Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
The Six-Branched Yoga provides a technical manual for the cultivation of consciousness through a specific sequence of meditative limbs. The text outlines a progression involving withdrawal (pratyāhāra), breath control (prāṇāyāma), retention (dhāraṇā), recollection (anusmṛti), and absorption, though it notes that the sequence is presented in reverse order. The work commits the reader to a rigorous somatic and cognitive discipline, integrating the manipulation of vital winds (prāṇa) and drops (bindu) within the central channel (avadhūtī) with the realization of emptiness. By aligning the physical body's energetic maṇḍalas with the cognitive perception of phenomena as illusory or dream-like, the practitioner aims to achieve the Great Seal (mahāmudrā) and the state of innate joy. The text argues that the culmination of these practices is the 'absorption of emptiness,' a non-conceptual state of indestructible bliss that transcends linguistic description and is accessible only to mature yogis.
Provenance
About this text
A technical manual for the cultivation of consciousness through a specific sequence of meditative limbs, the Ṣaḍaṅgayoga (sbyor ba yan lag drug pa) originates from the Indian tradition and is attributed to Vajrapāṇi. The work entered the Tibetan corpus through the efforts of the translators Subhūtiśrīśānti and lo tsa ba cog ro dge slong ting ’dzin bzang po. It is preserved in the Tengyur, volume པ, where it comprises eight pages and is situated within the Non-dual Tantra collection of the classical Tibetan period. The text enacts a rigorous somatic and cognitive discipline, presenting a sequence of limbs—including withdrawal (pratyāhāra), breath control (prāṇāyāma), retention (dhāraṇā), recollection (anusmṛti), and absorption—though it specifies that this sequence is taught in reverse order. It argues for the integration of vital wind manipulation with the realization of emptiness, directing the practitioner to see all phenomena as emptiness without conceptual apprehension. A scholar or serious reader consults this work today to examine the specific methodology of the six-limbed yoga, particularly the relationship between the internal engagement of the faculties and the non-conceptual state of the absorption of emptiness.
Sanskrit title
Ṣaḍaṅgayoga
Indian author
Vajrapāṇi
Tibetan translators
Subhūtiśrīśānti, lo tsa ba cog ro dge slong ting ’dzin bzang po
This work is significant for its synthesis of somatic wind-channel yoga with the philosophical framework of emptiness and the Great Seal. It illustrates the transition from preliminary concentration to the advanced realization of omniscience within the Indo-Tibetan tantric tradition.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-3
The Six Limbs and Preliminaries
Introduction to the six-limbed yoga, the reverse sequence of practice, and the engagement of faculties with internal objects of emptiness.
4-8
Somatic and Cognitive Disciplines
Detailed instructions on retention, the role of the Great Uṣṇīṣa, and the use of withdrawal to perceive phenomena as illusions.
9-11
Advanced Cultivation and Wind Manipulation
Discussion on the cessation of conceptual thought and the unification of vital winds within the central channel to achieve the Great Seal.
12
The State of Absorption
Description of the final state of innate joy and the absorption of emptiness.
Themes
Somatic Yoga (Prāṇa and Bindu) (4, 8, 10)
Illusory Nature of Phenomena (6, 8)
The Great Seal (Mahāmudrā) (11)
Emptiness and Non-conceptualization (3, 9, 12)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
In the language of India: Ṣaḍaṅgayoga-nāma. In the language of Tibet: sbyor ba yan lag drug pa zhes bya ba (The Six-Limbed Yoga). Homage to Vajrapāṇi, the Lord of Secrets.
In this context, the method is the yoga of the six limbs. Here, the sequence is taught in reverse order. Each inner limb is omitted, and the subsequent limb is to be understood through the very force of the fact that the preceding limb was not taught. For example, when one says, "this is daytime conduct," even if "nighttime conduct" is not explicitly mentioned, it is perceived through the very force of implication. Likewise, phenomena that are mutually dependent are understood through the phenomena that are explicitly taught, even if they are not themselves taught. Therefore, in this tantra, three limbs are taught within the scope of each individual limb.
The first limb to be explained in the middle is the oral instruction of the guru. Otherwise, if one were to grasp it according to the sequence taught in the tantra, what need would there be for the guru’s oral instruction? Therefore, all the intentional explanations and so forth are to be understood from the guru’s oral instructions, or else from the commentaries composed by the bodhisattvas; they are not to be understood from those composed by those possessed of the pride of the learned. Thus, through the words "meditative concentration" and so forth, the other three limbs are to be understood.
The six limbs taught in other tantras are to be understood here as three limbs by way of their summarized meaning. In this regard, the Guhyasamāja Tantra (Explanatory Tantra) states: "Withdrawal, meditative concentration, breath-control and effort, retention, recollection, and samādhi."
"Recollection and absorption are asserted as the six branches of yoga." Thus it is said. Therefore, the preliminary to concentration is withdrawal (pratyāhāra). The preliminary to mantra recitation is breath control (prāṇāyāma); here, the term "mantra recitation" refers to the neuter recitation or the vajra recitation, which is described as holding the vital wind (prāṇa). The preliminary to bliss is recollection (anusmṛti); in this context, the term "bliss" indicates absorption (samādhi). In this way, the practitioner of the six-branch yoga will achieve the state of a Buddha.
The accomplishment of the mundane yoga of ordinary external worldly beings is achieved by beginner, childish practitioners through mantra recitation and concentration. The mind of meditation that visualizes the maṇḍala circle and the bliss arising from the action seal (karmamudrā) and the wisdom seal (jñānamudrā) constitute mundane bliss. This mundane bliss, which is of a flowing nature, is the mundane result extending up to the realm of Akaniṣṭha. Thus, through these two stages, the state of a mundane and supramundane yogi is accomplished.
Here, the accomplishment of the supramundane state of a yogi through the application of the supreme six branches shall be explained. In this context, withdrawal is the non-engagement of the eye and other consciousnesses with external objects such as forms.
The engagement of the consciousnesses of the faculties, such as the divine eye and so forth, with internal objects is as follows: the internal is the seeing of all phenomena as emptiness without conceptualizing the apprehension of emptiness; this is the seeing of all things through emptiness. Just as a girl sees her own reflection, seeing the reflection of the Buddha within the three realms is the first branch, called withdrawal (pratyāhāra).
Then, concentration (dhyāna) is the engagement of the mind in the wisdom that realizes the emptiness of all existing things. "Conceptualization" (vitarka) is the grasping of the general nature of an object. "Discernment" (vicāra) is the grasping of the specific qualities of an object. "Joy" (prīti) is the mind abiding in all things. "Bliss" (sukha) is the perfection of the immovability of all things. Thus, the five branches of concentration are taught.
Then, "vitality and exertion" (prāṇāyāma) refers to the cessation of the lalanā and rasanā—the right and left channels—and their dissolution into the avadhūtī, whereby the vital wind (prāṇavāyu) constantly enters the central path. Through the application of inhaling, abiding, and exhaling, one practices the nature of vitality and exertion by entering the avadhūtī with Oṃ, arresting it with Hūṃ, and exhaling with Aḥ, training in the nature of the moon, Rāhu, and the sun.
Then, "retention" (dhāraṇā) is the vital wind being held at the navel, the heart, the throat, and the forehead—the great powers of earth, water, fire, and...
Entering into the maṇḍalas of the winds, the life-force (prāṇa) abides within the drop (bindu) and does not emerge; this is taught as the branch of retention (dhāraṇā). Then, that which is called recollection (anusmṛti) is the abandonment of conceptual thought through seeing the reflected image of the deity in whom one has faith. From that, the branch of recollection is the manner in which various maṇḍalas of radiant form, emitting many rays of light, are projected throughout the three realms. That which is called absorption (samādhi) is the one-pointedness of mind, free from subject and object, in which one is devoted to the deity in whom one has faith and experiences the bliss of fearlessness; thus the Tathāgata spoke of the branch of absorption. Here, these six branches are taught in brief in the Yoga Tantra; however, for an extensive explanation, a yogi who desires the accomplishment of Mahāmudrā should understand them from the Śatasāhasrikā, the Śrīparamādya, or the oral instructions of the Guru. Here, the instructions for meditating on the yoga of the six branches as the initial path are taught as they are spoken in other tantras, such as the Guhyasamāja-uttaratantra, which describes the stages of approach (sevā), near-attainment (upasādhana), attainment (sādhana), and great attainment (mahāsādhana). As it is said: "During the time of approach, one should diligently meditate on the form of the Great Uṣṇīṣa. During the time of near-attainment, likewise, one should meditate on the form of Amṛtakuṇḍalī. For the attainment, the yogi should diligently meditate on the form of the deity. For the great attainment, one should clearly visualize the very form of the Lord of Buddhas." Thus it is said.
Here, by means of other intentional terminology, the form of the Great Uṣṇīṣa is the body of the Buddha of all three realms without exception, established within the space of the source of phenomena (dharmodaya) through compassion. During the first stage of approach, one should meditate by means of withdrawal (pratyāhāra) and stabilize it through the branch of meditative concentration (dhyāna). Regarding this, the Blessed One’s pledge is:
"Having completely abandoned all conceptualization,
One should examine for a single day and night.
If the signs do not arise,
Then my word is false."
In this context, the "signs" are the marks such as smoke and so forth; they do not arise through mantras and the like. Through the practice of a single day, the signs arise for the mantrin. Therefore, the mantrin should abandon the intellect of existence and non-existence, act without dependence, and meditate on those signs such as smoke that arise from the profound, non-referential emptiness (śūnyatā); this is the certainty of the Tathāgata.
"By the application of the functions and the bonds,
The three levels are to be accomplished."
Regarding this, the body of the Buddha of the three levels is to be accomplished by the functions of the eyes and so forth. The pith instruction for that very point should be understood from the oral tradition. In that regard, through the pith instructions of the guru, the yogi first sees something like smoke in the sky; one should know through personal experience that it is not a mirage. Then, it is like a mirage; those very signs such as smoke and so forth are like reflections, free from conceptualization. First, like smoke; second, like a mirage; third, like the sky; fourth, like a lamp.
The fifth, the sign like a cloudless sky, is taught in the Guhyasamāja and the Ḍākinījāla. Furthermore, the Ḍākinīvajrajāla states:
"The Blessed One said:
'An illusory-like form,
And a momentary dream-like sequence—
That is the cause of omniscience,
And bestows the near-attainment of accomplishments.'
Thus, according to the Blessed One’s word, the signs such as smoke and so forth are the signs of meditation. Some claim these occur at the time of accomplishment, but they thereby violate the Tathāgata’s promise:
'Having completely abandoned all conceptualization,
One should examine for a single day and night.'
This would be a refutation of the Blessed One’s word. At the time of accomplishment, worldly smoke and so forth, or illusions and the like, would not be the signs, because they would actually possess the capacity to produce smoke, flames, and the act of burning. For example, this would also apply to rains of saffron, flowers, jewels, gold, and so on. Therefore, it is the Blessed One’s certainty that smoke and so forth are the signs of the yoga of the six branches.
Accordingly, the Ḍākinīvajrajāla Tantra also states:
'Having meditated on the six branches,
One should then perform the self-consecration.
Then, according to the proper sequence,
One should realize the signs through the ritual.'
In this context, 'self-consecration' refers to the vision of conventional emptiness."
The signs of individual withdrawal appear like clouds, smoke, and so forth, extending from the limit of the lamp up to the stainless, cloudless sky. In other tantras, they are presented from the initial blazing up to the final drop. Furthermore, from the chapter on the absorption of the Māyājāla (Net of Illusion), the Blessed One spoke as follows:
"Arising from space, self-arisen,
The great fire of insight-wisdom,
The great light that makes all appear,
The brilliant radiance of wisdom-light,
The lamp for beings, the torch of wisdom,
The great majesty, the clear light,
The fierce mantra-lord, the king of vidyā-mantras,
The king of secret mantras, performing the great purpose."
With these two verses, the Blessed One spoke of other signs in the Māyājāla through intentional language. That which arises from the cloudless sky is "arising from space, self-arisen," because all conceptual constructions have been abandoned. "The great fire of insight-wisdom" refers to the appearance of blazing. "The great light that makes all appear" refers to the appearance of the moon; that itself is the "brilliant radiance of wisdom-light." "The lamp for beings" refers to the appearance of the sun. "The torch of wisdom" refers to the appearance of Rāhu. "The great majesty, the clear light" refers to the appearance of lightning. "The fierce mantra-lord, the king of vidyā-mantras" refers to the appearance of the drop, which has the form of a blue lunar maṇḍala. "The king of secret mantras, performing the great purpose."
This means that through the application of withdrawal (pratyāhāra), one perceives the appearances of all things within the three realms as being like illusions and dreams. Through the activity of the eye faculty and the subsequent binding of the vital winds (prāṇāyāma), these activities and the application of binding are used to accomplish the three levels—the stable and moving nature of the characteristics of the desire, form, and formless realms. Thus it is said.
Likewise, from the Vajraḍākinījāla:
"The moving and non-moving, the three realms,
As long as the world systems exist,
And as long as the vajra body exists,
All without exception is accomplished."
Thus, the Blessed One has definitively stated that this is achieved through the six branches.
Similarly, from the Guhyasamāja:
"No entity and no meditation;
That which is to be meditated upon is not meditation.
Thus, because of the non-existence of entities,
Meditation is non-referential."
Here, "non-entity" refers to the cloudless sky. "Meditation" refers to withdrawal. That very point is expressed as: "The non-entity is not meditation." Since the object of meditation in withdrawal is the cloudless sky, there is no meditation [in the ordinary sense] because it is free from conceptual meditation. Thus, the entity seen through withdrawal is not an entity, for it is seen as the non-existence of past, future, and present entities when left unexamined.
Then, in order to cultivate withdrawal (pratyāhāra), the Blessed One said, "One does not perceive the cultivation of conceptual thought." Regarding this cultivation, the Blessed One also stated in the Perfection of Wisdom (prajñāpāramitā): "Then Śakra, Lord of the Gods, addressed the Venerable Subhūti: 'Noble Subhūti, how is the application to the Perfection of Wisdom to be found?' Subhūti replied: 'Kauśika, one who wishes to apply oneself to space should train in the Perfection of Wisdom.'" Likewise, the Blessed One taught that the cultivation of Mahāmudrā is like a reflection or an illusion, and like a cloudless sky. Thus, the branches of the approach (sevā) through withdrawal and meditative concentration (dhyāna) have been shown.
Then, by intending the form of Amṛtakuṇḍalī, it is explained as the wind. That also has two aspects. As the Blessed One stated in the Explanatory Tantra of the Guhyasamāja:
"The breath, whose nature is the five jewels,
Is blessed by the five Buddhas.
Having been drawn out in the form of a sphere,
One should meditate upon it at the tip of the nose."
In this context, the term "five jewels" refers to the five elements, such as earth and so forth, which are the attributes of the five maṇḍalas in the rasanā. The breath whose essence is that is of the nature of the five jewels in the right nostril. Likewise, the "five Buddhas" are the five aggregates, such as consciousness and so forth, which are the attributes of the five maṇḍalas in the lalanā.
By those [means], it is blessed in the left nostril. Regarding the emergence in the form of a mass (piṇḍa): here, the life-wind (prāṇavāyu) of the right and left maṇḍalas becomes unified within the central avadhūtī. That life-wind is also emitted in the form of a mass and meditated upon at the tip of the nose. In this context, the term "tip of the nose" indicates the centers of the lotuses at the navel, heart, throat, forehead, and uṣṇīṣa; one should meditate at their tips. Meditating at the tip of the nose refers to the center of the lotus between the right and left. Thus, because the life-wind is held in the form of a mass at the location of the drop (bindu), that itself is taught as "retention" (dhāraṇā).
Likewise, the second branch, "near-attainment" (upāsana), is the form of Amṛtakuṇḍalī. That very near-attainment is also taught as "vajra recitation" (vajrajāpa); recitation in which the branches are not impaired means that [the wind] does not move through the right and left channels. Having seen the form of the uṣṇīṣa, the mantra practitioner should then apply [the practice] to the life-wind and effort (prāṇāyāma); this should be understood from the oral instructions and the intentional words of the Guru. This life-wind, effort, and retention also constitute near-attainment.
Then, regarding the statement, "For the attainment (sādhana), the form of the deity," here, by the power of retention, the yogi sees the blazing caṇḍālī residing at the navel.
Being free from all obscurations, the Great Seal (mahāmudrā) blazes like a reflection, beautified by a maṇḍala of light that radiates clouds of light rays from infinite clouds of Buddhas; this is taught as the practice of recollection. This meditation on the yoga of Caṇḍālī at the end of the stage of retention is the certainty. Then, by the light of its wisdom, the aggregates, elements, and sense bases are incinerated and made of one taste. The nature of the consciousnesses and so forth residing in the right and left channels, as well as the maṇḍalas of earth and so forth, enters the moon maṇḍala at the forehead. Then, by the light of the fire of Caṇḍālī’s wisdom, the melted bodhicitta descends in the form of a drop, and through the nature of joy, supreme joy, and manifold joy at the throat, heart, navel, and secret lotus, it reaches the end of the vajra jewel as the essence of innate joy. Alternatively, it is the nature of the manifold, the ripened, the destructive, and the nature devoid of characteristics. Thus, when the bliss contained within the jewel arises through the power of meditating on the complete sixteen parts, that bliss is merely an example, like the bliss of words. In its true essence, that worldly bliss arising from the two organs does not equal even a thousand-millionth part of the supreme, indestructible bliss.
Here, the state of the nature of innate joy, the indestructible bliss, is not an object of words and is not known by immature yogis; it is taught as the "absorption of emptiness" of the bodhisattvas. The intention is that it does not fall into the meaning of non-existence as it is renowned in the world. Thus, through the yoga of the six branches, mantra recitation, concentration, and bliss, the yogi himself is Buddhahood. The Blessed One has taught the certainty of the practice—that the supreme yogi, who purifies and destroys negativity, should achieve this in this very life. This concludes the "Yoga of the Six Branches," composed by the Lord of Secrets, the Bodhisattva Vajrapāṇi, the sovereign of the ten bhūmis. It was translated, edited, and finalized by the translator, the monk Tingdzin Zangpo of Chogro, from the presence of the great Indian abbot, the glorious Prajñāśānti.