ON THE CONCEPT OF SAHAJAwith the "Fourth Bliss" (16.2)^116 • The tendency to list the Joys in this particular
succession (as in HVT I.i.28; x.l3, etc.) would also be strengthened by the uni-
versal Indian fondness for contrasting three stages comprising various aspects of
profane, mundane existence, with a fourth, indicating transcendency, sacrality,
etc., typified in the well-known list of the states of consciousness (waking state,
dream, dreamless sleep; "the fourth")^117 •
We now tum to the fourfold set of Seals. They are enumerated as follows
(Fig. IV) in our texts.
Fig. IV shows that there is considerable disagreement between the various
texts as to the order of the Seals. For instance, while the Great Seal
(mahamudra) is placed last in the majority of the texts, its position as third in
AVS corresponds to the position in that text of the Simultaneously-arisen Joy.
We may further note that PK identifies the Gnosis-Seal (jiianamudra) with the
Dharma-Seal; in TDK, however, it takes the place of the Convention-Seal
(samayamudra). Finally, YRM places the Convention-Seal second, which is in
conflict with the other texts. Further discussion of the problems posed by these
discrepancies will not be undertaken here; at the present stage, it will be of
greater importance to attempt to define the nature of each Seal, and with this end
in view, I shall now proceed to translate a number of relevant passages, begin-
ning with three passages from ST:
The Action-Seal bestows fleeting bliss (ksarasukha), the Gnosis-Seal
bestows quivering bliss (spandasukha), the Great Seal bestows motion-
less bliss (ni~pandasukha). (ST p. 36).
The Action-Seal has breasts and hair; she is the cause of bliss in the
Realm of Desire (kadhatu). "Action" consists in kissing, embracing,
touching the sexual organ, rubbing the Vajra, etc.; the Seal who is char-
acterised thereby gives proof of herself (pratyayakaril)l), and the proof
in this case has the characteristic of fleeting bliss. "She gives happiness
(mud -am), i.e. a high degree of bliss, or delight (ra-tim)-hence, she is
called "Seal" (mud-rii).
The Gnosis-Seal is imagined by one's mind (syacitta-parikalpita) ...
It is knowledge, the cause of bliss in the Realm of Form (riipadhatu),
characterised by the imagining of previous smiles, states of enjoyment,
etc.^118 • Here the proof has the characteristic of quivering bliss^119 •PK(p.34 1.54) YRM(p.I08) TDK(p.70) ST(p.36,56,62) CMN =A VS(p.30,32)
kannamudrii karma^0 karmao karmao karma^0
dharma^0 ( = jiiiina^0 ) samayao dharmao dharma^0
jiiiinao
samayao dharma^0 jiiiinao mahii 0
ffiahii^0 mahii^0 mahii^0 maha^0 samaya^0Fig. IV