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 The Nyingrna School of Tibetan Buddhism
Its Fundamentals and History

Section One: The Translations

Dudjom Rinpoche, Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje

Translated and edited by

Gyurme Dorje and Matthew Kapstein

HIS HOLINESS DUDJOM RINPOCHE

--
1
WISDOM PUBLICATIONS Boston
 o

First Edition 1991 This book is dedicated to

the continued enlightened activity of
Wisdom Publications
199 Elm Street HIS HOLINESS DUDJOM RI1':JPOCHE
Somerville MA 02144 USA and to all those who maintain
wisdom pubs. org the living traditions of
© 1991 Dudjom Rinpoche, Gyurme Dorje, and Matthew Kapstein
Tibetan Buddhism.
Line drawings © 1991 Chris Conlon
Maps © 1991 Gyurme Dorje and Michael Farmer

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography,
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system
or technologies now known or later developed, without the
permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Available upon request.

ISBN: 0-86171-199-9

06 05 04 03 02
6 5 4 3 2
Cover by Gopa & Ted2
Interior by Character Graphics

Wisdom Publications' books are printed on acid-free paper and meet

the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on
Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library
Resources.

Printed in Canada.
General Contents

SECTION ONE: THE TRANSLATIONS

List of Illustrations xv
Foreword by Shenpen Dawa Rinpoche xxv
Preface to the Second Edition xxxii
Credits for Illustrations and Maps xxxiii
Technical Note xxxv
Guide to Pronunciation xxxvii
Abbreviations for Section One xli

BOOK ONE: FUNDAMENTALS OF THE NYINGMA

SCHOOL OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM

Detailed Contents of Book One 3

Translator's Introduction 11

THE TEXT

Verses of Invocation 45
Introduction 47

PART ONE: DOCTRINES OF SAMSARA AND NIRVANA

1 The Essence and Definition of Dharma 51
2 Doctrines of Sarpsara 54
3 Doctrines of Nirval)a 70
4 Transmitted Precepts 73
5 Treatises 88
6 Quantitative Treatises 97
7 Treatises of Inner Science 108
viii General Contents General Contents ix
PART TWO: THE NATURE OF THE TEACHER ENDOWED BOOK TWO: HISTORY OF THE NYINGMA SCHOOL
WITH THE BUDDHA-BODIES OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM
Introduction 113
1 Samantabhadra, the Buddha-body of Reality 115 Detailed Contents of Book Two 383
2 Vajradhara, the Emanation of Samantabhadra 120 Translators' Introduction 393
3 The Two Buddha-bodies of Form 123
4 The Five Buddha-bodies and Five Pristine Cognitions 139
5 Distinctive Attributes of the Buddha-bodies and THE TEXT
Pristine Cognitions 144 Verses of Invocation 403

PART THREE: CAUSAL VEHICLES OF DIALECTICS PART ONE: THE ORIGIN OF THE PRECIOUS TEACHING OF
THE CONQUEROR IN THIS WORLD
Introduction 151
1 The Three Promulgations of the Doctrinal Wheel 153 Introduction 409
2 The Lesser Vehicle 156 1 The Coming of Buddha, Teacher of the Doctrine 411
3 The Greater Vehicle 160 2 The Collecting of Transmitted Precepts by Councils 428
4 The Superiority of Great Madhyamaka to Mind Only 178 3 The Patriarchs of the Teaching 432
5 The Provisional and Definitive Meaning of the Transmitted 4 The Preservation of the Teaching and Spread of the
Precepts 187 Greater Vehicle 440
6 The Enlightened or Buddha Family 191
7 The Two Truths According to Great Madhyamaka 206 PART TWO: THE RISE OF THE PRECIOUS TEACHING OF
8 Key to the Appraisal of Causal Vehicle Texts 217 SECRET MANTRA
9 A Recapitulation of the Causal Vehicles 223
Introduction 445
1 The Turning of the Secret Mantra Wheel 447
PART FOUJ.3..: RESULTANT VEHICLES OF SECRET MANTRA 2 The Collecting of Transmitted Precepts by Different
Introduction 241 Compilers 451
1 The Superiority of Secret Mantra 243 3 The Emergence of this Teaching in the Human
2 The Essence and Definition of Secret Mantra 257 World 452
3 The Three Continua of Ground, Path and Result 263 4 The Lineage of Mahayoga, the Class of Tantras 458
4 The Four Tantrapitaka 268 5 The Lineage of Mahayoga, the Class of Means for
5 Mahayoga 275 Attainment 475
6 Anuyoga 284 6 The Lineage of Anuyoga, the Perfection Stage 485
7 Key to the Appraisal of Secret Mantra Texts 290 7 The Lineage of Atiyoga, the Great Perfection 490
8 The Superiority of Atiyoga, the Great Perfection 294 8 Concluding Remarks 502
9 The Definition of Atiyoga 311
10 The Divisions of Atiyoga 319
PART THREE: THE ORIGIN OF THE CONQUEROR'S
11 A Recapitulation of the Resultant Vehicles 346 TEACHING IN TIBET
Introduction 507
CONCLUSION 1 The Three Ancestral Religious Kings 510
1 Concluding Remarks 375 2 The Decline and Expansion of the Doctrine during the
2 Dedicatory Verses 376 Intermediate Period 523
3 Colophon 378 3 The Revival and Later Expansion of the Teaching 524
 x General Contents
General Contents xi
PART FOUR: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE THREE INNER
CLASSES OF T ANTRA IN TIBET 17 Rikdzin Jatson Nyingpo 809
18 Rikdzin Dudtil Dorje 813
Introduction 531
19 Lhatsiin Namka Jikme 818
1 Mahayoga and Anuyoga 533
20 The Fifth Dalai Lama 821
2 The Mental and Spatial Classes of Atiyoga 538 21 Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa, the Great Treasure-finder
3 The Esoteric Instructional Class of Atiyoga, the Innermost of Mindroling 825
Spirituality 554
22 Jikme Lingpa 835
4 Longcen Rapjampa 575
23 Chogyur Decen Lingpa 841
24 Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo 849
25 J amgon Kongtrtil Lodro Thaye 859
PART FIVE: THE DISTANT LINEAGE OF TRANSMITTED
PRECEPTS 26 Mipham Jamyang Namgyel Gyamtso 869
Conclusion 881
Introduction 599
1 The Lineage of Nyak 601 PART SEVEN: A RECTIFICATION OF MISCONCEPTIONS
2 The Lineage of N up 607 CONCERNING THE NYINGMA SCHOOL
3 The Lineage of the Zur Family 617
4 Biographies of the Rong Tradition 650 1 General Reply to Criticisms of the Nyingmapa
5 Dotokpa's Lineage of the Zur Tradition 685 Tantras 887
6 Biographies of the Kham Tradition 688 2 On the View of the Great Perfection 896
3 Response to Critics of the Sutra which Gathers All
7 Miscellaneous Lineages of the Zur and Kham Traditions 700
8 Rongzom Choki Zangpo 703 Intentions 911
9 The Traditions of VajrakIla 710 4 Response to Critics of the Root Tantra of the Secret
10 The Line~ges of the Empowerment of the Sutra which Gathers Nucleus 914
All I ntentlOns 717 5 The Continuity of the Nyingmapa Tradition and its
11 Later Lineages of the Transmitted Precepts 733 Impact on the Other Schools 918
6 On the Validity of the Treasures 927
7 The Shortcomings of Refutation and Proof 929
PART SIX: THE CLOSE LINEAGES OF THE TREASURES 8 On The Prophecies Found in the Treasures 934
1 The Nature, Purpose and Kinds of Treasure 743 9 The Relationship between the Nyingmapa and Ponpo
2 Biographies of the Treasure-finders 750 Traditions 936
3 Sangye Lama 751 10 On the "Bad Luck of the Nyingmapa" 938
4 Trapa Ngonshe 753
5 Nyang-rel Nyima Qzer 755 PART EIGHT: THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE DOCTRINE
6 Guru Choki Wangcuk 760
7 Como Menmo 771 1 Duration of the Doctrine 943
8 Orygen Lingpa 775 2 A Chronology of the Buddha's Life 946
3 From the Buddha's Final Nirval).a until the Beginning of the First
9 Ngodrup Gyeltsen or Rikdzin Godemcen 780 Tibetan Sexagenary Cycle 948
10 Sangye Lingpa 784
11 Dorje Lingpa 789 4 From the Beginning of the First Sexagenary Cycle to the Present 951
12 Ratna Lingpa 793 5 Some Prophecies 960
13 Perna Lingpa 796
CLOSING STATEMENTS
14 Karma Lingpa 800
15 Thangtong Gyelpo 802 1 Primary Sources 965
16 N gari PaI).cen Perna Wangyel 805 2 Concluding Benedictions 967
3 Colophon 972
 General Contents xiii
xii General Contents
SECTION TWO: REFERENCE MATERIAL MAPS

Introduction 489
Contents v 1 Buddhist India and Adjacent Regions 490
Introduction vii 2 North-Central India 492
Guide to Pronunciation xi
3 Tibet 494
Abbreviations for Section Two xv 4 Western Tibet and Nepal 496
5 North-Central Tibet 498
NOTES 6 South-Central Tibet and Bhutan 500
7 North-West Kham 502
1 Fundamentals 3 8 South-West Kham 506
2 History 27 9 Amdo 508
10 North-East Kham 510
GLOSSARY OF ENUMERATIONS 11 South-East Kham 512
Introduction 103
Glossary of Enumerations 105

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Introduction 191
Part One: Works Cited by the Author
Works Cited by the Author 199
Part Two: Works Referred to by the Translators
1 Indic Texts 293
2 Tibetan Texts 297
3 Secondary Literature 301
4 Addenda to the Bibliography 316

ARTIFACTS AND MATERIAL TREASURES

Introduction 320
Artifacts and Material Treasures 321

INDEX OF TECHNICAL TERMS

Introduction 331
Index of Technical Terms 333

INDEX OF PERSONAL NAMES

Introduction 391
Index of Personal Names 393

INDEX OF LOCATIONS

Introduction 453
Index of Locations 455
Illustrations

PLATES

1 Samantabhadra, the primordial buddha-body of reality, with consort

Samantabhadri (kun-bzang yab-yum). Fresco at the Jokhang, Lhasa.

2 The peaceful and wrathful deities (zhi-khro lha-tshogs).

3 Vajrasattva (rdo-rje sems-dpaj, the buddha-body of perfect rapture.

4 Mahottara Heruka (che-mchog he-ru-ka), the central figure of the

Deities of the Eight Transmitted Precepts (bkaJ-brgyad lha-tshogs).

5 Padmasambhava, flanked by his two foremost· consorts, Mandarava

and Yeshe Tshogyel, and surrounded by his eight manifestations (gu-
ru mtshan-brgyad).

6 MaI).~alas of the Eight Transmitted Precepts (bkaJ-brgyad-kyi dkyil-

'dhor).

7 The three ancestral religious kings (chos-rgyal mes-dbon rnam-gsum) ,

Songtsen Gampo, Trhisong Detsen and Trhi Relpacen. Statues in the
Pelkor Ch6de, Gyantse.

8 Jowo Rinpoche, the famous image of Lord Sakyamuni in Lhasa,

brought to Tibet by Songsten Gampo's Chinese queen. Originally
housed in the Ramoche Temple, it was later established as the central
object of veneration in the Jokhang.

9 Image of King Songtsen Gampo in the Jokhang, flanked by those of

his Nepalese and Chinese queens.
xvi Illustrations Illustrations xvii

10 Gilded roofs of the Jokhang, the first temple of Lhasa and centre of (rtsa-gsum dril-sgrub), discovered by Tibet's first treasure-finder,
Songtsen Gampo's geomantic design. Originally built by his Sangye Lama, and rediscovered by Jamgyang Khyentse Wangpo.
Nepalese queen, Trhitsiin, it has been enlarged and embellished over
the years. 23 Painted scroll depicting Terdak Lingpa, with his handprints and foot-
prints in gold. Preserved at Mindroling Monastery.
11 The stone-lion emblem of the Yarlung dynasty in the Chongye valley,
looking towards the tumuli of Songtsen Gampo and Relpacen, with 24 Dudjom Rinpoche (centre) surrounded by his previous emanations.
the town of Chongye in the distance.

12 The reconstructed central shrine (dbu-rtse) at Samye, Tibet's first

monastery.
LINE DRAWINGS

13 A realistic representation (nga-'dra-ma) of the peerless fourteenth- Dignaga 101

century scholar and treasure-finder (gter-ston) Longcen Rapjampa, D harmakIrti 103
now in the possession of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Samantabhadra and Consort 116
Vajradhara 121
14 Remains of the sacred juniper tree at KangriThokar, where Longcen Vajra on Lotus 134
Rapjampa's protector deities resided while he was composing his cel- Vasubandhu 157
ebrated treatises, the Seven Treasuries (mdzod-bdun). Nagarjuna 163
Aryadeva 165
15 Tharpaling in Bumthang, Bhutan, founded by Longcen Rapjampa. Asailga 169
Maitreya 179
16 Katok Dorjeden Monastery in Kham, founded by Katokpa Tampa Vajrasattva 256
Deshek in 1159. Sakyamuni 417
Sariputra 424
17 The imposing fac;ade of MindrOling Monastery, the most influential Maudgalyayana 426
seat of the Nyingma school in Central Tibet, founded by Terdak Mahakasyapa 433
Lingpa in 1670. Ananda 434
Sal)avasika 436
18 The hid~en valley of Rudam Kyitram, behind Dzokcen Monastery, Upagupta 437
with the SrI Sirpha College in the foreground. Madhyahnika 438
Samantabhadra and Consort 448
19 Pel Tshering-jong, the retreat of Jikme Lingpa in Tonkar valley near
Vajradharma 450
Chongye, where the Innermost Spirituality of Longcenpa (klang-chen
MafijusrI, Avalokitesvara, Vajrapal)i 453
snying-thig) was first revealed.
King Ja, Indrabhuti 459
Kukkuraja 461
20 The restored Pelyiil N amgyel Cangcup Ling Monastery, founded by
LIlavajra (or Vilasavajra) 463
Rikdzin Kiinzang Sherap in 1665.
Buddhaguhya 465
Prabhahasti 467
21 The celebrated monastery of Dorje Trak, recently restored on the
Padmasambhava 470
north bank of the Brahmaputra River, opposite Cedezhol, where the
Northern Treasures (byang-gter) tradition was preserved. H urpkara 476
Yamantaka 478
22 The deities of the Combined Means for Attainment of the Three Roots Hayagrlva 479
Vajram~ta 480
xviii Illustrations Illustrations xix
VajrakIla 482 Yangdak Heruka 627
~ahakarmendraQI 483 Zurcung Sherap-tra 636
~ahottara Heruka 484 Lekden Degli 644
Kambalapada 486 Z ur Dropukpa Sakya Senge 646
Sakyamitra 488 Zur Campa Senge 664
Garap Dorje 491 Yungton Dorjepe1 667
~afijusrImitra 492 Tanak Drolrna'va Samdrup Dorje 668
Buddhajfianapada 495 Zur Ham SakyaJungne 670
SrI Siq1ha 497 Z urcen Choying Rangdrol 680
Jfianasutra 499 Rahula 682
Virnalarnitra 500 Katokpa Tampa Deshek 689
Lha Thotori Nyentsen 508 SrIdevI 690
Songtsen Garnpo 511 Tsangtonpa 692
Trhisong Detsen 512 Campabum 694
Santarak~ita 514 Rongzom Choki Zan gpo 704
Padmakara 5 17 Yeshe Tshogyel 711
Dorje TroW 519 VajrakIla 716
Pehar 520 Rikdzin Lekdenje 718
Trhi Relpacen 521 Dorje Trak Rikdzin Perna Trhinle 719
Lhalung Pelgi Dorje 525 Sangdak Trhinle Lhlindrup 725
Lacen Gongpa Rapsel 526 Locen DharrnasrI 729
N amkei N yin gpo 534 Dzokcen Perna Rikdzin 737
Gyelwa Choyang 536 Rikdzin Klinzang Sherap 738
Vairocana 539 Sangye Lama 752
Pang-gen Sangye Gonpo 541 Trapa Ngonshe 754
Dzeng Dharmabodhi 544 Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer 756
Nyang Tingdzin Zangpo 556 Guru Choki Wangcuk 761
Dangma Lhlindrup Gyeltsen 557 Como Menrno 772
Cetslin Senge Wangcuk 558 Orgyen Lingpa 776
Zhangton 559 Rikdzin Goderncen 781
Dorje Lekpa 560 Rikdzin III, N gagiwangpo 782
Nyiburn 562 Sangye Lingpa 785
Guru Cober 563 Dorje Lingpa 790
TrlizhiSengegyap 565 Ratna Lingpa 794
~e1ong Dorje 566 Perna Lingpa 797
Kumaradza 568 Karma Lingpa 800
Ekaja~I 570 Thangtong Gye1po 803
Karrnapa III, Rangjung Dorje 573 N gari PaQcen Perna Wangyel 806
Longcen Rabjampa 576 Rikdzin Jatson Nyingpo 810
Guru Trakpo 589 Rikdzin Dlidlil Dorje 814
N yak J fianakurnara 602 Lhatsun N amka J ikme 819
The Sogdian Pelgi Yeshe 606 The Fifth Dalai Lama 822
Nupcen Sangye Yes he 608 Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa 826
Yamantaka 611 Jikme Lingpa 836
Lharje Zurpoche Sakya Jungne 618
xx Illustrations
Chogyur Decen Lingpa 842
Jamyang Khyentse Wang po 850
J amgon Kongtriil Lodro Thaye 860
Mipham Jamyang Namgyel Gyamtso 870
Peltriil Rinpoche 875
The Author, Dudjom Rinpoche 888
Acintyaprabhasa 897
Ak§obhyaprabha 904
Pel Jikpa Kyopei Yi 909
Diijom Lingpa 920
Rudrakulika 961

Trhadruk) possibly Tibet's first Buddhist temple

Samye) general view from Hepori

Lhodrak Khoting) a Border Taming temple Karcung Temple of the Indesctructible Expanse) near Lhasa

-
Lhodrak Kharcu) sacred site of Padmasambhava and Namkei Nyingpo
Oncangdo Peme Trashi Gepel Temple)
with Longcenpa)s retreat centre on the hillside behind
Foreword by Shenpen Dawa Rinpoche

His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje, (1904-87) was

appointed by His Holiness Dalai Lama XIV as the supreme head of
the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He was an enlightened
yogin and meditation master, a discoverer of concealed treasure teach-
ings (gter-stan) who was inseparable from Guru Rinpoche [Padmasam-
bhava], the most prolific of contemporary Tibetan scholars, and an
incarnate lama who had intentionally emanated for the sake of sentient
beings through seventeen successive lives. In ancient India these ema-
nations included: Buddha Sakyamuni's foremost disciple Sariputra; the
mahasiddha Saraha; Kr~I).adhara, the religious minister of King Indra-
bhuti; and the ni HUIl1kara. In Tibet, they included: Khyeucung Lo-
tsawa, one of Padmasambhava's twenty-five disciples; Smrtijiianaklrti
whose lifetime demarcated the transition from the ancient to the new
system of translation; Rongzom PaI).9ita who was among the first to
compose major treatises within the Nyingma tradition; Katok Tampa
Deshek (1122-92) who founded the monastery of Katok in East Tibet;
Chogyel Phakpa (1235-80) who established a Sakya administration in
Central Tibet; Rikdzin Dudtil Dorje (1615-72) who is famous for his
discovery of concealed treasure teachings (gter-ma) in the Puwo region
of south-east Tibet; Gyelse Sonam Detsen, responsible for revitalising
Katok; and the treasure-finder Dujom Lingpa (1835-1904) who disco-
vered the "New Treasures" (gter-gsar).
Like many of his predecessors, His Holiness was also renowned as
a great discoverer of concealed treasure teachings which are now widely
practised and propagated. These are primarily the direct "treasures of
intention" or "mind treasures" (dgongs-gter) of the awareness-holders
(vidyadhara) concerning the inner tantras of the secret mantra vehicle,
which can bring about the unsurpassed enlightenment of the rainbow
body in one lifetime.
He took birth in the Pemako region on the frontier of Tibet, on the
twenty-third day of the fourth Tibetan month, 1904. This birth occured
while his predecessor Dujom Lingpa was still alive. DUjom Lingpa
 xxvi Foreword Foreword xxvii
himself gave the specific instructions of how to find his authentic emana- In the final phase of his teaching activity, His Holiness travelled
tion. His father was Ttilku Jampel Norbu, who was Prince ofKanam, a widely throughout Asia, Europe and North America, where he brought
direct descendant of King Trhisong Detsen, and his mother, Namgyel many students to the dharma. He continued the buddha-activity of
DrOlma.
formal teaching, empowerment and personal supervision of meditation
In his youth His Holiness received the transmissions and direct bles- practice and retreat, which is the essence of the transmission of yajra-
sings of Guru Rinpoche, Yeshe Tshogyel and MaI1jusrI in person. He yana Buddhism. Med~tation. and retreat centres were ~lso e~tabhshed:
received all the lineages of the Nyingma school from his lamas: Philn- the Vajrayana Esotenc SocIety of Hong Kong, Done NYlngpo and
gong Tillku Gyurm~ Ngedon Wangpo, Jedrung Trhinle Campa Jungne, Urgyen Samye Choling in France, Yeshe Nyingpo and Orgyen Cho
Gyurme Phendei Ozer, Namdrol Gyamtso of Mindroling, Gendiln Dzong in the United States.
Gyamtso and Khenpo Aten, amongst others. He mastered every tradi- His Holiness passed into parinirva'fJa, dissolving his emanational body
tion of Tibetan Buddhism. Astonishingly, at the age of fourteen, he into the pure space of the buddha-body of reality (dharmakiiya) on 17
gave the full empowerment and oral transmission of the Store of Precious January 1987, the eighteenth day of the eleventh month of the fire tiger
Treasure (rin-chen gter-mdzod), which are the collected treasure texts of year, shortly before the advent of a new Tibetan sixty-year cycle. This
the Nyingma lineage. From that time on, he gave major empowerments was at his residence overlooking the Vezere valley in the Dordogne,
relating to different treasure cycles, and at the same time composed France. His passing was accompanied by miraculous signs of his en-
many means for attainment (sadhana) which elucidated the profound lightened realisation and buddha-attributes. His passing away in France
teachings of the buddhadharma. He wrote commentaries both on his is of great significance because it enacts the unification of East and
predecessor's teachings and on his own revealed treasures. When he West into a single ma1)<;iala of enlightened mind. His embalmed body
was seventeen years old he composed his first celebrated treatise on was placed in a stiipa, constructed in Bodhnath, Nepal on 5 February
the Great Perfection (rdzogs-pa chen-po). He became widely renowned 1989, in order to continue the Bodhisattva's activity of benefitting
as a scholar and meditation master, and was followed by many students. sentient beings. He was a Vajra Guru whose accomplishment is to be
Among his students in Tibet and throughout the Himalayan regions, seen not so much in the outward form of elaborate monastic establish-
many have shown the signs of full enlightenment. ments, but in the direct, clear awareness of the mind, free from elab-
He maintained the lineage of the Mindroling tradition in Central Tibet, oration. This enlightened mind is displayed by many of his monastic
and above all at Perna Choling [Lamaling] and his other seats in the and lay disciples. On this basis the purity of his lineage is established
Kongpo and Puwo areas of south-east Tibet. Subsequently, forseeing the and maintained to this day in an unbroken succession.
incipient Chinese invasion, His Holiness and family left Tibet for India
in 1958, following the prediction of Diljom Lingpa that the lineage of his
New Treasures would spread to all continents of the world, and The publication of this translation was originally conceived as a ma1)<;iala
especially to the West. offering to His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche and to those great teachers
After his arrival in India, Nepal and Sikkim, he established many who, through their discriminative awareness and skilful method, lead
vital communities of Buddhist practitioners. These include Zangdok sentient beings to the path of the dharma - what is to be abandoned
Pelri in Kalimpong, Dildill Rapten Ling in Orissa and the Buddhist and what is to be adopted. For twenty years Gyurme Dorje devoted
monasteries in Tshopema [Rewalsar, Himachal Pradesh] and Bodhnath painstaking and continuous effort to bring these translations to fruition.
in Nepal. In addition, he actively encouraged the study of the Nyingma He is a modest and unswerving scholar who has accomplished a work
tradition at the Tibetan Institute for Higher Studies in Sarnath. In such of paramount importance for practitioners, scholars and those generally
locations, he continued to grant the empowerments and literary trans- interested in Tibetan Buddhism. Matthew Kapstein has given invalu-
missions for the Collected Transmitted Precepts of the Nyingmapa (rnying- able assistance for the later stages of these translations. Our joy is that
ma'i bka'-ma), the Collected Tantras of the Nyingmapa (rnying-ma'i rgyud- this work has now come to its final form - the seed having been carefully
'bum), and the Store of Precious Treasure, among others. His prolific planted and tended throughout, its growth has borne fruit. It will bring
scholarship is attested by the recent publication in India of his Collected inconceivable benefit to all those who come into contact with it through
Works, and his edition of the Collected Transmitted Precepts of the Nying- reading, contemplation or meditation. Our regret is that we could not
mapa, a fifty-five volume work which he began at the age of seventy-four. complete the project in time to make an offering of it to His Holiness
At the request of the Dalai Lama, he also wrote a Political History of during his lifetime. It is a work which communicates the highest wisdom
Tibet (bod-kyi rgyal-rabs). of the Nyingma lineage to the English-speaking world.
xxviii Foreword
I dedicate the benefit of this profound work of my father to the long
life of His Holiness Dalai Lama XIV, the incarnation of Avalokitesvara,
who is a benefit to the Land of Snows, and to the whole world. May
all his actions be spontaneously accomplished. May the Tibetan people,
under his lotus feet, never be separated from his enlightened discrimin-
Preface
ative awareness and compassion. May His Holiness the Gyelwa Kar-
mapa manifest swiftly to raise the victory banner of the dhanna which
liberates sentient beings, and may the heads of the Kagyii schools
continue to illuminate the path of those wandering in the six realms.
May His Holiness the Sakya Trhizin powerfully safeguard and nourish
the faultless tradition of the Sakyapa. Mayall other lineage-holders
flourish, and their dhanna activities increase like the waxing moon.
May His Majesty King Jikme Senge Wangcuk of Bhutan live long,
bringing happiness, prosperity and spiritual growth to his people. May Two treatises form the present volume, namely, the Fundamentals of
His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev of Nepal fulfil all the the Nyingma School (bstan-pa'i rnam-gzhag) and the History of the
aspirations and wishes of his people. May the government and people of Nyingma School (rnying-ma'i chos-'byung). Among the most widely read
India, the land of the sublime ones, prosper and sustain their spiritual of all His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche's works, these treatises were
heritage. composed during the years immediately following his arrival in India
May our dhanna patrons, the Royal Grandmother of Bhutan, HRH as a refugee. His intention in writing them, as the concluding verses
Phiintsok Chodron, M. Gerard Godet, Dr L. Y. Soo, Ms Emily Stevens of the History state, was to preserve the precise structure of the
and Jonathan Altman, enjoy both causal and wisdom merits and may Nyingma philosophical view within its own historical and cultural con-
their ability to benefit others never be exhausted. Tiilku Perna Wangyel text, in a period of great uncertainty and instability. .
and Tiilku RangdrOi selflessly served His Holiness - may their activities Since the early sixties, His Holiness had appreciated the growIng
in the West be crowned with success. interest in the meditation practices and philosophical views of the
To you, my physical and spiritual father and root guru, on behalf of Nyingma tradition, which is now evident both in universities and in
my mother Rikzin Wangmo, my sisters Chime Wangmo and Tsering the large number of Buddhist meditation centres throughout the world.
Penzom, my niece Lhanzey Wangmo, and my prophesied wife Sonam He knew that, despite the vastness of the Tibetan literature, very few
Chhuskit; on behalf of my sons Namgyel Dawa and Wangchen Dawa, texts had actually been translated into other languages, and he recog-
and on behalf of all your disciples, I bow at your lotus feet and offer nised an urgent need for the presentation in English of traditional works
homage for your unrepayable kindness and guidance in making our which precisely define, stage by stage, the entire range of Buddhist
lives wholesome and meaningful. May the victorious sound of the drum experience and thought, and the authentic history of its transmission
of the dhanna penetrate all the levels of existence, bringing joy and from antiquity to the present. Therefore, in 1971, he authorised and
happiness. Mayall be auspicious. encouraged me to translate into English his History of the Nyingma
Taking a humble position, rich with the treasure of School, which constitutes the latter part of this volume. Then, in 1980,
contentment, he further authorised the translation of his Fundamentals of the Nyingma
Free from the binds of the eight worldly concerns, School.
firm and strong-hearted in practice, Prior to 1971, partial Chinese and Hindi translations of the History
Receiving the Guru's blessing, realisation becomes had already been published in Hong Kong and Nalanda respectively.
equal to space. Working from the original Tibetan and its Hindi version, I prepared
May we attain the kingdom of the All-Good. an annotated English translation in manuscript form at the monastery
of Orgyen Kunzang Chokhorling in Darjeeling and at the sacred place
HIS EMINENCE SHENPEN DA W A RINPOCHE of the Nyingmapa known as Tshopema, or Rewalsar, in Himachal
Lineage-holder of the New Treasures Pradesh, between 1971 and 1977. The typing of the first draft was
Dordogne, 1990 completed by Sheona Gunnat Bodhnath, Nepal, during the winter of
1977 to 1978. In the summer of 1979, the Author asked Matthew
xxx Preface Preface XXXI

Kapstein to edit the manuscript, and consequently in 1981 we met to Dordogne, France, during the summer of 1982 and in New York during
revise the edited translation and to standardise the English terminology. the summer of 1983. His wife, Lady Rikdzin Wangmo (Sangyum
Then, between 1980 and 1982, I prepared a translation of the Funda- Kusho), and his dharma heir, Shenpen Dawa Rinpoche, have also given
mentals in the Dordogne region of France and met again with Matthew constant support. The late Kangyur Rinpoche and his family facilitated
Kapstein in New York during the summer of 1983, where he helped the project during its formative years in Darjeeling from 1971 to 1976,
edit the Fundamentals. Both texts were prepared for publication with and gave invaluable subsequent assistance. During this period, the
the assistance of many volunteer typists at Orgyen Cho Dzong, Green- project was also funded and staunchly supported by Eric and Joan
ville, New York. McLennan. Then, from 1977 to 1983, Gerard Godet of the Kangyur
The Fundamentals is written in the terse, highly structured style of Rinpoche Foundation sponsored the translation with dedicated generos-
the grub-mtha' genre, and is by no means an easy text to comprehend. ity. Some financial support was also provided by Tom Stickland in
A synopsis of the treatise has been included in the Translator's Intro- 1978, Georgina and Etienne De Swarte in 1982, and Mr C. T. Chen
duction so that the reader can form an overall view of its structure and of the Institute for Advanced Studies of World Religions during 1979
become familiar with the English terminology. Those unfamiliar with and 1980. Moreover, for the past twelve years enormous practical help
even the basic categories of Buddhist thought are recommended to start has been given by Rigzin Dolma, who, keeping in the background,
by reading the History, Parts One and Two, where these concepts are has sustained those working on the project.
introduced in the clear narrative context of the origins of Indian Buddh- Several scholars devoted many concentrated hours to clarify obscure
ism, as understood in the Nyingma tradition. points of dharma or translation. In chronological order, these were:
The annotations, glossaries and indexes for both texts, which are Perna Dorje, the artist, and Khenpo Perna Sherab who dedicated them-
published here in the second section as a resource for the reader, were selves to the task at Clement Town during the winter and spring of
compiled after consulting materials at the library of the School of Ori- 1978 to 1979; Khetsun Zangpo Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Don-
ental and African Studies, University of London, between 1982 and gyel who offered similar assistance during the autumn and winter of
1983. The bibliographies were initially prepared in the Dordogne and 1979 in Nepal; and Lama Sonam Topgyel, Ttilku Perna Wangyel,
London over the same period, and their sources thoroughly researched Khenpo Palden Sherap and Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche, who applied
and documented at Brown University, Rhode Island, USA, from 1985 themselves to the editing problems in France from 1980 to 1982. I also
to 1986. All of this reference material was revised, updated and ex- wish to thank Professor David Snellgrove for his interest and support,
panded into its present form with the help of our editor Sarah Thresher Mr Hugh Richardson, Dr Michael Aris and Kalon Jikme Taring, who
during the final editorial work in London, New York and Boston helped clarify specific points; and Mr Michael Farmer, who prepared
throughout 1989 and 1990. our new maps with great thoroughness and care. Matthew Kapstein
The general problems of translation are compounded in the case of wishes to thank Khenpo Sangye Tenzin of Serlo Gumba, Nepal, for
the Tibetan language. In the past, Tibetan scholars of the calibre of the profound kindness with which he introduced' him to the historical
Vairocana and Kawa Peltsek could translate the Sanskrit Buddhist texts and doctrinal traditions of the Nyingmapa.
with great accuracy because they had fully realised the essence of en- Finally, we wish to express gratitude to all the staff of Wisdom
lightened mind. By contrast, in the present circumstances, despite our Publications for their sustained efforts, editorial care and strong com-
total absence of inner realisation, we are obliged to translate the great mitment to the preservation of the important works of Tibetan Buddh-
works of Tibetan literature in order to preserve and propagate them ism. The publishers wish to thank Brian Boland for his assistance
for the benefit of posterity. It is therefore hoped that the well informed during the latter stages of production.
reader will exercise some restraint in the knowledge that the translator
accepts full responsibility for errors which inevitably exist. These in
no way reflect on the realisation or scholarship of the Author. GYURME DOR]E
London, 1990
At this juncture Matthew Kapstein and I wish to express our gratitude
to all who helped bring about the publication of the English version
of these texts. Above all, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche suggested
the task and inspired the work of translation at every stage of its develop-
ment. Specifically, he gave attention to many textual problems in the
Preface to the Second Edition Credits for Illustrations and Maps

After H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche's The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: PLATES
Its Fundamentals and History first appeared in English in 1991, many
The following people and organisations kindly made available colour
expressed to us the desire for a more moderately priced edition that
or monochrome photographs for inclusion in Section One:
would be readily available to the broad range of students of Buddhism in
the West and in Asia. We are therefore grateful to Wisdom Publications Board of Trustees of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 5
for now undertaking to bring out a new edition that will fulfill this Dudjom Rinpoche Collection, frontispiece, 6, 24
demand. Our thanks are also due to the Venerable Sogyal Rinpoche and Gyurme Dorje, 1,9, 11, 12, 16, 19,20,23,
to the Rigpa Fellowship, whose encouragements have greatly facilitated Golbenkin Museum of Oriental Art, Durham, 2
these efforts. Rigpa Meditation Centre, London, 3
The present volume reproduces in full the text of the two volumes of Lama Yeshe Dorje, 4
the original publication, the Translations, and Reference Materials. It dif- Mathieu Ricard, 18, 22
fers in that it offers a reduced selection of the photographic plates that Stone Routes, 10, 15, 17
illustrated the first edition; and it corrects, without comment, a number of Robin Bath, 8
errors and infelicities that were found in the text after careful review. A list Michael Farmer, 21
of addenda to the bibliography of works referred to by the translators has Richard Freling, 7
also been added so as to reflect pertinent developments in Tibetan Bud- Ngawang Chadron, 13, 14
dhist Studies during the past decade.
As promised in the original version, an exhaustive Tibetan-English We would also like to thank Chris Conlon and all those who helped with
glossary of the material treated in volume two is being prepared, and we are the photo research.
happy to announce that it is nearing completion. Remarks on new
researches concerning the identification and availability of primary textual
sources, which we have not been able to incorporate here, will be included
in that forthcoming work, intended as an aid to Tibetological scholarship.
In concluding our present task, we wish to honour once again the
memory of our magnificent teacher, H.H. the late Dudjom Rinpoche. We
have been greatly privileged to assist in bringing these treasures of his
intention to interested readers throughout the world. dge legs 'phel! May
virtue and goodness increase!

Gyurme Dorje and Matthew Kapstein

June 2002
xxxiv Credits for Illustrations and Maps
LINE DRAWINGS

The series of line drawings in Section One was compiled from a number
of sources and redrawn by Chris Conlon. The majority were commis-
sioned and drawn under the guidance of Dudjom Rinpoche for the Technical Note
original publication of the History in its Tibetan version in 1962, and
later redrawn by Gomchen Oleshey for publication in Kailash. We also
acknowledge Professor Lokesh Chandra's Buddhist Iconography of Tibet,
which was an invaluable resource, and thank all those who obtained
or commissioned rare drawings, namely, Khenpo Perna Sherap,
Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche, Ttilku Perna Wangyel, Dr Yo shiro lmaeda,
Dr Michael Aris, Chris Fynn and the Rigpa Meditation Centre, London.
The completed line drawings were shown to Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
in the summer of 1990, who then instructed Ttilku Perna Wangyel to
review them for accuracy. Several revisions were undertaken on the The two treatises presented here are works of great breadth and com-
basis of the latter's valuable advice. plexity. For this reason, extensive annotations, glossaries and indexes
have been compiled to assist the reader, and these constitute Section
Two. The introduction to the second volume details the reference mater-
MAPS ial at the disposal of the reader - this brief note is intended to introduce
only those conventions commonly used within Section One.
The maps in Section Two were compiled by Michael Farmer and Each book is preceded by a detailed list of contents which includes
extracted from the Tibetan mapping database currently being used to a complete breakdown of all the sections and subsections of the original
generate the forthcoming Wisdom map ofTibet . He wishes to thank YRM work. For the benefit of the reader, chapter and section headings have
pIc for the extensive use of their lntergraph CAD system, without which also been inserted within the texts themselves whenever possible even
the project would not have been possible; and also Robbie Barnett, though these do not always appear in the original Tibetan. None of the
Jeremy Schmidt, John Cannon, Bradley Rowe, Anders Andersen and inserted headings have been enclosed within square brackets or paren-
Urgyen Norbu, who generously provided valuable and rare maps from theses.
their own collections. Square brackets have been used in the text where the terse character
of the Tibetan language necessitates short explanations by the trans-
lators. They are also employed where, at the beginning of each section
of the translation, the pagination of the original Tibetan text is given
for the convenience of scholars wishing to locate specific passages in
the original. Parentheses have been used where technical terms and
book titles given in the original text have been retained, either in their
Tibetan or Sanskrit versions. In those instances where these conventions
would require the running together of square brackets and parentheses
only the former have been employed.
Tibetan and Sanskrit book titles have been given in English transla-
tion and after their first occurence are followed by the Tibetan title (in
the case of indigenous Tibetan works) or a Sanskrit title (in the case
of works of lndic origin). The translated title always represents the
form in which it is given in the Tibetan text and so may not always
correspond to the known Sanskrit title. Abbreviated bibliographical
data for texts occuring in certain well-known collections, such as the
Kangyur, has also been provided, along with precise identification of
the original sources of citations from major Indian Buddhist works
XXXVI Technical Note
wherever possible. When the readings of the text and Sanskrit original
diverge, the translators have remained faithful to the Tibetan. Full
bibliographical information for texts cited by the Author or referred to
by the translators is provided in Section Two.
Sanskrit has generally been used for the names of persons and places
Guide to Pronunciation
in India, and for the names of many of the deities. Sanskrit equivalents
of Tibetan technical terms have also occasionally been given, though
this is mostly reserved for the glossaries of Section Two. Where a
technical term given in Sanskrit is not documented in the original
Sanskrit sources that are presently available, this fact is indicated by
the use of an asterisk (*) preceding the term in question. To avoid
typographical clutter, however, we have not followed this convention
with respect to personal and place names.
Numerical categories are not indicated in the body of the text and Readers should familiarise themselves at the outset with the following
seldom in the Notes but are listed in the Glossary of Enumerations in four rules of pronunciation for Tibetan and Sanskrit:
Section Two, which should be directly consulted whenever enumera-
tions occur. Similarly, Tibetan and/or Sanskrit equivalents for all the (1) A final e is never silent, but is always pronounced in the manner
technical terminology employed in the body of the translations are given of the French e. Thus, Sanskrit vane is pronounced vane, and the
in the Index of Technical Terms. Tibetan Ghare, Kore and Dorje are pronounced, respectively, Gha-
Finally, readers are referred to the Guide to Pronunciation which re, Kore and Dorje.
follows, for an explanation of the system of romanisation and simplified
(2) C is pronounced somewhat like the English ch, but withou~ aspira-
spelling adopted for personal and place names in Section One. In
tion. Sanskrit cakra and citta thus resemble chakra and chuta, and
particular, the conventions governing the use of the letters c and e may
Tibetan Co-se, Campa and Koca are rather like Cho-se, Champa and
seem unnatural to an English speaker and so require special attention.
Technical terms and book titles occuring parenthetically have been Kocha.
transcribed according to their proper Tibetan orthography. (3) Ph is never pronounced like an English j, but like a p with strong
aspiration, for example in Sanskrit phala and Tibetan photrang.
(4) Th is never pronounced like the English th in think or that, but
always resembling a t with strong aspiration, for example in Sanskrit
tathtigata and Tibetan thuk.

The following remarks explain the conventions adopted for the trans-
cription of Sanskrit and Tibetan in greater detail:

SANSKRIT

The Sanskrit vowels in actual use here are as follows:

a, ii, i, f, u, U, f, e, ai, 0, au

A, i, u, e and 0 are pronounced as in Italian. A, f and u are not to be

pronounced like the so-called "long vowels" in English, but like the a
in father, the ea in seat and the 00 in boot respectively. Ai is similar to
the y-sound of English by, and au to the ow of now. ~ resembles the
ri-sound of brick. Vowels may be followed by 1?l and IJ, which respectively
xxxviii Guide to Pronunciation Guide to Pronunciation XXXIX

indicate the nasalisation and aspiration of the vowel to which they are In addition to the five vowels a, i, u, e and 0, which have the same
affixed. values here that they do in Sanskrit, Tibetan introduces two more - o·
The transcribed Sanskrit consonants are: and il - which are pronounced as in German.
The following additional consonants are used, along with those also
k, kh, g, gh, it found in Sanskrit: ng, ny, tr, trh, dr, ts, tsh, dz, w, sh, z, zh. Of these,
c, ch, j, jh, ii ng, ny, tr, dr, w, sh and z are similar to their English values. Trh is
t, th, 4, 4h, 7J like tr, but with strong aspiration. Ts resembles the ts-sound in English
t, th, d, dh, n bets, and dz the sound in adze. Tsh is the strongly aspirated version of
p, ph, b, bh, m ts. Zh is similar to the s in leisure, or the j of French words such as jamais.
y, r, I, v Specialists will note that this system does not reflect tone, an import-
S, ~, s, h ant feature of modern spoken Tibetan, and that we have dropped the
Of these, k, ch, j, t, d, n, p, b, m, y, r, I, v, s, and h indicate roughly aspirate in cases where it is not usually pronounced, even if it occurs
the same sounds as they do in English, and c, ph and th have been in the classical orthography. Following a vowel, I is often silent, the
explained above. The series t, th, d, dh, n is distinguished from the preceding vowel being lengthened by way of compensation.
series t, th, 4, 4h, 7J in that the latter or "retroflex" series is pronounced
with the tongue striking the roof of the mouth, and the former or
"dental" series, with the tongue striking the upper incisors. Kh, gh,
jh, dh, 4h and bh are similar to k, g, j, d, 4 and b respectively, but with
strong aspiration. N resembles the ng in English sing, and ii the ny in
canyon. Sand s are both similar to the English sh-sound, but the tongue
is positioned further back when pronouncing the former.

TIBETAN

The transcription of Tibetan in English introduces special problems

owing to the fact that the pronunciation of the spoken language does
not closely correspond to the orthography of the literary language. For
this reason a transliteration of the Tibetan spellings is of little use to
the ordinary reader, who will have no way of knowing that, for example,
bsgrubs and dbyings are currently pronounced as drup and ying respect-
ively. On the other hand, students of the classical Tibetan language
usually prefer the literal transcriptions to simplified phonetic schemes.
The solution adopted in the present work has been to give all Tibetan
personal and place names occurring in the text in just such a simplified
system, relegating the precise transliterations to the indexes. At the
same time, book titles, technical terms and peculiarities of language
which are given parenthetically or discussed in the annotations have
been given in a formal transliteration of the classical Tibetan, the system
used being based upon that of the late Turrell V. Wylie, which will be
familiar to specialists.
Our simplified phonetic transcription approximates the pronuncia-
tion of modern Central Tibetan, but without the subtlety 0r precision
of a formal phonetic transcription, such as that developed by Chang
and Shefts. Our intention here is merely to minimise the difficulties
with which Tibetan names confront the reader.
Abbreviations for Section One

DZ Gdams-ngag mdzod. Store of Precious Instructions. 12

vols. Delhi: N. Lungtok and N. Gyaltsan, 1971.
Fundamentals Dudjom Rinpoche, Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje. The
Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: Its Funda-
mentals and History, Vol. 1, Bk. 1.
History Dudjom Rinpoche, Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje. The
Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: Its Fundamen-
tals and History, Vol. 1, Bk. 2.
Mvt. Mahavyutpatti. Ed. R. Sakaki, Kyoto, 1916-25.
NGB Rnying-ma'i rgyud-'bum. Collected Tantras of the Nying-
mapa. Thimpu: Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, 1973.
36 vols. Catalogue by E. Kaneko, Tokyo, 1982.
NMKMG Rnying-ma bka'-ma rgyas-pa. Collected Transmitted
Precepts of the Nyingmapa. Ed. Dudjom Rinpoche,
Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje. 55 vols. Kalimpong, WB: Dub-
jung Lama, 1982.
NYZ Snying-thig ya-bzhi. Four-Part Innermost Spiritual-
ity. 11 vols. New Delhi: Trulku Tsewang, Jamyang
and L. Tashi, 1970.
P The Tibetan Tripitaka, Peking Edition. 168 vols.
Tokyo-Kyoto: Suzuki Research Foundation, 1955-
61.
RTD Rin-chen gter-mdzod. Store of Precious Treasure. 111
vols. Paro: Ngodrup and Sherap Drimey, 1976.
SK Sa-skya bka'-'bum. The Complete Works of the Great
Masters of the Sa Skya Pa Sect of Tibetan Buddhism.
15 vols. Tokyo: Toyo Bunko, 1968.
Skt. Sanskrit
SP ,-<:atapitaka Series. Sarasvati Vihar, New Delhi.
T A Complete Catalogue of the Tibetan Buddhist Canons.
Ed. H. Uietal. Sendai: Tohoku University, 1934.
Tib. Tibetan
Book One
Fundamentals of the Nyingma School

Dudjom Rinpoche, Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje

Translated and edited by Gyurme Dorje

Associate editor Matthew Kapstein
 Detailed Contents of Book One

TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION 11
Note
THE TEXT
This detailed list of contents has been compiled as a resource for the reader
showing the entire structure and framework of the teachings as they are VERSES OF INVOCATION 45
presented in Book One . Headings have been added which do not appear in
the actual translation to give a more precise and full idea of the subjects INTRODUCTION 47
mentioned in the text, and these have been included in square brackets. The
actual nesting of subject categories within the original Tibetan treatise is PART ONE: DOCTRINES OF SAMSARAAND NIRVA~A [1]
indicated by the small figures in square brackets which follow each heading.
1 THE ESSENCE AND DEFINITION OF DHARMA 51
[Essence] [11] 51
[Verbal Definition] [12] 51
[Classification] [13] 53

2 DOCTRINES OF SA¥SARA [131] 54

The Characteristics of Saqlsara [131.1] 54
The Mundane Vehicle and the Brahma Vehicle [131.2] 57
The Mundane Vehicle [131.21] 57
The Brahma Vehicle [131.22] 61
Those of No Understanding and Those of Wrong
Understanding [131.3] 62
Those of No Understanding [131.31] 63
The Apathetic [131.311] 63
The Materialists [131.312] 64
Those of Wrong Understanding [131.32] 64
Siirrzkhya [131.321] 64
AiSvara [131.322] 65
Vai~1Java [131.323] 65
Jainism [131.324] 66
Nihilism [131.325] 66
Conclusion [131.4] 67
4 Fundamentals Detailed Contents of Book One )
3 DOCTRINES OF NIRVA~A [132] 70 [Classification of Treatises] [132.222.3] 89 ..
Treatises according to the Standard of COmpOSltlOn
The Superiority of the Supramundane Vehicle [132.1] 70
[132.222.31] 89
A Detailed Account of the Supramundane Vehicle
[The Four Kinds of Treatise] [132.222.311] 89
[132.2] 71
[The Nine Kinds of Treatise] [132.222.312] 8~.
Realisation of the True Doctrine [132.21] 71
Treatises according to the Purpose of CompOSItIOn
Transmission of the True Doctrine [132.22] 72
[132.222.32] 90
[Those Summarising Vast Meaning] [132.222.321] 90
4 TRANSMITTED PRECEPTS [132.221] 73
[Those Rectifying Disorder] [132.222.322] 90
[The Characteristics of Transmitted Precepts] [Those Disclosing Profundity] [132.222.323] 90
[132.221.1] 73 Treatises according to their Individual Composers
[Verbal Definition of Transmitted Precepts] [132.221.2] 74 [132.222.33] 90
[Classification of Transmitted Precepts] [132.221.3] 74 [Those on Teachings Given by Buddhas]
Transmitted Precepts according to Buddha's Personality [132.222.331] 90
[132.221.31] 74 [Those on Teachings Given by Arhats] [132.222.332] 90
[Those Given in Oral Teaching] [132.221.311] 74 [Those on Teachings Given by Bodhisattvas]
[Those Given by Blessing] [132.221.312] 75 [132.222.333] 91
[Those Given by Mandate] [132.221.313] 75 [Those Composed after Prophetic Declarations]
Transmitted Precepts according to Time [132.221.32] 76 [132.222.334] 91
[The First Promulgation of the Doctrinal Wheel] [Those Composed by Ordinary Pa1Jqitas]
[132.221.321] 76 [132.222.335] 91
[The Second Promulgation of the Doctrinal Wheel] Treatises according to the Manner of their Composition
[132.221.322] 76 [132.222.34] 91
[The Third Promulgation of the Doctrinal Wheel] [Commentaries on Specific Transmitted Precepts]
[132.221.323]76 [132.222.341] 92
Transmitted Precepts according to Sections [Independent Commentaries on their Meaning]
[132.221.33] 76 [132.222.342] 92
[The Twelve Branches of Scripture] [132.221.331] 76 Treatises according to the Transmitted Precepts they
[The Nine Branches of Scripture] [132.221.332] 76 Explain [132.222.35] 92
[The Three Pitaka] [132.221.333] 76 [Commentaries on General Transmitted Precepts]
Transmitted Precepts according to their Function as [132.222.351] 92
Antidotes [132.221.34] 77 [Commentaries on Particular Promulgations]
[The Eightyjour Thousand Components of the Doctrine] [132.222.352] 93
[132.221.341] 77 Treatises according to the Meaning they Express
[The Four Pitaka] [132.221.342] 78 [132.222.36] 96
Transmitted Precepts according to their Power
[132.221.35] 80 6 QUANTITATIVE TREATISES [132.222.361] 97
[One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Nine Vehicles]
Common Quantitative Treatises [132.222.361.1] 97
[132.221.351] 80
Uncommon Quantitative Treatises [132.222.361.2] 97
Outer Sciences [132.222.361.21] 97
5 TREATISES [132.222] 88 The Arts [132.222.361.211] 98
[The Characteristics of Treatises] [132.222.1] 88 Medicine [132.222.361.212] 99
[Pure Treatises] [132.222.11] 88 Grammar [132.222.361.213] 99
[Ostensible Treatises] [132.222.12] 88 Logic [132.222.361.214] 101
[Verbal Definition of Treatises] [132.222.2] 88 Minor Sciences [132.222.361.22] 103
6 Fundamentals Detailed Contents ofBook One 7
Astrology [132.222.361.221] 104
[I ts Characteristic] [251.2] 144
Poetics [132.222.361.222] 104
Prosody [132.222.361.223] 105 [Its Blessing] [251.3] 145
[Distinctive Attributes of the Buddha-bodies of Form]
Synonymies [132.222.361.224] 106
[252] 145
Drama [132.222.361.225] 106
[Distinctive Attributes of the Buddha-body of Perfect
Rapture] [252.1] 145
7 TREATISES OF INNER SCIENCE [132.222.362] 108
[Distinctive Attributes of the Emanational Body] [252.2] 145
Qualitative Treatises [132.222.362.1] 108
Treatises Teaching Liberation and Omniscience
[132.222.362.2] 108 PART THREE: CAUSAL VEHICLES OF DIALECTICS [3]

INTRODUCTION 151
PART TWO: THE NATURE OF THE TEACHER ENDOWED
WITH THE BUDDHA-BODIES [2] [The Overall Meaning according to Classifications] [31] 151

INTRODUCTION 113 1 THE THREE PROMULGATIONS OF THE DOCTRINAL WHEEL

[311] 153
SAMANTABHADRA, THE BUDDHA-BODY OF REALITY [21] 115 The First Promulgation [311.1] 153
The Second Promulgation [311.2] 153
2 V AJRADHARA, THE EMANATION OF SAMANTABHADRA The Third Promulgation [311.3] 154
[22] 120 Philosophical Systems of the Causal Vehicles [312] 155

3- THE TWO BUDDHA-BODIES OF FORM [23] 123 2 THE LESSER VEHICLE [312.1] 156
The Buddha-body of Perfect Rapture [231] 123 Vaibha~ika [312.11] 156
The Emanational Body [232] 127 Sautrantika [312.12] 158
Emanations of Natural Expression [232.1] 128 Pious Attendants [312.13] 158
Emanations who Train Living Beings [232.2] 129 Self-Centred Buddhas [312.14] 159
[Those who Instruct by their Great Merit of Body]
[232.21] 131 3 THE GREATER VEHICLE [312.2] 160
[Those who Instruct by Direct Perception of Mind] Vijfianavada [312.21] 160
[232.22] 131 [Sakaravada] [312.211] 161
[Those who Instruct by Inconceivable Miraculous [Nirakaravada] [312.212] 161
Abilities] [232.23] 132 Madhyamaka [312.22] 162
Diversified Emanations [232.3] 133 Outer Madhyamaka [312.221.1] 162
Emanations according to the Great Perfection [232.4] 134 Svdtantrika-Madhyamaka [312.221.1] 162
Prdsaizgika-Madhyamaka [312.221.2] 164
4 THE FIVE BUDDHA-BODIES AND FIVE PRISTINE Great Madhyamaka [312.222] 169
COGNITIONS [241.1-242.5] 139
4 THE SUPERIORITY OF GREAT MADHYAMAKA TO MIND ONLY
[312.222.1] 178
5 DISTINCTIVE ATTRIBUTES OF THE BUDDHA-BODIES AND
PRISTINE COGNITIONS [25] 144 5 THE PROVISIONAL AND DEFINITIVE MEANING OF THE
[Distinctive Attributes of the Buddha-body of Reality] TRANSMITTED PRECEPTS [312.222.2] 187
[251] 144
[Its Essence] [251.1] 144 6
THE ENLIGHTENED OR BUDDHA FAMILY [312.222.3] 191
8 Fundamentals Detailed Contents ofBook One 9
7 THE TWO TRUTHS ACCORDING TO GREAT MADHYAMAKA 5 MAHAYOGA [421.324.1] 275
[312.222.4] 206
The Ground or View of Mahayoga [421.324.11] 275
8 KEY TO THE APPRAISAL OF CAUSAL VEHICLE TEXTS The Path of Mahayoga [421.324.12] 276
[312.3] 217 The Creation Stage of Mahayoga [421.324.121] 279
The Perfection Stage of Mahayoga [421.324.122] 280
The Provisional and Definitive Meaning of the True Doctrine
The Result of Mahayoga [421.324.13] 281
[312.31] 217
The Texts of Mahayoga [421.324.14] 283
The Intention and Covert Intention of the True Doctrine
[312.32] 218
6 ANUYOGA [421.324.2] 284
9 A RECAPITULATION OF THE CAUSAL VEHICLES [32] 223 The Ground of Anuyoga [421.324.21] 284
The Path of Anuyoga [421.324.22] 286
Vehicle of Pious Attendants [321] 223
[Definitive Path of Skilful Means] [421.324.221] 286
Vehicle of Self-Centred Buddhas [322] 227
[Liberating Path of Discriminative Awareness]
Vehicle of Bodhisattvas [323] 231
[421.324.222] 286
The Result of Anuyoga [421.324.23] 287
PART FOUR: RESULTANT VEHICLES OF SECRET The Texts of Anuyoga [421.324.24] 289
MANTRA [4]
7 KEY TO THE APPRAISAL OF SECRET MANTRA TEXTS
INTRODUCTION 241 [421.324.3] 290

1 THE SUPERIORITY OF SECRET MANTRA [41] 243 The Six Limits [421.324.31] 290
The Four Styles [421.324.32] 292
2 THE ESSENCE AND DEFINITION OF SECRET MANTRA 257
8 THE SUPERIORITY OF ATIYOGA, THE GREAT PERFECTION
[The Extraordinary Vehicles of Secret Mantra] [42] 257 294
[The Overall Meaning according to Classifications]
[421] 257 [Atiyoga, the Great Perfection] [421.324.4] 294
[Essence] [421.1] 257 [The Superiority of Atiyoga over the Lower Vehicles]
[Verbal Definition] [421.2] 257 [421.324.41] 294

3 THETHREECONTINUAOFGROUND,PATHANDRESULT 263 9 THE DEFINITION OF ATIYOGA [421.324.411] 311

Classification of the Secret Mantra Vehicles [421.3] 263 10 THE DIVISIONS OF ATIYOGA [421.324.42] 319
The Three Continua of Expressed Meaning
The Mental Class [421.324.421] 319
[421.31] 263
Continuum of the Ground [421.311] 263 The Texts and Teaching Cycles of the Mental Class
[421.324.421.1] 325
Continuum of the Path [421.312] 265
The Spatial Class [421.324.422] 326
Continuum of the Result [421.313] 266
The Texts of the Spatial Class [421.324.422.1] 329
The Esoteric Instructional Class [421.324.423] 329
4 THE FOUR T ANTRAPIT AKA 268
The Texts of the Esoteric Instructional Class
[The Four Tantrapitaka of Literary Expression] [421.32] 268 [421.324.423.1] 332
Kriyatantra [421.321] 269 The View and Path of the Esoteric Instructional Class
Ubhayatantra [421.322] 271 [421.324.423.2] 333
Yogatantra [421.323] ·272
Cutting Through Resistance [421.324.423.21] 335
Unsurpassed Yogatantra [421.324] 273 All-Surpassing Realisation [421.324.423.22] 337
10 Fundamentals
11 A RECAPITULATION OF THE RESULTANT VEHICLES
[422] 346
Distinctions between Outer and Inner Tantras
[422.1] 346 Translator's Introduction
Outer Tantras of Austere Awareness [422.2] 348
Kriyatantra [422.21] 348
Ubhayatantra [422.22] 352
Yogatantra [422.23] 353
Inner Tantras of Skilful Means [422.3] 357
Mahayoga [422.31] 359
Anuyoga [422.32] 363
Atiyoga [422.33] 369

The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism represents the original

CONCLUSION Buddhist teachings as they were translated, principally from Sanskrit
but also from Burushaski and other languages into Tibetan, until the
1 CONCLUDING REMARKS 375 period of the Indian scholar Sm.rtijiianaklrti (late tenth or early eleventh
2 DEDICATORY VERSES 376 century) and prior to that of Locen Rincen Zangpo (958-1055). It is
also known as the Ancient Translation School (snga-'gyur) in contrast
3 COLOPHON 378 to the other lineages of Indian origin such as the Kagytipa, the Sakyapa,
and the Kadampa, which subsequently arrived in Tibet and became
known as the new traditions (gsar-ma) or the later translation schools
(phyi-'gyur).
The original promulgator of the doctrines brought together within
the Nyingma tradition is held to be Samantabhadra, who is the primor-
dial buddha-body of reality (chos-sku, Skt. dharmakaya). However, there
are also a considerable number of teachings which derive from Vajra-
dhara and the Buddhas of the Five Families, who are the buddha-body
of perfect rapture (longs-spyod rdzogs-pa'i sku, Skt. sambhogakaya), and
from the emanational bodies (sprul-pa'i sku, Skt. nirmalJakaya) , such
as Sakyamuni in the world of men, Munlndra in the god realms and
so on.
All Buddhist teachings may be presented in accordance with the
threefold approach of theoretical view (lta-ba), meditational experience
(bsgom-pa), or conduct (spyod-pa). In the Fundamentals of the Nyingma
School, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche precisely delineates the entire
range of the Buddhist spiritual and philosophical systems from the
standpoint of the view. It is traditionally held that once the view has
been comprehended, it is then to be experientially cultivated through
meditation, and practically applied in all everyday situations which
arise during the aftermath of meditation.
The Buddhist spiritual and philosophical systems form what is essen-
tially a dynamic gradation of experience from the most mundane level
of cyclical existence (sarrzsara) to that of the Great Perfection (rdzogs-pa
chen-po). As the text explains (p.80):
12 Fundamentals Translator's Introduction 13
When the transmitted precepts are classified according to eighteen psychophysical bases, the five components and the twelve
their power, they form a vehicle, because it appears that activity fields. l All these are said to be compounded internally by the
therein higher and higher paths are traversed, in the manner mind, their apparent aspect and support being the five gross elements
of a "vehicle". compounded by external objects. In this way, the three world realms of
And again: desire (kamadhatu), form (rilpadhiitu) and the formless (arilpyadhiitu) are
nothing but apparitional modes of the bewildered intellect of living
Riding on that, which is the best of vehicles,
beings. They do not appear in the pure vision of the buddhas, and the
Manifestly attaining to delightful bliss,
sufferings sustained within them are prolonged by karma or world-
All sentient beings pass into nirvaQ.a.
forming deeds.
The Fundamentals expands upon these systems, which are known in
the Nyingma tradition as the nine sequences of the vehicle (theg-pa'i The Mundane Vehicle and the Brahma Vehicle
rim-pa dgu), in extraordinarily intricate detail. To facilitate the reader's
The mundane vehicle which is followed by gods and human beings
understanding, a summary now follows.
(lha-mi jig-rten-gyi theg-pa) is the basis on which the nine specifically
Buddhist sequences of the vehicle develop. By regulating world-form-
SUMMARY OF THE TEXT ing deeds, renouncing the ten non-virtues and observing good deeds
with piety and humility, one is said to progress to the status of a god of
The Fundamentals consists of four parts. The first expounds the doc- the desire realm within cyclical existence. As the text says (pp.60-1):
trines of cyclical existence or sarpsara and the supramundane doctrines It either forms the foundation of, or is preliminary to, all
of nirvana. The second explains the nature of the teachers who are vehicles, because the vehicle which is not retained by the cor-
endowed with the three buddha-bodies of reality, perfect rapture, and rect view and which does not observe the deeds and path of the
emanation. The third is an analysis of the causal vehicles of dialectics. ten virtues as its actual foundation is nowhere to be found.
And, finally, there is a detailed account of the resultant vehicles of
As an extension of this mundane vehicle, the vehicle of Brahma (tshangs-
indestructible reality (Vajrayana) which are held to be supreme by all
pa'i theg-pa) generates the experience of all the twenty-one higher realms
schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
within cyclical existence. These include seventeen realms of form, which
Within these four parts the distinctions of entrance ()'ug-sgo) ,
are experienced through the four meditative concentrations of form, and
empowerment (dbang-bskur) , view (lta-ba), moral discipline
four formless realms at the summit of cyclical existence, which are to be ex-
(tshul-khrims), meditation (bsgom-pa), conduct (spyod-pa), and result
perienced through the four formless absorptions. These meditative
(,bras-bu) are clarified as they apply to each stage of the Buddhist
techniques employ both tranquillity (zhi-gnas, Skt. famatha) and higher in-
experience.
sight (lhag-mthong, Skt. vipafyana), and are accompanied by the practice of
the four immeasurables (loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and
equanimity). The chart on the following pages indicates the stages and
PART ONE: DOCTRINES OF SA~SARA AND NIRVANA
o."erall structure of the three realms of cyclical existence with their subdivi-
At the outset, the Author differentiates between mundane doctrines SIons and their corresponding meditative states.
which do not transcend the suffering of cyclical existence and the supra- Since the vehicles of gods and human beings and the vehicle of
mundane doctrines which do so by relyiag on the continuum of en- Brahma possess qualities which are basic to any Buddhist experience,
lightenment. they are regarded as a means of entering into the true vehicle of Buddhist
experience.
Doctrines of Sarrzsara
The basis of the mundane doctrines is held to be ignorance which, in Those ofNo Understanding and Those of Wrong
three interrelated aspects, generates a sense of bewilderment. This, in Understanding
turn, gives rise to consciousness of the ground-of-all (kun-gzhi rnam-shes,
Skt. iilayavijfilina), the six conflicting emotions of ignorance, delusion, T~e sentient beings who are considered to be ensnared within cyclical
hatred, pride, desire, and envy, and also all sensory perception, the eXIstence and subject to continuous rounds of suffering are traditionally
 THE SIX CLASSES OF LIVING BEINGS IN THEIR GRADATION
TO THE SUMMIT OF EXISTENCE IN SA¥SARA
1. The Twenty-one Higher Realms (khams gong-ma nyi-shu rtsa-gcig)
IA. Four Formless Realms at the Summit of Existence (gzugs-med khams-pa'i gnas-bzhi, SkI. Caturarilpyadhatu, Mvt. 31lO-3113)
4. Activity Field of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception ('du-shes med 'du-shes med-min skye-mched, Skt. NaivasaT!ljfiiisamjiUiyatana)
3. Activity Field of Nothing At All (ci-yang med-pa'i skye-mched, Skt. Aki'f!lcanyayatana)
2. Activity Field of Infinite Consciousness (mam-shes mtha'-yas skye-mched, Skt. VijiUinanantyayatana)
1. Activity Field Infinite as the Sky (nam-mkha' mtha'-yas skye-mched, SkI. Akasanantyayatana)

Class 6: lB. Seventeen Realms of Form (lha gzugs-khams bcu-bdun)

God Realms
IBa. The Five Pure Abodes (gtsang-gnas lnga, SkI. Paiicasuddhanivasa, Mvi. 3101-3108)

5. Highest (,og-min, Skt. Akani~~ha)

4. Extreme Insight (shin-tu mthong, Skt. Sudarsana)
3. Attractive (gya-nom snang-ba, SkI. Sud!sa)
2. Painless (mi-gdung-pa, Skt. Atapa)
1. Slightest (mi-che-ba, Skt. Av!ha)
lBb. The Twelve Ordinary Realms of the Four Concentrations (so-skye'i gnas bCll-gnyis, MvI. 3085-3lO0)

FOURTH CONCENTRATION
12. Great Fruition ('bras-bu che, SkI. B~'hatpha/a)
11. Increasing Merit (bsod-nams 'phe!, Skt. PW.lyaprasa'va)
10. Cloudless (sprin-med, SkI. Anabhraka)
THIRD CONCENTRATION
9. Most Extensive Virtue (dge-rgyas, Skt. Subhak~·tsna)
8. Immeasurable Virtue (tshad-med dge, Skt. Apramal.1GSllbha)
7. Little Virtue (dge-chung, Skt. Parfttasllbha)

SECOND CONCENTRATION
6. Inner Radiance ('od-gsa/, SkI. Abhasvara)
5. Immeasurable Radiance (tshad-med 'od, Skt. Apramal.uibha)
4. Little Radiance ('od-chung, Skt. ParftUibha)

FIRST CONCENTRATION
3. Great Brahma (tshangs-pa chen-po, Skt. Mahabrahma)
2. Priest Brahma (tshangs-pa mdun-na 'don, Skt. Brahmapllrohita)
1. Stratum of Brahma (tshangs-ris, Skt. Brahmakayika)

2. The Ten Higher Levels of the Desire Realm (,dod-khams-kyi mtho-I1S g/1QS-bal)
2A. Six Species of Kama Divinities ('dod-lha rigs-drug, Skt. Kamade'l)a~a?kula, Mvt. 3078-3083)
6. Mastery over Transformations (gzhan-'ph11ll dbang-byed, Skt. Paranilmita~'asa~'artin)
5. Delighting in Emanation (,phrul-dga', Skt. NimlaJ.wrata)
4. Joyful (dga'-ldan, SkI. Tu~ita)
3. Strifeless (,thab-bral, Skt. Yama)
2. Heaven of Thirty-three Gods (sum-al rtsa-gsum-pa, Ski. Trayatrin:zsa)
1. Four Great Kings (rgyal-chen bzhi'i 11'S, Skt. Catumzaharajakayika)

Class 5: Antigods (lha-ma-yin, Skt. asura)"

Antigods
Class 4: 2B. Human Beings of the Four Continents (gling-bzhi'i mi)
Human 4. Surpassing the Body (lus-'phags, Skt. Prtrvavideha in the East)
Beings 3. Rose-Apple Continent (,dzam-bu gling, Skt. Jambud~'fpa in the South)
2. Enjoyer of Cattle (ba-glang spyod, SkI. Aparagodanfya in the West)
1. Unpleasant Sound (sgra mi-snyan, SkI. Uttarakuru in the North)
3. The Three Lower Levels of the Desire Realm (ngan-song gSllm)
Class 3: 3. Animals (dud-'gro, SkI. tfryak)
Animals
Class 2: 2. Tormented Spirits (yi-dvags, SkI. preta)
Tormented
Spirits
Class 1: 1. Denizens of the Hells (dmyal-ba, Skt. nm'aka)
Hells
 16 Fundamentals
Translator's Introduction 17
divided into those who have no understanding (ma-rtogs-pa) and those to attain that realisation - the truth of the path which removes obscu-
who have wrong understanding (log-par rtogs-pa). The former include ration and reveals the intrinsic awareness of buddhahood, bringing
the apathetic who lack understanding of deeds and causality, and so about the truth of cessation. The literary transmissions comprise both
fail to respond to any philosophical system, observing neither renun- the transmitted precepts (legs-bshad bka', Skt. subha$itapravacana) and
ciation nor commitment; and the materialists (Lokayata) who refer only the treatises (bstan-bcos, Skt. sastra).
to the present life and set their trust in the mysterious calculations of
worldly wisdom.
Those of wrong understanding are traditionally said to comprise four Transmitted Precepts
schools of eternalistic extremism and one of nihilistic extremism. The Transmitted precepts are the sutra and tantra texts which origi-
former are the Sarpkhya, the Aisvara, the Vai~1)ava, and Jainism. The nated from buddhas such as Sakyamuni. They comprise those given
Sarpkhya hold all that is knowable to consist of twenty-five existent in the form of oral teaching, those given by the blessing or con-
categories, which are said to be dissolved when sublimation of the self secration of the buddha-body, speech and mind, and those given by a
(purusa) occurs. The Aisvara, who include the adherents of Nyaya logic buddha's mandate (pp. 74-6). They may also be classified according to
and Vaisesika analysis of substances, hold that an eternally existent the three successive promulgations of the doctrinal wheel, the twelve
lord or Is~ara controls the destiny of all beings regardless of deeds. branches of the scriptures, the eighty-four thousand doctrinal com-
The Vai~1)ava uphold the authenticity of the Veda, along with the ponents including the Vinayapi!aka, Sutrapi!aka, Abhidhar-
eternal status of Vi~1)u, Brahma and other deities. And Jainism holds mapi!aka, and Vidyadharapi!aka, 4 or according to the nine sequences
all the knowable to be divided into nine categories, among which anim- of the vehicle.
ate substances (jiva) are eternally existent. The nihilistic extremists are The Author indicates at some length that enumerations such as two
the Barhaspatya hedonists of ancient India who negate causality, past vehicles, three vehicles, four vehicles, or five vehicles are merely differ-
and future lives, the existence of invisible beings and the possibility of ent ways of categorising the single vehicle. In fact there may be as
progress beyond suffering into nirva1)a. many vehicles as there are thoughts. As the Sutra of the Descent to
All these are said to lack a means of achieving liberation from the Lanka (Lankavatarasutra, T 107)5 says:
suffering of cyclical existence - those of no understanding because they
are roused by no philosophical view and those of wrong understanding As long as there is perception
because they either cling to the concept of an eternal self or become The culmination of vehicles will never be
totally negative. Even so, the Author maintains, there are certain ~ir­ reached.
cumstances when a buddha may teach in the manner of the eternahsts In the Nyingma tradition the vehicle is said to have nine se-
for a specific purpose or in that of the nihilists when scepticism may quences, which are differentiated according to the acumen of those
be transmuted into Madhyamaka dialectic. 3 who require training through them. Each lower sequence is also in-
cluded in the higher. Thus the All-Accomplishing King (kun-byed rgyal-
po, T 828) states:
Doctrines of N irvalJa
:..-
The true doctrine of nirvana which transcends the suffering of cyclical Existentially there is only one
existence is said to surpass' mundane doctrines because it seeks refuge But empirically there are nine vehicles.
in the Buddha, the doctrines of Buddhism and the community of prac-
titioners. There are four seals or hallmarks indicative of such transmitted Thes~ nine sequences are the vehicles of the pious attendants (nyan-thos,
precepts, namely, all that is compounded is impermanent, all that is Skt. sravaka) , self-centred buddhas (rang-rgyal, Skt. pratyekabuddha)
corrupt is suffering, all things are without self, and nirva1)a is peace. and bodhisattvas (byang-chub sems-dpa'); the vehicles of Kriyatantra (bya-
By the practice of the Buddhist teachings all cyclical existence and ba), Ubhayatantra (gnyis-ka), and Yogatantra (rnal-'byor); and those of
rebirth are opposed. Mahayoga (rnal-'~yorchen-po), Anuyoga (rjes-su rnal-'byor) and Atiyoga,
In general, the Buddhist teaching is divided according to realisation the <?reat PerfectIOn (rdzogs-chen shin-tu rnal-'byor). However, it is em-
(rtogs-pa, Skt. adhigama) and literary transmission (lung, Skt. agama). phaSIsed that the transmitted precepts in the form of a vehicle are a
The former includes the realisation which has been achieved by bud- means of attaining realisation,and that, in the words of the Siltra of
dhas, or the truth of cessation, as well as the active or dynamic means the Descent to Lanka:
18 Fundamentals Translator's Introduction 19
When the mind becomes transformed of three or four. Here in the Nyingma tradition there are five, namely,
There is neither vehicle nor mover. the buddha-bodies of reality, perfect rapture, emanation, awakening and
indestructible reality.
Treatises
Treatises are commentaries composed by sublime beings such as Nagar- The Buddha-body of Reality
juna, Asati.ga and Longcen Rapjampa to elucidate the intention of the
The buddha-body of reality (chos-sku, Skt. dharmakaya) , which is also
transmitted precepts.
known as Samantabhadra (kun-tu bzang-po), is considered to be the prime
In Buddhist terms, treatises are defined as compositions which are made
mover of the highest teachings of the Great Perfection or Atiyoga.
so as to counteract the three poisons of delusion, desire and hatred, and
The Nyingmapa hold that buddhahood is attained when intrinsic
to protect the mind from the suffering of cyclical existence (pp.88ff).
awareness is liberated just where it is through having recognised the
They require four special attributes, namely, a motivation based on com-
nature of Samantabhadra, the primordially pure body of reality. This
passion and discriminative awareness, expressive words i~ ve:se, a~ expres-
buddhahood is endowed with the pristine cognition of the expanse of reality
sed meaning which reveals the means for those who deSIre lIberatIon, and
a purposeful composition. Treatises are then classified in six ways accord-
(chos-dbyings ye-shes, Skt. dharmadhatujfiana) , for it is free from all
ing to: the purpose of the composer, the qualitative stan~ard of the com- conceptual elaborations, and the pristine cognition of sameness (mnyam-
nyid ye-shes, Skt. samatajfiana) which remains pure through the extent
position, the status of the composer (i.e. budd.ha, bodhI~~ttva, arh~t or
of saqlsara and nirvaQa.
paQC;tita), the specific or general manner of theIr composlt~on, the VIew,
Reality (chos-nyid, Skt. dharmata) in Buddhism refers to the emptiness
conduct and integration of view and conduct as revealed III each of the
which is the inherent nature of phenomena. The apparitional aspect of
three successive promulgations of the transmitted precepts, and finally
this reality is known as chos-can (dharmin), and that which is real (the
the meaning they express, which may be quantitative, qualitative or
phenomena themselves) are known as chos (dharma). Since it is held
conducive to liberation and omniscience.
The quantitative treatises, in which diverse categories are enumerated, to be the foundation of all genuine experience, the body of reality is
the basis of the buddha-bodies of form. It is also known as the youthful
include general treatises on ethics, and specialised treatises on grammar,
vase body (gzhon-nu bum-pa'i sku) because the pristine cognition remains
logic, art, medicine, astrology, poetics, prosody, syno~ymics and ~rama,
inwardly radiant within it, in the manner of light within a crystal prism,
Qualitative treatises include those on Madhyamaka phIlosophY,which es-
even when it emanates as the buddha-body of form.
tablish the selflessness of the individual and of phenomena. Fmally, the
Through the blessing of this youthful vase body, the Buddha-field
treatises conducive to liberation and omniscience include esoteric instruc-
of the Bounteous Array (GhanavYithabuddhak$etra) becomes manifest,
tions of five kinds, which are condensed in order to generate liberation
and therein the Teachers of Five Enlightened Families, including the
from cyclical existence in those who require training through them.
Buddha Vairocana, assume the body of perfect rapture. This is the
great play of undifferentiated buddha-body and pristine cognition,
which also acts out of compassion for the sake of sentient beings who
PART TWO: BUDDHA NATURE ACCORDING TO THE
are perceived to be bewildered without cause; for they wander in cyclical
BUDDHA-BODIES
existence without recognising the nature of the primordial ground.
Having distinguished between the doctrines which cause one to remain These teachers emanate all the buddha-fields within and around the
in cyclical existence and those which transcend such suffering, what ~hen body of Vairocana in order to guide beings to liberation. The fields are
is the nature of the buddha or the teacher who is said to commumcate arrayed in three dimensions, namely, the Indestructible Nucleus of
the means of attaining liberation? This is the subject-matter of Part Two. Inner Radiance Cod-gsal rdo-1'je snying-po) , Brahma's Drumbeat (tshangs-
Buddha (literally, the "awakened one") is rendered in Tibetan as sa~gs­ pa mga-sgra) and the Aeon of Great Brahma (tshangs-chen-gyi bskal-pa),
rgyas: sangs meaning purified of all conflicting emotions and rgyas n:eamng which correspond, respectively, to the body of reality, the body of
vast in enlightened attributes. Thus a buddha is one who has punfied a~l perfect rapture and the emanational body. The last of these comprises
sufferings of cyclical existence and is endowed with the enligh~ened attn- all the realms of cyclical existence outlined in the chart above. It is said
butes of buddha-body and pristine cognition. The buddha-bodIes are held that in the space of a single atomic particle there are measureless fields
to number three or five, although they have many other aspects. Lower of sentient beings being trained·by the buddhas, and that on the surface
sequences of the vehicle speak of the two bodies of reality and form, or of a single atom there are fields containing atoms of oceanic infinity.
20 Fundamentals Translator's Introduction 21
As the Great Bounteousness of the Buddhas (Buddhavataytlsaka, T 44) If there is no understanding of intrinsic awareness or
says: genuine perception,
The field of SukhavatI is even seen as a state of evil
On the surface of a single atom
existence.
There are as many buddhas
If the truth which is equivalent to the supreme of vehicles
As there are atoms.
is realised,
Even states of evil existence are Akani~tha and Tu~ita.
However, as our text emphasises (p.1l9):
The Emanational Body
These fields are said to be radiant apparitions, not existing
The emanational body (sprul-pa'i sku, Skt. nirmiilJakiiya), which discip-
in reality because, in the expanse of reality, relative appear-
ances have not existed from the beginning. lines those who require training on the path to liberation, is of three
types. First, there are the emanations of natural expression (rang-bzhin
sprul-pa'i sku) who are the above-mentioned Teachers of the Five En-
lightened Families appearing in their lower role before bodhisattvas of
The Buddha-body of Perfect Rapture
the highest level, in the manner of rainbow light. In this situation,
The buddha-body of perfect rapture (longs-spyod rdzogs-pa'i sku, Skt. when they are compounded by the minds of others, they are said to
sambhogakiiya) is said to act within all those fields connected with be endowed with a semi-manifest natural expression, half-way between
Vairocana. It is endowed with seven attributes of natural expression, the true body of perfect rapture and the emanational body.
and the thirty-two major and eighty minor marks of the buddhas. These Secondly, there are the supreme emanational bodies (mchog-gi sprul-
marks may appear outwardly, as the external form of the buddha-body; pa'i sku) or emanations of the body of reality who train living beings
inwardly, as the network of energy channels, currents and seminal through their twelve deeds in myriads of world systems. Within this
points (rtsa dung thig-le) within the buddha-body; secretly, as present world system of ours, which is known as the world system of Patient
in the seed which is enlightened mind, or the nucleus of the tathagata Endurance (mi-mjed 'jig-rten-gyi khams, Skt. Sahalokadhatu), the sup-
(de-gshegs snying-po, Skt. tathagatagarbha); and, most secretly, as the reme emanational body appears as a sage embodying awareness of the
rapture of the Great Perfection (rdzogs-pa chen-po) which is experienced true buddha nature in each of the six classes of living beings - gods,
when the energy channels and seminal points are naturally expressed antigods, humans, animals, tormented spirits and hells. In the human
as supreme bliss. world, for example, he appears as Sakyamuni Buddha, and, as the text
As such, the five components of mundane cyclical existence find explains (p.131):
their true natural expression in the Teachers of the Five Enlightened
In these realms, the supreme emanational body projects the
Families, namely, Vairocana, Ak~obhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha,
lamp of instruction for those requiring training in as many
and Amoghasiddhi; while the five elemental properties of space, cohe-
ways as they have psychophysical bases, sense organs and
sion, solidity, warmth and movement find their true natural expression
modes of conduct, and acts on behalf of sentient beings
as the five consorts: DhatvIsvarI, Locana, MamakI, PaIfcjaravasinI, and
through four kinds of instruction.
Samayatara. The four sensations of seeing, hearing, tasting and smel-
ling, as well as the four sense objects, the four sense organs, the four These four are instruction by the great merits of the buddha-body's
temporal dimensions, the four aspects of sexual contact, and the four twelve deeds, instruction by the direct perception of the buddha-mind
extremes of permanence, decay, self and character all find their true which is endowed with six supernormal cognitive powers (mngon-shes
natural expression in the deities of the surrounding maIfcjalas. This drug, Skt. ~a4abhijfia), instruction by inconceivable miraculous abilities
pure vision, it is emphasised, lies within the perceptual range of the ~hich are the mysteries of the buddha's body, speech and mind, and
buddhas' pristine cognition alone, and remains invisible even to mstruction by knowledge conveyed in speech.
bodhisattvas of the highest level who are not liberated from all obscur- Thirdly, there are the diversified emanations (sna-tshogs sprul-sku)
ations. It is maintained that all these elements of mundane cyclical appearing as oases, food, and medicine, which are of benefit to living
existence are transmuted into the pure, divine nature through experien- bemgs, and as the emanations of birth (skyes-sprul) and artistry (bzo-
tial cultivation of the Buddhistteachings. As the Extensive Magical Net S?rul) assumed, for example, by Sakyamuni Buddha in his previous
(sgyu-'phrul rgyas-pa, NGB Vol. 14) says: lIves and recorded in the Jataka Tales.
22 Fundamentals Translator's Introduction 23
The Nyingma tradition in particular holds that twelve teachers of which continuously abides in tranquillity, loving kindness and compas-
the emanational body have appeared as the blessing of the body of sion without falling into the extremes of cyclical existence or nirval).a;
perfect rapture in this world system to disclose the three emanational and the pristine cognition of discernment (sor-rtogs ye-shes, Skt.
teachings of the buddha-body, speech and mind. A hand-sized vajra pratyavek~a1Jajiiana), which is unimpeded with regard to the knowable,
(rdo-rje) is said to be the actuality of the body of reality, a four-inch and refers to contemplations, dharal).l and other attributes. These last
book is said to be the actuality of the body of perfect rapture, and the three are the perceptions of the body of perfect 'rapture. Finally, the
physical form, exemplified in those twelve teachers, is the actuality of pristine cognition of accomplishment (bya-grub ye-shes, Skt. krtyanu-
the emanational body. The emanational body, in the Nyingma view, sthanajiiana) is diversified in all realms, within the emanations who act
is endowed with sixty attributes; for each of those twelve teachers is ~n behalf of living beings. Thus it is the perception of the emanational
connected with the five excellences of place, teacher, retinue, doctrine body.
and time. A single emanational body also possesses ninety-six doctrines
with respect to enlightened activity . Yet this enumeration is not regarded
as a limitation because (p.138): The Author asserts that the nature of the buddhas who have purified
obscurations and become vast in enlightened attributes of buddha-body
The Sugata, learned in skilful means, manifests the body of
and pristine cognition is to be experientially cultivated through the
form in ways which correspond to the number of atoms in
Buddhist teachings - both indirectly, through the sutra texts, and di-
the myriad fields of those requiring training, which are of
rectly through the mantra texts which are respectively a long and a
oceanic extent.
short path to the same goal.
He concludes Part Two by distinguishing between the attributes of
The Buddha-body of Awakening the buddha-bodies as they are revealed in the causal vehicles of dialec-
The buddha-body of awakening (mngon-par byang-chub-kyi sku, Skt. tics, and in the resultant vehicles of secret mantra. The sutras of the
abhisambodhikaya), which is derived from the distinct apparitional func- causal vehicles require one to undertake a long path of causal gradation,
tions of the aforementioned three bodies, possesses the four fearless- whereby conflicting emotions are abandoned, and merits and pristine
nesses, the eighteen distinct attributes of the buddhas, great compassion cognition are accumulated. The resultant vehicles of the way of mantras,
and the ten powers. These are all enumerated in the Mahavyutpatti, however, begin from the ultimate view of the buddha nature and insist
the great glossary of technical terms composed by the Tibetan trans- that the whole of cyclical existence and nirval).a conform to the pattern
of the three buddha-bodies.
lators, probably during the reign of Senalek.

The Buddha-body of Indestnlctible Reality PART THREE: CAUSAL VEHICLES OF DIALECTICS

Finally, the buddha-body of indestructible reality (rdo-rje sku, Skt. The causal vehicles of dialectics (rgyu mtshan-nyid-kyi theg-pa, Skt.
vajrakaya), which derives from the indivisible essence of the first three *hetulak~a1Jayana)6 are classified either according to the three successive
bodies, is the original unchanging expanse of reality in which all paths promulgations of the doctrinal wheel or according to the philosophical
are concluded and all conceptual elaboration transcended. It is the systems included within the lesser vehicle (theg-pa chung-ba, Skt.
taintless buddha nature pure from the beginning. Hfnayana) and the greater vehicle (theg-pa chen-po, Skt. Mahayana).

The Five Pristine Cognitions The Three Promulgations of the Doctrinal Wheel
The five pristine cognitions (ye-shes lnga) Skt. paiicajiiana), which are In the first promulgation the Buddha expounded the four truths of
among the buddhas' attributes, are also discussed here. They are the ~uffering, its origin, the path and the cessation of suffering, with the
pristine cognition of the expanse of reality (chos-dbyings ye-shes, Skt. Intention that sentient beings should forsake cyclical existence. In the
dhannadhiitujiiana) , which is the perception of the buddha-body of second promulgation he expounded the teaching on the transcendental
reality; the mirror-like pristine cognition (me-long ye-shes, Skt. adarsa- perfection of discriminative awareness (shes-rab-kyi pha-rol-tu phyin-
jiiiina) , which is the unbroken causal basis of all pristine cognition; the Palma, Skt. prajiiaparamita) with the intention that the buddha nature
pristine cognition of sameness (mnyam-nyid ye-shes, Skt. samatiijiiiina), should be comprehended through topics of emptiness, signlessness and
24 Fundamentals Translator's Introduction 25
aspirationlessness, and that consequently the ultimate truth which is · cts external objects are not actually perceived, a single, uncom-
ob Je . d' h
referred to by synonyms in order to bring about the partial cessation ,
nded sensum bemg.
transmltte m t e manner 0 f a refl ectlOn
. on a
of conceptual elaboration might become the foundation for those who p~uror The subject-object dichotomy therefore becomes a subjective
enter the greater vehicle. ml~ces~, conventionally known as the recognition of objects. They are
Then, in the third promulgation he excellently analysed all things prid to surpass the Vaibha~ika in holding the conglomerate of atoms to
from form to omniscience in accord with the three essential natures, ~e unknown and in their appreciation of an intrinsic awareness.
namely, the imaginary (parikalpita), the dependent (paratantra), and Through the vehicle of the self-centred buddhas (pratyekabuddha),
the absolute (parini$panna), and disclosed the nucleus of the tathagata the twelve modes of dependent origination are meditated on and re-
(tathagatagarbha), intending that the ultimate truth for which there is versed. Whereas pious attendants hold the individual self to be aban-
no synonym should become the nucleus of the path of the greater doned in ultimate truth, the self-centred buddhas hold external objects
vehicle. Such were the three promulgations delivered by Sakyamuni to be ultimately fallacious and subjective consciousness to exist
Buddha. genuinely. They are said to be realised in one and a half parts of what
is implied by selflessness. This is because they realise selflessness with
The Lesser Vehicle reference to the individual and understand that the atomic particles df
external phenomena do not independently exist, but still hold time
Among the philosophical systems of the causal vehicles of dialectics,
moments of consciousness or internal phenomena to be ultimately real.
those which belong to the lesser vehicle are the Vaibha~ika and the
Sautrantika systems.
The Greater Vehicle
Vaibha$ika Among the philosophical systems of the greater causal vehicle, there
are the Vijfianavada or proponents of consciousness, and the Madh-
The pious attendants of the Vaibha~ika school classify the knowable
yamika or adherents of the middle path.
into five categories: perceptual forms, mind, mental events, disjunct
conditions unassociated with mental events, and uncompounded en- Vijfianavada
tities. They hold that consciousness ultimately exists as a series of time-
moments and that the material substances composing the world are an The Vijfianavada confirm the Sautrantika view that objects are not
association of indivisible atomic particles unified by vital energy. They perceived. All things are held to be apparitional aspects of mind, definit-
claim the subject-object dichotomy to be created through the recognition ively ordered according to three essential natures: the imaginary which
of objects by consciousness, but that there is no intrinsic awareness includes both phenomena and characteristics such as the concept of
apart from this consciousness. selfhood; the dependent which includes the five impure components
Through the vehicle of the pious attendants (sravaka), the status of of mundane existence and the pure attributes of buddha-body and
an arhat is realised by meditation on the sixteen aspects of the four pristine cognition; and the absolute which includes the unchanging
truths, so that the obscurations of the three poisons and ignorance are abiding nature of reality and the incontrovertible absence of conflicting
destroyed. As it is said in the Sequence a/the Path (Mayajalapathakrama, emotions.
P 4736): The Mind Only school, which emphasises the ontological aspect of
the Vijfianavada, is divided into those who hold sensa to be veridical
If, without realising non-duality, (Sakaravada), and those holding sensa to be false, admitting only con-
Everything is viewed to exist substantially s~iousness to be genuine (Nirakaravada). These have many subdivi-
In terms of the four truths, sl~ns: While the VijiHinavada is held to surpass the Vaibha~ika and Sau-
And one resorts to renunciation and non-renunciation, t~antlka of the lower vehicle, it fails to understand the absolute nature,
This is the level of the pious attendants. SInce it holds consciousness to exist absolutely in the ultimate truth.

S autrantika Madhyamaka
The self-centred buddhas and pious attendants ofthe Sautrantika school The Madhyamika or adherents of the middle path are either those who
hold ultimate reality to agree with consciousness, which is a series of uphold the coarse outer Madhyamaka or the subtle inner Great
time moments. They also hold that, although consciousness refers to Madhyamaka (dbu-ma chen-po).
26 Fundamentals Translator's Introduction 27
Outer M adhyamaka The Supreme Continuum of the Greater Vehicle (Mahayanottaratantra-
The Outer Madhyamaka include the Svatantrika (rang-rgyud-pa) who iastra, T 4024) says:
employ independent reasoning, and the Prasangika (tlzal-'gyur-ba) who The seed which is empty of suddenly arisen
employ reductio ad absurdum. phenomena,
The Svatantrika surpass the previous philosophical systems which Endowed with divisive characteristics,
adhere to substantiality and subjective conceptual elaboration, and they Is not empty of the unsurpassed reality,
avoid both extremes. All things which appear are said to exist in relative Endowed with indivisible characteristics.
truth, which is either correct or incorrect in conventional terms, but
The Great Madhyamaka therefore maintains that the conceptual area
are inherently empty and non-existent in the ultimate truth, which cuts
of the subject-object dichotomy is intrinsically empty (rang-stong), while
through conceptual elaboration. All relative appearances can be refuted
the buddha-body of reality endowed with all enlightened attributes is
by logical arguments, but it is also proven that no scrutiny or judgement
empty of that extraneous conceptual area which forms the subject-object
can be made in relation to ultimate truth.
dichotomy (gzhan-stong). If enlightened attributes were themselves in-
The Prasangika distinguish between the unbewildered intellect or
trinsically empty oftheir own essence, the entire structure ofthe ground,
pristine cognition of the buddhas, in which relative phenomena never
path and result would be negated and one would be in the position of
appear, and the bewildered intellect of sentient beings. Ultimate truth,
the nihilistic extremists who deny causality, progress on the path to
the reality of the unbewildered intellect of the buddhas, is vitiated by
liberation and so forth.
bewilderment, and so mundane cyclical existence appears and is as-
This expanse of reality, the ultimate truth, is said to pentade all
signed conventionally to the relative truth, though not really admitted.
beings without distinction and is known as the nucleus of the tathagata
The Prasangika also employ the five kinds of logical axioms used by
(tathagatagarbha) or the nucleus of the sugata (sugatagarblza). It is held
the Svatantrika, but unlike them do not seek to prove their conclusions
to be only fully developed and qualitatively perceived according to its
positively with reference to relative appearances and conceptual elabora-
true nature by buddhas, and yet equally present in ordinary sentient
tion, having refuted them. Rather they refute all possible views which
beings and bodhisattvas who are partially purified on the path to liber-
lie within the range of the four extremes of being, non-being, both
ation. It is when the obscurations covering this seed of the buddha
being and non-being, and neither being nor non-being. Ultimate truth
nature are removed that liberation is said to occur. Now, there are two
is thus the pristine cognition of the buddhas, free from all conceptual
kinds of renunciation of obscurations which have been expounded, one
elaboration of the subject-object dichotomy. It is said that the two truths
that is a naturally pure, passive fait accompli, and another which actively
form the Madhyamaka of the ground; the two provisions of merit and
removes the obscurations by applying an appropriate antidote. Although
pristine cognition form the Madhyamaka of the path; and that the
the nucleus of the tathagata is held to be present from the beginning
coalescence of the two buddha-bodies of reality and form is the
in all beings, it is not therefore claimed that all beings are buddhas
Madhyamaka of the result.
free from all obscuration. Similarly there are two kinds of realisation,
one that is naturally present and passive, and another that is dependently
Great Madhyamaka
produced and active. They are equivalent to the truths of cessation and
The Great Madhyamaka (dbu-ma chen-po) is aloof from the reasoning of the path described above in Part One.
of the Outer Madhyamaka which is based upon dialectics, and instead While the second and the third promulgations of the doctrinal wheel
must be experientially cultivated in meditation. In accord with the give authenticity to the view of Great Madhyamaka, it is the third or
analysis of all things made by Sakyamuni in the third promulgation of final promulgation which extensively reveals the nucleus of the
the doctrinal wheel with respect to the aforementioned essential natures, tathagata. Certain scholars of the past have, as the Author states, errone-
it holds the imaginary to imply that attributes are without substantiality, ously linked the views of Great Madhyamaka and Vijfianavada. How-
the dependent to imply that creation is without substantiality, and the e~er, the former is concerned with absolute reality, and the latter is
absolute to imply that ultimate reality is without substantiality. Absolute dIrected towards consciousness. There is held to be a great distinction
reality is thus empty of all the imaginary objects which are to be refuted between the pristine cognition of the buddhas and the consciousness
and all conceptual elaboration of cyclical existence, bu~ it. is not e~?ty of. the ground-of-all. The proponents of Mind Only maintain that c~n­
of the enlightened attributes of buddha-body and pnstme cogmtlon ~CIousness is not transcended in ultimate truth, but this is a view which
which are spontaneously present from the beginning. IS bound within cyclical existence. According to Great Madhyamaka,
 Translator's Introduction 29
28 Fundamentals
The Enlightened or Buddha Family
the ultimate truth is the obscurationless pristine cognition, the uncor-
rupted expanse of reality transcending consciousness. This is because Since
f h all b beings
ddh are endowed with the nucleus of the t ath-agata, t h e seed
subjective consciousness is only dependently real, and pristine cognition 0 t.le F U a hnatur~, they ar.e all part of the buddha or enlightened
is free from the subject-object dichotomy. [:amI y. rom t e ultimate
. pomt of view ' thOIS f:amI'1' y IS one m. whIch .

.1 em. eren~ly, and

This view of the Great Madhyamaka is revealed in the compositions the natura 1 expreSSIOn of enlightenment is said to b'd . h
of Nagarjuna,7 Asanga and others, whether they belong to the second from the conventional " or dynamic point of' .a IS
vIew, It one m whIch that
or third promulgation of the doctrinal wheel, for both refer to the three natura
. f 1 expressIOn
b IS
., to be attained . The fo . h
rmer IS t e ground of separa-
essential natures. Once Mind Only has been provisionally taught, the tIon · rom .0 scuratIOn
I' (bral-rgyu) ' in which th e th ree resu 1tant buddha
apparitionless Madhyamaka is taught, and when that has been trans- b od les anse. . 1 t Th
IS also known as the truth 0 f '
cessation . to the-
accordmg
cended, the apparitional Madhyamaka is revealed. Without reaching greater 've h ICde. " e latter is the truth of the path on w h'IC h t h e prOVISIOns
' ,
that, the profound meaning of the greater vehicle is not perceived. of ment. an pnstme
' cognition are acc umu 1ate d'm order that the
Those who actually and experientially cultivate the path to liberation ob scuratIons
. d (b covenng ' the nucleus may be remove d an d the result be
do not differentiate the two modes of Madhyamaka (rang-stong and actua
, 1Ise ' bras). The three buddha-b 0 d'les are t h us satd
d' 11 ral- ' to abIde,
gzhan-stong), as is attested by the writings of Nagarjuna, Asanga and pnmor Ia y m the nucleus of the enlightened fam'l d
other pa1).Qitas who commented on the intention of the definitive mean- realised by the removal of the obscurat'IOns w h'IC hI cover y, an them
are merely
The
ing (nges-don). While the second promulgation is generally confined to are not t h emselves compounded by th 1 ' . y
provisions. e accumu atIOn of causal
an outright negation of conceptual elaboration, this is merely a step in
the experiential cultivation of Madhyamaka, which must subsequently This indivisible
t th- " essence of the enlightened f:amI'1 y, t h e nucleus of the
transcend the Prasangika and Svatantrika reasoning. a agata,
such as L IS extensIvely
R revealed in the writings of N ymgmapa
' authors
When meditational experiences have been established, it is the Great ongce,npa, ongzompa, Terdak Lingpa and Miph R'-
Madhyamaka, as taught in the third promulgation, which is profound
and vast; and the vehicles of the secret mantra which are even more
extensive. The purposes of the lower sequences of the vehicle are
t
POCd~t~' and aKlsodm the compositions of the great masters of
inra th1 IOns - a amp,a, K ~gyupa,..
othera~betlann
Sak yapa and Gelukpa, as can be seen
e many quotatIOns CIted from their works
gathered within the higher. Otherwise the buddhas would not have
given the three promulgations and nine sequences of the vehicle in that The Two Truths according to Great Madhyamaka
appropriate order. ~~~ng moments of ,meditative absorption, the outer and inner
. hhyamaka do not dIfferentiate the two truths since one then ab'd
m t e expanse of r~arIty, t h e pnstme
,. cognition that is free from1 es 11
~~~~~:;:lo~labo~al!ons t~e
Provisional and Definitive Meaning
of the subject-object dichotomy, During
Thus, in the Nyingma view, the first and second promulgations may
be allocated provisional meaning (drang-don, Skt. neyiirtha) because differently by~~eIt~tI~e a~o~~tion, however, they are distinguished
they are a basis for debate, respectively rousing the mind from cyclical ultimate truth u er a yamaka, which allocates emptiness to
Madh k an~ ~ppearances to the relative truth; and the inner Great
existence by teaching impermanence and destroying by means of the , _ ya~a a, w lch determines ultimate truth to be the 1" f
three approaches to liberation the reductionist view which adheres to lllrvana m which th b' , . rea ltIes 0
the selfhood of phenomena. The third promulgation, however, is allo- perception, as establ~s~~d~t or pnstl?e cogni~ion and the object of its
cated definitive meaning (nges-don, Skt. nitiirtha) because it teaches that relative truth to be the y conventional ,lOgIC, ,are harmonious, and
all relative appearances are intrinsically empty (rang-stong) and that all subJ'ectl've c ' phenomena of cyclIcal eXIstence, in which the
onSCIOusness' and th e 0 b',
being established Ject 0 f Its
' perception,
, incapable of
enlightened attributes are empty of those same extraneous appearances , even m terms of con t' 11' .
(gzhan-stong). The range of the buddhas' pristine cognition is therebY dIchotomy. Ultimate t h' h ven IOna OgIC, are m a state of
revealed and debate is surpassed by experiential cultivation, Yet, as appearances and e ~ut IS t us the expanse of reality in which pure
oug ~ IS coalescence is
mptmess are coalesced Alth h h'
the Author asserts, there is no difference between the transcendental even more elaborately revealed in th .
perfection of discriminative awareness (prajfiiiparamita) revealed in the mantra, it must first be established e result,ant vehIcles ,of the secret
second promulgation and the pristine cognition revealed in the third. Madhyamaka, on which the su er' ~ccordmg to, t~e VIew of Great
The distinction merely concerns the extent to which ultimate reality is are all based. The Great M Pdhlor vIews ,from Knyatantra to Atiyoga
a yamaka IS therefore said to be the
revealed.
30 Fundamentals Translator's Introduction 31
climax of the philosophical systems according to the causal vehicles of essence of the result, identified as the buddha-bodies and
dialectics. pristine cognitions. Mind-as-such is thereby established as
the ground which exists within oneself from the present
Through the vehicle of the bodhisattvas who uphold the Vijfianavada moment as the object to be attained. It is then established
and Madhyamaka philosophies, the ten levels and five paths are gradu- as the path through its functions of bringing about recogni-
ally traversed, and liberation is finally attained in the buddha-body of tion and removing the provisional stains which suddenly
reality on the eleventh level (Samantaprablui). Manifesting the two arise by means of inducing the perception of just what is,
bodies of form, the bodhisattva then acts on behalf of others until all and it is established as the result through its function of
beings have been liberated from cyclical existence. It is therefore held actualising this very ground. Since a sequence in which cause
that the vehicle of the bodhisattvas is the first of the nine sequences of precedes result is not really distinguished therein, it is called
the vehicle which may be conducive to total liberation. the resultant vehicle and the vehicle of indestructible reality.

Superiority of Secret Mantra

Key to the Appraisal oFCausal Vehicle Texts
The resultant vehicles are said to surpass the causal vehicles in many
Texts belonging to the causal vehicles of dialectics are firstly divided bet-
ween those of the definitive third promulgation and their commentaries ways. They are held to be unobscured, endowed with many means,
without difficulties, and referred to by those of highest acumen; or to
which reveal the full extent of the buddha nature, and those of the provi-
sional earlier promulgations and their commentaries which partially re- be swift, blissful, and endowed with skilful means. The Tantra of
Inconceivable Rali Cakrasarrzvara (Srfcakrasarrzvaraguhyacintyatantra-
veal the buddha nature. There are also four kinds of intention with which
raja, T 385) speaks of fifteen such superior qualities. Above all, the
buddhas deliver the teaching, unknown to the listener, and four kinds of
resultant vehicles are said to transcend all conceptual elaboration and
covert intention which buddhas are said to employ in order for their
precise meaning to be eventually understood by the listener. logical reasoning, and to establish pristine cognition as the nucleus of
the buddha-body of reality, the coalescence of appearance and empti-
ness, within one lifetime and so forth. Since a sameness with respect
Recapitulation of the Causal Vehicles to all things is to be experienced, they are capable of making relative
To facilitate comprehension of the above philosophical systems, Part appearances into the path, without requiring them to be renounced as in
Three is completed by a recapitulation of the three causal vehicles of the causal vehicles. Thus one meditates through the outer mantras of
dialectics, namely, those of the pious attendants, self-centred buddhas Kriyarantra, Ubhayatantra and Yogatantra with reference to the
and bodhisattvas, within the context oftheir respective entrances, views, deity's body, speech and mind, and according to the inner mantras all
moral disciplines, meditations, modes of conduct and results. things are realised and experienced as the maQ.galas of the buddha-body,
speech and mind.

Essence and pefinition of Secret Mantra

PART FOUR: RESULTANT VEHICLES OF SECRET MANTRA

Part Four concerns the resultant vehicles of secret mantra, on which Mantra is defined as an attribute of buddha-body, speech and mind
subject our text says (p.244): which protects the mind with ease and swiftness. It also includes the
deities in which emptiness and appearances are coalesced, symbolised
.. .in the vehicle of dialectics, mind-as-such [or pristine cog- by the seed-syllables E-VA~, because they too protect the mind from
nition] is merely perceived as the causal basis of buddha hood. rebirth in the three realms of cyclical existence. Those who attain
Since it is held that buddhahood is obtained under the con- realisation through the mantras are known as awareness-holders (rig-
dition whereby the two provisions increasingly multiply, and 'dzin, Skt. vidyadhara) and the texts which convey the mantra teaching
since the purifying doctrines which form the causal basis of are known as the Pi!aka of Awareness-holders. There are said to be
nirvaQ.a are made into the path, it is called the causal vehicle. three kinds of mundane awareness-holder and enumerations of either four
Therein a sequence in which cause precedes result is admit- or seven kinds of supramundane awareness-holder. The resultant veh-
ted. According to the vehicle of mantras, on the other hand, icle is also known as the vehicle of indestructible reality (rdo-rje theg-pa,
mind-as-such abides primordially and intrinsically as the Skt. Vajrayana) because pristine cognition or mind-as-such is imperishable
32 Fundamentals Translator's Introduction 33
and unchanging, despite the divergent apparitional modes of cyclical rig-pa'i theg-pa) because they all, to a greater or lesser extent, include
existence and nirval).a. rnal observances of body and speech. The last one is known as the
eX~cle of overpowering means (dbang-bsgyur thabs-kyi theg-pa) , in '?
The Three Continua :hich skilful means and discriminative awareness are coalesced.
Again, the resultant vehicle is also known as tantra, which is defined
both as a means for protecting the mind and as the continuum extending Kriyatantra
from ignorance to enlightenment. There are said to be three such con- Kriyatantra (bya-ba'i rgyud) , or the tantra of action, emphasises external
tinua - those of the ground, path and result. observances of body and speech, while continuing the subject-object
The continuum of the ground is another name for the nucleus of the dichotomy. It holds that meditation is required alternately on an ulti-
tathagata, the buddha-body of reality, the family in which the natural mate truth, which is one's own real nature, and on a deity of relative
expression of enlightenment abides and the pristine cognition of the appearance endowed with pristine cognition, distinct from that reality,
ground-of-all - which have previously been explained in the context of who externally confers the accomplishments. By aspiring towards ac-
Great Madhyamaka. However, the same continuum of the ground is complishment, regarding the deity as a servant would his master, and
also spoken of in Kriyatantra as one's own real nature (bdag-gi de-kho-na- by practising ablutions, fasting and other austerities which delight the
nyid) , in Ubhayatantra as the blessing of that reality, which is the deity, one may be granted the realisation of a holder of indestructible
ultimate truth without symbols (don-dam mtshan-ma med-pa'i byin- reality (rdo-rje ' dzin-pa) within seven lifetimes.
rlabs) , and in Yogatantra as a deity of the expanse of indestructible
reality, who relatively appears (kun-rdzob rdo-rje dbyings-kyi lha). Ubhayatantra
Similarly, it is also spoken of in Mahayoga as the superior and great
Ubhayatantra (gnyis-ka'i rgyud), or the tantra which gives equal em-
body of reality in which the two truths are indivisible (bden-gnyis dbyer-
phasis to the view and conduct, includes both symbolic meditation on
med lhag-pa'i chos-sku chen-po), in Anuyoga as the fundamental mal).<;lala
the seed-syllables, seals and form of the deity and non-symbolic medi-
of enlightened mind, the offspring of the non-duality of the expanse
tation on ultimate reality, the blessing of which may confer accomplish-
and pristine cognition (dbyings-dangye-shes gnyis-su med-pa'i sras rtsa-ba
ment as a holder of indestructible reality within five lifetimes.
byang-chub sems-kyi dkyil-'khor), and in the Great Perfection of Atiyoga
as the ground conventionally known as essence, natural expression and
spirituality (ngo-bo rang-bzhin thugs-rje). Yoga tan tra
The continuum of the path refers to the skilful means which purify Yogatantra (mal-'byor-gyi rgyud), or the tantra of union, emphasises
the obscurations covering the ground, and cause all cyclical existence meditation. The blessing of ultimate reality relatively appears as a deity
to be experienced as an array of deities and their fields of rapture. The of the expanse of indestructible reality. Persevering in the acceptance
continuum of the result is actualised when those obscurations have and rejection of positive and negative attributes in relation to this deity,
been removed, although it is essentially identical to the continuum of one may attain the accomplishment of a holder of indestructible reality
the ground. All accomplishments are therein actualised . .It is said that belonging to the five enlightened families within three lifetimes. Sym-
when the ground and result are indivisible, the truth of the origin of bolic meditation in this context includes the experiences of the five
cyclical existence appears as the truth of the path to its cessation, and awakenings (mngon-byang lnga), the four yogas (mal-'byor bzhi), and
that the truth of suffering appears as the truth of its cessation. the four seals (phyag-rgya bzhi) associated with the deity, and non-sym-
bolic contemplation concerns the real nature of the mind. External
The Four Tantrapitaka observances are not, however, rejected.
The texts in which the teachings of the resultant vehicles of the secret
Unsurpassed Yogatantra
mantra are expressed are divided into four tantrapi!aka, namely,
Kriyatantra, Ubhayatantra (or Caryatantra), Yogatantra, and Unsurpas- The Unsurpassed Yogatantra (bla-na med-pa'i rgyud, Skt. Anuttara-
sed Yogatantra (Anuttarayogatantra) , which are taught as the means ~ogatantra) emphasises the coalescence of skilful means and discriminat-
respectively for those oflowest, middling, superior and highest acumen 1ve awareness, and is said to surpass the lower tantras which have not
who require training. According to the Nyingma tradition, the first abandoned duality. The three poisons are carried on the path - desire
three of these are known as the vehicle of austere awareness (dka'-thub as the essence of bliss and emptiness, hatred as the essence of radiance
34 Fundamentals Translator's Introduction 35
and emptiness, and delusion as the essence of awareness and emptiness btle propensities which lead to rebirth in cyclical existence are refined,
- and the result may be achieved within a single lifetime. In the Nyingma s~d the rank of Samantabhadra is realised along with the twenty-five
tradition, the Unsurpassed Yogatantra is divided into Mahayoga, :esultant realities of the buddha level.
Anuyoga and Atiyoga.

Mahayoga Key to the Appraisal of Secret Mantra Texts

Mahayoga (rnal-'byor chen-po) unites the mind in the superior body of At this point, Dudjom Rinpoche discusses the criteria by which the
reality, in which the two truths are indivisible. The continuum of the texts of the resultant vehicles of secret mantra are to be appraised. The
ground is established as the genuine view to be realised by means of language of the texts is said to observe six limits and their styles of
four axioms. The continuum of the path has two stages, among which presentation are said to number four. Each line or verse of the teaching
the path of skilful means (thabs-Iam) carries the three poisons on to the of indestructible reality (vajrapada) is to be analysed in terms of these
path by means of practices concerning the network of energy channels, criteria before the meaning can be ascertained.
currents and seminal points (rtsa rlung thig-Ie) within the body. The
path of liberation (grol-lam) comprises a ground of discriminative aware- Atiyoga
pess, a path of contemplation and, as its result, the status of an awareness According to the Nyingma tradition, the Great Perfection of Atiyoga
holder (rig-'dzin) is attained. Contemplation chiefly refers to the five (rdzogs-chen shin-tu rnal-'byor) or "highest yoga" is the climax of the
contemplative experiences of the divine mal)9alas in their creation and nine sequences of the vehicle. The expanse of reality, the naturally
perfection phases (bskyed-rim-dang rdzogs-rim) , which purify the rebirth present pristine cognition, is herein held to be the ground of great
process including the moment of death, the intermediate state after perfection. The eight lower sequences of the vehicle have intellectually
death (bar-do), and the three phases of life (skye-ba rim-gsum). At the contrived and obscured by their persevering activities the pristine cog-
successful. conclusion of this practice one is said to become an awareness- nition which intrinsically abides. Accordingly, the text says (pp.294-5):
holder and to actualise twenty-five resultant realities of the buddha level.
In this way the pious attendants and self-centred buddhas
Anuyoga among the lower vehicles, with reference to the selflessness
which they realise, hold consciousness and atomic matter to J
Anuyoga (rjes-su rnal-'byor), or subsequent yoga, emphasises the perfec- be the ultimate realities; and the proponents of consciousness
tion phase, and so forms a bridge between the creation phase of who hold consciousness, self-cognisant and self-radiant in
Mahayoga and the Great Perfection of Atiyoga. The ground or view of nature, to be the absolute characteristic of ultimate reality,
Anuyoga is that the expanse of reality, which is the primordial mal)9ala do not transcend [the view of] mind and mental events har-
of SamantabhadrI, and pristine cognition, which is the spontaneously boured by mundane beings. The Madhyamika adhere to a
present mal)9ala of Samantabhadra, are indivisible in the fundamental truth of cessation scrutinised by four great axioms and the
mal)9ala of enlightened mind. like, concerning the absence of creation, absence of cessation,
The path of Anuyoga comprises these three mal)9alas of the ground, absence of being and absence of non-being, which are ap-
along with all the nine sequences of the vehicle. Among them the praised according to the two truths, and they adhere to an
specific Anuyoga practices include the definitive path of skilful means emptiness which is, for example, like the sky, free from
(nges-pa'i thabs-Iam) in which the co-emergent pristine cognition of extremes and free from conceptual elaboration. The
melting bliss is realised through the perfection of the energy channels, Kriyatantra among the lower ways of mantra hold that ac-
currents and seminal points within the body (see p.286); and the liberat- c~mplishments are attained which delight the deity endowed
ing path of discriminative awareness (shes-rab grol-Iam) which establishes WIth the three purities, by means of cleanliness and other
the view that all things are of the nature of the three mal)9alas, and such austerities. The Ubhayatantra are attached to super-
employs both a non-symbolic contemplation of reality and a contempla- ficialities in their equation of the higher view and the lower
tion of the symbolic deity. While the divine mal)9alas of Mahayoga co~duct. The Yogatantra, having regarded the blessing of
and the lower sequences are gradually created or generated, those of ultImate reality as a deity, objectively refer to the yoga of
Anuyoga arise spontaneously in a perfect manner. The result is that ~he four seals. The Mahayoga holds that pristine cognition
the five paths and ten levels known to Anuyoga are traversed, all the IS generated by incisive application of the creation stage, and
36 Fundamentals Translator's Introduction 37
[practices associated with] the energy channels, currents and There is the Mental Class (sems-sde), which teaches that all
seminal points according to the perfection stage. The things are liberated from the extreme of renunciation, be-
Anuyoga regards the expanse of reality and pristine cognition cause they are not separated from mind-as-such. There is
as mal).Qalas of the deity which are either to be created or the Spatial Class (klong-sde), which teaches that all appari-
are in the process of creation. tions of reality are free from activity and liberated from the
extreme of the antidote, because they are perfectly gathered
Since these lower sequences are all drawn together by the intellect, in SamantabhadrI, the space of reality. And there is the
they are said to be points of great deviation (gol-sa) from the Great profound Esoteric Instructional Class (man-ngag-sde), which
Perfection, as the long quotation from the Tantra o/the All-Accomplishing teaches that the particular characteristics of truth itself are
King (pp.295-7) clearly demonstrates. They are said to have been de- liberated from both extremes of renunciation and antidote,
signed and so intended for the differing degrees of acumen in those because they are established according to the modes of reality
requiring training through the vehicle, or as stepping-stones to Atiyoga. (yin-lugs).
The Great Perfection, on the other hand, refers not to consciousness
but to pristine cognition. It is the intrinsic awareness of mind-as-such The spiritual and philosophical goal of the Mental Class transcends the
(sems-nyid-kyi rang-rig), transcending the mind, and buddhahood is said subject-object dichotomy. The compounded truth of the path as taught
to emerge not through compounded provisions but through realisation in the causal vehicles and lower mantras is determined in the great
of pristine cognition without activity. Thus the nucleus of all Buddhist expanse of reality to be a pristine cognition of great purity and sameness.
teachings, in the Nyingma view, is pristine cognition, and the establish- When the Mental Class is analysed, there are seven categories or areas
ment of it through intrinsic awareness is the path of the Great Perfection. of mind (sems-phyogs) in which this determination is made.
While the structure of the buddha level was revealed in the third pro- While the Mental Class holds the apparitions of reality to appear as
mulgation by Sakyamuni, the path or means by which it is actualised the expressive power of mind-as-such, the spiritual and philosophical
was not revealed to the adherents of the causal vehicles. The lower goal of the Spatial Class is the establishment of a great infinity of
mantras, too, are not considered to be definitive since they persevere primordial liberation unscrutinised by mind. All that appears in the
with intellectually contrived activities. If the nucleus of pristine cogni- vast space of SamantabhadrI is an adornment of that array, free from
tion is not realised in accordance with the Great Perfection, all aspects all activities. The Spatial Class is divided into teachings concerning the
of the path, such as the six transcendental perfections (pha-rol-tu phyin- Black Space propounded as Absence of Cause (klong nag-po rgyu-med-du
pa drug), the creation stage and the perfection stage, will not transcend smra-ba), the Variegated Space propounded as Diversity (klong khra-ba
the ideas and scrutiny of one's own mind. Yet these aspects of the path sna-tshogs-su smra-ba), the White Space propounded as the Mind (klong
are not, it is emphasised, to be renounced, since they are spontaneously dkar-po sems-su smra-ba), and the Infinite Space in which Cause and
perfect in the ground. So the text declares (p.307): Result are Determined (klong rab-'byams rgyu-'bras la-bzla-ba).
While the Mental Class, referring to mind-as-such, mostly achieves
.. .in this abiding nature that is free from all activity, all profundity rather than radiance, and almost clings to mental scrutiny
things belonging to the truth of the path are naturally com- because it does not recognise the expressive power of radiance to be
plete, without effort, in the manner of a hundred rivers reality, and while the Spatial Class almost falls into the deviation of
converging under a bridge. emptiness although it achieves both radiance and profundity, the
Great Perfection is therefore defined as the naturally present pristine ~soteric Instructional Class is considered to be superior to both because
cognition, or as a sameness throughout the extent of cyclical existence ~t gathers all apparitions of reality within reality itself. It is classified
and nirval).a, in which all lower sequences of the vehicle are perfected Into ~he three categories of the Random (kha-'thor), in which pristine
in a single essence. cognnion instantly arises without regard for formal structure, the Oral
T ra d··
nIOn (kha-gtam), which naturally shatters the source of all concep-
tualisation and remains indefinite in character, and the Teaching which
The Divisions of Atiyoga accords with its own Textual Tradition ofTantras (rgyud rang-gzhung-du
Within the teachings of Atiyoga, there are three modes of experiencing ~~an-pa), that is, the Seventeen Tantras of the Esoteric Instructional Class
the goal of Great Perfection according to the nature of those who aspire . GB Vols.9-10), which turn to the origin of all transmitted precepts,
to it. The text explains (p.319): WIthout renunciation or acceptance, saIPsara or nirval).a, or disputations
38 Fundamentals Translalor's Introduction 39
regarding emptiness. These have their various subdivisions, and further Furthermore, according to the esoteric instructions (man-ngag, Skt.
subdivisions. amnaya/upadesa) of the Gr~at _Perfection sy~tem, all thi~gs belonging
So in Atiyoga the awareness which transcends the mind is said to be to cyclical existence and mrval).a are establIshed ~s a dIsplay of .four
a primordial liberation (ye-grol), a natural liberation (rang-grol) , a direct . termediate states (bar-do, Skt. antarabhava), WhICh are respectIvely
liberation (cer-grol), and a liberation from extremes (mtha'-grol). Once ~nown as the intermediate state of the birthplace, the intermediate state
this intrinsic awareness or pristine cognition has been ascertained to of the moment of death, the intermediate state of reality and the inter-
be the distinctive doctrine, there are said to be two means of realising mediate state of rebirth. Each of these transformations is provided with
it, which are known as Cutting Through Resistance (khregs-chod) and particular guidance, so that being~ may b~ conveyed to t~e P?int of
AU-Surpassing Realisation (lhod-rgal). original liberation at any stage or III any CIrcumstance. It IS SaId that
The former, Cutting Through Resistance, is oriented towards the through the power of the descent of pristine cognition and the experien-
emptiness-aspect, or primordially pure awareness without conceptual tial cultivation of it in continuous yoga, the recollection of signs on the
elaboration, and so causes the cessation of inherently empty phenomena. path, and the removal of obstacles, the result may be actualised within
The latter, All-Surpassing Realisation, clarifies the apparitional aspect, one lifetime.
which includes material objects, into inner radiance in a spontaneously
present manner, and so causes the cessation of apparitional reality. It Recapitulation of the Vehicles of Secret Mantra
is said that when firm experience in Cutting Through Resistance has Having detailed the overall meaning of the resultant vehicles of the
come about, one dissolves finally into a great primordially pure point secret mantra, Dudjom Rinpoche recapitulates them succinctly,
of liberation. The coarse atoms of the four elements are transformed categorising each sequence according to its entrance, view, moral dis-
into pristine cognition and vanish. If, however, activity on behalf of cipline, meditation, conduct and result.
others is resorted to, the dissolving atoms emanate as, and leave behind,
relics of four kinds, while the awareness centred in the buddha-body
of reality acts on behalf of beings through unceasing emanation. This concludes the summary of the contents of the Fundamentals of the
While it is held that Cutting Through Resistance directly liberates Nyingma School. The history of their transmission in India by Garap
the bewildering appearance of objects in fundamental reality, the All- Dorje, Maiijusrlmitra, Jiianasutra, King Ja, Kukkuraja, Lllavajra and
Surpassing Realisation brings about the liberation of all apparitional others, along with an account of their introduction to Tibet by Pad-
aspects of the three world realms of desire, form and the formless (see masambhava, Vimalamitra, Buddhaguhya and so forth, has been
chart, pp.14-1S) in the inner radiance or luminosity of a seminal point recorded by Dudjom Rinpoche, in his History of the Nyingma School
of five-coloured light which is the natural tone of awareness. Thus, the (mying-ma'i chos-'byung), which is published here in conjunction with
expanse of reality and its appearances, which are known as indes- the Fundamentals.
tructible chains [of light, rdo-rye lu-gu rgyud], are the mature awareness The History elaborately traces the distant lineage of transmitted pre-
itself. At the successful conclusion of this practice, it is held that the cepts (ring-brgyud bka'-ma) and the close lineage of concealed teachings
outer and inner elements of the three world realms all dissolve into or treasures (nye-brgyud gter-ma) from their first appearance in Tibet
inner radiance through a succession of four visionary appearances until the present century, and clearly indicates that the Nyingmapa for
(snang-ba bzhi), and so all cyclical existence is reversed. The awareness the most part remained aloof from the sectarianism which has so often
enters a formless disposition, as in Cutting Through Resistance, but been divisive in Tibetan history. Indeed, as the Author demonstrates,
the buddha-body of form continues to appear in the manner of rainbow the destiny and propagation of all schools of Buddhism in Tibet have
light, and to act on behalf of sentient beings. As such, it is known as been interlinked from the earliest times.
the body of supreme transformation (,pho-ba chen-po'i sku, Skt. *maha-
sankrantikaya), and this is recognised to be the buddha level attained
by Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, Siiamafiju and others. If, for the THE LITERARY TRADITION REPRESENTED IN THE
while, there is no one requiring to be trained, the buddha-body of FUNDAMENTALS
supreme transformation is absorbed into the body of reality or the
youthful vase body (gzhon-nu bum-pa'i sku), the emanational basis The literary heritage of the Nyingma tradition includes both tantras
of all pristine cognition, and the intrinsic awareness abides radiantly and siitras, along with the treatises or commentaries composed upon
within it. their intention over the centuries.
40 Fundamentals Translator's Introduction 41
The tantras and sutras which emphasise the particular Nyingma Subsequently, Perna Trhinle (1641-1717) and Locen DharmasrI
teachings of Mahayoga, Anuyoga and Atiyoga are found in the canonical (1654-1717) have commented on the range of the B~ddhist teachi~gs in
transmitted precepts of the Kangyur (bka'-'gyur) and in the Collected h 'r respective Collected Works, and have explored III depth the dIstant
Tantras of the Nyingmapa (rnying-ma'i rgyud-'bum). Among them, those r e~age of transmitted precepts (ring-brgyud bka'-ma) and the meaning of
which focus on Mahayoga are exemplified by the Tantra of the Secret t~e Anuyoga Siltra which Gathers All Intentions (mdo dgongs-pa 'dus-pa,
Nucleus (rgyud gsang-ba'i snying-po, T 832, NGB Vol. 14), those which T 829, NGB Vol. 1 I). The latter's Oral Teaching of the Lord of Secrets
focus on Anuyoga are exemplified by the Siltra which Gathers All Inten- (gsang-bdag zhal-lung) is a primary source for the recapitulations found
tions (mdo dgongs-pa 'dus-pa, T 829, NGB Vol.ll), and those which in Parts Three and Four of the present work.
focus on Atiyoga are exemplified by the Tantra of the All-Accomplishing In the eighteenth century, Jikme Lingpa (1730-98) intricately stated
King (kun-byed rgyal-po, T 828, NGB Vol. I). However, there are many the view of the Nyingmapa tantras and the nine sequences of the vehicle
other texts which elaborate on each of these three categories. Among in his nine volumes of Collected Works, particularly in the Treasury of En-
those which refer to the entire nine sequences of the vehicle there are lightened Attributes (yon-tan mdzod); and Gyurme Tshewang Chokdrup
the Tantra of the Great Natural Arising of Awareness (rig-pa rang-shar of Katok catalogued the Collected Tantras of the Nyingmapa in his
chen-po'i rgyud, NGB Vol. 10) and the Miraculous Key to the Storehouse Discourse Resembling a Divine Drum (rgyud-'bum dkar-chag lha'i ~mga-bo­
(bang-mdzod 'phrul-lde, NGB Vol.2). che lta-bu), the first part of which corresponds closely to our present
The treatises composed by Indian scholars of the past on those trans- text.
mitted precepts include long commentaries on specific texts such as During the nineteenth century, under the inspiration of his teacher
those on the Tantra of the Secret Nucleus by LIlavajra (Srfguhyagarbha- the great Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Jamgon Kongtrtil (1813-99) com-
mahatantraraja(fka, P 4718) and by Suryaprabhasirpha (Srfguhya- piled five anthologies (kong-spntl mdzod-lnga) which integrated the most
garbhatattvanirrJayavyakhyana(fka, P 4719). Yet they also include a tradi- important teachings from all schools of Buddhism.
tion of short, pithy explanations of the nine sequences of the vehicle, More recently, Zhecen Gyeltsap and others have followed in this ec-
among which one should note the Garland of Views: A Collection of lectic (ris-med) tradition, and Mipham Rinpoche (1846-1912) has com-
Esoteric Instructions (Upadesadarsanamala, P 4726) by Padmasambhava, posed elaborate exegeses on Madhyamaka, on the mind in its natural
the Sequence of the Path (Mayajalapathakrama, P 4736) by Bud- state (gnyugs-sems), and on the integration of the views of intrinsic empti-
dhaguhya, the Lock of the Heart (Cittatdlaka, P 4758) by SrI Sirpha, and ness (rang-stong) and extrinsic emptiness (gzhan-stongi within the
the Turquoise Display (gYu-thang-ma kras-dgu, P 4729) attributed to sphere of the causal vehicles of dialectics. These are all included in the
Nagarjuna. four cycles of his Collected Works, His Summary of the Spiritual and
When the Nyingma tradition was introduced to Tibet, the concise Philosophical Systems from Longcenpa's Wish-fulfilling Treasury (yid-
exegetical style was maintained by authors such as Kawa Peltsek who bzhin mdzod-kyi grub-mtha' bsdus-pa) has been partially translated into
wrote the Seventeen/old Appearance of the Sequence of the View (Ita-rim English by H.V. Guenther. 9
snang-ba bcu-bdun-pa, T 4356). These prominent texts and authors serve to illustrate the literary
During the medieval period of Tibetan history which followed the tradition which Dudjom Rinpoche has inherited. Looking back upon
persecution of the Buddhist doctrine by Langdarma and its subsequent the development of the Nyingma exegetical tradition from the Indian
restoration, long treatises were composed concerning these "ancient period until the eclectic movement, he has produced a treatise, the
translations" by Rongzom Pa1)<;iita (eleventh century), Yungtbnpa Fu~damentals, which conforms to contemporary circumstances and re-
Dorjepel (1284-1365), Longcen Rapjampa (1308-63) and others. ~uIrements. Many Tibetans who currently practise the doctrine do so
Longcenpa in particular was encouraged by his teacher Kumaradza In a refugee environment, and so lack the time and resources which
(1266-1343) to compose the Seven Treasuries (mdzod-bdun) which :vere once available for the detailed study of vast commentaries. Captur-
definitively structured the entire Buddhist experience from the Ing, the elegance of traditional versification, and the scholarly insights
Nyingma point of view. These include his Treasury of Spiritual and whIch have gradually been acquired over the centuries, he has con-
Philosophical Systems (grub-mtha'i mdzod) which has had a profound in- ?ensed the writings of past masters, presenting their reasoning in an
fluence on later interpretations of the nine sequences of the vehicle. I~mediate, contemporary manner, and at the same time has substan-
Among his other works, one should note the General Exposition [of the Sec- tIated ,this summarisation with copious quotations from the concise
ret Nucleus, entitled] Dispelling Mental Darkness (spyi-don yid-kyi mun-pa eXegetIcal tradition of both Indian and Tibetan origin, which epitomises
sel-ba) which is a basic source-book for much of the present treatise. the Ancient Translation School.
42 Fundamentals
The formal title of this work is An Abridged Definitive Ordering of the
Nyingma Teaching, the Ancient Translation School of Secret Mantra, enti-
tled Feast in which Eloquence Appears (gsang-sngags snga-'gyur rnying-ma-
ba'i bstan-pa'i rnam-gzhag mdo-tsam brjod-pa legs-bshad snang-ba'i dga'-
ston). Its two hundred and thirty-two Tibetan folios were composed dur-
ing the summer of 1966. The xylographs for the first edition of the text
were prepared in Kalimpong, West Bengal, India, where they are pre-
served at the monastery of Zangdok Pelri. The text was subsequently re-
printed in the Collected Works of Dudjom Rinpoche (Kalimpong, 1979).

GYURME DORJE

The Text

An Abridged Definitive Ordering of the Nyingma Teaching,

the Ancient Translation School of Secret Mantra,
entitled Feast in which Eloquence Appears

gsang-sngags snga-'gyurrnying-ma-ba'i bstan-pa'i rnam-gzhag

mdo-tsam brjod-pa legs-bshad snang-ba'i dga '-ston
Verses of Invocation

May you who are the indestructible reality

Of the speech of all conquerors,
Having attained supreme accomplishment,
A level whose wonder cannot even be grasped,
And arisen embodied as an awareness-holder,
Powerfully transforming the three spheres of existence,
Orgyen Dorje Chang,lO confer your blessings.

May you who bind the entire network

Of the supreme skilful means,
Which appears as great bliss,
In the seal of discriminative awareness,
Which is emptiness in its natural state,
Heruka, completely present
In mobile and motionless creatures,
All-pervading lord and guru,
Grant protection until enlightenment.

When the brilliant, attractive lotus of eloquent discourse

Born from the taintless ocean of doctrinal tradition
Exudes honey drops of excellent meaning,
The feast of the discerning bee increases in all ways.
Introduction

[2b.3-3a.l] On the basis of the unsurpassed aspiration and enlightened

activity of the three ancestral religious kingsll who emanated in the
land of snow mountains [Tibet], the field of the sublime and supreme
Lokesvara,12 the Teaching of the Conqueror [Buddhism] was estab-
lished. Its foundation was clearly made secure by the preceptors, mas-
ters, pa1).Qitas, accomplished masters, bodhisattvas and translators who
were representatives of the Teacher [Buddha] through their translations,
exegeses, teachings, study, meditation, and attainment. Subsequently,
an immeasurable number of accomplished awareness-holders manifestly
equal to the Conqueror himself emerged, such as Nupcen Sangye Yeshe
and his nephew [Nup Khulungpa Yon ten Gyamtso], the generations
of the Zur family, Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer, Rok Sherap-o, Rongzompa
Choki Zangpo and Longcen Rapjampa. 13 Therefore, I wish to sum-
marise and briefly explain the fundamentals of that body of teaching
renowned as the Nyingma tradition or Ancient Translation School of
the secret mantra, the exegesis, attainment and enlightened activity of
which continue to be maintained without decline until the present day.
 Part One
Doctrines of Sarrzsara and Nirvana
Discovering Diverse Content Through
Random Scribd Documents
 Der Markt hatte für mich große Anziehungskraft, denn hier
konnte ich am leichtesten die Stimmung beobachten, die der Neger
empfindet, wenn er in das Volksgedränge kommt, unter die vielen
Menschen, die, was sie schnell verdienen, ebenso schnell wieder
verzehren, und deren Zufriedenheit beim Anblick der reichlichen
Lebensmittel in den Worten zum Ausdruck kommt: „killa kitu tayari:
es ist alles da“.
Jeder Fremde, der Daressalam auf der Durchreise besucht und
das Eingeborenenviertel vergleicht mit den Wohnungen der Kaffern
in Delagoabay oder der Neger in Mombasa, bekommt denn auch den
Eindruck, daß es den Schwarzen im deutschen Gebiet gut geht.
Vom Markt aus bog ich in die Straße „Unter den Akazien“.
Knallrote Blüten bedeckten die Bäume.
Am Ende der langen Baumreihe liegt der Kulturgarten mit dem
Hospital; nicht weit davon das Wohnhaus des Gouverneurs in
schönen Parkanlagen versteckt, mit der Aussicht auf das Meer.
Hart am Strande, hinter einem Kasuarinenwäldchen, ist ein
kleines Gebäude halb in das Wasser hinausgebaut: das Aquarium;
ein kleiner, aber viel versprechender Anfang, die reiche Fauna des
ostafrikanischen Meeres zu zeigen und wissenschaftlich zu
erforschen.
Hier fand ich den Stabsarzt unsers Kriegsschiffes beschäftigt, die
vier Wasserbassins mit frisch gefangenen Fischen zu besetzen und
durfte mich auch an dem Anblick einiger großer Langusten erfreuen,
die für den Tisch der Offiziermesse bestimmt waren.
Da in den nächsten Tagen die Ankunft eines großen
Postdampfers von Süden erwartet wurde, sollte das Aquarium zu
einer Sehenswürdigkeit für die Passagiere gemacht werden, und eine
Fahrt nach den Korallenriffen bei der Leuchtturminsel Makatumbe
war nötig, weil dort der Aquariumssammler reiche Ausbeute findet.
Jetzt schon lagen in dem ersten Bassin Tintenschnecken wie
leblos zwischen Steinen und Sand, durch sonderbare Höcker und
Runzeln ihrer Umgebung so angepaßt, daß sie schwer darin zu
unterscheiden waren. Zerschnittene Fische, in das Bassin geworfen,
brachten schnell Leben in die unförmigen Geschöpfe, die die Bissen
mit den Fangarmen ergriffen und zum Munde führten.

Im Palmenwald bei Daressalam.

Die Palme im Vordergrund zeigt die Einkerbungen, die den Negern als Stufen
dienen, um auf die Baumkrone hinaufzusteigen, Palmwein zu zapfen, oder Nüsse
abzuschlagen. Alle Palmen, bei denen Anzapfen gestattet ist, sind mit einem T
(tembo = Palmwein) gezeichnet. Dunkle, dichtbelaubte Mangobäume stehen
zwischen den schlanken Stämmen der Kokospalmen. Rechts sieht man auf dem
Bilde einen gemauerten Brunnen mit Auftritt. Der Afrikaner spricht von einer
„Palmenschamba“, d. h. Pflanzung, weil es natürliche Kokoswälder dort nicht gibt.

Seesterne, Schlangensterne, Seeigel und Seegurken lagen auf

dem Boden des nächsten Bassins; ein Farben- und Formenreichtum,
der das Auge entzückte. Urkomisch waren die hier häufigen
Kofferfische und die Kugelfische, die sich, aus dem Wasser gehoben,
wie ein Ballon aufpumpen und ihre Stachel von sich spreizen.
 Die Pflege eines Seewasseraquariums erfordert viel Mühe und
Sorgfalt, denn nicht alle Fische halten sich in der Gefangenschaft
und gewisse Arten kann man nur wenige Stunden im Bassin
beobachten, dann sterben sie.
Obwohl es nicht schwer ist, neue Tiere zu fangen und auch die
schwarzen Fischer häufig Schaustücke mitbringen, kann das
Aquarium deshalb nicht immer eine große Sehenswürdigkeit sein.
Wer sich jedoch erst einmal dafür interessiert, für den gibt es immer
etwas zu sehen.
Am nächsten Morgen begleitete ich den Stabsarzt hinaus, um auf
den Riffen von Makatumbe für das Aquarium zu sammeln.
Der Südwestmonsum wehte und das aus dem Hafen
hinauslaufende Wasser förderte die Fahrt unserer kleinen
einheimischen Auslegerboote. Wenn der Wind recht stark in das
Segel des primitiven Fahrzeugs faßte, konnte man weit zu luvard
auslegen und sah dann das klare, grüne Wasser unter sich
hindurchschießen. Mit uns verließ eine große Inderdhau die enge
Einfahrt, um ihren Kurs nach Sansibar zu nehmen. Der braune
Holzkasten mit der plumpen Takelage und den großen Segeln paßte
so recht zu dem Palmenstrand im Hintergrund und zu den farbigen
Menschen.
Nach einer Fahrt von etwa einer halben Stunde landeten wir auf
der Leuchtturminsel. Die Boote wurden auf den Sandstrand
gezogen; die Neger folgten uns mit Eimern und Glasgefäßen auf die
Riffe, die schon fast frei von Wasser waren.
Strandläufer und Reiher flogen auf.
Große, gehobene Korallenfelsen standen da, von der zur Flutzeit
drumherumtobenden Brandung zu fantastischen Formen
zurechtgeschlagen. An dem zackigen, scharfkantigen Gestein saßen
Austern, die man mit Beilen losschlagen mußte; eine kleine aber
wohlschmeckende Art.
Viele Krabben liefen über die Steine hin, ihre spinnenähnlichen,
von gelenkigen Beinen schnell fortbewegten Körper sahen drollig
aus, weil sie nicht vor- oder rückwärts, sondern seitwärts liefen; die
Stielaugen und Fühler waren dabei nach oben gerichtet.
Die feuchte Oberfläche des Riffs hatte eine braungrüne Farbe.
Viele kleine und große Wasserbecken waren von der Flut
zurückgeblieben; jedes ein natürliches Aquarium mit großem
Reichtum an Lebewesen, die sich vor den glühenden Sonnenstrahlen
dorthin geflüchtet hatten, wenn sie nicht in Hohlräumen unter den
Steinen die Rückkehr der Flut erwarteten. Hunderte von
Einsiedlerkrebsen, die sich kleine Muschelschalen, ein fremdes Kleid,
angezogen hatten, spazierten mit ihrem Haus unter den Schutz der
Korallensteine und Tangpflanzen.
 Die Johannesstraße bei Daressalam.
Links das Meer, davor einige Pandanen; am Strand ein Fischerboot, das seine
Segel zum Trocknen ausgespannt hat. In den Kokospalmen rechts ein Fischerdorf.
— Die Straße ist nach Major Johannes benannt, einem der ältesten Offiziere der
Schutztruppe, der die Entwickelung der Kolonie bis heute aktiv miterlebt hat und
im Aufstand im Jahre 1905/06 die Operationen der Schutztruppe im Süden der
Kolonie leitete.

Wenn man die Steine umdrehte, entfloh aalgleich eine Moräne;

vor ihrem scharfen Biß, der wie der Schnitt eines Rasiermessers ins
Fleisch dringt, mußte man sich hüten. Blitzschnell wand sie sich über
den Boden dahin und war in der nächsten Höhlung verschwunden.
Die Unterseite einer umgedrehten Steinplatte ist bunt wie die
Palette des Malers. Weichtiere, Schnecken, Brut und Algen in allen
erdenklichen Farben, dazu Schlangensterne verschiedener Art, bunte
Muscheln und Krebstiere. Ein natürliches Wasserbecken nun gar erst,
umschließt eine Welt für sich; wenn kein Wind die Oberfläche
kräuselt und die Sonne warm hineinscheint, ist es ein hoher Genuß
für den Naturfreund, dem Leben darin zuzusehen.
Die zerklüfteten Korallensteine stellen gleichsam die Landschaft
dar; Berge, Halbinseln, Grotten erscheinen da, Algen und Tange
bilden Wälder, in denen sich Schnecken, Holothurien und Seesterne
verbergen, während Fische über die Bäume hinwegfliegen wie Vögel
in der Luft.

Ostafrikanische Negerin in der Tracht der Küste.

Ein mit seltsamen Mustern bedrucktes Baumwolltuch bildet ihr
Kleid; es ist über der Brust eingefaltet. Auf dem Nacken liegt eine
Messingkette. Um den Hals trägt sie ein Band mit blauen Glasperlen;
in jeder Ohrmuschel drei Pfropfen aus zusammengerolltem Papier mit
Staniolstreifen durchzogen. Ihr kurzes, krauses Haar ist mehrfach
gescheitelt und in getrennten Bahnen geflochten. Mit der linken Hand
hat sie hinter dem Rücken den rechten Oberarm angefaßt; durch
diese Haltung tritt das Schlüsselbein besonders stark hervor. Die
meisten Negerinnen gehen aufrecht und schön, weil schon die
Gewohnheit, alle Gegenstände (selbst den zusammengefalteten
Sonnenschirm!) auf dem Kopf zu tragen, sie zu guter Haltung erzieht.
Leuchtend weiße, wohlgepflegte Zähne sind nach unserm Begriff ihr
schönster Schmuck. Die Schönheitspflege der Küstennegerin erstreckt
sich sogar auf die Haut und die Fingernägel.
 Ostafrikanische Negerin in der Tracht der Küste.
⇒
GRÖSSERES BILD

Wenn nun der Blick auf einer ganz beschränkten Stelle haftet,
regt sich dort eine noch kleinere Welt, deren Gestalten schließlich
nur noch mit dem feinen Planktonnetz gefaßt und mit dem
Mikroskop erkannt werden können.
Während wir noch Eimer und Gläser mit wunderlichem Gewürm
anfüllten, zogen Neger einen mehrere Meter langen Hai auf den
Strand. Sie hatten ihn mit der Angel gefangen und versprachen sich
guten Gewinn auf dem Markt.

C. Uhlig.
Korallenfelsen bei der Insel Makatumbe.

Ich bestellte mir das große Gebiß, das eine Öffnung von fast ½
m hatte. Der Fisch wurde in Stücke geschnitten, und nur die
Wirbelsäule blieb liegen. Die Neger brachten noch einen anderen
merkwürdigen Fisch: den Schiffshalter. Er trägt an Stelle der
vorderen Rückenflosse eine Haftscheibe, mit der er sich, — obwohl
er selbst sehr gewandt schwimmt, — um schneller vorwärts zu
kommen, an dem Boden der Schiffe oder an großen Fischen
festsaugt.
Wir legten ihn in eine Holzbalje mit Wasser; er hielt sich an der
glatten Innenwand so fest, daß ich ihn nur mit großer Gewalt
losreißen konnte.
Die Flut kam. Schon warf sich die Brandung höher auf die Riffe;
ihr Brausen mahnte uns, schnell zur Insel zurückzugehen, um mit
der reichen Beute die Heimfahrt anzutreten.
Wir sahen über die Bucht mit ihren grünen Ufern. Hier haben vor
dreißig Jahren noch Flußpferde in der See gelebt! Weit in das Meer
hinaus sind die großen, plumpen Säugetiere geschwommen. In allen
Buchten sind sie heimisch gewesen und von der Küste aus bis nach
der Insel Mafia hinübergetrieben, wo sie heute noch zu finden sind.
Das ist gewesen.
Der Ozean aber birgt ein Leben, das unendliche Gelegenheit zu
Beobachtung gibt. Mir scheint, dies Leben ist mit seinem Reichtum
an Farben und Formen, mit seiner Vielseitigkeit, seinen Wundern und
ungelösten Problemen so recht zur Freude des Menschen da und
zeigt ihm unendliche Wege, die sein Wissensdrang noch gehen kann.

[1] Spr.: bueni.

 Eine Dhau aus Kilwa auf dem Mohorrofluß.

An der Küste.
Die über siebenhundert Kilometer lange Küste Deutsch-Ostafrikas
ist reich an guten Häfen für die größten Schiffe, an Creeks und
stillen Buchten für den Dhauverkehr und die Fischerei der
Eingeborenen. Inseln und Bänke sind dem Festlande vorgelagert und
schützen gegen die Dünung des Indischen Ozeans.
 Dadurch zeichnet sich die Küste aus vor der des südlichen und
westlichen Afrikas, die schwer zugänglich ist, und an der sich die
Schiffahrt der Eingeborenen nicht hat entwickeln können. Der Küste
gegenüber liegen die großen, fruchtbaren Inseln Pemba, Sansibar
und Mafia.
Die Nähe der Insel Sansibar und das Vorhandensein
reichbevölkerter Inselgruppen im Indischen Ozean, die Wind- und
Wetterverhältnisse, die den Verkehr mit Indien und Arabien
begünstigten: dies alles hat dazu beigetragen, daß hier zu allen
Zeiten ein reger Handelsverkehr bestand.
Der Segelschiffverkehr an der Küste von Deutsch-Ostafrika steht
im Zeichen von regelmäßig alljährlich auftretenden Winden; sieben
Monate lang weht bei Sansibar der Südwest-, drei Monate der
Nordost-Monsun. In der übrigen Zeit ist der Wind unbestimmt; die
beiden regelmäßigen Winde aber sind die Grundlage des Handels
zwischen Ostafrika und Indien.
Gegen Ende November, wenn der Nordostwind seine volle Stärke
erreicht hat, füllt sich der Hafen der schönen Nelkeninsel mit
Inderdhaus. Aber auch Mombasa, Daressalam und Mocambique
werden von diesen altertümlichen Holzschiffen angelaufen.
Die Unsicherheit der Festlandsküste war vor allem Ursache der
großen Bedeutung Sansibars; es wurde der Stapelplatz für alle Güter,
die aus Ostafrika herauskamen und die Operationsbasis für
Unternehmungen nach dem Innern des Kontinents.
Zugleich war es der günstigste Platz für den Sklavenmarkt, weil
die Insel als fast einziger Produzent der Gewürznelken in der ganzen
Welt stets Arbeiter in den Pflanzungen beschäftigen konnte, und
Menschenkräfte dort nicht brach zu liegen brauchten.
An die Geheimnisse dieses Handels wird erinnert, wer in den
Gewässern zwischen den Inseln und dem Festlande tagelang kreuzt,
wie wir es mit S. M. S. Bussard taten.
Die lieblichen Einfahrten, mit hellgrün schimmernden
Korallenbänken, die vielen, kleinen, mit dichtem Busch bestandenen
Inseln; die weit ins Land greifenden Creeks, eintönig mit Mangroven
geschmückt: das ist der Hintergrund für die Schiffahrt schwarzer
Menschen in naturfarbenen, wenig gepflegten Holzkästen mit
Baststricken und großen, kühn im Winde geschwellten Segeln über
blauer Flut.
Die Fischerei wird noch immer selbständig von den Eingeborenen
ausgeübt; in selbstgefertigten, schmalen Auslegerbooten; mit
Angelschnur und Korbreuse in tiefem Wasser, mit Netzen und
Rohrgeflecht in den flachen Buchten, die teilweise zur Ebbezeit
trocken fallen.
An der Fischerei ist ebenso wie an der Schiffahrt alles
althergebracht und der europäische Einfluß hat wenig daran
geändert.
Der Fischreichtum ist groß; das beweisen die Märkte und die
gefüllten Fischerboote, die man auf dem Heimweg zur Stadt antrifft.
Da wir ein Interesse daran hatten, die
deutschen Küstenplätze vor Sansibar zu Sansibar.
bevorzugen, ging das Kriegsschiff nur selten nach
der Sultansinsel, obschon sie dem Festlande so nahe liegt, daß man
von Saadani aus den Mittagsschuß hören kann, der vor dem Palast
des Sultans gefeuert wird.
Ich persönlich bedauerte, daß wir so selten in Sansibar waren;
denn dort ist immer noch eine starke Kolonie deutscher Kaufleute,
und die Insel bietet dem Besucher eine Fülle des Sehenswerten.
Wohl an keinem Platz der Erde ist ein solches Völkergemisch
vertreten, wie dort; wenn auch meist nur in wenigen Vertretern. Die
Asiaten sind zur Stelle, vom Japaner bis zum Inder; Bewohner der
Seychellen, der Komoren und Madagaskars, Araber, Belutschen und
Neger fast aller Volksstämme könnte man nachweisen.
Dementsprechend ist, was die Händler in ihren dunklen Läden
anzubieten haben.
In Sansibar trifft man leider schon freche Neger; in den vom
Fremdenverkehr berührten Hafenplätzen können die Schwarzen den
bescheidenen Charakter offenbar auf die Dauer nicht behalten. Sehr
bald wird man auch in Daressalam und in Tanga von der guten, alten
Zeit sprechen, mit ihrer großen Auswahl an anständigen Boys, mit
mäßigen Löhnen, die die Neger doch zufrieden machten.
Ich weiß nicht, ob der Deutsche fähiger ist als der Engländer, den
Eingeborenen zu distanzieren, traue aber dem Deutschen ein
sicheres Gefühl für seine Stellungnahme zu; denn dem Deutschen ist
die Kolonie nicht nur ein Ort für Gelderwerb, sondern zweite Heimat,
die er sich nicht verleiden lassen will; auch nicht durch Verderb der
Eingeborenen, und durch Minderung des Rassenprestige. Daher
kommt vielleicht auch die sichtbare Abneigung der Deutschen gegen
die Missionen, die zum Teil ohne nationales Interesse auf den Neger
einwirken, und ihren sehr verschiedenen Aufgaben entsprechend,
selten eine gemeinsame Kulturarbeit mit dem Ansiedler betreiben;
daher auch der gute Klang des Titels „alter Afrikaner“ und das
Mißtrauen gegen jeden, im Verhalten zu den Schwarzen noch nicht
gefestigten Neuling. —
Im allgemeinen geht der Handel Sansibars zurück. Die Ladung
der Dampfer der Deutschen Ostafrikalinie verteilt sich jetzt auf alle
kleinen Küstenplätze, während früher fast der gesamte Handel der
Ostküste bis nach Lamu und Somaliland hinauf über Sansibar nach
Europa ging.
Nach der Nelkenernte riecht die ganze Stadt nach Gewürznelken;
am meisten der Zoll, der an der Landungsstelle liegt.
Der angenehme Duft empfing auch mich als ich eines Tages mit
einem Kameraden an Land ging.
Wir machten Einkäufe in den Läden der Hauptstraßen: silberne
Kannen, aus Ebenholz geschnitzte Elefanten, Elfenbeinschnitzereien
und seidene Decken aus Japan; nahmen einen Wagen und fuhren
durch die engen Straßen hinaus nach Mnazi moja, einer breiten
Allee, die zu den Sportplätzen der Europäer hinführt.
Das Hochwasser füllte die Lagune, die die Stadt von den
Negerdörfern trennt.
 Auf guten, festen Straßen rollte unser Wagen dahin, durch reiche
Vegetation: dunkle Mangobäume mit Kokos- und Betelpalmen hinter
weißen Gartenmauern.
In den Gärten lagen Landhäuser der Inder und Araber; zum Teil
verfallen und von Pflanzen überwuchert. Viele Negerweiber in
sauberen Tüchern gingen nach dem Ngambo, dem Negerdorfe, zum
Tanz; sie hatten nach Landessitte ein großes Tuch um den Kopf
gewickelt.
Ich fragte einen Neger, der mit zufriedenem Gesichtsausdruck
dastand, was seine Arbeit sei?
„Ich passe auf eine Schamba auf!“
„Wem gehört die Schamba?“
„Dem Eigentümer.“
„Wer ist der Eigentümer?“
„Ein Araber, Ali Sefru.“
Gegen Abend trafen wir den deutschen Konsul und die Vertreter
der Firmen Hansing, O’Swald, die Herren von der Agentur der
Ostafrikalinie, der Deutsch-Ostafrikanischen Gesellschaft und andere
Mitglieder des Deutschen Klubs in der sogenannten Klubschamba,
einem schattigen Garten mit der Aussicht auf das Meer.
Als es dunkel wurde, schrien die kleinen Ohrenmakis rundum in
den Bäumen; nur bei scharfer Aufmerksamkeit erkannte man die
„Komba“, die eifrige Kerbtierjäger sind und zur Nachtzeit auf Raub
ausgehen.
Die Wagen brachten uns in die Stadt, wo ich einer Einladung
folgte und in einem der malerischen alten Araberhäuser bei
deutschen Kaufleuten dinierte.
Die Punka, ein großer hängender Fächer, wehte über der Tafel,
und wie überall an der Ostküste servierten schneeweiß gekleidete
Boys, die barfuß und ohne Geräusch um den Tisch eilten. Nach dem
Essen gingen wir in den Klub und saßen hoch oben auf dem Dache
beim Whisky-Soda.
Man sah den hellerleuchteten Sultanspalast und die vielen Schiffe
im Hafen.
Der Klub soll früher schwere Sitzungen erlebt haben; jetzt ist das
anders geworden. Die Rücksicht auf die ernste Tätigkeit des Tages
und auf die Gesundheit mahnt auch die lustigste Gesellschaft zur
Nachtruhe, und in Afrika ist man, was Mäßigkeit betrifft, im Kneipen
schon ebenso modern wie in Deutschland. Die Natürlichkeit, mit der
sich die jungen Kaufleute rechtzeitig empfahlen, empfanden wir sehr
angenehm.
Am folgenden Abend blieb ich an Bord, weil ich als Piquetoffizier
den Tag über mehrere Komplimentierbesuche auf fremden
Kriegsschiffen zu machen hatte. Konsuln verschiedener Nationen
kamen an Bord, und über vierzig Schuß Salut wurden im Laufe des
Tages gefeuert.
Auch ein großer Passagierdampfer von Südafrika war
eingelaufen.
Der Vollmond hob sich über die Türme und Dächer der Stadt und
sein Licht trat in Wettstreit mit den elektrischen Bogenlampen des
hellerleuchteten Sultanspalastes am Wasser. In der Flut glänzte der
silberne Spiegel. Dunkel zeichnete sich davor die Silhouette eines
italienischen Kriegsschiffes ab.
Die Mannschaft hatte längst Hängematten, da kam eine
Dampfbarkasse an Steuerbord längsseit. Eine junge Dame führte das
Wort: „Ich will den ersten Offizier sprechen“ rief sie dem
Bootsmannsmaaten der Wache zu.
Der wachthabende Offizier rückte sich Schärpe und Mütze
zurecht, ging auf das Fallrepp und übernahm die Verhandlung mit
dem späten Gast persönlich. Sie wollte gerne das Kriegsschiff sehen;
der wachthabende Offizier aber verweigerte ihr dies in höflicher
Form, da die Schiffsetikette es verbiete, nach sechs Uhr Fremde an
Bord zu lassen.
 „Ach was, Schiffsetikette. Fahren Sie weiter,“ sagte sie schließlich
zu dem Bootssteuerer und dann zu dem wachthabenden Offizier und
den inzwischen versammelten Matrosen: „Ihr seid ja gar keine
rechten Soldaten Kaiser Wilhelms!“
Der Insel Sansibar gegenüber liegt auf dem Festlande die alte
Handelsstadt Bagamoyo, der Ausgangspunkt für die Karawanen nach
Tabora und Udjiji; nördlich von Bagamoyo, an der Mündung des
Wami der kleine Ort Saadani, wo Dr. Peters im Jahre 1884 gelandet
ist, um Land zu erwerben.
Beides sind keine Hafenstädte und ihr Handel geht deshalb
gegen den Handel Daressalams und Tangas langsam zurück.
Bagamoyo war der Hauptausfuhrplatz für Elfenbein; gerade dieser
Artikel wird immer seltener und macht allmählich der Baumwolle,
dem Hanf und anderen landwirtschaftlichen Produkten Platz.
Bei Saadani hat das Kolonial-Wirtschaftliche
Komitee auf dem ausgedehnten Alluvialland der Saadani.
Wamiebene eine Art Baumwollbau- und
Dampfpfluggenossenschaft gegründet, deren Teilnehmer schon
20000 ha in Pacht genommen haben; Dampfmaschinen für die
Entkernung der Baumwolle wurden im Jahre 1905 aufgestellt.
Uns zeigte Herr Wendt damals die ersten Erfolge; die Mitafifi
Baumwolle, (die von der Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei mit 85–86 Pfg.
pro ½ kg bewertet wurde), die Schamben der Kommune Saadani
und einiger Ansiedler; das gute Vieh: Buckelrinder und Esel. In
Saadani ist das erste große Bauwollunternehmen in
Deutschostafrika.
Der Gedanke, in Kolonien Baumwolle zu bauen, ist vielleicht älter,
als man in Deutschland allgemein glauben mag.
Jetzt, wo das Interesse dafür so groß ist, sei es erlaubt, auf eine
solche frühe Anregung hinzuweisen.
Johann Jakob Sturz, einer der rührigsten Vorkämpfer deutscher
Überseepolitik, hat schon ein Jahrzehnt bevor Deutschland die
ersten Schritte in dieser Richtung tat, an eine Kolonisierung Afrikas
gedacht; eine der vielen, anregenden Schriften, die er, unermüdlich
anspornend unter den Gebildeten seines Vaterlandes verbreitete,
trägt auf dem Umschlag eine Kartenskizze Ostafrikas vom Sambesi
bis zum Juba.[2]
Wie vieles, was dieser seltene Mann, seiner Zeit vorauseilend,
gedacht hat, ist auch dieser Traum zur Wirklichkeit geworden.
Freilich anders als er zu hoffen wagte; Sturz schlug vor, ein neutrales
Ostafrika zu schaffen, in dem Deutschland gleichberechtigt neben
England Handel treiben könne. „Vielleicht schon in zwanzig Jahren“,
schrieb er (der immer das größte hoffte), „entwickelt sich dort eine
Baumwollkultur, welche die aller anderen Länder
zusammengenommen in Schatten stellt; denn Millionen von Händen
werden sich ihr widmen, sobald sie nur Abnahme ihres Produktes
finden, und wie sollten sie das nicht bei dem sicherlich leicht
herzustellenden Transport zur Küste, teils durch bereits weit
befahrbare Flüsse, teils durch wohlfeil herzustellende Straßen und
Bahnen jeder Art?!“
Nördlich von Saadani liegt die Stadt Pangani an der Mündung des
Pangani. Der Pangani kommt vom Kilimandscharo; seine Mündung
ist sehr verschieden von der des Wami, des Rufiyi und des Rovuma;
er durchbricht an der Küste einen niedrigen Höhenzug und hat nur
einen Mündungsarm.
Der Bussard ankerte auf Reede etwa zwei Seemeilen von der
Stadt entfernt. Es fuhren nur wenige Routineboote, die je nach dem
Strom gut oder schlecht vorwärts kamen.
Ich besuchte die alte Araberstadt und die Plantage Buschirihof
und kam spät am Abend zurück, zum Bezirksamtsgebäude am Ufer
des Flusses.
Der Bussard sollte am Morgen um drei Uhr nach Saadani in See
gehen; ich mußte also unter allen Umständen sofort an Bord fahren.
Die Europäer der Stadt waren alle mit den Booten fort, und mir
stand kein Ruderboot zur Verfügung. Nach langem Hin- und
Hersuchen fand ich endlich eine kleine, offene Dhau mit drei Negern,
die mich hinaussegeln wollten.
Das Fahrzeug machte keinen guten Eindruck; da es aber
stockdunkle Nacht war, sah ich das erst, als ich mit Büchse und
Rucksack an Bord gestiegen war und der Anker hochgenommen
wurde. Es war kein Wind und das große Segel hing lose an der Raa;
als der Anker aus dem Grunde war, trieb das Boot schnell zwischen
anderen Fahrzeugen hindurch der Mündung des Stromes entgegen.
Ein kurzer Wortwechsel entstand zwischen dem Neger am
Steuerruder und den beiden schwarzen Matrosen vorne; ich achtete
nicht darauf. Plötzlich aber sprangen die beiden über Bord,
schwammen an Land und kletterten an das Ufer.
Mein Bootsführer sagte, er könne nicht allein fahren; draußen
wehe heftiger Wind und schwere See sei gegenan.
Ich entgegnete, er solle die Schot und das Segel, ich würde die
Ruderpinne nehmen.
Er traute mir oder seinem Fahrzeug nicht und meine Lage war
nicht erfreulich.
Hinter Ras Muhesa, das sich dunkel zur Rechten erhob, und über
Kikogwe stand eine noch dunklere Wolkenwand, und das Rauschen
der hohen Brandung zur Linken kam immer näher.
Auf weitere Fragen antwortete mein Kapitän nur mit einem
„bismillah“; und einmal müßten wir ja doch sterben. Dazu hatte ich
allerdings noch keine Lust.
Noch war die Luft ruhig, das Boot fing an, einer langsamen
Wellenbewegung zu folgen und plötzlich straffte ein heftiger Wind
das morsche Segel; die Baststricke knarrten und ich fühlte starken
Druck auf dem Ruder. In schneller Fahrt, von Wind und Strom
getrieben, ging es einer immer wachsenden Dünung entgegen. An
Backbord blieb die Brandung zurück, an Steuerbord tauchte die
Wracktonne auf, die unter Ras Muhesa liegt und eine Stelle
bezeichnet, die zu meiden ist, weil ein gesunkenes Schiff dort liegt.
 Das Boot stampfte mächtig ein und starke Spritzer kamen über.
Der Neger schlug vor, umzukehren und abzuwarten bis der Wind
nachlasse.
Da war wieder eine Gefahr; denn eine Dhau wie diese wendet
nicht, sondern geht vor dem Wind über den andern Bug, was man in
der Seemannssprache „halsen“ nennt.
Mit nur einem Mann für das große Segel ist es ein gewagtes
Stück; man weiß nicht, wo das Segel während des Manövers bleibt
und ob nicht die Schot brechen wird, wenn der Wind von der
anderen Seite plötzlich hineinfährt.
Zudem kannte ich das Material nicht, daß ich in der Hand hatte.
Mir blieb also nichts übrig, als ein „inshallah“ zu
murmeln, das Ruder zu legen und abzuwarten, was In der Mündung
des Pangani.
vorne der Neger unterdessen in der Dunkelheit
fertig bringen würde. Und es gelang; das Segel schlug heftig, aber
die Stricke hielten, die Schot stand jetzt an Steuerbord und derselbe
Wind trieb uns wieder der Mündung des Stromes zu, bis er hinter
dem Kap schwächer wurde und die entgegenwirkende Strömung des
Wassers ihm das Gleichgewicht hielt, so daß das Boot zwischen den
beiden entgegengesetzt wirkenden Kräften auf einer Stelle lag.
Ich war völlig durchnäßt; bald kam rechts die Brandung zu nahe,
bald links die Wracktonne; denn ich war jetzt in der nur etwa 150 m
breiten Fahrrinne. Ras Muhesa aber blieb in derselben Peilung,
trotzdem der Wind voll im Segel stand und das Wasser rauschend an
dem Boot vorbeiging.
Da sagte ich dem Neger, er solle den Anker werfen, weil wir nicht
vorwärtskamen und in Gefahr waren, dem Riff oder dem Wrack zu
nahe zu kommen. Er ging nach vorne und warf den eisernen Anker
über Bord; der hielt und als wir das Segel festgebunden hatten, lag
das Boot auf dem Strome.
Nach einer Stunde machte ich einen neuen Versuch, mußte aber
wieder umkehren und ankern; denn der Wind hatte noch nicht
nachgelassen. Ich schöpfte das übergekommene Wasser aus und
hielt mich durch diese Arbeit leidlich warm.
Endlich schien der Wind abzuflauen, und ich nahm wieder den
Kurs nach See hin.
Der Neger hatte noch einmal Einwände, aber ich konnte nicht
länger warten.
Es war eine aufregende Fahrt. Stockdunkel; nur die Lichter des
‚Bussard‘ in der Ferne. Das alte zerbrechliche Boot stampfte tief in
die See ein und füllte sich immer mehr mit Wasser. Der Wind sauste
und trieb mir salzige Tropfen ins Gesicht.
Aber die Lichter kamen näher; das Kriegsschiff nahm greifbare
Gestalt an.
Wir waren nur noch zweihundert Meter vom Heck entfernt, als
eine heftige Regenböe herniederfuhr und uns das Schiff fast den
Blicken entzog. Kein Mensch sah uns von Bord aus, denn Lichter
führten wir nicht.
„Wirf die Schot rechtzeitig los!“ rief ich dem Neger zu, weil mir
der Gedanke kam, wir könnten an dem Schiff vorbeitreiben und es
dann aus Sicht verlieren.
„Die Schot ist fest, gib mir schnell ein Messer“ antwortete hastig
der Schwarze.
Ich suchte unter mir, wo der Rucksack im Wasser lag, konnte
aber das Messer nicht finden; jetzt bekam ich wirklich einen Schreck.
Ich wollte wenigstens bemerkt werden, um eine Leine zu bekommen
und rief so laut ich konnte: „Bussard!“
Die Stimme des ersten Offiziers antwortete, der an Deck kam
und die Bootsgäste der Wache ans Fallreep schickte.
In voller Fahrt hielt ich an der Bordwand entlang. Irgend etwas
mußte geschehen und wenn der Mast unter der Backspier abbrechen
sollte!
 Da flatterte plötzlich das Segel lose im Winde. Der Neger hatte
mit aller Kraft an dem Tau geholt; die Schot war gebrochen. Eine
Leine wurde mir zugeworfen und ich turnte an Bord. Ich konnte von
Glück sagen, daß die Fahrt in dem schwachen Boot so gut
abgelaufen war.
Am nächsten Tage ankerte S. M. S. ‚Bussard‘ in
dem stillen Hafen von Tanga, dem Ausgangspunkt Tanga.

der Usambarabahn.
Von Tanga aus machte ich einen Jagdausflug nach dem Sigital.
Da der Dienst mich lange an Bord festhielt, verpaßte ich den Zug der
Usambarabahn, der nur einmal täglich fährt, und bestellte mir einen
Bahnwärterwagen, den mehrere Neger schoben und auf dem ich,
mit den Boys und dem Gepäck gegen Abend auf der Station
Ngomeni, eintraf.
 Photographie aus Tanga.
Löwenfalle aus Baumstämmen.
In der Umzäunung rechts wird eine Ziege angebunden. Wenn der Löwe in den
Gang hineingeht, berührt er einen Abzug; die schweren Stämme fallen nieder und
erschlagen ihn.

Die Nacht verbrachte ich in Pingoni, auf der Agavenpflanzung

eines Herrn Stauffer, an den mich ein Bekannter empfohlen hatte.
Herr Stauffer riet mir, am Morgen in der Nähe der Pflanzung auf
Rappantilopen zu birschen und erzählte, ein starker Bock sei noch
am Nachmittag auf den Rodungen gesehen worden.
In dieser Nacht hörte ich zum erstenmal das Heulen von Hyänen.
In der Nähe der Küste sind Raubtiere durchaus nicht selten.
Besonders Löwen finden sich dort in großer Zahl und in manchen
Jahren hört und liest man von einer Raubtierplage, weil Neger zur
Nachtzeit aus den Hütten geholt werden. In meiner Zeit aber hörte
ich merkwürdigerweise viel öfter von einer Wildschweinplage, weil
die Zahl der Löwen stark abnahm, und ich bin in Gegenden
gekommen, wo mir gesagt wurde: „Aber schießen Sie bitte meine
Löwen nicht!“
In seltenen Fällen wird man Löwen auf der Pirsch oder beim
Spazierengehen antreffen; die meisten werden in dem Busch oder
den Pflanzungen der Küste durch Treibjagden zur Strecke gebracht.
Gerade, als wir einmal nach Tanga kamen, war eine solche Jagd
gewesen und unglücklicherweise war ein Feldwebel der Schutztruppe
dabei erschossen worden, ohne daß man wußte, wer der Schütze
gewesen war. — Der Löwe war angeschossen in hohem Grase
verschwunden und wurde bei der Verfolgung plötzlich in
unmittelbarer Nähe des Feldwebels gesehen. Bei dem heftigen
Gewehrfeuer der Askari hat ein Geschoß auch den Feldwebel
getroffen. —
Am Morgen nach meiner Ankunft in Pingoni
ging ich in Begleitung eines Negerjungen früh Löwenjagd.
hinaus.
 Die Regenzeit war noch nicht lange vorbei und das Gras war
etwa meterhoch und sehr taufeucht. Ich ging auf der rechten Lehne
eines schmalen, mit üppigem Grase bestandenen Tals, so daß ich in
das unter mir liegende Terrain hineinsehen konnte.
Plötzlich sah ich auf etwa neunzig Schritt einen braunen
Schimmer in dem grünen Grase; ich blieb stehen und sah durch
mein Doppelglas, daß es ein Stück Wild war; ohne Hörner. Ich fragte
den Neger: „Was siehst du da?“
„Etwas Rotes“ antwortete er.
Jetzt erkannte ich die Luser des Tieres, die für eine Antilope
auffallend weit auseinander lagen, und sprach den Kopf, scharf
hinsehend, als den einer Löwin an. Sie hatte die Seher auf uns
gerichtet, hob den Fang und windete.
„Ein Löwe“, sagte ich ganz ruhig; doch der Schwarze fand unsere
Lage wohl ungemütlich und sagte: „Wirklich Herr?, wir wollen
weglaufen.“
Ich befahl ihm hastig, stehen zu bleiben, hatte die Büchse schon
gehoben, entsichert und gestochen und zielte auf den Kopf des
Löwen, zwischen die Lichter.
Der Stecher meiner Büchse knackt; aber der Schuß geht nicht
los. Ich steche noch einmal, ohne abzusetzen. Der Löwe richtet sich
vorne etwas auf, so daß rechts von dem Kopfe ein Teil des Rückens
sichtbar wird. Unwillkürlich folge ich mit der Büchse sofort nach
rechts, der Schuß fällt und der Löwe springt mit gewaltigem Satz aus
seinem Lager heraus, die linke hintere Pranke lang nach hinten
streckend; die nächsten beiden Sprünge gerade auf mich zu. Nach
dem dritten Sprung fällt mein zweiter Schuß und schlägt dicht vor
dem Löwen in das Gras hinein; er biegt ab. Der nächste Sprung geht
wieder nach links, dann sehe ich es nur noch einmal gelb zwischen
den Zweigen schimmern.
Ein schmerzvolles Knurren folgte; dann war es still.
 Ich blieb noch eine Weile stehen und lauschte; zugleich prägte
ich mir den Ort genau ein. Dann verbrach ich meinen Stand und
pürschte in der alten Richtung weiter. Um zu vermeiden, daß die
kranke Löwin von mir Wind bekam, ging ich nicht einmal auf den
Anschuß. Im Weitergehen kreuzte ich den Paß des Löwen. Wild sah
ich nicht mehr; die Raubtiere hatten offenbar in der letzten Nacht
alles verjagt.
Zwei Stunden später war ich mit Herrn Stauffer und etwa vierzig
speerbewaffneten Negern zur Stelle, erklärte den Anschuß und
schickte die Neger im Bogen herum, damit sie das Gebüsch
durchtrieben. Ich verbot ihnen, den Löwen, wenn er tot sei, mit den
Speeren zu durchstechen (was sie in der Aufregung gerne tun).
Als die Schwarzen auf den bezeichneten Platz losgingen, sah ich,
wie sich ein Stück Wild über den jenseitigen Hang drückte; vielleicht
war es der männliche Löwe, der sich in der Nähe seiner Gattin
aufgehalten hatte.
Wir gingen zum Anschuß. Wo das Raubtier gelegen hatte, war
nichts zu sehen, als der tiefe Eingriff der linken Hinterpranke beim
Absprung; kein Schweiß, kein Geschoßaufschlag.
Während ich noch suchte, erhob sich ein Geschrei — es klang so
ängstlich, als ob der Löwe jemand angenommen habe. Stauffer und
ich liefen dorthin so schnell wir konnten und sahen einige zwanzig
Schwarze mit gehobenen Speeren dastehen. Zehn Schritt vor ihnen
schimmerte im Grase etwas Gelbes. Ich teilte das Gras auseinander,
hob mich auf die Zehen und rief, als ich den Kopf des Löwen
erblickte, voller Freude: „er ist tot“!
Die Schwarzen begannen einen Höllenlärm.
Herr Stauffer beglückwünschte mich zu dem Weidmannsheil und
ich steckte einen grünen Bruch in den kleinen Einschuß der Decke.
Ein Löwe geschossen! Nie hätte ich es gedacht, daß ich dazu
kommen würde. Der Schuß saß hochblatt und war dicht unter der
Wirbelsäule durchgegangen. Der Ausschuß war nicht groß, obwohl
ich ein ¾ Mantelgeschoß benutzte hatte, eine Geschoßart, die meist
große Zerstörung im Wildkörper verursacht.
Es wurden Bäume gehauen, um den Löwen daran fest zu binden
und nach Hause zu tragen. Ich schärfte die Pranken an der
Innenseite so aus, daß die Bastbänder unter der Haut
durchgenommen werden konnten und keine Druckstellen auf dem
Haarkleid entstanden. Unter dem Gesang der Wanyamwezi bewegte
sich unser Zug nach der Pflanzung.

Teich bei Kilwa.

⇒
GRÖSSERES BILD

Der rote Schweiß tropfte noch lange aus den Schußlöchern und
färbte das Gras auf dem Wege.
Unter einer großen Bananenstaude wurde nahe bei dem Hause
Strecke gemacht. Ich nahm die Maße des Tieres und begann dann
sofort die Haut abzudecken. Die ganze Länge der Löwin betrug 2,42
Meter, die Schulterhöhe 1,00 Meter, der Brust- und Leibesumfang
1,03 Meter.
Im linken Hinterschenkel saß innen unter der Decke eine alte
Bleikugel; in dem rechten befand sich ein altes Geschwür, auf dem
Schmeißfliegen schmarotzten; rundherum war das Gewebe infiltriert
und oben wallartig verdickt. Der Mageninhalt bestand nur aus einer
Handvoll Schweinsborsten und einem kleinen Knochensplitter. In der
Wandung saßen Dutzende von weißen Fadenwürmern, die ich
einzeln mit der Pinzette herauszog und in Whisky aufbewahrte.
Schwierig war das Auslösen der Handknochen. Als die Hand nachher
dalag, sah sie aus wie eine Affenhand! Die Krallen drückte ich
einzeln nach innen durch und machte mich dann sorgfältig an das
Präparieren der Nase und der Ohren. Zuletzt wurde das Fell mit der
Innenseite nach oben auf der Erde ausgespannt und mit dünnen
Drahtstiften befestigt. Der Kopf kochte unterdessen in einem großen
Blechgefäß.
Ich fragte die Wanjamwesi, ob sie das Fleisch essen wollten und
erhielt als Antwort nur Ausdrücke des Ekels und der Entrüstung; als
ich jedoch unter dem Dach der Hütte saß und einige Notizen über
meine Jagd aufschrieb, kam der erste Neger vorsichtig hinter einer
Banane hervor und schnitt sich das Fettnetz über dem Gescheide ab.
Sofort fielen auch die andern darüber hin, rissen sich besonders um
das Geräusch und sagten, wie zur Entschuldigung, es sei gute
„dawa“. Aber auch das übrige Fleisch, der Magen und das Gescheide
fanden schnell ihren Weg in die Hütten. Die Suaheli setzten sich im
Halbkreis um dieses Bild und lachten aus vollem Halse: „Die
Wanjamwesi fressen alles“, sagten sie, „Schweine und Löwen. Alles
ist bei ihnen „dawa“: das Herz, die Knochen und das Fleisch.“
Am Nachmittage trennte ich mich von meinem Gastgeber, und ritt
auf seinem Reittier von dannen. Als ich durch das Dorf niedriger
Wanjamwesihütten ritt, riefen mir die Leute ein lautes Lebewohl zu,
worin der Dank für den Löwenbraten liegen mochte. Die vier Neger,
die mich begleiteten, mußten laufen, um mit dem Esel Schritt zu
halten. Durch den Kulumuzi, einen kleinen Fluß, ließ ich mich tragen
und den hübschen, weißen Esel hinterher führen; den Fluß
überdeckte dunkler, kühler Wald.
Bergauf, bergab ging es in leichtem, schnellem Trabe durch
hohes Gras, durch niedrigen Buschwald und bewohnte mit
Kokospalmen, Bohnen, Mohogo und Negerhirse bebaute Flächen.
Die aus dem Felde mit der Hacke arbeitenden Leute sahen auf;
meine Begleiter versäumten nicht, ihnen die frohe Nachricht
zuzurufen, ich sei der Jäger, der heute früh einen großen Löwen
geschossen habe.
Wir erreichten einen Ort mit Namen Kikuruni. (Diesen Namen
konnte ich in den nächsten Tagen schwer behalten, es schien, als sei
mein Gedächtnis nun nachgerade übersättigt mit
Zusammenstellungen der wenigen Silben ki und ku, ni und na, aus
denen die Kisuahelinamen bestehen.)
Ich dachte an die Abendpirsche und freute mich, daß die Sonne
noch hoch stand. Blau schimmerten hinter der düsteren, grünen
Waldfläche des Sigitals die hohen Berge von Ostusambara,
eingerahmt von hochstämmigen Kokospalmen dicht vor mir.
Ich schien heute Glück zu haben; der mir empfohlene Führer
stellte sich in einem der entgegenkommenden Neger vor und folgte
mir sofort. Im Orte strömte das Volk zusammen aus fertigen und
halbfertigen Häusern. Ich suchte einen Platz für das Lager aus und
ordnete an, daß mein „Reisemarschall“ Hans und die Träger dorthin
gewiesen werden sollten. Dann ritt ich noch bis zum Sigi und gab
dem Eselboy rukhsa[3]. Mein Führer brachte mich zuerst in
Stagenwald mit mäßiger Aussicht; hier waren deutliche Spuren, daß
die Neger täglich Holz zum Hüttenbau holten; ich befahl, mich in
freie Baumsteppe zu führen; die war bald erreicht und hier sah man
Fährten von großen Antilopen. Eine Stunde verstrich ohne daß die
vorsichtige, lautlose Pürsche durch den Anblick größeren Wildes
belebt wurde. Nur eine Herde schnell flüchtender Hundsaffen;
endlich — fünfhundert Meter weit im Winde ein Rudel von drei
Wildschweinen, die ruhig einherzogen.
 Ich ließ die Neger halten und niederknien und
pirschte selbst in kniehohen, zusammengefallenem Warzenschweine.
Grase, das bei jedem Schritt unangenehm
knisterte, hinter einem Hügel näher. Es waren nur Schweine; in
Ostafrika ein recht gemeines Wild. Doch gibt es nichts
Aufregenderes, als diese Art von gewissermaßen blindem
Anpürschen. Der Schlachtplan ist beim ersten Blick gemacht und
dann das Handeln bestimmt bis zu dem Moment, in dem ich bei
jenem Hügel das Wild von neuem zu Gesicht bekomme, wenn es
nicht bereits verschwunden ist. Die Erfahrung mahnt zur Vorsicht
und Ruhe, der Wunsch, über das Verhalten des Wildes Gewißheit zu
erhalten, treibt zur Eile. Deshalb die Aufregung und eine gewisse
Anstrengung! Wenn man das Wild beim Anpirschen im Auge behält,
dann kann man laufen, wenn es äst, und stehen bleiben, wenn es
äugt oder sichert, und kann nötigenfalls auf weite Entfernung
schießen. Beim Anpirschen hinter einer Deckung aber ist es
zwecklos, stehenzubleiben; denn gerade das laute Weitergehen,
kann mit dem Augenblick zusammenfallen, in dem das Wild sichert.
Wer sagt mir, ob es nicht dicht vor mir auf den Hügel zieht oder
schon weit hinter den nächsten Büschen verschwunden ist? Diese
vielen Fragen erregen in dem Jäger eine lebhafte, wohltuende
Aufregung.
Als ich den Hügel erreichte und an ihm vorbeisah, hatten sich die
Tiere in einen lichten Busch eingestellt und brachen dort; sie waren
ziemlich dreist und unaufmerksam. Der stärkste stand breit, ich zog
den Stecher ab und riß mit Gewalt durch, weil das Schloß, ebenso
wie heute früh, dem Stecher nicht folgte. Die Rotte rannte breit nach
links; das kranke Stück blieb etwas zurück und brach nach wenigen
Sekunden verendet zusammen.
Die beiden anderen verhofften einen Augenblick; ich nahm das
zweitstärkste Stück aufs Korn und schoß; es zeichnete auf den
Schuß sehr merkwürdig und klagte laut. Die Bewegungen, die es
machte, glichen denen eines biegsamen Stockes, den man in der
Mitte festhält, während die Enden rund schwingen; der Schuß mag
kurz weidewund gegangen sein.
 Leider hielt die Geduld meiner Leute nicht länger, sie stürmten
von hinten unter Geschrei und rohem Lachen heran. „Jetzt kommen
wir dran“ hörte ich sie rufen. So kam es, daß das kranke Schwein in
unregelmäßiger Flucht laut klagend das Weite suchte, ohne daß es
mir gelang, noch einen Schuß anzubringen. Auch schnelles
Nachlaufen auf erhöhte Stellen gab mir das Tier nicht noch einmal
zu Gesicht. Leider konnte ich nicht mehr nachsuchen, weil es Abend
wurde. Am nächsten Tage aber wäre es ganz zwecklos gewesen;
denn die Hyänen würden das Schwein jedenfalls längst gefunden
haben.
Ich schickte einen Mann ins Dorf zurück, mit dem Auftrage Träger
zu holen, lüftete das erlegte Tier und ging schnell weiter, weil die
Sonne längst hinter den Bergen stand. Kurz bevor das Büchsenlicht
schwand, bemerkte ich zwei starke Schweine. Ich pürschte mich an,
war aber fast froh, daß ich nicht auf Schußweite hinankam, so sehr
stand ich unter dem Eindruck der nutzlosen Abschlachterei dieses
Wildes, das sich meist so hilflos übertölpeln läßt.
Etwa achtzig Leute (zum Teil Kinder) waren ausgezogen um den
erlegten Keiler einzubringen. Die Tatsache, daß ich zwei Schweine
kurz hintereinander schoß, und daß das eine ganz tolle Sprünge
machte, wurde immer wieder erzählt und belacht. Manche Leute
grinsten auch wenn sie den Keiler nur ansahen. Der Grund war, daß
die Schweine ihre Feinde waren und mit Pfeil und Bogen von den
Mohogopflanzungen vertrieben werden mußten. Man tat also der
Landwirtschaft einen Gefallen, wenn man sie totschoß.
Die Wanjamwesi schnitten das Wildpret in große Fladen, steckten
Stöcke hindurch und stellten es an das Feuer.
Ich legte mich todmüde in mein kleines Zelt und sagte einem
Boy, den ich neu angenommen hatte, er solle das Licht auslöschen;
er sah mich ungläubig an und tat es erst auf meinen zweiten Befehl.
 Borassuspalme.

Draußen erzählte er dem älteren Boy, ich schliefe ohne Licht!

„Kein Europäer schläft bei Licht,“ belehrte der ihn, worüber der
andere sich sehr wunderte; denn der Neger schläft immer bei Feuer,
der Kälte wegen, und weil der Rauch die Insekten verscheucht und
das Feuer die Raubtiere fernhält.
Gegen zwei Uhr wachte ich auf und hörte draußen ein
Gemurmel; ich steckte den Kopf aus dem Zelt und sah die Träger
dicht um das Feuer gelagert. „Weshalb schlaft ihr nicht?“ „Wir
können nicht, es ist zu kalt,“[4] war die ganz natürliche Antwort. Und
in der Tat ist es hart, sich jede halbe Stunde Schlaf durch Auflegen
eines neuen Stückes Holz erkaufen zu müssen!
Wirklich war es bitter kalt. Im Osten über den düsteren Bäumen
leuchteten zwei helle Sterne. Ich zog meine große Jagddecke über
mich und fror selber, weil ich die Matratze zu Hause gelassen hatte,
um die Bettlast zu erleichtern.
Eine halbe Stunde vor dem Morgengrauen ging ich durch den
Sigifluß. Das Wasser reichte mir bis unters Knie. Die Kraft der
Strömung drängte beim Vorwärtsschreiten den Fuß zur Seite. Hohe
Bäume standen auf beiden Ufern. Ein ununterbrochenes Rauschen
ertönte von fern und nah, wo der Fluß über Steine lief.
Am jenseitigen steilen Ufer stieg ich in die Höhe und kam in gute
Pirschgegend. Die Fährten großer Antilopen waren zahlreich. Das
Landschaftsbild erinnerte an deutschen Buchenwald; es gab breite
Lichtungen mit frischer Äsung, gute Deckung und weite Ausblicke.
Bis gegen zehn Uhr, also beinahe fünf Stunden war ich gepirscht
ohne ein einziges Stück Wild zu sehen. Ich war durch den Fluß
zurückgegangen, ruhte mich unter dem Schatten eines Baumes aus
und ließ mir eine der mitgebrachten Kokosnüsse öffnen.
Der Anblick der Landschaft vor mir war ganz besonders schön.
Hier hatte der Fluß sein Bett in die Felsen eingewaschen, die sich
von beiden Seiten vorschieben und ihn zu zahlreichen Windungen
zwingen. Aus dem saftigen Grün der Ebene dazwischen ragten
einige hohe Borassuspalmen, die großen Fächerpalmen mit kahlem
Stamm.
Nachmittags gegen zwei Uhr nahm ich einige
zwanzig Wadigo mit und ließ sie durch den Busch Buschbockjagd
am Sigi.
gehen, wo ich Wild vermutete. Ein Wasserbock und
zwei Buschböcke brachen nach den Seiten aus, ohne daß ich mir
über ihre Stärke und Geschlecht klar wurde.
Auch einen Leoparden wollten die Leute gesehen haben.
Nun ging ich mit den Negern zum Fluß.
Mein „Büchsenspanner“, ein alter Kerl ohne Vorderzähne, mit
vorzüglichen Augen, schnupfte andauernd Tabak und zog dabei —
wenn er sich ungestört glaubte — die tollsten Grimassen. Es schien,
als habe er Nahrung nicht nötig, wenigstens sah ich ihn an den
beiden Tagen, wenn andere aßen, jedesmal nur schnupfen. Unter
Mittag saß er mit einigen anderen Alten unter dem Makutidach[5]
einer Hütte und rieb braunes Mehl in einer Schüssel. „Chakula cha
pua“ (Essen für die Nase) nannte er es schmunzelnd.
Es war bereits vier Uhr; ich stand auf einer Höhe über dem
Flusse. Die Ufer hatten einen breiten Streifen hohes Schilf; dort
gingen die Schwarzen mit Geschrei hindurch. Etwa achtzig Schritt
unter mir bewegte sich plötzlich das Schilf. „Schieß! ein Buschbock
mit großem Gehörn,“ sagte der Alte, der hinter mir stand. Ich sah,
wo der Bock sich auf der Stelle drehte, schoß und glaubte ihm den
Schuß auf den Stich zu geben. Er stürzte; die Gräser bewegten sich
mehrere Sekunden lang ungefähr an derselben Stelle, ohne daß ich
noch einmal schießen konnte. Die Schwarzen kamen schreiend
näher; die Bewegung im Schilf wurde heftiger und zog sich zum Fluß
hin. Dann war wieder alles ruhig. Plötzlich riefen die Treiber: „Der
Bock ist in den Fluß gesprungen!“ Ich lief auf eine höher gelegene
Stelle und blieb auf einer vorspringenden Felsplatte stehen. Da sah
ich etwa hundertundvierzig Meter entfernt im Fluß und schon kurz
vor dem jenseitige Ufer den Kopf des Bockes als kleinen Punkt, wie
er durchs Wasser zog und nach beiden Seiten einen Wellenstrich
hinter sich warf; und ich schoß schnell. Kein Aufschlag war ringsum
im Wasser zu sehen; der Kopf tauchte unter.
Ich ging zu dem Anschuß; hellroter Schweiß führte von dort bis
zu der Stelle, wo der Bock den Fluß angenommen hatte.
Alle Schwarzen standen am Fluß; da war guter Rat teuer! Einer
wollte nachspringen und tauchen, sagte aber, er dürfte es nicht, der
Krokodile wegen, denn er habe gestern ein Rind geschlachtet.
Weiter unten floß der Strom über viele Steine. Dort stellte ich
zwei Neger auf, die aufpassen sollten, ob der Bock vielleicht mit dem
Strome antriebe.
Ich war noch nicht zehn Minuten weitergegangen, als ich rufen
hörte: „Sie haben ihn gefunden! er ist an den Steinen! Du mußt
nochmal schießen; die Krokodile halten ihn fest.“ Ich hielt die Büchse
hoch und lief, so schnell ich konnte den steinigen Pfad hinunter an
den Fluß. Unsicher war ein grauer Gegenstand, auf den die
Schwarzen zeigten, oberhalb eines Steines als der Bock anzusehen,
und man konnte erkennen, daß dem Körper eine fremde Bewegung
mitgeteilt wurde. Der Neger, der dicht dabei auf einer trockenen
Felsplatte im Strome stand, versicherte mir, er sehe ein Krokodil.
„Paß auf, ich schieße!“ Unterhalb des Steines tauchte der Kerl
unter. Als ich geschossen hatte, trieb der Bock auf den Stein los (ich
hatte etwas daneben ins Wasser gehalten).
Der Neger griff zu und zog den dunklen Bock ganz zu sich hinauf;
da lag er nun.
Es war ein erfreulicher Anblick für das Auge eines Jägers: im Rot
der untergehenden Sonne der Stein mitten im Fluß, rings umströmt
von rauschendem Wasser, darauf lang hingestreckt der Buschbock
mit dem wehrhaften, schwarzen Gehörn; daneben die Gestalt des
Negers.
Halb gehend, halb schwimmend, zogen die Neger den Bock an
den Hörnern zum Ufer.
 Mitten zwischen den Hörnern, zwei Finger breit über dem Atlas
war meine zweite Kugel eingedrungen und saß zwischen dem linken
Unterkiefer und der Decke. Der erste Schuß hatte den Hals auf der
linken Seite handbreit über der Schulter durchschlagen, ohne die
Wirbel zu verletzen. Der Ausschuß war stark erweitert; vielleicht
schon von den Krokodilen.
Als längst die Feuer brannten und die Unterhaltung der Träger
verstummte, ging ich zwischen den Palmen hindurch und stand noch
lange auf einer Anhöhe, über dem weiten Tal.
In Dunkelheit lag es, von wenigen Sternen beschienen.

Als ich nach Tanga zurückkehrte, waren Herren und Damen zum
Nachmittagstee an Bord. Das Löwenfell wurde zum Schmuck
aufgehängt, und mehr als einer beglückwünschte mich mit den
Worten: „Ich bin soundsoviel Jahre in Afrika und habe noch keinen
Löwen gesehen, und Ihnen läuft am zweiten Tage gleich einer in die
Flinte.“
Und in der Suahelizeitung „Kiongozi“ erschien acht Tage später
ein kurzer Bericht über meine Löwenjagd.

Einige Tage später dampfte der ‚Bussard‘ dem

Süden der Kolonie entgegen, als wir, wie Sonnenuntergang
in See.
gewöhnlich nach dem Abendbrot auf der Hütte
saßen.
Es war ein prachtvoller Abend.
Vom Westen kam goldenes Licht der untergehenden Sonne. Das
Land darunter war nur am Dunst zu vermuten.
Der Himmel sah kalt aus, weil das Auge in dem unendlichen Blau
vergeblich nach Gebilden suchte, die das wärmende Licht auffingen;
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