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1. Vajra Lines of the Path with the Result

Virūpa (ca. seventh–eighth centuries)

AFTER BOWING at the lotus beneath the feet of the excellent master, I will write a brief explanation of the Path with the Result.⁹

For a sentient being with afflictions, impure appearance occurs.

For a yogin with meditative concentration, experiential appearance occurs.

For a sugata with the ornamental wheel of inexhaustible enlightened body, speech, and mind, pure appearance occurs.

Since samsara and nirvana are complete in the causal continuum of the universal ground, it is the root continuum.

For the method continuum of the body and so forth, there is the causal initiation with four triads, the seats and so forth, and so forth.

Presentation by means of the four fives of the creation stage as the path and so forth.

Protecting the sacred commitments of meditative equipoise and so forth.

Propitiation of the vajra ḍākas and ḍākinīs and so forth.

With the five sensory objects and so forth, one should please and so forth.

Through meditation on the four initiations in four sessions of the path, and in dependence on the body, the obscurations to great bliss cease and enlightenment is clear, so it is the explanatory continuum.

Mahāmudrā, the resultant continuum, is omniscience by means of the four resultant initiations.

After establishing the result by means of the four authentic qualities, the poison of meditation is extracted by the triad free from flaws of contradiction and so forth.

Resorting to food, behavior, the vital wind, the drop, and the mudrā consort. The bliss of the five clear essences, the five sense organs, and resorting to the nectar without parting from the experience.

Total release in the four samsara channels and the cakras, and the others, and by opening the channel knots at each of the first and last spiritual levels, and through ten triads in between.

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Extracting the poison of the view by meditating on a thought that purifies the mind, which is the path of eliminating entry.

Resorting to the nectar without the five types of consciousness rejecting the five objects.

Because pure phenomena arise as empty from the beginning, totally release them.

The oral transmission of secret mantra and four others are unbroken.

On the basis of an exceptional body, the dependently arisen connections set the limits of an entity.

Contingent, dependently arisen connections.

The path of great enlightenment.

The authentic quality of the description of the dependently arisen connections between all phenomena.

The universal ground consciousness, the pure great enlightenment.

The path is totally completed through five dependently arisen connections. [4]

A yogin who is over-inclined toward method is protected from obstacles on the path by firm faith, the protection cakra, mantra recitation, mantra knots, phenomena as the appearances of the nature of mind, the contingent, dependently arisen connections, and, since they are like reflected images, by not parting from the truth of the ocean of reality.

For wisdom, there are the outer māras, and a change will come in regard to the two paths and the eight views and culminations of attainment.

The inner change the ten of the paths and so forth, and come if the signs are not known. Protection is through knowing.

Protection from contamination, obscuration, and loss of the seminal drop.

From the path of accumulation, the four results separate from the body, speech, and mind of an ordinary person are achieved.

By means of the three modes of gathering the essential constituents, random events occur.

One is blessed by the vital winds and mind.

If one then progresses on the path according to the thirty-seven factors conducive to the objective of enlightenment, there are four bases for the miraculous by which meditation is not lost, which are the vital action winds, and due to the masculine, feminine, and neuter vital winds and the blazing fire of the primordial awareness of direct transcendence, at the first gathering of the essential constituents the channels are opened by the harsh winter wind.

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The mind rests, dreams of horses occur, and pains of the channels and vital winds.

The knot of various channels and so forth. By arresting [five of] the ten, the ground, or root, vital winds, and so forth, which have seven specifics, the branch vital winds gradually cease within.¹⁰

Many drops bloom, blending together with the support.

Dependent on that, the mind rests within.

The five types of consciousness gather within.

The five aggregates are subdued.

The advance and retreat of primordial awareness.

The three triads of visual appearances, dreams, and experiences by which meditation is not lost, like those that are preceded by thought, appear as the entire three worlds.

If earth dissolves into water, there is mirage.

If water dissolves into fire, there is smoke.

If fire dissolves into wind, there are fireflies.

If wind dissolves into consciousness, there are blazing lamps.

If consciousness dissolves into clear light, it is like the cloudless sky.

If earth, water, fire, and wind gather together with the vital winds and mind, the three worlds appear as though on fire everywhere.

The vital wind of water, and the hairs and body are cold.

With the vital wind of wind, there is gathering and diffusion, one flies, and birds appear.

The vital winds of the four elements circulate together, and various goddesses offer dances.

Due to the vital winds of the four elements, there is a variety, and smells and tastes.

Together with space, the hairs and body are blissful.

The five nectars, the enlightened bodies of the tathāgatas, and so forth.

Frankincense and the sun. Camphor and the moon.

Tiny drops in the tiny channels. And stars.

In the channel strictures and so forth. [5] Tree trunks and so forth.

The five such as passion and hatred.

The channels of terror, grief, and ghosts.

In the channels of tears. Yawns and tears.

If the vital winds and mind gather together in the syllables of the six realms that first formed at the navel, there are the dances of the six realms, the mantras, being guided there, dreams, and similar experiences, which appear as the entire three worlds.

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From oṃ, the meditative concentrations of meditation and so forth.

If perfectly dissolved in the āḥ, the space of the mother, the three worlds are space.

If dissolved in the mansion of the great mother Prajñāpāramitā and so forth, the dharmakāya reality body is experienced and there is freedom from subject and object.

From hūṃ there is lucidity, buoyancy, and naturally arisen primordial awareness. A very immaculate sky.

At the middle gathering of the essential constituents, the channels are opened by a vital wind of reduced harshness.

Pain of the drops, and stable visual appearances.

In brief, in the rakṣa and so forth, rākṣasa demons and so forth.

The sound of the one with a bell.

As with the pristine divine eye, one thinks that everything below the peak of existence appears in the experiences of meditative concentration.

The unexplainable is illustrated, and is secret on the five and the ten.

For the outer dependently arisen connections by which meditation is not lost, there are the three triads of the reversal of the vital winds and so forth, and since the inner five ḍākinīs and five enlightened bodies of the tathāgatas enact the dependently arisen connections for great enlightenment, it is understood that the attainments come from oneself, and that understanding clears away thoughts of hope and effort.

By understanding the māras and wrong turns as one’s own path and dependently arisen connections, faults are upheld as qualities, and the warmths arisen either in sequence or not in sequence are allowed natural expression.

Since the devaputra māras come on the path of one who is over-inclined toward wisdom, protection is by means of the four tests.

As for the four applications of mindfulness by which meditation is not lost, when objects cease, oneself is the chosen deity, the necessity of the signs is reflected upon, and, because meditative concentration is in equilibrium, at the final gathering of the essential constituents the channels are opened by a vital wind without harshness.

Since the drops gather within the six sensory bases, the six subsequent mindfulnesses are perfectly understood.

Some nirmāṇakāya emanated bodies are seen.

As for the four perfect renunciations by which meditation is not lost, the awareness that occurs following the three initiations from the 17nirmāṇakāya emanated body is reflected upon, and the channel of a two-decade lotus lady who is pleasant and so forth is sought.

Because the essence a is at the tip of the central channel and the mind is entered by the refined slowly-circulating vital wind and so forth, body, speech, and mind assume the vajra position.

Since the vital winds are suppressed by the drops, the sound of a drum and so forth is not heard [6] because the māra of contentment and so forth has been vanquished.

The path of the inner buddhas.

Gone to the peak of existence.

The forbearance of emptiness, difficult to bear in relation to birthless phenomena.

The mind lapses into a nonconceptual state in the central channel. When the mind moves, there is forbearance.

Since the phenomena of samsara have been transcended and the phenomena of the path of nirvana are utterly complete, it is sublime among phenomena.

In that way, there are the flawed and flawless experiences, and after the vital winds and mind have gathered together up into the external-shape a, what occur on the paths are the essence, the nature, and the characteristic.

On the transcendent path, by means of the path of the outer and inner dependently arisen connections, the naturally spontaneous nirmāṇakāya emanated body is achieved.

Through the path of the creation stage, the vase initiation that purifies the body is perfected.

The signs of reality are seeing the seven branches of enlightenment, which are the four precious channel mansions and the three principals of the body mandala. The advance and retreat of thoughts.

The ability to shake a hundred vast domains of the nirmāṇakāya emanated body, listen, make a hundred gifts, spread forth a hundred lights, pass down a hundred explanations, and be absorbed in a hundred different meditative concentrations.

If the channels of the six realms, and in particular the support of human beings, are seen, there is joy and anxiety, and shame and disgust.

The indivisibility of samsara and nirvana, which was presented before by the master at the time of the cause, is realized at about that point.

Compassion is born. Tears fall.

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The various minds of others are known. One is amused on seeing the various sensory objects.

Various miracles occur instantaneously because the inner vast domain is seen.

The outer are not seen without seeing the inner.

At about that point, the liṅga becomes firm.

As the seminal drop rests at the tip of the vajra, the place of coemergence, likewise the body is crazed with bliss, and one swoons.

Oneself and others are not recognized.

The inner sign is the cessation of the vital wind by one finger-width.

The outer sign is the drops stable in half the genital area.

The first spiritual level of the path of seeing.

Again the four fourfold initiations from the nirmāṇakāya emanated body.

From the second spiritual level of the path of meditation, there is the ability to shake, and so forth, a thousand vast domains of the nirmāṇakāya emanated body, and so forth.

The qualities and so forth increase.

Advance and retreat, and so forth, cease.

The inner sign is the cessation of the vital wind by six finger-widths.

The outer sign is the drops stable in the genital area, navel, and heart.

Some sambhogakāya enjoyment bodies are seen. [7]

The sixth spiritual level of the path of meditation.

Again the four fourfold initiations from the sambhogakāya enjoyment body.

Through the path of the stages of self-blessing, the naturally spontaneous sambhogakāya enjoyment body is achieved.

The secret initiation that purifies the voice is perfected.

The signs of reality are the five powers, gaining control of the vital winds of the five clear essences, the five abilities, and being unimpeded in the gazes.

The seeds of the six realms are seen in the bhaga mandala. Control is gained over the six seeds. One teaches Dharma in the languages of sentient beings, and is unimpeded in regard to the general and individual characteristics of phenomena.

After seeing at the navel the eight bases of the syllables, and the vowels such as a and the consonant-syllables such as ka, one is unimpeded in the twelve branches of scripture, such as the Dharma of the sutras.

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The five nectars and the ability to enjoy the six tastes.

Those that become the melody of Brahmā are clarified by six, such as “The a [is the most sublime of all] phonemes.”¹¹

Above the seventh spiritual level, the mudrā seals of the four cakras. The ability to shake, and so forth, a hundred million vast domains of the sambhogakāya enjoyment body, and so forth.

The inner sign is the cessation of the vital wind by ten finger-widths.

The outer sign is the drops stable in the throat and the point between the eyebrows.

The tenth spiritual level of the path of meditation.

Again the four fourfold initiations from the dharmakāya reality body.

Through the path of the mandalacakra method, which purifies the mind, the naturally spontaneous dharmakāya reality body is achieved.

The initiation of primordial awareness dependent on an embodiment of wisdom is perfected.

The signs of reality, the five forces, are due to the five vital winds of the enlightenment mind and the clear quintessence of the clear essences that they have moved.¹²

After the mandala of the root enlightenment mind has been seen, the signs are displayed.

After the initiations of the three bodies of enlightenment, the five types of primordial awareness, and so forth have been received, if the five nectars are seen gathering in any channels, the buddhas are seen acting for the benefit of others.

If the drops are seen gathering in the emanation cakra and that of great bliss, the buddhas are seen residing in profundity in the realm of Akaniṣṭha.

If the five nectars and the five vital winds are seen gathering in the emanation cakra at the navel, the five spiritual families of the sambhogakāya enjoyment body are seen residing in the mother’s bhaga and proclaiming the secret to fortunate bodhisattvas.

If the clear quintessence of the clear essences of the mudrā consort is seen, there is unimpeded paranormal ability.

If the clear essences are drawn into the channel syllables, there is unimpeded magical ability.

If they are transferred precisely there again, previous locations are recalled.

The inner sign is the cessation of the vital wind by twelve finger-widths.

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The outer sign is the drops stable in the entire crown of the head.

The twelfth spiritual level of the path of meditation. [8]

Again the four fourfold initiations.

Through the ultimate path, the ultimate are purified by the ultimate dependently arisen connection.

Through the path of the vajra waves, there is the sublime attainment of mahāmudrā, the child of the female embodiment of pure awareness.

The path that totally purifies existence.

The naturally spontaneous svābhāvikakāya essence body is achieved.

The fourth, the initiation of body, speech, and mind, is perfected.

The signs of reality.

As for the noble path of eight branches, two results are achieved at the point of the purification of the eight types of consciousness.

This great earth is joyful, elated, and delighted. It shakes in six ways.

Sounds resound in Māra’s places.

The three worlds are seen in the place of the mudrā consort.

Ḍākas and ḍākinīs gather from afar.

The eight qualities of the power and wealth of harima and so forth arise.

The inner sign is the entry of the vital winds of life and exertion into the central channel.

The outer sign is the drops stable in half the cranial dome.

The twelfth and a half spiritual level.

The fourth, the initiation of mind, is perfected.

The sign of reality is the attainment of a single result. The city of the young, the basic space of phenomena, is pierced by the piercer, the enlightenment mind.

As the result, there is the ability to shake, and so forth, ten trillion vast domains of the sambhogakāya enjoyment body,¹³ and so forth.

At the point of gaining the thirteenth spiritual level, a female on the thirteenth spiritual level, and so forth, is mentally summoned.¹⁴

The master is the combined quintessence of the sugatas of the three times.

From the chosen deity and the master indivisible in the bhaga, the attainments are received, and due to the dependently arisen connection, there is the path that totally purifies existence.

The naturally spontaneous, utterly pure svābhāvikakāya essence body is achieved. The result is perfected.

The sign of reality, the result, is the ability to shake, and so forth, 21absolutely all the vast domains of the sambhogakāya enjoyment body,¹⁵ and so forth.

The inner sign is the cessation of the vital winds of life and exertion in the central channel.

The outer sign is the drops stable in the entire cranial dome.

Since the flawed and flawless meditation experiences have been distinguished by means of the outer dependently arisen connection and the inner dependently arisen connection of the dissolution of the four pulsations, it is the thirteenth spiritual level.

Omniscience. On the thirteenth spiritual level of a vajra holder, the dependently arisen connections appear as aligned. At the point of buddhahood, there is buddhahood with one’s circle, in a single group. [9]

The Vajrayana of secret mantra is the causal, path, and resultant initiations. Although conceptually comprehended, the realization is nonconceptual. The appearance of primordial awareness is like that.

The profound path of the master.

Sacred commitment.

A cessation through comprehension of the body.

The oral instructions, together with the esoteric instructions, of the Path with the Result are complete.

samāptam iti