The 5th Seal : The Forgotten Seal of the Tantrika

Abstract: Have you ever wondered why tantric practitioners live with their partners ? If the ultimate goal of Buddhism is renunciation, why do certain Maha-(Tantra)-yana traditions allow practising with a consort ? How can we justify Guru Padma's decision of being with  his consort Mandāravā/Yeshe ? Is it why some people call this a distorted version of Buddhism or is there a deep esoteric reason behind this ? Does being with a partner accelerate the enlightenment process like it worked out well for early mahasiddhas ? Do Theravada and Maha-(Tantra)-yana traditions finally converge ? We try to find answers to these questions in this article.........

Fig. 1: Guru Padma and Marpa with their partners.

In both Guru Saraha's Mahamudra and Guru Padma's Tantric traditions, we find many practitioners as non-monastic or domestic yogis who diligently engaged in their practices with consorts, partners and families as ordinary people. However their realization was superior to that of the level of highly realized bodhisattvas and even buddhas. Their attachments and family affairs never hindered their spiritual progression. The practitioners from monastic orders were puzzled by this outcome and often label the Tantrikas as heretics and identified their realization to be a mere result of occult practices. This was one of the reasons to abolish Tantric practices in Sri Lanka during the Abhayagiri (12th century) period. The Tantric masters were defrocked and given the choice of either returning to the laity permanently, or re-ordination under the monastic tradition as "novices" (sāmaṇera) [1]. 

The Four Seals of Tantra

Anything that we do not deeply study, analytically or experientially verify cannot be judged by our limited perception. In the previous article we studied the potential of Tantra to exploit passion for much deeper realization. Does Tantra only speak about passion ? This is a misconception too. Tibetan Buddhism emphasizes four main factors that releases the bodhisattva from the iron chains that bind him to samsara, pretty similar to the four noble truths of Theravada tradition in my opinion. Generally they are given by:

1. All conditioned phenomena are impermanent and suffering.

2. All contaminated phenomena are, by nature, suffering

3. All phenomena are empty of self-existence

4. Nirvana is true peace.

To me they are synonymous with the four noble truths of basic (Theravada) teachings:

1. Dukka ("not being at ease", "suffering"): is an innate characteristic of the perpetual cycle of grasping at things, ideas and habits. This is the impermanence and suffering !

2. Samudaya (origin, arising, combination; "cause"): dukkha (unease) arises simultaneously with craving, desire or attachment. This is about contamination in us !

3. Nirodha (cessation, ending, confinement): dukkha can be ended or contained by the confinement or letting go of this craving. This is understanding self nature in phenomena !

4. Marga: Path leading to the confinement of Dukkha, which is the path to Nirvana (8-fold) !

This means at some point in the bodhisattva path (Be it general Mahayana or Tantric), the bodhisattva also converges into the Shravaka practice, essentially at the last few stages of the noble 8-fold path. Till that point, he was strengthening his energy system, mastering yogic sadhanas and stabilizing his Samadhis and gaining universal wisdom. Separate paths and their convergence will be illustrated in detail in a later post.

The Fifth Seal : Action or Wisdom Seal

We say that the consort (spouse) is the action (wisdom) seal of the Tantrika. Is it only about physical connection between the two or something beyond ?

In the previous article we studied that there is an energetical connection between the yogi and this yogini. This energetical connection is quite important for the bodhisattva to further progress in spiritual path. In a nutshell, the 5th Seal provides the universal feminine teachings to the bodhisattva. Examples includes:

1. Mahasiddha Saraha receives Tantric teachings from his consort, the arrow smith.

2. Deep energetical connection between Marpa and his wife, who was a teacher to Milarepa.

3. Interaction between Guru Padma and his consorts.

4. Mahasiddha Ganthapa's progression thanks to his consort practice.

5. Master Jayasuriya was a domestic yogi too.

6. One of the greatest yogis of recent times, Shakya Sri.

Reasoning outside books (abstract info):

1. Bodhisattva cannot progress through the higher levels without mastering, receiving universal feminine teachings. He is then supposed to unite both feminine and masculine energies within him.

2. Messages and instructions required for the progression is received through the partner, i.e. for death experience, how to handle or to ground ourselves in our physical body, stabilizing clear-lights. 

3. Removing the blockages in the lower energy centers.

4. Binding two energies, mixing energies for a higher purpose (Guru Padma is a master of this kind). Such partners can easily live together as their energy profiles are balanced and in harmony!

Renunciation and Celibacy

A yogi, practitioner from Buddhist tradition has two types of realization; energetical and the state of his mind. The energetical realization is usually gained by performing yogic sadhanas, undertaking orthodox as well as unorthodox practices. This is mandatory for bodhisattvas. Energetical realization does not necessarily mean, the bodhisattva is enlightened ! 

All type of adepts (bodhisattvas, silent buddhas and shravakas) require Vipassana/Mindfulness practices to eradicate fetters and therefore their practice ascribed to the state of mind is same in all paths. However by performing certain sadhanas on our energy system, bodhisattva may have some acceleration in this practice. If a yogi develops himself to the Bardo state (while living), if he possesses mastery over subtle bodies, for him celibacy is not even a question. He is always living in the supreme climax, except for the occasional moments of coming to his consciousness. This is why in early Tantric traditions, strict practice of celibacy was not so important.

His Eminence Drubwang Rinpoche must have had many insights to reveal on this aspect !

 

In master Jayasuriya's spiritual lineage, out of ~12000 practitioners, only a handful (about 10) had the Bardo access where two of them were great yoginis (ladies). According them, after they were able to consciously separate mind→subtle bodies→physical body link, they never had the requirement to have a physical connection with their partners. These people did not come to the public, until interviewed recently. A new post will be dedicated in their namesake in the coming weeks 🙏🙏🙏