3.2.7. The Treasury of Precious Jewels

“To annihilate the four demons
Is the teaching of the Great Vehicle.
To neither reject nor pursue saṃsāra or nirvāṇa
Is the meaning of the Prajñāpāramitā.
Making use of unfavorable conditions
Was taught by the venerable Machig.
To consider adversity as a friend
Is the instruction of Chöd.”

— Machig Labdrön

There comes a point along this winding path where our fascination with the machinery of mind begins to wane. We no longer chase after grand experiences, nor do we flee from discomfort. Instead, we start to discern something subtler — a treasury of jewels hidden within the ordinary flux of consciousness itself. This chapter is a gentle foray into that treasury: an exploration of calm abiding (samatha), clear seeing (vipassanā), and the profound layers of mind that underpin our apparent self.

Having grasped the principle of pure conditionality — that all phenomena arise and pass away due to causes, without inherent selfhood — the alchemist becomes free from the personal anguish that once bound them. This does not mean physical or emotional discomfort ceases; it means that when it does arise, there is no compulsive story of “Why me?” to compound it.

At this stage, the alchemist is liberated from the notion of self, yet the senses continue to respond to stimuli, with old karmic seeds still ripening. The crucial difference is that, free from attachment, they no longer sow new seeds. Thus, no fresh karma is created.

An arahant has perfected this “personal vehicle” of liberation. The bodhisattva reaches a similar understanding but is driven by bodhicitta — an altruistic resolve spanning countless lives, naturally inclining them toward the Four Immeasurables (loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, equanimity) and effortlessly attaining deep states of absorption (jhāna).

This path, known as the Mahāyāna, is vast and often spans many existences. Tantra offers a more accelerated route, using subtle energies and symbolic deities, much like high ritual in Western esotericism. Yet ultimately, whether through countless lifetimes of gentle cultivation or bold esoteric leaps, it is wisdom that clears the way.

Samatha: Calm Abiding

“When in this way you let your three doors rest in their natural state, all gross and subtle thoughts subside and your mind remains loosely in itself — that is called shamatha.”

The “three doors” — body, speech, and mind — come to rest. Gross volitions fall away. For most, this tranquility is elusive because it requires renouncing the very compulsions that define our ordinary lives. Yet as understanding deepens, its value becomes unmistakable.

Importantly, profound meditation is not mandatory for progress; insight can grow from even modest levels of calm. Traditional samatha often begins by placing attention on a simple object, but the wise can instead turn awareness directly toward emptiness — the spacious, luminous absence underlying all experience.

Here, one gazes at the empty sky, sits without contrivance, and allows opinions, words, and reactions to dissolve. It is a meditation on effortlessness.

Vipassanā: Clear Seeing

“Locationless and naked, in spontaneous wakefulness — that is called vipassanā.”

Having stilled the mind, we turn that quiet awareness inward. Patterns once obscured by mental noise become visible. Vipassanā is “locationless” because it does not truly belong to inside or outside. It is “naked” because it is free of elaboration, and “spontaneous wakefulness” because it simply shines forth.

In time, samatha and vipassanā merge. Each moment of clarity deepens our certainty in the empty, luminous nature of mind.

Stages of Insight

As fetters fall away, the practitioner moves from seeing external attachments as hollow (entering the “abyss” of albedo) to ultimately dismantling subtle internal conceits on the way to arahantship.

The Alaya: Ground Consciousness

Beyond the usual cognitive mind lies the alaya — a foundational, non-conceptual awareness. It manifests most clearly in dreamless sleep, where no self remains to track time. Alaya is the subtle bedrock from which thoughts and perceptions emerge.

It has two aspects:

• A pure, wise facet that reflects our innate Buddha-nature.
• A conditioned, confused side tied to karmic imprints.

Most cannot recognise the alaya directly; it takes great stillness or a semi-lucid state where thinking stops. Artists sometimes brush close to it when they act from pure intuition, without self-reference.

Non-Thought, Clarity, and Bliss

The natural state of the ground reveals three qualities:

Yet attachment even here is perilous. We are warned that:

• Clinging to bliss ties us to desire realms.
• Clinging to clarity ties us to form realms.
• Clinging to non-thought risks rebirth in formless states.

Thus we practice detachment like:

• A madman, indifferent to bliss.
• A child’s fleeting dream, unmoved by clarity.
• A yogi, unbound by non-thought.

The Five Bodhisattva Paths

Those who cultivate bodhicitta embark on the five Mahāyāna paths, steadily eradicating obstacles until Buddhahood:

Each path purifies different layers of misunderstanding, transforming the practitioner from a seeker into a living expression of compassion and wisdom.

In this chapter we ventured into subtle territory: from the tranquil fields of samatha to the radiant clarity of vipassanā, finally approaching the mysterious alaya. Here, the jewels of mind — non-thought, clarity, bliss — sparkle with increasing brilliance. Yet we are reminded to hold them lightly, for even the most exquisite experiences can bind us if clung to. Progress is neither in grasping nor rejecting, but in resting naturally, allowing wisdom and compassion to mature.

This text is excerpted from the upcoming book Citrinitas: A Course in Modern Alchemy. The complete volume will include additional study guides, glossaries, and extended teachings. Learn more about the book here.