THE SADANGA YOGA

10
THE TEN SIGNS ACCORDING TO LKC V, 115
Those whose mind is fixed in the ether, whose eyes are open, and who .
have entered into the adamantine way see that from the void the smoke, the
mil"age, the clear immaculate fil"efly, the lamp, and also the flame, the
moon, the sun, the vajra, the supreme kala and the bindu appear" In the
middle of it, Buddha's image that is devoid of objects, viz", the manifold
body of enjoyment, arises! 10 [LKC V, 115].
Now, with the words: "Those whose mind", etc., the entrance of one's own
mind into the light is explained. Here in the mantra-vehicle and in the
[Prajfia]paramita-vehicle, the yoga exercise is twofold: it is performed in a
[closed] space (fikasa) and in an open space (abhyavakasa)111. He who will
obtain the yoga in a [closed] space, in the night (i.e., in the darkness, in a
house without openings), with [his] "mind fixed in the ether", sees the
signs beginning with smoke. "He whose eyes are open and who has
entered into the adamantine way". Here, through the night-yoga, he, whose
vital breath has entered into the central channel, sees [four signs] emerging
from the void. In fact, it has been said: "Those whose mind is fixed in the
ether, whose eyes are open, and who have entered into the adamantine way
see that from the void the smoke, the mirage, the clear immaculate firefly
(and) the lamp appear". Thus, [the yogin] sees a cloudless sky; then from
this sky, through the day-yoga he sees "a great fire of wisdom and
knowledge, which is autogenous and born from the ether" [NS VI, 20cd
(61)]112. In other words a "flame" is seen in the cloudless sky. Then [the
yogin sees] "a great solar light, which is a shining brightness of
knowledge" [NS VI, 21ab (62)]. This cOlTesponds to the appearance of the
"moon"; "the lamp of the world" [NS VI, 21c], viz., the "sun"; "a torch of
knowledge" [NS VI, 2Id], viz., Vajrarahu; "the great brightening
splendour" [NS VI, 2Id], viz., the lightning, i.e., "the supreme kalif'; and
"the king of the vidyas, who is the most excellent Lord of the mantras"
[NS VI, 22a (63)], viz., "the bindu". [Therefore,] the Blessed One
mentioned ten signs: [four] in the Samaja, etc., according to the night-
110 The translation of the last pada is based on the commentary and similar passages in
parallel texts. See above, p. 113; below, p. 277 and note 114.
III See below, p. 292.
112 See below, p. 290, where NS (VI, 20cd-22ab) 61c-63b is quoted.
276