THE SADANGA YOGA

According to the LKC (V, 115), the signs are ten 25 ; these are divided
into two groups, on the. basis of the place in which the yogin practises. His
practice can be performed either in a open space or in a closed space. In
the former case it is called day-yoga, in the latter case night-yoga. During
the night-yoga, that is, during the yoga performed in darkness (see below
pp. 276-77, 292), four signs appear from a cloudless sky: smoke (dhUma),
mirage (marIcl), firefly (khadyota) and lamp (pradipa). During the dayyoga
(see below pp. 276-78, 292) six signs appear: flame (jviillf), moon
(cancb:a), sun (arka), Riihu, lightning (vidyut) and bindu, which is similar to
a blue lunar disc that illuminates all things. According to the SU (st. 26),
when this last sign has arisen the yogin can see and then meditate on a last
apparition in the middle of it, which is technically called the 'universal
image' (visvabimba; Tib., sna tshogs gzugs). This text does not mention a
'Buddha's image' (buddhabimba; Tib., sangs rgyas gzugs) and 'void
image' or 'image of the void' (sunyabimba; Tib., stong pa'j gzugs), which
appear in the same context in other sources, such as the LKC and the
LTT26.
belongs to the contemporary Theravada tradition, I am quoting here an extract from one of
his books, as interesting comparisons can be made with the subject matter we are discussing
here. "Now, the breath refines and calms further when We create a mental image (nimitta) at
the guarding point. This mental image is only imaginary, it is not real. It is created by the
citta, it is mind-made. You can close the eyes and 'see' it. It is like a hallucination that the
mind creates by itself to calm the breath. To do so, the mind must be subtle. The breath,
everything, must be refined in order to raise a mental image. The breath must become finer
and calmer until the image is created. The mental image can be any kind of shape or form,
depending on what is appropriate for the body of each person. Some people might create a
sphere - red, white, green, or any color. It could be a candle flame, for instance, or a puff of
cotton, or a wisp of smoke. It can look like the sun, or the moon, or a star. Even the image
of a spider's web glimmering in the sunlight is within the abilities of the mind's creative
powers. The kind of image depends on the one who creates it. The mind merely inclines in
a certain way and the image arises by itself. It is a purely mental phenomenon that has no
physical reality" (1989: 41-2).
25 It is worth mentioning that according to Naropa and Ravisrijfiana during the
anusmrti the ten signs appear again and are related to the ten phases of love described in
LKC IV, 126 (below pp. 104,266 note 82).
26 While considering the Sanskrit texts of the Kalacakra, we have to note that
sometimes the three terms visvabimba, buddhabimba - which conesponds to the realization
of Buddha's body of enjoyment (sambhogakaya) - and siinyabimba are sometimes used as
synonyms and sometimes not. As a matter of fact, in LKC V, 115 (and VP, where NS 61c-
63b is quoted) we find mention of the buddhabimba, but not of the visvabimba, whereas
commenting on NS 6Ic-63b, in both the LTT and the pilkinijiilasarpvararahasya (which is
mostly based on the L TT), we find the compound sarvakiiratraidhiitukapratibhasa
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