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As Tapihritsa (c 7th ~ 8th century) was a Bon practitioner who achieved the Dzogchen mastery of the rainbow body) said, “If you do not know what are called the Six Essential Points of the Enlightened Mind, then it is like showing things to a blind person. Without these instructions, then although you are taught many Dzogchen texts, it is like the body without the heart or the sense faculty without the eyes. Sentient beings' minds may go that way, but they will only get the benefit of the provisional meaning. It is very difficult to reach the essence of the reality of the Natural State of mind.”
These instructions of the Six Lamps from the Dzogchen Oral Transmission of Zhang Zhung taught by Küntu Zangpo have never been hidden, remaining undiminished to the present time. The energy of the blessings has never depleted. These instructions are without any mistakes or faults. We followers of Yungdrung Bӧn have this kind of meritorious fortune.
The instructions of the Six Lamps from the Dzogchen Oral Transmission of Zhang Zhung are the consummation of the Eighty-Four Thousand Teachings of Bӧn, the innermost essence of Dzogchen, the secret instructions of the Nine Buddhas of the Mind transmission. They are the unsurpassable oral transmission of the Twenty- Four Dzogchen masters who manifested the rainbow body.
Therefore, these instructions identify the Universal Ground (kün zhi) like a mirror. Like seeing the reflection of your face in a mirror, these instructions directly show the Universal Ground that was not previously seen.
These instructions are like a lamp that reveals the hidden primordial wisdom (yé shé). Like raising a lamp in the darkness, everything is directly and clearly seen without being hidden. Now, the way this primordial wisdom has been hidden is revealed by these instructions, directly revealing primordial wisdom vividly.
These instructions strip Rigpa (awareness) naked. Like seeing a person’s body without clothing, these instructions strip Rigpa revealing it nakedly.
These instructions decisively settle delusion. Just like when the source of a river is dry, the river will not flow, by these instructions the basis of delusion is decisively settled and is shown not to exist.
These instructions are the teaching of the heart advice pointing the finger at the reality of the Natural State. Whatever things there may be, it becomes clear when someone points directly to them. In this way, these instructions point right on the view of the non-duality of emptiness and clarity, the great reality beyond the Intellect.
Summary of the Six Lamps
According to the teaching of the Six Lamps from the Zhang Zhung Nyen Gyü, the natural energy of the primordial state can be seen as six lamps, or lights. The six lamps are recognized as follows:
1️⃣ The light of künzhi, the mother, the base. This first lamp is the clear light of emptiness, the unbounded pure presence that is like a fully illuminated sky. Like sunshine in a clear, open sky, this light pervades all that appears and exists; it universally pervades all of samsara and nirvana and is not limited by any confines. It is unmodified, uncontrived, and spontaneously perfect. This is known as the lamp of the abiding base.
2️⃣ The light of self-arising innate awareness within the heart. This light of rigpa is no different from the light of künzhi or any of the other lamps. It is all-pervasive like the sun in a vast, cloudless sky. But in this case, you sense its location in the center of the heart. Your essence, your whole being is felt in the vast space within the depths of the heart. This light of awareness is called the lamp of the physical heart.
3️⃣ The light of penetrating wisdom that moves through the channels. There are two energy channels leading from the heart to the eyes. If you close your eyes and connect with the light in the heart, you can sense a spontaneous arising of rigpa as it flows unimpeded from the heart to the eyes. This light is known as the lamp of the soft white channel.
4️⃣ The light of naked awareness before experience is divided into particular forms or entities. As the third light arises from the heart and you open your eyes, you can see the light of innate awareness. Here, you are resting your gaze as though gazing at the sky without grasping at any objects that fall within your line of vision. You continue to feel the same deep space within the heart penetrating through the channels, through the eyes, and resting in the sky. This is called the watery lamp of the far-reaching lasso.
5️⃣ The light of naked nondual awareness that underlies the apparent division into subject and object. This is the light of rigpa as it manifests as any object of your awareness. Now you allow your vision to rest on objects before you. When the mind is left in its own state and does not perceive or engage objects by means of cognition, the base of all brilliantly manifests without obscuration. The appearances of objects arise vividly clear like reflections in a mirror. Because you are not disconnected from the space and continue to perceive the same light that pervades the base, you experience the sacred in appearances. You realize the three kayas in appearances. You realize the light in appearances. This is known as the lamp of pointing out the pure dimension.
6️⃣ The light of samsara and nirvana. At the time of death, if you have learned to recognize and familiarize yourself with this light that pervades all your experience, you will have less or no fear. Even with the loss of your physical body, you do not experience losing your self. Because innate awareness has attained its own place, you do not chase after appearances and are freed from the illusion that self-arising appearances exist externally. Confusion is cleansed and purified. This light is the sixth lamp, the lamp of the bardo.
~Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Why we need to study the Six Lamps
In the Six Lamps, these lamps mean light. Light means to know reality. These lamps are called lamps because they shine a light on reality, showing us what is real. This means understanding reality. Understanding the wisdom of why we are suffering. Understanding the cause of suffering. Understanding how we can be free of this suffering. This is the main subject of the Six Lamps. To try to understand why we become angry or jealous. Where do these emotions come from? Why do we have negative emotions? This is the main question. Why do we say “I am angry?” All sentient beings have these five poisons or five negative emotions. But where do they come from? Why do these five negative emotions arise? This is the main point. These negative emotions disturb our calm mind, disturb our happiness, and cause many problems for us. When we are angry, our relationships suffer. These emotions are like a disease that destroys our happiness. We study and practice the Six Lamps so we can understand the base of these negative emotions and understand the base of happiness. This is the main subject and very important to study. The Six Lamps is not a teaching taught by everyday people, but it was taught by enlightened beings, such as Taphrista. Teachings from enlightened beings are so precious. We should not treat them as if they are mundane worldly teachings. We should look at studying these teachings as a gift we can give to ourselves. How many hours do you have in a week? Feel that you are important, and give yourself the gift of exploring and studying these wonderful teachings so you can come to know reality. Even if it’s taking time each day or week to sit and listen and read the teachings, being yourself with a pure mind just listening to the teachings of the Buddha. Feel happy and connect to the teachings of the Buddha. How fortunate to be receiving these teachings in this life. What a rare and marvelous opportunity. I shall not waste it. Feel happy and trust that there is a Buddha. Trust in yourself and your aspirations. Everyday, step by step, little by little, we can understand more and more who and what we really are.
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