For several years we have been translating the shamatha and vipashyana sections of Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje’s medium-length work on mahamudra, Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance. This is to complement our translation of the Karmapa’s Pointing Out the Dharmakaya, which is his most concise mahamudra instruction. This latter translation was originally accomplished at the request of Thrangu Rinpoche for the Söpa Chöling three-year retreat, but is now available to all tantrikas to practice. The following passage of meditation instruction is taken from the shamatha section of Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance:
Directing your mind to no support: Look with unfocussed gaze at the space directly in front of you. There is no object to focus on. Not thinking about anything, simply do not wander. Not pondering what is and what isn’t, the past or the future, with great exertion post the bare watcher that is mindful that you do not wander, and rest relaxed and at ease in unaltered freshness. Not wandering for even a moment, be like someone threading a needle. Without turbulence, be like an ocean without waves. Without striving, rest like a garuda soaring in the sky. Be without any hope or fear.
As there is no set way to let the mind rest, do not hold on to any state of mind. If your mind is still, let it rest. If it goes, let it go. Do not restrict it, but let it be. Completely cut all discursive thought, such as thinking, “This is meditation,” and “This is not meditation,” and the hope that mind will be still and the fear that it will not. Without meditating on anything and without letting yourself wander for even an instant, let your mind be colored with mindfulness.
