Mahāmudrā and the Middle Way

Book

This two-volume publication explores the complex philosophy of Mahāmudrā that developed in Tibetan Dwags po Bka’ brgyud traditions between the 15th and 16th centuries CE. It examines the attempts to articulate and defend Bka’ brgyud views and practices by four leading post-classical thinkers: (1) Shākya mchog ldan (1423‒1507), a celebrated yet controversial Sa skya scholar who developed a strong affiliation with the Karma Bka’ brgyud Mahāmudrā tradition in the last half of his life, (2) Karma phrin las Phyogs las rnam rgyal (1456‒1539), a renowned Karma Bka’ brgyud scholar-yogin and tutor to the Eighth Karma pa, (3) the Eighth Karma pa himself, Mi bskyod rdo rje (1507‒1554), who was among the most erudite and influential scholar-hierarchs of his generation, (4) and Padma dkar po (1527‒1592), Fourth ’Brug chen of the ’Brug pa Bka’ brgyud lineage who is generally acknowledged as its greatest scholar and systematizer. It is an important academic work published in the Vienna series WSTB and is divided into two volumes: the first offers a detailed philosophical analysis of the authors’ principal views and justifications of Mahāmudrā against the background of Indian and Tibetan Buddhist doctrines on mind, emptiness and buddha nature; the second comprises an annotated anthology of their seminal writings on Mahāmudrā accompanied by critical editions and introductions. These two volumes are the result of research that was generously funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) from 2012 to 2015 under the supervision of Prof. Klaus-Dieter Mathes. The project was entitled “‘Emptiness of Other’ (Gzhan stong) in the Tibetan ‘Great Seal’ (Mahāmudrā) Traditions of the 15th and 16th Centuries” (FWF Project number P23826-G15). (Source: WSTB Description)

Citation	Higgins, David, and Martina Draszczyk. Mahāmudrā and the Middle Way: Post-Classical Kagyü Discourses on Mind, Emptiness and Buddha-Nature. Vol. II, Translations, Critical Texts, Bibliography and Index. Wiener Studien zur Tibetologie und Buddhismuskunde 90.2. Vienna: Arbeitskreis für Tibetische und Buddhistische Studien Universität Wien, 2016.

VOLUME ONE

Acknowledgement 12
Introduction 14
- Current State of Research 17
- Politico-Historical Background 22
- Doctrinal Background 25
- Navigating the Middle Ways 29
- The Nature of Liberating Knowledge 41
Shākya mchog ldan 44
- Shākya mchog ldan and the Bka’ brgyud Mahāmudrā Tradition 45
- Life, Writings and Influences 51
- Madhyamaka and the Dialectic of Emptiness: Rang stong and Gzhan stong 57
  - The Three Natures (trisvabhāva) 65
  - The Two Truths (satyadvaya) 67
- Mahāmudrā and Buddha Nature 74
- Direct Perception and Nondual Wisdom 101
- The Great Seal in Shākya mchog ldan’s Mahāmudrā trilogy 109
  - Mahāmudrā: What it is and What it is Not 109
  - Madhyamaka, Mantrayāna and Mahāmudrā 116
  - Mahāmudrā and What Remains (lhag ma : avasista) 121
  - The Problem of Cessation 124
  - Contested Methods of Realization 127
- Responses to Sa skya Pandita’s Criticism of Bka’ brgyud Mahāmudrā 131
  - A Philosophical Defence and Justification of Mahāmudrā 131
  - Defending Mahāmudrā Views 135
    - The Self-sufficient White Remedy (dkar po gcig thub) 135
    - Mental Nonengagement (amanasikāra) and the Fire of Wisdom 139
- Concluding Remarks 145
Karma phrin las 148
- Overview 149
- Life, Writings and Influences 156
- Madhyamaka Approach 159
- Extant Writings 168
- Views of Reality 169
  - The Compatibility of Rang stong and Gzhan stong 169
  - The Two Types of Purity 181
  - Buddha Nature Endowed with Qualities 184
  - On the Unity of the Two Truths 200
  - “Thoughts are Dharmakāya” 210
  - Understanding Coemergence: the Inseparability of Samsāra and Nirvana 217
- Concluding Remarks 223
Karma pa Mi bskyod rdo rje 226
- Overview 227
- The Differentiation and Identification Models 229
- Reconciling Affirmation and Negation 238
- Life, Writings and Influences 242
- Blending Mahāmudrā and Madhyamaka 250
- Emptiness and Hermeneutics of the Three Turnings 253
- Core Soteriological Ideas and the Role of Philosophical Distinctions 265
  - Buddha Nature 269
  - Nature of Reality 275
  - Nature of Mind 277
  - The Problem of the Remainder (lhag ma : avasista) 299
  - On the Prospect of a Groundless Ground 314
  - On Whether or Not a Buddha has Wisdom 320
  - Mahāmudrā as Mental Nonengagement (amanasikāra) 325
- Concluding Remarks 341
Padma dkar po 342
- Overview 343
- Life, Writings and Influences 347
- The Basic Framework: Mahāmudrā and the Unity of the Two Truths 350
- Emptiness and the Hermeneutics of the Three Turnings 352
- Hermeneutics of Mahāmudrā as Ground and Path 356
- The Two Faces of Mahāmudrā: the Modes of Abiding and Error 357
  - Mahāmudrā as the Mode of Abiding (gnas lugs phyag chen) 359
  - Mahāmudrā in the Mode of Error ( ’khrul lugs phyag chen) 363
  - Yang dgon pa on the Two Modes of Mahāmudrā 369
  - Padma dkar po’s Transposition of Yang dgon pa’s Distinction 376
  - Interpretations of the Mahāmudrā Distinction 378
  - Mahāmudrā and the Unity of the Two Truths 382
  - Asymmetrical Unity and Rival Truth Theories (Jo nang and Dge lugs) 385
  - The Ground of Truth 393
- Path Mahāmudrā and Liberating Knowledge 398
  - Nonconceptual Knowing in the Shadow of the Bsam yas Debate 399
  - Three Strands of Amanasikāra Interpretation in Indian Buddhism 403
  - Padma dkar po’s Three Grammatical Interpretations of Amanasikāra 413
  - Responding to Criticisms of Amanasikāra 422
- Concluding Remarks 426
Final Reflections 429

VOLUME TWO

Shākya mchog ldan 10
Introduction: the Mahāmudrā Trilogy 11
- 1a. English Translation of Gzhan blo’i dregs pa nyams byed 14
- 1b. Critical Edition of Gzhan blo’i dregs pa nyam byed 26
- 2a. English Translation of Grub pa mchog gi dgongs pa rnam nges 34
- 2b. Critical Edition of Grub pa mchog gi dgongs pa rnam nges 43
- 3a. English Translation of Zung 'jug gi gru chen 48
- 3b. Critical Edition of Zung ’jug gi gru chen 71
Karma phrin las pa 86
Perspectives on Rang stong and Gzhan stong 87
- 1a. English Translation of Dri lan yid kyi mun sei 88
- 1b. Critical Edition of Dri lan yid kyi mun sei 91
A Mystical Song of the View Proclaiming the Mode of Being 94
- 2a. English Translation of the Yin lugs sgrog pa Ita ba’i mgur 95
- 2b. Critical Edition of the Yin lugs sgrog pa Ita ba ’i mgur 98
A Vajra Song 100
- 3a. English Translation of the Rdo rje mgur 100
- 3b. Critical Edition of the Rdo rje mgur 102
Karma pa Mi bskyod rdo rje 104
Critique of ‘Gos Lo tsd ba’s Separation of Buddhahood and Buddha Nature 105
- 1a. English Translation of Rgan po’i rlung sman (excerpt) 105
- 1b. Critical Edition of Rgan po’i rlung sman (excerpt) 109
Some Criticisms of Shākya mchog ldan’s Buddha Nature Epistemology 111
- 2a. English Translation of Rgan po ’i rlung sman (excerpt) 112
- 2b. Critical Edition of Rgan po’i rlung sman (excerpt) 115
Two Minds in One Person? A Reply to the Queries of Bla ma khams pa 117
- 3a. English Translation of Bla ma khams pa ’i dris lan mi gcig sems gnyis 118
- 3b. Critical Edition of Bla ma khams pa’i dris lan mi gcig sems gnyis 120
A Trove Containing Myriad Treasures of Profound Mahāmudrā 122
- 4a. English Translation of Zab mo phyag chen gyi mdzod sna tshogs ’dus pa’i gter 123
- 4b. Critical Edition of Zab mo phyag chen gyi mdzod sna tshogs ’dus pa’i gter 134
Mental Nonengagement as Unconditioned Mental Engagement 143
- 5a. English Translation of Sku gsum ngo sprod rnam bshad (excerpt) 144
- 5b. Critical Edition of Sku gsum ngo sprod rnam bshad (excerpt) 147
Amanasikāra, Emptiness, and the Tradition of Heshang Moheyan 150
- 6a. English Translation of Dgongs gcig ’grel pa VI (excerpt) 151
- 6b. Critical Edition of Dgongs gcig ’grel pa VI (excerpt) 153
Padma dkar po 156
Distinguishing Gnas lugs phyag chen and ’Khrul lugs phyag chen 157
- 1a. English Translation of Phyag chen rgyal ba’i gan mdzod (excerpt) 157
- 1b. Critical Edition of Phyag chen rgyal ba’i gan mdzod (excerpt) 168
Three Grammatical Interpretations of Amanasikāra 175
- 2b. Critical Edition of Phyag chen rgyal ba’i gan mdzod (excerpt) 176
Refuting Sa pan’s Equation of Mahāmudrā with Heshang’s Chan Meditation 179
- 3a. English Translation of Klan ka gzhom pa’i gtam (excerpt) 180
- 3b. Critical Edition of Klan ka gzhom pa ’i gtam (excerpt) 188
Response to Nam mkha’ rgyal mtshan’s critique of Padma dkar po’s Amanasikāra 194
- 4a. English Translation of Shar rtse zhal snga’i brgal lan (excerpt) 195
- 4b. Critical Edition of Shar rtse zhal snga’i brgal lan (excerpt) 197
Amanasikāra in the Context of Nonreferential Meditation 199
- 5a. English Translation of Snying po don gyi man ngag (excerpt) 199
- 5b. Critical Edition of Snying po don gyi man ngag (excerpt) 201
Bibliography 202
Abbreviations of Canonical Collections, Journals, and Online Sources 202
Primary Sources: Indian Works 202
Primary Sources: Tibetan Works 207
Secondary Sources 218
Index 232

David Higgins and Martina Draszczyk's Mahāmudrā And The Middle Way is a study of four Tibetan philosophers from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries who attempted to forge a middle way between contemporary doctrinal extremes regarding Mahāmudrā and buddha-nature theory. Three of the four authors were Kagyu: Karma Trinle Chokle Namgyel, the Eighth Karmapa, and the Fourth Drukchen Pema Karpo, and one was Sakya, Śākya Chokden, who was, late in life, a student of the Seventh Karmapa. The four authors did not agree with each other, all finding their own ways to steer, as Higgins and Draszczyk put it, "a middle course between the Scylla and Charybdis of eternalism and nihilism."

All four authors studied were "scholar-yogis," -- philosophers who were also keenly interested and accomplished in the meditative practices of their traditions. Higgins and Draszczyk position the four as responding to the doctrinal extremes of the Geluk and Jonang traditions, the first representing nihilism of Tsongkhapa's interpretation of Candrakīrti, and the second being Dolpopa's teaching on gzhan stong. All four wrote in an era in which Geluk Prasangika was becoming dominant, in a language that suggested an anti-Tantric polemic; Geluk and Sakya authors were rejecting Saraha, an Indian saint whose writings form part of the Mahāmudrā canon. Certainly the two hierarchs of Kagyu traditions could not afford to leave their central doctrines undefended. This perspective is true to the authors studied, but it should be noted that followers of the Geluk or Jonang would certainly not accept the label of extremism, and would -- and did -- view the authors' positions as intellectually naive.

Still, the four attempts at reconciliation between doctrinal poles are a needed corrective to the many studies in which the extremes are presented as contradictory; for all four authors the philosophical binaries were complementary and integral to the practice of Buddhism. They each advocated for an intellectual inquiry of emptiness using the language of negation favored by Geluk and mainline Sakya teachers, paired with or followed by a meditative engagement with positive-language doctrines of buddha-nature and the natural luminosity of mind. The great debates of the era between Madhyamaka and Yogacāra, gzhan stong and rang stong, analytical or meditative approach, Sudden vs. Gradual Enlightenment, and so forth, were for these authors not issues of either / or but matters of synthesis and balance.

PaN chen shAkya mchog ldan. phyag rgya chen po gsal bar byed pa'i bstan bcos tshangs pa'i 'khor lo. In gsung 'bum shAkya mchog ldan, Vol. 17: 359-412. Kathmandu: sachen international, 2006.
karma phrin las pa. dri lan yid kyi mun sel zhes bya ba lcags mo'i dris lan. In chos kyi rje karma phrin las pa'i gsung 'bum las rdo rje'i mgur gyi phreng ba dang thun mong ba'i dris lan gyi phreng ba. New Delhi: ngawang topgay, 1975: 88-92.
____________. yin lug sgrog pa lta ba'i mgur. In chos kyi rje karma phrin las pa'i gsung 'bum las rdo rje'i mgur gyi phreng ba dang thun mong ba'i dris lan gyi phreng ba. New Delhi: ngawang topgay, 1975: 8-10.
____________. rdo rje mgur. In chos kyi rje karma phrin las pa'i gsung 'bum las rdo rje'i mgur gyi phreng ba dang thun mong ba'i dris lan gyi phreng ba. New Delhi: ngawang topgay, 1975: 43-44.
mi bskyod rdo rje. bdud rtsi'i dri mchog. In gsung 'bum mi bskyod rdo rje, Vol. 15: 975-1024. Lhasa: s.n., 2004.
____________. bla ma khams pa'i dris lan mi gcig sems gnyis. In gsung 'bum mi bskyod rdo rje, Vol. 3: 219-223. Lhasa: s.n., 2004.
____________. zab mo phyag chen gyi mdzod sna tshogs 'dus pa'i gter. In gsung 'bum mi bskyod rdo rje, Vol. 15: 1025-1038. Lhasa: s.n., 2004.
____________. sku gsum ngo sprod rnam bshad. In gsung 'bum mi bskyod rdo rje, Vol. 21: 208-210. Lhasa: s.n., 2004.
____________. dgongs gcig 'grel pa. In gsung 'bum mi bskyod rdo rje, Vol. 6: 98-102. Lhasa: s.n., 2004.
pad+ma dkar po. phyag chen rgyal ba'i gan mdzod. In gsung 'bum pad+ma dkar po, Vol. 21: 38-42, 173-192. Darjeeling: kargyud sungrab nyamso khang, 1973-1974.
____________. klan ka gzhom pa'i gtam. In gsung 'bum pad+ma dkar po, Vol. 21: 553-561. Darjeeling: kargyud sungrab nyamso khang, 1973-1974.
____________. shar rtse zhal snga'i brgal lan. In gsung 'bum pad+ma dkar po, Vol. 21: 585-587. Darjeeling: kargyud sungrab nyamso khang, 1973-1974.
____________. snying po don gyi man ngag. In gsung 'bum pad+ma dkar po, Vol. 21: 414-415. Darjeeling: kargyud sungrab nyamso khang, 1973-1974.

In that regard Sgam po pa says, “the hallmark of my Mahāmudrā is self-awareness and its scriptural source is the Uttaratantra treatise."
~ ShAkya mchog ldan in Mahamudra and the Middle Way - Vol. 2, page(s) 17

To illustrate with an example, [the Buddha]—after explaining in the middle dharmacakra that all phenomena are simply empty of own-nature—taught in the third dharmacakra that the unchanging perfect nature which is empty of that [self-emptiness] is the definitive meaning. Likewise, one doesn’t find any core of a banana plant when one searches for it, yet in the middle of the unfolded leaves [bananas] nonetheless ripen as sweet fruits.
~ ShAkya mchog ldan in Mahamudra and the Middle Way - Vol. 2, page(s) 21

As for the meaning of mahāmudrā, Shākya mchog ldan explains that all sentient beings are 'marked' by this Great Seal in the sense that they are universally endowed with nondual wisdom and therefore have within them the "possibility to one day be separated from samsāric states". He describes mahāmudrā as that which is beyond the domain of what can be expressed in thought and languages. It is the wisdom one arrives at when the searching mind has not found anything with which to identify.
~ in Mahamudra and the Middle Way - Vol. 2, page(s) 12