The Inconceivable Stage

The Inconceivable Stage

by the Mahasiddha Kotalipa
(From Sakya Mahamudra)

In Sanskrit: Acantyakramo-upadeshanama
In Titetan: bsam gyis mi khyab pa’i tim pa’i man ngag ces bya ba
In English: The Intimate Instruction of the Inconceivable Stage

I prostrate to Sri Vajrasattva
1. Homage to discriminating wisdom that arises
as the supreme essence,
the nature of inconceivable nondual space.
I will write of returning to the stage of perfection
that Bhadrapa taught.
2. The great secret method and wisdom,
the characteristic of inconceivable compassion,
the wisdom whose range is beyond speech
will arise naturally.
3. That perception perceiving with the form
of an object is not meditation;
the supreme nonduality self-arisen
with the nature of a blissful aspect.
4. Bodhicitta can’t be seen
by vajraholders because it’s not real;
the ultimate will not be seen as duality
by an analysis of the permanent and impermanent.
5. This nature of phenomena
is not an object and is not empty;
non-dual wisdom will blaze
because of investigating duality.
6. That aspect of all is non-dual
those dualities do not exist;
the aspect of uniform one taste
is the supreme inconceivable wisdom.
7. The supreme nonduality is not meditated
with the concepts of a conceptual yoga;
the non-conceptual vajra of bliss
will be obtained with the inconceivable.
8. Creation causes conceptuality,
and completion, both of them are the same;
freed from the aspect of duality,
the possessor of traces gives up traces.
9. Bhadrapa taught the stage to which one returns is
wisdom, free from the aspects of traces,
self-arisen, not a pretense.
10. Traces with the nature of real
and unreal are bondage;
severed by the inconceivable
with a non-conceptual nature.
11. It is said: “The Jewel Mind is made impure
by the net of the impurities of concepts;
by freeing it from impurities, it is Buddhahood,
‘non-dual wisdom’.”
12. The yogi must always see
everything in the non-conceptual nature;
this is the Samadhi meditation
taught by Bhadrapa.
13. The nature of anything non-arisen
will not itself cease;
that wisdom is nondual
and perfectly free of all conceptuality.
14. Buddha Vajradhara and so on
explain conceptuality as external;
the meaning of non-conceptuality arises
with the glorious vajra of great bliss.
15. The whole world actually exists
because of inner and outer conceptuality’
nonduality is completely liberated from duality,
wisdom will arise naturally.
16. Do not meditate on non-existents,
also do not meditate on existents,
the bliss of heroes is without extremes,
the inconceivable exists without duality.
17. Whatever sentient beings think
dwells in the aspect of discriminating wisdom’s
essence,
the arrow of blossoming compassion
hits the target, great bliss.
18. Inanimate and animate phenomena
abide as appearances because there is no duality;
they are naturally pure,
peace, space, and immaculate.
19. Nonduality is merely a name,
even that name will not exist;
sensation and one who senses are free from
indications,
nonduality is great bliss.
20. Liberated from all concepts,
without the dualism of duality, supreme peace,
like space, liberated from conceptuality,
this is called non-dual,
21. the meditation on the appearances of all
phenomena
with the yoga of abiding in the inconceivable,
the stage of Dharmasena,
taught by Bhadrapa.
22. Dividing the non-dual into appearances,
the glorious greatly blissful protector,
of a single nature,
emanates as different appearances because of
living
beings.
23. Those deceived by telling lies,
talking about emptiness as an object,
will not realize the highest bliss
because of the bondage of confusing concepts.
24. Pure method and wisdom
is beyond conceptual imputations of evil,
the great yoga of non-dual wisdom,
is itself unique great bliss.
25. Because something is naturally inconceivable,
Buddhahood is not within the domain of the mind,
its nature is everything,
self-arising, transcending thoughts.
26. All creatures on earth
will be harmed by the net of conceptuality,
that unique nondual wisdom
is free from all conceptuality.
27. A stream and its channel will not be two things
no matter how long
also there is nothing in the middle,
supreme nondual wisdom.
28. The differences of everything relative
duality and nonduality are conceptual;
the great yoga of method and wisdom
is called non-dual one taste.
29. There isn’t anything in the middle between
one who is passionate and free from passion;
bliss is never truly known,
that is called nonduality
30. Free from a basis of characteristics and
characteristics,
free from a knower and the known,
the Jewel Mind is best realized
by giving up the selfless individually.
31. Because existents lack a nature,
also non-existents will never be seen;
by realizing eye consciousness,
non-dual wisdom is amazing!
32. Completely free from all proliferation,
and immaculate like space;
cutting the nets of concepts
inconceivable nonduality is supreme.
33. Penetrated by the elixir of nondualitylike
heavy wood and stone
are turned in a statue of a god
Bhadrapa has taught.
34. Method, wisdom and great compassion,
aspects of unique one taste,
in that wisdom is perfected
the nondual great bliss itself.
35. Beyond form, sound, taste and so on,
free from smell and touch and so on,
becoming the dharmadhatu, pure,
supreme nondual wisdom.
36. Liberated from all concepts,
free from subject and object,
natural purity is uncovered,
the meaning of nonduality is the sublime.
37. Non-arisen and unceasing,
unchanging and non-abiding,
supreme real nondual wisdom,
this is itself mahamudra.
38. Qualities and faults
are described as appearances in the ind;
therefore, supreme one-pointed wisdom
from the nature without pretense,
39. wisdom naturally arises
without any meditation at all.
What is the reason? This inconceivable Dharma
Is the non-dual abode of the Buddhas.
40-. More pure than very purest,
free from meditator and an object of meditation
the only source of glorious bliss
will certainly be seen through non-conceptuality.
41. The forms of the deity are manifold,
Vajrasattva and so on,
The Buddhas are all reflections,
and the assembly of the mandala of yoginis,
42. all the wrathful kings,
likewise the vidya goddesses,
the excellent mandalacakra,
the immaculate aspects of appearance,
43. likewise, the sutra-pitika,
further, the stages of the perfections,
mantra, mudra, rigpa,
likewise, accomplishing the essence
44. all explanation of mantras
the activities of the mandala and the fire offerings,
recitations, the offering rituals,
self arise from nonduality;
45. the view is Shiva and Surya;
likewise, the suitable offerings, Vishnu,
those who claim the authority of the Vedas
and the others will self-arise.
46. This yoga, the abode of the omniscient,
inconceivable and non-conceptual,
the view called ‘Samantabhadra’,
is non-dual, like a wish-fulfilling gem,
47. the [siddhis] of the underground, swords, pills,
wooden shoes, a vase and a yakshini,
also elixir and excellent eye medicine
are self-accomplished, not existing elsewhere.
48. Mantrins should not meditate existents
also should not meditate non-existents,
liberation is non-conceptual,
everything is self-arisen.
49. Also when Buddhahood itself is accomplished,
what need to speak of Shiva, Vishnu and so on?
Its characteristics do not exist,
Lacking form, characteristics or color.
50. The excellent holder of an illusory appearance,
the immaculate nature of existents,
the appearance of natural luminous clarity
the joyful source of eternal bliss.
51. Free from body, speech and mind,
the shining appearance of a mirror,
the bliss of supreme joy’s appearance,
the source of eternal great bliss.
52. Names and colors are best described
by demonstrations that utilize words;
because of being beyond words
it’s not easy to express to others,
53. though with the method of passionate activities
the desired goal is easy,
at the time of the great secret offering,
one becomes nondual with the prajna,
54. because the traces are exhausted
in the nature that has a single aspect,
Bhadrapa taught
Buddhahood itself will definitely be obtained.
55. Receiving the empowerment with the stains of
traces,
from the different applications of texts,
with different separate colors,
is not the non-dual itself,
56. free from beginning, middle and end,
free from creation and completion,
free from thought and thinker
nondual wisdom is supreme,
57. taught by Bhadrapa
as ‘nondual Buddhahood’.
Therefore, through realization of Buddhahood
The sublime siddhas became Buddhas.
58. Buddhahood is named “nondual”
because of the application of words of the
demonstration;
because of the way the ultimate is
undifferentiated,
there is no Buddhahood and no nonduality.
59. If wisdom becomes supreme,
it is far away from the stains of concepts,
The emperor is hidden from
All concepts of existents and so on.
60. Yogis upholding “the non-dual”
through the yoga of cultivating experience
by the kindness of Bhadrapa
be patient towards me.
61. Also scholars should be very diligent
in order to exhaust traces;
otherwise there will be no Buddhahood
for incalculable eons.
62. Traces are exhausted
led by non-dual wisdom;
when traces are exhausted,
nonduality is called “Buddhahood.”
63. In the state of free from traces,
there is no division at all
into medium or ordinary people,
they are called “Buddhas”.
64. Also Bhadrapa taught
wisdom perfectly abides
because of the natureless nature,
method is the creator of phenomena,
65. through the yoga of one-taste
that has a nature of unifying those,
Bhadrapa said:
“This is the supreme nonduality.”
66. Bhadrapa said excellently:
“There is no instruction, meditation, or
contemplation;
Buddhahood itself is attained
Because of the beautiful consort possessing
supreme joy.”
67. An example cannot be given
for all phenomena,
eye through mental consciousness
are free from the phenomena of the examples.
66. Unique, without beginning,
without end, perfectly abiding appearances,
to be understood by the excellent one,
from the kindness of the Guru.
67. Yoga will now be explained to people:
anuyoga is relative,
non-dual wisdom is great yoga
the yogin himself will become a Buddha.
68. When the sun and moon are seized by the eclipse
Buddhahood itself arises here
Through the non-dual wisdom which
Melts from the union of the prajna and the vajra.
69. The nature of ultimate joy
is free from subject and object,
without doubts about the form of accomplishment
supreme non-dual compassion;
70. Any form, supreme, medium or common,
can be seen by anyone’s eye;
the sublime see nonduality
with nature of the ultimate object.
71. The function of both ears, pleasant and
unpleasant sounds,
can be heard by anyone’s ears;
supreme wisdom is beyond sound,
the ear of supreme nonduality.
72. Good taste and bad taste
can be tasted by anyone’s tongue;
supreme nonduality is realized
with the six tastes of different things.
73. Because the scent of musk and so on,
smelled with the nose is a smell consciousness;
supreme nonduality will be known
by its unique nature.
74. Because of having been born in different
birthplaces
through the nature of physical contact,
the perfect union of method and wisdom
is the supreme nonduality.
75. Pervading everything without spaces,
from the light rays of the appearances of wisdom,
is independent supreme joy,
the sublime bliss of nondual Buddhahood.
76. Formations, sensation, ideation,
matter and consciousness are
the bodies of the five different wisdoms,
the dualistic is non-dual.
77. Combining the five lords together,
Vairocana, Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava,
Amitays and likewise Amoghasiddi,
Is the sixth, the Great Blissful one.
78. Earth, water and likewise fire,
air and also space itself,
the innate five elements
are transformed into nondual awakening.
79. The mirror-like, equality, activity
discrimination and the dharmadatu wisdoms
are comprehended to be concepts,
be confident in nonduality alone.
80. Influenced by sentient beings’ wishes
with the fortune of texts, and so on
Shiva and so on, Vishnu, Brahma,
And omniscience are nonduality alone.
81. The domain beyond all
objects and so on, and the mind;
the name “the nondual ultimate”
is a relative verbal proliferation.
82. Other than differentiations of the ultimate state
Buddhahood does not exist and duality does not
exist;
Because of concepts, the ‘yoga of space’
is also said to be a verbal proliferation.
83. The words of various treatises
explain through different aspects;
nondual Buddhahood
cannot be spoken of to others.
84. Explaining emptiness,
investigating the ten discriminating wisdoms,
and also explaining the Buddhas as five,
and the eight relatives are non-dual.
85. See everything as if it
were a reflection in the mirror;
likewise, in this non-dual wisdom
Buddha’s awakening is inconceivable.
86. In all three realms,
all of the causes of birth and location
the source of all living beings will be
from non-dual wisdom.
87. Oceans, mountains, trees,
roots, branches, vines and so on,
nondual wisdom is the source of those,
here there can be no doubt.
88. Father and mother are one
two do not exist here;
from actual non-dual wisdom
moreover everything will arise;
89. Thus, from the non-dual nature of
wisdom joined with the method
here, the yogin
immediately attains Buddhahood.
90. The supreme pure wisdom,
the text of the lineage of Gurus,
from mouth to ear, mouth to ear,
was taught by Bhadrapa.
91. Becauase of this, through the kindness of
Bhadrapa
the yogin of the inconceivable meditation
will definitely attain Buddhahood
with the yoga of completion.
92. The lineage of Ashvapada, Vinapada,
Indrabhuti, Lakshminkara
Lilavajra, Ghunaderi
greatly compassionate Master Padma,
93. and Dharmasena,
encountered in Bhadrapa
all have one intention
supreme non-dual wisdom.
94. In all the teachings of mantra,
likewise, the system of the perfections,
the sutra-pitika, and so on,
here is only great nondual bliss.
95. The individual tenets of
mChod’os, Surya, Shiva, and so on;
The Dharma of Vishnu and Manu,
are demonstrated as nonduality.
96. There is nothing outside nonduality.
Gods, titans and common people
Are all nondual wisdom
That will be seen in different appearances.
97. The one who integrates compassion with
nonduality,
holds method and wisdom equally
specifying emptiness separately,
Buddha is the highest of all.
98. This, Bhadrapa’s text,
is the ultimate ocean of wisdom,
like churning milk, the appearances
of others all will be born from it.
99. Those known as Bhrama, Vishnu, Ishvara
any Buddhas, and so on,
along with the sun, moon and stars,
arise from the ocean of wisdom.
100. Lakshmi and Sarasvati
are the supreme taste of amrita;
with the gods, titans and men,
everything arose from amrita.
101. The virtuous stage of Vajradhara
is also explained to be the thirteenth.
Arising in the form of a triangle,
this is called the dharmakara.
102. By being filled with the sun, moon and water,
the form of the Prajna blazes more;
In order to obtain Buddhahood
all great bliss is from bliss.
103. The great lotus has ten million petals,
supreme and common anthers exist inside it,
perfectly endowed with the vowels and
consonants.
104. Concealed by the covering of the moon and sun
uniformly endowed with nine Prajnas;
the aspect of dripping and blazing
is the supreme source of the lunar bindu.
105. That excellent woman creating joy,
she who bestows of the ultimate result
completely
very full of the first amrita,
is equal to possessing a precious jewel.
106. The abode of limitless qualities,
the abode of the blissful Sri Vajradhara
the creator of all happiness,
the creator who can cause destruction,
107. the forms of the deity are manifold,
and produced from the ocean of non-dual
wisdom.
Dharma, sambhogarupa
and nirmana are the kayas,
108. turning the wheel of Dharma
for the benefit of all sentient beings
in all the utter reaches
of all the world systems in the ten directions.
109. Possessing the power of the ten wisdoms.
The space of the sublime Prajna Queen’s lotus
is the path upon which to travel,
to return to Bhadra’s stage.
110. The heart lotus, the navel lotus,
likewise, the throat lotus
also the coiled birth place lotus,
exist as the door through which to travel.
111. When the movement of feces, urine, and sperm
are met at the nine gates;
the deity, meditation, hearing,
and supreme taste are transformed into rigpa.
112. The uniform lotus body
abides above and below,
this is explained as “The Prajna”
the consort of all Buddhas.
113. The deity abiding inside her,
the nondual sublime lord
will sport in the three-fold lotus,
the omniscient great blissful one.
114. Ornamented with fire,
water, earth and air,
carried by the vidya’s slow movement
into the three separate [nadis].
115. From applying the end of the tip
with the coiled lunar path,
the non-dual rosary of Buddhahood,
is in the channel of the vajra with a root.
116. If thoroughly afflicted because of movement,
after relaxing the coiled tip
having applied the vajra’s tip
one should drink the amrita.
117. After that, the body is purified,
one’s nature becomes immaculate
one’s intelligence is excellent and one is
knowledgeable,
aging and death are destroyed.
118. Bhadrapa taught this yoga
to me without difficulty,
truly Samadhi is called “amrita”
there is no other truth.
119. By different inhalations through the nose
the indestructible form of Ham
is carried into the path with the path
of the coiled channed, and abides with certainty.
120. That is relaxed at the door,
the pure aspect, luminous clarity,
called ‘beginningless nonduality
perfectly abides in the form of glorious bliss.
121. After that, by exhaling the air,
also great power will appear,
also the definitive path will appear,
one is the supreme uncontrived lord,
122. attainer of the thirteenth stage
abiding like the lord of bliss,
the form that was never created,
the turner of the wheel of Dharma.
123. The stages Bhadrapa taught
are the brief stages of essential meaning;
having accepted whatever was heard,
that is itself the hearing, contemplation and
meditation.
124. By Bhadrapa’s kindness
the one called ‘Virtuous Kotalipa’
correctly compiled
this yogic meditation that was received.
125. May I be born as a servant again and again
of Bhadrapa
of other masters and yogins,
and of all sentient beings.
126. Thus, through such a wish
whether I become a Buddha
or not and go to hell,
hell itself blissful.
The yoga of the limitless purity of the stages of
the Guru
is the text that has become the nature of mantra
of all those of great intelligence.
The section on inconceivable nonduality is the
completion stage itself,
The divine form that is essence of all the textual
systems of yoga.
Because I am confused, of little intelligence, I
have
Written it in topics for my own recollection.




“The Stages of the Inconceivable” by the siddha of Mahamudra, Sri Kotalipa, is finished. Translated by the Indian abbot
Ratnavajra and the Bhikshu Shakya Yeshe.
Translated by Acharya Lama Migmar Tseten and Loppon Kunga Namdrol 2006
Reproduced by kind permission of Acharya Lama Migmar Tseten