GROUND MAHAMUDRA

Ground mahamudra is what is realized and actualized by the nondual mind of the buddhas and noble individuals.

It is the basic state (Tib. gshis kyi babs) of the three realms of samsara and the true nature of all phenomena from the beginning.

It is connate wisdom (lhan gcig skyes pa'i ye shes), which pervades the entire ground. It is present within the mind-stream of all of us sentient beings, from the insects that live inside grass stems up to the buddhas.

It is the natural purity (rang bzhin rnam bdag), which is neither positive nor negative, large nor small, and so forth.

Samsara and nirvana manifest according to whether the mode of being (bzhugs tshul) of the true nature, the dharmakaya, is realized or not. Even when there is realization, dharmata (present as the ground and free from elaborations) is the creator (byed pa po) of all that exists, samsara and nirvana.

Because nothing transcends this, it is [known as] mudra (phyag rgya, seal). Since there is nothing to be sought that is higher than this--no superior "dharmakaya"--it is fit to be referred to as "maha" (chen po, great).

[Ground mahamudra] is present within the mind-stream of all sentient beings. It is the inseparability of appearances and emptiness, awareness and emptiness, and bliss and emptiness. It is spontaneously present as the nature of the three kayas and the five wisdoms. It is free from arising, abiding, and cessation, and from the extremes of the conceptual elaborations of existence and nonexistence.

Nevertheless, through the force of one's own connate ignorance (lhan gcig skyes pa'i ma rig pa), one does not recognize this, as when one is shown an object in a dark room.

This true nature transcends verbal or mental descriptions and cannot be conceptually identified, just as a drawing cannot be created in fire or space. It is not known, just as the eyes cannot see themselves, because it is beyond involving an objective and subjective aspect (yul yul can), or an object of awareness and one who is aware.

It is not recognized because there is no guru who can show it, like a prince wandering [incognito] among the masses.

It is not known because it is the single expanse (dbyings gcig), like medicinal camphor become poison. It is not recognized because its nature, which abides as awareness, is immediately and incorrectly aware, and imputes mistakenly, as when a rope is mistaken for a snake.

Therefore, because imputational ignorance (kun brtags pa'i ma rig pa) does not recognize reflexive awareness (rang rig), there [develops the idea of] an "I" where there is no "I," a self where there is no self, and conceptual elaborations where there are no elaborations. One is motivated by desire, aversion, and delusion; karma accumulates and matures; one wanders in samsara.

Because [ground mahamudra] is too close (nye drags pa), it is not recognized. Due to this mistake, despite it being present within oneself and always accompanying one, one lacks conviction about this. Although it is just like one's own face, one wanders in samsara through ignorance.

Because it is too easy (sla drags pa), it is not trusted. The small-minded think, given that buddhahood is endowed with the major and minor marks or with the dharmakaya, it cannot be the same as ordinary mind; that this does not make sense. Since they do not trust in this, they do not recognize it.

Because it is too profound (zab drags pa), it is not recognized. Beings are distracted by the net of thoughts and lack unwavering mindfulness. Therefore, due to the fault of not identifying it, they do not recognize this.

Because it is too excellent (bzang drags), it is not recognized. Mind relaxed in its own state--mind that does not identify that state, reflexive awareness that is vivid (sa le ba) yet without any object--is the dharmakaya. But since this dharmakaya seems incomprehensible, it is not recognized.

These types of ignorance must be abandoned. The methods for doing so are to exert oneself [following] the oral instructions (gdams ngag) of a guru, path mahamudra, and the stages of practice, which will remove [this ignorance].

This excerpt is from the section on supplementary topics, covering the classification of mahamudra, and the definition of ground mahamudra ([145.6], Teaching Session 92, pp. 255-56 in Mahamudra:The Ocean of Definitive Certainty). The Tibetan text is also available for review.