Luminous Clarity and the Completion Phase of Union

Article

Citation:

Guarisco, Elio, and Ingrid McLeod (Kalu Rinpoché Translation Group), trans. "Luminous Clarity and the Completion Phase of Union." Chapt. 12 in The Elements of Tantric Practice: A General Exposition of the Process of Meditation in the Indestructible Way of Secret Mantra, edited by Ingrid McLeod. Book Eight, Part Three of The Treasury of Knowledge. By Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé ('jam mgon kong sprul blo gros mtha’ yas). Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications, 2008.

12. Luminous Clarity and the Completion Phase of Union

bb. The Ultimate: The Great-Seal Completion Phase of Luminous
      Clarity [II .B.2.d.iii.bb]
    1' The Preamble
    2' The Detailed Exposition
      a' The Meanings of Luminous Clarity
      b' Meditation on Luminous Clarity
        i' Meditation Methods
        ii' The Contemplations of the Eight Freedoms
cc. The Inseparability [of the Relative and Ultimate]: The Completion
      Phase of Union
    1' Distinctions Within Union
    2' The Method of Meditation on Union

[This chapter concludes the description of the three key elements of the completion phase. Presented now are part two: the ultimate, the completion phase of the great seal of luminous clarity; and part three, the inseparability of the relative and ultimate, the completion phase of union.] Part two, the ultimate, the completion phase of the great seal of luminous clarity, begins with a preamble followed by a detailed exposition.

The Preamble [1']

The ultimate, the great-seal completion phase of luminous clarity, is as follows:

[Here] is presented the completion phase of the great seal of luminous clarity, which strikes the crucial point with respect to the ultimate nature [of things].

The Detailed Exposition [2']

This section has two parts: a general elucidation of the essential meanings [of luminous clarity] to be understood; and a discussion specifically on the subject of meditation [on luminous clarity].

The Meanings of Luminous Clarity [a']

The true nature and what manifests during sleep and at death are

the ground.

At the time of the path, the view of emptiness, the true nature, is

the general sense.

The unceasing clarity of that emptiness’s own luminosity is the

literal sense.

The innate joy from the winds dissolving in the central channel is

the hidden sense;

Accompanied by duality, it is the example luminous clarity;

without duality, the true.

Nonconceptual pristine awareness brings about realization and

the ultimate result.

[Maitreya’s] Jewel Affinity states:1

Mind nature is luminous clarity.

It is changeless, just as space is.

The luminous clarity of the ground, as spoken of in that [citation], is the luminous clarity of the true nature, the primordially pure, naturally clear and luminous basis of phenomena. It is, moreover, the luminous clarity during sleep and luminous clarity at death since those definitely manifest for everyone—meditators on the path and non-practitioners alike— regardless of whether they are recognized or not.
      During the time of the path, that [luminous clarity of the ground] is understood—through analyses based on reasonings and scriptural sources and through the strength of experience—as unborn emptiness, the true nature of all phenomena. This view represents luminous clarity in the general sense [from a perspective] shared by [the way of ] the perfections. All phenomena made to enter luminous clarity by way of either [the contemplation of] total apprehension or that of successive destruction2 is luminous clarity in its general sense [from a perspective] unique to the indestructible way.
      The unceasing clarity of that emptiness’s self-luminosity is luminous clarity in its literal sense. This is essentially identical to what was discussed [above], the luminous clarity at the time of the ground.
      Through cultivation of and familiarity with those [various types of] luminous clarity, the winds dissolve in the central channel, and the luminous clarity of the fourth empty, or the innate [joy], the fourth joy, is recognized as a direct experience. This is the actualization of luminous clarity in its hidden sense. The innate [joy] or fourth empty accompanied by the duality of subject and object is the luminous clarity that is an example. The innate [joy] or fourth empty free from the duality of subject and object is the true luminous clarity. Those [types of luminous clarity] form a link with the direct realization of emptiness through the nonconceptual pristine awareness that is the true nature of things. That direct realization is [luminous clarity] at the stage of training.
      [Luminous clarity] at the stage of no more training is [reached when] all phenomena manifest fully as pristine awareness, and through the merging of mother–luminous clarity and son–luminous clarity,3 arise as the infinite expanse of the dimension of reality. That is said to be luminous clarity as the ultimate result.