Chapter Three: The Madhura Disposition in India's Inner (Esoteric) Religious Disciplines
Vajrayana's other name is Sahajayana. It places its greatest emphasis upon the “innate state” alone. This state is the culmination of both practice and perfection for the Buddhist Sahajiyas. It is called nirvana, great bliss, the sovereign of bliss, the great seal, direct realisation, and other names. In this state mind and vital breath do not move; where sun and moon have no right of entry, there the yogi rests.1 This innate state is the state beyond mind. It is the condition of great bliss. It is attained neither by discourse, nor intellect, nor much hearing. It is attained solely through the guru's grace.
The distinctive nature of the guru's grace
Buddhist practice has its own distinctive account of the guru's grace: the guru is the joined embodiment of emptiness and compassion. Emptiness and compassion are indispensable to attaining the awakening mind. Equanimity of mind together with compassion for the world constitutes practical bodhicitta.
The state of Dharma-cloud
The ultimate condition of the union of emptiness and compassion is called the “Dharma-cloud.” In the same way, the guru is the united form of wisdom and skilful means. Buddhahood can be attained neither through wisdom alone nor through skilful means alone. Their union is indispensable; only then can Buddhahood be realised.2
Footnotes
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Saraha describes the innate state in these words: Jaha mana pavaṇa na sañcarai, ravi sasi nāhi pavesa / tahi vaṭa citta visāma karu, sarahe kahiya uvesa //—“Where mind and breath do not move and sun and moon do not enter, there let the mind come to rest: such is Saraha's instruction.” Compare: Jayati sukha-rāja ekaḥ kāraṇa-rahitaḥ sadodito jagatām / yasya ca nigadana-samaye vacana-daridro babhūva sarvajñaḥ //—“Victory to the one sovereign of bliss, causeless and eternally arisen for the worlds; when the Omniscient himself came to describe it, even he became poor in words.” Saraha, cited in the Sekoddeśa-ṭīkā, p. 63. ↩
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Na prajñā-kevala-mātreṇa buddhatvaṃ bhavati nāpy upāya-mātreṇa / kintu yadi punaḥ prajñopāya-lakṣaṇau samatā-svabhāvau bhavataḥ, etau dvāv abhinna-rūpau bhavataḥ, tadā bhuktir muktir bhavati //—“Buddhahood does not arise from wisdom alone, nor from skilful means alone. But when wisdom and means have the nature of equality and the two become one undivided form, enjoyment becomes liberation.” Jñāna-siddhi 123. ↩