I dug my right heel into the rough-hewn rock under my ledge chair. It hurt, and I wanted it to hurt. I kept inventing new ways to test, to attempt to ascertain what state of consciousness I was in. Evidence continued to mount that I was indeed here in an embodied state, everything seemed corporeal, but I could not imagine how I would come to an awakened state night after night in the Ancient Cave without remembering leaving my hotel room in Lone Pine, or remembering my body being transported in some way over an unknown distance. This was always followed by waking from a deep sleep the next morning back in Lone Pine, groggy with almost a headache, a headache that would lessen and then disappear within an hour or so, with some of the relief happening as I massaged my forehead in the general area of the “third eye.” As I massaged my face and head, some memories of the previous night’s instructions and/or lecture would surface, but in a way that made it difficult to really reflect on the actual event or associated instructions. Only the practices, and explanations of the practices, were reasonably clear. Everything else was rather like trying to remember, through the haze of a horrific hangover, exactly what you did last night when you were incredibly wasted. It was almost twenty years later before the details of these nights began to unfold into my “normal” consciousness.

“Yes, this place is hewn from rock.” Aaraak spoke, and it took a moment to recognize the intrusion as he quietly spoke the very thought that I thought I was having. I nodded, in part to clear my head, and looked to the stage. He was seated, as usual, behind the small desk, flanked by his two silent companions.

“Tonight we are going to give you some background on two very important concepts, lineages and transmissions, so that you can better grasp what happens when a student interacts with a teacher.

“There are many well-traveled paths to the base of Mount Wisdom (that mountain which springs from the Plain of Awareness and whose heights disappear into the misty heavens). These myriad paths can be described as having their own character, their own history, their own lineage, but upon close observation one notices that they all follow one of two ways, or in synthesis, a combination of the two plans.

“The first approach relies on study, on becoming acquainted with the teachings and scriptures by investigative reasoning. The possibilities are then expanded by intellectual endeavor, reflected on, and then contemplated. Many things are left unsaid with this simple explanation. Firstly, why is the individual interested at all? Possibly it begins as an exploration of ‘ways to increase consciousness.’ However the potential student has arrived, only good things can come from it; if the soil remains fallow, nothing was lost. The next problem is that approaching anything with the intellect alone gives access only to the exterior. If that persuades the student to go ‘interior,’ to attempt to unlock the potential spoken of in the text, then the next step has been taken. The last problems are that in order for the student to ‘reflect,’ the mind has to become calm; and finally, in order to ‘contemplate’ the mind must be still. In other words we have a path that is usually taken by people with big active minds, but if they keep their feet on that path it leads them to a place where their mind has been transformed into higher mind. We will discuss this transformation at a later time.

“The second approach is that of the doer. The student receives instruction and then plunges into practice, often without asking any questions at all. This does not mean that this student is stupid or is entering the path on blind faith. It relates to a completely different approach wherein the student wishes to see if it works, no matter what the ‘it’ is. There will be time for questions later--questions on technique, problems, on results, on the theory, on the goal.

“The third approach is to blend the other two approaches, to intersperse some practice with theory and explanation. This is, of course, what ultimately happens in almost every case. I know it pains the intellectual to have to stop and monitor his breath, but by doing so his progress is both wider and deeper. What good is theory if there is no practical application? Likewise, ‘the doer’ can make more meaningful progress if she knows something about the big picture; where is she coming from, where is she now, where is she going to? When a doer gets immediate results from practice it can be like eating candy, one just doesn’t want to stop. And we are not asking anyone to stop. We are just tempering practice with theory, theory with practice. The ideal student has a hunger for both knowledge and experience. As we arrive at the base of Mount Wisdom all three approaches lose their distinctions, their separate qualities. Which bears testimony to the fact that the differences in approach were largely cultural, and certainly based on the inclinations of various personalities.

“So who exactly is disseminating this knowledge? Fortunately for us, there are many schools of knowledge that we can access. By looking, we will discover one that pleases our personal predilections. I recommend finding one that has a proven lineage. The importance of lineage is not a theoretical postulation, is not based on historical sacredness, it is exceedingly real for very practical reasons. The lineage holders have access to the accumulated wisdom of thousands of years of self-exploration, to the distilled experience of millions upon millions of practice sessions. Additionally, they are experienced and trained in a system that actually gets the desired result. If you were sentenced to life in prison, would you just keep your senses active and hope that a way to escape appeared, or would you accept instructions from others who had been in that prison in the exact same set of circumstances and had been able to escape? If you don’t look around and see humanity as largely caught in the pursuits of lower activities, then it is understandable that you would not ask for help. If, however, you want to expand your potential and aspire to open your higher centers, why wouldn’t you consult the ones who have gone before?

“You are welcome to choose the path which best suits you. If you decide that you have made a mistake, then you will simply try a different methodology. Your mind can adopt fancy concepts and understandings, but it is in the actual walking of the path that you will discover much about your inner self.” Aaraak paused, at last, obviously giving me an opening to ask questions.

“I thought that you were my teacher, and that your path was my path.” I responded.

“I am your teacher, but I am not your only teacher. Perhaps you should think of me as the dean of your college. You will have many classes and many teachers. You will consult me for an overview, for long-term planning, for answers to a few difficult questions, and for particular problems. My path will be available to you in the future. For now we wish for you to sample from the many bins available to human beings on planet earth. Knowing something about these will create flexibility and universality in you. It is better to consider this guidance as though you were an initiate in a mystery school.”

“Is it a mystery school?” I asked, trying to define anything that I could.

“We are more like a universal library. We do supply information to some mystery schools and to a few individuals as well.”

This statement went beyond any “specialness” that I could imagine. It was a claim of truly cosmic proportions. My brain was fast going into shock.

Aaraak continued, “A teacher of adequate capacity has three ways to actively convey useful and practical knowledge to the student[s]; these are sometimes called the three transmissions:

“The first transmission is Oral. By word, spoken or written, the instruction is given. Often there are stories, parables, or other elaborating material. A powerful image that we offer of one who attempts to proceed with only oral instruction is that of a small insect flying into a window and continuing to bump its head into the glass in an attempt to get through it. It is so obvious where one is going, why is it so difficult to get there? Additionally this window cannot be real! It must be an illusion. It is an obstacle of my own making, perhaps. I must continue in this direction as I know I am correctly following the Wise One’s instructions. Bump, bump, bump. Bump, bump, bump. Finally the insect falls down exhausted or dead. Oral transmission correlates to an awakening of the body.

“The second transmission is Symbolic. This usually includes an initiation, and connects practice and student energetically, with the lineage as a backdrop. It often uses mantra and visualization (sound and light) to complement and reinforce the teacher’s intentions. The student is often very happy to get this special teaching and special treatment. An image of this state might be the fat cat in the corner, well fed and fussing about, getting the bed just right for a coming nap. Symbolic transmission correlates to an awakening of the energy.

“The third transmission is Direct. This is Mind to Mind (in Tibetan systems), Darshan (in Indian systems), and without (named) description in many other systems. Words cannot begin to describe this, and so until the student actually experiences it, it is just some theoretical mumbo-jumbo. The image here, for one that tries to get somewhere using only this transmission, is of a bird that has one wing that is twice as strong as the other wing. On hearing the music the bird wishes to dance. Can’t dance? Oh well, we will fly. Having one powerful wing we tend to fly in circles! Direct transmission correlates to an awakening of the mind.
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“The Symbolic and Direct transmissions can only be given by those who have achieved the Result of the given practice. Of course, the Oral transmission will have very little value if it is not also given by an advanced practitioner, but it is possible, both in good potential and bad potential. A glib wordsmith can mislead many at a lower level, but the point I am trying to make here is that all three transmissions (oral, symbolic, and direct) are very necessary for the student who wishes to advance. So seek out the highest being that you have the ability to discern and receive the full range of their teachings. Don’t settle for anything less. This is not something to compromise on. Two necessary footnotes to this are that it is highly desirable to have actual physical access to your teacher and that you choose someone that communicates with you--WITH YOU. This is one of two reasons that it is very important to have a physical living teacher if at all possible. The second reason is to solve the problems that the student always manages to manifest.

“In Buddhism much importance is placed on ‘the three Jewels’--Dharma, Guru, and Sangha. Dharma is the path, the teachings, and more; it is respect for the sacredness of life, for the spiritual nature of the universe, and for the correct actions of correct living. Guru is your teacher when you are a limited being that needs instruction, but here it means much more than that. Guru represents the past wisdom, the accumulated past wisdom of all mankind. Guru also symbolizes where you are going when you give up your personality, your momentary limitations. Sangha is your spiritual community, most especially including your vajra brothers and sisters--this means all those beings that you share instruction, practice, intent, and spiritual effort with.“

Aaraak peered through the semi-darkness at me. “I think we will stop here for now.”

I felt my consciousness flow downward toward my hara, and I was gone.