This has been a short explanation of the first stage of inner fire meditation. A more detailed explanation would contain bodily exercises known as ‘the six magical wheels’, a full explanation of which can be found in Je Tsongkhapa’s commentary to the Six Yogas of Naropa. When we are following the peaceful method, it is not necessary to do these exercises, although we may if we wish.
VISUALIZING AND MEDITATING ON THE CHANNELS
The system of channels has already been described. When we practise the meditations of completion stage, however, the visualization of these channels differs slightly from the description given above. One difference is that we visualize the central channel ending at the secret place instead of at the tip of the sex organ. Another difference is that, for the purposes of this meditation, we imagine that the knots at the various channel wheels are loosened so that the central channel is not constricted at any of those points. In reality, the central channel is like a shaft of bamboo that has membranes dividing one section from the next, with the knots constricting the central channel resembling such membranes. However, when we are meditating on completion stage, we imagine that all these dividing membranes have been removed, so that if we were at the bottom of the central channel we would be able to look up its full length, just as if we were looking up an empty lift shaft.
The thinner we visualize the central channel, the better. We can start by visualizing it as having the diameter of a drinking straw. A helpful technique is to begin the session by visualizing it as very thick, for example the width of an arm, and then to imagine that it gradually becomes thinner and thinner. Finally, when it reaches the width of a drinking straw, we let it remain like this and place our concentration on it firmly. As our concentration improves and becomes more subtle, we can make it even narrower. We can train in gradually reducing the width of the central channel over a period of several days. If we are serious about meditating on inner fire, we should be prepared to concentrate just on the central channel for many sessions over many days, weeks, or even months.
After visualizing the central channel, we turn our attention to the right and left channels and visualize them clearly. Although the inside of all three channels is red, they each have different colours on the outside. The right channel is red on the outside, the left channel white, and the central channel slightly blue. For the purposes of this meditation, we imagine that the right and left channels join, or plug into, the central channel at the level of the navel, forming a trijuncture at that point. From the level of the navel up to the crown of the head, and then arching down to the point between the eyebrows, all three channels run parallel to one another. The central channel terminates at the point between the eyebrows, but the right and left channels continue downwards from the brow to the nostrils.
Inside the central channel at the very centre of the navel channel wheel, at the point enclosed by the twofold knot, there is a small vacuole as was described earlier. It is very important to know where this vacuole is located because this is where the actual inner fire meditation takes place, and if we do not find the right point our entire meditation on inner fire will be mistaken.
Once our visualization of the three channels is stable, we concentrate on the spokes, or petals, of the various channel wheels. We begin by imagining that we are inside the indestructible drop at the heart channel wheel. As mentioned before, the centre of the heart channel wheel is constricted by a sixfold knot (three coilings of each flanking channel), and the indestructible drop is inside the central channel in the very centre of this knot.
We imagine that if we were to turn on a light it would shine down the corridors of the eight spokes of the heart channel wheel. We look down these spokes carefully, inspecting each one closely, and then conclude, ‘Now I have seen the eight petals of the heart channel wheel clearly.’
Still remaining within the indestructible drop, we now travel up to the throat channel wheel. Thinking that we are within the vacuole of the central channel enclosed by the twofold knot, we inspect the corridors of each of the sixteen spokes of this channel wheel. After we have looked along each one carefully, we think as before, ‘Now I have seen the sixteen petals of the throat channel wheel clearly.’
Then we travel up to the crown channel wheel and do the same as before. From within the vacuole there, at the centre of the twofold knot, we inspect the corridors of each of the thirty-two spokes until we can think, ‘Now I have seen the thirty-two petals of the crown channel wheel clearly.’
Finally we travel down to the navel channel wheel. From within the vacuole of the twofold knot there, we look along each of the sixty-four spokes until we are satisfied, and think, ‘Now I have seen the sixty-four petals of the navel channel wheel clearly.’
In all these visualizations, we should see the channel wheels as they were described earlier, except that to begin with it is probably best to leave out the knots. Later, when we have more skill and familiarity, we can add the twofold knot at the navel and then, when our skill in meditation has improved sufficiently, we can include the knots at the other three channel wheels as well.
To summarize, when visualizing the channels we first concentrate on seeing the central channel clearly and then we stabilize our visualization of the right and left channels, seeing how they join the central channel at the navel. When we are familiar with the three channels, we meditate on the spokes of the various channel wheels by placing our mind successively in each small vacuole of the central channel at each of the four levels. As mentioned before, if we are to bring the winds into the central channel through the method of inner fire meditation, we must use our mind to penetrate the precise point at the centre of the vacuole of the navel channel wheel. The importance of absolute accuracy in penetrating the precise points cannot be over-emphasized. This meditation on inspecting each channel wheel thoroughly, and then finally penetrating the vacuole at the navel, should be done for at least several days.
Longdol Lama said that there is no more powerful meditation than penetrating the central channel with bodhichitta motivation. This is because by meditating on the central channel we can gain control over the winds and cause them to enter, abide, and dissolve within that channel. On the basis of this, we can then attain the great bliss of the clear light and, through meditation on clear light, complete the two collections of merit and wisdom. Advanced meditators who have accomplished the union of spontaneous great bliss and clear light emptiness do not need to put effort into performing physical prostrations or other external practices because, as explained in the Tantric scriptures, merely by meditating on the union of bliss and emptiness they can complete the necessary collections for the attainment of full enlightenment. Such great meditators, therefore, simply request the blessings of their root and lineage Gurus and then proceed with their completion stage practices.
Gyalwa Ensapa
TRAINING IN THE PATHS OF THE CHANNELS
There are two principal reasons for doing this third stage of meditation. First, it helps to eliminate defects from the channels, winds, and drops, making them very clear and flexible and preventing us from contracting diseases associated with them. If these three elements are supple, the body as a whole will also be supple. This is because the channels, winds, and drops pervade the entire body. It is very important for a meditator’s body to be comfortable and flexible because this helps the mind to become clear and lucid; and a clear mind makes meditation powerful and very beneficial. The second reason for doing this meditation is that it greatly enhances the clarity of our visualization of the channel wheels.
To train in this stage, we imagine that our mind is in the form of the indestructible drop located in the centre of