signs which will appear. In the Tantra itself it states that one experiences in the midst of those, that is in the center of such signs as were just described, the figures of Buddhas, completely free from all objects, the Sambhogakaya form of the Buddha.

[84:32]

And so in this way, these are the extraordinary or uncommon signs associated with the practice of mental stability. And there is an infinite variety of different signs or images which might appear during the practice of individual withdrawal, that is, everything imaginable within the threefold universe can take a form and appear. But even more than that, not only just the appearances of form, but as was mentioned, of sound, of taste, touch, smell, and so forth. But in addition to these now, There is also the enhancement of these with other characteristics of radiating brilliant light, of being very minute, tiny in appearance, of extremely brilliant, of vibrating, of being indestructible or extremely durable.

[85:34]

These signs, as described, other than the different Dharma terminology used are the same, we're speaking of the same things as taught during the practice of Tughal in the Nigmapa tradition. It's the same thing, there's just some variances according to the tradition and the words that are being used to describe the experiences. But there are these various different drops of light which are perceived, endowed with these different qualities of brilliance and vibrancy and radiating streaks of light and so forth. And then in the midst, in the center of such a drop of light, there will appear the form, sphogakaya form, of various different Buddhas. And in this way one realizes that this is the appearance of the pure nature of mind itself. And as such, on the basis of that appearance, then one realizes that everything that normally appears is karmically produced and is relative. And then one has the direct realization that

[86:38]

everything normally experienced is like an illusion, like a mirage, and not to be understood as real because one has now perceived the pure nature of the mind itself. And this also is referred to within what is called the Ladder Tantra, where it says that one applies meditative concentration to external objects in this way. And the perception of this also is authentic or valid in the sense of, for during the practice of individual withdrawal, the perception also is that of direct sensory perception, the valid cognition through, for instance, through visual contact with the sign of clear light appearing. And that, however, it's the eye, the flesh eye, fleshy eye perceiving it at that point. Whereas now, one actually is perceiving it through the faculty of the divine eye.

[87:42]

That is, one is directly perceiving the nature of clear light. And because of this, then also, as was mentioned, this same level of perception is in relation to all of the sense faculties. And so there is also, for instance, the hearing of sounds from great distances, and this type of thing. That is, there is supernormal powers, clairvoyance, and so forth associated with all five senses that arise at this point. No, I don't know. [...] It was a very difficult time. It was a difficult time. It was a difficult time. It was a difficult time.

[88:46]

It was a difficult time. [...] So the fifth section is that of distinguishing that which is to be purified and the process of purification. So as before, during individual withdrawal, the basis of the purification is the same. There's no difference in the Buddha nature. But that which is to be purified is different in the sense of it is the... skandhas or the aggregates of consciousness and so forth, the set of six constituents associated with the element of space, the constituents and the aggregates associated with the element of space. And that through this practice of the branch of mental stability, then there is the experience of

[89:52]

or rather this branch of the practice, this process of purification is divided according to the perception of the different signs of clear light at the different levels of mental stability. That is, there was mentioning of those five levels of, or five branches of mental stability. So it's classified or divided according to the level of the perception. Then the sixth section is that of the results to come from this meditation. The relative our temporary results are mentioned in the tantra where it says that the five-fold clairvoyancy will be achieved or the five supernormal powers and that as such then one will achieve this through practice of middle stability so this is meaning that in the temporary sense it's the five supernormal powers that arise and this means one's able to see at very great distances one can hear sounds from

[91:19]

great distances, perceived taste from great distances, touch, smell and so forth. These are the temporary results. The ultimate result is that there is the transformation of the constituents associated with the element of space, the six of those actualizing as the Buddha, Akshobhya and so forth.

[91:43]

@Transcribed_UNK
@Text_v005
@Score_37.33