Sat, 14 Jun 2008
The Four Unions
I've finished correcting my notes from the Spring Retreat in Frederick. I didn't get to attend as much of the teaching as I had hoped, as I've been busy at work. Hwere's part of a teaching on Gampopa's Precious Garland that I found particularly inspiring.
Beings are divided into three groups, based on their spiritual capacity: either greater, middling, or lesser. Trusting in the results of actions is the perfect view for one of lesser capacity. Therefore, Shakyamuni taught the four noble truths. All phenomena of samsara and nirvana are included in the four noble truths. They are taught to gain insight into the law of causality. Although it's said the four noble truths are taught for beings of lesser capacity, they are also necessary for beings of higher capacity. It's necessary to hold this view so one doesn't fall into nihilism. Therefore, Jigten Sumgon said if one understands the law of causality, one understands how all objects function.
If beings of middling capacity do not understand causality, they cannot understand the four unions. Therefore one should understand the deep meaning of the law of causality. When one understands things arise in dependence, one can gain the wisdom that sees that phenomena do not exist inherently.
The view that all phenomena are the union of appearance and emptiness is the perfect view for middling practitioners. The four unions are appearance and emptiness, awareness and emptiness, bliss and emptiness, and clarity and emptiness. When you try to find appearances, you see that they do not inherently exist. This is the union of appearance and emptiness. The understanding of the union of awareness and emptiness comes mainly through the teaching of Saraha. This is the view of mahamudra, which teaches the union of awareness and emptiness. Tilopa taught the mahamudra that arises from seeing the union of bliss and emptiness. The union of clarity and emptiness is seeing the nature of mind, which is free of characteristics. This is how the view is introduced in the Sakya tradition. From realizing the union of the two, one goes to the highest level where there is no distinction between the viewed and the viewer. So one progresses in the practice step by step.
This is also how Jigten Sumgon taught it. If one lacks conviction in the law of causality and one tries to realize this unity of viewed and viewer, one falls into nihilism. So it is necessary to progress in this way. Sometimes our mind goes blank and we mistakenly think that is emptiness. If one understands causality, one will see the nature of phenomena and the true understanding of emptiness will arise.
