Tibetan Perspective: Transition of the 5 Elements in Human Experience

If there ever was an exhaustive topic it is within the form of Tibetan Buddhism. I am in no way deluded into thinking that I can offer a complete understanding of the way the elements are inextricably related in the practices and philosophies of Tibetan culture, which include Bon Shamanism, Buddhism, Tantra and Dzogchen. Discussing these require innumerable disclaimers, partly due to the differences in cultures and the lack of terms within our language to fully conceive these topics.

Such as that the term Shamanism is a misnomer placed on the Bon tradition that is neither accurately descriptive nor embraced.1 Or that the term ‘energy’ here refers to subtle and gross variations of Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Space.2 The balance of these five in their finest forms of light make up the soul, or La. Their capacities on earth are experienced as groundednesss, comfort, inspiration, flexibility, and accommodation respectively. The urge to echo words of my own culture is behind every attempt to explain theirs, to feed connections within this shared canvas of interpreting the Tao.

In Tibetan Buddhism lies the never-ending process of engaging life in a way that truly prepares one to move on from it. Upon leaving the individual bodies we occupy and returning to the elements, our relationship with those elements is the basis of everything 3. Ashes to ashes. This is, strikingly, no different than our condition while we exist in this bodily form, however hidden that truth may be in the moments of our lives. Seen in this way, every experience is ultimately of the five elements in their infinite differentiations.

Inside is another process of embracing change. Peaceful contemplation of death is meant to bring an awareness of renunciation or ‘ng`e jung’ ~ actually emerging from habitual patterns prepared to release them, “as easily freeing yourself as drawing a hair from butter” 4. Life is seen as a dance of birth and death, a dance of change. The crashing of waves, breeze through air, heart beating all are impermanent, all small deaths. These changes are our living link with death, death’s pulse helping us to let go.

By believing the illusion of permanence, there is no openness to learning from change. Left grasping, afraid of letting go, the tragedy of the impossible struggle to hold on unfolds bringing the very pain that is sought to be avoided. In this dynamic, attachment can be mistaken for love, love spoiled by attachment. Yet, loss brings closer the truth of impermanence. When change is accepted, the release does not leave emptiness but births freedom, composure, and compassion.

“He who binds himself to joy, does the winged life destroy,

He who kisses the Joy as it flies, lives in eternity’s sunrise” - William Blake 5

Buddha compared the universe to a blanket of infinitely faceted jewels, each jewel reflecting itself in every other jewel and therefore one with every other jewel. 6 The absolute impermanence of all things mandates their complete interdependence. Quantum particles display this interdependence.

The absence of independent existence is the same as what we call emptiness; I do not fully understand this concept, but am trying. Waves are not separate, all related. Trees are also rain, wind, soil, season, moonlight, starlight and sunlight. The connected nature of the universe holds a message of hope, and responsibility.

The Nature of Mind

The mind is the universal basis of experience consisting of sem, the ordinary mind, and rigpa, pristine awareness. Sem possesses discriminating awareness of duality and is validated by fragmenting the falsely perceived external world. Like a candle in a doorway, confirmation of existence relies on external influences, so the attention is always outward. The external becomes more powerful by consuming this attention, the experience of change and death is continual.

The rigpa is untouched by change or death, it is beyond impermanence. Caught in glimpses as a clear sky through clouds, the knowledge of knowledge itself is not exclusive to our minds. It is the nature of everything, the fundamental truth, and this life is our sacred opportunity to evolve and realize it. For Christians and Jews this rigpa is God; for Hindus it is Self or Shiva, Brahman, Vishnu; for the Sufi it is hidden essence; for Buddhists it is the Buddha nature, and so on.

There are characteristics of the nature of mind that may prevent us from realizing it. First is the closeness, like our own face is hard to see. Next is that is too profound to imagine, if we realized how deep it was we would have already realized it. Too easy, always present and before us. Lastly is that is may be too wonderful for us to imagine that enlightened state is the real nature of our minds.

The conventional western culture educates us that there is nothing beyond what our sciences have constructed models for over the past several hundred years. Typically, when we study the mind, we look at its projections. The treasure in the Buddhism of Tibet, is to look within.

“Our deepest Fears are like Dragons guarding our deepest treasure.” – Rainier Maria Rilke

Without realizing the Nature of Mind, we must unceasingly differentiate self from other, emptiness from awareness, and the discrimination of the 5 essential energies continues to populate the ten thousand things. 2 The secret is that we are neither the sum of our experiences nor the product of the elements at work around us. Rather we are observers experiencing the energies that come into and around us. The sky looking at the clouds.

To realize the sky-like presence of the unending Nature of Mind, one must have three authentics: the blessing of an authentic master, devotion of an authentic student, and authentic lineage of the method of introduction. 3 This introduction follows years of dedicated study and practice under the tutelage of the realized master. The practice merges the nature of the student mind with the mind of master and Buddha.

In time, as this awareness becomes vibrant and steady, it is said that a turning in the seat of consciousness occurs. A rebirth bringing clarity of identity, purpose and action. True spirituality has been compared to always recognizing the dreamlike qualities of life, while maintaining good-hearted intention throughout the dream, no matter what. If you look at the world with eyes of ____, you will see that the world is radiating ____, fill in love, hate, skepticism, whatever. 3

“It is beautiful here because it is beautiful everywhere.” – Ranier Maria Rilke 2

There is a story to illustrate our awareness in the universe about a wax paper doll with holes cut out where the eyes nose, mouth and ears would be. The doll is then placed over a candle and the light shining through the paper doll illuminates the room. The awareness that radiates out from us illuminates our environment.

Balancing the Elements

Within the balanced body the smooth flow of energy can occur. Imbalance or stagnation can create excessive build up of qi or blood in one area, depriving another, preventing the body from being nourished as a whole. Unsettling factors can be more easily subdued when encountered and illness can be minimal. By working with the elements and elemental energy, equilibrium can be restored and maintained in the body. 3

There are specific practices in Bon, Tantra and Dzogchen that bring or release earth, air, fire, space and water to the channels and chakras. When an element is tonified or reduced - brought into balance from a condition of deficiency or excess - all of the aspects of that element are similarly affected. The fire of the sun is the same as the fire of the stomach digesting food and the same as the fire that devastates a forest in a blaze or flares up to our heads in an angry rage. To establish equilibrium one must first consider the element that needs to be balanced, there may be more than one. Consider what troublesome areas may be representative of, and use the specific practices to achieve that balance.

The spectrum of subtle to gross manifestations of the 5 pure lights evidences in bodies, environments and relationships. If there is dis-ease in a relationship it may be solved at the first sign with a simple change of heart, or it may continue until there is a bitter conflict. If there is never time for children, partner, work or self-care, we may end up losing all of those things and still be unable to create more space in our lives. If we cannot shake the sadness of the world and bring it within ourselves, trying to solve problems by giving all we are able, we may find heaviness in our hearts manifesting as breast cancer or other excessive phlegm 4.

Manifestation of an imbalance of the elements may grow from subtle presentation to physical, or vice versa. Physical trauma may result in mental illness or emotional disorder, or an emotional imbalance may result in a physical issue. The physicist David Bohm observed that matter is condensed light, formed into patterns moving about at less than the speed of light. The two-way evolution between the 5 pure lights and their physical manifestations in our world is within even the ideas of physics.

The elements make up the abode of all living beings, even gods and deities. Shamanic (Bon) practices typically recognize and emphasize this connection, finding support in this environment and harmonize the individual within it. The Bon tradition has nine levels of teaching, the first four are called the causal vehicles. These are meant primarily to remove obstacles in this life and are Chasen, Nangshen, Trulshen, and Srishen. 1

Chasen, the way of shen prediction, teaches medical and astrological diagnoses. Nangshen, the way of the shen of the visible world, relates to rituals involving spirits, purification. Practitioners of Trulshen, the way of the shen of magical illusion, journey to wild places and interact with spirits there. Srishen practitioners learn the way of the shen of existence and work with spirits of the living and dead, to recover lost soul properties or gain freedom influence of negative forces.

The sutras embrace renunciation of all the negative aspects that have been obstacles in spiritual growth, keeping only what is good for the soul. Tantric practice turns all of experience into peace, bliss and beauty, all of the elements are considered as their most positive potentials. In Dzogchen attachment to any form is left. Emptiness is seen behind all of the elemental forms, and experienced fully. These brief descriptions will have to suffice even though each of these deserve at least the same cursory outline of practices and belief as was summarized of the Shamonic (Bon) tradition.

The Bardos

The kayas are aspects present in the nature of mind, in the formation of thoughts, emotions, actions, in sleep and daily life, and possibly in the very unfolding of the universe. The kayas have the same threefold process as the Bardos. Through the unfolding of the Bardos of death, or the kayas that we experience in life, we have the opportunity to either recognize the Nature of Mind and experience liberation, or not and continue in confusion.

The first kaya is the empty sky like essence of mind, the absolute nature behind everything, the true emptiness that holds the Ground Luminosity as explained later. Then is the radiant luminous nature of mind; the field beyond time, space and duality that is the intrinsic radiance of energy. Last is the omnipresent and ever arising compassionate energy, the “sphere of crystallization into form” that is in the Bardo of becoming and is the dimension of ceaseless manifestation. 2

At death there are three stages of inner dissolution. These begin as the union of the red and white essences of mother and father in the heart, then the Ground Luminosity dawns, for just a moment before fading as it is unrecognized by our ignorance. And there is the black experience, which, unfortunately I do not grasp even well enough to take out of context and paraphrase. Collectively, this is the first of three failures to Recognize called Ma Rigpa, the opposite of Rigpa, which follow death before another cycle of samsara begins.

If able to maintain awareness at death, a skilled practitioner merges with the Ground Luminosity and is liberated. This is a process of unfolding, in which the fundamental nature of mind gradually becomes more manifest. The end of the dissolution is described as being like a sky covered in black, followed by the Ground Luminosity as the clarity of a sky before dawn. The heart of the practice for the Bardo of Dying is recognizing all experience as personal conceptual thinking and letting it die into the abyss of your Rigpa’s self awareness.

The Bardo of Dharmata

The second bardo has four phases, each holding an opportunity for liberation that, if not taken, flows into the next phase. Dharmata means the true nature of phenomenal existence, and the whole bardo unfolds within the realm of Rigpa. The heart of the practice for the Bardo of Dharmata is to gently release anything that rises up in consciousness without qualifying in it any particular way.

These words give only a vague idea of the possibilities held in this stage. Through devoted tantric practice of luminosity, Togal, the experience can be personal and real, within this life. In this Bardo we have bodies of light.

The first phase is luminosity. Space dissolves into luminosity. Awareness of a flowing world of featureless light, color and sound in motion, arises. Space is blue light, water is white, earth is yellow, fire is red, and wind is green. These manifestations are not separate from, but one with, the nature of mind. The realization of this sameness is the opportunity for liberation; the whole phase can go by like a bolt of lightning.

The second phase is Union of the Deities, luminosity dissolving into union. The rays and colors will condense into tikles, various sized balls of light, which hold mandalas of deities. These huge spheres of blinding, dazzling light occupy all of space, the immense perspective is unimaginable. There is roaring sound surrounding the 42 peaceful and 58 wrathful deities, which appear over days in their specific mandala pattern of five fold clusters. 1 This vision that fills all perception can be intensely frightening if it is not recognized for what it is. If again, stability cannot be gained, one will be overwhelmed and faint. Then, light shafts radiate from within (you) and the deities, joining your heart with theirs, dissolve into you.

The third phase is union dissolving into Wisdom. A display of four of the five wisdoms spring forth in a shaft of light from your heart. A carpet of sapphire blue light with tikles in patterns of five appear, then one of crystal white, golden yellow, and ruby red, all crowned by a sphere of radiance. These are the wisdoms of all-encompassing space, mirror like wisdom, equalizing wisdom, wisdom of discernment. The all-encompassing wisdom is only perfected in enlightenment, so there is no carpet of green light. This experience is the manifestation of our potential to see the green, and it is inherent in the other colors. If liberation is not reached from resting in the nature of mind here, all carpets and tickles and your Rigpa dissolve into a sphere of light.

The final phase is wisdom dissolving into Spontaneous Presence, in which all reality shows up at once within an infinite perspective of which we cannot conceive. First primordial purity dawns, the deities appear, then the pure realms of the Buddhas, and the six realms of samsaric experience are below. Complete clairvoyance is within this perspective. All lives past and future can be known, as are the minds of others, and all the teachings we have ever heard or ever could are awakened.

Every possibility is presented and then, like a tent collapsing, the vision dissolves. These manifestations are the self-radiance of our own Rigpa, and if recognized as such, liberation follows. Without preparation, the visions of the deities are as bright as the sun and cannot be looked upon. The gaze turns downward to the six realms of samsara, one is drawn in, and the great delusion continues.

Each stage of the dharmata lasts for the period that one can rest undistracted in the nature of mind. This may be so quick that they seem to have not happened at all. All that arises in the bardo of dharmata is a spontaneous expression of the nature of mind. There is no difference between the actual manifestations and the one observing them, any differentiation is dependent upon a dualism that does not really exist. Perceiver and perceived are one.

It is important to know that outside of the protective case of body, the energies of the nature of mind are set free into the bardo state. These energies take on a very real appearance and seem to be separate from us. Fear and hope arise, leading to delusion. The great recognition of the Bardo of dharmata is that all of these manifestations are the dawning of the wisdom energy of your own mind, the buddhas and deities are all actually you, with no duality. 1 Without such realization, continuance through the Bardos ensues.

The Bardo of Becoming

In the third Bardo, called the Sipa Bardo, once again the sky and earth separate and we awaken into the state between death and birth. This bardo spans the time from which the first seeds of all our habitual tendencies are awakened until we enter a new womb. Unlimited by a physical form, there are endless possibilities for rebirth. The reality here is the outer existence of the mental body and inner one of the mind.

The heart of the practice for the Bardo of Becoming is to gain control over the mind. There is the manifestation of a mental body, which resembles the body of our last life in its perfect, unblemished form. The body seems real, hunger pangs and all. Habitual tendencies of past karma determines all mobility, no conscious decisions arise. Our senses return with seven times the awareness (that’s a lot) of life and the minds of others are known.

The karmic wind keeps us from stillness, and no physical barriers restrict movement through mountains or seas. Without the father and mother essences of physicality, there is no light of sun or moon and illumination is limited to what lay directly before us. Contact with other Bardo beings is possible, though fleeting and to all but the most sensitive of the living we do not exist.

The mind is not still either and we are very busy, doing lots at once, clinging to experience, believing it is real. Realization of death may not occur for weeks. Then we mourn for ourselves. We relive our past life, every moment with sevenfold awareness. All negative karma of past lives returns, fiercely concentrated.

The winds of the elements return in rushing sound. The whole landscape is molded by our own karma, and peopled by our own delusion. Those who have studied “life reviews” of near death experiences suggest that we may be able to experience all of the suffering, or conversely positivity, for which we were directly and indirectly responsible. Through it all we are swept by the great winds of karma, unable to hold any ground, seeking refuge where we can.

Forty-nine days is the average duration of the bardo of becoming, some are stuck there much longer. For twenty-one days there is still a strong impression of the last life, after which your future life takes shape. As the time for rebirth grows closer, the longing for a physical body grows too. Lights shine from the six realms of existence and you are drawn towards one over the others. The longing to leave the bardo may become so great that an undesirable rebirth is taken in haste. Remembrance what is happening, of your own awareness, can allow you to change course and influence your destiny.

Without the body we are very vulnerable in the bardo, thoughts become reality. Our emotional reactions to even our own funeral service could drive us towards an unfortunate rebirth. It pays to have some control over ones own mind in these times when distraction can be so powerful. A single thought can lead to enlightenment, or prolonged suffering.

The bardo of becoming may be skipped altogether for one who has led an exceptionally beneficial and positive or harmful and negative life. For those, rebirth into the appropriate lives ensues directly, whatever they may be.

The Bardo teachings exemplify that manifestations of our minds graduate from subtle elemental energies into gross physical forms, and vice versa. This gradual process of manifestation occurs in every moment we can imagine, even as it results in those creations that we cannot believe could arise from us.

The greatest aim of meditation is to rest in the state of Rigpa, and realize that all that arises is a display of your own mind, just as the sun and its rays are indivisible. 1 If the pristine awareness of Rigpa is lost, and you can’t recognize what arises, a duality is created in a thought or emotion. The experience of this duality can then be greatly magnified after death by the same process.

The examination of the elements as experienced in human transformation will continue for my whole life. I could spend another month collecting information and this paper would be only slightly less incomplete than it is already. Please accept this as my level of understanding at this point.

Primary Sources:

1. The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, by Sogyal Rinpoche, Harper Collins 1993

2. Healing With Form, Energy and Light, by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, Snow Lion Publications 2002

Information also gathered from:

3. Tibetan Buddhist Medicine and Psychiatry, by Terry Clifford, Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1990

4. The Seven Emotions, by Claude Larre and Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee, Monkey Press 1996

5. Letters To A Yong Poet, Ranier Maria Rilke

Notes:

? Variation on lecture given by Heiner Fruehauf in discussing the Nei Jing. He suggested that if one looks at the work as being superstitious rubbish, that is all one will see. But if it is looked at as a book of wise information about the body and universe, that is all one will see.

? Letters To A Young Poet, Ranier Maria Rilke

? The term Shamanism here refers to the practices and tradition of Bon, the indigenous tradition of Tibetan peoples initially discarded and more recently preserved and seen to be valuable spiritual practice by the (later appearing) Buddhists of Tibet. From the introduction of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, (Tibetan Abbr.)by Sogyal Rinpoche, Harper Collins 1993

? Healing With Form, Energy and Light, (Healing Abbr.) by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, Snow Lion Publications 2002 p.37