The Karma Kagyu Lineage of Mahamudra

Within the Karma Kagyu lineage, the Mahamudra is one of its principal teachings. The Karmapas and other Karma Kagyu Lamas had written various commentaries on Mahamudra. In particular, it was the 9th Karmapa who had composed three volumes of Mahamudra teachings: concise or small, medium and large. The concise volume is called The Finger Pointing out the Dharmakaya (choeku dzubtsug). The medium one is called Illuminating the Darkness of Ignorance (marig munsal). And the third or large volume is called Ocean of the Ultimate Meaning (ngedoen gyamtso). All three volumes teach the Mahamudra.

The majority of the Kagyüpa Lamas were enlightened by the Mahamudra practice. The name Mahamudra, is a Sanskrit word denoting a tantric term. There is a particular tantric practice of Mahamudra related to Tummo (inner heat yoga). Whether or not a practitioner combines Mahamudra with the practice of tummo, depends on the individual. Some of the realized Kagyüpa Lamas needed the support of Tummo or the Six Yogas of Naropa to speed up the Mahamudra realization. Many other Lamas, on the other hand, did not require such supports and they simply became realized through the Mahamudra practice.

The Mahamudra lineage of Saraha's Mind-pointing-meditation/Pointing out the Mind Meditation is very profound. This teaching or method, precisely points to the nature of mind and leads the practitioner in its special way. Saraha travelled as a beggar. He gave Mahamudra instructions by singing songs with his own guitar accompaniment. In his songs, he elucidated the nature of mind. Many people, by listening to his songs, were enlightened with Saraha's blessings. These people were able to attain the first level of realization on the Mahamudra path.

Today, three volumes of Saraha's songs called the Dohas (songs) of Saraha are available to us. They are the King Doha, the Queen Doha and the Minister Doha. Saraha's lineage has been passed down to us through his disciple Nagarjuna in the beginning, and then followed by Shawaripa, Maitripa, Marpa, Milarepa and Gampopa.

Teachings can be transmitted in two ways: through written instructions, which tend to be more superficial and then through oral instructions. Instructions found in books titled Mahamudra, are limited in scope, and are often restricted only to the first level of Mahamudra. However, the books thus titled, give the impression that they give an entire system of Mahamudra.

People may read a book on Mahamudra to start, having received some instructions from a teacher. But only the practitioners, who are able to reach a more advanced level in their practice, would receive the secretly kept part of the Mahamudra teachings, called the oral instructions. As the term oral implies, these are not-written. There is a reason why that part is kept secret. If it were written down and made public, then people would naturally be drawn to meditate on what they have read. Their meditation would simply be their own imaginings and as such could not be accurate. This would also mean that the key points of Mahamudra were being distorted, or altered by people, serving no purpose to anyone. To avoid this adverse disturbance of the teachings, the oral instructions have been strictly kept.

The path of progression in Mahamudra begins first with a student receiving some instructions from a book, from private teachings, or from public seminars. Then he reflects on the teachings he has received so as to reach a proper understanding about the path of Dharma. Once he has a good understanding of the path, then he should follow the path and practise as instructed. According to his personal progress, his teacher will give him the more profound instructions when it is deemed appropriate and fitting.

The direction of teachings in the West up until now

Up until now, Mahamudra has not been taught in an organized way in the West. I think that His Holiness, the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, Lama Gendün Rinpoche, and others who had taught here in the West must have meant to teach it later and to introduce it gradually. These teachers have now passed away, having laid down indeed, a very good foundation here in the West.

In Le Bost, Lama Gendün Rinpoche had strictly organized the Practice of the Six Yogas of Naropa. In general, over the last few decades, most teachers taught the general Buddhist practices including Lodjong, a mind training practice, which is a Kadampa teaching. And of course, instructions were also given on the Ngöndro practices. They are the most important prerequisites to both the practices of Mahamudra as well as the Six Yogas of Naropa. Some teachers taught it extensively. Other teachers as requested by the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, taught focusing more on the Refuge vow, the Bodhisattva vow, and Ngöndro as well. This has been the direction of teachings laid down in the West up until now.

Le Bost, which was under the direction of Lama Gendün Rinpoche, is still doing very well. After Lama Gendün passed away, I went there to give initiations and teachings. And now, H.H. Karmapa is leading it, and so Le Bost continues to improve. And Dhagpo Kagyu Ling is also doing very well under the leadership of Lama Jigme Rinpoche.