The Vajra Essence by B. Alan Wallace

Author:B. Alan Wallace
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wisdom Publications

The Synthesis and Names of the Great Perfection

Then he continued, “O Teacher, Bhagavān, even if one correctly knows the nature of the Great Perfection of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa — the great expanse that totally subsumes the inexhaustible ornamental wheels of the enlightened body, speech, mind, qualities, and activities of the jinas and jinaputras of the three times, the great quintessence of all the ḍākinīs and vīras — in what is this synthesized, in what is it subsumed, and what are its names? Teacher, please explain!”

He replied, “O Vajra of Pristine Awareness, this is synthesized in first simply determining the mode of existence of the ground as discussed previously, then ascertaining emptiness as the ground emptiness, the great Madhyamaka. Therefore, the knowledge that all the kāyas, [293] facets of primordial consciousness, buddhafields, and their displays, along with all of saṃsāra, nirvāṇa, and the path, are not other than the nature of the ground itself is called the Great Perfection of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa. To beings who have not gained liberation within themselves, the ground appears as the nature of saṃsāra. Clinging to it, they become deluded. By turning away from delusional mental engagement with self-concepts and signs, and by establishing the ground by means of analytical great wisdom, you come to know the characteristics of the ground as they are. The synthesis of the pristine space of the ground is profound insight into the nature of the ground itself as the skillful means of the path and fruition and as all the avenues of wisdom.

“In what is it subsumed? No matter how the various reflections of planets and stars may appear in the ocean, they are not other than the ocean itself, so they are subsumed in the ocean. All appearances of the physical worlds, their sentient inhabitants, and sensory objects are not other than space itself, so they are subsumed in space. Likewise, you should know the way in which all of saṃsāra, nirvāṇa, and the path is not other than the nature of the expanse of the absolute space of phenomena, for this is simply the pristine domain of the absolute space of phenomena.

“How is it to be named? [294] All the names in the realms of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are determined to be names of the sugatagarbha. In particular, it is called by all the names of all the phenomena that cause the path to become manifest. Since it is the unsurpassed transference and entrance to the experience of the fruition — the state of precious bodhicitta — it is called bodhicitta. All authentic realities are included in precious bodhicitta, so it is reality. Just as the ocean is ascertained as the source of all rivers and streams, it is ascertained as the ultimate source of all dharmas, so it is ultimate. It is free of all flaws and defilements, so it is pure. Since all of saṃsāra, nirvāṇa, the path, and the fruition is perfected in the absolute space of phenomena, it is perfect. All the phenomena

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