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ṣaḍaṅga-yoga-upadeśa

Oral Instructions on the Yoga of the Six Branches

     I prostrate before the glorious and marvelous Great Bliss! I prostrate before the body of the Great Bliss!
     I will expound the oral precepts on the six yogas.
     For the sake of practicing the great Vajradhara, after acquiring the four empowerments by a practitioner, abide in a secluded place on a seat in accordance with [the practice of] devata. Exercise there meditation on the six yogas.
     First [follow] the dissolution of the individual. First [carry out] in the nighttime, later in the daytime. When there is no opening, [be] within within that which is covered by the roof. When Mount Meru rises, the four continents gather. When it rises, the tongues of the increase of the Sun and Moon vibrate. By the common vajra the sea is destroyed. The great prana from above strikes the downward [prana].
     This is called the “Formation of the body.” These bind the pranas within. Realize [the formation of] the gaze of the great ushnisha. Due to abiding in the pride of deity, gaze into the heavenly space, being bound to the space. The five signs such as smoke, etc., will arise. Will appear as comprehension of emptiness. In the morning, look toward the west. Do not perform meditation in the evening. Due to binding, which is done in the manner shown earlier, gaze non-conceptually at outer space. The six signs arise, such as like a blaze and so forth. [Appear] the signs of realizing, floating in space, and so forth.
     If you immerse yourself in the dissolution of the individual, [you will attain] the blessing of all mantras.
     For the sake of attaining stability in emptiness, meditate in meditative immersion like the one shown earlier. Meditate on emptiness while gazing with your eyes into space. Through habituation, wisdom, comprehension, practice, joy and bliss will arise. In this way, the five kinds of clairvoyance will arise as signs. If one enters into equilibrium in meditative immersion, one will attain the five clairvoyances. This will be the cause for realization-guidance, unidirectional [concentration], and so forth.
     These two are virtuous in the beginning and form the foundation of the vision of emptiness.
     For the sake of establishing the increase of bliss in emptiness, by controlling the vital force subdue prana. Use the gaze of the bubbling nectar-amrita. When the breath enters inside the channels, begin to perform vajra recitation. If special bliss arises due to this, then perform the yoga of the heat-chandali. If special bliss does not arise, then perform the yoga of seal-wisdom. [Then] the mind and body will definitely [appear] in great bliss. One will see the Enlightened One and the dakinis. Motivation and prediction will arise. Form nine, such as entering the vessel-vase [in breathing] and so forth. When there is certainty in controlling the life force, you will see aspects of bodhisattvas, etc.
     For the sake of establishing stability in this, meditate on grasping-holding. Meditate on holding and bringing prana, etc. into the center of the four chakras. There will also arise signs in the body, etc. Nine, such as staying in the vase-vase, etc., will appear. Through the power of constant abiding, one will truly immerse oneself in Vajrasattva.
     These two are the virtuous ones in the middle.
     For the sake of forming steadfastness in the inseparability of bliss and emptiness, practise the meditation of subsequent remembrance. Meditate on [the oneness of] bliss and emptiness, steady in the four places. Through special habituation you will abide steadiness when the gaze of the Enlightened One does not change. You will see in the body the emanation of light and sambhogakaya. If you sink into equilibrium in subsequent remembrance, a mandala of light will arise. In the subsequent remembrance, etc., the body is realized.
     For the sake of forming stability in it, practice samadhi meditation. Realize complete habituation in the essence of the inseparability of bliss and emptiness. The [oneness] of bliss and emptiness, etc., will arise everywhere. The nine, such as spontaneous realization, etc., will appear. Only by submission and transformation of samadhi will all veils be purified.
     These two are virtuous in completion.
     Through habituation to such practice in this life one will attain [the state of] the Enlightened One. And until you attain it, meditate on the six yogas. These are the oral precepts that are free from passion. That which possesses passion understand it as the other six yogas.
     May through the virtue of practicing these, I and others attain the level of the great Vajradhara.
     Thus concludes Chelupa's oral instructions on the yogas of the six branches.
     Translated by Pandita Samantashri and the translator Ra Chhorab.
     Translated by Karma Paljor (O.E. Filippov).