What is the difference between Mahayana and Mahamudra? Benefits of practices, stages and paths according to Mahamudra

Lama Ole Nydahl

Even in our age of computers and express courses, nothing can replace personal contact between Teacher and student. The more holistic the knowledge and vision conveyed, the more important this connection becomes. When a perfect Teacher shares the world of his perception, he can give wealth directly at the level of consciousness and subconsciousness.

Although the teachings contained in the Kangyur were undoubtedly written down exactly as given by the Buddha and have therefore been preserved, the most important and direct teachings are known today solely through the holders of flesh-and-blood experience. First of all, the three "old" lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, or the "red hat" schools, have an immeasurable wealth of special teachings that directly point to the mind and are transmitted directly from Master to student.

In the Kagyu school, this is even reflected in the name: "ka" means "oral" and "gyu" means "lineage" or "transmission". Thus, what the Buddha taught to his best disciples more than 2500 years ago and what the great yogi Guru Rinpoche brought to Tibet around 750, and a couple of hundred years later was finally restored by the lay hero Marpa, continues to live in the East and West thanks to the strong and joyful to people. In this sense, the Teacher himself is the path of development. It awakens inspiration, provides means and confirmation. Kalu Rinpoche, the first Kagyu teacher who had Western students, often said: “When you have already learned everything from the Lama, then your mind and his mind are one.” The exceptional benefits of a spiritual connection with the Teacher are confirmed by the life stories of famous teachers in India and Tibet. Naropa, Maitripa, Marpa, Milarepa, Rechungpa, Gampopa and the seventeen Karmapas gratefully announce that with the help of the Lama's blessing they have achieved their goal.

“It is impossible to see the top of a high mountain if you stand on a low one,” say the Tibetans. It is difficult to really evaluate the Teacher. But if we have enough openness, then after an honest examination it makes sense to see him as high as his strength allows (and allows all the time). After all, the Teacher is the mirror of our mind. The unliberated see not the world, but the contents of their mind, and if you see a good Teacher at a high level, then first of all this is a confirmation of our own inner wealth.

This way of perception speaks in favor of our abilities, and here again we can quote the wisdom of Kalu Rinpoche: “If you perceive the Teacher as a Buddha, you receive the blessing of the Buddha. If you perceive him as a Bodhisattva, you receive the corresponding blessing. But if you perceive the Teacher as an ordinary person, all you get is a headache.”

In fact, without devotion there would be no Diamond Way and its many followers - neither since the time of Buddha in the East, nor since the early 70s in the West. This openness should be treated as the greatest, but also extremely dangerous gift. This is the greatest gift, since there is no faster path to Enlightenment, but at the same time it is quite dangerous, because identification with the Teacher requires great maturity from the student. Moreover, the teacher is a Lama precisely when he represents the Buddha and his Teaching. If he speaks, for example, about modern politics, about which the Buddha, of course, could not say anything 2500 years ago, then, although one can hope for the courage and life experience of the teacher, the source of his words will only be his own understanding and outlook .

Correctly directed openness of the student contributes to the gradual erasure of the boundaries of the possible for him. However, along with effective means of self-disclosure, the benefits of which are confirmed by the line of transmission of experience, you can get a calculating or incompetent teacher, which is why you should take getting to know him seriously from the very beginning. If, in general, the “chemistry” of the meeting suits us, if the questions dissolve by themselves, if the Lama reacts to (good!) jokes, does not need to prove anything at all, and by all indications clearly thinks about others, that is three qualities to expect from a “respectable” Diamond Way Buddhist teacher.

At the absolute level, the inevitable signs of Realization are fearlessness, joy and love. In our era of stress, it is unlikely that we will be able to find enough time to be close to the Teacher and consistently become convinced of the unshakability of these qualities; nevertheless, we can ask ourselves whether in ten years we would like to behave in many situations like our Teacher or, for example, I wish we could go steal horses with him. In other words, before you let the Teacher into your mind at such an important level as a way of looking at things, you need to understand whether you really trust him and whether you want to adopt his qualities. It is also very helpful to get to know other students. You need to check whether everything converges at this level, whether the right feelings arise and whether you can accept these people on a human level. Students, to the same extent as the Teacher, are responsible for new people.

At the absolute level, the inevitable signs of Realization are fearlessness, joy and love. And here, as in everything in life, there is nothing more convincing than development. Only that teacher who has good life experience, is always in a good mood and feels the possibilities of the perceiving space itself as joy, can correctly convey the liberating and enlightening levels of teachings. The influence of a teacher who cannot withstand pressure or only says something personal and sweet, wanting to please everyone, will disappear like a breeze.

At the same time, the situation of a Buddhist teacher is very simple: he only needs to say and do the same thing. And then it’s up to the student to decide whether to choose such a teacher with all his qualities or not. In the Diamond Way, transparency is especially important, because here the qualities of the Teacher are quickly adopted. A new broom sweeps in a new way, and one hopes that the Western lay teachers now emerging will be able to separate religion from politics better than many of the "titled" Tibetans from whom we are now taking the baton and because of whom some have lost confidence in the role of teacher.

In today's often controversial market of teachers, you can recognize a good Lama by the fact that he does not sugarcoat sensitive issues in his speech, both oral and written. After all, if for the sake of his own popularity he tries to conform to the concepts of his students, then as a result he will end up as confused as they are. Only when the "time bombs" of heavy subconscious impressions in the minds of the students have already been mostly neutralized, can the teacher give extremely effective methods for internal change and introduce the students to the absolute view. The exercises recommended in each case must correspond to the level of development of the students and be close to life.

So a teacher should never forget that his only job is to make his students self-reliant, compassionate and strong. Therefore, he should rejoice in their special qualities and the opportunity to share something good with others. He should never think that he is better than others, nor should he surround himself with followers who will serve him and praise him. You can share love, delight and everything else that benefits both the students and the teacher, but you should never abuse your position.

Having a panoramic vision in everything that concerns the mind, the Master is responsible for the development of his disciples so long as they remain true to their connection with him. If a Master is able to work at the highest level of immediate deep vision, then he must enable his disciples to see their essence in the fearless mirror of his mind. When they see that their nature is space and joy, everything will be achieved!

From the book of Lama Ole Nydahl “The Way Everything Is: The Psychology of Freedom – the Experience of Buddhism”

In essence, mahamudra is the structural backbone of the highest level of tantra. Instead of trying to explain what the term "mahamudra" literally means, we can first examine what mahamudra actually is. Mahamudra has four characteristics:

It is comprehensive, or all-encompassing;
- she has no physical characteristics;
- it extends through all three times;
- She doesn’t come and doesn’t go.

Mahamudra relates to reality from both the subjective and objective sides. It is at the same time the basis, the path, and the fruit. And that is why it is known as "comprehensive". It cannot be considered that it belongs exclusively to the side of the “good and sacred.”

It is stated that mahamudra has no form or color. We cannot attribute to it the qualities that we attribute to things. It is the basis against which all shapes and colors can actually arise. It creates the possibility for other things to have these characteristics; it also creates the conditions necessary for their existence.

Mahamudra does not belong to time. Everything we experience is in time, but mahamudra is time itself as such. We cannot distinguish mahamudra from time. Things are characterized by temporality, and therefore they exist in time. If something is time itself as such, it cannot have a past, present or future. As a consequence, within the framework of the state of mahamudra, the very understanding of the three times turns out to be united in a certain larger whole, which is mahamudra.

It cannot be said that samsara arose first and then nirvana, or that nirvana arose first and then samsara, or that emptiness arose first and then the phenomenal world developed, or any other option. All these opposites actually co-emerge and have always existed in parallel, and therefore we cannot attribute primacy or supremacy to one of them over the other. It is only due to our ignorance that it seems to us that there is some difference between them or that one is higher than the other. Co-emergent wisdom is the co-emergent understanding of opposites appearing simultaneously without any tension between them. It is impossible to go beyond the inseparability of both.

To immediately begin the practice of mahamudra would be a suicidal strategy. But the more you understand the deity, the more the deity itself becomes you.

Dharmakaya means our subjective experience of the ultimate level of existence. The Dharmakaya is not something that lies outside and is waiting for us to discover it. It is very important to understand that this is a subjective experience. This is the subjective experience of emptiness, or mahamudra, or whatever you want to call it. Dharmadhatu is the objective correlate of dharmakaya. Dharmadhatu represents the mahamudra of the object, while dharmakaya is its subjective experience. Sometimes both terms are used almost interchangeably - almost, but not quite. The reason they are used almost interchangeably in texts is that when you comprehend
reality, you and reality enter into such a close relationship that you become almost identical.

It is difficult to recognize the value of something that already exists. Human beings cling so tenaciously to the idea of ​​acquisition that they want to acquire something new every time, rather than try to discover or rediscover something they already have. This is why, in the context of the six worlds diagram, the human world is said to be characterized by lust or craving. A trait of people is the need to acquire things all the time, because we are constantly looking for saturation in external circumstances. Our ability to recognize our basic nature is inhibited because we try to find ourselves by striving for external things.

Instead of being told, “If you do this, you will get that,” you are told that if you do certain things, you will unlock something that you already have in the first place. Despite the Buddha's instructions that one should not speculate about whether a saint exists in nirvana, he also said that something unconditioned exists. There are conditioned things and there are unconditioned things, and unconditioned things do not undergo changes, unlike conditioned things.

Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche

Material from the Encyclopedia of Buddhism

(Sanskrit mahamudra; Tib. chag chen, chagya chenpo, “great symbol”) - the highest spiritual teaching of the schools of the second wave of the arrival of Buddhism in Tibet (sarma), which consists in the direct presence of the practitioner in the state of the true nature of the mind - the “Great Seal” of comprehension .

Mahamudra is practiced in the context of Mahayana and Vajrayana (the so-called Sutra-Mahamudra and Tantra-Mahamudra). In contrast to the gradual path of the sutras, which takes the “Path as the path,” Tantra Mahamudra is a non-gradual path, which takes the “Fruit as the path.”

The line of Mahamudra teachings came from the Indian Mahasiddhas Naropa and Maitripa and was brought to Tibet by the great yogi-translator Marpa, who transmitted it to Milarepa, who in turn passed it on to Gampopa. These teachings are passed down through an unbroken line of masters to this day.

It is divided into Mahamudra-base, Mahamudra-path and Mahamudra-fruit.

Mahamudra-base

describes absolute truth as the unity (non-duality) of the nature of the mind - “clarity” (the ability to perceive) and the essence of the mind - “emptiness”, as well as the state of delusion of beings that exists due to dual perception, in which it is initially empty (that is, not possessing any signs of self-existence) the nature of the mind is perceived as “personality,” “I,” “ego,” etc., while clarity of mind appears as objects “external” to such “personality.”

This sense of a separate, independent and permanent personality on a secret level leads to three main types of reactions to “external” objects: attachment to desirable objects, anger or disgust towards undesirable ones and indifference to all others, which on the internal level manifests itself in the form of three main negative emotions - desire, anger and ignorance (in general, Buddhism speaks of 84,000 different combinations of them).

Under the influence of these emotions on the external level, the individual performs various actions that bring certain results, in particular, in the form of “habitual tendencies” - the most subtle mental factors. They determine both the method of our future false dualistic perception and subsequent types of relationships with “external” things - reactions and actions, which again seed certain impressions in the mind, forming habitual tendencies. Thus, an ongoing cycle of conditioned existence is created - samsara, the root of which, like the resulting suffering, is primordial ignorance - a dualistic perception of the world based on a false sense of separateness, independence and permanence of the individual (in reality, being neither separate nor independent, neither permanent), but the fastest and most direct way to its cessation is direct abiding in the essence of the mind - the inseparability of perception and emptiness, which is achieved through following the Mahamudra path.

Mahamudra path

is presented in the form of 4 yogas:

• Yoga of one-pointedness Skt. ekagra (or calming the mind, Tibetan - shine, Sanskrit - shamatha).
• Yoga of Simplicity Skt. nisprapancha (or penetrating vision, Tib. - lhagtong, Sanskrit - vipashyana).
• yoga of one taste (Sanskrit ramasama).
• yoga of non-meditation (Sanskrit abhavana).

The essence of the first yoga is one-pointed concentration of attention on a specific object in order to prevent wandering of the mind caused by distractions to external objects, emotions and thoughts. Thus, one-pointedness is the method and tranquility of the mind is the result of this practice. Having achieved undistracted attention, the practitioner can proceed to explore the nature of his own consciousness through penetrating vision, which is the subject of the yoga of simplicity. Here the direct experience of the inseparability of awareness and emptiness is achieved and clinging to the illusion of personality is completely eliminated, which leads to Liberation - the achievement of a state beyond suffering.

The next step is to probe deeply into the nature of the external world and see that, as with our illusory self, the true nature of external objects is empty perception. The realization that external objects and the mind are inseparable is experienced as one taste.

At the fourth stage, the last habitual patterns of the mind are eliminated, including those associated with meditation. Even the hint of a difference between meditation and the post-meditation state disappears. Absolute stability of mind is achieved in non-dual perception - Mahamudra-fruit or state of Enlightenment.

Mahamudra fruit

it is the realization of Buddhahood, which can be described in terms of the three states, four activities and five wisdoms.

The three states are:

1. Dharmakaya - State of Truth - is identical to the knowledge of emptiness and the attainment of absolute fearlessness,
2. Sambhogakaya - State of Joy - corresponds to the knowledge of perception (consciousness) inseparable from emptiness and the attainment of supreme joy,
3. and Nirmanakaya - State of Radiation - manifested out of great compassion with the aim of benefiting beings of “external objects”, such as Shakyamuni Buddha.

The four types of activity are: calming, enriching, inspiring and protective.

Five types of wisdom: mirror - as a result of purifying anger, equalizing - as a result of eliminating pride, discriminating - as a result of comprehending the true nature of attachment or desire, all-perfecting - as a result of transforming jealousy and envy, and all-pervasive - as a result of eliminating ignorance.

The Song of Mahamudra, known in Tibetan as Phig. Chen. Ganga. Ma.” is the text of Mahamudra, compiled by the founder of this tradition, Tilopa, and transmitted by him to his disciple Naropa on the banks of the Ganges River.

Another text containing the teachings of Mahamudra was compiled by the Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje (1284-1339), who expressed the profound wisdom of Mahamudra in short verses.

Teacher Quotes

"Song of Mahamudra" by Tilopa.

Mahamudra is beyond all words

And symbols, but to you, Naropa, Sincere and Devotee, I will convey this. Emptiness does not need support, Mahamudra rests on Nothing. Without making any effort, but remaining relaxed and natural, one can break the shackles and thus achieve Liberation. If you see Nothing while looking into space, If you observe the mind with your mind, differences are eliminated and you achieve Buddhahood. The clouds floating across the sky have no roots or home. The thoughts floating in the mind do not have them either. As soon as the true nature of the mind is seen, dualistic perception ceases. Forms and colors appear in Space, but it is neither black nor white. From the original nature of the mind all things arise, but the mind is Untainted by virtues or vices. The darkness of ages cannot eclipse the shining light of the sun; long kalpas of Samsara will never be able to hide the Radiant light of the Mind. Although words are used to explain the Void, the Void itself cannot be expressed. Although we say: mind is Clear Light. It is beyond all symbols and words. Although the mind is essentially empty, It embraces and contains everything. Do nothing with the body, just relax, close your lips tightly and remain silent, Eliminate all thoughts from your mind, don’t think about anything. Like a hollow bamboo, let your body relax. Without “giving” anything and without “taking” anything, stop your mind. Mahamudra is like a mind that does not cling to anything. By doing this practice, you will eventually achieve Buddhahood. The practice of Mantra and Paramita, Explanations of Sutras and Precepts, Teachings of various schools and scriptures will not lead to the comprehension of the Primordial Truth. For if the mind, overcome by desire, strives towards the goal, it only eclipses the Light. He who fulfills the Tantric Commandments, but at the same time continues to divide, betrays the very spirit of Samaya (1). Stop all activity, give up all desires, Let thoughts rise and fall, Disappearing like the waves of the ocean. He who never clings to anything, does not violate the Principles of Non-discrimination, is faithful to the Commandments of Tantra. He who has given up all desires, does not strive for this or that, he comprehends the true meaning of the Holy Scriptures. In Mahamudra, all sins are burned, In Mahamudra you find Liberation from the shackles of this world. This is the highest light of Dharma, And those who do not believe it are fools, Forever floundering in the quagmire of sorrow and suffering. Striving for Liberation, Trust the Guru. If your mind receives his blessing, Liberation is not far away. Alas, everything in this world is meaningless, Everything is just seeds of sadness. Shallow teachings produce only actions; Follow only the great teachings. To go beyond duality is the Royal Path; Overcoming absent-mindedness is the Highest Practice; The Path of Non-action is the Path of all Buddhas; He who follows this Path reaches the state of Buddha. This world is transitory and frail, Like illusions and dreams, It is devoid of any substance. Renounce him, leave your loved ones, Cut all the bonds of lust and hatred, And meditate in the forests and mountains. If you can remain in the “natural state” without any effort, you will soon come to Mahamudra and achieve the Unattainable. Cut the roots of a tree and the leaves will wither; Cut off the roots of the mind and Samsara will fall. The light of any lamp will instantly dispel the darkness of long kalpas; The clear Light of the mind will destroy the Veil of ignorance in an instant. He who clings to the mind does not see the Truth that is beyond the mind. One who strives for the practice of Dharma will not discover the Truth that is beyond practice. To know what is beyond practice and mind, It is necessary to cut off the roots of the mind and remain “naked”. This is the only way to escape all duality and find peace. Neither give nor accept - but remain natural, For Mahamudra is beyond any acceptance or rejection. Since Alaya is unborn, No one can stain or obscure him; Staying in the realm of the “Unborn” Will dissolve all phenomena in Dharmata (2); And personal will and pride will go into Nothing. The Supreme Understanding transcends everything, this and that. The Supreme Action includes great Mastery Without any attachment. The highest Achievement is in the comprehension of Immanence without any hope. At first the yogi feels that his mind is falling like a waterfall; In the middle of the path, like the Ganges, He is calm and quiet. At the end, it is a huge boundless ocean, In which the Light of the Son and the Light of the Mother (3) merge into One.

Chinese translation by Fa Tsun. In English - by Garma C. Chang. In Russian – by T. Danilevich.

The Song of Mahamudra, known in Tibetan as Phig Chen Ganga Ma, is a very important text of Mahamudra, composed by Tilopa and given to Naropa on the banks of the Ganga River.

Notes.

1. By Samaya here we mean the Commandments of Samaya, i.e. precepts that a yogi must observe while performing his practice. This includes fourteen basic Instructions and eighty additional Rules.
2. Dharmata: the essence or nature of Dharma; the nature underlying all things, reality, etc.
3. Light of the Mother and Light of the Son (Tib. Mahi Hod Zer [and] Bihi Hod Zer): Light of the Mother - The Primordial Light, or Dharmakaya, exists at all times, but the uninitiated is not able to comprehend it. The Light of the Son is not a Light different from and separate from the Light of the Mother. The Light of the Son is the comprehension of the Light of the Mother on the Path. This terminology is used for the following reasons: 1) without the Primordial Light of the Mother, no Realization is possible, just as without a mother there cannot be a son; 2) The Light of the Mother is always complete, unchangeable, perfect, while the light of the Son can change at different periods of the Path.

For the practice of Mahamudra to bear fruit, one must receive initiation from a Teacher who has perfectly mastered this method. Initiation is necessary so that the student can realize the emptiness of his mind. The teacher transfers part of his state to the student and he begins to work with him until the full result is achieved. Only after the student has received transmission from , will he be able to practice Mahamudra correctly. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for him to come to the state of non-attachment and non-duality alone.

One of the conditions for the practice of Mahamudra is the rejection of the dual perception of reality, the student must try and discard all thoughts of “acceptance” and “rejection”, the student must strive for a state in which everyday life and samadhi become one. In the beginning, until such a state is achieved, he should pay great attention to the meditation of great peace, and then try to maintain the state of Mahamudra while performing ordinary activities.

A Mahamudra practitioner trains in relaxation, balance and naturalness. This is the highest path to achieving control over the breath, body and mind. To achieve relaxation means to let go of the mind, relieve tension, stop making illusory plans and leave everything as it is. Only when a person's mind and body are relaxed can he remain in a natural state without tension, and this state is non-dual in nature.

Achieving balance means balance in speech, mind and body. Following the path of Mahamudra brings the body into balance through relaxation, and speech through slowing down the breath. And balance of mind is achieved by cutting off clinging and remaining in an unsupported standing.

Achieving naturalness means refusing to “accept” and “hold” something, that is, not making various kinds of efforts. The yogi lets go of the mind and either stops the thoughts or allows them to flow on their own without any control over them. Practicing naturalness involves being spontaneous and effortless.

The following conclusion can be drawn:

Balance - absence of clinging

Relaxation - lack of attachment

Naturalness - no effort

There are five analogies that describe the state of Mahamudra:

Mind () - stable like a mountain

Awareness is as powerful as the Earth

The sphere is huge, like infinite space

Self-realized Awareness - bright and clear, like a lamp

Crystal clear consciousness is as clear as possible and independent of any dual thoughts.

Song of MAHAMUDRA.

TILOPA

Mahamudra is beyond all words

And symbols, but for you, Naropa,

To the sincere and devoted, I will convey this.

Emptiness needs no support,

Mahamudra rests on Nothingness.

Without making any effort,

But remaining relaxed and natural,

You can break the shackles

And so achieve Liberation.

If you see Nothing while looking into space,

If you observe the mind with your mind,

Differences are eliminated

And you achieve Buddhahood.

Clouds floating across the sky

They have neither roots nor home.

The thoughts floating in the mind do not have them either.

Once the real nature of the mind is seen,

Dual perception ceases.

Shapes and colors appear in Space,

But it is neither black nor white.

From the original nature of the mind all things arise, but the mind

Untainted by either virtues or vices.

The darkness of centuries cannot eclipse

The shining light of the sun; long kalpas

Samsaras can never hide

Radiant light of Mind.

Although words are used to explain the Void,

Emptiness as such cannot be expressed.

Although we say "mind is Clear Light",

He is beyond all symbols and words.

Although the mind is essentially empty,

It embraces and contains everything.

Don't do anything with your body, just relax

Close your lips tightly and remain silent,

Eliminate all thoughts from your mind, don’t think about anything.

Like hollow bamboo

Let your body relax.

Without “giving” anything and without “taking” anything,

Stop your mind.

Mahamudra is like a mind that does not cling to anything.

By doing this practice, you will eventually achieve Buddhahood.

Practice of Mantra and Paramita,

Explanations of Sutras and Precepts,

Teachings of Various Schools and Scriptures

They won't bring you

Towards the comprehension of the Primordial Truth.

For if the mind, overwhelmed by desire,

Striving for the goal, he only eclipses the Light.

One who fulfills the Tantric Precepts,

But at the same time he continues to divide, he betrays

The very spirit of Samaya.

Stop any activity, discard

All desires, let thoughts rise and fall, disappearing

Like the waves of the ocean.

The one who never clings to anything

Does not violate the Principles of Non-Discrimination,

He is faithful to the Commandments of Tantra.

The one who has given up all desires

Doesn't strive for this or that,

He realizes the true meaning

Holy Scriptures.

All sins are burned in Mahamudra,

In Mahamudra you find liberation

From the shackles of this world.

This is the highest lamp of Dharma,

And those who don't believe it are fools,

Forever floundering

In a quagmire of sadness and suffering.

Striving for Liberation,

Trust the Guru.

If your mind receives his blessing -

Liberation is not far away.

Alas, everything in this world is meaningless,

Everything is just seeds of sadness.

Shallow teachings produce only actions;

Follow only the great teachings.

Go beyond duality -

This is the Royal Path;

Overcome absent-mindedness -

This is the Highest Practice;

The Path of Non-action -

This is the Path of all Buddhas;

He who follows this Path,

Reaches Buddhahood.

This world is transitory and frail,

Like illusions and dreams,

He is devoid of any substance.

Deny him, leave your loved ones,

Cut all the bonds of lust and hatred

And meditate in the forests and mountains.

If you can without any effort

Stay in a "natural state"

Soon you will come to Mahamudra

And you will achieve the Unattainable.

Cut the roots of the tree -

And the leaves will wither;

Cut off the roots of the mind -

And Samsara will fall.

Light from any lamp

In an instant it will dissipate

The darkness of long kalpas;

Clear Light of Mind

In an instant it will destroy

Veil of ignorance.

He who clings to the mind does not see

That Truth that is beyond the mind.

One who strives for the practice of Dharma,

Will not discover the Truth that is beyond practice.

To know what is beyond practice and mind,

The roots of the mind must be cut off

And remain "naked".This is the only way to leave

From all duality and find peace.

Neither give nor take -

But stay natural

For Mahamudra is beyond

Any acceptance or rejection.

Since Alaya is unborn,

No one can tarnish or obscure it;

Staying in the realm of the "Unborn"

Will dissolve all phenomena

In Dharmata; and personal will

And pride will disappear into Nothingness.

The Supreme Understanding is superior

Everything, this, and that. Supreme Action

Includes great Mastery

Without any attachment.

The highest achievement is in comprehension

Immanence without any hope.

If you see Nothing while looking into space,
If you observe the mind with your mind,
Differences are eliminated
And you achieve Buddhahood.

"Song of Mahamudra" Tilopa

Mahamudra (Tib. Phyag rGya Ch"en Po, Chagya Chenpo) - "Great Seal". First, I would like to clarify the concept and origin of Mahamudra in Vajra Yoga. There are quite a large number of interpretations of this term, depending on which teaching , school or direction refers to the text. The interpretation of mahamudra in our system was influenced by Buddhism and Dzogchen.

We will consider one narrow definition and meaning of Mahamudra, which, in my subjective opinion, most corresponds to its essence. But this section should not be taken as a guide to achieving this state or as the only correct description of Mahamudra. Rather, the view of Mahamudra in the tradition will be defined here.

The formulation of Mahamudra from Anatoly Pakhomov:

- the process of awareness of the present moment, in which a person is not involved in what is happening, is focused on the key aspect of what is happening and is aware of what is happening. At the same time, attention can be directed both outward and inward.

Three experiences due to the practice of mahamudra:
- bliss, clarity, non-duality (or “removing the personality”, which gives freedom from the artificiality and unreality of human and social games, and mental suffering).

Considering that at the initial stage, yoga developed for a long time in India and Tibet, this tradition was influenced by various teachings, in particular Buddhism. In Buddhism, Mahamudra (“great mudra”) sometimes refers to the Buddhist path in general, the entire Buddhist strategy for achieving “liberation.” Mudras are also interpreted as symbols of the six main Buddhist perfections (paramitas): six mudras (shan-mudra) - diadem, bracelet, earrings, belt, wheel and ashes - symbolize the realization of generosity (dana), moral behavior in general (sila), patience ( kshanti), diligence (virya), contemplation (dhyana) and wisdom (prajna). Mudras also received other interpretations, for example, as a generalization of the cardinal achievements of Buddhist practice, such as: purification of the body, speech, mind, acquisition of occult “siddhis”.

Yoga also defines Mahamudra as the process of becoming aware of everyday actions, resulting in a permanent state of non-involvement, impartiality, spontaneity and discrimination. At the Tibetan yoga school where I studied, this practice is called lhatong. It is one of the main ones along with shine.

Shine is the practice of achieving a state of peace. But if in Indian schools the main thing is nirodha (complete cessation of thought), then in Tibetan yoga the initial state of peace is considered very valuable, when thought still flows, but slowly, and a person does not cling to it. But we are not always able to immediately enter even in a state of rest; sometimes our efforts aimed at achieving Shine can, on the contrary, provoke disturbances of the mind. In this case, the practitioner is recommended to do not directly meditate, but do something that calms him down. This could be some kind of hobby, like music, singing, drawing, sculpting, or even just cleaning the house or walking in the park. The main thing is to do it without fuss and slowly, with pleasure.

When, as a result of quiet activity, a person is in a state of peace, he is ready to begin the practice of awareness (or, as we say, Mahamudra). It should be noted that with some experience, it is possible to achieve a conscious state without prior tranquility (shina). However, it is worth remembering that residents of modern megacities are rarely calm, unlike those who live, for example, in settlements somewhere in the mountains. Shine and lhatong can be considered the main practices; they are found (albeit in a slightly different form) in any Buddhist school. These practices are not contemplation; rather, the well-known word “meditation” is suitable for them. When thought is stopped and we are in a state of presence, then this is called rigpa (primordial non-dual state). In other Tibetan schools of yoga, a similar state may be called Mahamudra - this is the word we use, because the term “lhatong” is difficult for us to pronounce. In fact, Mahamudra, lhatong and Rigpa have a similar meaning, their basis is presence.

The state of Mahamudra involves the creation of a certain internal space that is not involved in what is happening - that is, the creation of the so-called internal witness. although it is perhaps more correct to say not “creation” but “discovery,” because this witness is initially manifested in one form or another. In essence, we are this witness. We become uninvolved witnesses to internal and external events of the world, our experiences, fluctuations of consciousness and reactions. This state is a significant help in achieving chitta-vritti-nirodha, or it can be a self-sufficient practice.

Our mind has two aspects - emptiness and clarity. It is interesting that in the Indian yoga tradition, the state of emptiness - nirodha - is often taken as the basis for practice. In the Tibetan tradition, clarity can be taken as a basis. Here is a quote from the founder of the Tibetan Dzogchen school, Garab Dorje (184 BC):

“If thoughts arise, remain present. If you are free from thoughts, be aware of the state in which you are free from thoughts. Awareness is the same in these states."

Thus, in Tibetan yoga, the main practice is considered not so much nirodha, or, as we used to say, stopping the internal dialogue, but rather awareness. But there is actually no contradiction between these approaches, because stopping the fluctuations of the mind can simply be done consciously. But unconscious stopping of thought in Tibetan yoga is considered a deviation from practice and may even be called “dumb meditation.” Therefore, it is recommended to be mindful when performing void meditation.

Basics of Mahamudra Practice

There are different explanations for how to achieve the state of Mahamudra (presence). The opposite of presence is distraction. For example, when we exercise, but think about dinner, that is, we separate the body and mind. To hold Mahamudra, a person needs to keep his mind in this state of presence, and not distract his attention to something else. To be here and now. At first, achieving such awareness is incredibly difficult, because the mind is constantly distracted by extraneous things and ideas and is completely involved in the events that are happening. Therefore, at the initial stages, conscious limitation of external influence is recommended. For example, a certain period of solitude or simply prolonged contemplation in complete silence and solitude. To concentrate attention (dharana), you can choose, say, your breath or the elements - water, fire, air (sky), earth (horizon), - or emptiness. It should be noted that for experienced practitioners there is no such need, but rather something else - to be in ordinary, so to speak, unfavorable conditions (we will talk about this later). Because only under ordinary conditions does a person fully experience the full power of Mahamudra. When a person becomes able to continuously maintain awareness in a state of calm and contemplation, one can move on to the practice of awareness of everyday actions.

From another point of view, it is very simple to be here and now; all small children are in this state. Therefore, sometimes yoga teachers say that in order to enter a state of presence, you don’t need to do anything at all. In fact, this is true, but we are so used to “doing something” - thinking about the past, future, analyzing, planning, etc. - that such constant tension becomes the norm. And then it may seem to us that we need to strain even more to become aware. But that's not true. We just need to remember the state of relaxation, the state in which we were in childhood.

Tibetan yoga has very interesting views on some aspects of practice. For example, it is believed that a person can never deviate from the spiritual path. Everything you do is part of your path, and there is simply no other way. The second interesting axiom of Tibetan yoga states that a person is always aware. Like this? The truth is that this is true, it’s just that the degree of awareness varies. Just like in modern houses, you can adjust the level of illumination by turning the switch and making the light more or less bright. For example, when you feel like you want to eat or sleep, or in a dream in the middle of a nightmare you realize that you are dreaming - this is a certain level of awareness that is always manifested. With the help of yoga, we simply open it up, or, one might say, somewhat expand it to other aspects of life. That is, we do not even need to learn this practice, since it is the original state of consciousness. At the same time, preparing the body is also important because it is the main tool for understanding the world and the seat of the mind. Of course, there is mutual influence of body and consciousness. That is why the practice of Mahamudra requires health, a strong body, not prone to illness. Is it possible otherwise? It is possible, but this is too difficult a path, in my opinion. It is more convenient and practical to be healthy; this is ensured by the correct practice of yoga. The practice of Mahamudra involves the development of balance, relaxation and naturalness on three levels: body, mind and speech. For example, you can use slowing down your movements and speech both in the practice of asanas and in everyday activities, and be aware of all the natural manifestations of the body. Achieving mental balance means not clinging to anything, not stressing unnecessarily, and calmly accepting natural distractions. To achieve relaxation means to relieve the tension of the mind, leaving everything as it is, discarding all ideas and thoughts. When the body and mind become relaxed, one can remain in the original state without any effort.

Mistakes in the practice of Mahamudra

The main thing that hinders us in the practice of Mahamudra is haste and vanity. This is solved by the opposite qualities: slowing down actions and pauses, savoring what is happening. For example, when you sit down to drink tea, take your time, enjoy the moment, smell every sip. Or you got into the car after training - closed the car doors, give yourself three minutes to watch passers-by, shadows, sensations. Three minutes usually doesn't solve anything, but it eliminates fuss and constant chasing and allows us to enjoy life more, and this makes us happy.

Incorrect interpretation of the presence technique. Sometimes beginners create excessive effort and become irritated when distracted. Distractions are a natural property of the mind, so if we notice that we are distracted (that is, we are aware of this moment), we simply continue to be aware of what is in front of us at the level of the body, mind or speech.

Incorrect interpretation of relaxation. Keeping the body relaxed does not mean giving up all activities completely. We continue to do something, but smoothly, calmly and spontaneously. There is no need to distance yourself from everyday activities, because ideally the task is to maintain the state of Mahamudra in the conditions in which you find yourself, and the conditions only then change under the influence of our attitude. Keeping the mind relaxed does not mean making it insensitive or dull. One should strive to increase and sharpen his capacity for clear awareness. In order not to lose the sharpness of awareness, you should use positive moods (for example, the practice of an inner smile) and treat life events with a certain amount of humor, not take everything too seriously, be able to laugh, and above all, at yourself.

Misinterpretation of non-involvement. Sometimes disengagement is misunderstood as avoidance. However, it is in communication that evolution occurs, so it should not be avoided. Thanks to the practice of presence, we do not become emotionally involved in events and react more calmly to what is happening. At the same time, this does not mean the absence of emotions, because feeling emotions is natural. Rather, we are not driven by emotions, but are able to make decisions based on wisdom. Wisdom is found in understanding oneself (in answering the question “who am I?”). And it manifests itself as simply a higher state of peace and lack of anxiety.

A misinterpretation of emptiness is a failure to understand that existence itself and emptiness are essentially the same thing. Emptiness (shunyata) is not the absence of something, but rather consciousness and matter in superposition, but unmanifested in form. Instead of the word “emptiness”, you can use the modern term “quantum field” or “energy”.

One of the most profound instructions of Mahamudra is the following: Throw away all attachments and do not cling to anything - and the Essence will immediately appear before you.

Throughout the day, during and after contemplation, one should try not to lose the Essence. In other words, we must try to bring the experience of awareness into all types of daily activities.

It is understandable that a person may become distracted while performing daily duties, thereby forgetting the Essence. And he must constantly try to regain awareness. If this can be done, the Essence will immediately appear again.

Just as yoga begins when we roll up our mats after class, so the practice of Mahamudra does not end with daily activities, it continues even at night. One should strive to remain aware of the passage of the day and night. The practice of Mahamudra during sleep and in dreams (yoga nidra, yoga milam) is extremely important. But awareness at night will appear only when the daytime practice of Mahamudra is sufficient. Night practice (yoga nidra) is more “subtle” and requires preliminary preparation during the day. If a person is not able to maintain the state of Mahamudra in everyday activities, one must first devote more time to relaxation, practice asanas and contemplation, thus creating favorable conditions. It is advisable to remember the need to practice without much stress, and therefore sometimes it is worth taking a rest for one day. Don't worry if you can't maintain awareness for the whole day, just practice for a few minutes 3-4 times a day.