Affichage des articles dont le libellé est Padma Karpo. Afficher tous les articles
Affichage des articles dont le libellé est Padma Karpo. Afficher tous les articles

dimanche 16 juin 2024

Resetting "Mahāmudrā" history?

Reception history is a method for studying historical events and figures by examining how they've been perceived and interpreted throughout history. It  shifts the focus from a straightforward chronological telling of events to analyzing how those events have been understood by different people in different times.

Markus Vinzent (Resetting the Origins of Christianity, A New Theory of Sources and Beginnings) applies reception history to the study of Early Christianity, and retrospectively. Traditionally, scholars have studied this period by analyzing historical documents at face value. Markus Vinzent argues for a  "retrospective" approach.  He examines how later Christians interpreted  earlier figures and writings. This allows him to challenge traditional assumptions and shed new light on the development of Christianity.

With this method one might look at how a writing from the 2nd century AD was understood by someone in the 10th century. By seeing how the meaning changed over time, one can gain new insights into both the original text and the later reader's perspective. Instead of going straight back to the ”original text” and its “initial reception” and then following their evolution throughout history, Vinzent's method looks at its receptions nearer to our times and then goes gradually back into history, to see where and how changes occurred.

“6:09 It occurred to me that when we take the movement backwards, we cannot have it as a continuous movement. All we can do is choose sections. Let's take [Bishop] Ignatius [of Antioch 35 AD to 108/110 AD]. We can take that section, and as soon as we reflect about that particular section, we have to give a chronological explanation. We think writing history is a continuous process, as we almost emulate when we say we write from the year zero to the year 100, as if we have a continuity. But when we reflect backwards, it is anything but continuous. It is always a choice of sections, and within those sections we then establish a pseudo continuity. So that was the rough framework

“7:43 I've chosen to slice the history by those sections where the new consensus was created, slice by slice like an archaeologist, who traces back the findings in the ground. From today backwards, a few sections where a new kind of discourse had been established.” (Youtube Channel, New Books Network Book of the Day).

When we apply this sort of “retrospective reception history” to Tibetan Buddhism and more specifically to “Maitrīpa”/Advayavajra/Avadhūtipa, it could give us insights into how Maitrīpa and his role were perceived at different times. We have to be aware of the added difficulty that manuscript texts were hardly ever fixed, and were continuously recopied, with the possibility of later later amendments, interpolations, additions, “prophesies”, deletions etc. This needs to be looked into properly, with the proper means… and especially time. Below I will do a quick and dirty “reception history” (not really “retrospective”), to illustrate how it could be done. In what follows the selected authors and their opinions on Maitrīpa are simply those that come to mind first. I ought to have started with Jamgön Kongtrül for the retrospective method, but I went for Tsangnyön Heruka first.

Maitrīpa is firstly known through the texts that are attributed to him (Amanasikāra t. yid la mi byed pa’i skor), and through texts and commentaries attributed to those considered to have been his students. This scriptural “Maitrīpa” appears to have been a respected all-round scholar, and his “scholarship” was not a problem at the beginning of the second millennium, on the contrary. With the “Tibetan Renaissance” (Davidson), and the freshly imported “new” Tantras (gsar ma), things changed very quickly. Yogis became a very competitive new model, and tensions between monastic and yogic communities were the norm. When the new Tantras were generally accepted, mainly through their gradual canonization (e.g. Bu-ston Rinchen Grub 1290-1364), often based on an authentic Indic pedigree, their further evolution and continuing success became dependent on the so called “aural transmissions” (t. snyan rgyud), rediscovered revelations (t. gter ma), etc., allowing for new interpretations and updated doctrines and practices.

These new inputs, that did not necessarily come from an Indic cultural sphere, were often composed in Nepal or Tibet, needed to be authentified by attributing their origin to known Indian masters, and for yogic materials, very often to Indian mahāsiddhas, their direct disciples (fictional or not), and by establishing their Transmission lineages. Narratives were developed in order to authenticate the new transmissions, and hagiographies became the most popular genre. Approximately at the same time as the picaresque novels appeared in Europe.

The new canonized Tantras already came with their transmission lineages, sometimes including teachers that could not have received the newly appeared “aural transmissions”, but were important to authenticate the general transmissions of the more recently formed major Tibetan schools. If a new “aural transmission” had been integrated later in such a school, how could an important earlier teacher of that school have received and transmitted it? It was the job of hagiographists and chroniclers to explain this, and they used all the means they had, before all their creativity, to succeed in their missions.

Most mahāyāna sūtras had been taught by the Buddha in saṃbhogakāya settings. Most “aural transmissions” are said to have an Indian origin with often the following pattern. A saṃbhogakāya entity appears to an Indian (mahā)siddha and gives him an “aural transmission”. The (mahā)siddha passes it on to his Indic disciples, and at one point a Tibetan student (shing rta bgyad) that traveled to India or Nepal will receive it, bringing it back to Tibet. Or the Indic disciple of a (mahā)siddha travels to Tibet and passes it on to a Tibetan student. Often exclusively and in exchange for gold.

Later on, time passing as it always does, gaps could appear in these --let’s call them fictional lineages-- hagiographers used various solutions to fill up the gaps. One of the earlier solutions was an exclusive lineage (t. gcig brgyud) for lack of a better translation. A teacher would pass on the transmission to one student at the same time. That student would do the same, and this would last for several generations (five, seven). The teacher would indicate to the student for how many generations the transmission needed to be kept secret.

Theses and other procedures allowed for Tibetan Buddhism to develop in ways that fitted in best with Tibetan society and its particular needs in later times. Because of the requirements regarding “authenticity” and “transmission”, narratives were needed to explain why the early masters (Milarepa, Gampopa, …) of a lineage did not completely fit in with later forms of Tibetan Buddhism. Maitrīpa was one of them.               

Famous hagiographers and chroniclers such as Tsangnyön Heruka (1452-1507), Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (1511, 1512, or 1513 – 1587), Padma Karpo (1527-1592), Tārānātha (1575-1634), Jamgön Kongtrül (1813–1899) showed and/or explained why Maitrīpa was a special case that didn’t fit in seamlessly, and yet was an important chain in the transmission.

Tsangnyön Heruka (1452-1507) is like Mary Poppins, he never explains anything. He simply tells things as he thinks they were/are. Nāropa and Maitrīpa are important chains in Rechungpas Tantric Yogic Kagyu lineage (pace Gampopa!), and there hardly is a difference between them. He has Marpa say so himself in the hagiography dedicated to this Tibetan lotsāva. The English translation team (with Chogyam Trungpa) of Tsangnyön Heruka’s Life of Marpa the Translator,  write that Saraha wrotethree cycles of dohās”, and was “a teacher in the lineage of mahāmudrā, that Marpa received from Maitrīpa” (p. xliv). Marpa saw Saraha in a dream.

Saraha wearing a freshly flayed human skin (Tsadra website)
For a Saraha with bone ornaments: here
In the cool shade of a grove of plakśa trees.
On a tira corpse seat
Sat Lord Saraha, the Great Brahman.
I had never before seen such majestic brilliance.
He was flanked by two queens.
His body was adorned with charnel ground ornaments.
His joyous face was beaming
.” (Life of Marpa, p. 45)

Saraha/Śavaripa, illumination Nepalese Dohākośagīti manuscript

In Life of Marpa, Marpa later remembers his gurus Nāropa and Maitrīpa with nostalgia. Marpa's hagiography author Tsangnyön Heruka seems to totally identify with Marpa, as he imagines him.

Maitrīpa doing tantra (detail HA 60674)
Lord Marpa thought,“If it were my gurus Nāropa and Maitrīpa, they would prefer to actually sit on a corpse and acquire human flesh in the charnel ground. If they could not acquire these, they would visualize them through samādhi, and so enjoy them. Even when rows of kśetrapala ḍākinīs lined up in person to receive torma, they would not be afraid. But tonight these people are afraid of the howls of the jackals in this empty valley and the natural sounds of the elements.” (Life of Marpa, p. 122)

Lakṣmīṅkārā (ལྕམ་ལཀྵྨཱི) as a mahāsiddha, the alleged
authoress of the Sahajasiddhi-paddhati.
The sweeper Hāḍipa Jālandharanāth looking at her? (detail HA65204)

Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (1511, 1512, or 1513 – 1587), abbot of Gampo (t. dwags lha sgam po) tries to make a compromise between Gampopas contemplativedirect perceptionapproach and Tantric techniques (t. thab lam), nonetheless giving full priority to the latter. He is likely to have read Maitrīpa’s writings, and being aware of the gap, he could have been expected to have a more mitigated view of Maitrīpa. He was one of the teachers of the eighth Karmapa Mikyö Dorje, who was quite outspoken about his post-classic Mahāmudrā preferences. 

Maitripa, also, having been dissatisfied with his proficient knowledge of the sutras and tantras followed [the mystic teacher] Śavarivara and received the illuminating instructions on the quintessential great seal, which were not based on the tantric teachings[1].” (Lhalungpa, p. 101)

Dakpo Tashi Namgyal accepts the full heteroclite “Mahāmudrā” system as it was transmitted at his time, and defends non-tantric “Mahāmudrā” against the attacks of Sakya Paṇḍita (Lalungpa p. 109). Perhaps following the semi-fictional 12th century Par phu pa Blo gros seng ge and others, he establishes the “Mahāmudrā” lineage of the Kagyu schools as originally descending from Buddha Vajradhara (Lhalungpa, p. 116). In order to account for all the heteroclite “Mahāmudrā” materials, integrated in different ways and in different times, Dakpo Tashi Namgyal introduces or reaffirms a role for two saṃbhogakāya bodhisattvas, Mañjughoṣa  and Avalokiteśvara, whom the Buddha, “at the city of Vidarbha” in the South of India, prophesied as being the future expounders of “this quintessential dharma”. These two bodhisattvas “reincarnated” as “Devaputra Ratnamati and Devaputra Sukhanatha” and are said to have transmitted this teaching to Saraha. “It was said that [Saraha] achieved liberation instantly”. “Ratnamati was the reincarnation of Buddha himself, and Sukhanātha that of Guhyapati [bodhisattvaVajrapāṇi].”

Saraha transmitted it to [the Tantric] Nāgārjuna, who was renowned as the second Buddha. Both of them were the gurus of most of the great Indian saints. Nāgārjuna especially guided Śrī Śavariśvara toward his liberation.”

According to certain traditions, Śavari later received the quintessential dharma from the two bodhisattvas and also from Saraha. They had achieved enlightenment through illusory form or the spacelike mystical form.  It is said that these masters appeared before fortunate devotees at the mountain retreat of Śrī Parvata until recent times.” (Lhalungpa, p. 117)

In this transmission ("the quintessential dharma") Dakpo Tashi Namgyal includes “the Druppa Dedun [grub pa sde bdun] of mahāmudrā, the Nyingpo Kordruk [snying po skor drug], the twenty-four [sic] sections of [Advayavajra’s] Amanasi[kāra], and the extensive and concise texts of the Dohā [that] were known in India.” Or authored later in Nepal, Tibet or elsewhere… Maitrīpa is said to have seen “the spacelike mystical form” of Śavari in Śrī Parvata, and “received the instructions on "the quintessential dharma” from Śavari, implying he received the whole set.

As for the lineage of “Maitrīpa’s Mahāmudrā” mentioned above by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, some elements are found back in the Complete works (t. gsung ‘bum) attributed to the 12th century Tsalpa Zhang. These works are not all by his hand (often memos etc. by members of his school), and may have undergone modifications at various times. In one of his works (Phyag rgya chen po thog babs, translated in German[2]), we find a transmission lineage that follows Dakpo Tashi Namgyal’s one: 1. Vajradhara  2. Ratnamati 3. Śavaripa  4. Avadhūtipa/Maitrīpa 5. Vajrapāṇi  6. Lha rje gtsang shod pa 7. Me lha khang pa 8. Yer pa ba 9. Zhang[3]. It is always possible that Zhang’s Tsalpa lineage had its own source. What source and when? What would be the origin of the Ratnamati narrative? Dakpo Tashi Namgyal continues:

The fact that the mahāmudrā instructions, made known in Tibet by Maitrīpa's disciples such as the Indian Vajrapāṇi by way of the treatises like the Dohā, the Datsa [Brda-rtsa], and the Sangjor [Rgya-gar gsang-spyod[4]], were identical with those of Gampopa's affirmed the authenticity of the mahāmudrā system. This being so, some [teachers] asserted that any meditation on the perfect meaning of reality must be based only on the classical commentaries of the sūtras. They criticized the key instructions of the great saints [of the mahāmudrā lineage], which emphasized the attainment of insight from the beginning. Such criticism would imply their disregard for the exponents of the tantric instructions, especially their sources like Nyingpo Kordruk [snying po skor drug] and the Truppa Dedun [grub pa sde bdun].” (Lhalungpa, p. 144)

As Dakpo Tashi Namgyal wrote, Śavari was still saṃbhogakāyically hanging around in Śrī Parvata “until recent times”, because the Kagyu yogi Lhatsun Rinchen Namgyel (lHa btsun Rin chen rnam rgyal 1473–1557), Tsangnyön Herukas disciple is said to have received the “brDa-tsa” and the “Rgya-gar gsang-spyod” from Śavari himself in his “spacelike mystical form”, a vision actually. What Lhatsun Rinchen Namgyel received at that time (15-16th century) was probably thought to be, at least essentially, the same set of instructions as the ones Maitrīpa received 500 years earlier, but hadn’t made public… A saṃbhogakāya is not a spatiotemporal dimension. And therefore a “lineage” isn’t either. For a full list of instructions received saṃbhogakāyically by Lhatsun Rinchen Namgyel, see Michaela Clementes’ “The Literary Work of Lha bTsun Rin chen rNamrgyal”. The consequence of these extratemporal additions is that according to the tradition, Maitrīpa's transmisison of  "the quintessential dharma” from Śavari can’t be reduced to the writings attributed to Maitrīpa in the 11th century. Do we want to rely on faith or on history? If history has some importance, then some important mahāsiddhas may not have existed, and if they did, they probably didn't look like their representations above. If faith prevails, then the sky, and beyond, is the limit.  

Padma Karpo (1527-1592) is pretty tough on Maitrīpa. He recognises his “full” heritage, but for him something went wrong with Maitrīpa, no doubt due to his scholastic patterns (t. mtshan nyid pa) and past training. Padma Karpo gives a full account of Maitrīpa’s encounter with the “spacelike mystical form” of Śavari[5], and repeatedly insists on the fact that Maitrīpa had doubts about his teacher. In order to show the reader how Maitrīpa ought to have behaved, he introduced another character, prince Sakara, a fellow traveler of Maitrīpa, who behaves like a model student and complies with all the requirements in this regard, as known in the 16th century, especially faith. It is because of Maitrīpa's deficiency that Padma Karpo has Śavari say: “Since you had doubts about me, you won’t receive the ultimate accomplishment in this life. When you die Vajrayoginī will come and meet you and you will receive the ultimate accomplishment[6].”

After delivering this prophecy the mystical form of Śavari disappeared. What is the reason behind this consistent hagiographic defiency of Maitrīpa? 

In his Seven Instruction Lineages[7] (t. bka’ babs bdun ldan), Tārānātha (1575-1634) follows Padma Karpo’s line, including the incomplete spiritual career of Maitrīpa and his students, due to lack of faith. See my blog Maitripa et ses disciples vus par Tārānātha (01/10/2010).

Jamgön Kongtrül (1813–1899) probably follows up on the 8th Karmapa’s division between what later what be called sūtra mahāmudrā and tantra mahāmudrā[8], and creates a three-fold mahāmudrā.

Kon sprul Blo gros mtha' yas (1813-1899) thus distinguishes in his Shes bya kun khyab mdzod (Beijing: Mi rigs dpe skrun khan 1982 vol. 3, 375f.) besides the generally accepted mantra mahāmudrā, a sūtra mahāmudrā and an essence mahāmudrā. Mantra mahāmudrā is transmitted according to the methods taught by the Mantrayāna, and this involves Tantric empowerment. Essence mahāmudrā leads to the sudden or instantaneous realization of one's natural mind (tha mal gyi shes pa)[9].” (Klaus-Dieter Mathes, Can Sūtra mahamudra be justified on the basis of Maitrīpa's Apratiṣṭhānavāda?, 2007)

Kongtrül specifies:

This means that at a time when a degenerated understanding was widespread, people with great potential (skal) and extraordinary dispositions for the Vajrayāna were very rare, but that in spite of this, people of lesser potential and mediocre faculties could follow the gradual path of the three individuals and eventually further their potential, become fit to receive the instructions of the Mantrayāna and [SKK III. p. 388] obtain liberation in one lifetime. Even failing that, as many people were to glimpse the meaning of the Mahāmudrā by this means, they were thus setting out on an irreversible path. At least that is what [Gampopa] must have thought[10].”

Obviously “Essence Mahāmudrā” can only occur “suddenly” after a long preparation in Mantrayāna, at least according to Kongtrül:

This is the direct and powerful path to the sudden (t. btsan thabs su) realisation of the deep heart (t. zab mo’i snying po), even deeper and more wonderful than the previous two. It is the grace (adhiśṭhāna; byin rlabs) of consecration (abhiśeka; dbang) of indestructible gnosis, conferred by a realised lama, which descends upon a highly predisposed disciple and awakens ordinary knowledge in the heart centre, simultaneously producing realisation and liberation without artificial technique or learning process. This happened frequently in the hagiographies of the siddhas of the four great and eight small schools of the Kagyupa lineage.[11]

There is no mention of Gampopas third path of direct perception, beyond sūtra and tantra. According to Kongtrül, the path of direct perception does not correspond to “Essence Mahāmudrā”, since “Essence Mahāmudrā” requires a “consecration (abhiśeka; dbang) [ ] by a realised lama”. Consecrations are not beyond tantra. 

Once more, this is not about the name of a method/realization, in this case “Mahāmudrā”, a tantric term, but about the unifying method (t. zung ‘jug s. yuganaddha), thought to have been taught by Maitrīpa/Advayavajra, inspired or not by Saraha’s Dohākośagīti, the first one, not the other two dohākośa that were written later. A method beyond “sūtrayāna” and “mantrayāna”, but that certainly can be combined with “sūtrayāna” and “mantrayāna” practice, or not… It is considered as a liberation (s. mokṣa), it is compatible with the Apratiṣṭhānavāda view, and it is accessible through an Introduction (t. ngo sprod) by a teacher who realized “yuganaddha” himself. It is also called “Mahāmudrā” by some, perhaps to imply its realization is similar. Could this be how this method is compatible with mantrayāna (t. sngags kyi lugs kyi rjes su mthun pa)? On the level of the result, on the level of liberation?

Mantrayāna wants to go further than simple liberation. It goes for “full Buddhahood”, with three fully realized Buddhakāyas, especially the saṃbhogakāya and the nirmāṇakāya. As a bodhisattva, the follower of mantrayāna wants to have all possible powers of a Buddha to save all sentient beings and to empty saṃsāra to the best of their ability. Salvation happens through liberation (s. mokṣa t. grol ba), and on the level of dharmakāya. The other two form bodies (rūpakāyas) allow a Buddha to act as a Buddha. Some believe an enlightened activity (t. phrin las) is the natural natural outflow of liberation. Others think that to be a powerful Buddha, a bodhisattva needs to work real hard, follow mantrayāna, accumulate merit, wisdom and siddhis, rely on a guru, on the most powerful mantric expedients (upāya) and to identify with a deity, sometimes, as in the case of Tsangnyön Heruka, theopathically.

Mantrayāna’s project is in fact a transexistential career, consisting of liberating (t. grol ba s. mokṣa) but also and foremost “ripening” (t. smin pa) those to be saved, together in short “smin grol”. Liberation for their own benefit, and “ripening” for the benefit of others. “Ripening” is done through giving empowerments and entering mantrayāna. Such is the theory. Liberation requires a teacher who realizes direct perception, who knows the nature of mind, and who can guide others in this regard. “Ripening” requires a whole religious set-up and everything required for the survival thereof. 

***

[1] Mahāmudrā, The Quintessence of Mind and Meditation, Takpo Tashi Namgyal, Translated & Annotated by Lobsang P. Lhalungpa, Foreword by Chogyam Trungpa, Shambala, 1987

[2] Andrea Prax, Edition und Übersetzung von Lama Zhangs Blitzschlag[gleicherMahāmudrā, Wien 2013, Adviser Klaus-Dieter Mathes

[3] Andrea Prax, Edition und Übersetzung von Lama Zhangs Blitzschlag[gleicher] Mahāmudrā, Wien 2013

[4]The oral instructions of the essential meaning of rGya gar gsang spyod’ (rGya gar gsang spyod kyi don bsdu’i man ngag rnams) was composed by Rin chen rNam rgyal after a vision of Mar pa.” Clemente, M. (2015), "The Literary Work of lHa btsun Rin chen rnam rgyal". In: From Bhakti to Bon. Festschrift for Per Kvaerne, edited by H. Havnevik and C. Ramble, Oslo: Novus Forlag, pp. 185-200

[5] In Padma Karpo’s Brug pai chosbyung, xylography of Dodedrak Monastery, starting on page 87.

[6]khyod nga la the tsom zos pas tshe ‘di la mchog gi dngos grub mi thob/ ‘chi kar rdo rje rnal ‘byor mas bsus ste bar dor mchog gi dngos grub thob par ‘gyur ro/ p. 89

[7] Templeman, David, Library of Tibetan Works and Archives (1983)

[8]Ce n'est pas le siddhi authentique de la Mahāmudrā de la lignée Kagyupa, transmis du Dharmakāya Vajradhara jusqu'au grand Nāropa, qui est présent dans les intuitions analogique et réelle (dpe don gyi ye shes) authentiques[14], qui ne sont pas manifestes (ngon sum) avant les trois initiations supérieures des quatre initiations (mchog dbang gong ma gsum) mais ce sont le Parāmitāyāna causal[15] de nos jours et la tradition des instructions communes de Samātha-Vipassana qui viennent d’Atisha et font partie du chemin graduel de l’éveil, enseignés par Gampopa et Pamodroupa (1110-1170) pour répondre à la demande des étudiants de l’époque dégénérée, friands des enseignements les plus élevés, et qui l'ont appelés pour cette raison la mahāmudrā intégrée naturellement (phyag-chen skyes-sbyor). Dans la pratique de la plupart des étudiants de Gampopa, les instructions de la Mahāmudrā furent données avant l'initiation, ce qui est appelé la Tradition commune du Sūtrayāna et du Mantrayāna." Quoted in Shes bya kun khyab mdzod (Beijing: Mi rigs dpe skrun khan 1982 vol. 3, See Déclassement de la mahamudra de Maitrīpa 27/06/2011
'Di la dgongs nas rje mi bskyod zhabs kyis/ chos sku rdo rje 'chang chen po nas brgyud pa'i nA ro chen po'i bka' brgyud kyi phyag rgya chen po'i dngos grub mtshan nyid pa ni mchog dbang gong ma gsum gyi dpe don gyi ye shes mtshan nyid pa mngon sum du ma gyur pa la yod pa ma yin la/ deng sang gi rgyu phar phyin theg pa dang thun mong ba'i zhi lhag gi khrid srol mgon po a ti sha nas brgyud pa/ byang chub lam sgron gyi man ngag rje btsun sgam po pa dang mgon po phag mo gru pas/ snyigs ma'i gdul bya theg pa mtho mtho la dga' ba'i ngor phyag chen lhan cig skyes sbyor gyi ming btags par mdzad pa zhes gsungs la/ dwags po'i thugs sras phal mo che rnams kyi phyag bzhes su dbang bskur sngon song la phyag chen gyi gdams ngag bstan te mdo sngags thun mong gi lam srol du bzhed pa yin no//

[9] Essence Mahāmudrā may have been inspired by this observation:

The meditational system of the Takpo Kagyupa order consists of two systems. The first system, which meets the needs of seekers inclined toward an instantaneous illumination, directs them, at the outset, to master the vision of reality by clearing doubts and distortions concerning the natural foundation of existence and then settle the mind [in a nondual] state. The second system, which meets the demands of seekers of gradual illumination, directs them first to achieve tranquility of mind and then gradually strive toward insight. The former method would be more suitable for highly intelligent and passionate persons. Nevertheless, I shall elucidate the latter at this stage because it is widely known in the country.” (Lhalungpa, p. 144)

[10] [SKK III. p. 388] de dag gi don ni snyigs ma shas cher bdo ba'i dus su son pas rdo rje theg pa'i thun mong min pa'i skal ldan ches nyung bar gyur kyang*/ dbang rtul skal ba dman pa'i gdul bya rnams la skyes bu gsum gyi lam rim gyi khrid pas/ mthar skal ba rab tu 'phos pas sngags kyi thun mong min pa'i snod du gyur te tshe gcig la grol ba thob pa'am/_de ltar ma yin kyang thabs des mang dag cig phyag rgya chen po'i don mthong nas/ phyir mi ldog pa'i lam la bkod pa la dgongs pa yin pa'i phyir ro//

[11] [SKK III. p. 389] snying po'i lugs ni/snying po rdo rje'i ye shes 'bebs pa yis// dbang rab smin grol dus gcig 'byung ba'o// snga ma gnyis ka las zab cing ngo mtshar la khyad par rmad du byung ba zab mo'i snying po btsan thabs su rtogs pa'i lam ni/ rtogs ldan gyi bla mas skal ldan gyi slob ma ches dbang rnon du gyur pa la rdo rje ye shes kyi dbang gi byin rlabs 'bebs pa tsam gyis/ tha mal shes pa snying dbus su sad nas rtogs grol dus mnyam du 'gyur bas spros bcas kyi thabs dang sbyangs pa'i rtsol ba la ma ltos pa'i phyir/ bka' brgyud che bzhi chung brgyad kyi grub thob sa chen po'i rdul tsam byon pa'i rnam thar dang lag rjes mngon sum snang ba 'di nyid yin cing*/

dimanche 1 novembre 2015

Quelques aspects "zen" d'Advayavajra


Hotei va à l'ouest, façon Laotseu...


Padma Karpo écrit[1] :
« Quand Maitrīpa avait trouvé la réalisation et compris le sens des trois montagnes :

Tous les phénomènes sont la vacuité[2] La vacuité (śūnyatā) et la compassion (karuṇā)[3] Enseignent (ācārya) la non-dualité (advaya)
Les apparences sont comprises comme le maître
En éprouvant (dbyad) le sens authentique (rnal ma'i don) dans la différenciaton (rnam)
Tout ce que l'on fait sera libération.
C'est l'accès définitif à l'absence de référence (sct. nirālambana),
L'absence d'artifice (sct. akṛtrimatva)
Le non-engagement mental (sct. amanasikāra)
Et la non-remémoration (sct. asmṛti), ne serait-ce que de la taille d'un atome
Plus besoin de questionner personne
. »[4]
Il avait déjà présenté ces 10 vers de réalisation de Maitrīpa dans son histoire du bouddhisme (tib. 'brug pa'i chos 'byung). La première partie est plutôt tantrique, la deuxième plutôt perfection de sagesse (« Zen tibétain »). On relève quatre dharma caractéristiques de son système.

1. La non-référence (sct. nirālambana tib. dmigs pa med pa),
2. Le non-artifice (sct. akṛtrimatva tib. bcos ma ma yin pa),
3. La non-attention (sct. amanasikāra tib. yid la mi byed pa),
4. La non-remémoration (sct. asmṛti tib. dran pa med pa).

Il s’agit de quatre dharma qui jouent un rôle central dans la perfection de la sagesse en général et dans le « Zen » en particulier.

On pourrait encore y ajouter un cinquième dharma, également important dans le système de Maitrīpa, le non-fondement/investissement (sct. apratiṣṭhita tib. mi gnas pa).

Ci-dessous quelques explorations de ces quatre termes (plus deux autres) en les éclairant de citations « Zen tibétain » et Ch’an.

1. La non-référence (sct. nirālambana tib. dmigs pa med pa)

On trouve dans la série Pelliot tibétain 116 (section 5) un superbe petit texte intitulé Méthode unique de non-appréhension (tib. dmigs su med pa tsh'ul gcig pa′i gzhung) traduit en anglais par Sam van Schaik dans Tibetan Zen. La Bibliothèque Nationale de France donne la traduction « Enseignement authentique de la méthode unique selon laquelle il n'est rien de conceptuellement saisissable »

Le terme appréhension, du verbe appréhender, a un sens philosophique signifiant « Saisie par l'intelligence, et plus particulièrement toute opération intellectuelle relativement simple ou immédiate, soit de perception, soit de jugement, soit de mémoire, soit d'imagination, considérée comme s'appliquant à un contenu distinct de l'opération elle-même. (LAL. 1968) ». Je préfère néanmoins la traduction référence, aussi en égard du contenu de ce petit texte. La référence c’est l’action de (se) référer à quelqu'un, à quelque chose, et notamment à des « éléments, points que l'on a choisis ou déterminés au préalable comme cadre pour situer et résoudre un problème. »

Ce texte indique en préambule qu’il a été écrit pour répondre (tib. lan brjod) aux objections de certains, « attachés à la substantialité et la terminologie » (tib. dngos po dang sgra la mngon bar zhen pa rnams), contre l’apparente absence d’accumulation de mérite, comprenons des « actes religieux », auxquels on accorde une certaine réalité (tib. dngos po).

Les mots clé de ce texte sont « se référer » (tib. dmyigs pa) et « caractères » (tib. mtshan ma). Quand on agit en se référant à, c’est-à-dire en s’appuyant sur, des caractères (tib. mtshan mar byed na), ou en se référant tout court, on fait fausse route. La véritable et l’unique pratique consiste donc à ne pas appréhender (tib. dmigs pa med pa) les phénomènes ou le triple temps (citation du Vajracchedikā).

Dans la perfection de la sagesse, la négation d’une chose n’est pas l’affirmation de son contraire, mais le dépassement du couple des contraires. Tous les non- ont ce sens spécifique. Il ne s’agit donc pas de ne pas se référer à rien du tout et de ne pas appréhender des caractères, mais plutôt en le faisant tout en restant conscient de leur nature (dharmatā). Et même dire cela, c’est en dire trop déjà. Idem pour l’usage de la terminologie (tib. sgra), les lettres et les paroles.

2. Le non-artifice (sct. akṛtrimatva tib. bcos ma ma yin pa)

« Question : « Qu’entend-on par esprit de simplicité et esprit d’artifice ? »
Réponse : « On appelle artifice les lettres et les paroles. Lorsque les formes et l’informel, ainsi que tous les actes ou attitudes tels que marcher, se tenir debout, être assis ou couché [īryāpatha][5], sont simples, et que l’on garde son esprit immobile quels que soient les événements, agréables ou désagréables, que l’on rencontre : alors seulement peut-on parler d’esprit de simplicité
. »[6]

3. La non-attention (sct. amanasikāra tib. yid la mi byed pa)

Dans le texte de la Méthode unique citée ci-dessus, on trouve une citation du Prajñāpāramitā-sūtra (sans autre précision), qui concerne à la fois le 3. non-engagement mental et 4. la non-remémoration d’Advayavajra, ainsi que la 1. non-référence :
« Accéder à l’essence non-substantielle de tous les phénomènes est cultiver la remémoration du Bouddha. Ainsi, tout en étant sans remémoration (sct. asmṛti) et sans engagement mental (sct. amanasikāra) ; c’est remémorer la nature des choses (sct. dharmatā), c’est remémorer la saṅgha. »[7]
La Méthode unique commente :
« Le non-engagement mental c’est concrètement remémorer le Bouddha qui est la nature des choses. En revanche, en remémorant le Bouddha en se référant à lui, le nirvāṇa est obscurci. »[8]
Nouvelle citation du Prajñāpāramitā-sūtra (toujours sans précision) :
« Même un bref engagement mental du Bouddha est une caractéristique et constituera un obscurcissement, que dire de tout autre (engagement mental) ? »[9]
La Méthode unique commente :
« Cela prouve que remémorer le Bouddha en se référant à lui, n’est pas très utile. »[10]
Autre source, Le Soûtra de l’Estrade :
« La pureté n’a pas de forme, et ceux qui lui en inventent une en prétendant que c’est là tout leur travail spirituel cultivent une opinion propre à masquer leur essence originelle. Ils sont prisonniers de la pureté. »[11]

4. La non-remémoration (sct. asmṛti tib. dran pa med pa)

Le maître de contemplation Dzang Shenshi[12] :
« La non-apparition de représentations remémorées (tib. dran pa’i rtog pa) est la perfection complète de l’absorption (samādhi). Le non-attachement aux objets des six consciences est la perfection complète de la sagesse (prajñā). Ainsi, la perfection complète de l’absorption et de la sagesse engendre la sagesse non-représentative et transcende le triple univers. »[13]
Pour Dr. Ting-Fou-pao, commentateur chinois du Soûtra de l’Estrade, la non-remémoration, ‘ne rien se remémorer’, correspond au dhyāna et au samādhi.
« Bien que la méditation tch’an soit dite ‘assise’, elle ne dépend nullement de cette position. ‘Ne rien se remémorer, lit-on dans le Traité de l’Illumination dans l’Essence’, voilà ce qu’on appelle ‘concentration et recueillement’ (tch’an-ting). »[14]
La pratique de la non-remémoration fait aussi partie de la triple pratique du maître koréen Kim/Wuxiang (684-762). Le nom de ce maître est mentionné dans le Testament du clan dBa’. Les informations sur ce maître proviennent essentiellement des écrits de Zongmi, auteur du Chanyuan zhuquan jidu xu, et des Annales du joyau du Dharma à travers les générations (Lidai fabao ji, fin VIIIème s.).

Van Schaik résume ainsi les trois phases de sa pratique :

1. non-remémoration (wuyi)
2. non-pensée (wuxiang)
3. Non-oubli (mowang) ou dans d’autres versions la non-autorisation du réel (mowang).

Le successeur de Kim fut Wuzhu (tib. bu chu), également cité dans Pelliot tibétain 116. Ses dates sont 714-774) et il fut le chef de file de l’école du monastère Bao Tang, dans le Sichuan. Notons au passage que le nom de ce maître signifie non-demeure (C. wuzhu tib. mi gnas pa sct. apratiṣṭhita).

Voici, la description de cette école par Bernard Faure :
« [Cette école] ne présente aucune des caractéristiques du bouddhisme. Ayant rasé leurs cheveux et passé un monacal, ces moines ne reçoivent pas les Défenses. Pour ce qui est d’observer [la morale] et le repentir, de réciter les écritures, de faire des présentations du Buddha, ou de copier des sūtra, ils rejettent toutes ces pratiques comme relevant de pensées fausses. Dans les salles [de leur monastère], ils n'utilisent pas d'objets rituels bouddhiques. C'est pourquoi je dis qu'ils n’adhèrent ni à la doctrine [bshad brgyud] ni à la pratique [T. sgrub brgyud]. »[15]
5. Le non-investissement/non-demeure (C. wuzhu sct. apratiṣṭhita tib. mi gnas pa)

Ce terme ne fait pas partie de la liste de Padma Karpo, mais elle est très importante pour Advayavajra et ceux dans son périmètre d’influence, y compris Rongzompa.

Dans le Traité de Bodhidharma on trouve :
« Question : « Qu’appelle-t-on samādhi de vacuité? »
Réponse : « Voir les dharmas tout en demeurant dans la vacuité est ce qu’on nomme samādhi de vacuité. »
Question : « Qu’appelle-t-on demeurer dans le Dharma? »
Réponse : « Ne demeurer ni dans la demeure ni dans la non-demeure, demeurer en harmonie avec le dharma, voilà ce qu’on nomme demeurer dans le Dharma
. »[16]
« Ce qu’on nomme le lieu de tous les phénomènes, le lieu de toutes les formes, le lieu de tous les actes mauvais, le Bodhisattva l’utilise. Tout cela constitue l’affaire du Buddha, tout cela constitue le Nirvana, tout cela constitue le grand Dao. Que tout lieu soit non-lieu, voilà le lieu de l’éveil. Le Bodhisattva considère tout lieu comme lieu de la Loi. Il ne rejette aucun lieu, n’en saisit aucun, n’en choisit aucun, mais fait de tout une affaire de Buddha. Les naissances et les morts elles-mêmes deviennent affaire de Buddha, l’illusion elle-même devient affaire de Buddha. »[17]

6. La non-représentation (sct. avikalpa tib. mi rtog pa)

C’est peut-être le dénominateur commun de tous les autres. C’est dans le texte canonique de l’incantation de l’entrée dans la non-représentation (sct. avikalpapraveśanāmadhāraṇī) qu’Advayavajra chercha et trouva les citations pour soutenir ses notions de non-remémoration et non-engagement mental. C’est dans ce texte également qu’on pourrait trouver des appuis pour la méthode des deux accès du Traité de Bodhidharma

L'Āryāvikalpapraveśanāmadhāraṇī enseigne qu'il y a deux méthodes pour entrer dans la non-représentation : 1. le désencombrent des caractères (T. mtshan ma yongs su spong ba) de la discursivité et 2. la pratique correcte (T. yang dag par sbyor ba). Une approche "négative" de déconstruction ou analytique (S. prajñā) où l'on se désencombre des représentations, suivie par une approche "positive" où l'on rejoint l'intuition sans représentation (T. rnam par mi rtog pa’i ye shes).

Pour résumer, un aspect dhyāna qui pacifie et un aspect prajñā de connaissance. Nous sommes loin de « l’arrêt total des pensées et des activités mentales » (Dakpo Tashi Namgyal). Jigmé lingpa (1730-1798) prenait la défense du couple non-remémoration/non-engagement mental en écrivant dans son Kun mkhyen zhal lung :
« Si la non-remémoration et le non-engagement mental impliquent le défaut de rejeter la sagesse discriminante (pratyavekṣaṇā-prajñā), ce défaut s’applique aussi à la Mère des vainqueurs (prajñāpāramitā). Ce qu’est ou n’est pas la vue ultime du maître chinois (ho shang), seul le parfait Bouddha peut le savoir. »[18]
Les 10 vers finissent par Plus besoin de questionner personne. Ce qui fait référence à Saraha (DKG n° 28 de ni su la'ang bri bar mi bya'o/). Advayavajra ajoute dans le commentaire :
« Les imperfections (S. mala T. dri ma) et les réponses aux questions ne font que (ré)engager la remémoration. [En revanche] en n'engageant jamais le mental dans la contrepartie (T. cig shos), [254] Plus besoin de questionner personne. »
Maître Yuan semble avoir eu le même avis quand il dit :

« Quelqu’un demanda à maître Yuan : « Pourquoi ne m’enseignez-vous pas le Dharma ? »
Réponse : « Si j’avais un Dharma à t’enseigner, je ne pourrais plus te guider. Si j’établissais un Dharma, ce serait t’abuser, te trahir. Même si je possédais un Dharma, comment pourrais-je le révéler aux hommes ? Comment pourrais-je t’en parler? En fin de compte, tant qu’il y a des noms et des lettres, tout cela ne peut que t’induire en erreur. Le sens du grand Dao, comment pourrais-je t’en révéler la mesure la plus infime? Si je pouvais en parler, à quoi cela te servirait- il?
Lorsqu’on le questionna encore, il s’abstint de répondre[12]. Par la suite, on lui demanda de nouveau : « Qu’en est-il de l’apaisement de l’esprit ? » Il répondit : « On ne doit pas produire la pensée du grand Dao. A mon sens, l’esprit en tant que tel est inconnaissable, obscur et de surcroît inconscient
. » Traité de Bodhidharma, Faure, pp. 127-128

***

[1] Œuvre complète vol. zha 21.02 phyag rgya chen po'i man ngag gi bshad sbyar rgyal ba'i gan mdzod

[2] chos rnams thams cad stong pa nyid. Cette phrase isolée vient directement de la Quintuple manifestation (sct. pañcākāraḥ tib. rang bzhin lnga pa) d’Advayavajra.

[3] [rdo rje sems dpa'i rang bzhin] stong pa nyid dang snying rje dbyer med pa'o, Quintuple manifestation.

[4] mai tri pas rtogs pa rnyed de ri gsum dang bcas pa'i don go nas/
chos rnams thams cad stong pa nyid//
stong pa nyid dang snying rje gnyis//
gnyis su med pa slob dpon yin//
kun rdzob snang ba slob dpon yin//
rnal ma'i don la rnam dpyad na//
gang ltar byas kyang grol bar 'gyur//
dmigs pa med pa/
bcos ma ma yin pa/
yid la mi byed pa/
dran pa rdul tsam yang med par ngas rtogs/
da su la yang dri bar yang mi byed do//
zhes gsungs ba'i don gtan la 'bebs pa de ltar yid la mi byed pa rnams dang/

[5] Ces trois ensembles constituent le triple univers, les īryāpatha étant du domaine du sensible.

[6] Traité de Bodhidharma, Bernard Faure, p. 94-95

[7] Chos rnams thams cad dngos po myed pa’i ngo bo nyid du rtogs par byed de// sangs rgyas rjes su dran par bsgom mo// dran pa myed cing yid la bya ba myed na// sangs rgyas rjes su dran paa’o// de nyid chos nyid rjes su dran pa’o// de nyid dge ‘dun rjes su dran pa’o//

[8] Yid la bya ba med par ni/ chos nyid kyi sangs rgyas dran pa yin par mngon no// gal te dmyigs pa’i tshul gyis sangs rgyas rjes su dran par bye dpa ni/ mya ngan las ‘da’ ba la bsgrib par gyur te/

[9] Chung ngu na sangs rgyas yid la byed na yang mtshan ma ste// sgrib pa yang yin na/ de las gzhan ba lta ji smos shes gsungs pas/

[10] dmyigs pa’i tshul gyis// sangs rgyas dran par bye dpa ni// don myi che bar mngon no// Houei-neng : « Les soûtras parlent de prendre refuge dans le Bouddha et non dans quelqu’un d’autre que vous qui serait le Bouddha. Vous ne trouverez refuge que dans votre propre état naturel. » Carré, p. 51

[11] Patrick Carré, p. 39

[12] 4ème dans la série de Pelliot tibétain 116, section 6.

[13] Mkhan po dzang she’i bsam brtan gyi mdo las ‘byung ba// dran pa’i rtog pa myi ‘byung ba ni// ting nge ‘dzin yongs su rdzogs pa yin// rnam par shes pa drug yul la ma chags pa ni// shes rab yongs su rdzogs pa yin// de ltar ting nge ‘dzin dang*// shes rab yongs su rdzogs pas// rtog pa myed pa’i shes rab skyes te// des khams gsum las ‘das par ‘gyur ro//

[14] Le soûtra de l’Estrade du sixième Patriarche Houei-neng, p. 180.

[15] Bernard Faure, Sexualités bouddhiques, p. 155.

[16] Faure, p. 81

[17] Faure, p. 105

[18] Gang dran pa med cing yid la byar me dpa so sor rtog pa’i shes rab spangs pa’i nyam pa ‘jug na skyon ‘di ryal ba’i yum la’ang ‘jug pas don dam ha shang gi lta ba yin min rdzogs pa’i sangs rgyas kho nas mkhyen gyis gzhan ma yin no. (kun mkhyen zhal lung bdud rtsi'i thigs pa/(ri) p. 470)