A Misty Silver Drizzling Morning - Padmasambhava's Teachings of Life, Death and Rebirth

Hey, noble one! Recognize that you are in theby living in his "Palace of Lotus Light," the experience
between. Now, since the life cycle is in suspension, allof the Eternal.
things dawn as lights and deities. All space dawns fullThe Tibetan Buddhist see the processes of birth and
of azure lights...pure reality manifest in subtle, dazzlingdeath and rebirth as an opportunity to develop
visions, vividly experienced, naturally frightening. Do notspiritually, even with the possibility that one could
fear...you cannot die. It is enough just to recognize suchrecognize the nature of the mind and heart and be
visions as your own perceptions. --Tibetan Book of thefree. This purely "mental" process (experiences in
Dead (The Great Book of Natural Liberation throughconsciousness) is said to last for forty-nine days. We
Understanding in the Between, Sogyal Rinpoche trans.)don't necessarily have to take these teachings as
Fearing death, I went to the mountains. Over and overliteral; we can apply the teachings to any situation of
again, I meditated on death's unpredictable coming, andimpermanence, transition, gain, loss, dying and
took the stronghold of the deathless, unchangingresurrection. In meditation, we often note the "interval"
nature. Now I am beyond all fear of dying!--Milarepabetween the in and out breaths. So much "arising,"
On a softly raining gray morning at the Pacific Asia"dwelling," "ceasing to be." Every day living.
Museum in Pasadena, 2006, I heard Thondup TulkuThondup speaks to us about the teachings of
teach about the bardos, the intermediary phases, "thePadmasambhava; Thondup discourses without notes,
between" death and rebirth. Once in hospice, I knew alooking to the "distance" above our heads; he's slight,
Buddhist who wanted The Tibetan Book of the Deadhas salt and pepper crew-cut hair, maroon-robed, with
to be read to him in his dying (also a bardo: thea burnt orange shirt. He's sitting in a brown and white
"between" dying and final death). He felt it would "helpcushioned chair, feet on the floor. A paper and a
him attain liberation." This book is said to have beenbrocade thanka are hung up behind him. To the sides
written by Padmasambhava who brought Buddhism toare small tables with four yellow tulips in a pot and a
Tibet. Karma Lingpa found this "treasure" in thevase of pink and purple lilies.
fourteenth century.We do a preliminary meditation of relaxing and
Stories of Padmasambhava's life give me theloosening our conceptual minds and anchoring
confidence that great power can arise with theourselves in a calm state of mind, letting our busy
practice of Buddhist meditation and that power isthoughts slowly recede. Then we "extend and expand
meant to be used for the good of humanity. Said to bethe energy of our meditation, rejoicing for this life."
an emanation of Buddha Amitabha, PadmasambhavaThondup encourages us to practice improving the
traveled from India to Tibet to introduce Tantricquality and habits of our minds; we will then enjoy such
Buddhism. He was said to be overcoming mighty"habits" and dispositions after death when the
demons. His companion, the abbot Santarakshita,consciousness--if evolved--will experience the luminous
brought the sutras and moral precepts of the Buddhastate, clear and spacious, "dawn's sky," along with both
from India. Padmasambhava was invited to Tibet bysweet and frightening sounds and forms. Scary,
King Trisong Dessen around 750 C.E.magnificent, consoling, threatening, outlandish
There was an art exhibition in 1998 at the Hungtingtonexperiences occur.
Art Museum which featured an impressive thanka of"If your mind grasps-clings-averts-- how I want this or
Padmasambhava, with a small-scaled Buddhahow I want to push this away-- then you may become
Amitabha above him. Padmasambhava is depictedunconscious. The "light" and the deities and displays
with His Eight Forms, representing eight obstacles thatand "traveling" are not some objects, but expressions
Padmasambhava overcame in his own spiritualof your own state of consciousness."
awakening into wisdom, compassion and an all-inclusiveYou may appear before welcoming Buddhas or saints
consciousness. These Eight forms are teachings forto guide you; you may go through "hells" or "heavens."
the student to know his or her particular obstacles toYour experiences are culturally influenced. A Christian
full spiritual awakening. Buddhism teaches me that Imay meet Jesus. Walking a narrow path, you may find
must experience directly not only good feelings abouta "companion." You might encounter the Lord of Death,
myself but the afflictive emotions within me of anger,where you are mirrored the "good" and "bad" deeds
deep loneliness, self-reproach, jealousies, resentments,of your life. You may enter the Pure Land, human life,
and vindictiveness. Padmasambhava is a shiningbecome animals, experience worlds of the jealous
example of the true guru teaching direct enlightenmentgods or realms of craving but not satisfied "hungry
to his students through a practice of moral purificationghosts." All this is possible within your own
and dedicated meditation.consciousness.
Padmasambhava, the great Buddhist yogi of theReginald Ray: "The advantage of the human realm is
tantras, or esoteric practices, is colorfully painted on thethat in the realms above it, there is so much happiness
cotton thanka, with deep opaque mineral pigments inthat beings are not motivated to change their situation,
water based collagen, reds, golds, blacks, grays, blues,while in the realms below it, there is so much suffering
pearls, greens, oranges. He sits with supreme dignitythat beings are unable to get sufficient distance from it
and sense of spiritual accomplishment, dressed in a redto learn and change. In the human realm alone there is
robe. He's sitting on a lotus which seems to be rising,enough suffering to provide motivation for spiritual
hands in ritual positions, right hand holding the vajra,development, yet not so much that beings are crushed
symbolizing the eternal nature of absolute truth,by it."
indestructible as a diamond of diamonds. He'sThondup suggested that we continue to cultivate love,
surrounded by his other forms, other Buddhas andwisdom and the aspiration to help others. We wish for
consorts. His left hand holds a skull cup; death isourselves and all to be happy and to be finally
present. An adept's staff leans against his left shoulder."liberated" from the cycle of birth-life-death-rebirth.
Padmasambhava was a king himself in India, butSuch a realization is finally "unspeakable."
decided to leave his conventional social ways, as highAs I headed home, I flashed Thondup a peace sign. I
class as they were, to pursue what would take awaythink of Kabir: "Friend, hope for the Guest while you
his feeling dissatisfied with life. He began to see deeplyare alive. Jump into experience...what you call 'salvation'
the transitoriness of life. He meditated in many charnelbelongs to the time before death. If you don't break
grounds. By the time Padmasambhava was a teacheryour ropes while you're alive, do you think ghosts will
in Tibet, he manifested "protective" powers whichdo it after? If you make love with the divine now, in the
allowed the Dharma, the teachings about the end ofnext life, you will have the face of satisfied desire."
suffering and the meaning of true happiness, to beThondupTulku smiled back and waved good-bye.
established as the dominant religion of Tibet. He was*Tulku Thondup Rinpoche was born in Golok, Eastern
said to be able to "overcome" the demonic influencesTibet. He entered his training period in a Nyingma
of violence and conflict. Padmasambhava taughtmonastery until political changes in Tibet forced him to
disciples; translated Buddhist texts from Sanskirit intoflee to India in 1958.
Tibetan. He wandered all through Tibet, with hisThondup taught Tibetan and Tibetan literature at
beloved consort, Yeshe Tsogyal who recorded hisLucknow University (1967-76) and Visva Bharati
teachings.University (1976-80). In 1980, Thondup came to Harvard
Assessing that the teaching of the Dharma in TibetUniversity as a visiting scholar. For the past 23 years,
was fulfilled, Padmasambhava decided to live his finalhe has been living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where
days on Yak-Tail Island, southwest of India where heteaches Tibetan Buddhism, particularly Nyingma
pacified the native cannibals. Through his great yogicBuddhism. Thondup travels throughout North America
powers, compassion, and impeccable meditationand Europe, leading healing meditation workshops.
practice, he taught his students to overcome all fear