■Book 51─Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra
■Written by Master Sheng-yen Lu
■Chapter Six
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In principle, the arising of the five aggregates stems from a defiled thought, which results in the confusion between true reality and delusion. In turn, this forms the aggregate of consciousness. From consciousness arise the aggregates of form, sensation, conception and habitual action. They overlap one another and arise in stages.
Generally speaking, it is necessary to first eliminate the aggregate of form before attempting to eliminate all five aggregates. The root of all aggregates stems from the rise of discursive thoughts. Sakyamuni Buddha once said, “The five aggregates are rooted in delusions, and yet the inherit nature of our true mind is pristine and sublime. It is inherently pure and perfect, and is devoid of thoughts and contamination. Even though the true essence of our self-awareness was originally wonderful and clean, when a single thought drifts due to karmic affinity, the five aggregates arise, and the drifting thought subsequently transforms into delusion.”
For this reason, the Buddhist practitioner of Mahamudra must recognize the delusion and emptiness of the five aggregates by being mindful of the suffering caused by emotion. Once he sees through this, he will naturally develop disdain for the cycle of life and death. Ultimately, he will understand the mindfulness of emotion afflictions, contemplate on the five aggregates, long for the genuine bliss of nirvana, and no longer foolishly attach to the burning house of the three lower realms.
Mindfulness of the mind - Contemplation on the non-origination and non-extinction of all mental phenomena. Here is a verse: “The nature of phenomena arising from mental conditions is marked by non-origination, non-extinction, non-destruction, non-permanence, non-coming into being, non-going out of being, non-identity, and non-differentiation. With the cessation of all deluded concepts, I pay homage to the buddhas who have expounded the wonderful teachings of tranquility.”
The Buddhist practitioner of Mahamudra should contemplate on the world as being created from the thoughts of sentient beings. This is like the saying, “the three realms are created by the mind, and all phenomena are formed from consciousness.” We must first pacify the discursive mind. Then the six defilements [generated from the tainted six faculties will cease to arise, and the karmic obscurations will be eliminated too. When one arrives at the stage where no thought arises, the six realms of cyclic existence will disappear and one will be liberated from the three lower realms.
The statement “the three realms are created by the mind, and all phenomena are formed from consciousness” illustrates the reality that all phenomena are marked by non-origination and non-extinction. By understanding that “all phenomena are marked by non-origination and non-extinction,” one realizes that “emptiness and illusion are non-dual and undifferentiated. [At the level of realization,] there is no love or hatred, no giving or taking, and no mind of grasping or craving. The mind of equanimity is well engendered and fortified. One will then bring awakening and liberation to oneself and others. That is the perfect realization and complete practice of the bodhisattva's mindfulness of the mind.
Mindfulness of mental phenomena - The Mahamudra practitioner must constantly and vigilantly contemplate on the first three states of mindfulness. One should not take the concepts lightly and practice it with a negligent attitude. Nagarjuna's method of contemplating on the four forms of mindfulness leads to the silencing of all discursive thoughts, thereby help one to gain the great perfection of Mahamudra.
Here's a verse:
One must contemplate on the nature of the dharma realm,
The body, sensations and mind are mental states.
Mahamudra itself is a Dharma.
It expresses the doctrine of the Middle Way.
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