Stages of Spiritual Attainment / Open Heart Bhumi Model

Stages of Spiritual Attainment/

Open Heart Bhumi Model

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Two common problems of spirituality are that 1. a practitioner

doesn't have a clear picture where he or she is at, even with a long
practice history and 2. there has been no universally applicable
way to find out what exactly is the level of various teachers
spiritual attainments. Both of these factors can and does cause
confusion. It would be very helpful if we had a way to answer both
of these questions with confidence. The Open Heart Bhumi Model,
as presented here and in the consecutive Bhumi Study Series,
offers a way to answer these questions.

I am happy to present this way of mapping spiritual attainments

and offer it to anyone who is interested. If one has the necessary
skills of mindfulness and clear perception, it is applicable to
anyone. It doesn't matter which tradition, teacher, master or
practitioner is concerned. This bhumi model transcends the
superficial differences of traditions, their respective terminologies
and often hard to get descriptions which for someone not having
in-depth study of a particular teaching are impossible to
understand. This bhumi-mapping system gives a different spin on
the whole thing because it is not based on words, verbal
descriptions and terms, although they can be very helpful also.
Rather, it is based on direct study of energy and awareness of the
recipient that is performed in the mind of meditation and body of
the student himself. Bhumi-study is a way to know where you're at
or where someone else might be in regards to his or her spiritual
attainment. The Open Heart Bhumi Model is a big step towards a
more complete presentation of pragmatic dharma.
The Open Heart Bhumi Model is based on the energy system of
man, and for this reason is universal. It is a bit technical but makes
perfect sense with some study.

Being a tantra and atiyoga practitioner and devoted to empirical

study, while being adviced and guided by several masters of
meditation for many years, the distinct phases of the path of mind
training have become quite evident to me. I present here, what I
have learned from my masters and analyzed in my own practice.

Stages of spiritual attainment

1. Awakening, bhumi 1. Awakening is also called by different

terms such as stream entry or insight into the empty nature of me-
ness, sense of subject
2. Mind purification, bhumis 2-6. Other terms: arhat/arahat, karmic
purification. Insight into the empty nature of one's personal
subconsciousness
3. Bodhisattva bhumis, bhumis 7-10. Four stages that relate to
substrate consciousness
4. Mahasiddha bhumis, bhumis 11-13. Other terms: buddhahood,
spiritual master. Three stages

1. Awakening. As I have written and talked about this on many

occasion, I will keep this short. When looked at energetically,
awakening, or insight into the non-solidity of me-subject, takes
place at the area behind one's eyes inside the head. When the
illusion of "me" as an independent separate entity drops off, this
area opens up energetically and the eyes get a natural, relaxed
bright look to them, especially immediately after the insight. In the
Open Heart-system this initial attainment opens the first (1.)
ground or "bhumi" which refers to the energetic location at the
level of the eyes in the spine. From awakening onwards that
chakra location is open and will not close down but may become
blurry momentarily when strong emotions that arise from one's
subconscious mind.

2. Mind purification. The next stage of attainment, is purity of mind

in the energy system within the area of the physical body. This
refers to energy centers or chakras in the area of the whole
physical body, including the four limbs. This means that the energy
system, including channels and centers in the space inside the
physical body are purified of karmic imprints.

When energetic purification progresses and the limbs keep getting

clearer energetically, steadily the bhumi/ground keeps rising inside
the head. There is a stack of six centers on top of each other
between the level of the eyes and the crown which open up one by
one, when the energetic purification in the body and limbs
progresses. That is a universal mechanism.

With opening of the 6th bhumi, ones mind becomes quite clear. At
this point one has realised selflessness to some degree which is
significant to the person himself. One experiences relatively
comprehensive freedom most of the time which is why opening of
the 6th bhumi is important. However, at times one's mind can get
very clouded. When this stage is finished, the ground rests at the
crown.

As a general note, the attainment of the 6th bhumi is quite rare

among all schools of practitioners and adepts. In schools where
practitioners manage to open their 1st bhumis, they commonly
progress a few more bhumis bt then hit a wall. There are
exceptions to this but in general, few get to 6th bhumi. This means
that many times people, whether practitioners or teachers, still
have quite a lot of karmic knots in their energy bodies, translating
to dualistic illusion in their mind. This is reflected in their
teachings and actions.

In this bhumi model, the sixth bhumi is not even at the halfway of
the whole system. There is much more to go. Further progress is
possible because there is a system of seven centers above the
crown which are yet to be tapped. At the attainment of the 6th
bhumi, is where spiritual maturation really begins.

In Open Heart-teachings, this stage is achieved by specific tantric

practices utilising deity mantras and other techniques of Tibetan
Heart Yoga. Also tantric guru yoga of Machig Labdron is used.

3. Bodhisattva bhumis, 4 stages. The first four centers above the

crown, are related to bhumis 7-10. They are called "bodhisattva
bhumis". Attainments of these does not yet make one a master or a
buddha but going through these stages, opening these bhumis one
by one does give further freedom of the emotional entanglements,
and especially of the subtle dullness that comes very immanent
after the 6th bhumi. The mentioned dullness or blankness is
caused by the basis of one's personal mind. It is called substrate
consciousness (alaya, kun gzhi). The difference of awareness
(rigpa) and substrate is something that the masters of the Tibetan
dzogchen tradition underline. After the 6th bhumi and especially
during the lower bodhisattva bhumis (7th-8th) one can easily
mistake substrate for awareness. The difference becomes more
and more clear with the openings of further bhumis (9th-10th) and
very clear with the opening of the first mahasiddha bhumi (11th).

In general very few traditions produce practitioners who proceed

to bhumis higher than the 6th but fortunately some do. Tantric
buddhism and dzogchen are clearly the strongest in this regard.
Heads of lineages in these lineages are usually at higher
bodhisattva bhumis (8th-10th), if not on mahasiddha bhumis.

In Open Heart-teachings, this stage is achieved by specific tantric

practices utilising deity mantras of higher bhumis in Tibetan Heart
Yoga. Also tantric guru yoga of Machig Labdron is used.

4. Mahasiddha bhumis, 3 stages. Unfortunately, I cannot offer an

explanation of the differences of bhumis 11th-12th and 13th.
However, the difference of bhumis 1st-10th and 11th is easy to
describe.

With the opening of the 11th bhumi, awareness becomes

pronounced even though the previous bhumis wouldn't yet be
perfected. When the 11th opens up, awareness or rigpa is one's
default mode. At this point one is always in the state of atiyoga and
does not have to cultivate attention anymore. This is a big change.
As mind purification progresses in the lower bhumis (1-10) the
more substrate consciousness becomes nullified. With the opening
of the 11th bhumi one really has returned home.
Visiting, opening and perfecting bhumis

See this video for explanation.

Object 1

The Origin of the Open Heart Bhumi Model

I first learned the bhumi model in early 2014 from a master called
Thirumular, with whom I studied for several years. After continuing
my studies with Machig Labdron and other masters of tantric
buddhism and Tibetan dzogchen, this same model has served well
in mapping various stages of spiritual attainments.
 Open Heart Bhumi Model and the Energy System

Video documentations of bhumi openings

I present here a video documentation of my mind purification since

2/2013 starting from over a year after the initial awakening (1st
bhumi). It is very demonstrative of mind purification. In my case
the progress in opening the bhumis was caused by practicing
Tibetan Heart Yoga and tantric guru yoga. I hope this is of use to
you.