01 Meditation Panel Preface.indd - United Nations Day of Vesak 2013

Buddhist Philosophy and
Meditation Practice
Matr pa’s Tattvadaaka and Sahajavajra’s commentary Tattvadaakaka, along with Jñnakrti’s
Tattvvatra and the songs of Saraha are employed to that end. 21 According to the Karmapa, Maitr
pa’s understanding of Madhyamaka included the teaching of Saraha the elder and younger along
with Ngrjuna and Candrakrti. 22 Quoting the Tattvadaaka, the Karmapa comments on the verse
outlining the pramityna pith instructions, which are to be practised adorned with the words of
the guru. 23 The Karmapa calls Maitr pa’s understanding amanasikra-madhyamaka ‘non mentation
Madhyamaka’, distinguishing three types:
i. Practices focusing on Mantra-Madhyamaka
ii. Practices focusing on Stra-Madhyamaka
iii. And those focusing on the Alikakra-Cittamtra-Madhyamaka. 24
The rst two (i and ii) were taught by Mar pa and Mi la ras pa, the second (ii) was emphasised
by sGam po pa and the third (iii) is the one of the vajra songs (dohs) as propagated by Vajrapi
of India, A su of Nepal and Kor Ni ru pa. 25
Common strands and divergent interpetations
When examining texts of varied genres written by Mi bskyod rdo rje, comprehending
conceptualisation as in essence dharmakya could be identied as a central theme, although it
may be explained in a more or less scholarly manner. This certainly bears similarity to sGam po pa’s
material. 26 In the following, the Eighth Karmapa’s varied denitions of the Great Seal into tantric
and non-tantric are briey considered. In his Madhyamaka commentary, the Eighth Karmapa reasons
that this meditational theory and practice (lta sgom) of the Great Seal is so signicant because
it is the effective antidote to subtle clinging and conceptualisation in meditation. It would be indeed
important for removing latent tendencies of fabrication (prapañcnuaya) and badness (dauulya),
when the experience of the gnosis of bliss and emptiness in tantric meditation appears. As such,
it is taught because it removes all veils like the ‘single white sufcient remedy’ (dkar po gcig thub). 27
When practising the mantra system, there would be the danger that the symbolic and actual
(dpe don) ultimate awareness (jñna) of the third and fourth empowerments, would not be able to
21
Mathes (2006: 225).
22
Dwags brgyud grub pa’i shing rta, fol. 6a (p. 11).
23
Tattvadaaka 92: na skranirkre tathat jñtum icchata/ madhyam madhyam caiva guruvganalakt/.
Mathes (2006: 209) translates: ‘Somebody who wishes to know suchness for himself [nds it] neither in terms of sakara
nor nirakara; Even the middle [path] (i.e., Madhyamaka) which is not adorned with the words of a guru, is only middling.’
According to Mathes (2006: 213–216), the Eighth Karmapa interprets ‘the words of the guru’ here as those of Ngrjuna,
whereas ‘Gos lo ts ba comprehends it as the pith instructions of the guru, who embodies Prajñpramit.
24
Dwags brgyud grub pa’i shing rta, fol. 6a (p. 11). See also Ruegg (1988: 1248ff.); Brunnhölzl (2004: 52); Sherpa
(2004: 172).
25
The Eighth Karmapa claimed to have emphasised the dohs as transmitted via Vajrapi in his teaching of the Great
Seal (see Rheingans 2008: 160–164, and Mi bskyod rdo rje’i spyad pa’i rabs, fol. 9b/p.367). Though the Karmapa in
the Madyamaka commentary accepts this Madhyamaka type, he argues against the Alikakra-Cittamtra (of Ratnkaranti)
(Ruegg 1988: 1275).
26
See Rheingans (2008: 219–223), for a brief account of this strand in the instructions of the Eighth Karmapa; see also
Rheingans (2011). For the similarity to sGam po pa, see the Sherpa (2004: 188–293).
27
Dwags brgyud grub pa’i shing rta, fol. 6b (p. 12).
181