Dissolution
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Dissolution (Wyl. sdu ba)[1] is one of the concluding sections a sadhana. After having either sent back the wisdom deities (Skt. jñanasattva) to their pure field, or dissolved them into their representation if there are some where we are practising through a rabné or consecration practice, we need to dissolve the samayasattva, the visualized form of the deity. It is possible to also dissolve the indivisible jnanasattva and samayattva without requesting the wisdom deities to go back to where they came from. This aspect of the practice is unique to the Highest Yoga Tantra. Through this process we purify the tendency to grasp at the extraordinary deities as being ultimately real. Then we re-arise as the deity to eliminate grasping at non-existence and to illustrate the continuous yoga of maintaining the awareness of the deity in all our activities.
Alternative version
In terms of kyerim―the ‘generation’ or ‘development’ phase of practice―the purpose of dissolution is to purify the clinging, present in the mindstreams of sentient beings, to the limited belief that deluded perceptions are permanent.
The method is to gradually dissolve everything, the external world and its inner inhabitants, that was previously visualized as the celestial palace and the mandala of the deity, into emptiness.
This is achieved by visualizing the dissolution of the mandala and the deities from the outer periphery inwards until you are left with only the seed syllable and the extremely subtle nada within the samadhisattva, visualized in the heart centre of the jñanasattva, in the heart centre of yourself visualized as the main deity―the samayasattva. You then dissolve that as well into the primordial and self-existing great sphere of luminous emptiness, the basic space free from all elaboration and constructs, and rest in equanimity for as long as you can. Then once again, you arise as the deity to purify clinging to a belief in nothingness and engage in daily activities with the awareness that all that you see is the form of the deity, all that you hear is the sound of the mantra, and all thoughts are the basic state of dharmakaya.
Notes
Further Reading
- The Light of Wisdom Volume 2. Root text by Padmasambhava and commentary by Jamgön Kongtrül the Great, published by Shambhala Publications ISBN 962-7341-33-9