Introduction to Mahamudra
The first part of the course is devoted to the four preliminaries of Mahamudra practice according to the text of the IX Karmapa, Wangchug Dorje. The second part, which is the main core, is divided into the practice of tranquility meditation (Skt. Shamatha, Tib. Shinay) and the practice of insight meditation (Skt. Vipashyana, Tib. Lhagton). Within the practice of tranquility meditation a variety of methods are outlined, and within the practice of insight meditation a variety of methods for the practicing of the insight aspect of Mahamudra are also given. The instructions enable the practitioner to get directly at the nature of his or her mind.
The III Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje says:
This freedom from mental directedness is Mahamudra
This freedom from extremes is the great middle way.
As it includes everything is the great perfection (Dzogchen)
May I have the confidence that realizing one is understanding them all.
Further more He mentioned:
It does not exits and has not been seen by any of the victorious ones.
It does not not-exist; it is the basis of samsara and nirvana.
It is not a contradiction; it is the middle way of unity.
May I recognize this dharmata of the mind.
From the Dzogchen tradition, a text by Jigme Lingpa reads:
It does not exist and has not been seen by any of the victorious ones.
It does not not-exist; it is the basis of samsara and nirvana.
It is not a contradiction; but is beyond expression.
May I realize Dzogchen, the ground of all things.
In the times of Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa and Milarepa, the format of Mahamudra instructions consisted primarily in brief
spontaneous songs or instructions called
dohas that were quite spontaneous. These were given to a disciple who would meditate upon the instruction and then return to the teacher and describe his or her personal experience. On the basis of the student’s experience, the teacher would give further instruction according to the need of each one. Through this process of exchange and oral instruction based in the own experience, the disciple or student would attain realization and then would train his own students in the same way. In that way, initially based in verbal instructions, the Mahamudra lineage was called the
oral lineage. This type of instructions is very profound and effective. However, as the time went on, there were more practitioners, more disciples, requiring a more systematized format of instructions. Also, disciples became less diligent in engaging in this process, so it became necessary to write down these instructions which had been transmitted. In the
Kagyu Lineage, the writing down of the oral teachings happened primarily during the time of the IX Karmapa, Wangchug Dorje, who lived in the fifteenth century. He wrote three main expositions of Mahamudra practice; the longest of these is called
the Ocean of the Definitive Meaning, the medium length one is called
Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance and the briefest one is called
Pointing out the Dharmakaya. It is upon this teachings that the introduction to Mahamudra is base on.
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