Part 1c - The greater path of accumulation

On the greater, meditate on the four legs of miracle,
Yearning, investigation, contemplation and mindfulness.^[1]

Meditate on the four legs of samadhi-miracle, which are yearning, investigation, contemplation, and mindfulness. The Mother says:

The yearning leg of samadhi miracle and these others, four altogether are taught.

On the greater path of accumulation, discipline is directed at enlightenment, and we make an effort to practice yoga by binding the gates of the senses, understanding the proper measure of food and not sleeping in the first and last quarters of the night. By remaining conscientiously in non-accepting and non-rejecting there are delight, unreproaching happiness, joy, faith, devotion and other such virtues that are causes of liberation. By making an effort in hearing, contemplating, and meditating, we are joined to the path of preparation. Also from the lesser path of accumulation we start gathering the accumulations for three countless kalpas. The Summary of the Vehicles (theg pa bsdus pa) says:

Those with the powers of goodness and ripening,
Have beings with minds that are especially stable.
As bodhisattvas over three countless kalpas,
They will make an effort it is taught.

At the time of meditating on the four objects of mindfulness, the time of arising of the path of preparation is uncertain. As for the time of meditation on the four right exertions, at the time of the path of preparation, their arising in the time of later lives is certain. The juncture of meditating on the four legs of miracle will certainly arise at that same time in the path.

As for the particular antidotes of this path, when we have conceptually seen how formations do their damage, we completely eliminate them with the antidotes.

As for what is abandoned, when we have seen the faults of defiled dharmā, the corresponding attachments that make them manifest are cut off and abandoned.

As for what is realized, mostly the two egolessnesses are realized in a general way through hearing and contemplating. There is also the arising of realization from meditation. The General Compendium (kun las btus) says:

Prajña arising from meditation is also applicable.

As for qualities, there are the eyes, higher perceptions, and all kinds of others. The Mahayanasutralankara says:

At that time from out of the stream of Dharma
As from the buddhas there will be attainment
Of shamatha and also of vast wisdom,
Extensive oral instructions will be attained.

Also:

Dwelling completely within the gates of Dharma,
We are instructed by seeing tathagatas,
As if being led away from strife and contention,
We are led from the manifold thickets of faults
To be established in true enlightenment.

At the time of attaining the greater path of accumulation we are mindful of the three prajñas of hearing, contemplating, and meditating regarding the three jewels. We are mindful of the three characteristics of all compounded things as impermanent, defiled and painful. All dharmas are empty, selfless, nirvana and peace. These are the four mudras of dharmas. Also faith, exertion, mindfulness, samadhi, and prajña are the special five according with liberation, not arising within the essence of the senses.

We meditate on discipline and generosity, the free and well favored body and birth, and the inhaling and exhaling of the breath. If the practice is completely performed, we should meditate on impure perceptions and the eight thoughts of a great being.

In preparation, first meditate on taking refuge and arousing bodhicitta. To accomplish the final purification, meditate on the nine impure perceptions. These are that the dead body of oneself and others become:

• rotten
• worm-eaten
• bloody red
• green
• black
• devoured
• scattered
• burned
• decomposed.

For desire meditate on impurity, for hatred kindness, and for ignorance interdependent arising. The Sutra Requested by Good Army (dpung bzang gyis zhus pa’i mdo) says:

Desire is mostly eliminated by one’s having viewed
Decaying flesh and fat, and skin and skeletons. Aggression by the stream of kindness and compassion,
And ignorance by the path of interdependent arising.

As for the eight thoughts of a great being, the Commentary on the Twenty-thousand says:

One thinks the thought, 1) “I am always able to remove suffering from sentient beings,”
and the thought, 2) “I am always able to establish beings who are afflicted by poverty in
great wealth,” and the thought, 3) “A body of flesh and blood can always be of use to sentient beings,” and the thought, 4) “I could always benefit sentient beings by staying in Hell for a long time,” and, 5) “By worldly and world-transcending great wealth, I can always fulfill the hopes of sentient beings,” and, 6) “Having become enlightened, I could always eliminate the sufferings of sentient beings,” and the thought, 7) “The arising of what does not benefit sentient beings, the taste of the absolute being analyzed away as unity, words that do not make all beings think, livelihood that does not benefit others, and likewise body and prajña and wealth and power that do not benefit them, and rejoicing in doing harm to sentient beings--in all generations may these never occur,” and the thought, 8) “Because the fruition of the evil deeds of sentient beings always ripens in myself and the fruition of my virtue always arises in them, may they be happy.”

Meditate on these together with taking refuge and arousing bodhicitta. Moreover, as taught before, meditate in the realm of complete purity.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

sems = bsam thought or mind = contemplation; and mindfulness = exertion according to Trungpa Rinpoche