The central meditation tradition of the Kagyu school of
Tibetan Buddhism is Mahamudra, which is also common to the Sakya and Geluk schools,
but not the Nyingma. Its characteristic
or distinguishing practice is deity yoga, or the practice of visualizing
oneself as a deity of one’s choice (or, more accurately, that one’s guru
considers appropriate) in order to undermine one’s ordinary sense of separate individuality,
and in order to transcend ordinary awareness and realize one’s intrinsic
buddhahood (which exists at least in potential form in all sentient
beings). There are two stages of deity
yoga, otherwise known as anuttara yoga
tantra or highest yoga tantra. The
first is the generation stage, where one begins visualizing oneself as a deity
(and engages in multiple yogic practices).
The latter is the completion stage, where one fully realizes oneself as
a deity, and where one realizes the clear light of the void or mind of clear
light, which is (at least the initial) realization of the wisdom and awakening
of a buddha.
There are six stages or yanas
that precede anuttara yoga tantra in the Mahamudra, starting with the yanas of the shravaka (“hearer,” i.e. one who hears the teachings of the
historical Buddha, then puts them into practice and becomes and arhat, or one who comes to awakening and
is not thereafter reborn according to the Theravada) and the pratyeka (a solitary practitioner who
achieves the insight of a buddha, but does not teach it to others). At these stages, the adept practices
mindfulness and concentration meditation, which are the principal forms of
meditation in the Theravada tradition today, and in all “Southern” schools of
Buddhism historically. Next comes the
Mahayana or Bodhisattvayana, the
Vehicle of the Bodhisattva, or the vehicle of the one who vows to become
awakened out of compassion for all sentient beings. The basis of this is bodhicitta, the mind of awakening, which includes both the sincere
vow to become awakened for the benefit of all sentient beings, as well as a
profound realization of the meaning of shunyata
or emptiness (explained below).
After this come the three “lower” tantric vehicles, kriya, charya, and yoga tantra. At these stages, the adept performs various
rituals and purificatory practices, and is initiated by a qualified guru into
the tantric tradition. Meditation on and
devotion to various deities, the practice of reciting mantras, the use of
ritualized hand gestures (mudras),
and the ritualized use of depictions of the external and internal cosmos (mandalas) are common at these stages.
Mahamudra Buddhists also strive to recognize the clear light
of the void or mind of clear light in the intermediate state that Tibetan
Buddhists believe exists between death and the next rebirth, and in
dreams. In these states, the physical
body gives way to the subtle or astral body, and this body is not solid like
the ordinary physical body. One who is
trained properly can recognize the Buddha-Nature upon leaving the physical
body, whether in sleep or just after death, and can either prevent further
rebirths for themselves or choose their next rebirth to benefit sentient beings
caught in samsara. Beings who are not properly trained, and not
prepared for death, will find themselves gravitating toward a particular mode
of existence based on their past actions (i.e., they will continue to be
subject to the law of karma and rebirth in the six realms of existence: that of
the gods or angels, that of demigods, that of humans, that of animals, that of
ghosts, and that of hell-dwellers).
Like Dzogchen, the Mahamudra approach is complex, with
multiple stages of realization, elaborate rituals, and a heavy focus on secrecy
(at least prior to the twentieth century).
It is very sophisticated, being based (at least ultimately) on a careful
experiential examination of the nature of consciousness (insofar as something
as seemingly non-interchangeable between minds as interior experiences of consciousness
can be examined “carefully”), although as usual with traditionalist
organizations like the Sakya, Kagyu and Geluk schools, the authoritarian nature
of the guru-disciple relationship and of monasteries and meditation centers
mean that abuses occur and the transformation of consciousness has not always
been the primary goal of those claiming to follow the Mahamudra approach. (This latter statement is, of course, true of
all forms of organized religion, spirituality, philosophy, and consciousness-transformation.) If one seeks to practice the Mahamudra, it is
necessary to undertake practice with a guru, as initiation by and devotion to a
qualified guru is one of the most important components of all tantric traditions. However, in choosing a guru, one should be
very cautious, ensuring that one is well-acquainted not just with the outer
behavior of one’s potential guru(s), but what is really in their hearts. It is too easy for these relationships to
become abusive to justify any other approach.
Be that as it may, the Mahamudra is a profound approach to the
transformation of consciousness, and it can lead to the same dazzling awareness
of (or rather, awareness as) one’s
intrinsic buddhahood, as Zen and Dzogchen.
Buddhists in the celibate Geluk lineage, which is the only
celibate lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, and is the lineage headed by the Dalai
Lama, consider the Madhyamaka school of Buddhist scholasticism, specifically
its Prasangika branch, to be the most profound philosophy of Buddhism. The Madhyamaka will be discussed in greater
detail in the section devoted to it, but the basic idea of it is that all
phenomena, or all components of the world, as well as all transformations of
those phenomena or components of the world, are empty of self-existence, or
own-being, or intrinsic existence. In
other words, because they are produced by various causes and conditions, and
because they themselves serve as causes and conditions of other phenomena, they
cannot be said to possess a permanent underlying essence or a persistent basis
of identity. Phenomena are experienced,
and can be said to exist in a relative sense because they are experienced, but
if one analyzes phenomena, it is clear that they are always changing, never the
same from moment to moment. In the practice
of Geluk Buddhism, which includes both the Mahamudra meditation and training in
Madhyamaka-Prasangika philosophy, this emptiness (Skt. shunyata) is identified with the clear light of the void or mind of
clear light, which is thus considered ultimately no different than phenomena
themselves. However, for a being caught
up in samsara, phenomena appear real,
and cause future rebirths, even if these rebirths are seen to be like the
fleeting images of dreams to the awakened mind.
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