Atiśa’s Buddhism

Atiśa’s arrival in Tibet, Drepung monastery in Tibet (Daily Mirror)

James B Apple describes Atiśa’s conception of Buddhism’s theory and practice in Chapter 3 “The Buddhism of Atiśa Dīpaṃkaraśrījñāna” of his book “Atiśa Dīpaṃkara, Illuminator of the Awakened Mind”. Atiśa is a follower of Madhyamaka without further specification. This seems to have been quite rare at Vikramaśīla, where Yogācāra was the dominating trend. Another exception there was “Maitrīpa”, who is presented as a follower of Apratiṣṭhāna-Madhyamaka (t. dbu ma rab tu mi gnas pa). In Rong-zompa’s Discourses on Buddhology, Orna Almogi adds Atiśa also to the list of followers of Apratiṣṭhāna-Madhyamaka.

“In contrast to all of his known Vikramaśīla colleagues, Atiśa followed a lineage of Madhyamaka based on Nāgārjuna and Candrakīrti that was transmitted through his teachers Avadhūtipa, Bodhibhadra, and Vidyākokila, with whom he studied under in his youth. Atiśa’s understanding of Madhyamaka may have been a source of conflict with his teachers and colleagues at Vikramaśīla.” (Illuminator, 2019)  

"Maitrīpa" and/or Avadhūtipa

Apple thinks that “Maitrīpa” was a ”junior contemporary” of Atiśa and gives the dates 986–1063 for “Maitrīpa”. Hagiographic sources mention an incident between Atiśa and “Maitrīpa” during their time at Vikramaśīla. In these sources Atiśa was the abbot, and”Maitrīpa” a practitioner of Vajrayoginī in full Tantric mode (“beer and women”). Atiśa would have expelled him from Vikramaśīla. Tārānātha mentions the incident, and the “ācārya” who saw “Maitrīpa”/Maitrīgupta and a woman drinking beer[1]. “Maitrīpa” would then have spread out an antelope hide on the river Ganges and crossed it. Jamgon Kongtrül tells the same incident, and adds a song of realization by “Maitrīpa”[2] in the Shangpa Song collection (Do ha rdo rje'i tshig rkang dang mgur dbyangs bsgrigs thos pa don ldan). A song of “realization” that comes a bit early since “Maitrīpa” still has to go all the way to the South, see Śavaripa and attain “mahāmudrā”, at least according to hagiographic sources.

“Maitrīpa” crossing the Ganges on a hide (detail HA60674)

“Maitrīpa” or “Maitrīgupta”, also goes by the names Advayavajra, Avadhūtipa, and Advaya-Avadhūtipa, etc. This causes confusion. In Cyrus Stearns’ Luminous Lives[3], The Story of the Early Masters of the Lam ’bras Tradition in Tibet, Gayadhara adds  to the confusion by pretending to be “Maitrīpa”.[4] Avadhūtipa, whoever he was, gave Atiśa instructions on Madhyamaka. Atiśa’s Special Instructions on Unique Mindfulness (my French translation) (s. Ekasmṛtyupadeśa t. Dran pa gcig pa’i man ngag) start with a homage to Nāgārjuna and Avadhūtipa.

“ The text succinctly outlines the practices of wisdom and means for a bodhisattva who has not yet received a consecration for Secret Mantra practice. Atiśa concludes by citing verses to illustrate that while buddhas are bereft of any mental element, they benefit all sentient beings.” (Illuminator, 2019, ch. 8)

Apple writes “ In addition, Avadhūtipa and Kamalarakṣita bestowed the teachings on the Great Seal to Atiśa” (Illuminator, 2019) and gives Phun tshogs tshe brtan[5] 2011, 25–26 as a reference. In the above mentioned Special Instructions on Unique Mindfulness:

“When at the level of a buddha there is no objective support, as the Inquiry of Suvikrāntavikrāmi states:
The gnosis of a buddha, a blessed one, sees nothing.
Why? Because there is no object of gnosis[6].

Well then, does gnosis exist at this juncture or not? Ārya Nāgārjuna denies that it does, as he states:
 The mind has not been seen, and will not be seen, by all buddhas.
What will one see of something that has the nature of having no nature.

Thus, this is in accordance with the transmitted oral instructions. Therefore, buddhas do not have any other activity except for accomplishing the purposes of others, and, in this way, the purposes of others are the principal result that is the desired purpose of their practice. The Ārya Nāgārjuna has stated:

The excellence of the purpose of others is accepted as the foremost
result of awakening. Other than buddhahood itself and so forth,
these other benefits are asserted as the result of this goal [i.e., awakening].

May these special instructions to penetrate reality reside in your mind.”

In Jewels of the Middle Way: The Madhyamaka Legacy of Atisa and His Early Tibetan Followers, James B Apple writes that Atiśa received “the special instruction (upadeśa) of apratiṣṭhita [madhyamaka] darśana” from Avadhūtipa. Here the specified view is "apratiṣṭhita", and "madhyamaka" is added between square brackets. Atiśa’s view was apratiṣṭhita madhyamaka. Atiśa writes about his teacher Avadhūtipa in Open Basket of Jewels (James B Apple, 2010):

“My lama, the great venerable [one], the lord of yogis, Avadhūtipa [Nāropa], with previously acquired supernatural cognition, had a vision and heard [Nāgārjuna’s] teaching, seeing him while dwelling on Śrī-Parvata. A disciple of the Ārya [Nāgārjuna], the Venerable Nāgābodhi, who is renowned as Śrī Śabaripāda, also always listened to the dharma. The Guru Avadhūtipa taught this.”

Apple observes in a note that Jo bo rje’i gsung ’bum (806.18) adds “nā ro pa”, probably an interpolation. This Avadhūtipa, who, according to the hagiographic tradition, saw Śrī Śabaripāda in Śrī-Parvata “in the South”, also has “Maitrīpa” as one of his names. This statement would confirm Maitrīpa is Avadhūtipa, and also that Śrī Śabaripāda is (an emanation? of) Venerable Nāgābodhi (t. klu'i byang chub).

 

The source of Atiśa’s Mahāmudrā?

Apple writes in Atiśa's Teachings on Mahāmudrā (2017):

“Another problem with investigating the historical conditions of Atiśa’s Mahāmudrā teachings is that most, if not all, Kagyu historical records are politicized from the very beginning of Kagyu narratives of these teachings. Along these lines, a number of histories, both traditional and modern, record a narrative from Kagyu sources that Maitrīpa, a major figure in Kagyu Mahāmudrā teachings, taught Mahāmudrā to Atiśa. However, as illustrated below, Atiśa received Mahāmudrā instructions from Doṃbiheruka in a lineage stemming from Tilopa, and his exegesis of Mahāmudrā-related thought and practices reflects influence from his institutional environment of Vikramaśīla monastery.”

It seems clear to me, based on information from available hagiographic sources, including from texts attributed to Atiśa or his students, that if Atiśa received “Mahāmudrā” instructions from Avadhūtipa through “Śrī Śabaripāda in Śrī-Parvata”, this Avadhūtipa must be “Maitrīpa”. Not “Maitrīpa”, the “junior contemporary” chased from Vikramaśīla, but the Avadhūtipa who is said to have taught apratiṣṭhita madhyamaka and to have given “Mahāmudrā”/Great Seal Pointing-Out instructions to Atiśa.

As for my opinion about the Mahāmudrā instructions from Tilopa (e.g. Great Seal Bestowed upon Gönpawa (t. Jo bo rjes dgon pa ba la gnang ba’i phyag chen), see my blog Kadampa Mahāmudrā with or without "blessing"?


Atiśa’s utilitarian and allegorical attitude towards mantrayāna

Atiśa practiced mantrayāna while being aware of its many pitfalls. This can be found in his own writings and in anecdotes on his life. His Lamp for the Path to Awakening (t. Byang chub lam gyi sgron ma, in 68 verses) “outlin[es] the integration of three forms of discipline, including the vows of the prātimokṣa, bodhisattva precepts, and the precepts of the Secret Mantra Vehicle” (Illuminator, 2019, ch. 11). The last series of verses on mantrayāna begin with “If you wish to practice secret mantras” (t. gal te gsang sngags spyod 'dod na/).

“Then, to receive the ācārya consecration,
One must please an excellent spiritual teacher (s. ācārya t. slob dpon)
Through service, precious gifts, and so forth,
And follow his instructions.”

He warns monks and those with celibacy vows they can not receive “the secret and wisdom consecrations, because the Paramādibuddha Tantra strongly prohibits them”. The Paramādibuddha Tantra is the larger original tantra of the Kālacakra Tantra. For Atiśa Tantra has no precedence over prātimokṣa vows.

“One who has received the consecration of ācārya
May hear and explain all the tantras
And perform homa rituals and so forth.
There is no fault provided he has awareness of reality.”

“Provided he has awareness of reality (t. de nyid rig la)”... This is also Advaya-Avadhūtipa’s opinion in his Commentary[7] to Saraha’s Dohākośagīti n° 24 on gaṇacakra.

“Through eating, drinking and having sex
The [divine] circles (cakra) are constantly filled
With this instruction [they think] the other world will be realized
[But] the Lord of the world will thread on the heads of these idiots.”

Advaya-Avadhūtipa comments “if they succeed with these special instructions” the other world will be realized. “But if they don’t succeed” “the Lord of the world will thread on the heads of these idiots.[8]”

“Atiśa then added, “This path of the Mahāyāna Secret Mantra Vehicle is a blissful path, but it has great risks, benefits, and harms, like placing a snake in a bamboo tunnel or hanging a sword on an elephant’s trunk. Since the tantric way is very dangerous, Tibetans should not perform all four classes of tantras. Yoga tantras are suitable for Tibetans.” (Illuminator, 2019, ch. 2)

As for allegorizing Tantric instructions: “Atiśa was asked about the tantric practice of extracting the essence [rasāyana]. Atiśa said, “I extract the essence of the awakening mind.” (Illuminator, 2019, ch. 2). Also see his Wheel of Sharp Weapons (t. Blo sbyong mtshon cha'i 'khor lo). 

Unified sādhana practice

When Rinchen Zangpo told Atiśa he practiced a sādhana for each individual deity, Atiśa answered

“Although there are many teachings of dharma according to the inclinations of those to be disciplined, fundamentally they have the same flavor. It is sufficient to practice all creation and completion stage meditations in one single spot.[9]”

“Accordingly,” Atiśa concluded, “in terms of one deity, everything is completely practiced. The creation stage for one deity alone completely practices all of the deities[10].” (Illuminator, 2019, ch. 2)

“Atiśa practiced and taught the classical Mahāyāna Buddhism of the bodhisattva path blended with advanced meditative practices and rituals in the way of the Secret Mantra Vehicle.”

“The awakening mind is the key point in his teachings, as it permeates the stages of the path from the level of the beginner bodhisattva to the most advanced Secret Mantra practices. (Illuminator, 2019, ch. 3)

About Tilopa’s and Nāropa’s Cakrasaṃvara based Mahāmudrā transmission

An interesting anecdote in Atiśa’s life as told in Apple’s Illuminator (2019), is that Atiśa, who lived in Vikramaśīla where Nāropa is said to have taught, mentions the death of Nāropa before Atiśa left for Tibet in 1042.

“Around this time the former abbot of Nālandā Monastery and famous mahāsiddha Nāropa (956–1040) visited Vikramaśīla. Nāropa descended from his transport, with Atiśa supporting him with his right arm and Jñānaśrīmitra supporting him with his left arm. While seated on a lion throne, Nāropa stated that he did not have much longer to live and said to Atiśa, “You, Dīpaṃkara, are now master of the Buddha’s teaching.” Twenty days after leaving Vikramaśīla in a southernly direction, Nāropa died.” (Illuminator, 2019, ch. 1[11])

Naktso Lotsāwa, who was in the region in order to travel with Atiśa to Tibet, also recounts[12] a meeting with an aged Nāropa during the same period.

“Because I went alone as an insignificant monk to invite the Lord Atiśa- and because he tarried for one year in Magadha-I thought that I would go see the Lord Nāropā, since his reputation was so great. I went east from Magadha for a month, as I had heard that the Lord was staying in the monastery known as Phullahari. Very great merit arose from being able to go see him. On the day I arrived, they said some feudal prince had come to pay homage. So I went to the spot, and a great throne had been erected. I sat right in front of it. The whole crowd started buzzing, "The Lord is coming!" I looked and the Lord was physically quite corpulent, with his white hair [stained with henna] bright red, and a vermilion turban bound on. He was being carried [on a palanquin] by four men and chewing betel-leaf. I grabbed his feet and thought, "I should listen to his pronouncements!" Stronger and stronger people, though, pushed me further and further from his seat and finally I was tossed out of the crowd. So, there I saw the lord's face, but did not actually hear his voice.” (Ronald M. Davidson, Indian Esoteric Buddhism, 2002)

Nāropa died in 1040, and Atiśa arrived in Tibet in 1042. Atiśa arrived in the region of Tsang in 1046. During that period:

“In Upper Nyang, Atiśa met Marpa lotsāwa Chökyi Lodrö (1012–1097). Marpa lotsāwa attended a few sessions of Atiśa’s teachings. Atiśa asked Marpa to serve as his translator, but Marpa respectfully declined, as he was on his way to India.[13]” (Illuminator, 2019, ch. 2)

Ron Davidson writes:

“Part of the problem that has dogged Marpas record is the fact that Nāropa died around 1040-42 and that Marpa was supposed to have spent twelve or more years with Nāropa during his three trips to India. Even with an early birthdate for Marpa, this length of contact is difficult to justify. Although some scholars have tried to resolve this dilemma, the approved response seems to be to ignore the inconsistency altogether. Some Kagyiipa writers even resorted to the expedient of having Marpa meet Nāropa after the latter’s death during the Tibetan’s third trip to India. The question is germane, considering the testimony of the eminent Nagtso, the Tibetan who shouldered much of the responsibility for inviting Atisa and guiding him through West and Central Tibet. His story is found in a letter written by Drakpa Gyeltsen in response to three questions put to him by a teacher from Kham, Jangchub Senge, who indicated that there was a controversy as to whether Marpa ever actually met Nāropa. Drakpa Gyeltsen’s response is illuminating[14]” (Ronald M. Davidson, Tibetan Renaissance, 2005

Transmission restricted to a single lineage

It’s during his third trip to India (≥ 1046) that Marpa is told to have received the aural transmissions of Cakrasaṃvara, “restricted to a single lineage [gcig brgyud] holder for thirteen generations”, and to be passed onto Milarepa[15]. Marpa received these teachings only during this third trip, because “it was not yet the appropriate time to give this teaching to you” (Life of Marpa, p. 91). Nāropa explains he himself had to undergo twelve great trials and twelve lesser trials of body and life “in order to receive this teaching” from Tilopa.

“Now, since I have attained power over phenomena, I go to the twenty-four sacred places and the buddha fields and I am well received in the gaṇacakra gatherings of dākas and dākinīs. Sometimes I am even the master of the gathering.”

Remember all the information about Marpa’s third trip to India comes from the hagiographies of Tsangnyön Heruka (1452-1507). There are so many caveats in his narratives. Marpa may very well have met Nāropa in his luminous immortal body and received the “aural transmission” in that way, defying historicity laws.


Atiśa transmitted Tilopa’s Mahāmudrā in secret?

James B Apple writes:

“Atiśa’s teachings on Mahāmudrā represent a teaching tradition stemming from Tilopa and supplemented with an exegesis, focused on Cakrasaṃvara and its explanatory tantras, influenced by his institutional base at Vikramaśīla monastery. His teachings consistently focus on meditating on clear light as the co-emergent nature of the mind. The teaching of clear light is often associated with instruction on Mahāmudrā and based on Yoginī tantras such as Cakrasaṃvara.” (Atiśa's Teachings on Mahāmudrā, 2017)

Do Atiśa’s teachings indeed “consistently focus on meditating on clear light as the co-emergent nature of the mind”? How does that fit in with his Madhyamaka view?

If Atiśa’s “Mahāmudrā”, “focused on Cakrasaṃvara”, does indeed come from Tilopa, Nāropa etc., how and when did Atiśa receive it himself? Before 1042? It was “restricted to a single lineage” writes Tsangnyön Heruka in the 15-16th century. Perhaps through the mahāsiddha Ḍombheruka in his human or eternal luminous body? What does “receive” mean? Why go into the trouble of trying to establish a historicity or holding up one where there clearly is none.

The claim that Atiśa did receive an aural transmission stemming from Tilopa, and that Atiśa did “realize” it needs to be hagiographically proven in miracles, and so it was...

“At the time Atiśa passed away, everyone saw that he hovered about an inch above the ground. Atiśa heard the sound of bells, supplicating prayers by his students in India, and the playful sounds of gods worshipping. Atiśa said that ḍākiṇīs went around him, his teachers were in Tuṣita Heaven, and that he would soon go there.” (Illuminator, 2019, ch. 2[16])

Fortunately we have Atiśa’s own writings to get a better idea about his inner intellectual and spiritual life.

See also my blog Les problèmes d'intégration d'Atiśa (02112015)

***

[1] The Seven Instruction Lineages, KBD, David Templeman, LTWA p. 11

[2] bla ma rje btsun bsten na bde// gdams ngag bdud rtsi 'thungs na bde// de nyid nyams su myong na bde// nyams myong ci yang med na bde// re dogs med pa'i lta ba bde// lhun gyis grub na yongs kyang bde// gnyis 'dzin med pa'i bsgom pa bde// gza' gtad med na yongs kyang bde// blang dor med pa'i spyod pa bde// nyam nga med na yongs kyang bde// sems kyis sems la bltas na bde// re dogs gol sa bcad na bde// ri khrod dgon pa 'grims na bde// re dogs med pa'i lta ba bde// yul dang gnyen 'dun bzhag na bde// bsod snyoms zas la bsten na bde// bde chen zas su zos na bde// 'od gsal gos su gon na bde// pho nya lam du khyer na bde// dmigs pa sna rtser gtad na bde//

zhes gsungs nas chu la thad kar thogs med du gshegs pas thams cad kyis grub pa thob par shes nas 'gyod cing phyi nas phar la phyag byas so// bla ma mnga' bdag chen po de nyid lho phyogs dpal gyi ri la rje btsun ri khrod pa'i zhabs kyi rdul la reg nas/ phyag rgya chen po'i dbang bskur mdzad pa'i dus su/ dngos po'i gnas lugs gtan la dbab pa'i ched du rdo rje'i glu blangs pa'o/

[3] Cyrus Stearns, Luminous Lives, The Story of the Early Masters of the Lam ’bras Tradition in Tibet, Simon and Schuster, 2002, p. 53

[4] “During his next trip Gayadhara was invited to Tibet by 'Gos Lo tsā ba Khug pa lhas btsas, who had met him in Nepal. In order to compete with his former teacher 'Brog mi, 'Gos Lo tsā ba had left the country to invite the famous master Maitrīpa to Tibet. When 'Gos Lo tsā ba met Gayadhara in Nepal, Gayadhara said, "I am Maitrīpa." 'Gos Lo tsā ba was delighted and invited him to Tibet. Not only did Gayadhara begin this trip by impersonating Maitripa, he was apparently known during this visit by yet another name-Sprin gyi shugs can (*Megavegin).”

“The Guhyasamāja Tantra was among the many works that Gayadhara and 'Gos Lo tsa ba translated together.”

[5] Phun tshogs tshe brtan. 2011. Mnyam med jo bo rje dpal ldan a ti sha’i rnam par thar pa phyogs bsdus dad pa’i ’jug ngogs. Beijing: Krung-go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun khang.

[6] “In the course of the training, the bodhisattva alternates between cognizing the non–conceptual space–like realm of reality (dharmadhātu) in meditative stabilization and viewing things as illusions in the post– meditative state. The alternation ceases at the stage of buddhahood, where for Atiśa, based on numerous citations from the hymns (stava) of Nāgārjuna (§3.2), the purified realm of reality (dharmadhātu) directly and constantly fuses with the dharmakåya, without any mental element or gnosis (jñåna) existing at all.” James B Apple, Atiśa’s Open Basket of Jewels: A Middle Way Vision in Late Phase Indian Vajrayāna, 2010

[7] Dohākoṣahṛdayārthagītāṭīkā (D2268, P3120) Do ha mdzod kyi snying po don gyi glu'i 'grel pa shes bya ba

[8] Nang gi tshogs ni bdud rtsi lnga dang sha lnga ni za la/ rdo rje chu 'thung gi man ngag gis 'thung la/ bde ba dang stong pa dbyer mi phyed pas

za zhing 'thung la gnyis sprod kyis dga' zhing/
'khor lo rim pa bzhin du byang chub kyi sems kyi bde bas 'gengs pas na/
rtag tu yang dang yang du 'khor lo'i 'gengs// 

thabs khyad par can gyi man ngag rtogs na/ 

chos 'di lta bus 'jig rten pha rol 'grub ba 'gyur te/
de lta bu'i chos ma rtogs na rmongs pa 'jig rten mgo bor rdog pas mnan nas song/

[9] Quoted from Rinchen Zangpo’s biography (Snellgrove and Skorupski, 1980, vol. 2, 109.20–22).

[10] Universally Known Biography 2012, 133.11–34.16. Rnam thar yongs grags attributed to Chim Namkha Drak (1210–1285)

[11] Footnote: Extensive Biography 315, Eimer 1979, 231; Universally Known Biography 2012, 119.

[12] Indian Esoteric Buddhism, A Social History of the Tantric Movement, Ronald M. Davidson, Columbia University Press, 2002, p. 117, p.412 footnote 44 Rnal 'byor byang chub seng ge'i dris lan, SKB III.277.4.5-278.2.2:

[13] Footnote: Phun tshogs tshe brtan 2011, 77. Gtsang smyon He ru ka 1982, 77–78. Padma dkar po 1973, 445.

[14] Davidson, Ronald M. Tibetan Renaissance. pg 143-144. Columbia University Press, 2005.

[15] The Life of Marpa the Translator, Prajñā Press, Boulder, 1982, p.90

[16] Extensive Biography 372–73; Eimer 1979, 392; Universally Known Biography 2012, 192.15–93.5.