CHAPTER EIGHT

THE YOGA OF THE LIGHT

The instruction on Light Yoga is given in two parts: The practice of Light Yoga in the waking state, and the practice of Light Yoga in the sleeping state.

This Light Yoga practiced in the daytime refers to the general or common Light (in contrast to the unique Tantric Light practice), which is the fundamental Dharma-essence apart from the realistic and nihilistic extremes[r_nar:95]. This is the (so-called) Light-of-Object; the understanding or realization of which is (called) the Light-of-Object (literally, the Light-of-Comprehending-the-Object). This teaching is found in both Hinayana and Mahayana, in the Paramita Vehicle as well as in Tantra, and in the three Lower Tantras as well as the Highest Division of Tantra. It is a teaching common to all Buddhist schools. Sometimes it is called the Absolute Light. The unique Light (as taught in Tantra) is no different in essence from the common Light-of-Object. The difference lies in the Light-of-Subject, which (in the Tantric teachings) is the realization of the Innate Great Bliss.

The unique teaching of the Anuttara Tantra for the realization of the Innate Born Great Bliss, requires mainly the entering, remaining, and dissolving of the prana in the Central Channel, or the Bliss-of-the-Perfecting-Yoga. This Innate Great Bliss is not, however, produced through the melting of Thig-le, nor through the concentration practice of ordinary meditation--the no-thought experience apart from drowsiness and distraction. Neither is

it produced through the taming of prana. For the Bliss produced through the taming of prana is quite different from the Innate Great Bliss. Through the taming of prana, the experience of brightness, no-thought, and bliss may be produced, but this bliss is different from the Innate Great Bliss. It may also be a Bliss-of-Melting, but it is not the same Bliss of the Arising Yoga--the Melting-Bliss is not produced through the prana entering into the Central Channel, etc. One should carefully distinguish the different Blisses, and understand them well.

As explained before, in the Heat Yoga, the Innate Great Bliss of the Perfecting Yoga should be merged with the well-studied View of the Soleness--thus arises the Void-Bliss Wisdom, called the Light, or the Light of the Path. In the practice of Perfecting Yoga, to unfold this light is required before the Illusory Bodies come to pass. In addition to this, many other practices are required for the raising of the Illusory Bodies. Here, the special Light practice is emphasized. The entering of Light requires a dependence on either the actual Illusory Body or on any similar illusory body.

The subsiding process of the Light [is now discussed].

The explanations on this subject are not very clear in most of the pith-instructions. However, there is a very good one that describes the process as follows: