Dreameyoga ChineesAndGampopa

Cahiers d'Extrême-Asie
Studies on Chinese Texts of the Yogic Practices of Tibetan Tantric

Buddhism found in Khara Khoto ofTangutXia [I]: Quintessential
Instruction on the Illusory Body of Dream
Weirong Shen
Citer ce document / Cite this document :
Shen Weirong. Studies on Chinese Texts of the Yogic Practices of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism found in Khara Khoto
ofTangutXia [I]: Quintessential Instruction on the Illusory Body of Dream. In: Cahiers d'Extrême-Asie, vol. 15, 2005. Conception
et circulation des textes tibétains. pp. 187-230;
doi : https://doi.org/10.3406/asie.2005.1226
https://www.persee.fr/doc/asie_0766-1177_2005_num_15_1_1226
Fichier pdf généré le 06/02/2019

Résumé
Dans les cinquième et sixième fascicules des Manuscrits de Khara Khoto conservés en Russie,
publiés récemment par une maison d'édition de livres anciens de Shanghai, j'ai par hasard découvert
plusieurs textes chinois qui sont certainement des traductions de textes bouddhiques tantriques
tibétains, principalement des textes sur les pratiques yogiques de l'existence intermédiaire (bardo).
Ces textes sont Menghuan shen yaomen (Doctrines essentielles sur le corps illusoire du rêve), Ganlu
zhongliu zhongyou shen yaomen (Doctrines essentielles sur la pratique du corps de Bardo et la voie
médiane de l'ambroisie), Zhongyou shen yaomen (Doctrines essentielles de la pratique du corps dans
l'existence intermédiaire), Sheshou yaomen (Doctrines essentielles sur la pratique du renoncement à
la longévité) et plusieurs autres textes sur les rituels liés à la pratique du Vajravārāhī (rdo rje pha mo).
Ces textes inédits sont en fait extraordinairement éloquents. Ils doivent, d'abord, être considérés
comme les plus anciennes traductions chinoises de textes bouddhiques tantriques tibétains connues
aujourd'hui. Dans un second temps, la découverte et l'analyse de ces textes permettront de dévoiler la
véritable histoire de l'introduction et de la pratique du bouddhisme tibétain dans le royaume Tangut
(1032-1227). Enfin, l'apparition de ces textes rituels tibétains montre que la pratique et la transmission
des enseignements de l 'état intermédiaire doivent avoir précédé l'avènement de l'enseignement
visionnaire Zhi khro dgongs pa rang grol de Karma gling pa et que les enseignements sur l 'état
intermédiaire avaient déjà atteint le monde chinois il y a six siècles.
Dans ce contexte, je propose de mener une analyse systématique de ces traductions chinoises de
textes tantriques tibétains trouvées à Khara Khoto. Premièrement, notre attention portera sur les
originaux tibétains de ces traductions chinoises afin d'établir une base textuelle fiable pour ces textes
grâce à la collation et à la comparaison de deux versions. Deuxièmement, j'essaierai de situer ces
textes dans les différentes traditions bouddhiques tibétaines, de mettre en évidence leur lignée de
transmission et éventuellement d'exposer la véritable identité des maîtres tibétains qui introduisirent
ces enseignements ésotériques au royaume Tangut. Enfin, je fournirai des exemples et des
explications relatives aux enseignements et pratiques enseignés dans ces textes afin de les comparer
à ceux révélés dans des textes tibétains identiques.
Je présente ici la première étude d'une série consacrée aux traductions chinoises des textes
bouddhiques tantriques tibétains. L'objet de mes recherches actuelles est le texte intitulé Doctrines
essentielles sur le corps illusoire du rêve qui est la traduction chinoise de sGyu lus kyi man ngag, une
partie d'un long commentaire sur Nā ro chos drug sous le titre rJe dwags po lha rje'i gsung dmar khrid
gsang chen bar do'i dmar khrid 'pho ba'i dmar khrid zhal gdams bcas pa bzhus so, écrit par sGam po
pa bSod nams rin chen (1079-1153), le maître fondateur de l'école Dwags po bKa ' brgyud pa.
STUDIES ON CHINESE TEXTS OF THE YOGIC PRACTICES
OF TIBETAN TANTRIC BUDDHISM
FOUND IN KHARA KHOTO OF TANGUT XIA [I]
Quintessential Instruction on the Illusory Body of Dream
SHEN Weirong
Dans les cinquième et sixième fascicules des Manuscrits de Khara

Khoto conservés en Russie, publiés récemment par une maison d'édition de
livres anciens de Shanghai, j 'ai par hasard découvert plusieurs textes
chinois qui sont certainement des traductions de textes bouddhiques
tantriques tibétains, principalement des textes sur les pratiques yogiques de
l'existence intermédiaire (bardo). Ces textes sont Menghuan shen yaomen
(Doctrines essentielles sur le corps illusoire du rêve), Ganlu zhongliu
zhongyou shen yaomen (Doctrines essentielles sur la pratique du corps de
Bardo et la voie médiane de l'ambroisie), Zhongyou shen yaomen
(Doctrines essentielles de la pratique du corps dans l'existence
intermédiaire), Sheshou yaomen (Doctrines essentielles sur la pratique du
renoncement à la longévité) et plusieurs autres textes sur les rituels liés à la
pratique du Vajravârâhï (rdo rje pha mo). Ces textes inédits sont en fait
extraordinairement éloquents. Ils doivent, d'abord, être considérés comme
les plus anciennes traductions chinoises de textes bouddhiques tantriques
tibétains connues aujourd'hui. Dans un second temps, la découverte et
l'analyse de ces textes permettront de dévoiler la véritable histoire de
l'introduction et de la pratique du bouddhisme tibétain dans le royaume
Tangut (1032-1227). Enfin, l'apparition de ces textes rituels tibétains
montre que la pratique et la transmission des enseignements de l 'état
intermédiaire doivent avoir précédé l'avènement de l'enseignement
visionnaire Zhi khro dgongs pa rang grol de Karma gling pa et que les
enseignements sur l 'état intermédiaire avaient déjà atteint le monde chinois
il y a six siècles.
Dans ce contexte, je propose de mener une analyse systématique de ces
traductions chinoises de textes tantriques tibétains trouvées à Khara Khoto.
Premièrement, notre attention portera sur les originaux tibétains de ces
traductions chinoises afin d'établir une base textuelle fiable pour ces textes
grâce à la collation et à la comparaison de deux versions. Deuxièmement,
j'essaierai de situer ces textes dans les différentes traditions bouddhiques
* I would like to mention here my indebtedness to the Japan Society for the
Promotion of Science, which supported my research in Kyoto University from September
2002 to September 2004 that resulted in this paper. I am very grateful to Professor
Katsumi Mimaki who made my two year stay in Kyoto very enjoyable and rewarding.
Cahiers d'Extrême-Asie 15 (2005) : 187-230

188 SHENWEIRONG
tibétaines, de mettre en évidence leur lignée de transmission et

éventuellement d'exposer la véritable identité des maîtres tibétains qui
introduisirent ces enseignements ésotériques au royaume Tangut. Enfin, je
fournirai des exemples et des explications relatives aux enseignements et
pratiques enseignés dans ces textes afin de les comparer à ceux révélés
dans des textes tibétains identiques.
Je présente ici la première étude d'une série consacrée aux
traductions chinoises des textes bouddhiques tantriques tibétains. L 'objet
de mes recherches actuelles est le texte intitulé Doctrines essentielles sur
le corps illusoire du rêve qui est la traduction chinoise de sGyu lus kyi
man ngag, une partie d'un long commentaire sur Nâ ro chos drug sous le
titre rJe dwags po lha rje'i gsung dmar khrid gsang chen bar do'i dmar
khrid 'pho ba'i dmar khrid zhal gdams bcas pa bzhus so, écrit par sGam
po pa bSod nams rin chen (1079-1153), le maître fondateur de l'école
Dwags po bKa ' brgyudpa.
I. Preface
In the fifth and sixth fascicles of the Khara Khoto manuscripts preserved in Russia
(ffîMM-JktifcXM), published in 1999 by the Shanghai Publishing House for
Ancient Books {ArM^^lWWi^)-, I unexpectedly discovered several Chinese texts
which are certainly translations of Tibetan tantric Buddhist texts, especially texts
on the yogic practice of the intermediate state (bar do). These texts are (i)
Menghuan shen yaomen |?&] U'UPI [Quintessential Instruction on the Illusory
Body of Dream], (ii) Ganlu zhongliu zhongyou shen yaomen i^ft^Jit^W It'll PI
[Quintessential Instruction on the Bardo Body of the Midstream of Nectar], (iii)
Zhongyou shen yaomen ^W^HPI [Quintessential Instruction on the Body of
Intermediate State], (iv) Sheshou yaomen JiliPlIF1! [Quintessential Instruction on
Abandoning Longevity] as well as several other ritual texts on the Vajravârâhî (^
PM^S, rdo rje pha mo) Practice. These hitherto unnoticed texts are in fact
extraordinarily meaningful. Firstly, they must be counted as the earliest Chinese
translation of Tibetan tantric Buddhist texts so far known to us. It is well known
that the religious interaction between Chinese and Tibetan Buddhism started as
early as in the Tang dynasty (656-907) and the Tibetan Empire. There were great
lo tsâ ba, such as 'Gos Chos grub, who were at home in both Chinese and Tibetan
Buddhist traditions. Chinese Buddhist texts were translated into Tibetan by these
lo tsâ ba and vice versa.1 However, this kind of fruitful intercultural encounter was
totally terminated for centuries after Glang dar ma's persecution of Buddhism. It
was only resumed when Tibetan lamas appeared in China proper in the Mongol-
Yuan time (1260-1368). The earliest Chinese translation of Tibetan tantric
Buddhist texts, by far also the only one known to us, is a Yuan period collection
attributed to the famed Yuan Imperial Preceptor 'Phags pa bla ma Blo gros rgyal
mtshan (1235-1280). It is entitled as the Secret Collection of Works on the
Quintessential Path ofMahâyâna (Dacheng yaodao miji ^^llciltûJil) and includes
Ueyama 1990, pp. 84-246.

STUDIES ON CHINESE TEXTS OF THE YOGIC PRACTICES 1 89
eighty-three texts which are mainly constituted of ritual texts in both Sa kya pa
Lam 'bras tradition and bKa' brgyud pa Mahâmûdra tradition as well as several
iconographical texts on statue and stiipa buildings. There are works of Sa skya
patriarchs Grags pa rgyal mtshan, Sa skya pandita Kun dga' rgyal mtshan and
'Phags pa bla ma, and the famed Zha lugs pa scholar Bu ston Rin chen grub,
translated by Sa skya pa lama bSod nams grags (ffi^^M)-2 Recently, Chen
Qingying pointed out convincingly that at least some texts included in this Yuan
collection were indeed transmitted by the Imperial Preceptor Xuan Mi (~X.^l£3Ê
'rfcW) of the Tangut kingdom. Therefore, the introduction of Tibetan tantric
Buddhism into China had already been begun in the time of the Tangut kingdom
(1032-1227). 3 Since Khara Khoto, or the black water city, was gradually reduced
to a state of ruin by wars and by encroachments made by sand upon the land from
the forties of the 14th century and was completely destructed in 1374 by the war
between Mongols and the Ming,4 we can deduce that these Chinese texts of
Tibetan tantric Buddhism found in Khara Khoto must have been translated by
and spread among Chinese followers no later than most of the texts included in
the Dacheng yaodao miji. This can be further testified by the fact that the Khara
Khoto texts obviously do not belong to the Lam 'bras teachings of Sa skya pa
which was the predominant sect of Tibetan Buddhism in the Yuan dynasty, but
rather to the teachings of the Nâ ro chos drug of the bKa' brgyud pa tradition.
Secondly, Tibetan Buddhism was arguably spread widely in the Tangut
kingdom.5 Tibet and Tangut had been closely connected to each other
geographically, culturally, as well as racially. After the destruction of the Tangut
kingdom by Mongols, some of its remaining tribes moved and integrated into
Tibetan areas. Both in mDo khams and gTsang provinces, there were Tangut
tribes which were usually called Mi nyag in Tibetan. The Mi nyag tribe in gTsang
later became the head of the La stod byang Myriach {khri skor) which was one of
the thirteen khri skor in dBus and gTsang during the Yuan period.6 Monks from
He Xi (MM), i.e. Tangut, were equalized by Chinese literati as Tibetan monks
indiscriminately in the Yuan time. For instance, the notorious Tangut monk
Yang lianzhenjia {WtfEMM) [Rin chen skyabs!], then the general director in
charge of Buddhist affairs in Jiang Nan area (ïL^W^LfÊMt), was often viewed as
Tibetan monk (jSIMft) or simply as the western monk (J3HH). However, little is
known about how and what kind of Tibetan Buddhist teachings was propagated
in the Tangut kingdom.7 Thus, the discovery and farther examination of these
texts will deepen our knowledge in this regard. Finally, it is traditionally assumed
that the teaching of intermediate state was practiced and became popular in Tibet
2 Dacheng yaodao miji and Sajia daoguo xinbian lÉffliSH^Tli. Cf. Beckwith 1984;
Wang 1996.
3 Chen 2000; Chen 2003.
4 Shi 1999.
5 Shi 1988.
6 Huangl 984; Chen 1996.
7 In this regard cf. Sperling 1994.
190 SHENWEIRONG
after the Zhi khro dgongs pa rang grol (Self liberation through the visualization of the
peaceful and wrathfill deities), the all-important canonical collection of ritual texts of
the practice of intermediate state, was revealed by the legendary rNying ma pa
gter ston Karma gling pa in the middle of the 14th century. Since the Tibetan Book
of the Dead, a theosophical version of the Bar do thos grol chen po (Great Liberation
through Listening in the Bardo State) from the Zhi khro dgongs pa rang grol, was
published for the first time in 1927 by Walter Evans- Wentz, the teaching of
intermediate state became very popular in the Western world. Nevertheless, it
remains rarely known to cultural Chinese world until recent years.8 The
revelation of these texts of Tibetan tantric Buddhism found in Khara Khoto
indicates that the practice and dissemination of the teachings of intermediate state
should have anticipated the advent of Karma gling pa's visionary teaching in the
Zhi khro dgongs pa rang grol. This fact does not only inspire us to reconsider the
origin of the teaching of intermediate state and the history of its dissemination in
Tibet,9 but also make us believe that the teachings of intermediate state had
already reached cultural Chinese world six centuries ago.10
In consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, I intend to carry out
a systematical investigation into these rare Chinese texts of Tibetan tantric
Buddhism. Firstly, great effort will be made to identify the Tibetan original of
these Chinese texts, and to establish a solid textual base for them through
comparison and collation of both Chinese and Tibetan versions. Secondly,
attempt will be made to locate these texts in various Tibetan Buddhist traditions
and to clarify their lineage of transmission by tracing the history of their textual
transmissions and eventually to reveal the identity of Tibetan lamas who
introduced these esoteric teachings into the Tangut kingdom. Finally, it is
intended to provide further illustration and elucidation to the teachings and
practices taught in these Khara Khoto texts by means of comparing other Tibetan
texts of the same kind.
This paper is the first of this serial studies which focuses on the text the
Quintessential Instruction on the Illusory Body of Dream. This text is evidently a
Chinese rendering of sGam po pa bSod nams rin chen's sGu lus kyi man ngag
which is an integral part of this great bKa' brgyud pa master's extensive
8 On the history of the Tibetan Book of the Dead in the western world see Lopez 1998,
chapter II: The Book, pp. 46-87; Shen 2000.
9 Cf. Blezer 1997; Cuevas 2003.
10 Several texts related to the practice of intermediate state are also included in the
Dacheng yaodao miji. They are (i) Menghuan ding |£&J/Ë (Samadhi of Dream and Illusion),
(ii) Guangming ding xuanyi Ê^/E^li (The esoteric meaning of the Samadhi of
Luminosity), (iii) Huanshen ding xuanyi jQM/ïL^ts, (The esoteric meaning of the Samadhi
of Illusory Body), (iv) Bian sixiang W¥c^ (To recognize signs of dying), (v) Zhuanxiang
linzhong yaomen WffifSsHHF'! (Quintessential Instruction on changing signs of dying), and
(vi) Qianshi san gen si zhongyou jSUHfitEH^W (Four Bardos and three roots of Transfering
the consciousness). No doubt, it will gready deepen our knowledge on the history of the
dissemination of the teachings of intermediate state both in Tibet and China if we are able
to clarify the original of these texts.
STUDIES ON CHINESE TEXTS OF THE YOGIC PRACTICES 191
commentary on the Six Doctrines of Yogic Practice of the Indian Tantric Master
Nâropa (Nâ ro chos drug) under the title rje dwagspo Iha rje'i gsung dmar khrid gsang
chen bar do V dmar khrid 'pho ba V dmar khrid zhal gdams bcas pa bzhus so.
II. The Chinese text of The Quintessential Instruction on the Illusory Body of Dream
The Chinese text Menghuan shen yaomen {Quintessential Instruction on the
Illusory Body of Dream) is inventoried as A 1 5 in the catalogue of Khara Khoto
manuscripts preserved in Russia. Its facsimile copy is reprinted in page 244-246 of
the fifth volume of the Khara Khoto Manuscripts Preserved in Russia. A colored
picture of the first page of the text is also seen at the very beginning of the same
volume as one of several demonstrative illustrations. This text is a complete one.
It is constituted of five pages and divided into five paragraphs. It is in book form
and both front and back side are written. The upper part of the page 247 which is
marked as "miscellaneous writing (£t^?) of A15V" by the compiler is obviously
the back side of the page 244, the first page of the text in question. There is no
colophon and the like within the text, thus, no information about the author,
translator, or the date of the translation is available.
II. 1 Text of the Menghuan shen yaomen

The following is a word-for-word copy of the Menghuan shen yaomen. The
lines are kept as seen in the original text, while the punctuations and the line
numbers are added by the author of this study.
, ifcMBW ; H, mîk&¥ ; m, 3
e, m^mw» w, ^ni* 4
S hu
9
10
h
12
13
11 In the text, M and ;£, i.e., the complex and simplified form of the character wu, are
used alternately.
12 In the right side of the original character 0, there is a sign similar to the character
h . This sign must be understood as an indication of redundancy made by the copyist. The
same case occurs several times below.
192 SHENWEIRONG
15
17
is
19
20
21
A, 22
h, 23
24
25
26
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
, rn&mm ; 43
44
45
46
], mm am, 47
48
49
50
13 The character written in smaller font seems to be added by the copyist. The same
case occurs hereinafter.
14 E must be an error for 2.
15 According to the context, H W which does not really make sense, must be corrected
which means "really," "upright."
i 51
mm a 52
nas, 53
54
55
57
58
59
60
61
63
64
II. 2 English translation of the Menghuan shen yaomen

Title: Quintessential Instruction on the Illusory Body of Dream
[1] The practitioner, who takes dream as a means and wishes to realize the
fruit of the Buddha, [2] should practice by depending on the illusory body. As for
the way of the practice, it is of five kinds. The first, [3] to make sleep come if
there is no sleep; the second, to try to have excellent dreams at first; the third, to
recognize dreams as (merely) dreams; the fourth, [4] to make dream increase; the
fifth, to be cultivated in the dream.
The first, to make sleep come if there is no sleep, [5] there are two ways. The
first, you should form a body seal, rest on the right pillow and lie down stably and
not let your body being [6] weary and exhausted. Then, think of the seal of the
object, and visualize a wheel of four-petaled lotus at your throat [7] where four
seed syllables Ah, Nu, Ta, Ra are disposed beginning from the right side,
[8] while the seed syllable Am is disposed on the flower bed, go to sleep by means
of the visualization. At the first, you should concentrate on the seed syllable Ah,
hold the vision and go to sleep at ease; [9] then, you focus on the seed syllable Nu,
hold the vision and sleep far more; thus, subtle conceptual thought will not arise.
[10] Then, you should focus on the seed syllable Ta and try to fall in sleep. You
focus on the seed syllable Ra intensively. [11] At the moment when you are just
going to sleep, you should start to focus on the seed syllable Am and sleep
consistently. [12] Moreover, you can just focus on a white seminal point (dote)
between eyebrows and go to sleep, you will fall in sleep too.
[13] The second, i.e., to try to have excellent dreams, whenever you are just going
to sleep, you should make a great wish which says: [14] "If I fall in sleep, I wish I
will have good dreams. I will see in dream all kinds of Buddha land, [15] and
miracles such as I fly high into the air freely, fire comes out from the upper part
16 "it®" must be an error for "

194 SHENWEIRONG
of the body and water from the lower part of the body. [16] When dream appears,
I wish I am able to recognize dream as dream." [17] You should make this kind of
wish constantly through a focused and earnest mind.
The third, whoever wants to recognize his dream [as dream], [18] should
have good dreams due to the efficacy of his early aspiration, as soon as he falls in
sleep. [19] If you do not hold [what appears in the dream] as real when you are
dreaming, you recognize dream as dream. [20] Thus, it is called recognizing
dream as dream. It is equal to the summit stage [on the path of joining].17 After
you have recognized dream as dream, you should carefully examine it, meditate
on it and [2 1] clearly recognize it continuously.
The fourth, to make dream increase, you should make people, animal and things
like that, which appear in dream, [22] increase, until the three thousand-fold
universes are fully packed with them.
[23] The fifth, to be cultivated in dream, you should transform people and
animal which you have dreamed of into Nairàtmyâ Devî (godness of non-ego)18
[24] and supramundane Dâkinïs. These [Dâkinîs] are encircled by small and large
retinues in front and behind, [2 5] endowed with ornament of bone skeleton,
garland, hooked knife and Dharma scepter. [26] There are immeasurable changes
[within the dream]. However, all these appearances in dream should be
understood just like illusion, dream, [27] moon in water, rainbow, shadow and
reflection. Thence, you visualize the appearance of dream just [28] as the
appearance of your own yi-dam deity. Again you imagine that all two deities or
three animals also become immeasurable respectively. [29] Whoever is able to
rely on that and practice diligently without indolence, and his merit and efficacy
[30] become deep and deeper from day to day, he is able to see the face of the
Buddha Tathâgata which is like the moon in water.
[31] As far as you attain the bliss of the perfect enlightenment, you suddenly
cannot help laughing incessantly. [32] You realize that there is no difference at all
between the sound and voice [you have heard when] you are awake and the sound
and voice [you have heard when] you are in dream-state. [33] There is also no
difference whether you eat and drink when you are in dream-state or you eat and
drink when you are awake. Or, you feel [34] that the holy beings are explaining
the Dharma to you in the language of India [Buddhist heaven]. At first, you take
the body and [35] speech as the principle and main aim and practice. Later, you
contemplate the truth from time to time, do not lose benevolence, [36] and take
[benevolence] as the principle and main aim and practice. Or, you ask these holy
beings for quintessential instructions by yourself, [37] rely yourself on these
instructions and practice. By means of the power of the blessing, the
uncontaminated bliss [38] arises to you naturally. This is the contemplation of
illusory body of dream-state of the self blessing.
[39] Furthermore, in the time after the meditative period of sleep, whoever
bestows blessing to him self, he looks upon all existing phenomena as the same as
1 ' The last sentence was written in small font, thus might be added by the copyist.
18 bdag med pa must refer to bdag med rnal 'byor ma, the Dâkinï of Hevajra (Kye rdo
rje gyi yum).
illusion and samadhi. [40] Furthermore, you see no difference between all
phenomena and illusion [41] and moon in water. Thence, the great primordial
wisdom will arise to you. Furthermore, you go to sleep again and
[42] contemplate in this way: use a clear mirror and look at the reflection of your
own body in the mirror, [43] gaze at it carefully. Then, take away the mirror,
focus your mind on the reflection-image and remember it [the reflection] in your
mind perfectly [44] and make it appear [in your mind]. After that, you start to
praise yourself through [enumerating] your good qualities and accomplishments,
[45] the reflection-image does not be pleased; again, you slander and defame
yourself through [enumerating] your essential misdeeds in the past, [46] [the
reflection-image] does not get angry. Why? It is just because the illusory
reflection does not have a real entity. [47] After [you contemplate like that] for a
long period, you will be not wavered by praise and slander. You take the
reflection enter into your body and [recognize] that [48] there is also no
difference between you and the illusory body. You can praise and slander it as
before, no anger and no pleasure will arise to you, [49] you are really unwavering.
Furthermore, you let the reflection-image appear again, praise and slander it as
before. [50] After you have done once, begin over again, until these [appearances]
are purified. You certainly realize that your own body is [51] just like illusion and
moon in water. There is no difference between them. If you realize that your
mental state is just like illusion, [52] all emotional attachments will no more arise
to you. Although people and things [in dream] [53] are always changing, changes
take place freely, both sleep and awakening [54] is virtually the same, they are
illusory. Only if it is like that, it can be called as abiding [55] in the nature of non-
conceptualization. You are able to attain the highest accomplishment all by
yourself within this life time.
[56] If you are not able to attain such full freedom in the early contemplation
of dream and illusion, [57] you should practice it for long time without giving up,
recognize dream in dream-state, you will certainly recognize [58] the dream-like
illusory body of the intermediate state. It does not have to rely on many great
efforts, you are able to achieve the highest [59] accomplishment, you will not take
ordinary body (houyou shen \^MW) once again.
Nevertheless, the main body of the text above [60] stems from the Tantra of
the Bliss of the Secret Mind of Great Illusion19 which says: "The luminosity [61] is
endowed with pure sleep."20 Again, the Hevajra21 says: "Do not [62] abandon the
19 The so-called Tantra of the bliss of the secret mind of great illusion, in Chinese Da
huanhua miyi le benxu ^XWY^MS^-W., is in fact the literal translation of the Tibetan title
sGyu ma chen po gsang ba yid bde ba'i rgyud. It might actually refer to the famed Tantra
Mahâmâyâ-tantra-nâma. The Tibetan translation of the Tantra under the tide sGyu phrul
chenpoH rgyud is seen in TTP, No. 64, pp. 63-65.
20 This quotation must correspond to Tibetan "rnal 'byor gnyid dang yang dag ldan,"
though the Chinese term zhan rang WM, seems to be more likely the equivalence of the
Tibetan term 'odgsal.
21 Ye mo luo must be the Chinese transcription of the Hevajra. Normally, the Hevajra
Tantra is translated as Da xile benxu ^M-^^-W. in Chinese. There is a Chinese translation
196 SHENWEIRONG
sleep."22 These are the clear evidences.

[63] That is the end of the Quintessential Instruction of dream and illusion.
[64] A lue da luo yan [Anuttara Om]
HI. The Tibetan Original of the Menghuan shenyaomen

In the context of Chinese Buddhism, "dream" is not a rare subject at all.
There are many scriptures in Chinese Tripitaka which deal with dream and its
symbolic meanings. Among them, the Sutra of the King ofSrâvastfs Dreaming Ten
different Things ^ÎSÏ^^~h^^, the Ârya-pitâputrasamâgamana-nâma-
mahàyàna-sûtra {$WlWJ<.^M.i i.e., the fifteenth chapter of the Mahâratnakûta j\
1Ê.WM., the Ârya-Svapnanirdesa-nâma-mahâyânasûtra #JS^ZT1#. Other sùtras
and sastras that contain passages on the topic of "dreams" include the
Abhidharmakosa i^Hitm, the Large Prajnâpâramitâ-sûtra ^pp^ÎS, the
Pratyutpanna-buddhasammukhâ-vasthitâ-samâdhi-sùtra Wt^^MM., the Sudarsana-
vibhùsa-vinaya HJTLf^fbll^, the Mahâsangha-vinaya PPa«Htt ffifêï and the
Yogacarabhûmi ÏÉl&IlBilîiÉfra are rather well-known. However, they mainly discuss
the following three substances: (i) dreams as similes of impermanence of all
phenomena; (ii) dreams as prophecies; and (iii) dreams as indications of the
practitioner's level of enlightenment.23 What is taught in the Menghuan shen
yaomen, namely to take dream as a skillful means for attaining enlightenment
through recognizing dream along with all phenomena as illusory, is indeed not
seen in Chinese Buddhist tradition. Therefore, it must come from other Buddhist
tradition, in this case, from Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
III. 1. The man ngag of the Six Doctrines ofNardpa of the bKa' brgyud pa tradition
In Tibetan Buddhism, there are eight major man ngag (âmnâya) or gdams
ngag (upadesa) traditions. Each of eight great conveyances (sgrub brgyud shing rta
chen po brgyad) has its own specific tradition of man ngag.24 For instance, the man
ngag tradition of the rNying ma pa is the meditational teachings of rDzogs chen,
the Great Perfection; the man ngag tradition of Sa skya pa's specific esoteric
practice is the teaching of the Path with its Fruit {lam ''bras); the bKa' gdams pa
and the bKa' gdams gsar ma, i.e., the dGe lugs pa specialized in gDams ngag
of the Hevajra Tantra under the title Foshuo dabei kongzhi jingang dajiaowang yigui jing
^M^^^m-XW&WSim. in Chinese Tripitaka.
12 This quotation corresponds to the Tibetan "gnyid ni spang bar mi bya ste." More
detailed discussion on these two quotations see below.
2i Cf. Mitsukawa 1982.
24 The Tibetan term man ngag or gdams ngag refers to esoteric instructions, i.e., advice
not usually found in theoretical textbooks but derived from the hands-on experience of
skilled practitioners, and thus intended primarily for these who are actually engaged in the
practice of the discipline concerned, yao men HP^, the Chinese equivalent term of man
ngag, literally means "essential gate." An alternative translation of man ngag is ji men ty
which is often used in the Dacheng yaodao miji.
relating to the cultivation of the enlightened attitude (bio sbyong); the man ngag
tradition of the Mar pa bKa' brgyud pa stresses the Six Doctrines of yogic practice
of the Indian master Nâropa (Nâ ro chos drug) and the culminating meditations of
the Great Seal (mahàmudrà, phyag rgya chen po).15 Among these man ngag
traditions, the teachings of the intermediate state in both rNying ma pa and bKa'
brgyud pa traditions touch upon the yogic practice of dream and illusory body. In
the rNying ma pa tradition, the teachings on the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities of
the intermediate state contain six bardos. The second bardo is called the bardo of
dream. It gives the instruction to practitioner to train on recognizing the dream,
or illusion, through unwavering mindfulness, and to attain confidence in the
liberated state by transforming dream into luminous absorption.26 In the Six
Doctrines of Nâropa transmitted by the bKa' brgyud pa, the yogic practice of dream
and illusory body is often counted as one of the six doctrines respectively. The
basic idea of the dream and illusory body yoga concerns the attainment of the
body of the Sambhogakâya in the intermediate state after grasping the ultimate
control over the power of these two teachings. Since the Profound Dharma of the
Natural Liberation through Contemplating the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities (Zhi khro
dgongs pa rang grol) itself, the most relevant collection of the texts on the six
Bardos of the rNying ma pa, was revealed by Karma gling pa in the second half of
the 14th century, it is impossible that these Chinese texts pertaining the yogic
practice of the intermediate state found in Khara Khoto were based on the
teachings of six bardos of the rNying ma pa tradition. Thus, they must stem from
the bKa' brgyud pa tradition of the Six Doctrines of Nâropa.
The bKa' brgyud pa tradition is arguably traced back to the Buddha
Vajradhara (rdo rje 'dzin pa) and has as its particular domain the teachings of the
Indian masters Tilopa (988-1069), Nâropa (1012-1100) and Maitripa as
transmitted to Mar pa Chos kyi bio gros (1002/1012-1097), the translator of lHo
brag. Mar pa transmitted this teaching to his foremost disciple Mi la ras pa (1052 -
1 135 or 1040-1 123) and the latter again to his disciple sGam po pa bSod nams rin
chen (i.e., Dwags po lha rje, 1079-1 153). From sGam po pa, the teaching of bKa'
brgyud pa was very widespread. The four "great" bKa' brgyud orders were
founded by sGam po pa's immediate disciples, among whom Phag mo gru pa rDo
rje rgyal po's (1110-1170) leading disciples founded eight "lesser" bKa' brgyud
orders. Almost all these sub-sects maintain their own distinctive formulations of
the bKa' brgyud gdams ngag, though the Six Doctrines of Nâropa remains the
fundamental of the tradition of gdams ngag of all bKa' brgyud pa.
In the writings of early bKa' brgyud pa masters previous to sGam po pa,
there are several works which touch the yogic practice of dream. However, none
of them can be identified as the original from which this Chinese translation is
made. In the works of sGam po pa, there are astonishingly many treatises which
deal at least partly with the dream yoga. Some of them, namely the rMi lam gyis
'byams sel (Dispelling Obstacles of Dreaming), the rMi lam gyi man ngag
25 Cf. Kapstein 1996.

26 Cf. Tulku Thongdup Rinpoche 1999.
198 SHENWEIRONG
(Esoteric Instruction of Dreaming), the Chos drug rdo rje'i tshig rkang rnam par
bshad pa (Commentary on Vajra Verse of the Six Doctrines), are listed in a
bibliography of Tibetan literature on dreams made by Crescenzi and Torricelli.27
However, none of them can be identified as the Tibetan original of the
Menghuan shen yaomen. There is one other work of sGam po pa which also
touches the dream yoga, but unnoticed by Crescenzi and Torricelli. This is an
extensive commentary on the Six Doctrines ofNâropa under the title rje dwags po
lha rjeH gsung dmar khrid gsang chen bar doH dinar khrid 'pho baH dinar khrid zhal
gdams dang bcas pa bzhus so (Practical guidance of rje dwags po lha rje ys speech,
practical guidance of Bar do of the great secret, practical guidance of transference of
consciousness together with oral instruction). This work is constituted of following
seven man ngag texts: (i) bDe ba bsgom pa'i man ngag [Esoteric Instruction on
Contemplating the Bliss]; (ii) sGyu lus bsgom pa'i man ngag [Esoteric Instruction
on Contemplating the Illusory Body]; (iii) 'Od gsal bsgom pa'i man ngag [Esoteric
Instruction on Contemplating the Luminosity]; (iv) Thugs dam gsang ba'i man
ngag [Esoteric Instruction on the Secret Meditative Commitment]; (v) 'Pho ba'i
man ngag [Esoteric Instruction of Transference of Consciousness] ; (vi) Bar do 'chi
ka ma'i man ngag [Esoteric Instruction on the Bardo of Dying]; (vii) Bar do gsum
gyi gdams pa [Instruction of Three Bardos]. As luck would have it, the second
man ngag text in this extensive commentary on the Nâ ro chos drug, namely the
sGyu lus bsgom pa'i man ngag, happens to be the original of the Menghuan shen
yaomen. In order to distinguish similarities and differences between the original
Tibetan text and its Chinese translation, the original Tibetan text and its English
translation are provided as follows:
III. 2. The Tibetan original of the Menghuanshen yaomen: sGyu lus kyi man ngag?8
sGyu lus kyi man ngag
[22.b] Bla ma rnams la phyag 'tshal lo
sGyu lus kyi man ngag ni/ dang po gnyid mi 'ong ba/ 'ong bar bya ba dang/
rmi lam gyi 'du shes/ [23.a]sngon du btang ba dang/ rmi lam de la der ngo shes
par bya ba dang/ rmi lam de bogs dbyung ba dang/ rmi rgyud brtag pa gnyis
pa las/ ye shes chen pos ros gang ba gnyid ni yang bar mi bya'o// ces pa dang/
ma hva ya nas/ rdo rje gnyid dang yang dag ldan// zhes gsungs so//29 lam
21 All are seen in Collected works [gsung 'bum] ofSgam-po-pa Bsod-nams-rin-chen. Vol. 2,
Dehli, 1975, pp. 349-352, 468-469, 443-452. Cf. Crescenzi and Torriceli 1997.
28 There are two different versions of the Collected works ofsGam po pa bSod nams rin
chen. One is published in Delhi 1975 [SB1 hereafter], and the other in Darjeeling 1982
[SB2 hereafter]. Fortunately, sGam po pa's commentary on the Nâ ro chos drug is included
in both versions. In SB1, this text is seen in volume 2, pp. 32-58, while it is seen in volume
2, pp. 162-228 in SB2; Accordingly, the section of the esoteric instruction on illusory body,
the sGyu lus kyi man ngag, is seen in pp. 46-51 in SB1, and pp. 186-194 (fol., 22b-26b) in
SB2. The following text is based on the SB2. Textual differences between these two
versions are indicated in footnotes.
29 These two quotations from "rmi rgyud" to "zhes gsungs so" are not seen in SB1.
sbyang ba dang lnga'o// yang na/ rmi lam dang/ gnyid gnyis lam cig tu khyer
na/ bogs dbyung ba de la50 'od gsal du zhug pa'o/7
de la 'dir dang po rmi lam bsgom pa ni/ lus bcos par bya ba'i gnad ni/ ngal
zhing dub pa bya ba dang glo g.yas pa phab ste ci bder nyal lo/ dang po snang
ba 'di thams cad/ sgyu ma la sogs pa yin snyam du mdun pa drag tu bya/ de nas
sngon du 'gro ba gsum byas nas bzlas pa dang gtor ma/ de nas dngos gzhi gcig
po bya/ rmi lam dus su bzlas bsgom bya'o/31 der padma 'dab ma bzhi la mdun
gyi Avmm g.yas su nu/ rgyab tu ta/ g.yon du ra/ dbus su Aom bsams ste/ de
nas dang por gnyid nyal nas/ tha mal shes pa mdun du Avmm la sems bzung
ngo/ de nas rtog pa32 rags pa 'gags dus su/ nu la sems bzung ngo/ de nas rtog
pa phra ba 'gags dus su/ ta la sems [23.b]bzung ngo/ de'i rjes la rtog par phra
bar 'dus nas/ gnyid log la khad pa nas/ ra la sems bzung ngo/ de nas dbus kyi
Aom la sems lhan bzung nas gnyid log par bya'o/ yang na smin phrag tu thig le
dkar la leb33 cig bsams ste/ der sems bsdus la nyal lo/ de ni gnyid mi 'ong ba/
'ong bar bya'i thabs so/
de nas rmi lam gyi 'du shes sngon tu btang ba ni/ dang po gnyid log dkar34
bdag gi rmi lam35 rmi bar bya/ snyam pa'i 'dun pa sngon tu btang ste/ de yang
sangs rgyas thams cad kyi zhing khams mthong ba dang/ nam mkha' la 'gro ba
dang/ lus la me 'bar ba la sogs pa'i rdzu 'phrul dang ldan pa'i ngo mtshar can
gyi rmi lam rmi bar bya/ snyam pa'i 'dun pa drag tu bya'o/
de nas rmi lam la rmi lam du ngo shes par bya ba ni/ rmi lam de rmi lam yin
par ngo shes par bya/ snyam pa'i 'dun pa btang nas gnyid log pa dang/ sngar
gyi 'dun pa'i stobs kyi rmi lam 'byung la/ de byung ma thag tu rmi lam de la
yang dag tu 'dzin pa'i shes pa mi 'byung ste/ rmi lam yin sgyu ma yin snyam
pa 'ong//
de yang rmi lam du bud med dang/ khyi la sogs pa byung yang de ngo shes par
bya ste/ 'di rmi lam gyi bud med [24.a]dam khyi yin zhes ba 'byung la/ bsgom
yang bsgom mo/
de nas bogs dbyung ba ni/ bud med dam/ khyi de nyid stong gsum tsam du
spros36 te bsgom mo/
de nas rmi lam sbyang ba ni/ bud med dam/ khyi de rnams bdag med pa la
sogs pa/ 'jig rten las 'das pa'i mkha' 'gro ma'i tshogs dpag tu med par bsgyur te
bsgoms pas/ thams cad rus pa'i rgyan can/ phyag na gri gug dang/ thod pa can
du bsgom mo/ de thams cad kyang sgyu ma'am/ chu zla'am/ 'ja' tshon gyi lus
ltar bsgom mo/ yang na rang gi yi dam gang byed kyi lha tshogs/ rdul gyi
grangs dang mnyam bar gong bzhin bsgom mo/ de ltar bsgom pas chu zla lta
bu'i de bzhin gshegs pa rnams kyi zhal mngon sum du mthong la/ de rnams la
30 SBl:om.la.
31 SB1: om. one paragraph from "dang po snang ba" to "rmi lam dus su bzlas bsgom
bya'o."
32 SBl:rtogspa.
33 SBl:lebpa.
34 SBlrkar.
35 SBl: om. rmi lam.
36 SBl:sgros.
200 SHENWEIRONG
dngos su chos nyan cing gdam ngag zhus pas chog37 ste/ de'i byin rlabs kyis//
rang la zag med kyi bde ba phril phril nges par mi 'byung mi srid do/ dngos
sum nyams su myong ba de 'dra ba 'byung gsung ngo/ de ni bdag byin rlabs
pa38 yin te/ rmi lam sgyu lus kyi bsgom pa'o/
de nas gnyid sad pa'i rjes thob la/ bdag byin gyis brlabs te/ snang ba thams
cad mnyam bzhag rmi lam gyi dus su snang ba bzhin39 [24.b] thams cad sgyu
ma'am/ chu zla lta bur byas cing bsgom mo/ de bzhin du bsgoms pas/ nges
par yid dies40 'cha'o/ gzhan yang/ gnyid sad pa'i rjes thob la 'di ltar bsgom
ste/ rang tha mal pa'i lus me long la gsal por brtan la/ me long nang du gsal
ba de/ mdun du rang la brtan41 nas/ yid yul shin du gsal zhing bsgom mo/ de
nas rang lus me long la gsal ba de gsal por bstan nas de la yon tan bgrang42
zhing bstod pa byas pas/ de la dga' ba'i sems mi 'byung ste/ sgyu lus yin pas43/
yang de la44 ngan gyi bye brag mang po bgrang ste/ bgrang kyang de la mi
dga' ba mi 'ong/ de ltar Ian mang du bsgoms nas shin du brtan pa dang/ slang
de nyid rang gi lus la zhugs cing/ rang nyid sgyu ma'i lus la bstod par dga' ba
med/ smad pas mi dga' ba med pa'i lus su bsgom mo/ de gsal du ma 'dod na/
mdun du sngar ltar bsgom45 la/ lus la bzhug cing bsgom/ de ni nges par lus
sgyu ma'am/ chu zla lta bu'i lus su mthong ba 'ong pas/ rang lus kyi mngon
zhen log nas/ snang ba thams cad kyi zhen pa ldog pa la tshegs med do/ thams
cad kyang sgyu ma'i rnam par longs spyod par 'gyur te/ tha mal ba'i rnam
rtog [25.a]ye mi 'byung ngo/ de ltar byung dus na rang dang snang ba thams
cad sgyu ma bzhin du/ bden par ma grub pa yin/ de ni ji ltar myur 'dod de/
gnyid kyi dus dang/ sad pa'i dus dbyer med du phril phril gnas pa ni/ gnyid
log ma log dbyer med ces bya'o/ de yang dang po gnyid zin du ma btud na
rlung bsgom par bya ste/ nyal ba'i sngon du rlung sbyangs la/ de nas rlung
bum ba can du bcug ste/ de'i 'phro la nyal bas/ rlung gi nang gi 'byung ba
dkugs te rmi lam 'byung bar 'gyur ro/
de nas rmi lam zin la/ mnyam rjes gnyis la khyad par med med par46 sgyu mar
mthong ba 'ong/ rmi lam bsgoms nas/ 'bras bu thob par 'dod pas de ltar bsgom
mo/ de ni nges par tshe 'di la mchog gi dngos grub thob nas/ lus len mi srid
gsung ngo/ gal te rmi lam gyi dus de ltar sems ma zin na yang/ rmi lam de rmi
lam du ngo shes pa tsam gyis/ 'chi khar bar do zin par bya snyam pas/ bar dor
sgyu lus zin par 'gyur la/ des mchog gi dngos grub thob ste/ lus len mi srid
gsung ngo/ de ni rmi lam yin no/ gal te rmi lam dang gnyid gnyis dril bas mal
37 SB 1: chos.
38 SB1: byin gyis brlabpa.
39 SBl:add.du.
40 SBlryeshes.
41 SB 1: stan.
42 SBlrbzang.
43 SB 1: add. so.
44 SB1: yang til.
45 SB1: bsgoms.
46 One of these two negatives "med" must be superfluous. In SB1, there is only one
negative "med."
cig tu byed na/ dang po gnyid 'ong par [25.b]bya ba dang/ rmi lam gyi 'du shes
sngon du btang ba dang/ de bogs dbyung ba dang/ sbyangs pa dang/ sbyad
par47 bya ste/ de nas sgyu lus bogs dbyung/ de 'od gsal du 'phor bzhug pa ni/
sems rims kyi hum la thim pa'i dus su/ bde ba'i ngang du gnyid thum gyi log
pas/ shes pa 'od gsal du zhugs de/ bde stong gnyis kyi nyams 'char ro/ de'i dus
drung du mi gcig gzhag la/ gti mug gi gnyid du song srid pas/ yang48 sngar
bzhin nyal te/ 'dir rmi lam 'gal rkyen yin par 'dod do/ shes pa bde stong dang
du nyal lo/ de'i nub thun gsum 'am bzhi la sogs pa bya'o/ de nas gnas skabs su
gnyid glod du bcug la/ thun ci rig par49 sems bcos shing bde stong du nyal lo/
de nas gnyid sgyu lus 'od gsal du 'pho shes nas/ 'chi khar sgyu lus 'od gsal du
'jug pa la tshegs med do/ de yang ji ltar 'jug na/ 'chi dus su50 glo51 g.yas pa
phab ste/ gong bzhin shes pa bsdus nas nyal bas/ dang por rtog pa rags pa 'gags
nas snang par zhugs pa 'ong ste/ de nas rtogs pa phra ba 'gags nas/ snang ba
mched par zhugs pa 'ong/ de nas rtog pa shin du phra ba 'gags nas/ snang ba
thob par zhugs pa 'ong ste/ de nyid [26.a]stong gsum gyi ngo bor gnas la/ de
nas rang rig lha'i sku sgyu mas lus len no/ de nas 'od gsal bde stong du gnas te
chos sku thob bo/ 'chi khar gal" te 'od gsal du 'pho ma nus na yang/ 'chi khar
bar do zin par bya snyam pa'i mdun pa sngon du btang nas/52 bar do yin par
ngo shes pa bdun tshigs kyis shi zer ba'i kha them bzhag na/ bar do yin par ngo
shes par 'ong la/ bar dor sgyu lus ngo shes nas/ sgyu lus de la chags sdang zhen
pa log ste/ pha ma'i lus la chags sdang mi skye zhing/ mngal du mi 'jug go/ des
mtho ris su skye bar 'gyur ro/ nva ro chen po'i sgyu lus sgom pa'i man ngag
snying khu yin no// rin chen thugs dam yin no/
de yang nva ro pa'i bla ma tee lo pas yin/53 byang chub sems dpa' phyag na rdo
rje54 dngos su gsan no/ phyag na rdo rje ni/ rdo rje 'chang gi 'khor ro/ nva ro
pa'i spyan sngar/ bla ma lho brag bas/ lo mang du bzhugs te zhus pas/ bla ma
lho brag pa dang/ rdo rje 'chang gi bar na brgyud pa ni/ phyag na rdo rje/ tee
lo pa/ nva ro pa gsum las med do/ sku drin zla bo55 med bla ma de rnams kyis/
zhal nas zhal du brgyud pa'i gdams pa 'di/ bla ma'i dus mtha' brten pa 'ga'
tsam las/ gzhan [26.b]gyis thos pa'i skal pa mi ldan te/ dam tshig nyams nas
dmyal bar ltung nyen che'o/
47 SBl:sbyang.
48 SB1: om.yang.
49 SB1: rigs pa.
50 SB1: om.su.
51 SBl:blo.
52 This sentence has to be corrected as "'dun pa sngon du btang nas." It is rather
astonishing that "'dun pa" is often written as "mdun pa" in sGam po pa's works.
53 SB 1: add. dee lo pas.
54 SBliadd.la.
53 SB1: 'khor. There are two major differences between these two versions. Two
quotations and one whole paragraph in SB2, folio, 23a, are not seen in SB1; all other
differences are rather minor. Interesting enough, both parts which are missing in SB 1 are
also missing in the Menghuan shen yaomen. Therefore, the Chinese translation might be
based on the version of the SB1.
202 SHENWEIRONG
III. 3 English Translation of the sGyu lus kyi man ngag

Title: the Esoteric Instruction of the Illusory Body [Yoga]
[22b.6]Homage to Lamas!
As for the esoteric instruction of the illusory body, there are five parts. The
first, to make sleep come if it does not come; [the second], to prepare for the
perception of dream; [2 3 a] [the third], to recognize dreams as [merely] dreams; [the
fourth], to multiply the dreams; it is said in the Two Segments of Dream Tantra:
"The great wisdom, filled up with flavor, does not abandon sleep! "56It is said in the
Mahâmâyâ-tantra-nâma: "To be endowed with the genuine sleep of the Vajra!"57
56 The so-called Two Segments of Dream Tantra {rmi rgyud brtagpa gnyis pa) refers to the
Hevajra tantra or Hevajra Mâlatantra Raja; The Hevajra tantra is usually called as Kye'i rdo
rje zhes bya ba rgyud kyi rgyal po in Tibetan. Since this Tantra is divided into two major
segments (brtag pa), it is often called as Two Segments Tantra (brtag gnyis gyi rgyud). The
real meaning of the original quotation, reads as "ye shes chen pos ros gang ba gnyid ni
yang bar mi bya'o," is rather difficult to be deciphered. It could not be identified in the
Hevajra Tantra itself. In the section of the esoteric instruction of the luminosity Çod gsal gyi
man ngag) in the same work of sGam po pa, there is a similar quotation, which reads as
"gnyid ni spang bar mi bya ste," i.e., "one should not abandon sleep," from the sixth
chapter of the Hevajra tantra (Kye'i rdo rje le'u drug pa). Cf. SB2, vol. 2, p. 197. Accordingly,
the quotation here should be corrected as "ye shes chen pos ros gang ba gnyid ni spang bar
mi bya'o." This quotation also appears in the end of the Chinese text which simply says:
"xiu she shui ye 'ftcfêKtil !," i.e., "do not abandon sleep." Moreover, the same quotation is
seen in the text Huanshen ding xuanyi &JJ|'AE;£iE [The esoteric meaning of the
meditational absorption of illusory body] included in the Dacheng yaodao miji. This
quotation reads: XXS^^M^: JfSiiBK^Jfè^," which means: "It is said in the Tantra
of the Supreme Bliss that one should practice sleep and does not abandon it." Dacheng
yaodao miji, p. 28. Strange enough, this quotation is not found in the sixth chapter, but in
the third chapter of the second segment of the Hevajra Tantra. The context of the
quotation reads as "bcom ldan 'das kyis bka' stsal pa/ bza' btung ji ltar rnyer pa dang/
bgrod dang bgrod min mi spang zhing/ khrus dang gtsang sbra mi bya ste// grong gi chos
ni rab tu spang/ bio ldan sngags nyid mi zla zhing/ bsam gtan nyid ni dmigs mi bya/ gnyid
ni spang par mi bya ste/ dbangpo rnams ni mi dgaggo." TTP, 10, pp. 217.4-217.5.
57 The title of the Tantra reads here as mahàyana which must be an abbreviated, but
also corrupted version of the famed Tantra Mahâmâyâ-tantra-nâma, in Tibetan sGyu phrul
chen poH rgyud ces bya ba. This Tantra is seen in TTP, 64, pp. 63-65, where, instead of "rdo
rje gnyid dang yang
ldan," is found. The dag
whole
ldan,"
sentence
only a there
similarreads
sentence,
as "gang
"rnal
phyir
'byorsangs
gnyidrgyas
dangrnams
yang kyis
dag
mkhyen// rnal 'byor gnyid dang yang dag ldan/ gong bur song ba'i yid de yis/ gzugs gcig tu
ni bsgom pa byed." TTP, p. 64.3. This quotation appears at the very end of the Menghuan
shen yaomen as "Zhanrong juzu qingjing shui tÊfiÈJUËïlï^lil" which corresponds to the
Tibetan "rnal 'byor gnyid dang yang dag ldan," or more correctly to Tibetan '"od gsal
gnyid dang yang dag ldan." In Huanshen ding xuanyi in the Dacheng yaodao miji, there is also
a quotation from Mahâmâyâ-tantra-nâma ;*C&Hfc^S!, immediately follows the quotation
from the Hevajra-tantra, which reads as: "xiuxi shuimian jishi ding ||:W!EBJJcIPae/E," "to
practice sleep is identical to the meditative absorption" which might be an alternative
Chinese rendering of the Tibetan sentence "rdo rje gnyid dang yang dag ldan" or "rnal
'byor gnyid dang yang dag ldan."
[the fifth], to purify the path;58 Moreover, if you apply both dream and sleep as the
one single path,39 and enhance [the practice], you will enter into the luminosity.
Thence, you contemplate the dream at first. You adjust your body and go to
sleep. You make [your body] weary and exhausted,60 rest on the right shoulder and
lie down as well as you like. At first, you should make the wish intensively,
thinking, "All appearances are illusions."61 Then, after you performed three
preliminary practices, you recite [mantra] and offer gtor ma. Then, you should
conduct the unique main practice, contemplate and recite when you are dreaming.
You visualize a four-petaled lotus with [the seed syllable] Ah in front, Nu on the
right, Ta in back, Ra on the left and Am in the center. Then, after you lie down for
sleep at first, as the one with ordinary mind, you focus your awareness on the [seed
syllable] Am in the front. Then, you focus your awareness on the [seed syllable]
Nu, when your rough conceptual thought is ceased. Then, you focus your
awareness on the [seed syllable] Ta, when your subtle conceptual thought is
ceased. [2 3b] Following this, your subtle conceptual thoughts come together, when
you are going to fall asleep, you focus your awareness on the [seed syllable] Ra.
58 It reads as "lam sbyang ba," "to purify the path," in Tibetan text. However, it
certainly makes more sense if we correct it into "rmi lam sbyang ba," "to purify the
dream," according to the context.
59 "lam khyer", "to make [something] the path [of the practice]," is a relevant concept
in Tibetan tantric Buddhism. An explanation in simple language is given to this profound
concept in the Guangming ding xuanyi of the Dacheng yaodao miji as follows: "One asks: if
the practitioner wants to transform ignorance and illusion back [into] the path [of practice],
what are the appearances of action? The answer is: if you sleep without dream, although
your mind returns to the ultimate truth, you, as sentient being, are not able to recognize
[the truth]. Thus, you sleep in the state of ignorance, illusion and non-awareness. If you
rely on the instruction of the peaceful and wonderful lama, you recognize that your mind
returns to the ultimate truth when you are sleeping without dreams. Thus, your sleep in
the state of ignorance, illusion and non-awareness becomes the path. Therefore, the
master Lavapa slept for twelve years and attained the siddhi of the great seal within this life
only. If you abandon disturbing emotions and cultivate the path, that is the teaching of the
exoteric path; if you do not abandon disturbing emotions and cultivate the path, that is the
teaching of the esoteric path. The people who practices the esoteric teaching nowadays
makes all disturbing emotions such as greed, hatred and ignorance back to the path, that is
the great skillful mean, fô^W^ AmM«}t#, frfflM ?
î"
Dacheng
tiredness,"
60 It reads
and as
is just
"ngalthezhing
opposite
dub
yaodao
of
parthe
miji,
byacorresponding
vol.
ba dang,"
1, p. 26.which
Chinese
means
sentence
"to cause
M^"ltt##P)flS
fatigue and
Â? in the lines 5 to 6.
61 "mdun pa drag tu bya" should be corrected as '"dun pa drag tu bya." '"dun pa" means
"to desire," "to yearn," thus the sentence means "to make the wish forcefully." "mdun pa"
means "in front of," "in the presence of," thus the sentence does not really make sense. This
correction can also be testified by the exact same sentence in the next passage.
204 SHENWEIRONG
Then, you should focus your awareness together on the [seed syllable] Om in the
center and fall in sleep. Moreover, you can visualize a unique white seminal point
{dote) between your eyebrows, gather your mind together and fall in sleep. That is
the skillful mean which makes sleep come when it does not come.
Then, as to prepare the perception of the dream, first of all, you should
develop the intense aspiration, thinking "I shall dream," when you are going to
fall in sleep. Furthermore, you should intensively form the deep desire of
having marvelous dream which is endowed with miracles such as that you see
the Pure Land of all Buddhas, that you walk in the sky and that your body
catches fire and so on.
Then, in order to recognize dream as dream, you develop the strong
aspiration at first, thinking "I shall recognize dream as dream." So, you fall in
sleep and dream appears by the power of early aspiration. As soon as dream
appears, you will think, "The right cognition does not appear in the dream; it is a
dream; it is an illusion."
Furthermore, if woman and dog appear in dream, you shall also recognize
them. You should contemplate them over and again, saying "They are woman
[24a] or dog of the dream-state."
Then, in order to increase [dream], you should practice multiplying woman
and dog even into the size of three-thousand-fold universes of the suchness.
Then, in order to purify dream, you transform these women and dogs into
immeasurable groups of supramundane Dâkinïs such as Nairâtmyâ Devï (godness
of non-ego) and others and contemplate [them]. You visualize that all [Dâkinïs]
are endowed with bone ornament, hooked knife and skull cup in the hand, and
contemplate that all these are just like illusion or moon in water or rainbow body.
Furthermore, you contemplate in the previous way, thinking that groups of
deities who all can be your own yi-dam deity equalize the number of those to be
tamed. After you contemplate in this way, you can directly perceive the vision of
the Buddha Tathâgata which is like moon in water. You are able to listen to the
Dharmas and ask for oral instructions personally from these [Tathâgatas]. Due to
their blessing, uncontaminated bliss will certainly arise to you. Such personal
experiences are said to be arisen. This is the self-blessing and the practice of
illusory body of the dream-state.
Then, in the post-meditative period after you are awake from sleep, you
bestow blessing to yourself, and contemplate, "All appearances are alike.
[24b]They are the same as the appearance in the time of dreaming; they are all
like illusion or moon in water." After you contemplate in this way, the great
primordial wisdom will surely arise to you. Furthermore, in the post-meditative
period after you are awake from sleep, you should contemplate like that: let your
own ordinary body clearly face the mirror, face yourself in the front of your
reflection inside the mirror, let it appear in your mind-field very clearly and
contemplate on it. Then, the reflection in the mirror of your own body is clearly
demonstrated. You enumerate your good qualities and praise upon it, the mind of
pleasure does not arise in this regard, since it is the illusory body. Again, you
enumerate many specific bad aspects upon it over again, [the mind] of non-
pleasure does not arise either. After you contemplate in this way for many times,
it [the reflection in the mirror] becomes very stable. Again let this reflection enter
into your own body and contemplate on it, [thinking] there is no difference
between your own body and the illusory body, since you praise it, there is no
pleasure; you blame it, there is no displeasure either. If it does not appear clearly
[in your mind-field], you should contemplate on it in the front of [the mirror] in
the previous way. Let it enter into your body and you contemplate on it, you will
surely see that your body is like the illusory body or moon in water. Thus, you
turn away from your attachment to your own body. You will easily disperse your
attachment to all appearances. All [appearances] will be experienced as the form of
illusion. Ordinary conceptualization will not arise eternally. [25a]If you still do
not truly believe that you and all appearances are like illusion in the time when it
appears like that, how could you wish to [recognize it] immediately? It says: you
should abide [in unconditioned bliss] which makes no difference between the time
of sleep and the time of awaken. You should also make no difference between
asleep and not asleep.
Furthermore, if you do not completely fall in sleep at first, you should
practice the prana [vital current of energy]. Before you go to sleep, you should
undergo training in the prana. Then, you enter into the vase-breath and fall in
sleep in the process of it. Thus, the [four major] elements inside the prana flow
and dreams will appear. Then, after the dream is over, you will see that there is no
difference between contemplation and subsequent realization, both of them are
illusory. If you want to attain the result after practicing the dream yoga, you
should contemplate like that. You will certainly attain the sublime
accomplishment in this lifetime. It is no more possible that you will accept
ordinary body again.62 In case you did not remember that you apprehend like that
in the time of dreaming and think that you will remember it in the intermediate
state of dying Çchi kha bar do) just because you recognize dream as dream, you will
remember the illusory body of the intermediate state. Therefore, you will attain
the sublime accomplishment and it is impossible for you to accept ordinary body
once again. That is the dream [yoga]. Since the two, dream and sleep, combines,
in case you are able to have a sleeping place, you should make sleep come at first,
[25b] then prepare the perception of dream, increase the dream, and purify and
make use of dream. Then, you multiply the illusory body, transfer it and let it
enter into luminosity.
When your mind is absorbed in the [seed syllable] Hum of plague, you fall in
sleep in the state of bliss. Thus, you enter into the luminosity of discriminative
wisdom, the experience of both bliss and emptiness will arise to you. In this time,
even one man is placed in the front of you, you will be able to fall into sleep of
ignorance. Again, you sleep as before and believe that the dream here is
unfavorable condition, so you sleep in the state of blissful emptiness and
discriminative wisdom. In this night, you should practice three or four sessions
"lus len mi srid." The equivalent sentence in the Menghuan shen yaomen, line 59, is
206 SHENWEIRONG
[three hours period]. Then, you sleep at ease for the time being, change your
mind at appropriate time period and sleep in the state of discriminative wisdom
and blissful emptiness. Then, you understand the transformation of the illusory
body of sleep into luminosity, so you can let the illusory body of [the intermediate
state] of dying enter into luminosity without difficulty.
Furthermore, [if you ask] how you can enter into [luminosity], you should
rest on your right shoulder in the time of dying, gather around your
consciousness as before and fall in sleep. At first, you cease the rough
conceptualization and enter into the appearance; then, you cease the subtle
conceptualization and enter into the enhancement of appearance; then, you cease
the very subtle conceptualization and enter into the attainment of appearance.63
[26a] That is to say, you abide in the essence of the three-thousand-fold universe.
Then, your self-cognizance takes the body as the illusory body of the deity. Then,
you abide in the luminosity and blissful emptiness and attain the Dharmakaya. In
case you are not able to be transferred into luminosity in the time of dying, before
you think at first, "I should take the intermediate state of dying," you abandon it.
If you recognize that it is the intermediate state and enter into the threshold of
the so-called death through the time period of seven days, you will recognize that
it is the intermediate state. After you recognize that the intermediate state is
illusory, you will turn away from attachment, aversion and craving to the illusory
body. Your attachment and aversion to your parent's bodies will not arise. You
will not enter into a womb. You will be born into higher realms. That is the
63 In his instruction on the practice of luminosity, sGam po pa gives more detailed

explanation on the three experiences of appearance, increase and attainment. It says: "the
third, the stages of dissolving into appearance. Furthermore, when consciousness
dissolves into appearance, outer sign is like the moon arises. The appearance of inner
awareness appears like that billowing smoke rises. At that time, thirty three kinds of
conceptual thought originated from hatred will be ceased. When [consciousness] dissolves
into the enhancement of appearance, outer sign is like that the sun arises, the inner
consciousness appears fire-fly-like pink. At that time, forty kinds of conceptual thought
originated from desire attachment will be ceased. When [the consciousness] dissolves into
attainment of increase, the outer sign appears completely dark like darkness. The inner
consciousness is extraordinary bright like light. At that time, seven kinds of conceptual
thought originated from ignorance will be ceased. In this way, seven kinds of conceptual
thought of ignorance, thirty three kinds of conceptual thought of hatred, forty kinds of
conceptual thought of desire attachment and eighty kinds of conceptual thought of the
self-nature are entirely ceased." (gsum pa snang thim pa'i rim pa ni/ de nas rnam par shes
pa snang ba la thim pa'i tshe/ phyi rtags zla shar lta bu/ nang shes pa'i snang du ba lta bu
snang ba lang long du 'cha'o/ de'i dus zhe sdang las gyur pa'i rtog pa sum bcu gsum 'gag
go/ snang ba mched pa la thim pa'i tshe/ phyi rtags nyi ma shar ba lta bu / nang du shes
pa la srin bu me khyer lta bu dmar skyem pa cig 'byung/ de'i dus/ 'dod chags las gyur pa'i
rtogs pa bzhi bcu 'gag go/ mched pa thob ba la thim pa'i tshe/ phyi rtags mun pa ltar nag
thibs pa cig 'byung/ nang rtags shes pa mar me ltar gsal lhag pa cig 'byung ste/ de'i dus gti
mug las gyur pa'i rtog pa bdun 'gag go/ de ltar na/ gti mug gi bdun/ zhe sdang gi sum bcu
rtsa gsum/ 'dod chags kyi bzhi bcu ste/ rang bzhin brgyad bcu'i rtog pa ma lus bar 'gags
pa yin no). SB2, pp. 200-201.
essence of the esoteric instruction of the contemplation on illusory body of the

great Nâropa. That is the realization of the great gemstone.
Furthermore, the spiritual teacher of Nâropa was Tilopa. Tilopa heard [the
esoteric instruction] personally by the Bodhisattva Phyag na rdo rje. Phyag na rdo
rje was a follower of rDo rje 'chang (Vajradhara). Bla ma lHo brag spent many
years in the presence of Nâropa and asked for [the instruction]. There was
nobody besides the three, Phyag na rdo rje, Tilopa and Nâropa, in the lineage of
transmission between rDo rje 'chang and Bla ma lHo brag pa. As for this
instruction transmitted by these masters of matchless benevolence from mouth to
mouth, no other people besides a few reliable persons of the end-age of the bla
ma are endowed with the fortunate to hear it. [2 6b] If you break the sacred
commitment (Samaya), the danger is rather great that you will fall into hell.
IV. Comparison and collation of the sGyu lus kyi man ngag with the
Menghuan shen yaomen
Although there are many subtle, mostly literal differences between these two
texts, it is certain that the sGyu lus kyi man ngag of sGam po pa was the Tibetan
original of the Menghuan shen yaomen. Several additions and deletions within the
Menghuan shen yaomen seem to be made intentionally. Of course, it is possible that
the Menghuan shen yaomen was in fact a protocol of a session of teaching and
learning (in Tibetan: \had nyan) based on the sGyu lus kyi man ngag given by a
certain Tibetan lama of bKa' brgyud pa tradition to his Chinese disciples in the
Tangut kingdom. It seems that the author (or the translator) of the Menghuan
shen yaomen intended to make the text to be able to stand alone as a sâdhana of the
actual practice of the dream yoga, although the sGyu lus kyi man ngag is in fact
only a part of the sGam po pa's extensive commentary on the Six Doctrines of
Nâropa. The opening statement of the Menghuan shen yaomen, which says: "The
practitioner, who takes dream as a means and wishes to realize the fruit of
Buddhahood, should practice by depending on the illusory body," is not seen in
the sGyu lus kyi man ngag and might be thus given just for that very purpose.
IV. 1. Title of the text

The first noticeable difference occurs already in the title of the text. The
Tibetan text is entitled just as the Esoteric Instruction of Illusory Body, while the
Chinese text as the Quintessential Instruction of the Illusory Body ofDream. The latter
attaches "dream" to "illusory body."
As is known to all, dream and illusion are always mentioned together as
simile of impermanence in the Buddhist context, that is to say, all phenomena are
impermanent just like dream and illusion (chos rnams rmi lam sgyu mar mthong).
However, that is not sufficient to explain why they are mentioned together in the
title of the Chinese text, while only illusory body is actually mentioned in its
Tibetan original. The actual reason for this case may be because both dream and
illusory body are an integral part of the yogic practices of the Six doctrines of
208 SHENWEIRONG
Nâropa. Generally, the Six Doctrines of Nâropa include inner heat (gtum mo),
illusory body (sgyu lus), luminosity Çod gsal), the transference of consciousness
Çpho ba), the transference of consciousness into another body (grong Jug), and the
intermediate state (bar do). However, the yogic practice of dream often replaces
the transference of consciousness and stands alone as one of the six doctrines.64
The same case is seen in the Six Doctrines of Ni gu ma (ni guH chos drug), which is
thought to be parallel to the Six Doctrines of Nâropa.65 Since dream and
intermediate state are often regarded as two integral parts of the yogic practice of
illusory body, the dream yoga and the illusory body yoga are often combined
together.66 The luminosity arisen in the time of sleeping corresponds to the
Dharmakâya (the body of reality), while the luminosity arisen in the time of
dreaming and awaken corresponds to Sambhogakâya (the body of enjoyment) and
Nirmanakaya (the body of emanation) respectively.67 Furthermore, the practice of
illusory body is constituted of three ways of contemplation, i.e., the way of
contemplating the illusion of appearance (snang ba sgyu ma bsgom tshul), the way of
contemplating the illusion of dream (rmi lam gyi sgyu ma bsgom tshul) and the way
of contemplating the illusion of the intermediate state (bar do sgyu ma bsgom
tshul).6S Accordingly, there are three kinds of illusory body, i.e., the illusory body
of appearance, the illusory body of dream and the illusory body of intermediate
state. What is taught in the Menghuan shen yaomen covers the main content of
both the yogic practice of dream and illusory body. Viewing from the fact that
there is no other instruction on the dream yoga in sGam po pa's commentary on
the Six Doctrines of Nâropa in addition to the esoteric instruction on illusory body,
it might be the original idea of sGam po pa to combine both the dream yoga and
the yoga of illusory body into one single practice. Among numerous commentary
works on the Six Doctrines of Nâropa, in case the dream yoga and the illusory body
yoga are dealt with separately, what sGam po pa taught in this text is usually given
as the instruction on the dream yoga. Therefore, the change of the title made in
the Menghuan shen yaomen is indeed justifiable. In the Dacheng yaodao miji, there is
a collection of short ritual texts of the Mahâmùdra under the title Shiliu zhong
yaoyi "h/^Hllfti [Sixteen kinds of Essential Rites]. An interesting definition of the
meditative absorption of illusory body is given in one of the ritual texts within this
collection entitled as Huanshen ding xuanyi iOJf'ÂËSïÉ [the Esoteric Meaning of the
Meditative Absorption of Illusory Body]. It says: "If you ask, what is the meditative
absorption of illusory body? The answer is: 'if you rely on the instruction of the
peaceful and wonderful Master 3Ë^_LB(|î (in Tibetan: bla ma dam pa), recognize
dream in the state of sleep and dreaming, and understand that this current
64 dPal 'byor bzang po, pp. 316-356 ; Padma dkar po, p. 451. Cf. Evans-Wentz 1935,
pp. 155-252.
65 Cf.Mullin 1985, pp. 109-110.
66 nva ro'i chos drug tu byed tshul ni gtum mo dang sgyu lus dang 'od gsal dang 'pho
ba dang grong 'jug dang bar do'i gdams ngag drug tu byed do//de la rmi lam dang bar do
ni sgyu lus kyi yan lag re yin zhing/ Tsong kha pa, p. 2 14.5.
67 Mullin 1985, p. 134.
68 Tsong kha pa, p. 3 . 1 .
appearance and that dream-state are completely non-dual and non-different. That
is the meditative absorption of illusory body. If you clearly comprehend that [all
phenomena from] this current appearance till the body of intermediate state is
non-dual and non-different, that is the meditative absorption of illusory body. It
is also called the meditative absorption of dream. If you clearly comprehend that
all phenomena are like dream and illusion, gain certainty of attainment of the seal,
that is called the maturity and stability of the meditative absorption."69 This short
statement sums up the main content of the yogic practice of dream and illusory
body and strongly suggests that the yogic practice of dream and illusory body are
closely related.
IV. 2 Five Steps of the dream yoga

The first paragraph of the Menghuan shen yaomen introduces five steps of the
dream yoga. It corresponds exactly to what sGam po pa said at the beginning of
the sGyu lus kyi man ngag, though there are several subtle literal differences. For
instance, the second step of the dream yoga is said in the Menghuan shen yaomen as
"to try to have excellent dream at first," while its Tibetan parallel reads only as
"rmi lam gyi 'du shes sngon du btang ba," i.e., "to prepare the perception of dream."
The Chinese term tiao xi IJIW, meaning "to get accustomed to," or "to be
adjusted," in the fifth step, is slightly different to its Tibetan parallel sbyang ba, "to
be purified" or "to be trained." In addition, there is one major difference in the
first paragraph. Two quotations from the Hevajra Tantra and the Mahâmâyâ-
tantra respectively are inserted between the forth and fifth steps in the Tibetan
text, while they are, interesting enough, seen at the very end of the Chinese text.
The Chinese title Da huanhua miyile benxu ^SlW^M-^^-W., the Tantra of the
Bliss of the Secret Mind of Great Illusion, is a perfect rendering of the Tibetan sGyu
ma chen po gsang ba yid bde baH rgyud which is mentioned in the esoteric
instructions on luminosity of the sGam po pa's commentary on the Six Doctrines
ofNâropa.70
According to the context here, the sGyu ma chen po gsang bayid bde ba'i
rgyud seems to be one other title of the Mahâmâyà-tantra which is normally
entitled as the sGyu 'phrul chen po'i rgyud. The other Chinese title Ye mo luo Jfl^H
might be the Chinese transcription of the Hevajra[-tantrarâja-nâma]. With these
two quotations it points out bluntly that the doctrinal foundation of the esoteric
instructions on the yogic practice of dream and illusory body is the Hevajra-
tantraràja-nâma and the Mahâmâyâ-tantra-nâma. A similar formulation is also
seen in the Huanshen ding xuanyi where it says: "It is asked that on which Tantra
had the Dharma master Na lang ba relied to deliver [the instructions] on illusory
body? The Answer is: he had relied on the Mother Tantra of Great Illusion and the
Tantra of the Supreme Bliss. It is said in the Tantra of Great Illusion that 'to practice
69 Dacbeng yaodao miji, p. 28: '%1 :
, mi,
SB2, p. 197.
210 SHENWEIRONG
sleep is the meditative absorption'. Furthermore, it is said in the Tantra of

Supreme Bliss that 'practice sleep and do not abandon it'. Therefore, [Na lang ba]
had relied on tantras which were personally taught by the auspicious Xi lu ge and
delivered [this instructions] on the meditative absorption of illusory body.
Therefore, [this instruction] is truly the word of the Buddha."71 Without doubt,
the so-called Dharma master Na lang ba refers to Nâropa and the auspicious Xi
lu ge to the Buddha Heruka. Needless to say, this is just one other formulation of
the above mentioned two quotations in both Tibetan and Chinese texts.
IV. 2.1 The first step of the dream yoga

On the first step of the dream yoga, i.e., "to make sleep come if it does not,"
there are three differences between these two versions. Firstly, it is said in the
Chinese text that you "do not let your body being weary and exhausted to some
extent," while the corresponding sentence in the Tibetan text says: "You make
[your body] weary and exhausted." Two texts go to the opposite direction in this
regard. Judging by common sense, it sounds more reasonable that you should
make your body weary and exhausted, if you want to fall in sleep. Padma dkar po
once said when he was explaining how to dispel obstacles of dreaming through
waking: "As soon as you are dreaming and thinking of purifying it, you wake up.
You should rely on nutritious food, make your body weary and exhausted, and fall
in sleep soundly. That will dispel it."72 It is likely that the negative wu in Chinese
text is superfluous. Secondly, one whole paragraph present in SB2, folio 23a is not
seen in either the Chinese text or the SB1. This paragraph says: "At first, you
should make the wish intensively, thinking, 'All appearances are illusions.' Then,
after you performed three preliminary practices, you recite [mantra] and offer gtor
ma. Then, you should conduct the unique main practice, contemplate and recite
when you are dreaming." These three preliminary practices of the illusory body
yoga are perhaps (i) to cast away the attachment to cyclic existence; (ii) to
contemplate on the impermanence and death and be weary of the world; (iii) to
have faith in the excellence of the three jewels and take refuge in them.73 Thirdly,
one sentence in the Chinese text, which says "again think of the seal of the object
at your throat" ^îS^fP, fElStf^^1, is missing in the Tibetan text. According to
Karma gling pa's instructions on the practice of dreaming at night time, there are
four different ways of apprehending the dream-state, i.e., to recognize dreams as
Dacbeng yaodao miji, pp. 26-27: u
72 sad 'byams ni/ rmi lam zin kyang sbyang dgos bsam pa dang 'phral du sad pa'o// de
la zas bcud can bsten/ lus ngal dub kyi las byas pas gnyid che bar 'gyur ro// des sel lo//.
Padma dkar po, p. 471; cf. Evans-Wentz 1935, p. 218.
73 drung kun spang pa'i gsung las/ de la dang po sngon 'gro sgyu ma'i grogs gsum
bsgom pa ni/ 'khor ba la zhen pa bzlog pa dang/ 'chi ba mi rtag pa bsgom pas yid rab skyo
ba dang/ dkon mchog gi yon tan la yid ches pa'i dad pas skyabs su 'gro ba'o// dPal 'byor
bzangpo 1995, p. 286.
merely dreams through holding mind, yi-dam deity, seed syllable and seminal point
of light sequentially. "To think of the seal of the object" actually means "to
imagine your own body as your yi-dam deity." That is exactly the way how you
recognize dreams as merely dreams through holding yi-dam deity. Furthermore,
both yi-dam deity and the four-petaled lotus which represents seed syllables might
be shown at your throat.74 It is explained very clearly by Tsong kha pa as following:
"The esoteric instructions on recognizing [the dream state] through the means of
force are given in three parts: first, you direct your mental focus on seed syllables at
your throat. Right before you go to sleep, you should visualize [yourself as] your
own yi-dam deity, visualize your lama on your head and make reverential petitions
to [them] for many times. Then, you should visualize a red seed syllable Ah or Om
situated in the center of a red lotus with four petals in the central channel of the
throat and think that the syllable Ah or Om is the essence of vajra speech. You
should direct your consciousness on it without distraction and enter into the state
of sleep in this manner."75 It is thus clear that both yi-dam deity and the seed
syllable should be situated at the throat. It is very unusual that these two rather
important factors are not mentioned in the Tibetan text.
IV.2.2 The second step of the dream yoga

As mentioned earlier, the second step of the dream yoga is called
differently as "to try to have excellent dream at first" in the Chinese text, and
"to prepare the perception of dream" in the Tibetan text, though the content in
both texts remains the same. There is only one noticeable difference: the
sentence "fire comes out from the upper part of the body and water from the
lower part of the body" in Chinese text is paralleled with the Tibetan sentence
"lus la me 'bar ba" i. e., "fire blazes on the body." It is thus possible that both
characters of shut (7jc, water) in the Chinese sentence are in fact writing errors
of the character huo (ik, fire). However, Padma dkar po mentioned the so-called
antidote of reverse order (go zlog gi gnyen po) for the training in illusion (sgyu
mar bslab pa) as the third step of the dream yoga. It is expounded as "if the
dream be of fire, transform the fire into water, the antidote of fire; or if the
dream be of minute objects, transform them into large objects."76 Therefore, it
is also possible that "fire comes out from the upper part of the body and water
from the lower part of the body" refers to the antidote of reverse order, i.e. "to
purify the dream-state through transformation."
74 Cf.Tam 1999, pp. 110-111; Wallace 1998, p. 153.

75 Tsong kha pa, vol. 161, p. 4.3: "mtshon mo man ngag btsan thabs kyis bzung ba la
gsum las/ dang po mgrin par yi ge la dmigs pa gtod pa ni/ gnyid du 'gro khar rang yi dam
gyi lhar sgom/ sbyir bor bla ma bsgoms la gsol ba mang dug dab/ mgrin par pad ma dmar
po 'dab ma bzhi pa cig gi lte ba'i dh'u t'i'i nang du a'am/ om dmar po cig gsung rdo rje'i
ngo bor bsam zhing de la shes pa gtad de gzhan du mi 'phro bar byas la/ sems bzung ba'i
ngang nas gnyid du 'gro bar bya'o//" Cf. Chang, pp. 2 14-2 15.
76 me rmi na chur sprul ba go zlog gi gnyen po dang/ chung ngu rmi na chen por sprul/
chen po chung ngur bsgyur ba stobs che chung dang/ gcig rmi na mang por sgyur/ mang po
gcig tu sdud pa la gos nas. Padma dkar po 1995, pp. 472-473; Cf. Evans-Wentz 1935, p. 221.
212 SHENWEIRONG
IV. 2.3 The third step of the dream yoga
dreams,"
Concerning
one sentence
the third
in step
the of
line
the20dream
and 21
yoga,
in "to
Chinese
recognize
text, dreams
"After you
as merely
have
recognized dreams as merely dreams and know it, you should carefully examine it,
meditate on it and clearly recognize it" is not seen in Tibetan. In addition, three
characters in smaller font "IrUPMe" (it is equal to the summit stage), is added in
the line 20 behind the sentence, "Thus, it is called recognizing dream as dream."
The so-called "summit stage" is the second of the four stages of the path of
joining (sbyor lam bzhi) which are Heat (drod), Summit (rtse mo), Acceptance
(bzodpa) and Supreme Attribute (chos mchog).
IV. 2.4 The fourth step of the dream yoga

The difference between two texts concerning the fourth step of the dream
yoga, "to increase the dream," is only that "people À and animal $£" appeared in
the dream in the Chinese text is replaced by "woman and dog" in the Tibetan
text. The same kind of difference is also seen in the fifth step of the dream yoga,
"to purify the dream." The Tibetan term for "people and animal" should be "mi
dang dud 'gro," while that for "woman and dog" is "bud med dam khyi." The main
point of these two steps is that the practitioner should transform all sentient
beings into his own yi-dam deity in his dream, multiply them as many as the
number of all [sentient beings] to be tamed, and eventually purify the dream-
state. It does not really matter what arises in the dream. Be that "people and
animal" or "woman and dog," or "demonic apparitions, monkeys, people, dogs
and so on" as Karma gling pa described,77 or "people, animal, even pillar and
vase" under Tsong kha pa's pen,78 is not important.
IV. 2.5 The fifth step of the dream yoga

Regarding the fifth step of the dream yoga, "to purify the dream," the
difference between the two texts is quite remarkable. There is one large
paragraph in the Chinese text from line 30 to 36 which is missing in the Tibetan
text. This paragraph seems just an improvisation added by the lama who was
expounding this text to his disciples. The tenor of this paragraph is thorough and
is also included in the Tibetan text. It is likely that some interpretive contents
were extemporaneously added by Tibetan lama when he transmitted this teaching
to his Chinese disciples, just as it was often the case that the Indian Masters
inserted interpretive things into Chinese translations of the Buddhist Scriptures.79
After these five major steps, the text goes on to explain how the practitioner
should contemplate in the post-meditative period that all phenomena are
realized to be as illusory as the appearance in dream; and contemplate through a
77 Tarn 1999, pp. 112-113.

78 Tsong kha pa, p. 4.3.
79 Cf. Funayama 2002.
clear mirror on the fact that they themselves are illusions too. There is no
noticeable difference regarding this paragraph between two texts. However, the
Chinese text ends here, while the Tibetan text goes on to introduce a new way of
the dream yoga, i.e., the practice of the prana, and furthermore gives the
instruction on how to multiply the illusory body and transfer them into
luminosity in order to recognize the illusory body of the intermediate state at the
time of dying and to attain the Dharmakâya, or to abandon this illusory body
and to be reborn into higher realms. The Tibetan text ends with a brief account
of the lineage of the transmission of the esoteric instruction. As usual, sGam po
pa gives this kind of brief account at the end of each section in his commentary
on the Six Doctrines ofNâropa.
To sum up, the Menghuan shen yaomen is an incomplete translation of the
sGyu lus kyi man ngag. In many cases, the translation seems not to be always
faithful to its original. All these differences between two texts should not be
simply attributed to the negligence of the translator. It is not always the case that
the translation is erroneous wherever differences occur. There are cases when
the Chinese translation seems more reasonable than its original. In addition,
there is one whole paragraph in the Chinese translation which is not seen in its
Tibetan original. It is very likely that this translation was based on a third version
of the same text, which is however no more available to us today. It is
worthwhile emphasizing that the last paragraph of the text, which is entirely
missing in the Chinese translation, is of great significance, since it points out
clearly the interdependency of the dream yoga and the yogic practice of illusory
body. It is truly not the ultimate goal of the dream yoga just to realize that all
phenomena are impermanent like dream and illusion through recognizing
dreams as merely dreams and transform the confusion of the dreaming state into
luminosity. It is more important for the practitioner to be well prepared through
the practicing of the dream yoga to recognize the illusory body of the
intermediate state and attain the Dharmakâya whenever the moment of the
intermediate state of dying comes. Nevertheless, this part of the text is often
counted as the instruction of the yogic practice of luminosity. The section of the
esoteric instruction on the luminosity ÇOd gsal gyi man ngag) in the same work of
sGam po pa is basically identical with what he said about in the last paragraph of
his instruction on the yogic practice of the illusory body. Therefore, the
Menghuan shen yaomen itself is complete and instructive, if it serves the purpose
of the dream and the illusory body practice only.
V. The origin of sGam po pa's teaching of the dream yoga.

Judging from the fact that sGam po pa's sGyu lus kyi man ngag has provided
concrete instructions on the actual practice of the dream and illusory body yoga
along with clear explanation of the doctrinal foundation, it is quite certain that the
practice of the dream yoga was already well established in Tibet in the time of
sGam po pa. Although numerous texts of the same kind appear in Tibetan
literature of various Buddhist schools in the later period, the basic procedure and
214 SHENWEIRONG
doctrinal foundation of the dream yoga in various schools remain virtually the
same with what sGam po pa taught in this text. Now, one would like to ask what
is actually the origin of sGam po pa's instruction on the dream yoga? According
to sGam po pa's own words, his introduction on the yogic practice of dream and
illusory body "is the essence of the esoteric instruction of the contemplation on
illusory body of the great Nâropa (nâ ro chen po V sgyu lus sgom pa V man ngag snying
khuyin no)." In the following, an attempt is going to be made to contextualize the
sGam po pa's statement by means of tracking down the lineage of the textual
transmission of the esoteric instruction on the dream yoga.
As the text itself tells, the lineage of transmission of this instruction on the
dream yoga starts directly with Buddha Vajradhara and goes down to Bodhisattva
Vajrapâni, Tilopa, Nâropa in India, and Mar pa, Mi la ras pa in Tibet
successively. Needless to say, sGam po pa, as one of the most distinguished
disciples of Mi la ras pa, received this transmission directly from Mi la ras pa. In
order to make clear the process of gradual development of the dream yoga within
this lineage of transmission in India and Tibet, a closer look has to be taken at all
works on the six doctrines attributed to these Indian and Tibetan masters
previous to sGam po pa. Thanks to Fabrizio Torricelli's excellent serial studies on
Tibetan bsTan ''gyur texts concerning the Nâ ro chos drug, the origin and early
development of the bKa' brgyud pa tradition of gDams ngag has been revealed
clearly.80 Our focus will be put on examining these early texts which are directly
related to the dream yoga.
V.I Esoteric Instruction on Six Doctrines (chos druggi man ngag) of Tilopa
The text entitled as Esoteric Instruction on Six Doctrines (chos drug gi man ngag,
Saddharmopadesa) is the earliest work which dealt with the so-called Six Doctrines
in bsTan ''gyur. This text is attributed to Tilopa, the first patriarch of the bKa'
brgyud pa school. It is well known that Tilopa had received teachings from
masters of four different lineages of transmission, in Tibetan bka' bobs bzhi. These
four lineages of transmission are 1) the father tantra Guhyasamaja (pha rgyud gsang
baH J dus pa); 2) the mother tantra (ma rgyud 'khor lo bde mchog); 3) instruction on
the yogic practice of dream and intermediate state (rmi lam dang bar do'i gdams
ngag); and 4) instruction on the yogic practice of transference of consciousness
and transference of consciousness into another body Çpho ba dang grong Jug).81
Obviously, the dream yoga occupies an important part in the extensive doctrinal
system of Tilopa. In the text chos drug gi man ngag, Tilopa puts all four different
lineages of transmission into one system of the practice of six doctrines for the
first time.82 The six doctrines dealt with in this text are the yoga of the inner heat,
of the illusory body, the dream yoga, yoga of luminosity, of intermediate state and
of transference of consciousness. Tilopa assigns his instruction on the six
80 Cf. Torricelli 1993; Torricelli 1997; Torricelli 1999.

81 Cf. Torricelli 1993; Torricelli and Acharya Sangye. T. Naga 1995; Khenpo
Kônchog Gyaltsen 1990, p. 44; Dowman 1985, p. 154.
82 TTP, vol. 82, p. 34; Torricelli 1993; Torricelli 1997.
doctrines to four guru-s and gives a brief instruction to each of the six yogas. The
instruction on the yogic practice of dream and illusory body within this text, the
earliest of this kind, reads as follows:
In all three realms of the inanimate and animate world, daily activities of walking
and sitting are fully purified through the simile of dream and illusion. A well-drawn
image of Vajrasattva is clearly reflected in a mirror similar to an apparition. Just as
it is the image of illusion, you see that the assembly of deities is as illusory as the
twelve simile of illusion. You see the truth of the yoga of illusory [body]. This is the
upadesa of Nàgârjuna. You know the truth of dreams as dreams and contemplate
constandy on the profound truth. You visualize the seed- [syllables] of five families
through nada and thigle (seminal point) and see Buddhas and Buddha lands. That is
the skillful mean of accomplishment of the great bliss of two times (age of one-half
perfection). It is the upadesa of Lavapa.83
Although there is no detailed instruction on the actual procedure of the yogic
practice of illusory body and dream within this text, it has touched several
relevant points of the practice which are explained by sGam po pa in detail, for
instance the practice through mirror reflection and the practice through
visualizing seed-syllables of five families. Moreover, this text points out that the
practical instruction on the illusory body and the dream yoga stems in fact from
two different lineages of transmission. The instruction on the illusory body
practice stems from Nàgârjuna, while the instruction on the dream yoga stems
from Lavapa. The first point is strongly emphasized by Tsong kha pa. According
to Tsong kha pa, both of the yogic practice of illusory body and that of luminosity
relies on the Mahaguhyasamaja-tantra along with its doctrinal discourse of
Nàgârjuna and his disciples.84 This differs from sGam po pa's claim that the
instruction on the illusory body and the dream yoga are basically based on the
Hevajra-tantra and the Mahâmâya-tantra-nâma. Indeed, even bKa' brgyud pa
themselves normally take the father tantra Mahâguhyasamâja-tantra as the
fundamental of the six doctrines practices. Especially, the practice of illusory body
relies on the father tantra, while the practice of luminosity relies on the Hevajra
tantra?5 It was said that Mar pa once heard the father tantra Mahâguhyasâmaja-
83 sNod bcud khams gsum ma lus pa//sgyu ma rmi lam la sogs dpes//'gro 'dug spyod
lam kun tu byang//lha tshogs rgyu ma me long gzugs//rdo rje sems dpa' legs bris ba//gzugs
brnyan gsal bar snang dang mtshungs//de nyid sgyu ma'i gzugs bzhin du//sgyu dpe bcu
gnyis ltar mthong ba//rnal 'byor sgyu ma'i don mthong ba'o//Nagajuna'i U [sgyu lus kyi]
padesa//rmi lam rmi lam don shes shing//rgyun tu zab mo'i don bsgom pa//nâ da thig le la
sogs pas//rigs lnga'i sa bon la dmigs nas//sangs rgyas zhing dang sangs rgyas blta//gnyis dus
bde chen bsgrub pa'i thabs//lwa ba [rmi lam gyi] pa'i upadesa'o// TTP, vol. 82, p. 34.4-5.
84 "sgyu lus dang 'od gsal gyi skor rnams gsang 'dus la brten pa yin zhes 'byung zhing/
de yang gsang 'dus 'phags skor gyi gdams ngag tu snang la/ 'phags pa yab sras kyi dgongs
pa,"
Tsong kha pa, p. 1.5.7-8. Torricelli suggested that "the Nàgârjuna associated with
Tilopa, not to be confused with the founder of the Madhyamaka school, could be the
alchemist of the late 10th century mentioned by al-Bîrunî." Torricelli 1993, p. 185, n. 4.
Obviously, his opinion varies from what Tsong kha pa said here.
85 Cf. Gyatso 1994, p. 49; Boord and Tsonawa 1996, pp. 46-54.
216 SHENWEIRONG
tantra by dPal Ye shes snying po in Laksaha city in the West and attained the
instruction on the illusory body and the luminosity, learned the truth of the five
steps of the path.86 Lavapa, also called as Kambala or Sri Prabhata, is transcribed
as La wo bo $$##£ in Chinese. He is said to be an Indian yogin and tantric
master of the second half of the 9th century. He was specialized in mother tantras
and was especially famous for his transmission of the Hevajra-tantra and the Phag
mo gzhung drug}1 Lavapa is said to have once slept for twelve years and thus
attained the siddhi of the great seal.88 This story serves as a classical example of
transforming ignorance into the path to enlightenment.89
V. 2.2 The Vajra Verse of Aural Transmission (sNyan brgyud rdo rje'i tshig rkang)
ofTilopa
One other text of the same kind once again attributed to Tilopa is the Vajra
verse of aural transmission (sNyan brgyud rdo rje'i tshig rkang, Karnatantravajrayogini)
within the text collection of bKa' brgyud pa known under the title bDe mchog
snyan brgyud [Aural transmission of Cakrasamvara]. It was translated into Tibetan
in the first half of the 11th century by Nâropa and Mar pa.90 Although its
instruction on the dream yoga is rather short, it laid a foundation for the actual
practice of the dream yoga. It reads:
As for the self-purification from delusion of the dream state during the night, you
exert yourself with three gates [of body, speech and mind] and hold [the dream] by
means of the iron-hook of mindfulness. You hold [apprehend], purify, increase,
transform, emanate and dispel obstacles. Then, you ride the sun and the moon,
traverse thoroughly the Buddha fields. Good and bad [dreams] under whichever
illusion they may appear, you should look at your self-liberation. You will attain
the great goal, after you reach the end and tread the ten bhumis.91
This short instruction seems to have advanced one great step forward in the way
of establishing the practical procedure of the dream yoga. sGam po pa's
instruction might be a further development of these basic principles and practical
86 "Yang mar pa'i zhal nas/ nub du lakseha'i grong khyer du/ dpal ye shes snying po'i
zhabs la gtugs/ pha rgyud gsang ba 'dus pa mnyan/ sgyu lus 'od gsal gyi gdams ngag thob/
lam rim pa lnga yi don la bslabs// zhes gsungs la." Tsong kha pa, p. 214.5.
87 A short biography of him is seen in Dowman 1985, pp. 179-185.
88 SB2, p. 197; Torricelli 1993, p. 189.
89 Dacheng yaodao miji, p. 26: "»J$«Bi7-r--¥, 1feM% ±Mttfi\tâM.n Similar
saying is also seen in Ti lo pa'i lo rgyus written by Mar pa: "slob dpon chen po la va pas//
grong khyer chen po'i brang mdo ru// bcu gnyis bar du gnyid log pas// phyag rgya chen
po'i dngos grub thob//." Cf. Torricelli 1 993 , p. 1 89.
90 Torricelli 1999
91 mtshan du rmi lam 'khrul ba rang sangs la/ sgo gsum 'bad pa dran pa'i lcags kyus
gzung/ 'dzin sbyang spel bsgyur sprul cing gegs rnams sel/ nyi zla zhon dang zhing khams
mtha'
dag brgod/ bzang ngan sgyu ma cir snang rang grol ltos/ mthar phyin sa bcu non
don chen thob//. gDams ngag mdzod, vol. 7, p. 91, TTP, vol. 82, p. 37.2; Torricelli 1999,
pp. 397-398.
procedures established by Tilopa within this text. Most of these practical steps of
the dream yoga mentioned in this text, i.e. to hold [apprehend], purify, increase,
transform, emanate dream, are exactly what has been taught in sGam po pa's sGyu
lus kyi man ngag. Though the last step, i.e. to dispel obstacles, is not mentioned in
the sGyu lus man ngag, one other text written by sGam po pa under the title rMi
lam gyis 'byams sel ba deals exclusively with dispelling of twelve obstacles of the
dream state.92 Furthermore, the basic principle of the text, "the self-cleansing
from delusion of the dream state during the night," is also evidently well reflected
in Karma gling pa's treatise the Natural Liberation of Confusion: Experiential
Instructions on the intermediate state of dreaming (rmi lam bar doH khridyig 'khrul pa
rang grot) of the Experiential instructions on Six Intermediate States in the stage of
Completion (rDzogs rim bar do drug gi 'khrid). Karma gling pa took illusory body,
dream and luminosity as three guiding principles for the yogic practice of dream.
He divided his instructions on the dream yoga into three parts accordingly:
1) daytime instructions on the illusory body and the natural liberation of
appearance; 2) night time instructions on dreaming and the natural liberation of
confusion; and 3) concluding instructions on the clear light and the natural
liberation of delusion."93 Among them, the second part deals with the dream yoga
in the way which was stipulated by Tilopa for the first time.
V. 3 The Vajra Verse of the Six Doctrines of Nâropa

There are at least three texts attributed to Nâropa which deals with the six
doctrines. No wonder, the six doctrines of the esoteric teachings of the bKa'
brgyud pa tradition is named after him. Nâropa must have played a key role in
establishing the practice of the six doctrines.
The first one of these three texts, entitled as the Vajra verse of the six doctrines (Chos
drug rdo rjeH tshig rkang), only gives a very brief instruction on the dream yoga
with the following words:
Whoever completely abandons all his thoughts should not leave the crucial point
of wishing dreams. Good qualities of the gradual path of illusion, purification of
double-delusion arise spontaneously day and night. [The dream yoga] should be
enhanced through holding [apprehending], purifying, increasing, emanating,
transforming [dreams], [recognizing] apparent object [being illusion], and
dispelling all [obstacles] such as dispersal through confusion, dispersal through
happiness and dispersal through emptiness, and accumulation of devotions.94
This text looks just like a different version of the above quoted text of Tilopa's
instruction on the dream yoga in his sNyan brgyud rdo rjeH tshig rkang. That
92 SB 1, vol. 2, pp. 349-350.

93 Wallace 1998, p. 141.
94 Gang gis bsam pa thams cad yongs spangs nas/ rmi lam 'dun pa'i gnad la 'bral med
bya/ nying 'khrul yang dag sgvu ma lam rim gyi/ yin tan nyin mtshan dus su rang shar
'byung/ rmi lam bzung ba/ sbyang ba/ spel ba/ sprul pa/ bsgyur ba/ yul snang ngo/ 'khrul
'byams/ bde 'byam/ stong 'byams rnams/ mos gus tshogs sogs gang sel brgyan par bya/.
TIT., Vol. 82, pp. 38.1-2.
218 SHENWEIRONG
means the teachings on the dream yoga of both Tilopa and Nàropa come down
in one continuous line. Nevertheless, Nàropa provides only more details on
dispelling of obstacles by listing three kinds of obstacles, i.e., confusion,
happiness and emptiness.
V. 4 bKa'yang dagpa'i tshad ma zhes by a ba mkha' 'gro maH man ngag of Nàropa
The second text concerning the six dharma-s attributed to Nàropa is a short
text included in the sDe dge edition of Tibetan bsTan 'gyur under the title bKa'
yang dagpa'i tshad ma zhes bya ba mkha' 'gro ma'i man ngag (Âjnâsamyakpramâna-
nâama-dâkinyupadessa, bKcf yang tshad ma in short). This text gives instructions
on the yogic practice of transference of consciousness Çpho ba), the entering
corpses (grong Jug), dream and intermediate state.95 One different version of the
same text under the title rje nâ ro paH khyad chos bsre ''phoH lam gyi snyingpo bka'
yang dagpaî tshad ma zhes bya ba mkha"1 'gro ma'i man ngag is included in Kong-
sprul's gDams ngag mdzod. Torricelli points out that "In spite of the title and the
salutation formula, these first ten verses are the only portion of our bsTan-'gyur
text corresponding to the Âjnâsamyakpramâna-nâma-dâkinyupadesa in Kong-
sprul's gDams-ngag-mdzod"96 though that is obviously not the case. The content
of the text in sDe dge bsTan 'gyur is almost entirely seen in the text of the gDams
ngag mdzod version, while the latter text includes many more passages not seen in
its bsTan 'gyur version.97 According to the colophon given only in the text of the
gDams ngag mdzod version, it was "translated and established with certainty by
the Lord Nàropa and Mar pa Chos kyi bio gros through the invitation of the
lama Tilopa from the Abode of Akanistha."98 Torricelli infers that "Even if it has
no author recognized in the Tohoku Catalogue, the Âjnâsamyakpramâna-nâma-
dâkinyupadesa can be ascribed to Nàropa, or at least to the first tradition
stemming from him. In fact, most of it corresponds to some passages from those
Nàropa's teachings collected under the title Grub chen nâ ro paH gdams ngag chos
drug skor gyi bka' dpe tshigs su bead pa."99 This latter text is the third text
concerning the six doctrines which is clearly ascribed to Nàropa. It includes
fifteen short texts (bka' dpe) which can be grouped into eight sections:
(i) [without heading]; (ii) gTum-mo'i bka' dpe; (iii) rMi lam bka' dpe; (iv) 'Od
gsal gyi bka' dpe; (v) Bar do'i bka' dpe; (vi) Grong 'jug gi bka' dpe; (vii) 'Pho ba'i
bka' dpe; (viii) gDams ngag gnad kyi bka' dpe. The second group among them is
the instruction on the dream yoga which corresponds to its counterpart in the
95 Torricelli 1997.
96 Torricelli 1997, p. 259, n. 22.
97 The text from line 11 to 194 according to Torricelli's numbering is entirely seen in
p. 85-89 of the second version with exception of omission of only several verses from the
line 80 to 83.
98 "dpal rdo rje 'chang nyid kyis gsungs pa gtsigs kyi rgya rim pa bdun gyis btab pa
rdzogs so/ bla ma ti lo pas 'og min gyi gnas spyan drangs pa lo bo nva ro pa dang mar pa
chos kyi bio gos kyis bsgyur cing zhus te gtan la phab pa'o." gDams ngag mdzod, vol. 7, p. 89.
99 Torricelli 1997, p. 251.
bKa'yang tshad ma with several additions and deletions. Thus, the bKa' yang tshad
ma is indeed the only text of great significance which represents Nâropa's own
teachings on the dream yoga.
There are two passages in the bKa' yang tshad ma which deal with the dream
yoga. The first passage is only seen in its gDams ngag mdzod version and talks
about "the practice of dream with four things" (don bzhis nyams su blang pa),
namely, (i) to hold dream; (ii) to purify dream; (iii) to train in illusion and (iv) to
contemplate on the truth of thatness. The other passage deals with five-fold
practices of the dream yoga: (i) mindfulness, (ii) the cognition of illusion,
(iii) purifying, (iv) contemplating and (v) the transference upwards. This passage is
seen in both versions of the same text, and also corresponds to the section of the
rMi lam bka' dpe of the Grub chen nâ ro paH gdams ngag chos drug skor gyi bka' dpe
tshigs su bead pa.
The first passage reads as follows:
All phenomena are like dream. They never come into existence by nature. How to
turn confusion away from the mind which is naturally pure is fully explained as
four things that one should practice. First, you should hold [apprehend] dream,
[second] then purify it, and [third] be trained in illusion and abandon fear in this
life, and [fourth] contemplate on the truth of thatness. First, the esoteric
instruction on holding [dream]: Mindfulness and desire are combined together.
The life is the dwelling place which gathers consciousness. You should
contemplate on the mantra wheel at your throat. Furthermore, you should
combine the prana (the energy-current of the body) and consciousness, spread out
and distribute seminal points. Furthermore [the second], the esoteric instruction
on purification: Through the aspiration of thinking "I should dream of all kinds of
wonderful dreams," many women will come out when you are awake, for instance,
as woman appears in dream. Due to the power of your recognition, you are able to
transform [the appearance in dream] into all kinds of things. The third, [the
esoteric instruction on] the training in illusion: You visualize Nairâtmya Devî
(Goddess of Egolessness), if you see clearly that the whole sky becomes fully filled
with many emanations, [you know] the transformation is just like that. After you
recognize that all phenomena are like dream, you become fully involved in
benefiting sentient beings. Since the application is like illusion, the attainment of
enlightenment is also like illusion. When the time of dying appears, you will
recognize it as the intermediate state. As for [the esoteric instruction on] the
contemplation on the truth of thatness: if you see that all kinds of dreams which
derive from Vajra are without essence, both dream and illusion are purified all in
one and you will attain the highest [enlightenment] born from the Vajra of body,
speech and mind. You should know the ground, path and fruit within this esoteric
instruction which recognizes the luminosity.100
100 chos rnams rmi lam lta bu ste/ ngo bo nyid kyis ma skyes shing/ rang bzhin dag pa'i
sems nyid la/ 'khrul pa log pa rab tu gsung don bzhis nyams su blang par bya/ dang po rmi
lam gzung ba dang/de nas sbyang zhing sgyu mar blab/ de tshe ya nga spang ba dang/ kho
na nyid don sgom pa'o/ dang po gzung ba'i man ngag ni/ dran dang 'dun pas mtshams
sbyar te/ rnam shes srog ni 'du ba'i rten/ mgrin par sngags kyi 'khor lo bsgom/ slar yang
rlung dang shes sbyar nas/ thig le bting dang bgo bar bya/ de nas sbyangs pa'i man ngag ni/
ngo mtshar can gyi rmi lam gang/ rmi bar bya'o snyams pa'i bios/ dper na rmi lam bud
220 SHENWEIRONG
The second passage reads as follows:

As for the dream, you should know that there are also five parts: Mindfulness, the
cognition of illusion, purification, familiarization and the transference upwards. As
for the contemplation of the so-called mindfulness, you form your desire in
advance, even when you have not fallen asleep yet. As for the cognition that you
are on die brink of [sleep], you summon it by means of the mindfulness over and
again. After you summoned it, it will occur once in sleep. But for these of superior
[faculties] and these of intermediate [faculties], it will occur even in the time of
awakenings. Once the mindfulness has become firm in that way, you should
recognize it as illusory. Even in the time when you are not in a state of sleep, you
should know that all phenomenal existences are illusory. The illusion is actually
[just like] the dream. If you do not know that [die dream] itself is illusory, you do
not know that the intermediate state is illusory. Since the projective existence of
the intermediate state is not refuted, you will take die birth over and again, and
wander in the samsara of the three worlds. If your intellect is not able to penetrate
into the actual dreams like that, you should perform the preliminaries. You should
know characteristics [of recitation] of the developing stage, an extreme lessening of
distraction, guide of previous practices, an extremely strong devotion, and the
moments of summoning. Even when you are not in the state of sleep, you think in
advance through the mindfulness that you should know that itself as illusion. You
should contemplate [purify] it earnestly. You should become familiar with these
defining characteristics, even when you are in sleep, such as the contemplation in
this way, the mutual complementing, the coming of weariness, the coming of
satiety and hunger, the performing of miracles. Through the habitual tendency,
you obtain the mindfulness of these defining characteristics on the brink of sleep.
You should practice it fearlessly. For that reason, you attain die mixing [of these
defining characteristics] with the illusion. You constantly think these as illusion
over and again, day and night in this way. The signs of cognition of illusion will
appear: you have no anguish, no fear, and your eyes and mouth is closing and
opening in wonder. You should become familiarized with it firmly in this way.
Once you become [familiarized with it] firmly in this way, it is explained that you
should practice transferences. Even when you are not in the state of sleep, you
should let your mind go wherever you feel like to go. After you have sent your
mind to the destination, you practice the mindfulness of habitual tendency of the
day also on the brink of sleep. In that way, you will examine by means of your own
intrinsic awareness and transfer into the bliss in any case. After the transference has
become firm, you should guide your former habituation by means of the very
characteristic of the purification of illusion. You contemplate in that way as before.
You contemplate again and again on the brink of sleep. In this way, in die time of
med snang/ sad nas bud med mang por spro/ der shes pa yis dbang gis su/ cir yang bsgyur
du btub pa yin/gsum pa sgyu mar bslab pa ni/ bdag med ma yi rnam par bsgom/de yi sprul
pa rnam mang pos/ nam mkha' khams kyi mthar diug pa/ khengs par gyur pa rab bltas na/
de bzhin du ni 'gyur ba yin/ chos rnams rmi lam ltar shes nas/ sems can don du rab tu 'jug/
sgyu ma lta bur lam khyer bas/ sgyu ma lta bur 'tshang yang rgya/ de dag 'chi ba'i dus
byung yang/ bar do do ni shes bar 'gyur/ kho na nyid don sgom pa ni/ rdo rje las byung sna
tshogs pa'i/ rmi lam de ma med mthong na/ rmi lam sgyu ma gcig tu sbyangs/ sku gsung
thugs kyi rdo rje las/ skyes pa bla med 'grub par 'gyur/ 'od gsal ngos 'dzin man ngag
'dir/gzhi lam 'bras bu rab shes bya/. gDams ngag mdzod, vol. 7, p. 78.
dreaming, various anguishes will appear. Furthermore, as to the purification of the

dream, it does not matter at all whether [the dream] is good or bad, you are able to
transfer the dream into the luminosity. Even no signs [of dream] arise, you realize
it by means of your own intrinsic awareness. If you do not realize, you should be
diligent and examine. After you have developed [the realization] by means of
endeavors, you should subjugate your cognition. As the instruction previously
shown, after you have practiced in this way again and again, you either attain [the
realization] immediately, [after you have purified your mental continuum such as
enjoyment], or you attain [the realization] in a month, or you attain [the
realization] in a year, or you do not attain [the realization] at all. After you are
trained in this way repeatedly, the dream will be blessed. Thanks to that, the
intermediate state will be blessed. By means of the above trainings in the state of
dream, you can make clear your cognition of death. When the signs of the moment
of dying are complete, you should also concentrate your mind on your former
trainings, and enter into the luminosity. Moreover, if you do not enter into the
luminosity, and fall in sleep in the moment of dying, you will abide within the state
of the luminosity, after you have made clear your mindfulness at first. The seed-
syllables will be present successively throughout the birth place [womb]. You will
be able to have command over the place, the house, the activity and the
application. Whoever is constandy familiarized with the literal meaning of the final
twelve along with the seminal point of his own intrinsic nature, he himself will be
identified with the Buddha Vajradhara through the blissful attainment.101
By comparing these two passages of Nâropa's bKa' yang tshad ma with sGam po
pa's sGyu lus kyi man ngag, it becomes quite evident that there are strong
similarities between these two texts. A clear inkling of sGam po pa's five-fold
practices of the dream yoga is already seen in Nâropa's "five-fold practices" and
"four things of the practices." Moreover, sGam po pa left one other text on the
dream yoga under the title rMi lam gyi man ngag {Esoteric instruction on the dream
[yoga]). This text exactly follows Nâropa's paradigm of "four things of the
practices."
Judging from the fact that no text concerning the dream yoga from
both Mar pa and Mi la ras pa is available, that is to say, there were actually no
other texts concerning the dream yoga between Nâropa's bKa yang tshad ma and
sGam po pa's sGyu lus kyi man ngag, it is legitimated to argue that Nâropa's bKa'
yang tshad ma was actually served as the origin of sGam po pa's sGyu lus kyi man
ngag and rMi lam gyi man ngag. sGam po pa had epitomized Nâropa's profound
teachings on the dream yoga and re-grouped Nâropa's "four things of the
practices" and "five-fold practices" into his own five-fold practices of the dream
yoga. In fact, although there is a multitude of actual ways of the dream practice
in various Buddhist schools, they are, in final analysis, attributed either to
Nâropa's "four things of the practices" or to his "five-fold practices." For
example, both Tsong kha pa and Padma dkar po described their dream yoga
practice through the pattern of Nâropa's "four things of the practices."102 The
second Dalai lama dGe 'dun rgya mtsho introduced his way of the dream yoga
101 A full critical text edition of both versions and an alternative English translation of
the passage is seen in Torricelli 1997, especially pp. 255-257, 261-263, 266-268.
02 Tsong kha pa, p. 3.4; Padma dkar po 1995, pp. 469-473.
222 SHENWEIRONG
practice by exactly following Nâropa's short instruction given in his Chos drug
rdo r/e'i tshig rkang.m
Furthermore, it is certainly worthwhile mentioning that there is one other
text concerning the six doctrines ascribed to Nàropa in the gDams ngag mdzod
under the title bDe mchog snyan brgyud kyi rdzogs rim steng sgo mam par grol ba V chos
drug gi khrid yig bzhugs so.104 This text is divided into six sections which
corresponds to each of the six doctrines: (i) the self-blazing of the bliss-warmth of
inner heat (gtum mo bde drod rang ''bar); (ii) the self-liberation of eight worldly
dharmas of illusory body (sgyu lus chos brgyad rang grol); (iii) the self-cleansing of
confusion of dream (rmi lam 'khrul rang sangs); (iv) luminosity which dispels the
darkness of ignorance Çod gsal ma rig mun brat); (v) Alchemy of transference of
consciousness Çpho ba gser 'gyur gyi rtst) and (vi) abandoning miraculous bubble of
transference of consciousness into other's body [?] (grong Jug sprul Ibags 'dor byed).
The third section under the title "the self-cleansing of confusion of dream" again
introduces its instruction on the dream yoga with following five ways: (i) Holding
the dream through the iron hook of the mindfulness (dranpd'i Icags kyus bzung ba);
(ii) the purification of the dream through reminding and encouraging {brjed skul
gyis sbyang ba); (iii) Blessing in illusion through Buddha-activities (phrin las kyi
mdzad pa sgyu mar byin gyis brlab pa); and (v) Contemplating the truth of thatness
(de kho na nyid bsgom pa).m Without doubt, it is one other early text of great
importance concerning the six doctrines of Nâropa. However, it is questionable
whether this text really stems from Nâropa's hand. According to its colophon, "it
was written down by rDo rje rgyal mtshan brtse ba in the monastery sNyan
mgrod phug dgon pa according to the words of Bla ma mKha' 'gro. It was
conferred to Ras chung rdo rje grags pa by Mi la ras pa."106 Thus, the real author
of the text might be the Ras chung rDo rje grags pa (1085-1 161), one other famed
disciple of Mi la ras pa, thus a contemporary of sGam po pa.
VI. sGam po pa's two other texts on the dream yoga

In addition to the sGyu lus kyi man ngag, sGam po pa left two other short
texts which exclusively deal with the yogic practice of dream. The first one is
entitled as The Esoteric Instruction on the Dream (yoga] (rmi lam gyi man ngag). As
mentioned above, this text follows Nâropa's paradigm of "four things of the
practices" and stands alone as a complete instruction on the dream yoga. The
103Cf.Mullinl985,p. 134.
104 bDe mchog snyan brgyud kyi rdzogs rim steng sgo rnam par grol ba'i chos drug
khrid yig rje btsun mi la'i gsung gDams ngag mdzod, Vol. 7, pp. 501-533.
105 gDams ngag mdzod, vol. 7, p. 502. It is worthwhile mentioning that the six dharma-s
introduced in this text are different from what is taught in Nâropa's bKa1 yang tshad ma
and Chos drug skor gyi bka' dpe. Illusory body has replaced intermediate state as one of the
six dharma-s.
106 "bla ma mkha' gro'i gsung bzhin du/ snyan mgrod phug dgon pa ru/ rdo rje rgyal
mtshan brtse bas bris/ mi la ras pas/ ras chung rdo rje grags pa la gtad pa." gDams
mdzod, vol. 7, p. 533.
second one is en tided as Dispelling Obstacles of Dreaming (rmi lam gyis 'byams sel ba)
and extensively expounds the way of dispelling obstacles of dreaming. It occupies
an unique position in the textual tradition of the dream yoga, since no detailed
discussion on dispelling obstacles of dreaming is found either in sGam po pa's
sGyu lus kyi man ngag and rMi lam gyi man ngag or any other texts previous to
sGam po pa, although it is mentioned both in Tilopa's sNyan brgyud rdo rjeH tshig
rkang and Nâropa's Chos drug rdo rjeH tshig rkang as an integral part of the dream
yoga. In order to get a complete picture of sGam po pa's practical instruction on
the dream yoga, translations of these two texts are also provided here.
VI. 1 The esoteric instruction on the dream (yoga] {rMi lam gyi man ngag)
Homage to holy gurus!
Thence, there are four [ways] of the self-blessing through the great seal. First, there
are four things upon bringing dream into the path. The first is to hold the dream;
then, [the second] is to purify the dream; then, [the third] is to bestow blessing in
illusion and to abandon fear; then, [the fourth] is to contemplate on the thatness. In
this regard, strong devotion and aspiration are very important concerning the first
thing, i.e., to hold the dream. That is to say, you should concentrate your
consciousness on the seminal point between your eyebrows at evening and fall into
deep sleep. Then, if an attractive dream appears in the time of dawn, you should
think in the time like that and think intensively, feel "this is a dream, but I do not
cognize it. I should know that all that appears and exists are like dream. Now, I
should cognize my dream as dream." You should be mindful of thinking or form
strong aspiration. After you practiced like that day and night, you will attain dream.
As to the sign of the coming of dream, different kinds of unsuitable dreams will
come. Different kinds of dreams will come, such as you dream that you see the great
river and the great fire, and that you go to the precipice, and that you are chased by
dog and that light appears from your body. Therefore, some who know that it is
dream will appear. For that reason, after some who think whether it is dream
appear, they will think that it is really true that people and all phenomena are like
dream as is explained. You should form strong aspiration, be mindful of the dream
on the morning and form strong aspiration, thinking, there are no differences
between appearances like that and some attractive dreams. [In this time you will
recall the instruction — all these instructions taught by former lamas — , and
contemplate as it is taught] That is the holding of dream.
Furthermore, as you have attained dream, you should form the strong aspiration,
thinking that you should cognize dream at evening. As to purify the dream at this
time, you intensively concentrate on the mind that you are able to do any things as
you like, since it is dream. When you are dreaming, you can do everything just as
how you can think with your own mind, such as you fall into water, and you fall
into fire, and you go to precipice, and you see thirty-three abodes of the gods and
all countries of India, and the sun and moon are covered by sands. That is the
purification of dream.
Furthermore, as to cognize dream as illusion and to abandon fear, if you still feel
frightened or panicky, as you dream that you fall into water during the time of
purification of dream, you should think that it is just confusion and illusion, since it
is dream, why I should be frightened upon it? Thus, you should have no fear. That
is the cognition of dream as illusion.
224 SHENWEIRONG
Furthermore, as to contemplate on thatness, you should furthermore cognize that

the dream itself is also just the confusion of the mind. Since it is dream, there is
nothing to be purified. That is the contemplation of thatness. As to the way of
training in this regard, if there is the way of your former training, you practice
whatsoever just like before; if there is no such way, you should focus your mind on
the seminal point on your own forehead or on whatever is suitable, have very
resolute faith on the belief that the dream itself is just the blissful emptiness.
Having made a comparison of tip of the nose of the time with this good training of
the time, you practice it during day time. Thus, you attain the extremely great
realization of thatness. That is the transformation of dream into the path. You
should learn it in this lifetime.107
107 bla ma rnams la phyag 'tshal lo//de la chos kyi phyag rgyas bdag byin gyis brlab pa la
bzhi ste// dang po rmi lam lam du 'khyer ba la don bzhi// dang po rmi lam bzung ba dang/
de nas rmi lam sbyang ba dang/ de nas sgyu mar byin gyis brlab ring/ ya nga ba spang ba
dang/ de kho na nyid bsgom pa'o// de la dang po bzung ba na dad pa dang 'dun pa drag po
gal che ste/ de yang srod la smin phrag tu thig le la shes pa gtad de/ srod la gnyid mthug
por log go// de nas tho rangs kyi dus su 'dang gi rmi lam lta bu cig byung na/ de'i dus su 'di
ltar bsam ste// rmi lam yin kyang ma shes snyam ba'i bsam pa drag tu bya'o/ snang srid 'di
thams cad rmi lam dang 'dra bar shes bar byas la// da ni bdag gis rmi lam la rmi lam du
shes bar bya'o//snyam pa'i dran pa 'am/ mdun pa drag tu bya'o// de bzhin nyin mtshan du
byas pas// rmi lam zin te 'ong ba'i rtags ni/ rmi lam mi 'tsham pa sna tshogs pa dag 'ong//
chu chen po dang// me chen po mthong ba dang/ g.yang la 'gro ba dang/ khyis ded pa
dang/ rang gi lus la 'od 'byung ba rmi lam la sogs pa sna tshogs pa 'ong ngo// de'i rkyen
gyis rmi lam yin par shes pa 'ga' 'byung ste/ des na/ rmi lam yin nam snyam pa 'ga' byung
nas mi la chos thams cad rmi lam dang 'dra'o/ zhes bshad pa de re bden snyam pa'o// mos
pa drag po bya ste nang par rmi lam dran par bya ste/ 'dang gi rmi lam re dang/ de ltar gyi
snang ba 'di khyad par ci yod snyam pa'i mdun pa drag po bya'o// [sngar bla ma gdams
ngag ci gsung ba rnams . . . de'i dus su gdams ngag dran nas 'ong ste/ ji ltar bstan pa bzhin
bsgom]/ de ni rmi lam bzung ba'o// de nas rmi lam zin nas srod kyi dus na rmi lam du shes
par bya'o// snyam pa'i bsam pa drag tu bya'o// de'i dus su rmi lam sbyang ba ni// rmi lam
yin pas ji ltar byas kyang btub snyam pa'i bsam pa drag tu byas la/ rmi lam gyi dus su chur
'chong ba dang/ mer 'chong ba dang/ g.yang la 'gro ba dang/ sum bcu rtsa gsum gyi lha'i
gnas lta ba dang/ rgya gar gi yul thams cad la blta ba dang/ nyi zla rdog bas mnan pa la sogs
pa/ rang gi sems la ci bsam pa thams cad bya'o/ de ni rmi lam sbyang ba'o/ de nas rmi lam
sgyu mar shes par byid cing ya nga ba spang ba ni/ sbyong ba'i dus su chur 'chong ba la
sogs en re byas kyang/ da rung yang zhing bag tsha ba 'am/ 'jigs pa snyam byed na/ rmi lam
yin pas na 'khrul pa sgyu ma tsam yin/ de la 'jigs su ci yod snyam nas ya nga ba med pa
bya'o/ de ni rmi lam sgyu ma shes par bya'o/ de nas rmi lam gyi de kho na nyis bsgom pa
ni// rmi lam yin bar sbyang du ci yod/ de yang [rmi lam rang yang] sems kyi 'khrul par shes
par bya'o// de kho na nyid bsgom pa'o// de la sgom thabs ni/ rang la sngar gyi sgom pa'i
thabs yod na gang yang 'dra/ med na rang gi dpral bar thig le 'am gang yang rung bar shes
pa gtad de/ rmi lam rang yang/ bde stong du mos pa tsam gyi shin du mos pa 'byung ngo/
de dus kyi bsgom bzang po des [bdun 'gyur gyis bzang bar bshad de/ dbye bas bzang ngo]/
dus kyi sna rtser dper byas la/ nyin bar gyi dus su [rim lnga gnad cig ma zhes bya ba lags]
bsgoms pas/ de kho na'i rtogs pa lhag par che ba 'byung ngo// de ni rmi lam [lam!] tu
'khyer bste/ tshe 'di la bslab pa'o//. SB1, vol. 2, pp. 468-469.
VI. 2 Dispelling obstacles of dreaming (rMi lam gyis 'byams sel ba)
Homage to gurus!
As to twelve dispersals [of dreaming], it is said that there are four root [dispersals].
These four [dispersals] are (i) dispersals through deluded thoughts, (ii) dispersals
through previous mental continuum, (iii) dispersals through waking and (iv)
dispersals through forgetfulness. As to dispersal through deluded thoughts, [that is
to say], you do not attain dream. In this regard, you should control the strong prana
and you will attain dreams afterwards. As to dispersals through mental continuum, it
is said that you think, you should attain dreams and that dream itself disperses. You
will attain dreams through purification. As to dispersals through waking, it is said
that as soon as you attain dream during sleeping, you wake up, and [the dream] is
cut through immediately. In this regard, it is said that you should think of purifying
sleep without waking and attain the dream. As to dispersals of forgetfulness, you
attain [the dream] once and you will forget it. In this regard, it is said that after you
think you should not forget it, you will not forget it.
If you distinguish these twelve dispersals, it is said that the dispersal through
deluded thoughts can not be further subdivided. The dispersals through previous
mental continuum can be subdivided into four parts: (i) the dispersal through
yourself, you should not be separated from the mental continuum, since you
cognize yourself, you should cognize dream as dream, (ii) the dispersal through
other, you should cognize [the dream] even if other people appears [in the dream].
You should think and cultivate it. (iii) the dispersal through sleep, you went into
sleep [and the dream disperses]; (iv) the dispersal by means of dreaming, you think
that you should cognize [dream as dream] even if ox and others appear [in the
dream], but you are not able to purify [the dream]. Thus, the four kinds of
dispersals are subdivided into twelve kinds of dispersals like that. It is said that
there is no remedy besides the previous four.
There are two kinds of dreams: (i) successful dream, and (ii) unsuccessful dream. As
to the unsuccessful dream, it is involuntary (without self-control), delusory,
perverse, and impure; as to the successful dream, it is independent, non-delusory,
unperverted, and pure. You should be mindful, cognize [dream as] illusion, and
cognize dream as dream. You should cognize also in the time of awake that all that
appears and exists are illusory. Illusion is actually dream. Whoever constantly
practices, he will be identified with the Buddha Vajradhara himself. As the skillful
means of attaining dream, you practice vase-breath for one session, as soon as you
go to sleep for a little while, the prana enters your navel and you dream.108
108 Bla ma dam pa rnams la phyag 'tshal lo//'byams pa bcu gnyis ni/ rtsa ba bzhi yin
gsung/ de la 'khrul 'byams dang/ sngar gyi rgyun la 'byams pa dang/ sad 'byams dang/brjed
'byams dang bzhi'o/ 'khrul 'byams ni/ ma zin pa yin/ de la rlung drag po bzung gin byas pas
zin de 'ong/ rgyun 'byams ni/ rmi lam zin par bya'o/ de rang 'byams pa'o// ... snyam nas
sbyangs pas zin gsung/ sad 'byams ni/gnyid ma sad par zin 'phro la sad pa yin snyam nas
'phro bead pa 'ong gsung/ de la gnyid ma sad par sbyang snyam pa'o/ des zin gsung/ brjed
'byams ni/theng cig zin yang brjed pa 'ong/ de la ma rjed par bya'o/ snyam pas mi brjed
gsung/ bcu gnyis su phye na 'khrul 'byams la dbye ba med gsung/ sngar gyi rgyun 'byams la
bzhi las/ bdag la rten nas 'byams pa ni/ bdag shes nas rmi lam du shes par bya ba'i bar rgyun
dang ma bral bar bya'o/ gzhan la 'byams pa ni/ mi gzhan du snang yang shes par bya'o/
snyam zhing sbyang ba'o/ gnyid 'byams ni/ gnyid du song nas so/ rmi lam la rten nas 'byams
pa ni/ ba lang la sogs pa snang yang shes par bya'o/ snyam zhing sbyang bar mi byed pa'o/
226 SHENWEIRONG
VII. Closing Remarks

To sum up, we are able to draw the following three conclusions:
1) The Chinese text Menghuan shen yaomen found in the Khara Khoto
Manuscripts preserved in Russia is an imperfect translation of sGam po pa
bSod nams rin chen's sGyu lus kyi man ngag which is a part of his extensive
commentary on the Nâ ro chos drug, entitled as rje dwagspo lha rjeH gsung dmar
khrid gsang chen bar doH dmar khrid 'pho ba'i dmar khrid zhal gdams bcaspa bzhus
so. This text was one of the earliest Chinese translations of Tibetan tantric
Buddhist texts from the Tangut kingdom. Although there are additions and
deletions within the translation, this text is certainly able to stand alone to
serve the purpose as the practical instruction to the yogic practice of dream for
Chinese practitioners.
2) By means of tracing down the origin and further development of the dream
yoga in India and Tibet, we know that sGam po pa's instruction on the dream
yoga mainly based on Nâropa's sNyan brgyud rdo tye'i tshig rkang, bKa7 yang dag
tshad ma and Chos drug gi bka' dpe. sGam po pa epitomized the profound
teachings on the dream yoga of Indian and Tibetan masters previous to him in
the lineage of transmission of bKa' brgyud pa tradition. With his three texts,
i.e., sGyu lus kyi man ngag, rMi lam gyi man ngag and rMi lam gyis ''byams sel ba,
sGam po pa built up a comprehensive and standardized system of the yogic
practice of dream. This system is largely carried forward and enhanced by
later masters of various schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
3) Since the Menghuan shen yaomen and other Chinese ritual texts of Tibetan
tantric Buddhism found in Khara Khoto manuscripts are evidently related to
the esoteric instruction of the Nâ ro chos drug of the bKa' brgyud pa tradition, it
provides further evidence to the fact that Tibetan lamas who spread Tibetan
Buddhism in the Tangut Kingdom were mostly from the bKa' brgyud pa
tradition. The discovery of these Chinese ritual texts of Tibetan tantric
Buddhism found in Khara Khoto, along with several other texts on the practice
of inner heat, intermediate state, dream and illusory body in the Dacheng yaodao
miji, indicates that the profound teachings of the Nâ ro chos drug were widely
known by Chinese followers of Tibetan Buddhism in the Tangut kingdom and
the Mongol-Yuan dynasty. Therefore, the so-called Tibetan Book of the Dead,
which was primarily based on the yogic practice of intermediate state, was in
fact known to Chinese Buddhists at least six centuries ago.
de ltar bzhi po yang dbye ba de bcu gnyis so/ bcos lugs gong gi bzhi po las med gsung// rmi
lam la gnyis yod de/ lam du 'gro ba dang mi 'gro ba'o// lam du mi 'gro ba ni/ rang dbang
med pa dang/ 'khrul pa dang phyin ci log pa dang ma dag pa'o//lam du 'gro ba ni/ rang
dbang can dang/ ma 'khrul pa dang/ phyin ci ma log pa dang/ dag pa'o/ dran pa dang/ sgyu
mar shes pa dang/ rmi lam la rmi lam du shes par bya/ gnyid ma log pa'i dus su yang snang
srid sgyu mar shes bar bya/ sgyu ma dngos ni rmi lam yin/ gang gis rtag tu bsgoms gyur na/
rdo rje 'dzin pa nyid du 'gyur// rmi lam zin pa'i thabs la/ rlung bum pa can thun re bsgoms
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Studies on Chinese Texts of the Yogic Practices of Tibetan Tantric

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Quintessential Instruction on the Illusory Body of Dream

Dans les cinquième et sixième fascicules des Manuscrits de Khara

Cahiers d'Extrême-Asie 15 (2005) : 187-230

tibétaines, de mettre en évidence leur lignée de transmission et

Ueyama 1990, pp. 84-246.

II. 1 Text of the Menghuan shen yaomen

II. 2 English translation of the Menghuan shen yaomen

16 "it®" must be an error for "

sleep."22 These are the clear evidences.

HI. The Tibetan Original of the Menghuan shenyaomen

25 Cf. Kapstein 1996.

III. 3 English Translation of the sGyu lus kyi man ngag

63 In his instruction on the practice of luminosity, sGam po pa gives more detailed

essence of the esoteric instruction of the contemplation on illusory body of the

IV. 1. Title of the text

IV. 2 Five Steps of the dream yoga

69 Dacbeng yaodao miji, p. 28: '%1 :

sleep is the meditative absorption'. Furthermore, it is said in the Tantra of

IV. 2.1 The first step of the dream yoga

Dacbeng yaodao miji, pp. 26-27: u

IV.2.2 The second step of the dream yoga

74 Cf.Tam 1999, pp. 110-111; Wallace 1998, p. 153.

IV. 2.3 The third step of the dream yoga

IV. 2.4 The fourth step of the dream yoga

IV. 2.5 The fifth step of the dream yoga

77 Tarn 1999, pp. 112-113.

V. The origin of sGam po pa's teaching of the dream yoga.

80 Cf. Torricelli 1993; Torricelli 1997; Torricelli 1999.

V. 3 The Vajra Verse of the Six Doctrines of Nâropa

92 SB 1, vol. 2, pp. 349-350.

The second passage reads as follows:

dreaming, various anguishes will appear. Furthermore, as to the purification of the

VI. sGam po pa's two other texts on the dream yoga

Furthermore, as to contemplate on thatness, you should furthermore cognize that

VII. Closing Remarks

HI. Secondary Literature

1988 Xixiafojiao shilue ffiX$&ifc5kB£ (The brief history of Buddhism in Xi

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