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Chapter 1: What is the significance of the fifth Vajra point in Longchenpa's teachings?
The fifth Vajra point, reflection of the moon. Having shown in this way that phenomena do not come and do not go, it is now time to discuss the aspect of their appearance showing how, like the moon reflected in water, they do appear, even though they have no intrinsic existence. All the phenomena of Samsara and Nirvana may be perceived.
They are not nothing, but are like the moon reflected in water. The implementation of this teaching will be described under the three headings of ground, path and result. First, we will consider the ground, which appears while lacking intrinsic being. The nature of the mind is like a pure ocean. Within this support for the kayas, which are inseparable from the wisdoms,
are found the attributes of enlightenment as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges. They are present of themselves primordially. Nevertheless, with co-emergent ignorance as the cause, and with conceptual ignorance, stirring up the waves of dualistic clinging. The perfect qualities of the ultimate expanse, the luminous reflections of the stars and planets do not appear. Instead,
Because of karma and defilement, there manifest all sorts of hallucinatory appearances. And as a result, beings go turning in samsara. Being limpid and of vast immensity, containing the reflections of primordial wisdom, The ultimate expanse is like a pure and limpid sea. But agitated by the winds of ignorance and the dualistic play of apprehender, apprehended, it becomes disturbed and turbid.
Just as in a pool of clear water, the reflections of the stars and planets appear. Likewise, within the clear waters of the mind and through the doors of the limpid sense powers, outer and inner phenomena, form and the other five sense objects appear in the manner of reflections. but the mind is deluded and takes such objects to be really existing.
In the terms of the comparison, the mind and the sense powers are like the pure water, whereas the appearance of the sense objects which are the awakening of the habitual tendencies stored in the mind from time without beginning, are represented by the stars and planets. These sense objects are neither the mind nor something other than the mind, manifesting in the manner of reflected images.
Appearing objects come before the dualistically oriented mind and reacting to them with craving and aversion as things to be accepted or rejected. Beings are caught thereby. . The moon arises in the limpid sky, and though her form appears upon the limpid sea, the moon into the water does not pass. Understand that all things are like this. This teaches us
that the appearing objects of perception, the solidification of habitual tendencies appear as secondary images to the sense faculties lodged within the five sense doors. If they are not grasped by the mental consciousness, One is not defiled. Since the universe and beings are surely understood to be like the reflection of the moon in the water, their lack of intrinsic being is proclaimed.
When all phenomenal appearances are understood in terms of the example of the moon reflected in the water, one will see that all such things do not exist even at the level of infinitesimal particles. They are empty forms it will be understood that they cannot be established as either entities or non-entities, as either existent or non-existent, as either true or false.
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Chapter 2: How do phenomena appear without intrinsic existence?
Deep and peaceful, thought free, luminous, unmade, the nectar truth, this now I have discovered. Were I to teach it, none would understand. And so I will remain not speaking in the forest. We are therefore encouraged to remain in the state of suchness beyond ontological extremes.
For in the same way that the moon reflected in the water is not the real moon when phenomena appear in a certain way it is not in that way Therefore, with regard to whatever appears, one should remain in a state uncluttered by any thoughts or ideas concerning it. The nature of the mind, just as it is. This state, just as it is, is effortless, great bliss, endowed with every aspect.
It's completely free of them. Leave the mind unaltered as it is. The indwelling, self-arisen primordial wisdom neither comes nor goes. It is neither outside nor within and is thus inconceivable. One should not try to identify it unlimited and unconfined. It is neither vast nor restricted, neither high nor low.
And this is why one should avoid getting caught in the cage of intellectual meditations. As we find in the way of the Bodhisattva, The ultimate is not the object of the mind. The mind is said to be the relative. Since all appearances are without intrinsic being, there is no point in examining them. Since whatever appears transcends all ontological extremes, Samsara and Nirvana are equal.
One should not purposefully meditate on their emptiness. Instead, One should understand this point in accordance with the sutras. O Manjushri, the moon reflected in the water appears and yet it lacks intrinsic being. Phenomena also appear and yet are lacking in intrinsic being. Since they are groundless, phenomena are primordially empty.
Since they are devoid of intrinsic being, they are spontaneously, naturally empty. Since they are without real characteristics, they are by nature empty. from the very outset. And in their emptiness, they are all equal. It serves no purpose to evaluate them according to different one-sided and partial tenant systems. in terms of their existence, authenticity, level, or any other criterion.
One should be able to affirm that they are all like space, free from ontological extremes. As long as one engages with the ordinary mind, there is no end to boundless vehicles of teaching but when this mind collapses there are no more vehicles no going and no coming What is the difference between the presence and the absence of realization?
If there is even the slightest apprehension of and clinging to anything as being this or that, one continues to be trapped in the samsaric state. As the Songs of Realization says, Clinging. though no greater than a husk of sesame, will always be the source of suffering and nothing more. The natural flow of awareness, free of clinging, manifests as a vast and open immensity.
It is a spontaneous flow of the nature of the mind. Non-meditation's restful state, primordially unbounded, is the mind without contrivance in its true condition. What need is there for alteration in this natural state? When a state of mind arises that is free of all clinging toward anything. It may be called the spontaneous accomplishment of the natural great perfection.
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Chapter 3: What is the relationship between the mind and the nature of phenomena?
No ground, no root. and no duality is found in the enlightened mind's expanse. And you should know this as the mandala of the all-creating king. The stages of the path are now explained. All sense objects which are perceived even though they have no intrinsic being, like the moon reflected in the water.
When one reaches an understanding that this is so, one should leave one's mind in a state of meditative evenness, in a state of no thought, free from any conceptual constructions of one and many. At night, the moon appears, reflected in a pool of limpid water. It is empty, hollow. It has no essential core. Understand that all things are like this,
As for the way to meditate, as previously, one should practice guru yoga and with strong devotion pray to one's teacher that one might be able to realize that all things are as insubstantial as the moon's reflection appearing without really existing and as one ponders that everything is like this one should without thinking of anything else Settle in a state of meditative evenness.
all things will thus manifest as mere appearances empty and non-existent and in due course even this will fade away and one will taste of a condition that is free of all mental focus On the basis of the thing referred to, the state that's free from reference arises. First understand that there is nothing. Later, even this will be discarded.
Chapter 4: How can one implement the teachings of ground, path, and result?
When one is one pointedly and without distraction, focused on a support for concentration. If thoughts carry one away to some other thing, one should with mindfulness immediately steady one's attention and return to one's meditation on the water moon. Concentrate your mind on any object that is suitable and when you are distracted, note this quickly and repair it.
At that time when the mind remains inwardly still and the body-mind is blissful and well-tuned, Defilements do not arise and thoughts do not spread out to the objects of the senses, even though sensorial appearances are not stopped. Thus one attains a kind of concentration endowed with a wisdom that perfectly discerns objects. The mind when still brings forth a state of bliss thus stilled
it is well-tuned it has no thoughts yet perfectly discerns
. . .
The perfect discernment of objects is not incompatible with the non-proliferation of thought. Thought is the mind that moves outward toward an object, whereas thought-free wisdom understands an object inwardly and instantly. This state is associated with a self illuminating concentration.
The difference between these two states lies in an outward or an inward orientation and whether or not they are associated with non-conceptual concentration. This is a point of the highest importance.
Thank you.
Then, for the nighttime practice, one should fall asleep while meditating that the central channel is filled with five colored light. In this way, one will recognize one's dreams as being as insubstantial as the reflection of the moon in water. and one will be able to assume within the dream state various forms, transforming them at will.
A meditative experience will occur in which all appearances will seem completely transparent, insubstantial, offering not the slightest resistance.
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Chapter 5: What does it mean for the mind to be like a pure ocean?
The one who meditates that everything is unreal will quickly come to unsurpassed enlightenment. All things are by their nature pure, primordially, unreal and yet apparent like the moon reflected in the water. Understanding this and crossing thus the sea of dualistic clinging, May we reach the precious shore of perfect freedom.
developing our strength through realization of the emptiness endowed with supreme qualities and shooting then the dart of wisdom with a strong bow of our concentration. May we utterly destroy our ignorance and our defilements and bring to naught the onslaught of Samsara. May the hair marked moon, the qualities of perfect virtue, bathe with light the mind streams of all wandering beings.
May it dispel the gloom of ignorance, the night of their existence, and open the white jasmine flowers the Dhammata, the nature of phenomena. This concludes the chapter that is like the moon reflected in the water, a commentary on the fifth Vajra point of finding rest in illusion, a teaching of the great perfection.
Thank you.