Seven-point posture of Vairochana

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Seven-point posture of Vairochana (Skt. saptadharma-vairocana; Tib. རྣམ་སྣང་ཆོས་བདུན་, nam nang chö dün, Wyl. rnam snang chos bdun):

  1. Legs crossed
  2. Hands in the lap or on the knees
  3. Back (spine straight)
  4. Shoulders spread like a vulture’s wings
  5. Head and Neck (chin slightly lowered)
  6. Mouth (tip of the tongue touching the palate)
  7. Eyes (gazing past the tip of the nose).[1]


In his Stages of Meditation, Kamalashila writes:

Then, they should seat themselves on a comfortable seat, either in the full lotus posture of Vairochana or the half-lotus posture. Their eyes should not be open too wide, nor too tightly closed, but focused on the tip of the nose. Their body should not be bent forward or backward, but kept straight, and their attention turned inwards. Their shoulders should rest evenly, and the head should not be tilted back or forward or to either side. The nose should be in line with the navel. The teeth and lips should rest in their natural state, and the tongue should touch the upper palate. Inhalation and exhalation should be just barely discernable, gentle, soft and natural, without undue noise, effort or agitation.

Notes

  1. These points are listed in different orders in different sources. This follows the order as found in Khenpo Ngakchung’s Zindri, page 42.